Category: Africa

Source: APO

.

Today, President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi met with Chairman of the Suez Canal Authority Admiral Osama Rabie.

Spokesman for the Presidency Ambassador Mohamed El-Shennawy stated that President El-Sisi was briefed on navigation traffic in the Suez Canal. 

Admiral Rabie pointed out that during 2025, particularly in the second half of the year, the Canal witnessed a relative improvement and the beginning of a partial recovery in navigation traffic. This was in light of the efforts exerted to contain negative repercussions and enhance the competitive position of the waterway following the completion of the development of the southern sector. He further noted that the second half of the year saw the gradual return of large container ships to transit the Suez Canal.  This is a positive indicator toward the resumption of such vessels’ passage through the Canal once again, amid the return of stability to the Red Sea region. He reaffirmed expectations of a further improvement in Suez Canal revenues during the second half of 2026, as some shipping lines return to their normal levels by the end of the year.

President El-Sisi also followed up on the executive status of the development of the South Red Sea shipyard, to review completion rates and implementation timelines. These efforts are part of the strategy to localize the maritime industry and strengthen partnership with the private sector. 

In this regard,  Admiral Rabie highlighted the latest developments in the construction of 12 deep-sea fishing vessels, as well as the completion of the construction of 6 maritime tugboats as part of a series comprising 10 “Azm-class” tugboats with a 90-ton bollard pull. Additionally,  construction has been completed for another 10 maritime tugboats with an 80-tons bollard pull at the Suez Canal Authority’s shipyards. 

The Chairman of the Suez Canal Authority also reviewed the executive status of the Authority’s completion of the construction of 10 river buses, in addition to plans to purchase and develop the dredger fleet to boost the Authority’s capabilities.

The President emphasized, in this context, the necessity of meeting the needs of Egyptian ports for maritime tugboats and various marine units through the Authority’s fleet, as well as developing and modernizing the Egyptian fishing fleet. President El-Sisi gave directives to continue implementation of the strategy to develop the Suez Canal, its navigational channel, and all its facilities and infrastructure. This aims to maintain its globally recognized efficiency and capability, given its unique position in global navigation and trade.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Presidency of the Arab Republic of Egypt.

Source: APO

.

In health facilities across Somalia, frontline health workers confront the same painful reality every day: children arriving too late, dangerously thin and already fighting for survival.

Acute malnutrition remains one of the country’s most persistent public health challenges, affecting children under-5, pregnant and breastfeeding women, and other vulnerable groups. In fragile and emergency settings, the difference between life and death often depends on how early a child is identified and how well health workers are equipped to respond.

To reinforce lifesaving nutrition services, the World Health Organization (WHO), in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Health, is rolling out Somalia’s 2025 updated national guideline for the prevention and management of wasting and nutritional oedema – also known as acute malnutrition. The revised guideline aligns with the latest global evidence and places prevention and early intervention at the centre of care.

More than 40 Somali health professionals from hospitals and stabilization centres across the country recently gathered for a two-week master training-of-trainers course, supported by the European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations (ECHO) and WHO. The aim was to equip the national trainers with the knowledge and skills needed to cascade high-quality, standardized nutrition care to health workers nationwide.

“The main goal of this training is to build the capacity of frontline health workers and nutrition programme managers to effectively implement the 2025 Somali Integrated Management of Acute Malnutrition (IMAM) guideline,” said Dr Aweis Olow Hassan, Nutrition Officer at WHO Somalia.

Unlike previous versions, the revised guideline goes beyond treatment alone. It emphasizes prevention, expands care for infants under 6 months who are at risk of poor growth and development, and includes guidance for their mothers and caregivers. It also introduces protocols for moderate wasting and a comprehensive chapter on nutrition in emergencies.

“This guideline reflects the realities health workers face every day,” Dr Aweis explained. “It helps them identify risks earlier and act before children become severely malnourished.”

For participants like Dr Maryan Musse, Health and Nutrition Project Coordinator at World Vision Somalia, the training addressed long-standing challenges encountered in the field.

“In our work, we often see limited community awareness about nutrition and differences in how standard protocols are applied across health facilities,” she said. “This training provided clear guidance on case management and will help me support health care workers more effectively.”

Dr Maryan now plans to cascade the training to all World Vision-supported health facilities under her supervision, ensuring consistency and quality of care.

Similarly, Bihi Omar Wehlie, Health and Nutrition Programme Officer for Concern Worldwide (UK), described the practical value of the updated guideline.                                          

“The training helped me understand the new structure of the guideline, especially the stronger focus on prevention,” he said. “The expanded guidance on managing nutritionally at-risk infants under 6 months, pregnant and breastfeeding women, and nutrition support for HIV and TB patients was particularly important.”

By training national trainers, WHO and Somalia’s Ministry of Health are investing in a sustainable system that strengthens Somalia’s health workforce from within.

“Developing a strong cohort of national trainers ensures knowledge can be continuously cascaded,” Dr Aweis noted. “This enhances service quality and improves child health outcomes across the country.”

But the responsibility does not stop at health facilities. Participants emphasized that communities and families play a crucial role in preventing malnutrition.

“My message to parents is simple,” said Bihi. “Seek care early. Prevention begins at home. The earlier we identify a problem, the stronger and healthier the child will be.”

Dr Maryan echoed the call, urging families to prioritize early breastfeeding, seek timely care and work closely with health workers to protect children and mothers from malnutrition.

As these trained health professionals return to their communities, they carry more than new guidelines – they carry renewed confidence, practical skills and a shared commitment to ensure that no child is left behind due to preventable malnutrition.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of World Health Organization – Regional Office for the Eastern Mediterranean.

Source: APO – Report:

.

The Chairperson of the African Union Commission, H.E. Mahmoud Ali Youssouf, commends the conduct of the elections in Uganda and congratulates H.E. Yoweri Kaguta Museveni on his re-election with 71.61% of the votes cast during the presidential elections held on 15 January 2026.

The Chairperson expresses sincere appreciation to H.E Goodluck Jonathan, former President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria for his sterling leadership of the Joint African Union/; Common Market of Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA)/Inter-Governmental Authority on Development (IGAD) Election Observation Mission to Uganda.

The Chairperson further reiterates the commitment of the African Union Commission to continue to support the promotion of democracy and effective governance in the continent, while applauding the people of Uganda for their commitment to consolidating democratic gains, peace, security, and development.

– on behalf of African Union (AU).

Source: APO – Report:

.

H.E. Dr. Rania Al-Mashat, Minister of Planning, Economic Development and International Cooperation, received Ms. Angelina Eichhorst, Ambassador of the European Union to the Arab Republic of Egypt, to discuss ways to strengthen joint cooperation within the framework of the comprehensive strategic partnership between Egypt and the European Union. The meeting also reviewed developments in ongoing and future cooperation programs, priorities related to development grants for the 2026–2027 period, as well as the expansion of financing mechanisms and innovative and blended finance instruments for the domestic and foreign private sector.

H.E. Dr. Al-Mashat praised the depth of Egyptian-European relations. She emphasized that this partnership represents a model of cooperation based on national priorities and the achievement of tangible development impact, particularly in the areas of economic reform, governance, green transformation, and support for macroeconomic stability.

H.E. Dr. Rania Al-Mashat highlighted Egypt’s Narrative for Comprehensive Development as the overarching framework for inclusive development, which enhances the state’s efforts to achieve sustainable and inclusive economic growth. This is based on boosting investment in human development, implementing structural reforms, increasing the role of the private sector, improving the efficiency of public investment, and linking planning with financing and monitoring.

H.E. Dr. Al-Mashat also underscored the progress in Egypt’s economic growth indicators in light of the reforms being implemented, and the resulting enhancement of economic resilience and the Egyptian economy’s ability to cope with regional and international shocks.

H.E. Dr. Al-Mashat mentioned the developments in economic growth rates during the first quarter of the current fiscal year. They exceeded 5%, reflecting tangible improvement across various sectoral indicators, particularly the increased contribution of several productive sectors, specially industry, communications and information technology, and tourism, as well as improvements in private investment and export indicators.

The Minister pointed out that these positive indicators reflect the success of the state in adopting policies aimed at achieving sustainable and more inclusive economic growth, while strengthening the Egyptian economy’s resilience in the face of regional and international challenges.

The meeting also touched on the Macro-Financial Assistance (MFA) mechanism and budget support, during which the efforts undertaken by the Ministry in coordination with relevant national entities to implement the reform package associated with the first tranche of the second phase of the program were reviewed. These efforts resulted in the disbursement of the first tranche amounting to €1 billion in January 2026. She stressed that this represents an international vote of confidence in the course of the structural reforms being implemented by the Egyptian state and reflects the depth and strength of the strategic relations between Egypt and the European Union.

In this regard, Dr. Al-Mashat reiterated that the policies and measures being implemented under the Macro-Financial Assistance and budget support mechanism, amounting to 109 measures, constitute a core part of the national structural reform program being implemented within the framework of Egypt’s Narrative for Comprehensive Development. She noted that the Ministry is continuously coordinating with various national entities to begin implementing the reforms related to the second and third tranches, scheduled for disbursement during 2026.

H.E. Dr. Al-Mashat reaffirmed the Egyptian government’s commitment to deepening the partnership with the European Union and building on the positive results achieved, in a manner that supports sustainable development efforts and enhances mutual confidence in the path of economic reform and inclusive growth.

– on behalf of Ministry of Planning, Economic Development, and International Cooperation – Egypt.

Source: APO – Report:

.

H.E. Dr. Rania Al-Mashat, Minister of Planning, Economic Development and International Cooperation, held a meeting with Dr. Anne Aly, Australia’s Minister for Small Business, International Development and Multicultural Affairs, to discuss ways to strengthen bilateral cooperation and explore future partnership opportunities in a number of priority areas.

During the meeting, H.E. Dr. Rania Al-Mashat emphasized the importance of formalizing and institutionalizing cooperation between Egypt and Australia, noting the existence of active collaboration with several international organizations that maintain trusted partnerships with Egypt, in addition to established mechanisms and protocols that can be further developed and built upon.

In a related context, H.E. Dr. Al-Mashat reviewed developments in Egypt’s tourism sector, highlighting that it has achieved unprecedented record growth during the current year, with the number of tourists reaching approximately 19 million. This reflects a strong and faster-than-expected recovery of the sector despite global and regional challenges.

She explained that the opening of the Grand Egyptian Museum, along with the accompanying international events and conferences, has contributed to launching a broad global promotional campaign for Egypt—particularly the Giza area—positively enhancing Egypt’s image as a world-class tourism destination.

The Minister also noted the State’s commitment to investing in human capital within the tourism sector through the establishment of additional specialized schools, while highlighting Egypt’s unique cultural and civilizational diversity as a key attraction for tourists.

She affirmed that the achievements of the tourism sector reflect Egypt’s political and security stability, pointing out that the diversification of inbound tourism markets from Asia and Europe is a positive indicator of the strength and competitiveness of Egypt’s tourism destination.

H.E. Dr. Al-Mashat reviewed Egypt’s economic model and efforts to achieve development through Egypt’s Narrative for Comprehensive Development: Reforms for Growth, Jobs & Resilience, which brings together various national strategies, foremost among them human development. She also referenced the directives of President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi emphasizing the importance of strengthening economic development efforts across all governorates.

She further highlighted the reforms being implemented in Egypt’s mining sector and the significant opportunities for cooperation between Egypt and Australia in this vital sector, in addition to tourism and rural community development.

The two sides discussed the importance of efficient use of financial resources and directing them toward high-impact and more sustainable interventions, with a focus on supporting the role of civil society organizations, women’s empowerment, small businesses, and entrepreneurship as key pillars for achieving inclusive and sustainable development. The meeting also addressed strengthening economic and investment relations between the two countries and attracting Australian investments to priority sectors.

H.E. Dr. Al-Mashat stressed the importance of building on the current momentum and positive perceptions and translating them into clear and practical steps in the coming period through coordinated efforts and defined cooperation mechanisms, in support of sustainable development and enhanced bilateral partnership.

For her part, Dr. Anne Aly emphasized the important role played by regional technical organizations and civil society organizations in implementing development programs, particularly in challenging environments and the most affected areas. She also praised the continued progress Egypt is achieving across various development sectors, especially tourism, noting that this progress is evident during her frequent visits to Egypt.

The Australian Minister for Small Business, International Development and Multicultural Affairs explained that the Australian Government has recently conducted a comprehensive review of its development interventions to assess impact, enhance policy and program efficiency, and ensure alignment with national priorities and regional and international developments, with a focus on maximizing development impact over the medium and long term.

– on behalf of Ministry of Planning, Economic Development, and International Cooperation – Egypt.