Category: Africa

Source: APO – Report:

According to local authorities, the disease has killed 2,325 people, surpassing the 2,299 deaths recorded in the DRC’s 2018-2020 outbreak, which was previously the country’s deadliest.

The outbreak, declared by national authorities on 15 May, became the country’s largest in terms of total confirmed cases in late July. There are currently 4,945 confirmed cases, the latest data shows.

A total of 730 patients remain in isolation or in the hospital and 1,040 people have recovered from the disease, and the fatality rate has risen to 46 per cent, according to Government data.

The current outbreak remains eclipsed only by West Africa’s 2014-2016 Ebola outbreak, which saw 28,616 cases and 11,310 deaths, according to WHO, but the Bundibugyo outbreak is taking lives at a much faster rate.

Vaccine trials are underway in the UK and Canada as the Bundibugyo strain has no approved treatment.

Inadequate health infrastructure, ongoing conflict at the epicentre of the outbreak and distrust of medical authorities have all hindered efforts to help as WHO warns the outbreak is “outpacing the response.”

Neighbours on high alert

The UN and its global health partners are working to prevent the spread of Ebola to neighboring countries such as South Sudan and the Central African Republic.

In early June, WHO and the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention launched a response plan to improve emergency coordination, disease surveillance, laboratory testing, infection prevention and control, clinical care, community engagement, research, logistics, and support for essential health services across the continent.

The UN’s humanitarian aid office, OCHA, has allocated $54.5 million to accelerate the response in the DRC, help prepare neighboring countries for the disease’s possible spread and work with local communities to build trust in the public health response.

In the Central African Republic, the UN’s peacekeeping mission, MINUSCA, is working with multiple UN agencies to assist local authorities with technical assistance, surveillance and preparedness measures, communication and community awareness activities, as well as capacity building, UN Spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric told reporters on Monday.

“Our peacekeeping colleagues in the country have been providing technical and logistical assistance, including the transportation of health experts throughout the CAR and the delivery of essential equipment and supplies,” Mr. Dujarric said.

‘Major scale-up’ underway

WHO spokesperson Tarik Jašarević told UN News the agency has initiated a “major scale-up in every aspect of the response” to Ebola. 

On Friday, WHO convened a meeting in Bangui between representatives from the Central African Republic, DRC, Republic of the Congo, South Sudan and Uganda. 

The countries agreed to strengthen cooperation in disease surveillance and pandemic preparedness.

WHO said last week that it hopes to reverse the fast-moving spread of Ebola within three months by bringing transmission under control.

The agency said support is still needed “for all areas of the response.”

“Responders need safe access to communities, and the resources to end this outbreak and save lives,” WHO said.

– on behalf of UN News.

Source: APO

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An International Monetary Fund (IMF) staff team, led by Mercedes Vera Martin, Mission Chief for Senegal, will visit Dakar from August 19 to September 1. During the visit, the staff team and authorities will continue discussions toward reaching a shared understanding of the policies and reforms that could be supported by an IMF lending arrangement.

The IMF remains firmly committed to helping Senegal safeguard macroeconomic stability and foster sustainable and inclusive growth.

IMF staff will also engage with other stakeholders during the visit.

Ms. Vera Martin will issue a statement at the end of the visit.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of International Monetary Fund (IMF).

Source: APO

The meeting provided an opportunity for the Secretary General to present WAPP, its mandate, and its role in the development and integration of the electricity sector in West Africa. He also provided an update on the progress of the West African Regional Electricity Market, with particular emphasis on the imminent launch of Phase 2, dedicated to the Day-Ahead Market (DAM).

This new phase is expected to contribute to strengthening cross-border electricity trade, optimizing the use of available energy resources across the region, and creating new opportunities for the various market participants.

Discussions also focused on the potential economic benefits for Benin, particularly through the financial flows and foreign-currency transactions that will be generated by the operation of the regional market. In this regard, the Secretary General sought the Minister’s support in facilitating, in compliance with the applicable regulations, the international foreign-currency transactions required for the smooth functioning of the market. Having previously served at the headquarters of the Central Bank of West African States (BCEAO) in Dakar, the Minister is well placed to support the forthcoming operationalization of the Market Clearing Bank, with which WAPP signed an agreement on the 13th of July, 2026.

This audience reflects WAPP’s commitment to strengthening its cooperation with the Beninese authorities and consolidating the conditions necessary for the successful implementation of the Regional Electricity Market, in support of deeper energy integration across West Africa.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).

Source: APO

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The Secretary General of the West African Power Pool (WAPP), Mr. Abdoulaye DIA, received Mr. SHIBATA Kazunao, the newly appointed Chief Representative of the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), on Tuesday, 21 July 2026, during a courtesy visit to the WAPP Headquarters in Abomey-Calavi, Benin.

The meeting provided an opportunity for both officials to discuss WAPP’s mandate, the progress achieved in the regional power integration process, as well as the valuable support that JICA has been providing to the institution over the years. They also exchanged views on prospects for further strengthening the partnership between WAPP and JICA.

Following the meeting, Mr. SHIBATA Kazunao attended a working session during which he was presented with an overview of WAPP. The presentation highlighted the institution’s mandate, key achievements, ongoing strategic projects, and its vision for advancing the West African Regional Electricity Market.

The visit continued at the WAPP Information and Coordination Centre (ICC), a key hub for the supervision, coordination, and operation of the regional power system.

The JICA Resident Representative toured the ICC control room, where he was briefed on the technical and operational systems established to ensure the reliable, secure and coordinated operation of the interconnected West African power grid. He also visited the ICC market room, which will host the Day-Ahead Market operations as part of the progressive operationalisation of the Regional Electricity Market.

The courtesy visit reflects the strong relationship between WAPP and JICA and reaffirms their shared commitment to further strengthening cooperation in support of regional energy infrastructure development and the integration of the West African Regional Electricity Market

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).

Source: APO

The Secretary General of the West African Power Pool (WAPP), Mr Abdoulaye DIA, paid a working visit to the Beninese Power Production Company (SBPE) as part of efforts to strengthen cooperation between WAPP and national stakeholders in the electricity sector.

The WAPP Secretary General, accompanied by members of his Management Committee, responded to a request from Mr. Laurent TOSSOU, the new Director General of SBPE, for support with the digitalization process, which has been fully implemented at WAPP since the beginning of 2025.

The technical and strategic meeting focused primarily on preparing SBPE for more structured participation in the ECOWAS Regional Electricity Market, as well as on the modernisation and digitalisation of its operational, administrative and digital processes.

The discussions enabled the two institutions to examine several priority issues, including the synchronisation of the regional power system, payment and transaction-security mechanisms, data reliability, real-time monitoring, contractual arrangements and capacity building. Particular attention was also given to the development of integrated digital tools, the dematerialisation of procedures, electronic archiving, and the improvement of management and maintenance systems.

The meeting also helped align SBPE’s ambitions with the technical, commercial, financial and regulatory requirements of the regional market. In this regard, WAPP could support the company through training programmes, technical immersion sessions at the Information and Coordination Centre, and the provision of operational guidelines.

At the end of the meeting, the two parties agreed to strengthen their follow-up mechanism, designate focal points and prepare a roadmap for SBPE’s participation in the Regional Electricity Market. This cooperation will contribute to improving SBPE’s performance and consolidating the integration of the West African power system.

As a reminder, the recently appointed Director General of SBPE previously served as Chairman of the ECOWAS Regional Electricity Regulatory Authority (ERERA), where he worked closely with the WAPP Secretary General on the establishment of the Regional Electricity Market.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).

Source: APO

Today in New Alamein City, President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi met with Prime Minister, Dr. Mostafa Madbouly, and Minister of Justice, Counselor Mahmoud Helmy El-Sherif.

Spokesman for the Presidency, Ambassador Mohamed El-Shennawy, stated that the meeting reviewed a number of portfolios within the Ministry of Justice, starting with assessing the completion rates of the “Justice City” project in the New Capital. This included reviewing the digital infrastructure, components of the digital transformation system, and modern technological applications scheduled for operation within the city’s judicial facilities.

In this regard, President El-Sisi affirmed that the objective of the “Justice City” is to establish an integrated digital judicial environment befitting the New Republic, ensuring streamlined and expeditious justice and providing citizens with distinguished judicial services. The President directed that the specified timelines for completing the project be strictly adhered to, with a high degree of technical precision to be commensurate with the status of Egypt’s long-established judiciary.

During the meeting, the President followed-up on the latest developments regarding the modernization of real estate registration and notarization services. Counsellor El-Sherif noted that the Ministry of Justice signed two joint cooperation protocols with the National Bank of Egypt and Banque Misr to open 11 premium notarization branches within the premises of each bank. He added that additional modernized mobile notarization vehicles operating on a one-stop-shop system were deployed to provide all real estate registration and notarization services with high productivity, speed, and full efficiency anywhere. The Minister of Justice highlighted the opening of two new notarization branches in the governorates of Sohag and Minya, which allow remote services through the “I Want to Make a Power of Attorney” application.

Furthermore, the Minister of Justice reviewed efforts to improve family court and lawsuit services, including the launch of an electronic integration system to suspend certain government services for individuals failing to pay alimony across 38 offices in primary courts, ensuring the protection of family rights. Minister El-Sherif also reviewed the latest developments regarding measures taken to expedite the resolution of lawsuits, noting the Ministry’s keenness to achieve prompt justice by providing a suitable working environment for judges and litigants. This environment shall contribute to the accuracy and regularity of work across all courthouses in the Republic, with a commitment to the speedy resolution of cases.

The Minister highlighted the launch of a package of measures and initiatives aimed at upgrading the judicial system, reducing burdens, expediting the settlement of pending cases, and increasing completion rates. These include establishing an integrated tech system to manage proceedings before criminal courts electronically, as well as signing the “Unified Digital Justice Strategy” document and the official launch of the “Collaborative Data Platform for Judicial Entities and Bodies” to achieve information and procedural integration between the Ministry of Justice and all pillars of the judicial system.

During the meeting, the Minister of Justice reviewed the ongoing measures to implement the new Criminal Procedure Law, which will take effect starting October 1, 2026. He reviewed the executive status of increasing the efficiency of collecting state revenues and the Ministry of Justice’s self-generated resources.

In this regard, the President directed the expansion of advanced service offerings, affirming the state’s commitment to building an integrated government services system worthy of the Egyptian citizen. President El-Sisi also emphasized the necessity to advance efforts toward upgrading the judicial system, ease burdens, expedite the resolution of pending cases, and increase completion rates, thereby strengthening citizen trust in state institutions.

The President also stressed the importance of applying the highest standards of cybersecurity and digital sovereignty to protect litigants’ data, as well as the vital need to take all measures to guarantee the swift execution of rulings issued in alimony lawsuits.

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

Source: APO – Report:

Across Jonglei, communities are struggling to rebuild their lives in the wake of persistent conflict which has cost lives, caused widespread displacement, and the destruction of homes and livelihoods.

Many of those forced to flee their homes have found refuge in Pading, Nyirol County.

They are calling for an end to the fighting, increased humanitarian support, restoration of basic services, and a united effort to secure peace so they can begin the process of rebuilding their lives.

“We are tired of conflict and displacement. We urge the Government to convene a meeting between organized forces to discuss a ceasefire and lasting peace. We cannot achieve this peace alone,” explained Paramount Chief, Mabil Hoth Bol.

During a patrol to the area, United Nations Mission in South Sudan peacekeepers assessed the security situation and engaged with local authorities and communities to hear their concerns and work together to identify solutions.

“It was an important opportunity to interact with a wide range of stakeholders who were welcoming and happy to share information with us,” said UNMISS Senior Military Observer, Vinay Kumar Singh. “We found that Pading remains generally calm and stable, although insecurity in surrounding areas continues to create humanitarian and protection concerns.”

Those concerns were echoed by Nyien Dut Deng, a women’s representative, who has spent four days without food after being displaced from neighbouring Lankien.

“As a mother of five, I am in pain. During the fighting, I lost my son who had to go on the run. I don’t know whether he is alive or dead. Please stop the bleeding in Nyirol.”

The Relief and Rehabilitation Commission says that 2,405 displaced families have fled fighting in the area and arrived at the county headquarters since January. The World Food Programme is endeavoring to support them, but the continued arrival of new families has created shortages of food, clean water and shelter.

“The situation could worsen with the ongoing rains given communities are not expecting a good harvest this year. Many displaced people, including women and children, are sheltering under trees and becoming sick,” says Bol Kay, from the Relief and Rehabilitation Commission.

“We urgently need help to avoid the situation reaching catastrophic levels.”

– on behalf of United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS).