Category: Africa

Source: APO – Report:

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The People’s Republic of China has extended a new grant of RMB 100 million (approximately SCR 220 million) to support priority development projects in Seychelles, as reaffirmed during a courtesy call by the Vice President of the People’s Republic of China, H.E. Mr. Han Zheng, on the President of the Republic of Seychelles, Dr. Patrick Herminie, at State House today.

The announcement set the tone for wide-ranging and constructive discussions, reflecting the strength and maturity of the Seychelles–China relationship, which continues to evolve under the recently elevated Strategic Partnership and as both countries prepare to mark 50 years of diplomatic relations.

President Herminie welcomed Vice President Han and conveyed his warm greetings to President Xi Jinping, expressing appreciation for China’s longstanding and consistent support to Seychelles’ socio-economic development. He reaffirmed Seychelles’ unwavering commitment to the One China policy and its principled position on respect for sovereignty and non-interference.

The President highlighted the tangible progress achieved through bilateral cooperation across key sectors, including housing, healthcare, education, infrastructure, and maritime security, noting that China remains one of Seychelles’ most valued development partners.

Vice President Han, reflecting on his visit across Seychelles, noted that he had witnessed firsthand the fruits of development to which China has contributed, with China-aided projects delivering concrete benefits to the Seychellois people. He commended the country’s development trajectory and the Government’s people-centred approach, observing that President Herminie’s vision of “for the many, not the few” resonates closely with China’s own development philosophy of placing people at the centre of progress.

He further reaffirmed that China remains committed to fairness and justice in international affairs and will continue to stand on the right side of history, while working to advance the shared interests of developing countries. Vice President Han expressed appreciation for Seychelles’ consistent support to China at the international level and underscored the importance President Xi Jinping attaches to relations with Seychelles and African partners more broadly.

Reiterating China’s confidence in Seychelles’ current governance and development direction, Vice President Han affirmed China’s readiness to continue supporting the country’s national development priorities, in line with the consensus reached between the two nations.

Discussions also focused on expanding economic cooperation, including Seychelles’ preparedness to benefit from China’s zero-tariff policy for African countries. Both sides welcomed progress towards the Early Harvest Arrangement, expected to take effect on 1 May 2026, which will further enhance trade opportunities.

Tourism and people-to-people exchanges featured prominently, with both leaders acknowledging the strong potential to further grow Chinese visitor arrivals and deepen cultural ties through improved connectivity.

The two leaders also exchanged views on regional and global developments, underscoring the importance of dialogue, stability, and adherence to international law in addressing current challenges.

The meeting concluded with a shared commitment to continue advancing the Seychelles–China Strategic Partnership, guided by mutual respect, solidarity, and a common vision for sustainable and inclusive development.

Following the courtesy call, Vice President H.E. Mr. Han Zheng and Vice President Sebastien Pillay co-hosted a delegation meeting attended by all Seychelles Ministers. The discussions focused on elevating the Seychelles–China Strategic Partnership to new heights and strengthening cooperation across all ministerial sectors.

During the meeting, both sides dicussed the China–Seychelles Zero Tariff Agreement, to further enhance bilateral trade and economic ties. Vice President Pillay reiterated Seychelles’ steadfast support for the One China Policy and noted that negotiations on the Early Harvest Arrangement under the Zero Tariff Agreement have been successfully completed, paving the way for a strengthened economic partnership for shared development.

– on behalf of State House Seychelles.

Source: APO – Report:

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The ECOWAS Staff Mutual Credit Union (ESMCU) has announced significant financial growth and introduced new welfare–driven initiatives during its Annual General Meeting (AGM), reaffirming its commitment to enhancing the financial wellbeing of staff across ECOWAS institutions.

The meeting brought together the President of the Union, Mr. Jimmy Ife-Ilori, representatives from key ECOWAS institutions including the Commission and Parliament, as well as participants joining both physically and virtually. In his opening remarks, Mr. Ife-Ilori welcomed attendees and highlighted the Union’s strong financial performance over the past year.

He reported a 13% increase in wealth creation compared to the previous year and announced an 11% rise in dividends, describing these achievements as “significant milestones and a clear indication of the soundness of our financial management.”

Representing the President of the ECOWAS Commission, H.E. Dr. Alieu Omar Touray, the Acting Secretary-General, Mr. Muazu Umar, conveyed the Commission’s goodwill and reflected on the evolving regional context. He noted that ECOWAS is currently navigating complex geopolitical challenges, including the withdrawal of Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger and the emergence of the Alliance of Sahel States, developments that continue to shape the Community’s institutional and operational landscape.

Emphasizing staff welfare, Mr. Umar underscored the need for innovative approaches beyond traditional frameworks. He commended the Credit Union’s role in providing a financial safety net through its savings and loan schemes, while encouraging more ambitious solutions to support staff in a changing environment. He also highlighted the opportunities presented by the new ECOWAS headquarters—“the Eye of West Africa”—to foster a more supportive and inclusive workplace.

Goodwill messages from representatives of various ECOWAS institutions further reinforced the importance of the Credit Union’s initiatives in improving staff welfare and financial stability.

During the AGM, members approved the Union’s annual reports and financial statements and formally declared dividends for the year. The Union also unveiled a new digital platform, marking a major step toward financial inclusivity. The platform introduces multi-currency functionality, enabling members earning in U.S. dollars to save and receive dividends in dollars addressing previous limitations tied to the exclusive use of the CFA franc.

In addition, the Union launched ECOMART, an innovative service designed to enhance convenience for members. The platform allows staff to purchase goods in bulk through a “buy now, pay later” model, with payments deducted from salaries over time. Products ordered through ECOMART are delivered within three to five days, further supporting ease of access and affordability.

The AGM concluded with a renewed commitment from the ECOWAS Staff Mutual Credit Union to strengthen financial empowerment, expand member-focused services, and contribute meaningfully to staff welfare across ECOWAS institutions.

– on behalf of Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).

Source: APO – Report:

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On Friday, 27 March 2026, Ministers in charge of Telecommunications, Information and Communication Technologies (ICT), and Digitalisation from across the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) met in Freetown for their 20th Ministerial session. The meeting was held in a hybrid format, bringing together participants both physically in Freetown and virtually via online platform, and focused on advancing the region’s digital transformation and deepening regional integration.

The meeting marked the culmination of several days of technical deliberations by experts, whose work helped shape the key issues presented to Ministers. It also reflected a growing recognition across West Africa that digitalisation is central to economic growth, innovation, and inclusion.

Opening the session, the Minister of Planning and Economic Development of Sierra Léone, H.E. Kenyeh Ballay, underscored the broader development impact of digital transformation, noting that investments in digital infrastructure and services are essential to unlocking productivity, improving public service delivery, and creating opportunities for citizens across the region. “This meeting is particularly significant in that our President H.E Rtd. Brigadier Dr Julius Maada Bio holds the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government And Digital Transformation is central to one of HE Four Priority Areas of focus-Unlocking Economic Integration-Bearing in mind our vision of an “ECOWAS of People”. A harmonized digital market allows our youth, our entrepreneurs, and our SMEs to trade across borders as easily as they do within their own communities.” She said.

Delivering his speech after Minister Ballay, Mr. Lacina Konè, Director General and CEO of Smart Africa, a key partner of ECOWAS, emphasized that a successful digital transformation must be grounded in regional coordination, policy harmonization, and shared infrastructure. He highlighted the importance of sustaining the momentum of the Cotonou Declaration, where Ministers reaffirmed their commitment to accelerating digital transformation through stronger regional cooperation, aligned policies, and coordinated implementation. In this context, ECOWAS plays a critical role.

In his remarks, Dr. Habib Yaya Bappah, the honourable ECOWAS Commissioner for Internal Services, warmly welcomed participants to the 20th ECOWAS Ministers Meeting on Telecommunications, ICT, and Digitalisation. He expressed gratitude to President Julius Maada Bio, the Government and People of Sierra Leone, for their leadership in hosting the event, emphasized the transformative role of telecommunications, ICT, and the digital economy, and highlighted their potential to drive regional development, foster integration, and unlock new opportunities for growth and innovation across West Africa. He noted the region’s steady progress in modernizing policies, laws, and regulatory frameworks, which have positioned the digital sector as a key pillar of economic and social development.

Dr. BAPPAH also underscored concrete regional achievements, including the operationalisation of Cyber/ICT Confidence Building Measures, the establishment of an Information Sharing and Analysis Centre, bilateral roaming agreements, and the consolidation of ECOWAS Common Positions for international spectrum discussions. Institutional and technical advancements, such as the West African Parliamentary Network on Internet Governance, Digital Forensics Laboratories, upgraded national CSIRTs, regional hackathons, and a harmonized e-government strategy, were highlighted as steps toward a more resilient, integrated, and secure digital ecosystem.

For H.E. Salima Monorma Bah, Minister of Communication, Technology and Innovation of Sierra Léone, West Africa’s digital future depends on our ability to move beyond isolated platforms toward a truly seamless regional ecosystem. She emphasized:  “While we have built innovative systems in Sierra Leone, the real challenge lies in integration, ensuring our digital payments and services speak the same language across borders. By aligning our policies on data protection and cybersecurity, and collectively tackling the growing threat of disinformation, we aren’t just connecting technologies; we are securing a resilient and inclusive digital economy for every citizen in the ECOWAS region.”

Setting the tone for the Ministerial discussions, H.E. Dr. Mohamed Juldeh Jalloh, Vice President of the Republic of Sierra Leone, who chaired the opening ceremony of this ministerial meeting, called for practical and forward-looking decisions that would translate regional commitments into real impact for citizens. He reiterated the need to expand access, strengthen digital trust, and ensure that no one is left behind in the digital transition.

At the heart of the discussions were a series of important policy and regulatory instruments aimed at creating a more harmonised and secure digital space across ECOWAS Member States. Ministers considered updated regional frameworks on data protection and cybersecurity, alongside new approaches to regulating electronic communications and expanding digital public services through a regional e-government strategy.

The meeting also examined forward-looking initiatives designed to strengthen the region’s digital infrastructure and resilience, including the establishment of a Regional Cybersecurity Coordination Centre and a Regional Internet Exchange Point. These initiatives were expected to improve connectivity, enhance cooperation, and reinforce the region’s ability to respond to emerging cyber threats. Progress in implementing regional roaming regulations was also reviewed, with the aim of making communication services more accessible and affordable across borders.

Throughout the discussions, there was a clear emphasis on turning policy into action. Ministers focused on practical steps to expand broadband access, build capacity, strengthen regulatory frameworks, and foster innovation ecosystems that can support long-term growth.

The outcomes of the meeting are expected to guide the next phase of ECOWAS’ digital agenda and will be submitted to the relevant statutory bodies for formal adoption. More broadly, they signal a strong and renewed commitment by Member States to work together in building a digital future that is secure, inclusive, and responsive to the needs of citizens across the region. As the meeting concluded, one message stood out clearly: West Africa’s digital transformation is gathering pace, and through strengthened cooperation, ECOWAS is positioning the region to fully harness the opportunities of the digital age.

– on behalf of Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).

Source: APO – Report:

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Ghana, like many countries in the WHO Africa Region, remains vulnerable to public health emergencies due to underlying vulnerabilities and challenging health systems. Between 2022 to 2025, the country has responded to several disease outbreaks including meningitis, dengue fever, cholera, Marburg virus disease, Lassa fever and mpox. These outbreaks placed considerable pressure on the public health system, often disrupting the delivery of essential health care in the most affected areas. 

One of the most significant events during this period was the resurgence of cholera, after several years without a major outbreak. The outbreak extended into 2025 and resulted in more than 7,000 cases and 51 deaths. During such emergencies, World Health Organization (WHO) and other development partners provide technical and operational support to the Government of Ghana across multiple response areas including coordination, surveillance and laboratory, treatment, mental health and psycho-social services, infection prevention and control, risk communication with community engagement and logistics. 

However, lessons from the COVID-19 pandemic and other Public Health Emergencies (PHE) highlighted the importance of coordination, harmonization, and accountability. While many partners were supporting health security efforts, there was no structured mechanism to coordinate and harmonize these contributions. This sometimes led to duplication of efforts and limited opportunities for partners to align their resources with national priorities.

Recognizing this coordination gap, WHO facilitated the formation of a sub-group of the already existing Health Development Partners (DPs), a coordination platform within the broader Health Sector Development Partners framework. The sub-group was created to strengthen collaboration among partners and improve the alignment of technical and financial support for Ghana’s public health emergency preparedness and response efforts. 

WHO supported the initial formation of the group and drafted the Terms of Reference (TOR) to guide its operations. At the group’s maiden meeting convened by WHO, development partners reviewed the draft and provided inputs. 

WHO now serves as chair and secretariat of the group, with the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (US CDC) serving as co-chair.

The platform brings together key development partners working in health security, including the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC), the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, the International Organization for Migration (IOM), the Japan Embassy, the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA), the United Kingdom Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO), UNICEF, US CDC, WHO and the World Bank.

Partners meet every two months, with members taking turns hosting meetings at their offices. This arrangement has helped foster ownership of the platform while also creating opportunities for networking and collaboration across different health programmes.

Through the platform, development partners and government counterparts engage in discussions to strengthen coordination and alignment of support for public health emergency prevention, preparedness, readiness, response and recovery in line with the International Health Regulations (IHR). The group also facilitates joint planning, information sharing and collaborative analysis, helping ensure that partner contributions respond to national priorities.

To further strengthen coordination during active outbreaks, WHO also convenes bi-weekly virtual coordination meetings with partners. These sessions provide timely updates on epidemiological trends, response activities and emerging needs, enabling partners to rapidly map resources and direct support to priority response areas.

The impact of this coordination platform is already being seen.

During the mpox outbreak, partners were able to align their support through the platform, enabling approximately US$800,000 and other resources mobilized by the Global Fund, WHO, US CDC and UNICEF to be directed toward priority response activities across the country. This coordinated approach helped reduce duplication, improved complementarity among partners and supported national response efforts. As a result, the outbreak has slowed significantly, with mortality remaining low at approximately 0.7%.

The platform has also supported broader preparedness efforts. WHO, US CDC and the Palladium Group, with funding from FCDO, are collaborating with the Government of Ghana to develop a five-year National Action Plan for Health Security (NAPHS) and a two-year operational plan. The planning process uses WHO’s NAPHS guidance and is informed by the findings of the 2025 Joint External Evaluation of International Health Regulations capacities, helping ensure that Ghana’s preparedness investments are evidence-based and aligned with global standards.

Beyond outbreak coordination, the Health Development Partners Health Security Sub-Group has strengthened collaboration among key partners working on health security. The platform has facilitated joint advocacy with the Ministry of Health and other government sectors to advance priorities such as strengthening public health emergency coordination systems and promoting One Health approaches that integrate human, animal and environmental health.

By bringing partners together around a shared coordination mechanism, WHO has helped improve the alignment of development partner support for health security in Ghana. The platform continues to support stronger collaboration, more efficient use of resources and better preparedness for future public health emergencies—contributing to national efforts to protect lives and livelihoods.

– on behalf of World Health Organization (WHO), Ghana.