Category: Africa

Source: APO

The Ministry of Energy and Mineral Development has called on Ugandans to embrace electric cooking and move away from firewood and charcoal, saying the transition is critical to protecting lives, reducing environmental degradation and helping the country meet its climate commitments.

Minister of State for Energy, Hon. Sidronius Okaasai, told the Climate Change Committee chaired by Hon. Aggrey Bagiire on Thursday, 13 August 2026, that Uganda’s continued dependence on biomass for cooking remains a major obstacle to the transition to cleaner energy.

“The policy of the ministry is to move our population from that dirty energy which they use for cooking,” Okaasai said.

He said the continued use of firewood and charcoal damages the environment and exposes households to health risks, particularly women and children who spend more time around cooking areas.

Okaasai said the ministry was promoting electricity for cooking among households with access to the national grid, arguing that the special cooking tariff makes electricity a viable alternative to charcoal and firewood.

“There is a tariff for cooking. It is the lowest, lowest tariff that we have,” he told MPs.

The minister said the government was also promoting electric cooking in public institutions, including schools that have traditionally relied on firewood.

“We are actually pushing them to leave the biomass and go back to using electricity,” Okaasai said.

He said the transition to cleaner energy should also extend to transport, with government seeking to reduce reliance on petrol and diesel through electric mobility.

“We must adopt low-carbon release vehicles,” he said adding, “And then moving from now the diesel, petrol vehicles to e-mobility.”

The Ministry said Uganda will require about $28.1 billion to implement its climate commitments, with officials telling MPs that the major challenge is no longer developing policies but securing the financing needed to implement them at scale.

Dr Brian Isabirye, Commissioner in the Energy Resources Department, said Uganda already has a substantial policy and legal framework, including the Energy Policy 2023, the Climate Change Act 2026 and the Energy Transition Plan.

However, he said financing remained a major challenge, particularly because a significant share of the required resources would have to come from international climate finance.

Isabirye said climate action in the energy sector must be linked to Uganda’s economic development, given the expected increase in energy demand resulting from industrialisation, urbanisation and growth in transport.

The Ministry also warned that Uganda’s ability to expand renewable energy will increasingly depend on strengthening the electricity grid.

According to the Ministry’s submission, the expansion of solar and wind power is being constrained by the capacity of the transmission system to integrate new generation, rather than by a shortage of renewable energy resources.

The Ministry is therefore prioritising measures to improve grid flexibility, including battery storage, transmission reinforcement, improved forecasting, dispatch optimisation, demand response and smart charging.

Committee Chair Hon. Bagiire said MPs would support efforts to increase the use of clean energy but questioned how government would reconcile Uganda’s planned oil production with its climate commitments.

“We are going to produce our oil, but talking about electric cars, how are you going to balance that since we are saying the carbon fuels are a greenhouse danger?” he asked.

Bagiire also questioned the affordability of electric cooking appliances, saying some households may struggle to meet the cost of the equipment despite the ministry’s push for electric cooking.

Hon. Shafigha Wanyenya (NRM, Bungokho County), the committee’s Vice Chairperson, questioned the value for money in the ministry’s programmes, particularly in areas that remain without electricity.

“When you talk about energy, they will think about power because that is what drives everything. When we are looking at areas which are not connected and then you are telling us that you want resources, but people are not seeing the work,” she said.

Hon. Benadette Chandia Kodili (NRM, Moyo District Woman Representative) said the committee would support the ministry’s efforts but called for tighter regulation of energy-efficient cooking appliances on the market.

She urged the ministry to ensure that the various stoves being sold to consumers are genuine and meet the required standards.

Chandia said she was surprised to learn that cooking with electricity could be cheaper and said she would test the option herself.
 

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Parliament of the Republic of Uganda.

Source: APO

The 50th anniversary of the establishment of the Revolution School was celebrated in the Netherlands with patriotic zeal under the theme “Vibrant Commemoration: New Impetus for Nation Building.”

Mr. Kibreab Tewolde, Consul of Eritrea, commended the commemorative event organized by former members of the Revolution School and called for the continuation of such events.

Mr. Negasi Kassa, Eritrea’s Ambassador to the European Union and the Benelux countries, delivered a congratulatory message and provided a briefing on the Revolution School.

The event featured narrations by former members focusing on the school’s objectives, role and experiences, as well as poems, a photo exhibition and a video screening.

The former members of the school expressed their readiness to strengthen their organizational capacity and play their due part in national affairs.

In the same vein, members of the PFDJ organization in Stockholm, Sweden, conducted an assessment meeting on their activities in 2026 and discussed future programs.

Noting that strong unity and awareness are essential for foiling external hostilities, Mr. Zer’om Kidane, a representative of the organization, called on the participants to strengthen their participation.

The participants, on their part, expressed their determination to strengthen their organizational capacity and participation in national affairs.

At the event, two sisters who are members of the organization were presented with certificates of recognition by the YPFDJ branch in Sweden for their contribution to transferring Eritrean culture and values to the youth.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Ministry of Information, Eritrea.

Source: APO

.

The Presidency of the Government has hosted this Wednesday a meeting convened by the Prime Minister of the Government with representatives of the opposing parties within the Seventh-day Adventist Church, with the aim of knowing the origin and scope of the existing differences and seeking ways of solution that will preserve the unity of the Church and guarantee the normal functioning of its educational centers.

The Government’s intervention responds to the concern generated by a dispute that, initially limited to the internal sphere of the religious organization, has acquired a social dimension in the face of the possibility that its consequences may affect the functioning of Adventist schools, especially when the beginning of the new academic year approaches.

During the opening of the meeting, the Prime Minister stressed that the Adventist Church carries out an important social and educational work in the country, so the internal differences among its leaders should not have an impact on the students. In this sense, he recalled that educational centers linked to the Church serve more than 5,000 students throughout the country.

“The government cannot allow students to be affected by the personal or internal differences of Church leaders,” said the Prime Minister, who urged the parties, at the beginning of the meeting, to put the interests of minors and the operation of educational centers before any other consideration.

During the meeting, the Secretary of State of the Ministry of Justice presented the background of the file, whose institutional monitoring dates back to 2023, when the department received a complaint made by one of the parties to the conflict.

The ministry’s presentation made it possible to contextualize the differences between the structure of the Church in Equatorial Guinea and certain higher levels of the organization, as well as the various attempts at dialogue and conciliation promoted in recent years without a definitive agreement having been reached to date.

The participating parties subsequently presented their respective positions. While one of them defended that the administrative and financial procedures established within the Church are carried out in accordance with its statutes and internal rules, the other maintained its complaints about alleged administrative and financial irregularities, as well as about certain actions of the higher structures.

Among the issues raised during the meeting were also accusations related to alleged dynamics of division of an ethnic or tribal nature within the organization. In this regard, the different positions were heard by the authorities, within the framework of the Government’s willingness to understand the origin and scope of the controversy.

After listening to the parties, the Prime Minister made a strong appeal for reconciliation and unity, recalling that all participants are part of the same Church and the same country.

The Prime Minister of the Government urged to abandon confrontational positions and public disqualifications, and asked those responsible for the Church to work for a solution that will allow coexistence to be restored and the unity of the organization to be strengthened.

In this context, he announced the need to convene the heads of the higher structures of the Adventist Church, both in the union and in the division, to hold a direct meeting with the Presidency of the Government in the near future and address the issues raised.

The Prime Minister also insisted that the situation of the educational centers must be left aside from internal differences and asked the parties to reach an agreement that will guarantee the normal start and development of the next school year.

The Government has warned that, in the event that the parties fail to reach an understanding to ensure the operation of the centres, it will adopt the appropriate measures to safeguard the right of students to education and prevent the internal dispute from affecting thousands of students.

The meeting concluded with the commitment to continue working for a negotiated and consensual solution, under the premise that reconciliation, national unity and the protection of the right to education must prevail over any internal differences.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Equatorial Guinea: Official Web Page of the Government.

Source: APO

The President of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Commission, H.E. Dr Omar Alieu TOURAY, was received in audience on Wednesday 12th of August 2026 in Abidjan by H.E. Mr Alassane OUATTARA, President of the Republic of Côte d’Ivoire.

This meeting took place as Dr TOURAY’s four-year term as head of the ECOWAS Commission came to an end in July 2026. On this occasion, the President of the Commission expressed his deep gratitude to President Alassane OUATTARA for the constant and valuable support provided to ECOWAS, as well as to his team, throughout his term of office. He also praised the commitment of the Ivorian Government and people to regional integration.

Dr TOURAY noted that his term of office had been marked by numerous political, economic, social and security challenges. He emphasised that the Commission’s efforts to address these challenges had benefited from the support and guidance of the region’s Heads of State and Government, including the President of the Republic of Côte d’Ivoire.

The meeting also provided an opportunity to discuss several issues of regional interest, notably the economic, political, social and security challenges facing West Africa.

The President of the Commission stated that he had sought President OUATTARA’s views and guidance on these various issues. He expressed his conviction that ECOWAS would continue to benefit from the leadership and commitment of the Ivorian Head of State to peace, stability, shared prosperity and regional integration.

It should be noted that the Minister and Chief of Staff to the President of the Republic, Mr Fidèle SARASSORO, and the Minister of State attached to the Minister for Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, responsible for African Integration and Ivorians Abroad, Mr Adama DOSSO, took part in the meeting.

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

Source: APO

.

Minister of State for External Affairs, Shri Kirti Vardhan Singh, undertook an official visit to Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire, from 6–8 August 2026, at the invitation of the Government of Côte d’Ivoire, to attend the celebrations of the 66th National Day of Côte d’Ivoire as the Guest of Honour.

During the visit, the Minister of State attended the National Day celebrations and witnessed the participation of an Indian Armed Forces Marching Contingent in the National Day Parade. Shri Kirti Vardhan Singh held substantive bilateral discussions with the Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of Côte d’Ivoire and called on H.E. the President of the Republic of Côte d’Ivoire. The discussions covered the entire gamut of bilateral relations, including economic and development partnership, defence and security cooperation and people-to-people ties. Both sides reaffirmed their commitment to further strengthen the multifaceted India–Côte d’Ivoire partnership.

An important component of the visit was the Minister of State’s interaction with the Indian diaspora in Abidjan. MoS appreciated the valuable contribution of the Indian community towards strengthening the bonds of friendship between India and Côte d’Ivoire, and reiterated the Government of India’s continued commitment to the welfare, safety and well-being of the Indian citizens overseas and the Indian diaspora

The visit provided a valuable opportunity to further consolidate the momentum in India–Côte d’Ivoire relations. The warm reception accorded to the Minister of State and the Indian Armed Forces contingent reflected the depth of goodwill and friendship between the two countries. The visit is expected to impart further impetus to the growing India–Côte d’Ivoire partnership, as part of India’s broader engagement with Africa.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Ministry of External Affairs – Government of India.

Source: APO

Africa’s public health story is entering a new chapter, shaped by stronger African institutions, African science, local capability and a growing determination to set the continent’s own health agenda.

That ambition will be at the centre of the 5th International Conference on Public Health in Africa (CPHIA 2026), convened by Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) from 23 to 27 November 2026.

This week, Africa CDC is calling on the scientific and public health community to help shape CPHIA 2026 in two ways: by submitting abstracts for presentation at the conference and by applying to serve as abstract reviewers. Researchers, scientists, public health practitioners and implementers from Africa and beyond are invited to bring forward new evidence, innovations and experience, while qualified experts are encouraged to contribute to the rigorous review process that will help determine the scientific programme.

Together, the calls for abstracts and reviewers mark an important step in the build-up to CPHIA 2026 and open a wider conversation about the evidence, ideas and solutions that should shape the next chapter of African public health.

Under the theme “Africa’s Health Security and Sovereignty: Transformation from Health Dependency and Vulnerability to Ownership and Resilience,” CPHIA 2026 comes at a consequential moment for the continent.

Africa is confronting outbreaks and other public health emergencies while navigating tighter health financing, climate pressures and persistent gaps in access to essential health services. At the same time, a different story is taking shape: stronger continental and national institutions, expanding African research and innovation, growing local manufacturing, a new generation of public health leaders and communities demanding a greater role in decisions that affect their health.

CPHIA 2026 will bring these strands together.

Ready to Lead. Ready to Respond. Ready to Protect. Ready to Prevent.

The conference will bring political leadership into conversation with science, communities, young people, health workers, innovators, civil society and the private sector, with a clear focus on moving from commitments to the systems, investments and capabilities Africa needs to protect its people.

H.E. Dr Jean Kaseya, Director General of Africa CDC, said:

“Africa is defining the public health future it wants and building the institutions, knowledge and capabilities to deliver it. CPHIA 2026 is where we bring that ambition together. We want an Africa that can lead, respond, protect and prevent, and that has the confidence and capacity to take ownership of its health security.”

The science that will shape the conversation

The call for abstracts provides researchers and practitioners with an opportunity to bring new evidence, implementation experience and innovation into the continental conversation. Selected work will contribute to a scientific programme designed to connect research with the policy and practice decisions shaping public health across Africa.

Alongside this, the abstract review process will help determine the scientific work presented at CPHIA 2026 and ensure that the conference reflects strong evidence, practical experience and emerging thinking from across Africa and beyond.

Africa CDC is therefore inviting both abstract submissions and applications from qualified experts to serve as reviewers, strengthening the scientific programme from both sides of the process: the generation of knowledge and the rigorous assessment of the evidence presented.

Professor Yemane Berhane, Co-Chair of the CPHIA 2026 Scientific Programme Committee, said:

“Africa is producing knowledge, evidence and innovation that should increasingly shape public health decisions on the continent and beyond. Our responsibility is to ensure that CPHIA 2026 brings the strongest of that work to the forefront. A rigorous and diverse scientific review process will help us identify the research and practical experience with the greatest potential to influence policy, improve programmes and strengthen health outcomes across Africa.”

Professor Yemane Berhane is the co-founder and Director of the Addis Continental Institute of Public Health (ACIPH) in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

A new public health story, led from Africa

CPHIA was created as a space where Africa could convene around its own public health priorities.

In 2026, that proposition carries greater urgency.

The conversation on health sovereignty will move beyond aspiration to the practical questions of how Africa finances its health priorities, produces more of what it needs, strengthens its institutions, develops and retains its workforce, generates its own evidence and builds systems capable of responding before crises escalate.

It is a conversation about leadership and readiness.

Over the coming months, Africa CDC will use the road to CPHIA 2026 to bring that conversation to governments, scientists, communities, young people, media and partners across the continent.

Further announcements on the scientific programme, speakers, partnerships and participation will follow.

Submit an abstract to CPHIA 2026:  https://apo-opa.co/4bHLnME

Abstract submission deadline:  September 15, 2026

Apply to become a CPHIA 2026 abstract reviewer:  https://apo-opa.co/45lfRjX

Reviewer application deadline: September 15, 2026

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC).

Media enquiries:
communications@africacdc.org

Source: APO

.

During their stay in Equatorial Guinea, the OMAOC delegation, led by Secretary General Dr. Paul Adalikwu, and consisting of Colonel Mariko Mamadou, Dr. Jethro Brooks (Vice-Chancellor of the Accra Regional Maritime University, Ghana) and the Director General of the Abidjan Regional Academy of Marine Sciences and Techniques (Ivory Coast), visited the ASABA facilities in the Port of Malabo.

There they were received and accompanied by the shipyard’s management, along with the Minister of State for Transport, Telecommunications and Civil Aviation, Honorato Evita Oma.

During the tour, the delegation visited the construction and repair workshops, the slipways and the maintenance areas, and was able to closely observe the 15-meter-long boat whose construction has already been completed, with a cruising speed of 25 knots.

The visit provided insight into the capabilities available in Equatorial Guinea for the construction, repair and maintenance of vessels, and explored possible mechanisms for cooperation between the shipyard, the OMAOC and its maritime training institutions.

The purpose is to move towards a model that allows combining academic training, practical experience, professional training and the naval industry, offering young Equatorial Guineans training closely linked to the real needs of the labor market.

At the same time, the possibilities of leveraging Asaba’s capabilities to provide ship repair, maintenance and construction services to OMAOC member countries have been studied, reinforcing Equatorial Guinea’s position as a maritime and industrial platform in the Gulf of Guinea.

The initiative promoted by the Ministry of Transport, Telecommunications and Civil Aviation responds to a long-term vision: to train a new generation of Equatorial Guinean professionals over the next five years, capable of progressively assuming responsibilities in all strategic areas of the maritime-port sector.

Equatorial Guinea boasts a privileged geographical location, ports, naval infrastructure, and a growing presence in regional maritime organizations. The next step is to complement these capabilities with the most important asset for ensuring their sustainability: highly trained and specialized national human resources.

In this way, the country aspires not only to effectively fulfill its responsibilities as a Flag State, Port State and Coastal State, but also to progressively consolidate itself as a regional benchmark in maritime training, port services, naval industry, maritime security and the blue economy.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Equatorial Guinea: Official Web Page of the Government.

Source: APO

.

Firefighters, specialists, municipalities and industry partners gathered today at the Lagoon Beach Hotel in Milnerton for the Western Cape Government Structural Firefighting Summit, focused on strengthening the province’s response to modern structural fire risks.

Hosted by the Western Cape Disaster Management Centre, in partnership with Santam and Fire Support Services SA, the two-day Summit is focused on knowledge-sharing, professional development and modern firefighting practices.

Day 1 focused on the changing fire environment and the need for fire services to adapt their skills, equipment and operational approaches.

Delivering the keynote address, Minister Anton Bredell, Western Cape Minister of Local Government, Environmental Affairs and Development Planning, highlighted the scale of the fire challenge facing the province and paid tribute to firefighters for their courage, professionalism and sacrifice.

The Minister noted that more than 215 000 hectares were affected by wildfire incidents in the Western Cape during the past fire season, while approximately 53 000 hectares burned in the Cederberg Wilderness Area – its largest wildfire since 1997.

However, he emphasised that the fire challenge extends beyond wildfires.

“Structural fires may receive less public attention, but they continue to impose an enormous human and economic cost on our communities.”

Minister Bredell said changing buildings, construction materials and technologies are creating new risks for firefighters, including photovoltaic systems, battery energy storage systems, lithium-ion batteries and electric vehicles. “Just as the built environment is changing, our fire services must change with it,” he said.

Day 1 featured technical discussions on key structural firefighting challenges. International speaker Andre Tomlinson of Bristol Fire addressed large-volume water supply, while Trevor Fiford of Industrial Fire Services SA focused on the science of foam.

Other sessions covered next-generation transitional attack, SANS 10090 firefighting capacity assessments, lessons from the Grenfell Tower fire, structural firefighting guidance and parking garage fires.

Practical videos showing real fire incidents and firefighting scenarios were also screened between discussions, bringing the lessons to life and showing the realities firefighters face on the ground.

The venue also featured exhibitions, giving delegates an opportunity to engage with exhibitors and explore firefighting equipment, technologies and solutions. Day 1 concluded with exhibitor engagement and networking.

Minister Bredell challenged delegates to question existing practices, share operational experience and find new ways to improve firefighter safety.

“We have shown in the Western Cape that collaboration can make a real difference in wildfire management. Now we need to bring that same spirit of collaboration and innovation to structural firefighting,” he said.

“Ultimately, our objective is very simple: safer buildings, safer firefighters and safer communities

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Western Cape Government: Department of the Premier.