Category: Africa

Posted on

Moody’s Affirms Africa Finance Corporation’s (AFC) A3 Rating, An Achievement Sustained for Over a Decade, with Outlook Stable

Source: APO


.

Africa Finance Corporation (AFC) (www.AfricaFC.org), the continent’s leading infrastructure solutions provider, has once again had its long-term issuer credit rating of A3 affirmed by Moody’s Ratings, a rating first assigned in 2014 and consistently maintained for over a decade.  Moody’s affirmed this rating with a stable outlook and affirmed AFC’s short-term issuer rating at P-2, underscoring the Corporation’s status as one of the highest-rated investment-grade institutions in Africa.

“Despite elevated country risk in several of AFC’s countries of operation and the low average rating of its shareholder base, the credit profile is supported by a sound liquidity buffer backed by high-quality treasury assets and resilient asset performance, underpinned by effective credit protections that mitigate potential credit risks.,” Moody’s stated in its latest report.

Moody’s A3 rating affirmation reflects AFC’s strict adherence to its prudential guidelines and its robust financial performance. In FY2024, the Corporation delivered its strongest financial results to date, surpassing $1 billion in total revenue and growing total assets by 16.7% to US$14.41 billion. AFC also maintained a Capital Adequacy Ratio of 33.6%, improved its Cost-to-Income Ratio to 17.3% and recorded Liquidity Coverage Ratios (LCR) of 194% and 191% under normal circumstances and a stress scenario, respectively, significantly higher than its 100% threshold.

The decision by Moody’s is pivotal in enabling AFC to sustain one of the lowest borrowing costs among institutions in Africa. This financial strength has, over the past year, allowed the Corporation to mobilise capital for transformational projects across the continent, including the Lobito Corridor railway linking Angola, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and Zambia, where AFC secured a concession agreement in record time, and a US$150 million investment in the Kamoa-Kakula Copper Complex, Africa’s largest and one of the world’s most sustainable copper producers.

“Moody’s reaffirmation of our A3/P-2 ratings for the eleventh consecutive year is a strong testament to AFC’s robust financial strength and resilience, even amidst global headwinds,” commented Samaila Zubairu, President & CEO of Africa Finance Corporation. “It reinforces our ability to consistently access long-term capital at competitive rates to deliver on our mandate to finance transformational infrastructure projects that integrate Africa and enables its industrialisation,” he added.

“Overall, the corporation’s funding plan aims to diversify funding sources geographically and by instrument (e.g., green bonds, private placements, sukuk) and pursue innovative funding structures to access niche markets at favourable terms, including ESG-linked instruments and hybrid formats,” Moody’s analysts said, commending AFC. “We assess AFC’s quality of funding structure at “a”, indicating the corporation’s demonstrated capacity to borrow at varying maturities and from different sources to help smooth its redemption profile,” they reported. The agency also assessed AFC’s liquid resources buffer at “aaa”, reflecting its conservative liquidity policy and strong high-quality liquidity position relative to peers.

Against a backdrop of global financial uncertainty, AFC continues to demonstrate strong and diversified market access. Recent milestones include the issuance of a US$500 million perpetual hybrid bond, a US$400 million Shariah-compliant Commodity Murabaha, and a landmark US$1.5 billion three-year syndicated loan that was originally launched at US$1.3 billion. This transaction, a milestone in the Corporation’s history, attracted a diverse consortium of new and returning lenders spanning the Middle East, Africa, Asia and Europe. These achievements further highlight global investor confidence in AFC’s strong credit profile and strategic role in Africa’s development.

For the full statement from Moody’s, please click here (https://apo-opa.co/4o1AN6B).

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Africa Finance Corporation (AFC).

Media Enquiries:
Yewande Thorpe
Communications
Africa Finance Corporation
Mobile : +234 1 279 9654
Email : yewande.thorpe@africafc.org

About AFC:
AFC was established in 2007 to be the catalyst for pragmatic infrastructure and industrial investments across Africa. AFC’s approach combines specialist industry expertise with a focus on financial and technical advisory, project structuring, project development, and risk capital to address Africa’s infrastructure development needs and drive sustainable economic growth.

Eighteen years on, AFC has developed a track record as the partner of choice in Africa for investing and delivering on instrumental, high-quality infrastructure assets that provide essential services in the core infrastructure sectors of power, natural resources, heavy industry, transport, and telecommunications. AFC has 46 member countries and has invested over US$15 billion in 36 African countries since its inception.

www.AfricaFC.org

Posted on

Over 1 000 suspects arrested in Gauteng during Operation Shanela II

Source: Government of South Africa

Monday, October 6, 2025

A high-density police operation led by Gauteng Provincial Commissioner, Lieutenant General Tommy Mthombeni, has resulted in the arrest of over 1 500 suspects involved in various serious crimes across the province. 

According to the South African Police Service (SAPS), the intensified crime-fighting campaign, Operation Shanela II, was conducted across all districts in Gauteng and targeted wanted criminals, illicit mining, drug dealing, and other priority offences.

Of the total arrests, the detectives arrested 1 261 wanted suspects, with 177 arrests related to crimes against women and children.

During a roadblock in Bekkersdal and Westonaria, which was led by Lieutenant General Mthombeni, 24 motorists were arrested for drunk and driving, 27 undocumented foreign nationals, four suspects were arrested for dealing in drugs, and eight for illicit mining. 

One suspect was also arrested for possession of gold-bearing material, and four liquor outlets were shut down for non-compliance with the regulations.

The operation was a collaborative effort between multiple law enforcement agencies, including the Department of Home Affairs, Gauteng Traffic Police, Metropolitan Police Departments, Gauteng Crime Prevention Wardens, Community Policing Forum, and private security companies. 

“The Gauteng Police remain committed to ensuring the safety and security of all residents and will continue to conduct operations to reduce crime,” the South African Police Service said in a statement. – SAnews.gov.za

Posted on

Boko Haram on the rise again in Nigeria: how it’s survived and how to weaken it

Source: The Conversation – Africa – By Saheed Babajide Owonikoko, Researcher, Centre for Peace and Security Studies, Modibbo Adama University of Technology

Abubakar Shekau, the erstwhile leader of the terrorist group Jama’at Ahl al-Sunna li al-Da’wa wa al-Jihad (JAS), died in 2021. The west African group, also known as Boko Haram, then fell into obscurity while its breakaway faction, Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP), steadily rose.

Early 2025 saw Boko Haram resurging in the Lake Chad region, however, with attacks in Nigeria and Cameroon. Lake Chad is in west-central Africa, in the Sahelian zone. It is located at the conjunction of Chad, Cameroon, Nigeria and Niger.

As a security studies scholar tracking Boko Haram, I discuss reasons for this resurgence, and its impacts, and recommend possible responses from Lake Chad region countries.

Evidence of Boko Haram resurgence

On 15 May 2025, Boko Haram massacred close to 100 residents of Mallam Karamti and Kwatandashi villages in Nigeria’s Borno State. A report has it that Boko Haram attacked the residents because they were loyal to, and served as informants for, Islamic State West Africa Province.

On 5 September, it attacked Darul Jamal village in Borno State, killing about 60 people. A researcher specialising in Boko Haram at the Institute for Security Studies, Taiwo Adebayo, was said to have spoken with residents of the community who attributed the attack to Boko Haram, possibly because of information about the group being shared with the Nigerian military.

There are also reports that the group has extended its reach beyond Lake Chad to North Central region of Nigeria, where it is operating with bandits and possibly Lakurawa, the new terrorist group in that region.

In Far North region of Cameroon, the group has also been active. Reports shared on LinkedIn showed that in July and August 2025, it was responsible for 101 attacks out of 144.

Read more: Ansaru terror leaders’ arrest is a strategic change for Nigeria: what could happen next

What explains the resurgence

Four factors explain why Boko Haram has become more active again in the Lake Chad region.

First, the rise of one of its leaders, Bakura Doro, and his efforts to sustain Boko Haram gains over Islamic State West Africa Province.

Doro was the Lake Chad Amir al-Fiya (zone commander) before Shekau’s death. He was announced as the leader in May 2022 after a violent takeover from Sahalaba, a cleric whom Shekau had reportedly designated as his successor in his will. Doro reinforced Boko Haram by fighting Islamic State West Africa Province, killing members and capturing its territories in Lake Chad.

He also shunned media propaganda, thus taking the public gaze away from Boko Haram while it grew unnoticed. Although reports said Bakura was killed in Niger in August 2025, the group denied it.

The second factor is that it received less attention from the Lake Chad militaries. Instead, attention was on Islamic State for its targeted attacks on military outposts since early 2025.

By July 2025, 15 outposts had been attacked. The Lake Chad region countries’ counterterrorism efforts focused on countering ISWAP, dangerously neglecting Boko Haram.

The third factor is the failure of reintegration programmes across the region. In Nigeria, for one, community rejection, unmet government promises, limited political will and a weak framework have caused many ex-combatants to return to the trenches.

The fourth factor is combat stress or fatigue among soldiers of the Lake Chad region countries. For instance, more than 1,000 soldiers resigned from the army between 2020 and 2024 in Nigeria. Nigeria’s total armed forces personnel was estimated at 230,000 in 2020.

The weakened commitment of the countries to the Multinational Joint Task Force adds to the problem. Nigeria established the force in 1994 to checkmate trans-border armed banditry around the Lake Chad Basin. In 1998, Chadian and Nigerien soldiers joined the task force.

Niger’s withdrawal in protest against Ecowas sanctions; Chad’s declining support; and strained Nigeria-Cameroon relations have limited the effectiveness of the task force.

All this gives insurgent groups impetus to intensify their attacks.

Implications of resurgent Boko Haram

To understand the implications, it is essential to distinguish Boko Haram’s ideology from that of Islamic State. While the latter primarily targets military forces and non-Muslim communities, Boko Haram’s violence is aimed at all, except its members.

The attempt by Shekau’s successor, Sahalaba, to align with Islamic State West Africa Province’s more selective attacks led to his death, leaving Boko Haram rigidly committed to ruthless attacks.

The result might be a worsening of humanitarian conditions and disruption of community resettlement programmes in the region.

According to a June 2025 report of the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, the region hosts 2.9 million internally displaced people and 272,000 refugees. I believe this figure may rise as violence escalates. But donor funding is shrinking.

Boko Haram’s blend of jihad with criminal activities such as robbery and kidnapping not only sustains its operations but may also attract disaffected youth, given the region’s fragile socio-economic conditions, especially the high rate of poverty and unemployment.

The competition between both insurgent groups, and between them and the military, places civilians in danger. Each actor seeks local support and intelligence, and communities risk severe punishment if perceived as loyal to the opposing side.

A constraint currently confronting Boko Haram is the shortage of weaponry. To bridge this gap, I believe it may focus its attacks on military outposts across the region. They may be encouraged by the successes of Islamic State’s attacks on the military outposts and the transfer of combat experience and technical expertise from former Islamic State fighters who have defected to Boko Haram. If it joins the attacks against military outposts in the area, the consequences will be fatal.

Read more: The Lake Chad Basin is a security nightmare. 5 guidelines for finding solutions

What can be done?

The governments and militaries of Lake Chad region countries should pay attention to Boko Haram as much as Islamic State in their counter-terrorism efforts.

There is a need to improve security cooperation among the countries by luring Niger back into the Multinational Joint Task Force and ensuring members’ commitment to the force.

Enhanced welfare services from the countries to their citizens can reduce incentives to join Boko Haram and other insurgent groups.

Strengthening defection programmes is crucial to prevent former terrorists from going back to groups like Boko Haram. I recommend harmonising regional deradicalisation efforts to enhance their effectiveness.

– Boko Haram on the rise again in Nigeria: how it’s survived and how to weaken it
– https://theconversation.com/boko-haram-on-the-rise-again-in-nigeria-how-its-survived-and-how-to-weaken-it-265691

Posted on

Tanzania’s Samia Hassan has ushered in a new era of authoritarianism: here’s how

Source: The Conversation – Africa – By Dan Paget, Assistant professor, University of Sussex

As Tanzania’s national elections approach, a familiar humdrum of coverage has emerged. It goes like this. In its crackdowns, censorship and harassment of the opposition, Tanzania is becoming increasingly repressive.

President Samia Suluhu Hassan, who is seeking re-election in the October 2025 poll, increasingly resembles her predecessor, John Pombe Magufuli. Before he died in office in 2021, he banned media, censored journalists, hamstrung the opposition and rigged elections. Hassan is reverting to his tactics to lengthen her advantage in the elections.

Yet, I would go further. Hassan has become, in key ways, more autocratic than Magufuli. She has crossed autocratic thresholds that have not been breached since Tanzania’s transition to multipartyism in 1992. Most crucially, she has put her chief opponent Tundu Lissu on trial for treason. She has kept another out of the presidential race.

I have been writing about autocracy in Tanzania and chronicling the struggles of Tanzania’s opposition for over a decade. From this vantage point, I describe what makes this election different.

Many authoritarian regimes today take the form of what political scientists call electoral authoritarianism. It is a mixture of the outward form of multiparty democracy and autocratic practices that tilt the playing field in the incumbent’s favour.

Yet, the steps taken by Hassan’s regime amount to something more draconian than this.

Barring your opponents from contesting the presidency is not tilting the playing field in your favour. As I argue in a recent paper, it is closing the playing field altogether. Tanzanian columnist Jenerali Ulimwengu noted in a recent column: “there is no competition worth the name”.

Hassan has broken Tanzania’s political norms, and done so now, it seems, because the international context permits it more than any time in the last 30 years.

The ominous implication of all this is that an era of autocratic rule – which is yet more extreme than any endured in the last 30 years – has arrived.

Crossing red lines

In one way or another, Tanzania’s regime has been autocratic for decades. The party in power today, Chama cha Mapinduzi, has been in power since independence from Britain in 1961.

When Tanzania moved to multiparty elections in 1992, the party strengthened an autocratic apparatus that has developed since then. The regime enjoyed baked-in advantages in funding, business ties, media control and state capture. This gave it a long advantage in elections. Since at least 2000, it has been rigging, annulling and otherwise manipulating elections in the semi-independent archipelago of Zanzibar.

By 2015, however, the mainland opposition, led by Chadema, had become competitive. In this context, under the leadership of then-president Magufuli, repression intensified.

Media were banned, opposition parties were knee-capped, journalists were censored, activists were persecuted, and at large, freedoms were infringed. In the 2020 elections, there appeared to be mass manipulation across Zanzibar and Tanzania for the first time.

In some respects, despite promises of change, Hassan has picked up where Magufuli left off after his death.

There were some democratic concessions in the unbanning of some media outlets and opposition political rallies.

In this context, the opposition started rebuilding.

Yet, the talk of reform was largely cosmetic. Repression continued. Media censorship ticked up and state-sponsored political violence climbed.

Political rallies remained permissible formally, but were increasingly banned in practice. Nationwide local elections in 2024 were reportedly manipulated at scale.

In this context, much coverage has understandably drawn analogies from Hassan’s presidency to Magufuli’s. Yet Hassan has been crossing democratic red lines that Magufuli never did, even if he might have wanted to.

The leader of the opposition has been charged with non-bailable offenses, twice.

Freeman Mbowe was charged with terrorism offences and held for 226 days until his release in 2022. His successor, Tundu Lissu, who survived an assassination attempt in 2017, has been detained since 9 April 2025. He’s now facing trial on charges of treason, a crime punishable by death.

Magufuli had these and other opposition leaders arrested a number of times. Yet he did not have them charged with offences of such magnitude. Nor did he have them held for so long.

Hassan has found a way to eliminate her other most significant competitor from the race. Luhaga Mpina was prevented from submitting nomination forms to enter the presidential election as the candidate for Alliance for Change-Wazalendo. This was after a last-minute intervention from the registrar of political parties, who is a presidential appointee.

The high court subsequently ordered that he be reinstated. However, four days later, the nominally independent electoral commission revealed its true loyalties by barring Mpina’s candidacy again. The case is still being litigated.

The consequence is that Hassan is running to be re-elected as the president of Tanzania opposed only by minor candidates.

This is a scenario without precedent since the reintroduction of multiparty elections in 1992.

In case the normal array of media control and military displays of force are not enough to quell the prospect of protest, the regime has shut down the internet early. It has not, as under Magufuli, imposed a post-election blackout. Instead, it has banned social media platforms X, Clubhouse and Telegram, which have been blocked nationwide. Vibrant local social media platform JamiiForums has been taken down. Meanwhile, the rhythm of state-sponsored violence against opposition activists has been maintained.

Zooming out

The upshot is that Tanzanians are witness to a remarkable split-screen. On one side, Hassan addresses enormous crowds at richly adorned rallies in what political researcher Nicodemus Minde has aptly called “a procedural coronation ritual”.

On the other, opposition leader Lissu has been escorted in and out of court, where, representing himself, he has been declaring his trial a political persecution.

In effect, a new era of authoritarianism is crystallising in Tanzania, one in which electoral competition is all but absent at the presidential level.

Hassan alone knows her true motives for these changes, but her actions should be read in the international context. Under President Donald Trump’s second term, the US has retreated from global democracy promotion. Heavy cuts in aid budgets have weakened the west’s political might.

In this context, Hassan seems to have explored her room for autocratic manoeuvre, and found international norms giving way before her.

She is not alone in doing so. Today, Turkish opposition leader Ekrem Imamoğlu is in jail awaiting trial on terrorism charges. Mozambican opposition leader Venancio Mondlane is awaiting trial facing terrorism offences.

Amid a world in flux, Hassan, and others, are testing what is left of a liberal world order. So far, they must like what they are finding.

– Tanzania’s Samia Hassan has ushered in a new era of authoritarianism: here’s how
– https://theconversation.com/tanzanias-samia-hassan-has-ushered-in-a-new-era-of-authoritarianism-heres-how-266598

Posted on

H.E. Dr. Rania Al-Mashat Follows Up with Lebanese Counterpart on Preparations for the 10th Session of the Egyptian-Lebanese Joint Higher Committee

Source: APO


.

H.E. Dr. Rania Al-Mashat, Minister of Planning, Economic Development, and International Cooperation, held a virtual meeting with H.E. Dr. Amer Al-Bassat, Lebanese Minister of Economy and Trade, in the presence of Judge Mahmoud Makkiyah, Secretary-General of the Lebanese Council of Ministers.

The meeting came within the framework of the ministry’s role in organizing the 10th session of the Egyptian-Lebanese Joint Higher Committee. Discussions focused on efforts to enhance bilateral cooperation between the two brotherly countries and preparations for the upcoming session, in line with the directives of the leadership of both nations.

At the outset, H.E. Dr. Al-Mashat reaffirmed Egypt’s keenness, under the leadership of H.E. President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi, to advance relations with Lebanon and further strengthen cooperation to achieve mutual development goals across various sectors.

She noted that recent months have witnessed a renewed momentum in bilateral relations, as reflected in the visits of the Lebanese President and Prime Minister to Egypt—demonstrating both countries’ strong commitment to coordination and expanding cooperation during this pivotal phase for the region.

H.E. Dr. Al-Mashat reviewed the progress made in implementing the resolutions of the previous session of the Joint Higher Committee, which was held in Beirut in 2019. The meeting also addressed all topics and proposed documents on the agenda of the 10th session, scheduled to be held in Cairo at the end of this month, under the co-chairmanship of H.E. Dr. Mostafa Madbouly, Prime Minister of Egypt, and H.E. Dr. Nawaf Salam, Prime Minister of Lebanon.

Discussions further explored ways to support and enhance bilateral partnership and cooperation in accordance with proposals from the relevant Egyptian ministries and agencies in areas including investment, foreign trade, electricity, renewable energy, civil aviation, air and maritime navigation, land and sea transport, agricultural research, supply and internal trade. The talks also covered the exchange of expertise in the fields of culture, education, technical and higher education, scientific research, and cooperation with the National Institute for Planning.

During the meeting, H.E. Dr. Al-Mashat emphasized the importance of doubling the volume of trade exchange between Egypt and Lebanon to reflect the depth of their relations, highlighting the need to remove trade barriers and simplify customs procedures. The volume of trade between the two countries reached USD 1 billion in 2024, compared to USD 774 million in 2023, representing an increase of 29.3%.

H.E. Dr. Al-Mashat also noted the promising opportunities for Egyptian construction, contracting, and engineering consultancy firms to play a major role in Lebanon’s reconstruction efforts. She stressed that Egyptian companies are well-qualified and highly experienced, with skilled labor capable of contributing effectively to rebuilding Lebanon.

For his part, H.E. Dr. Al-Bassat underscored Egypt’s pivotal role as a cornerstone of stability in the Arab region and a key supporter of joint Arab action, praising Egypt’s continuous political and humanitarian support for the Lebanese people and its steadfast backing of Lebanon in international forums.

He added that there are great opportunities to strengthen trade and investment cooperation between the two countries, especially given the strong alignment of visions between their leaderships to elevate economic and commercial relations to new levels.

H.E. Dr. Al-Bassat also stressed the importance of mutual visits by business delegations to explore available investment opportunities and open new horizons for industrial and commercial partnerships. He highlighted Egypt’s accumulated experience in implementing major national projects, including the establishment of large industrial and agricultural zones, modern urban communities, and fourth-generation smart cities such as the New Administrative Capital, New Alamein City, and New Mansoura City, which have transformed Egypt’s urban landscape. He also referred to Egypt’s extensive national road network and major transport projects such as the metro, high-speed rail, and monorail systems.

It is worth noting that economic and technical cooperation between the Arab Republic of Egypt and the Lebanese Republic has witnessed steady progress since the signing of the Agreement Establishing the Egyptian-Lebanese Joint Higher Committee in Cairo on March 16, 1996.

The ninth session of the committee was held in Beirut in May 2019, co-chaired by H.E. Dr. Mostafa Madbouly on behalf of Egypt and H.E. Saad Hariri on behalf of Lebanon, during which four documents were signed in the fields of tax expertise exchange, communications and information technology, investment promotion, and importation of Egyptian building materials, in addition to the final minutes of the session.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Ministry of Planning, Economic Development, and International Cooperation – Egypt.

Posted on

Une assurance credit renforcee pour la Banque Ouest Africaine de Developpement (BOAD) pour des financements accrus dans la zone Union économique et monétaire ouest-africaine (UEMOA)

Source: Africa Press Organisation – French


La Banque Ouest Africaine de Développement (BOAD) (www.BOAD.org) annonce une étape majeure dans le renforcement de sa capacité de financement avec l’augmentation de la taille de sa police d’assurance-crédit souveraine de type portefeuille signée en juin 2023. Cette couverture souscrite auprès d’un pool d’assureurs privés de premier plan atteint désormais 297,6 milliards de FCFA (soit environ 454 millions d’Euros). Cette opération s’inscrit dans le cadre du plan stratégique Djoliba, qui vise à optimiser la gestion des risques et à accroitre les financements en faveur des États membres de l’UEMOA. 

Cette évolution confirme la confiance renouvelée du marché de l’assurance-crédit dans la solidité des actifs de la Banque, tout en renforçant la résilience de son modèle de financement. 

La BOAD, bénéficiant du soutien d’assureurs notés entre A- et AA-, la BOAD améliore ainsi la notation moyenne de son portefeuille global de prêts, avec pour objectif d’influencer positivement son propre rating « investment grade ». 

Ce programme d’assurance-crédit, combiné à la titrisation, est un pilier de la stratégie de la BOAD en matière de distribution de risque et de rehaussement de crédit. Avec cette extension, le montant total des encours couverts par la Banque est d’environ 700 millions d’euros, soit 15 % de son portefeuille global de prêts. Cette dynamique témoigne de l’engagement de la BOAD à utiliser pleinement cet instrument pour optimiser la gestion de ses risques et accroître sa capacité de financement au profit de ses États membres. 

La taille de cette police atteste par ailleurs de la reconnaissance par le marché du statut robuste de créancier privilégié de la BOAD et de son rôle unique au sein de l’UEMOA. Elle consolide la capacité de la Banque à mobiliser des financements dans des conditions optimales pour ses États membres. Le Président Serge EKUE a déclaré « L’extension et l’augmentation de cette police d’assurance traduisent la confiance des marchés dans la solidité de nos actifs et dans la qualité de notre gestion. Ce mécanisme, qui rehausse notre profil de risque et celui de nos emprunteurs, nous permettra de lever des ressources aux meilleures conditions pour financer durablement le développement de nos États membres. Il s’agit d’un levier essentiel pour réaliser les ambitions du Plan Djoliba et renforcer le rôle de la BOAD comme catalyseur du développement de la région. » 

Distribué par APO Group pour Banque Ouest Africaine de Développement (BOAD).

Pour plus d’informations :
Banque Ouest-Africaine de Développement (BOAD) 
Département de la Communication et des Relations Publiques 
Tel: + 228 22 23 25 65 / +228 22 21 59 06 
WhatsApp: +228 99 99 32 15 
Fax: + 228 22 23 24 38 /  +228 22 21 52 67 
Email: boadsiege@boad.org
68 av de la Libération, B P 1172 Lomé, Togo

A propos de la Banque Ouest-Africaine de Développement (BOAD) : 
La Banque Ouest-Africaine de Développement (BOAD) est l’institution commune de financement du développement des Etats de l’Union Monétaire Ouest Africaine (UMOA). Etablissement public à caractère international, la BOAD a pour objet, aux termes de l’Article 2 de ses statuts, « de promouvoir le développement équilibré des Etats membres et de réaliser l’intégration économique de l’Afrique de l’Ouest » en finançant des projets prioritaires de développement. Elle est accréditée auprès des trois mécanismes de financement de la finance climat (GEF, AF, GCF). Depuis 2009, la BOAD siège en tant qu’observateur à la CCNUCC et participe activement aux discussions relatives à la construction d’une architecture internationale de la finance climat. Elle abrite, depuis janvier 2013, le premier Centre régional de collaboration (CRC) sur le Mécanisme pour un Développement Propre (MDP) dont le but est d’apporter un soutien direct aux gouvernements, aux ONG et au secteur privé, pour l’identification et le développement de projets MDP. Depuis le 15 octobre 2023, la Banque coprésidait l’International Development Finance Club (IDFC), et en assure seule la Présidence depuis le 27 février 2025. Ce Club réunit 27 banques nationales, régionales et bilatérales de Développement du monde entier. https://www.BOAD.org/fr/

Posted on

Enhanced credit insurance for the West African Development Bank (BOAD) to scale up financing in the West African and Monetary Union (WAEMU) region

Source: APO – Report:

.

The West African Development Bank (BOAD) (www.BOAD.org) has taken a major step in strengthening its financing capacity by increasing the size of its sovereign, portfolio credit-insurance policy signed in June 2023. The policy—subscribed with a pool of leading private insurers—now amounts to XOF297.6 billion (approximately EUR 454 million). This transaction is part of strategic plan Djoliba, which aims to optimize risk management and expand financing for WAEMU member countries. 

This expansion underscores the credit insurance market’s renewed confidence in the strength of BOAD’s strong capital base and further reinforces the resilience of its financing model. 

With insurers rated A- and AA-, BOAD is improving the average rating of its overall loan portfolio, with the aim of positively influencing its own investment grade rating. 

Combined with securitization, the credit-insurance program is a pillar of BOAD’s strategy for risk distribution and credit enhancement. With this increase, the total amount of insured outstanding exposures is about EUR 700 million, or 15% of the total loan portfolio. This momentum reflects BOAD’s commitment to fully leverage this instrument to optimize risk management and increase its financing capacity for the benefit of its member countries. 

The size of this policy also attests to market recognition of BOAD’s strong preferred creditor status and its unique role across the WAEMU region. It strengthens the Bank’s ability to mobilize financing on optimal terms for its member countries. 

BOAD President Serge EKUE stated: “The extension and increase in size of this insurance policy reflect markets’ confidence in the strength of our capital base and the quality of our management. This mechanism, which enhances our risk profile and that of our borrowers, will enable us to raise resources on the best possible terms to sustainably finance the development of our member countries. It is an essential lever for delivering the ambitions of Plan Djoliba and reinforcing BOAD’s role as a catalyst for development in the region.” 

– on behalf of Banque Ouest Africaine de Développement (BOAD).

For further information: 
West African Development Bank 
Communication and Public Relations Department 
Tel.: +228 22 23 25 65 / +228 22 21 59 06 
WhatsApp: +228 99 99 32 15 / +228 22 21 52 67
Fax: +228 22 23 24 38 
Email: boadsiege@boad.org
68 av de la Libération, B P 1172 Lomé, Togo 

About the West African Development Bank (BOAD):
The West African Development Bank (BOAD) is the common development finance institution of the member countries of the West African Monetary Union (WAMU). It is an international public institution whose purpose, as provided under Article 2 of its Articles of Association, is to promote the balanced development of its member countries and foster economic integration within West Africa by financing priority development projects. It is accredited to the three climate finance facilities (GEF, AF, GCF). Since 2009, BOAD sits as an observer at the UNFCCC and actively participates in discussions on devising an international climate finance system. Since January 2013, it has been home to the first Regional Collaboration Centre (RCC) on Clean Development Mechanism (CDM), whose aim is to provide direct support to governments, NGOs and the private sector in identifying and developing CDM projects. Since October 15, 2023, the Bank has been co- chairing the International Development Finance Club (IDFC) and has been holding the club’s sole Presidency as of February 27, 2025. This Club brings together 27 national, regional and multilateral development banks from around the world.  https://www.BOAD.org/fr/ 

Posted on

Government calls for investment in circular economy

Source: Government of South Africa

With the official opening of Extrupet’s new food-grade Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET) plastic recycling plant in Cape Town, government has encouraged the waste sector to invest in building a circular economy that works for all.

This plant adds 15 000 tonnes of recycled PET per year, taking Extrupet’s total output from 30 000 to 45 000 tonnes. With phase two planned, national capacity will reach 60 000 tonnes next year.

“Allow me to commend Extrupet, Propet and PETCO for your investment and commitment. This is the leadership we expect from industry, a step that shows South Africa’s waste sector can be a cornerstone of the circular economy,” Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment, Dr Dion George said.

Addressing the opening of the facility in Cape Town, on Monday, the Minister said the investment in the plant also supports competitiveness. 

New European Union rules require plastic beverage bottles to contain at least 25% certified recycled PET. 

“With local food-grade recycled polyethylene terephthalate available at scale, Western Cape producers are better placed to meet these standards and to protect export markets. This facility is more than bricks and machinery; it is a symbol of how South Africa can turn a crisis into an opportunity.

“It shows that with clear policy, vision and partnership, plastic waste can be transformed from a burden on our environment into a driver of jobs, innovation and inclusive growth. Government’s role is to create the enabling environment,” George said.

The National Development Plan, the National Waste Management Strategy and the Extended Producer Responsibility regulations set the framework.

“Industry makes it real through investment and delivery. When business and government pull in the same direction, we achieve growth and sustainability together,” George said.

The Minister stressed that PET plastics are among the most visible materials in the waste stream, and they are among the most valuable when properly collected. 

“Waste pickers know this value. For many, PET is not waste, it is income and dignity. If we collect PET properly, it supports livelihoods and builds enterprises. If we do not, it ends up in landfills, rivers and oceans. That is the choice before us, and this facility tilts the balance towards opportunity.

“Supply must meet demand. Waste pickers and Small, Medium and Micro Enterprises (SMMEs) are central to that supply. They are not on the margins of this story; they are at its heart. Our work with municipalities to integrate waste pickers into formal systems will strengthen this value chain,” he said.

Government’s extended producer responsibility (EPR) regulations require producers to meet clear targets for collection and recycling, including for different grades of PET. 

PETCO plays a critical role as the Producer Responsibility Organisation that supports compliance and builds the system. 

“Because of this collaboration, more than 70% of PET beverage bottles placed on the market by PETCO members are collected and recycled. This is how regulations become reality. Facilities like this expand capacity. Waste pickers collect and sort the material. Companies invest in infrastructure, skills and awareness,” George said. – SAnews.gov.za

Posted on

SAPS investigates North West murder after shovel attack

Source: Government of South Africa

Monday, October 6, 2025

The South African Police Service (SAPS) in the North West Province is investigating an incident in Mosiane View village, Mahikeng, where a 25-year-old man allegedly killed his 48-year-old mother with a shovel on Saturday morning. 

A video circulating on social media shows the son attacking his mother with the shovel.

“It is alleged that the aggressive and uncontrollable son later succumbed to his injuries after being hit by one of the shots fired by a neighbour to calm him down. The motive of the incident is unknown at this stage and investigations into the matter are underway,” the police said in a statement.

North West Acting Provincial Commissioner of Police, Major General Patrick Asaneng, described the incident as a “sadistic, gruesome and senseless death.” 

“The sadistic, gruesome and senseless death of a mother at the hands of her son is symptomatic of the scourge of satanic ritual practices or drug addiction to which most young people are exposed to, and which unfortunately are often ignored by parents and a nonchalant, apathetic society.

“There is no way that it can be said that there were no warning signs with the life of the suspect given the gratuitous demonic killing of his own mother. Even though he himself died after being shot, the SAPS Occult Related Crimes Unit will fully investigate the case in order to determine the cause and effect of this heinous social fabric internecine tragedy,” Major General Asaneng said. – SAnews.gov.za

Posted on

L’essor de l’« employé fantôme » : Quand les ex-employés ont toujours accès

Source: Africa Press Organisation – French

Imaginez un responsable marketing qui a quitté une entreprise il y a six mois, emportant son ordinateur portable personnel. Sur celui-ci, à l’insu de tous, se trouvait une connexion en cache à un lecteur cloud partagé contenant des propositions de clients sensibles et des stratégies de campagne – un accès qui a simplement été oublié lors du processus de départ. Des mois plus tard, l’ex-employé fait accidentellement glisser un dossier de ce lecteur partagé vers un stockage cloud personnel public, pensant qu’il s’agissait du sien. Le lien vers ces données involontairement exposées est alors découvert par un concurrent ou un courtier en données, entraînant une fuite massive d’informations propriétaires, des dommages importants à la réputation et une perte de confiance des clients. Cette négligence apparemment anodine peut se transformer en une crise d’entreprise dévastatrice. Bien que ce scénario soit un peu extrême, il n’est malheureusement pas farfelu dans le paysage numérique complexe d’aujourd’hui.

Lorsqu’un employé quitte une organisation, la plupart des dirigeants se concentrent sur la succession, les transferts et la paperasse des RH. Mais en coulisses, un autre risque passe souvent inaperçu : l’« employé fantôme ». Retenant l’accès aux systèmes de l’entreprise longtemps après leur départ, ces ex-membres du personnel posent une sérieuse menace de cybersécurité qui peut entraîner des violations de données, des pertes financières et des dommages à la réputation – même si tout le monde s’est séparé avec des sourires, des câlins et des pizzas.

Selon une étude récente (https://apo-opa.co/46SOBcD), 89 % des anciens employés conservent des identifiants valides, tandis que 45 % conservent l’accès à des données confidentielles après leur départ. Le plus troublant est que près de la moitié ont admis continuer à accéder aux systèmes de l’entreprise après leur départ.

« Le phénomène de l’employé fantôme est plus courant que beaucoup ne le réalisent, en particulier dans les organisations avec un fort taux de rotation du personnel ou des systèmes fragmentés et basés sur le cloud », affirme Anna Collard, SVP Content Strategy and Evangelist chez KnowBe4 Africa (www.KnowBe4.com).

Elle explique que cela passe souvent inaperçu car la gestion des accès a tendance à se concentrer davantage sur l’intégration que sur le départ. « Lorsque l’informatique et les RH fonctionnent en silos ou que l’accès n’est pas suivi de manière centralisée, il est facile d’oublier les identifiants, les comptes tiers ou les outils informatiques fantômes », commente Collard. « Cela ne devrait pas être considéré comme un simple problème technique ; c’est aussi un problème humain (https://apo-opa.co/3IwpyUX), où l’attention à l’hygiène numérique et aux processus fait défaut. »

Risques d’accès non autorisé

La menace des employés fantômes a été mise en évidence en 2023 lorsqu’une entreprise américaine a subi une fuite de données majeure attribuée à un ancien consultant informatique (https://apo-opa.co/46TXYc2) dont l’accès aux disques internes n’avait jamais été révoqué. L’incident a exposé des informations sur les clients et a entraîné un règlement à six chiffres (en dollars, qui plus est) en plus des pertes de contrats.

« Les risques sont sérieux et multiformes », déclare Collard. « Ils englobent le risque opérationnel, le risque de réputation et le risque financier. » En termes de risques opérationnels, elle explique que des droits d’accès obsolètes peuvent perturber les flux de travail, exposer des informations sensibles ou permettre des modifications non autorisées aux systèmes – même par inadvertance.

En ce qui concerne le risque de réputation, une violation de données causée par un ancien membre du personnel peut éroder la confiance des clients et nuire à la crédibilité de la marque. « Les ex-employés avec des identifiants actifs peuvent intentionnellement ou non causer des violations de données, divulguer des informations sensibles, manipuler des systèmes internes ou usurper l’identité du personnel », dit-elle.

« Dans certains cas, des employés mécontents peuvent supprimer ou saboter des données critiques », précise-t-elle. « Même s’il n’y a pas d’intention malveillante, la simple présence d’identifiants actifs en dehors du contrôle d’une organisation crée des vulnérabilités que les acteurs de la menace peuvent exploiter, notamment par le biais du bourrage d’identifiants ou du phishing (https://apo-opa.co/46V077s). »

Le dernier risque pour les organisations concerne le risque financier. « Un accès non autorisé peut entraîner des amendes réglementaires, des frais juridiques (https://apo-opa.co/48iKWHK) et des pertes de revenus », dit-elle. La raison pour laquelle ces violations de sécurité se produisent est que de nombreuses organisations traitent le départ comme une « chose RH presque facultative », et non comme un événement de cybersécurité. « Elles ne parviennent pas à effectuer des audits d’accès approfondis ou retardent la révocation des identifiants sur tous les systèmes, en particulier les plateformes cloud, les outils de collaboration et les applications logicielles en tant que service (SaaS) non gérées », soutient Collard.

Pourquoi un processus de départ robuste est essentiel

Pour boucler la boucle et réduire la menace des employés fantômes, les organisations doivent mettre en place des processus de départ solides qui relient les RH et la cybersécurité. « Cela commence par un état d’esprit partagé : le départ doit être considéré comme un processus de sécurité collaboratif, et non comme une simple tâche administrative », commente-t-elle.

Une autre étape importante consiste à automatiser le déprovisionnement pour révoquer l’accès en temps réel. « L’intégration d’outils de gestion des identités et des accès (IAM) et l’implication des équipes de sécurité ou de risque dans la gouvernance du départ peuvent également aider », dit-elle. D’autres actions incluent la réalisation d’examens d’accès réguliers pour identifier les comptes dormants ou non autorisés et l’éducation des managers pour combler le fossé de l’informatique fantôme.

« Rendez les managers responsables de signaler tous les outils et systèmes utilisés par le personnel sortant et suivez les outils non officiels dans votre système de contrôle d’accès », recommande-t-elle. Le rapport HRM (https://apo-opa.co/46YnUn3) a également noté que l’utilisation de l’« IA fantôme » est une préoccupation croissante en Afrique, 46 % des organisations étant encore en train d’élaborer des politiques formelles en matière d’IA tandis que le personnel utilise de plus en plus l’IA générative à partir des réseaux de travail sans vérification des identifiants ou du partage d’informations. Ce manque de gouvernance autour des nouvelles technologies souligne davantage la nécessité de processus de départ robustes qui tiennent compte de toutes les formes d’accès, et pas seulement des systèmes traditionnels.

En conclusion, Collard soutient que les anciens employés ne devraient pas conserver les clés numériques du royaume de votre organisation. « Alors que le lieu de travail devient plus hybride et décentralisé, les organisations doivent repenser le départ comme un élément essentiel de l’hygiène de la cybersécurité », souligne-t-elle.

Distribué par APO Group pour KnowBe4.

Détails du contact :
KnowBe4
Anne Dolinschek
anned@knowbe4.com

Red Ribbon
TJ Coenraad
tayla@redribboncommunications.co.za

Media files