Category: English

Source: APO

.

On the occasion of the 20th Ordinary Meeting of the Regional Inter-Ministerial Committee of the International Conference on the Great Lakes Region (ICGLR) held in Lusaka, on October 19, 2026, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Regional Integration and Development Cooperation, His Excellency Ambassador Édouard Bizimana, reaffirmed Burundi’s attachment to the ideals of peace, security, stability, and sustainable development in the Region.

In his address, the Head of Burundian diplomacy extended his gratitude to the Government and people of Zambia for the warm welcome accorded to the Burundian delegation. He also commended the leadership of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the current Chair of the ICGLR, as well as the work accomplished by the National Coordinators and the Executive Secretariat of the organization.

The Minister highlighted the strategic importance of the Pact on Security, Stability and Development in the Great Lakes Region, which he described as an essential framework for the prevention and peaceful resolution of conflicts, the building of trust among States, and the promotion of sustainable development for the benefit of the region’s populations.

 Referring to the regional security situation, he acknowledged the persistence of some tension hotspots while welcoming the progress recorded in the search for peace, notably the Doha and Washington Agreements for the eastern part of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the initiatives for the settlement of the conflict in Sudan, as well as the democratic progress observed in several countries across the region.

The Minister recalled that Burundi remains engaged in efforts aimed at durably restoring peace in eastern DRC and fully supports regional and international mediation initiatives conducted under the auspices of the African Union.

Addressing the humanitarian dimension, he highlighted the assistance provided by Burundi to Congolese refugees, emphasizing that this solidarity reflects the values of fraternity, humanism, and dignity which form the basis of regional cooperation within the ICGLR.

Regarding the participation of women and youth in peace processes, the Minister recalled that Burundi hosted, from August 10 to 12, 2026, the fifth edition of the Continental Dialogue on the “Youth, Peace and Security” and “Women, Peace and Security” agendas. This meeting, initiated under the leadership of His Excellency President Évariste Ndayishimiye, current Chairperson of the African Union, helped strengthen continental reflection on inclusive participation in peacebuilding.

In conclusion, His Excellency Ambassador Édouard Bizimana called on Member States to expedite the implementation of recommendations arising from statutory meetings and to regularly honor their contributions to the functioning of the organization. He reiterated Burundi’s steadfast commitment to the objectives of the ICGLR and offered his best wishes for the full success of the deliberations of the 20th Ordinary Meeting of the Regional Inter-Ministerial Committee.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Ministère des Affaires Etrangères du Burundi.

Source: APO

.

The Select Committee on Appropriations says a municipality’s performance should be measured not only by the proportion of grant funding spent, but also by timely project completion, functioning infrastructure and measurable improvements in basic services for communities.

The Select Committee on Appropriations received a briefing today from the Phokwane Local Municipality on its municipal conditional grant performance for the first and fourth quarters. Phokwane is a category B local municipality within the ZF Mgcawu/Frances Baard region of the Northern Cape.

As part of its in-year monitoring of municipal conditional grants, the committee is assessing not only expenditure performance but also whether appropriated resources translate into completed infrastructure, improved service delivery and sustainable municipal capacity.

The committee Chairperson, Ms Tidimalo Legwase, said reviewing provincial and municipal conditional grant spending does not supersede their executive functions, nor does it replace oversight by provincial legislatures and municipal councils. She explained that the committee tracks funds allocated through the national budget to assess whether these funds are used as intended and deliver services to communities.

Phokwane received a Municipal Infrastructure Grant (MIG) allocation of R23.427 million in 2025/26 but spent only R16.782 million, or approximately 72 per cent. The municipality attributed the underspending to delays in site occupation while the municipality and the contractor discussed the terms and conditions of appointment. The committee acknowledged that Phokwane is experiencing problems with ageing infrastructure, significant backlogs, low revenue collection, substantial debt to Eskom and low revenue collection abilities.

However, the committee noted that 72% expenditure on the Municipal Infrastructure Grant is not performance. Furthermore, Parliament will no longer accept reports that claim 100% per project while communities still live with raw sewage, gravel roads and no water.

“Section 195 of the Constitution says public resources must be used efficiently, economically and effectively. Spending 72% is not efficient. Building a pump station at 95% for two years is not effective. Claiming 100% progress while Sakhile, a residential area, floods is not accountable. This committee is not here to sympathise with ageing infrastructure – we are here to ensure that every rand appropriated by Parliament delivers a tap that runs, a toilet that flushes and a street that is passable. If Phokwane cannot spend, we will recommend that Treasury gives the money to a municipality that can,” said Ms Legwase.

Ms Legwase also noted that section 4(4) of the Money Bills Amendment Procedure and Related Matters Act requires committees to consider and report on spending matters and actual expenditure. She explained that the committee’s in-year monitoring therefore drew on several sources, including reports under section 32 of the Public Finance Management Act and section 71 of the Municipal Finance Management Act, which include information on conditional grant performance.

Ms Legwase concluded that the committee is concerned, not just with whether public funds have been spent, but whether that spending has achieved its intended outcomes. She emphasised that public resources must deliver functioning infrastructure, sustainable institutions and tangible improvements in service delivery.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Republic of South Africa: The Parliament.

Source: APO

.

On 19 October 2026, the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Belarus to the Arab Republic of Egypt and the People’s Democratic Republic of Algeria concurrently, Evgueni Sobolevski, met the Minister of Foreign Trade and Export Promotion of Algeria, Kamel Rezig.  Source: https://mfa.gov.by/en/press/news_mfa/f5caf182a3994900.html © When using the site materials reference to the source is required.

The parties discussed current issues related to Belarusian–Algerian trade and economic cooperation, as well as progress in implementing the agreements reached at high and the highest levels.

Particular attention was paid to prospects for joint projects to establish manufacturing facilities in Algeria for Belarusian tractors, buses and grain-drying complexes.

The interlocutors also considered the possibility of arranging initial deliveries of trial batches of Belarusian machinery to the Algerian market, with a view to expand the presence of Belarusian manufacturers and further developing industrial cooperation.

The parties reaffirmed their interest in increasing bilateral trade and ensuring its balanced structure. In this context, they discussed prospects for expanding supplies of Algerian agricultural products, including fruit, olive oil and dates, to the Belarusian market.

In the context of further consideration of the issues raised and implementation of the planned steps, the parties discussed the possibility of a visit to Belarus by the Minister of Foreign Trade and Export Promotion of Algeria.

Following the meeting, the parties confirmed their readiness to intensify Belarusian–Algerian cooperation across all areas of mutual interest.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Belarus.

Source: APO

.

The Portfolio Committee on Higher Education and Training notes with appreciation the recent appointment of Professor Wezile Chitha as the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Fort Hare from 1 January 2027.

The Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee, Mr Tebogo Letsie, said: “We welcome the appointment and hope it will strengthen stability and good governance at the institution. We call on the university’s senior management, students and other stakeholders to work together to improve students’ lives and their academic journeys.”

Prof Chitha previously worked at the Walter Sisulu University as Executive Dean of the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences and will assume his duties on 1 January 2027. Prof Chitha holds a Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery (MBChB), a Master’s degree in Public Health, specialising in Health Economics from the University of Cape Town, and a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Public Health from Walter Sisulu University.

He replaces Prof Sakhela Buhlungu, who resigned recently.

The committee wishes Prof Chitha success in his new role and hopes all university stakeholders will give him the cooperation he needs.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Republic of South Africa: The Parliament.

Source: APO

Nationals residing in Switzerland, Kenya, and Qatar have expressed their resolve to strengthen their contribution to national affairs by enhancing organizational capacity and resilience. They made the remarks at seminars organized in their respective countries of residence.

At a seminar conducted by nationals in Geneva, Switzerland, on 17 October, focusing on the objective situation in the homeland in relation to regional and global developments, Mr. Habtom Zeray, Charge d’Affaires at the Eritrean Embassy in Switzerland and Eritrea’s Permanent Representative to the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva and other international organizations, gave an extensive briefing on the timely responsibilities of nationals.

Mr. Ismail Mohammed-Nur, Head of Public and Community Affairs, for his part, briefed participants on the role and contribution of nationals to national development programs and resilience, as well as on portraying Eritrea’s true image.

Noting that organization is the fundamental source of strength, Mr. Habtom called on nationals to strengthen unity, uphold national culture and values, and pass them on to the younger generation.

In the same vein, Mr. Beyene Russom, Eritrea’s Ambassador to Kenya, conducted a seminar for nationals in Nairobi and its environs on 18 October.

The participants expressed their readiness to continue contributing to national resilience and safeguarding national sovereignty.

Likewise, at a seminar conducted in Doha, Qatar, on 17 October, nationals expressed their commitment to strengthening organizational capacity and awareness, as well as participation in national affairs.

At the event, Mr. Ali Ibrahim, Eritrea’s Ambassador to Qatar, briefed participants on the objective situation in the homeland, as well as regional and global developments.

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

Source: APO

The Deputy Speaker, Thomas Tayebwa has urged the State Minister for Tourism, Wildlife and Antiquities, Hon. Susan Nakawuki to expedite the implementation of Parliament’s directive halting Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) evictions around the Mt Elgon National Park.

Tayebwa who chaired the House on Tuesday, 20 October 2026, observed that delays in addressing the dispute will expose communities to further violence saying that different stakeholders from the region continue to lodge similar complaints.

“If you could sort out the boundaries of Mt Elgon National Park, that will be a great achievement for this ministry; it has been a burning issue. I can tell you every month, we have issues related to Mt Elgon National Park boundaries,” Tayebwa said.

His intervention followed concerns from Bungokho North Member of Parliament, Hon. Shafiga Wanyenya that UWA operations had continued despite a directive issued by Speaker Jacob Marksons Oboth on 15 October 2026.

Speaker Oboth had directed that the evictions stop following reports from area MPs of unrest, loss of lives and destruction of property arising from disputed boundaries between the park and neighbouring communities.

Wanyenya said that the directive had not been respected, alleging that four people had since been shot in Wanale Sub-county leaving one dead and three injured.

“I ask the minister to establish the circumstances surrounding the death in Wanale Sub-county,” Wanyenya said.

She said disputes between communities around Mt Elgon and UWA had persisted for years with Wanale among the most affected areas.

Nakawuki said the ministry has engaged stakeholders including the Prime Minister who is expected to consult the President on the matter.

“The Prime Minister is going to engage the President on the matter to guide UWA to halt any operations for one month until we complete the matter,” Nakawuki said adding that, ’we just need this one month to work out things with the Ministry of Lands which is supposed to mark stones and then engage the local community on where the boundaries are’.

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

Source: APO

Ugandan’s uptake of health care services keeps improving reflecting an increased confidence in the country’s referral system, the Minister of Health, Hon. Chris Baryomunsi has noted.

The Minister, who presented a statement on the performance of the health sector during the House sitting on Thursday, 15 October 2026 said that over 66 per cent of patients sought care at lower-level facilities including Health Centres III and IV.

“This reflects increasing confidence in Uganda’s referral system. Government health facilities accounted for 77 per cent of all outpatient attendances, followed by private-not-for-profit at 13 per cent, and private-for-profit facilities 10 per cent,” he said.

But during a debate on his statement in the plenary held on Tuesday, 20 October 2026, MPs said there are recurrent challenges requiring urgent fixing.

Hon. Anna Adeke (FDC, Soroti district women rep.) who read a statement on behalf of the opposition, said there is little to celebrate as far as progress in the health sector is concerned.

“The Abuja Declaration requires a 15 per cent budget allocation to health, yet the government stagnates at a mere 7 per cent; more critically, the deliberate delay in passing and operationalizing a functional National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) forces citizens to shoulder a staggering 29 to 32 per cent of total health costs out-of-pocket, driving over l3 per cent of households into catastrophic poverty annually,” she said.

In his statement, Baryomunsi had promised increased government investment in health infrastructure, but MP Adeke disputed the viability of that strategy.

“The true measure of a functioning health sector is not the beauty of physical structures, but service availability, readiness and financial protection,” she said.

Minister Baryomunsi said the financing requirement for essential medicines and health supplies grew by 14 per cent to US$1.06 billion, driven by population growth and disease burden, with a funding gap of US$491 million.

Among other challenges, the Minister cited understaffing trailing at 34 per cent of its staffing structure, and a rising malaria incidence in high burden regions including Acholi, Teso and Lango sub regions.

“The Ministry will prioritise progressive increase of health sector staffing from the current 34 per cent toward 55 per cent by 2030, alongside continued investment in pre-service and in-service training.

We will also scale-up the Community Health Extension Worker programme nationwide as a cost-effective platform for last-mile service delivery,” he said.

Hon. Francis Zaake (NUP, Mityana Munic.), however, said the most critical issues affecting the sector is theft of equipment and medicines, coupled with low pay affecting staff morale.

“These are issues clear enough to everyone; equipment gets lost every day, medicine gets depleted immediately it is supplied to the facility and we need to work on the salaries of these people [health workers],” he said.

The Minister observed that the road traffic mortality rate per 100,000 population also remained high at 35.4 against the 27.7 target for financial year 2025/2026.

“These increasing deaths from road traffic injuries are largely driven by factors such as poor road infrastructure, weak enforcement of road safety policies, and unsafe road user behaviors,” he said.

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

Source: APO

Deputy Speaker Thomas Tayebwa has said the Bachelor of Pharmacy programme at Mbarara University of Science and Technology (MUST) remains accredited by the National Council for Higher Education (NCHE) for the next four years despite a dispute over its professional recognition by the Pharmaceutical Society of Uganda (PSU).

Tayebwa made the remarks during the plenary sitting on Tuesday, 20 October 2026 following concerns over the PSU’s reported withdrawal of the professional recognition of the programme.

Tayebwa revealed that he contacted the NCHE Executive Director, who confirmed that the programme remains accredited. 

“The students are learning and being taught an accredited course,” Tayebwa told Parliament.

He added that NCHE accredited the programme in consultation with relevant stakeholders including the Pharmaceutical Society.

The Deputy Speaker said there is an overlap in the mandates of the Pharmaceutical Society and the National Council for Higher Education under the laws governing pharmacy training. He directed the Minister for Education and Sports to present a comprehensive statement to Parliament on Thursday, 22 October 2026.

He also asked the minister to consult the Attorney General and directed the Attorney General to present the legal framework governing the matter.

The Leader of the Opposition, Hon.  Joel Ssenyonyi said the concerns raised by PSU appear to extend beyond programme recognition to the qualifications of the person heading Mbarara University Department of Pharmacy.

Ssenyonyi said a letter from the professional body questioned whether the department was headed by someone with the qualifications required for the position. He urged the government and relevant authorities to address the concerns promptly to prevent further uncertainty among students and graduates.

“If it is a question of somebody heading a department who requires a particular set of qualifications, I think that should be sorted out so that students are not in disarray,” Ssenyonyi said.

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

Source: APO

Lesotho had been certified to establish the Lesotho National Youth Chapter, a platform aimed at empowering young people through agricultural skills development, knowledge sharing and opportunities to market their agricultural products internationally. The certification was granted during the World Food Forum held in Rome, Italy.

Speaking in an interview with the Agency, the Minister of Agriculture, Food Security and Nutrition Honourable Selibe Mochoboroane stated that the platform will provide young people with opportunities to acquire agricultural knowledge and skills with the support of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO).

He indicated that the initiative would also enable young people from different countries to connect, exchange experiences and collaborate on agricultural development.

Honourable Mochoboroane explained that the platform will help young farmers explore opportunities to market their products beyond their local markets by connecting them with young people and agricultural networks in other countries.

He indicated that the ministry will use various communication channels to raise awareness about the initiative and ensure that more young people in Lesotho understand its benefits and how they can participate.

The minister noted that further information would be provided to guide young people on how to join and take part in the activities of the Lesotho National Youth Chapter.

The initiative is expected to contribute to youth participation in agriculture by promoting skills development, international networking and access to broader markets.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Government of Lesotho.