Category: English

Source: APO – Report:

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Deerosh Maharaj, Executive Head for Energy, Infrastructure and Mining, Standard Bank, has been appointed to the Advisory Board of African Mining Week (AMW) – The Most Influential Mining Conference in Africa.

Maharaj’s appointment underscores AMW’s commitment to leveraging the expertise of industry leaders to amplify its impact on Africa’s mining sector. Held under the theme Mining the Future: Unearthing Africa’s Full Mineral Value Chain from October 14–16 in Cape Town, AMW will unite African project developers and global investors under one roof, enhancing capital flows, required for the sustainable growth of the continent’s mining and energy sectors.

In his advisory role, Maharaj will provide strategic guidance on key themes and topics, engage with industry stakeholders, and promote participation among executives, investors and policymakers, ensuring comprehensive coverage of the critical issues shaping the continent’s mining landscape.

“Maharaj brings a wealth of experience in deal structuring, sustainable growth, and investment facilitation,” stated Rachelle Kasongo, Event Director, AMW. “His guidance will be crucial in aligning AMW 2026’s agenda with the real needs of the industry and in fostering partnerships that drive mining and energy sector development across Africa.”

With over 12 years’ experience at Standard Bank, Maharaj has extensive expertise in structuring deals and providing financial solutions across mining, energy and infrastructure sectors, supporting Africa’s local beneficiation agenda.

Under Maharaj’s leadership, Standard Bank provides comprehensive financial solutions to mining companies, including lending, working capital support, foreign exchange risk management, sustainability advisory and cross-border trade facilitation – services increasingly critical for operations spanning multiple jurisdictions.

In early 2026, the bank acted as co-mandated lead arranger and lender on a $130 million dual-currency financing package for Tharisa Minerals in South Africa. In Namibia, it is supporting Rosh Pinah Zinc’s RP2.0 mine expansion with a $150 million finance package. The bank also backs several renewable energy projects powering mining operations across South Africa, including the 475 MW Notsi Solar PV facility.

Amid rising demand for financing to unlock Africa’s full mining and energy potential, Maharaj’s expertise will be pivotal to the AMW agenda, strengthening partnerships between African project developers and financiers and driving increased investment flows.

– on behalf of Energy Capital & Power.

Source: APO – Report:

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Using puppets, songs, and musical statues, children as young as four in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) are to be taught about Ebola in a new programme aiming to tackle misinformation, Ebola denial, and protect families. 

Using puppets, songs, and musical statues, children as young as four in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) are to be taught about Ebola in a new programme aiming to tackle misinformation, Ebola denial, and protect families, Save the Children said. 

The series of play-based learning activities, developed by Save the Children, are to be rolled out across the DRC to increase children’s awareness of the virus and dispel myths and rumours in a bid to stem the spread of the DRC’s third worst Ebola outbreak on record. 

Fear and misinformation have contributed to attacks on health workers and treatment centres and to declining school attendance in parts of the DRC, said Save the Children, with parents saying they were concerned about children contracting the illness in class or the playground.  

With end-of-year exams now taking place across the DRC, Save the Children with the Education Cluster has also launched new guidance for schools and teachers on how to prevent the risk of Ebola exposure, promoting handwashing, screening at entrances to examination centres, and quick treatment for Ebola-like symptoms.

Alfred*, 40, a schoolteacher in the DRC, said fear has spread among children in his classrooms nearly as rapidly as misinformation in communities about the latest strain of Ebola, Bundibugyo, which has claimed about 232 lives so far among 896 cases, including at least 26 children, according to the Ministry of Health.

This has left him with nearly empty classrooms, with some children hiding in bushes and end-of-year exams being rushed or rescheduled. He is also concerned about stigma and discrimination as children from highly affected areas are excluded by classmates but remains committed to raising awareness.

Alfred said rumours about the outbreak, that was officially declared on 15 May, spread through “battery‑less radios” where people circulate false information through conversations and social media resulting in denial of Ebola and distrust in healthcare and even schools.

He said: “[The rumour is that] once a person is infected with this disease, they go to the hospital. From there, only corpses return home. So, this also creates panic among people. That is why people say it is as if they inject water into the bodies of patients, and that is what kills them.”

One of Alfred’s students, 13-year-old Alice*, who dreams of becoming a doctor, said hearing that many people have died from Ebola makes her feel very scared and sad, especially as many children are unable to attend school.

She told Save the Children team in Ituri, the worst hit area in the eastern DRC: “Children cannot come to school because of the disease.  When I hear what people are saying, they say many have died from Ebola. They tell us to protect ourselves and keep our distance. It makes me very scared, very worried”

“When talking about Ebola, some people refuse to believe it exists, they say it is a lie, while others accept it.”

With training from Save the Children, along with local health and education authorities, teachers including Alfred have integrated Ebola awareness into daily school life, educating students about the nature of the virus and prevention measure.

As part of its Ebola response in Ituri, Save the Children has provided 33 schools with complete infection prevention and control kits including thermal scanners, handwashing devices, chlorine, hygiene equipment among other items.

Dr Babou Rukengeza, Save the Children’s Ebola Response Lead in the DRC, said:   

“Unfortunately, we are seeing significant community resistance to prevention and treatment measure, as case numbers rise. Some families are refusing to allow health workers to disinfect their homes after a case is suspected, and we have also seen unfortunate cases where people with Ebola have chosen to leave isolation facilities. 

“We know that attacks on treatment centres and health workers reflect tensions between public health measures and community understanding of Ebola, how it spreads and how it needs to be treated. 

“We understand people are fearful, and we need to do everything we can to help communities understand why certain prevention and response measures are in place.

“While Ebola is primarily a health crisis, it also has significant impacts on education systems, disrupting learning and affecting children’s wellbeing. We are working to change that through these programmes, using schools to help prevent the spread of Ebola and serve as a critical platform for response as well as a safe, inclusive space for children.”

In the DRC since 1994, Save the Children partners with 13 local organisations, as well as international agencies and government authorities, to deliver life-saving support in health, nutrition, education, child protection, food security, and water, sanitation, and hygiene for children and their families.

*Names changed to protect identities

– on behalf of Save the Children.

Source: APO

• With a fresh $55M million investment from Chinese growth-stage fund NewTrails Capital, Spiro consolidates backing from a powerful consortium of global institutional and impact investors and closes its last funding round to $270M.
• As African economies push to reduce dependence on imported fuel, reinforce energy and industrial sovereignty and modernize urban transport systems, the record closing of this last round confirms global investors are increasingly turning to scalable EV infrastructure platforms and Spiro’s strong ambitions for the year to come.
• Already operating across seven of Africa’s fastest-growing urban markets, Spiro will further accelerate the expansion of Spiro’s battery-swapping network, industrial footprint and next-generation electric vehicles (EV) infrastructure across high-growth African markets.​

Spiro (https://www.Spironet.com), Africa’s leading electric vehicle (EV) and clean energy infrastructure platform, today announced the successful closing of its latest funding round at $270 million.

This milestone follows a newly finalized $55 million investment from NewTrails Capital, a prominent Chinese growth-stage investment fund focusing on emerging markets with strategic locations in Shanghai, Shenzhen and Nigeria.

Scaling Africa’s next-generation mobility and energy ecosystem

This capital injection positions Spiro among the continent’s most heavily backed Africa’s e-mobility and energy ecosystem.

Building on the support of long-standing institutional partners such as FEDA, Spiro’s latest equity round also draws global capital from Europe and Africa, Impact Fund Denmark, Equitane and FEDA, on top of the recent backing from Nithio and the Africa Go Green Fund.

“I would like to thank NewTrails Capital for believing in Spiro’s model and supporting our unique tech, energy and innovation journey. Having deployed 100,000 electric vehicles and 2,500 smart-swap stations across seven active markets, Spiro has firmly moved past the proof-of-concept phase. Partnering with NewTrail Capital’s deeply experienced team marks a powerful new chapter for Spiro as we prepare for the next steps of our pan-African and international expansion”, stated Gagan Gupta, Founder of Spiro and Chairman of Equitane.

Yufan Zhang, Founding Partner of NewTrails Capital, added:

“We believe Spiro is driving a profound “energy revolution” across mobility use cases in Africa. This represents not only a vast and highly imaginative market opportunity, but also the potential to grow into an infrastructure-like business that creates meaningful commercial, social, and environmental value.

In our view, Spiro’s core strengths lie in its deeply localized operating capabilities, vertically integrated supply chain, digitally enabled ecosystem, sound unit economics, and strong ability to scale rapidly. More importantly, Spiro has systematically integrated vehicles, batteries, energy replenishment, payments, and service networks into a solution that is truly tailored to the needs of African users, effectively addressing long-standing structural pain points in the local market.

As a Chinese fund committed to investing in Africa’s energy transition and green technology, we are also very encouraged to see Chinese supply chains and financing playing an increasingly important role in this process. Spiro is still a young company, and everything today is only the beginning. We look forward to continuing to fulfill our role as a long-term investor, contributing our resources and experience, growing together with Spiro, and helping accelerate Africa’s new energy transition.”,

This partnership will be instrumental to support Spiro’s current manufacturing and supply chain localisation effort on the continent in particular with Chinese suppliers.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Spiro.

Media Contact:
Flora Limukii
Head of Corporate Communications, Spiro
Email: communications@spironet.com

About Spiro:
Spiro is Africa’s largest electric mobility company and operates the continent’s most extensive battery-swapping network for electric two-wheel vehicles. With more than 100,000 electric motorcycles on the road, over 2,500 swapping stations and more than 30 million battery swaps to date, Spiro is replacing expensive fossil-fuel transport with affordable, accessible and sustainable mobility solutions. Through its growing regional production and assembly footprint, Spiro is committed to building electric vehicles made in Africa by Africans for Africa and the world. https://www.Spironet.com

About NewTrails Capital:
NewTrails Capital is a growth-stage investment fund dedicated to emerging markets across Africa, the Middle East, Southeast Asia, and Latin America. Aligning with global growth corridors like the Belt and Road initiative, the fund backs visionary entrepreneurs utilizing global supply chains and capital to drive green technology and energy transitions.

Source: APO

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Martyrs Day, 20 June, was observed in the Gash Barka and Anseba regions with patriotic zeal, featuring various programs.

At the program organized in Barentu, Ambassador Mahmud Ali Hirui, Governor of Gash Barka Region, and Col. Habtu Gebre’endrias, Commander of the Popular Forces of the Western Front, laid wreaths at the Barentu Martyrs Cemetery.

Mr. Tesfa’alem Bahta, administrator of Barentu sub-zone, said that 20 June is a day on which the Eritrean people renew their pledge to live up to the expectations of their martyrs.

The residents of Barentu and its environs also conducted a candlelight vigil in the streets of the city on 19 June, featuring cultural and artistic performances depicting the deep meaning of the day.

Similarly, at an event in which thousands of Keren city residents conducted a walkathon to the Martyrs Cemetery, Col. Kibrom Nirayo, representing the Governor of Anseba Region, laid a wreath. The program also included planting of tree seedlings.

Col. Kibrom said that Martyrs Day, beyond commemoration, is a day on which citizens renew their pledge to live up to the expectations of martyrs and extend support to families of martyrs. A candlelight vigil was also conducted on 19 June in the streets of Keren city.

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

Source: APO

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A day marked by at least eight new record-breaking performances, intense competition, and sporting excellence came to a fitting conclusion yesterday, at Stad Linite as President Dr Patrick Herminie presented the President’s Cup to the Seychelles Police Academy (SPA), one of the overall winners of the 46th National School Athletics Championship.

President Herminie joined students, teachers, parents and supporters in witnessing the culmination of one of the country’s most anticipated school sporting events. 

Also present were Vice-President Sebastien Pillay, the wife of the Vice-President Mrs Lina Pillay, Principal Minister Wallace Cosgrow, Minister for Education and Human Resource Development Mr David Pierre, Minister for Youth and Sport Ms Kalsey Belle, Minister for Homeland Security and Civil Affairs Mr James Camille, Minister for Local Government and Inner Islands Ms Eveline Rose, Minister for Tourism and Culture Mrs Amanda Bernstein, Minister for Health Mr Marvin Fanny, Minister for Transport, Ports and Civil Aviation Ms Veronique Laporte, Minister for Employment and Human Resource Planning Ms Idith Alexander, Leader of Government Business of the National Assembly Ms Sylvanne Lemiel, Members of the National Assembly and other high-ranking government officials.

The championship brought together hundreds of young athletes from primary, secondary and post-secondary institutions across Seychelles, who competed in a wide range of track and field events throughout the day.

Other schools recognised for their outstanding performances included La Digue School, which secured the title of Best Small School, Perseverance Primary School as Best Primary School, and Praslin Secondary School as Best Secondary School.

Athletes competed across a variety of disciplines, including sprints, middle-distance races, relays, long jump, high jump, shot put, producing impressive performances throughout the championship.

The championship also recognised schools and individuals for their outstanding performances and sportsmanship throughout the competition. Perseverance Primary School received the Fair Play Award in the primary category, while Praslin Secondary School claimed the secondary category Fair Play Award. The Seychelles Police Academy (SPA) received the post-secondary Fair Play Award, and Anse aux Pins was recognised with the Spectator Fair Play Award.

Among the category winners, Perseverance Primary School won the Under-8 Girls division, while the Under-8 Boys title was shared by Anse Etoile Primary School and Perseverance Primary School. La Digue School dominated the Under-10 category, winning both the girls’ division with 42 points and the boys’ division.

Glacis Primary School claimed victory in the Under-12 Girls category, while Perseverance Primary School topped the Under-12 Boys division. In the Under-14 Primary category, Baie Ste Anne Primary School won the girls’ division and Perseverance Primary School secured the boys’ title.

Praslin Secondary School continued its strong showing by winning both the Under-14 Girls and Under-14 Boys categories, as well as the Under-16 Girls and Under-16 Boys divisions. In the Under-18 category, La Digue School emerged victorious among the girls, while Praslin Secondary School claimed the boys’ title.

At post-secondary level, the Seychelles Business Studies Academy (SBSA) won the Open Girls category, while the Seychelles Institute of Technology (SIT) secured the Open Boys title.

Individual honours were also presented to the competition’s Most Valuable Athletes (MVA). Samira Albert of La Digue School was named MVA for Primary Girls, while Tyron Arnephy of Perseverance Primary School received the Primary Boys award. Kadijah of Anse Royale Secondary School was recognised as the MVA for Secondary Girls, and Leandro Labiche of Praslin Secondary School was named MVA for Secondary Boys.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of State House Seychelles.

Source: APO

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The President of the Republic, Dr Patrick Herminie, joins the nation in celebrating Father’s Day and pays tribute to all fathers, grandfathers and father figures whose love, strength, guidance and sacrifice help shape strong families and a stronger Seychelles.

Today is an opportunity to recognise the often quiet yet profound contribution that fathers make every day. Whether as providers, protectors, mentors or caregivers, fathers play an irreplaceable role in nurturing children, strengthening family bonds and helping to build communities founded on responsibility, compassion and respect. Their influence extends far beyond the home, helping to shape the character, confidence and future of the next generation.

President Herminie also acknowledges the many fathers who carry their responsibilities with resilience despite personal hardship, those raising children on their own, and the father figures who have stepped forward to guide, protect and inspire where they were needed most. Their commitment deserves not only gratitude today, but recognition throughout the year.

As our nation continues to invest in stronger families and brighter futures, the President encourages every father to embrace the privilege and responsibility of fatherhood with love, integrity and purpose. He also calls upon society to continue valuing and supporting positive fatherhood as an essential foundation for national development.

On this Father’s Day, President Herminie extends his sincere appreciation to every father and father figure across Seychelles. May your dedication be celebrated, your sacrifices recognised, and your day be filled with the love, gratitude and pride of those whose lives you have helped shape.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of State House Seychelles.

Source: APO

President of the Republic of Azerbaijan H.E. Ilham Aliyev received, on June 18, a delegation comprising the heads of member institutions of the Arab Coordination Group (ACG) (https://TheACG.org), as well as Arab Ministers of Finance and senior officials participating in the 2026 Annual Meetings of the Islamic Development Bank Group in Baku.

The delegation included H.E. Dr. Muhammad Sulaiman Al Jasser, Chairman of the Islamic Development Bank (IsDB) Group; Dr. Abdulhamid Alkhalifa, President of the OPEC Fund for International Development; Mr. Abdullah Khalil Al-Musaibeeh, President of the Arab Bank for Economic Development in Africa; Dr. Fahad Alturki, Director General and Chairman of the Board of the Arab Monetary Fund; Mr. Sultan Abdulrahman Al-Marshad, Chief Executive Officer of the Saudi Fund for Development; Mr. Hammam bin Nasser bin Juraied, Executive Director of the Arab Gulf Programme for Development; and Mr. Thamer Al-Failakawi, Director of Operations at the Kuwait Fund for Arab Economic Development.

The delegation also included H.E. Mr. Mohammed bin Abdullah Al-Jadaan, Minister of Finance of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia; H.E. Mr. Yaqoub Al-Rifai, Minister of Finance of the State of Kuwait; H.E. Mr. Ali bin Ahmed Al Kuwari, Minister of Finance of the State of Qatar; and Mr. Ali Abdullah Sharafi, Assistant Undersecretary for International Financial Relations at the Ministry of Finance of the United Arab Emirates.

During the meeting, President Ilham Aliyev underscored the importance of the participation of the heads of ACG member institutions and Arab Ministers of Finance in the 2026 Annual Meetings of the Islamic Development Bank Group. He also highlighted the strong and active cooperation between Azerbaijan and the member institutions of the Arab Coordination Group, noting that several projects are currently under implementation and stressing the importance of the documents to be signed in this regard.

Expressing gratitude for the gracious welcome extended in Azerbaijan, H.E. Dr. Muhammad Sulaiman Al Jasser conveyed the delegation’s appreciation to President Ilham Aliyev for the reception. He also expressed his high appreciation for the President’s continued support for strengthening cooperation between Azerbaijan and the Arab Coordination Group.

The two sides reviewed the broad opportunities available to further expand the partnership between Azerbaijan and ACG member institutions. They also underlined the importance of Azerbaijan’s favorable investment climate in supporting the implementation of joint projects with the member institutions of the Arab Coordination Group.

Following the meeting, and in the presence of the President of Azerbaijan, a loan agreement was signed for the “Construction of the Sumgayit New Wastewater Treatment Facility” project. In addition, a Memorandum of Understanding was exchanged to expand cooperation between the Ministry of Economy of the Republic of Azerbaijan, the Azerbaijan State Water Resources Agency, and members of the Arab Coordination Group on the “Construction of Water Supply and Sewerage Systems for 33 Residential Settlements in the Absheron Peninsula” project.

At the conclusion of the meeting, President Ilham Aliyev presented the “Dostlug” — Friendship — Order to H.E. Dr. Muhammad Sulaiman Al Jasser, in recognition of his contribution to the development of cooperation between Azerbaijan and the Islamic Development Bank.

H.E. Dr. Muhammad Sulaiman Al Jasser expressed his sincere gratitude to the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan for this high distinction and for the appreciation shown for his efforts to strengthen cooperation between Azerbaijan and the IsDB Group.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Arab Coordination Group (ACG).

About the Arab Coordination Group (ACG): 
The Arab Coordination Group (ACG) is a strategic alliance that provides a coordinated response to development finance. Since its establishment in 1975, the ACG has been instrumental in developing economies and communities for a better future, providing more than 13,000 development loans to over 160 countries around the globe. The ACG works across the globe to support developing nations and create a lasting, positive impact. The Arab Coordination Group (ACG) is considered one of the most important and effective development partnerships at the international level. The group actively works to adopt the best global practices in sustainable development work. It also aims to align the efforts of these institutions to achieve convergence and harmonization in the policies governing their financing operations.

The Group comprises 10 national, Arab regional, and international institutions, including the Abu Dhabi Fund for Development, the Arab Bank for Economic Development in Africa, the Arab Fund for Economic and Social Development, the Arab Gulf Programme for Development, the Arab Monetary Fund, the Islamic Development Bank, the Kuwait Fund for Arab Economic Development, the OPEC Fund for International Development, the Qatar Fund for Development and the Saudi Fund for Development. www.TheACG.org