Category: English

Source: APO – Report:

• Oyo SAPZ will host up to 40 agro-processing industries, create over 100,000 direct and indirect jobs, and benefit half a million farmers.
• A great honour to do this on my last official visit to Nigeria as President of the African Development Bank Group (www.AfDB.org) – Adesina

Nigeria has launched a new Special Agro-Industrial Processing Zone (SAPZ) in Oyo State, marking a major milestone in the country’s efforts to boost agricultural transformation, job creation and rural industrialization.

The groundbreaking ceremony, held in the Ijaiye community near Ibadan on Saturday, was attended by national and international dignitaries, including the President of the African Development Bank Group, Dr. Akinwumi Adesina who was making his final official visit to Nigeria in that role. Also in attendance were the Governor of Oyo State, Seyi Makinde, and Nigeria’s Minister of Agriculture, Senator Abubakar Kyari.

The Oyo site is the third to be developed under the national SAPZ program, and the first in southwest Nigeria. It follows earlier launches in Kaduna and Cross River States in April 2025.

According to Dr. Adesina, “I believe that Nigeria can and must be a global powerhouse in agriculture. But you need investments to be able to do that. You also need industrial platforms that will connect primary agricultural production all the way to how you store products, how you process and add value, and how you ship to be able to sell. And that is what the special agro-industrial processing zones are really about.”

The program is financed by the African Development Bank, in partnership with the Islamic Development Bank, the International Fund for Agricultural Development, and Nigeria’s federal and state governments. Together, they have committed $538 million to the first phase of the program, covering seven states and the Federal Capital Territory.

Covering 3,000 hectares, with 300 hectares designated for immediate development, the Oyo SAPZ is expected to host up to 40 agro-processing industries, create over 100,000 direct and indirect jobs, and benefit half a million farmers.

Oyo State Governor Makinde hailed the launch as a fulfilment of promises made: “Today is about promises kept. It is a strategic step on the journey of sustainable development. These hubs bring producers closer to processors and link farms to markets. They reflect our government’s belief that agriculture is not just about food, it is about infrastructure, enterprise and national relevance. We’re building a future where agriculture feeds not just homes, but industries; where it doesn’t just sustain families but entire economies.”

Representing Vice President Kashim Shettima, Nigeria’s Minister of Agriculture, Senator Abubakar Kyari highlighted the SAPZ initiative’s alignment with national priorities: “Today’s event exemplifies the spirit of partnership and shared vision that is vital to our nation’s progress. The SAPZ initiative is one of the cornerstones of the renewed hope agenda championed by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, a vision rooted in restoring Nigeria’s dignity, unlocking our vast potentials and creating opportunities for every citizen.”

Dr. Adesina underscored the transformative vision behind SAPZs, calling them essential to unlocking agricultural value chains and lifting millions out of poverty.

“The export of primary commodities is the door to poverty. The export of value-added commodities and products is a highway to wealth. It doesn’t really matter what you have in terms of agricultural commodities, whether it is cocoa or coffee, or grains; if you’re not adding value to it, it’s actually going to make you poor. So, what we’re doing here is to be able to unlock that value,” Adesina stressed. “Our goal is very clear. It’s to reduce massive post-harvest losses, develop logistics, and improve linkages between farm production, agro-processing, and value addition, transform rural economies, and, of course, to create jobs.”

He outlined three critical pillars for the success of the SAPZs: political will, resource mobilization, and strategic partnerships. “What we are witnessing today would not have happened without intense collaboration,” he noted.

Reflecting on his 10-year tenure as President of the African Development Bank, Adesina highlighted milestones achieved under his leadership, including the Bank’s capital increase from $93 billion in 2015 to $318 billion in 2024, and the two-time ranking of its sovereign portfolio as the most transparent among multilateral development banks globally

The SAPZ initiative is a flagship of the Bank’s ‘Feed Africa’ strategy, launched by Adesina in 2015. The zones are being developed in 28 sites across 11 African countries, with the Nigerian program being the largest.

The chairperson of the Ijaiye Farm Settlers Association, David Olatunji, described Saturday’s groundbreaking ceremony as “a memorable opportunity” for the community and the state. “We have a lot of unbroken forests around us, and the farmers are ready to work!” he declared.

Dr. Adebowale Adeyeye, an agripreneur specializing in soyabean and cashew production and processing, said: “The SAPZ project in Ijaiye is a strategic boost for businesses like ours. With targeted government support in areas like power, road access, and security, it creates the kind of enabling environment we need to scale operations, reduce costs, and attract long-term investment. It’s a move that will strengthen agribusiness value chains and enhance overall competitiveness.”

The SAPZ Programme is working to transform Nigeria’s rural economy into zones of prosperity, by facilitating industrial processing, expanding market access, and attracting private sector investment. The Zones are being developed in 28 sites across 11 African countries, with the Nigeria program being the largest.

Dr. Kabir Yusuf, National Coordinator of SAPZ Nigeria, announced plans to expand the program to an additional 10 states from September 2025, marking the beginning of the second phase that will cover the remaining States in the country.

Adesina was accompanied by senior Bank officials, including the Director General for Nigeria, Dr. Abdul Kamara; Senior Special Adviser on Industrialization, Prof. Oyebanji Oyelaran-Oyeyinka; and Director of Agricultural Finance and Rural Development Department, Richard Ofori-Mante.

– on behalf of African Development Bank Group (AfDB).

Media Contact:
Tolu Ogunlesi
Communication and External Relations
African Development Bank
Email: media@afdb.org

Source: APO – Report:

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Development of 380 technology centers in local municipalities, villages, cities, and new urban communities has been completed.

156 government services are available through the fixed “Khadamat Masr” centers in Sharm El Sheikh, Mokattam, Aswan, and Alexandria; citizens have completed over 300,000 transactions as of the end of June 2025.

The development and delivery of 276 centers within the Mobile Technology Centers project for providing government services to citizens has been completed.

H.E. Dr. Rania A. Al-Mashat, Minister of Planning, Economic Development, and International Cooperation, received a report on the implementation status of projects for the Ministry’s Information Infrastructure Center for the Egyptian Planning System. 

The center is executing several projects, including the integration of spatial information infrastructure to develop the Egyptian planning system, projects for developing health services and initiatives (sustainability of births, deaths, and vaccinations), the project for developing financial and banking information systems at the National Investment Bank, and improving government performance in cooperation with the Administrative Prosecution Authority. 

Other projects include the development of technology centers in districts, cities, and new urban communities, improving the operational efficiency of real estate registry offices, as well as the mobile technology centers and fixed “Misr Services” centers.

H.E. Dr. Rania Al-Mashat emphasized the pivotal role of the Information Infrastructure Center for the Egyptian Planning System, in light of the significant importance the state places on digital transformation and developing services provided to citizens. This is aimed at the comprehensive development of government policies and performance, to keep pace with the aspirations and challenges of the next phase, and to continue the path of structural and institutional reform. 

H.E. Dr. Al-Mashat noted that the Ministry is working to advance economic development efforts and close sectoral development gaps by relying on data-driven policies, which reflects the importance of digital transformation in the state’s vision.

_*Technology Centers in Local Municipalities*_

The report highlighted the project to develop technology centers in local municipalities and new city authorities. This project aims to provide citizens and investors with civilized, fast, accurate, and integrated services by coordinating with governorates to establish technology centers. 

These centers provide services to citizens and send them through a smart system to back-end departments, linking them with participating government bodies. This enhances performance efficiency, tightens control, and improves monitoring methods using information technology at the level of governorate general offices, centers, cities, districts, rural units (Haya Karima), and new city authorities. 

The development of service delivery locations in local municipalities (general offices, cities and centers, districts, and new city authorities) for 380 centers has been completed. This includes 316 centers in cities and districts, 30 centers in rural units, and 34 centers in the New Urban Communities Authority to improve the level of services provided to citizens.

Moreover, development efforts have contributed to reducing the time for service delivery to citizens by 60% and decreasing crowding rates at fixed technology centers by supporting governorates with 37 mobile technology center vehicles, which had a positive impact on increasing citizen satisfaction.

_*”Khadamat Masr” Center Project*_

The report highlighted the “Khadamat Masr” project, which aims to enhance financial and digital inclusion, reduce the time and effort required to obtain government services, and provide a package of government services from a single location. 

Fixed “Khadamat Masr” branches have been opened in Sharm El Sheikh, Alexandria, Aswan, and Mokattam in Cairo, with a number of other branches in other governorates nearing completion for opening.

According to the report, new services have been added, bringing the total number of government services provided in “Khadamat Masr” centers to around 156 by the end of the fourth quarter of the 2024-2025 fiscal year. It is expected that these services will reach about 200 in the next fiscal year, ranging from real estate registration and notarization services, civil affairs, the Egyptian Public Prosecution, social solidarity services, the General Department for Passports, Immigration and Nationality, the General Department of Traffic, social insurance, and electronic payment, among other services.

The report revealed that the number of transactions citizens have completed at “Khadamat Masr” centers reached over 300,000 by the end of the fourth quarter of 2024-2025, with an average service time of 30 minutes. The goal is to reduce this average service time to about 20 minutes.

The report mentioned that the project for integrating the spatial information infrastructure to develop the Egyptian planning system is a comprehensive national project aimed at improving the efficiency of developmental investment decisions, increasing the efficiency of government spending, optimizing resource utilization, and directing state investments in an efficient and effective manner. This is achieved by using the latest technologies and advanced satellite and aerial imaging to produce unified base maps for the state and all spatial reports.

_*Mobile Technology Service Centers*_

The report reviewed the progress of the Mobile Technology Centers project, which aims to provide government services to citizens in a civilized and dignified manner, reduce crowding at government service offices, and improve the business environment. This is achieved by providing digitized services that ensure citizen satisfaction. It was noted that 276 mobile technology centers were delivered by the end of last March, out of a total target of 326 centers, comprising 198 centers for government agencies and 78 mobile centers as part of the “Khadamat Masr” project, in cooperation between the Ministry of Planning, Economic Development, and International Cooperation and various government entities.

_*Health Projects Information Infrastructure Project*_

Regarding the Health Projects Information Infrastructure Project (sustainability of birth and death systems and development of the vaccination systems’ information infrastructure), it aims to enhance the efficiency and transparency of the health system and improve the quality of healthcare services. This is done by developing an integrated information infrastructure that supports the accurate and efficient registration of vital statistics. The project also contributes to enhancing the state’s capacity for sustainable health planning, rationalizing spending, and improving vaccination registration mechanisms. The number of health offices linked electronically is 4,666, and the operational capacity of 2,000 health offices has been increased (providing devices and equipment). All vaccination offices have also been linked and are operating on the electronic system. The number of electronically linked vaccination offices has reached 5,434, and the number of vaccination offices supported with devices as part of the 2024/2025 plan has reached 2,000.

_*Government Performance Improvement Project*_

The report also covered the project to improve government performance in cooperation with the Administrative Prosecution. This project aims to improve the performance of public facilities nationwide and enhance the quality of life for Egyptian citizens by evaluating and measuring government performance. It also supports decision-makers with accurate data that contributes to improving the performance of public employees and government entities. The project aims to link 273 administrative prosecution offices to the complaints system, and by the end of June 2025, 22,946 complaints had been registered through the system.

_*Electronic Voting Project*_

The report outlined the electronic voting project, which aims to establish the first electronic voting system in the Arab Republic of Egypt, in cooperation with the Administrative Prosecution Authority, and to create an integrated digital platform for managing and operating the electoral system electronically.

_*Supporting the Operational Capacity of Real Estate Registry Offices*_

The report referred to the project to support the operational capacity of the Real Estate and Notarization Authority’s offices. This project contributes to the rapid entry of data for registration and publicity requests for properties in accordance with Law No. 9 of 2022, and the quick completion of property registration procedures for citizens. This leads to an increase in the state’s public treasury revenues due to the rise in accepted registration requests and collected fees. The operational capacity of 28 offices, 293 sub-offices, and one main office of the Real Estate and Notarization Authority has been improved.

_*Supporting the Operational Capacity of Public Prosecution Offices*_

Regarding the project to support the operational capacity of Public Prosecution offices, it aims to facilitate litigation procedures and ensure that stakeholders can obtain their rights without hardship, within a framework of constitutional and procedural legitimacy. This is achieved by automating 640 offices over four years from the start of the project and converting 50 million documents into digital documents that are easy to access and store. The number of offices targeted for the first year, 2024-2025, is 123 public prosecution offices (19% of the total number of offices), and the number of digitally converted documents has reached 2,375,000.

– on behalf of Ministry of Planning, Economic Development, and International Cooperation – Egypt.

Source: APO – Report:

On August 1, Chinese Ambassador to Tanzania H.E. Chen Mingjian attended the official launch of the East Africa Commercial and Logistics Center (EACLC) in Dar es Salaam. President H.E. Samia Suluhu Hassan, Minister of State in President’s Office Planning and Investment Hon. Kitila Mkumbo, Minister for Foreign Affairs and East African Cooperation Hon. Mahmoud Kombo, Minister for Trade and Industrial Development Zanzibar Hon. Omar Shaaban, Dar es Salaam Regional Commissioner Hon. Albert Chalamila and over 4,000 people were present at the event.

The EACLC is invested by China’s Weihai Huatan Company, with a total investment of over 170 million US dollars. It is expected to create over 50,000 local jobs, generate significant tax revenue and reduce regional trade costs by a large margin.

– on behalf of Embassy of the People’s Republic of China in the United Republic of Tanzania.

Source: APO

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Special Representative of the Secretary General Hanna Tetteh engaged with 239 Libyans Friday in an open Zoom call, discussing issues ranging from options to take the country to elections, to accountability measures for potential spoilers, to the inclusion of women, youth and persons with disabilities.  

The online meeting, the second the SRSG has hosted in the last month, was part of the United Nations Support Mission in Libya’s ongoing efforts to increase two-way communication with the public about the political process.  

Since May, the Mission has engaged nearly 1,000 people across the country in person and another 1,250 online, including focused meetings with community leaders, women, youth, unionists, cultural components, and persons with disabilities. Until 9 August, the Mission is also running a public poll on the proposals put forth by the Advisory Committee, a body of Libyan legal, constitutional and political experts that UNSMIL assembled to advise on the best options to resolve the political impasse and unify state institutions.  

Everyone has a role to play in the success of any political process, SRSG Tetteh said, calling on Libyans to participate in the online poll and once the roadmap is announced, work with the Mission to hold their leaders accountable in its implementation. 

“The situation has gone on for some time and it’s going to take a collective effort to change it,” she said. “Democracy, inclusiveness—they’re not events. They are processes. They are built over time.” 

During the Zoom meeting, some expressed concern that many roads to elections have already been tried and failed, saying the only way forward is establishing a constituent assembly through a national dialogue forum to appoint a new government to oversee elections. Others spoke out in support of simultaneous presidential and legislative elections and a constitution-first approach.  

“We have no trust in the bodies in power now,” one woman said “These need to be removed for any roadmap to be successful. They are prolonging the crisis and creating problems.”  

The “actual power” is not with political bodies, but with armed groups, said another. “How can we have democracy with these forces on the ground?” 

Others echoed her concern, pointing out that the security situation is not conducive to elections.  

Several participants asked the Mission, “Are sanctions going to be a deterrent to obstructionists?” 

The Advisory Committee recommended, in its’ report to UNSMIL, that a unified government be established prior to elections, the SRSG said, acknowledging that it has been a topic of discussion across UNSMIL’s public consultations.  

“We think it’s important to have a unified government,” she said. “How that unified government comes about is a matter that will be part of the negotiation of the roadmap. How we approach that will be informed by the public’s feedback and other consultations.”  

The SRSG emphasized, however, that the way for institutions to be changed is through elections. The goal is to move away from transitions to elections, she said, to a leadership with a mandate, who takes responsibility for Libya and who Libyans hold accountable. 

“In developing a roadmap, it’s about how we get to elections and what needs to be done to make them happen safely,” she said. “There are actors who believe that they will be harmed, that their interests will be so badly impacted that their incentive is to spoil. That may jeopardize the process, so in designing this, and in engaging, we have to make it clear that we have to think through these challenges and manage them.” 

The SRSG outlined some of the Advisory Committee’s proposals to address issues that have prevented elections from taking place in the past, including putting in place a legal framework that clearly settles issues about the timing of the elections and candidacy requirements.  

“The legal framework also provides for sanctions,” she said. “It also addresses some of the security issues—not all of them, because some need to be dealt with operationally—but it deals with some of the security issues that need to be taken care of for successful elections to take place.”  

One man asked what UNSMIL is doing to advance disability rights. Another inquired, “Are there guarantees to involve youth in the political process?” A woman expressed concern about the difficulties facing women who wish to participate in the political process, describing her experience as a candidate in municipal elections as “terrifying.”  

“I was subjected to indirect threats, defamation and the abusive use of my personal photos on social media platforms—and also direct, face-to-face threats” she said. “Some personalities pressured me to withdraw mycandidacy.”  

“I thank you for your bravery and your courage,” SRSG Tetteh responded. “I would say that Libya needs not just you, but all Libyan women to be able participate in discussions on your country’s future and in decision-making about how that future will come to pass. Sometimes there is a feeling that women’s voices don’t belong, but women wanting to participate is not about competing with men. Women’s voices will contribute to make society better.” 

It is UNSMIL’s goal, she said, not only to champion women’s voices, but to represent all segments of the population’s interests—including persons with disabilities, youth, and cultural components—in negotiations about the political roadmap.  

The Mission has withheld participants’ names and affiliations to protect their privacy.  

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL).

Source: APO

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In support of implementation of the Peace Agreement Between the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and the Republic of Rwanda (Rwanda) signed in Washington, D.C. on June 27, 2025, the United States hosted two sets of meetings on July 30 through August 1, 2025, focused on implementation of the security aspects of the agreement and building a framework for regional economic growth opportunities, which together are critical to achieving long-term stability and durable peace in the Great Lakes region. This bilateral initiative is designed to unlock the immense economic potential of the Great Lakes region made possible only through the implementation of the Peace Agreement.

On August 1, representatives from the DRC and Rwanda, facilitated by the United States, initialed the text of the Regional Economic Integration Framework Tenets, a requirement outlined in the Peace Agreement. Through joint coordination in areas including energy, infrastructure, mining, national park management and tourism, and public health, the DRC and Rwanda will drive economic progress and improve the lives of people and the communities where they live across the Great Lakes region.

Also on July 31, DRC and Rwandan delegations held the first meeting of the Joint Oversight Committee to support implementation of the Peace Agreement Between the DRC and Rwanda, observed by the United States, the State of Qatar, the Republic of Togo (as the African Union facilitator) and the African Union Commission. The Committee serves as a platform for implementing the Peace Agreement and resolving disputes. At its first meeting, participants appointed Chairpersons to the Commission, agreed to governing terms, and prepared for the launch of the Joint Security Coordination Mechanism.

This week’s meetings represent a significant step forward in implementing the Peace Agreement, with the DRC and Rwanda taking meaningful actions to advance security and economic cooperation. The United States reaffirms its commitment to supporting these efforts and, as the parties make progress implementing the Peace Agreement, looks forward to hosting the Summit of the Heads of State in Washington, D.C., to drive peace, stability, and economic prosperity.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Department of State, United States of America.

Source: APO

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At its session on 1 August, the Government promoted Counsellor Katja Kalamäki to the public office of Counsellor for Foreign Affairs, starting on 1 September 2025. The President of the Republic appointed Counsellor for Foreign Affairs Kalamäki to serve as Head of Mission at Finland’s Embassy in Windhoek from 1 September 2025.

Kalamäki will transfer to Windhoek from the Unit for Northern Europe and Regional Cooperation, where she has served as Director since 2021. Before that, she worked as Diplomatic Adviser to the Foreign Minister in the Office of the Minister for Foreign Affairs in 2013–2021.

Kalamäki has prior experience on Finnish missions abroad from Islamabad, where she served as Deputy Head of Mission in 2010–2011, and from the Permanent Mission of Finland to the UN in New York, where she worked in 2011–2013 specialising in human rights and equality issues.

Kalamäki joined the Ministry for Foreign Affairs in 2005. She holds two Master’s degrees of Master of Social Sciences.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Finland.

Source: APO

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On July 31, Ambassador Gao Wenqi attended the working meeting betweenYang Dongning, Vice Governor of Export-Import Bank of China and Hon. Yusuf MURANGWA, Minister of Finance and Economic Planning of Rwanda. Both sides exchanged views on promoting the trade, economic and financial cooperation between China and Rwanda.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Embassy of the People’s Republic of China in the Republic of Rwanda.