Source: Government of Qatar
Doha, June 30, 2025
HE Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al-Thani received a phone call on Monday from HE Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Hellenic Republic George Gerapetritis.
The call discussed cooperation relations between the two countries and ways to support and enhance them. It also discussed the developments in the region, in addition to a number of topics of common concern.
Source: Government of Qatar
Doha – June 30, 2025
The State of Qatar expresses full solidarity with the sisterly Republic of Sudan following the collapse of a gold mine in the Howaid area, which results in multiple deaths and injuries.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs conveys Qatar’s sincere condolences to the families of the victims, as well as to the government and people of Sudan, and wishes a swift recovery to those injured.
Source: Government of Qatar
Doha – June 30, 2025
The State of Qatar expresses its strong condemnation and denunciation of the terrorist attack that targeted a military convoy in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province in the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, resulting in deaths and injuries.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs reiterates the States of Qatar’s stance rejecting violence, terrorism and criminal acts, regardless of their motives and causes.
The Ministry extends the State of Qatar’s condolences to the families of the victims, as well as to the government and people of Pakistan, and wishes the injured a speedy recovery.
Source: Government of Qatar
Sevilla, June 30, 2025
The State of Qatar participated in the high-level opening session of the 4th International Conference on Financing for Development (FFD4) currently taking place in Seville in the Kingdom of Spain.
The State of Qatar’s delegation to the session was headed by HE Minister of State for International Cooperation Maryam bint Ali bin Nasser Al Misnad.
The conference comes to follow up on the United Nations’ (UN) process on financing for development by reinforcing the agreements and commitments of the three previous international conferences.
The first of which was held in Monterrey, Mexico, in 2002 where fundamental principles for development financing were established.
Doha hosted the second conference in 2008 amid the global financial crisis, giving it particular significance in addressing the impact of the crisis on developing countries.
The third conference, which took place in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, in 2015, resulted in the Addis Ababa Action Agenda, a comprehensive framework for financing sustainable development.
Source: Government of Qatar
Doha, June 30, 2025
HE Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al-Thani met on Monday with HE President of Somaliland Abdirahman Mohamed Abdillahi Irro, who is visiting the country.
During the meeting, the two sides exchanged views on the latest developments in Somalia and discussed the importance of supporting efforts aimed at achieving security and stability there, as well as ways to enhance communication and build trust between the various parties.
HE Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs affirmed the State of Qatar’s belief that Somalia’s future is built through openness and constructive communication among all its components, to ensure respect for the sovereignty and national unity of the Federal Republic of Somalia.
In the fight against phishing, forward-thinking organisations are winning. But there’s a twist. The heightened vigilance that has empowered employees to detect suspicious emails is now creating a new dilemma: legitimate, business-critical messages are being flagged, ignored, or buried in spam folders. And in today’s AI-fuelled cyber landscape, that reaction may be as justified as it is damaging.
Phishing works and it’s reshaping trust
The release of generative AI tools has supercharged phishing attempts. KnowBe4’s Phishing Threat Trend Report 2025 (https://apo-opa.co/4kdUXIx) shows that more than 80% (https://apo-opa.co/3TNjJnN) of the analysed phishing emails were augmented by AI, and they’re far more convincing than before.
“The gut-check we used to rely on has been gamed – and even the large language models now being explored to help detect suspicious emails are also struggling,” says Anna Collard, SVP of Content Strategy & Evangelist at KnowBe4 Africa. “They’re forced to dig deeper, assessing tone, context, and subtler red flags.”
The result? Suspicion is now the default
And it’s not unwarranted. Maturing cybersecurity awareness and phishing simulation programs have helped sharpen employees’ scepticism (https://apo-opa.co/3GpDVcj). But this success has revealed a new problem: overcorrection.
Emails that are real – from HR, IT, legal, or sales – are now increasingly being misjudged. In some cases, they’re wrongly flagged as phishing by either people or systems.
In others, they’re simply ignored. The irony is that some of the most common and legitimate corporate communication traits are now the very ones that raise red flags:
“Even just using a third-party sender domain can cause confusion,” says Collard. “If staff don’t expect it – or don’t recognise the platform – the message can get flagged.”
For good reason too, as according to KnowBe4’s Phishing Threat Trend Report (https://apo-opa.co/4kdUXIx) the top 5 legitimate platforms used to send out phishing emails include popular business tools such as DocuSign, Paypal, Microsoft, Google Drive, and Salesforce.
The cost of false positives
When real emails get sidelined, the impact is more than a missed message. Delayed IT updates, ignored HR deadlines, and lost sales opportunities can create serious ripple effects across operations. Deliverability issues also erode trust. And in high-stakes environments like healthcare, legal services or finance, false positives can become costly very quickly.
So, how do you write emails that get read – not flagged?
To combat this growing challenge, organisations need to stop thinking of phishing risk as purely a recipient problem. Legitimate internal emails need to look legitimate too.
Here’s how every team – from HR to IT to marketing – can write more trustworthy emails:
Write Like a Human, Deliver Like a Pro
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Subject lines should set expectations Use clear, predictable language. Instead of “IMPORTANT: Read this now!”, try “Reminder: Benefits enrollment closes Friday”. |
Lead with context before asking for action Start with a reference point: “You recently submitted a travel claim…” or “As part of your onboarding…”. |
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Limit urgency to what’s truly urgent Too many “ASAP”s will breed indifference. Use urgency sparingly – and explain why it matters. Remember: |
Minimise links and avoid vague CTAs Avoid phrases like “click here” or hyperlinking whole sentences. Provide a fallback path: |
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Be cautious with tone and formatting Avoid shouty subject lines, gimmicky language, or inconsistent formatting that can trigger filters. |
Test before sending Run your email through spam-filter testing tools to see what might flag it (Mail-Tester.com or GlockApps.com). |
Get your digital paperwork in order
Even the best-written email may never reach its recipient if your authentication protocols aren’t properly configured. SPF, DKIM, and DMARC are three essential technical settings that help prove your email really came from your domain.
“These protocols are a bit like a digital passport,” Collard explains. “Without them, even a genuine email may not make it through.”
But even technically sound emails can fall flat if they don’t look legitimate to the reader. That’s why it’s just as important to consider how your internal teams craft and send messages.
Internal brand security: don’t just train recipients – train senders too
Cyber awareness is often focused on detection. But to maintain deliverability and trust, sender behaviour matters too. Teach teams to avoid accidental red flags. Share templates and subject line guides. And ensure that employees – especially those sending to large groups – understand the basics of trustworthy communication.
Consistency is key. Make sure communications come from the same official addresses, follow familiar formats, and maintain a recognizable tone. This teaches recipients what to expect – and what to be cautious of – building a clearer line between legitimate messages and possible fakes.
“This is part of internal brand hygiene,” says Collard. “When your team consistently communicates clearly and predictably, you build trust over time – with both employees and clients. That trust makes your emails easier to recognise, safer to deliver, and more likely to be opened.”
In a world where AI can impersonate your tone and template with ease (https://apo-opa.co/3TPcb3X), your best defence is to sound like yourself – and help others know what to expect when you speak.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of KnowBe4.
Contact details:
Anne Dolinschek
KnowBe4
Email: anned@knowbe4.com
TJ Coenraad
Red Ribbon
Email: tj@redribboncommunications.co.za
South Africa’s predominantly cash-based economy is making significant inroads into the e-commerce sector, thanks to the growing success of the partnership between financial services platform Mukuru (www.Mukuru.com) and payment gateway Payfast by Network. For over a year, the two businesses have been enabling access to online shopping for cash-paying South Africans. Through MukuruPay (MPay), cash-first customers can now participate in digital commerce, unlocking new market segments for thousands of local retailers.
The partnership’s success stems from its ability to address a long-standing gap in the e-commerce market—the exclusion of millions of South Africans who prefer or rely on cash. A recent Payfast (https://apo-opa.co/4eMSDXX) “State of Pay” report shows that cash is the fourth preferred payment methods for customers and competes with widely used options such as card, open banking/ instant EFT and QR code. Likewise, an SBV Cash Survey 2024 (https://apo-opa.co/40shqdC) white paper outlines that 22% (over 13 million) of South Africans are cash-reliant and are not willing or cannot switch to other forms of payment. The study reveals that this group is vulnerable in the shift to digital services, despite holding immense economic potential.
Mukuru’s partnership with Payfast is helping to bridge the gap between cash and digital commerce by making e-commerce more accessible to cash-first consumers in South Africa. Throughout 2024, the company has seen a growing number of businesses adopt its payment option via Payfast, reflecting increased demand across sectors such as internet services, digital goods, fashion, groceries, bill payments, and education.
Timothee Dura, Head of Merchant Payments at Mukuru, says, “South Africa’s e-commerce cannot accept only cards and digital payment methods like EFTs or wallets. It needs to work for everyone. We are bridging the digital divide by meeting cash-first consumers where they are—offering them convenience and access to goods and services that were previously out of reach with a payment method that is familiar to them. This is how we build a more inclusive financial ecosystem in South Africa.”
For merchants, MPay offers a way to reach customers who have traditionally been excluded from online shopping due to their reliance on cash. The payment method builds on Mukuru’s long-standing experience with cash-first communities and is available through the Payfast by Network dashboard for registered merchants. Once MPay is enabled, a customer shopping on the merchant’s online store selects Mukuru as the payment option at checkout. The system generates a unique order number, valid for 36 hours. The customer can then pay in cash at any of Mukuru’s 11,000+ payment points across South Africa—including major retailers like Spar, Pick n’ Pay, Boxer, and Shoprite.
As soon as the customer pays, Mukuru alerts the merchant—enabling swift order fulfilment. MPay also helps merchants reduce operational costs by cutting down on cash handling, removing the need for cash-on-delivery, and minimising the risk of fraud.
For consumers, MPay presents an alternative to cash on delivery, particularly relevant in informal or rural areas, where logistical challenges and safety concerns are more frequent. It enables participation in digital commerce while retaining the familiarity of cash payments, facilitated through Mukuru’s established physical network.
“The increasing adoption of MPay on Payfast by merchants reflects our conviction that cash-first customers are critical to South Africa’s e-commerce economy. We remain committed to bridging the gap between cash and digital payments, creating safer, regulated, and accessible pathways for unbanked and underserved communities to participate in the formal economy”, concludes Dura.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Mukuru.
MEDIA ENQUIRIES:
Kgomotso Hlakudi:
Email: kgomotso.hlakudi@mukuru.com
(+27) 73 333 1672
About Mukuru:
Mukuru is a leading next generation financial services platform in Southern Africa that offers affordable and reliable financial services to a customer base of over 17 million+ across Africa, Asia and Europe. With over 100 million transactions to date, our core was built providing international money transfers and from this base, we’ve developed a set of services to address the broader financial needs of our customers. We now operate in over 70 countries and across over 570 remittance corridors.
We are a business that puts the customer at the centre of everything we do, and for that reason, we serve clients across physical and digital channels, by various payment methods (cash, card, wallet) as well as a range of engagement platforms including WhatsApp, USSD, contact centre, App, website, agents and a branch and booth network.
Mukuru has been listed among the top 100 Cross Border Payments businesses globally for the sixth consecutive year in the 2025 FXC Intelligence Top 100 Cross-Border Payment Companies. In 2024, Mukuru won the IAMTN Payments Network Customers Experience Excellence Award for exceptional customer satisfaction and was accredited as a Top Employer in South Africa for 2024 and 2025 by the Top Employers Institute.
In 2023, Mukuru ranked sixth on the LinkedIn Top Companies List in South Africa. We aso received the Fintech Innovation of the Year Award at the 2023 Africa Tech Festival Awards for its role in driving economic growth and financial inclusion.
Further information can be found at: https://apo-opa.co/44x1h87
NBA Africa (www.NBA.com), Stanbic Bank and the Luol Deng Foundation tipped off the second season of the Stanbic Jr. NBA League for boys and girls ages 16 and under at Nimra Talata Basketball Stadium in Juba, South Sudan last Saturday.
The league, featuring 28 boys and girls’ teams, will play regular season games through September, which will be followed by the second edition of playoffs and finals in October.
Prior to the season’s tip-off, a league draw was held at St. Mark’s Orthodox School on Thursday, where participating school teams selected jerseys of NBA teams which they will represent throughout the season. This was followed by a basketball clinic for 40 coaches and educators on Friday.
The inaugural season’s finals took place at Nimra Talata Basketball Stadium in Juba last August with two-time NBA All-Star Luol Deng and 1995 NBA All-Star Cedric Ceballos in attendance. Juba One 76ers were crowned the inaugural season’s champions.
The Jr. NBA/Jr. WNBA is the league’s global youth basketball program for boys and girls that teaches the fundamental skills and core values of the game – teamwork, respect, determination and community – at the grassroots level in an effort to help grow and improve the youth basketball experience for players, coaches and parents. The Jr. NBA/Jr. WNBA program has been launched in 19 African countries, reaching more than 350,000 youth from across the continent last year.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of National Basketball Association (NBA).
Source: South Africa News Agency
Monday, June 30, 2025
Police Minister Senzo Mchunu has noted with concern media reports speculating about an imminent arrest of the National Commissioner of Police.
“As the Ministry of Police, we have not been made aware of such impending arrest. We have also noted the response from the Investigating Directorate Against Corruption (IDAC) on this speculation,” the Police Ministry said in a statement.
“We plead with the media to avoid any speculation on this, as speculation of this nature has an adverse impact on the named person and also has an effect of destabilising the work of the South African Police Service,” the ministry said. – SAnews.gov.za
Source: South Africa News Agency
South Africa’s empowerment laws may be distinct, however such laws are not a unique global occurrence, says President Cyril Ramaphosa.
The country’s empowerment laws, particularly the Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment legal framework, have come under public and media debate over the past few months.
In his weekly newsletter released on Monday, the President said that the empowerment laws are practical, feasible and responsive to “economic conditions, without deviating from the objective of redressing the economic injustices” of the past when Africans and other people of colour were excluded from meaningful economic participation during apartheid.
“Empowerment laws are not unique to South Africa. These laws are often referred to as indigenisation or localisation measures. They exist in various forms in other emerging market economies with similar histories of race-based economic exclusion such as India, Zambia, Indonesia, Nigeria, Malaysia and Brazil.
“A number of these jurisdictions compel foreign investors or multinationals, who wish to invest in the economies of those countries or in certain sectors of their economy, to fully set aside equity stakes in their companies to local entities as a prerequisite for operating in the country. This can serve be seen as a barrier to entry for investment in certain environments.
“However, we have found that many would-be investors do embrace these measures as they enhance inclusiveness, lead to broad acceptance of their companies and tend to grow market share,” he said.
The President explained that South African empowerment laws earn distinction in that the measures are “practical and innovative”.
“In addition to having a pure equity participation measure, we have introduced the Equity Equivalent Investment Programme (EEIP).
“It was created to accommodate multinationals whose global practices or policies prevent them from complying with the B-BBEE ownership element through the ‘traditional’ sale of equity or shares. It allows multinationals to invest in socio-economic, skills and enterprise development in South Africa without selling equity in their local subsidiaries,” President Ramaphosa said.
He pushed back on suggestions that EEIP is a circumvention of empowerment laws and public assertions that it is a “response to the conditions of a particular company or sector”.
“Neither are factually correct. Firstly, the EEIP is not new and has been in existence for a decade. It is firmly embedded in our laws and is not an attempt to ‘water down’ B-BBEE.
“Secondly, there are stringent requirements for multinationals to participate. All EEIP initiatives must be aligned to government’s economic policies and strategic goals. There is firm government-backed oversight over EEIP programmes that must be broad-based in terms of impact.
“Since its inception, the EEIP has encompassed a broad range of sectors and onboarded some of the world’s leading multinational firms such as Hewlett-Packard, Samsung, JP Morgan, Amazon, IBM and automotive firms such as BMW, Volkswagen, Nissan and Toyota,” he highlighted.
President Ramapohosa cited technology conglomerate, Microsoft’s investment as an example of how EEIP can lead to local development.
“Microsoft announced a R1.32 billion investment over 10 years in skills and supplier and 4IR research and development – under the EEIP.
“These firms have leveraged the EEIP to direct investment into local development, to incubate black, youth and women-owned businesses, and to fund skills development. This has in turn assisted government in achieving a number of policy and also infrastructure goals.
“Equity Equivalents have been proven to be a practical B-BBEE compliance tool for multinationals operating in South Africa, and we will continue to leverage them in pursuit of economic growth and job creation,” he said.
Changing perceptions
President Ramaphosa reiterated his stance that economic growth and transformation can co-exist.
“Not only do we have to move away from the perception that we must make a choice between growth and transformation – we also have to shift the mindset that compliance with B-BBEE is punitive or burdensome.
“By supporting firms with compliance, they are able to embrace empowerment as a meaningful investment in South African’s long-term economic stability. This is a sound strategy that recognises that a transformed South African economy is one in which their investments are safe and guaranteed,” he said.
The President highlighted that since the introduction of empowerment laws, the “playing field” has evolved.
“The emergence of new industries, whether it is digital technology, advanced manufacturing, AI or renewable energy, means South Africa must actively position itself to attract greater foreign and domestic investment in these sectors or risk being left behind.
“As a country, we have had to adapt and evolve in response to these economic trends, and continue to do so,” President Ramaphosa said.
He emphasised that even as economies and trends evolve, economic transformation remains a government imperative.
“We are clear that our empowerment laws remain central to our goal of economic transformation in South Africa and are here to stay. As business and industry, as labour and indeed, as all of society we should remain firmly behind these laws that are integral to undoing the injustices of the past.
“Our focus going forward must remain creating an enabling policy environment, driving key structural reforms, supporting innovation, and reducing regulatory barriers to harness the potential of emerging industries and support existing ones.
“Beyond the spirited and often heated debates currently underway around B-BBEE and the EEIP, the pursuit of inclusive economic growth that creates jobs and improves the lives of our people remains our overriding goal,” President Ramaphosa said. – SAnews.gov.za
