Category: English

Source: APO

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The Republic of Congo’s efforts to expand reliable electricity and water services will come into focus at African Energy Week (AEW) 2026, with Bruno Jean-Richard Itoua, Minister of Energy and Hydraulics, set to speak at the event in Cape Town from October 12–16. His participation comes as the newly restructured ministry develops a roadmap focused on improving power and water services, modernizing public utilities and preparing infrastructure projects for greater investment.

The electricity sector is already undergoing a major reform program. In August, Itoua presided over the presentation of a diagnostic of state utility Énergie Électrique du Congo (E²C), with the government working toward a recovery plan backed by a performance contract. The program includes rehabilitation and expansion of transmission and distribution networks in Brazzaville and Pointe-Noire, alongside the progressive introduction of smart prepaid meters. Congo’s national energy pact targets electricity access of 90% in urban areas and 50% in rural areas by 2030, with universal access targeted for 2035.

The reform agenda is also attracting institutional and private-sector support. The World Bank’s $100 million Strengthening Electricity Services Project is designed to improve electricity-service quality and access while strengthening transmission and distribution performance. In September, the Bank opened a preliminary market consultation for the procurement of 414,000 smart and communicating meters for government facilities, E²C and electricity customers in Brazzaville and Pointe-Noire.

Infrastructure expansion is already producing tangible results beyond the two main cities. In July, Mossaka was connected to the national interconnected grid through a new high-voltage substation, providing the town with continuous electricity supply and extending the reach of Congo’s national network. The African Development Bank has also reaffirmed its willingness to support the preparation and financing of new electricity projects, with discussions in August covering feasibility studies, sector reforms and investment mobilisation.

Water infrastructure forms the other half of Minister Itoua’s mandate. In June, he launched a China-funded program to construct potable-water boreholes at five schools in Brazzaville, while a visit to the Djoué water facilities highlighted the Djoué 2 project, which is intended to increase potable-water production for the capital.

“Reliable electricity and access to water are fundamental to Africa’s economic development, and Congo is showing that these challenges require investment in infrastructure as well as reforms that improve the performance of public utilities,” said NJ Ayuk, Executive Chairman of the African Energy Chamber. “Minister Itoua’s participation at AEW 2026 will provide an important opportunity to connect Congo’s electricity and water priorities with the investors, technology providers and development partners needed to turn these projects into functioning infrastructure that serves households and businesses.”

At AEW 2026, Minister Itoua will bring the country’s electricity and water agenda directly to an international audience as Congo seeks to improve service delivery, expand access and develop a more bankable pipeline of infrastructure projects.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of African Energy Chamber.

Source: APO

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Buga Steven can measure the advance of the sea in coconuts.

There was a time when his trees yielded about 5,000 of them. Today, he said, a harvest brings less than a third of that.

Diminishing returns

“And they are much smaller than before,” said the Tanzanian farmer, who lives in Pangani, on the country’s northeastern coast, where the local river meets the Indian Ocean.

There, seawater has pushed about eight kilometres inland along the Pangani river, according to the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), carrying salt into fields that once sustained farmers along its banks.

In places, mangroves are following the saltwater inland.

For Mr. Steven, their arrival amounts to a boundary marker: land that once supported agriculture is becoming something else. His conclusion is stark.

“Everyone living along the riverbanks where mangroves are growing should be given grants so they can move elsewhere,” he told UN News. “Those areas have already been taken over by mangroves.”

A coastline in retreat

The historic town of Pangani sits in a low-lying area where sea level rise is measured not so much in millimetres as in dwindling coconut harvests, salt in agricultural soil, and fish that no longer gather where fishermen expect to find them.

Iddi Hashimu Iddi has watched the transformation in his own coconut trees.

“The trunks were much thicker and healthier,” he said. “But rising sea levels have affected them. Salt has moved far inland, productivity has dropped, the trees are unhealthy, and many are dying. Our income has also fallen.”

For families living in the area, the losses spread quickly beyond the fields.

“We depended on coconut farming to sustain our livelihoods, educate our children, and meet social obligations,” Mr. Iddi said. “Now we face major challenges because of the impacts of sea level rise.”

The geography of the coconut trade itself is beginning to shift.

Take the high road

Haroub Selemani, a farmer and trader, says the larger coconuts increasingly come from higher ground.

“For those of us living from Matakani to Jasini, we no longer have proper coconuts,” he said. “If you want large coconuts, you have to go to places like Mafisi or Mseko and further uphill. That is where coconuts still grow large.”

The change poses a peculiar dilemma for some landowners. As saltwater spreads, mangroves are increasingly colonizing areas where coconut trees once grew. But mangroves are protected under Tanzanian law, Mr. Iddi said, leaving farmers unable simply to clear them.

“According to Government regulations, mangroves and coconut trees must compete, and whichever survives remains,” he said. “But if a landowner cuts mangroves, it becomes a serious offense because it violates government laws.”

The fish are moving, too

On the water, Ali Hamis Daudi has seen another Pangani disappear.

Shoreline erosion and the loss of trees have changed places where fishermen once anchored their boats. The knowledge passed down through fishing communities – where particular species congregate and at what depth – has become less reliable.

“If you come late, you may not find a place to anchor your boat,” Mr. Daudi said. “In the past, we knew exactly what depth of water certain fish species preferred. Now the fish have moved.”

Catching them, he said, has become a struggle.

The changes unfolding in Pangani are one local expression of a global shift.

Nearly 770 million people – roughly one in 10 people on Earth – live in coastal areas less than five metres above the high-tide line, according to a report by the UN Secretary-General on the challenges posed by sea level rise.

Global mean sea level rose by an average of 4.7 millimetres a year between 2014 and 2023. In 2024, the annual increase reached a record 5.9mm.

The rise is mainly driven by two consequences of human-caused global warming: melting glaciers and ice sheets, and the expansion of seawater as the oceans warm.

But in Pangani, those global measurements translate into acutely local problems.

“When saltwater enters inland areas and affects agriculture, it ultimately impacts food security as a whole,” said Clara Makenya, UNEP’s representative in Tanzania.

The effects extend to freshwater supplies and infrastructure, she said. Saltwater can accelerate the deterioration of equipment and make water unsuitable for ordinary household uses.

Protection measures

Efforts to protect Pangani have taken several forms. UNEP has supported nature-based measures, including mangrove planting and coral-reef restoration, alongside engineered defences such as seawalls.

There is no single solution for the entire coastline.

“Infrastructure and nature-based systems complement one another,” Ms. Makenya said. “What matters is determining which approach is suitable in a particular location. In Pangani’s case, this combined approach is likely to work best.”

Mr. Daudi has already seen the limits of some interventions. Attempts to plant mangroves in Magarawani failed, he said, because the sandy terrain was unsuitable. Casuarina trees planted instead did not survive the ocean either.

 “We tried planting whistling pine, also known as casuarina trees instead, but the ocean destroyed them all.”

The question confronting Pangani – whether communities can adapt where they are or will ultimately have to retreat – will soon be discussed thousands of kilometres away.

Turning the tide in New York

On 24 September, world leaders will gather at UN Headquarters in New York for a high-level meeting on the threats posed by sea level rise. The meeting is expected to conclude with an intergovernmentally negotiated declaration aimed at strengthening international cooperation and helping vulnerable countries and coastal communities adapt.

For the people interviewed in Pangani, however, the choices are already less abstract.

Mr. Daudi wants protection for the harbour.

“To stop the erosion here, perhaps a seawall should be built,” he said. “If a wall is constructed, the sea will not advance further inland. Otherwise, the problem will keep getting worse, and eventually this harbor will be destroyed, and we will have to move our boats onto the road.”

Mr. Iddi is no longer convinced that staying is the answer.

“The most important thing is for the government to compensate all of us who have been affected,” he said. “Give us compensation and allow us to leave these areas behind.”

For Mr. Steven, the coconut farmer, the mangroves have already delivered much the same message. Where they are advancing along the riverbanks, he believes the argument over whether people should remain has effectively been settled.

“Those areas,” he said, “have already been taken over.”

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of UN News.

Source: APO

VUKA Group’s (https://WeAreVUKA.com) Mining Elites in Africa, in partnership with Investing in African Mining Indaba (Mining Indaba), is calling on mining companies, projects and industry leaders to get their nominations in as the deadline for the Mining Elites in Africa 2027 draws closer.

The 2027 edition will mark an exciting new chapter for Mining Elites. For the first time, winners will be formally recognised on stage and presented with their awards during the live ceremony at Mining Indaba in Cape Town in February 2027, as part of the partnership between Mining Elites and Mining Indaba.

Nominations close on 30 September 2026. Companies and industry stakeholders are encouraged to make the most of the remaining time to recognise and nominate the people, projects and organisations making a difference across the African mining sector.

The 2027 edition of Mining Elites in Africa, produced by Mining Review Africa, carries the theme “Mining beyond tomorrow”. The theme reflects an industry looking beyond extraction alone, with greater focus on sustainability, innovation, responsible growth and creating lasting value for communities, economies and the environment.

The awards cover a broad range of categories across the mining and minerals value chain, recognising outstanding companies, projects and individuals whose work demonstrates leadership, innovation and a commitment to responsible mining.

The Mining Elites in Africa 2027 Yearbook will further profile the winners and leading initiatives across the sector. The publication will be distributed at major industry events throughout the year, including Mining Indaba, Enlit Africa, Junior Indaba, Nigeria Mining Week, DRC Mining Week, Africa Down Under, Joburg Indaba, Zimbabwe Mining Week and Resourcing Tomorrow.

This will be supported by year-round digital and social media coverage through Mining Review Africa, extending the reach of the companies, projects and individuals featured in the yearbook.

CLICK HERE (https://apo-opa.co/46wC4Mv ) to nominate.

The 2027 edition provides an opportunity to recognise the people and organisations making a meaningful contribution to African mining and the ideas, leadership and innovation that will help define “Mining beyond tomorrow.”

NOMINATIONS CLOSE: 30 September 2026

Click on the link to make your nominations (https://apo-opa.co/46wC4Mv)

For sponsorship opportunities and category availability, contact Rochelle Botha at Rochelle.Botha@wearevuka.com

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of VUKA Group.

Media Contact:    
Gerard Peter
Editor-in-Chief    
Mining Review Africa    
VUKA Group    
Email: gerard.peter@wearevuka.com    
Phone: +27 (0) 81 813 7580    

For partnerships:
Rochelle Botha
Business Development Manager     
Mining Review Africa     
VUKA Group    
Email: Rochelle.Botha@wearevuka.com    

About Vuka Group:    
VUKA Group is a leading platform for convening Africa’s green economy, investment, and climate transition communities through high-level summits, industry forums, and strategic convenings, including the Carbon Markets Africa Summit.  

About Mining Elites in Africa: 
Mining Elites in Africa proudly recognises and honours individuals and organisations that are driving meaningful change across the continent’s mining sector. In 2027, we celebrate leaders, innovators, and industry pioneers whose contributions are advancing operational excellence, sustainability, safety, community development, and economic growth. 

By highlighting those who are making a tangible difference, Mining Elites in Africa showcases the achievements that are shaping the future of mining while inspiring the next generation of industry leaders to create lasting value for Africa and its people. 

About Mining Review Africa: 
Mining Review Africa is the leading bi-monthly magazine and digital platform in the African mining industry. Every month, MRA reaches an audience of over 50 000 influential mining authorities and key decision makers through a variety of channels, including an interactive website, videos and print distribution at all major mining conferences in Africa and across the globe.   

MRA serves as a knowledge, news and information sharing platform which drives upliftment and sustainable development across the mining sector in Africa through articles on project developments and the technology and financial models that drive them.   

Through close interaction with major, mid-tier and junior mining houses; suppliers of capital; technology and plants, MRA is recognised as the industry’s thought leadership, innovation and strategic business content leader.