The International Islamic Trade Finance Corporation (ITFC) (www.ITFC-IDB.org), a member of the Islamic Development Bank (IsDB) Group, and the Republic of The Gambia have signed a new US$250 million Framework Agreement to support the country’s development priorities through enhanced trade finance, energy security, food security, and private sector growth.
The Agreement was signed on the sidelines of the 2026 IsDB Group Annual Meetings in Baku, Azerbaijan, by Hon. Seedy K.M. Keita, Minister of Finance and Economic Affairs and IsDB Governor for the Republic of The Gambia, and Eng. Adeeb Yousuf Al Aama, Chief Executive Officer of ITFC.
The new three-year Framework Agreement follows the successful implementation and full utilization of the previous five-year US$250 million Framework Agreement signed in January 2021. It reflects the remarkable scale of cooperation between ITFC and The Gambia and provides a strategic platform to expand trade finance interventions in support of energy security, food security, private sector growth, and sustainable economic development.
Since commencing operations in The Gambia, ITFC has approved more than US$870 million in financing and trade development interventions, supporting key sectors of the economy and reinforcing its position as a long-standing development partner of the country.
The partnership is already delivering tangible impact across strategic sectors of the Gambian economy. Current operations support the importation of petroleum products through financing facilities benefiting the National Water and Electricity Company (NAWEC) and the Gambia National Petroleum Corporation (GNPC), helping to strengthen the country’s energy security and ensure the continuity of essential economic activities across the country. ITFC also supports food security through the financing of essential commodity imports and promotes private sector growth through trade finance partnerships with local financial institutions.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of International Islamic Trade Finance Corporation (ITFC).
About the International Islamic Trade Finance Corporation (ITFC):
The International Islamic Trade Finance Corporation (ITFC) is a member of the Islamic Development Bank (IsDB) Group. It was established with the primary objective of advancing trade among OIC member countries, which would ultimately contribute to the overarching goal of improving socioeconomic conditions of the people across the world. Commencing operations in January 2008, ITFC has provided more than US$96 billion of financing to OIC member countries, making it the leading provider of trade solutions for these member countries’ needs. With a mission to become a catalyst for trade development for OIC member countries and beyond, the Corporation helps entities in member countries gain better access to trade finance and provides them with the necessary trade-related capacity building tools, which would enable them to successfully compete in the global market.
From 2023 to 2026, the Global Mercy ™ fulfilled its commitment to the people of Sierra Leone to deliver thousands of free, safe surgeries and training in support of goals agreed upon with the nation’s Ministry of Health. Through the faith, skill, and dedication of volunteer professionals from more than 70 nations – including hundreds of Sierra Leonean citizens who served as full-time crew and day crew – many lives were successfully changed for the better across the nation.
As the Mercy Ship sails to the Canary Islands for annual maintenance before commencing a refreshed partnership with Ghana in August, everyone involved in this three-year period of transformation in Sierra Leone has cause to celebrate. These three consecutive field services yielded over 5,430 surgeries, over 17,110 dental procedures, and more than 106,780 hours in training for more than 590 local healthcare professionals. (1)
Such monumental work would not have been possible without the key partnership of Sierra Leonean governmental leaders.
His Excellency President Julius Maada Bio commended the more than 450 citizens of his country who came to the ship every day with the honorable and selfless intentions of improving the lives of their countrymen. “To all Sierra Leonean volunteers and crew members who served… let me say this: you made us proud. You represented Sierra Leonean professionality, discipline, humility, and excellence. You went aboard as talented Sierra Leoneans and returned as global professionals.”
With healthcare as a priority in President Bio’s human capital development agenda (https://apo-opa.co/4a2IZiy), Mercy Ships continues to work alongside his government as they invest in the health of citizens through education and training programs. Some of these programs include the nurse anesthesia and biomedical technician education programs, sterile processing and physiotherapy mentorship programs, the Connaught Hospital Safer Surgery program, and medical education sponsorships such as those of Sierra Leonean dental students studying at Gamal Abdel Nasser University in Guinea.
Dr. Austin Demby, Sierra Leone’s Minister of Health, reminded everyone that “Today is not merely a farewell. It is a celebration of compassion in action, of lives transformed, and of a partnership that has touched the hearts of thousands of Sierra Leoneans.”
A number of collaborative programs were established to help bridge the gap and narrow the shortage of healthcare workers and will continue after the Global Mercy departs to ensure ongoing improvements to the nation’s healthcare, while also increasing the number of trained medical professionals, according to Mercy Ships.
“While the Global Mercy embarks on her next mission, a dedicated Mercy Ships team will remain in Sierra Leone to continue working with our partners to strengthen the surgical workforce,” reassured Mercy Ships’ Country Director for Sierra Leone, Dr Sandra Lako. “Significant progress has been made over the past three years, and we’re excited to build on this momentum towards a stronger, sustainable surgical system.”
Mercy Ships first came to Freetown in 1992 with their first hospital ship, the Anastasis, and has built a strong relationship with the people of Sierra Leone over a period of eight field services.
“Mercy Ships is eternally grateful for the partnerships with Sierra Leonean government leaders, the Ministry of Health, the Sierra Leone Ports and Harbours Authority, the University of Sierra Leone, public and private entities, non-governmental organizations, and the many national healthcare professionals who collaborated with Mercy Ships during the entirety of the Global Mercy’s stay in Freetown,” stated Dr Lako.
From healing thousands of people with surgically treatable ailments to helping educate and train many Sierra Leonean healthcare professionals in their areas of expertise, the future of surgical care in Sierra Leone looks brighter every day.
From data available at the time of publication. The final report can be provided upon request at a later date.
– on behalf of Mercy Ships.
About Mercy Ships:
Mercy Ships operates hospital ships that deliver free surgeries and other healthcare services to those with little access to safe medical care. An international faith-based organization, Mercy Ships has focused entirely on partnering with African nations for the past three decades. Working with in-country partners, Mercy Ships also provides training to local healthcare professionals and supports the construction of in-country medical infrastructure to leave a lasting impact.
Each year, 2,500+ volunteer professionals from more than 70 countries serve on board the world’s two largest non-governmental hospital ships, the Africa Mercy® and the Global Mercy™. Professionals such as surgeons, dentists, nurses, health trainers, cooks, and engineers dedicate their time and skills to accelerate access to safe surgical and anesthetic care. Mercy Ships was founded in 1978 and has offices in 16 countries as well as an Africa Service Center in Dakar, Senegal. For more information, visit www.MercyShips.org and follow @MercyShips on social media.
African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) (www.Afreximbank.com) has released Volume 10, Issue 1 of its Trade and Development Finance Brief, titled “Africa’s Trade and Investment Landscape”, which examines the structural challenges shaping Africa’s trade performance and investment outlook in an increasingly uncertain global environment.
The current edition highlights that Africa’s trade landscape remains heavily dominated by export of raw materials, including agricultural products, oil, gas and minerals, while imports continue to be heavily skewed towards manufactured goods and machinery. The Brief notes that the existing export-import configuration leaves many African economies overly exposed to unfavourable terms of trade shock on account of external headwinds, including commodity price volatility, geopolitical tensions and associated global supply chain disruptions.
According to the brief, the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) remains central to efforts aimed at diversifying the continent’s trade base, strengthening regional value chains and increasing intra-African trade. The publication notes that, alongside the African Union’s Agenda 2063, the AfCFTA provides a practical framework for integrating fragmented markets, expanding industrial production and boosting productivity, with intra-African exports projected to increase by more than 20 percent within a decade as implementation advances.
Additionally, the brief further highlights the importance of scaling investment in trade-enabling infrastructure, including energy, transport, communications networks, ports and logistics systems, to reduce the cost of doing business and improve cross-border trade flows. It notes that targeted infrastructure investment can support industrialisation, strengthen regional specialisation, and improve Africa’s competitiveness as an investment destination.
The edition also points to a broader set of priorities for strengthening Africa’s trade and investment ecosystem, including regulatory coherence, institutional strengthening, economic diversification, improved access to finance for small and medium-sized enterprises, and greater use of digital financial technologies. The Brief notes that domestic and foreign investment are increasing across many African economies, while fintech is contributing to growth in domestic investment, underscoring the opportunity to build a more resilient, diversified and investment-ready trade landscape.
It also notes that domestic and foreign investment are increasing across many African economies, notwithstanding the observed dominance of foreign investment. It further highlights that the direction of investment flows remains uneven across sub-regions, with Eastern and Southern Africa receiving a larger share of foreign direct investment compared to Western and Central Africa.
Afreximbank said the findings reinforce the need for coordinated action to expand trade finance, improve trade-enabling infrastructure, deepen regional integration and accelerate value addition across the continent.
Dr. Yemi Kale, Group Chief Economist and Managing Director, Research says “Regional development finance institutions, including the African Export-Import Bank, are playing an increasing role in supporting intra-African trade through trade finance and related initiatives. The Brief points to Afreximbank initiatives such as the Intra-African Trade Fair, the Pan-African Payment and Settlement System, the AfCFTA Adjustment Fund, the Border Markets Initiative and the Collaborative Transit Guarantee Scheme as part of the wider effort to strengthen Africa’s trade and investment ecosystem.
The report concludes that while progress is being made, significant gaps remain. Addressing these gaps will be essential to increasing financing, strengthening competitiveness and unlocking Africa’s full trade and investment potential.”
Read more about the Afreximbank Trade and Development Finance Brief Highlights here: https://apo-opa.co/3QGrGgN
– on behalf of Afreximbank.
Additional Link:
https://apo-opa.co/3QGrGgN
Media Contact:
Vincent Musumba
Communications and Events Manager (Media Relations)
Email: press@afreximbank.com
Follow us on:
X: https://apo-opa.co/4xwuxcz
Facebook: https://apo-opa.co/44cyBBr
LinkedIn: https://apo-opa.co/3SblMok
Instagram: https://apo-opa.co/4xw7dvN
About Afreximbank:
African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) is a Pan-African multilateral financial institution mandated to finance and promote intra- and extra-African trade. For over 30 years, the Bank has been deploying innovative structures to deliver financing solutions that support the transformation of the structure of Africa’s trade, accelerating industrialisation and intra-regional trade, thereby boosting economic expansion in Africa. A stalwart supporter of the African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA), Afreximbank has launched a Pan-African Payment and Settlement System (PAPSS) that was adopted by the African Union (AU) as the payment and settlement platform to underpin the implementation of the AfCFTA. Working with the AfCFTA Secretariat and the AU, the Bank has set up a US$10 billion Adjustment Fund to support countries effectively participating in the AfCFTA. At the end of December 2025, Afreximbank’s total assets and contingencies stood at over US$48.5 billion, and its shareholder funds amounted to US$8.4 billion. Afreximbank has investment grade ratings assigned by China Chengxin International Credit Rating Co., Ltd (CCXI) (AAA), GCR (A), Japan Credit Rating Agency (JCR) (A-), Moody’s (Baa2) and S&P Global Ratings (BBB+). The Bank is headquartered in Cairo, Egypt. Afreximbank has evolved into a group entity comprising the Bank, its equity impact fund subsidiary called the Fund for Export Development Africa (FEDA), and its insurance management subsidiary, AfrexInsure (together, “the Group”). The Bank is headquartered in Cairo, Egypt.
Doha, June 16, 2026 Qatar’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in cooperation with the French Embassy in Doha, hosted a special screening of the documentary Inside Gaza at the Museum of Islamic Art on Tuesday, drawing attention to the humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip and the challenges faced by journalists covering the conflict. The event was attended by HE Minister of Education and Higher Education Lolwah Al Khater, alongside diplomats, officials and members of the media. Opening the screening, Ibrahim bin Sultan Al Hashmi, Director of the Media and Communication Department at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, described the film as more than a documentary, calling it a visual and human testimony that brings audiences closer to the realities of life in Gaza. He said the documentary sheds light on the daily suffering of Palestinians and highlights the risks faced by journalists working in the territory. Al Hashmi also argued that attacks on media workers were part of a broader pattern, noting that more than 230 journalists had been killed during the conflict. HE Ambassador of the State of Palestine to the State of Qatar Fayez Majed Abu Al Rab praised the State of Qatar and the French Republic for organizing the event, saying the documentary offers a powerful account of both the hardships endured by Palestinians and the determination of journalists seeking to document events on the ground. He called for independent international investigations into Israeli occupation crimes against journalists and media workers, urging support for international judicial mechanisms, including the International Criminal Court, to ensure accountability. He also appealed for greater protection for journalists working in the occupied Palestinian territories and unrestricted access for international media organizations. HE Ambassador of the French Republic to the State of Qatar Arnaud Pescheux said growing attacks on press freedom worldwide were a cause for concern, with journalists increasingly becoming targets while misinformation spreads and pressure on independent media intensifies. He paid tribute to reporters working in conflict zones and stressed that targeting journalists is contrary to international law. The French envoy called for investigations into crimes committed against media workers and for those responsible to be held accountable. The screening formed part of ongoing efforts by Qatar and France to promote awareness of the importance of press freedom and the protection of journalists in conflict areas.
President Cyril Ramaphosa has announced that South Africa will increase its financial contribution to the Ebola response effort to US$13.5 million, reaffirming the country’s commitment to supporting African nations affected by the outbreak.
President Ramaphosa, in his capacity as the African Union Champion for Pandemic Preparedness, Prevention and Response, made the announcement on Tuesday during a High-Level Virtual Meeting of Heads of State, Government and Partners on the Ebola outbreak.
The meeting was convened by the President of the Republic of Burundi and Chairperson of the African Union, Evariste Ndayishimiye.
It aims to mobilise African and international solidarity to contain the Ebola outbreak caused by the Bundibugyo virus strain in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and Uganda, while strengthening preparedness in countries at risk of regional transmission.
The President called on leaders to maintain or increase their pledges and urged those who made commitments at the previous meeting to convert them in full into cash, medical countermeasures or technical assistance.
“With no vaccine or antiviral, every day that transmission continues unchecked, the human cost rises. The West Africa Ebola epidemic demonstrated that delayed action can transform a localised outbreak into a regional and global crisis. This is why our response must focus on breaking the transmission and stopping Ebola at its source,” he said.
However, President Ramaphosa cautioned that public health measures are being undermined by the volatile environment in which the response is being carried out.
“As political leaders, we can help by creating safe corridors for the passage of goods and services. We must seek a ceasefire to allow the Ebola response to proceed unhindered.
“We must continue to strengthen cross-border collaboration. We must expand rapid diagnostic testing, contact tracing and community awareness.
“We should be concerned that we have no biotechnology in our arsenal against the Bundibugyo strain of Ebola,” the President said.
While welcoming and fully supporting the efforts of GAVI, CEPI and others, President Ramaphosa stressed that Africa cannot depend indefinitely on external markets and production systems during health emergencies.
“The response to Ebola therefore cannot end when this outbreak ends. This moment must become a turning point.
“As African leaders, we must accelerate investment in local manufacturing, strengthen the African Medicines Agency and operationalise the African Pooled Procurement Mechanism,” Ramaphosa said.
He added that African manufacturers need predictable markets, while African countries must have reliable access to lifesaving products during emergencies.
“We must all take heed of Africa’s Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) stance against imposing blanket and unsubstantiated travel bans.
“I call upon African financial institutions, development banks, philanthropies and the African private sector to join governments in this effort.
“I call upon our international partners to continue to stand with Africa in a spirit of solidarity and mutual responsibility,” the President concluded. –SAnews.gov.za
The Islamic Development Bank Institute (IsDBI) (https://IsDBInstitute.org) and Labuan Financial Services Authority of Malaysia (Labuan FSA) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to explore collaboration on the potential implementation of the Awqaf Free Zones concept within the Labuan International Business and Financial Centre (Labuan IBFC).
Dr. Sami Al-Suwailem, Acting Director General of IsDB Institute, and Mr. Affendi Rashdi, Director General of Labuan FSA, signed the MoU on 16 June 2026 on the side lines of the IsDB Group Annual Meetings in Baku, Azerbaijan.
The MoU marks an important milestone in advancing innovative, Shari’ah-compliant development solutions that leverage the potential of Awqaf (Islamic endowments) to support sustainable economic growth and social development across IsDB Member Countries.
The Awqaf Free Zones is an innovative concept developed by the IsDB Institute to integrate the principles of Waqf with the legal, regulatory, and economic framework of free zones. The concept aims to establish dedicated jurisdictions that facilitate the mobilization of Awqaf assets through modern governance structures, innovative financial mechanisms, and enabling regulatory environments while preserving the perpetual and charitable nature of waqf.
Through this collaboration, IsDB Institute and Labuan FSA will explore the feasibility of adapting the AFZ concept to the Labuan IBFC ecosystem. The cooperation will include the exchange of knowledge and technical expertise, assessment of legal and regulatory requirements, identification of potential implementation models, and the exploration of future pilot initiatives.
Speaking on the occasion, Dr. Sami Al-Suwailem, Acting Director General of IsDB Institute, stated: “The Awqaf Free Zone represents a new paradigm for unlocking the developmental potential of Waqf by combining centuries-old Islamic philanthropic principles with contemporary financial and regulatory innovation. Our collaboration with Labuan FSA reflects our shared commitment to developing practical and scalable solutions that contribute to sustainable development of Member Countries and strengthen Islamic finance globally.”
Mr. Affendi Rashdi, Director General of Labuan FSA, said: “Labuan IBFC is uniquely positioned to support the exploration of the Awqaf Free Zones through its existing ecosystem, which brings together international waqf structures, Islamic finance capabilities, digital asset infrastructure and cross-border financial services within a single jurisdiction. We look forward to working closely with the IsDB Institute to assess how these strengths can be leveraged to develop innovative and sustainable waqf-based models that unlock productive assets, enhance socioeconomic impact and support the development priorities of IsDB Member Countries.”
The signing of the MoU builds on the substantial progress achieved by the IsDB Institute in developing the Awqaf Free Zones concept. The Institute has completed comprehensive studies on the legal and regulatory framework, including a Legal Report, a Model Law, and a Model Regulation, laying the foundation for future implementation in interested jurisdictions. These studies are further complemented by governance, operational, and financial feasibility studies designed to support the practical establishment of Awqaf Free Zones.
The collaboration with Labuan FSA represents the first institutional step toward assessing the implementation of the Awqaf Free Zones concept within an established international financial centre. Subject to the outcome of the feasibility assessment and subsequent technical discussions, the initiative has the potential to demonstrate how Waqf can be integrated into modern financial ecosystems while supporting the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and enhancing the contribution of Islamic finance to inclusive economic development.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Islamic Development Bank Institute (IsDBI).
About IsDB Institute:
The Islamic Development Bank Institute (IsDBI) is the knowledge beacon of the Islamic Development Bank Group. Guided by the principles of Islamic economics and finance, the IsDB Institute leads the development of innovative knowledge-based solutions to support the sustainable economic advancement of IsDB Member Countries and various Muslim communities worldwide. The IsDB Institute enables economic development through pioneering research, human capital development, and knowledge creation, dissemination, and management. The Institute leads initiatives to enable Islamic finance ecosystems, ultimately helping Member Countries achieve their development objectives. More information about the IsDB Institute is available on https://IsDBInstitute.org
About Labuan Financial Services Authority:
Labuan Financial Services Authority is the statutory body responsible for the development and administration of the Labuan International Business and Financial Centre (Labuan IBFC). Labuan FSA regulates and supervises financial services conducted within Labuan IBFC while promoting innovation, international best practices, and sustainable growth in the financial sector.
The World Bank Group and the African Development Bank Group announced today that Mission 300 has connected over 50 million people to electricity across 40 countries — a major milestone toward the initiative’s goal of reaching 300 million people by 2030.
Mission 300 is now delivering electricity access at nearly double the pace recorded at the start of the initiative. By investing across the full energy value chain — from generation and transmission to last-mile distribution — it has driven gains in both on-grid and off-grid access, connecting households, businesses, and institutions to power faster than before.
In Tanzania, for example, 7.5 million people have gained access to power under Mission 300 — a five-fold increase in the average annual pace of electrification prior to the initiative — driven by increased financing and growing policy momentum. In Ethiopia, 4.6 million people have been connected, supported by reforms that made grid connections more affordable.
Where past efforts often worked in parallel, Mission 300 aligns governments, partners, and private sector investors around a single shared agenda. That coordination is what is driving faster results: stronger political commitment, deeper policy reform, and the mobilization of resources needed to accelerate electrification and deliver impact on the ground.
To date, the African Development Bank Group and the World Bank Group have committed nearly $15 billion in financing and attracted about $4.5 billion in co-financing for Mission 300-related projects, while additional development partners have pledged more than $7 billion in support of Africa’s energy sector.
Mission 300’s unique approach is also changing the conditions under which private investors participate in African energy markets. By combining government reforms with layered public financing — including grants, guarantees, and concessional loans — the platform is mitigating risks for private providers to serve communities that were previously too costly or difficult to serve.
In Nigeria, more than 4.5 million people have been connected through private sector-led initiatives, demonstrating how well-designed public support and partner financing can help create commercially viable markets.
To date, 30 countries have launched National Energy Compacts, country-led plans to strengthen energy systems, expand affordable power generation, scale renewable energy solutions, promote regional integration, and increase private sector participation. Additional compacts are expected to be launched by Burkina Faso, the Central African Republic, Djibouti, Gabon, Rwanda and Uganda at the Africa Energy Forum this week.
“Fifty million people connected is a milestone — but the bigger story is the pace and the partnership behind it. Mission 300 is helping countries move faster, connect more people, and build a platform that will last well beyond this effort — one others can use, build on, and scale for years to come. At the end of the day, electricity is not just about power. It is about what it enables: jobs, business, health care, education, and opportunity,” said Ajay Banga, President of the World Bank Group.
“The 50 million milestone is indeed commendable. This must become the launchpad for faster electrification to enhance food security on account of affordable irrigation; increase capacity to store medicines for better health outcomes, and spur more inclusive economic and social empowerment,” said Sidi Ould Tah, President of the African Development Bank Group. “Governments, partners, private sector, and others who comprise what has evolved into an M300 movement must double down to achieve access for 300 million people by 2030. We need all hands on deck – literally!
Partners are leaning into Mission 300 “Connecting over 50 million to electricity is a major milestone for Mission 300. It proves that African-led big bets, empowered by bold investment and partnership, can deliver results quickly and at scale,” said Rajiv J. Shah, President of The Rockefeller Foundation. “The Rockefeller Foundation, along with the Global Energy Alliance, has committed more than $100 million to Mission 300 because we know that every new connection means a family with new access to the jobs, education, and the dignity they deserve.”
“The 50 million milestone shows that Mission 300 is moving beyond ambition and delivering real results for people across Africa. These achievements reflect the strong political commitment and implementation capacity of African governments,” said Damilola Ogunbiyi, CEO and Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General for Sustainable Energy for All. “Together with our partners, Sustainable Energy for All will continue to support governments in implementing their National Energy Compacts and accelerating progress towards universal energy access by 2030.”
“Achieving electricity connections for 50 million people proves that we can move faster when public, private and philanthropic partners align behind country-led solutions,” said Woochong Um, CEO of Global Energy Alliance for People and Planet. “As Africa becomes home to the world’s largest young workforce, Mission 300 is the engine that will help power the jobs and economic growth the continent urgently needs.”
Launched in 2024, Mission 300 is a joint initiative of the World Bank Group and the African Development Bank Group supported by The Rockefeller Foundation, the Global Energy Alliance for People and Planet and Sustainable Energy for All, and a broad coalition of governments, development institutions, and private sector partners.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of The World Bank Group.
NYDA shifts focus from grants to broader youth development agenda
The National Youth Development Agency (NYDA) Executive Chairperson, Dr Sunshine Myende, says the agency has repositioned itself from being primarily a grant-making institution to becoming a leading force for youth development across South Africa.
Since taking office on 1 August 2025, the NYDA Board has focused on strengthening governance and accountability, expanding partnerships, and improving engagement with Parliament and other key stakeholders.
The agency has also intensified its community outreach efforts, taking programmes and services directly to young people in areas where opportunities have often been limited.
Myende said these efforts are aimed at ensuring the NYDA plays a broader role in connecting young people with opportunities and advancing youth development nationwide.
The Chairperson made these remarks during the National Youth Day commemoration in Johannesburg on Tuesday, led by President Cyril Ramaphosa.
“Our work has included provincial youth engagements at schools and institutions of higher learning, Youth Fund mobilisation, investment and value-chain partnerships, participation in platforms such as the Mining Indaba, tourism and enterprise development initiatives, and the elevation of South African youth voices on international platforms including the United Nations.
“Every engagement has been driven by one objective: to bring opportunity closer to young people and young people closer to opportunity,” she said.
During the reporting period, the National Youth Development Agency processed more than 1 300 grant opportunities worth over R28 million, backing young entrepreneurs who are not only building businesses, but also creating jobs, stimulating local economies and restoring hope in communities across the country.
“Through our partnership with the Presidential Youth Employment Intervention, we have launched 100 000 paid National Youth Service opportunities, ensuring that thousands of young South Africans gain meaningful work experience while serving their communities and contributing to nation-building,” Myende said.
In July, the NYDA will launch I AM THE CODE – a bold, status quo-disrupting initiative that will equip more than 600 000 young South Africans with future-ready skills in artificial intelligence, coding, robotics, fintech, agritech and digital entrepreneurship.
“We refuse to prepare young people only for the economy we inherited. We are preparing them to lead the economy that is emerging as well,” the Chairperson said.
She added that, across government and its partners, a coordinated ecosystem is emerging that places young people at the centre of South Africa’s development agenda.
“The Department of Employment and Labour is expanding pathways through its Labour Activation Programme. The Department of Small Business Development is opening doors through the Youth Entrepreneurship Fund and the Spaza Shop Support Fund, recognising that young people are not only looking for jobs but are capable of creating them.
“The Department of Sport, Arts and Culture is investing in thousands of opportunities through the Presidential Employment Stimulus, ensuring that creativity and culture become engines of economic participation. These initiatives remind us that when government works together, opportunity can be created at scale,” the Chairperson said. – SAnews.gov.za
Source: The Conversation – Africa – By Robert T. Nyamushosho, Assistant Professor, Queens College, CUNY
For more than a century, Great Zimbabwe has stood at the centre of a powerful story about the Zimbabwe culture. This remarkable African civilization flourished in southern Africa during the Middle Ages, constructing more than 200 dry-stone palaces, locally known as madzimbahwe (houses of stone).
These towering monuments, immense gold wealth, and an array of exotica including glass beads and glazed ceramics from distant lands, have often been interpreted as proof that southern Africa’s early states were ruled by authoritarian kings. Leaders who exercised near-absolute control over their subjects.
In archaeology textbooks, museum exhibitions, and even political discourse, the image of Great Zimbabwe – rivalled in size and grandeur only by the Egyptian pyramids – has often been reduced to one of a despotic African kingdom ruled from above by divine kings.
This idea about African civilisations has often been mobilised to excuse modern forms of political despotism. But what if this story about the Zimbabwe culture is wrong – or at least incomplete?
Our new research in Mberengwa in south-central Zimbabwe is starting to challenge these long-held assumptions.
As an anthropological archaeologist, I use both excavated remains and the study of human cultures to understand how societies organised themselves. Far from revealing a rigid, centralised political system, evidence from Mberengwa suggests the opposite. Governance within the Zimbabwe culture may have been far more collective and negotiated than imagined.
Culture sites and ancient mines in Mberengwa.Robert T. Nyamushosho, Author provided (no reuse)
Rather than monuments built solely through coercion, we may instead be looking at societies where power flowed through multiple layers of community organisation. Where ordinary households retained significant autonomy.
This challenges simplistic views. It reveals a more diverse history of governance that included consultation, negotiation and collective decision-making.
How we got here
For decades, archaeology has interpreted the Zimbabwe culture through outdated evolutionary models. These frameworks portrayed African societies as hierarchical, with kings monopolising wealth, labour and political authority.
Great Zimbabwe, Mapungubwe and Khami were viewed as capitals of centralised states in southern Africa. Rulers were assumed to have commanded vast territories, controlled mining and long-distance trade. They compelled subjects to build monumental stone architecture.
This interpretation was deeply shaped by colonial thinking. Early European historians and anthropologists often portrayed African rulers as tyrants ruling through fear, superstition and violence. The Zulu king Shaka, for example, was cast as the archetypal African despot. Similar assumptions were later projected backwards onto Iron Age civilisations like Great Zimbabwe.
Colonial scholarship like this helped to justify colonial domination.
In these narratives, monuments and massive stone walls could only have been built through forced labour directed by authoritarian elites.
Across the world, archaeology has increasingly challenged these simplistic models. Research in places like Mesoamerica, Mesopotamia and the Niger Delta now shows that complex societies were not always governed through top-down domination. Many ancient states relied on consensus-building, shared authority and cooperative systems of governance.
Southern Africa has lagged behind in this intellectual shift. Interpretations of Great Zimbabwe continue to suffer from what has been called a “neo-evolutionary hangover”. The persistent assumption that political complexity must automatically mean centralised despotism.
What Mberengwa reveals about power
Mberengwa, in Zimbabwe’s mineral-rich south-central region, has long been framed as peripheral to Great Zimbabwe. Archaeologists assumed its communities fell under the control of rulers at Great Zimbabwe, over 100km away. But ongoing excavations and surveys reveal something more complicated.
Remnants of mining at Mount Buhwa.Robert T. Nyamushosho, Author provided (no reuse)
Mberengwa contains numerous settlements – both walled and unwalled – some dating to the same period as Great Zimbabwe. These sites contain evidence of farming, metallurgy, mining, hunting and long-distance trade. They also reveal multiple centres of political authority rather than a single centralised state.
What’s striking is how political organisation appears to have operated across several levels of society. At the grassroots were the misha (homesteads) of ordinary families. These were not politically insignificant spaces. Archaeological evidence suggests households managed their own livestock, agriculture, craft production and local affairs with considerable autonomy.
Above the homestead was the dunhu, or ward, which brought together clusters of households. Here, cooperative labour systems such as nhimbe played a central role in social life. Communities came together voluntarily to plough fields, build houses, herd cattle, and conduct hunting expeditions.
Dry-stone walling at Chumnungwa.Robert T. Nyamushosho, Author provided (no reuse)
At the territorial level was the nyika, overseen by rulers known as madzimambo (kings). But even here, power appears to have been negotiated rather than absolute. Oral traditions and ethnographic evidence from precolonial Shona societies suggest that rulers governed alongside advisory councils. They worked within systems of customary law and communal expectations.
Several Shona proverbs emphasise this political ethic. “Dare haritongwi nepfumo” means a court is not governed by a spear. “Ane ziso rimwe haatongi” warns that a person with one eye cannot govern fairly. Such philosophies suggest consensus and accountability were central to governance.
Rethinking the dry-stone walls
This perspective forces us to reconsider the monuments themselves.
The dry-stone walls of Zimbabwe culture sites have often been interpreted as symbols of elite power. But architectural analysis from Mberengwa reveals something else. Many walls were built using different styles and degrees of craftsmanship, often within the same structure.
Kongezi, where royalty is thought to have lived.Robert T. Nyamushosho, Author provided (no reuse)
This doesn’t indicate a centrally controlled labour force. It suggests multiple groups contributing collaboratively to construction over time. There’s also little evidence for armies or policing systems needed to control coerced labour. In societies where people could relocate, coercion would anyway have been difficult to maintain.
Communal labour traditions offer a more plausible explanation. Just as communities gathered for agricultural work, monumental construction may also have emerged through cooperative participation. This suggests social obligation, political loyalty, and collective identity.
Homestead remains excavated at Chesvingo.Robert T. Nyamushosho, Author provided (no reuse)
This doesn’t mean these societies were perfectly egalitarian (democratic). There were rulers, hierarchies and inequalities. Royal residences stood above ordinary settlements, and political authority clearly mattered. But hierarchy is not the same thing as tyranny.
Archaeological discoveries from Mberengwa indicate the existence of multiple autonomous centres of power. Sites such as Chumnungwa and Mundi contained royal burials, political insignia, gold artefacts and monumental architecture. They’re comparable to finds at a supposed centre like Great Zimbabwe.
The emerging picture is one of overlapping and competing polities. These were connected through trade, kinship, ritual and shared traditions.
Why this debate matters
The way we interpret the African past shapes how African political systems are understood in the present.
Unfortunately, some of those assumptions continue to echo today. By portraying despotism as historically “natural” to Africa, they normalise authoritarianism in the modern era. But archaeology tells a more complicated story.
A typical homestead (musha) in Mberengwa today.Robert T. Nyamushosho, Author provided (no reuse)
Mberengwa suggests that political life within the Zimbabwe culture was dynamic, layered and collective.
That possibility deserves far greater attention. Not only for understanding the past, but for imagining African political futures beyond the shadow of authoritarianism.
The African Archaeology Hub at Queens College collaborates with colleagues from the National Museums of Zimbabwe, Oxford University, the Field Museum, the Midlands State University, Great Zimbabwe University, and the local communities of Mberengwa.
– Great Zimbabwe: debunking the myth of tyrants and forced labour – https://theconversation.com/great-zimbabwe-debunking-the-myth-of-tyrants-and-forced-labour-283990
President reflects on youth employment initiatives
President Cyril Ramaphosa has outlined initiatives to tackle youth unemployment, while emphasising that government’s overriding priority is to grow an inclusive economy that creates sustainable jobs at scale.
Speaking during the National Youth Day commemoration in Johannesburg on Tuesday, the President said: “First, we are expanding public employment, youth service and workplace experience. More than 5.7 million young people are now registered on the SA Youth.mobi platform. Of these, more than 2 million young people have gained access to earning opportunities.”
He told young people that the Presidential Employment Stimulus has created work and livelihood opportunities for more than 2.5 million unemployed South Africans.
“Of these, 82 percent were young people and 66 percent were women. Through the pilot phase of the Jobs Boost Outcomes Fund, over 9 000 young people have been enrolled and more than 7 200 successfully placed into employment.
“This shows the potential of training that is linked to employment opportunities. The revitalised National Youth Service has placed more than 130 000 young people in paid service opportunities to date, with an additional 100 000 community service youth employment opportunities currently available,” President Ramaphosa said.
The President said these interventions give young people a foothold in the world of work but are not the final destination.
“Second, we are reshaping the skills system so that qualifications lead more directly to work and enterprise. We are moving away from training for training’s sake.
“That is why we are strengthening Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) colleges as engines of occupational skills and linking colleges, employers and SETAs to the needs of local economies.
“Skills are not formed in classrooms alone. They are formed in workplaces, industries, communities and enterprises. Third, we are opening the productive economy to young people,” the President said.
Over the next three years, the state will invest R1 trillion in infrastructure to build and maintain roads, dams, schools, hospitals, clinics, electricity lines, railway lines and port infrastructure.
“This investment will create apprenticeships, artisan development, skills transfer and enterprise development for young people.
“The Public Procurement Act gives us the opportunity to use the buying power of the state to support enterprises owned by young people, women and persons with disabilities.
“Unemployment must be seen as a societal problem. All stakeholders in our country must work together to provide sustainable solutions to reduce unemployment among young people,” the President said.
President Ramaphosa added that government has a responsibility and continues to take action to address this problem.
He said the private sector also has a responsibility to help address the challenge of unemployment.
“Our growth strategy is focused on sectors that create jobs at scale: manufacturing, mining beneficiation, digital infrastructure, agriculture, green industrialisation, energy, logistics, critical minerals, tourism and the creative economy.
“Young people must be an integral part of these industries. They must be trained for these industries, work in them, build businesses in them and own a part of them,” he said.
Furthermore, the small business portfolio will support one million micro, small and medium-sized enterprises over this term of government.
“Through the Employment Tax Incentive, we already share the cost of bringing a young person into their first job. We will strengthen that support, because the first job is the hardest to get and the most important a person ever has.
“We must change how we prepare young people from the beginning. We therefore call upon employers to hire a young person and not require them to have experience before you hire them,” the President said.
He said South Africa’s progress must be measured by whether young people are moving from school to skills, from skills to work, and from enterprise support to markets, scale and ownership. –SAnews.gov.za
