Category: English

Source: APO

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As part of the implementation of the third edition of the Information and Awareness Campaign for small-scale cross-border traders along the Abidjan – Lagos corridor, the Department of Human Development and Social Affairs in collaboration with the Department of Economic Affairs and Agriculture of the ECOWAS Commission organised the official launch of the Lomé stage on the 4th of July 2025 at the Hôtel 2 février in Lomé, Togo.

The launch ceremony was attended by Her Excellency Professor Kossiwa ZINSOU-KLASSO, Minister for Social Action, Solidarity and the Advancement of Women.

The aim of this campaign is to build on the achievements and results of the 2023 and 2024 Editions carried out along the Tema-Paga and Dakar-Banjul-Bissau Corridors in order to facilitate cross-border trade and improve the operations of small-scale women traders by enhancing their knowledge and understanding of the texts governing cross-border trade and related community initiatives.

The ceremony, which took place against the backdrop of ECOWAS’ golden jubilee, was an opportunity to raise awareness among women traders of ECOWAS cross-border agri-food trade initiatives, policies and strategies, in particular the Regional Programme for the Integration of Agricultural Markets – PRIMA (2021-2026) covering Togo and Benin, and on building the capacity of women traders in the toolkit developed by ITC for women involved in small-scale cross-border trade (Transparency at the border and Combating gender-based violence).

The launch ceremony was attended by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Togolese Republic, the Ministry of Trade, Handicrafts and Local Consumption, Regional Integration and Togolese Abroad of the Togolese Republic, the ECOWAS Resident Representation in Togo, the ECOWAS National Office, the ECOWAS Regional Agency for Agriculture and Food, based in Lomé, the Togolese Chamber of Commerce, representatives of small-scale cross-border traders’ associations and technical and financial partners.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).

Source: APO

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 The Speaker of the National Assembly, Ms Thoko Didiza, has today asked the portfolio committees on Police, Justice and Constitutional Development and the Joint Standing Committee on Intelligence to consider, on an urgent basis, in terms of their respective mandates the wide ranging allegations regarding security matters that have implications for the country’s national security made by the KZN Police Commissioner, General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi, and report to the National Assembly.

In relation to the debate requested by two political parties, the Speaker believes that it would not be appropriate to hold such a debate, as these allegations remain unsubstantiated at this stage.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Republic of South Africa: The Parliament.

Source: APO

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On 7 July 2025, the ECOWAS Commission Headquarters in Abuja hosted a day of high-level strategic consultations, presided over by H.E. Dr. Omar Alieu Touray, bringing together key regional and international stakeholders to advance cooperation in fiscal governance, peace through scientific diplomacy, legal integration, and infrastructure development. The meetings — with the Association of Accountancy Bodies in West Africa (ABWA), the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty Organisation (CTBTO), the West African Bar Association (WABA), and the Steering Committee of the ECOWAS Project Preparation and Development Unit (PPDU) — reaffirmed the Commission’s commitment to advancing functional integration and mobilising partnerships that bring tangible benefits to the people of West Africa, in line with Vision 2050 and the 4×4 Strategic Objectives.

The day began with an audience granted to the Association of Accountancy Bodies in West Africa (ABWA), led by its President, Mr. Mor Dieng. Discussions focused on renewing the Memorandum of Understanding with ECOWAS to advance professional development in the field of accounting, harmonise accounting standards, and promote transparency in public financial systems.

President Touray praised ABWA’s contribution to fiscal accountability and emphasised the need for sustained engagement by all national bodies. “Integration is not only political — it is functional. Finance professionals must remain above politics and serve as anchors of governance,” he stated. The parties agreed to pursue a formalised framework to advance shared priorities across the region’s financial landscape.

In a subsequent meeting, the President received Dr. Robert Floyd, Executive Secretary of the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty Organisation (CTBTO). Commending ECOWAS Member States for their full ratification of the Treaty, Dr. Floyd highlighted West Africa’s contribution to global peace through the operation of certified seismic and atmospheric monitoring stations.

Discussions focused on strengthening collaboration in disaster risk reduction, scientific training, and the peaceful use of nuclear technologies. The President welcomed CTBTO’s commitment and proposed institutionalising technical cooperation, noting that “science must serve both global peace and regional resilience.”

Later in the day, the President met with the leadership of the West African Bar Association (WABA), which proposed renewed collaboration with ECOWAS to support regional legal frameworks, electoral justice, and constitutional stability.

The President underscored the importance of impartial legal institutions in preserving democratic governance and protecting rights across Member States. He encouraged WABA to strengthen inclusivity, clarify its institutional base, and maintain a principled voice aligned with the ECOWAS normative and legal ecosystem.

“We welcome the engagement of legal professionals in our integration process — but that engagement must be consistent, representative, and rooted in justice,” he affirmed.

The final engagement of the day was held with the Steering Committee of the ECOWAS Project Preparation and Development Unit (PPDU), chaired by Hon. Commissioner Sediko Douka. With the participation of Member States, and the representative of development partners, the meeting addressed project preparation challenges, regulatory alignment, and infrastructure financing.

The Steering Committee briefed the President of the Commission on Fund for the Development and Financing of the Transport and Energy Sectors (FODETE), which is a regional fund to be mobilised through levies on agricultural and extractive exports. President Touray welcomed the initiative and advised on the need to deepen consultation with national authorities. “What countries contribute must be balanced against what they receive — and that must be negotiated with fairness,” he said.

Highlighting recent energy gains, including a EUR 75 million EU-backed renewable energy initiative, the President stressed the need for resilient health partnerships, particularly following the withdrawal of major funding from USAID. “Lives cannot be paused due to budgetary unpredictability,” he affirmed.

Concluding the day’s engagements, President Touray reflected on the importance of strategic dialogue as a leadership tool and a unifying force.

“From accountancy to science, from justice to infrastructure, each of today’s engagements moves us closer to the ECOWAS we aspire to — a united region where integration delivers dignity and opportunity to every citizen.”

By placing people at the centre of regional cooperation, the President reaffirmed the core of Vision 2050: a safe, stable, inclusive, and prosperous West Africa.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).

Source: APO

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Policymakers from across Africa and Asia and the Pacific have gathered in Zambia this week to explore how data, financing and delivery models can be strengthened to make social protection systems more inclusive and resilient. The push comes as governments face growing pressure to respond to overlapping shocks, from food price spikes to tightening public budgets.

Globally, nearly 2 billion people, about 47.6 per cent of the population, still lack access to any form of social protection. In Africa, the coverage is even lower, with only 19 per cent of people receiving at least one benefit. And in Zambia, where about half the population lives in multidimensional poverty, the stakes are especially high.

The three-day interregional workshop, held in Livingstone from 8 to 10 July, is co-hosted by the Government of Zambia, the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UNDESA), the Economic Commission for Africa (ECA), and the Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP).

“The world is not only dealing with the ongoing effects of the food, fuel, and finance crises but also facing an increasingly complex web of challenges,” said Angela Kawandami, Permanent Secretary at Zambia’s Ministry of Community Development and Social Services. “This meeting is an opportunity to reflect, to learn from each other, and to forge new partnerships.”

The workshop is part of a joint initiative (2024–2027) designed to help six countries – Zambia, Senegal, Tanzania, Namibia, Cambodia and the Maldives – build more responsive and inclusive social protection systems.

The project responds to growing pressure on governments to deliver better outcomes amid limited fiscal space, widening inequalities and persistent data gaps. It aims to equip policymakers with evidence-based tools, training, and peer-learning platforms to improve policy targeting and adapt to fast-evolving challenges.

Opening sessions have focused on digital platforms and analytics tools that can improve targeting and delivery of services. These include the Multidimensional Poverty Index (MPI), OpenIMIS digital registries, and simulation models for adaptive financing.

“Universal social protection includes policies that bridge human capital formation, financial, and information gaps,” said Amson Sibanda, Chief of UNDESA’s National Strategies and Capacity Building Branch. But for these systems to be effective, Mr Sibanda said “they need to be grounded in solid data and delivered at scale.”

One of the new tools introduced is ECA’s prototype Multidimensional Poverty Dashboard. The platform links poverty statistics at the subnational level with real-time crisis indicators such as migration patterns, population shifts, and peace and security data, and is being designed to eventually interface with local-level social protection programmes.

“What we’re building is a tool that goes beyond poverty averages. It connects multidimensional poverty data with real-time information on crises, from migration flows to conflict and climate shocks, and links that with what’s actually happening on the ground in terms of social spending and local programmes,” said Christian Oldiges, Chief of the Social Policy Section at ECA.

“That level of integration is critical if we want social protection systems that are responsive, not just reactive,” Mr Oldiges emphasized.

As discussions continue, a common thread is emerging. Countries are looking to move beyond short-term safety nets toward long-term systems that can withstand shocks and expand opportunity.

In Zambia, efforts are underway to strengthen registries, improve coordination, and embed social protection within broader national development strategies. Similar challenges, from fragmented data to financing gaps, were echoed by other participating countries, including Namibia, Senegal, and Cambodia.

The workshop also feeds into preparations for the Second World Summit for Social Development, to be held in Doha this November. That global meeting will take forward the newly adopted Pact for the Future, which calls for stronger, more inclusive protection systems anchored in rights and resilience.

The Livingstone workshop is a valuable platform for countries to share experiences, sharpen policy tools and forge the partnerships required to deliver meaningful social protection outcomes.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (ECA).

Source: APO

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As part of its efforts to strengthen the regional energy data ecosystem, the ECOWAS Commission, through its Energy and Mines Directorate, has provided technical and financial support to the Liberian Ministry of Mines and Energy to set up the Liberia Energy Information System (Liberia-EIS).

An intensive training course for national stakeholders was held in Monrovia from the 30th of June to the 3rd of July 2025, using a practical, step-by-step approach. Participants were trained in the concepts and benefits of Energy Information Systems (EIS), the identification of key data producers, the management and analysis of energy databases, and the implementation of indicators for electricity, petroleum products, biomass and greenhouse gas emissions.

On the 4th of July 2025, this programme concluded with the official launch of the Liberia Energy Information System (LEIS), in the presence of:

• Wilmot J. M. Paye, Liberia’s Minister of Mines and Energy,
• Charles Umehai, Minister of Energy,
• Mr Bayaornibè Dabiré, Director of Energy and Mines at the ECOWAS Commission,
• Representatives of the Liberia Electricity Regulatory Commission (LERC), the Liberia Electricity Corporation (LEC), and the National Oil and Gas Corporation of Liberia (NOCAL).

In his speech, Minister Paye welcomed this ECOWAS initiative, which fills a major gap in data reliability. He stressed that the LEIS will play a key role in the development of evidence-based policies, strategic planning and transparency in the energy sector.

For his part, Mr Bayaornibè Dabiré recalled that “information is power, but only if it is shared, reliable and well used”. He called on national stakeholders to make full use of this tool to build a more resilient, equitable and sustainable energy future for Liberia.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).

Source: APO

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On July 4th, 2025, the Government of Senegal and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) signed a major partnership agreement to implement the SURAGGWA project (Scaling-Up Resilience in Africa’s Great Green Wall), an ambitious programme aimed at strengthening climate resilience in the Sahel region.

The signing ceremony took place at the headquarters of the Ministry of Environment and Ecological Transition, in the presence of Professor Daouda Ngom, Minister of Environment, and Ms. Bintia Stephen-Tchicaya, Acting Subregional Coordinator of FAO for West Africa.

A Large-Scale Project in Response to an Ecological Emergency

Between 2005 and 2023, Senegal lost nearly 340,000 hectares of forest – an average of 17,000 hectares per year – due to agricultural expansion, bushfires, illegal logging, and overgrazing. This massive deforestation has reduced the carbon absorption capacity of Senegalese forests by nearly 46%, undermining efforts to combat climate change.

In this alarming context, the SURAGGWA project takes on its full significance. With a budget of USD 222 million, including USD 150 million from the Green Climate Fund (GCF), the project aims to restore 1.4 million hectares of degraded land, reduce emissions by 65 million tons of CO₂, and sustainably improve the living conditions of 1.9 million people, especially women and youth.

Messages of Hope and Responsibility

In his address, Minister, Professor Daouda Ngom stated: “For Senegal, the project plans to restore just over 80,000 hectares of degraded land, which will directly and indirectly benefit thousands of citizens. It will also help reduce greenhouse gas emissions, develop value chains for non-timber forest products, and strengthen the institutional capacities of the Senegalese Agency for Reforestation and the Great Green Wall (ASERGMV), to ensure the sustainability of the actions undertaken.”

Ms. Bintia Stephen-Tchicaya emphasized: “SURAGGWA is a deeply inclusive project that will build on the commitment of over 15,000 community groups, with at least 30% female participation. It mobilizes governments, civil society, the private sector, and regional institutions in a spirit of synergy and cooperation.”

Regional Mobilization to Address a Shared Challenge

The SURAGGWA project represents a collective response to desertification and climate instability affecting the Sahel region. Eight countries – Burkina Faso, Chad, Djibouti, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Nigeria and Senegal – are joining forces to restore land, revitalize local economies, and strengthen social cohesion.

Led by the African Union under the Great Green Wall Initiative, SURAGGWA stands as a model of regional and multilateral cooperation, built on three pillars: ecological restoration, sustainable economic development, and environmental governance.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO): Regional Office for Africa.

Source: APO – Report:

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The Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on Police, Mr Ian Cameron, has reiterated the importance and urgency of setting out steps for a parliamentary process to consider the explosive allegations made by the KwaZulu-Natal Provincial Commissioner, Lieutenant General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi.

In line with this, the Chairperson wishes to share the following steps taken since the allegations were made.

1. The Chairperson has received confirmation from the Speaker of the National Assembly that she is considering the request for guidance on how to process the matter.

2. The committee has approached the Parliamentary Legal Unit for a legal opinion on possible ways to process the matter.

3. The Chairperson has received a letter from a member of the committee, Ms Lisa‐Maré Schickerling, requesting a joint parliamentary process with the Portfolio Committee on Justice. Engagements with the Chairperson of the PC on Justice have commenced to consider the modalities of such a process.

Mr Cameron has emphasised that the gravity of implications of this matter for the entire criminal justice system is the reason for such a comprehensive response to the allegations.

“I must reiterate that accountability and transparency are critical in considering this matter. The credibility of the SAPS and the security of our country is dependent on how these allegations are handled,” Mr Cameron emphasised.

– on behalf of Republic of South Africa: The Parliament.