Category: English

Source: APO

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On April 2nd, H.E. Yin Chengwu, Chinese Ambassador to Liberia, met with Dr. Olushayo Olu, the Country Representative of World Health Organization (WHO) in Liberia. The two sides exchanged views on strengthening cooperation in the field of health.

Ambassador Yin briefly introduced health cooperation between China and Liberia and China’s 15th Five-Year Plan, and said that as one of the founding members of the WHO, China is willing to continue strengthening exchanges and cooperation with the WHO, work together to advance Liberia’s health development, and jointly build a global community of health for all.

Dr. Olu thanked China for its long-term support for WHO, and hoped to deepen cooperation with China within the framework of South-South Cooperation to jointly improve the Liberia’s health cause.

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

Source: APO

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Faster action on dangerous trees, the introduction of a national addressing system, and a new national drug survey are among key measures approved by Cabinet, as Vice President Sebastien Pillay outlined a series of reforms aimed at strengthening public safety and improving everyday service delivery.

Cabinet approved the decentralisation of dangerous tree management, transferring operational responsibility from the Forestry Section to the Ministry of Local Government through District Administrations.

District Administrations will now take the lead in identifying and addressing tree related risks within communities. This includes continuous monitoring, early identification of hazards, and timely intervention where trees pose a threat to homes, infrastructure, or public spaces. Tree lopping and removal will be carried out where necessary.

The Vice President emphasised the need for a more responsive and proactive approach, noting that timely intervention is critical to reducing potential damage and safeguarding communities.

He further noted that District Administrations will operate in coordination with environmental authorities, while the Forestry Section will retain its advisory and regulatory role, particularly in relation to protected and endemic species.

Under existing regulations in Seychelles, the cutting or removal of trees requires prior authorisation from the relevant environmental authorities. Property owners are also reminded of their responsibility to ensure that trees on their land do not pose a risk to neighbouring properties or the wider community.

Cabinet also approved the Seychelles National Addressing System Bill, 2026, establishing a framework for the implementation of a standardised, modern, and digitally enabled national addressing system.

The Bill provides for the establishment of a National Addressing Department and a National Addressing Database Unit to oversee governance and data management, alongside the adoption of international addressing standards and postcode structures.

Highlighting the importance of this reform, the Vice President noted that the absence of a proper addressing system has limited Seychelles’ ability to fully engage with international services.

“There are countries that cannot transact with Seychelles because we do not have a proper addressing system. At present, what we use as a postcode is simply four zeros. This new approach is intended to resolve that,” he said.

He added that the system will significantly improve service delivery, including engagement with courier services, logistics, and access to data for planning and research purposes.

“With a proper system in place, locations will have clearly established addresses. What makes an addressing system effective is that it is linked to a place, not to an individual. Ownership may change, but the address remains the same,” the Vice President added.

Cabinet further approved a National Drug Use Prevalence Survey to provide reliable data on drug use in Seychelles. The findings are expected to strengthen policy formulation, guide targeted prevention and treatment interventions, and support informed decision making across relevant sectors.

Cabinet further directed the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Tourism and Culture to take coordinated steps to strengthen the visibility, use, and preservation of the Seychellois Creole language and culture within schools and across the wider community.

In line with broader reforms, Cabinet approved the Seychelles Culture, Arts and National Heritage Bill, 2026, which repeals the SNICHA Act, 2021, and establishes a new governance framework placing cultural institutions under the Ministry responsible for Culture to improve coordination, oversight, and accountability.

The Bill provides for the reorganisation of key institutions, including the Seychelles Creole Institute, Seychelles Arts and Crafts Agency, Seychelles Creative Agency, Seychelles Museum, Archives and Library Authority (SMALA), and the Seychelles Heritage Agency.

Cabinet also approved in principle the pursuit of a Public Private Partnership for the restoration and sustainable use of Maison St Joseph, with government mandated to engage private sector partners to develop a restoration and long term management framework.

In addition, Cabinet approved the Commission for the Enforcement, Implementation and Monitoring of the Recommendations of the Truth, Reconciliation and National Unity Commission Bill, 2026. The Commission will oversee the implementation of recommendations of the Truth, Reconciliation and National Unity Commission, including matters related to reparations and accountability.

The Vice President described this as a necessary step forward in ensuring closure, accountability, and national progress.

“The government has shown courage in establishing such a commission. When we speak about taxpayers’ money being used to compensate victims, I also pay taxes. I do not have a direct say in how those funds are used, and others may share similar concerns,” he said.

He added that questions of responsibility must be carefully considered in matters involving compensation.“For example, if taxpayers’ money were to be used to compensate those affected by fungus, should we blame those that constructed the building, or those who assigned workers to operate within it? These are questions that require careful consideration.”

The Vice President emphasised the importance of decisiveness and forward momentum. “If we continue to revisit the same debate, the country will not move forward. Our position is clear. Once a decision is taken, we act on it and move ahead,” he said. He noted that the Commission will determine the process it will follow, with a clear focus on delivering outcomes, ensuring accountability, and advancing national reconciliation.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of State House Seychelles.

Source: APO

Legislators are furious that the refurbishment of X-ray rooms in 20 hospitals is has stalled because of non-compliance to procurement guidelines by the health ministry.

The revelation came to light in a report from the Auditor General showing that the non-compliance with Section 60(6) of the Public Procurement and Disposal of Public Assets (PPDA) Act, had affected several procurements.

The report for the financial year ending December 2025 was deliberated upon during a meeting between the Committee on Public Accounts (Central Government) and Ministry of Health officials led by the Permanent Secretary, Dr Diana Atwine, on Thursday, 02 April 2026 at Parliament.

Findings of the report further faulted the ministry for failure to prepare a multi-year procurement plan for projects worth Shs 3.43 billion.

Despite the ministry utilising 99.9percent of its Shs 228.8 billion budget, MPs also raised concerns over persistent out-of-pocket payments and underfunded immunisation programmes.

The Kassanda County North MP, Hon. Patrick Nsamba (NUP), challenged the continued reliance on Non-Tax Revenue (NTR) collected from patients seeking specialised services such as X-ray and scans at regional referral hospitals.

“These are services our people cannot easily access elsewhere. If we already know how much is collected annually, why can’t government budget for them so that patients receive them free of charge?” Hon. Nsamba asked.

He argued that incorporating such costs into the national budget would ease the burden on citizens and improve equitable access to healthcare, an objective aligned with Uganda’s commitment to Universal Health Coverage.

However, Atwine indicated that NTR projections are centrally controlled, limiting health facilities’ ability to plan independently. Citing dialysis treatment at Kiruddu National Referral Hospital in Kampala District, she acknowledged the funding gaps, revealing that government allocations often fall below the actual cost of delivering services.

“A single dialysis session costs about Shs 400,000. Government contributes Shs 215,000, leaving the patient to pay about Shs 150,000. Yet a patient needs at least three sessions per week,” she explained.

This translates to roughly Shs 1.2 million per week per patient, underscoring the heavy financial burden on individuals with chronic conditions.

Atwine admitted that ideally, such services should be fully subsidised, but noted: “There is no country that can fully fund all healthcare needs without a strong pooled financing mechanism like a National Health Insurance or heritage fund.”

The Mawogola County South representative, Hon. Gorreth Namugga, also the committee deputy chairperson, raised alarm over “delays and shortfalls in funding for immunisation programmes,” especially as Uganda now vaccinates against at least 14 diseases under its Expanded Programme on Immunisation.

Atwine said that some vaccines are not fully funded, forcing the ministry to seek supplementary budgets: “We have quantified the gaps and engaged the Ministry of Finance, but often the funding comes late, affecting implementation,” she said.

Kalungu West County MP, Hon. Joseph Ssewungu (NUP), questioned the ministry’s reliance on external donors, noting declining contributions in recent years: “For the last five years, donor support has been inconsistent. What measures have you taken to address this gap?” he asked.

While the ministry demonstrated strong budget absorption, the Auditor General’s report reveals that only 36 out of 51 planned outputs were fully implemented, representing Shs 148.3 billion in expenditure. The remaining 15 outputs worth Shs 80.2 billion were only partially implemented, with some activities either incomplete or not executed at all.

The omission, auditors warned, creates uncertainty in funding and risks delays or cancellation of projects.

In defence, the permanent secretary attributed some gaps to system limitations, including earlier constraints in the Electronic Government Procurement (e-GP) system, and pledged improvements in planning and monitoring.

She said they would strengthen work-plan tracking and develop corrective action plans for partially implemented projects in the 2026/27 financial year.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Parliament of the Republic of Uganda.

Source: APO

Mauritian listed business group ER Group (https://ERGroup.mu) has established a regional office in Nairobi, Kenya, and created a regional fund with equity partners to expand investment and partnerships across East Africa. The Group, created in 2025 through the merger of Mauritian business flagships ENL and Rogers, marks a new step in its regionalisation strategy by strengthening its presence in one of Africa’s most dynamic economic regions.

Regional expansion is one of the pillars of ER Group’s ten-year strategy, set out earlier this year. In line with this roadmap, the Group, which is present in 17 territories worldwide, is accelerating its expansion in Africa through a measured approach focused on sectors it knows well. The priority is to grow in industries and countries the Group already operates, working with trusted partners to expand sustainably.

Through this approach, ER Group aims to increase the contribution of international activities from around 15% of revenue today to 30% over the coming decade. East Africa has been identified as a priority region within this strategy, with Kenya, Tanzania, Zanzibar, Rwanda, and Uganda forming the first phase of expansion.

To back this ambition, ER Group has created, together with equity partners, a regional fund of MUR 1 billion to accompany the expansion of its subsidiaries across Africa. The fund is designated to providing capital for growth, supporting selective investments and providing additional capacity to pursue opportunities in markets and sectors where the Group has established expertise.

On the ground, ER Group has appointed Rasmus Bentzen as its regional representative in Nairobi. Bringing over a decade of experience in private equity and regional investment across East Africa, he will anchor the Group’s regional expansion agenda by identifying investment opportunities, developing strategic partnerships and supporting growth of its subsidiaries in Africa.

Gilbert Espitalier-Noël, Group Chief Executive Officer of ER Group, said: “Regionalisation is a central part of our long-term strategy. We focus on markets where our businesses already have operational expertise and where partnerships can support sustainable growth. Establishing a regional office in Nairobi strengthens our ability to identify opportunities and support the expansion of our subsidiaries across East Africa.”

As it accelerates its regional ambition, ER Group, one of Mauritius’s most profitable and diversified business groups, continues to combine strong financial performance with dedicated investment, giving it the capacity to support its expansion with discipline and long-term perspective. For the first half of FY26, the Group, listed on the Stock Exchange of Mauritius and included in its Sustainability index (SEMSI), reported:

• Revenue of MUR 23.2 billion ($492.7 million)
• EBITDA of MUR 6.4 billion ($135.9 million)
• Profit after tax of MUR 2.6 billion ($55.2 million)
• Operating margin of 26%
• Expected EBITDA FY26: MUR 12 billion ($254.8 million)

The Nairobi presence, combined with the creation of dedicated regional investment capacity, marks the start of a more active phase of expansion for ER Group, building on its existing footprint and financial capacity to deepen partnerships and pursue opportunities across East Africa and the Indian Ocean region.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of ER Group.

For more information, please contact:
Céline Guillot-Sestier
Chief Communication Executive | ER Group
E. celine.guillotsestier@ergroup.mu
T. +230 404 9500

About ER Group: 
ER Group is a leading Mauritian organisation listed on the Official Market of the Stock Exchange of Mauritius. The Group was created following the strategic merger of ENL and Rogers.

Today, ER Group employs more than 13,000 people and operates across 17 territories worldwide. The Group operates across seven business segments: Agribusiness, Real Estate, Hospitality & Travel, Logistics, Finance, Commerce & Manufacturing and Technology & Energy.

Guided by its purpose “Ignite today for a better tomorrow”, ER Group focuses on responsible growth and long-term value creation across the markets in which it operates.

An established operating presence across Africa

With operations across 17 territories worldwide, ER Group has an established presence across African markets, reflecting the steady expansion of its business segments beyond Mauritius.

Logistics

Velogic, ER Group’s logistics arm, has been active in Kenya since 2016 and strengthened its position through the acquisition of Rongai Workshop & Transport Ltd in 2023. Velogic provides cross-border freight forwarding, supply chain management, warehousing and transport solutions across the globe. The company also operates in Tanzania, Madagascar, India, Mauritius, and Réunion Island and generates around 50% of its profit from overseas activities.

Hospitality & Travel

ER Aviation supports airline operations across Africa through a range of aviation services. These include airline representation, ground handling coordination, aircraft support services and distribution of travel products.

It operates in Mauritius, Réunion Island, Mozambique, South-Africa, the Comoros, Mayotte, Namibia and Madagascar, working with international airlines and aviation partners such as Air France, Air Seychelles, Kenya Airways, South African Airways, Air Austral, LATAM Airlines, Air Mauritius Cargo and TAAG Angolan Airlines, to support regional air connectivity.

In the hospitality sector, subsidiary New Mauritius Hotels, which operates Beachcomber Resorts & Hotels, owns luxury hospitality assets in the Seychelles and Morocco and is currently finalising the acquisition of a five-star hotel in Zanzibar.

Finance

Rogers Capital, also plays a strategic role in ER Group’s regional expansion. Based in Mauritius, Seychelles and South-Africa, through its fiduciary, corporate and fund administration services, it supports international investors and African businesses in structuring cross-border investments. The company acts as a trusted service provider for clients investing into and across Africa and serves as a bridge between Africa and Asia through Mauritius’s international financial centre.

Rogers Capital is also a founding member of the Tax Africa Network, which brings together specialised firms across the continent to deliver coordinated tax and advisory solutions.

Technology and Energy

Rogers Capital Technology provides technology infrastructure and digital services across the region, including data centre infrastructure, connectivity services, cybersecurity solutions and enterprise digital platforms. The business operates in Madagascar and Rwanda and has also deployed fibre optic networks with points of presence in South-Africa and Kenya.

On the energy side, Ecoasis delivers sustainable energy solutions, through customised system design, installation and maintenance, supporting one of the largest photovoltaic footprints in Mauritius. It is also expanding with the recent launch of Ecoasis Zanzibar and a commercial partnership with Axian Group to serve Madagascar’s industrial energy market. Ecoasis is also building up presence in Seychelles to serve the local hospitality and real estate markets.

This footprint is reinforced by associates FRCI and Superdist. FRCI, in which ER Group holds 47%, adds enterprise technology and digital capabilities and is building export activity, while Superdist, 45%-owned, strengthens the segment’s position in IT distribution and services. Together, these associates extend the segment’s presence in Mauritius and Madagascar.

Source: APO

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Ghana has moved to boycott the upcoming Africa Energies Summit in London this May, a decision that reflects growing frustration across the African oil and gas industry over discrimination, exclusion and the marginalization of African voices at events that claim to represent the continent’s energy future. Energy Chamber Ghana has released a statement calling on Ghanaian energy authorities to reconsider their participation in the summit, expressing deep concerns regarding discriminatory hiring practices and the continued exclusion of African professionals. The move sends a strong signal: Africa’s energy industry must be shaped with African institutions and companies at the center of the conversation.

The decision to withdraw mirrors similar actions taken by other African industry stakeholders in recent months and reflects a broader shift across the sector, where governments, national oil companies and indigenous firms are increasingly pushing back against platforms that exclude African participation. Mozambique made the decision to withdraw from the summit in March 2026, while petroleum ministers from the African Petroleum Producers Organization also moved to boycott the event. Ghana’s boycott is not simply about one event; it is about principle, representation and ensuring that African countries are treated as equal partners in discussions about their own resources.

The announcement by Energy Chamber Ghana follows careful consultation with stakeholders across the country’s petroleum, gas and broader energy ecosystem, with the Chamber calling on Ghanaian institutions, policymakers, engineers, investors and academics to take the approach – at least until corrective action is demonstrated by Frontier Energy Network, the organizers of the summit. The Chamber highlighted that “Ghana is not a spectator in Africa’s energy story,” and that, “Africa cannot be treated as a marketplace for attendance while Africans are treated as optional participants in execution.”

“Ghana has invested heavily in building engineers, economists, regulators and nnovators who are shaping this continent’s energy trajectory. Platforms that carry Africa’s name must reflect Africa’s people. Until we see transparency and measurable inclusion, it is both reasonable and responsible for stakeholders across our ecosystem to reconsider participation,” Joshua B. Narh LLM, MBA and Executive Chairman of the Energy Chamber Ghana said on LinkedIn.  

Ghana’s decision to boycott the event comes at a critical time for the country. With goals to stabilize oil production, monetize gas and shift capital toward infrastructure that anchors long-term industrial growth, the country is promoting African-led investment and development across its market. In 2026, the country is seeing consolidation by IOCs as well as accelerated expansion by indigenous operators. Around $3.5 billion has been committed to infill drilling and reservoir management to stabilize output, while efforts are underway to unlock new frontiers in the Voltaian Basin. The Jubilee and TEN licenses have been expanded to 2040, while advancements at the Second Gas Processing Plant, the 1.2 GW Thermal Power Plant and downstream LPG are anchoring Ghana’s gas strategy. These projects showcase a market that is moving in the right direction and eager to unlock more value from its resources.     

Despite this momentum, the actions of international conference producers to continue excluding African professionals’ risks undermining the very partnerships and growth the industry is trying to build. At a time when African countries are working to attract capital, build local capacity and strengthen regional energy cooperation, industry platforms should be supporting these goals – not creating barriers to participation. Energy Chamber Ghana highlighted valid concerns surrounding Frontier’s discriminatory approach to hiring Black professionals, emphasizing that Africa must not be invited to events to simply attend conversations about itself. According to the Chamber, local content must not be positioned as a conference theme, but reflected in practice by conference organizers themselves.

“Africa’s energy sector cannot accept a future where conferences built on African participation exclude African professionals from meaningful roles behind the scenes,” he noted.

Ultimately, Ghana’s call to boycott the Africa Energies Summit is about more than a single summit in London. It reflects a broader industry movement toward African-led development, African-led dialogue and African-led investment strategies. If Africa is to fully develop its oil, gas and energy resources, the continent must not only control its resources, but also its narrative, its platforms and its partnerships.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of African Energy Chamber.

Source: APO – Report:

The African Development Bank Group (www.AfDB.org) has announced an $80 million contribution towards the Democratic Republic of the Congo’s second General Population and Housing Census (RGPH2).

The announcement was made on 23 March 2026 in Kinshasa during a donor roundtable convening the census’s technical and financial partners. The Bank’s $80 million contribution represents a significant share of the $200 million in total commitments announced at the event.

The last population census in DRC was held in 1984. Since then, the country has undergone significant demographic transformation, with its population now estimated at more than 112.8 million inhabitants – almost four times the 1984 figure.

Of the Bank Group’s commitment, $50 million will fund census operations, while $30 million will support capacity-building for national institutions including the National Institute of Statistics (INS) and those involved in the planning, programming, budgeting, and monitoring and evaluation (PPBME) chain.

Other partners, including the World Bank, the International Monetary Fund, and the United Nations, also announced contributions. The Republic of Côte d’Ivoire pledged support for data collection equipment and knowledge exchange. The Congolese government has already mobilised $30 million from the state budget for the census.

“Far from being a simple technical or administrative exercise, this event marks a moment of truth for our country, an event where our nation decides we should get to know each other better to govern itself better, plan better and transform itself better,” said President Félix-Antoine Tshisekedi Tshilombo, who chaired the roundtable.

President Tshisekedi added, “To continue to plan without reliable and up-to-date data would be to govern without visibility and therefore to weaken the capacity of the State to respond accurately to the expectations of the population.” The census, he stressed, is “an act of sovereignty, an instrument of public justice and an essential lever for the effectiveness of State action”.

Commenting on the Bank Group’s contribution, Mohamed Coulibaly, Country Programme Officer for DRC, said: “This is a historic moment. Drawing on its experience in supporting this type of process in Africa, the African Development Bank Group wishes to support the DRC, in particular through strengthening the INS and institutions aligned with the planning, programming, budgeting, and monitoring and evaluation chain, in order to ensure the effective, transparent and sustainable implementation of this exercise.”

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

Media contact: 
Frédérique Pascale Essama Messanga
Communication and External Relations Department
African Development Bank
media@afdb.org              

About the African Development Bank Group:
The African Development Bank Group is the premier development finance institution in Africa. It comprises three distinct entities: the African Development Bank (AfDB), the African Development Fund (ADF) and the Nigeria Trust Fund (NTF). Represented in 41 African countries, with a field office in Japan, the Bank contributes to the economic development and social progress of its 54 regional member states.

For more information: www.AfDB.org