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Qatar Stresses Humanitarian Diplomacy to Protect Children in Conflict

Source: Government of Qatar

Doha, September 07, 2026

Qatar has stressed the importance of dialogue, mediation and humanitarian diplomacy in ensuring conflict-hit children can access essential aid and services. 

Speaking at the opening of a workshop in Doha, HE Minister of State for International Cooperation Dr Maryam bint Ali Al Misnad said Qatar had made dialogue, mediation and humanitarian diplomacy key pillars of its foreign policy and international efforts.

The workshop brought together policymakers, diplomats, humanitarian leaders, mediators, legal experts, practitioners and academics to discuss practical ways of improving child-sensitive humanitarian access in conflicts and crises.

HE Al Misnad said mediation experiences had shown that keeping channels of communication open, even in the most difficult circumstances, could create important opportunities to protect civilians and streamline humanitarian work.

She said the protection of children could provide common ground for dialogue, noting that even when political positions diverged, ensuring children’s access to food, healthcare and education remained a humanitarian responsibility that should not be subject to political calculations.

The minister warned that restrictions on humanitarian operations, obstruction of aid and attacks on humanitarian and medical workers and facilities had become part of wider political and security challenges affecting civilian protection in many contemporary conflicts.

She said children were particularly vulnerable to disruptions in food, water, healthcare, education and protection services, adding that even short delays in accessing such services could have long-term psychological and health consequences.

Al Misnad stressed that children’s needs should be an integral part of discussions and negotiations on humanitarian access, rather than an issue addressed only after agreements or humanitarian arrangements had been reached.

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Foreign Ministry Official Spokesperson Engages in Plenary Panel on Gulf Regional Security at Hili Forum 2026

Source: Government of Qatar

Abu Dhabi, September 07, 2026

Advisor to the Prime Minister and Official Spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Dr. Majed bin Mohammed Al Ansari engaged Monday in the plenary session at the third edition of the Hili Forum 2026, convened in Abu Dhabi under the theme “Gulf at Crossroads: Conflict, Consequences and Course Correction”.

Having weighed in during a plenary panel on “Gulf Regional Security Complexes”, Dr. Al Ansari tackled the evolving situation in the Gulf and its implications for global security and stability.

He pointed out that the fallout from the current crisis is not limited to the countries of the region, but that its impact spills over into energy, commerce, maritime navigation, and international supply chains.

The war has put the region’s countries’ alignment in assessing shared threats to a genuine test, Dr. Al Ansari underlined, stating that this war demonstrated the importance of turning this recognition into tight-knit collective action.

The advisor further remarked that Gulf security is a shared responsibility and those countries should remain fundamental partners in framing any arrangements pertaining to Gulf security and the future.

Closing the Strait of Hormuz and disrupting navigation doesn’t merely pose an economic challenge but is an overall issue with broader implications for global security, Dr. Al Ansari suggested.

He warned of the perils of weaponizing critical waterways as tools of pressure and undermining effective deterrence amid the low cost of disruption to trade and maritime traffic.

The primary threat lies in normalizing what has transpired in the region over the past months and treating it as a new reality to be taken for granted, rather than as a temporary crisis, Dr. Al Ansari highlighted, stressing that the lack of international accountability for such violations encourages their recurrence and erodes the international system of security and stability.

Dr. Al Ansari recalled that the recent developments have revealed the fragility of the regional security structure that is fundamentally based on deterrence and defense, engendering the need for building a more resilient and enduring system.

This system, he suggested, should be based on collective security, operationalizing diplomacy, strengthening collaborative efforts among the Gulf nations, as well as cementing mutual economic interdependence and protecting critical supply chains.

In this regard, Dr. Al Ansari highlighted the State of Qatar’s expertise in mediation and its efforts to advance dialogue and the peaceful resolution of conflicts, emphasizing that the success of any mediation hinges on the parties’ political will, as well as their shared interest in reaching a resolution.

Dialogue doesn’t mean aligning with any party, but rather a significant tool to prevent escalation, maintain communications, and reach sustainable solutions, Dr. Al Ansari said.

He added that engendering remediation for the current challenges requires shared regional and international responsibility, because what is happening in the Gulf spills over into the entire world.

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Call for inclusive approach to AI revolution

Source: Government of South Africa

Call for inclusive approach to AI revolution

South Africa must empower youth, women and people with disabilities to not just use emerging technologies, but to build it, shape it and drive the digital economy.

This according to Deputy Minister in the Presidency for Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities Mmapaseka Steve Letsike who delivered remarks at the first Youth, AI and the Future of Work in South Africa Summit.

The summit was hosted by the South African Digital Governance Forum at Wits University in Johannesburg on Monday under the theme: “The AI Divide – Ensuring Youth, Women and Persons with Disabilities are Not Left Behind”.

Letsike called for an inclusive approach to artificial intelligence (AI), noting that AI is no longer a technology confined to engineers and computer scientists, but has become an increasingly influential part of everyday life already being used across sectors, including finance, retail, agriculture, education, healthcare, government and media.

“The much more important question is: on what terms will we participate?” Letsike probed.

She said the traditional understanding of the digital divide – whether people can access the internet – is no longer sufficient in the age of AI.

The deputy minister identified three new frontiers of digital inclusion, namely, connection, capability and command.

“Connection gets a person through the door, capability determines what they are able to do once they enter, [and] command is something deeper still.

“It is the ability to shape the technologies themselves; to build the enterprise, understand the algorithm, govern the data, own the intellectual property, participate in setting the rules and share meaningfully in the wealth that these technologies create,” Letsike said.

While noting South Africa’s progress in expanding connectivity through initiatives such as SA Connect, Letsike warned that access to broadband alone will not guarantee economic inclusion.

“A household can have Wi-Fi and still remain economically excluded.

“A young person can own a smartphone and still lack the literacy required to understand the systems shaping their digital environment,” the Deputy Minister said.

The deputy minister emphasised that the urgency of building AI capability is underscored by South Africa’s economic challenges, including high unemployment, particularly among young people.

Breaking barriers

Letsike noted that AI has the potential to improve productivity, create new opportunities and lower barriers to entrepreneurship, but its benefits will not be distributed automatically.

Furthermore, for women, AI can reduce barriers to entrepreneurship, expand access to knowledge and markets, and make flexible learning more accessible.

However, women also needed to be represented among those developing technologies, financing innovation, governing platforms and owning the wealth generated by the digital economy.

“Automation can inherit a gender,” Letsike warned, noting that the risk existing inequalities can be reproduced through artificial intelligence and biased data.

The deputy minister also highlighted the opportunities AI presented for persons with disabilities, including speech recognition, image description, predictive text and intelligent interfaces.

However, she warned that technology developed without considering people with disabilities can create new forms of exclusion.

“Accessibility must therefore cease to be regarded as an accommodation added at the end of innovation. It must become part of the architecture of innovation itself,” the deputy minister said.

AI literacy

Letsike challenged the belief that young people are automatically equipped for the digital economy simply because they have grown up using technology.

“Knowing how to scroll through TikTok does not necessarily mean understanding why TikTok selected the next video,” the deputy minister noted.

She called for greater investment in AI literacy across society, alongside access to finance, procurement and markets for innovators and entrepreneurs who have historically been excluded.

Additionally, Africa should also ensure that it develops its own technological capabilities, rather than becoming merely a consumer of technologies developed elsewhere.

The deputy minister also urged South Africa to cross the new frontier of digital inclusion together by connecting people, equipping them with the necessary capabilities and ensuring that the power to shape the digital future is increasingly shared across society.

“The frontier now before us asks whether they will have the agency to shape what comes next,” Letsike said. – SAnews.gov.za

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Manhunt underway for escaped Rooigrond Maximum Correctional Centre inmate

Source: Government of South Africa

Manhunt underway for escaped Rooigrond Maximum Correctional Centre inmate

The Department of Correctional Services (DCS) has launched a manhunt for an inmate who escaped from the Rooigrond Maximum Correctional Centre near Mahikeng, in the North West.

According to the department, inmate Edward Khomotso Madiba, was being detained in the single cells on a further charge relating to a “previous escape when he managed to break out of the correctional centre”.

Madiba is serving a 20-year sentence for robbery with aggravating circumstances, possession of a firearm and ammunition, kidnapping, and parole violation.

“Preliminary information indicates that offender Madiba cut through the burglar bar door of the single cells.

“DCS has activated its security detail and is working with other law enforcement agencies to locate and apprehend the escapee as a matter of urgency. All necessary measures are being implemented to ensure that offender Madiba is traced and brought back into custody.

“A total of eight officials have been served with notices of contemplation of suspension, pending the outcome of the investigation into the circumstances surrounding the escape,” the department said.

Members of the public are urged to immediately alert law enforcement “should they have any information that could assist in establishing the whereabouts of Madiba”.

“Correctional Services has also instituted a full-scale investigation into the circumstances surrounding the escape, including the security measures at the facility.

“This is to establish how the escape occurred and to determine whether any negligence or breach of security contributed to the incident,” the DCS said. – SAnews.gov.za

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Liberation legacy must deliver real change for women and girls, says Chikunga

Source: Government of South Africa

Liberation legacy must deliver real change for women and girls, says Chikunga

The courage of generations of South African and Namibian women must translate into tangible improvements in the lives of women and girls today and in the future, says Minister in the Presidency for Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities, Sindisiwe Chikunga.

Chikunga was speaking at the National School of Government’s South Africa-Namibia Ministerial Dialogue on Monday, where she called for the two countries to move beyond commemorating their shared liberation history and focus on delivering measurable progress on gender equality, justice and women’s empowerment.

Held under the theme: “From Resistance to Results: Honouring the Legacy of South African and Namibian Women through Leadership, Justice and Transformative Action”, the virtual dialogue reflected on the role women played in challenging injustice and shaping the democratic development of both countries.

Chikunga said the intertwined histories of South Africa and Namibia continue to offer important lessons for the present generation.

“As South Africa commemorates the 70th anniversary of the historic 1956 Women’s March, we do so in conversation with the wider liberation memory of our region, including the courage of Namibian women and communities, whose resistance during the 1959 Old Location uprising remains part of Southern Africa’s unfinished instruction to history,” she said.

More than 20 000 women marched on the Union Buildings in Pretoria in 1956 in protest against pass laws, while communities in Windhoek resisted forced removals during the 1959 Old Location uprising.

For Chikunga, these moments remain connected across time and borders.

“These moments speak to one another across geography and time. They remind us that women and communities carried the burden of history with courage, sacrifice and moral clarity, so that later generations could stand with greater freedom and responsibility,” she said.

The challenge now, she said, is to ensure that this legacy produces results.

“Legacy is what we inherit. It asks us to remember. Impact is what we are responsible for producing,” the Minister said.

She stressed that progress should ultimately be measured by whether women’s material and lived realities have improved because institutions acted on their commitments.

This requires institutions with authority, protected budgets, public timelines and leaders, who are prepared to be measured by results rather than commitments alone, she said.

Chikunga pointed to the establishment of South Africa’s National Council on Gender-Based Violence and Femicide as an important step towards building lasting institutional capacity to address gender-based violence and femicide (GBVF).

She also identified women’s economic empowerment, digital inclusion and leadership as key to building future-ready societies.

Women who remain excluded from capital, procurement, innovation and the digital economy cannot fully benefit from the promise of freedom, she warned.

Building on a shared history

Chikunga said the longstanding cooperation between South Africa and Namibia is an opportunity for the two countries to learn from each other and turn shared commitments into tangible action.

“Two governments choosing to learn from one another, account to one another and remain visible to the citizens whose lives must be changed by our commitments.”

The Minister said the two countries should continue building on their shared history to strengthen institutions, expand opportunities and improve the lives of women and girls.

“Our collective responsibility is to ensure that these questions are responded to, by understanding the legacies we inherited and building in all frontiers the lasting impact future generations demand from us,” the Minister said.

Women’s legacy demands action

Acting Principal of the National School of Government, Phindile Mkwanazi, said the courage of women in both countries had helped shape the course of liberation.

“We also recognise the courage of Namibian women during the 1959 Old Location Resistance. In both countries, women stood together against injustice and helped shape the course of our liberation and democratic development.

“Their legacy calls on us to move beyond remembrance. It requires us to translate constitutional rights, policies, and regional commitments into meaningful improvements in the lives of women and girls,” said Mkwanazi.

She said women continue to face structural barriers, including gender-based violence, unequal economic participation, underrepresentation in leadership and exclusion from emerging opportunities in technology and the digital economy.

“This places the responsibility on public institutions. Gender equality must be reflected in how governments plan, budget, appoint, procure, deliver services and account for results,” Mkwanazi said. – SAnews.gov.za

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A child’s first 5 years set them up for life. African study explores how to target education spending

Source: The Conversation – Africa – By Katherine Theiss, Assistant Professor of Economics, Radford University

The first five years of life lay an important foundation for children’s future schooling, health and earnings. Yet over 77% (table 2) of children in sub-Saharan Africa don’t have access to early childhood care and education. This places them at risk of not reaching their development potential.

In response, governments across Africa are increasingly committing to expanding enrolment in pre-primary school.

But research suggests that expanding enrolment is not enough. It’s also important to create healthy, nurturing learning environments that help prepare children for primary school.

Economists like us have an interest in this because we want to be able to help design effective and scalable early childhood education programmes and policies. We need to know:

  • what types of pre-primary education programmes are offered?

  • what effects do these programmes have on children’s developmental outcomes?

  • which components of pre-primary education bring about these effects?

We set out to answer these questions by reviewing the most recent evidence available on pre-primary education programmes in low- and middle-income African countries. Our research examined why some pre-primary education programmes may be more successful than others.

Our study identified and reviewed the findings from six programmes carried out by local governments in The Gambia, Ghana, Kenya, Malawi and Mozambique. Most were in poor, rural and remote areas.

We found that most programmes focused on play-based learning. And, on average, they generated positive effects on children’s development. The research also suggests that programmes that offer support for parents may generate the largest impacts on children’s development outcomes.

This points to the need for programme planners to recruit high-quality teachers and personnel who can effectively engage with both children and parents.

Studies of child development

To address our research questions, we began by searching for studies on the effects of pre-primary education programmes in low- and middle-income countries in Africa. We only reviewed studies with large enough populations to be meaningful and that used rigorous ways of evaluating the results.

Six programmes met our inclusion criteria. There was one each in four countries – The Gambia, Mozambique, Kenya, and Malawi – and two in Ghana.

In particular, we examined the effects on two categories of children’s development: cognitive and socioemotional.

  • Cognitive development. This refers to a child’s thinking process. This outcome is measured by assessing children’s numeracy, literacy, spatial ability, language, communication, and executive function skills, such as attention and working memory.

  • Socioemotional development. This encompasses a child’s social and emotional competence, temperament and behaviour regulation. It is measured by assessing children’s awareness of other people’s feelings and how they behave towards others.

On a broad level, we focused on the quality of the classroom environment and the quality of instruction. In particular, we looked at interventions designed to improve teaching practices and teacher-child interactions through play-based learning.

All programmes included teacher training. Some also provided teachers with resources such as basic play and learning materials or teacher guides. In addition, two programmes offered a monthly stipend to teachers who completed training. Teachers did not typically earn a salary.

Most also engaged with parents about school-related activities or educated parents about positive caregiver practices. For example, they encouraged parents to read and play with children, reduce harsh discipline and understand their influence on child development.

Success of programmes

On average, the programmes were successful in improving children’s cognitive, social and emotional development. This finding is important because improvements in these skills early in life are associated with better educational, employment and economic outcomes later in life. These longer-term benefits can be substantial. For example, in the United States, every dollar invested in the Perry Preschool Program, an early childhood education programme targeted to low-income youth, is estimated to have generated approximately US$7–US$12 in benefits to society.

Read more: Kenyan approach holds promise for boosting early childhood education

To explain the positive effects in low- and middle-income African countries, evidence points to the importance of both the classroom and the home environment.

First, successful programmes generally improve teacher practices and classroom quality. Our research shows that teacher training can decrease teacher burnout, increase the use of appropriate instruction materials, and improve the quality of teacher-child interactions. For example, in Ghana, training encouraged teachers to consider children’s ideas during lessons and create opportunities for children to reason and solve problems.

Second, programmes that engage parents may be even more effective in improving children’s development. For example, a programme in Malawi that integrated group-based parenting education sessions into pre-schools with trained teachers brought about even greater gains in children’s language skills and prosocial behaviours. This programme focused on teaching parents tools for stimulating children’s development and promoting health, such as reading and playing with children and washing hands.

Read more: Parents who believe their children can have a better future are more likely to read and play with them – South African study

Third, the quality of implementation matters. Recruiting high-quality, experienced teachers is important for the success of the programme. Where the researchers didn’t find positive programme outcomes, it may have been attributed to inexperienced staff (in The Gambia) or the difficulties personnel (in Ghana) experienced in communicating with parents about new approaches to early childhood education.

Implications for policy and practice

The findings suggest that positive caregiving practices should be delivered by qualified personnel who can effectively communicate and engage with caregivers who may have low levels of education or limited access to resources.

Read more: Child care centres in South Africa need more support: principals tell of pandemic impact

Our research has implications for Sustainable Development Goal 4.2. The goal is to provide all children with access to quality pre-primary education by 2030 so that they are ready to enter primary school.

– A child’s first 5 years set them up for life. African study explores how to target education spending
– https://theconversation.com/a-childs-first-5-years-set-them-up-for-life-african-study-explores-how-to-target-education-spending-288977

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OnlyFans in South Africa: what creators say about sex work, personal safety and the gig economy

Source: The Conversation – Africa – By Phiwokazi Qoza, PhD researcher, University of Cape Town

OnlyFans was established in 2016 as a platform for content creators to post images and videos or host live streams in exchange for money. But what began as a small and relatively quiet niche startup suddenly exploded.

Global traffic to the site increased by over 90% between November 2019 and October 2020. At the height of the COVID pandemic, when governments all over the world issued stay-at-home orders, OnlyFans was one of the few marketplaces to experience major growth, from 7.5 million registered users to 85 million. In mid-2021, the platform was estimated to be worth over a billion dollars and, by 2026, over three times that.

Today OnlyFans is the most popular of many similar sites. In a digital gig economy, creators earn money directly from their fans through monthly subscription fees, tips, and pay-per-view messages.

Even though the platform hosts fitness and wellness instructors, music and bands, sports and athletic stars, it is by far best known for its adult content creators.

When I began studying OnlyFans in South Africa in 2022, there was growing consensus that it was a digital sex work marketplace.

In the global north, it’s been argued that OnlyFans is a prominent example of a “subscription-based pornographic sharing content website”. Academics outline how it has revolutionised the commercial sex work industry by providing a platform for creative independence and professional autonomy. It’s offered greater earning potential compared to other forms of sex work. In the process it has contributed to lessening the stigma of sex work by blurring the lines between traditional pornography and social media influencing.

These factors have potentially created a more acceptable career path than sex work in a physical space. But do South African OnlyFans creators even identify as sex workers?

Read more: Student sex work is happening, and universities need to respond with health services

It’s one of the questions that I asked them as a social scientist in the course of my PhD research on OnlyFans use in South Africa as an example of platform labour in the gig economy. My work explores the meanings that attach to the body when young people use digital media to curate alternative realities for themselves that might help them reclaim agency and redefine their self-image.

I found that many South African OnlyFans creators do not identify as sex workers; they prefer to distinguish themselves from physical sex workers or from creators who also do in-person hook-ups. They manage online stigma by using pseudonyms. Even though they face piracy and extortion, they avoid taking legal action for fear of being judged.

Yet they are able to achieve moderate long-term income and some stability in a country with high youth unemployment. They do this by blending entrepreneurial skills and digital savvy to operate independently, and by constantly balancing online competition, algorithms and personal pressures to do their work.

Labouring on digital sexual spaces

How sex work happens cannot be separated from its legal status. While sex work is technically criminal in South Africa, platforms like OnlyFans are able to operate legally. In 1996, the country’s Films and Publications Act decriminalised the creation and distribution of sexually explicit or sexually suggestive content.

I write about South Africans on OnlyFans as “labouring on digital sexual spaces”. This is a marketplace that blurs the “illegality” of sex work but also legitimises the labour that goes into creating content.

This labour includes, among other things, cultivating an audience, most often by using social media; managing relationships with collaborators; the admin of processing requests; and managing the reputational damage risk of being outed as a sex worker.

Instead of merely stating “sex work is work”, my research identifies the labour processes that differentiate digital sex work from traditional sex work. This is done to argue for how labouring on digital sexual spaces is a legitimate form of platform and gig economy work.

The study

Media articles signalled the existence of South Africans who were creating content for OnlyFans, but there was an absence of research on their experiences on the platform.

So, I shared a call for participants on social media and allowed people to volunteer to be part of the research by contacting me via email. At the same time, participants were recruited by word of mouth.

Reflecting South Africa’s demographics, many of the 17 participants who ended up sharing their lived experiences were Black women below the age of 35.

What I found

In part of my research, I set out to understand how OnlyFans creators see themselves and their peers who labour in a platform that gained notoriety for hosting sexually explicit or sexually suggestive content.

While some creators proudly embrace the label of sex worker, many others reject it.

Creators’ self-perceptions generally fall into two categories. The first, as adult content creators. They see their work as a form of media production, like art or performance, rather than a sexual service. For these individuals, this moral distinction is about not having physical sexual contact with the audience. This allows them to choose when and how they work. They compare their choice with what they see as survival-dependency of street-based sex workers.

At the same time, other creators proudly identify as sex workers. They view the term as an umbrella for anyone in the business of pleasure, and further believe that selling sex and arousal through audiovisual mediums is fundamentally still sex work.

The judgment of hook-ups by the former is then framed as an instance of “intra-industry stigma” (judgments within a line of work). Regardless of the label they choose – sex worker or adult content creator – they all anticipate stigma and have experienced it in their lives. Being an OnlyFans creator comes with social judgments from others.

They also all make use of stage names, pseudonyms and online alter egos. This functions as a psychological buffer, allowing them to perform confidently while keeping their authentic selves separate from the job.

A major hurdle is telling their family and intimate partners that they work as OnlyFans creators. If they do, they might tell family members they are posting “body art” or compare OnlyFans to platforms like Instagram. Intimate partners often place boundaries on what content can be made.

Read more: South Africa’s gig economy workers set to get more protection under planned labour law reforms

There are other significant obstacles. While using watermarking (their user names are superimposed on their images), they are still highly vulnerable to their content being pirated and distributed on other platforms like Telegram or WhatsApp. They also live with the threat of cyber extortion. Stolen content might be used to blackmail creators, with threats of leaking it to their friends and family.

Yet none of the participants in my study felt safe to approach the police or lawyers to punish cyber bullying, extortion, stalking or harassment. This has an impact on their occupational health and safety.

What needs to happen

While digital platforms like OnlyFans offer financial freedom and sexual agency, the environment for South Africa’s creators remains dangerous. Decriminalising and properly regulating sex work could help ease some of these pressures.

Understanding the vulnerabilities of digital sex workers can help guide policy initiatives to make digital sexual spaces safer work environments.

From my study it’s clear that there also needs to be a concerted effort to develop educational resources that promote digital literacy and ethical online behaviour.

– OnlyFans in South Africa: what creators say about sex work, personal safety and the gig economy
– https://theconversation.com/onlyfans-in-south-africa-what-creators-say-about-sex-work-personal-safety-and-the-gig-economy-289316

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South Africa: Minister Hlabisa Welcomes the Adoption of the Code for Ethical Leadership in Local Government by 100 Municipalities

Source: APO

The Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (CoGTA), Mr Velenkosini Hlabisa, has welcomed the adoption of the Code for Ethical Leadership in Local Government by 100 municipalities across the country.

He described this milestone as a positive development in collaborative efforts to ensure ethical and accountable leadership in municipalities.

“The adoption of the Code by the 100 municipalities across the nine provinces reflects a growing commitment within the local government sector to place ethical leadership, accountability and good governance at the heart of municipal leadership,” Minister Hlabisa said.

The Code is the brainchild of the Local Government Ethical Leadership Initiative, which is a partnership between The Ethics Institute, Department of Cooperative Governance, South African Local Government Association (SALGA) and the Moral Regeneration Movement. It was launched at the Summit on Ethical Leadership in Local Government held in Gauteng on 1 March 2024.

In October 2024, Minister Hlabisa and the President of SALGA, Cllr Bheke Stofile, entered into a mutual agreement to encourage all municipalities in the country to adopt the Code through a formal Council Resolution.

The Code, which is based on the Local Government Anti-Corruption Strategy of 2015, is applicable to all people in municipal leadership positions, including political figures, councillors, traditional leaders, and administrative personnel such as municipal managers and officials.

It outlines the principles and practices for ethical governance and leadership in the local government sector. Following a plethora of governance and ethical challenges, the Code aims to ensure well-governed, efficient and effective municipalities.

“The Code will inspire the local government leaders in the 100 municipalities to serve their communities with integrity, discipline and commitment, and enable communities to hold them accountable,” Minister Hlabisa said.

The Minister encourages remaining municipalities in the country to also adopt the Code. Meanwhile, the councils of the 100 municipalities are expected to institutionalise the Code by developing Implementation Plans that will foster a culture of ethical and accountable leadership.

The Code is accessible on the www.cogta.gov.za and www.tei.org.za/lgeli websites.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Cooperative Governance Traditional Affairs, Republic of South Africa.

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Prime Minister of Tanzania to Headline Inaugural Tanzania Investment Forum in London as Keynote Speaker

Source: APO


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The Prime Minister of the United Republic of Tanzania, Hon. Dr Mwigulu Lameck Nchemba (MP), will travel to London to attend the Tanzania Investment Forum 2026 on 8 October 2026 as a keynote speaker and guest of honour.

The inaugural Tanzania Investment Forum will bring together senior Tanzanian government ministers and officials, international investors, development finance institutions and business leaders to explore Tanzania’s investment landscape and the opportunities emerging across its priority growth sectors. The event is hosted by the High Commission of the United Republic of Tanzania in the United Kingdom, NMB Bank Plc (the strategic organising partner of the Tanzania Investment Forum) and Invest Africa.

As Guest of Honour, the Prime Minister will deliver the Government’s keynote address, setting out Tanzania’s economic priorities and investment ambitions and highlighting opportunities for international investors as the country advances its long-term development agenda.

The Prime Minister’s participation comes at a significant moment for Tanzania’s economic development, with the country seeking to deepen international investment partnerships and mobilise capital across sectors including critical minerals and mining, energy and renewable energy, infrastructure, transport and logistics, agribusiness and food processing, manufacturing, ICT and the digital economy, financial services and tourism.

The Forum will provide an opportunity for international investors to engage directly with senior Tanzanian government representatives and business leaders, while targeted business-to-business and business-to-government meetings will support deal origination, partnership development and capital mobilisation.

Hon. Dr Mwigulu Lameck Nchemba (MP), Prime Minister of the United Republic of Tanzania, said:

Tanzania has embarked on a new chapter of transformation, guided by the Tanzania Development Vision 2050—a vision that sets a clear direction for the Tanzania we want to build over the next twenty-five years.

Development Vision 2050 is more than a vision. It is our commitment to building a stronger, more productive, competitive and prosperous nation—an economy that creates quality jobs, expands production, promotes innovation and delivers inclusive and sustainable prosperity.

But we recognise that no government can achieve this transformation alone.

We need strong partnerships between Government and the private sector, between Tanzanian entrepreneurs and international investors, and between Tanzania and our development partners. This is why investment matters.

Investment is not only about capital. It is about creating jobs, building industries, transferring technology, strengthening local value chains, increasing exports and transforming lives.

Tanzania has enormous investment potential. We have abundant natural resources, fertile agricultural land, significant energy potential, world-class tourism assets, a strategic geographical location, a growing domestic market and access to the wider East African, SADC and African markets.

Our task is to turn this potential into productive investment, investment into production, and production into jobs, exports and prosperity. We therefore invite investors to see Tanzania not simply as an investment destination, but as a long-term partner for growth, innovation and shared prosperity towards 2050 and beyond.

We welcome investment in agriculture and agro-processing, manufacturing, energy, infrastructure, logistics, tourism, mining and mineral beneficiation, the digital economy and other emerging sectors.

Our message is clear: Tanzania is open for business. Tanzania is open for investment.

Tanzania is ready for partnership.

Chantelé Carrington, CEO of Invest Africa, said:

“The Prime Minister’s participation in the Tanzania Investment Forum is a significant moment for Tanzania’s engagement with the international investment community. Bringing the country’s highest levels of government together with investors, financial institutions and businesses creates a unique opportunity to have a direct conversation about Tanzania’s ambitions, priorities and investment opportunities.

“Tanzania has significant potential across a range of sectors, and the opportunity now is to connect that potential with the capital, expertise and partnerships needed to deliver sustainable growth. We are delighted to support the High Commission in bringing this important conversation to London and look forward to welcoming the Prime Minister alongside senior Tanzanian and international leaders.”

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Invest Africa.

Media Enquiries:
Invest Africa
George Meadows – Events & Operations Manager
george.meadows@investafrica.com
+44 7555 661713

About the Tanzania Investment Forum 2026:
The Tanzania Investment Forum 2026 is a high-level investment platform convened and co-organised by the High Commission of the United Republic of Tanzania in the United Kingdom and NMB Bank Plc, and delivered in partnership with Invest Africa. The Forum will connect senior Tanzanian government representatives with international investors, development finance institutions and business leaders to explore investment opportunities across Tanzania’s priority growth sectors and support the development of new commercial partnerships.

About Invest Africa:
Invest Africa is a leading business and investment platform that connects businesses and investors with opportunities across Africa. Its global network comprises more than 400 member organisations, including multinationals, private equity firms, institutional investors, development finance institutions, professional services providers, government bodies and entrepreneurs. Through its global network, market intelligence, membership services and events programme, Invest Africa facilitates sustainable capital flows and supports businesses seeking to engage with African markets.

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Kenya: Engineering Readiness Through Precision

Source: APO


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Technical excellence is a critical pillar of air power, ensuring the safety, reliability and availability of aircraft required to sustain mission effectiveness and operational readiness.

The Commanding Officer, Helicopter Engineering Wing, Lieutenant Colonel Samuel K. Macharia recently officially closed the three-week Flight Technicians Course conducted from the month of August to September 2026. The course brought together Class One Technicians, from Corporal to Warrant Officer Class One, drawn from Airframe and Engines, Electrical and Instrumentation, and Radio/Radar trades.

The training strengthened participants’ technical competence, leadership skills and professional understanding of Flight Technician responsibilities. Key areas included fault diagnosis, troubleshooting and rectification of aircraft systems, Crew Resource Management, technical documentation, aviation fuel SOPs, dangerous goods regulations, leadership and management.

The programme also reinforced the importance of technical integrity, discipline, precision and strict adherence to approved maintenance procedures in safeguarding aircraft serviceability and airworthiness. Addressing the participants, Lt Col Macharia urged them to embrace continuous learning and professional development, noting that the evolving nature of aviation demands constant adaptation.

The training contributes to KAF’s broader objective of developing a technically proficient and resilient workforce capable of sustaining aircraft availability, enhancing aviation safety and delivering mission-ready air power.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Ministry of Defence – Kenya.