Category: English

Source: APO

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The United States remains a longstanding and valued partner of Africa in disease surveillance, emergency response, workforce development and global health security.

In March 2025, amid major shifts affecting USAID and other health programmes, Africa CDC engaged the US Government through a high-level dialogue at the Department of State involving multiple American to agencies. Meeting Africa CDC – US team (https://apo-opa.co/496EB1I). Africa CDC advocated for a new partnership model grounded in sovereignty, shared responsibility and sustainability, in which the US increasingly channels support through direct country funding while African governments progressively expand domestic co-financing for health systems and health security priorities.

Africa CDC also recalls the consensus reached by the African High-Level Ministerial Committee on Global Health Architecture, which convened in Geneva on 17 May 2026, bringing together 48 African ministers from all five regions of the continent. Ministers agreed that future strategic negotiations related to continental health security partnerships should increasingly be coordinated through Africa CDC to strengthen African solidarity, policy coherence, and alignment among Member States.

From the earliest stages of the current Ebola outbreak, Africa CDC acted rapidly, transparently, and responsibly. Following confirmation that at least two countries were affected, the agency exercised its continental mandate to declare this outbreak on 15 May 2026, elevating political attention and accelerating coordination across Africa. Since the beginning of the outbreak, Africa CDC has maintained continuous information sharing with Member States, partners, media, and the international community, with more than 1,600 global media citations referencing Africa CDC data and technical updates.

Africa CDC takes note of the US Government’s decision to issue a Level 4 “Do Not Travel” advisory for the DRC and to impose entry restrictions on non-US passport holders who have recently travelled to the DRC, Uganda or South Sudan. The agency fully recognises the sovereign responsibility of every government to protect the health and security of its people. Our concern is not with the objective of protecting populations, but with the use of broad travel restrictions as a primary public health tool during outbreaks.

Public health measures during outbreaks must be guided by science, proportionality, transparency, international cooperation, and international health regulations. Africa CDC’s position is clear: generalised travel restrictions and border closures are not the solution to outbreaks. Such measures can create fear, damage economies, discourage transparency, complicate humanitarian and health operations, and divert movement toward informal and unmonitored routes – potentially increasing public health risks rather than reducing them.

“The fastest path to protecting all countries in the world is to aggressively support outbreak control at the source,” said H.E. Dr Jean Kaseya, Africa CDC Director General. “Global health security cannot be achieved through borders alone. It is achieved through partnership, trust, science and rapid investment in preparedness and response capacity.”

This current Ebola outbreak highlights a deeper structural injustice in global health innovation: the Bundibugyo Ebolavirus was identified nearly two decades ago, yet no licensed vaccines or therapeutics specific to this strain exist today. Africa CDC believes that if this disease had predominantly threatened wealthier regions of the world, medical countermeasures would likely already be available.

The world witnessed a similar reality during the West African Ebola outbreak, when solutions were disclosed when an American doctor was infected, while thousands of Africans had already died without support. The world must not repeat the same mistake today.

The declaration of the PHECS on 18 May 2026, Africa CDC Official Website, was intended to mobilise political leadership, resources, and coordinated continental action. It is not a signal for panic, but a call for solidarity, urgency and collective responsibility.

Africa CDC is calling for intensified international support for:

• Strengthened cross-border preparedness and regional coordination;
• Sustained support to frontline health workers and Ministries of Health;
• Support risk communication and strong community engagement;
• Expansion of Bundibugyo Ebolavirus laboratory diagnostics and genomic sequencing;
• Deployment of epidemiologists and emergency response experts;
• Increased financing for surveillance, logistics, infection prevention and case management, including the capacity to isolate cases and to organise dignified burials;
• Accelerated development of vaccines, diagnostics and therapeutics for all Ebola strains;

Africa CDC is fully mobilised to support the DRC, Uganda, South Sudan, Rwanda and all at-risk Member States. Africans must know that the agency stands with them – not only to respond to outbreaks and strengthen public health systems, but also to defend their dignity, sovereignty, and collective security under the framework of Africa Health Security and Sovereignty (AHSS). Africa CDC – Africa Health Security and Sovereignty (AHSS) (www.AfricaCDC.org)

This position is consistent with Africa CDC’s previous actions. During the Marburg outbreak in Rwanda in 2024, Africa CDC publicly opposed travel measures that penalised transparency and effective outbreak control and welcomed the lifting of the U.S. travel notice after Rwanda demonstrated strong containment. Africa CDC Statement on Rwanda Marburg Response (www.AfricaCDC.org)

Africa CDC, therefore, calls on all countries – both within Africa and globally – to refrain from imposing unnecessary travel or trade restrictions in response to this outbreak. The world must avoid repeating the mistakes of previous health emergencies, where fear-driven measures caused major economic damage without delivering proportionate public health benefits.

Africa needs solidarity, not stigma. Africa needs investment, not isolation. Africa needs partnerships that strengthen both economies and health systems.

No one is safe until Africa is safe. And Africa is safer when the world invests in African health security, trusts African institutions, and works with Africa as a full partner.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC).

Media Contact:
Wilson Johwa
Senior Communications Officer
Directorate of Communication & Public Information
JohwaW@africacdc.org

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About Africa CDC:
The Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) is the public health agency of the African Union. As an autonomous institution, Africa CDC supports AU Member States to strengthen health systems, improve disease surveillance, and enhance emergency preparedness and response. For more information, visit: www.AfricaCDC.org.

Source: APO

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The Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) (https://AfricaCDC.org/), acting on the recommendations of its Emergency Consultative Group (ECG), has officially declared the ongoing Bundibugyo ebolavirus disease outbreak affecting the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and Uganda a Public Health Emergency of Continental Security (PHECS).

This declaration, under Article 3, Paragraph F of the Africa CDC Statute, empowers the organisation to lead and coordinate responses to significant public health emergencies across the continent. The statute mandates Africa CDC to “coordinate and support Member States in health emergency responses, particularly those declared a PHECS or Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC), as well as health promotion and disease prevention through health systems strengthening.”

The declaration follows extensive consultations at political, strategic and technical levels, including consultations with H.E. Mahmoud Ali Youssouf, the African Union Commission chairperson; H.E. Cyril Ramaphosa, President of South Africa and the African Union Champion for Pandemic Preparedness, Prevention and Response (PPPR); and consultations with Member States affected or at risk. This declaration was built on recommendations from the ECG, chaired by Professor Salim Abdool Karim, which reviewed the evolving epidemiological situation, regional risks, response capacities, and the implications of the confirmed Bundibugyo ebolavirus strain.

As of May 18, 2026, about 395 suspected cases and 106 associated deaths have been reported in the DRC (mainly in the Mongwalu, Rwampara, and Bunia Health Zones) and in Kampala, Uganda, where two cases and one death have been reported so far.

Africa CDC is deeply concerned about the high risk of regional spread due to intense cross-border population movement, mining-related mobility, insecurity in affected areas, weak infection prevention and control measures, community deaths occurring outside formal healthcare systems, and the proximity of affected areas to Rwanda and South Sudan.

H.E. Dr Jean Kaseya, Director General of Africa CDC, emphasised the urgency of coordinated continental action: “Today, we declare this PHECS to mobilise our institutions, our collective will, and our resources to act swiftly and decisively. The confirmation of the Bundibugyo ebolavirus in interconnected countries reminds us once again that Africa’s health security is indivisible. We must act early, act together, and act based on science.”

Dr Kaseya highlighted that the declaration would strengthen regional coordination, facilitate rapid mobilisation of financial and technical resources, reinforce surveillance and laboratory systems, support the deployment of emergency responders, and accelerate preparedness activities in neighbouring countries considered at heightened risk of transmission.

He further stressed the importance of an Africa-led and partner-supported response: “This outbreak is occurring in one of the most complex operational environments on the continent, marked by insecurity, population mobility, fragile health systems, and limited medical countermeasures for the Bundibugyo ebolavirus disease. We call upon our Member States and international partners to stand together with Africa CDC, the World Health Organization (WHO), UNICEF and the affected countries to prevent further spread and protect our populations.”

Africa CDC and the WHO are working jointly to strengthen coordination by activating an Incident Management Support Team (IMST), building on the successful model used during the mpox and cholera responses under the “4 Ones” principle: one team, one plan, one budget, and one monitoring framework.  

Africa CDC has already deployed multidisciplinary experts, including specialists in epidemiology, infection prevention and control, laboratory systems, risk communication, logistics and emergency coordination, and has internally mobilised US$2 million to support the continental response.

The declaration also comes amid growing concerns about the limited availability of validated vaccines and therapeutics for the Bundibugyo ebolavirus disease. Africa CDC is therefore working closely with various partners to assess available medical countermeasures and accelerate operational research and evidence generation efforts to inform outbreak response strategies.

Professor Karim, chair of the ECG, noted: “The ECG carefully reviewed the epidemiological evidence, regional risk profile, and operational realities surrounding this outbreak. The interconnected nature of transmission between DRC and Uganda, combined with the challenges posed by insecurity and cross-border movement, requires urgent coordinated continental action.” 

Ebola is a severe and often fatal illness transmitted through direct contact with bodily fluids of infected persons, contaminated materials, or deceased individuals infected with the virus. Early detection, rapid isolation and care, contact tracing, infection prevention and control, community engagement, and safe and dignified burials remain essential to interrupt transmission. 

Africa CDC will continue to provide regular updates as additional epidemiological, laboratory, and sequencing information becomes available. 

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC).

Media Contact:
Wilson Johwa
Senior Communications Officer, Directorate of Communication & Public Information
JohwaW@africacdc.org

Follow Africa CDC on:
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About Africa CDC: 
The Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) is the public health agency of the African Union. As an autonomous institution, Africa CDC supports AU Member States to strengthen health systems, improve disease surveillance, and enhance emergency preparedness and response. For more information, visit: https://AfricaCDC.org/ 

Source: APO

At AI Everything Kenya x GITEX Kenya, taking place from 19-21 May, global cybersecurity company, Kaspersky (www.Kaspersky.co.za), talks about the current threat landscape in Kenya and the wider East Africa region, warning that the rapid development and adoption of artificial intelligence is creating new opportunities for innovation while simultaneously introducing cyberthreats for businesses and individual users. With risks varying from AI-powered social engineering campaigns and deepfake fraud to “Shadow AI” risks inside organisations, Kaspersky advises organisations to adopt clear policies, cybersecurity controls and employee education to ensure AI technologies are deployed safely and responsibly.

“As organisations in Kenya and the wider region accelerate digital transformation, cybersecurity is becoming a board-level priority. We are seeing growing awareness that innovation and security must develop hand in hand. Industry events such as GITEX play an important role in this process by helping businesses better understand both the impressive opportunities AI and digital technologies create, and the precautions needed to manage the evolving cyber risks that come with them,” says Chris Norton, General Manager for Sub-Saharan Africa at Kaspersky.

Cyberthreat landscape developments

AI risks come amid other cybersecurity challenges of the evolving threat landscape in the region. Kaspersky data demonstrates that in 2025, password stealer attacks increased by 83% year-over-year in Kenya and 56% across Sub-Saharan Africa. Spyware attacks grew by the same figure of 83% in Kenya and 53% regionally, while backdoor attacks rose by 25% in Kenya and 8% across Sub-Saharan Africa. Although exploit attacks showed a slight decline, they remain a major concern due to their mass spread and unauthorised access they open to a users’ systems. Meanwhile, ransomware continues to pose a serious risk to organisations, with 7.62% of organisations in Africa experiencing ransomware detections in 2025.

Advanced Persistent Threats (APTs) remain among the most serious risks for enterprises. According to the Kaspersky Security Services Global Report, APT groups were detected and blocked in 21% of customers in 2025 and accounted for 23% of all high-severity incidents. These highly organised groups increasingly combine AI-enhanced techniques with social engineering and targeted intrusion methods to maximise operational effectiveness.

Cybersecurity traps of AI

According to Kaspersky experts, cybercriminals can use AI across multiple stages of cyberattacks: from preparation and communication to assembling malicious components, probing for vulnerabilities and deploying tools, while simultaneously concealing evidence of AI involvement to complicate investigations and attribution. Malicious actors are also actively distributing malware disguised as AI tools to steal sensitive information from victims.

One of the growing cybersecurity issues is the spread of deepfakes and AI-generated fraudulent content. As AI tools become more and more sophisticated, distinguishing authentic material from manipulated ones is becoming more difficult. Kaspersky researchers warn that AI models can also be vulnerable to “unintended memorisation”, where models retain fragments of sensitive information that attackers may later extract. Additional risks include malicious tampering with training datasets, injection of harmful logic into AI software code and exploitation of vulnerabilities within AI-powered systems.

The emergence of AI agents, which are systems capable of autonomously taking actions on behalf of users, creates another significant attack surface. According to Kaspersky, these systems can be manipulated through adversarial content or misconfigured autonomy settings, potentially leading to harmful real-world actions.

Kaspersky also highlights the growing challenge of “Shadow AI”, where employees use public AI services without oversight from IT departments. This creates uncontrolled data flows and increases the risk of confidential information exposure. A recent Kaspersky study* titled “Cybersecurity in the workplace: Employee knowledge and behaviour” showed that 87.8% of professionals surveyed in Kenya use AI tools for work-related tasks, including text editing, e-mail writing, data analytics and content creation. However, only 35% reported receiving cybersecurity training related to AI use.

Essential Actions in the AI-driven IT world

Kaspersky recommends organisations to regularly assess AI-related risks and establish comprehensive AI governance policies defining which AI tools are approved and what types of data can be processed. Regular employee training on secure AI usage, recognition of fake AI services, malicious links and prompt injection risks is equally essential.

To effectively manage the growing range of cyber risks, organisations should adopt a comprehensive cybersecurity strategy that combines advanced security technologies, reliable threat intelligence, strong internal processes and continuous employee education. Robust cybersecurity solutions, such as the AI-powered Kaspersky SIEM and Kaspersky Next product line, provide real-time protection, threat visibility, investigation and response capabilities.

For private users, Kaspersky recommends exercising caution when using AI-powered tools, carefully reviewing privacy settings, verifying the authenticity of AI applications and double-checking information generated by agentic AI systems before making decisions based on automated outputs. The company also advises families to maintain open discussions with children regarding their use of AI technologies and online safety practices.

Visit the Kaspersky stand at B10 in Hall 2 at GITEX Kenya to find out more.

*The survey was conducted by Toluna research agency at the request of Kaspersky in 2025. The study sample included 2800 online interviews with employees and business owners using computers for work in seven countries: Türkiye, South Africa, Kenya, Pakistan, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Kaspersky.

For further information please contact:
Nicole Allman
nicole@inkandco.co.za

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About Kaspersky: 
Kaspersky is a global cybersecurity and digital privacy company founded in 1997. With over a billion devices protected to date from emerging cyberthreats and targeted attacks, Kaspersky’s deep threat intelligence and security expertise is constantly transforming into innovative solutions and services to protect individuals, businesses, critical infrastructure, and governments around the globe. The company’s comprehensive security portfolio includes leading digital life protection for personal devices, specialized security products and services for companies, as well as Cyber Immune solutions to fight sophisticated and evolving digital threats. We help millions of individuals and nearly 200,000 corporate clients protect what matters most to them. Learn more at www.Kaspersky.co.za. 

Source: APO

One year after reaching within 250 metres of Everest’s summit but turning back due to congestion, frostbite risk, and limited oxygen, the Bouka family returns determined to raise the Malagasy flag on the world’s highest peak. Led by visionary entrepreneur Zouzar Bouka and his sons Raïs and Raj-Alexandre, the expedition embodies Malagasy resilience and the belief that every challenge has its own ‘Everest’.

“This is about finishing what we began,” said Zouzar Bouka. “Everest demands humility and perseverance. Last year taught us hard lessons. This year, we return united as a family carrying our love for Madagascar with us every step of the way.”

For the Bouka family, Everest is more than a climbing expedition; it is about carrying their heritage and identity to the summit. Zouzar’s key value he seeks to instill in his sons and young people is meritocracy.

In environments where success can sometimes be influenced by factors other than merit, Everest represents the opposite. On the mountain, there are no shortcuts or deceit. Support and teamwork matter, but the mountain also enforces honesty. Ultimately, it’s your own feet that must take each step.

For all three individuals, this journey is about love, resilience, ambition, and possibility. Their story carries a message of hope: everyone has their defining challenge to conquer, and success lies in daring to take the journey as much as in reaching the summit. The family aims to inspire young people in Madagascar and across Africa to pursue their own goals with courage.

“This second attempt is about much more than reaching a summit,” said Raïs Bouka.

“It’s about perseverance. About not being afraid to face failure. This question – “Why speak before you’ve even succeeded?”- is often raised. But I think it reflects a bigger problem today, especially in the social media world. We only show victories, polished moments, and the success stories. We rarely show the effort, the setbacks, or what happens when things don’t go according to plan.

“It’s also about time spent with my father and my brother. As you grow older, life pulls people in different directions, and you realise those special moments together become rarer.”

Raj-Alexandre Bouka added, “Mountaineering has taught me the importance of trust. On Everest, we are constantly entrusting our lives to a single rope, sometimes anchored by others we have never met. That unconscious faith you place in your guide, teammates, and even strangers who fixed the lines ahead of you is deeply human.”

“Everest also teaches you radical humility. No matter how strong, prepared, or experienced you think you are, the mountain decides. One shifting weather system, one moment of complacency, and everything changes. I learned that true strength lies in knowing when to turn back, even when the summit is within sight.”

“Above all, these expeditions have shown me the irreplaceable value of presence. In a world that pulls us in a thousand directions, my father sacrificed countless hours, immense energy, and significant resources so we could stand together on the roof of the world, breathing thin air and chasing a shared dream. I feel like the luckiest person alive.”

The family has significant mountaineering experience. They have climbed across all seven continents, first beginning with Madagascar’s highest accessible peak, Pic Boby, in 2021. Since then, each adventure has improved their ability to reach their ultimate goal.

Mount Everest remains one of the most dangerous places on Earth, with over 340 deaths since the 1920s. In 2014, a serac collapse in the Khumbu Icefall killed 16 Sherpas, and in 2015, a 7.8 magnitude earthquake triggered an avalanche that killed 22 people at Base Camp, the deadliest single event in Everest’s history.

In recent seasons, fatalities continue: 18 deaths in 2023, 9 in 2024, and 28 across 2024–2025 in the Himalayas.

The Boukas saw several dead people last year, all that had died 1-2 days prior.

This year, with the Everest season still relatively at its beginning stage, the mountain has caused 4 deaths. Shifting seracs, widening crevasses, and constantly collapsing ice walls have slowed progress and caused increased danger.

The Bouka family returns with humility and determination, aware of these risks.

Audiences can follow the expedition through updates and images shared on the family’s social media channels:

Facebook: https://apo-opa.co/4nEtnYe

Instagram: https://apo-opa.co/4nAQlQ1

YouTube: https://apo-opa.co/4eRNik5

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Vision Madagascar NGO.

About the Bouka Family Everest Expedition 2026 :
The Bouka Family Everest Expedition 2026 brings together Zouzar Bouka and his sons Raïs and Raj-Alexandre in their second attempt to climb Mount

Everest. Zouzar Bouka is the founder of Vision Madagascar (ViMa), a diversified conglomerate with subsidiaries in real estate, energy, F&B distribution, procurement, hospitality, and wellness. He is also the licensed owner of WTC Antananarivo and WTCRAK. Beyond business, he is an experienced mountaineer who has climbed peaks across Africa, the Americas, Europe, and the Himalayas – from Kilimanjaro and Chimborazo to Everest, where he reached 6,800m in 2025.

Raïs Bouka is an accomplished young mountaineer who has captured peaks across Madagascar, Africa, the Americas, and the Himalayas, including Kilimanjaro and Lobuche. He reached 8,600m on Everest. He is a graduate of the University of Southern California, having studied Business with a minor in Cinematic Arts, graduating Magna Cum Laude.

Raj-Alexandre Bouka has climbed peaks across 6 continents, completing 4 of the Seven Summits. In 2025, he reached 8,600m on Everest and has continued to build experience on major summits worldwide. He is currently in his second gap year and cancelled his acceptance to NYU to pursue this journey, and will resume college in August.