Category: English

Source: APO

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The African Union Commission (AUC), through its Department of Political Affairs, Peace and Security (PAPS), in partnership with the Government of the Kingdom of Morocco, successfully convened the 5th Edition of the Joint Specialized Training for African Union Short-Term Election Observers (STOs) from 20 to 24 April 2026 in Rabat, Morocco.

At the opening ceremony, H.E. Amb. Bankole Adeoye, AU Commissioner for Political Affairs, Peace and Security, on behalf of H.E. Mahamoud Ali Youssouf, the AUC Chairperson, presented a distinguished award to H.E. Nasser Bourita, Minister of Foreign Affairs, African Cooperation and Moroccan Expatriates of the Kingdom of Morocco, in recognition of his outstanding contribution to the advancement of Africa’s democratic governance, peace and security. This distinction reflects the African Union’s firm acknowledgment of the Kingdom of Morocco’s growing and structuring role as a key continental actor, under the enlightened leadership and high vision of His Majesty King Mohammed VI. Through a proactive and forward-looking diplomacy, Morocco continues to contribute in shaping the collective African responses to evolving peace and security challenges, while advancing the objectives of Agenda 2063 and strengthening the African Peace and Security Architecture (APSA).

Commissioner Bankole underscored that the leadership demonstrated by Minister Bourita has been instrumental in reinforcing Africa’s voice on the global stage, consolidating global south cooperation, and promoting credible, African-led solutions to governance, electoral, and stability challenges across the continent. The Commissioner further highlighted the strategic depth of the partnership with the Kingdom of Morocco, particularly in the areas of democracy, elections, and governance.

This 5th Edition of the joint specialized training equipped 70 trainees from across the continent with technical capacity in election observation, covering the full electoral cycle—from pre-election assessment and election day observation to post-election reporting and analysis. Participants engaged in practical sessions on information gathering, reporting, ethical considerations, and election day simulation, equipping them with the skills required to support credible, transparent, and inclusive elections in Africa.

In parallel, the African Union Commission and the Policy Center for the New South co-organized the 3rd Dialogue-Seminar on Elections and Democracy in Africa, under the theme: “Digitalizing Democracy: Youth-Driven AI Strategies in a Changing World., on 21 April 2026. The Dialogue-Seminar examined the transformative role of artificial intelligence (AI) and digital technologies in shaping democratic processes across Africa. Discussions highlighted both the opportunities presented by AI—particularly in enhancing civic engagement and transparency—and the risks associated with misinformation, deepfakes, and digital interference in electoral processes.

Delivering the keynote address, Commissioner Bankole Adeoye underscored the importance of inclusive and results-oriented democracy, noting that democratic systems must deliver tangible benefits to citizens. He further emphasized the need to place Africa’s youth at the center of digital transformation and democratic innovation.

The Dialogue-Seminar culminated in the adoption of the Rabat Action Plan, which outlines key recommendations to strengthen democratic governance in the digital age. The Action Plan emphasizes the importance of empowering youth-driven AI strategies, safeguarding civic space, enhancing digital literacy, and ensuring that technological advancements contribute to free, fair, and credible elections across the continent.

These joint initiatives reflect African Union’s determination to further deepen its strategic partnership with the Kingdom of Morocco, in pursuit of a peaceful, secure, and integrated Africa, in full alignment with the aspirations of Agenda 2063. Democracy must be progressive to deliver peace dividends, and ensure inclusivity for women, youth and persons with disabilities, thus leaving no one behind – as stated by Commissioner Bankole.

The Government of the Kingdom of Morocco also reaffirmed its strong commitment to advancing democratic governance, peace, and security in Africa, highlighting the importance of strategic partnerships and innovation in responding to emerging challenges.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of African Union (AU).

Source: APO

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On 22nd of April, 2026 the Tanzania delegation also engaged the Department of Facility Maintenance and Management of the Federal Capital Territory Administration, Abuja, Nigeria, where the Overseeing Director and representatives from multiple divisions shared best practices in public asset maintenance, lifecycle management, and coordinated service delivery.

This meeting offered actionable insights in line with TBA’s mandate, enhancing collaboration and knowledge exchange between Tanzania and Nigeria.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of High Commission of the United Republic of Tanzania Abuja, Nigeria.

Source: APO

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On 22nd of April, 2026 the TBA delegation also met with the Abuja Investment Company Limited, discussions focused on Public-Private Partnership (PPP) models for infrastructure financing, culminating in a site visit to the Garki Ultra-Modern Market a practical example of successful PPP implementation.

This visit provided valuable, hands-on insights aligned with TBA’s mandate, further strengthening knowledge exchange and cooperation between Tanzania and Nigeria.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of High Commission of the United Republic of Tanzania Abuja, Nigeria.

Source: APO

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The United States has expanded support for agricultural trade through the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Export Credit Guarantee Program, known as GSM-102. The GSM-102 program provides U.S. government-backed credit guarantees and serves as an important tool for Nigerian banks and importers to use when sourcing essential agricultural inputs from the United States. This program supports U.S. efforts to strengthen U.S.-Nigeria agricultural trade, build more reliable food supply chains, and increase commercial opportunities for both countries.

The United States and Nigeria continue to advance a strong and growing economic partnership, with two-way trade in goods and services reaching nearly $15 billion in 2025, up 14 percent from 2024. Agricultural trade has been a major contributor to this expansion, increasing to $764 million—an 84 percent rise from $415 million in 2024—and underscoring Nigeria’s importance as a key partner. The U.S. Mission remains committed to expanding agricultural trade, strengthening commercial ties with Nigerian agribusinesses, supporting private sector growth, and deepening economic engagement.

To increase awareness and utilization of the GSM-102 program in Nigeria, the Foreign Agricultural Service of the U.S. Consulate General hosted a two-day event in Lagos bringing together officials from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, U.S. International Development Finance Corporation, Nigerian-American Chamber of Commerce, representatives of U.S. agricultural exporters, Nigerian banks, and agricultural importers.

Delivering remarks at the opening of the event on Tuesday, U.S. Consul General Rick Swart noted that Nigeria is one of the United States’ most important agricultural trade partners in Africa. “Under the Trump Administration, we are making a clear shift, from aid to trade,” Consul General Swart said. “We’re engaging Nigeria as an outstanding and unique commercial partner. That means we are looking for real-world solutions that foster the kind of business environment that enables entrepreneurs, innovators, and investors to build the future of U.S.-Nigeria commerce.”

Throughout the two-day event, participants explored how GSM-102 can help Nigerian businesses access the U.S. market, improve food security, and create jobs on both sides of the Atlantic. In addition, the Nigerian participants engaged their U.S. counterparts in business-to-business discussions aimed at turning market opportunities into concrete transactions.

Demeteris “Dee” Hale, Senior Analyst for the Africa, Middle East, Türkiye, Caucasus, and Central Asia Region at the U.S. Department of Agriculture, noted that “at its core, GSM-102 strengthens market confidence by reducing risk, enabling lenders and exporters to move forward with transactions and expand into new opportunities. We are here to work with financial institutions, importers, exporters, and other stakeholders across the industry to build stronger linkages and drive increased agricultural trade.”

In late 2025, Nigerian banks regained eligibility to participate in GSM-102. Since then, credit limits have already been extended to selected Nigerian banks, enabling renewed access to U.S.-backed trade financing and contributing to increased bilateral agricultural trade.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of U.S. Embassy and Consulate in Nigeria.

Source: APO

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In 2016, clashes between armed forces caused almost 40,000 people to flee Wau town in search of a safe haven.

By 2020, many had resettled in other parts of the country while about 10,000 former residents remained in the Naivasha protection site, established by the United Nations Mission in South Sudan and partners.

Since then, the site has undergone various changes regarding protection mandates and different partner organizations providing humanitarian assistance.

While security became relatively stable, humanitarian conditions did not, triggering incidents of intercommunal violence in the congested site that was only ever meant to be a temporary space for transition.

“It was just too little space for too many people,” explains Lino Lual, former chief of Naivasha. “What started as an escape from recurring violence ended up becoming a sort of prison as people were too scared to leave, but also too different to live on top of each other like this.”

It became clear that the remaining 1500 households needed a more permanent place.

A place they could call home.

A place like Khor Malang.

The transition to a new settlement involved strenuous preparations and administrative challenges, including land clearing efforts by the United Nations Mining Action Service and planning activities by the International Organization for Migration, and other humanitarian agencies.

Once the newly dedicated land a few kilometers outside Wau was declared safe, eligible households were selected and offered resettlement support. Priority was given to the 400 households that have at least one person with a disability with the remaining 1100 given the choice to move to the new site or receive a resettlement grant for alternative relocation preferences.

For 67-year-old Karmella Ukul Linga, it was an easy choice:

“I was grateful for feeling safe when the violence started in 2016. But I really wanted to have a permanent place to call home, ideally together with the people that became something like family to me.”

After a decade long journey leading her from Khartoum to various places in South Sudan, she is now proud to show her new home in Khor Malang.

At the IOM-built hard wall houses, she spends her time roasting and reselling raw peanuts she buys from the nearby market or sitting with neighbors over tea and shared meals.

“For the first time in a long while, I feel like I’m home – surrounded by people I know I can count on and vice versa.”

“Seeing families settle into their new homes is truly inspiring, especially knowing the hardships they’ve overcome. It fills me with hope and encourages me to keep supporting their path toward lasting recovery and sustainability,” says UNMISS Protection, Transition and Reintegration Officer, Akai Ali Bonaiza Juma.

Back in Naivasha camp, Sora Hussein Siado can only imagine the joy of having a new home.

After using the relocation money that she received to pay school fees for her seven children, she’s now largely isolated in the camp which resembles a ghost town these days.

“I am beyond grateful to UNMISS and partners for saving us back then and giving us this space. But right now, I am not sure where to go next. All my friends and neighbors have left but I couldn’t bear relocating my children again, so I made the decision to stay.”

Still, the community spirit fostered over almost a decade has prevailed.

While her family’s future is uncertain, she is comforted by still being part of her former co-resident’s lives.

“Almost every day, my former neighbors visit or invite us for dinner in their new homes. Their spirit, resilience, and kindness reassure me that every ending also sparks a new beginning. There is a bright future ahead, we just have to find it.”

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS).

Source: APO

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The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), in partnership with the Governments of Zimbabwe and Mozambique with financial support from the Italian Agency for Development Cooperation (AICS), convened a high‑level policy dialogue at the ongoing Zimbabwe International Trade Fair (ZITF) to accelerate the transition of Sesame, Macadamia and Tomato value chains from informal trading to competitive, export‑oriented agro‑industrial performance.

Hosted on the sidelines of ongoing ZITF, an established international platform for deal‑making, policy dialogue and investment networking, FAO’s side event was designed to directly advance the agenda of the Zimbabwe–Mozambique Agriculture Value Chain & Trade Development Project (Zim–Moza ATDP). The project focuses on agricultural value chain development and trade facilitation between the two countries, targeting macadamia, sesame, and tomato value chains.

The project aims to accelerate agrifood systems transformation, promote smallholder farmer integration into global value chains, and foster sustainable economic growth. It emphasizes formalizing trade, reducing non-tariff barriers, and promoting private sector investment in aggregation, processing, and logistics. Funded to the tune of 3.5 million Euros by the Italian government through AICS, the project will be implemented in three years.

The ZITF 2026 is being convened under the theme “Connected Economies, Competitive Industries,” reinforcing the importance of regional integration and trade connectivity, precisely the enabling environment the Zim–Moza ATDP is positioning for along the Beira Corridor and broader regional markets.

“ZITF brings the right stakeholders into one place, including farmers, regulators, buyers, financiers and logistics actors, so we can move from fragmented informal trade to structured, traceable value chains that reward quality, unlock export markets and attract investment,” said Patrice Talla, FAO Subregional Coordinator for Southern Africa.  

The Zim–Moza ATDP project is one of two transboundary initiatives jointly launched by Zimbabwe and Mozambique with support from Italy government through AICS and technical coordination by FAO. Together with the Transboundary Integrated Sustainable Management of Miombo Woodlands Project, the programmes represent an integrated approach linking sustainable landscapes with inclusive economic growth between the two countries.

Within this context, the Zim–Moza ATDP specifically targets key constraints holding back Zimbabwe–Mozambique cross‑border agricultural trade, including informality, weak buyer–seller linkages, limited SPS/quality compliance capacity, high transaction costs, and gaps in aggregation and post‑harvest systems.

“When trade is organized, through farmer aggregation, reliable quality verification, and predictable compliance processes, sesame becomes an export earner rather than a crop pushed through informal routes,” said Maria Cabral Mozambique’s National Project Coordinator reflecting on the importance of adopting tested approaches to strengthen transparency and competitiveness in Zimbabwe–Mozambique trade corridors. This message echoed the broader emphasis across discussions, that is, formalization is not paperwork for its own sake, but a route to stable markets, fairer prices, and improved access to finance.

The side event was strategically designed to move stakeholders from shared policy intent to practical action, combining high‑level framing with grounded field realities and investment‑focused dialogue. It opened with scene‑setting remarks from FAO and partners to align participants on the Zim–Moza ATDP objectives and the opportunity presented by ZITF as a strategic trade and investment platform. The discourse then deliberately brought in farmer experiences segment to anchor the conversation in real production and market constraints.

The programme then moved into a moderated panel and interactive question and answer to unpack key bottlenecks, especially SPS and Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT) compliance, quality standards, structured markets, and financing, helping buyers, processors, financiers, regulators and service providers agree on practical steps to make macadamia, sesame and tomatoes export‑ready.

“Export competitiveness starts with systems, traceability, standards enforcement, predictable trade rules and logistics, because markets finance and reward what they can verify,” Gift Mugano, one of the policy dialogue panellists from the Africa Economic Development Strategies.

Panelists emphasized that transforming macadamia, sesame and tomato value chains into competitive, export‑ready sectors hinges on formalization, traceability and enforceable market rules. Discussions highlighted the need to register farmers and buyers, strengthen contract enforcement and dispute resolution, and build structured market platforms that reduce side‑marketing while improving price transparency and fairness.

In parallel, speakers repeatedly framed standards, grading and SPS compliance as non‑negotiable enablers for trade, arguing that compliance should be treated as an investment that unlocks higher‑value markets rather than as a cost burden. These points align closely with the side event’s focus on promoting structured cross‑border trade and strengthening institutional collaboration around compliance systems and market access.

A second cluster of issues focused on where value is lost before products ever reach export channels, namely productivity gaps, post‑harvest losses and weak logistics. Panelists also noted that farmers often meet basic safety expectations but lack adequate support on handling, packaging and cross‑border requirements, which pushes some trade into informal routes. They also stressed that low yields relative to varietal potential and poor post‑harvest systems, especially for perishables like tomatoes, drive distress selling during gluts and losses from spoilage, making cold chain, aggregation centres and coordinated logistics critical investments.

Finally, discussions underscored the importance of investment‑enabling finance and partnerships, including blended finance approaches, risk mitigation and buyer/processor engagement, to scale value addition and stabilize trade flows across the corridor.

FAO and partners will carry forward commitments emerging from the policy dialogue side event through targeted follow‑up actions, including technical engagements on formalizing sesame trade, stronger compliance capacity support (SPS/quality systems), and investment matchmaking for aggregation, processing and logistics solutions. The Zim-Moza ATDP project will also continue convening public‑private platforms to translate policy dialogue into operational improvements across the macadamia, sesame and tomato value chains.

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

Source: APO

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Hard‑won progress toward eliminating malaria in Zimbabwe is being reversed following cuts to foreign aid, with malaria cases and deaths surging across the country, said Save the Children, on the eve of World Malaria Day. 

As of mid-April, Zimbabwe had recorded over 65,000 malaria cases in 2026, nearly double as many malaria cases compared to the same period in 2025, with 174 deaths already — nearly double the number for 2025 [1].  

By contrast, between January and April 2024 – before the aid cuts – Zimbabwe only had around 17,000 cases and 34 deaths, which is just about half of the cases and deaths reported over the same period in 2025 after the global aid cuts.  

Last year’s aid cuts led to premature ending of the second phase of the country’s largest malaria programme – Zimbabwe Assistance Program in Malaria— which had been on track towards eliminating the deadly disease [2]. Save the Children, one of the four partners implementing the programme, said the closure of the programme has led to shortages of insecticide‑treated mosquito nets, delays in vector control operations, and weakened disease surveillance, with heavy rainfall and fluctuating weather patterns further promoting the spread of the disease.  

Malaria remains the single largest killer of children over one month of age globally (17 per cent) – with most deaths occurring in endemic areas of sub-Saharan Africa, according to a report from the World Health Organisation (WHO) released last month. According to the report, progress towards reducing malaria mortality has slowed in recent years after steep declines between 2000 and 2015 with climate shocks, invasive mosquitos, drug resistance, and other biological threats continuing to affect access to prevention and treatment. 

However, for more than a decade, Zimbabwe had been regarded as an international malaria success story. Zimbabwe made the greatest gains in malaria reduction globally in 2024, in both incidence and mortality. From 2023 to 2024, Zimbabwe reduced cases by 76.6% (equivalent to 487,000 cases), with the country on track to reach a more than 70% reduction and up to zero incidence in 2025.  

Sustained investment by international partners, including through the Zimbabwe Assistance Program in Malaria, was one of the key factors in this success, and by 2023, more than one fifth of the population of Zimbabwe was living in malaria‑free areas, according to World Health Organization data.  

Save the Children said eliminating malaria is possible, but only if commitment is sustained, calling for predictable, long‑term investment to protect children’s lives and prevent malaria from resurging in communities that had begun to see real hope.  

Save the Children’s Country Director for Zimbabwe and Malawi, Bhekimpilo Khanye, said: 

“Communities, aid agencies, health workers and the government had been working together for years to beat malaria in Zimbabwe, and we were making real progress. Last year’s aid cuts have hugely set us back.  

“These were projects focused on the total elimination of malaria from certain regions. It takes a while to reduce numbers but once the malaria parasite numbers start to dwindle in a community, it has a knock-on effect – less places for them to grow and breed means increasingly smaller numbers until you reach zero. However, when you stop this work, it has the opposite impact – numbers start to rapidly increase. We have seen a complete reversal, with the gains that were made now reversed.  

“We are calling on global donors and leaders to refocus their attention on malaria, one of the leading global causes of death in young children. We know its preventable and together we can bring numbers back down and save lives in Zimbabwe.” 

Save the Children has worked in Zimbabwe since 1983 and is currently scaling up its emergency response to help the most vulnerable children. The agency is focusing on food security, health, nutrition, education and child protection.  

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Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Save the Children.

Source: APO

The ORUN Innovation Village (MASA 2026) (https://ORUN.Africa/)

As part of the Innovation Village set up by Orun at the Marché des Arts et Spectacles Africains (MASA), in the Palais de la Culture in Abidjan, Orun officially unveiled its pan-African programme to sustainably structure the creative industries in Africa on Friday 17 April.

The ceremony brought together decision-makers, investors, financial institutions, students, artists and the media with an steadfast belief: culture is not a secondary sector, it is a strategic economic vector for Africa, capable of generating productive and competitive value chains, sustainable jobs and a real tool of influence and international diplomacy for the continent.

In a context where Cultural and Creative Industries (CCIs) represent a catalyst that is still understructured, Orun offers a different mindset: make African creativity an infrastructure of sovereignty rooted in the heritage of its peoples.

INNOVATION VILLAGE HIGHLIGHTS

April 13^th – Official opening by the First Lady of Côte d’Ivoire

On Monday 13 April, Ms Dominique Ouattara, First Lady of the Republic of Côte d’Ivoire, presided over the official opening ceremony of the village, together with Ms Françoise Remarck, Minister of Culture and Francophonie, and Mr Djibril Ouattara, Minister of Digital Transition and Technological Innovation of Côte d’Ivoire, sponsor of the MASA Innovation Village, as well as other government officials.

April 17^th – Orun Day – Launch Ceremony

On 17 April, the Innovation Village served as a platform for the launch of Orun’s pan-African programme, a centre of creative and entrepreneurial excellence designed as a collaborative space bringing together craftsmen, designers, researchers, innovators and technology to modernise crafts, promote the transformation of African raw materials and enhance competitive and robust local industrial sectors in textiles, crafts and design.

This initiative will see light of day in Bouaké, the second largest city in Côte d’Ivoire, as Orun plans to partner with leading institutions, inspired by models such as the one developed by Morocco’s University Mohammed VI Polytechnic (UM6P).

This creative ecosystem will be a first in Côte d’Ivoire, the pilot country of this initiative, with the aim to deploy this model into other African countries.

The launch was attended by Mr Amadou Koné, Minister of Transport and Mayor of Bouaké.  Ms Françoise Remarck, Minister of Culture and Francophonie, His Excellency Othman El Ferdaous, Ambassador of Morocco to Côte d’Ivoire, Olivia Yacé (Miss Côte d’Ivoire 2021 and Miss World Africa 2022) and several ambassadors from the diplomatic service.

Speaking at the launch ceremony, Mr Abdoulaye Diaw, Orun Managing Director, explained: “What we are building here goes beyond a single project: it is a movement that puts people, creativity and commitment at the heart of our development. In Bouaké and beyond, we are laying the foundations for an ecosystem where talent, know-how and innovation come together to create sustainable value. But such a village can never be built alone: it calls for collective mobilization.”

In her speech as Orun’s Ambassador for the programme, Olivia Yacé stated: “We need to support cultural industries with ambition, not as a secondary sector, but as an engine for growth and job creation. With an ecosystem where designers, craftsmen and technologies can truly meet, Orun is opening a new path of an African creativity rooted in its heritage while also projecting itself into the future.”

In his speech, Mr Othman El Ferdaous, Ambassador of the Kingdom of Morocco, recalled his country’s exemplary leadership in valuing cultural heritage: “Today, the challenge for the continent is to strengthen its autonomy in creating and financing the cultural and creative industries, so as to no longer depend on external validation circuits. The border between crafts and industry is blurred, as exemplified by initiatives such as the Orun Innovation Village or the MASA.  This trend is fully in line with the current trajectory of Côte d’Ivoire’s cultural policy.”

The ceremony on 17 April was preceded by a high-level panel, dedicated to the structuring challenges faced by the value chains of the CCIs, which brought together leading institutional and financial figures, including Mr Paul-Harry Aithnard, Managing Director of Ecobank Côte d’Ivoire and Regional Executive Director for the WAEMU, Mr Jean-Arsène Yerima, Regional Director, French-speaking West Africa, Afreximbank, and Mr Omar Diop, UNESCO Representative in Côte d’Ivoire.  In addition, Mr Amine Tajeddine, UM6P representative, also took the floor to share the R&D work that the university is undertaking to modernise various crafts, including tapestry.

The event ended with the unveiling of the United States of Africa football jersey that Orun is launching for the FIFA World Cup 2026, as a symbol of continental unity in support of African teams.

ISO 20121-based and B. Corp-certified sustainable commitment

The Innovation Village is ISO 20121 certified, the same standard as for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games and the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.  This illustrates Orun’s commitment to apply a sustainable and holistic approach, aligned with international standards, and to build a sustainable economic model rooted in culture.

From 13 to 18 April, the Innovation Village offered an experience marked by various interactive and educational activities, combining immersive technology, heritage, arts and culture, embodying a continent where youth, creativity and innovation shape the future.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of ORUN, part of African Currency Network (ACN).

Photos:
Link to the other photos of the event: https://apo-opa.co/48Va3Qb

Media Contacts:
Alpha Ba
alphaba@acn.africa

Moustapha Baidy Sow
moustaphabaidy.sow@gmail.com 

Fleur Tchibota 
fleur.t@mantisgroup.global

About ORUN:
Led by the Africa Currency Network (ACN) and a member of the Kigali International Financial Centre, Orun is a pan-African organization dedicated to structuring CCIs as drivers of sustainable development, cultural sovereignty and soft power across the continent. As a real strategic lever, Orun works to transform local economies by valuing African talent and know-how.  At the crossroads of creation, design, craftsmanship and knowledge transmission, Orun translates skills, narratives and talents into sustainable cultural, economic and symbolic assets, generating local value while engaging with key stakeholders and international platforms.