Category: English

Source: APO

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Veronica Bolton Smith, CEO of the Critical Minerals Africa Group (CMAG), has been confirmed as a speaker at the upcoming African Mining Week (AMW), Africa’s premier gathering for mining stakeholders, taking place in Cape Town from October 1–3, 2025.

Smith will join the Women Pioneering Leadership in Africa’s Mining Industry panel, where she is expected to highlight Africa’s pivotal role in the global energy transition. Boasting 30% of the world’s reserves of critical minerals such as cobalt, lithium, copper, rare earths and graphite, Africa plays a crucial role in the ongoing transition to clean energy technologies.

CMAG is fostering deeper cooperation between Africa and global stakeholders to unlock the continent’s critical minerals potential amidst an anticipated 12% increase in sub-Saharan Africa’s GDP by 2050, on the back of increased commodity revenues. Recent market performance underscores this potential. Driven by increased cooperation with global investors, Zimbabwe – Africa’s top lithium producer – recorded a 30% increase in lithium exports (https://apo-opa.co/3URLaO1) in the first half of 2025, shipping 586,197 metric tons of spodumene concentrate compared to 451,824 metric tons during the same period in 2024. Meanwhile, Zambia boosted copper production (https://apo-opa.co/45OEaXe) by 29.9% in Q1 2025 compared to Q1 2024, as the country enhances global partnerships to achieve a 2031 production increase target of 3 million tons per annum. The increase followed a 4% rise in GDP in 2024, largely fueled by copper exports.

Amidst several milestones across Africa’s critical mineral jurisdictions, Smith is also expected to emphasize the transformative role of women leaders in strengthening Africa’s supply chains, advancing local beneficiation and championing sustainable and inclusive mineral development. Industry trailblazers such as Khadidja Hassane Abdoulaye, Secretary of State for Petroleum, Mines and Geology, Chad, Emma Townshend, Executive: Corporate Affairs, Implats, Marna Cloete, President and CFO, Ivanhoe Mines and many more exemplify how female leadership is reshaping Africa’s mining landscape.

By spotlighting women’s leadership, skills development and STEM participation, AMW 2025 will provide a key platform for Smith to outline how inclusivity and innovation can enhance Africa’s critical minerals sector while positioning the continent as a global supplier of choice.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Energy Capital & Power.

About African Mining Week:
African Mining Week serves as a premier platform for exploring the full spectrum of mining opportunities across Africa. The event is held alongside the African Energy Week: Invest in African Energies 2025 conference from October 1-3 in Cape Town. Sponsors, exhibitors and delegates can learn more by contacting sales@energycapitalpower.com.

Source: APO

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Lassa fever continues to pose a major public health challenge in Nigeria and across West Africa. Between 1 January and 10 August 2025, Nigeria reported more than 6939 suspected cases, including 849 confirmed cases and 159 deaths. Globally, Lassa fever remains a recurring epidemic threat in West Africa, with countries such as Liberia, Sierra Leone, and Guinea also reporting cases in recent years.

As part of the efforts to curb transmission in Nigeria, the World Health Organization (WHO), in collaboration with the Benue State Ministry of Health and Human Services, has launched targeted sensitisation campaigns in 45 high-risk communities across five wards in Makurdi Local Government Area. The campaign engages residents in everyday spaces—including markets, places of worship, and community gathering points—to improve early detection and promote life-saving prevention practices.

WHO support strengthening communities’ response

The intervention is being led by Benue State’s Public Health Emergency Operations Centre (PHEOC) and Lassa Fever Technical Working Groups (TWGs), with technical and logistical support from WHO. To implement the campaign, WHO trained 91 health workers and community volunteers, equipping them with tools and information to engage households, answer questions, and deliver simple prevention messages.

“Lassa fever has been a recurring threat to our people,” said Dr Asema Paul, State Epidemiologist at Benue State PHEOC. “Sensitisation is critical in breaking the cycle of transmission. By bringing prevention messages to everyday spaces and training local health workers and volunteers, WHO is helping us build a community-led defense against the disease.”

Dr Asma’i Zeenat, WHO North Central Zone Coordinator, emphasised: “Treatment is costly and mortality is high, but prevention is far more effective. This is why we are engaging gatekeepers at the community level to help protect families and save lives.”

Impact at state level

Benue State is among Nigeria’s highest-burden states. In 2024, the state reported 1,051 suspected cases and 67 confirmed cases of Lassa fever. As of 10 August 2025, 155 suspected cases and 14 confirmed cases have already been reported, with five associated deaths and a concerning 36 % case fatality rate.

Community leaders have welcomed the outreach. His Royal Highness Clement Kulugh, Mue Ter Masev of Ugondo Community, commended the initiative:

“People should share the message on precautions to prevent Lassa fever—store food properly, ensure hygienic practices, and tell others what they have learned. WHO and the government are here for the good of the people.”

Messages that save lives

The outreach campaigns emphasize:

Storing food in sealed, rodent-proof containers.

Keeping homes and surroundings clean to deter rodents.

Seeking care immediately when symptoms appear.

Community voices highlight the change in knowledge and behaviour. “Before now, I didn’t know rodent-bitten food could make us sick,” said Ms Mngutswen Joy, a student in Fiidi community. “Now I will store food in sealed containers and share this knowledge with others.”

Mr Ayangeor Terlumun Destiny, a 25-year-old trader, said: Before now, I never took the time to learn more about Lassa fever. This health talk made me realise the dangers of the disease, the preventive measures, and its symptoms.

Taking the fight to everyday spaces

By meeting people in places where they live, work, and worship, the campaign has reached more than 100,000 people using locally adapted messages, storybooks, and illustrated materials. Market traders, worshippers, and families are now better equipped to prevent infection and seek care early.

Global and national outlook

WHO continues to support the Government of Nigeria to strengthen surveillance, improve case management, and drive risk communication at national and subnational levels. These community campaigns in Benue State are part of a broader global strategy to reduce the impact of viral haemorrhagic fevers in West Africa by strengthening preparedness and engaging communities at the frontline.

In the long term, WHO and the Benue State Ministry of Health will continue to scale up periodic sensitisation through community outreach and mass media, contributing to Nigeria’s national goal of reducing deaths from epidemic-prone diseases and building resilience against recurring outbreaks.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of World Health Organization (WHO) – Nigeria.

Source: APO

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The Chairperson of the African Union Commission (AUC), H.E. Mahmoud Ali Youssouf, received H.E. Amb. Liberata Mulamula, the AU Special Envoy on Women, Peace and Security (WPS).

Their discussions focused on the strategic direction of the Special Envoy’s mandate. The Chairperson emphasized the importance of aligning her work with continental frameworks such as Agenda 2063 and the AU Peace and Security Architecture (APSA), as well as global standards including UN Security Council Resolution 1325.

The Chairperson underscored the necessity of placing women’s leadership and protection at the heart of the AU’s interventions in key conflict regions such as Sudan, the Sahel, the Horn of Africa, and the Great Lakes. He encouraged the Special Envoy to build strong synergies with youth initiatives and to ensure the integration of women mediators and gender perspectives in all AU-led peace processes.

Furthermore, H.E. Mahmoud Ali Youssouf highlighted the importance of collaboration with Regional Economic Communities (RECs), Regional Mechanisms (RMs), AU organs, UN Women, and civil society to ensure coherence and amplify women’s voices. Strengthening the monitoring of Member States’ commitments through the Continental Results Framework (CRF) was identified as a key priority for accountability.

The Chairperson concluded by assuring the Special Envoy of his full support and stressing the need for sustainable financing for women-led peace initiatives, particularly at the grassroots level. He stated his expectation for visible advocacy, thought leadership, and the delivery of measurable results within her first year.

The meeting reaffirmed the AU’s unwavering commitment to translating continental and national commitments on WPS into tangible improvements in the lives of women and girls in peace and security processes across Africa.

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

Source: APO – Report:

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Around 260,000 civilians – including 130,000 children – remain trapped in the area’s main camp for internally displaced people, enduring desperate conditions without aid for more than 16 months.

The Rapid Support Forces (RSF), which has been battling forces of the military government for control of Sudan for over two years, has cut off all supply lines.

RSF militia have been besieging the city since May last year and it is the last urban area still under government control.

“We are witnessing a devastating tragedy – children in Al Fasher are starving while UNICEF’s lifesaving nutrition services are being blocked,” said Catherine Russell, UNICEF Executive Director.

Deadly violence

Reports this week point to yet another mass-casualty incident, with seven children reportedly killed in an attack on Abu Shouk camp for internally displaced people, on the outskirts of El Fasher.

Since the start of the siege in May 2024, more than 1,100 grave violations have been verified in El Fasher alone, including the killing and maiming of over 1,000 children.

Meanwhile, at least 23 children have been subjected to rape, gang rape, or sexual abuse. Others have been abducted, recruited, or used by armed groups, said UNICEF.

Health and education facilities have also come under sustained attack, with 35 hospitals and six schools struck, killing and injuring many, including children.

Aid blocked

Meanwhile, the UN aid coordination office (OCHA) warned Wednesday that the already dire situation in North Darfur continues to worsen.

“Blocking humanitarian access is a grave violation of children’s rights, and the lives of children are hanging in the balance,” Ms. Russell said, reiterating UNICEF’s call for immediate and full access to El Fasher.

The toll on children is catastrophic, the agency suspension of medical services due to depleted supplies has left an estimated 6,000 children suffering from Severe Acute Malnutrition (SAM) without treatment, UNICEF said.

Without therapeutic food and medical care, these children face an extremely high risk of death. News reports indicate at least 63 people, mostly women and children, died of malnutrition in just a single week.  

UNICEF continues to call for unimpeded humanitarian access for the delivery of therapeutic food, medicines, clean water, and other essentials.

Cholera outbreak

The siege is colliding with Sudan’s worst cholera outbreak in decades. More than 2,400 deaths have been reported since July 2024.

In overcrowded camps around Tawila, Zamzam and El Fasher, children weakened by hunger are now especially vulnerable to cholera and other deadly waterborne diseases.

“Children must be protected at all times, and they must have access to life-saving aid,” said Ms Russell.

– on behalf of UN News.

Source: APO – Report:

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Chomba, a 29-year-old mother of four, has accessed family planning services for the first time since marrying a decade ago.

Until recently, the nearest health facility was a two-hour walk from her rural village, making it nearly impossible for her to space her children or attend antenatal appointments. Her story mirrors those of millions of women whose lives have been transformed by Zambia’s commitment to reproductive health.

From Cairo to today

Over 30 years ago, at the landmark International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD) in Cairo, Zambia joined 178 nations in declaring “No more!”—no more women dying in childbirth, no more unmet need for family planning, and no more gender-based discrimination and violence.

Since then, Zambia has worked with the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) to turn that promise into reality. In February 2023, the government signed a Compact of Commitment with UNFPA to boost domestic funding for family planning and maternal health supplies. Backed by the Ministry of Finance and National Planning, the Ministry of Health, and the Zambia Medicines and Medical Supplies Agency (ZAMMSA), the compact ensures essential commodities are procured through UNFPA’s trusted global system.

Since signing, Zambia has disbursed more than USD 11.4 million, including USD 4.3 million in 2025, for the procurement of reproductive health commodities. By investing beyond the agreed threshold, Zambia has also qualified for the Match Fund for three years running. This unlocks up to USD 2 million in additional support annually.

“Investing in sexual and reproductive health commodities is not just a health issue; it is a powerful economic one,” says Seth Broekman, UNFPA Country Representative. “When women are empowered to make choices about their bodies and families, they can pursue education and careers with greater freedom, which builds a dynamic workforce and driving national prosperity.”

Commodities reaching communities

With this investment, availability of reproductive health commodities has surged. ZAMMSA reports medical supplies in public facilities now reach over 70 per cent, surpassing WHO benchmarks. In Mansa District, family planning availability jumped from just 30 to 40 percent in early 2024 to more than 90 percent in 2025, giving women more choice than ever before.

Challenges remain with funding shortfalls, weak road networks, and limited last-mile distribution, which hinder full access. To bridge these gaps, UNFPA has stepped in with third-party logistics support, which now accounts for about 7 per cent of ZAMMSA’s total distributions, helping move commodities closer to communities in need.

For women like Chomba, this compact is beyond policy. It is the power to choose, and keeping the promise for Zambia.

– on behalf of UNFPA – East and Southern Africa.

Source: APO – Report:

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The National Orchid Garden has honoured President John Dramani Mahama with a newly named orchid hybrid, “Vanda John Dramani Mahama,” unveiled during his visit to the Singapore Botanic Gardens.

The orchid will join the Garden’s renowned “VIP Orchids” collection, a tradition that pays tribute to visiting heads of state, heads of government, and other distinguished guests. President Mahama signed the visitors’ book and received a briefing on the history of the Gardens as part of his tour.

The National Orchid Garden’s practice of naming hybrids after state dignitaries reflects both diplomatic goodwill and Singapore’s cultural heritage. Beyond their aesthetic appeal, the orchids are seen as symbols of the nation’s journey of growth and transformation.

“Vanda John Dramani Mahama” now stands among floral tributes dedicated to international leaders who have visited the Botanic Gardens, underscoring the role of horticulture in Singapore’s soft diplomacy and its longstanding ties with global partners.

– on behalf of The Presidency, Republic of Ghana.

Source: APO – Report:

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Ghana and Singapore on Wednesday discussed cooperation in sustainable development and value-added agriculture, anchoring their talks around a pioneering carbon markets agreement and plans to scale agro-processing and jobs in Ghana.

Speaking during bilateral talks with President John Dramani Mahama in Singapore, President Tharman Shanmugaratnam said, “the first Asian country to sign the implementation of a carbon credit agreement with Ghana and the first in Africa, is Singapore,” casting the deal as a platform to channel investment into low-carbon growth.

He added that “other areas of interest are agribusiness, downstream processing of products like cashew, cocoa… and we are ready and glad to pursue them together.”

President John Mahama, who is on a three-day State Visit, stated that Ghana is targeting job creation through a twin push in modern agriculture and services.

“On tackling the challenge with jobs, agribusiness has space for work and lots of employment, and we have, as part of our Reset Agenda, put a lot of focus on it,” he said.

“Ghana has more than enough arable land for farming,” he added, highlighting the Volta Economic Corridor: “We have over 2 million hectares of land along the river for development into agro-processing parks, irrigated lands, etc., and that surely will be another game changer under our Resetting Ghana and the 24-hour economy programme.”

Mahama also pointed to the “creative and digital services” economy as a rapid employer for Ghana’s youth. The sector, he said, “employs faster and creates 5 jobs easily before a job is created in the traditional job markets.”

Tharman acknowledged that “jobs are a challenge, but that’s also something you are dealing with,” he said, underscoring Singapore’s interest in helping develop SMEs alongside green and agro-industrial projects.

Mahama framed the broader partnership as part of Ghana’s role in Africa’s economic opening under the AfCFTA, while congratulating Singapore on 60 years of independence.

“We are stabilising the economy,” he said, and the next phase is to convert stability into sustainable, job-rich growth through green finance, downstream processing and digital opportunity.

– on behalf of The Presidency, Republic of Ghana.

Source: APO – Report:

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Executive Secretary of the International Conference on the Great Lakes Region (ICGLR), at the Ministry Headquarters in Kampala.

H.E. Caholo, who has been in Uganda since 15th August, paid a courtesy call to brief the Minister on ongoing ICGLR initiatives. He highlighted expert meetings on environmental governance and natural resources held in Entebbe, focusing on artisanal and small-scale mining, the Regional Certification Mechanism, and cross-border cooperation.

He further updated the Minister on the Regional Observatory Mechanism (ROM), where Uganda assumed the Chairmanship in May 2025, underscoring the need for a clear work plan to strengthen the mining sector, including projects such as Wagagai Mining Limited.

H.E. Caholo also expressed concern that the required ICGLR Summits of Heads of State and Foreign Ministers have not convened since 2021, and reminded Uganda of its contributions to the ICGLR.

The Minister welcomed the Executive Secretary, reaffirmed Uganda’s commitment to the ICGLR, and pledged to follow up on Uganda’s contributions while supporting artisanal miners through national associations.

– on behalf of The Republic of Uganda – Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Source: APO – Report:

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Salif Tiendrébéogo left Burkina Faso in search of a better life. He spent five years travelling through seven countries. In the end, he lost all his money, his freedom, his migration status, and almost lost his life.

In 2014, Salif left Burkina Faso for Niger, hoping to make his way to Europe to escape the grinding poverty of his youth. His parents eked out a meager living by farming, but they made sure that he completed Qur’anic school.

After graduation, he had no clear work prospects. He’d heard stories of the money to be made abroad, and he decided that was the best way for him to support his parents. 

‘My friends assured me that if I migrated, I would be able to take care of myself. Indeed, when your family relies on you and you don’t have an option, it’s not easy. That’s why I decided to leave,’ Salif said.

Harsh reality of migration 

Salif never made it to Europe. First he went to neighbouring Niger, where life was no easier. After a few months, he moved to Mali, where he even took Malian nationality to brighten his chances. Later he was robbed, and lost everything. Fed up with life in Mali, he decided to travel to Algeria.

‘When I left Burkina Faso, I went to Niger. Then I moved to Mali, Algeria, Libya, Morocco, Mauritania and back to Algeria. I lived longer in Algeria,’ he said. 

In Algeria, he took on any work he could find, just to secure some financial stability. 

‘First, I worked as a farm labourer, bricklayer, then several others: as a scrap metal worker, a vegetable seller, a mason, and a plasterer,’ Salif said. 

At his peak in Algeria, Salif became an employer. He was earning up to 250,000 FCFA ($440) a day. However, after five years in the country, he was arrested on immigration violations. He spent four months in prison, until Algerian authorities released and deported him along with several inmates. They were crammed into a vehicle and dumped in the desert along the border with Niger, with strict orders never to return to Algeria.

After his strength failed him, with no hope of surviving the long walk in the desert, Salif stayed back at one point, expecting to die like the others. However, luck shone on him, and he was picked from the desert by the International Organization for Migration (IOM), a UN agency that sends teams to make routine checks in the desert to save migrants.

He was taken to a hospital in Agadez, Niger. Once he’d recovered, he was transferred to the IOM refugee camp in Niger.

‘I stayed at the IOM refugee camp for over six months before receiving travel documents and financial support to prepare for my return to Burkina Faso,’ he said.

Salif didn’t want to return home. He hoped to go back to his life in Algeria. 

While at the refugee camp, he called his father, who thought he had died. He warned Salif never to return to Algeria, but to go back home to Burkina Faso.

‘He made it clear that if I went back, he would never forgive me. But I was angry with him because I was the only one who knew what I had lost in Algeria and what I wanted to get back. I didn’t want to go back to Burkina Faso without getting it all back. But I finally listened to my father and went back. But I wasn’t happy because I had nothing,’ he said.

When he arrived home, Salif was a shadow of himself. He struggled with trauma, loss, and reintegration. 

‘I was just a wandering soul,’ he said. ‘I didn’t even have an identity card. I just had a pass. My parents did everything they could to look after me psychologically.’ 

Journey to redemption 

IOM helped him settle back into life in Burkina Faso. They introduced him to the Ethical Fashion Initiative at the International Trade Centre. That’s how he learned about a training opportunity through Commerce et Artisanal pour le Bien-Etre Social (CABES – Trade and Crafts for Social Welfare). 

CABES specializes in hand weaving, which Salif found interesting and registered for the vocational training.

‘At CABES, I received training in large loom weaving for three months and then worked for six months. I was paid 35,000 FCFA (about $60) per month. After that, we were paid according to the results of our work. I could earn more or less than 64,000 FCFA (about $110). It depends on the work that I do,’ he shared.

‘Before I left Burkina Faso, all I knew was agriculture, but now I also know how to weave. I know how to take a thread and turn it into a garment. I make money from it. Being back is very good compared to when I left.’

– on behalf of International Trade Centre.

Source: APO

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Malawians will go to the polls on September 16 to vote for the president and Members of Parliament. At this juncture, Malawi finds itself in an unenviable environment with questions about the impartiality of its electoral commission, and the protection of rights critical for a credible, free and fair election, including freedom of expression, association and assembly.

Echoes of Malawi’s contentious 2019 election still reverberate. In a landmark judgment, Malawi’s Constitutional Court nullified the 2019 presidential election due to widespread irregularities, becoming only the third African country to nullify a presidential election, after Côte d’Ivoire in 2010 and Kenya in 2017.

The judgment, which was scathing of the conduct of the Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) in its management of the election, was hailed as a triumph for democratic accountability and electoral justice.

As things stand today, Malawi’s electoral landscape presents a stark paradox: on one hand, the memory of judicial courage and reform following the 2019 annulled elections; on the other, a deepening crisis of confidence that threatens to reverse those very gains.

The warning signs of voter apathy, political violence, contested electoral authority, unequal campaign conditions and biased media coverage are symptoms of a democratic system under strain.

Malawi teeters on the brink of regression in terms of governance. Reports of politically motivated violence have surged. In one of the most brazen incidents, on June 26, 2025 the police stood by as weapon-wielding men attacked demonstrators calling for an independent audit of the voters’ roll and the resignation of top electoral commission officials.

Civil society groups and opposition parties allege that those behind the political violence have links to a youth militia aligned to the ruling Malawi Congress Party, though the party has denied such claims.

In November 2024, opposition parties and civil society organizations had alleged that the governing party had organized the violent attack by masked men with weapons on a demonstration urging electoral reforms. At that time, as at the June 26 protests, witnesses said that law enforcement officers stood by while the masked men assaulted peaceful protesters.

The police’s apparent unwillingness to intervene to stop the violence – or to arrest those responsible, even when their identities were known – raises grave concerns about the government’s ability to conduct the September general election in a fair and impartial manner. The authorities’ muted response to attacks on civil liberties risks normalizing impunity that could undermine the country’s hard-won democratic gains.

At the heart of the storm lies the national electoral commission. Civil society groups and opposition parties have raised alarm over the composition of the commission’s secretariat and perceived political affiliations of its leadership. The commission’s top management remains in the hands of people widely believed to have strong links to the governing party. This has proved detrimental to the credibility of the MEC as a fair and impartial arbiter.

The commission’s refusal to allow local organizations access to inspect the voters’ rolls has raised concerns about the fairness of the process. And the commission’s adoption of Smartmatic technology, intended to modernize the electoral process, has instead sparked concerns due to a lack of transparency.

Voter registration figures are equally troubling. Of the estimated 10.9 million eligible voters, only 7.2 million have registered. This glaring gap may reflect inadequate civic education and raises concerns about voter apathy.

Malawi’s Political Parties Act of 2018 remains toothless, especially on campaign financing. The governing party has allegedly exploited state resources for campaign purposes, while opposition parties struggle with unequal access to public funds.

Meanwhile, the governing party is perceived to have in effect captured the state-funded Malawi Broadcasting Corporation, evidenced by its skewed coverage and denying airtime to dissenting voices.

In July, the Malawi Chapter of the Media Institute of Southern Africa (Misa) and the Media Council of Malawi issued a joint statement  reminding the MBC leadership to “adhere to the Communications Act (2016) that mandates the outlet to be balanced and objective in its coverage of news, including political discourse.”

The governing party’s monopoly of the state media is not only incompatible with Malawi’s laws, but also the Southern Africa Development Community (SADC) Principles and Guidelines Governing Democratic Elections, which call for “equal opportunity for all political parties to access the state media” during the campaign period.

Malawi’s democratic story need not end in disappointment. The reforms initiated after 2019 proved that reform is possible.

But for that momentum to continue, democracy-supporting institutions such as the judiciary, the police and the executive need to uphold the integrity of the elections. Political leaders should denounce violence in all forms.

And the government needs to ensure the rights to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly, including for those seeking electoral justice.

International and regional stakeholders should publicly press for elections that meet international standards before the entire process descends into disarray.

Without urgent and coordinated responses from domestic institutions and regional actors, Malawi risks descending into a cycle of contested legitimacy and democratic decay.

They should urgently call for an environment free of intimidation, harassment and violence. They should also urge the government of Malawi to observe its own laws, and to implement the SADC Principles and Guidelines Governing Democratic Elections and the African Union’s African Charter on Democracy, Elections and Governance.

With sustained support, vigilant observation and a recommitment to electoral fairness, Malawi can reaffirm its place as a regional exemplar of democratic resilience. The time to act is now, while the promise of credible, peaceful and participatory elections can still be upheld.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Human Rights Watch (HRW).