Category: English

Source: APO

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• Mauritanian security forces committed serious human rights violations between 2020 and early 2025 against migrants and asylum seekers.
• The European Union and Spain, bilaterally, have continued to outsource migration management to Mauritania, despite its rights violations.
• Recent steps by the Mauritanian government may improve protection for migrants and their rights. These should continue, and the EU and Spain should ensure that their migration cooperation with Mauritania prioritizes rights and saving lives.

Mauritanian security forces committed serious human rights violations between 2020 and early 2025 against largely West and Central African migrants and asylum seekers, often when they were seeking to leave or transit the country, Human Rights Watch said in a report released today. However, recent steps and commitments by the Mauritanian government may improve protection for migrants and their rights.

The 142-page report, “‘They Accused Me of Trying to Go to Europe’: Migration Control Abuses and EU Externalization in Mauritania,” documents abuses by the Mauritanian police, coast guard, navy, gendarmerie, and army during border and migration control, including torture, rape, and other violence; sexual harassment; arbitrary arrests and detention; inhumane detention conditions; racist treatment; extortion and theft; and summary and collective expulsions. The crackdowns and rights violations were exacerbated by the European Union and Spain, bilaterally, continuing to outsource migration management to Mauritania, including through years of support to Mauritania’s border and migration control authorities.

“For years, Mauritanian authorities followed an abusive migration control playbook – sadly common across North Africa – by violating the rights of African migrants from other regions,” said Lauren Seibert, refugee and migrant rights researcher at Human Rights Watch. “But Mauritania’s recent reforms show that a new approach is possible. The government should build on these efforts, scale up monitoring of security forces, and halt collective expulsions.”

Between 2020 and mid-2025, Human Rights Watch interviewed 223 people by phone and in person during visits to Mauritania, Mali, Senegal, and EU institutions in Brussels. In addition to 102 migrants and asylum seekers from Senegal, Guinea, Mali, Cameroon, Sierra Leone, and Liberia, Human Rights Watch interviewed government, United Nations, and EU officials; members of nongovernmental and civil society organizations; relatives of abuse victims; witnesses; experts; lawyers; community members; and others.

Human Rights Watch examined injuries from alleged abuse; collected photos, videos, and documents to corroborate accounts; and, in 2022 and 2023 in Mauritania, visited migrant detention centers and Dar Naïm prison, which held people on migrant smuggling charges.

Human Rights Watch documented violations by Mauritanian security forces between 2020 and 2025 against 77 migrants and asylum seekers – men, women, and children – and a Mauritanian man, who said police tortured him during migrant-smuggling-related interrogations in 2022.

Increasing numbers of migrants and asylum seekers between 2020 and 2024 attempted the “Atlantic Route” by boat from northwest Africa to Spain’s Canary Islands, with many departing from Mauritania. Some have fled conflict or persecution in their countries – including many from Mali, where armed conflict has worsened alongside government repression – while others aimed to escape poverty and find work. In 2024, a record 46,843 people arrived by boat in the Canaries. About 11,500 people arrived between January and July 2025.

Mauritania has also long attracted West and Central Africans seeking work, and it hosts about 176,000 registered asylum seekers and refugees, the majority from Mali. Some migrants seek to transit Mauritania toward Moroccan-occupied Western Sahara, Morocco, or Algeria.

In 2024, Mauritania signed a new migration partnership with the EU in exchange for €210 million in funding to reduce irregular migration, comparable to other EU deals with Tunisia and Egypt. Spain increased its bilateral support to the same end, while maintaining deployment of Spanish police and civil guard in Mauritania to assist authorities with migration control.

Dozens of people who had been held in Mauritania’s police-run migrant detention centers described inhumane conditions and treatment, including lack of food, poor sanitation, adolescent children at times detained with unrelated adults, and some beatings by guards.

Between 2020 and mid-2025, Mauritanian police expelled tens of thousands of African foreigners of multiple nationalities – generally without formal legal procedures or an opportunity to challenge their expulsion – to remote locations along the borders with Mali and Senegal, where limited aid, plus worsening insecurity in Mali’s Kayes region, has put people at risk. In the first half of 2025, Mauritania expelled over 28,000 people, the government said.

Marco Gibson, a Liberian man, said Mauritania’s military arrested him with a group of over 40 migrants near Mauritania’s northern border in December 2024, as they were leaving toward Moroccan-occupied Western Sahara: “The Mauritanian army … beat us with sticks … [and] a rubber whip…. I’ve never seen such a brutal attitude.” Following detention, police expelled him and around 20 others, including children, to Mali’s border town of Gogui, in the Nioro du Sahel area of Kayes region, he said. Days later, an Islamist armed group attacked Nioro.

Human Rights Watch has documented police use of prolonged, painful restraints, limited food and water, and other mistreatment during expulsions, as well as cases of children, asylum seekers, and people with valid legal status in Mauritania among those expelled.

The report also highlights the negative impacts of Mauritania’s interceptions and forced returns of migrant boats, supported by the EU and Spain, while search-and-rescue in the Atlantic remains insufficient, contributing to ongoing deaths.

By funding, equipping, and collaborating with Mauritanian forces for years to bolster border and migration controls without ensuring adequate human rights safeguards, the EU and Spain incentivized repression of migration and share responsibility for abuses in Mauritania, Human Rights Watch said. In some cases, Spanish forces were present during abusive arrests and detention of migrants by Mauritanian authorities. The EU also funded renovations of two former migrant detention centers, set to open this year to receive migrants intercepted or rescued at sea.

In a reply to questions from Human Rights Watch, the Mauritanian government said it “reject[s] allegations of torture, racial discrimination, or systematic violations of migrants’ rights.” It cited recent steps to improve respect for rights, including a “ban on collective expulsions” and new standard operating procedures (SOPs) adopted in May 2025 to regulate disembarkations and “management” of migrants, with strong rights and protection guarantees.

The European Commission, in its reply to Human Rights Watch, said its partnership with Mauritania was “solidly anchored” in respect for rights and cited EU support for the SOPs and other rights-focused initiatives.

“The Mauritanian government’s steps to improve respect for migrant rights are much needed,” Seibert said. “By going further to end abuses, Mauritania could potentially lead the way toward rights-respecting migration management in North Africa. For their part, the EU and Spain should ensure that their migration cooperation with Mauritania prioritizes rights and saving lives, instead of supporting security crackdowns that lead to abuses.”

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

Source: APO

Universities are essential partners in Africa’s development, and the African Development Bank (www.AfDB.org) is committed to supporting them as centres of innovation that can attract not only Bank financing but also private investment and venture capital, Vice-President for Regional Development, Integration and Business Delivery, Nnenna Nwabufo, said.

She was speaking at a symposium held Saturday 23 August, on the sidelines of the Ninth Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD9). The event was organised by the University of Tokyo and co-hosted by the University of Pretoria in partnership with the African Development Bank.

The symposium, titled From Campus to Community – University Collaboration between Africa and Japan for Real-World Change, explored how academic partnerships between Africa and Asia can generate new opportunities for co-creation and progress. It took place at the University of Tokyo on Saturday, 23 August.

“As Africa’s premier development finance institution, the African Development Bank sees universities as vital allies — not only as centres of learning, but also as drivers of innovation, engines of entrepreneurship, and catalysts for societal transformation,” Nwabufo said in her keynote address.

“The Bank believes that Africa’s future depends on strong and empowered universities that go beyond producing knowledge to becoming active agents of change,” she added.

Dr Teruo Fujii, President of the University of Tokyo, and Dr Francis Petersen, Vice-Chancellor and Principal of the University of Pretoria, also delivered keynote remarks. Dr Petersen’s message was read on his behalf by Prof Margaret Chigita-Mabugu, Dean of the Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences at the University of Pretoria. Both speakers emphasised the importance of collaboration through diverse voices, innovative partnerships, and the social impact of Africa–Japan cooperation.

The audience also heard from two panels of experts who further unpacked the role of universities in fostering entrepreneurship and innovation through Africa-Asia collaboration.

Professor Frans Swanepoel, Head, Wits School of Governance, underlined the need for skills development on a continent with such a youthful population. “Education plays a determination in what you achieve as an entrepreneur,” he noted.

Hendrina Droba, Division Manager, Education, Human Capital and Employment at the African Development Bank gave examples of promoting university partnerships for youth and innovation as a core facet of the Bank’s new 10-year strategy. One of the  most successful is the Japan Africa Dream Scholarship.

Mary Yeboah Asantewaa from Ghana, a recipient of the scholarship, shared how the opportunity opened up career pathways which led to her current employment in healthcare and using innovative drone technology to fight malaria.

Putting university education and skills development top of the agenda

The African Development Bank is committed to leveraging the potential and power of universities through five areas: by integrating universities into investment programs – ensuring that higher education institutions are embedded within national development and industrialization projects supported by the Bank; financing skills and innovation ecosystems; fostering university-industry partnerships – so that universities become not only knowledge producers but also co-creators with private sector players; supporting entrepreneurship hubs and technology parks within universities; and facilitating knowledge-sharing platforms that enable universities to showcase their innovations and attract investment.

The Japan Africa Dream Scholarship (https://apo-opa.co/4oUsefa) is a capacity building program by the African Development Bank and the Government of Japan. The program, initiated in 2017, offers high-achieving African students a two-year scholarship opportunity to pursue post-graduate studies at master’s level in energy, agriculture, health, environmental sustainability and engineering. To date, 41 students have been awarded full scholarships, with 27 and 14 of them in Japanese and African partner universities respectively.

“I am glad to say that the University of Tokyo is a partner in this program,” Nwabufo said. “Partnership between African and Japanese universities is one sure way of strengthening and fostering long-term partnership and collaboration between Africa and Japan, as the African trainees of today will become the leaders of tomorrow.”

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of African Development Bank Group (AfDB).

smugmug album: https://apo-opa.co/3V7mQId

Contact:
Amba Mpoke-Bigg
Communication and External Relations Department
email: media@afdb.org

About the African Development Bank Group:
The African Development Bank Group is Africa’s premier development finance institution. It comprises three distinct entities: the African Development Bank (AfDB), the African Development Fund (ADF) and the Nigeria Trust Fund (NTF). On the ground in 41 African countries with an external office in Japan, the Bank contributes to the economic development and the social progress of its 54 regional member states. For more information: www.AfDB.org

Source: APO – Report:

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The Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on Police, Mr Ian Cameron, has noted Statistics South Africa’s release of the Governance, Public Safety and Justice Survey 2024/25, which highlights the worrying and inherent trust deficit between the South African Police Service (SAPS) and the broader community.

“It is worrying that it is estimated that only about 43% (43,4%) of households that experienced housebreaking in the 2024/25 financial year reported some or all incidents to the police, and that about 51% (51,3%) of households that experienced home robbery reported some or all incidents to the police. This is a worrying low number of reported incidents to the police and points to an inherent trust deficit,” Mr Cameron emphasised.

While these challenges are evident in the high police-to-population ratio and the perennial lack of tools of trade, such as vehicles, the Chairperson highlighted that the SAPS should use the statistics to enhance their efforts and adopt a data-driven approach to policing.

The Chairperson also highlighted that the most common crime consistently experienced by South Africans is housebreaking/burglary/robbery. “The South African Police Service must do more to enhance visible policing, especially in hotspot areas, to ensure a feeling of safety, especially in their homes,” Mr Cameron said.

The increase in sexual offences is also a point of concern for the Chairperson. It is worrying that Stats SA reported that about 132 000 individuals experienced sexual offences over the past five years, an increase of 13.8%. In its recent visit to KwaZulu-Natal at the South African Police Service (SAPS) Forensic Science Laboratory division, the committee highlighted concerns around processing DNA samples to ensure effective prosecution of GBV cases. “The increase in cases highlights for the SAPS the need to urgently resolve the matter to ensure that perpetrators are brought to book. The only deterrence against GBV is effective prosecution,” Mr Cameron highlighted.

It is also worrying that the proportion of adults aged 16 and older who felt safe walking alone in their neighbourhoods during the day declined from 85% in 2020/21 to 80,4% in 2023/24, before edging up slightly to 81% in 2024/25, pointing to declining perceptions of safety. The Chairperson has highlighted the importance of visible policing, especially at night, where only 36,1% adults feel safe in the 2024/25 financial year.

While the Chairperson acknowledged SAPS’s shortcomings in resolving the current crime challenge, he has also called for a broader societal reflection on how, as a society, we can contribute to efforts to fight crime. “It is important that we adopt a whole-of-society approach to fight crime, either by sharing information with police or establishing functional community policing forums to enhance collaboration in the fight against crime. The police cannot do it alone,” Mr Cameron emphasised.

The committee intends to interact with Statistics South Africa and SAPS on the general crime statistics, especially the misalignment between the SAPS’s crime statistics and the perception on the ground, as revealed in the Stats SA survey.

– on behalf of Republic of South Africa: The Parliament.

Source: APO – Report:

The African Development Bank (www.AfDB.org) has signed a Letter of Intent (LoI)with the Shimizu Corporation, Kao Corporation and The Nippon Road Co Ltd to advance cooperation in the deployment of innovative, climate-resilient road maintenance solutions in Africa.

The agreement was signed by Solomon Quaynor, African Development Bank Vice President for Private Sector, Infrastructure & Industrialization, and executives from Shimizu, Kao, and Nippon Road on Thursday 21 August, on the sidelines of the Ninth Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD9) in Yokohama, Japan.

The LoI will formalize a framework for mutual cooperation, information and knowledge sharing, as well as the exploration of co-financing opportunities for sustainable infrastructure solutions across Africa.

The consortium’s PET Asphalt Concrete technology, a reinforced asphalt mixture with recycled PET plastic bottles, was selected in June 2025 through a competitive call for proposals under the Bank’s Sustainable Road Maintenance Program for Africa (SRMPA). The solution demonstrates strong potential to enhance sustainability in Africa’s road maintenance sector, while supporting circular economy principles.

Under the agreement, the African Development Bank will facilitate coordination with governments, lead awareness-raising campaigns, support capacity building for local partners, and explore financing options for deployment of the technology.

Shimizu, Kao, and Nippon Road for their part, will conduct demand and feasibility studies, test the application of PET Asphalt Concrete in various African contexts, and assess investment opportunities for scaling up upon successful results.

“The Sustainable Road Maintenance Program for Africa (SRMPA) is an innovative initiative by the Bank aiming at offering climate resilient solutions to protect infrastructure investments from the impacts of climate change,” Quaynor stated. “Partnering with Shimizu, Kao, and Nippon Road will enable Africa to benefit from cutting-edge circular economy technology while addressing the growing backlog of road maintenance needs.”

Mr. Kazuya Osako, Managing Officer and Director, International Civil Engineering Division, Shimizu Corporation, said: “We believe that the key to successfully spreading this technology in Africa is a collaboration with local companies and partners.”

Shimuzu has already begun  testing the PET Asphalt Concrete in Kenya since May this year, Osaka added.

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

Contact:
Amba Mpoke-Bigg
Communication and External Relations Department
email: media@afdb.org

About the African Development Bank Group:
The African Development Bank Group is Africa’s premier development finance institution. It comprises three distinct entities: the African Development Bank (AfDB), the African Development Fund (ADF) and the Nigeria Trust Fund (NTF). On the ground in 41 African countries with an external office in Japan, the Bank contributes to the economic development and the social progress of its 54 regional member states. For more information: www.AfDB.org

About Shimizu Corporation:
Shimizu engages in civil engineering and construction, committed to deploying innovative solutions for sustainable infrastructure. Website: https://www.Shimz.co.jp/en/

About Kao Corporation:
Kao engages in consumer and chemical products, committed to providing innovative solutions for the infrastructure sector through its chemical business. Website: https://www.Kao.com/global/en/

About Nippon Road Co., Ltd.:
Nippon Road, a group company of Shimizu Corporation, primarily engages in road construction and paving work, alongside general civil engineering, sports facilities and related businesses. Website: https://www.NipponRoad.co.jp/english/

Source: APO – Report:

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The second day of the Regional Stakeholders’ Meeting on the Establishment of a Buffer Zone against Peste des Petits Ruminants (PPR) in the SADC Region is focusing on the technical and institutional prerequisites necessary to advance the global objective of eradicating PPR by 2030.

The necessity of synchronising vaccination campaigns, surveillance, and reporting systems throughout the region was emphasised by experts, who also noted persistent breaches in cross-border coordination and inadequate laboratory capacity. The technical presentations elucidated the methods by which buffer zones, which are geographically defined areas that separate infected from disease-free regions, can prevent the spread of PPR. These methods include public awareness campaigns, stringent surveillance, movement control, and blanket vaccination.

In addition, the session examined the regulatory frameworks of compartmentalisation and zoning under the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH). Southern Africa’s most practicable and cost-effective approach was emphasised as zoning, while compartmentalisation could provide support for high-value and export-oriented enterprises.

Speakers underscored that buffer zones are not only valuable instruments for disease control, but also facilitate trade, livelihoods, and food security, particularly for small ruminant farmers. In an effort to guarantee success, the discussions emphasised the significance of sustainable financing, community compliance, and law enforcement engagement.

The session established the groundwork for the afternoon working groups, which are examining the following topics: (i) Surveillance and Diagnostics; (2) Vaccination and Cold Chain Logistics; (3) Animal Movement and Quarantine; (4) Stakeholder Engagement and Communications; and (5) Regional Coordination and Governance. To safeguard Southern Africa from the menace of PPR and to contribute to global eradication efforts, all of these are necessary for resourcing, coordination, and operational planning. Stay tuned.

– on behalf of The African Union – Interafrican Bureau for Animal Resources (AU-IBAR).