Category: English

Source: APO

In villages across Eritrea’s dry interior, change is quietly flowing. Where seasonal rivers once surged and vanished without trace, hand-built dams now hold back precious water. Irrigation canals feed crops even in dry months.

Eritrea, one of the Horn of Africa’s most drought-prone countries, has adopted a straightforward approach to tackling water scarcity: building dams—many of them small, masonry structures—using local materials and community labour.

Backed by technical assistance and concessional funding from the African Development Bank, the country has constructed or rehabilitated over 880 dams, most in rural and underserved areas. As a result, communities long dependent on erratic rainfall are now looking to the future with renewed confidence and excitement.

Bekit Idris recalled a life marked by constant fears of food scarcity and malnutrition before a dam came near his home area of Guritatal, in central Eritrea. “Our crops depended on the rain,” Idris explained. “The rains had increasingly become erratic and unevenly distributed but following the project, I have cultivated land downstream of the dam.” He now grows cereal crops, vegetables, fruits, and green fodder for livestock feed.

“I am now harvesting three times a year, as opposed to only once a year before,” he said. “Before the dam was built, our food production was barely enough for our needs… Now I produce enough not only to feed my family, but also to sell in the market. This has greatly improved both our nutrition and household income.”

Since 2015, the African Development Bank has supported this effort through the Drought Resilience and Sustainable Livelihoods Programme, which aims to reduce vulnerability in the Horn of Africa. In Eritrea, the project financed the construction of 98 small and medium-sized dams and 11 related water points. It also rehabilitated over 200 hectares of degraded land.

Improved water availability is just one tangible result. Additionally, the project has lifted communities from subsistence farming to more sustainable and commercial agricultural practices, improving the state of food security and livelihoods across the country.

The DSLRP project targets the construction of over 116 masonry dams to support irrigated agriculture. The dams have capacity range from 30,000m³ to over 110,000m³, allowing local farmers in the targeted areas of central, southern, and northern Eritrea to produce substantial quantities of vegetables and cereals.

The project has also promoted new skills training and entrepreneurship promotion to stimulate overall value chain development. Further, the programme supplies farmers with different types of agricultural inputs that enable them to improve production and boost productivity per unit area.

Supported communities view the initiative as a step forward in Eritrea’s broader efforts to strengthen rural resilience, improve nutrition, and reduce poverty.

Hamed Meskel, a farmer benefitting from the Aderde dam in the northern region, was practising small-scale irrigation with a limited amount of water prior to the advent of the DSLRP project.

“Things were slowly getting worse as the wells in the area were drying,” he said. “I was forced to stop cultivating crops, but I have resumed. Because of the construction of this dam, water is now available.”

Meskel proudly boasted about his biannual harvests of vegetables, fruits and animal fodder, with an overall increase per unit area of about 30 percent. Meskel’s farm also serves as a demonstration plot for nearly 350 other farming households in the area.

Roughly 73 percent of Eritreans depend on agriculture and its allied fields for income and employment.

According to Kenneth Onyango, Chief Country Program Officer at the Bank’s Eritrea liaison office, “This project has immensely contributed to the expansion of agriculture and agribusiness opportunities in rural Eritrea as a means to advance rural livelihoods and economic development.”

The project, he said, is structured around community participation, which has allowed for achievements to be reached earlier than planned. “The communities are seeing results, and we see the livelihood changes evidenced by a wider adoption of agriculture as a source of income for many households in the targeted communities,” Onyango underscored.

The programme, in its fifth phase, is scheduled to run until December 2026.

On the ground, water has brought more than food. Communities are also growing a greater sense of security in a changing climate. Hope has also taken root.

“We are very happy with the initiative, which has been very instrumental in improving the livelihood of the community in line with the Ministry of Agriculture’s five-year strategic plan,” DRSLP Project Coordinator, Hadgu Gebrendrias said. He added that the construction of the 98 masonry dams, to date, has encouraged the construction of new soil and water conservation structures over 9,800 hectares upstream of the dams in all of Eritrea’s six regions over the last five years.

“This has significantly contributed to enhancing drought resilience, improving sustainable livelihoods, and promoting food and nutrition security—particularly among pastoral and agro-pastoral communities in Eritrea,” Gebrendrias noted.

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

Source: APO

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“Our lives have turned from bad to better.” 

Alimu Robert Godfrey is one of 107 young people, including 35 women, benefiting from an initiative to improve opportunities to find jobs and build businesses as well as prevent their involvement in conflict across South Sudan. 

He learned new skills in plumbing during a vocational training in Torit, under the Community Violence Reduction Project (CVRP) supported by the United Nations Mission in South Sudan. 

“This will help me become self-reliant and change the course of my life,” he says. 

“Engaging these youth who are actively involved in violence is part of our protection of civilians and conflict prevention efforts,” says UNMISS Civil Affairs Officer, Basabas Efuk. “It gives them the tools to be productive members of society and to go back to their communities as ambassadors of peace.” 

The lack of professional opportunities in Eastern Equatoria and across the country often forces young people into unstable jobs, such as driving boda-bodas or part-time construction. Worse than that, they can become involved in crime and conflict just to survive.

“By participating in this project, we now have options for finding stable employment or becoming entrepreneurs,” emphasizes participant Francis Lopukei.

From plumbing to auto-mechanics, catering or hairdressing, participants can choose their own future, based on their individual strengths and interests. 

Another beneficiary, Hellen Amoo Moris, is now a professional hairdresser.

“These trainings give us hope that we can harness the power of knowledge to build a better life.” 

The project also helps bring diverse youth together for social activities to build trust, confidence and strong networks for peace, such as the football match organized by UNMISS and its long-standing partner, the Torit Health Science Institute, which attracted hundreds of spectators. 

“The positive way in which the players interacted showed that if we continue promoting such activities, our country will grow and become peaceful. It showed that we are united and can come together for a good cause,” says Francis Lopukei, one of the team captains.

The vocational training project will run until the end of September, marking one year since its commencement, but its impact will reach far beyond this date. 

“After getting this chance to create opportunities for ourselves, it is now time for us to give back and become job creators. The future is bright!” exclaims Moris.

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

Source: APO

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The Eritrean community in the United States enthusiastically conducted their 51st annual festival from 1 to 3 August in Tracy, California. The event was attended by numerous nationals, friends of Eritrea, and other foreign guests.

The heads of the festival’s coordinating committee, Ms. Yodit Tesfamariam and Mr. Alazar Abraham, stated that the festival served as a platform for nationals to showcase their culture and national values, as well as unity and harmony. They commended all who participated in and contributed to the successful organization of the event.

Speaking at the event, Mr. Berhane Gebrehiwet, Chargé d’Affaires at the Eritrean Embassy, noted that the festival was being conducted at a unique and historically significant time. He expressed gratitude to the participants, the coordinating committee, artists, children, youth, parents, and national associations for their efforts.

Ms. Nancy Young, Mayor of the City of Tracy, expressed appreciation for being invited to the festival. She said that based on her experience, the Eritrean people are known for their strong work ethic, perseverance, and discipline. She also commended the nationals’ efforts to preserve and promote their culture, values, and traditions within their communities.

The festival featured village displays organized by the National Council of Eritrean Americans, cultural and artistic performances, seminars, and programs targeting children and youth, among other activities.

In the same vein, the 7th National Council of Eritrean Americans (NCEA) that was convened from 29 to 31 July in the city of Rafaele under the theme “United in Purpose, Strong in Voice – Safeguarding National Sovereignty” concluded.

The conference held extensive discussions on Eritrea’s diplomatic and political victories, future opportunities and challenges, and called on diaspora nationals to intensify efforts in consolidating national unity, preserving and transmitting Eritrean culture and identity, and strengthening national associations.

The conference also outlined a roadmap aimed at ensuring strong organization, enhanced national awareness, and resilience.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Ministry of Information, Eritrea.

Source: APO – Report:

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As the global energy landscape shifts toward cleaner fuel sources, natural gas is taking center stage in Africa’s energy transition, with international collaboration playing a key role in unlocking the continent’s vast gas potential. Africa holds approximately 6% of the world’s natural gas reserves and is expected to contribute significantly to the global LNG supply by 2030, particularly through projects in Mozambique, Nigeria, Senegal and Mauritania. With global LNG demand forecast to rise at a CAGR of 1.5% through 2030, Africa is strategically positioned to meet this demand – especially from markets in Europe and Asia.

Signaling renewed investor confidence in the continent’s upstream natural gas potential, Austrian energy company OMV recently resumed exploration activities in Libya’s Sirte Basin. In partnership with Libya’s National Oil Corporation, OMV recently spudded the ESSAR well in Block C103 and is advancing an infrastructure-led campaign focused on unlocking reserves near existing production facilities. OMV will participate in this year’s African Energy Week (AEW): Invest in African Energies 2025 conference – taking place from September 29 to October 3 in Cape Town –, where the company’s Executive Vice President Berislav Gašo will join NJ Ayuk, Executive Chairman of the African Energy Chamber, in a fireside chat to explore partnership models, cross-border collaboration and strategies for enhancing investment and technical capacity across Africa.

AEW: Invest in African Energies is the platform of choice for project operators, financiers, technology providers and government, and has emerged as the official place to sign deals in African energy. Visit www.AECWeek.com for more information about this exciting event.

With major developments underway across Libya, Algeria, Egypt and Morocco, North Africa is rapidly advancing as a natural gas powerhouse in the continent. Libya is ramping up gas production through projects like Structures A&E and Bouri Gas Utilization while Algeria targets a production rate of 200 billion cubic meters annually by 2027. Egypt is boosting output with a new licensing round and continued development of the Zohr field, while Morocco progresses with the Nigeria-Morocco Gas Pipeline to enhance regional supply.

Meanwhile, in the international space, Saudi Arabia’s growing engagement with Africa’s gas sector is emerging as a central pillar of its broader energy diplomacy strategy, with the country strengthening bilateral and multilateral partnerships to unlock gas potential across the continent. As part of this push, Saudi Arabia has prioritized infrastructure development, upstream participation and downstream collaboration, positioning itself as a long-term partner in Africa’s energy future. Saudi Arabia’s state-owned Saudi Aramco is playing a key role in advancing Saudi-Africa gas cooperation, expanding its technical collaboration with African national oil companies to support gas monetization, exploration and production. The country has also integrated natural gas into its broader financial and development strategy for Africa, with a $41 billion funding package for sub-Saharan Africa set to promote gas-related projects as part of a wider drive to expand energy access and industrial capacity.

“International engagement in Africa’s natural gas sector is fast-becoming a game-changer for the continent. By investing in infrastructure, exploration and production, regional and international players are strengthening Africa’s position in the global energy market. This kind of strategic partnership is exactly what the continent needs to full monetize its natural gas potential,” states Ayuk.

– on behalf of African Energy Chamber.

Source: APO – Report:

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As day breaks at the United Nations base in Wau, dozens of peacekeepers are already bustling about, preparing for an important patrol to remote Deim Zubeir in the north-western corner of South Sudan.

Their mission is to assess the security and humanitarian situation in an area plagued by severe food shortages, a lack of access to clean water, healthcare and education, exacerbated by an influx of thousands of refugees and returnees fleeing the conflict in Sudan.

Having made this journey many times, the civilian and uniformed peacekeepers know there will be many challenges.

The first obstacle is the heavily damaged roads, with the convoy having to repeatedly come to a complete halt to navigate its way, one vehicle at a time, through deep pits filled with muddy floodwater. A 300-kilometer trip that should take just a few hours, takes an entire day.

Lurking in the dirty stagnant water is another threat: mosquitos carrying the deadly malaria parasite.

Several peacekeepers are infected, becoming severely ill very quickly, and requiring a medical evacuation by helicopter from Deim Zubeir later in the four-day visit.

Despite the challenges, the peacekeeping team perseveres. They meet with community members, including those who are displaced from their homes, as well as security services and local authorities.

The condition of the roads is top of the agenda, as a lack of access affects peace efforts as well as the economy.

“The road from Raja to Wau and onto the capital Juba is a lifeline for our communities. The conditions are very bad and there is a risk that, at any time during the rainy season, we can be cut off,” says County Commissioner, Addison Arkangelo Musa.

“The price of commodities is also affected, with traders complaining that they have to raise prices in the market to compensate for the cost of overcoming transportation challenges.”

“We are doing our best to carry out repairs, even mobilizing youth to carry rocks and bricks, but we need support from the State and national level with technical expertise, equipment and cement,” he says.

Also affected by the dire humanitarian situation, are the forces gathered at Dulu cantonment site, waiting to be integrated into the National Unified Forces.

“We are facing significant challenges, including a lack of food, medication and other basic services,” says Major General Musa Dakumi. “We have sent information about the situation to Juba and hope that there will be a response soon. However, we remain patient for the sake of peace.”

Building resilience is a priority for these proud communities.

“People want to be self-reliant and to contribute to the economic growth of Western Bahr El Ghazal. However, there are many challenges, including the rainy season coming two months late this year, which will impact all farmers,” says County Commissioner, Addison Arkangelo Musa.

Responding to that challenge, military peacekeepers from Bangladesh on the patrol donated packages of vegetable seeds to vulnerable community members, such as 52-year-old Khadija Matar Zubeir who fled to Sudan during the conflict in 2016 but returned to Raja when war broke out across the border.  

“In the past, farming and selling vegetables has enabled me to take care of my eight children. That is what I am trying to do again now. These seeds will help me make a fresh start and restore my dignity in supporting my own family rather than living off humanitarian aid,” she says.

“This is just a small example of our efforts to support the people of Raja to develop livelihoods, promote sustainable agricultural activities, and collectively build peace,” says Major Ataur Suzan, an UNMISS peacekeeper from Bangladesh.

– on behalf of United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS).

Source: APO – Report:

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When health experts across the WHO African region, logged into the virtual WHO consultation on 30 July 2025, they knew the stakes were high. Across the continent, hospitals are losing nurses to overseas recruiters, clinics are short-staffed, and young medical graduates face the dilemma of staying to serve or leaving in search of better pay.

This isn’t just policy—it’s personal.

From Praia to Port Louis, governments and health professionals are sounding the alarm: Africa is losing too many of its trained health workers to international migration. And while global demand for medical personnel has soared in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, African countries are bearing the cost.

In response, the World Health Organization’s Regional Office for Africa has launched a series of consultations with its 47 Member States to revisit the WHO Global Code of Practice on the International Recruitment of Health Personnel. First adopted in 2010, the Code was designed to ensure fairness in how countries recruit health workers across borders. But fifteen years on, it needs a refresh—and Africa is determined to shape it.

Dr Adelheid Werimo Onyango, Director of Health Systems and Services at the WHO Regional Office for Africa underscored said: “These consultations represent a critical opportunity for African countries to ensure the Code truly reflects our regional realities and priorities,” noting that “ultimately, our goal is to ensure that the Code remains not just a document on a shelf, but a living, actionable instrument that guides international recruitment in ways that strengthen Africa’s health systems.”

The consultation brought together representatives from 30 countries. Their goal: to make sure Africa’s voice is heard loud and clear when the final report goes to the 156th WHO Executive Board. The consultation was guided by three key objectives: (1) to review the findings and recommendations of the Expert Advisory Group on the Code’s current relevance and effectiveness; (2) to provide concrete recommendations for strengthening the Code’s effectiveness in addressing both current and emerging health workforce challenges in Africa and globally; and (3) to build consensus on regional priorities and peculiarities that must be reflected in the revised Code.

For many participants, the discussion hit close to home. Several spoke of empty clinics in rural districts, of experienced doctors, laboratory experts and nurses departing overnight for contracts in Europe or the Gulf, of overstretched systems trying to do more with less.

“Through your recommendations and suggestions, you are laying a solid foundation for a stronger and more equitable health workforce across Africa,” said Dr James Avoka Asamani, Health Workforce Team Lead at the WHO Regional Office for Africa stressing the importance of providing feedback.

Many referenced the Africa Health Workforce Investment Charter, which recognizes that effective migration management is vital to addressing the region’s looming shortfall of 6.1 million health workers by 2030. Countries stressed that the revised Code must go beyond principles and offer enforceable guidance, especially in the face of aggressive international recruitment.

The heart of the consultations, however, wasn’t just policy reform—it was about people.

It was about an African midwife who has trained hundreds of birth attendants, only to watch them leave for better-paying jobs abroad. It was about a young doctor torn between duty and ambition. And it was about families across Africa who deserve quality care—delivered by professionals who stay.

In the coming weeks, WHO will continue gathering input from across the region. But one thing is clear—the African region is not sitting this one out. It’s leading the conversation. Because when it comes to health worker migration, the region knows the human cost all too well—and is ready to chart a new path forward.

– on behalf of WHO Regional Office for Africa.