Category: English

Source: APO

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The International Trade Centre’s (ITC) SheTrades initiative and Visa announce a regional capacity building programme to support women and youth-led businesses in Kenya and South Africa, expanding their partnership into sub-Saharan Africa. 

Building on collaborations in the Gulf and Asia-Pacific regions, the programme will enhance the digital, financial and entrepreneurial capacities of micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) led by women and youth – two key groups driving innovation and inclusive growth across the continent.

Entrepreneurs can register to join the programme here.

Across sub-Saharan Africa, women are estimated to own close to 60% of MSMEs, while earning 38% less in profits. Structural barriers – such as limited access to finance, digital technologies and tailored business support – continue to impede their full participation in formal economies. 

Similarly, while the region’s young demographic can be considered a strength, young entrepreneurs encounter challenges in accessing the skills, tools and networks required to build and scale their enterprises. According to the African Development Bank, narrowing gender and age-based disparities in labour markets and enterprises could boost economic output by as much as 34%, underscoring the potential positive impact of inclusive economic participation.

To address these barriers, the programme offers a hybrid learning experience combining online and in-person capacity building tailored to the needs of women and youth-led MSMEs in the region, including on topics such as artificial intelligence for business, financial literacy, digital payments, investment readiness and broader entrepreneurial skills.

At the core of the programme is Visa’s She’s Next, which provides women entrepreneurs with mentorship, funding and networking. By connecting programme participants with the She’s Next alumni and the wider SheTrades community, the initiative will foster peer learning, sustained engagement and a supportive entrepreneurial ecosystem. 

‘This partnership reflects our shared commitment to closing the digital and financial inclusion gap for African entrepreneurs,’ said ITC Executive Director Pamela Coke-Hamilton. ‘We look forward to building on our partnership with Visa to enable long-term economic empowerment of women and youth, who, when fully engaged in trade, become powerful agents of change in their communities and countries.’

The programme will be delivered in collaboration with a network of public and private partners, including the SheTrades Hubs in Kenya and South Africa, hosted by ABSA Bank Kenya and the Small Enterprise and Finance Development Agency (SEDFA), respectively. Microsoft Philanthropies will contribute AI-focused learning modules, which will be made available as UN public goods through the SheTrades Academy.

‘At Visa, we believe that economies that include everyone, everywhere, uplift everyone, everywhere. Our expanded partnership with ITC SheTrades through the She’s Next initiative is a testament to this belief,’ said Michael Berner, Head of Visa Southern and Eastern Africa. ‘By equipping women and youth entrepreneurs with the digital tools, financial knowledge, and networks they need to succeed, we are helping individual businesses thrive and contributing to the broader economic resilience and inclusive growth of the region. This initiative reflects Visa’s ongoing commitment to driving equitable access to the digital economy and unlocking opportunities for underrepresented communities across Sub-Saharan Africa.’

The programme was announced during the Global SME Ministerial Meeting, organised by ITC in collaboration with South Africa’s Department of Small Business Development, where Visa contributed to discussions on financing solutions for sustainable small business growth.

Upcoming webinars include:

• Kick-off & Microsoft AI Launch: 31 July

• Digital Tools & AI Integration: 28 August

• Budgeting & Financial Planning: 18 September

Entrepreneurs can register to join the programme here.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of International Trade Centre.

Source: APO

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An estimated 8.2 percent of the global population, or about 673 million people, experienced hunger in 2024, down from 8.5 percent in 2023 and 8.7 percent in 2022. However, progress was not consistent across the globe, as hunger continued to rise in most subregions of Africa and western Asia, according to this year’s The State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World (SOFI 2025) report published today by five specialized agencies of the United Nations.

Launched during the Second UN Food Systems Summit Stocktake (UNFSS+4) in Addis Ababa, SOFI 2025 indicates that between 638 and 720 million people faced hunger in 2024. Based on the point estimate* of 673 million, this represents a decrease of 15 million people from 2023 and of 22 million from 2022.

While the decline is welcome, the latest estimates remain above pre-pandemic levels, with the high food inflation of recent years contributing to the slow recovery in food security.

Notable improvements are seen in southern Asia and Latin America. The prevalence of undernourishment (PoU) in Asia fell from 7.9 percent in 2022 to 6.7 percent, or 323 million people, in 2024. Additionally, Latin America and the Caribbean as a region saw the PoU fall to 5.1 percent, or 34 million people, in 2024, down from a peak of 6.1 percent in 2020.

Unfortunately, this positive trend contrasts sharply with the steady rise in hunger across Africa and western Asia, including in many countries affected by prolonged food crises. The proportion of the population facing hunger in Africa surpassed 20 percent in 2024, affecting 307 million people, while in western Asia an estimated 12.7 percent of the population, or more than 39 million people, may have faced hunger in 2024.

It is projected that 512 million people could be chronically undernourished by 2030. Almost 60 percent of those will be in Africa. This highlights the immense challenge of achieving SDG 2 (Zero Hunger), warned the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), the United Nations agency for children (UNICEF), the UN World Food Programme (WFP), and the World Health Organization (WHO).

Tracking nutrition targets

• From 2023 to 2024, the global prevalence of moderate or severe food insecurity – an assessment registering the experience of constraints on access to adequate food during part of the year – decreased slightly, from 28.4 to 28.0 percent, accounting for 2.3 billion people. This is 335 million more than in 2019, before the COVID-19 pandemic, and 683 million more than in 2015, when the Sustainable Development Agenda was adopted.
• Among the indicators of child nutrition, the prevalence of stunting in children under five declined from 26.4 percent in 2012 to 23.2 percent in 2024, reflecting global progress.
• The prevalence of child overweight (5.3 percent in 2012 and 5.5 percent in 2024), and in child wasting (7.4 percent in 2012 and 6.6 percent in 2024) remains largely unchanged.
• The percentage of infants under six months exclusively breastfed increased significantly, from 37.0 percent in 2012 to 47.8 percent in 2023, reflecting growing recognition of its health benefits.
• The prevalence of adult obesity rose from 12.1 percent in 2012 to 15.8 percent in 2022.
• New data show an increase in the global prevalence of anaemia among women aged 15 to 49, from 27.6 percent in 2012 to 30.7 percent in 2023.
• Estimates for a new SDG indicator introduced in the report reveal that about one-third of children aged 6 to 23 months and two-thirds of women aged 15 to 49 years met minimum dietary diversity.

Food inflation

SOFI 2025 also examines the causes and consequences of the 2021–2023 food price surge and its impact on food security and nutrition.

The report highlights that the global policy response to the COVID-19 pandemic – characterized by extensive fiscal and monetary interventions – combined with the impacts of the war in Ukraine and extreme weather events, contributed to recent inflationary pressures.

This food price inflation has hindered the post-pandemic recovery in food security and nutrition. Since 2020, global food price inflation has consistently outpaced headline inflation. The gap peaked in January 2023, with food inflation reaching 13.6 percent, 5.1 percentage points above the headline rate of 8.5 percent.

Low-income countries have been particularly hit hard by rising food prices. While median global food price inflation increased from 2.3 percent in December 2020 to 13.6 percent in early 2023, it climbed even higher in low-income countries, peaking at 30 percent in May 2023.

Despite rising global food prices, the number of people unable to afford a healthy diet fell from 2.76 billion in 2019 to 2.60 billion in 2024. However, the improvement was uneven. In low-income countries, where the cost of a healthy diet rose more sharply than in higher-income countries, the number of people unable to afford a healthy diet increased from 464 million in 2019 to 545 million in 2024. In lower-middle-income countries (excluding India), the number rose from 79 million in 2019 to 869 million over the same period.

The report recommends a combination of policy responses to food price inflation. They include targeted and time-bound fiscal measures, such as social protection programs, to safeguard vulnerable households; credible and transparent monetary policies to contain inflationary pressures; and strategic investments in agrifood R&D, transport and production infrastructure, and market information systems to improve productivity and resilience.

What they said

FAO Director-General, QU Dongyu: “While it is encouraging to see a decrease in the global hunger rate, we must recognize that progress is uneven. SOFI 2025 serves as a critical reminder that we need to intensify efforts to ensure that everyone has access to sufficient, safe, and nutritious food. To achieve this, we must work collaboratively and innovatively with governments, organizations, and communities to address the specific challenges faced by vulnerable populations, especially in regions where hunger remains persistent.”

IFAD President, Alvaro Lario: “In times of rising food prices and disrupted global value chains, we must step up our investments in rural and agricultural transformation. These investments are not only essential for ensuring food and nutrition security – they are also critical for global stability.”

UNICEF Executive Director, Catherine Russell: “Every child deserves the chance to grow and thrive. Yet over 190 million children under the age of 5 are affected by undernutrition, which can have negative consequences for their physical and mental development. This robs them of the chance to live to their fullest potential. The State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World report for 2025 underscores the need to act urgently for the world’s youngest and most vulnerable children, as rising food prices could deepen nutrition insecurity for millions of families. We must work in collaboration with governments, the private sector and communities themselves to ensure that vulnerable families have access to food that is affordable and with adequate nutrition for children to develop. That includes strengthening social protection programs and teaching parents about locally produced nutritious food for children, including the importance of breastfeeding, which provides the best start to a baby’s life.

WFP Executive Director, Cindy McCain: “Hunger remains at alarming levels, yet the funding needed to tackle it is falling. Last year, WFP reached 124 million people with lifesaving food assistance. This year, funding cuts of up to 40 percent mean that tens of millions of people will lose the vital lifeline we provide. While the small reduction in overall rates of food insecurity is welcome, the continued failure to provide critical aid to people in desperate need will soon wipe out these hard-won gains, sparking further instability in volatile regions of the world.”

WHO Director-General, Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus: “In recent years, the world has made good progress in reducing stunting and supporting exclusive breastfeeding, but there is still much to be done to relieve millions of people from the burdens of food insecurity and malnutrition. This report provides encouraging news, but also shows where the gaps are and who is being left behind, and where we must direct our efforts to ensure that everyone has access to a healthy and nutritious diet.”

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

Source: APO

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The FAO Regional Office for Africa Resilience Team held its third virtual Community of Practice (CoP) meeting on 8 July 2025, bringing together FAO staff and technical experts from across the continent. The session focused on practical lessons from South Sudan on strengthening seed systems in fragile and conflict-affected settings. South Sudan has made strong progress in increasing the use of locally sourced seeds, moving from 15 percent to over 55 percent in recent years. This achievement is supported by FAO’s approach to working with both formal and informal seed systems, strengthening farmer cooperatives, training agro-dealers, and promoting local seed varieties.

To ensure seed quality at the local level, the country has introduced informal Seed Quality Control Boards (SQCBs) at state and county levels. These boards help monitor standards in the absence of fully operational national certification bodies

“We are not choosing between formal or informal systems,” noted Felix Dzvurumi, Senior Programme Officer and Deputy FAO Representative a.i. in South Sudan, during the virtual presentation. “We are designing practical solutions that work in fragile, rapidly changing environments.”

The session highlighted efforts to engage the private sector by encouraging partnerships between seed companies and farmer cooperatives. The South Sudan Seed Traders Association plays an important role in linking producers and buyers. At the same time, FAO is supporting the preservation of indigenous seed varieties, which are well-suited to local conditions and offer resilience against shocks like floods and pests. FAO’s support also includes work with the Ministry of Agriculture on a 10-year Agricultural Mechanization Plan, introducing tools such as seed planters, threshers, and cleaners to boost production. Seed fairs are being used to build trust and stimulate demand in local seed markets.

“Seed fairs give farmers direct access to seed options and suppliers, while building trust in the local system,” said Maurice Nyombe, National Crop Production Officer in South Sudan.

The virtual CoP provided a space for participants from across Africa to exchange experiences, raise questions, and learn from each other. Topics included early generation seed bottlenecks, local market development, farmer-led innovations, and improving FAO’s operational tools to meet field needs.

Facilitated by Priya Gujadhur, Senior Resilience Officer at FAO RAF, the session reinforced the value of the Community of Practice as a platform for shared learning and continuous improvement.

We are not just building systems—we’re building confidence, capacity, and long-term solutions,” said Meshack Malo, FAO Representative in South Sudan.

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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The United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) followed the live broadcast of the High Council of State (HCS) session on Sunday, 27 July,  during which 95 members elected a new Presidency. The Mission noted that voting proceeded under normal conditions and with transparency.

UNSMIL is of the view that yesterday’s two-thirds attendance reflects a broad consensus among members to overcome the division that has hindered its ability to fulfill its responsibilities over the last year. The Mission echoes the calls to expand internal consensus by engaging those members who did not attend yesterday’s session.

The Mission congratulates the new Presidency and looks forward to constructive engagement with all Council members to break the stalemate, advance the political process, and end the protracted transitional phases.

It further expects the Council to responsibly carry out its functions, as outlined in the Libyan Political Agreement, consistent with its independent political role and Libyans’ aspirations to end institutional division, restore legitimacy through elections and contribute to necessary reforms.

The Mission encourages the HCS membership to fulfill their patriotic duties and rise to the expectations of the Libyan people by supporting a Libyan led and Libyan owned political process facilitated by UNSMIL.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL).

Source: APO

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As conflict between rival militaries rages on, millions of people keep on being displaced.

While the UN and its partners continue to provide assistance to newly displaced families in North Darfur, “nearly 60 per cent of displaced families still lack adequate shelter support,” said Deputy Spokesman for the Secretary-General, Farhan Haq, at a daily press briefing on Monday.

In Abu Shouk camp in El Fasher, the North Darfur capital, displaced families are facing acute shortages of food and medicine, with local sources reporting four hunger-related deaths last week, as food insecurity continues to worsen across the entire country.

In North Darfur state notably, low cereal supply, poor harvests and a prolonged food deficit have severely affected food availability.

Health crisis

Meanwhile, cholera cases continue to rise in Tawila. More than 1,500 suspected and confirmed serious infections have been reported since June, with over 500 people currently receiving treatment.

While local authorities have introduced emergency measures, including market closures and a ban on public gatherings, humanitarian organizations urgently require $120 million to scale up life-saving support in Tawila over the next three months.

“This funding is essential to contain the outbreak and sustain critical services,” according to OCHA.

Meanwhile, in Port Sudan, the main entry point for humanitarian personnel and supplies, a sharp increase in heatstroke cases linked to extreme temperature and prolonged power outages is raising concerns, as one death was recorded over the past two days.

Food crisis

In El Fasher, food prices continue to rise to alarming levels.  The Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) has  already identified famine conditions in multiple areas of North Darfur and the eastern Nuba Mountains, with more locations at risk.

In May, the average cost of the local food basket in El Fasher was more than six times the national average, as the city recorded the highest prices for nearly all essential items among assessed localities.

An IPC alert earlier this month noted that Sudan’s food security and nutrition situation is set to further deteriorate over the lean season from July to October, notably in areas of active conflict with limited access and experiencing high levels of displacement. 

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of UN News.

Source: APO

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President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni has today bid farewell to Ms. R. Mukami Kariuki, the outgoing World Bank Country Manager for Uganda at State House, Entebbe.

Ms. Kariuki, who assumed her role on August 1, 2021, has led the World Bank’s engagement with the Government of Uganda and overseeing the implementation of key development programs across the country.

In a cordial exchange, President Museveni thanked Ms. Kariuki for her dedicated service and extended his best wishes as she concluded her assignment.

“Thank you so much. I wish you good luck,” the President said.

Ms. Kariuki expressed her gratitude to the President and the Ugandan government for the collaboration extended to her throughout her tenure.

“Your Excellency, I appreciate the support and partnership we have had. It has been a pleasure working with Uganda,” she said.

The meeting was also attended by Mr. Qimiao Fan, the World Bank Country Director for Kenya, Rwanda, Somalia, and Uganda, who is based in Nairobi.

Mr. Fan noted the Bank’s keen interest in supporting Uganda’s agricultural transformation, job creation for the youth, and renewable energy development.

“Uganda has great potential. You have fertile soils, abundant sunshine for renewable energy, and a rapidly growing young population that needs jobs,” Mr. Fan said.

He emphasized the need to increase agricultural productivity through strategic investments in irrigation, improved transport networks, and access to better seeds and fertilizers.

“Despite your fertile soils, Uganda’s agricultural productivity remains relatively low. Investing in irrigation and logistics can help farmers access markets more effectively,” he added.

President Museveni responded by highlighting Uganda’s achievements in agricultural research, particularly in seed development and irrigation.

“We already have improved seeds for crops like coffee, bananas, maize, cassava, and potatoes. Our research centers have done their job. The challenge now is funding the uptake and supporting farmers to apply the technologies,” the President said.

He also highlighted the success of Prof. Florence Muranga from Bushenyi, who, through irrigation, harvests 53 tonnes of bananas per acre annually far exceeding the district’s average of 5 tonnes.

President Museveni further underscored the need to shift communities out of wetlands and into sustainable fish farming on the periphery, which would allow the use of swamp water for irrigation while restoring the wetland ecosystem.

“We want to move people from wetlands and support them to do fish farming on the edge. That way, we preserve the wetlands and still use the water for irrigation,” he explained.

He also reflected on the cultural importance of agriculture to Uganda, noting that many of the country’s staple crops such as millet, bananas, and cassava are indigenous and form part of Uganda’s agricultural heritage.

“Agriculture is part of our ancient heritage. These crops are not foreign; they are ours,” the President said.

He concluded by reaffirming the government’s readiness to engage further and collaborate on these areas of interest.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of State House Uganda.