Category: English

Source: APO

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The First Lady’s humanitarian organisation, the Lordina Foundation, has donated a quantity of essential medical supplies and equipment to the Techiman North constituency to enhance healthcare delivery.

The items were officially handed over to the Member of Parliament for Techiman North and Minister for Trade, Agribusiness and Industry, Elizabeth Ofosu-Agyare, by Mrs Lordina Dramani Mahama, First Lady and President of the Foundation.

Mrs Mahama reiterated the Foundation’s enduring commitment to improving the quality of life for vulnerable populations in the country.

“We are dedicated to contributing to the development of deprived children and women in both rural and urban areas, focusing on quality healthcare promotion, education, and overall well-being,” Mrs. Mahama stated during the presentation ceremony.

“This donation highlights our belief in collaborative efforts to foster sustainable development within Ghana’s health sector.”

Mrs Ofosu-Agyare (MP) expressed her gratitude and that of the people of Techiman North for the gesture, noting that the equipment and supplies will have a positive impact on the health delivery service.

“This contribution from the Lordina Foundation will play a pivotal role in bridging gaps in our healthcare system. It reflects our shared commitment to improving the well-being of our people,” she said.

This initiative is part of the Lordina Foundation’s broader mission to modernise and strengthen under-resourced health facilities across communities, and to ensure medical professionals are equipped with the necessary tools to provide high-quality, life-saving care to patients.

The items presented include Hospital and Theatre Beds, Delivery Beds, Incubators, Theatre Lights, Phototherapy Machines, Baby Scales, Syringes and Gloves and Trolleys. The remaining items include Wheelchairs, Commodes, Baby Cots, Baby Carts, Medical Screens, Baby Baths, Bedside Cabinets, and Overhead Tables.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of The Presidency, Republic of Ghana.

Source: APO

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Many young South Sudanese women and men are involuntarily idle and desperate for any opportunities to earn qualifications that may lead to gainful employment or enable them to start their own small businesses.

In Akobo and Bor, in volatile Jonglei State, a significant number of them were given such chances, with the graduates of three-month-long vocational trainings in both towns determined to grab them with both hands.

“Everyone should plant vegetables. If you do, you gain good health and a possibility to earn money without subjecting yourself to the risks of assaults we women run when we collect firewood,” says Rodah Nyathuok Lual in Akobo.

There, more than 100 youth, with the majority being women, have learnt income-generating skills like farming, tailoring, hairdressing, marketing and financial management.

The initiative, funded by the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) and implemented by the national non-governmental organization Community Initiative for Development, is timely as resources in Akobo, following the return of many previously conflict-displaced persons, have become scarcer than usual.

“When we work, we become role models in our communities by promoting both development and peace. When everyone is busy, there is no time or room for conflict,” says Domach Makuach Mark, another proud owner of new and marketable skills who, like all graduates, was also given a starter kit and connected to banks and other lenders for possible investments.

UN peacekeepers from South Korea have given 77 of Domach’s peers in Bor reason to be equally optimistic about their futures. In the state capital, they have learnt everything from wiring a building safely and repairing a leaking pipe to cultivating food and raising poultry.

“From now on, I hope people will buy eggs and chickens from me,” says Akuoch Mary Atem as she details her plan to open a poultry farm to support herself and her family.

More young, aspiring women and men in and around Bor are likely to benefit from similar opportunities in the future.

“In cooperation with the government, we hope that we’ll be able to expand our vocational school,” says Colonel Kwon Byung Guk, Commander of the South Korean contingent, who also revealed that his government will provide five top students with full scholarships for advanced studies in the East Asian country.

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

Source: APO

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On Monday 21st July 2025, the High Commissioner-designate of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh to the Republic of Seychelles, H.E. Mr. Zokey Ahad, paid a courtesy call on the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Tourism, Mr. Sylvestre Radegonde, at Maison Quéau de Quinssy, ahead of his official accreditation ceremony scheduled for tomorrow.

Discussions centered around the conclusion of six Memoranda of Understanding (MOU), including one focused on the Blue Economy, a key sector which will be mutually beneficial for both countries.

The meeting also served as an opportunity for the two parties to reaffirm their commitment to strengthening bilateral ties and to explore new avenues for cooperation in areas such as tourism, agriculture, trade, investment, and education.

Due to the size of the Bangladeshi community in Seychelles, both sides recognized the importance of appointing an Honorary Consul for Bangladesh in Seychelles to better serve and support the growing Bangladeshi community.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Tourism, Republic of Seychelles.

Source: APO

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Foreign aid is no longer a viable solution for Africa’s growing development needs. The continent’s annual Sustainable Development Goal financing shortfall has reached $1.3 trillion, and leaders are increasingly clear-eyed about the limits of donor-driven models.

At a high-level session on the margins of the 2025 UN High-level Political Forum, African leaders called for structural reforms to expand domestic resource mobilization, build regional value chains and shift away from exporting raw commodities.

“Aid won’t close the gap. We must stop exporting raw materials and importing poverty,” said Claver Gatete, UN Under-Secretary-General and Executive Secretary of the Economic Commission for Africa (ECA).

He called for greater investment in manufacturing, green industries and youth-led enterprises. More than 80 percent of Africa’s exports remain unprocessed, a model he described as unsustainable.

Mr. Gatete was speaking at a session organized on the margins of the 2025 High-level Political Forum on Sustainable Development in New York. The event, co-hosted by the Government of Uganda and the ECA, focused on how to translate the Kampala Declaration, adopted at this year’s Africa Regional Forum on Sustainable Development (ARFSD), into concrete action.

Uganda’s Prime Minister Robinah Nabbanja said the continent was “dangerously off track” but highlighted progress made in her country, including reductions in maternal mortality, gains in gender equality and increased national budget allocations linked to the Sustainable Development Goals.

“The Kampala Declaration is practical,” said Ms. Nabbanja. “We’re proud to host this conversation and to take it forward in terms of implementation.” Her remarks underscored a broader shift toward self-determined development.

Uganda chaired the ARFSD Bureau in 2025 and has introduced measures to align domestic planning with regional and global frameworks. Despite this, debt pressures, limited access to concessional finance and the high cost of capital continue to challenge many African economies.

Mr. Gatete reiterated ECA’s support for the creation of an African Credit Rating Agency, arguing that current international rating practices distort risk and restrict access to affordable capital. He also called for scaling blended finance mechanisms, issuing local currency bonds and digitizing tax and revenue systems to boost efficiency and compliance.

He noted that inclusive growth also depends on people-centered investments. “We must stop viewing youth as recipients of development and start recognizing them as drivers of it,” he said, emphasizing the need for vocational training, digital skills and youth entrepreneurship.

Selma Malika Haddadi, Deputy Chairperson of the African Union Commission, said the Kampala Declaration represents more than a political commitment. “It is not just about potential. It is about will,” she said. “Partnership is not patronage. It must be grounded in mutual recognition and institutional respect.”

She warned against “performative partnerships” and called for better alignment between global funding frameworks and Africa’s priorities. Ms. Haddadi cited progress on regional integration, including the rollout of the Pan-African Payment and Settlement System and implementation of the African Union’s climate finance strategy.

With fewer than five years remaining to achieve the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, and with the second ten-year plan of Agenda 2063 now underway, speakers agreed that declarations must be backed by systems capable of delivery. The Kampala Declaration, they said, provides a roadmap, but only coordinated action will close the gap.

The event drew senior-level representation from across the continent and the UN system, including Uganda’s Minister for General Duties, Justine Kasule Lumumba; UN Special Adviser on Africa, Cristina Duarte; and other experts and policymakers engaged in development financing, innovation and regional planning.

“The future we want will not be given to us,” Mr. Gatete said. “It must be built. And we must build it now.”

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (ECA).

Source: APO

In a region still marked by insecurity, a joint initiative by MONUSCO and its partners offers a new perspective to one hundred beneficiaries in Fataki, in Djugu territory. Sixty vulnerable women and forty at-risk youth now have access to a vocational training center, inaugurated on June 15 through a Community Violence Reduction (CVR) project, in collaboration with the National Program for Disarmament, Demobilization, Community Recovery and Stabilization (PDDRCS) and the local NGO Women in Action for Multisectoral Development (FADEM).

Equipped with three training rooms, a carpentry workshop, a bakery oven, an administrative office and sanitation facilities, the center offers practical training in carpentry, baking and tailoring. This advancement has been welcomed by local authorities, who see it as a concrete lever for reintegration and social cohesion.

An Initiative Born from Community Dialogue

This project builds on discussions initiated in 2021 between armed groups and communities, supported by MONUSCO and provincial authorities. These exchanges led to an agreement to cease violence and define local priorities, among which was the creation of economic opportunities for youth and women.

“This center is the fruit of collective commitment,” recalled MONUSCO Bunia office chief Josiah Obat, calling on communities to continue on the path of dialogue and living together. “All these different tribes are a wealth. In case of disagreement, dialogue. Here you have a framework to train, but also to get closer to each other,” he emphasized.

Training to Rebuild

Beyond learning a trade, this project gives beneficiaries the means to take care of themselves and regain an active place in society. Dorcas, for example, can now sell her pastries at the market. “I’m delighted with this project. It allowed me to learn baking. I now know how to make fritters and cakes that I sell at the market. I can take care of myself without waiting for help from my husband,” she confides.

Aline, trained in sewing, is preparing to make school uniforms: “Here in Fataki, there are few seamstresses. I learned to sew. With the school year approaching, I’m going to make uniforms for the village children. That will allow me to earn money and feed my family.“

Others, like Grâce, who became a trainer, are now passing on their skills to other women.

These testimonies reflect a dynamic of change that goes beyond the simple framework of training. They embody a desire to build lasting peace through local initiatives.

A Response to Territorial Challenges

With a budget of $98,000 funded by MONUSCO through its DDR-S section, this project responds to a dual objective: offering a concrete alternative to precarity and reducing the attractiveness of armed groups. It is based on a participatory approach, integrating communities at each stage of its implementation.

Local authorities encourage ownership of this initiative. For Djugu territory administrator Ruffin Mapela, “this project strengthens social cohesion between communities, while building on local resources and skills.”

In Fataki, the vocational training center illustrates the common commitment to sustainable solutions to violence. It is now up to the communities, with partner support, to make it a living space, a driver of transformation for the entire region.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Mission de l’Organisation des Nations unies en République démocratique du Congo (MONUSCO).

Source: APO

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Africa CDC welcomes the signing of the Declaration of Principles on 19 July 2025 between the Government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo and the Congo River Alliance/M23. Africa CDC echoes the appreciation expressed by H.E. Mahmoud Ali Youssouf, Chairperson of the African Union Commission, and applaud the political courage of all parties for choosing dialogue over confrontation, declaring a ceasefire, and embracing a future built on stability.

Africa CDC expresses profound gratitude to His Highness the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani and the State of Qatar, as well as to President Donald Trump and the Government of the United States, for their unwavering support to the Doha and Washington processes. We equally commend the tireless leadership of H.E. João Manuel Gonçalves Lourenço, Chairperson of the African Union and Champion for Peace and Reconciliation, and H.E. Faure Essozimna Gnassingbé, President of Togo and AU-appointed Mediator for the Great Lakes. Africa CDC salutes the determination of President Félix Antoine Tshisekedi and President Paul Kagame to steer the region toward a future of peace.

Between 2022 and 2024, Africa experienced a 41% surge in public health emergencies, with the eastern DRC and Great Lakes region at the epicenter—battling recurring outbreaks of Mpox, cholera, Marburg virus, Ebola, and measles. These crises have been compounded by 30 years of violence, insecurity, and displacement.

As the African autonomous public health agency, Africa CDC has consistently called for peace, including in a letter to African Heads of State on 1 February 2025 urging urgent action to safeguard lives and restore stability in the region. https://africacdc.org/news-item/africa-cdc-urges-immediate-action-to-protect-lives-amid-escalatinghealth-and-security-crises/

Africa CDC reaffirms that peace and health are inextricably linked. A comprehensive health component must be fully embedded in the Doha and Washington processes, ensuring the safe return of displaced populations, the restoration of essential health services, the access of essential commodities, the strengthening of disease surveillance, and the rebuilding of local health systems. Mandated by the African Union Heads of State, Africa CDC stands ready to support the implementation of the health pillar of the Doha and Washington agreements in full partnership with African governments, Qatar, the United States, and all other partners and stakeholders. As we mark this historic step, Africa CDC joins the call for global recognition of this remarkable diplomatic milestone. If this process yields lasting peace, the people of Africa will remember the leadership and courage of President Donald Trump and His Highness the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani, who chose to bring hope to a region that has endured unimaginable suffering for far too long.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC).

Source: APO

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Morocco and North Macedonia’s Foreign Affairs Ministers Mr. Nasser Bourita and Mr. Timčo Mucunski reaffirmed their shared willingness to strengthen bilateral partnership in a Joint Statement signed following their meeting on Monday in Skopje.

The two ministers highlighted the outstanding relations uniting Morocco and North Macedonia and expressed their determination to further deepen them, based on friendship, mutual respect, and shared interests.

They also emphasized their commitment to enhancing economic, trade, and cultural cooperation between the two countries by identifying high-potential strategic sectors, particularly tourism.

Driven by the common goals of Rabat and Skopje, Mr. Bourita and Mucunski agreed to strengthen political consultations and coordination within international bodies.

As part of this visit, Mr. Bourita was received in audience by the President of the Republic of North Macedonia, H.E. Gordana Siljanovska-Davkova, and also held talks with the President of the Assembly MAfrim Gashi.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Kingdom of Morocco – Ministry of Foreign Affairs, African Cooperation and Moroccan Expatriates.

Source: APO

In an effort to address severely limited access to sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) services in South Sudan, the Ministry of Health, with support from World Health Organization (WHO) and partners, has been implementing several initiatives to expand access in seven of its 10 states. 

Years of overlapping humanitarian crises, including infectious disease outbreaks and complex humanitarian crises driven by conflict and climate-related disasters have disrupted health systems, limiting access to essential health services, including SRHR. 

As a result, South Sudan continues to face some of the gravest SRHR challenges globally. Access to family planning is low, with a modern contraceptive prevalence rate of around 6% and an adolescent birth rate of 97 per 1000 girls between aged 15‒19 years.  

The country’s maternal mortality ratio is estimated at 692 deaths per 100 000 live births, with around 10% linked to complications from unsafe abortion. The country’s legislation permits abortion only when the mother’s life is at risk. Despite these legal constraints, women may seek unsafe abortion services, often arriving at health facilities with severe post-abortion complications. 

With only around 40% of births attended by skilled birth attendants, other key contributors to maternal mortality include postpartum haemorrhage, obstructed labour and sepsis ‒ all of which are preventable with timely access to quality health care.  

Health authorities, with support from WHO and partners, have focused on expanding access to care that responds to people’s needs, choices and rights, through resilient primary health systems. This has been done by strengthening coordination, training health workers and improving monitoring. Targeted efforts have focused on equipping health workers with the knowledge and skills they need to deliver better care.

In the northwestern states of Warrap and Northern Bahr el Ghazal, in 2024, 50 health workers were trained in maternal and perinatal death surveillance and response, an important step toward strengthening how maternal and newborn deaths are identified, reported and addressed. 

An additional 50 health workers were trained in family planning in Torit and Wau, expanding access to voluntary contraceptive services in primary health centres. In Torit, Malakal, Renk and Wau states, 94 health workers received specialized training in the clinical management of rape, ensuring that survivors of gender-based violence from refugee, returnee and host communities can access timely, compassionate care.

“The training has also enabled me to diagnose patients with syphilis and other sexually transmitted infections. It has really expanded my knowledge and allowing me to assist many mothers,” says Faida Jackline, a 29-year-old midwife from Kator Primary Health Care Centre in Juba.

Improving access to services also means working with communities to create demand and address stigma and misinformation. Because SRHR services have been absent in the past, many people do not know that they are available. Through dialogues, more than 540 local and religious leaders across five states have been oriented on the concepts underpinning SRHR, helping to increase awareness and promote greater use of available services among communities.  

WHO has supported the development of national post-abortion care guidelines, recognizing the critical role of safe and timely post-abortion care in preventing maternal deaths. The new guidelines focus on the management of complications from both spontaneous and unsafe abortions.  

Around 15 health workers from selected primary health care facilities were trained in the new guidelines and at least 30% of the 35 targeted health centres have been equipped with the necessary tools and supplies to deliver post-abortion care, including manual vacuum aspirators, beds, speculums and consumables.

“In collaboration with WHO, we have been able to successfully implement cervical cancer screening and post-abortion care management in six health facilities within Juba County. We have trained 14 midwives, who are currently doing excellent job screening patients in these six facilities. We sincerely thank WHO and partners for this collaboration,” says Vivian Hawa, Reproductive Health Coordinator at Central Equatoria State’s Ministry of Health.

During 2024, the first year of the project 934 women accessed care for post-abortion complications. This includes 68 health clients from primary health facilities, which initially never had the capacity to provide post-abortion care services.

“Previously we never use to provide post-abortion care at this facility, especially manual vacuum aspiration. However, after receiving the training in 2024, we are now able to attend to women who have had unsafe abortions and perform other post-abortion care procedures,” says Kenyi Emmanuel Wani, a 27-year-old midwife from Munuki Primary Healthcare Centre in Juba, the country’s capital.

As the programme is ending its second year, continued collaboration and investment will be essential to build on these early gains and contribute to longer-term improvements in reproductive health outcomes across the country. 

“Access to quality SRHR services is a matter of dignity, rights, and resilience. South Sudan is making important strides to allow women and girls to gain access to the care they need,” says Dr Humphrey Karamagi, WHO Representative to South Sudan. “WHO is proud to support the Ministry of Health in strengthening the health system and ensuring that no one is left behind.”

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of WHO Regional Office for Africa.

Source: APO

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The Republic of North Macedonia “considers the Autonomy Plan, put forward by the Kingdom of Morocco in 2007, as the only basis for the settlement of this dispute.”

This position was expressed in the Joint Statement signed by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, African Cooperation and Moroccan Expatriates, Mr. Nasser Bourita, and North Macedonia’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, Timčo Mucunski, following their meeting on Monday in Skopje.

Mucunski reaffirmed “his country’s longstanding support for the UN-led process aimed at reaching a just, lasting, and mutually acceptable political solution for the parties,” the Joint Statement reads.

“The Kingdom of Morocco and the Republic of North Macedonia reiterated their commitment to the UN’s leadership in this political process, and expressed their support for UN Security Council Resolution 2756 (October 2024), which underscores the parties’ role and responsibility in seeking a realistic, lasting political solution based on compromise,” the document highlights.

In this Statement, the two ministers also reaffirmed the support of Morocco and North Macedonia for “the efforts of the UN Secretary-General’s Personal Envoy and his mission to advance the political process, in accordance with relevant Security Council resolutions and the principles of the UN Charter.”

This new stance of North Macedonia is part of the international momentum supporting the autonomy initiative presented by Morocco, a dynamic driven by the impetus of His Majesty King Mohammed VI, may God assist Him, and backed by an increasingly strong international consensus.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Kingdom of Morocco – Ministry of Foreign Affairs, African Cooperation and Moroccan Expatriates.