Category: English

Source: APO

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Achieving the African Union’s goal of ending hunger by 2025 and the global target of Zero Hunger by 2030 remains a significant challenge for the continent.

In the Republic of Congo, despite continued government efforts to enhance domestic food production and distribution, only 4% of arable land is currently being cultivated. Food access remains constrained by inadequate infrastructure and stark imbalances between supply and demand, leaving an estimated 455,000 people in food and nutrition insecurity.

To address these challenges, the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (ECA), through its Sub-Regional Offices for Eastern and Central Africa, conducted a fact-finding mission in collaboration with the Ministry of Trade. Held from 30 June to 4 July 2025, in Brazzaville and Pointe-Noire, the mission aimed to explore how e-commerce and digital tools can accelerate food trade and improve access—particularly for vulnerable populations—while strengthening national and regional agricultural value chains.

This initiative is part of ECA’s flagship program, “Innovative Digital Trade under the AfCFTA for Promoting Food Security and Agricultural Value Chains in Africa.”

Strengthening E-Commerce for Agricultural Development

During the mission, ECA engaged with nearly 200 stakeholders, including three ministers: the Minister of Trade, Supplies and Consumer Affairs; the Minister of Agriculture; and the Minister of Small and Medium Enterprises, Handicrafts, and the Informal Sector. Senior officials from the Ministries of Agriculture, Telecommunications, and the Digital Economy also participated, alongside representatives from MTN, Airtel, the Regulatory Agency for Electronic Communications, the Congolese Agency for Quality and Standardization, commercial banks, agribusinesses, and development partners such as the UN Resident Coordinator’s Office, FAO, and WFP.

The mission focused on assessing how digital trade can support national food development strategies and how food e-commerce can be scaled to enhance food security and agricultural value chains.

“If current trends continue, Africa risks missing Sustainable Development Goal 2 – Zero Hunger – by 2030,” said Simone Assah Kuete, Economic Affairs Officer at ECA’s Office for Eastern Africa.

“Food products are highly perishable and require specialized infrastructure for handling, storage, and distribution. Without reliable cold chains and efficient logistics, maintaining food quality from farm to table becomes virtually impossible.”

She highlighted that In 2023, an alarming 20% of the population in Sub-Saharan Africa faced severe malnourishment—compared to 8.1% in Asia, 7.3% in Oceania, and 6.2% in Latin America. Moreover from 2019 to 2023, the number of food-insecure people in Sub-Saharan Africa rose from 258 million to 358 million—a 39% increase—while other regions saw declines. “In this context, leveraging digital tools to reduce market information asymmetries and strengthen food systems is no longer optional—it is an urgent imperative,” she added.

National Commitment to E-Commerce Reform

Lenda Sitou Milandou, Special Adviser to the Ministry of Trade, welcomed the mission and praised the strong collaboration that made it a success.

“Food security remains a top priority in our national development agenda,” she affirmed. “To achieve it, we must develop robust legal, regulatory, and institutional frameworks to enable the growth of e-trade in food products.”

Key Outcomes and Next Steps

The mission identified high-demand national food products and assessed the current use of e-commerce platforms in the Republic of Congo. It also explored opportunities to enhance digital payment systems—currently limited—through partnerships with commercial banks and mobile network operators.

The dialogue revealed critical challenges in food production and trade, policy gaps, infrastructure and capacity needs, and the potential role of digital intermediaries in improving food systems.

This initiative marks a pivotal step toward aligning e-commerce strategies with agricultural transformation in the Republic of Congo. It reflects ECA’s ongoing commitment to supporting member states in leveraging innovation to foster sustainable, inclusive growth.

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

Source: APO – Report:

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The Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation, Prof. Blade Nzimande, will lead a high-level South African delegation on an extensive science, technology and innovation visit to the Republic of Tunisia and the People’s Democratic Republic of Algeria from 14 to 17 July 2025.

These visits are in response to invitations to Minister Nzimande by the Tunisian Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research, Mr. Mondher Belaid and the Algerian Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research, Mr. Kamel Bidari.

Through these visits, Minister Nzimande seeks to reinforce existing science, technology, and innovation bilateral cooperation between South Africa and Tunisia and Algeria as part of a broader commitment to grow the size and intensity of intra-Africa STI cooperation for development.

Minister Nzimande’s programme will include bilaterals with his Algerian and Tunisian counterparts and visits to key science institutions.

In Tunisia, the Minister will visit the Borja Cedria Technopark, the Pasteur Institute of Tunis, the Bardo National Museum for arts and history and the City of Science Museum.

In Algeria, the Minister will visit, the Centre for the Development of Advanced Technologies, the Saad Dahlab University, and the Great Mosque of Algiers.

One of the highlights of Minister Nzimande’s visit to Algeria will include a guest lecture organised by the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific cooperation on Pan-African cooperation.

Reflecting on the importance of these visits, Minister Nzimande stated that “Our visit to Algeria and Tunisia forms part of our long standing international relations strategy to strengthen meaningful science, technology and innovation cooperation with fellow African countries and to advance the objectives of the African Union’s Science, Technology and Innovation Strategy for Africa (STISA).”

“Pan-African STI cooperation and development are of paramount importance given the current unstable geopolitical environment and the imperatives of securing the sustainable future of the continent. All our efforts are therefore aimed towards developing what we refer to as a sovereign science, technology, and innovation agenda for Africa,” added the Minister.

The two visits will conclude with the adoption by the DSTI and counterpart Ministries, of two new comprehensive Plans of Action, aimed at intensifying cooperation with Tunisia and Algeria, respectively.

This will be an immediate and concrete implementation of the ambitions for South Africa’s science diplomacy, which Minister Nzimande had outlined in his Budget Vote speech last week.

The Minister’s delegation includes senior officials from the Ministry, the Department and the Entities of the Department such as the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) and the Technology Innovation Agency (TIA), as well as experts from the Council for Mineral Technology (Mintek)

– on behalf of Department of Science, Technology and Innovation, Republic of South Africa.

Source: APO – Report:

As part of Minister Nzimande’s extensive official visit to the Republic of Tunisia, earlier today, the Department of Science, Technology and Innovation (DSTI) signed a partnership to scale up science, technology and innovation cooperation with Tunisia.

The partnership referred to as the Scaling up Tunisia – South Africa Strategy, includes a Plan of Action and Joint Research Call Meeting Minutes.

The focus areas of the Action Plan include an Exchange Programme, Networking and inter-institutional cooperation, a Joint Research Programme, Intellectual Property Rights, Knowledge and Skills Transfer in Innovation, Participation in International Programs and Governance.

The signing ceremony was preceded by an opening ceremony, where His Excellency, Mr. Mondher Belaid, Tunisia’s Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research and His Excellency, Prof. Blade Nzimande, South Africa’s Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation, delivered their keynote remarks.

Speaking ahead of the signing ceremony, Minister Nzimande stated that “even though our visit is primarily aimed at strengthening science, technology and innovation relations between the Republic of Tunisia and the Republic of South Africa- the truth is that the bond between our countries was forged in the heat of the anti-colonial struggle.”

Emphasing the strategic importance of South Africa-Tunisia STI cooperation, Minister Nzimande further stated that “I wish to express our appreciation for the cordial relations between South Africa and Tunisia and thank the Tunisian Embassy in South Africa for the excellent work they have done in keeping our partnership alive. To express our appreciation for this work done by your Embassy in South Africa, through our Science Forum South Africa, we awarded Ms. Hasna Tizaoui, Economic and Cultural Counsellor of the Embassy of Tunisia with the prestigious Science Diplomacy award.”

“The emerging geopolitical environment presents us with a number of complex challenges, including a growing push towards unipolarity by some countries, through bully tactics. We therefore hold the view that African countries must intensify sub-regional science, technology and innovation cooperation and through this, mobilise more coherent support for the implementation of the African Union’s Science, Technology and Innovation Strategy for Africa or (STISA).”

The signing of this partnership builds on existing STI cooperation between South Africa and Tunisa and further enables the two countries to intensify the development of sustainable solutions to address old and emerging continental challenges such as youth unemployment and skills development, health care, food sovereignty, water and energy security, climate change and biodiversity loss and digital transformation.

The delegation accompanying Minister Nzimande includes senior officials from the Ministry, the Department and the Entities of the Department such as the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), the Technology Innovation Agency (TIA), the National Research Foundation (NRF), as well as experts from the Council for Mineral Technology (Mintek).

– on behalf of Department of Science, Technology and Innovation, Republic of South Africa.

Source: APO – Report:

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The Portfolio Committee on Correctional Services today re-iterated its grave concern regarding the state of correctional facilities around the country because of insufficient maintenance due to budget shortfalls.

The committee indicated that the Department of Correctional Services (DCS), the Department of Public Works and Infrastructure (DPWI) and National Treasury (NT) must work closely together to find solutions to the dire condition of some facilities.

The committee today received a briefing from the DPWI on the dispute between the DPWI and the DCS about user charges and on matters identified during oversight visits.

The DPWI told the committee that the itemised billing was approved by the NT in terms of Treasury regulations. However, the rates approved by the NT are far below the calculated level required to achieve full cost recovery. This has led in a shortfall of R24.1 billion since the implementation of itemised billing.

The DPWI, which acts as landlord, said that it received R4.7 billion from client departments at an average of R23,24 per m2, whereas it pays the private sector R110 per m2. Annual day-to-day maintenance amounts to R2.2 billion for 56 414 buildings occupied by government and rates amount to R1.8 billion. The committee heard that in terms of the DCS, NT only allows it to pay R14.33 m2 for building space.

The committee was told that, for properties occupied by the DCS, the DPWI is running at a loss. Over the past five years, the total deficit amounts to R1.9 billion, with an annual average loss of R376 million. However, a task team is working on finding solutions to the challenges facing the two departments.

Committee Chairperson Ms Kgomotso Anthea Ramolobeng said the committee noted the work of the task team. She advised the task team to identify and prioritise those matters that cannot be left to deteriorate further. This should include DCS’s day-to-day operations, which require regular service and maintain. “It does not help if you have a beautiful kitchen in a centre with five or six stoves but only one is working. We saw that for ourselves in KwaZulu-Natal. In some instances, we even had to recommend that the kitchen should be shut down,” Ms Ramolobeng said.

“Once inmates are unable to eat or are given one meal a day,” the Chairperson continued, “it becomes a serious challenge.” The committee advised the DCS to continue to do maintenance and repairs and use offender labour for this. The filling of artisan vacancies was also highlighted, as they could assist offenders with repairing facilities.

The committee also agreed on the need for a meeting of heads of department between the DCS, DPWI and NT to discuss the issue of the user charge allocation. During a presentation a few weeks ago, the committee heard that more than R842 million was processed and paid to the DPWI in terms of this allocation during the 2024/25 period. However, DPWI has since relinquished the majority of maintenance responsibilities to the DCS, even though payments were made.

The committee will also invite NT to brief the committee on this matter. In addition, the committee will require regular updates from the task team on progress achieved.

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

Source: APO – Report:

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Madagascar has officially launched a landmark initiative aimed at enhancing climate resilience by restoring critical coastal ecosystems and improving livelihoods across vulnerable regions. Nearly 100,000 people are expected to benefit directly across four key coastal regions—Boeny, Menabe, Diana, and Atsimo Atsinanana—where climate impacts are already threatening both livelihoods and biodiversity.

The project, Scaling Up Ecosystem-Based Adaptation for Coastal Areas in Madagascar, will be executed by the Ministry of Environment and Sustainable Development with a USD 7.1 million grant from the Global Environment Facility and a cofinancing of USD 27 million. The UN Environment Programme (UNEP) assisted the government with developing the project and will act as the implementing agency, as a continuation of a long-standing partnership on resilience-building and strengthened environmental stewardship

Madagascar’s coastal ecosystems—mangroves, coral reefs, and coastal forests—serve as natural buffers against rising seas, intensifying cyclones, and coastal erosion. Yet these ecosystems are under growing pressure from deforestation, overfishing, and a changing climate. Coastal zones support more than 75% of the local population by providing, for example, marine species for fisheries or valuable non-timber forest products.

The new project aims to enhance the resilience of both ecosystems and communities through nature-based solutions, conventionally  referred to as ecosystem-based adaptation.

In close coordination with the Regional Directorates for Environment and Sustainable Development (DREDD), the project will support integrated coastal zone management structures, enhance national and local adaptation coordination, and provide revised tools and plans to integrate EbA at the regional and municipal levels.

The initiative will restore 3,000 hectares of mangroves and coastal forests and rehabilitate 2,000 hectares of degraded watersheds using community-based approaches. Over the course of the project, almost 100,000 people are expected to benefit directly from ecosystem-based adaptation interventions.

It will also support the creation of 20 ecosystem-based businesses, with a focus on empowering women and youth through access to training, technical support, and equipment. These businesses will span climate-resilient sectors such as sustainable fisheries, aquaculture, beekeeping, ecotourism, and rainfed agriculture.

An official high-level launch ceremony was held on 15 July at Hôtel Le Louvre Antaninarenina, bringing together representatives from national ministries, UN agencies, civil society, and development partners. 

In her opening speech at the ceremony, the Secretary General of Environment and Sustainable Development Hahitantsoa Tokinirina Razafimahefa, said: “Restoring mangroves means protecting the coastline, supporting sustainable small-scale fishing, creating natural carbon sinks, and preserving nesting sites for rare species. In other words, it means acting on adaptation, mitigation, food security, and biodiversity conservation—all at once.”

Paz Lopez-Rey, UNEP’s Programme Management Officer for the new project, said: “The project will strengthen local governance for integrated coastal zone management, while ensuring the integration of ecosystem-based adaptation into key regional and municipal planning tools. But it will go further than that; it will lead to a national strategy to scale up ecosystem-based adaptation in other vulnerable coastal areas of the country.”

– on behalf of United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP).

Source: APO – Report:

The Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA), the National Basketball Association (NBA) (www.NBA.com) and the International Basketball Federation (FIBA) today announced the 40 top high-school-age female prospects from outside the U.S. who will travel to Indianapolis, Ind., for the third Basketball Without Borders (BWB) Global women’s camp, which will be held Thursday, July 17 – Saturday, July 19 at Nicoson Hall on the University of Indianapolis campus as part of AT&T WNBA All-Star 2025.

The campers will be coached by several current and former WNBA and FIBA players and coaches, including 2025 No. 6 overall pick Georgia Amoore (Washington Mystics; Australia), 1999 WNBA All-Star and two-time NCAA champion Tonya Edwards (U.S.), two-time NCAA champion Kelly Faris (U.S.) and two-time Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference Player of the Year Andrea Gardner-Williams.  2004 WNBA All-Star and current Vice President of Team Operations & Organizational Growth for the Boston Celtics Allison Feaster will serve as the camp director.

The players and coaches will lead the campers through a variety of activities, including movement efficiency drills, offensive and defensive skill stations, three-point contests, 5-on-5 games, and life-skills and leadership development sessions.  The camp will once again be open to WNBA scouts and NCAA coaches following last year’s event where 34 of the campers received NCAA Division I scholarship offers.  The campers will also attend the 2025 AT&T WNBA All-Star Game at Gainbridge Fieldhouse on July 19.  

The event will be supported by Nike, a global partner of BWB since 2002, which will outfit participants with Nike apparel and footwear.

BWB, the NBA and FIBA’s global basketball development and community outreach program, has reached more than 4,600 participants from 144 countries and territories since 2001, with 142 former campers drafted into the NBA and WNBA or signed as free agents.  Fifteen former BWB campers have advanced to the WNBA, including Ezi Magbegor (Seattle Storm; Australia; BWB Asia 2016), Jade Melbourne (Mystics; Australia; BWB Global 2020), Aaliyah Edwards (Mystics; Canada; BWB Global 2019), Domonique Malonga (Storm; BWB Europe 2022), Nika Muhl (Storm; Croatia; BWB Europe 2018; BWB Global 2019) and Kamilla Cardoso (Chicago Sky; Brazil; BWB Global 2019).  The NBA and FIBA have held 80 BWB camps in 53 cities across 33 countries on six continents.

Follow the camp using the hashtag #BWBGlobal on Facebook, Instagram and X.  Find out more about BWB at BasketballWithoutBorders.com (https://BWB.NBA.com/), on YouTube (Basketball Without Borders: https://apo-opa.co/46csTll) and on Instagram (@ basketballwithoutborders: https://apo-opa.co/44O1jZs).

The following is a complete list of players participating in the third BWB Global women’s camp at WNBA All-Star (roster subject to change):

Name

Sanja Aksam

Maria Madalena Martinho Amaro

Karina Capellán

Emma D’este

Fatou Kine Diop

Misheel Elbegbayar

Haya El-Halawany

Rica Enriquez-Paea

Melissa Guillet

Amanda Guineo

Janelle Gyampo

Ayla Habbal

Wiktoria Haegenbarth

Keriana Hippolite

Hyeonjeong Hwang

Serena Ishiwatari

Ya Ida Juwara Skold

Anna Liepina

Yu Han Lin

Eiza Louveton

Erika Mace

Kartika Mahanani

Sarah Aaliyah Mellouk

Valeria Montero Piña

Lucy Nchamba

Nicole Ogun

Chen Chia Shan Pan

Maria Perez

Jasmine Perry

Maewenn Poilve

Mika Sakaguchi

Sena Sert

Binta Seye

Manon Simplot

Maxine Maria Sutisna

Tiia Talonen

Nicole Torresani

Tjasa Turnsek

Maja Uranker

Lea Vukic

– on behalf of National Basketball Association (NBA).

Contact:
Kevin Alonzo
NBA
kalonzo@NBA.com
(212) 407-8158

Source: APO – Report:

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The Presidency cautions South Africa against treating Democratic Alliance (DA) disinformation on matters of international relations and diplomacy as official Government policy.

The DA’s latest effort to embarrass President Cyril Ramaphosa’s Special Envoy to North America, Mr Jonas Mcebisi, involves claims – in the DA’s framing – that the United States has rejected Mr Jonas’s “credentials” and that Mr Jonas is therefore unable to perform his role as Special Envoy.

The DA seeks to add sensationalism to its claim by suggesting President Ramaphosa and Mr Jonas face a crisis in view of the United States’ pending implementation of trade tariffs announced several days ago by President Donald Trump.

The facts around this matter include the reality that Special Envoys do not present diplomatic credentials to host countries in the way designated Heads of Mission or other diplomats are.

While envoys are not required to account publicly for the work they undertake, the President’s own accounts of his performance include elements facilitated by envoys.

Mr Jonas’s outreach does not in any way supersede the leading role played by the Department of Trade, Industry and Competition (DTIC) and the Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO) in our difficult but constructive trade negotiations with the United States, or in our diplomatic relations with this longstanding partner.

Mr Jonas has, however, played an important role in working with the DTIC to develop the trade proposals in which South Africa is currently engaging the United States in good faith and with the expectation of mutually beneficial terms.

Similarly, he has been assisting DIRCO in Government’s efforts to reset diplomatic relations and all areas of cooperation between South Africa and the United States.

While these processes are underway and in view of President Ramaphosa’s telephonic contact with President Trump as well as his Working Visit to Washington in May 2025, President Ramaphosa has not had a need for Mr Jonas to visit the United States on urgent business.

The Presidency is therefore concerned about the Democratic Alliance’s persistent campaign against South Africa’s national interest and its posture of trying to embarrass and belittle our country and in this specific circumstance, Mr Jonas.

This campaign has its origins in a Democratic Alliance visit to the United States earlier this year, to advance an ideological agenda rather than our national interest.

The DA has positioned itself as part of a right-wing nexus that seeks to use a foreign state to effect changes to democratically developed national policies in our own country.

The DA is trying cheaply but dangerously to exploit a critical engagement between South Africa and the United States to protest President Ramaphosa’s removal of Mr Andrew Whitfield as Deputy Minister of Trade, Industry and Competition.

The DA’s pronouncements and insults against countries and international organisations – such as the Republic of Cuba or the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees – offends South Africa’s international relations and posture.

If the DA were to succeed in undermining South Africa relations with various nations or institutions, the party will harm the viability of businesses and livelihoods of hundreds of thousands of South Africans who work in sectors that depend on the expansion of our trade relations with the world.

– on behalf of The Presidency of the Republic of South Africa.

Source: APO – Report:

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His Majesty King Mohammed VI has sent a message of congratulations to the Sultan of Brunei Darussalam, His Majesty Haji Hassanal Bolkiah, on the occasion of his birthday.

In this message, His Majesty the King extends His warmest congratulations and sincere wishes for good health and happiness to the Sultan of Brunei Darussalam and his esteemed royal family, as well as for progress and prosperity to his brotherly people, under his wise leadership.

The Sovereign takes pride in the brotherly bonds and mutual esteem that unite the two brotherly peoples, as well as in the strong ties of fruitful cooperation and solidarity between their two nations.

His Majesty the King also reaffirms His firm resolve to continue working alongside HM Haji Hassanal Bolkiah to further elevate these relations to the highest level, in fulfillment of the shared aspirations of both peoples for greater prosperity and well-being.

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