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How a Sudanese university kept learning alive during war

Source: The Conversation – Africa – By Gihad Ibrahim, Assistant Professor and E-learning Department Head, Mashreq University

The civil war in Sudan began in April 2023, causing death, hunger, displacement and destruction on a huge scale. Gihad Ibrahim, head of e-learning and senior manager at Mashreq University in Sudan’s capital, Khartoum, spoke with The Conversation Africa about how his institution continued to educate thousands of students despite the destruction of its campuses during the ongoing conflict.

What was Mashreq University like before the war?

Mashreq University (established in 2003) was a thriving academic community of over 10,000 students across 10 faculties, including healthcare, engineering, information technology and business. We were known for innovation, being the first in Sudan to offer degrees in fields like artificial intelligence and mechatronics engineering. We ranked highly in both global and national rankings.

Our status as a private university allowed us agility in decision-making and investing in digital infrastructure early, a crucial factor in our later survival. However, our success was also rooted in operating within a national system that, before the war, permitted and accredited such innovation. This highlights a vital policy lesson: governments can foster resilience not by micromanaging, but by creating a regulatory environment that allows universities the autonomy to adapt and invest in their own futures.

Our main campus was in Khartoum North, a hub of student life.

Student life on campus at Mashreq University before the outbreak of war in 2023. Mashreq University/Facebook, Author provided (no reuse)

While teaching was primarily in-person, we had already begun integrating online elements for some courses. This digital foundation, though modest, would later become our lifeline.

We established a learning management system back in 2013. When the COVID-19 pandemic struck in 2020, we were among the few Sudanese universities that could transition seamlessly online.

The damaged interior of a university building following its occupation. Mashreq University, Author provided (no reuse)

That crisis was a dress rehearsal; it forced us to build a system for blended learning that saved us when a far greater crisis emerged.

What happened when the fighting broke out in April 2023?

The war began on a Saturday morning – a normal teaching day. Students were already commuting. I remember I had a morning meeting with three female students working on their graduation project. I called one of them immediately and told her to warn the others and return home. Unfortunately, one didn’t get the message and was trapped near campus for two weeks – a harrowing reminder of the immediate human cost.

Our first priority was evacuation. But in those first chaotic hours, our information technology team performed a critical act: an emergency cloud backup of all academic records. It was a decision born of foresight, and it preserved the academic history of thousands.

Within weeks, our main campus was occupied by the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF). They looted laboratories and burned lecture halls. Because of the buildings’ height, they used them as military positions. Our campus was not just damaged; it was weaponised.

Damage to Mashreq campus. Mashreq University, Author provided (no reuse)

How did you keep teaching after such devastation?

Khartoum became a ghost city. With people fleeing in all directions – to other states or across borders to neighbouring countries like Egypt and Saudi Arabia – our university community scattered. The first step was to find them. We launched an online survey to locate our displaced students and staff.

Using that data, we established a network of “teaching centres” in safer locations. We created hubs in Port Sudan (after relocating from the city of Atbara), and internationally in Cairo (in Egypt), Jeddah (in Saudi Arabia), and a virtual campus in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). The UAE group was smaller, but because many students there held temporary “war victim” visas that restricted travel, we offered live virtual classes instead of physical ones.

Students attending a class at one of the temporary teaching centres. Mashreq University/Facebook, Author provided (no reuse)

How does this new teaching model work?

We had to be strategic. We categorised every course:

Non-applied courses (like many in business or theory) moved entirely online. Applied courses (like lab sciences) were delivered face-to-face at the teaching centres.

Advanced specialised courses were taught live online to all centres simultaneously.

Consistency was key. Each course had a “lead lecturer” who coordinated content across all locations to ensure every student received the same quality. We partnered with local hospitals and factories for practical training, turning a constraint into an opportunity for real-world learning.

Exams were held online on university tablets, but invigilated in person at the centres to ensure integrity. The system was built on flexibility, but also on rigorous standards.

The e-learning infrastructure that allowed Mashreq University to continue teaching during the conflict. Gihad Ibrahim/Mashreq University, Author provided (no reuse)

What lessons has Mashreq University learned?

We learned three profound lessons:

Technology is a lifeline. Our pre-war investment in digital infrastructure was what allowed us to survive.

Flexibility and compassion must replace rigid bureaucracy. We focused on the goal – education – not on the old rules.

Crisis can fuel innovation. Many students gained deeper, more relevant experience training in real hospitals and factories than they ever would in a simulated campus lab.

The most powerful moments have been the messages from graduates. They write to thank us, often noting that their peers at other universities are still waiting, their education frozen. One message captures it all:

You gave me my future back.

This reminds us that education is not a luxury; in times of war, it is a testament to normalcy, hope, and the future.

What comes next?

We have already begun refurbishing our main campus in Khartoum North, hoping to return soon. But the old model is gone for good.

Current efforts to refurbish and rebuild Mashreq University’s main campus in Khartoum, aiming for a return to in-person education. Abubakr Khalid/Mashreq University, Author provided (no reuse)

This experience has taught us that education has no borders. It can reach anyone, anywhere, if guided by compassion and strategic purpose.

For universities everywhere, our story is a stark lesson: investing in resilient, flexible systems is not just about innovation; in today’s world, it is fundamentally about survival.

– How a Sudanese university kept learning alive during war
– https://theconversation.com/how-a-sudanese-university-kept-learning-alive-during-war-269325

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Nana Konadu Agyeman-Rawlings: the first lady who redefined women’s power in Ghana.

Source: The Conversation – Africa – By Nancy Henaku, Lecturer, Department of English, University of Ghana

Tributes for Nana Konadu Agyeman-Rawlings (1948-2025) have been pouring in since her death on 23 October 2025. For many Ghanaians, her broad-ranging empowerment work as leader of the 31st December Women’s Movement is deserving of full recognition. The non-governmental organisation started as a women’s political movement and is still active.

Born on 17 November 1948, she became the wife of Jerry John Rawlings, who governed Ghana from 1981 until he handed over power in 2001.

Mourners, including Ghana’s President John Dramani Mahama, have referenced Agyeman-Rawlings’ social welfare interventions through her organisation as evidence of her achievements. These include the provision of credit facilities and advocacy for women’s and children’s rights. She also established daycare centres for children, adult literacy centres and edible oil extraction industries.

A dimension of Agyeman-Rawlings’ politics that has been mainly overlooked, however, is her rhetorical leadership. This refers to the various persuasive means through which she performed her roles as a public figure.

I am a scholar of English who studies how people use language and other communicative forms (such as sound and visuals) to influence public discourse. I have used rhetorical and linguistic methods to study various sources on Agyeman-Rawlings, including a personal interview I conducted with her in 2017.

Agyeman-Rawlings’ speeches and writing reveal her motivations for shifting prevailing ideas about women’s social roles, her complex responses to public anxieties about her power (real or imagined) and her attempt at disrupting the archives by narrating herself into history.

Advocating for change

Agyeman-Rawlings’ rhetorical leadership transformed the role of the first lady in Ghana. In her own words:

A first lady’s work does not end with the collection of flowers and doing some protocols … I’d rather work and be emulated than to sit down and not do anything and not change anybody’s life.

For this reason, Agyeman-Rawlings spoke and wrote extensively in national and international contexts. Her rhetoric of empowerment centred the plights of women, children and the poor. For instance, she asserted at Beijing that “for us in Africa, the girl child is a special concern.”

Agyeman-Rawlings articulated a cosmopolitan ideology shaped by multiple influences. These include UN rights discourses, the language of mothering (such as nurturing, protecting), liberal feminism with its emphasis on gender reform through legal means, and the populist rhetoric of the Rawlings regime, with its emphasis on people power.

An assessment of Agyeman-Rawlings’ legacy must recognise that speaking and writing for change involve extensive physical, mental and emotional energy. And for many years, under her husband’s military regime, she performed this role without the professional support of a communications team.

The sociologist Mansah Prah describes Agyeman-Rawlings’ tenure as the era of the “grand feminist illusion” because although her organisations were seemingly pro-woman, their activities did not result in substantial changes in the lives of women.

However, as my research suggests, discussions on the limitations of Agyeman-Rawlings’ advocacy must consider at least two factors. First, the patriarchal postcolonial state always constrains women’s mass efforts at transformation. Second, the discourses that influence Agyeman-Rawlings’ rhetoric are themselves contradictory. For instance, the term “empowerment” is a catchall phrase that means different things to different people. Its vagueness makes it a safe political term. It does not radically shift conversations on gender.

Contesting power

Agyeman-Rawlings had an intense political life. One could say that through her gendered advocacy and mass mobilisation, she politicised the first lady role. For that reason, she was highly scrutinised during her active political years. In response to efforts to restrain her power, she drew on ambiguous gendered rhetorics, moral values and familial legacy

She was variously accused of being corrupt, power drunk and ostentatious, often with sexist undertones.

People rumoured that she, as first lady, was the real power behind the presidency. When her husband was preparing to leave office, there were stories that she wanted to succeed him. One news report claims that she countered such allegations by saying: “I have never said anywhere that I want to be president” while implying that she could change her mind if her husband said so. It takes a keen rhetorical intellect to navigate the slippery political terrain Agyeman-Rawlings found herself in.

She remained politically active after her tenure as first lady ended. In 2011, she contested against John Evans Atta Mills, Ghana’s president at the time, for the candidacy of the National Democratic Congress, which she helped form. She would later defect from the party to form her own, the National Democratic Party.

In these complex political tussles, she consistently appealed to morality and truth. In one instance, she countered ten years of media “bashing” by claiming that she had been raised right. Her 2016 acceptance speech for the National Democratic Party candidacy centred on “what is right” for the “people”.

My interview with her and other primary sources point to the influence of the calm, ethical and non-ideological pragmatism of Agyeman-Rawlings’ father, J.O.T. Agyeman, in her appeal to morality. Her father was a technocrat who was connected to Ghanaians belonging to different sides of Ghana’s two main political traditions, the Nkrumahist and the Danquah-Busia traditions. According to Agyeman-Rawlings, her parents’ home was a space for “spirited” conversations shaped by her father’s emphasis on logical and ethical argumentation rather than parochial political interests. This suggests that examining African first ladies merely in relation to their husbands’ politics, however crucial, would be a limited view.

Disrupting the archive

Agyeman-Rawlings wrote a memoir, unusually for a Ghanaian woman politician. As the historian Jean Allman suggests, there is a connection between the erasure of women in Ghanaian politics and the absence of autobiographical writings by nationalist women. My studies argue that Agyeman-Rawlings’ narrative (though incomplete) should be read as a rhetorical disruption of the postcolonial archives. These archives tend to erase or subordinate women’s contributions within a dominant masculine framing of the nation-state.

Agyeman-Rawlings is not the only woman to have laboured for the nation-state. Other women like pro-independence activist Hannah Kudjoe who were involved in similar social welfare activities have been written out of Ghanaian history. Agyeman-Rawlings understood that despite her extensive work, words still mattered if she was to be remembered.

By asserting that “it takes a woman” to “birth” the strength and future of a nation, she boldly inserts a feminine voice into a postcolonial national allegory that centres men. By so doing, she demands a rereading of “great men” like Ghana’s first president, Kwame Nkrumah, and Jerry Rawlings. And in the absence of a Jerry Rawlings autobiography, Agyeman-Rawlings’ writing becomes doubly subversive.

Because women have been historically marginalised from the public sphere, a female politician would be scrutinised whether or not she was vocal. Agyeman-Rawlings chose to be visible and outspoken.

– Nana Konadu Agyeman-Rawlings: the first lady who redefined women’s power in Ghana.
– https://theconversation.com/nana-konadu-agyeman-rawlings-the-first-lady-who-redefined-womens-power-in-ghana-269013

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S&P Global Ratings’ Samira Mensah Joins African Energy Chamber (AEC) G20 Forum as Africa Seeks to Close Investment Gap

Source: APO


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With an energy finance gap estimated between $30 billion and $50 billion per year, Africa is pursuing diversified sources of financing to address this shortfall and advance strategic projects. Aligned with goals by the continent to make energy poverty history, the African Energy Chamber’s (AEC) (https://EnergyChamber.org/) upcoming G20 Africa Energy Investment Forum seeks to close this gap by connecting global capital to African projects. Samira Mensah, Managing Director, Regional Head Africa & Country Head South Africa, S&P Global Ratings, is speaking at the forum, where she is expected to share insight into investment trends, credit ratings and strategies for securing capital in an ever-changing global context.  

While Africa’s energy potential is well-known – with over 125 billion barrels of proven oil reserves, 620 trillion cubic feet of proven gas and abundant renewable energy potential – high borrowing costs, perceived credit risks and limited access to long-term financing remain an impediment to project development. In tandem, global pressures to advance the energy transition has seen funding for oil and gas projects significantly fall, delaying African projects and impacting efforts to enhance energy security across the continent. Within this scenario, organizations such as S&P Global Ratings plays a crucial role, shaping market confidence and supporting capital access through transparent risk evaluation. The organization’s research has consistently highlighted the importance of developing robust domestic capital markets, enhancing sovereign creditworthiness and leveraging blended finance and guarantees to reduce the cost of borrowing for African issuers.  

While perceived credit risk continues to impact projects in Africa, recent trends have seen a continental push toward closing Africa’s energy financing gap. The $5 billion Africa Energy Bank – spearheaded by the African Petroleum Producers Organization and Afreximbank – is making rapid gains in raising funds, offering an alternative, home-grown solution to raising capital. Development finance is gaining traction, evidenced by the U.S.-Export-Import Bank re-approving a loan of up to $4.7 billion to support the development of the TotalEnergies-led Mozambique LNG project. The African Development Bank also reached a record of $11 billion in new investments approved in Africa between 2024 and 2025. International energy companies are ramping-up their spending. Eni is investing $8 billion in Algeria, backed by a deal signed with Sonatrach, while ExxonMobil could invest as much as $15 billion in Angola’s Namibe basin following successful drilling. African M&A transactions also saw a significant increase, totaling $2.7 billion in H1, 2025 alone.  

The upcoming G20 Africa Energy Investment Forum builds on this momentum by offering insight into Africa’s energy opportunities. The forum follows the African Energy Week 2025 conference, where a Premier Invest-led Deal Room identified up to $13.4 billion project opportunities across the upstream, midstream, downstream and renewable energy segments. By connecting global financiers with African stakeholders, the G20 Forum aims to drive projects forward while addressing challenges such as perceived risk and market uncertainty. Mensah’s participation will bring technical depth to discussions on how sovereign and corporate ratings can catalyze investment in Africa’s oil, gas and power sectors, particularly as countries pursue both expansion and transition agendas.  

“Closing Africa’s energy investment gap is not only about mobilizing capital, it is about changing perceptions, improving credit risk assessments and creating confidence in African markets. Institutions like S&P Global Ratings play a vital role in helping investors see the full picture: that Africa is not a risk to be avoided, but an opportunity to be embraced,” states NJ Ayuk, Executive Chairman, AEC.  

 To register for the Forum click here (https://apo-opa.co/443y98Q). 

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of African Energy Chamber.

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Eskom’s Alfred Seema Joins African Energy Chamber (AEC) G20 Forum Amid Focus on Improved Generation, Strategic Partnerships

Source: APO


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Alfred Seema, Group Executive: Strategic Delivery Unit of South Africa’s state-owned power utility Eskom, has been confirmed as a speaker at the African Energy Chamber’s G20 Africa Energy Investment Forum (https://EnergyChamber.org/) – taking place November 21 in Johannesburg. Seema’s participation comes as the company accelerates a General Recovery Plan, striving to enhance energy security and generation capacity across the country. His participation is expected to unlock new pathways for global partnerships as the country pursues a just energy transition.  

Eskom has been at the forefront of addressing South Africa’s loadshedding crisis through targeted policies. The company launched a Load Reduction Elimination Strategy in September 2025, offering a clear roadmap to strengthen the country’s distribution network and address high-risk isolated areas. The program takes a three-phased approach, including expanding free basic electricity access from the current 485,000 households to 2.1 million households; accelerating the rollout of smart meters, with 6.2 million planned over the next three years; and deploying distributed energy resources, with 250 set to be installed over the next five years. Eskom is also rolling out a Generation Recovery Plan, aimed at strengthening energy supply. Since August 2025, generation performance has improved significantly under the plan, with the Energy Availability Factor reaching 70%. Between October 1 and 23 alone, the Unplanned Capability Loss Factor reduced to 22.8%, reflecting a marginal improvement compared to the same period in 2024.  

Looking ahead, Eskom’s generation strategy focuses on a dual approach of improving the existing fleet and transitioning to cleaner sources of fuel. Aligned with South Africa’s Integrated Resource Plan (IRP), the company aims to develop a balanced energy mix that incorporates all sources of energy. The IRP 2025 offers a clear investment roadmap for the power sector, targeting 105 GW of new generation capacity by 2039. This includes 5.3 GW of new nuclear capacity – expandable to 10 GW – as well as 34 GW of onshore wind, 25 GW of utility-scale solar, 8.2 GW of storage and 16 GW of gas-to-power. The plan also envisages the development of a Clean-Coal Technologies Demonstration Plan by 2030. Eskom is currently reviewing the IRP 2025 and will publish its own updated strategic plan.  

The generation strategy has already begun to yield positive results. In November 2025, Eskom announced that its Koeberg Nuclear Power Station has secured a 20-year license extension, with both of its units expected to deliver 1,860 MW of baseload power until 2045. This follows the announcement of simplified compliance and registration processes for customers who generate their own electricity through Small-Scale Embedded Generation, enabling private players to invest in generation infrastructure. In September 2025, Eskom achieved commercial operations at Unit 6 at the Kusile Power Station, marking the end of construction of the Medupi and Kusile coal plants. Together, the two facilities deliver up to 9,600 MW of power. These projects form a cornerstone of Eskom’s generation strategy, signaling the company’s commitment to diversified energy development in South Africa.  

Meanwhile, as part of a strategic restructuring, the South African government has begun the process of unbundling Eskom by separating the company into three entities: generation, transmission and distribution. While operating under Eskom, the companies will function as separate entities under efforts to strengthen efficiency, attract private investment and enhance competition across the sector. To date, the transmission entity – the National Transmission Company of South Africa – has been established and began operations in July 2024. However, to successfully complete the unbundling process, challenges associated with financial viability need to be addressed. The G20 Forum supports these goals be connecting global capital to South African power projects and partners.  

“South Africa’s path to energy security depends on embracing a truly diversified mix. Eskom generation plan marks a decisive shift toward balanced growth. Through platforms like the G20 Africa Energy Investment Forum, we can attract the right partners and capital to strengthen South Africa’s generation base and ensure every household and industry benefits from affordable, dependable power,” says NJ Ayuk, Executive Chairman of the African Energy Chamber. 

To register for the Forum click here (https://apo-opa.co/47TjSwG).  

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of African Energy Chamber.

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Cassava Technologies & Google partner to bring Gemini to millions across Africa

Source: APO

Cassava Technologies (www.CassavaTechnologies.com), a global technology leader of African heritage, has announced a strategic partnership to expand access to Google’s advanced AI, Gemini, across the continent.  

The collaboration is built on two key offers designed to remove the primary barriers of cost and data consumption for consumers and businesses in Africa: 

  • A six-month extended trial of the Google AI Plus plan, provided by Google. This plan includes more access to Google’s most capable Gemini models, 200 GB of storage, video generation, Gemini in Gmail and Docs and higher limit for image generation. 
  • Data-free access to the Gemini app. Cassava will work with its extensive network of technology service providers to ensure that eligible users can use the Gemini app without consuming any of their mobile data. 

By leveraging the extensive reach of Cassava’s partner network and the advanced capabilities of Google’s AI solutions, this initiative will help more Africans access, experience, and benefit from advanced AI technologies.   

“We’re proud to partner with Google to democratise access to digital solutions that empower people and businesses. This partnership underscores a shared vision to make AI more inclusive, accessible, and impactful across Africa’s rapidly digitising economies. It’s about shaping a smarter, more connected, and more competitive Africa,” said Hardy Pemhiwa, President & Group CEO of Cassava Technologies.  

“Our goal is to make Gemini helpful for everyone. By partnering with Cassava, we’re removing significant barriers to AI adoption across Africa—specifically cost and connectivity. This collaboration should help bring the full potential of Gemini to millions of people, empowering them to learn, build, and create without worrying about data consumption,” said Josh Woodward, VP, Google Labs, Gemini, & AI Studio 

By removing the cost barrier to adoption, the initiative will enable individuals, businesses, and institutions to benefit from the following Google AI Plus features for the duration of the trial period.  

  • More access to our most capable model -Gemini 2.5 Pro 
  • 200GB of cloud storage 
  • Deep Research on 2.5 Pro 
  • Higher limits of image generation with Nano Banana 
  • Video generation with access to Veo 3.1 Fast 
  • Access to Flow, our generative video tool for filmmaking 
  • Expanded access to NotebookLM for advanced note-taking and insights 
  • Gemini integration in Gmail and Docs for smarter writing and productivity 

Visit the Google AI Plus (https://apo-opa.co/4oDlJNr) page for a full list of features.   

The partnership builds on Cassava’s long-standing commitment to driving digital inclusion and innovation through collaborations that bring advanced solutions to African markets. With AI rapidly emerging as a key driver of socio-economic growth, it also aligns with the company’s mission of providing digital solutions that enable enterprises to transform their customers’ lives.  

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Cassava Technologies.

About Cassava Technologies:
Cassava Technologies is a global technology leader of African heritage providing a vertically integrated ecosystem of digital services and infrastructure enabling digital transformation. Headquartered in the UK, Cassava has a presence across Africa, the Middle East, Latin America and the United States of America. Through its business units, namely, Cassava AI, Liquid Intelligent Technologies, Liquid C2, Africa Data Centres, and Sasai Fintech, the company provides its customers’ products and services in 94 countries. These solutions drive the company’s ambition of establishing itself as a leading global technology company of African heritage. https://www.CassavaTechnologies.com/  

About Google:
Google’s mission is to organize the world’s information and make it universally accessible and useful. Through products and platforms like Search, Maps, Gmail, Android, Google Play, Google Cloud, Chrome and YouTube, Google plays a meaningful role in the daily lives of billions of people and has become one of the most widely-known companies in the world. Google is a subsidiary of Alphabet Inc. 

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30th United Nations Climate Conference (COP 30): Multilateral development banks reaffirm their commitment to climate finance, pledge innovative funding for adaptation

Source: APO

Multilateral development banks on Monday reaffirmed their commitment to climate finance, pledging to scale up innovative funding to boost climate adaptation and resilience.

“Financing climate resilience is not a cost, but an investment.” This was the key message from senior MDB officials at the end of a side event organised by the Climate Investment Funds (CIF) on the opening day of the 30th United Nations Climate Conference (COP30) in Belém, Brazil. The conference runs from 10 to 21 November.

During a panel discussion titled “Accelerating large-scale climate change adaptation,” MDB representatives, including the African Development Bank Group, outlined how their institutions are fulfilling Paris Agreement commitments by mobilising substantial and innovative resources for climate adaptation and mitigation.

Climate resilience: an investment opportunity

Ilan Goldfajn, President of the Inter-American Development Bank Group, emphasised that “resilience is more than a concern for the future: it is also essential for development today.” He announced that MDBs are tripling their financing for resilience over the next decade, targeting $42 billion by 2030.

“At the Inter-American Development Bank, we are turning preparedness into protection and resilience into opportunity,” Goldfajn added.

Tanja Faller, Director of Technical Evaluation and Monitoring at the Council of Europe Development Bank, stressed that climate change “not only creates new threats, but also amplifies existing inequalities. The most socially vulnerable people are the hardest hit and the last to recover. This is how a climate crisis also becomes a social crisis.”

Representatives from the Islamic Development Bank, the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank, the Asian Development Bank, the World Bank Group, the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development,  the European Investment Bank, the New Development Bank and IDB Invest (the private sector arm of the Inter-American Development Bank Group) also shared concrete examples of successful adaptation investments and strategies for mobilising new resources.

The African Development Bank leads by example

Kevin Kariuki, Vice President of the African Development Bank Group in charge of Power, Energy, Climate and Green Growth, presented the Bank’s leadership in advancing climate adaptation and mitigation. “At the African Development Bank, we understand the priorities of our countries: adaptation and mitigation are at the heart of our climate interventions.”

He highlighted the creation of the Climate Action Window, a new financing mechanism under the African Development Fund, the Bank Group’s concessional window for low-income countries.

“The African Development Bank is the only multilateral development bank with a portfolio of adaptation projects ready for investment through the Climate Action Window,” Kariuki noted, adding that Germany, the United Kingdom and Switzerland are among key co-financing partners.

Kariuki also showcased the Bank’s YouthADAPT programme, which has invested $5.4 million in 41 youth-led enterprises across 20 African countries, generating more than 10,000 jobs — 61 percent of which are led by women, and mobilising an additional $7 million in private and donor funding.

Representatives from Zambia, Mozambique and Jamaica also shared local perspectives on the financing needs of communities most exposed to climate risk.

Lula launches his COP in the Amazon

The panel followed the official opening of COP30, marked by a passionate appeal from Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva for greater climate investment to prevent a “tragedy for humanity.”

“Without the Paris Agreement, we would see a 4–5°C increase in global temperatures,” Lula warned. “Our call to action is based on three pillars: honouring commitments; accelerating public action with a roadmap enabling humanity to move away from fossil fuels and deforestation; and placing humanity at the heart of the climate action programme: thousands of people are living in poverty and deprivation as a result of climate change.”

“The climate emergency is a crisis of inequality,” he continued. “We must build a future that is not doomed to tragedy. We must ensure that we live in a world where we can still dream.”

Outgoing COP President Mukhtar Babayevn, Azerbaijan’s Minister of Ecology, urged developed nations to fulfil their promises made at the Baku Conference, including commitments to mobilise $300 billion in climate finance. He called for stronger political will and multilateral cooperation, before handing over the COP presidency to Brazilian diplomat André Corrêa do Lago, who now leads the negotiations.

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

Media contact:
Romaric Ollo Hien,
Department of Communication and External Relations,
media@afdb.org

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The Fund for Export Development in Africa (FEDA) Announces Landmark Investment in Africa Minerals and Metals Processing Platform (A2MP) to Drive Africa’s Mining and Industrial Transformation

Source: APO


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The Fund for Export Development in Africa (FEDA), the development equity impact investment arm of African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) (www.Afreximbank.com), is pleased to announce a US$300 million strategic investment in the Africa Minerals and Metals Processing Platform (A2MP).

This investment underscores Afreximbank’s commitment to supporting Africa’s mining sector and ensuring the continent’s vast mineral wealth becomes a catalyst for sustainable economic growth rather than a source of continued resource dependency.

Rooted in over a decade of successful mining ventures, A2MP has evolved into a diversified pan-African platform focused on mining and processing. The platform aims to unlock and scale minerals and metals value chains sustainably across the continent. The platform currently operates a robust pipeline of twelve mineral assets and four processing hubs, with a diversified portfolio spanning nine countries on the continent.

This extensive footprint places A2MP at the forefront of efforts to develop integrated minerals and metals value chains, unlocking new pathways for Africa’s industrial growth and global market integration — particularly at a time when the industry faces mounting challenges from the depletion of high-grade and easily accessible ore reserves.

A2MP brings together a diversified portfolio of leading mining assets and operating companies across multiple mineral classes, including gold, bauxite and alumina, manganese, iron ore amongst others. A2MP will also develop additional processing hubs, including those for rare earths, battery precursors, and other critical minerals, to strengthen value addition across the continent.

Dr. George Elombi, the new President and Chairman of the Board of Directors of Afreximbank and FEDA commented: “We are pleased to have successfully closed this investment in Africa Minerals and Metals Processing Platform (A2MP), which aligns with our broad vision to change the structure of Africa’s trade and economy. With this investment, Afreximbank is helping the continent transition structurally from raw-material exports to a fully integrated system of mining and local manufacturing. Our investment in the platform will scale local processing capacity and build the infrastructure needed for value addition across multiple mineral classes. A2MP’s integrated platform ensures that a greater share of the continent’s mineral wealth is retained within African economies, enabling the creation of competitive industrial clusters and high-value jobs.”

Gagan Gupta, Founder of A2MP: “FEDA and Afreximbank’s support marks a pivotal moment for Africa’s industrial journey. It’s more than a financial partnership; it is a bold affirmation of Africa’s potential to lead the global value chain in minerals and metals. This strategic investment allows us to scale our fully integrated model of responsible extraction, processing, and transformation while accelerating the creation of high-value local industries across Africa. Our ambition is to make A2MP the backbone of the continent’s next industrial revolution, create thousands of jobs, and deliver lasting impact for communities. With FEDA and Afreximbank as key partners, we are confident in our ability to shift global perceptions of Africa, from a resource-rich continent to a processing and manufacturing powerhouse.”

Marlene Ngoyi, CEO of FEDA noted: “Our investment in A2MP embodies the type of transformative investment that aligns perfectly with our vision for Africa’s mining future. The platform’s model is built on retaining beneficiation and processing within the continent, ensuring that the real economic value of Africa’s mineral wealth is captured locally. By offering diversified exposure across a broad range of strategic minerals, A2MP stands out as a unique platform capable of building depth across critical value chains while providing resilience and sustainability.”

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Afreximbank.

Media Contact:
Vincent Musumba
Communications and Events Manager (Media Relations)
Email: press@afreximbank.com

About Afreximbank:
African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) is a Pan-African multilateral financial institution mandated to finance and promote intra- and extra-African trade. For over 30 years, the Bank has been deploying innovative structures to deliver financing solutions that support the transformation of the structure of Africa’s trade, accelerating industrialisation and intra-regional trade, thereby boosting economic expansion in Africa. A stalwart supporter of the African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA), Afreximbank has launched a Pan-African Payment and Settlement System (PAPSS) that was adopted by the African Union (AU) as the payment and settlement platform to underpin the implementation of the AfCFTA. Working with the AfCFTA Secretariat and the AU, the Bank has set up a US$10 billion Adjustment Fund to support countries effectively participating in the AfCFTA. At the end of December 2024, Afreximbank’s total assets and contingencies stood at over US$40.1 billion, and its shareholder funds amounted to US$7.2 billion. Afreximbank has investment grade ratings assigned by GCR (international scale) (A), Afreximbank has investment grade ratings assigned by GCR (international scale) (A), Moody’s (Baa2), China Chengxin International Credit Rating Co., Ltd (CCXI) (AAA), Japan Credit Rating Agency (JCR) (A-) and Fitch (BBB-). Afreximbank has evolved into a group entity comprising the Bank, its equity impact fund subsidiary called the Fund for Export Development Africa (FEDA), and its insurance management subsidiary, AfrexInsure (together, “the Group”). The Bank is headquartered in Cairo, Egypt. 

About FEDA:
The Fund for Export Development in Africa (“FEDA”) is the impact investment subsidiary of Afreximbank (www.Afreximbank.com), set up to provide equity, quasi-equity, and debt capital to finance the multi-billion-dollar funding gap (particularly in equity) needed to transform the Trade sector in Africa. FEDA pursues a multi-sector investment strategy along the intra-African trade, value-added export development, and manufacturing value chain which includes financial services, technology, consumer and retail goods, manufacturing, transport & logistics, agribusiness, as well as ancillary trade enabling infrastructure such as industrial parks.  To date, FEDA has invested more than US$1.3 billion in companies and projects across its various fund initiatives, in sectors such as manufacturing, agro-processing, financial services, healthcare and pharmaceuticals, amongst others.

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New inflation target decision followed consultation

Source: Government of South Africa

The announcement of a new inflation target for South Africa of 3% with a 1 percentage point tolerance band, follows agreement between the Governor of the South African Reserve Bank (SARB) Lesetja Kganyago and the Minister of Finance Enoch Godongwana.

Minister Godongwana, who made the announcement during the Medium Term Budget Policy Statement on Wednesday, had further consulted with the President and Cabinet on the decision.

A statement issued jointly by the National Treasury and the South African Reserve Bank said the 1 percentage point band provides flexibility to accommodate any unexpected inflationary shocks.

“This is in line with South Africa’s approach to inflation targeting, which has always been a flexible one, looking beyond short-run deviations in inflation,” said the statement.

As part of a broader review of macroeconomic policy and in line with international developments, National Treasury and the SARB, both separately and collaboratively through the Macroeconomic Standing Committee, undertook a comprehensive assessment of the appropriate level of the inflation target.

This work has now been concluded and recommended a revision to the target to strengthen the framework and enhance price stability by better anchoring inflation expectations and aligning South Africa to international best practice.

“The new target immediately replaces the previous target range of between 3 and 6%, and will be implemented over the next two years. Over time, the lower target will decrease inflation expectations and inflation, creating room for lower interest rates. This supports household spending and business investment, boosting economic growth and job creation,” the statement said.

The benefits and costs of a lower target were carefully considered in the decision, said the National Treasury and Reserve Bank.

“While, the short-term fiscal costs of a lower target, which include lower nominal gross domestic product and revenue growth, make achieving fiscal targets more challenging, the long-term benefits for the economy far outweigh the costs.

“The SARB will pursue the target on a continuous basis and clearly communicate any deviations from the target.”

National Treasury and the SARB said they will continue working closely to ensure effective policy coordination as the economy navigates global uncertainty and domestic structural challenges. – SAnews.gov.za
 

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Decision on proposed R20 billion tax increases still to be made

Source: Government of South Africa

South Africans will have to wait until the 2026 Budget to find out whether the proposed R20 billion in additional tax increases can be withdrawn. 

Presenting the Medium-Term Budget Policy Statement (MTBPS) at a sitting of the National Assembly at the Good Hope Chamber in Parliament, Minister of Finance Enoch Godongwana said a final decision will be announced in the 2026 Budget. 

“As indicated in the 2025 Budget, an additional R4 billion was allocated to the South African Revenue Services (SARS). This allocation was intended in part to strengthen debt collection, and thereby increase revenue collected, by between R20 and R50 billion per year.

“We will continue to monitor SARS’s revenue performance for the remainder of the year. This assessment will inform whether the R20 billion in additional tax increases for the 2026 Budget, as earlier proposed, can be withdrawn,” the Minister said on Wednesday.

He said the better than estimated tax revenue, of R19.7 billion, is due to stronger household expenditure, which has boosted value-added tax collections, and improvements in corporate tax receipts and dividend tax. 

“Lower than expected VAT refunds also contributed to the improved revenue outlook. This higher revenue allows us to bring forward some once-off expenditure,” the Minister said.

Adjustments 

For the current year, an additional expenditure of R15.8 billion is proposed. 

“Madam Speaker, the adjustment in revenue means that we can make changes to our spending estimates. Amongst the in-year adjustments is also R2 billion for the rebuilding of Parliament, and R1 billion to the Independent Electoral Commission for the 2026 municipal elections. 

“In addition, the spending announced in the May Budget for the National Dialogue, as well as its carry through costs, are catered for. 

“These allocations are on top of the additional funding provisions for Education and Health announced in the May Budget,” the Minister said.

Combating the illicit economy

According to SARS, since 2020, government has lost around R40 billion in excise revenue to the cigarette black market.

“The same is true for illicit alcohol and fuel. Government is clamping down on this illegal trade. In the last six months, SARS suspended three licenses for non-compliant tobacco production,” the Minister said.

He highlighted that South Africa faces a problem of illicit trade that threatens the economy, endangers consumers, and robs the fiscus of billions in revenue.

“The Financial Intelligence Centre has provided intelligence reports to SARS to assist in investigations of criminal syndicates. 

“Together they have identified illicit markets in tobacco, precious metals, fuel and procurement fraud,” the Minister said.

Godongwana called on customs officials to fulfil their duty to prevent criminals from dodging taxes and flooding the markets with dangerous products. –SAnews.gov.za

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Government on path to increase infrastructure development

Source: Government of South Africa

With the recognition that higher and more efficient infrastructure investment is essential to unlock faster and more inclusive growth, government is partnering with the private sector to strengthen infrastructure delivery and improve the quality of spending.

“We are leveraging public resources to mobilise private finance and expertise at scale to strengthen service delivery, improve spending effectiveness and drive higher economic growth,” Minister of Finance Enoch Godongwana said on Wednesday.

Presenting the Medium-Term Budget Policy Statement (MTBPS) at a sitting of the National Assembly at the Good Hope Chamber in Parliament, the Minister said capital payments are the fastest growing expenditure item at 7.5% over the medium-term.

In line with the vision contributing towards economic growth and advancing the pillar of growth-enhancing infrastructure, government is shifting the composition of spending from consumption to investment. 

The amendments to Public Private Partnerships (PPPs) took effect on 1 June 2025, and these unlock the potential across spheres of government and streamline approvals for smaller projects.

“Three weeks ago, new guidelines on unsolicited bids and fiscal commitments and contingent liabilities were issued and these took effect immediately. 

“The unsolicited bid guideline provides a clear structured pathway for the private sector to submit project ideas to government. 

“It also provides a framework for reporting and managing of fiscal commitments and contingent liabilities arising from PPP projects,” the Minister said.

Municipal PPP regulations will be amended by 2026. 

Leveraging lessons from the Renewable Energy Independent Power Producers (IPPs) project, to streamline planning and procurement, the Department of Transport’s private-sector participation unit is reviving the passenger transport and logistics sector. 

“Following strong interest from the freight logistics requests for information, the unit will issue the first rail corridor request for proposal by December 2025, with others following in early 2026. 

“The unit has also issued requests for information for investment opportunities in modernising and growing the passenger rail system. 

“The Water Partnerships Office is making progress in preparing non-revenue water and reuse projects across municipalities. These will create a robust pipeline for the private sector to co-invest in,” the Minister said.

Government has reconfigured the Budget Facility for Infrastructure (BFI) to run four bid windows annually instead of just one.

Since the reconfiguration, the BFI has received 28 submissions. Nine projects were accepted for detailed analysis. 

“Funding to the tune of R4.1 billion is also allocated for disaster relief to fix schools, pipelines, clinics and substations damaged between last year and this year by flooding in KwaZulu-Natal, Mpumalanga, and the Eastern Cape. 

“To raise the funding for these BFI projects, a new infrastructure bond will be launched soon to raise a minimum of R15 billion.

“The bond forms part of our efforts to introduce dedicated financing instruments that can mobilise cheaper financing to support our infrastructure agenda,” the Minister said.

Government will also contribute to R2 billion to capitalise the Credit Guarantee Vehicle. 

“Initially, the vehicle will support electricity transmission expansion, directly contributing to our efforts at energy security while also driving decarbonisation. 

“This heralds a new era in PPPs, where private investment in high-voltage transmission lines is enabled. This is real progress in our move away from merely fixing the power utility to securing power to the grid from a range of sources.

“This is real progress in our move away from merely fixing the power utility to securing power to the grid from a range of sources,” he said.

The Minister said it was a key and innovative part of infrastructure reforms developed with international partners to de-risk private investment without state guarantees.

“We are also committed to simplifying the institutional arrangements across the infrastructure ecosystem. The new Infrastructure Finance and Implementation Support Agency will be operational by March 2026,” he said.

The agency will provide project preparation support to supply the BFI pipeline. 

“It will centralise infrastructure finance functions to systematically crowd-in private capital and promote the use of alternative delivery mechanisms. 

“Madam Speaker, municipalities are at the forefront of providing essential services. However, many are fraught with capacity constraints that hinder their ability to turn allocated budgets into reliable services. 

“It is for these reasons that several reforms have been introduced to urgently remedy this untenable situation,” the Minister said.

Government is piloting a utility reform programme to stabilise and professionalise water and electricity businesses in a few municipalities in Mpumalanga.

“We will use accredited indirect delivery partners such as the Development Bank of Southern Africa (DBSA) and the Municipal Infrastructure Support Agent (MISA) to provide the infrastructure while building municipal capability to do this on their own. 

“Honourable members, this is how we will ensure that our goal of public sector investment in infrastructure exceeds the R1 trillion mark over the next three years,” the Minister said. – SAnews.gov.za