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The Powers and Privileges Committee this afternoon resolved to refer the matter, at the request of the Speaker of the National Assembly (NA), relating to the conduct of Mr Visvin Reddy during the sitting of the 4 March 2025, to Parliament’s Disciplinary Committee.

The committee agreed that although Mr Reddy’s actions do not constitute contempt of Parliament as per Section 12 of the Powers, Privileges and Immunities of Parliament and Provincial Legislatures Act, his actions do constitute misconduct.

The matter was referred to the committee by the Speaker of the National Assembly in terms of rule 214 of the NA Rules. The committee will table its report to the NA for consideration.

The committee also considered another matter referred by the Speaker relating to the conduct of Mr Marlon Daniels on 2 April 2025. The committee resolved to proceed with a formal inquiry to determine, through oral evidence, whether Mr Daniels’ actions constituted contempt of Parliament in terms of the Act and NA Rules.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Republic of South Africa: The Parliament.

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The recent peace agreement signed between the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Rwanda fails to address justice for the victims of serious crimes by not including any provisions aimed at holding their perpetrators to account, Amnesty International said today.

“Without addressing impunity for the horrific crimes committed in eastern DRC, the agreement missed an opportunity to decisively tackle a long-standing driver of the conflict,” said Agnès Callamard, Amnesty International’s Secretary General.

“When human rights abusers are not investigated and held to account, it leads to a vicious cycle of abuses in which civilians pay the price. This must stop for security to be sustainable.”

Since the agreement was signed in Washington DC on 27 June, Amnesty International has received credible reports that the Rwanda-backed March 23 Movement (M23) and Wazalendo armed groups – many of which are supported by the Congolese army – have continued to clash in North and South Kivu provinces, resulting in the deaths of civilians. In addition, M23 continues to abduct young men and take them to unknown locations. M23, which is negotiating with the DRC government in a separate mediation process led by Qatar, “took note” of the US-facilitated peace deal on 30 June but stated recently that it did not concern them.

Rwanda and the DRC must urgently press M23 and Wazalendo groups to prioritize civilian protection.

“The people of eastern Congo have had their hopes for justice and security raised and then dashed by the signing and failure of numerous peace agreements over the last 25 years. DRC and Rwanda owe it to the people of eastern Congo – who continue to face untold suffering at the hands of the Wazalendo and M23 – to push the armed groups they support and collaborate with to protect civilians and to respect international humanitarian law,” said Agnès Callamard.

Background

The human rights situation in eastern DRC has deteriorated since Rwandan-backed M23 fighters entered the country in November 2021 and went on to capture large areas of North and South Kivu provinces.

The United Nations (UN) Group of Experts and Human Rights Watch have documented Rwanda’s support of the M23, the latest in a series of armed groups operating in DRC that Rwanda has backed since the late 1990s.

On 27 January 2025, M23 declared that it had captured Goma after residents and displaced people fled to safety in other parts of DRC or neighbouring countries.  On 16 February, M23 seized Bukavu, a key trading hub and capital of South Kivu province. The UN confirmed cases of summary killings and had received reports of “arbitrary arrests and detentions, degrading treatment and alleged forced returns of Congolese young men fleeing violence in neighbouring countries.”

Amnesty International has documented how the M23 killed, tortured and forcibly disappeared detainees, held some as hostages, and subjected them to inhumane conditions at detention sites in Goma and Bukavu, which may amount to war crimes. The Wazalendo are a loose coalition of armed groups fighting the M23 and backed by the Congolese army. The UN and other human rights organizations have documented human rights abuses committed by the Wazalendo.

On 27 June 2025, Rwanda and DRC signed a peace deal in Washington, DC, aimed at ending the conflict between the two neighbours.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Amnesty International.

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On July 1, 2025, Senegal officially launched the introduction of the hexavalent vaccine into its Expanded Program on Immunization (EPI). Following in Mauritania’s footsteps, Senegal is part of this regional dynamic of vaccine innovation. This vaccine is a combination that protects against six diseases: diphtheria, tetanus, whooping cough, hepatitis B, Haemophilus influenzae type B (Hib), and poliomyelitis. It replaces the pentavalent and inactivated polio vaccines (IPV), previously administered separately.

The introduction of hexavalent meets three major scientific objectives. Firstly, to reduce the number of injections infants undergo at each visit: a single injection now replaces the two previously required for Penta and IPV. Secondly, to reinforce protection against polio by increasing the number of doses of inactivated vaccine from two to three before the age of 6 months. Thirdly, to introduce an essential booster dose at 15 months, in line with the latest recommendations from the World Health Organization (WHO), to consolidate herd immunity and optimize the vaccination schedule.

This change is also a response to regional issues, as some derived poliovirus variants are still circulating in Africa, and the WHO recommends two-dose IPV coverage to deal with this.

Funding for this introduction is provided mainly by Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, which covers most of the costs associated with the supply of doses. The Senegalese government is contributing a further 20%, demonstrating its commitment to the sustainability of this program.

This is a game-changer for children’s health in Senegal, as the teams not only protect children more effectively but also strengthen the fight against polio, which remains a global public health emergency of international concern.

In his speech, Dr Ibrahima Sy, Minister of Health and Social Action, underlined the significance of this reform: “For the past 18 months, our teams have been working tirelessly to prepare this transition. Hexavalent embodies our commitment to offering Senegalese children simplified and reinforced protection. Thanks to this vaccine, we expect to avoid 2,300 hospitalizations a year from targeted diseases by 2030.” The Minister also paid tribute to the technical partners and health workers whose dedication has made this breakthrough possible.

The WHO has played a central role in the success of this transition. Nearly 6,000 health workers, including district management teams (ECD) and regional management teams (ECR), have been trained in the specifics of the new vaccine. This intensive training covered the rigorous management of the cold chain, as hexavalent must be kept between +2°C and +8°C and never frozen. Agents were also certified on precise intramuscular administration techniques in the right thigh of infants, and on the protocol for monitoring benign side effects such as local redness or transient fever. To ensure a smooth transition, the WHO provided real-time monitoring tools enabling each vial to be traced throughout the country.

WHO also supported the development of interpersonal communication materials, enabling health workers to better explain the change to parents, reassure them of the vaccine’s safety, and stress the importance of adhering to the vaccination schedule.

Dr Jean-Marie Vianny Yameogo, WHO Representative in Senegal, hailed this historic milestone: “This launch marks 46 years of evolution for the Senegalese EPI. Hexavalent is not simply a scientific advance, it is an act of equity that protects every child, whatever their origin. By reducing the burden of preventable diseases, we are unleashing the potential of an entire generation.”

As a long-standing EPI partner, UNICEF has also contributed to the supply, logistics, and awareness-raising around this essential vaccine. Dr Jacques Boyer, UNICEF Representative in Senegal, underlined: “This introduction marks a decisive turning point for the survival and well-being of children. By strengthening access to a more complete and convenient vaccine, we are bringing Senegal closer to a future where every child has an equal chance to grow up healthy.”

This initiative positions Senegal as a key player in vaccine innovation in sub-Saharan Africa. By merging several antigens into a single product, the country is demonstrating how to optimize healthcare systems with limited resources. Reducing the number of injections not only improves the experience of children and parents, but also simplifies logistics, cuts storage costs, and boosts immunization coverage rates. According to projections, this strategy will make a significant contribution to achieving the goals of the WHO’s IA2030 Agenda, which aims to save 50 million lives through immunization by the end of the decade. Several neighboring countries, such as Côte d’Ivoire and Burkina Faso, are already studying this model for their own programs.

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

Talent from territories from all African National Olympic Committees (NOCs) will have the opportunity to join the Dakar 2026 Youth Olympic Games Organising Committee (YOGOC) through the Learning Academy (https://apo-opa.co/3TjYgCR). This will be made possible thanks to the support of Olympic Solidarity and the Association of National Olympic Committees of Africa (ANOCA). This major new opportunity, aimed at ensuring broad representation and greater capacity-building across the continent, was announced to the IOC (www.Olympics.com/IOC) Executive Board (EB) this week by Coordination Commission Chair Humphrey Kayange.

Learning Academy opens doors for African NOCs at Dakar 2026

Recognising the potential impact of the Dakar 2026 Learning Academy NOC programme on the next generation of sports professionals in Africa, and in line with Olympic Solidarity’s objective to strengthen NOC capacities, Olympic Solidarity and ANOCA will jointly contribute funding for Learning Academy scholarships. These scholarships will contribute towards travel and accommodation costs, ensuring broad engagement from African NOCs and potential participants. Details on the application process will be shared with NOCs after the summer, with selected participants expected to begin the Learning Academy in early 2026 before starting their roles within the YOGOC.

The Learning Academy is designed to give promising young professionals from across Africa hands-on experience in sports management and event delivery. Each African NOC will be invited to nominate young professionals to join the Learning Academy. Selected participants will receive intensive two-week training in Dakar and then take up roles within the Organising Committee, helping to strengthen NOCs and building capacity across the continent. Over the next 16 months, a total of up to 400 young professionals, including the 53 candidates selected via the African NOCs, will be trained and integrated into the YOGOC – the first 41 participants have already taken up their roles. 

Dakar 2026 Coordination Commission Chair Humphrey Kayange said: “Through the Learning Academy, we are creating a lasting legacy for the Olympic Movement, and one that could serve as a model for future host cities of the Youth Olympic Games or the Olympic Games, beginning here in Dakar.”

The YOG Dakar 2026 (https://apo-opa.co/4eDY77e) will take place over two weeks from 31 October, bringing together the world’s best young athletes up to the age of 17. The Games will be held across three host sites: Dakar, Diamniadio and Saly.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of International Olympic Committee (IOC).

Additional information:
https://apo-opa.co/44d8tY0

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The Green Climate Fund (GCF) has approved projects worth more than $300 million that will protect forests in Papua New Guinea, promote sustainable fisheries in Saint Lucia, and help grow Africa’s Great Green Wall.

The initiatives, designed by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), were greenlighted at the 42nd meeting of the GCF Board, held in the Papua New Guinea capital from June 30 to July 3. It represents the highest-value batch of such approvals to date.

“Through sustainable forestry management, fisheries transformation and land restoration, these FAO-designed projects will make a significant difference to the lives and livelihood of these vulnerable communities, especially in the current global context of overlapping and complex crises due to climate extremes and other shocks,” said FAO Director-General QU Dongyu. “FAO appreciates the unwavering trust that the GCF and Member Countries place in FAO’s professional capacity to provide the required technical expertise to strengthen resilience and safeguard the livelihoods of the most vulnerable,” he added. “The FAO-GCF partnership continues to be critical for the climate investments in agrifood systems required to deliver science-based concrete solutions to countries and communities where they are needed most, leaving no one behind.” 

All three approvals were outcomes of successful FAO-led GCF readiness projects, as well as other long-standing technical collaborations, which unlocked the resources countries needed to pursue more ambitious climate projects. 

Papua New Guinea 

FAO has supported the country to design a high-impact climate project, within the framework of GCF’s pilot programme for results-based payments, that will direct investments worth $63.4 million into Papua New Guinea’s sustainable forest management activities.  

This substantial GCF investment recognizes the Government’s achievements in reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 17 million tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent (tCO₂e) during the 2014-2016 period – comparable to taking over 3 million cars off the road for a year.  

Funding for the project falls under the initiative known as REDD+ (Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and forest Degradation), and will support the Government’s efforts to conserve forests and implement the National REDD+ Strategy 2017–2027.  

Papua New Guinea has been an advocate for the REDD+ global process since its very inception in 2008. The country has kept forest conservation and reducing emissions from the forest sector high on the national and global agenda including through support from FAO and the UN-REDD programme.  

The investments seek to promote a virtuous cycle of emission reductions by promoting agroforestry, sustainable fuelwood and charcoal production, community pole and timber plantations, the restoration of natural forest, and more.  

The project will place special emphasis on the social dimension, prompting benefit sharing, encouraging stakeholder engagement, and strengthening both local and national capacities.  

Papua New Guinea’s tropical rainforests – of which three-quarters are primary forests – cover 78 percent of the country’s land, making it a global biodiversity hotspot. The forests are home to 191 species of mammals, and 750 species of bird. They also serve as vital carbon sinks, storing large amounts of carbon in above-ground biomass and soil.  

Saint Lucia 

The FISH-ADAPT project in Saint Lucia, with an investment of $16.7 million, has been designed to reduce the risks that climate change poses to the fishing and aquaculture sectors in this Small Island Developing State located in the eastern Caribbean Sea. 

The project aims to transform Saint Lucia’s fisheries sector by making fishing safer and more productive despite a changing climate. It will foster a circular economy to help reduce waste, enhance resource efficiency, and promote livelihood diversification for more resilient communities. Fish value chains and markets will be strengthened; coastal fish grounds and aquaculture systems will become more climate resilient; and fishers will have more diversified incomes. 

The initiative will put in place agrifood solutions that build sustainability and resilience to improve efficiency, safety and productivity in the fisheries sector. These include empowering fishers and aquaculture farmers by enhancing access to weather data, upgrading landing sites and promoting sustainable offshore fishing.   

Saint Lucia’s geographic position and socio-economic dependence on the fisheries sector make it especially vulnerable to the impacts of climate change. Fisherfolk who rely on the sea for their livelihoods are finding it increasingly difficult to adapt to a changing climate and declining fish stocks. Increased air temperature and changing rainfall patterns have also been affecting inland aquaculture.  

Considering these challenges, FISH-ADAPT will target approximately 75,000 beneficiaries – about 41 percent of the population – including marine fishers, sea-moss farmers, fish vendors and processors, and inland aquaculture farmers. 

The Sahel 

The Scaling-Up Resilience in Africa’s Great Green Wall (SURAGGWA), with an investment of $222 million, will support livelihoods of agropastoral and pastoral communities living in the Sahel’s semi-arid regions, who are extremely vulnerable to climate change.  

The initiative is FAO’s first multi-country proposal and the largest funding request ever submitted on behalf of its Member Countries. It builds on the extensive work done by FAO on the Great Green Wall initiative, in particular the Action Against Desertification Programme. 

The initiative will seek to scale up successful land restoration practices using a diversity of native species to increase livelihood resilience while also sequestering carbon. It will develop value chains for climate-resilient and low-emission non-timber forest products, supporting the livelihoods and food security of vulnerable communities.  

Another key aspect of the project will be to strengthen national and regional Great Green Wall institutions to ensure the sustainability and coordination of interventions and monitoring of restoration results as well as mobilizing additional resources including through climate change adaptation and mitigation financing mechanisms.   

The SURAGGWA Programme will advance the African Union’s ambitions to transform Sahelian landscapes by restoring 100 million hectares of degraded land and creating 10 million jobs. Working with smallholder farmers and pastoralist communities, it will also build resilience and contribute to climate change mitigation through carbon sequestration in restored lands across the eight participating countries (Burkina Faso, Chad, Djibouti, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Nigeria and Senegal). 

A quarter of the 100 million people who live in the Sahel rely on pastoralist livelihoods. Poverty, social tensions, and climate change put additional strain on herders and farmers who already compete for limited resources and land. Agriculture, livestock and forestry activities are the foundation of their economies and more than 70 per cent of rural communities depend directly on rainfed agriculture.   

The FAO–GCF partnership 

The new approvals raise FAO’s GCF portfolio to over $1.8 billion, with climate investments delivering sustainable agrifood system solutions to the countries and communities where they are needed most. 

You can read more about FAO’s partnership with GCF here. 

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO).

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The Prime Minister welcomed the President of Kenya, William Ruto, to Downing Street today. 

The leaders began by celebrating the new UK-Kenya Strategic Partnership, which will see both countries work together to drive economic growth and strengthen regional security. 

Turning to migration, the Prime Minister and President welcomed a new UK-Kenya security agreement to disrupt organised immigration crime and human trafficking in Kenya to prevent onward migration to Europe. 

On trade and investment, the leaders discussed the Nairobi Railway City project, which has been inspired by London’s Kings Cross and will enable opportunities for UK businesses, driving growth and delivering on our Plan for Change. 

The Prime Minister and President agreed on the need for peace and stability in the region.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Prime Minister’s Office, 10 Downing Street.