Category: English

Source: APO

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The Chairperson of the African Union Commission, H.E. Mr. Mahmoud Ali Youssouf, warmly welcomes the signing of an agreement in Doha, State of Qatar, between the Government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo and the Congo River Alliance (M23 Movement). This agreement establishes a crucial mechanism for the supervision and verification of a permanent ceasefire.

This signing, facilitated by the State of Qatar, is a direct outcome of the “Doha Declaration of Principles” signed on July 19, 2025. It marks a significant and positive step forward in the peace process for the Great Lakes region.

The newly established mechanism will be tasked with overseeing the implementation of the permanent ceasefire, investigating and verifying reported violations, and liaising with the concerned parties to prevent a resumption of hostilities. To enhance transparency and bolster confidence, the State of Qatar, the United States of America, and the African Union will participate in this mechanism as observers.

The African Union extends its profound gratitude to the State of Qatar for its pivotal facilitation role, and to the United States of America, the Republic of Angola, and the Republic of Togo for their constructive contributions in supporting this process.

This historic development represents a pivotal milestone in the collective efforts to restore lasting peace, stability, and cooperation in the Great Lakes region. The creation of this verification mechanism is a fundamental step towards building confidence between the parties and advancing the path to a comprehensive political settlement.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of African Union (AU).

Source: APO

• First Ladies of Burundi, Central Africa, Liberia, São Tomé & Príncipe and Senegal attend 12th Merck Foundation Africa Asia Luminary, Co-chaired by The Gambia First Lady and Merck Foundation CEO.
• The 12th Edition of Merck Foundation Africa Asia Luminary was officially inaugurated by the Vice President of The Republic of The Gambia, Mr. MUHAMMAD B. S. JALLOW and Merck Foundation Chairman, Prof. Dr. Frank Stangenberg-Haverkamp.
• The conference was co-chaired by The First Lady of the Republic of The Gambia, H.E. Mrs. FATOUMATTA BAH-BARROW and Merck Foundation CEO, Senator, Dr. Rasha Kelej and attended by 7 African First Ladies as Guests of Honor.
• More than 6,000 healthcare providers, policymakers and media from over 70 English, French, Spanish and Portuguese speaking countries attended the Luminary through hybrid model to benefit from three parallel scientific and social sessions to advance healthcare capacity and awareness in 44 critical and underserved medical specialties.
• Merck Foundation celebrated the 13-yearjourney of their development programs, during 2025 Luminary. 
• Link to Live Stream of Inaugural Session of Merck Foundation Africa Asia Luminary 2025 here: https://apo-opa.co/4oiYyHv#

Merck Foundation (www.Merck-Foundation.com), the philanthropic arm of Merck KGaA Germany, conducted the 12^th Edition of their annual conference, “Merck Foundation Africa Asia Luminary”, in partnership with the Government of The Gambia, on 14th and 15th October, in Banjul, The Gambia. The conference was inaugurated by Mr. MUHAMMAD B. S. JALLOW, Vice President of the Republic of The Gambia, together with Prof. Dr. Frank Stangenberg-Haverkamp, Chairman of Merck Foundation Board of Trustees, and co-chaired by Mrs. FATOUMATTA BAH-BARROW, The First Lady of Gambia and Ambassador of Merck Foundation More Than a Mother and Senator, Dr. Rasha Kelej (Ret.), CEO of Merck Foundation and President of More Than a Mother. The First Ladies of Africa, who are also the Ambassadors of Merck Foundation More Than a Mother joined as the Guests of Honor and Keynote Speakers.

During the inauguration of the conference, Mr. MUHAMMAD B. S. JALLOW, Vice President of the Republic of The Gambia stated “It is a great honor to inaugurate the Merck Foundation Africa Asia Luminary, being hosted here in The Gambia. I would also like to commend the close partnership between The First Lady of Gambia and Merck Foundation Chairman and CEO, since 2017, that continue to promote health, education, and empowerment across our nation and inspire hope for a better future”.

Senator, Dr. Rasha Kelej, CEO of Merck Foundation and Co-Chairperson of the 12^th Edition of Merck Foundation Africa Asia Luminary shared, “I am delighted to host our prestigious annual conference in The Gambia, together with my dear sister and our long-term partner, Mrs. FATOUMATTA BAH-BARROW, First Lady of The Gambia and Ambassador of Merck Foundation More Than a Mother.

I am very happy that our conference was officially inaugurated by Mr. MUHAMMAD B. S. JALLOW, Vice President of the Republic of The Gambia, together with Prof. Dr. Frank Stangenberg-Haverkamp, Chairman of Merck Foundation Board of Trustees.

Moreover, I was great welcoming our esteemed Guests of Honor and Keynote Speakers, the First Ladies of African Countries, also the Ambassadors of the “Merck Foundation More Than a Mother”. Together, we shared experiences and engaged in meaningful discussions on the impact of our programs, aimed at transforming patient care and raising awareness on a wide range of critical social and health issues.”

Mrs. FATOUMATTA BAH-BARROW, First Lady of The Gambia, Ambassador of Merck Foundation More Than a Mother and Co-Chairperson of the 12^th Edition of Merck Foundation Africa Asia Luminary shared, “It has been an honour to host the 12^th Edition of Merck Foundation Africa Asia Luminary in our country, inaugurated by H.E. The Vice President of The Gambia. It was an honor to welcome my dear sisters, The First Ladies of Africa, Ministers, Healthcare Experts, Media Representatives, and Delegates.

I am proud of my partnership with Merck Foundation. They have provided 94 scholarships for our local Gambian doctors in more than 30 critical and undeserved specialties. 30 underserved specialties. Together we are not only transforming our public healthcare landscape but also making history as many of these doctors are becoming first specialists in their fields. I am very proud of this great achievement.”

Watch the Merck Foundation Partnership Journey with The First Lady of The Gambia since 2017, here: https://apo-opa.co/3W6f5CQ

Prof. Dr. Frank Stangenberg Haverkamp, Chairman of Merck Foundation Board of Trustees added, “I would like to thank H.E. Mr. MUHAMMAD B. S. JALLOW, Vice President of The Republic of The Gambia, and our long-term partner H.E. Mrs. FATOUMATTA BAH-BARROW, The First Lady of The Gambia for hosting our annual conference in the beautiful country of The Gambia. I would also like to thank the First Ladies of Africa, who joined as Guests of Honor, along with African Ministers, Health Experts, Policy Makers, Government Officials, Academia and Media for joining hands with us to realize the Merck Foundation’s vision that ‘Everyone can lead a Healthy and Happy life’”.

The First Ladies of African Countries, who joined the 12^th Edition of Merck Foundation Africa Asia Luminary are:

• H.E. Madam ANGELINE NDAYISHIMIYE, The First Lady of the Republic of Burundi
• H.E. Madam BRIGITTE TOUADERA, The First Lady of Central African Republic
• H.E. Mrs. KARTUMU YARTA BOAKAI, The First Lady of the Republic of Liberia
• H.E. Mrs. MARIA DE FATIMA VILA NOVA, The First Lady of the Democratic Republic of São Tomé and Príncipe
• H.E. Madam MARIE KHONE FAYE, First Lady of the Republic of Senegal

Senator, Dr. Rasha Kelej stated, “I am proud to share that Merck Foundation has provided more than 2400 scholarships for young doctors from 52 countries in 44 critical and underserved specialties. Many of our Merck Foundation Alumni are becoming the first specialists in their countries. Together with our Ambassadors and Partners, we are making history and transforming the patient care landscape across Africa and beyond. Many of them are becoming the first specialists in their countries.”

The conference was held in a hybrid format, featuring both physical and online participation of more than 6,000 healthcare providers, policymakers, academia, researchers, and media representatives from over 70 countries across Africa, Asia, and beyond. Of these, over 300 participants attended in person.

During the 12^th Edition of Merck Foundation Africa Asia Luminary, an important occasion was marked; 13 years of Merck Foundation’s development programs that started in 2012.

On the first day of the conference, the Plenary Session of the Merck Foundation Africa Asia Luminary 2025 took place, featuring keynote speeches of First Ladies of Africa.

Moreover, a high-level ministerial panel discussion was also held with African Ministers.

The Day 2 of the conference will have three key parallel scientific and community awareness sessions, covering topics such as diabetes and hypertension, medical capacity building in other specialties like respiratory care, acute care, emergency pediatric and neonatal care, and more, and Health Media Training, which will be conducted for African journalists. This session will emphasize the critical role of the media in influencing communities and driving cultural change, with regards to a wide range of social and health issues like Breaking Infertility Stigma, Supporting Girls’ Education, Stopping GBV, Ending Child Marriage & FGM, Empowering Women, Diabetes and Hypertension Awareness.

Countries that physically participated in the 12^th Edition of Merck Foundation Africa Asia Luminary included:

Gabon, The Gambia, Ghana, India, Kenya, Liberia, Malawi, Mauritania, Mozambique, Nigeria, Rwanda, Senegal, Sierra Leone, and Uganda.

Countries that participated virtually included:

Angola, Bangladesh, Benin, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Canada, Central Africa Republic, Cambodia, Chad, Côte d’Ivoire, Republic of the Congo, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Egypt, Ethiopia, France, Germany, Guinea – Bissau, Guinea – Conakry, Indonesia, Lesotho, Malaysia, Mali, Mauritius, Mexico, Myanmar, Namibia, Nepal, Niger, Peru, Philippines, Russia, Somalia, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Tanzania, Thailand, The Gambia, Togo, Tunisia, U.A.E, UK, US, Vietnam, Zambia, Zimbabwe and more.

The 7^th Edition of Merck Foundation First Ladies Initiative is streamed live on the social media handles of Merck Foundation and Senator, Dr. Rasha Kelej, CEO of Merck Foundation:

@ Merck Foundation: Facebook (http://apo-opa.co/47qzqJe), X (http://apo-opa.co/4ooulHh), Instagram (http://apo-opa.co/3IZG2oI), and YouTube (http://apo-opa.co/47otW1z).

@ Rasha Kelej: Facebook (http://apo-opa.co/4qckN3K), X (http://apo-opa.co/432CHfx), Instagram (http://apo-opa.co/4okDBvU), and YouTube (http://apo-opa.co/4qgqsWG).

Link to the Facebook live stream of Inaugural Session of Merck Foundation First Ladies High Level Panel: https://apo-opa.co/4oiYyHv#

Summarizing Merck Foundation’s initiatives and impact:

Merck Foundation is transforming the Patient care landscape and making history together with their partners in Africa, Asia, and beyond, through:

• 2400+ Scholarships provided by Merck Foundation for doctors from 52 Countries in 42 critical and underserved medical specialties.  

Merck Foundation is also creating a culture shift and breaking the silence about a wide range of social and health issues in Africa and underserved communities through:

• 3700+ Media Persons from more than 35 countries trained to better raise awareness about different social and health issues
• 8 Different Awards launched annually for best media coverage, fashion designers, films, and songs
• Around 30 songs to address health and social issues, by local singers across Africa
• 8 Children’s Storybooks in three languages – English, French, and Portuguese
• 7 Awareness Animation films in five languages – English, French, Portuguese, Spanish and Swahili to raise awareness about prevention and early detection of Diabetes & Hypertension and supporting girl education.
• Pan African TV Program “Our Africa by Merck Foundation” addressing Social and Health Issues in Africa through “Fashion and ART with Purpose” Community
• 950+ Scholarships provided to high performing but under-privileged African schoolgirls to empower them to complete their studies
• 15 Social Media Channels with more than 8.5 Million Followers.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Merck Foundation.

Contact:
Mehak Handa
Community Awareness Program Manager
Phone: +91 9310087613/ +91 9319606669
Email: mehak.handa@external.merckgroup.com

Join the conversation on our social media platforms below and let your voice be heard! 
Facebook: http://apo-opa.co/47qzqJe 
X: http://apo-opa.co/4ooulHh 
YouTube: http://apo-opa.co/47otW1z 
Instagram: http://apo-opa.co/3IZG2oI 
Threads: http://apo-opa.co/4oj33Sv
Flickr: http://apo-opa.co/43gDaur 
Website: www.Merck-Foundation.com
Download Merck Foundation App: https://apo-opa.co/4q73KAd

About Merck Foundation:
The Merck Foundation, established in 2017, is the philanthropic arm of Merck KGaA Germany, aims to improve the health and wellbeing of people and advance their lives through science and technology. Our efforts are primarily focused on improving access to quality & equitable healthcare solutions in underserved communities, building healthcare & scientific research capacity, empowering girls in education and empowering people in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) with a special focus on women and youth. All Merck Foundation press releases are distributed by e-mail at the same time they become available on the Merck Foundation Website.  Please visit www.Merck-Foundation.com to read more. Follow the social media of Merck Foundation: Facebook (http://apo-opa.co/47qzqJe), X (http://apo-opa.co/4ooulHh), Instagram (http://apo-opa.co/3IZG2oI), YouTube (http://apo-opa.co/47otW1z), Threads (http://apo-opa.co/4oj33Sv) and Flickr (http://apo-opa.co/43gDaur).

The Merck Foundation is dedicated to improving social and health outcomes for communities in need. While it collaborates with various partners, including governments to achieve its humanitarian goals, the foundation remains strictly neutral in political matters. It does not engage in or support any political activities, elections, or regimes, focusing solely on its mission to elevate humanity and enhance well-being while maintaining a strict non-political stance in all of its endeavors.

Source: APO

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Hanna Tetteh, the Special Representative of the Secretary-General, said that while some progress has been made toward implementing a UN-backed political roadmap, divisions between the House of Representatives and the High Council of State continue to block key steps needed ahead of long-awaited national elections.

“The two institutions have yet to achieve this objective,” Ms. Tetteh told ambassadors in the Security Council.

“They have not yet discussed jointly the constitutional and legal framework for elections. Achieving political consensus on these matters will be challenging … [but] Libya cannot afford continued delays or disruptions.”

Lack of political will

The roadmap’s first milestone – reconstituting the full Board of Commissioners of the High National Elections Commission – remains incomplete.

Disagreements persist over whether to replace all seven members or fill only the vacant posts – a debate that Ms. Tetteh said reflects “a broader lack of political will.”

She urged Libyan leaders to “engage constructively” to complete the initial milestones, adding that if no agreement is reached, the UN Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) will “pursue another approach” and seek the Council’s backing to ensure the roadmap advances.

Inclusive process vital

In parallel, UNSMIL is preparing to launch national dialogue sessions in November, aimed at bringing together broader segments of Libyan society – including civil society, youth and women’s representatives – to help shape an inclusive political process.

It will cover governance, security, the economy, and human rights.

Ms. Tetteh also reported a reduction in tensions across the capital Tripoli following mediation between the Government of National Unity (GNU) and the so-called Deterrence Apparatus for Combating Organized Crime and Terrorism (DACOT), crediting local actors and Türkiye’s intervention.

“A stable security environment is critical for stability and for political progress,” she said.

Corruption and oversight

On governance, she raised concern about corruption and weak oversight, noting the Central Bank’s discovery of billions of dinars in unregistered currency.

She welcomed Libya’s newly launched national plan for combating corruption, calling it “an important step forward” but one that would require “political will to advance transparency and accountability.”

The top UN official underscored the Libyan people’s desire for legitimate, unified institutions.

“They deserve political stability and long-term peace,” she said. “UNSMIL is committed to supporting them.”

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of UN News.

Source: APO

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Moroccan authorities have cracked down on youth-led protests demanding sweeping reforms to public services, resulting in deaths and mass arrests, Human Rights Watch said today. The authorities should heed protesters’ calls and fulfil the rights to health care and education, respect the right to peaceful protest, and investigate the use of lethal force by the Royal Gendarmerie and other alleged widespread abuses against protesters by public security forces.

Nationwide protests erupted on September 27, 2025, after the youth movement GenZ212 urged Moroccans to peacefully take to the streets and demand increased spending for public health care and education systems and an end to corruption. They criticized public spending on mega-sporting events the country is set to host, such as the 2030 FIFA World Cup. Some protesters also reportedly damaged private and public property. Police and Royal Gendarmerie responded by banning protests and forcibly dispersing protesters, including with lethal force, killing three people and injuring dozens. They reportedly arrested nearly 1,000 people and brought criminal cases against at least 270 protesters including 39 children, who remain detained. Some courts have sentenced protesters to prison terms and fines.

“Morocco’s youth are voicing their dissent over the state of health care and education in the country,” said Hanan Salah, associate Middle East and North Africa director at Human Rights Watch. “The government should heed protesters’ calls and replace repressive tactics with public engagement and wide-ranging reforms.”

Deficiencies in the public healthcare system, amplified by the recent deaths of several pregnant women in a public hospital in Agadir, contributed to widespread anger and fueled protests. Meanwhile, Morocco is preparing to host the December 2025 Africa Cup of Nations and co-host the 2030 FIFA World Cup, reportedly spending US$5 billion for new stadiums, sports complexes, public transportation, and accommodations. 

Largely peaceful protests kicked off on September 27 in at least 11 cities and towns, including in Rabat, Casablanca, Tangier, Salé, Agadir, Marrakesh, Sidi Eltaibi, and Inezgane. 

Human Rights Watch geolocated a video posted to social media on October 1 that shows a dark-colored security forces van driving into protesters in a roundabout in Oujda on the night of September 30, before driving away. Another video posted to social media on October 1 and geolocated by researchers shows a dark-colored security forces van drive into a group of protesters roughly 350 meters from the roundabout in Oujda, crushing a man against a wall before backing up and driving away. According to news reports, security forces’ car ramming incidents injured at least two people in Oujda that night, including 17-year-old Wassim Eltaibi, whose mother told reporters he required urgent medical care, and 19-year-old Amine Boussaada, whose father said his left leg had been amputated.

On October 1, the Royal Gendarmerie used lethal force to quell protests that turned violent in front of a gendarmerie post in Lqliâa, in Agadir, reportedly killing three men and injuring others, including a child. Those reportedly killed include Abdessamade Oubalat, a 22-year-old cinematography student, and a 25-year-old man. In a televised statement on October 2, an interior ministry spokesperson sought to justify the use of lethal force, saying that protesters had used stones and allegedly used knives as weapons. He said forces first used tear gas to disperse crowds and then used their firearms “in self-defense.” 

Human Rights Watch analyzed and geolocated a series of videos shared on social media on October 2 showing the events in Lqliâa. 

CCTV video footage filmed outside the gendarmerie post and time-stamped at 9:28 p.m. showed dozens of protesters throwing large rocks, breaking down the front gate, and setting fires. The video shared online shows clips of CCTV video edited together. A uniformed man inside the post fires a weapon toward protesters, time-stamped at 9:34pm. 

The footage also shows tear gas being used outside a minute later, but Human Rights Watch could not conclusively determine whether authorities used tear gas before lethal force, as they claimed. One video showed a gravely wounded, or possibly dead, man lying approximately 70 meters from the entrance with a bloody wound on his back, but Human Rights Watch could not conclusively determine whether he had been shot in the back.

Moroccan authorities should urgently conduct a transparent investigation into the events in Lqliâa and the reported killing of three men and hold accountable any members of the gendarmerie found responsible for wrongdoing, Human Rights Watch said. 

Nationwide protests on October 1 also resulted in the injury of 354 people, including 326 public security personnel, and damage to 271 of their vehicles and 175 private vehicles, according to an interior ministry spokesperson. 

On October 2, violent clashes broke out in Marrakesh between police and protesters, who reportedly damaged three bank branches. The authorities arrested scores of people.

Prosecutions against protestors are ongoing. On October 4, the Agadir Court of First Instance reportedly sentenced a man to four years in prison and a fine of 50,000 dirhams (around US$5,400) for “inciting minor offenses and crimes via social media.” On October 8, the Agadir Court of Appeal reportedly sentenced a man to 10 years in prison for his alleged role in destroying public property during the Lqliâa events, and for alleged violence against security forces. On October 9, the Silla Court of Appeal reportedly sentenced several defendants to up to 20 years in prison for alleged “acts of vandalism.”

The GenZ212 protests follow Gen-Z protests that gripped Madagascar, Indonesia, Kenya, Nepal, Peru, and the Philippines. Their calls mirrored long-standing grievances as one-third of Morocco’s youth face unemployment, as well as a poor quality public education system, health services, and social safety net. 

In 2022, Morocco’s public spending on health care amounted to only 2.3 percent of its GDP, less than half of the international benchmark of at least 5 percent, according to data from the World Health Organization. Morocco also made clear commitments under the 2001 Abuja Declaration to spend at least 15 percent of its national budget to promote health, but spent less than half of that in 2022. Morocco’s 2021 Framework Law on the Social Protection System sought to close social protection gaps, yet around half of the country’s 38 million population lack healthcare coverage. 

Public spending on education in Morocco, excluding the Western Sahara territory it occupies, reached 6 percent of its GDP in 2023, within the globally recommended public spending benchmark on education. However, fewer than 20 percent of adolescents achieved minimum reading and math skills in 2022, and adult and youth literacy rates lagged at 77 percent as of 2022.

In a speech on October 10, Morocco’s King Mohamed VI, said that “creating jobs for young people, and the concrete improvement of the education and health sectors,” were priorities, but did not address the youth protests or what measures the government would take to achieve these goals. 

Morocco should adopt a human rights approach that emphasizes the equitable distribution of resources to realize rights like universal access to quality health care, education, and social security, under international human rights law, and ensure that people are paid a living wage, Human Rights Watch said. The country’s 2011 constitution guarantees “the right to health care, social protection, education, decent housing, [and] work.” 

Under human rights law, governments, and the international financial institutions that support them, are required to respond to economic crises in ways that do everything possible to protect and advance rights. They are expected to ensure that proposed reforms, including to fiscal policy and public spending, best fulfill people’s economic, social, and cultural rights.

The International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, to which Morocco is a party, upholds the rights to freedom of expression, association, and peaceful assembly. Any law enforcement response to protests must meet international standards. The United Nations Basic Principles on the Use of Force and Firearms by Law Enforcement Officials state that security forces should apply nonviolent means before resorting to the use of force. Where it is required for a legitimate law enforcement purpose during an assembly, only the minimum force necessary may be used. Intentional lethal use of firearms may only be made when strictly unavoidable in order to protect life. 

“Young people in Morocco are making very clear-cut demands for better health care, better education, and an end to corruption,” Salah said. “If the government can fund state-of-the art football stadiums, it can afford to fund its healthcare system, and those calling for a fair chance for their future should not be met with lethal force and repression.”

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Human Rights Watch (HRW).

Source: APO

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Africans and people of African descent whose lives continue to be shaped by the discriminatory legacies of the transatlantic slave trade and colonialism must receive reparatory justice, Amnesty International said ahead of the Wakati Wetu Festival, due to take place from 22-23 October in Nairobi, Kenya.

The festival, for which Amnesty International is a partner, is the first of its kind in Africa. Wakati Wetu (which means ‘our time’ in Swahili) will see hundreds of people including artists, musicians, policymakers, philanthropists, activists and cultural educators join forces to discuss historical injustices, the ongoing impact of the slave trade and colonialism and to imagine what reparatory justice involves.

Rym Khadhraoui, Amnesty International’s Racial Justice Advisor, said:

“We often think about colonialism as something that’s finished, but we are still living in its long shadow. Across the world, people are still suffering the long-lasting effects of colonialism and struggling to get the reparations they deserve from governments.

“With many European leaders still refusing to acknowledge their responsibility to redress the persisting effects of slavery and colonialism in today’s world, the Wakati Wetu Festival provides an opportunity to come together and discuss ways to achieve justice and reparations. Reparation involves not only justice for the historic wrongs of slavery, the slave trade and colonialism, it requires dismantling contemporary systems and structures of racial discrimination and inequality. With so many incredible activists set to speak and perform, we hope to forge a path forward for those who are still awaiting justice.”

The festival coincides with the African Union’s (AU) theme of the year, recently extended to a decade, which calls for justice for Africans and people of African descent through reparations. During the two-day festival, the organizers, led by African Futures Lab, Baraza Media Lab, Reform Initiatives and Deep South Solidarity Fund, will hold sessions and artistic performances on why reparations in Africa are necessary and possible, and how civil society can help. Discussions will focus on past and present injustices; the use of litigation to achieve reparations; the role of media in shifting narratives around colonial injustices; as well as land restitution and tax justice to tackle inequalities.

The line-up of speakers and performers at the festival include award winning writer and poet, Yvonne Adhiambo Owuor, Kenyan human rights activist, Beatrice Waithera Maina, prominent Kenyan singer and songwriter Eric Wainaina and activist Naira Leite who will be spearheading the ‘One million women’s march’ in Brazil on 25 November as well as many more.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Amnesty International.

Source: APO

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About fifty Programme Officers and Assistants of the Commission of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) have been equipped with knowledge and tools on results-based project and programme management, as well as monitoring and evaluation.

This follows a five-day training which began on Monday, 13th October 2025, at Zuma Rock in Niger State, Nigeria. The training is organized by the Human Resources Directorate of the Internal Services Department of the Commission.

In his opening remarks delivered via video, the Commissioner of the Department, Prof. Nazifi Abdullahi Darma, reiterated that the objective of the training is to equip participants with the skills and tools necessary to plan, implement, monitor and evaluate projects and programmes, with the ultimate goal of achieving measurable results.

Supervised by Mrs. Kete Gillis-Harry, Principal Career Management Officer at the ECOWAS Commission, this training is deemed necessary to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of the Organization’s projects and programmes and to ensure their positive impact for the benefit of West African citizens.

The training will conclude on Friday, 17th October 2025, and will enable participants to become familiar with concepts such as the fundamental principles and best practices of project and programme management, results-based planning, with a particular focus on techniques for setting clear and measurable objectives in project and programme management.

It will also provide participants with an opportunity to gain a deeper understanding of the monitoring and evaluation of these projects and programmes, particularly the methods and tools for their monitoring, performance indicators and results evaluation, data collection and analysis techniques, as well as stakeholder identification and engagement.

After the opening session, each participant was invited to share their objectives and express their expectations regarding the training, in other words, what they hope to gain, learn or improve through it.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).

Source: APO

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Bana Harinet Secondary School in Dekemhare, Southern Region, has recognized 48 outstanding students who scored high marks in the 2024/2025 national school leaving examination. The awardees are members of the 37th round of the National Service.

Mr. Asmerom Tadese, Director of the School, said that the awardees were students who scored between 3 and 4 GPA. He also urged them to work hard in their college education and become competitive students.

He further indicated that out of the 224 students who sat for the national school leaving examination, 113 scored grades qualifying them for degree and diploma programs, while 13 students scored a straight 4 GPA.

Mr. Hibtizgi Kidane, head of the Education Office in the Southern Region, said that the award was the result of the strong effort of the students themselves as well as the support of their parents and teachers. He also congratulated the awardees and their parents.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Ministry of Information, Eritrea.

Source: APO

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A meeting aimed at strengthening the organizational capacity and contribution of youth workers in the set-out development programs was conducted in the port city of Assab.

At the meeting, in which youth workers from various Government institutions took part, Mr. Osman Abdulkadir, head of the National Union of Eritrean Youth and Students in the Southern Red Sea Region, gave a briefing focusing on enhancing productivity.

Noting the significant role of youth workers in the implementation of programs at their respective workplaces, Mr. Osman called on the participants to apply their knowledge and energy toward the execution of development programs.

Mr. Osman also highlighted the importance of organizing forums through which youth workers can share experiences with one another and expressed readiness to play due part in the effort.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Ministry of Information, Eritrea.