Category: English

Source: APO

The Islamic Corporation for the Insurance of Investment and Export Credit (ICIEC) (https://ICIEC.IsDB.org/), a Shariah-based multilateral insurer and member of the Islamic Development Bank Group, has signed a Reinsurance Agreement with the Export-Import Bank of Pakistan (EXIM Bank of Pakistan), marking another milestone in the partnership between the two institutions.

Signed during ICIEC’s mission to Pakistan, the agreement will strengthen Pakistan EXIM’s risk-mitigation capacity and expand its ability to support Pakistani exporters through export credit insurance solutions.

Through the agreement, ICIEC will provide reinsurance support for eligible export transactions, helping enhance risk-sharing capacity, facilitate access to credit, and enable Pakistani businesses, including SMEs, to pursue opportunities in regional and international markets with greater confidence.

Dr. Khalid Khalafalla, Chief Executive Officer of ICIEC, said: “This agreement marks an important step in strengthening Pakistan’s export ecosystem. By combining ICIEC’s reinsurance capacity with EXIM Bank of Pakistan’s local expertise, we can expand the protection available to exporters, enhance their access to finance, and help Pakistani businesses, particularly SMEs, compete more confidently in regional and global markets. It also reflects our commitment to working with national export credit institutions to unlock new trade opportunities and support sustainable economic growth across our Member States.”

The agreement further reinforces the long-standing cooperation between ICIEC and Pakistan and reflects the shared commitment of both institutions to expanding the availability of effective risk-mitigation solutions for the country’s exporters. ICIEC looks forward to building on this partnership with EXIM Bank of Pakistan and supporting the continued development of Pakistan’s export sector.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Islamic Corporation for the Insurance of Investment and Export Credit (ICIEC).

Email:
ICIEC-Communication@isdb.org

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About The Islamic Corporation for the Insurance of Investment and Export Credit (ICIEC):
As a member of ‘AAA’ rated Islamic Development Bank (IsDB), ICIEC commenced operations in 1994 to strengthen economic relations between OIC Member States and promote intra-OIC trade and investments by providing risk mitigation tools and financial solutions. The Corporation is the only Islamic multilateral insurer in the world. It has led from the front in delivering a comprehensive suite of solutions to companies and parties in its 51 Member States. ICIEC, for the 18th consecutive year, maintained an “Aa3” insurance financial strength credit rating from Moody’s, ranking the Corporation among the top of the Credit and Political Risk Insurance (CPRI) Industry. Additionally, S&P has reaffirmed ICIEC “AA-“ long-term Issuer Credit and Financial Strength Rating for the third year with Stable Outlook.  ICIEC’s resilience is underpinned by its sound underwriting, global reinsurance network, and strong risk management policies. Cumulatively, ICIEC has insured more than USD 139 billion in trade and investment. ICIEC activities are directed to several sectors such as energy, manufacturing, infrastructure, healthcare, and agriculture.

 
For more information; visit: https://ICIEC.IsDB.org/

Source: APO

Two flagship FAO Somalia information systems – the FSNAU Early Warning – Early Action Dashboard and SWALIM Programme – took centre stage at the FAO Regional Office for Africa Resilience Community of Practice, offering a tested, replicable model for turning evidence into timely action.

Across Africa, food security assessments, data systems and early warning mechanisms have attracted substantial investment. Yet one challenge endures: turning information into timely, coordinated and adequately financed action. The problem is rarely a shortage of data but the absence of a clear pathway that transforms evidence into decisions, and decisions into action.

Two flagship systems from FAO Somalia show how that gap can be closed. The Food Security and Nutrition Analysis Unit (FSNAU) Early Warning–Early Action Dashboard and the Somalia Water and Land Information Management (SWALIM) programme were each featured in successive sessions of the FAO Regional Office for Africa (RAF) Resilience Community of Practice (CoP) – the regional office’s flagship knowledge initiative, launched in June 2025 to ensure that what works in one country is not locked there, but shared, replicated and improved across the continent.

Opening one of the sessions, Maxwell Sibhensana, Deputy Director of FAO’s Office of Emergency and Resilience, reminded participants that resilience programming stands or falls on the quality of the evidence behind it. “Learning is not complete until it becomes a practice, and that practice becomes a lasting impact.”

With 266 million people acutely food insecure worldwide, he said, country offices must “start using evidence from the design of what we do” and be able to measure the impact of their actions. He commended FAO Somalia for its leadership – not only through these two systems, but through its Integrated Food Security Phase Classification work, now widely regarded as a gold standard.

Turning fragmented data into a single, trusted signal

Mandated by the Somalia Humanitarian Country Team in 2015 and launched in 2016, the FSNAU dashboard brings together data from a wide range of partners, including SWALIM, the Famine Early Warning Systems Network, the United States Geological Survey, the World Health Organization, the health and nutrition clusters, UNICEF, UNHCR, and ACLED. Rather than producing the data itself, FSNAU acts as technical custodian – consolidating 22 indicators across climate, markets, health, nutrition, displacement and insecurity, and translating them into three simple signals, Normal, Alert and Alarm, updated monthly for every district.

That simplicity carries weight. In late 2025, the dashboard helped trigger Somalia’s Food Security Crisis Preparedness Plan, contributing to the mobilization of more than USD 100 million in response financing, including USD 50 million from the World Bank. By flagging deterioration early, and at the lowest administrative level, it allows partners to prioritize the districts most at risk and act before a crisis takes hold.

“Early warning only has value if it leads to early action,” said Verenica Mutiro, Head of Programme for FAO Somalia.

Two decades of watching water, land and climate

Where the dashboard consolidates the signal, SWALIM generates much of the underlying evidence. Over almost 25 years, the programme has rebuilt Somalia’s national hydro-meteorological monitoring network – weather stations, river gauges and groundwater monitoring – and converted water, land and climate data into decisions for government, humanitarian and development partners alike.

“SWALIM bridges the gap between environmental data and operational decisions, helping governments and partners understand where risks are emerging, who may be affected and what action can still be taken,” said Ugo Leonardi, Technical Adviser in FAO Somalia.

The results are measurable. During the 2023 El Niño floods, more than 260 000 early warning messages helped evacuate 90 percent of the population at risk in Beledweyne, and analysis credited SWALIM’s warnings with a 43 percent reduction in flooded agricultural land in major flood years – protecting crops, incomes and households. Through its geospatial capabilities and the analysis of very-high-resolution satellite images, SWALIM provided independently verifiable evidence of charcoal production and stockpiling in southern Somalia, supporting UN Security Council monitoring of compliance with the Somalia charcoal-export ban. Another application of SWALIM’s geospatial unit is the identification of suitable growing conditions for at least 14 crops to guide investment and land-use planning.

For humanitarian partners, that reliability is the point. The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs describes SWALIM and FSNAU as the country’s two most trusted data sources – equally credited by government, communities and partners – and central to Somalia becoming the first country in the world to pilot anticipatory action financing, with pre-agreed triggers releasing funds ahead of the next El Niño.

Owned locally, built to last

The common thread is not technology. Both systems work because of the governance behind them: trusted partnerships, agreed standards, transparent data sharing and, above all, local ownership. FAO Somalia is progressively transferring SWALIM’s functions to national institutions – establishing information management centres in Puntland and Somaliland and mentoring Somali technicians through real operational work – so that the country can generate, interpret and act on its own information.

That is precisely the model the Resilience CoP exists to spread. Replication does not mean copying Somalia wholesale; it means starting from what already exists in each country – mapping current data, agreeing a common framework with government, and building shared, decision-ready systems step by step. For FAO country offices across Africa, the Somalia experience offers a tested route from data to decision, and a reminder that resilience grows when trusted information reaches the right people, at the right time, before a shock becomes a crisis.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO): Regional Office for Africa.

Source: APO

On August 31, from 2:20 pm for approximately 15 minutes, Mr. ONISHI Yohei, Parliamentary Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs of Japan, held a meeting with Dr. Mohamed Ali Al-GHOUJ, Minister of Health of Libya.

1. At the outset, Parliamentary Vice-Minister ONISHI welcomed Minister Al-Ghouj’s visit to Japan and the signing of the Memorandum of Cooperation with Mr. Ueno, Minister of Health, Labour and Welfare, noting that these events further promote positive momentum in bilateral relations. He also highlighted Japan’s contributions in the health sector and expressed his view that there is potential to further strengthen cooperation between the two countries.
2. In response, Minister Al-Ghouj expressed his gratitude for Japan’s contributions in the medical field and stated his intention to deepen the cooperative relationship based on the signed memorandum.
3. Both sides concurred to cooperate in further promoting bilateral relations in various fields, including the health sector.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan.

Source: APO

On August 12, Ambassador Zhao Weiping delivered remarks at the China-Namibia Zero Tariff Preferential Agreement Public–Private Dialogue, which was co-hosted by Namibia Investment Promotion Development Board NIPDB, Namibia Trade Forum and Namibia Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

Ambassador Zhao stated that China’s zero-tariff treatment to African countries having diplomatic relations with China is a vivid reflection of China-Africa friendship, which has also demonstrated China’s firm commitment, as a responsible major developing country, to promoting South-South cooperation and contributing to the common development of the Global South through concrete actions. This policy will help Namibia increase exports to China, attract foreign investment, and accelerate its industrialization process. China stands ready to work with Namibia to take the opportunity of the successful visit of President Nerumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah to China to elevate the practical cooperation between China and Namibia across the board to a new level.

More than 50 representatives from Ministry of International Relations and Trade of Namibia, Namibia Revenue Agency, and other government departments, as well as business leaders, participated in the dialogue, who highly praised China’s zero-tariff policy.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Embassy of the People’s Republic of China in the Republic of Namibia.

Source: APO

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President Cyril Ramaphosa has, in a meeting with the Chairperson of the Eskom Board on Thursday 27 August 2026, reaffirmed South Africa’s energy reform path as imperative to achieve an affordable, reliable, and sustainable electricity supply for all South Africans.

The President reiterated government’s commitment to establish a fully independent Transmission System Operator (TSO) with ownership and control of transmission assets, to create a level playing field for competition and unlock investment in the electricity sector.

The implementation of the reforms are being developed by the Eskom Restructuring Task Team (ERTT), which will oversee the process, and includes representatives of The Presidency, National Treasury, the Department of Electricity and Energy, Eskom, and the National Transmission Company South Africa.

President Ramaphosa further emphasised that the TSO will remain state-owned, as a strategic national asset serving the public interest.

In response to matters of concern raised by the Eskom Board Chairperson, Mr Mteto Nyati, President Ramaphosa reiterated government’s commitment to continue working closely with Eskom, the NTCSA, and other stakeholders to ensure that the reform is implemented in a manner that preserves Eskom’s financial position; ensures that the TSO is able to invest in expanding and strengthening the transmission network, and engages lenders and funders in a transparent and responsible manner.

The Chairperson confirmed the Board’s strong support for the policy direction determined by government and committed to ensuring continued alignment between the Board and shareholder in this regard going forward.

The August 27 meeting followed a recent engagement between President Ramaphosa and the leadership of the National Union of Mineworkers and was in line with the President’s commitment to continued engagement with all affected parties throughout the process.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of South African Government.

Source: APO

The Ambassador-designate of the Republic of Angola to the Republic of Seychelles, His Excellency Mr Domingos de Almeida Da Silva Coelho, paid a courtesy call on the Principal Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Diaspora, Mr Ian Madeleine, on Monday, 31 August 2026, at Maison Quéau de Quinssy.

Discussions were on the enforcement of the General Cooperation Agreement, with a view to unlocking its full potential and providing a framework for enhanced cooperation for the mutual benefit of both countries and their peoples.

The two sides also discussed the conclusion of a Bilateral Air Services Agreement (BASA), which could contribute to enhancing connectivity and facilitating greater people-to-people exchanges between Seychelles and Angola. Improved air connectivity would also create opportunities to further diversify tourism, while supporting increased trade, investment and broader economic engagement between the two countries.

The meeting further highlighted the considerable potential for Seychelles and Angola to deepen cooperation through the exchange of technical expertise, knowledge and experience in areas of mutual interest, including sustainable fisheries, aquaculture, agriculture and the development of the Blue Economy.

With Seychelles preparing to host the upcoming Indian Ocean Island Games (IOIG) next year, sports was also identified as an area offering promising opportunities for strengthened cooperation. Seychelles welcomed the prospect of drawing on Angola’s considerable expertise and experience in sports to support its preparations for the Games, while contributing to the continued development of the sporting sector in the country.

Seychelles and Angola established diplomatic relations on 7 November 1986 and have maintained longstanding friendly relations and cooperation over the years. H.E. Mr Domingos de Almeida Da Silva Coelho will be based in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.

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

Source: APO

On Monday, 31 August 2026, the Ambassador-designate of the Kingdom of Norway to the Republic of Seychelles, Her Excellency Ms Siv Cathrine Moe, paid a courtesy call on the Principal Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Diaspora, Ambassador Ian Madeleine, at Maison Quéau de Quinssy, ahead of the presentation of her Letters of Credence.

During the meeting, the two diplomats discussed a range of areas of mutual interest, including maritime security, which has been an important area of cooperation between Seychelles and Norway. In this regard, they underscored the importance of continued cooperation in addressing challenges such as illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing, piracy and illicit drug trafficking.

As coastal nations, Seychelles and Norway recognised the significant potential to further strengthen bilateral cooperation through the exchange of experience, knowledge and expertise, particularly in the areas of sustainable fisheries and the Blue Economy.

The discussions also explored opportunities for Seychelles and Norway to enhance cooperation in areas including mental health, renewable energy, disaster risk management and tourism. The two sides also noted the potential to enhance connectivity between Seychelles and Norway through the conclusion of a Bilateral Air Services Agreement (BASA).

The Principal Secretary highlighted the significant challenges faced by Small Island Developing States (SIDS) in accessing adequate and predictable climate finance, which can constrain their ability to effectively address climate-related challenges. In this context, Seychelles underscored the importance of scaling up resilience financing and welcomed Norway’s strong support for the adoption of the Multidimensional Vulnerability Index (MVI).

Ambassador Madeleine conveyed his best wishes to H.E. Ms Moe for every success in her new assignment.

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

Source: APO

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In Zambia’s rural communities, women have long known how to weave. What they were missing was everything that comes after: the markets, the training, and someone willing to walk the path with them. 

When Doris Phiri arrived at the Handloom and Textile Technology Association of Zambia (HATTAZ) as an intern, the organization was still finding its feet. It had been recently registered, was operating under the Cotton Association of Zambia, and was working with rural women who had weaving skills but little else. They had no access to machinery, no markets, and no business training.

Doris had a passion for women’s empowerment and community development. What she did not yet know was that she would stay, grow, and eventually lead. 

Zambia’s handloom sector is at the crossroad of culture, livelihoods, and trade. Cotton is one of the country’s key agricultural commodities, and handweaving has long been practised in rural communities, but the connection between that craft and commercial opportunity had never been fully made. Women were producing, but were not yet being paid what their work was worth. 

Support from the International Trade Centre through the ACP Business-Friendly programme began to shift that. HATTAZ –a Lusaka-based, member-based organization empowering rural women and youth in the Zambian cotton sector – received technical assistance covering advanced weaving, product development, branding, quality control, and market linkages. Master trainers were created within communities. 

Doris, initially working as an ITC national consultant, was at the centre of it, coordinating training sessions, accompanying women in Chadiza, Mazabuka, Ndola, Choma, Petauke, and Katete as cooperatives were formally registered and began to see real results. 

‘ITC opened the first doors for HATTAZ,’ says Doris. ‘We moved beyond just training. We began producing, understanding quality, accessing markets, and gaining visibility. But most importantly, it transformed rural livelihoods. That’s what truly matters.’ 

The numbers tell part of the story. In 2024, following an ITC-supported regional training in collaboration with WeEffect, women’s cooperatives collectively earned over $7,000 from international product sales – proof that connecting skills to global markets changes the equation. 

Building on that momentum, HATTAZ secured support from WeEffect under the Women’s Economic Empowerment in the Cotton Value Chain project, which Doris now leads as coordinator. The work covers financial literacy, climate-smart innovation, handloom quality standards, and advocacy for gender-equitable policy. And Doris leads all of it. 

‘To me, empowerment is about walking with people until they see the strength they’ve always had,’ she says. ‘The women I work with have become like family. Seeing their confidence grow and their livelihoods improve – that’s the most fulfilling part of my journey.’ 

She arrived as an intern, and stayed to lead. And the women weaving across Zambia’s rural communities are stronger for it. 

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of International Trade Centre.

Source: APO

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As Africa marks the 24th African Traditional Medicine Day on 31 August, leaders, researchers and traditional health practitioners are reflecting on a pivotal question: how can traditional medicine help accelerate universal health coverage across the continent? 

Under this year’s theme, “Reflection on research and development efforts of traditional medicine towards achieving universal health coverage in the African Region,” the WHO Global Traditional Medicine Centre and the WHO Regional Office for Africa convened a conversation exploring how evidence, innovation and community trust can help bring traditional medicine from research to reach.

African Traditional Medicine Day commemorates a landmark resolution adopted by the WHO Regional Committee for Africa at its fiftieth session in Ouagadougou (resolution AFR/RC50/R3) in 2000 and recognizes the vital role traditional medicine plays in providing accessible, affordable and culturally grounded care to millions across the continent. In many communities, particularly rural ones, traditional health practitioners are the first point of contact for health care. 

In discussion were Professor Martins Emeje, Director-General of the Nigeria Natural Medicine Development Agency and Co-Chair of the WHO Strategic and Technical Advisory Group for Traditional, Complementary and Integrative Medicine; and Chief Temitayo Faruq Erogbogbo, Baaloro of Ikorodu Kingdom, moderated by Kenyan community-based youth researcher and entrepreneur Fionah Njeri. 

Their message was clear: traditional medicine is not a relic of the past. It is a living, evolving system of knowledge with the potential to strengthen primary health care and advance universal health coverage when supported by research, regulation and investment. 

“Trust is infrastructure,” noted Chief Temitayo Faruq Erogbogbo during the discussion, highlighting that traditional health practitioners (THPs) are often the first point of care for many communities. From traditional birth attendants to community healers, THPs hold relationships and cultural legitimacy that can complement biomedical services and improve health outcomes. 

The conversation emphasized that Africa possesses some of the world’s richest health knowledge traditions and biodiversity resources. Unlocking that potential, participants argued, will require stronger collaboration among researchers, policymakers, entrepreneurs, communities and traditional health practitioners, as well as greater domestic investment in research and development. 

Speakers also stressed the importance of documenting traditional knowledge. “Knowledge that is not written down will be lost,” they warned, calling for greater efforts to preserve and study Africa’s health heritage for future generations. 

The discussion echoed WHO’s broader vision that traditional medicine can contribute to more people-centred, culturally resonant health systems when integrated safely and effectively. The recently adopted WHO Global Traditional Medicine Strategy 2025–2034 identifies research, regulation, integration and collaboration as key priorities for advancing evidence-based traditional medicine and strengthening health systems. Traditional medicine is already used by millions worldwide and is increasingly recognized as a valuable partner to biomedicine in supporting prevention, self-care and primary health care. 

Looking ahead, participants expressed optimism about the future of traditional medicine in Africa. With growing interest among young people, expanding opportunities for innovation, and increasing recognition of nature-based approaches to health, they described a future where traditional medicine and biomedicine can thrive side by side, each contributing its strengths toward healthier communities. 

Countries celebrate African Traditional Medicine Day 

Throughout Africa, WHO country offices are marking this day with various activities: 

• Cameroon: the Minister of Public Health issued a note on 29 July instructing regional delegates of public health to decentralize the commemoration. The day will be marked simultaneously across the regions, together with Yaoundé
• Madagascar and Mozambique will mark the day with activities. 
• South Africa: national commemoration with the Minister of Health and a host province; where the WHO Representative will deliver a keynote. 
• Zimbabwe: will commemorate in Marondera, provincial capital of Mashonaland East Province. Her Excellency the First Lady of the Republic of Zimbabwe Dr Auxilia Mnangagwa will participate in the event. 

Their call was simple: Invest in evidence, empower traditional health practitioners, and harness Africa’s knowledge and biodiversity to expand access to quality care. 

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

Source: APO

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Today, President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi met with Prime Minister Dr. Moustafa Madbouly, Minister of Civil Aviation Dr. Sameh El-Hefny, and President’s Advisor for Financial Affairs Lieutenant General Ahmed El-Shazly.

The Spokesman for the Presidency, Ambassador Mohamed El-Shennawy, said the meeting addressed the ongoing development of the civil aviation system. The Minister of Civil Aviation said this included the modernization of airports infrastructure, increase of their capacity, and improvement of passenger services. He also reviewed the Ministry’s future activities, noting that continuous investment in modernizing and expanding the capacity of Egyptian airports aims to meet the requirements of the country’s comprehensive development and keep pace with the steady increase in global tourism and travel, thus reinforcing Egypt’s position and its distinguished geographical location. In this regard, President El-Sisi emphasized the necessity of continuous efforts to develop the civil aviation system by modernizing airport infrastructure, enhancing service efficiency, and promoting the highest safety and security standards. This will contribute to increasing the competitiveness of Egyptian airports regionally and internationally, while also strengthening private sector participation in their management and operation.

The meeting also reviewed the strategic vision and the implementation status of the project to establish Terminal Building No. (4) at Cairo International Airport. Dr. El-Hefny noted that the project aims to construct a new passenger terminal with a capacity of approximately 40 million passengers annually, representing a qualitative leap in the capacity of Cairo Airport and supporting the state’s objective of transforming Egypt into a major regional hub for aviation, transportation, and logistics services.

Dr. El-Hefny noted that the project is based on the latest global concepts in airport design and operation through the application of Artificial Intelligence technologies and digital transformation, as well as the development of a smart and sustainable operational system that enhances the quality of services provided to passengers, improves operational efficiency, and adheres to the highest environmental sustainability standards.

President El-Sisi directed that the new passenger terminal be constructed in accordance with the highest global standards in terms of design, technology, sustainability, and operational efficiency, making it one of the distinguished international models for new airports. President El-Sisi also gave directives to enhance strategic partnerships to attract further foreign direct investments in the civil aviation sector through the establishment of integrated investment zones around Egyptian airports.

President El-Sisi stressed the importance of monitoring any complaints related to the quality of services at various airports and addressing them seriously and promptly, in a manner that contributes to improving the travel experience and strengthening passengers’ confidence.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Presidency of the Arab Republic of Egypt.