Category: English

Source: APO

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Today, President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi received United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees Mr.Barham Salih, in the presence of Minister of Foreign Affairs, International Cooperation, and Egyptian Expatriates Dr. Badr Abdelatty, UNHCR Representative to the Arab Republic of Egypt and the League of Arab States Dr. Hanan Hamdan, UNHCR Regional Director for the Middle East and North Africa Ms. Rema Jamous Imseis, and Special Assistant to the UN High Commissioner for Refugees Ms. Rez Gardi.

Spokesman for the Presidency Ambassador Mohamed El-Shennawy stated that the President welcomed the High Commissioner’s visit to Egypt and congratulated him on assuming his new post at the beginning of this year. President El-Sisi reaffirmed Egypt’s appreciation for its ongoing cooperation with the UNHCR to provide international protection for refugees and asylum seekers residing in Egypt, and to manage the asylum process in accordance with the national law regulating this matter, stressing Egypt’s readiness to continue this cooperation and thus enhance international solidarity and support refugees.

The President reviewed Egypt’s efforts to host more than 10.5 million foreigners, migrants, and refugees of various nationalities against the backdrop of numerous regional and international crises. President El-Sisi affirmed the State’s commitment to providing them with basic services within its capacity, while ensuring respect for Egyptian laws and Egypt’s international obligations. The President also emphasized that Egypt has never used the refugees issue to achieve political objectives. The President stressed the importance of activating the principle of burden and responsibility sharing, increasing international support to Egypt, and supporting the new national framework currently being finalized to address asylum issues.

President El-Sisi further called for adopting a comprehensive approach for addressing asylum seeking and displacement by tackling their root causes, including political and security crises and economic challenges, thereby contributing to sustainable development and promoting peace and stability in countries of origin.

Mr. Salih expressed his deep appreciation for visiting Egypt and meeting the President and emphasized the UNHCR’s interest in further strengthening cooperation with the Egyptian government in providing protection for refugees and supporting host communities. He commended Egypt’s significant efforts in hosting millions of foreigners, migrants, and refugees and expressed the UNHCR’s appreciation for the burdens borne by the Egyptian state to ensure the sustainability of services provided to them. Mr. Salih stressed the need to bolster international support to be commensurate with the scale of these efforts, noting that Egypt is bearing immense burdens and that there must be genuine support and active burden-sharing regarding the hosting of foreigners, migrants, and refugees. In the same context, the High Commissioner underscored the key role Egypt and the President play in achieving regional stability, noting that Egypt serves as a central and historically steadfast anchor in the region.

Mr. Salih welcomed the steps that the Egyptian state has taken to launch the new national asylum system, commending the establishment of the Standing Committee for Refugee Affairs. He affirmed the UNHCR’s readiness to provide all support for these efforts. Mr. Salih also briefed the President on his vision for the UNHCR’s work in the coming period, in light of the mounting global challenges related to asylum, noting the UNHCR’s strategy aimed at reducing the number of refugees worldwide and expressing his hope for continued cooperation with Egypt in this regard, in light of the pivotal role it plays in various regional and international issues.

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

Source: APO

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A humanitarian health worker who supported the Ebola response in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) has been diagnosed with Ebola virus disease in France.

Health authorities in France and DRC have informed Africa CDC of this confirmed case, caused by the Bundibugyo-type Ebola virus. The health professional developed symptoms after arriving in France, quickly sought medical care and was diagnosed without delay. The monitoring and notification systems for this type of situation worked.

The health professional had supported the Ebola response in Ituri province from May 19 to June 19. At the end of his mission, he left the DRC in good health and went to France. He then developed mild symptoms and consulted the health services. Laboratory tests confirmed infection with Bundibugyo-type Ebola virus.

The risk of Ebola transmission begins after symptoms appear. The medical professional left the DRC without symptoms and met all applicable travel requirements. The Government of the DRC has put in place enhanced surveillance, health checks on entry and exit from the country, as well as border health measures as part of the Ebola response, including at the main entry and exit points, at airports in affected areas and at major transit hubs.

His Excellency Dr. Jean Kaseya, Director General of Africa CDC, met with the Minister of Health of the DRC, the Director of the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) as well as the European Commissioner for Preparedness, Crisis Management and Equality, Hadja Lahbib. They reviewed the situation, strengthened coordination and aligned ongoing public health actions.

“This case illustrates the importance of strong oversight,” said His Excellency Dr. Jean Kaseya, Director General of Africa CDC. “The health worker left the Democratic Republic of the Congo without symptoms, and the Government of the DRC has put in place enhanced surveillance, entry and exit controls, and border health measures as part of the Ebola response. The symptoms were identified after his arrival in France, and the diagnosis was made quickly thanks to alert systems and international coordination. I would like to thank this doctor, who served on the front lines in Ituri from May 19 to June 19, alongside the affected communities, with courage and dedication. Health workers are bearing the heaviest weight in this outbreak.

The right response today is based on vigilance, solidarity and increased support for the teams working to end Ebola at the source. Partners around the world must step up and help end this epidemic. »

Africa CDC welcomes the speed of detection, diagnosis and notification by the French health authorities. The transition from early symptoms to laboratory confirmation was possible thanks to rapid action and information sharing among national, regional and international partners. Robust surveillance, early notification and effective international cooperation protect communities.

Investigations are underway to determine the most likely time and circumstances of exposure and to support full contact tracing. Authorities in the DRC and France, together with Africa CDC, WHO, ECDC and other partners, are conducting risk assessments and following up on identified contacts in accordance with established public health protocols.

The overall risk level of the outbreak remains unchanged. This imported case reinforces the need to maintain sustained vigilance, strengthen surveillance, rigorously enforce infection prevention and control measures, and continue to support frontline health workers leading the response.

Africa CDC calls on partners and the international community to continue to support the response and reject measures that lack scientific basis, including unnecessary restrictions on travel and trade. These measures are slowing down the deployment of response teams and the delivery of essential supplies, and weakening the public health response.

Africa CDC reaffirms its full commitment alongside the Governments of the DRC and Uganda to control the outbreak, protect communities, and advance a coordinated continental and global response. Africa CDC will continue to monitor the situation closely and will share new information as soon as it is verified.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC).

Media Contact:
Department of Communication and Public Information  
Communications@africacdc.org 
KolyS@africacdc.org

About Africa CDC:
The Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention is the public health agency of the African Union. As an autonomous institution, Africa CDC supports AU Member States in strengthening health systems, improving disease surveillance, and strengthening preparedness and response to health emergencies. For more information, visit https://AfricaCDC.org and follow Africa CDC on LinkedIn (https://apo-opa.co/4af75XC), X (https://apo-opa.co/43RvyyD), Facebook (https://apo-opa.co/4wa7naE), and YouTube (https://apo-opa.co/43XvU6N).

Source: APO

More than 600 million people in sub-Saharan Africa still lack access to electricity, underscoring a stark reality: no single energy source will close the continent’s power gap. Instead, African governments are increasingly pursuing a multi-resource energy strategy – leveraging natural gas, renewables, hydropower and existing thermal assets – to expand access, improve grid reliability, and advance the goal of ending energy poverty by 2030.

These priorities will take center stage at African Energy Week (AEW) 2026 through the newly launched Power Africa Today conference. The platform will convene utility executives, policymakers, investors, developers and technology providers to examine how generation expansion, transmission build-out, financing innovation and regional market integration can accelerate electrification and industrial growth across Africa. While discussions will reflect a wide range of ongoing developments across the continent – including renewable energy expansion, gas-to-power projects, grid modernization and cross-border trade – the focus will be on how these efforts can be better aligned into bankable, system-wide solutions that close the energy access gap.

Natural gas continues to play a central role in Africa’s power mix as a flexible, dispatchable fuel that supports industrial growth and complements intermittent renewable generation. At the same time, governments are scaling up utility-scale solar and wind projects alongside decentralized mini-grids and off-grid systems aimed at extending access to remote communities. Emerging technologies such as green hydrogen are also beginning to gain traction, supported by early-stage financing and policy frameworks, including the African Development Bank’s $20 million funding call to de-risk pilot projects.

Alongside generation expansion, power sector reform and infrastructure development are gaining momentum. South Africa’s wholesale electricity market reforms and long-term transmission expansion plans are opening the door to greater private sector participation, while Uganda’s Amari Power Transmission Project – Africa’s first privately financed independent transmission project to reach financial close – signals growing investor appetite for grid infrastructure.

Regional integration is also accelerating, with power pools advancing cross-border electricity trade through harmonized regulatory frameworks. At the same time, large-scale access initiatives such as Mission 300, led by the World Bank and AfDB, are helping to scale electrification efforts, having already connected more than 50 million people across the continent.

“Africa’s pathway to ending energy poverty will require every available resource working together. Natural gas, renewables, hydropower and existing power assets including coal and oil each have a role to play in delivering reliable electricity, supporting industrialization and improving quality of life across the continent,” says NJ Ayuk, Executive Chairman, African Energy Chamber.

The Power Africa Today conference at AEW 2026 will provide a dedicated platform to translate these investments, reforms and partnerships into bankable projects – accelerating energy access and supporting sustainable economic growth across the continent.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of African Energy Chamber.

Source: APO

The Islamic Corporation for the Development of the Private Sector (ICD) (www.ICD-PS.org), a member of the Islamic Development Bank (IsDB) Group, is pleased to announce the signing of 13 significant financing and strategic cooperation agreements with various counterparts aimed at catalyzing economic development and bolstering private sector growth and initiatives across several member countries in diverse regions around the world. These agreements were signed during the 2026 Annual Meetings of the IsDB Group, held in Baku, Azerbaijan, under the theme “Regional Integration for Sustainable Prosperity”, which provided a platform for member countries to advance dialogue and cooperation on regional connectivity, resilience and inclusive growth. The signing of these agreements underscores ICD’s unwavering commitment to fostering prosperity through strategic partnerships and promoting access to finance and financial inclusion in its member countries.

In line with its mandate to support private sector growth in its member countries, the ICD and the Azerbaijan Business Development Fund (ABDF) signed a framework agreement to launch a managed Shariah-compliant line of financing program for SMEs during the opening ceremony of the IsDB Group 2026 Annual Meeting’s Private Sector Forum in Baku. Under this framework, the parties are to collaborate in deploying up to AZN 200 million within the next two years. The program introduces a local currency (AZN) financing channel by which, ICD, acting as ABDF’s agent, will blend ABDF’s AZN funds with ICD’s USD, EUR, and AZN resources to support SMEs and private sector growth in Azerbaijan. Through this initiative, the ICD, acting on its own behalf and on behalf of ABDF, will provide either single or multi-currency line of financing facilities to selected partner financial institutions in Azerbaijan for on-ward financing of eligible companies in the country. This arrangement is expected to help mitigate foreign exchange risk that has long hindered the growth of  Azerbaijani SMEs, especially those operating outside major cities in the country.

In a further attempt to explore bankable financing opportunities in Azerbaijan and facilitate the realization of its mandate of supporting private sector development in its member countries, the ICD also signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the State Oil Company of the Azerbaijan Republic (SOCAR), establishing strategic cooperation between the two institutions to collaborate in financing  of infrastructure and energy projects in Azerbaijan and other member countries within existing public private partnership (PPP) frameworks. Under the Memorandum of Understanding, the parties will identify and evaluate financing opportunities for project companies established by SOCAR and its joint venture partners. Within this framework, ICD will provide financing solutions tailored to the specific requirements of the projects.

Further, the ICD signed a Mandate Letter with Azerconnect for a USD 20 Million financing facility for capex financing and an Expression of Intent Letter for a USD 15 Million Line of Financing Facility with Turan Bank for onward financing of SMEs and eligible companies in Azerbaijan.

In an effort to strengthen and deepen its operations in Nigeria, the ICD also signed a Mandate Letter with the Nigerian Export-Import Bank (NEXIM) for a USD 50 Million syndicated line of financing facility to be arranged by ICD to be used by NEXIM for financing eligible private sector entities in Nigeria.

In line with its mandate of promoting economic development in its member countries, the ICD also signed an Expression of Intent  Letter for a proposed EUR 50 million Line of Financing Facility with  Afriland Bank (Cameroon),  and a Final Term Sheet for Euro 20 Million line of finance facility with AFG Bank (Cameroon), each for the purpose of onward financing of SMEs and other eligible private sector companies in Cameroon. Under these facilities,  the ICD will be leading and supporting the arrangement and mobilization of resources and private capital to support the operations of these Cameroonian banks and thus contributing to fostering economic growth and prosperity in the country.

Consistent with its objective of having a diversified portfolio across its member countries, the ICD also signed a Murabaha Facility Agreement with Al Salam Bank of Bahrain (ASB) for a USD 50 million Line of Finance Facility for the purpose of  onward financing of eligible companies in Bahrain whose operations contribute or have the potential of contributing significantly to the  growth and development of SMEs and the private sector in general in Bahrain.

ICD has also signed a strategic Memorandum of Understanding  with DAMU Entrepreneurship Development Fund of Kazakhstan to establish framework for cooperation aimed at identifying and developing financing and guarantee opportunities for Lines of financing in Kazakhstan, with a focus on supporting SMEs and private‑sector entities.

To further its support to the growth of the private sector in Kazakhstan, the ICD also signed a strategic Memorandum of Understanding with KAZAGROFINANCE JSC of Kazakhstan (KAF) to establish a common ground for partnership between the parties and the Ministry of Agriculture of Kazakhstan to extend thematic agri-sector linked line of finance facilities  to KAF under the Ministry’s subsidy program to farmers in Kazakhstan.

Additionally, Leveraging on ICD’s recent and first successful credit enhancement transaction with the African Solidarity Fund (FSA) in Mauritania in partnership with Banque Mauritanienne de l’Investissement (BMI),  the ICD signed a strategic Expression of Intent Letter with FSA as a demonstration of their intent to upscale their partnership in the use of FSA’s guarantees as credit enhancement for ICD’s line of financing operations in selected common member countries of the Parties.

Finally, the ICD also signed a Strategic MOU with the Texel Group of UK to establish a platform of cooperation on credit portfolio enhancement through insurance. Through this MOU the parties are aiming to combine ICD’s origination and development financing capabilities with Texel Group’s structuring and placement expertise in the use of Non Payment Insurance to enhance risk management, optimize capital allocation, and mobilize additional financing into priority sectors, while enabling ICD to upscale its financing activities and efficiently manage portfolio concentration and credit exposure in its member countries.

All these signed agreements represent a major step forward in ICD’s efforts to promote sustainable economic growth and financial inclusion across its member countries. By strengthening partnerships with key financial institutions and development partners, ICD continues to play a vital role in supporting private sector growth and development in its member countries.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Islamic Corporation for the Development of the Private Sector (ICD).

About the Islamic Corporation for the Development of the Private Sector (ICD):
The Islamic Corporation for the Development of the Private Sector is a multilateral development financial institution and a member of the Islamic Development Bank Group. Established in November 1999, ICD supports economic development in its member countries by promoting the establishment, expansion and modernization of private enterprises, through financing and cross boarder investments in private sector enterprises and projects. ICD is rated A+ by Fitch, A2 by Moody’s, and A- by S&P.

For more information, visit www.ICD-PS.org.