Category: English

Source: APO – Report:

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In Gondokoro, some 25 kilometers east of the capital Juba, locals are concerned. An influx of livestock herders has increased competition for already scarce resources, particularly land, leading to tensions among residents, internally displaced persons and the pastoralists.

“Farms and crops have been destroyed and some of our animals stolen. It is still not safe for us to return to our homes,” says Sarah Gelerino, who lives nearby, across the Nile, after having been displaced in 2022.

Lina Keji, a Gondokoro resident, adds that insecurity is not the only consequence of a larger local population.

“Our healthcare facilities have suffered from a shortage of medicines for months. Transporting a sick person to Juba, or to go there to buy medication, is very expensive, which means that walking is the only option for most of us,” she says.

Government efforts to make cattle keepers from elsewhere go home mean that Gondokoro is currently a somewhat less violent place than it was a couple of years ago, but some problems do persist.

Local cattle owner Achirin Mayar is blunt about it.

“In the past, we ran from lions. Now we flee from humans with guns. This must stop,” he says, referring to the proliferation of small arms that worries most people living here.

To prevent a breakdown of law and order, they believe the government should disarm all civilians, without exceptions. Community director John Gabriel Ladu would welcome that but thinks that more is needed.

“Local authorities must engage with the feuding parties to resolve their differences, otherwise we won’t have peace in the area,” he says.

According to Captain Zakariya, the South Sudan People’s Defence Forces have established checkpoints in strategic locations to better protect civilians.

“We would like community leaders and traditional chiefs to encourage displaced people to return home and start farming, and we are trying to make that safe.”

Despite existing tensions, Lauro Ohiyu, who serves with the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) and was part of the delegation that visited Gondokoro, is optimistic.

“We were encouraged to see local authorities’ consistent calls for people to return home. UNMISS and the UN family are committed to working with the State Government and partners to make this a safe place for everyone, not least for those who want to go back to where they used to live.”

– on behalf of United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS).

Source: APO – Report:

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A joint meeting between the Portfolio Committee on Police and the Portfolio Committee on Justice and Constitutional Development today officially adopted its report recommending to the National Assembly (NA) that an Ad Hoc Committee should be established to consider allegations made by the South African Police Service KwaZulu-Natal Provincial Commissioner, Lieutenant General Nhlanhla Mkwanazi.

The report reflects the committees’ considered view that an Ad Hoc Committee represents the most effective Parliamentary mechanism to fully investigate and deliberate on the matters raised. The committees recommended the establishment of an Ad Hoc Committee in accordance with NA Rule 253, indicating that the scope of such a committee is task specific and time bound, contrary to the general oversight function of portfolio committees which, in contrast, is ongoing and often requires juggling competing priorities. The report also emphasised the need for the NA to ensure an expeditious process.

Without being prescriptive, the committees propose that the NA takes into account, should it resolve to establish an Ad Hoc Committee as recommended, the need for the process to be concluded within 90 days of the committee being established, provided that the timeframe may be amended or extended if necessary.

Given the gravity of the allegations and their potential implications for the rule of law, governance, and accountability within the criminal justice sector, the committees have resolved that a focused, multi-party Ad Hoc Committee will ensure a transparent, thorough and fair process. The committees further noted that actual composition of such a committee, as well as its terms of reference, does not reside with the joint meeting.

The meeting has reiterated Parliament’s constitutional responsibility to exercise oversight over state institutions and to uphold the principles of justice, integrity and accountability. The committees also reaffirmed their commitment to ensuring that this matter is handled with the seriousness it deserves and in line with the Constitution and the rules of Parliament.

The report adopted today will be submitted to the NA for consideration.

– on behalf of The Presidency of the Republic of South Africa.

Source: APO – Report:

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On July 22, 2025, Mayor of Dallas, Texas, USA, Eric L. Johnson and his Dar es Salaam counterpart Mayor Omary Kumbilamoto signed a Sister City Partnership aimed at deepening commercial, cultural, and educational ties.

The signing ceremony, held at the Hyatt Regency Hotel in Dar es Salaam, was also witnessed by the United States Chargé d’Affaires Jonathan Howard, Tanzania’s Ambassador to the United States, Elsie Kanza, and other Tanzanian government officials.

Mayor Johnson is in Tanzania for an eight-day visit to explore trade opportunities and strengthen economic partnership between Dallas and Dar es Salaam as well as other parts of Tanzania.  He is also visiting Zanzibar and Arusha.

The mayor is joined by members of the Tanzanian American Chamber of Commerce (TACC), which is headquartered in Dallas, Texas, and seeks to promote bilateral trade between Tanzania and the United States.  The delegation has had productive meetings with the Regional Commissioner of Dar es Salaam, representatives from various Ministries in the Tanzanian government, and the American Chamber of Commerce in Tanzania.

As a major hub for American innovation in the agribusiness, health care, energy, tech, logistics, manufacturing, and financial services sectors, the City of Dallas has set a global standard for how municipal governments can leverage infrastructure development and business incentives to develop a vibrant economy. Thanks to its status as a commercial center and one of the fastest growing cities in the world, Dar es Salaam is a key gateway for unlocking international trade and investment in Tanzania with immense potential to create jobs and economic prosperity for citizens in both countries.

– on behalf of U.S. Embassy in Tanzania.

Source: APO – Report:

In recognition of a lifetime dedicated to peace, development and the advancement of Angola’s oil and gas industry, Diamantino Pedro Azevedo, Minister of Mineral Resources, Petroleum and Gas, has been awarded the Commemorative Medal for the 50^th Anniversary of National Independence in the Peace and Development Class by Angola’s President João Lourenço. As the voice of the African energy sector, the African Energy Chamber (AEC) (https://EnergyChamber.org) strongly supports the honor bestowed upon Minister Azevedo, whose visionary leadership has catalyzed a new era of investment and growth in Angola’s energy sector.

As an advocate for enabling African energy success through policy reform, infrastructure reform and global investment, the AEC applauds Minister Azevedo for his bold agenda to transform Angola into a regional petroleum hub. Under his guidance, the country has rolled out game-changing initiatives including a $60 billion upstream investment drive, a multi-phase refinery rollout, licensing reforms and development of an upcoming Gas Master Plan (GMP).

Minister Azevedo’s leadership has ushered in a 2025-2028 project pipeline that is expected to significantly boost production and catalyze cross-sector development. Key initiatives include the Cabinda Refinery – set to start operations in 2025 with a capacity of 60,000 barrels per day – as well as the Agogo Integrated West Hub Development and Kaminho Deepwater Project, both on track for 2026 and 2028, respectively. Angola is also advancing its first-ever non-associated gas project through the New Gas Consortium, expected to launch in 2026. At the same time, frontier exploration will begin in the Etosha-Okavango basin, while independent oil companies target new opportunities in the onshore Kwanza basin.

These developments are supported by a new licensing round in 2025, which will offer 10 offshore blocks in the Kwanza and Benguela basins, highlighting Angola’s drive to open new acreage and attract further investment.

Since Angola launched its six-year licensing round in 2019, the country has awarded 41 concessions to a mix of international and regional companies. At the same time, new opportunities in marginal fields have opened doors for smaller independent operators to enter the market. Currently, five marginal fields are available, with prospects in Blocks 4, 14, 15 and 18. To further boost investment, the government introduced a permanent offer program and launched the Incremental Production Initiative in 2024 – designed to encourage reinvestment in mature fields. The initiative is already showing results, with energy major ExxonMobil announcing a new discovery at the Likembe-01 well, the first under the program.

As the country works to diversify its energy mix, the AEC strongly supports the forthcoming launch of Angola’s GMP, a 30-year strategy that aims to create a competitive domestic gas market. the GMP is expected to provide clear policy direction for investors while linking upstream projects to local value chains. Meanwhile, Minister Azevedo is also leading the push to extend Angola’s licensing strategy beyond 2026, offering new opportunities for both frontier and onshore developments.

As Angola hosts the Angola Oil & Gas 2025 conference in Luanda this September, Minister Azevedo will deliver a keynote address and participate in a high-level Fireside Chat – outlining the government’s vision for transforming Angola into a globally competitive energy economy. Taking place on the eve of the country’s golden jubilee, the event will explore the role oil and gas has played over the past five decades, while charting a future defined by policy certainty, youth- and women-led innovation, infrastructure growth and regional integration.

“Minister Azevedo has consistently demonstrated that energy development is a pathway to peace, progress and shared prosperity. The Chamber sees the medal not only as a personal honor, but as a symbol of what energy leadership can accomplish when tied to national development. We congratulate Minister Azevedo on this well-deserved recognition and remain committed to working alongside Angola to build the next 50 years of hydrocarbon success,” states NJ Ayuk, Executive Chairman, AEC.

– on behalf of African Energy Chamber.

Source: APO – Report:

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Food Security Situation

Half the population of South Sudan – 7.7 million people – are facing severe hunger. 

Of these, 83,000 people are facing catastrophic levels of hunger (IPC5) – the highest classification of food insecurity – including:

• 32,000 people in Upper Nile State where fierce fighting since March has displaced thousands and severely limited humanitarian access.Nasir and Ulang counties in Upper Nile are at risk of deteriorating into famine.39,000 who have returned to South Sudan fleeing conflict in Sudan.A record 2.3 million children are at-risk of malnutrition – with conflict areas in Upper Nile and flood-affected areas such as Bentiu among the most impacted.Progress has been achieved where conditions allow for humanitarian access:In Uror county, Jonglei state, all pockets of Catastrophic hunger (IPC5) were alleviated this year as WFP was able to consistently deliver assistance.In ten other counties where conflict and insecurity subsided, crop production increased – improving the food security situation.Sustained peace and humanitarian support are vital to cement these gains.Due to raging conflict in neighboring Sudan, nearly 1.2 million people have fled to South Sudan since April 2023, many arriving hungry, malnourished and traumatised.WFP Response 

• WFP has supported two million of the most vulnerable people in South Sudan this year, including over 300,000 impacted by the escalation of conflict in Upper Nile.
• In July, WFP conducted airdrops to access the most remote parts of the Greater Upper Nile region, including areas at risk of famine. To date, we have delivered 430 metric tons of food, and airdrops are ongoing to reach 40,000 people.
• Vital river convoys on the White Nile River have resumed after access was granted for the first time in months due to fighting.
• On 16 July, a river convoy carrying 1,380 mt of life-saving food assistance from WFP and other non-food items transported on behalf of the humanitarian community, departed Bor destined for Upper Nile state.
• River routes are the most cost-effective way to move food assistance at scale in South Sudan where infrastructure is severely limited.
• The WFP run United Nations Humanitarian Air Service (UNHAS) continues to serve seven destinations in Upper Nile including Maban, Maiwut, Malakal, Mandeng, Mathiang, Renk, and Ulang – providing life-saving cargo and access to the most remote areas.
• Upper Nile state has been significantly affected by a cholera outbreak. Since March, the WFP-led Logistics Cluster has airlifted 109 metric tons of cholera-related supplies to locations in Upper Nile and Unity states.

Funding outlook and challenges

• Severe funding shortfalls mean WFP can reach just 2.5 million people with regular assistance – only 30 percent of people facing severe hunger – across the country with emergency food assistance.
• WFP urgently requires US$274 million to maintain support for just the 2.5 million most acutely food insecure through the end of the year – providing only 50 percent rations to these communities in most cases.
• Further reductions in rations and assistance will be necessary in September if additional funds are not urgently received.
• Limiting food aid to the most vulnerable families risks undoing recent fragile gains.

– on behalf of World Food Programme (WFP).

Source: APO – Report:

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Thabiso Sekano, Head of Mining and Metals at the Industrial Development Corporation (IDC) of South Africa, will join African Mining Week (AMW) as a featured speaker on the high-level panel, The Investor Perspective – Financing Africa’s Mineral Industrialization. He is expected to share insights into innovative financing mechanisms that are accelerating project development across Africa’s mining and energy value chains.

Sekano will highlight the IDC’s instrumental role in advancing South Africa’s mining sector, particularly its platinum group metals (PGMs), which represent over 70% of global reserves. Among the IDC’s recent investments, in June 2025, the agency approved R622 million in funding to Canadian firm Theta Gold Mines to develop multiple sites under the TGME Project in Mpumalanga Province. This seven-year facility is expected to extract 1.24 million ounces of gold, creating jobs and contributing to national revenue growth.

AMW serves as a premier platform for exploring the full spectrum of mining opportunities across Africa. The event is held alongside the African Energy Week: Invest in African Energies 2025 conference from October 1-3 in Cape Town. Sponsors, exhibitors and delegates can learn more by contacting sales@energycapitalpower.com.

In April 2025, the IDC approved a further R1.6 billion facility to support the operational stability of ArcelorMittal South Africa, helping preserve jobs and strengthen South Africa’s position as a top global steel producer. Beyond South Africa, Sekano will spotlight the IDC’s growing regional footprint. The corporation is considering a $16 million loan to Giyani Metals to advance the K.Hill manganese project in Botswana – an important development aimed at boosting supply chains for lithium-ion batteries and electric vehicles.

As African governments increasingly focus on formalizing small-scale mining and empowering junior miners, AMW will also offer a platform for Sekano to discuss the IDC’s initiatives targeting these groups. In 2024, the IDC launched a R400 million Junior Mining Exploration Fund in collaboration with South Africa’s Department of Mineral and Petroleum Resources and the Council for Geoscience, aimed at addressing funding constraints that limit entry and scale-up of junior mining companies.

In addition, the IDC is driving synergies between the mining and energy sectors to foster energy resilience and decarbonization. In June 2025, it announced that four utility-scale energy projects it financed are now delivering a combined 219 MW to the national grid – powering mining operations and creating 442 annualized jobs. The agency also signed a EUR 17 million agreement with Germany’s KfW to support green hydrogen projects in South Africa, further enhancing the role of PGMs in electrolyzer technology. In March 2025, the IDC raised R2 billion through a sustainable bond issuance to scale up investments across both mining and energy.

At AMW 2025, Sekano will unpack these developments and more, reinforcing the IDC’s commitment to sustainable, inclusive growth in Africa’s extractive and energy sectors.

– on behalf of Energy Capital & Power.

Source: APO – Report:

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In a landmark move to bring government services closer to the people, His Excellency President Joseph Nyuma Boakai, Sr. has officially launched the decentralization of passport services in Bong and Grand Gedeh Counties. On Monday, July 21, 2025, President Boakai inaugurated the new Passport Application Center in Gbarnga, Bong County. 

This launch marks a significant milestone in the Boakai Administration’s commitment to good governance, regional inclusion, and equitable access to public services. The initiative is a central feature of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ National Passport Decentralization Program, which aims to decongest the central passport bureau in Monrovia and reduce the travel burden on Liberians residing in remote areas.

President Boakai underscored the importance of the initiative, stating that the new centers will serve the needs of Liberia’s leeward counties and bring critical services closer to the people.

While Liberia’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, H.E. Sara Beysolow Nyanti, simultaneously unveiled the Passport Hub in Zwedru, Grand Gedeh County on behalf of President Boakai. 

“In Zwedru, we proudly unveiled our new passport hub as part of President Joseph Nyuma Boakai’s launch of the National Passport Decentralization Initiative,” said Foreign Minister Nyanti. “This is more than a building it is a promise delivered. Citizens of Grand Gedeh and surrounding counties will no longer need to endure long journeys and extended wait times to access their constitutional right to travel.”

Foreign Minister Nyanti emphasized the government’s commitment to expanding passport services to additional regions in the near future. “We are determined to ensure that no Liberian is left behind, regardless of geography,” she affirmed.

The Zwedru center features state-of-the-art biometric equipment and is directly connected to the Ministry’s central database in Monrovia, ensuring secure, efficient, and timely processing of passport applications. The launch reflects the government’s ongoing investment in digital transformation and the modernization of public service delivery.

The Bong and Grand Gedeh centers are the first of several regional passport hubs to be rolled out under this decentralization initiative. Their launch is part of the official calendar of events celebrating Liberia’s 178th Independence Day, underscoring the government’s focus on tangible service delivery and national renewal.

Local leaders, traditional authorities, youth organizations, and citizens gathered in large numbers in Zwedru to witness the occasion. Many expressed gratitude to President Boakai and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for fulfilling a long-standing regional need for accessible identification services.

The Passport Decentralization Initiative is spearheaded by Foreign Minister Nyanti in collaboration with regional and local authorities and exemplifies the government’s broader vision for decentralized development and inclusive governance.

– on behalf of Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Liberia.