Public Finance, Governance, Justice and Development: Keynote Address by Dr. Akinwumi A. Adesina, President and Chairman, Boards of Directors, African Development Bank Group at the 2025 Kenya Law Society Conference – August 15, 2025

Source: APO


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PROTOCOLS

Honorable Chief Justice of Kenya, Chief Justice Martha Koome,

Distinguished Judges of the Supreme Court,

President of the Kenya Law Society, Mrs. Faith Odhiambo, 

Committee Members of the Kenya Law Society,

Esteemed Judges,

Respected Members of the Bar,

Learned Friends and Partners in Development,

Members of the Press,

Distinguished Ladies and Gentlemen.

Good morning!

I wish to thank you for inviting me today to address the Kenya Law Society’s 2025 Annual Conference.

It is always a joy to be back in Kenya.

I consider myself a Kenyan. I lived here for close to nine years and have so many friends here, including Justices and lawyers.

I am always at home in Kenya.

And I am especially humbled that President Ruto greatly honored me by conferring on me Kenya’s highest national honor, the Chief of the Order of the Golden Heart.

I feel greatly honored to be invited to speak to you today at this special event, which brings together the legal luminaries of Kenya. You, the judiciary are the guardians of societies, founded on the rule of law and guided by the constitution, and the will of the people.

I will be speaking on: “Public Finance, Governance, Justice and Development”.

According to the Corporate Finance Institute, public finance refers to the management of a country’s revenue, expenditures, and debt obligations through various government and quasi-government institutions.

More simply, public finance is the system by which governments mobilize, manage, and allocate public resources to meet the needs of their citizens and advance national development.

Ultimately, the way a nation raises revenue, manages debt, allocates spending, and enforces accountability in the use of public funds determines the overall wellbeing of its people.

Public finance, therefore, is not simply a government ledger; it reflects a nation’s constitutional values and legal integrity. When managed effectively, public finance can serve as a cornerstone for economic growth, sustainable development, and prosperity.

Public financing stands at the heart of the African Development Bank Group’s commitment to advancing accountable governance, sustainable development, and national resilience.

At the African Development Bank, public finance is regarded as a strategic instrument that must be governed transparently, managed sustainably, and protected by robust legal frameworks and the rule of law.

Nations that enhance rule of law and adhere to good governance achieve higher growth rates, equitable development and are more stable.

As members of the judiciary, you play a major role in shaping the trajectories of development of nations. The theory of justice and development offers a powerful contextual framework for achieving this, as it drives social progress and cohesion.

  1. Judiciary, rule of law and investments.

Of particular importance is how the rule of law drives growth and development.

The Global Rule of Law Index from 1996-2023 (Source: The Global Economy.Com) shows that the topmost 6 countries are Finland, Denmark, Norway, Switzerland, Austria and Luxembourg.

African countries ranked very low on the global rule of law index, starting in the 60th position with Seychelles, Botswana (70th), Rwanda (80th), South Africa (85th), Ghana (97th) and Morocco (111th). Kenya ranked in the 111st position, while Nigeria ranked in the 151st position.

Africa must do better on the rule of law index.

That is because the rule of law, which also includes the sanctity of contracts, is an important factor in attracting investments to countries.

So important is the rule of law in attracting foreign direct investment that the American Bar Association has in place a rule of law initiative to “promote justice, human dignity and economic opportunity through the rule of law”, which it considers a “necessary condition for robust economic development”. (David Dettman, 2024 “Upholding prosperity: the economic benefits of the rule of law”. Centre for Global Development Programs News, USA).

To fill financing gaps, nations turn to foreign direct investment. Africa faces an annual foreign direct investment financing gap of over $100 billion.

Evidence suggests that foreign direct investments move more to countries that have political stability, stable democracies, transparency and low levels of corruption.

Other important drivers include independent and transparent judiciary, strong regulatory frameworks, public accountability, efficient public service, competition policy, as well as respect for intellectual property rights. (Samina Sabir, Anum Rafique, and Kamran Abbas, 2019: “Institutions and FDI: evidence from developed and developing countries’ Financial Innovation, 5, Article No. 8).

These factors are especially important for Africa, where many countries rely on revenues from natural resources to finance their economies, including oil, gas, minerals, metals, forests, marine resources and vast lands for agriculture.

However, this richness in natural resources has not always translated into economic prosperity.

At the heart of the dissonance is the issue of governance and rule of law over natural resources. Nations that have strong natural resource laws and rule of law have been able to turn their natural resources into wealth for their population.

Africa’s natural resource-rich countries should learn from successful experiences of countries that have turned their natural resource wealth into prosperity for their populations.

Norway, which relies largely on oil and gas, has in place strong and transparent natural resource laws that guide concessions, acquisition and exploration of natural resources, while protecting biodiversity and securing the prosperity of future generations.

Through such laws and regulations, Norway has been able to establish the largest sovereign wealth fund in the world, worth about $1.9 trillion from revenues from its oil and gas for the benefit of generations.

Norway is a AAA-credit rated country.

Saudi Arabia, which relies on oil and gas for its economy, today has its national oil company, Aramco, with a market capitalization of over $1.6 trillion.

What lessons can African countries learn from this?

First, there is nothing really called ‘natural resource curse’; how could what makes some nations rich end up making some poor? The difference lies on governance, transparency and public accountability over natural resources.

Second, natural resources of countries should be targeted for the benefit of the people; avoiding rent seeking, rent grabbing, and elite-driven state capture or  corruption.

Third, communities should be involved in the management of natural resources; and strong efforts should be made to ensure that multinational corporations are held accountable for environmental externalities based on the polluter pays principle.

Fourth, the judiciary should play a greater role in development of natural resource laws that ensure good governance over the nation’s natural resources. The judiciary should also play a greater role in ensuring compliance with these laws.

Fifth, nations should have a longer-term perspective on their natural resources. Earnings from natural resources should be invested in building human capital, social development and infrastructure, which will ensure the sustainable development of their economies.

Nations should guard against wasting windfall revenues from natural resources by simply ramping up public expenditure. Rather, they should establish and grow their sovereign wealth funds and pension funds. These funds are important to secure the prosperity of future generations.

I would also like to propose that the judiciary should get involved on the issue of rising public debt for developing countries, especially in Africa.

Today, Africa’s public debt has exceeded $1.3 trillion. The structure of debt has changed over time, as traditional concessional debt from multilateral and bilateral creditors are declining and being overtaken by reliance on Eurobond debt to commercial creditors.

The change in the structure of Africa’s debt which has led to a greater reliance on commercial creditors has raised a lot of challenging legal issues for many African countries.

While restructuring of debt of nations, official and commercial creditors are required to agree on comparative debt treatment to bring debt to manageable levels.

However, the framework has always been undermined by uncooperative private creditors. By refusing to sign on to the debt restructuring frameworks, the holdouts devise legal plots to rip countries off.

‘Vulture funds’, backed by hedge funds, buy off the debt of countries on secondary markets at a discount. Then taking advantage of the lack of a legally binding framework or global institution for dealing with bankruptcy of nations, they turn around to sue debtor nations for full payment of the discounted debt, including backdated interest payments, and legal fees.

From Argentina to Greece, Brazil and Puerto Rico, vulture funds have raked in billions of dollars from their legal profiteering approaches.

Africa has not been spared.

The vulture funds take advantage of legal jurisdictions in creditor countries where they always secure favorable judgements.

Let me cite some examples based on reporting by Jubilee USA.

Two vulture funds bought a 30-year-old commercial bank debt of Liberia for $6.5 million in 2009. They then took the country to court to make claims for full payment of the discounted debt. By the time of a UK court ruling in 2010, the debt claim had risen to $43 million.

Jubilee USA network report cases for Democratic Republic of Congo, where an American vulture fund bought an $ 8 million worth of debt for a discounted value of just $800,000. It then sued the country to pay back $27 million.

In Zambia, a vulture fund bought a $30 million debt of Zambia for a discounted value of $3.3 million. It then took the country to court and secured a judgement in its favor for over $55 million, which was eventually settled for $15.4 million.

What lessons can African learn from these experiences and what roles can the African legal profession play? 

First, the practice where debt agreements are signed and subject to law in jurisdictions that have been known to always favor the creditors not the debtor nations should be reviewed to ensure fair hearings, equity and justice before the law.

Investors choice of foreign jurisdictions suggest preferences for legal systems they know and trust, and their belief that there is rule of law and judicial independence, transparency in their nations.

By implication it suggests that they do not trust the judicial systems in African countries. African judiciary systems should rise to this challenge. They must assure judicial independence that engenders trust and confidence of foreign investors in dealing transparently, justly and fairly with disputes – essentially, assure the rule of law.

This will be further enhanced through greater ethical standards and reduction of perceived corruption in the judiciary. There is no substitute for a very transparent, capable, fair, just and independent judiciary to curtail currently existing moral hazards in the global debt arbitration systems.

Second, African countries should also prioritize legal arbitrations in African jurisdictions. Equally important is building and strengthening of the capacity of African arbitral institutions.

The establishment of the African Arbitration Academy, to train young arbitrators, is a good development. Such efforts should also deepen and strengthen partnerships at the national and regional level arbitral institutions, while aligning with international arbitral institutions and treaty agreements.

Third, investors should use Africa-based arbitration systems for loans and agreements signed with African governments and corporate entities. This will avoid the inherent biases, cultural differences and loopholes often existent in legal systems of the creditor countries, as well as lack of sensitivities to local contexts of nations.

Fourth, the judiciary should get more involved in the development of their countries and move beyond the text-based interpretations of law and the constitution, as important as those are.

When, for example, vulture funds take advantage of legal loopholes in international debt resolution frameworks, threaten the asset of countries through enforcement of liens on national assets; the judiciary should get involved in safeguarding their countries’ national interest and assets.

Fifth, to prevent the pernicious effects of vulture funds on debtor countries, global debt resolution systems should have enforcement systems that prevent free transferability or assignment of sovereign debt, where they can be easily bought at discounts on the secondary debt market and used for subterraneous financial motives.

It is clear that many African countries lack the capacity to properly negotiate public contracts. Yet, these contracts will shape the future of economies.

That is why the African Development Bank established the Africa Legal Support Facility, to support African governments to protect their sovereignty, negotiate fairer deals, and defend their constitutional and economic rights.

Since its inception, the African Legal Support Facility has supported over 50 African countries in negotiating and renegotiating commercial, extractive, infrastructure, and sovereign debt contracts.

Through its work, the Africa Legal Support Facility has helped to avert more than $ 4 billion in potential public losses; resources that have been redirected toward national development.

  1. Strengthening governance and the rule of law.

As a public institution, the African Development Bank holds itself to highest standards of transparency, public probity and accountability.

At the core of this is ensuring that Bank-financed projects do not cause irreparable damages to communities, are inclusive, provides voice for project affected persons. It also fosters a transparency system which ensures the compensation of project affected persons and provides an accountable platform to have grievances heard and addressed in project design and implementation.

The Bank does this through its Independent Recourse Mechanism. Since its establishment in 2004, the Independent Recourse Mechanism has processed a large number of eligible complaints, with uptake accelerating in recent years as more communities become aware of its existence and trust in its impartiality.

The Mechanism affirms a powerful truth: justice and development are not parallel paths; they are converging tracks toward inclusive growth.

At the core of development projects financed by governments, from their own fiscal resources and from financing of development finance institutions, is the transparency of the procurement systems.

Lack of transparency in procurement for projects, due to weak institutional capacities, procurement laws and systems, as well as corruption, pose integrity challenges to efficient use of public financing for projects.

The African Development Bank has zero tolerance to corruption. We place integrity at the heart all of our financed projects. The Bank’s office of Integrity and Anti-corruption strictly enforces our zero-tolerance policy towards fraud, misuse of entrusted power, collusion and coercion in all Bank-supported projects.

The Bank’s two-tier sanctions system reflects a deep respect for due process and fairness. Allegations of misconduct are reviewed by the Sanctions Commissioner, with rights of appeal to an independent Sanctions Appeals Board. The Sanctions Commissioner and the Independent Sanctions Appeals Board have eminent jurists, some of them having served as former Justices of the Supreme Court.

Sanctions range from debarment to prosecution referrals, ensuring accountability without compromise. We also promote rehabilitation through mandatory compliance programs that help entities reform and re-enter the marketplace as ethical actors.

The Bank’s approach is anchored on two foundational pillars: first, that every dollar deployed must deliver tangible development outcomes, whether in the form of schools, hospitals, infrastructure, or jobs; and second, that public debt must remain sustainable to protect fiscal sovereignty and safeguard the future of African nations. This philosophy is reflected across the Bank’s interventions throughout the continent.

For the African Development Bank Group, strengthening public finance is inseparable from enforcing constitutional safeguards and legal accountability.

The Bank has helped countries to improve their systems on governance and the rule of law.

Let me cite a few examples.

In Kenya, the African Development Bank has supported reforms that strengthen parliamentary oversight over public borrowing, enhance debt transparency, and modernize procurement processes; ensuring that public resources are used efficiently, transparently, and for the benefit of citizens.

In Seychelles, African Development Bank’s support for constitutional reforms has required all sovereign borrowing to receive parliamentary approval. This intervention contributed significantly to reducing Seychelles’ debt-to-GDP ratio from over 100% in 2008 to below 55% in 2022.

This improved the country’s sovereign credit rating and reduced borrowing costs, reaffirming that constitutional safeguards are not theoretical ideals, they deliver practical economic outcomes.

In Botswana, fiscal management reforms combined with constitutional safeguards, supported by the African Development Bank, have entrenched macroeconomic stability and positioned Botswana as one of Africa’s most transparent and most financially stable nations.

Similarly, in Rwanda, African Development Bank-backed reforms in public finance oversight, transparent public reporting, and integrity-enhancing governance frameworks have strengthened fiscal discipline and boosted investor confidence, positioning the country as a credible investment destination.

  1. Strengthening commercial courts to complement public finance reforms.

The African Development Bank recognizes that public finance reforms must be complemented by strong legal and judicial institutions to enforce transparency, protect investor rights, and uphold the rule of law. Across the continent, the Bank has invested extensively in strengthening the judiciary to complement public finance reforms.

And these are not abstract investments, they are tangible, measurable, and transformative.

Let me highlight just a few examples.

In Rwanda, the Bank’s support for specialized commercial courts reduced dispute resolution times from over 500 days in 2009 to just 230 days by 2022. This reform alone unlocked approximately $2 billion in foreign direct investment between 2015 and 2022.

In Côte d’Ivoire, the modernization of commercial courts, backed by the African Development Bank, reduced the average time taken to resolve commercial disputes by 40%, between 2014 and 2021. This judicial reform has contributed to sustained annual foreign direct investment inflows exceeding $1 billion from 2017 to 2021.

In Malawi, the establishment of a Commercial Division in the High Court under African Development Bank’s Malawi Competitiveness Growth Support Program reduced commercial dispute resolution times by approximately 35%.

This contributed to improving Malawi’s ranking from 132nd to 109th globally for enforcing contracts as reported in the World Bank Doing Business 2020 report.

In Tunisia, African Development Bank’s support for the Competitiveness Support Program led to a 25% reduction in the average time required to resolve commercial disputes. Tunisia’s global ranking for contract enforcement improved from 81st to 65th.

In Guinea, Bank’s support for the Program for Financial and Institutional Governance of Justice improved transparency and efficiency in commercial dispute resolution, reducing case durations by 20% over five years and fostering increased domestic investment.

In Ghana, the Business Enabling Environment Program supported by both the African Development Bank and the World Bank helped to restructure commercial courts and digitize case management systems. This reduced the average dispute resolution times from over 700 days to approximately 400 days. Ghana’s global ranking in enforcing contracts subsequently rose from 120th to 116th.

In Egypt, African Development Bank’s supported reforms under the Economic Governance and Private Sector Development Program modernized commercial courts, leading to a 20% reduction in case resolution times between 2017 and 2022. Egypt’s global ranking for enforcing contracts subsequently improved to 100th as reported in 2020.

In Mozambique, the Bank’s Project to Support Justice Sector Reform resulted in a 25% reduction in the time taken to resolve commercial disputes, positively impacting business confidence in the construction and trade sectors.

Collectively, these interventions underscore a simple but profound truth: public finance cannot thrive in a vacuum. It must be protected by transparent governance, reinforced by judicial efficiency, and anchored in constitutional safeguards.

By combining public finance reforms with strengthening of the legal system, the African Development Bank has demonstrated that fiscal management is not simply an economic or technical task, it is a constitutional duty, a legal obligation, and a practical mechanism for advancing Africa’s development.

Where public resources are raised transparently, managed accountably, and protected by independent courts, countries are better positioned to attract investment, sustain growth, and achieve inclusive development.

In essence, public finance, when aligned with constitutional principles and the rule of law, becomes not just a means of managing national budgets, it becomes the foundation for economic sovereignty and sustainable development across Africa.

  1. Parliamentary oversight and public finance.

Parliamentary oversight is the democratic backbone of Public Finance. At the African Development Bank, public finance is not simply about disbursing funds, it is about anchoring every financial decision in democratic legitimacy and national ownership. This is why, for the effectiveness of any public sector loan, grant, or guarantee, the Bank requires clear evidence of parliamentary oversight and authorization.

These approvals take various forms: direct parliamentary ratification of financing agreements, endorsement of national debt ceilings, a Certificate of Indebtedness, a budget law allocating external financing, and inclusion in the national budget or Medium-Term Debt Strategy.

These instruments are not mere formalities; they are constitutional expressions of accountability that guide the Bank’s operations across the continent.

In Kenya, the Public Finance Management Act (Cap. 412A), provides the legal framework for managing public debt, outlining the roles of Parliament and County Assemblies in overseeing public finances in line with constitutional principles. While not every financing transaction requires direct parliamentary approval, the law requires that the Cabinet Secretary for the National Treasury and Economic Planning issue a Certificate of Indebtedness confirming that the proposed loan or guarantee will not breach the statutory debt ceiling.

To satisfy the Bank’s legal requirements, this must be accompanied by a legal opinion from the Attorney General confirming that the financing agreement has been duly authorized, executed, and constitutes a valid and binding obligation of the Republic of Kenya.

This streamlined system, rooted in national law and supported by the Bank has reinforced fiscal discipline, safeguarded debt sustainability, and facilitated timely access to development financing.

Public finance without parliamentary oversight is undemocratic and non-sustainable. Democratic scrutiny does not delay development; it protects it. Parliamentary approval is not an obstacle, it is a safeguard that ensures every dollar borrowed serves the public good, not private interest.

By placing legislative oversight at the center of our financing architecture, the African Development Bank affirms that public resources must be governed by public will.

This is not just about process. It is about justice. Because every financing instrument, every loan, and every grant is not just a number, it is a promise. And that promise must be made before the people, through the institutions they elect to represent them.

  1. Strengthening Justice infrastructure.

With constitutionalism and the rule of law firmly established, it is critical that legal systems and the judiciary be strengthened across the continent. A nation’s legal system serves as its institutional backbone, safeguarding public resources, protecting the rights of citizens, and creating the certainty and predictability upon which all economic activity depends.

An independent judiciary, underpinned by constitutional safeguards and protected by the clear separation of powers, ensures that the management of public finances is not left to unchecked discretion, but is bound by clear legal frameworks and subjected to impartial oversight.

Where judicial independence is compromised, courts become vulnerable to political influence, fiscal rules are bypassed, public borrowing escapes scrutiny, and public confidence collapses.

This is why, across Africa, the African Development Bank has placed legal and judicial reform at the center of its governance and public finance support. And this is not just a policy on paper, it is impact in motion.

Let me give a few examples that show how this commitment is transforming lives and restoring trust in institutions.

In Liberia, after years of civil conflict, the African Development Bank helped to restore and equip court infrastructure, digitize court systems, and train judges in public finance and contract law, restoring the credibility of legal institutions and supporting fiscal oversight.

In Gambia, Bank-supported reforms modernized judicial operations and public finance management, increasing development budget execution by over 15% between 2022 and 2024.

In Mali, despite ongoing fragility, the African Development Bank helped to deploy mobile courts and trained legal officers to resolve over 12,000 disputes, many related to land and fiscal issues, preserving livelihoods and preventing the escalation of conflict.

In São Tomé and Príncipe, the Bank provided technical support for the enactment of a new arbitration law aligned with international best practices, unlocking renewed investor interest in fisheries and tourism and enhancing dispute resolution frameworks.

In South Sudan, foundational commercial and judicial laws were drafted and adopted with African Development Bank’s support, while over 150 judges have been trained, laying the groundwork for investor trust and legal certainty in one of Africa’s newest nations.

In Togo, with African Development Bank’s support, contract enforcement time has dropped by 25% due to reforms in court digitization, while boosting the confidence of local businesses and foreign investors.

  1. Improving Access to Justice.

One cannot speak meaningfully about constitutionalism, the rule of law, and investment in Africa without addressing the foundational issue of access to justice and fair compensation. These are the very conditions that foster public trust and build the confidence investors need to commit capital.

When justice is accessible, and compensation is fair, development becomes inclusive, governance earns legitimacy, and economic growth becomes truly sustainable.

At the African Development Bank, we hold a simple but profound conviction: development must be anchored in fairness, justice, and the protection of human dignity. Infrastructure and investment alone are not enough. We must ensure that every person impacted by our projects is treated with equity, dignity and respect.

This is why the African Development Bank enforces a compensation policy that goes beyond formal landownership. Across much of Africa, countless communities live and work on land under customary tenure, land not reflected in formal registries, but land upon which entire livelihoods depend.

African Development Bank’s position is clear and unequivocal: whether or not a community holds a title deed, they are entitled to just and fair compensation.

This is not theoretical.

In Kenya, during the construction of vital road and energy infrastructure, the African Development Bank ensured that rural and pastoralist communities displaced from ancestral lands received full compensation and livelihood restoration, even without formal documentation.

In Uganda, through the support of the African Development Bank, informal urban settlers affected by development projects received resettlement support, legal protection, and means to rebuild their lives.

In Côte d’Ivoire, displaced farmers were compensated not just for land, but for future income losses, and supported with access to services and alternative livelihoods.

These are tangible demonstrations of the rule of law in action, where fairness is not just promised but delivered.

But compensation alone is not enough. Access to justice itself is a fundamental right.

That is why the African Development Bank invests in modernizing court registries, digitizing legal frameworks, and expanding legal literacy through online platforms and outreach, ensuring that even the most marginalized communities understand and can claim their rights.

In parallel, we advocate for the provision of legal aid and the institutionalization of pro bono services within national bar associations. Justice must never be a privilege for the few, it must be a guarantee for all.

Through grievance redress mechanisms embedded in our projects, including in Tanzania and Ethiopia, we have ensured that affected individuals can challenge decisions, file complaints, and seek timely, independent mediation.

These systems allow justice to be delivered not in theory but in real-time, at the community level, with procedural integrity and respect for human dignity.

This integrated approach, fair compensation, accessible legal systems, digitized law, legal aid, and robust grievance mechanisms, brings the principles of constitutionalism and rule of law into the everyday lives of African citizens.

It transforms development from a top-down transaction into a participatory and accountable process.

One area that is critical for social justice and participation is improving land ownership laws, to give farmers title deeds to their lands that can act as collateral for access to finance.

And more importantly, laws should be changed to ensure that women have secure property rights. No nation can develop without its women. No bird flies with one wing. It is not just about right, it is about equity, fairness, and justice.

Because we know this truth: justice is not a byproduct of development. It is the foundation of development.

  1. Conclusion: A call to action for Kenya and Africa.

Distinguished Learned Friends and Partners in Development.

In this hall today sits the guardians of Kenya’s promise, and the stewards of Africa’s destiny: Courts and contracts. Public finance and governance. Digital trust. Environmental and social governance. Justice and economic development.

These are living systems that depend on you, your judgment, voice, integrity, and daily commitment to uphold the law and defend the public good.

We must collectively strengthen constitutionalism, insist on accountability in the use of public funds, and strengthen the legal system and the judiciary.

We must champion environment, sustainability and governance principles, ensure that courts have suitable quality infrastructure, digitize our courts, build digital trust, and reform and uphold the ethics of the legal profession.

As we strive to do this, while strengthening a just, fair, independent and incorruptible judiciary, the benefits for societies will be immense across the continent:

Africa will attract the capital it needs.

Businesses will flourish in trust.

Justice will cease to be a privilege, and become a right, delivered to all.

And development will no longer be a distant promise, but a daily reality in the lives of people.

And this will be true, not only for Kenya, but for all of Africa.

When Africa stands for the rule of law, the world will stand with Africa.

Let us make a choice that history will record, and generations will remember.

Kenya is watching. Africa is waiting. The future is calling.

And it is you, the lawyers, the judges, the arbitrators, who must answer that call.

Let us rise together, to build a stronger, freer, fairer, and more prosperous Africa.

Now, as lawyers, justices and guardians of the law, I urge you to uphold the rule of law. I urge you to execute justice with fairness and righteousness.

For we are created equal before God, the lowly and the rich, the weak and the powerful.

And at the end of time, when we all stand in judgment before God the creator of all, we should do so, with clean conscience that we dispensed justice rightly, justly, with equity, protecting the weak and defending what is right for our nations.

May we have the courage, always, to do the right thing.

And may history judge us right!

Thank you very much.

Asanteni sana. Mungu awabariki.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of African Development Bank Group (AfDB).

Rule of law is Africa’s new gold: African Development Bank Group’s (AfDB’s) Adesina calls for bold legal and governance reforms to unlock prosperity

Source: APO

“When Africa stands for the rule of law, the world will stand with Africa,” the President of the African Development Bank Group (www.AfDB.org), Dr Akinwumi Adesina, has told more than 1,200 lawyers, judges, and government officials attending the Kenya Law Society’s 2025 Annual Conference.

Delivering the closing keynote, title Public Finance, Governance, Justice and Development, Dr. Adesina drew a clear link between judicial independence, sound public finance, and sustainable economic growth. He stressed that Africa’s true wealth lies not only in its natural resources but also in its ability to govern them transparently, enforce contracts fairly, and ensure justice for all citizens.

Turning challenges into opportunities

Africa faces a $100 billion annual gap in foreign direct investment, he noted, a situation compounded by weak rule of law rankings, debt vulnerabilities, and predatory “vulture fund” cases. These involve investors buying national debt at a discount on secondary markets, then exploiting weak legal systems to sue debtor nations for full repayment — plus backdated interest and legal fees.

“Evidence suggests that foreign direct investments move more to countries that have political stability, stable democracies, transparency, and low levels of corruption,” Adesina said during the conference held at Kenya’s coastal town of Diani, some 35 kilometres south of Mombasa.

Other key drivers, he added, include an independent and transparent judiciary, strong regulatory frameworks, public accountability, efficient public service, competition policy, and respect for intellectual property rights.

He also underlined the vital connection between justice and development, arguing that access to justice must be universal. This means legal aid, digitised courts, and grievance mechanisms that bring the law closer to citizens.

“Justice is not a byproduct of development — it is the foundation of development,” he declared.

Adesina urged African nations to:

  • Strengthen judicial independence and transparency to attract global capital.
  • Reform natural resource laws to ensure benefits reach communities, not elites.
  • Develop sovereign wealth funds to safeguard prosperity for future generations.
  • Build strong African arbitration systems to settle disputes locally and fairly.

He challenged Africa’s lawyers, judges, and arbitrators to rise as “guardians of promise and stewards of destiny” by enforcing constitutional safeguards on public finance.

He called on the Kenya Law Society members to champion ethics and environmental, social, and governance (ESG) principles, digitise court systems, improve legal infrastructure, and protect national assets from predatory debt practices.

Adesina’s keynote culminated a 3-day conference focused on corporate governance, protecting constitutionalism and the rule of law, responsible public finance management, and digitalization of legal systems. The closing ceremony included the participation of Kenya’s legal luminaries and government, including Kenya’s Chief Justice Martha Koome, Kenya Law Society President Faith Odhiambo, Mombasa County Governor Abdulswamad Nassir and the AfDB’s Director General of East Africa Alex Mubiru.

Solutions in motion

The African Development Bank supports its regional member countries to address governance, public finance, and justice challenges.

In Rwanda and Côte d’Ivoire, Bank support to create and modernise specialised commercial courts has reduced dispute resolution times by nearly half, unlocking more than $1 billion in investment.

In Seychelles, Bank-backed constitutional reforms require all sovereign borrowing to receive parliamentary approval — contributing to a fall in the debt-to-GDP ratio from over 100% to below 55%.

In Kenya, Bank-supported procurement and debt transparency reforms, including parliamentary oversight of public borrowing, are safeguarding public funds.

Known as Africa’s “Optimist-in-Chief,” Adesina urged the continent’s legal community to recognise that they hold the keys to turning governance into growth and making development a daily reality rather than a distant promise.

“Let us make a choice that history will record, and generations will remember,” he said. “As lawyers, justices and guardians of the law, I urge you to uphold the rule of law, to execute justice with fairness and righteousness.”

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of African Development Bank Group (AfDB).

Media contact:
Christin Roby
Regional Communication Officer for East Africa
Email: media@afdb.org

About the African Development Bank Group:
The African Development Bank Group is Africa’s premier development finance institution. It comprises three distinct entities: the African Development Bank (AfDB), the African Development Fund (ADF) and the Nigeria Trust Fund (NTF). On the ground in 41 African countries with an external office in Japan, the Bank contributes to the economic development and the social progress of its 54 regional member states. For more information: www.AfDB.org

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Namibia pledges billions to expand water and sanitation access

Source: Government of South Africa

Namibia pledges billions to expand water and sanitation access

The Republic of Namibia has pledged to scale up investment in water and sanitation infrastructure through domestic financing, concessional loans, grants and private partnerships in a bid to ensure universal access to safe water and adequate sanitation.

“We acknowledge that there remain significant gaps in water infrastructure investment and that rapid solutions are urgently needed if Namibia and Africa at large are to achieve the UN Sustainable Developments Goals,” Namibian Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Land Reform, Inge Zaamwani, said.

Speaking during a plenary on investment commitments at the African Union–Africa Water Investment Programme (AU-AIP) summit on Friday, Zaamwani said Namibia stands ready to play its part to close the continent’s water and sanitation investment gap, in line with the AU’s Agenda 2063 Vision of “The Africa We Want.”

She said investment in the water sector is not only key to securing universal access to safe and reliable drinking water and sanitation for millions of Africans, but also to advancing food security, climate resilience and socio-economic development.

“Attracting private sector investment into the water [sector]… to close the targeted gap of at least 30 billion USD per year requires robust governance frameworks, institutional strengthening, operational efficiency and regulatory reforms as critical enabling conditions for investors,” Zaamwani said.

While Namibia is a vast, arid country with remarkable landscapes, Zaamwani said the country is one of the driest countries in sub-Saharan Africa and faces acute water scarcity made worse by climate change.

Despite this, she said the country is determined to turn these challenges into opportunities for innovation, partnerships and sustainable investment, in line with Sustainable Development Goal 6, which aims for universal access to water and sanitation by 2030.

Zaamwani announced that her country’s Cabinet has approved the allocation of 5% of the national budget for water and sanitation investment. Under the Medium-Term Expenditure Framework, N$2.8 billion (about USD 150 million) will support rural water supply schemes and sanitation facilities targeting underserved communities.

“In addition, we have secured about N$4 billion in concessional loans from the African Development Bank and Development Bank for the next mid-term expenditure. These resources are earmarked for large-scale projects that will improve bulk water conveyance, rehabilitation of ageing infrastructure, and to expand sanitation coverage in both rural and urban areas,” Zaamwani said.

Namibia and South Africa have also committed USD 2.5 million for a joint feasibility study on the proposed Noordoewer–Vioolsdrift Dam on the Orange River, which is expected to cost about USD 231 million to build.

“We are hoping to attract investor interest. The project is important for long-term water security for social and economic development of the two nations and the Ecological Water Requirements (EWR) in the Lower Orange River,” Zaamwani said.

She also highlighted plans for a coastal desalination plant to be developed through a public-private partnership. The facility will supply water to the mining sector, which is critical to Namibia’s economy and coastal towns, thereby relieving pressure on the limited local groundwater sources.

“The project reflects the country’s commitment to diversify its water sources, enhance climate resilience and promote economic growth. Namibia’s investment drive is not limited to infrastructure but also building the institutional and technical capacity needed to operate and maintain this infrastructure sustainably.

“We recognise that water security is inseparable from food security, energy security, public health, tourism and economic competitiveness. For this reason, Namibia approaches water investment not as an isolated sectoral issue, but as a driver of national development and regional integration,” she said. – SAnews.gov.za

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Namibia joins 37 other countries in adopting Information and Communications Technology (ICT) initiative for remote monitoring and evaluation of development projects

Source: APO – Report:

Namibia has become the latest country to adopt cutting-edge technology for development project management, as senior government officials and the African Development Bank (www.AfDB.org) jointly launched the transformative Remote Appraisal, Supervision, Monitoring and Evaluation (RASME) project on Wednesday in Windhoek.

The RASME initiative marks a major shift in how development projects are monitored and evaluated across Africa. It harnesses digital technology to capture real-time project data directly from implementation sites, removing traditional barriers that have long hindered effective oversight.

Built on the robust Kobo Toolbox platform – an open-source ICT solution developed by the Harvard Humanitarian Initiative – RASME tackles critical challenges in project monitoring, particularly in regions facing security concerns, logistical constraints, or accessibility issues. The platform improves transparency and accountability while streamlining data collection.

Already operational in 37 African countries, with over 1,880 people trained, the Remote Appraisal, Supervision, Monitoring and Evaluation initiative has generated more than 56,252 data submissions. 

African Development Bank’s Corporate IT department spearheads the technical deployment, collaborating closely with the World Bank’s GEMS and Kobo Toolbox teams to ensure seamless integration across participating countries.

Michael Humavindu, Executive Director at Namibia’s Ministry of Finance, commended the initiative. He said: “AfDB RASME IT solution comes at an opportune time as it uses new information and communication technologies to optimize the collection, analysis, and management of data within the framework of the preparation, evaluation, and supervision of projects funded by the Bank”.

In his opening remarks, Principal Regional Coordinator at the African Development Bank, Fidelis Mnyanyi, said: “The Bank remains committed to supporting inclusive growth in Namibia through effective implementation and oversight of development projects aligned with our High-5 priorities. RASME will enhance how we collect, verify, and use project data, enabling faster decision-making, stronger supervision, and more visible results on the ground.”

Three days of in-person training for the Project Management Units on the African Development Bank-financed project took place from 6 to 8 August 2025.

Those in attendance included personnel from the African Development Bank as well as the Namibia Agricultural Mechanization and Seed Improvement project, the Development Bank of Namibia, the Namibia Transport Infrastructure Improvement project, the City of Otjiwarongo Wastewater Treatment and Solid Waste Management project, the Water Sector Support Programme, and the Tax Administration Technical Assistance project.

– on behalf of African Development Bank Group (AfDB).

Media Contact:
Emeka Anuforo
Communication and External Relations Department
Email: ​media@afdb.org

Media files

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AfDB scales up climate related financing in new strategy

Source: Government of South Africa

With preparations underway for its 2026 – 2030 new Strategic Action Plan, the African Development Bank (AfDB) has explored more effective ways to leverage its position and status to attract more climate-related financing to the sector.

Delivering his remarks at the closing session of the Africa Union – Africa Investment Programme (AU-AIP) Water Investment Summit 2025 on Friday, Mtchera Chirwa, Director: Department of Water and Sanitation at the AfDB, said the bank is aligning future priorities with large-scale, impact-driven projects to accelerate Africa’s water and sanitation agenda.

Chirwa announced that of the 80 operations showcased during the three-day summit, about 27 operations fit well with the bank’s priorities for the next few years, representing a financing envelope of USD 2.8 billion.

READ | Ministers showcase Africa’s multibillion water sector projects for global investors

“We clearly understand that the list of projects discussed here is only a fraction of what is out there on the market, hence the importance for us to also mention some of the other investment considerations we have in the sector, in support of our 54 regional member countries’ water-related agenda,” Chirwa said.

For the next five years, he said the bank will prioritise multipurpose, integrated projects, particularly through the Water-Energy-Food security-Ecosystem special initiative.

The initiative, which was recently presented and discussed in Dakar under the patronage of Senegal’s Minister for Hydraulic and Sanitation and AMCOW Chairperson, Dr Cheikh Tidiane Dieye, is expected to invest another USD 1.2 billion by 2027 and four times more by 2030.

“Between 2021 and 2030, the bank has committed to invest an estimated $12 billion in the water sector specifically,” Chirwa said.

In addition, the AfDB has pledged to quadruple its climate financing to reach USD 25 billion by 2025, averaging USD 4 billion annually, with the water sector designated as a key priority area.

Supporting water and sanitation service providers

On the sub-sector of sanitation, Chirwa said the bank is resolute in deploying more efforts to working with partners, including the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, to catalyse about EUR 6.7 billion in urban sanitation investments through another special initiative called the Africa Urban Sanitation Investment Initiative (AUSII).

Chirwa reiterated the bank’s particular focus and interest in supporting water and sanitation service providers and service delivery for the next cycle of its strategic action plan (2026 – 2030).

“No infrastructure alone will deliver sustainably unless it is run by a competent, effective and viable operator. Our water utility transformation and viability enhancement initiative is supporting [efforts] to overhaul the financing of this USD17.8billion worth Capex market. For now, we are classifying markets depending on their immediate serviceability,” he said.

Chirwa reiterated the bank’s support for governments’ respective water development agendas.

“As a win-win compromise, we call on governments to support and advocate for stronger replenishment of the African Water Facility (AWF) Trust Fund by the bank’s regional member countries. As beneficiaries, our contributions help foster greater interest from traditional donors.” – SAnews.gov.za

Kigali to host landmark Africa water leadership symposium

Source: Government of South Africa

The International Rescue Committee (IRC) Africa Hub has announced its commitment to co-convene a landmark leadership symposium aimed at addressing systemic challenges that hinder African countries from unlocking the bottom and middle tiers of the Africa Water Investment Programme (AIP) investment pyramid.

The commitment was made at the African Union (AU)–AIP Water Summit, where leaders and governments announced investment pledges and commitments on Friday.

Speaking on the closing day of the summit, IRC Africa Hub Director Juste Nansi said the Africa All Systems Leadership Symposium, scheduled to take place in Kigali, Rwanda, from 13 – 17 July 2026, will serve as a direct follow-up to the Africa Water Investment Summit, which kicked off on 13 August in Cape Town.

“The symposium will be jointly convened by the AU-AIP, bringing together the highest level of continental political leadership; the African Ministers’ Council on Water (AMCOW), providing its ministerial mandate and continental sector stewardship, and the IRC Africa Hub, contributing technical, system and facilitation expertise,” Nansi explained.

According to the African Union Development Agency, the AIP’s Pyramid of Water Investment Transformation is a strategic model that identifies potential sources of finance aimed at helping Africa to reach its ambitious annual investment target by 2030.

Nansi said the symposium will be organised under the authority of the government of South Africa, which chaired the current summit, and the government of Rwanda, as the intended host of the symposium.

“Their confirmed engagement will be instrumental in ensuring both political momentum and operational success.”

Nansi recalled the remarks by South African President Cyril Ramaphosa at the AU-AIP Water Summit opening on Wednesday, where he underscored the need to “transform water from a crisis sector into an opportunity sector”.

“This message was echoed by financing institutions throughout the summit, who stressed that the challenge is not a lack of available funds, but a lack of trust from financiers in the water sector,” Nansi said.

READ | Business leaders push for partnerships to tackle water investment gap

The Kigali Symposium will respond directly to these messages and will focus on the systemic reforms, transformation agendas, programmes, and projects needed to build trust and unlock financing opportunities for infrastructure across the continent.

“This unique platform will translate political ambition into operational reform pathways. Over five days, it will bring together Heads of State, Ministers, parliamentarians, mayors, regulators, utilities, public finance authorities, investors, and innovators to design and commit to systemic transformation projects,” Nansi said.

Key focus areas for the symposium

The symposium will focus on critical areas, including:

  • Leadership for system transformation: Aligning political, financial and technical leadership to overcome systemic bottlenecks. 
  • Strategic public finance and domestic resource mobilisation: Engaging Ministries of Finance and public development banks to strengthen creditworthiness, and expand national fiscal space for water and sanitation.
  • Professionalisation of service provision: Ensuring operational efficiency, capacity and long-term sustainability.
  • Regulation and accountability: Embedding transparency, performance monitoring and citizen engagement into sector governance.

Through curated transformation dialogues, reform matchmaking sessions and targeted investment conversations, Nansi said the symposium will act as an accelerator for multi-country reform and transformation projects aligned with the AU-AIP’s strategic objectives.

“We will collaborate with all partners to ensure that this event marks a milestone in Africa’s journey towards stronger governance systems, and the mobilisation of domestic and external investments on a large scale for a water-secure Africa with safe sanitation for all,” said Nansi. – SAnews.gov.za

31 Arab, Islamic Countries, Arab League, OIC, GCC Condemn So-called "Greater Israel Vision"

Source: Government of Qatar

Doha, August 15 

The foreign ministers of 31 Arab and Islamic countries, and the secretaries-general of the Arab League, the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), condemned in the strongest terms the statements made by Benjamin Netanyahu, Prime Minister of Israel (the occupying power), and reported by the Hebrew media, regarding the so-called “Greater Israel Vision.”

They stressed that it represents a gross disregard and a blatant and dangerous violation of the rules of international law and the foundations of stable international relations, and constitutes a direct threat to Arab national security, the sovereignty of states, and regional and international security and peace.

The foreign ministers of the State of Qatar, the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, the People’s Democratic Republic of Algeria, the Kingdom of Bahrain, the People’s Republic of Bangladesh, the Republic of Chad, the Union of the Comoros, the Republic of Djibouti, the Arab Republic of Egypt, the Republic of Gambia, and the Republic of Indonesia, the Republic of Iraq, the State of Kuwait, the Republic of Lebanon, the State of Libya, the Republic of Maldives, the Islamic Republic of Mauritania, the Kingdom of Morocco, the Federal Republic of Nigeria, the Sultanate of Oman, the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, the State of Palestine, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the Republic of Senegal, the Republic of Sierra Leone, the Federal Republic of Somalia, the Republic of Sudan, the Syrian Arab Republic, the Republic of Turkiye, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), the Republic of Yemen, the Secretary-General of the League of Arab States, the Secretary-General of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), and the Secretary-General of the Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the Gulf (GCC), in a joint statement, said that while the Arab and Islamic countries affirm their respect for international legitimacy and the Charter of the United Nations, particularly Article 2, paragraph 4, regarding the rejection of the use or threat of force, adding that they will adopt all policies and measures that frame and consolidate peace, achieving the interests of all countries and peoples in security, stability, and development, far from the illusion of control and the imposition of the power of force.

They also condemned in the strongest terms the approval by extremist Israeli Minister Bezalel Smotrich of the settlement plan in the E1 area and his extremist racist statements rejecting the establishment of a Palestinian state. They consider this a flagrant violation of international law and a blatant assault on the inalienable right of the Palestinian people to establish their independent, sovereign state on the June 4, 1967, lines, with occupied Jerusalem as its capital. They emphasized that Israel has no sovereignty over the occupied Palestinian territories.

They affirmed their absolute rejection and condemnation of this settlement plan and all illegal Israeli measures, which constitute a flagrant violation of international law and Security Council resolutions, particularly Resolution 2334, which condemns all Israeli settlement activities aimed at changing the demographic composition, character and legal status of the Palestinian territory occupied since 1967, including East Jerusalem, the capital of the State of Palestine. They reaffirmed the advisory opinion issued by the International Court of Justice, which emphasized the illegality of the Israeli occupation of the Palestinian territory and the necessity of ending it immediately, eliminating its effects and providing compensation for its damages.

They warned of the danger of Israeli intentions and policies aimed at annexing Palestinian territories, and the continued extremist Israeli government’s expansionist settlement approach in the occupied West Bank, including attempts to harm Islamic and Christian holy sites, foremost among them the blessed Al-Aqsa Mosque, settler terrorism, daily raids on Palestinian cities, villages and camps, the systematic destruction of Palestinian refugee camps and the displacement of Palestinians from their homes, which directly contributes to fueling cycles of violence and conflict, and undermines the chances of achieving a just and comprehensive peace in the region. It also warns of the reliance on ideological and racist illusions, which threatens to fuel the conflict and make it difficult to control its path or predict its outcomes, threatening regional and international security and stability alike.

In a related context, the foreign ministers of Arab and Islamic countries, the Arab League, and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation reiterated their rejection and condemnation of the crimes of Israeli aggression, genocide, and ethnic cleansing. They also affirmed the need for a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip, while ensuring unconditional access to humanitarian aid to halt the systematic starvation policy used by Israel as a weapon of genocide. This requires an immediate end to the deadly Israeli blockade of the Strip, the opening of Israeli crossings with the Gaza Strip, and holding Israel, the occupying power, fully responsible for the consequences of its crimes in the Gaza Strip, including the collapse of the health and relief system, as the occupying power.

They also reaffirmed their complete and absolute rejection of the displacement of the Palestinian people in any form and under any pretext, calling on the international community to pressure Israel to halt its aggression and fully withdraw from the Gaza Strip, paving the way for the appropriate conditions to be created for the implementation of the Arab-Islamic plan for early recovery and reconstruction efforts in the Gaza Strip.

They emphasized that the Gaza Strip is an integral part of the occupied Palestinian territory and the need for the State of Palestine to assume governance responsibilities in the Gaza Strip, as well as in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, with Arab and international support within the framework of the political program of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO), the sole legitimate representative of the Palestinian people, and the policy of one system, one law, and one legitimate weapon.

In this context, the Ministers and Secretaries-General, in their joint statement, called on the international community, especially the permanent members of the Security Council, particularly the United States of America, to assume their legal and moral responsibilities and take immediate action to compel Israel to halt its ongoing aggression against the Gaza Strip and its dangerous escalation in the occupied West Bank, and to stop the delusional, inflammatory statements issued by its officials and provide international protection to the Palestinian people and enable them to achieve their legitimate rights, foremost among which is their right to establish an independent, sovereign state on their national soil, and to hold accountable those who commit crimes and violations against them. 

Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Meets Turkish Foreign Minister

Source: Government of Qatar

Doha, August 13, 2025

HE Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al-Thani, met Wednesday with HE Minister of Foreign Affairs of the sisterly Republic of Turkiye Hakan Fidan.

Both sides discussed advancing bilateral cooperation between the two countries, developments in the Gaza Strip, the occupied Palestinian territories, and Syria, as well as a variety of topics of shared interest.

HE Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs underscored the importance of ramping up regional and global efforts to end the brutal war on the Gaza Strip, ensure the unhindered and sustainable flow of humanitarian aid into the Strip, and secure the release of hostages and prisoners.

His Excellency further underscored the State of Qatar’s full support for all good-faith efforts aimed at settling the Palestinian cause through peaceful means and enforcing the two-state solution.

Former Namibian Mines and Energy Minister Tom Alweendo to Speak at African Energy Week (AEW) 2025 as Country’s Offshore Oil Boom Accelerates

Source: APO

Tom Alweendo, Former Minister of Mines and Energy, Namibia will participate as a speaker at this year’s African Energy Week (AEW): Invest in African Energies 2025, taking place in Cape Town from September 29 to October 3. Alweendo – who led Namibia’s Ministry of Mines and Energy from 2018 until March 2025 – recently launched Alvenco Advisory, a strategic consultancy aimed at assisting investors in navigating Namibia’s political, fiscal, legal and environmental regimes.

The firm offers tailored advisory services covering policy and regulatory compliance, alignment with national development priorities, and stakeholder engagement at both community and government levels. By leveraging Alweendo’s extensive ministerial experience and network, Alvenco Advisory aims to facilitate responsible investment that unlocks value, drive industrial participation and supports Namibia’s long-term socioeconomic objectives.

AEW: Invest in African Energies is the platform of choice for project operators, financiers, technology providers and government, and has emerged as the official place to sign deals in African energy. Visit www.AECWeek.com for more information about this exciting event.

Namibia’s offshore oil and gas sector is experiencing unprecedented growth, marked by a series of world-class discoveries and heightened exploration activity. The most recent milestone came in April this year, when the Capricornus 1-X exploration well in offshore Block 2914A delivered a successful light oil discovery. Operated by Rhino Resources alongside partners Azule Energy, Namcor and Korres Investments, the well encountered 38m of high-quality net pay, flowed over 11,000 barrels of oil per day (bpd) during testing and confirmed the presence of a commercially viable light oil system.

Capricornus 1-X mirrors the characteristics of the nearby Venus and Graff discoveries, reinforcing the Orange Basin’s position as a globally significant petroleum province. The African Energy Chamber (AEC) – as the voice of the African energy sector – recently commended the PEL85 joint venture partners for delivering one of Namibia’s most significant oil discoveries to date, noting its potential to catalyze further investment, fast-track appraisal drilling and accelerate development initiatives.

Drilling momentum is set to remain strong throughout 2025, with seven wells planned this year alone. These include Marula-1X by TotalEnergies and a second PEL85 well planned by Rhino Resources, as well as the Kharas prospect within BW Energy’s Kudu license. Additional prospects at Olympe and Saturn have also been identified, signaling continued confidence from major international operators.

Namibia’s Ministry of Mines and Energy has confirmed new licensing opportunities in 2025 under an open licensing regime, spanning deepwater, ultra-deepwater and shallow-water environments. The country’s Petroleum Commission has emphasized the government’s commitment to attracting fresh investment while ensuring discoveries are fast-tracked to first oil and deliver tangible benefits to the national economy.

Beyond exploration, development planning is advancing on two of Namibia’s largest finds. TotalEnergies’ Venus project in Block 2913B is targeting a 2026 final investment decision and ap planned 150,000-bpd FPSO facility. Galp is progressing appraisal of its Mopane discovery, supported by 3,500km2 of newly acquired high-density seismic data.

“Tom Alweendo’s leadership and deep understanding of Namibia’s energy landscape come at a pivotal moment for the country’s resource development. His insights will be invaluable in guiding discussions on how to translate world-class discoveries into sustainable economic growth and long-term benefits for all Namibians,” states NJ Ayuk, Executive Chairman, African Energy Chamber.

Namibia’s emergence as one of the world’s most promising oil frontiers – underpinned by a stable regulatory environment, competitive licensing terms and a strong governance framework – positions the country as a leading destination for global upstream investment.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of African Energy Chamber.

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The National Football League (NFL)’s United Kingdom (UK) Based Academy Program Announces Games and Roster for 2025-26 Season

Source: APO


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  •  Schedule to Include Four Games Against U.S. High School Opposition
  • Tickets for the game at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Oct. 8 on sale now (https://apo-opa.co/45moyvb
  • 68 Players From 20 Different Countries on 2025-26 Roster

The NFL’s (www.NFL.com) UK based Academy program has announced its game schedule for the upcoming season as the program marks the start of the 2025-26 academic year.

Welcoming 68 individuals from 20 different countries to the roster, the NFL’s elite player development program based in Loughborough, U.K., supports talented student athletes from across the world.

Following strong performances during the 2024 season, the Academy will once again face key matchups against four highly regarded U.S. high school teams.

The team’s season will kick off in Dublin, Ireland, on Aug. 22nd against The Hun School, New Jersey. The game will take place as part of the Global Ireland Football Tournament (GIFT) ahead of the 2025 Aer Lingus College Football Classic.

The season’s second game is scheduled for a week later, with the team travelling to the U.S. to take on the Edgewater Eagles in Orlando, Florida, on Aug. 29th. The match-up represents a rematch of the sides’ thrilling 2024 meeting in Loughborough, in which Edgewater claimed victory by 51-45.

The highlight of the season will come on Oct. 8th, when the NFL Academy return to the field at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. They will face off against 16-time State and 3-time National champions, St. Thomas Aquinas Raiders, from Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Tickets for the game are available to purchase via Ticketmaster (https://apo-opa.co/45moyvb), with all proceeds going to support the NFL Foundation UK and NFL Academy.

The final match-up against U.S. high schools sees the NFL Academy return to the U.S. for a meeting with IMG Academy in Florida. Having played the state IMG team for the past three seasons here in Europe, the NFL Academy will now play the IMG National team for the first time.

On the sidelines, Steve Hagen will also continue in his role as Head Coach for a third season, seeking to build on the program’s success to date. 2025 will see over 40 NFL Academy alumni playing NCAA college football, with 27 set to feature in Division I.

“It’s always a challenge to blend the old with the new so we’re excited to see what the new players can bring to the upcoming season,” said Head Coach, Steve Hagen. “We look forward to continuing to build on our past successes and helping all our player to achieve their fullest potential, both on the field and in the classroom.”

Follow the NFL Academy @nflacademy across X, Instagram and TikTok. To find further information on the NFL Academy program, please visit here (https://apo-opa.co/47viZvC).

NFL’s UK Based Academy 2025-26 Season Schedule:

  • Aug. 22: The Hun School – Dublin, Ireland
  • Aug. 29: Edgewater Eagles – Edgewater, Florida, U.S.
  • Sep. 13: Dusseldorf Panther – Loughborough, U.K.
  • Sep. 21: BNL National – Loughborough, U.K.
  • Sep. 27: Manchester Titans – Manchester, U.K
  • Oct. 8: St Thomas Aquinas Raiders – London, U.K.
  • Oct. 17: IMG Academy – Bradenton, Florida, U.S.
  • Nov. 14: Mexican Academy – Madrid, Spain
  • Nov. 15: Madrid U21 All-Stars – Madrid, Spain

NFL’s UK Based Academy 2025-26 Roster:

Country

Athlete(s)

Argentina (1)

Hugo Chigozime Arias Okoro (DB)

Austria (2)

Luca Wolf (TE), Felician Weissensel (DL)

Belgium (1)

Stan Pichon (WR)

Canada (4)

Viktor LaChambre (QB), Nathan Morris (RB), Andrew Gomon (RB), Zian Iseghohi (OLB)

Denmark (4)

Emil Løkkegaard (QB), Julius LeFevre (OL), Silas Floche (TE), Mikkel Ngassa (DB)

England (20)

Bobby Bridges (QB/K), Didi Georgiou (RB), Kristian Abel (RB), Ben Schneller (WR), Noah Prasad-Smith (WR), Malachy McMahon (WR), Seb Delzoppo (WR), Adam Ibirionke (OL), Tyrone Stolarczyk (OL), Theo Andall (OL), Barney Short (OL), Hugo Short (TE), Devon Myrie (TE), Corey Pyke (DL), Che Figueroa (DL), Max O’Grady (LB), Ashley Daniel (DB), Jayden Smith (DB), Ryan Crooks (DB), Nickson Massa (DB)

Finland (4)

Rene Rautiainen (WR), Oliver Lehtinen (OL), Vili Haapasalo (TE), Terho Vainio (LB)

France (2)

Sam Drouet (LB), Jean-Placide Makina (OLB)

The Gambia (1)

Aziz Jaye (OL)

Germany (16)

Felix Merrow (WR), Jamil Secka (WR/DB), Carlos Speidel (WR), Tom Brinkmann (OL), Bruno Werner (OL), Niko Kampas (OL), Johannes Mager (DL), Benny Kubat (DL), Leo Schoske (DL), Joel Queisser (LB), Yasir Sani (LB), Sem Wohlgemuth (OLB), Adeola Werner (OLB), Moritz Strempel (OLB), Max Bartholomy (DB), Shaq Cisse (DB)

Mexico (2)

Armando Gamborino (WR), Emiliano Albarran (OLB)

Nigeria (2)

Augustine Irek (DL), Benson Jerry (OLB)

Norway (2)

Magnus Town (OL), Tobias Gadeberg (DL)

Portugal (1)

Gabriel Goncalo (DB)

Scotland (1)

Jude Colvin (LB)

South Africa (1)

Max Louw (OL)

Spain (1)

Tom Gabarro (DB)

Sweden (1)

Edgar Wallen (RB),

Syria (1)

Shams Al Nusyrat (DL)

Trinidad and Tobago(1)

Brandon Bryant (DB)

NFL Academy alumni currently playing Division 1 College football:

  • Darren Agu, United Kingdom (TE) – New Mexico State University
  • Dimitri Madden, United Kingdom (DL) – Akron University
  • Seydou Traore, United Kingdom (WR) – Mississippi State University
  • Freddie Pelling, United Kingdom (OL) – Campbell University
  • Samuel Isiguzo, United Kingdom (DB) – Bryant University
  • Sam Fenton, United Kingdom (QB) – University of South Florida
  • Tunde Mkparu, United Kingdom (DB) – Bryant University
  • Kofi Taylor-Barrocks, United Kingdom (LB) – University of Texas at El Paso
  • Peter Clarke, United Kingdom (TE) – Temple University
  • Emmanuel Okoye, Nigeria (TE) – University of Tennessee
  • Dominic Braesch, Germany (OL) – University of North Alabama
  • Daniel Akinkunmi, United Kingdom (OL) – University of Oklahoma
  • Luke Yau-Gayle, United Kingdom (DL) – University at Buffalo
  • Timi Oke, United Kingdom (DB) – Northwestern University
  • Lopez Sanusi, Ireland (DL) – Boise State University
  • Pape Abdoulaye Sy, Senegal (OL) – Boston College
  • Benjamin Kienz, Germany (OL) – Kennesaw State University
  • Yahya Attia, Austria (OL) – University of Colorado Boulder         
  • Clinton Azubuike, Nigeria (DL) – Vanderbilt University
  • Akram Elnagmi (OL)- University of Pittsburgh
  • Arthur De Boachie (DB)- Boise State University
  • Andy Quinn (K/P)- Boston College
  • Kevin Bentin (LB)- Long Island University
  • Pharrell Harewood (P)- Nicholls State University
  • Joe Kirby (OL)- Nicholls State University
  • Matti Kruger (DL)- Bucknell University
  • Samu Suominen (OL)- University of Massachusetts Amherst

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of National Football League (NFL).

About the NFL Academy:
The NFL Academy program offers talented student athletes a pathway to combine their full-time education with intensive training in American football, under the guidance of a professional coaching team. The program began in the U.K. serving student-athletes from across the world and has expanded recently to Australia to also service student-athletes across the APAC region. 

In the U.K., the NFL Academy is based at Loughborough’s world-renowned center of sporting excellence and in partnership with Loughborough College and Loughborough University. The program promotes world class performance and the development of elite player pathways, supporting student athletes (aged 16-19) with NFL best practices and resources.

The NFL APAC Academy in the region, located on Australia’s Gold Coast, opened in Sep, 2024 in partnership with A.B. Paterson College and supported by the City of Gold Coast and the Queensland State Government (for athletes aged 12-18).