Category: English

Source: APO

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The Deputy Minister for Finance, Hon. Thomas Nyarko-Ampem, has inaugurated a new Governing Board for the Ghana Incentive-Based Risk-Sharing System for Agricultural Lending Ltd. (GIRSAL).

He congratulated the board members and reminded them of GIRSAL’s strategic role in transforming the agricultural sector.

He also urged them to remain committed to delivering results, as agriculture remains central to government’s development agenda.

The Board Chairperson, Prof. Richard Jinks Bani, thanked President John Dramani Mahama for the nomination and assured the Minister that the board will work to make agriculture more inclusive.

He noted that the members are prepared to serve with integrity and deliver on their mandate.

Members of the GIRSAL Board:

1. Prof. Richard Jinks Bani – Chairperson

2. Mr. Nicholas Afrifa – Chief Executive Officer

3. Dr. Kwesi Korboe – Member

4. Ms. Alberta Akosa – Member

5. Mr. Agbesi Kwadzo Dzakpasu – Member

6. Mr. William Wilson Asbleke – Member

7. Ms. Faustina Effah-Boadi – Member

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Ministry of Finance – Republic of Ghana.

Source: APO

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The Deputy Minister for Finance, Hon. Thomas Nyarko-Ampem, has inaugurated a new Governing Board for the Ghana Amalgamated Trust PLC (GAT), expressing confidence that the members will deliver on their mandate, given their collective experience and expertise.

He further underscored government’s commitment to protecting the banking sector, stressing that this administration has chosen to invest in saving banks rather than spending over 30 billion cedis to collapse them.

Board Chairperson Dr. Kwabena Donkor pledged the board will work to create a financially sustainable banking sector, ensuring profitability and delivering dividends.

Members of the Ghana Amalgamated Trust PLC Board:

• Dr. Kwabena Donkor – Chairperson
• Mr. Abraham Tetteh – Managing Director
• Hon. Joseph Appiah Boateng, MP – Member
• Mr. Benjamin Dabrah – Member
• Mr. Benjamin Komla Kpodo – Member
• Mr. Kotobridja Francis Ploughman – Member
• Hon. Nicholas Amankwah, MP – Member

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Ministry of Finance – Republic of Ghana.

Source: APO – Report:

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The Federal Ministry of Health, in partnership with the World Health Organization (WHO), United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and World Food Programme (WFP), officially launched the Joint UN Initiative for the Prevention of Wasting (JUNIPr) in Ethiopia. The initiative aims to accelerate national efforts to prevent child wasting—a severe and life-threatening form of malnutrition that affects more than 11% of Ethiopian children under five.

The four-day Co-Creation Workshop, taking place in Adama Town from 17–20 July 2025, marks the first step in a five-year multisectoral initiative to design, test, and scale evidence-based interventions to prevent wasting in children aged 0 to 18 months. JUNIPr is supported by the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) and is being piloted in Ethiopia, Mali, and Bangladesh.

JUNIPr builds on the Global Action Plan on Child Wasting and the newly released 2023 WHO Guidelines, focusing on:

• Evidence generation through robust research led by the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI);
• Development of locally tailored intervention packages grounded in the realities of Ethiopian communities.
• Systems strengthening across health, food, water/sanitation (WASH), social protection and other sectors.
• Policy influence at national and global levels to ensure that wasting prevention becomes a public health priority.

UNICEF and WFP representatives also emphasised the importance of coordinated multisectoral efforts to prevent malnutrition. 

Over 40 participants are attending the workshop, including representatives from regional health bureaus, multiple line ministries, academic institutions, UN agencies, NGOs, and technical experts across key sectors. The workshop includes in-depth discussions, problem analysis, policy mapping, and breakout sessions to begin shaping a comprehensive prevention package.

The next stage will include in-depth context analysis, data review, and a second national workshop in early 2026 to finalize the intervention package. Ethiopia’s experience will serve as a model for other countries seeking to address wasting through a systems-based, collaborative approach.

– on behalf of World Health Organization (WHO) – Ethiopia.

Source: APO – Report:

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In the remote southeastern corner of Mauritania, more than 60 000 Malian refugees displaced by conflict are rebuilding their lives. Until recently, a medical emergency in the Mberra refugee camp meant a race against time. 

With the nearest hospital in Bassiknou, over 60 kilometres away, and no available ambulance, pregnant women and critically-ill patients were forced to make the journey on motorcycles and donkey carts, often with tragic results.

That changed early this year when Mauritania’s Ministry of Health, with support from the World Health Organization (WHO) and partners, deployed a fully equipped ambulance to Mberra camp. Staffed by trained personnel, the ambulance is enabling timely referrals, especially for obstetric emergencies and trauma cases.

“Before, we feared the worst. Now we feel safe,” says Mariata, a 32-year-old refugee mother of three who was safely transported to Bassiknou Health Centre during a high-risk pregnancy.

Frontline health workers also report a dramatic shift. “We felt powerless during emergencies,” says Ibrahim, a nurse at the camp’s health centre. “Now, we can act quickly and decisively. Patients are reaching care in time, and outcomes are improving.”

In the first few months, the ambulance facilitated a host of emergency referrals, improving survival rates and reinforcing community trust in the health system. It complements broader WHO support to strengthen health services in the camp, including capacity-building for staff, improved supply chains and disease surveillance.

This intervention is part of WHO’s ongoing efforts to reinforce emergency preparedness and resilient health systems in fragile and humanitarian settings, saving lives, preserving dignity and advancing health for all.

“We are committed to ensuring that, even in fragile settings such as this one, everyone can count on lifesaving health services,” says Dr Charlotte Ndiaye, WHO Representative in Mauritania. “Every life saved is a reminder of what timely response and partnership can achieve.”

– on behalf of World Health Organization (WHO) – Mauritania.

Source: APO – Report:

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To strengthen preparedness and response to public health emergencies of international concern, South Sudan signed off and launched the One Health Strategic Plan and the 2nd National Action Plan for Health Security (2025-2030).The two plans are synergistic, build on evidence from the 2024 Joint External Evaluation and integrate human, animal, and environmental health to address public health threats, including zoonotic diseases, antimicrobial resistance, and response to natural and man-made disasters.

The documents were launched and signed off by Dr Martin Elia Lomuro, Minister of Cabinet Affairs in a high-level event in Juba, alongside his counterparts from the Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Disaster Management, Ministry of Livestock and Fisheries, Ministry of Wildlife Conservation and Tourism, Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security and the Ministry of Environment and Forestry with participation of key health development partners.

The launch of the One Health Strategic Plan and the 2nd National Action Plan for Health Security (2025-2030) will foster the multisectoral coordination, administrative and technical collaboration among animal, human and environmental health sectors to address potential zoonotic diseases and other one health threats.

In his remarks during the sign off event, Dr Lomuro said “the One Health Strategic Plan and the 2nd National Action Plan for Health Security will enhance preparedness and response to public health threats, safeguarding and improving the health for the communities, livestock, wildlife, and environment”. Dr Lomuro congratulated the Ministry of Health and the One-Health Department for making South Sudan proud in being the sixth country to complete the National Action Plan for Health Security in the Africa Region.

Honorable Sarah Cleto Rial, the Minister of Health appreciated the support received by her Ministry to deliver such strategic plans. She further emphasized that these documents are the governments’ one-stop centre that will guide effective coordination in building the country preparedness, investments in prevention, detection and management of public health threats.

Dr Humphrey Karamagi, WHO Representative for South Sudan congratulated the government of South Sudan for completing the National Action Planning for Health Security at such a time when the newly adopted International Health Regulations (IHR) amendments will come into force. Dr Karamagi also recognized the Ministry of Health for the leadership and compliance with the global health security agenda and the newly amended International Health Regulations, which WHO secretariat considers as essential to preparedness and response to public health emergencies.

Dr Humprey Karamagi concluded his remarks by emphasizing that “the Strategic Planning is completed, and this event has flagged us off to implementation”. All line ministries, departments and agencies represented at this national event, from henceforth pledged to own these plans and embark on implementation of all the priority interventions in the two plans.

With the generous contribution of the World Bank, World Health Organization (WHO) provided the technical support to the one-health secretariat at Ministry of Health, which was the center of all operations and processes that generated the two strategic plans.

The national launching event ended by laying out the way forwards given as a) Convening the NAPHS Resource Mapping Forum in no later than 2 months; b) Drafting of the Annual NAPHS Operational Planning by October 2025; c) Development of the NAPHS implementation tracker by December 2025; and d) Convening Quarterly NAPHS implementation review meetings as fora for progress monitoring and accountability.

– on behalf of World Health Organization (WHO) – South Sudan.

Source: APO – Report:

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UN human rights chief Volker Türk has expressed outrage over Monday’s deadly large-scale attack by the Rapid Support Forces militia on El Fasher, the capital of Sudan’s North Darfur state, which has been besieged by the RSF since April last year.

At least 57 civilians were killed in the attack, which included the Abu Shouk displacement camp on the outskirts of the city, and UN human rights office, OHCHR, is also following up on allegations of summary executions there.  

“It is with dismay that we yet again witness an unimaginable horror inflicted upon civilians in El Fasher, who have endured over a year of siege, persistent attacks and dire humanitarian conditions,” said Mr. Türk.

Serial attacks

“Such repeated attacks on civilians, which raise serious concerns under international humanitarian law, are totally unacceptable and must stop.”

Between January and June, the RSF – which has been battling forces of the military government for control of Sudan for over two years – has attacked the Abu Shouk camp at least 16 times, killing at least 212 and leaving 111 others injured.  

“Once again, I am raising the alarm about the serious risk of ethnically motivated persecution as the RSF tries to seize control of El Fasher and Abu Shouk camp,” Mr. Türk stressed, reiterating his call to protect civilians and urging humanitarian pauses in besieged areas to reach those in need.

Human rights violations in Zamzam

UN human rights officials recently interviewed survivors of the RSF’s devastating assault on Zamzam camp, 15 kilometres south of El Fasher, where famine was confirmed in August 2024.  

Testimonies corroborated previous documentation of serious human rights abuses against civilians during a particularly deadly attack on Zamzam camp in April 2025, including killings, widespread rape and gang rape, enforced disappearances and torture.  

“I urge third States to use all their influence to put an end to these violations,” said Mr. Türk. “Accountability is crucial to break this cycle of persistent and egregious violations.”

Deepening hunger

A year after famine was first confirmed in Zamzam, hundreds of thousands are still trapped in El Fasher, cut off from World Food Programme (WFP) assistance and facing deepening hunger.

Trade routes and supply lines entering El Fasher are blocked, resulting in soaring prices and the cessation of most community kitchens’ operations.  

Some residents are reportedly surviving on animal fodder and food waste.  

“Everyone in El Fasher is facing a daily struggle to survive,” said Eric Perdison, WFP’s Regional Director for Eastern and Southern Africa.

“Without immediate and sustained access,” for humanitarians, Perdison added, “lives will be lost.”

Sudan’s conflict, which began in April 2023, has created the world’s largest hunger crisis: around 25 million people – half the country’s population – face acute hunger, and 3.5 million women and children face malnutrition.

From El Fasher to Tawila

Many victims of the attack on the Zamzam camp and those suffering from hunger in El Fasher fled to the Tawila camp, 75 kilometres away.  

“Hunger forced us to leave,” said eight-year-old Sondos, who told WFP she had fled with her family after weeks of surviving on millet.

There was “only hunger and bombs,” she testified, with shells raining down on the city.

Another Tawila resident, 47-year-old Mohamed, travelled from Zamzam to El Fasher before making it to Tawila.

People died of thirst along the way, he said. “Many of them were begging for water. Each person had to have only one sip, just enough to reach their stomach.”

But even when people make it to Tawila, the camp’s makeshift tents offer little protection from the rainy season just beginning.  

WFP assistance

For the Tawila camp’s roughly 400,000 residents, WFP rations of nutrient-packed high-energy biscuits, sorghum, vegetable oil and salt are often their only sustenance.

They are just some of the four million Sudanese that WFP supports monthly.

This assistance has helped reduce catastrophic hunger in parts of Central and West Darfur. However, these gains are fragile: “WFP is ready with trucks full of food assistance to send into El Fasher,” says Corinne Fleischer, WFP’s Director of Supply Chain and Delivery. “We urgently need guarantees of safe passage.”  

The RSF has yet to agree a pause in fighting to allow humanitarian goods to enter the city.

– on behalf of UN News.

Source: APO – Report:

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The UN Security Council has rejected the Rapid Support Forces’ (RSF) declaration last month of a rival administration in parts of Sudan it controls, warning the move threatens the country’s unity and risks worsening the brutal conflict between the militia and forces of the military government.

In a statement issued on Wednesday, Council members said the step posed “a direct threat to Sudan’s territorial integrity” and could fragment the country, fuel the fighting, and deepen an already dire humanitarian crisis.

Ambassadors reaffirmed “unwavering” support for Sudan’s sovereignty, independence and unity, stressing that unilateral actions that undermine these principles jeopardise not only Sudan’s future but also peace and stability across the wider region.

The Council called on the RSF and Sudanese Armed Forces to return to talks aimed at reaching a lasting ceasefire and creating the conditions for a political settlement involving all political and social groups.

The goal, they said, is a credible, inclusive transition to a civilian-led government that can lead the country towards democratic elections and deliver “a peaceful, stable and prosperous future” in line with the Sudanese people’s aspirations.

Flashpoints in Darfur and Kordofan

The statement recalled the Council’s resolution 2736 (2024), which demands the RSF lift its siege of El Fasher, halt the fighting, and de-escalate tensions in and around the North Darfur capital.

Famine and extreme food insecurity are at risk of spreading in the city, which has been under siege since April 2024.

Members voiced alarm over reports of a renewed RSF offensive this week in El Fasher and urged the group to allow “unhindered humanitarian access” to the city.

The Council also expressed grave concern over reported attacks in Sudan’s Kordofan region in recent weeks, reportedly carried out by both sides, which have caused large numbers of civilian deaths.

They also voiced deep concern about the impact of the conflict on humanitarian operations.

Demands for access

Council members pressed all parties to allow safe and unhindered humanitarian access in line with international law, to protect civilians, and to abide by their obligations under both resolution 2736 and the 2023 Jeddah Declaration.

They stressed that perpetrators of serious violations must be held to account. 

They also urged all UN Member States to avoid any external interference that fuels conflict and instability, support efforts for durable peace, and comply with relevant international law and Council resolutions, including resolution 2750.

Backing for UN envoy

The Council reiterated its commitment to supporting the people of Sudan in their quest for peace, security, stability and prosperity.

It also voiced full support for the Secretary-General’s Personal Envoy, Ramtane Lamamra, and his work with the warring sides and civil society to secure a sustainable settlement through dialogue.

– on behalf of UN News.

Source: APO – Report:

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Your Excellency, Daniel Chapo, President of the Federal Republic of Mozambique.

Honorable Carla Louveira, Minister of Economy and Finance of Mozambique.

Honorable Ministers and senior government officials.

The Secretary General of the African Continental Free Trade Area Secretariat, Wamkele Mene.

Excellencies, Ambassadors and heads of diplomatic missions.

Heads of international organizations.

Alain Ebobise, Chief Executive Officer, Africa50.

Esteemed shareholders of Africa50.

Esteemed members of the Board of Directors of Africa50.

Senior management and staff of Africa50.

Ladies and gentlemen.

Your Excellency, Mr. President, I am delighted that you have honored us today with your presence for the General Shareholder Meeting of Africa50. I am grateful that you accepted to host this General Shareholders Meeting.

We are grateful for the generous hospitality and all the graciousness we have all received since we arrived in the beautiful city of Maputo.

I wear two hats as I address you today: first, as President of the African Development Bank Group, your bank; and second, as Chairman of Africa50, which was established by the African Development Bank Group.

Mozambique is a strong shareholder of the African Development Bank Group, which started operations in the country in 1977. Mozambique also joined Africa50 in 2024.

Your Excellency, President Chapo, I wish to start by formally congratulating you on your election as President of the Republic of Mozambique.

I commend you for the remarkable leadership that you have shown in stabilizing the country. Peace and stability are fundamental to spurring economic growth and development.

I wish to commend you and your government on the macroeconomic and fiscal stability of the country under your leadership.

The green shoots of your macroeconomic and fiscal policies are coming out.

Real GDP of Mozambique is estimated to increase to 2.5% in 2025 and 3.6% in 2026, due to the rebound in the extractive sector activities.

Congratulations, Mr. President!

Let me speak first with my hat on as President of the African Development Bank Group.

The African Development Bank has been a strong supporter of Mozambique. In the past ten years under my Presidency (2015-2025), we provided $1.6 billion to Mozambique.

To put this in perspective, this represents 41% of the total financing of the African Development Bank to Mozambique over the past 48 years.

The African Development Bank was a lead financier of Mozambique’s $20 billion Liquified Natural Gas (LNG) plant project, for which the Bank provided $400 million in senior debt financing. I wish to thank you, Mr. President, for your visiting the LNG project site in Cabo Delgado in February. Your leadership and visit reassured investors. 

I am proud of what has been achieved, especially in the power sector, where our support for energy projects contributed significantly to the national energy access increasing from 30% in 2018 to 60% in 2024.

Our $34 million support for the Mozambique Energy for All Project provided access to electricity to over 45,500 households in under-electrified provinces such as Zambezia and Nampula, including about 14,000 female-headed households.

The African Development Bank also strongly supported the agriculture sector, with the development of special agro-industrial processing zones, for example in Pemba-Lichinga, one of the six such zones the Bank is supporting.

The Bank supported the development of the Nacala and Beira corridors, which are transforming trade and transport logistics, and improving regional trade for the African Continental Free Trade Area.

Let me shift to my second hat as Chairman of Africa50.

When the African Development Bank created Africa50, the vision was clear: develop a platform for mobilizing financing for infrastructure, with market rate of returns.

I am proud of what Africa50 has become today.

Within 8 years Africa50 has become a leader on infrastructure financing in Africa, thanks to the visionary leadership of our CEO, Alain Ebobise; its incredibly capable and talented staff; and support of the board of directors and our shareholders.

Today, Africa50’s shareholders have risen to 37, with 33 countries and 4 institutions.

From just one staff (Alain!) when we started 8 years ago, Africa50 now has 100 exceptional staff.

It is managing assets of over $1.4 billion. The total value of its portfolio companies is over $ 8 billion.

Africa50 is showing creativity and innovation on infrastructure financing.

It’s Africa Infrastructure Acceleration Fund raised $275 million from over 20 African institutional investors. This is a mark of strong confidence by institutional investors.

Africa50 is delighted to be working closely in partnership with Mozambique in areas that complement the work of the African Development Bank, especially in infrastructure, energy and transport.

• Africa50 is an equity investor in the 175 MW gas-fired power plant, Central Termica de Ressano Garcia (CTRG).
• Africa50 is finalizing the project development agreement for three transformation lines under an independent power transmission framework. This will be in partnership with Power Grid and Electricidade de Mozambique (EDM).
• Africa50 is expected to develop a Data Center Facility in Maputo City.

I am delighted that our shareholders are here in Maputo to witness the fruits of collaboration and partnerships.

Partnerships between the African Development Bank and Mozambique.

Partnerships between the African Development Bank and Africa50.

And partnerships between Africa50 and Mozambique.

Partnerships between the African Development Bank, Africa50 and Africa countries.

To close Africa’s $170 billion annual infrastructure financing gap, requires that we all continue to build and scale up partnerships.

Partnerships with multilateral and bilateral financial institutions.

Partnerships with investment banks and private equity funds.

Partnerships with institutional investors, from sovereign wealth funds to pension funds and insurance pool of funds.

Partnerships between countries to finance cross-national infrastructure, to spur regional integration and advance the African Continental Free Trade Area.

Together we are stronger.

Together, let us join our hands around the Baobab tree of infrastructure opportunities in Africa.

Your Excellency, President Chapo, thank you for stretching out to us your hands of partnership. You can count on the Africa50 and the African Development Bank Group to continue to support your visionary efforts to transform Mozambique.

Your Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen.

My tenure as President of the African Development Bank Group, and as Chairman of the Board of Directors of Africa50, will end on September 1, 2025.

I am proud of all we have achieved together.

• The High 5s work of the African Development Bank impacted on the lives of 565 million people.
• The capital of the African Development Bank increased from $93 billion in 2015 to $318 billion today – the highest in the history of the African Development Bank since its establishment in 1964.
• The African Development Bank was ranked as the Best Multilateral Financing Institution in the World.
• The African Development Fund, our concessional financing institution, was ranked as the second-best concessional financing institution in the world, above all 55 concessional financing institutions in the OECD countries.
• The African Development Bank maintained its AAA global credit ratings for ten years, even in the most difficult economic times of Covid19 pandemic.
• The African Development Bank was ranked, for the past two consecutive years, as the Most Transparent Financial Institution in the World.
• The Africa Investment Forum (which we developed together with our partners, Development Bank of Southern Africa, Africa50, Africa Export-Import Bank, Trade and Development Bank, Africa Finance Corporation, European Investment Bank, Islamic Development Bank and Arab Bank for Economic Development) mobilized over $225 billion in investment interest to Africa.
• Africa50 has become a globally respected infrastructure platform.

As Chairman of Africa50, I am confident that Africa50 will continue to grow in the years ahead, because its value proposition is strong.

Africa50 will be signing today Memorandums of Understanding with the Government of Mozambique; and also, with the Alliance for Green Infrastructure in Africa (AGIA).

These further reinforce the strong value proposition of Africa50.

As Chairman of Africa50, let me assure all our partners.

• Africa50 is a good investment.
• Africa50 delivers impactful results.
• Africa50 delivers value for money.
• You can never go wrong with investing in Africa50.

Thank you all very much for your support and partnership.

As I move into a new future, Africa will always be on my mind.

Let me assure you, I will not be stepping back. I will be stepping forward in our collective drive to unlock global capital for Africa.

And Mozambique will remain dear to my heart.

Muito obrigado a todos.

Thank you very much.

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