Category: English

Source: APO

Civil society organizations are seen as the voice of the people, advocating for communities and promoting peaceful solutions. However, in Warrap State, their voice often struggles to reach far enough.

This week, in Kuajok, representatives from six counties met for three days to discuss improving coordination and connections between the state capital and remote communities.

“Our community is tired of war,” says Bona Malual Akec, Chairperson of the Warrap State Civil Society Network.

He recalls a recent county dispute that escalated to violence before being addressed at the state level.

“By engaging with communities directly, we can come together and resolve issues before they worsen.”

Asunta Nyanut, founder of the Support Women and Girls Organization, emphasizes that the gap goes beyond communication; it’s about whose voices are heard. She has witnessed county-level projects fail due to a lack of information for women’s groups.

“With adequate resources and recognition, we could combat gender-based violence, keep girls in school, and hold perpetrators accountable,” she states.

During the sessions, Asunta translated key points into local dialects, ensuring women from rural areas could understand and fully participate.

The absence of county-level links also leaves many groups invisible.

John Lino Anei, representing those with disabilities, notes that his community frequently misses invitations to peace dialogues and hears about decisions only after they’re made.

“Physical barriers, such as the absence of wheelchairs or transport, hinder participation.”

In Kuajok, John actively ensured inclusion by attending every session, distributing notebooks, helping with projectors, and reminding participants that removing obstacles is essential for significant contribution.

Marco Guot Ajiek, Executive Director of the Relief Aid and Community Care Organization, stressed that stronger coordination among civil society organizations is essential for peace in Warrap.

“It’s about sharing a common vision, learning from each other and shifting mindsets on issues like cattle raiding,” he explains.

By the end of the gathering, participants agreed to establish six county coordination offices with designated points of contact for sharing early warnings and peace updates, and they amended the network’s constitution to ensure county representation in decision-making.

The first-ever forum bringing together representatives from all counties was supported by the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS), featuring training on conflict-sensitive peacebuilding and planning sessions.

Civil Affairs Kuajok Team Leader Adewuyi Adewumi urged members to harness their community privilege for positive change.

“Now is the time to act. Build networks and become the vigilant eyes and ears of civil society. Your actions can make a difference!”

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS).

Source: APO

On Friday, 8 August 2025, Ms. Lin Nan, Ambassador of the People’s Republic of China to the Republic of Seychelles, paid a courtesy call on Ambassador Ian Madeleine, Principal Secretary of the Foreign Affairs Department, at Maison Quéau de Quinssy.

During the meeting, the two diplomats engaged in fruitful discussions on the long-standing and ongoing cooperation between Seychelles and China. They reviewed current partnerships, particularly in the areas of capacity building, education, culture, health, military cooperation, and people-to-people exchanges. Both parties expressed their shared commitment to further strengthen these collaborative efforts.

In addition, they explored opportunities to expand bilateral cooperation into new and emerging areas, including eco-tourism, trade, and climate change initiatives. The discussions reaffirmed the mutual interest of both countries in promoting sustainable development and deepening diplomatic ties, grounded in mutual respect, friendship and collaboration.

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

Source: APO – Report:

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IAEA-Group of Twenty cooperation broke new ground with the release of a new publication examining the potential for nuclear power in Africa.  

The IAEA launched the publication at a side event co-organized with the Clean Energy Ministerial and the South African Department of Electricity and Energy on the margins of a key Group of Twenty (G20) energy transitions meeting in South Africa as the bloc explores clean energy options for sustainable development. 

Read the new report: Outlook for Nuclear Energy in Africa | IAEA.

Collaborating for Development

After participating for the first time as an invited organization during the G20’s Brazilian presidency last year, the IAEA is once again collaborating with the world’s largest economic bloc — this time under the South African presidency to advance work on nuclear power.

South Africa is for now the only African country with nuclear power, with its two-unit Koeberg Nuclear Power Station supplying nearly two gigawatts of electrical generation capacity. However, enthusiasm for nuclear power is building across the continent, where fossil fuels currently dominate energy production, accounting for more than 70% of electricity production.

South Africa is partnering with the IAEA during its G20 presidency and focusing on the implementation of nuclear new build programmes in Africa. There is particular interest in small modular reactors (SMRs) in Africa given the grid infrastructure requirements. “The global interest in SMRs is increasing due to their ability to meet the need for flexible power generation for a wider range of users and applications as we move from high carbon emissions to lower carbon emission sources,” said Zizamele Mbambo, Deputy Director General for Nuclear Energy in South Africa’s Department of Mineral Resources and Energy.

Nuclear Power for Sustainable Growth

A growing number of African countries are interested in adding nuclear to their energy mix, with Egypt building its first nuclear power plant and countries including Ghana and Kenya working with the IAEA to develop the requisite infrastructure to launch their programmes. The latest IAEA projections have nuclear capacity in Africa increasing tenfold by 2050 in the high case scenario, while even in the low case scenario the current figure grows by a factor of five.

The publication surveys the continent’s current energy landscape, highlighting the prospects for nuclear power to address the lack of electricity that is a daily reality for about half a billion people across Africa. The report also takes an in-depth look at what is required to deploy enough nuclear to meet the continent’s significant energy needs, underscoring the importance of addressing financing challenges, implementing strong, supportive government policies and adopting a regional approach to nuclear power development, and details IAEA support in these and other areas.

“Access to reliable and low-carbon energy sources such as nuclear can enable Africa to further explore and more importantly also add benefits and value to its vast natural resources, including uranium,” said Frederik Reitsma, Head of the IAEA’s Nuclear Power Technology Development Section. “History has shown that the development of a nuclear power programme, and the development of the associated supply chain, drives industrial growth and leads to advanced technology development in other areas.”

The publication also discusses how SMRs could play a major role in Africa, highlighting benefits such as their suitability for the relatively small electric grids that are common in Africa as well as lower capital costs. Uranium mining is also identified as a significant growth opportunity for the continent, which is already home to three of the world’s top ten uranium producers: Namibia, Niger and South Africa.

“As the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) contributes to the development of an energy security framework for G20 nations, insight-rich resources such as the IAEA’s Outlook for Nuclear Energy in Africa are essential to address regional resource expansion and inform development across continents,” said Emma Wong, Nuclear Principal Lead for Innovation, Quantum Technology and International Development at EPRI in remarks delivered during the launch event. “By together leveraging every resource at our disposal, we can amplify the value of global efforts to deliver the economic, environmental, and societal benefits of energy abundance to society.”

“The Clean Energy Ministerial (CEM) provides a trusted and inclusive platform where countries can engage in informed dialogue on the opportunities and challenges of nuclear energy, and advance practical cooperation aligned with their national priorities” said Jean-François Gagné, Head of the CEM Secretariat. “As a key international platform, the CEM supports governments in advancing their nuclear energy ambitions, including in emerging and developing economies. In Africa, the CEM NICE Future Initiative has actively worked with countries such as Ghana and Kenya, helping them explore the potential role of nuclear energy in their broader clean energy transitions. The CEM works in close partnership with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), fostering international collaboration and knowledge exchange in support of national and regional goals.”

Looking ahead, the IAEA is preparing to engage at the G20’s Energy Transitions Ministerial Meeting, scheduled for October in South Africa. The IAEA is currently developing a publication on the coal-to-nuclear transition which covers the economic benefits of converting former coal sites for nuclear power deployment and provides an overview of the technical aspects of the repurposing process. This report is set to be released just ahead of the meeting.    

– on behalf of International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).

Source: APO

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Zimbabwe must urgently invest in girls’ rights, education, and safety to ensure gender equality becomes a lived reality for future generations, a UN Working Group said today.

Concluding an official visit to the country, the UN Working Group on discrimination against women and girls, issued a statement commending Zimbabwe’s constitutional commitment to gender equality and welcoming legislative and programmatic initiatives to advance the rights of women and girls.

“Despite the Government’s efforts, persistent discrimination and entrenched patriarchal norms continue to deny girls their fundamental rights and limit their future opportunities,” the Working Group said.

“As one interlocutor told the Working Group during our visit, in Zimbabwe, gender equality is not a choice, it is a constitutional obligation,” the experts said. “Zimbabwe must actively confront and eradicate patriarchal attitudes that undervalue girls, creating a society which nurtures their potential as future leaders, innovators and changemakers.”

The experts expressed particular concern about the prevalence of child marriage and teenage pregnancy. In Zimbabwe, 1.4 million women were married before age 18, and 241,000 before the age of 15. Despite the Marriages Act (2022) setting 18 as the legal minimum age and criminalising child marriage, there have been no prosecutions.

Teenage pregnancy remains high at 23%, with nearly 43% of adolescents becoming sexually active before 18 years of age. When seeking sexual and reproductive services, girls face stigma, misinformation about parental consent, and limited access to youth-friendly care. Many are forced to leave school, undermining their long-term wellbeing and independence.

The Working Group urged the Government to upscale, resource, and implement targeted interventions for girls, especially those who are from low-income and rural backgrounds, pregnant, married, or otherwise marginalised, and combat discriminatory attitudes within families and communities that undervalue girls’ education.

They welcomed progress in reducing maternal mortality and introducing national strategies on gender-based violence (GBV), reflected in expanded access to reproductive health services and legal aid in some areas. “However, child sexual abuse remains a serious concern, with girls left behind by migrant worker parents, unaccompanied minors, girls with disabilities, orphaned girls, and girls belonging to religious sects being particularly vulnerable,” the experts said.

They also noted that despite the passage of relevant laws, online spaces increasingly restrict the freedom of expression of women and girls, with frequent targeting through cyberbullying, revenge pornography, victim-blaming, and gendered disinformation.

In some provinces, the Working Group was informed that GBV risks for women and girls are exacerbated by an increasing drug and substance abuse crisis, largely among young men. The experts called on the Government to increase anti-GBV sensitisation campaigns, expand training for law enforcement and the judiciary on victim-centered and trauma-informed approaches, and ensure timely prosecutions.

“The Government should adequately resource shelters and One-Stop Centres, which are essential services and a core State responsibility.”

The experts stressed the need to ensure that gender equality is embraced as a societal value that benefits all. “Gender equality is not a zero-sum goal—men and boys also stand to benefit significantly from a more just and equal society,” they said.

The Working Group called on the Government to promote public awareness campaigns and prioritise “human rights education for boys and girls, grounded in the values of equality, dignity, and autonomy.”

“Gender equality must be more than a promise on paper—it must become a lived reality for every woman and girl in Zimbabwe,” they said.

The Working Group will present its final report on the visit to the UN Human Rights Council in June 2026.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of United Nations: Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR).

Source: APO

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With the support of Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TİKA), the first kidney transplant in Burkina Faso was successfully performed, marking a milestone in the country’s medical history and setting an example for health diplomacy in West Africa.

Organized in collaboration with the Turkish Society of Intensive Care and the Turkish Transplant Foundation (TONV), and supported by TİKA, the program included both training and practical applications in the field of healthcare.

As part of the initiative in Ouagadougou, the capital of Burkina Faso, more than 200 Burkinabé doctors and healthcare professionals received a two-day “Basic Intensive Care Training” conducted by expert physicians from Türkiye. The program was recognized as one of the most comprehensive intensive care training sessions ever held in Africa.

A highlight of the visit was the country’s first kidney transplant, carried out under the leadership of the Turkish medical team.

During their stay, the Turkish delegation also met with the Minister of Health of Burkina Faso and other senior officials to explore further opportunities for cooperation in healthcare.

President Traoré receives Turkish health delegation

Another key moment of the visit was the audience at the Presidential Palace, where Burkina Faso President Ibrahim Traoré welcomed the Turkish health delegation. President Traoré expressed his appreciation for Türkiye’s expertise in healthcare and stated his wish for Türkiye to become his country’s principal partner in this field.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TIKA).

Source: APO – Report:

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On August 8, Mr. MATSUMOTO, Parliamentary Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs, received a courtesy call by Mr. Toufik Milat, Ambassador-Designate of the People’s Democratic Republic of Algeria to Japan. The overview is as follows.

1. At the outset, Parliamentary Vice-Minister Matsumoto welcomed the arrival of Ambassador-Designate Milat who has extensive experiences. He then expressed his will to continue discussion to further strengthen bilateral relations to develop bilateral economic cooperation in various areas, based on the first meeting of the Japan-Algeria Intergovernmental Joint Economic Committee held in May.
2. In response, Ambassador-Designate Milat expressed his aspiration to strengthen bilateral cooperation in various fields, including economy.
3. Both sides concurred to continue actively exchanging high-level visits between the two countries, and to cooperate in advancing Japan-Algeria relations in various fields, including economy and diplomacy.

He also expressed his desire to continue discussions aimed at strengthening bilateral relations, building on the multifaceted development of economic cooperation, including the first Joint Economic Committee held in May.

– on behalf of Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan.