Source: Government of Qatar
Doha, June 18, 2025
HH the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani received a written message from HE President of the Islamic Republic of Iran Dr. Masoud Pezeshkian pertaining to bilateral ties and the means to enhance them.
The message was received by HE Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Sultan bin Saad Al Muraikhi during a meeting with HE Ambassador of the Islamic Republic of Iran to the State of Qatar Ali Salehabadi.
Source: Government of Qatar
Doha, June 18, 2025
HH the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thaniآ received a written message from HE President of the Republic of Panama Jose Raul Mulino, pertaining to bilateral relations and means of supporting and developing them.
HE Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Sultan bin Saad Al Muraikhi received the message during his meeting Wednesday with HE Ambassador of the Republic of Panama to the State of Qatar Johnny Mayani.
The African Energy Week (AEW): Invest in African Energies conference – taking place September 29 to October 3 in Cape Town – will host an Energy Finance Track, dedicated to exploring the opportunities, challenges and emerging trends across Africa’s investment environment. The Energy Finance Track – hosted across the three-day main conference agenda – covers a variety of topics and aims to reduce risk perception, identify strategic investment avenues while exploring innovative finance models that drive projects forward in Africa.
The Energy Finance Track features a suite of companies, all of which will tackle strategic topics. These include African and global national oil companies, global energy and intelligence firms, energy and technology service providers, downstream regulators, upstream operators, African E&P firms, renewable energy developers, and many more. From access to finance to investment risks to Merger & Acquisition (M&A) activity, regional projects and development finance, the track will support decision-making and deal-signing in Africa’s energy sector.
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.
Africa’s energy sector continues to witness a surge in investment, as both operators and financiers expand their portfolios across the continent. In 2025, capital expenditure across the continent is projected to hit $43 billion, rising to $54 billion by 2030. Onshore projects are expected to represent the lion’s share of expenditure at 56%, while natural gas is estimated to draw the majority of capital by 2030, accounting for over 60% of hydrocarbon investment during this period. Deepwater exploration is also on the rise, particularly in frontier markets such as Namibia and Ivory Coast. Financing exploration and production projects remains a key challenge, however, as the global capital pool continues to decline. The AEW: Invest in African Energies Energy Finance Track will address this challenge, with panels geared towards exploring innovative strategies to raise capital for oil and gas projects. Sessions include Reducing Barriers to Entry in African Energy Investments; Financing Upstream Projects for Domestic Energy Security; Sourcing International and African Capital for the Acquisition and Development of Marginal and Undeveloped Fields; and African Equity Risk Premium.
Africa’s M&A landscape has also proven to be dynamic in recent years, with future projections showing a positive growth trajectory as companies seeks new investment and partnership opportunities across the continent. Driven by rising capital expenditure, a surge in exploration and a focus on frontier basins across the continent, M&A activity continues to grow in Africa. Amid this growth, the Energy Finance Track will address strategies for supporting future M&A activity. Sessions on Strategic Financing for M&A and Navigating Risk and Insurance in African M&A, will examine identified risk and liabilities between buyers and sellers and how access to capital, regulatory hurdles and shifting investment trends are impacting Africa’s M&A landscape.
Beyond oil and gas, Africa’s renewable energy and power landscape is on track for significant growth, as countries diversify their energy systems and seek to support broader economic growth. With over 600 million people living without access to electricity across the continent, African countries are accelerating the pace and development of power infrastructure, from generation to transmission to storage. Yet, financing challenges remain. The International Energy Agency projects that to meet the continent’s energy access, climate and development goals, Africa requires annual energy investments to more than double to over $240 billion by 2030. Key sectors include energy access, power systems and emerging industries such as clean energy technologies.
The Energy Finance Track will unpack the role innovative financing mechanisms and regional collaboration plays in achieving the continent’s energy and development goals. Sessions on Intra-Africa Commodities Trading and Financing Cross-Border Pipelines and Shared Infrastructure Projects will explore how increased regional trade can serve as a catalyst for economic development in Africa. Additionally, sessions on Integrated Energy Projects: Is Financing Easier and Energy Finance Strategies: Lessons Across Africa will examine how blended finance, public-private partnership models and development finance can support energy development.
“The AEW: Invest in African Energies 2025 Energy Finance Track offers a unique opportunity for African financiers to gain insight into emerging opportunities across the continent. At the same time, the track offers project developers, governments and public institutions the chance to explore new methods of financing, while addressing critical challenges to energy development,” stated Oré Onagbesan, AEW: Invest in African Energies Program Director.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of African Energy Chamber.
Source: The Conversation – Africa – By Olivier Sterck, Associate professor, University of Oxford
Humanitarian needs are rising around the world. At the same time, major donors such as the US and the UK are pulling back support, placing increasing strain on already overstretched aid systems.
Global humanitarian needs have quadrupled since 2015, driven by new conflicts in Sudan, Ukraine and Gaza. Added to these are protracted crises in Yemen, Somalia, South Sudan, and DR Congo, among others. Yet donor funding has failed to keep pace, covering less than half of the requested US$50 billion in 2024, leaving millions without assistance.
Notably, the US recently slashed billions of US dollars from global relief efforts. The slashed contributions once made up to half of all public humanitarian funding and over a fifth of the UN’s budget. Other donors have been cutting aid as well.
As funding shortfalls widen, humanitarian agencies increasingly face tough choices: reducing the scale of operations, pausing essential services, or cancelling programmes altogether. Disruptions to aid delivery have become a routine feature of humanitarian operations.
Yet few rigorous studies have provided hard evidence of the consequences for affected populations.
A recent study from one of the world’s largest refugee camps in Kenya fills this gap.
Our research team from the University of Oxford and the University of Antwerp was already studying Kakuma camp and then had an opportunity to see what happened when aid was cut. We observed the impact of a 20% aid cut that occurred in 2023.
The study reveals that cuts to humanitarian assistance had dramatic impacts on hunger and psychological distress, with cascading effects on local credit systems and prices of goods.
Kakuma is home to more than 300,000 refugees, who mostly came from South Sudan (49%), Somalia (16%), and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) (10%). They have been housed here since 1992. With widespread poverty, lack of income opportunities, and aid making up over 90% of household income, survival in the camp hinges on humanitarian support from UN organisations.
When the research began in late 2022, most refugees in Kakuma received a combination of in-kind and cash transfers from the World Food Programme. Transfers were worth US$17 per person per month, barely enough to cover the bare essentials: food, firewood and medicine.
Over the span of a year, the research team tracked 622 South Sudanese refugee households, interviewing them monthly to monitor how their living conditions evolved in response to the timing and level of aid they received. We also gathered weekly price data on 70 essential goods and conducted more than 250 in-depth interviews with refugees, shopkeepers, and humanitarian staff to understand the broader impacts.
Then came the cut. In July 2023, assistance was reduced by 20%, just as the research team was conducting its eighth round of data collection. This sudden reduction in humanitarian aid created a rare opportunity to assess the effects of an aid cut on both recipients and the markets they depend on.
The 20% cut in humanitarian aid had cascading effects, affecting not just hunger, but local credit systems, prices, and well-being.
1. Hunger got worse. As a Somali refugee interviewed by the researchers put it: “After the aid reduction, the lives of refugees become hard. That was the money sustaining them. […] Things are insufficient, and hunger is visible.”
Food insecurity was already widespread before the cut, with more than 90% of refugees classified as food insecure. Average caloric intake stood below 1,900 kcal per person per day – well under the World Food Programme’s 2,100 kcal target and about half the average daily calorie supply available to a US citizen.
Food insecurity further increased following the aid cut, with caloric intake falling by 145 kcal, a 7% decrease. The share of households eating one meal or less increased by 8 percentage points, from about 29% to 37%. At the same time, dietary diversity narrowed, indicating that households tried to mitigate the negative impacts of the aid cut by reducing the variety of foods they consumed.
2. Credit collapsed. As a refugee shopkeeper of Ethiopian origin reported: “When we give out credit we have a limit; since the aid is reduced, the credit is also reduced.”
Cash assistance in Kakuma is delivered through aid cards, which refugees routinely use as collateral to access food on credit. When transfers are delayed or unexpected expenses arise, refugees hand over their aid cards as a guarantee to trusted shopkeepers, allowing them to borrow food against next month’s aid.
But when assistance was cut, the value of this informal collateral plummeted. Retailers, fearing default, reduced lending or refused lending altogether. Informal credit from shopkeepers shrank by 9%. Many refugees reported being refused food on credit or having to repay past debt before receiving any new goods.
3. Households liquidated assets. With no access to credit, households began selling off possessions and drawing down food reserves. The average value of household assets fell by over 6% after the aid cut.
4. Psychological distress increased. The aid cut reduced self-reported sleep quality and happiness, indicating that reductions in aid go beyond physical impacts and also have psychological effects.
5. Prices fell. With reduced expenditure and purchasing power, the demand for food dropped, and food prices went down, partially offsetting the negative effects of the aid cut.
The study carries two major policy implications.
First, aid in contexts like Kakuma should not be treated as optional or discretionary, but as a structural necessity. It is the backbone of daily life. Mechanisms are needed to protect it from abrupt donor withdrawals.
Second, informal credit is not peripheral, it is central to economic life in refugee settings. In many camps, shopkeepers act as retailers and de facto financial institutions. When aid transfers serve as both income and collateral, cutting them risks collapsing this fragile credit system. Cash transfer programmes must therefore be designed with these dynamics in mind.
– What happens when aid is cut to a large refugee camp? Kenyan study paints a bleak picture
– https://theconversation.com/what-happens-when-aid-is-cut-to-a-large-refugee-camp-kenyan-study-paints-a-bleak-picture-259055
Source: The Conversation – Africa – By Stephen Onyeiwu, Professor of Economics & Business, Allegheny College
The Nigerian economy grew at a robust rate of 3.4% in 2024, the highest it has been since 2019 (except 2021 when the COVID rebound occurred).
This should have been cheering news, worthy of firecrackers and champagne-popping. Rather it came with a catch: the country’s poverty profile worsened.
In its annual review of the country, the World Bank applauded Nigeria for its economic reforms. These include the removal of fuel subsidies, liberalisation of the foreign exchange market and maintenance of a contractionary monetary policy. This is a policy of raising interest rates, reducing money supply and increasing borrowing costs to rein in inflation.
But the bank also drew attention to the fact that the country’s poverty profile has become grim. About 31% of Nigerians lived in poverty prior to the COVID-19 epidemic. Since then, an additional 42 million have become poor, increasing the poverty rate to about 46% in 2024.
Poverty is even worse in Nigeria’s rural communities: 75.5% live on US$2.15 or less per day (based on 2017 prices). The average poverty rate for sub-Saharan African countries was 36.5% in 2024 and 0.8% for East Asia and the Pacific.
Nigeria’s poverty rate would have been higher if the multidimensional poverty index had been used. In addition to income, the index considers access to education, health, decent housing, nutrition, sanitation, electricity and water. Access to these critical services has worsened for many Nigerians, despite improvements in macroeconomic stability.
Read more: Poor rural infrastructure holds back food production by small Nigerian farmers
A challenge for policy makers is how to translate impressive macroeconomic outcomes into high-paying jobs, lower poverty rates and access to health, good sanitation, education, electricity and affordable housing. The question is even more acute for people in rural areas.
As an economist who has studied the Nigerian economy for over four decades and lived in a rural community, I believe Nigeria needs a radical shift in its economic policy approach.
One major step should be a change in the country’s growth drivers. Oil, information and communications technology and finance are the major drivers of growth in Nigeria.
These sectors are not employment-intensive, and they require skills that most Nigerians don’t have. Because of the lack of employment opportunities in these sectors, most Nigerians gravitate towards the informal sector, which accounts for about 90% of employment in the country.
By continuing to urge Nigerians to be patient for economic reforms to have a positive impact on their living conditions, the Tinubu administration appears to assume that improvements in macroeconomic performance will eventually manifest in lower unemployment and poverty rates. This notion of “trickle-down economics” is misconceived and illusory.
The government needs to intentionally create transmission mechanisms through which economic growth and macroeconomic stability can raise living standards.
Concerted efforts will be needed to target poverty in general, and rural poverty in particular.
Five key policies could get Nigeria closer to this goal:
Building productive capacities: People who live in rural areas in Nigeria are eager to work and full of creative ideas and entrepreneurial spirit. But they lack the resources and opportunity to fully unleash their potential.
Building their productive capacities would entail giving them access to basic education, technical and managerial skills, and other productive resources such as tools, equipment, finance and land. The government should identify the comparative advantage of different rural communities, and put in place policies that encourage those communities to use their comparative advantage and distinctive competencies.
Opportunity to diversify incomes: In developed countries, many people hold multiple jobs. Most rural dwellers in Nigeria, however, rely on agriculture as their only source of livelihood.
Because of limited access to inputs and modern technology, and outdated agricultural practices, their productivity is often very low. Their low income makes it difficult to save and invest in education, health and housing.
Non-agricultural activities, especially manufacturing, need to be located in rural communities, to give rural dwellers the opportunity to diversify their income sources.
Agriculture-led industrial strategy: This would involve the location of manufacturing plants close to the sources of agricultural raw materials.
Nigerian manufacturers locate their factories in urban areas. The result of urban-biased development strategy in Nigeria has been the lack of employment opportunities in rural communities, and a decline in the rural population, from about 85% in 1960 to 46% in 2023.
Moving manufacturing to rural areas would require massive investment in infrastructure such as electricity, water, roads and health services.
Read more: Nigeria’s new blue economy ministry could harness marine resources – moving the focus away from oil
Ending patriarchy and male domination: Women disproportionately bear the burden of rural poverty in Nigeria. A study in rural south-east Nigeria found that the poverty rate among women was 98%, compared to 85% for men. Men are often given preference regarding access to land, education, skills acquisition and financial inclusion.
Women are also imbued with the responsibility of caring for children, the elderly and the sick, as well as household chores. This leaves them with little time for paid work or opportunities to acquire marketable skills.
Ability to absorb shocks and vulnerability: Rural poverty is often exacerbated by shocks and vulnerability such as extreme weather conditions, attacks by insurgents and other criminal groups, and illness. With no safety nets, and little or no saving, most rural dwellers are unable to withstand shocks.
The Tinubu administration plans to disburse N25,000 (about US$17) each to 60 million Nigerians. But these kinds of support are too small, non-pervasive, irregular and unpredictable.
Read more: Nigeria needs to close the financial inclusion gap for women smallholder farmers
Nigeria could do well to borrow from the Indian model of an institutionalised safety net.
India issues “ration cards” to eligible households. The cards enable poor people to purchase essential food items such as grains, milk, eggs, cooking oil and bread at subsidised prices from designated stores.
Nigeria could finance this kind of programme with a special tax on oil companies and financial institutions, which frequently post huge after-tax profits.
China has had an impressive record of poverty reduction. Using the US$1.90 poverty line, China’s poverty rate decreased from 88.1% in 1981 to 0.3% in 2018.
The fall in rural poverty is even more dramatic, from 96% in 1980 to 1% in 2019.
This reduction was accomplished in stages, starting with an increase in agricultural productivity. It then shifted focus to the development of non-agricultural sectors of the economy, including manufacturing. These sectors were able to draw surplus labour from the agricultural sector, giving them skills that led to higher wages and poverty alleviation.
Read more: Poor rural infrastructure holds back food production by small Nigerian farmers
The World Bank in its report noted that addressing pressing social and humanitarian challenges remains critical to ensuring inclusive and sustainable growth in Nigeria.
Cash transfers and social assistance programmes could provide temporary relief for the poor in rural communities. But a long-term solution is to build their productive capacities and transform rural communities in ways that provide opportunities for income diversification.
– Nigeria’s economy is growing but rural poverty is rising: 5 key policies to address the divide
– https://theconversation.com/nigerias-economy-is-growing-but-rural-poverty-is-rising-5-key-policies-to-address-the-divide-257152
The fourth OPEC Fund Development Forum (https://OPECFund.org) concluded today with a strong slate of new commitments, loan agreements and strategic partnerships to advance inclusive transition and sustainable development. The Forum brought together more than 700 global leaders, including government representatives, development institutions and private sector stakeholders, under the theme “A Transition That Empowers Our Tomorrow”.
The OPEC Fund announced some US$720 million in new financing to support development efforts across Africa, Asia, Latin America and the Caribbean, and saw the signing of US$362 million in new loan agreements. A new Trade Finance Initiative is set to secure vital supplies and help close trade-related liquidity gaps in partner countries.
OPEC Fund President Abdulhamid Alkhalifa said: “The OPEC Fund Development Forum reflects our conviction that partnerships must deliver results. Today we achieved tangible progress – with new signings, new partnerships and new approaches to help our partner countries turn ambition into action. Whether in energy, infrastructure, agriculture or finance, we are responding with solutions that make a difference.”
As part of its Small Island Developing States (SIDS) initiative, the OPEC Fund signed cooperation agreements with Grenada, and the Solomon Islands, expanding support for climate resilience and sustainable infrastructure.
Deepening Country Partnerships for Long-term Impact
New country-level agreements and cooperation frameworks include:
Scaling up Private Sector Support
The OPEC Fund continues to prioritize private sector-led growth with targeted financing to financial institutions across Africa:
New Trade Finance Initiative
Advancing global cooperation
The Forum also featured new agreements to deepen multilateral cooperation:
Ahead of the Forum, the OPEC Fund hosted the Annual Meeting of the Heads of Institutions of the Arab Coordination Group (ACG). Delegates participated in a high-level roundtable with the President of Mauritania, Mohamed Ould Ghazouani to strengthen development collaboration and mobilize investment flows to Mauritania. The roundtable resulted in an ACG joint pledge of US$2 billion financing over the next five years. This will be directed to vital sectors, including energy, water, transportation and digital infrastructure to stimulate economic growth. A dedicated Arab Donors Roundtable on the Sahel addressed strategies to mobilize greater support for the region’s urgent challenges. It was organized by the Permanent Interstate Committee for Drought Control in the Sahel (CLISS) and sponsored by the OPEC Fund’s partner institution, the Arab Bank for Economic Development in Africa (BADEA).
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of OPEC Fund.
Media Contact:
Basak Pamir
OPEC Fund for International Development
Head of Outreach & Multimedia
B.Pamir@opecfund.org
+431511564174
Telephone: +43-1-515 64-0
Fax: +43-1-513 92 38
www.OPECFund.org
About the OPEC Fund:
The OPEC Fund for International Development (the OPEC Fund) is the only globally mandated development institution that provides financing from member countries to non-member countries exclusively. The organization works in cooperation with developing country partners and the international development community to stimulate economic growth and social progress in low- and middle-income countries around the world. The OPEC Fund was established in 1976 with a distinct purpose: to drive development, strengthen communities and empower people. Our work is people-centered, focusing on financing projects that meet essential needs, such as food, energy, infrastructure, employment (particularly relating to MSMEs), clean water and sanitation, healthcare and education. To date, the OPEC Fund has committed more than US$29 billion to development projects in over 125 countries with an estimated total project cost of more than US$200 billion. The OPEC Fund is rated AA+/Outlook Stable by Fitch and S&P Global Ratings. Our vision is a world where sustainable development is a reality for all.
Source: South Africa News Agency
KwaZulu-Natal Finance MEC Francois Rodgers has unveiled the province’s new digital Supply Chain Management (SCM) system, which aims to reduce wasteful expenditure, fraud, corruption, and bias in government procurement processes.
Speaking at the official launch in Pietermaritzburg on Tuesday, Rodgers announced that KwaZulu-Natal is the first province in South Africa to implement such system, which is set to be piloted during the management of the province’s R158 billion budget in the 2025/2026 financial year.
Rodgers acknowledged that the province has experienced numerous challenges linked to manual procurement system, which he described as a major source of irregularities.
“Generally, the root of fraud, corruption, irregular and wasteful expenditure can be found in our SCM processes. The implementation of a digital procurement system has become a priority,” Rodgers said.
According to Rodgers, the digital procurement platform implementation may derive in the following benefits:
• Enforcing transparency and efficiency in procurement processes. Minimizing supply SCM fraud, corruption, bias, and enabling a fair and just environment for all stakeholders involved.
• Replacing all manual submissions and reduce human errors and the creation of audit trails which will foster accountability at all levels.
• The electronic system will also foster a culture of openness, empowering suppliers to compete on a level playing field, irrespective of their size or background, whilst ensuring targeted procurement from priority groups.
• Reduction of irregular expenditure through effective planning and contract management.
• Compliance with SCM policies and regulations.
• The system will allow for budget blocking especially at requisition creation stage.
• The system will allow for price bench marking to ensure that the province obtains value for money and negotiates based on market prices.
Rodgers said the system has been approved by National Treasury, with full implementation expected to take place between January 2026 and April 2027, in the selected departments.
He said set-up costs are expected to range from R3 million to R5 million, with R20 million already allocated from the funds saved by the MEC through cost-cutting measures and curbing wasteful expenditure.
Provincial data analysis centre
In another first for KwaZulu-Natal, Rodgers announced that the Provincial Treasury will be setting up a Data Analysis Centre, which will allow the analysis of provincial financial data to enable MECs and all departments’ management to make timeous and informed financial decisions.
Rodgers said the centre will feature a comprehensive financial dashboard, which will allow real-time monitoring of provincial finances by MECs and departmental leadership.
“This tool will allow us to observe total expenditure and revenue collection to address timeously issues of over-spending and under-collection. The dashboard will also enable provincial government leaders to live-monitor human capital trends in all departments.
“The dashboard is imperative to the development of an ethical and capable state. It will also aid in the determination of the quantum of accruals (invoices received and not paid), quantum of debts (monies owed to government), whether governance committees are meeting and whether all invoices are paid within 30 days,” Rodgers said.
He added that through the dashboard, the provincial government will be able to tell the extend of critical vacancy rates across government departments. – SAnews.gov.za
Source: South Africa News Agency
After ending a 27-year wait to win an International Cricket Council’s Test Championship (ICC), the national men’s cricket team, Proteas Men, have only just started to build momentum towards a culture of winning.
In a thrilling final against Australia, the Proteas Men secured a historic victory with a five-wicket win on day four at Lord’s in England on Saturday. This was the first senior Men’s trophy since the 1998 ICC Knockout victory.
“We hope that this can be the start of a lot more of these trophies. As much as we have achieved what we achieved in the past 18 – 24 months, this is not a big legacy as of yet. We will speak again in two to three years. We want to start a culture of winning trophies for the country,” Proteas men’s Captain Temba Bavuma said in Johannesburg at a media briefing.
The men’s national cricket team received an electrifying welcome with jubilation, song and dance from supporters on their arrival at OR Tambo International Airport, on Wednesday morning.
“Seeing so many people welcome us at the airport was quite overwhelming. It was different from the last time we came back from the world cup in 2023. You don’t really realise what you have done until you start to interact with people.
“To see the emotion, to hear the things they have got to say; it gives you an insight into what we have done. As a team we are proud that we have been able to achieve something like this, but we are even happier that we have made our people proud,” Bavuma said.
READ | Cricket world champions arrive home
This marked South Africa’s first-ever appearance in a World Test Championship Final, and their triumphant performance signalled a landmark achievement for the nation’s cricketing history.
This as Australia, currently ranked number one in the ICC Men’s Test Team Rankings, entered the final as favourites and defending champions.
The Proteas, ranked second, rose to the occasion and delivered a memorable performance, cementing their status as one of the world’s elite test sides.
The Captain expressed how the team’s journey has not been an easy one.
“As a team we have our story. It wasn’t a simple and easy one. We have overcome a lot and managed to get to where we are. The biggest thing is that we have embraced everything that means to be a South African,” he said.
The cricket team hopes this inspires budding cricketers and the nation.
“Similarly to them, in their quest, their journey for what they want to achieve, as long as they keep having that passion, keep pushing against what people think is the unachievable.
“We have been confident enough that we have been playing good cricket. We have been getting ourselves in a position where we can be in finals. Just like with anything, you got to keep going and keep being relentless.
“There was always that belief that at some point the harder we knock on that door, that it was going to happen,” Bavuma said.
He said the beauty about international cricket is that there is always more games to play.
“There’s the Zimbabwe tournament that leads into the start of the new test cycle [which] we will be setting our eyes on what we want to achieve over there. There is always something that we are working towards, it’s a legacy that we want to achieve [and] and trying to put together as a team.
“The legacy is not done yet. For now, we want to enjoy what this moment has brought to us,” Bavuma said.
Cricket South Africa’s (CSA) head of national teams, Enoch Nkwe, said this victory will have a huge impact on generations to come.
He said this restores a lot of faith and belief in South African cricket.
“We look at this format as a foundation to key fundamentals to other formats and the growth of cricket, not only in South Africa, but globally. What is encouraging is this is going to motivate a 15-year-old. We are going to ensure from behind the scenes that will continue to build these building blocks through this format,” Nkwe said.
The Minister of Sport, Arts and Culture, Gayton McKenzie, said the team’s win gives the nation hope.
“People should see themselves when they watch our national teams, and that is what we are doing in cricket. They are following in the footsteps of rugby. We are a socially cohesive country [and] a rainbow nation, and you can see this.
“We are the best sporting nation in the world. We have the strongest women and men in the world. We have the fastest runners, the best soccer players, [and] we have the best rugby players and cricket team,” the Minister said.
The Proteas men’s head coach Shukri Conrad also expressed his joy at the warm reception the team received upon their arrival at the airport.
“I am absolutely ecstatic to see people come out in their hundreds. It makes this win even more special. We won a few days ago but it hasn’t sunk in. To get a reception like this… it starts to sink in. The guys have been great, but the fans have been better,” Conrad said. – SAnews.gov.za
Source: Africa Press Organisation – English (2) – Report:
Anibor Kragha, Executive Secretary of the African Refiners & Distributors Association (ARDA) – a pan-African organization that serves as the voice of the continent’s downstream sector – will speak at this year’s African Energy Week (AEW): Invest in African Energies conference. Taking place on September 29-October 3 in Cape Town, the event is the largest gathering of energy stakeholders on the continent. Kragha’s participation will contribute to discussions on the downstream sector, covering challenges, opportunities, trends and projects.
This comes as many of Africa’s major oil and gas producers – including Nigeria, Angola, Algeria and the Republic of Congo – pursue bold strategies to strengthen domestic petroleum value chains. These efforts aim to reduce refined petroleum imports and improve fuel security. ARDA plays a key role by promoting strategic collaboration, policy advocacy and industry innovation. Recently, the association called for the creation of an African downstream register to better support projects. At AEW 2025: Invest in African Energies Kragha is expected to outline the benefits of such a register and highlight ARDA’s strategies to drive downstream expansion.
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 http://www.AECWeek.com for more information about this exciting event.
Refinery development is a critical priority for many African countries, with several major projects underway to boost regional fuel distribution and lower costs. Angola is advancing three new facilities aiming for a combined capacity of 445,000 barrels per day (bpd), including the 60,000 bpd Cabinda refinery (expected online in 2025), the 200,000 bpd Lobito facility and the 150,000 bpd Soyo project. Nigeria’s Dangote Refinery, Africa’s largest at 650,000 bpd, is progressing toward full operational capacity. In the Republic of Congo, the Fouta Refinery, designed to produce 2.5 million tons of petroleum products annually, is slated to begin operations by the end of 2025. South Africa plans to rehabilitate the SAPREF refinery, which has been closed since 2022. The refurbishment aims to raise capacity from 180,000 bpd to 600,000 bpd, opening new opportunities for affordable fuel supply.
Beyond refineries, several African countries are prioritizing cross-border pipelines to boost exports and regional fuel distribution. Notable projects include the 1,443-km East Africa Crude Oil Pipeline linking Uganda’s oilfields to Tanzania’s Port of Tanga and expected to start operations in 2026. Nigeria’s $25 billion Nigeria-Morocco Gas Pipeline will traverse 13 West African countries over 5,660 km to connect Nigerian gas fields with European markets via Morocco, with production targeted for 2029. Meanwhile, a planned $13 billion pipeline running from Nigeria through Niger to Algeria, spanning 4,128 km and delivering 30 billion cubic meters of gas annually, aims to facilitate regional exports and deeper African collaboration.
While these developments mark significant progress toward expanding fuel distribution in Africa, achieving downstream ambitions requires substantial investment. Kragha’s participation at AEW 2025: Invest in African Energies is expected to provide valuable insights on sector challenges and opportunities, fostering new deals and partnerships.
“In order to end energy poverty by 2030, Africa must significantly scale up investments across the downstream sector,” says Ore Onagbesan, Program Director of AEW 2025. “By shifting from an export-driven to a domestic-focused mindset, the continent can unlock greater value from its oil and gas resources. Organizations like ARDA recognize the critical role refining, pipelines, petrochemicals and terminals play in enhancing energy security across Africa.”
– on behalf of African Energy Chamber.
Download logo
Source: Africa Press Organisation – English (2) – Report:
Filippo Bof, Head of Business Development: Africa and Med at Shell Trading & Shipping – the trading and supply branch of energy major Shell – will speak at this year’s Angola Oil & Gas (AOG) conference. Taking place on September 3-4 in Luanda, the event is the official meeting platform for the country’s hydrocarbon sector, uniting investors and operators from across the entire petroleum value chain. With a prominent presence in Africa, Shell Trading & Shipping is well-positioned to lead discussions on enhancing regional trade and petroleum distribution.
During AOG 2025, Bof will participate in a panel discussion titled: From Extraction to Expansion: Financing Angola’s Oil & Gas’ Development, where he is expected to share insight into the role of multilateral lenders, development banks and private equity in unlocking projects across the value chain. Shell Trading & Shipping is seeking new opportunities to finance oil and gas projects, and with its expertise in hydrocarbon trade, stands to play an instrumental role in supporting the next wave of downstream developments in Angola.
AOG is the largest oil and gas event in Angola. Taking place with the full support of the Ministry of Mineral Resources, Oil and Gas; the National Oil, Gas and Biofuels Agency; the Petroleum Derivatives Regulatory Institute; national oil company Sonangol; and the African Energy Chamber; the event is a platform to sign deals and advance Angola’s oil and gas industry. To sponsor or participate as a delegate, please contact sales@energycapitalpower.com.
As sub-Saharan Africa’s second-largest oil producer, Angola has ambitions to position itself as a regional petroleum hub. The country is accelerating the development of downstream infrastructure to achieve this goal, with projects underway in refining, petrochemical production and cross-border pipelines. Upcoming refining projects include the first phase of the Cabinda Refinery (30,000 bpd); the Lobito Refinery (200,000 bpd) and the Soyo Refinery (150,000 bpd). The Cabinda Refinery is expected to begin operations in 2025 while Angola is currently seeking $4.8 billion to bridge the financing gap for the Lobito Refinery. Additionally, the country has signed an agreement with Zambia for the development of a 1,400 km pipeline linking the Lobito Refinery to Zambia’s capital city Lusaka. Technical work for the pipeline was completed in 2024.
In addition to crude facilities, Angola strives to diversify its economy through natural gas projects. The country currently exports natural gas as LNG, primarily through its sole LNG facility in Soyo. Looking ahead, Angola seeks to develop steel and petrochemical manufacturing, while accelerating regional LPG distribution. These developments highlight a unique investment opportunity for global financiers, project developers and traders. Shell Trading & Shipping – with its global network of trading teams, shipping and maritime capabilities – offers an integrated network of supply and distribution abilities, and as such, has emerged as a strong partner for Angola as it strives to bolster exports and regional distribution.
– on behalf of Energy Capital & Power.
Download logo
