Category: MIL-OSI

Source: APO

A majority of Africans support the free movement of people across borders, but many remain cautious about immigration into their own countries, Afrobarometer’s (www.Afrobarometer.org) new African insights flagship report (https://apo-opa.co/3TXSRot) shows.

While citizens are quite open to having foreigners in their midst, they are evenly split on whether immigrants are good or bad for the national economy, and majorities would prefer to see fewer or no job seekers and refugees admitted into their country.

One unexpected finding stands out: In Africa, unlike elsewhere, it is the most educated, the most skilled, and the wealthiest who express the greatest resistance to immigrants.

The 2026 African insights report, the third in Afrobarometer’s annual flagship series, draws on 50,961 face-to-face interviews conducted in 38 countries in 2024/2025. It examines citizen views on five aspects of Africa’s relationship with the world: trade, migration, great-power competition, global voice, and climate change.

The findings reveal that the proportion of Africans who have considered emigrating has increased over the past decade, significantly surpassing levels of interest recorded in other global regions. The desire to emigrate is highest among the young and the educated, and is driven overwhelmingly by economic motivations.

The new report is accompanied by country scorecards (https://apo-opa.co/4hcEvud) that provide an at-a-glance snapshot of key indicators on international relations for each of the surveyed countries.

Key findings

• A majority (56%) of Africans say people in their region should be able to move freely across international borders, while 40% prefer that their governments limit cross-border movement to protect citizens’ access to jobs and opportunities (Figure 1).
• Just one in four citizens (23%) say it is “easy” or “very easy” to move across borders in order to work or trade, compared to 63% who describe it as difficult (Figure 2).
• Three-quarters (77%) of respondents say they would like or not mind having immigrants or foreign workers as neighbours (Figure 3).
  • But citizens are divided on whether immigrants are good (45%) or bad (44%) for their country’s economy (Figure 4).
  • Majorities would prefer to see fewer or no job seekers (64%) and refugees (70%) admitted into their country (Figure 5).
  • Higher levels of education are associated with lower support for admitting job seekers in Africa. Similarly, higher-skilled workers are less likely to report favourable attitudes than their lower-skilled counterparts.
• Nearly half (45%) of Africans have considered emigrating, including 25% who say they have thought about it “a lot” (Figure 6).
  • West Africans (34%) are more than twice as likely as East and North Africans (both 16%) to have given serious thought to finding new homes abroad.

• Across 31 countries where this question was also asked in Round 7 (2016/2018), there has been a 7-percentage-point increase in the proportion considering emigration “a lot,” from 18% to 25% (Figure 7).
• Serious thoughts of looking abroad are particularly common among youth (32% of those aged 18-35) and the most educated citizens (31%).
• Half (50%) of potential emigrants (those who have considered it at least “a little bit”) say they would go in search of work, and another 29% would leave to escape economic hardship. 
• Among potential emigrants, about one in five say they would go somewhere within the subregion (17%) or elsewhere in Africa (5%). About one in three (32%) would opt for Europe, followed closely by North America (28%). 
• Across 31 countries where the question was also asked in 2016/2018, the proportion preferring to move to another African country has dropped from 36% to 26%.

Afrobarometer surveys

Afrobarometer is a pan-African, nonpartisan survey research network that provides reliable data on African experiences and evaluations of democracy, governance, and quality of life. Ten survey rounds in up to 45 countries have been completed since 1999. Round 10 surveys (2024/2025) cover 38 countries.

Afrobarometer’s National Partners conduct face-to-face interviews with nationally representative samples of adults in the language of the respondent’s choice that yield country-level results with margins of error of +/-2 to +/-3 percentage points at a 95% confidence level. For more on the sampling methodology, click here (https://apo-opa.co/4cgyxoz).

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Afrobarometer.

For more information, please contact:
Josephine Appiah-Nyamekye Sanny
Director of communications
Email: jappiah@afrobarometer.org
Telephone: +233243240933

Visit us online at www.Afrobarometer.org.

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Source: APO

President of the Republic of Seychelles, Dr Patrick Herminie, today presided over the swearing-in ceremony of members of the Commission for the Enforcement, Implementation and Monitoring of the Recommendations of the Truth, Reconciliation and National Unity Commission (TRNUC).

Present at the ceremony were Vice President Mr Sebastien Pillay, former President Mr Danny Faure and members of the National Unity Committee.

The establishment of the Commission marks an important step insupporting the implementation of the recommendations contained in the TRNUC Final Report, and contributing to Seychelles’ ongoing process of reconciliation and national unity.

The creation of the Commission reflects President Dr Patrick Herminie’s commitment, since taking office, to promoting unity, reconciliation and a renewed sense of togetherness among the people of Seychelles. In previous addresses, the President has consistently emphasised the importance of bringing the country together, promoting healing and restoring hope.

During the ceremony, the Commissioners took their oath as Commissioners, formally assuming responsibility for overseeing, monitoring and supporting the implementation of the recommendations contained in the TRNUC Final Report.

The Commission will serve as an important mechanism to ensure coordination, follow-up and oversight of the implementation of the TRNUC recommendations, supporting the implementation of recommendations relating to victims identified in the TRNUC Final Report.

Speaking to the press following the ceremony, Commissioner Mr George Bibi explained that its primary responsibility is to determine reparations for victims identified in the TRNUC Final Report. He added that the Commission will work closely with relevant institutions, including the Seychelles Human Rights Commission, the Ministry of Education, and the Seychelles Police Force.

Mr Bibi further explained that the Commission will submit an annual report to the President on its activities and provide regular public updates to ensure transparency and prevent misinformation.

“Our role is to determine the quantum of reparations based on the recommendations contained in the TRNUC Final Report. Once a determination has been made, it will be forwarded to the Reparations Trust Fund for payment,” Mr Bibi said.

He noted that reparations will be assessed according to the nature of the violations identified in the TRNUC Final Report, including unlawful killing, unlawful imprisonment or other deprivation of physical liberty, forced eviction from legally owned property, forced exile, and other recognised violations.

Mr Bibi clarified that the Commission will not determine compensation solely on the amount requested by victims. Instead, it will establish a clear assessment framework for determining the quantum of compensation, ensuring that all claims are considered fairly, consistently and transparently.

“Today marks our first day in office. Our immediate priority is to establish our Standard Operating Procedures, including the framework that will guide the determination of reparations,” he said.

Once the assessment framework has been finalised, victims will be invited for individual interviews, during which the Commission will explain how the amount awarded was calculated. Should a victim disagree with the Commission’s determination, they will have the option of seeking redress through the courts. However, there will be no appeal process before the Commission itself, as this could delay the implementation of its mandate.

Acknowledging the long wait experienced by many victims, Mr Bibi said the Commission intends to begin its work without unnecessary delay.

“People have been waiting for this for a long time. We will use these first few days to establish our office and put the necessary administrative arrangements in place. We anticipate that recruitment and the installation of the required facilities will take approximately two months, and we expect to expects to become fully operational, subject to the completion of the necessary administrative arrangements. This is a sensitive responsibility, and while we recognise that we may not be able to satisfy everyone, we are committed to carrying out our mandate fairly, professionally and to the best of our ability.”

Mr Bibi also emphasised that the Commission’s responsibility is limited to determining the quantum of reparations. Responsibility for mobilising and managing the funds rests with the Reparations Trust Fund Committee, which will process payments based on the Commission’s determinations.

He further noted that reparations are not limited to monetary compensation.

“It is important to understand that reparations are not only monetary. They can take different forms, including restitution, compensation and rehabilitation. Our team includes members with legal and psychological expertise, while both Mr Gbilimou and I bring experience from our work with the TRNUC.”

The Commissioners will designate a Chairperson and a Vice Chairperson from among themselves. Their mandate will last for a period of five years.

The recommendations contained in the TRNUC Final Report were submitted to former President Wavel Ramkalawan at the end of March 2023.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of State House Seychelles.

Source: APO

FAO has strengthened regional capacity to detect and respond to brucellosis through specialised laboratory training on the Complement Fixation Test (CFT) at the Victoria Falls Wildlife Trust Veterinary Laboratory, a strategically located facility at the wildlife–livestock interface in the Kavango-Zambezi Transfrontier Conservation Area (KAZA).

The five-day training, held from 20 to 24 July 2026, was delivered under the European Union-funded Support Towards the Operationalization of the SADC Regional Agricultural Policy Project Phase II (STOSAR II), with complementary support from the Pandemic Fund multi-country project.

Opening the training, STOSAR II Project Coordinator, Dr Elma Zanamwe, welcomed participants, facilitators and partners, and acknowledged the collaboration among FAO, the Directorate of Veterinary Services/Central Veterinary Laboratory, the Victoria Falls Wildlife Trust Laboratory, ZimParks and KAZA partners. She noted that the training responded to a request from the KAZA Secretariat for FAO support to strengthen brucellosis diagnostic capacity and reflected the importance of collaboration between livestock and wildlife health institutions under FAO’s One Health approach.

Brucellosis is a bacterial zoonotic disease affecting livestock, wildlife and people. It can reduce animal productivity, affect food safety and livelihoods, and pose public health risks, particularly in areas where wildlife, livestock and communities interact closely.

The training addressed a practical diagnostic gap by strengthening capacity to move beyond initial screening with the Rose Bengal Plate Test towards reliable Complement Fixation Test capacity as part of complementary and confirmatory testing for brucellosis diagnosis and surveillance. This is particularly important in the KAZA landscape, where the movement of wildlife and interaction with livestock require timely detection, coordinated surveillance and evidence-based response.

By improving animal health surveillance and laboratory diagnosis, the initiative also contributes to reducing human health risks, protecting communities and supporting safer livestock production systems, in line with FAO’s One Health Programme Priority Area.

Building practical laboratory skills

The training brought together veterinarians and veterinary laboratory technologists from the Victoria Falls Wildlife Trust, ZimParks, Zimbabwe’s Central Veterinary Laboratory, the Bulawayo and Masvingo Provincial Veterinary Laboratories, FAO Zambia and FAO Zimbabwe. The programme strengthened both technical capacity and collaboration across wildlife and livestock health institutions.

Participants received theory and intensive practical laboratory training covering brucellosis epidemiology, One Health principles, biosafety, quality assurance and the full CFT workflow. Practical sessions focused on reagent preparation, serum processing, complement and haemolysin titration, test execution, quality control, troubleshooting and interpretation of results.

The training led to measurable improvements in participants’ knowledge and confidence. Average assessment scores increased from 69 percent before the training to 82 percent after the training. Participants also identified the practical laboratory sessions, troubleshooting exercises and interpretation of results as among the most valuable components of the programme.

Advancing One Health collaboration

The initiative reinforced collaboration among the Victoria Falls Wildlife Trust, ZimParks, the Directorate of Veterinary Services, FAO and the KAZA Secretariat. It also strengthened understanding of how laboratory diagnosis, disease surveillance and field epidemiology work together to support evidence-based decision-making at the wildlife–livestock interface.

Zimbabwe’s Central Veterinary Laboratory will continue to play an important role in technical mentorship, quality assurance and referral support as confirmatory brucellosis testing capacity is expanded. Continued collaboration is expected to improve disease reporting, sample referral and coordinated surveillance across the KAZA landscape.

Sustaining the gains from the training will require continued mentorship, quality-control support, reagent standardisation, documentation and coordinated technical backstopping among the Victoria Falls Wildlife Trust, the Central Veterinary Laboratory, ZimParks, FAO, the KAZA Secretariat and other partners.

The training forms part of the STOSAR II Project’s broader efforts to strengthen veterinary services, laboratory networks and One Health collaboration across Southern Africa. The skills gained through the training are expected to contribute to stronger brucellosis surveillance and response in Zimbabwe and the wider KAZA region, while helping safeguard livestock production, wildlife conservation, public health and rural livelihoods.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO): Regional Office for Africa.

Source: APO

Dilapidated health facilities should be renovated and elevated to district hospital status to improve service delivery, Members of Parliament have told the Government.

Hon. Joan Alobo (FDC, Soroti City Woman Representative), alluded to President Yoweri Museveni’s directives on improving health infrastructure in the country and adequately equipping hospitals, which she said remains lacking in many facilities.

“Soroti Regional Referral Hospital does not have infrastructure to house male and female patients, and they have ended up sharing one ward. I request this Parliament to task the Minister for Health to bring a comprehensive report on plans to refurbish our hospital,” said Alobo.

She made the call on Wednesday, 05 August 2026, during debate on a motion to appreciate the President on the State-of-the-Nation Address delivered to Parliament on 04 June 2026.

Hon. Umar Nangoli (Indep., Northern Division, Mbale City) cited Mbale Regional Referral Hospital where 2015 plans to erect a multi-purpose complex to cater for the emergency department, ENT, neonatal ward and special outpatients clinic have since stalled due to funding constraints.

“This project has been running on a fraction of the Shs14 billion hospital capital development fund under the health ministry. However, only Shs500 million has been allocated. The outstanding amount required to complete this complex is around Shs26 billion. My prayer is that the ministry completes this project for it to serve its intended purpose,” Nangoli said.

Lwemiyaga County MP, Hon. Emmanuel Rwashande highlighted the limited presence of health facilities in Ssembabule District, which he said has encumbered locals requiring health service delivery.

“We do not have a district referral hospital and as such, people end up crossing five districts to get health care in Masaka District. We request that these services are brought closer to our people, and that Ministry of Health sets up the required health centres in two of my sub-counties,” said Rwashande.

The Deputy Speaker, Thomas Tayebwa, reiterated the need to establish national referral hospitals in different regions of the country, to complement and decentralise the medical services offered by Mulago National Referral Hospital.

“You have Mbarara University of Science and Technology that is training in medicine and has specialists there. If it had a national referral hospital, all those professors who teach there would help all these patients. Do you have any plans for these hospitals?” Tayebwa noted.

The State Minister for Health (Primary Health Care), Hon. Charles Ayume, said there are plans to decongest key services offered within the capital, Kampala, by extending them to other districts in Uganda.

“In terms of oncology, we now have a unit in Gulu, and in September 2025, Parliament approved a loan request to support construction of an oncology hospital in West Nile. One will be constructed in Mbarara for the western region, and another in Mbale. This will be the same for cardiovascular treatment,” said Ayume.

He added that plans are underway to upgrade Mbarara Hospital to a national referral status, with long term plans to set up national referral hospitals in the Northern, Eastern, and West Nile regions of Uganda.

“But all these require a lot of money. You need a bare minimum of between Shs500 billion to Shs1 trillion. There have been delays in progress because of sectors like power, but now that electricity reaches all corners of the country, I think we are ready to decentralise,” Ayume added.

He acknowledged the wanting infrastructure at Soroti Regional Referral Hospital and said plans are in the pipeline to improve the facility.

“We agree as government that the infrastructure is dilapidated, and it is in our plan. Soroti Hospital was given 50 acres of land, and we are trying to consider whether we should relocate the hospital and build a new one, or remodel the existing infrastructure like we have done for Masindi Hospital,” noted Ayume.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Parliament of the Republic of Uganda.

Source: APO

Reliable agricultural data is helping African countries make better decisions on food security, agricultural development and sustainable agrifood systems. During the 2024–2025 biennium, the FAO Regional Office for Africa expanded technical support across the continent, helping countries strengthen agricultural statistics, improve national data systems and build the evidence needed for policy and investment.

Working across 47 African countries, the FAO Regional Office for Africa supports governments to collect, analyse and use agricultural data through national agricultural censuses and surveys, Food Balance Sheets, Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) monitoring and statistical capacity development. These efforts help countries generate the information needed to monitor national priorities, regional commitments and global development agendas.

During the biennium, FAO supported:

• 24 countries to conduct national agricultural surveys through the 50×2030 Initiative, expanding the availability of high-quality agricultural data.

• 16 countries to prepare or implement national agricultural censuses, strengthening the foundation for long-term agricultural statistics.

• 15 countries to compile national Food Balance Sheets, providing comprehensive information on food availability, dietary energy, proteins, fats and other nutrients to support food security and nutrition planning.

• 18 countries to strengthen monitoring and reporting of agriculture-related Sustainable Development Goal indicators.

• Multiple countries through technical training and capacity development to improve national statistical systems.

The results are contributing to stronger national statistical systems and improving the availability of reliable data for evidence-based policymaking. The biennium also saw improvements in the quality of data submitted to FAO’s global statistical databases and stronger collaboration with regional economic communities, particularly the Southern African Development Community (SADC) Secretariat.

Building long-term statistical capacity

To meet growing demand for technical support, the FAO Regional Office for Africa has adopted an approach that pools resources across programmes, develops regional expertise and invests in mentoring and on-the-job training. This model is helping expand technical capacity while ensuring countries receive sustained support in agricultural statistics.

Looking ahead, the FAO Regional Office for Africa aims to further strengthen its role as a regional centre of excellence for agricultural statistics and analytical work. By continuing to build national capacity and placing statistics at the centre of programme design, FAO is helping countries generate the data needed to shape policies, attract investment and accelerate agrifood systems transformation across Africa.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO): Regional Office for Africa.