Category: MIL-OSI

Source: APO

The Islamic Development Bank Institute (IsDBI) (https://IsDBInstitute.org/), in collaboration with the Tunisian Ministry of Economy and Planning, organized a capacity building program on “Risk Management in Islamic Financial Institutions” for the staff from key institutions in the country. The program took place from 10 to 14 November 2025 in Tunis. 

Organized in response to a request from the Government of Tunisia, the program aimed to equip participants with a solid understanding of both theoretical foundations and practical applications of risk management, thereby contributing to the strengthening the resilience and advancement of the Islamic financial sector in the country.  

Twenty participants took part in the training, representing the Central Bank of Tunisia, the Ministry of Finance, the Ministry of Economy and Planning, the Tunisian Solidarity Bank, the Bank for Financing Small and Medium Enterprises, the Tunisian Banking Company, the General Insurance Authority, and the Tunisian Company for Foreign Trade Insurance. 

The program was delivered by senior professional trainers, Dr. Mohammed Ayyash and Dr. Abozer Mohamed from the IsDBI, and Dr. Abdelkrim Guendouz from the Arab Monetary Fund. Over the course of 15 sessions, the training covered a wide range of topics including the key features and core principles of Islamic finance, Credit Risks, Market Risks, Liquidity Risks, Operation Risks, Rate of Return Risk and Equity Investment Risks. Participants also engaged in practical discussion and analysis of several business cases.  

The closing ceremony was attended by Her Excellency Mrs. Faiza Frad, the IsDB Alternate Governor and Director General of Arab and Islamic Cooperation at the Ministry of Economy and Planning, and Mr. Khalifa Al-Sabbou’i, Chairman and General Manager of the Tunisian Solidarity Bank. Certificates of attendance prepared by IsDBI were presented to the participants. 

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Islamic Development Bank Institute (IsDBI).

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About the Islamic Development Bank Institute:
The Islamic Development Bank Institute (IsDBI) is the knowledge beacon of the Islamic Development Bank Group. Guided by the principles of Islamic economics and finance, the IsDB Institute leads the development of innovative knowledge-based solutions to support the sustainable economic advancement of IsDB Member Countries and various Muslim communities worldwide. The IsDB Institute enables economic development through pioneering research, human capital development, and knowledge creation, dissemination, and management. The Institute leads initiatives to enable Islamic finance ecosystems, ultimately helping Member Countries achieve their development objectives. More information about the IsDB Institute is available on https://IsDBInstitute.org/ 

Source: APO

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The African Energy Commission (AFREC) has launched a new continental training on Renewable Energy in Nairobi today aimed at helping African Union (AU) Member States turn renewable energy concepts into bankable and buildable projects while fostering peer-to-peer knowledge exchange in Africa. The inaugural session brought together 45 energy sector officials from across the continent for an intensive, week-long course on planning, development and financing for renewable energy projects.

The programme, delivered with support from the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (SIDA) and in collaboration with Strathmore Energy Research Centre (SERC), comes as part of AFREC’s Comprehensive Capacity Building Programme designed to support human and institutional capacity of African countries.

Opening the session in Nairobi today, the AFREC Executive Director, Mr. Rashid Ali Abdallah, said the initiative responds to the need to convert strong policy ambitions into viable project pipelines “We are accelerating the path from policy to pipelines and from pipelines to megawatts,” he said. “This training gives practitioners the tools, a trusted peer network, and needed hands-on practice to turn promising ideas into financeable and operable projects.”

Hosted with the support of the Government of Kenya, the training convened participants from ministries in charge of energy for an intensive, practice-oriented curriculum aligned to national, regional and continental priorities. Over five days, participants engage the full project cycle of resource assessment and planning; technology selection and grid integration; policy and regulation; procurement and financing; and project management and operations—through short lectures, concrete case studies and group work. To translate lessons into real world applications, participants will also undertake a field visit to KENGEN Olkaria Geothermal Power Plant, one of Africa’s most significant geothermal developments.

Kenya’s Ministry of Energy and Petroleum highlighted the strategic importance of the programme. “Building the skills to pursue energy sovereignty is essential for Africa’s development,” said Dan Marangu, Director of Renewable Energy. “Kenya is committed to working with AFREC and the African Union, to accelerate the continent’s transition to affordable, reliable and sustainable energy for all.”

Representatives from Sweden underscored the value of intra-African learning. “Every country represented here brings unique experiences and solutions shaped by its own realities. Learning from these diverse perspectives is essential, because the expertise needed to drive Africa’s energy transition already exists within the continent,” said Ms. Ulrika Åkesson, Counsellor at the Embassy of Sweden in Kenya. “AFREC’s role in connecting Member States ensures that lessons learned in one country can inspire and guide progress in another.”

Meanwhile, Strathmore University emphasized the importance of local capacity. “Africa has abundant renewable resources and the talent to harness them,” said Prof. Izael Da Silva, Deputy Vice Chancellor, Research and Innovation. “SERC has trained more than 5,000 renewable energy experts who are now driving change in Africa.”

The Nairobi session is the first in series. A second cohort will convene in Cairo, Egypt, from 15 to 19 December, extending the training to more than 80 decision-makers from over 45 countries in 2025. AFREC plans to scale the initiative further in 2026, including through online courses delivered via its Capacity-Building Information System (e-learning platform) to broaden access and sustain cross-border skills sharing.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of African Union (AU).

Source: APO

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The Chairperson of the African Union Commission, H.E. Mahmoud Ali Youssouf, extends congratulations to the Government and people of the Kingdom of Morocco Anniversary of the country’s independence.

This important day commemorates the historic moment, when Morocco regained its full sovereignty following a long and determined struggle for national liberation. The resilience, unity and unwavering commitment of the Moroccan people during this period remain a powerful example of Africa’s journey toward freedom, dignity and self-determination.

The Chairperson commended Morocco’s unwavering commitment to continental integration and economic transformation, notably acknowledged its active role in acknowledge Morocco’s continued contributions to the African Union and to the advancement of peace, development, and regional cooperation across our continent.

The African Union Commission reaffirms its solidarity with the Government and people of Morocco as they celebrate this historic occasion and look ahead to an even more peaceful, prosperous, and united Africa, guided by the aspirations of Agenda 2063.

Happy Independence Day!

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of African Union (AU).

Source: APO

ALX (http://www.ALXAfrica.com/), Anthropic, and the Government of Rwanda have announced a landmark partnership to enhance learning and teaching across Africa through artificial intelligence. The initiative introduces “Chidi” – an AI-powered learning companion built on Anthropic’s Claude model, designed to guide both learners and educators through critical thinking and problem-solving.

“This collaboration marks a bold step in redefining how African talent learns, works, and leads in the age of AI,” says Fred Swaniker, Founder and CEO of ALX. “Through our partnership with Anthropic and the Government of Rwanda, we are ensuring that Africa’s youth are not just consumers of AI, but creators, shaping the innovations that will define the global economy.”

This partnership represents one of the largest AI-enhanced education deployments on the continent, uniting ALX’s commitment to empowering African talent, Anthropic’s vision for accessible and responsible AI, and Rwanda’s Vision 2050 to build an AI-ready workforce and accelerate digital transformation across Rwanda.

A dual commitment: Empowering both learners and educators

Following the successful Phase 1 rollout of Chidi to ALX learners across Africa, where more than 1,100 conversations and 4,000 chats were recorded within just two days, the next phase of the partnership extends this transformative technology to Rwanda’s public education system in a groundbreaking Phase 2 pilot. Chidi, which acts as a personalised tutor, helps to guide users through questions designed to spark curiosity and critical thinking rather than providing direct answers. For teachers, it becomes a partner in lesson design and student engagement. For learners, it represents access to round-the-clock, world-class guidance that nurtures creativity and confidence.

In this Phase 2 pilot, in addition to exploring Chidi in higher learning institutions, up to 2,000 educators across Rwanda, along with a select group of civil servants, will take part in ALX’s AI Career Essentials program, gaining hands-on experience in using generative AI tools like Anthropic’s Claude Large Language Model to elevate how they teach, plan lessons, and improve productivity in their day-to-day work.

Graduates of this pilot will receive a year of access to Claude Tools, such as Claude Pro for individuals and Claude Code for developer teams in government, while exploring Claude for Education with university educators, ensuring that this new literacy in AI continues to shape classrooms and the workplace long after the program ends.

A joint ALX, Anthropic, and Government of Rwanda working group will document insights from the pilot to inform Rwanda’s national AI policy in education and develop future innovations such as Chidi for Schools and localised African language models. This initiative is not only about introducing technology into classrooms but about equipping educators and students to learn, teach, and imagine at the pace of their ambition, setting a new standard for inclusive AI-powered learning across Africa.

A partnership shaping the future of learning in Africa

This three-way collaboration unites visionary forces redefining the future of technology and education.

ALX, Africa’s fastest-growing tech talent accelerator, connects hundreds of thousands of young Africans to transformative opportunities, equipping them with the skills to thrive in the global economy. ALX will contribute the training, delivery, and implementation infrastructure, ensuring smooth rollout and educator enablement.

“This is not just about bringing technology to Africa; it’s about reimagining how learning itself happens,” says Fred Swaniker, Founder and CEO of ALX. ​ “With Chidi, we’re shifting from traditional instruction to intelligent, inquiry-driven learning that builds critical thinking, creativity and problem-solving at scale. This is how Africa’s youth will generate the ideas and solutions that define sustainable development and shape a thriving future.”

Anthropic, a leading U.S.-based AI safety and research company, provides the Claude large language model and technical guidance on safe and responsible deployment. Anthropic will cover LLM/API-related costs to support the deployment of Chidi and Claude access. ​
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​“We believe transformative AI should be accessible to learners across the world, regardless of geography,” says Elizabeth Kelly, Head of Beneficial Deployments at Anthropic. “By partnering with ALX and the Rwandan government, we’re ensuring Claude’s capabilities strengthen education safely and responsibly across several countries in Africa.”

The Government of Rwanda (represented through the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of ICT), a continental leader in digital transformation, is providing the policy infrastructure, access to schools and institutional leadership needed to scale AI for learning and governance, but will not bear any financial commitments under this partnership.

Joseph Nsengimana, Minister of Education for Rwanda, says: “Rwanda, and Africa’s, ambition is to place safe AI in the hands of educators so students gain timely, future-ready skills. Chidi is designed to free up teachers’ time in lesson preparation, personalised feedback, and to spark curiosity among students, which aligns with our Education Sector Strategic Plan (ESSP) priorities on teaching quality and digital literacy, and advances NST2 goals for human capital. We will assess this pilot based on measurable improvements and scale what proves effective, with safeguards for privacy and academic integrity.”

“Rwanda’s Vision 2050 places youth and technology at the core of national progress, and our goal is to build a workforce equipped for the opportunities of the 21st century,” says Paula Ingabire, Minister of ICT & Innovation in Rwanda. “This collaboration allows us to explore innovative AI tools that could enhance learning, support educators, and strengthen developer capabilities. By beginning with capacity building for civil servants, we ensure our workforce gains the foundational skills to engage with emerging technologies responsibly.”

Together, these partners are ensuring that Africa’s youth have the same AI-powered learning advantages as their peers in Silicon Valley, Beijing, or London. ​ They are creating a new blueprint for AI-enabled education, developed in Africa and shared globally, demonstrating how global technology, African innovation, and public-sector leadership can deliver scalable, ethical, and transformative learning solutions. ​ For future expansion, the partners will jointly explore opportunities to enable scaling up across Rwanda and other African markets.

A defining moment for Africa’s digital transformation

By combining ALX’s learning innovation, Anthropic’s AI technology, and Rwanda’s progressive governance, this initiative provides a direct pathway from ambition to achievement.

As Chidi scales across the continent, with Rwanda serving as the launch hub and model for future deployments, its impact extends well beyond individual success. It repositions Africa as a source of world-class tech talent, empowering educators and learners with the tools to learn, teach, and innovate and solidifying the continent’s place at the forefront of the global digital revolution.

Quote:
“This collaboration marks a bold step in redefining how African talent learns, works, and leads in the age of AI,” says Fred Swaniker, Founder and CEO of ALX. “Through our partnership with Anthropic and the Government of Rwanda, we are ensuring that Africa’s youth are not just consumers of AI, but creators, shaping the innovations that will define the global economy.”

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of ALX.

Media Contact:
​Tamaryn Brown
​Tamaryn@connectmedia.co.za
​+27 (0) 84 3510560

About ALX:
​ALX Africa – Your Pathway to a Global Tech Career (http://www.ALXAfrica.com/)
​ALX is a leading career transformation organisation building an ecosystem of tech and creative leaders across Africa. It empowers young Africans with the skills, networks, and global opportunities that shape their futures, while giving companies worldwide access to the continent’s next generation of top talent. As Africa’s premier tech learning and talent platform, ALX sits at the heart of Africa’s rise as a global hub for digital excellence and opportunity.

About Anthropic
​https://www.Anthropic.com/
​Anthropic is an AI research and development company that creates reliable, interpretable, and steerable AI systems. Anthropic’s flagship product is Claude, a large language model trusted by millions of users worldwide. Learn more about Anthropic and Claude at https://www.Anthropic.com/

About the Government of Rwanda
https://www.Gov.RW/
The Government of Rwanda has positioned the nation as a continental hub for innovation, digital transformation, and youth empowerment. Through its Vision 2050 strategy and investments in education and AI policy, Rwanda continues to lead Africa’s journey toward a knowledge-based economy.

Source: APO

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President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan has sent a message of congratulations to King Mohammed VI of Morocco on the occasion of his country’s Independence Day.

His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, and His Highness Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Vice President, Deputy Prime Minister and Chairman of the Presidential Court, dispatched similar messages to King Mohammed VI.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of United Arab Emirates, Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Source: APO

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President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi and President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin, will witness tomorrow, Wednesday, via video conference, a historic event marking the installation of the reactor pressure vessel for the first nuclear unit, in addition to signing the nuclear fuel procurement order. This represents a pivotal step in the completion progress of the El Dabaa Nuclear Power Plant project.

Spokesman for the Presidency Ambassador Mohamed El-Shennawy stated that this event coincides with Egypt’s celebration of the fifth annual anniversary of Nuclear Energy Day, which Egypt organizes every year on November 19th, to commemorate the signing of the governmental agreement between the Arab Republic of Egypt and the Russian Federation for the construction and operation of the El Dabaa Nuclear Power Plant. This is considered a symbolic day for the launch of Egypt’s peaceful nuclear program.

The participation of President El-Sisi and President Putin in this significant event demonstrates the strength of the strategic relations between the two countries. It represents a continuation of the path of fruitful bilateral cooperation through massive projects that have left a clear mark on the course of development. This started with the construction of the High Dam in the 1960s and culminated in the national project to establish the El Dabaa Nuclear Power Plant.

The President is scheduled to deliver a speech on this event.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Presidency of the Arab Republic of Egypt.

Source: APO

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As the global energy landscape undergoes a digital transformation, Africa is positioning itself not as a follower, but as a force for innovation. Taking place in Johannesburg on November 21 at the Protea Hotel by Marriot, Balalaika Sandton, the G20 African Energy Investment Forum will convene government officials, investors and industry leaders for a high-level panel discussion on how the continent can drive energy innovation through public-private investments, while co-creating the next generation of clean, intelligent energy systems through strategic investment and digital empowerment.

The panel – Investing in Africa’s Future Energy Mix – will explore how Africa can drive energy innovation and AI adoption through public–private partnerships, ensuring the continent leads in the digital age. Speakers include Nzan Ogbe, CEO, Levene Energy; Simon Karikari, CEO, Vodacom Mozambique; Stan Pillay, Regional Carbon and Innovation Lead, Africa, Anglo American; Nick Rowley, Managing Director, Green Asset Exchange; Maxwell Msabala, Senior Manager – Nuclear New Build, Eskom Koeberg Nuclear Power Station.

The conversation will address how to expand digitalization for energy access, strengthen indigenous capacity in AI and data analytics, and develop resilient, green data center ecosystems that support digital trade and economic growth without exacerbating energy poverty. Financing innovation will be a central theme. Experts will assess how blended finance, green bonds and carbon markets can help scale clean and smart energy infrastructure across the continent. With G20 nations emphasizing sustainable investment and inclusive development, the forum provides a platform for Africa to attract global capital and shape policy frameworks that prioritize both growth and environmental responsibility.

“The G20 platform gives Africa the visibility and partnerships it needs to define its own energy future,” states NJ Ayuk, Executive Chairman of the African Energy Chamber. “By investing in digital innovation, AI and clean technologies, we can ensure Africa is not left behind in the global transition. We can lead it, on our own terms.”

Anchored in the G20’s mission to promote inclusive growth and climate resilience, the Investing in Future Energy panel will reinforce Africa’s role as a hub of innovation and investment. The dialogue aligns closely with the G20’s broader objectives – advancing green digital infrastructure, strengthening resilient energy systems and expanding transparent carbon markets. By positioning Africa at the center of these priorities, the forum highlights how the continent’s leadership in digitalization and clean energy can accelerate sustainable growth and shape a more balanced global energy future.

Click here (https://apo-opa.co/3WZpu3F) to register for the Forum. 

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of African Energy Chamber.