Category: MIL-OSI

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Address by President Cyril Ramaphosa at the official commencement of production at the Ivanplats Platreef Mine, Mokopane, Limpopo

Source: President of South Africa –

Programme Director, Ms Tumi Makgabo;
Former President Kgalema Motlanthe;
Premier of Limpopo, Dr Phophi Ramathuba;
Deputy Minister of Water and Sanitation, Mr David Mahlobo;
Executive Mayor of the Mogalakwena Local Municipality, Cllr Ngoako Thulane Taueatsoala;
Founder and Executive Co-Chair of Ivanhoe Mines, Mr Robert Friedland;
President and Chief Executive of Ivanhoe Mines, Ms Marna Cloete;
Executive Chairperson and head of the Ivanplats Board, Dr Patricia Makhesha;
Traditional and religious leaders present;
Representatives of organised labour;
Members of the Mokopane community;
Guests;
Ladies and gentlemen. 

Good morning. Dumelang. Avuxeni. Ndi Matsheloni. Goeie môre. 

It is a pleasure to be here. 

The commencement of production at Platreef is the culmination of a long journey that began with initial exploration more than 27 years ago, to the confirmed discovery of deposits between 2001 and 2007, to the sinking of Shaft 1 nearly ten years ago.

Having finally reached the production phase is testament to decades of hard work, resilience and persistence. 

This is an important moment for the company, for the mining industry and for the country.

The inauguration of the Platreef concentrator plant at Mogalakwena is taking place as South Africa is positioning itself as a strategic partner in the global energy transition and the next wave of green industrialisation. 

Platinum Group Metals are strategic enablers in the critical minerals transition, so we see the Platreef mine as being integral to the success of our new Critical Minerals Strategy. 

We are extremely encouraged that the Platreef mine has integrated sustainability principles and practices into its operations, with respect both to energy and water management. 

We know that our country’s water resources are extremely stressed. So efforts to adopt technologies and systems to manage water, mine waste and the associated environmental impacts are to be welcomed. 

We commend Ivanplats for its efforts to revitalise local water infrastructure across the mine’s host communities in line with the company’s Social and Labour Plan. 

The Platreef mine is leading the way on energy sustainability with its 5 megawatt on-site solar farm, which earlier this year began supplying power to the mine’s operations and to supplement grid supply. 

We maintain that mining is a sunrise industry that must continue to play a critical enabling role in our nation’s development.

Even amidst strong headwinds, figures released in September by Statistics South Africa point to 1.2 percent growth in total mining production on a year on year basis. 

As the Minerals Council has noted, there has been a notable uptick in total mineral sales for 2025, reaching R614 billion between January and September. This is better than the same periods in 2023 and 2024. 

The opening of mines like Platreef gives us confidence that the mining industry will continue to grow.

Community participation in mining activity was a key theme at this year’s Mining Indaba. 

We are greatly encouraged that  since securing the mining licensing rights for Platreef in 2014, Ivanplats has worked to ensure that the host communities always form part of decision-making. 

Where there are unresolved issues, where there are problems, it is vital that we all work together – the company, communities and the relevant authorities – towards a resolution.

We understand that 20 percent of the mine’s BBBEE shareholding structure is allocated to a community trust benefiting 20 local host communities. 

I thank those host community representatives who are with us today for their patience, and for continuing to keep the channels of communication open. 

Mining is one of those sectors where reaching full production and profitability can take many years. 

It will be important that host communities continue to be informed about developments.

We understand that there is also a trust in the structure that holds a three percent interest for the benefit of non-managerial employees at Platreef. 

Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment continues to play a pivotal role in the transformation of the highly racialised economy we inherited from apartheid. 

These laws are no less significant now than they were when they were first passed. 

We have seen great progress in promoting worker ownership of the companies in which they work. 

Worker ownership schemes in the mining sector are to be welcomed, particularly with its troubled history in South Africa and on the continent. 

I congratulate Ivanplats and other miners that are prioritising worker shareholder schemes. This is an important contribution to the ongoing transformation of the mining industry. 

I am told that around 85 percent of the mine’s workforce is drawn from surrounding communities, and there is a concerted effort to prioritise local procurement and enterprise development. 

We therefore call on the community to safeguard this production facility that is today a source of employment and development. 

To Ivanplats we say, hire from this community, procure goods and services from this community, and leave a sustainable legacy for this community. 

Even as companies across the world increasingly adopt automation, mechanisation and other technologies to improve their operations, let us ensure that this does not disadvantage the communities in which these mines are located. 

Upskilling and reskilling must be a central facet of operations now and well into the future. I am therefore impressed by the hi-tech training that is underway at the Ivanplats Centre for Excellence. 

With the Platreef mine now officially having commenced production, the imperative of sustainable, ethical and patriotic corporate citizenship becomes all the greater.
    
We want mining companies to take this approach not merely for purposes of compliance, but out of a firm commitment to the communities in which the operate. 

We wish you well in your quest for Platreef to become the world’s largest PGM mine. 

In the week that we prepare to host the first G20 Leaders’ Summit on African soil, the opening of this mine stands as a proud testament to South Africa’s steady economic recovery. 

Your journey to this opening is an example of sustainability in action.

Well done to everyone involved in achieving this great milestone.

It gives us a glimpse of the bright future of South Africa’s mining industry.

I thank you.

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President of Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) Receives Shakhboot bin Nahyan

Source: APO


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His Excellency Félix Tshisekedi, President of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), received His Excellency Sheikh Shakhboot bin Nahyan Al Nahyan, Minister of State, during an official visit to the capital, Kinshasa. 

H.E. Sheikh Shakhboot bin Nahyan conveyed the greetings of His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, UAE President, 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, to H.E. President Tshisekedi, along with their wishes of further progress and prosperity for the government and people of the DRC.

For his part, H.E. President Tshisekedi conveyed his greetings to His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, UAE President, 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, along with his wishes for further development and growth for the leadership, government, and people of the UAE.

During the meeting, H.E. President Tshisekedi welcomed the visit of H.E. Sheikh Shakhboot bin Nahyan, and discussed mutual efforts to expand and develop bilateral relations for the benefit of both countries and peoples. The two sides also explored areas of collaboration across several fields including economy, trade, energy, mining, technology, AI, and education.

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

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Bamako is under pressure, not under siege: the difference and why it matters

Source: The Conversation – Africa – By Lamine Doumbia, Research Associate – Dep. African History /Institute for Asian and African Studies, Humboldt University of Berlin

Mali has been struggling for over a decade to defeat “jihadists” around Gao, Kidal and Ségou. Jama’at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM), linked to al-Qaida, is believed to be the most vicious of the terrorist groups operating there, based on the scale of its attacks.

The group’s aims include an imposition of its strict interpretation of Islam and sharia. Recently it raised the ante with attacks in certain zones in Mali. This has put strain on trade routes and the supply of essential commodities, including fuel.

Consequently, there have been media reports raising concerns about the deepening security crisis in the country. Yet, as Malian researchers, we think some of these claims are exaggerated. We work in African studies, social anthropology, history, economics and development studies, and have been conducting fieldwork in Bamako over the past six months. Our view also draws on our broader research on urban market dynamics and social resilience in west Africa.

We argue that what is being reported is more like guesses based on certain conditions than solid conclusions backed by evidence.

For instance, the fuel crisis in Bamako has been interpreted as the direct consequence of terrorist activity. A contributing factor may be the limited institutional and governmental capacity to effectively coordinate fuel and energy procurement and storage of the country.

Indeed, since September 2025, Mali has a fuel shortage and a sharp rise in prices. Government efforts have not yet brought the crisis under lasting control. But this does not necessarily mean the capital city is under siege.

Our field observations suggest a different picture. Bamako is indeed under immense pressure and activities have been disrupted. But markets continue to function, and people display remarkable solidarity and adaptability in their daily lives.

The distinction matters, not to minimise the crisis, but to capture it with the nuance, complexity and empirical sensitivity that local realities demand.

Beyond the narrative of collapse

Framing Bamako as “blockaded” risks obscuring these complex social realities. While insecurity on key transport corridors is real, the city remains functional.

Markets continue to operate, albeit under difficult conditions. Schools, though intermittently closed, have reopened after a shutdown of two weeks, and many urban communities are mobilising local forms of resilience. External analyses too often overlook these.

To call this situation a “blockade” is to conflate logistical disruption with military encirclement. A blockade would imply that no movement of people or goods is possible, which is not the case. What we are witnessing is a progressive suffocation of the city’s economic arteries, not a total siege.

Everyday realities: markets and hardship

To understand the present crisis around Bamako, one must trace its history. As the emeritus social anthropologist Georg Klute explains, conflict in the Sahara-Sahel region has long taken the form of asymmetric, nomadic “small wars”.

These were not total wars but mobile and negotiated confrontations, rooted in strategies of autonomy and survival in marginal environments. What we see today is a continuation of this tradition of localised contestation.

The asymmetric “small war” has evolved into hybrid insurgencies blending historical modes of resistance, political grievances from the 1990s onwards, and transnational terrorists’ ideology.

This trajectory was already visible more than a decade ago, when the 2012 coup was followed by the occupation of northern Mali by Tuareg separatists and terrorists Islamist groups.

Once celebrated as a model democracy, Mali entered a prolonged cycle of fragility, marked by military coups, fragmented authority and the erosion of public trust.

While Bamako faces shortages and rising prices, the epicentre of economic suffering lies further north and east, in the Mopti, Kayes and Ségou regions. Recent studies show how armed groups have inserted themselves into everyday economic life, controlling markets, taxing trade routes and regulating mobility.

In Mopti, “jihadist” factions have established parallel systems of governance, collecting “zakat” taxes, enforcing their own codes of justice, and offering minimal security in exchange for compliance.

In Ségou, transport networks are heavily monitored; farmers and traders are often forced to pay informal levies to move goods between villages. These measures have distorted local economies, redirected value chains and imposed new hierarchies of control.

What began as localised insurgency in nomadic peripheries has now reached the urban heart of Mali’s political and economic life.

Yet, as we observed during our recent fieldwork in Bamako’s Grand Marché, this is not a war fought solely with weapons, it is also a struggle for survival, dignity and sovereignty.

Resilience and solidarity

During our recent field research on urban market dynamics and contestations in west Africa, we witnessed how the current crisis has reshaped everyday life in Bamako.

In the Grand Marché, the city’s commercial heart, traders and consumers alike are facing hardship. The shortage of fuel has disrupted the circulation of goods and people, making transport scarce and expensive.

This shortage has set off a chain reaction. Prices of basic commodities have soared and electricity cuts have multiplied, undermining cold storage, small-scale industries, and household livelihoods. Although we don’t have official data, we have observed “unregistered” workers – the majority of Bamako’s labour force – seeing their income sources collapse.

Yet resilience and solidarity remain striking. Many traders continue to walk long distances to reach the market, often uncertain whether customers will come at all. On Saturdays, when fuel becomes slightly more available, market areas come alive with crowds of vendors and buyers.

Across the city, long queues form at petrol stations, and people wait patiently, sharing water, information and small acts of support.

What emerges from these scenes is a remarkable atmosphere of mutuality, a collective will to endure and to adapt. In the face of scarcity, Bamako’s residents are reinventing everyday life through cooperation, perseverance, and a sense of community.

In this context, the lesson is that military escalation cannot resolve what began as an asymmetric, socially embedded crisis. As both our field observations and long-term research suggest, negotiation (rooted in local realities and historical understanding) offers the only sustainable path forward.

Negotiation, not militarisation

From the vantage point of the Grand Marché, Bamako’s current crisis is not one of imminent collapse, but of cumulative exhaustion. The people’s resilience cannot indefinitely compensate for the paralysis of governance.

The Malian crisis has demonstrated, time and again, the limits of a purely military response. The social and economic despair we are witnessing today reinforces the urgency of a social political dialogue, not as a sign of weakness, but as a pragmatic acknowledgment of reality.

Negotiation must go beyond the binary of “state versus armed groups”. It must include religious leaders, market actors, civil society groups, university scholars and local communities.

Such a process will be difficult, especially given the commitment to laïcité (secularism) in Mali’s constitutional framework. Yet, refusing dialogue only deepens isolation (political, social, and humanitarian).

Rather than framing Mali’s capital as a city under siege, we should recognise it as a city struggling under immense strain; one that still breathes, resists and adapts. Negotiation, not militarisation, remains the only credible route to sustainable peace in Bamako.

– Bamako is under pressure, not under siege: the difference and why it matters
– https://theconversation.com/bamako-is-under-pressure-not-under-siege-the-difference-and-why-it-matters-269447

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Cassava Technologies and Rockefeller Foundation Expand Access to Artificial Intelligence Computing to African Non-Governmental Organizations (NGO)

Source: APO – Report:

Cassava Technologies (Cassava) (www.CassavaTechnologies.com) and The Rockefeller Foundation announced a new effort to harness the transformative potential of artificial intelligence (AI) for good across Africa. Cassava, which previously announced plans to build Africa’s first AI factory powered with NVIDIA AI infrastructure, will provide access to compute capacity to several The Rockefeller Foundation’s grantees working in Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Liberia, Nigeria, Rwanda, Sierra Leone, and Zimbabwe.

While enabling Africa’s full participation in the US$1.2 trillion projected AI economy (http://apo-opa.co/3XEsfHC), this collaboration will boost productivity and power innovation at African organizations that are improving lives and livelihoods across the continent.

“AI presents Africa with one of the best opportunities to drive economic development and access to economic opportunity for the continent’s youth. This requires investment in ensuring that AI developers across Africa have the resources and platforms to create solutions to Africa’s unique challenges. Powered by NVIDIA AI infrastructure, our AI factory will enable startups, enterprises, the public sector, and educational institutions to focus on developing AI applications using local datasets, languages, models, and voices to build inclusive solutions. We are excited to partner with the Rockefeller Foundation to bring local compute capacity to Africa’s AI ecosystem,” said Hardy Pemhiwa, President and Group CEO of Cassava Technologies. 

While nearly one-in-five people worldwide lives in Africa, the continent currently has less than 1% (http://apo-opa.co/48gsdvP) of global data center capacity. Africa’s AI market, which is currently estimated at $5.17 billion, is expected to grow exponentially over the next decade. Locally accessible computing capacity is necessary to power Africa’s AI ambitions.

“AI can be transformative in the right hands, contributing to healthier communities, more productive farmers, and better education for children. If we get AI right in Africa, we can help Africans create jobs, advance opportunity, and pursue their dreams. Our collaboration with Cassava reflects The Rockefeller Foundation’s foundational belief that the latest advances in science and technology should serve everyone, not just the fortunate few, and that includes empowering African innovators with the tools they need to shape the continent’s future,” said Dr. Rajiv J. Shah, President of The Rockefeller Foundation.

Through this new collaboration, Cassava and The Rockefeller Foundation are ensuring that  African-led innovations in agriculture, healthcare, and education sectors have resources to improve outcomes with AI. Initial organizations that will benefit from this new collaboration include:

  • Digital Green, a company using AI in Ethiopia and Kenya to empower smallholder farmers with localized, real-time agricultural advice that increases productivity, resilience, and growth.

“Farmer.Chat, Digital Green’s AI assistant, is reimagining how smallholder farmers access knowledge—delivering trusted, localised guidance at nearly 100x lower cost than traditional extension. With GPUs now available on the African continent, we can unlock breakthroughs in speech-to-text, local language translation, image recognition, and retrieval-augmented generation—dramatically reducing costs and expanding reach. This new capacity makes it possible to bring climate-smart, real-time advice to millions of farmers, while continuously improving accuracy, safety, and support for Africa’s diverse languages and agricultural ecologies. Our vision is simple but bold: to put the power of AI directly in the hands of every farmer, helping them grow more resilient, prosperous, and connected to the future.” — Rikin Gandhi, CEO, Digital Green

  • Jacaranda Health, which is harnessing technology to improve the quality of care for mothers and their children in Kenya.

“Jacaranda Health is deploying AI-powered tools that connect millions of mothers and babies with life-saving care in real-time. Access to advanced compute resources on the continent will accelerate our development of culturally-attuned, multilingual AI models while slashing costs—enabling us to reach millions of women with critical health information in their native languages. This infrastructure will prevent maternal deaths, empower informed healthcare decisions, and build Africa’s capacity to solve its own health challenges with homegrown AI innovation.” — Cynthia Kahumbura, Co-Executive Director, Jacaranda Health.

  • Rising Academies, a West African company leveraging technology to improve outcomes for more than 250,000 students in Ghana, Liberia, Rwanda, and Sierra Leone.

“In just one academic year, we’ve seen how AI can reshape learning in Rwanda’s classrooms. More than 13,000 students gained access to structured literacy and numeracy content, teachers cut grading time by 60% through LearnLens, and 85% of learners told us they enjoy using Rori to strengthen their math skills. One student in rural Rwanda told us that technology is no longer just for city children, but for those of us in rural areas as well. Our vision is clear: to make effective, inclusive, and locally relevant learning support available to every child—helping them thrive today and shape the future of our country.” — Fidele Hagenimana, Head of Rwanda Programs, Rising Academies.

This year, Cassava launched its GPU-as-a-Service (GPUaaS), housed in its secure data center facilities, powered by NVIDIA AI infrastructure. The company continues to invest in the infrastructure across additional hubs in East, West and North Africa; thereby reinforcing its broader commitment to responsible AI adoption, innovation and productivity growth in Africa. The collaboration highlights Cassava’s commitment to ensuring that GPUaas is accessible to organizations working throughout the social sector. 

“Cassava’s collaborations with key stakeholders are critically important to the development of Africa’s AI ecosystem to ensure that Africans are not just consumers of AI, but builders of it. This partnership with The Rockefeller Foundation highlights Cassava’s intent to lay the foundations for an ecosystem that is inclusive, sustainable, and globally competitive,” concluded Hardy.

– on behalf of Cassava Technologies.

Media Contacts:
Angela Chandy: 
angela.chandy@liquid.tech

Ashley Chang,
The Rockefeller Foundation: 
media@rockfound.org

Follow us on:
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About Cassava Technologies:
Cassava Technologies is a global technology leader of African heritage providing a vertically integrated ecosystem of digital services and infrastructure enabling digital transformation. Headquartered in the UK, Cassava has a presence across Africa, the Middle East, Latin America and the United States of America. Through its business units, namely, Cassava AI, Liquid Intelligent Technologies, Liquid C2, Africa Data Centres, and Sasai Fintech, the company provides its customers’ products and services in 94 countries. These solutions drive the company’s ambition of establishing itself as a leading global technology company of African heritage. https://www.CassavaTechnologies.com/   

About The Rockefeller Foundation:
The Rockefeller Foundation is a pioneering philanthropy built on collaborative partnerships at the frontiers of science, technology, and innovation that enable individuals, families, and communities to flourish. We make big bets to promote the well-being of humanity. Today, we are focused on advancing human opportunity and reversing the climate crisis by transforming systems in food, health, energy, and finance, including engaging through our public charity, RF Catalytic Capital (RFCC). For more information, sign up for our newsletter at http://apo-opa.co/3LJ1Ztc.

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African Development Bank Group (AfDB’s) Adaptation Benefits Mechanism Concludes Pilot Phase, Moves to Establish Permanent Secretariat by 2027

Source: APO – Report:

The African Development Bank Group (www.AfDB.org) has concluded the pilot phase of the Adaptation Benefits Mechanism (ABM) and formally kicked off the implementation of a transition phase that will lead to the establishment of a permanent Secretariat by 2027. The ABM is the first non-market approach recognized specifically for adaptation by the UNFCCC’s under the Paris Agreement.

This milestone was marked at a COP30 event with the theme, “ABM Comes of Age: Transformational Climate Finance in Action”, held at the MDB Pavilion on Thursday 13 November.

Developed and hosted by the Bank since 2019, the ABM will shortly proceed to issue Certified Adaptation Benefits (CABs) – a new class of asset that can be used to finance adaptation projects.

At the event, the Bank Group launched a call for expressions of interest from governments and international organizations interested in hosting the ABM. When it becomes fully operational, it may advance global objectives, and the African Development Bank could provide lending to developers of adaptation projects in Africa.  

Dr. Kevin Kariuki, the Bank’s Vice President for Power, Energy, Climate Change and Green Growth, highlighted the mechanism’s transformative potential. “The ABM represents a mechanism that governments can use to demand emitters to contribute towards the cost of adaptation,” he said, adding that “Its non-market status means that every dollar spent purchasing a CAB goes directly towards overcoming the financial barriers that adaptation projects face. This is a significant improvement in the use of scarce climate finance.”

Gareth Phillips, Bank Group Manager for Climate and Environment Finance, underlined the ABM’s contribution to advancing climate resilience:

“The Adaptation Benefits Mechanism shows that adaptation can be financed efficiently and transparently, outside traditional markets,” he said. “By certifying the results of adaptation projects, the ABM provides a credible way for governments, companies and citizens to demonstrate solidarity with vulnerable communities while creating a new class of adaptation assets that can attract sustained investment.”

The event, moderated by Luc Gnacadja, Co-Chair of the ABM Executive Committee, featured a keynote address by Tariye Gbadegesin, CEO of the Climate Investment Funds, and a panel discussion with representatives from Kenya, the Sahara and Sahel Observatory, the UK and the Bank Group.

As ODA budgets face increasing constraints, the ABM offers a promising alternative to traditional finance, aligning transparency, efficiency, and solidarity in climate action while pioneering private sector mobilization of adaptation finance.

Please visit the ABM website (https://apo-opa.co/3XxKhvd) for more information.

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

Media Contact:
Communication and External Relations Department
media@afdb.org

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TNPA, uMhlathuze renew port–city pact to fast-track major development projects

Source: Government of South Africa

Transnet National Ports Authority (TNPA) and the City of uMhlathuze have renewed their cooperation agreement to accelerate key infrastructure and economic development projects in Richards Bay, reaffirming a strategic partnership that has driven major improvements in port-city operations since 2018.

Signed on Monday, the new five-year Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) strengthens executive-level collaboration between the two entities and formalises mechanisms for coordinated project delivery, dispute resolution and joint funding efforts.

Acting TNPA Chief Executive, Phyllis Difeto, said the continued partnership will better align national port priorities with local government development needs.

“The MoU with the City of uMhlathuze reinforces our joint commitment to creating a thriving regional economy through collaborative planning and infrastructure delivery. Together, we are shaping a more integrated and efficient development landscape that benefits both the Port and the City, while unlocking new opportunities for investment and community growth,” said Difeto.

The renewed agreement follows a series of joint achievements under the previous MoU. Between late 2021 and the end of 2023, TNPA and the City implemented interventions that eased truck congestion in and around the port precinct, clearing the way for the establishment of the City’s truck staging facility in 2024 and the rollout of road construction projects inside the port. These efforts improved traffic flow, enhanced safety standards and supported more efficient logistics operations.

The partnership also delivered environmental gains, including a joint beach replenishment programme and a lease agreement for the Alkantstrand Beach parking area, which will be used as a casting yard for the North Breakwater Upgrade Project starting in mid-2026.

City Mayor Xolani Ngwezi welcomed the renewed collaboration.

“As the City, we welcome the objectives that are in the MoU. The City fully embraces the cooperation and commitment in collaborating on strategic operational catalytic development, and [safety] and security environmental infrastructure of mutual significance. Therefore, the City commits to work within the guidelines of this MoU,” he said.

Several further projects are in the pipeline, including land-exchange initiatives and the reclamation of Alkantstrand Beach, all aimed at strengthening port-city integration and improving the local tourism and investment environment.

The MoU also provides a framework for coordinated work on flagship developments such as the Ports Master Plan, the proposed Container Handling Facility and upcoming Liquefied Natural Gas projects. These investments are expected to bolster regional economic growth and reinforce Richards Bay’s position as one of KwaZulu-Natal’s key industrial and maritime hubs.

TNPA said the partnership supports its mandate to advance efficient, sustainable port operations, while aligning with the City’s development agenda to ensure shared economic benefits for surrounding communities. – SAnews.gov.za

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Le Mécanisme des bénéfices de l’adaptation de la Banque africaine de développement conclut sa phase pilote et se dirige vers la mise en place d’un Secrétariat permanent d’ici 2027

Source: Africa Press Organisation – French

Le mécanisme des bénéficies de l’adaptation (Adaptation Benefits Mechanism, ABM, en anglais) et a officiellement lancé la mise en œuvre d’une phase de transition qui mènera à l’établissement d’un Secrétariat permanent d’ici 2027. L’ABM est la première approche non marchande spécifiquement reconnue pour l’adaptation par la Convention-cadre des Nations unies sur les changements climatiques (CCNUCC) dans le cadre de l’Accord de Paris.

Cette étape importante a été marquée lors d’un événement de la COP 30 intitulé « L’ABM arrive à maturité : la finance climatique transformationnelle en action », organisé au Pavillon des BMD (banques multilatérales e développement) le jeudi 13 novembre 2025.

Développé et hébergé par la Banque africaine de développement depuis 2019, l’ABM s’apprête à émettre des avantages de l’adaptation certifiée (Certified Adaptation Benefits (CABs) – une nouvelle classe d’actifs pouvant être utilisée pour financer des projets d’adaptation.

Lors de l’événement, le Groupe de la Banque a lancé un appel à manifestations d’intérêt à l’attention des gouvernements et organisations internationales souhaitant accueillir l’ABM. Une fois pleinement opérationnel, il pourrait contribuer aux objectifs mondiaux, et la Banque africaine de développement pourrait octroyer des prêts aux développeurs de projets d’adaptation en Afrique.

Le vice-président du Groupe de la Banque africaine de développement chargé de l’Électricité, de l’Énergie, du Climat et de la Croissance verte, Kevin Kariuki, a mis en avant le potentiel transformateur du mécanisme. « L’ABM représente un mécanisme que les gouvernements peuvent utiliser pour exiger des émetteurs qu’ils contribuent au financement de l’adaptation », a-t-il déclaré, ajoutant que « son statut non marchand garantit que chaque dollar dépensé pour l’achat d’un CAB est directement affecté à la levée des obstacles financiers auxquels les projets d’adaptation sont confrontés. Il s’agit d’une avancée majeure dans l’utilisation de financements climatiques rares ».

Gareth Phillips, responsable du financement climatique et environnemental au sein du Groupe de la Banque, a souligné la contribution de l’ABM au renforcement de la résilience climatique : « Le Mécanisme des bénéfices de l’adaptation montre que l’adaptation peut être financée de manière efficace et transparente, en dehors des marchés traditionnels », a-t-il expliqué. « En certifiant les résultats des projets d’adaptation, l’ABM offre aux gouvernements, aux entreprises et aux citoyens un moyen crédible de témoigner leur solidarité envers les communautés vulnérables tout en créant une nouvelle classe d’actifs d’adaptation susceptible d’attirer des investissements pérennes. »

L’événement a été modéré par Luc Gnacadja, coprésident du Comité exécutif de l’ABM. La directrice exécutive des Fonds d’investissement climatiques (FIC), Tariye Gbadegesin était présente à l’événement qui a été suivi, d’un panel réunissant des représentants du Kenya, de l’Observatoire du Sahara et du Sahel, du Royaume-Uni et du Groupe de la Banque.

Alors que les budgets d’aide publique au développement font face à des contraintes croissantes, l’ABM offre une alternative prometteuse aux mécanismes de financement traditionnels, en alliant transparence, efficacité et solidarité au service de l’action climatique, tout en ouvrant la voie à une mobilisation du secteur privé pour le financement de l’adaptation.

Pour plus d’information, veuillez consulter le site web de l’ABM (https://apo-opa.co/43CSXnE).

Distribué par APO Group pour African Development Bank Group (AfDB).

Contact médias :
Département de la communication et des relations extérieures
media@afdb.org

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Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Bids Farewell to Ambassador of Honduras

Source: Government of Qatar

Doha | November 18, 2025

HE Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Sultan bin Saad Al Muraikhi met today with HE Ambassador of the Republic of Honduras to the State of Qatar Blanca I. Zablah Bendeck on the occasion of the end of her tenure.
HE the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs extended thanks to HE the Ambassador for her efforts in supporting and strengthening bilateral relations, wishing her success in her new duties.

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Canon Central & North Africa Celebrates 10 Years of Growth and Innovation at The Executive Circle 2025 in Seychelles

Source: APO – Report:

  • The annual exclusive conference marked the celebration of 10 years of Canon Central and North Africa’s growth, expansion, and partner success across the continent.
  • Canon showcased its new “Canon’s World Unseen: 2.0 – Coral” brand campaign and highlighted the coral-restoration partnership in Seychelles with Nature Seychelles and Coral Spawning Lab.

Canon Central & North Africa (CCNA) (www.Canon-CNA.com), successfully concluded its Executive Circle Partner gathering, hosted on 3–4 November 2025 in Seychelles. Marking a decade since CCNA’s establishment, this milestone edition brought together strategic partners, executives, and industry leaders to reflect on achievements and align on future growth opportunities across the African continent.

Established in 2016, Canon Central & North Africa was created to expand Canon’s presence across the African continent, forge deeper collaboration with partners, and accelerate regional growth. Over the past 10 transformative years, CCNA has strengthened Canon’s footprint across the African continent by expanding its operations and establishing a local presence in key markets. During this time, the organization has built a strong ecosystem of distributors, resellers, and channel partners, enhancing customer access to innovative imaging and print technologies. Additionally, CCNA has consistently delivered industry-leading service support and training programs, ensuring that partners and customers are equipped with the expertise and resources needed to succeed.

Through strategic partnerships and localized market initiatives, CCNA has consistently driven business value and fostered meaningful relationships, ensuring that Canon’s portfolio, solutions, and expertise truly serve the needs of Africa.

ICE: Canon’s Strategic Pillar – Innovation, Customer & Employee Experience

This year, the Executive Circle continued to reinforce ICE—Innovation, Customer, and Employee Experience, as the strategic pillar guiding Canon’s regional direction. The focus is on driving innovation through new markets and product categories, enhancing customer engagement across every touchpoint, and empowering employees through ongoing development to better support partners and customers.

“Our commitment to Africa goes beyond business, it is about collaboration, innovation, and shared growth,” said Somesh Adukia, Managing Director, Canon Central & North Africa. “As we celebrate 10 incredible years, we remain focused on enabling our partners, investing in our customers, and empowering our people. Together, we are shaping the future of imaging in Africa.”

Canon Launches Global Brand Campaign: ‘Canon’s World Unseen 2.0 – Coral Campaign’

Unveiled during the conference, the new brand campaign – “Canon’s World Unseen: 2.0, showcases Canon’s commitment to storytelling and sustainability. The campaign reveals the breathtaking beauty of coral reefs, much of which remains unseen to the world, and uses photography and imaging technology to raise awareness about the urgent need to protect marine ecosystems.

Hosting the Executive Circle in Seychelles, one of the world’s most pristine island nations, reflects Canon’s belief in the power of imagery to inspire change, creativity, and environmental stewardship.

Earlier this year, Canon EMEA announced the pioneering sustainability initiative in partnership with Nature Seychelles, a leading environmental non-profit in the region, and Coral Spawning International (CSI), recognized pioneers in land-based coral reproduction and restoration. This collaboration underscores Canon’s commitment to sustainability and marine ecosystem preservation in Seychelles and beyond. As part of the event, we also took our partners to witness these efforts firsthand and gave them a guided tour of the project site, allowing them to see the tangible impact of this collaboration in action.

This collaboration supports a first-of-its-kind coral restoration project in the Western Indian Ocean using an innovative coral regeneration method that strengthens reefs against climate change. The project leverages CSL’s groundbreaking expertise in coral spawning and Nature Seychelles’ deep environmental stewardship to protect and restore coral ecosystems at scale.

Regional Growth, Collaboration and Recognition

The Executive Circle aims to elevate partner collaboration and align strategic priorities across Africa. Through immersive discussions, knowledge-sharing, and business planning sessions, partners engaged directly with Canon’s leadership to accelerate collective growth and innovation in the region.

To commemorate the conclusion of the conference, Canon hosted a gala dinner and awards ceremony, recognizing top-performing partners across B2B and B2C segments for their exceptional contribution to the business over the past year. The evening also featured the special 10th Anniversary Awards, honoring our partners who have been with us on this incredible journey for the past 10 years.

The Executive Circle 2025 in Seychelles marked a significant milestone, celebrating a decade of partnership, regional growth, and shared success.

– on behalf of Canon Central and North Africa (CCNA).

Media enquiries, please contact:
Canon Central and North Africa
Mai Youssef
e. Mai.youssef@canon-me.com

APO Group – PR Agency
Rania ElRafie
e. Rania.ElRafie@apo-opa.com

About Canon Central and North Africa:
Canon Central and North Africa (CCNA) (www.Canon-CNA.com) is a division within Canon Middle East FZ LLC (CME), a subsidiary of Canon Europe. The formation of CCNA in 2016 was a strategic step that aimed to enhance Canon’s business within the Africa region – by strengthening Canon’s in-country presence and focus. CCNA also demonstrates Canon’s commitment to operating closer to its customers and meeting their demands in the rapidly evolving African market.

Canon has been represented in the African continent for more than 15 years through distributors and partners that have successfully built a solid customer base in the region. CCNA ensures the provision of high quality, technologically advanced products that meet the requirements of Africa’s rapidly evolving marketplace. With over 100 employees, CCNA manages sales and marketing activities across 44 countries in Africa.

Canon’s corporate philosophy is Kyosei (http://apo-opa.co/43xEHwr) – ‘living and working together for the common good’. CCNA pursues sustainable business growth, focusing on reducing its own environmental impact and supporting customers to reduce theirs using Canon’s products, solutions and services. At Canon, we are pioneers, constantly redefining the world of imaging for the greater good. Through our technology and our spirit of innovation, we push the bounds of what is possible – helping us to see our world in ways we never have before. We help bring creativity to life, one image at a time. Because when we can see our world, we can transform it for the better.

For more information: www.Canon-CNA.com

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dtic, Univen to host an innovation workshop in Limpopo

Source: Government of South Africa

The Department of Trade, Industry and Competition (the dtic), in partnership with Vhembe District Municipality and the University of Venda, will on Thursday host an innovation workshop at the University of Venda in Thohoyandou, Limpopo.

The Vhembe Technical and Vocational Education and Training will also be part of hosting the workshop.

This is as part of the mandate to support the South African innovators from idea, development of prototypes, protection of intellectual property and commercialisation of innovation.

The workshop aims to unearth technologies from underdeveloped rural and township communities, create networking platforms for technology development and commercialisation and focused technology development and innovative thinking.

According to the Acting Chief Director of Operations in the Investment and Spatial Industrial Development branch of the dtic,  Takalani Ramuthaga, innovation has a direct link to economic growth and development, and there is a direct correlation between innovative countries and industrialised countries.

Ramuthaga explained that the workshop will enable entrepreneurs in the Vhembe district and surrounding areas to access information on innovation support instruments, as well as other incentives of the dtic. 

She emphasised that engaging with innovators and entrepreneurs located in rural and township areas has a potential to stimulate local economic activity and growth within communities.

“The innovators will receive information on the Khoebo Innovation Promotion Programme (KIPP), which was established with the objective of stimulating township and rural economies by supporting Small, Medium, and Micro Enterprises and start-ups. 

“However, the programme does not exist in isolation, as it is supported by programmes such as the Support Programme for Industrial Innovation (SPII), which serves as a feeder for the KIPP. 

“Furthermore, with agriculture being one of Limpopo‘s main economic activities, information on incentives in agro-processing and manufacturing support will also be shared with participants,”  Ramuthaga said.

She said apart from information dissemination, the workshop is aimed at identifying gaps that the innovation support programmes should effectively bridge between the markets and local communities, including innovation in townships and rural areas that policies and strategies may not have addressed adequately.

Ramuthaga underscored the valuable knowledge that exists in townships and rural areas where there is mainly no infrastructure and services. 

To add value to such knowledge, Ramuthaga said government intervention is needed in the form of funding, exposure and forming linkages with the existing instruments. To this end, the workshop is aimed at identifying and unearthing innovative solutions.

“These engagements will also create awareness of valuable knowledge and skills that exist in the township and identify innovation that can be supported through other existing innovation instruments of the dtic, as well as other role players. 

“The planned presentations will cover programmes from the dtic, Department of Small Business Development, Small Enterprise Development and Finance Agency, Companies, and Intellectual Property Commission, UNIVEN, Vhembe Municipality and other supporting entities on their products and services,” Ramuthaga said. – SAnews.gov.za