Category: MIL-OSI

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African Development Bank backs Artificial Intelligence (AI) training to boost Agenda 2063 implementation across Africa

Source: APO


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The African Development Bank (www.AfDB.org) is supporting a new Artificial Intelligence (AI) training initiative to advance the implementation of Africa’s continental development blueprint, Agenda 2063: The Africa We Want (http://apo-opa.co/4miWmzo).

Through its Joint Secretariat Support Office (JSSO), the Bank provided technical and financial backing for the 5th Annual Training Workshop for African Union Member States on harnessing AI for effective monitoring, evaluation, and reporting on the Second Ten-Year Plan (2024–2033) of Agenda 2063.

The five-day workshop, held in Lusaka, Zambia, was jointly organized by the African Union Commission (AUC) and the African Capacity Building Foundation (ACBF). The event brought together representatives from African Union Member States to strengthen their technical capacity in using AI tools and digital innovations to monitor, track, and report on the implementation of Agenda 2063. The training is part of broader efforts to enhance institutional and human capacity across the continent.

Participants engaged in practical sessions on emerging AI platforms, including Ailyse, ChatGPT, Google AI Studio, Google Gemini, and Perplexity, exploring how these tools can improve data analysis, enhance decision-making, and promote evidence-based policy development in line with Agenda 2063 (http://apo-opa.co/4miWmzo) priorities.

The Bank’s support to the workshop reflects its broader commitment to strengthening results-based planning, monitoring, and accountability within the African Union framework, while promoting innovation and digital transformation as key enablers of Africa’s development agenda.

Speaking at the workshop, Abibu Tamu, Lead Programme Co-ordinator at African Development Bank Group, reaffirmed the Bank’s dedication to working closely with the African Union Commission and strategic partners to accelerate the implementation of Agenda 2063, particularly its Second Ten-Year Implementation Plan.

“These tools are not only revolutionizing how data is collected, analysed, and reported, they are also enabling more targeted policy interventions and efficient resource allocation,” said Tamu.

The workshop also served as a platform for peer learning and knowledge exchange, with participating countries sharing innovative approaches and best practices in national development planning and results-based reporting.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of African Development Bank Group (AfDB).

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Kenya’s 1950 Kolloa massacre: Britain won’t own up to its colonial violence but communities need closure

Source: The Conversation – Africa – By Chloé Josse-Durand, Senior Research Associate in African Politics, Newcastle University

In 1950, British forces killed at least 29 civilians in one of the deadliest, but least chronicled, episodes of colonial violence in Kenya.

Armed soldiers killed at least 29 civilian members of Dini ya Msambwa, a spiritual and anti-colonial movement in Kenya active around what is now West Pokot county in the north-western region. Survivors describe the group’s gathering on 24 April 1950 as a peaceful one. However, British colonial forces, fearing a potential uprising, violently confronted the group at the Kolloa trading centre.

It led to one of the highest number of deaths in a single day in a single place in Kenya’s colonial period.

For the surviving families and followers of Dini ya Msambwa (the “religion of the spirits” in Kiswahili), it was a massacre. However, the British government has never publicly apologised for this atrocity.

The movement’s adherents continue to seek justice and recognition, but they face legal, political and historical roadblocks.

I am part of a team at Newcastle University working on Afterlives of Colonial Incarceration, a project focused on former British colonies. I’ve been working closely with communities affected by colonial violence in Kenya, including Dini ya Msambwa adherents.

In my view, Britain’s recognition of the Kolloa massacre isn’t just a matter of historical record. It is about acknowledging that the group’s pain is real, their loss unjust and their struggle worth remembering.

To acknowledge Kolloa as a massacre would open the door to legal and moral accountability from the British government. This would help Dini Ya Msambwa followers affirm the legitimacy of their historical grievances and their place in Kenya’s national story.

Crucially, it could also lay the groundwork for reparations, which could include financial compensation for surviving families, and the restitution of confiscated land and livestock.

The British government remains silent on the massacre. But this doesn’t erase memory. Dini ya Msambwa followers and representatives and historians are working to ensure that Kolloa – like so many forgotten chapters of colonial violence in Africa and beyond – is not buried with the last of its survivors.

The group’s origins

Dini ya Msambwa was founded in the 1940s by Elijah Masinde among the Bukusu people of western Kenya. The movement rejected colonial authority, resisted Christian missionary dominance and called for a return to African spirituality and traditions.

This combination of cultural pride and political defiance made it a target for suppression by British authorities.

Lukas Pkech, a prominent Pokot leader, brought Masinde’s preachings to West Suk and Baringo in the British-administered north-west region in 1950. His teachings were increasingly influential among Pokot communities and were seen as a direct challenge to colonial order.

British district commissioner Arthur Simpsons, along with a contingent of tribal police and British officers led by Alan Stevens, moved to quell the movement and most likely to kill its leader. What followed was a fatal confrontation in Kolloa: over 300 Dini ya Msambwa followers, armed mainly with spears, faced off with colonial security forces in what came to be called the Kolloa Affray.

Pkech and at least 28 followers were killed, along with Stevens, two other British nationals and an African askari (soldier). Oral testimonies suggest that between 44 and 50 people were killed – 29 during the event itself, and 15 to 20 others later succumbing to wounds sustained in the fighting. At least 176 Dini ya Msambwa members present at the standoff were imprisoned. Seven of them were executed for their direct involvement.

This event led to increased repression of Pokot communities and suspected Dini ya Msambwa leaders and followers.

The colonial administration confiscated over 5,600 cattle and deployed a special police force in the region. Residents were forced into hard labour on district roads as part of communal punishment. Hundreds of adherents were thrown into colonial jails and detention camps near the district administrative centre, Kapenguria.

The exact number of Dini ya Msambwa followers today is hard to assess as many choose to remain discreet for their own safety. However, the growing visibility of branches like Dini ya Roho Mafuta Pole ya Africa (African Religion of the Gently Anointing Spirit) indicates the movement’s enduring significance in Pokot society.

Dini ya Roho attracts approximately 4,000 members weekly for worship and yearly for Kolloa commemorations. In the church’s doctrine, the deaths at Kolloa are reinterpreted as a selfless act of sacrifice in fulfilment of peace for the community. Since its official registration in 2012, the church has gained growing influence.

Silencing through legal reform

In 2013, the UK government issued a formal apology and paid £19.9 million (US$26.5 million) in compensation to 5,228 Mau Mau veterans. The compensation was related to Britain’s brutal suppression of the Mau Mau uprising (1952–1960), also known as the “Kenya Emergency”. This was a large-scale anti-colonial rebellion during which more than 150,000 Kenyans were detained without trial in a vast system of camps and fenced villages. Here, torture, forced labour and systematic abuse were widespread.

The Mau Mau case secured an official apology and compensation for colonial-era torture. It also demonstrated that legal redress for historical injustices was possible.

Yet, it was also a strategic concession by the UK government.

It was limited in scope, restricted to a specific group (those tortured during the Emergency), and designed to avoid setting a broad legal precedent.

Since then, the UK has enacted a new law – the Overseas Operations Act – that imposes strict legal limits on claims related to the actions of British troops abroad, effectively barring historical claims.

Worse still, under the legal doctrine known as divisibility of the Crown, claimants must prove that abuses were ordered by the UK government in London, not just carried out by colonial administrators.

In the case of Kolloa, where documentation is sparse and most evidence comes from oral testimonies, this is an almost impossible task.

Further, unlike the Mau Mau case, which gained global attention, Kolloa has remained largely absent from mainstream narratives. The Kenyan government has lacked political will to put pressure on Britain and has itself seen the movement as dangerous. It remained banned until 2012, after the new constitution strengthened protections for freedom of religion and beliefs.

Without strong advocacy from the Kenyan state, Britain has no diplomatic incentive to revisit or acknowledge Kolloa.

Is there still hope for justice?

One promising path is international litigation. In 2022, the Talai clan from Kenya’s Nandi and Kipsigis communities – themselves victims of colonial brutality – brought a case against the UK at the European Court of Human Rights. Their efforts could set a precedent for groups like Dini ya Msambwa seeking redress beyond British courts.

Back home, Kenya’s devolved county government of West Pokot has also given representatives from the church more freedom to speak openly. While the group remains cautious about challenging the national government directly, there’s a growing movement for memorialisation, truth telling and intergenerational dialogue.

For Dini ya Msambwa, the fight is about more than financial compensation. It is about being seen, heard and remembered. The group’s struggle touches on deeper questions of dignity, memory and the right to practise their faith with pride instead of fear and resentment.

– Kenya’s 1950 Kolloa massacre: Britain won’t own up to its colonial violence but communities need closure
– https://theconversation.com/kenyas-1950-kolloa-massacre-britain-wont-own-up-to-its-colonial-violence-but-communities-need-closure-262133

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La Charte de la Jeunesse lance un appel mondial à l’action à l’occasion de la Journée internationale de la Jeunesse des Nations Unies : « De la rhétorique à la réalité »

Source: Africa Press Organisation – French

À l’occasion de la Journée internationale de la Jeunesse des Nations Unies 2025, la Charte de la Jeunesse (www.YouthCharter.org) a lancé un puissant appel mondial à l’action, exhortant la communauté internationale à s’unir dans un effort renouvelé et fondé sur des données probantes pour mettre le sport au service du développement et de la paix (SDP) au service de la réalisation des Objectifs de développement durable (ODD) des Nations Unies d’ici 2030.

Cet appel intervient alors que le monde entre dans les cinq dernières années avant l’échéance de 2030, alors que les progrès sur de nombreuses cibles des ODD stagnent ou s’inversent. La Charte de la Jeunesse, une organisation caritative basée au Royaume-Uni, forte de 32 ans d’expérience dans l’engagement, l’équipement et l’autonomisation des jeunes dans plus de 40 pays, prévient que sans une action urgente et coordonnée, le potentiel d’une génération sera perdu.

« Les cinq prochaines années sont cruciales. Nous devons aller au-delà des gestes symboliques et produire un impact réel et mesurable », a déclaré le professeur Geoff Thompson, MBE, FRSA, DL, fondateur et président de la Charte de la jeunesse. « Le sport n’est pas une option : c’est un moteur essentiel de santé, d’éducation, d’égalité, de paix et d’opportunités. Nous avons besoin d’un véritable effort collectif et mondial pour faire des Objectifs 2030 une réalité pour chaque jeune. »

Trois priorités urgentes de l’Appel mondial à l’action

Lancé en 2019 sous le nom de #LegacyOpportunity4All, l’Appel mondial à l’action de la Charte de la jeunesse appelle à :

1.     Mobiliser un Fonds mondial pour le développement durable (SDP) – un financement dédié et géré de manière transparente pour investir dans des projets communautaires qui répondent directement aux cibles des ODD ;

2.     Encourager un leadership authentique – soutenir les coachs sociaux, les mentors et les jeunes leaders locaux en leur offrant des formations, des ressources et une reconnaissance ;

3.     Intégrer les données probantes et la responsabilisation – aligner toutes les initiatives sur les indicateurs des ODD et publier des données d’impact vérifiables.

Preuves d’impact Depuis

1993, le travail de la Charte de la jeunesse a démontré la contribution du sport à plusieurs ODD : • ODD 3 (Santé) : Réduire l’obésité chez les jeunes, améliorer la santé mentale et allonger l’espérance de vie. • ODD 4 (Éducation) : Améliorer la fréquentation et la réussite scolaires grâce à l’apprentissage par le sport. • ODD 5 (Égalité des sexes) : Élargir l’accès et les opportunités de leadership pour les jeunes femmes dans le sport. • ODD 8 (Travail décent) : Créer des voies d’accès à l’emploi grâce à la qualification d’entraîneur et au bénévolat lors d’événements. • ODD 11 (Communautés durables) : Réduire la criminalité et revitaliser les quartiers grâce aux campus communautaires. • ODD 16 (Paix) : Utiliser le sport pour instaurer la confiance, réduire la violence et favoriser la réconciliation dans les zones de conflit. • ODD 17 (Partenariats) : Forger des alliances intersectorielles entre les gouvernements, les ONG, les organismes sportifs et les entreprises.

Rayonnement international

De Moss Side à Manchester à Soweto en Afrique du Sud, d’Islamabad au Pakistan à Louisville aux États-Unis, la Charte de la jeunesse a collaboré avec les gouvernements, les organisations sportives et les communautés pour instaurer un changement durable. Des programmes tels que le Programme de leadership des coachs sociaux et le Modèle de campus communautaire ont été reproduits sur tous les continents, créant des espaces sûrs, des compétences et des opportunités pour les jeunes.

Journée internationale de la jeunesse des Nations Unies 2025 : Un moment pour l’action collective

L’essai de la Charte de la jeunesse pour la Journée internationale de la jeunesse

« De la rhétorique à la réalité : un appel mondial à l’action pour le sport au service du développement et de la paix », a été soumis aux dirigeants de l’ONU et du CIO et est disponible sous forme de document d’information public. Il appelle :

• Les gouvernements à intégrer le sport dans leurs stratégies nationales de jeunesse ;

• Les institutions internationales à coordonner les politiques et les pratiques mondiales en matière de développement social et de paix ;

• Le secteur privé et les organisations philanthropiques à investir stratégiquement dans le sport de masse ;

• Les jeunes leaders à concevoir et diriger des projets locaux, alignés sur les ODD ;

• Le milieu universitaire à fournir une évaluation d’impact solide et indépendante.

Distribué par APO Group pour Youth Charter.

Charte de la Jeunesse @ Réseaux sociaux :
LinkedIn: @ YouthCharter
Facebook: @ YouthCharter
Instagram: @ youthchartersdp
YouTube: @ YouthCharter
X: @ YOUTHCHARTER

#Hashtags de la Charte de la Jeunesse :
#Comité International Olympique
#Olympisme
#CombattreLaRue
#JeunesViesPerdues
#AppelÀL’Action
#HéritageOpportunitéPourTou
#SportDéveloppementPaix
#AutonomiserLaProchaineGénération
#SecrétariatDuCommonwealth
#ObjectifsDeDéveloppementDurableDeL’ONU

À propos de la Charte de la Jeunesse :
La Charte de la Jeunesse est une organisation caritative enregistrée au Royaume-Uni et une organisation non gouvernementale accréditée auprès des Nations Unies. Lancée en 1993 dans le cadre de la candidature olympique de Manchester 2000 et des Jeux du Commonwealth de 2002, la Charte de la Jeunesse a milité et promu le rôle et la valeur du sport, de l’art, de la culture et des technologies numériques dans la vie des jeunes en difficulté issus de communautés défavorisées, aux niveaux national et international. La Charte de la Jeunesse a fait ses preuves dans la création et la mise en œuvre de programmes de développement social et humain, dont l’objectif général est d’offrir aux jeunes la possibilité de s’épanouir.

Plus précisément, la Charte de la Jeunesse s’attaque à l’échec scolaire, aux inégalités en matière de santé, aux comportements antisociaux et aux effets négatifs de la criminalité, de la drogue, des gangs et du racisme, en appliquant l’éthique de l’excellence sportive et artistique. Ces éléments peuvent ensuite se traduire par des avantages sociaux et économiques en matière de citoyenneté, de droits et de responsabilités, avec une amélioration de l’éducation, de la santé, de l’ordre social, de l’environnement, de l’enseignement supérieur, de l’emploi et de l’entrepreneuriat.

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Youth Charter Issues Global Call to Action on United Nations (UN) International Youth Day: “From Rhetoric to Reality”

Source: APO – Report:

On UN International Youth Day 2025, the Youth Charter (www.YouthCharter.org) has issued a powerful Global Call to Action urging the global community to unite in a renewed, evidence-based effort to harness Sport for Development and Peace (SDP) in achieving the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030.

The call comes as the world enters the final five years before the 2030 deadline, with progress on many SDG targets stalled or reversing. The Youth Charter, a UK-based charity with a 32-year track record of engaging, equipping, and empowering young people in over 40 countries warns that without urgent, coordinated action, a generation’s potential will be lost.

“The next five years are critical. We must go beyond symbolic gestures and deliver real, measurable impact,” said Professor Geoff Thompson MBE FRSA DL, Founder and Chair of the Youth Charter. “Sport is not an optional extra – it is an essential driver of health, education, equality, peace, and opportunity. We need a truly collective, global effort to make the 2030 Goals a reality for every young person.”

Three Urgent Priorities in the Global Call to Action

The Youth Charter’s Global Call to Action, first launched in 2019 as #LegacyOpportunity4All, calls for:

  1. Mobilising a Global SDP Fund – dedicated, transparently managed funding to invest in community-led projects that directly address SDG targets.
  2. Empowering Authentic Leadership – supporting grassroots social coaches, mentors, and youth leaders with training, resources, and recognition.
  3. Embedding Evidence and Accountability – aligning all initiatives with SDG indicators and publishing verifiable impact data

Evidence of Impact

The Youth Charter’s work since 1993 has demonstrated sport’s contribution to multiple SDGs:

  • SDG 3 (Health): Reducing youth obesity, improving mental health, increasing life expectancy.
  • SDG 4 (Education): Improving school attendance and attainment through sport-linked learning.
  • SDG 5 (Gender Equality): Expanding access and leadership opportunities for young women in sport.
  • SDG 8 (Decent Work): Creating employment pathways through coaching qualifications and event volunteering.
  • SDG 11 (Sustainable Communities): Reducing crime and revitalising neighbourhoods through Community Campuses.
  • SDG 16 (Peace): Using sport to build trust, reduce violence, and foster reconciliation in conflict-affected areas.
  • SDG 17 (Partnerships): Forging cross-sector alliances between governments, NGOs, sports bodies, and business.

International Reach

From Moss Side in Manchester to Soweto in South Africa, from Islamabad in Pakistan to Louisville in the USA, the Youth Charter has worked with governments, sports organisations, and communities to deliver sustainable change. Programmes such as the Social Coach Leadership Programme and the Community Campus Model have been replicated across continents, creating safe spaces, skills, and opportunities for young people.

UN International Youth Day 2025: A Moment for Collective Action

The Youth Charter’s International Youth Day essay, “From Rhetoric to Reality: A Global Call to Action for Sport for Development and Peace”, has been submitted to UN and IOC leadership and is available as a public briefing. It calls on:

  • Governments to embed sport in national youth strategies.
  • International Institutions to coordinate global SDP policy and practice.
  • Private Sector and Philanthropy to invest strategically in grassroots sport.
  • Youth Leaders to design and lead locally driven, SDG-aligned projects.
  • Academia to provide robust, independent impact evaluation.

– on behalf of Youth Charter.

Youth Charter @ Social Media:
LinkedIn: @ YouthCharter
Facebook: @ YouthCharter
Instagram: @ youthchartersdp
YouTube: @ YouthCharter
X: @ YOUTHCHARTER

Youth Charter #Hashtags:
#International Olympic Committee
#Olympism
#Fight4theStreets
#YoungLivesLost
#Call2Action
#LegacyOpportunity4All
#SportDevelopmentPeace
#Empowerthenextgeneration
#CommonwealthSecretariat
#UNSustainableDevelopmentGoals

About Youth Charter:
The Youth Charter is a UK registered charity and UN accredited non-governmental organisation. Launched in 1993 as part of the Manchester 2000 Olympic Bid and the 2002 Commonwealth Games, the Youth Charter has Campaigned and Promoted the role and value of sport, art, culture and digital technology in the lives of disaffected young people from disadvantaged communities nationally and internationally. The Youth Charter has a proven track record in the creation and delivery of social and human development programmes with the overall aim of providing young people with an opportunity to develop in life.

Specifically, The Youth Charter Tackles educational non-attainment, health inequality, anti-social behaviour and the negative effects of crime, drugs, gang related activity and racism by applying the ethics of sporting and artistic excellence. These can then be translated to provide social and economic benefits of citizenship, rights responsibilities, with improved education, health, social order, environment and college, university, employment and enterprise.

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President Ramaphosa to attend AU-AIP Water Investment Summit 2025

Source: President of South Africa –

President Cyril Ramaphosa will on Wednesday, 13 August 2025, attend the African Union-Africa Water Investment Programme (AU-AIP) Water Summit 2025.

The Summit takes place from 13 to 15 August 2025 at the Cape Town International Convention Centre (CTICC).

The Summit supports implementation of the Continental Africa Water Investment Programme (AIP) that was adopted in February 2021 during the 34th ordinary session of the African Union Summit by the Assembly of the African Union Heads of State and Government.

The Summit is convened in the context of South Africa’s G20 Presidency under the theme “Solidarity. Equality. Sustainability”.

This landmark Summit aims to close Africa’s US$30 billion annual water investment gap by bringing together African Heads of State, G20 representatives, Global investors, ministers, private sector leaders, and development institutions.

The Summit is jointly organised by South Africa, the African Union, in collaboration with the African Union Development Agency (NEPAD) and the AU-AIP International High-Level Panel on Water Investments for Africa.

Together, these partners are mobilising the political momentum, financial capital, and institutional partnerships needed to deliver climate-resilient water and sanitation for all.

Delegates will participate in high-level dialogues, engage in project matchmaking sessions, and contribute to a Declaration on Water Investments that will influence both continental and global development agendas-including preparations for the 2026 UN Water Conference.

NB: The media accreditation process, as facilitated by Government Communications and Information System (GCIS) on behalf of the Department of Water and Sanitation, has been finalised, and is now closed. 

Media enquiries: Vincent Magwenya, Spokesperson to the President – media@presidency.gov.za

Issued by: The Presidency
Pretoria
 

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Government invests in empowering youth in aviation

Source: Government of South Africa

The Minister of Transport, Barbara Creecy, has outlined initiatives by government that invest in young people and create real pathways for them to build careers in the aviation sector.

These pathways are inclusive, accessible, and supported by strong educational frameworks, financial resources and mentorship initiatives.

Programmes offered by South African Civil Aviation Authority (SACAA), Airports Company South Africa (ACSA) and the Air Traffic Navigation Services support learners from disadvantaged backgrounds to enter professions such as pilots, aircraft maintenance technicians, aeronautical engineers, airport management and development, as well as flight procedure designers, air traffic controllers and related fields.

“Support includes structured training programmes; internships, bursaries and learnerships. In our system there is a strong focus on promoting gender equity in professions which were previously male dominated.

“These programmes represent a deliberate and sustained effort by South African aviation entities to empower a new generation of aviation professionals who reflect the demographic diversity of our country. 

“Through these initiatives, our State is ensuring that access to critical skills and opportunities is broadened, particularly for young black South Africans and women, in line with our national transformation agenda,” the Minister said on Tuesday in Durban.

She was addressing the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) Next Generation of Aviation Professionals Global Summit, which brings the aviation community together to work collaboratively in securing the future of aviation talent.

“While the sector offers substantial opportunities, these will not materialise unless we address one fundamental challenge – the need for a new generation of skilled professionals. 

“As seasoned aviation workers retire and the demand for a skilled workforce grows, we must ensure that young people, especially across Africa, are equipped and prepared to step into these roles,” the Minister emphasised.

Aviation sector’s contribution to the economy

According to the International Air Transport Association (IATA), in South Africa in 2023, air transport contributed approximately USD 5.7 billion, or (around R105.4 billion) one and a half percent of gross domestic product (GDP) in 2023 – equivalent to 1.5% of total GDP, supporting 46 000 jobs, 27 000 of whom are licensed aviation professionals.

The ICAO forecasts a global demand for over two million qualified aviation personnel by 2030.

“Through the implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area, the Single African Air Transport Market (SAATM) can exponentially enhance job creation and growth on the African continent.

“In recognition of the key role aviation can play in economic development, the Department of Transport targets to reach 42 million passengers and 1.2million tons of air-freight through the ACSA network of airports by 2029.

“This will be achieved by increasing the capacity and upgrading of existing airports and aviation facilities, creating new cargo terminals, streamlining airport services and the flow of passengers, and expanding the network of ACSA airports to ensure greater aviation capacity and connectivity throughout South Africa and the broader southern African region,” the Minister said.

Barriers to entry and partnerships

She encouraged the sector to invest in young people to ensure the sustainability of the aviation industry.
“As we all know, the barriers to accessing aviation training can be unaffordable to youth in developing countries such as our own. Funding for training future aviation professionals is key to the growth and sustainability of the aviation industry,” Creecy said.

The Minister acknowledged the impact that Fly Safair and Airlink have made by partnering with the Regulator (SACAA) to absorb trainees, and provide on-the-job training, experience and flying hours. 

“I cannot over emphasise the importance of partnerships between the private sector and government in developing talent and ensuring a thriving aviation industry.

“We must pay homage to the South African Air Force (SAAF) and the South African Police Service (SAPS) Air Wing who have continued to demonstrate the impact of aviation in public service.

“We also recognise the South African Airways (SAA) Cadet Pilot Programme, the Denel Technical Academy, Armscor, and SAAB have all played pivotal roles in nurturing critical aviation and engineering skills in our country,” she said.

SAAB is a company that was primarily aimed at providing military aircraft to Sweden but today provides products and services from military defence to civil security.

Creecy said the contribution of the Transport Education Training Authority, through ongoing funding support, cannot be overstated – without financial backing, potential often remains unrealised.

The Minister also mentioned the non-profit sector with organisations such as Sakhikamva Foundation, Aviation Development Africa, The Children’s Flight, and Girl Fly Programme in Africa.

“Workforce and skills development challenges are global, and collaboration is essential. That is why South Africa is also an active member of the Global Aviation and Aerospace Skills Taskforce (GAAST) — a growing international coalition bringing together States, regulators, and industry leaders to address global skills shortages and ensure workforce resilience.

“The taskforce, which works closely with ICAO’s Next Generation of Aviation Professionals programme, aims to build a repository of best practice, support diversity and inclusion, and ensure that talent development keeps pace with new technologies, safety requirements, and decarbonisation,” the Minister said. –SAnews.gov.za

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Redirectmall and Compassionate Capitalism Economic System Launch Program to Create 100 Millionaires in Kenya

Source: APO – Report:

Redirectmall (https://Redirectmall.com/), in partnership with its Compassionate Capitalism Economic System, announces the launch of a pioneering initiative aimed at creating 100 millionaires in Kenya. The program is designed to build a self-sustaining economic ecosystem for Africa by empowering individuals while reducing capital flight from the continent.

An innovative business model for Pioneer Sellers

Under the program, participants — known as Pioneer Sellers — begin by purchasing an inventory of 400 Inspirational Wall Portraits. Redirectmall sets up an online store for each seller on https://Redirectmall.com/, lists their products, and promotes them through its proprietary influencer network. The company’s fulfillment team manages all deliveries directly to buyers, ensuring sellers do not need to handle inventory or logistics.

Each portrait sale generates $3 in profit, resulting in $1,200 (KSH 154,800) once the initial 400 units are sold. Upon completion, sellers unlock 40 Level 1 bonus shares in the Compassionate Capitalism system, each paying $100 per month — providing $4,000 (KSH 500,000+) in monthly lifetime dividends at no additional cost to the seller.

Operating under the Family Monthly Income Plan, the program links each Pioneer Seller’s inventory to pre-identified active buyers, eliminating the risk of unsold stock and ensuring consistent, predictable returns without additional financial commitments.

A win-win strategy for African expansion

Beyond personal earnings, the initiative is founded on a principle of mutual benefit. In exchange for their success stories, Pioneer Sellers provide testimonial videos, which serve as a key driver for onboarding 10 million sellers across Africa. This expansion is projected to generate billions of dollars in platform revenue for Redirectmall, strengthening African economies by retaining wealth within the continent.

“In essence, our success depends entirely on the success of our Pioneer Sellers,” said Caroline Lambert, the Public Relations Officer of Redirectmall. “Your prosperity fuels the growth of the entire system.”

The program builds on the proven track record of the Black Wall Street, which has successfully issued UPAP shares — a stake in the entire operations of the Black Wall Street and Compassionate Capitalism Economic System. Each UPAP share is pegged at $100 per month in dividends and $30,000 in cash-out value, secured through 20,000 Investment Points earned from purchases at Redirectmall. In this new initiative, Pioneer Sellers receive bonus shares upon meeting their first sales milestone, creating a lifetime income stream without additional purchases.

Towards African economic independence

By reinvesting profits within Africa and creating scalable opportunities for individuals, Redirectmall and its partners aim to establish a cycle of prosperity that benefits both people and economies. The company invites interested participants to secure their place in this program and join the movement toward African economic independence.

Visit https://apo-opa.co/4oyBh5c for more details.

– on behalf of Redirectmall.

Contact:
Caroline Lambert
Public Relations Officer of Redirectmall
carol@cc-28.com

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The Central African Republic and the African Development Bank Group launch an ambitious programme to develop water resources in the Ubangui River basin

Source: APO – Report:

The government of the Central African Republic and the African Development Bank Group (www.AfDB.org) launched the Regional Support Programme for the Development of Cross-Border Water Infrastructure and Resources between the Central African Republic and the Democratic Republic of Congo (PREDIRE) (http://apo-opa.co/41DG9w2) in Bangui on Tuesday 5 August 2025.

Bertrand Arthur Piri, Minister of Energy and Water Resource Development, and Mamady Souaré, head of the African Development Bank Group’s Country Office for the Central African Republic, chaired the launch ceremony, which was attended by other members of the government, including Éric Mathieu Rokosset Kamo (Minister of Infrastructure and Public Works), Ernest Mada (Government Minister and Secretary-General), Nicaise Nassin (Public Safety & Security), Bruno Yapandé (Territorial Administration and Decentralization), Marcel Dimasse (Civil Service and Administrative Reform) and Obed Namsio (representing the Minister of the Economy, Planning and Cooperation). Local officials, technical and financial partners of the Central African Republic, representatives of civil society and numerous guests attended the event.

The Regional Support Programme for the Development of Cross-Border Water Infrastructure and Resources between the Central African Republic and the Democratic Republic of Congo (http://apo-opa.co/41DG9w2) aims to develop the immense water resources of the Ubangui Basin by sustainably transforming the socioeconomic living conditions of people living alongside the river, while consolidating regional integration. It is financed by the African Development Bank in the amount of $121 million. The project will be implemented over five years from November 2024 to November 2029.

“PREDIRE is in line with the vision of the President of the Central African Republic, Faustin Archange Touadera, for sustainable and inclusive development based on equitable access to drinking water, sanitation, food security and environmental protection,” said Minister Piri.

“It also demonstrates the strength of the partnership between the Central African Republic and the African Development Bank, a privileged partner in the country’s development,” he added.

Built around the water–food security–climate nexus, the programme (http://apo-opa.co/41DG9w2) comprises two complementary sub-programmes. The first, launched on Tuesday, focuses on improving the hydrological information system in the Ubangui Basin, preparing for future investments, and building climate-resilient water, sanitation and hygiene infrastructure.

The second sub-programme, currently in preparation, will focus on financing water collection infrastructure for the Agricultural Transformation Programme in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), improving river navigation throughout the Ubangui Basin in the Central African Republic, the DRC and the Congo River, and protecting and building the resilience of vulnerable communities to the effects of climate change.

“By taking an integrated and inclusive approach, PREDIRE will help strengthen the climate resilience of communities while boosting economic growth through water, navigation and sustainable agriculture services,” said Mr. Souaré. He emphasized that “100% of the financing is dedicated to combating the effects of climate change, making it a flagship project in the Bank’s climate portfolio.”

The programme aims to improve the sustainable management of shared water resources in the cross-border Ubangui Basin, while promoting the development of infrastructure essential to ensuring a secure water supply for people, agriculture, and agricultural processing industries. It also provides for strengthening the institutional capacities of national and regional actors, in particular the International Commission of the Congo-Ubangi-Sangha Basin (CICOS) and the Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS), in the areas of water resource governance and integrated basin management.

The Central African Republic component of the programme includes the construction of a new raw water pumping station with a capacity of 6,500 m³/hour, a water treatment plant with the same capacity, a 50,000 m³ storage facility, the extension of 208 kilometres of distribution network, the installation of 15,000 social connections and the construction of new headquarters for the Central African Water Distribution Company (SODECA).

The programme covers the provinces of Nord-Ubangi, Sud-Ubangi and Mongala in the DRC, as well as Greater Bangui in the Central African Republic. More than 2.4 million people (51 percent of whom are women) will benefit directly from the project. Sixty-nine percent of these beneficiaries live in absolute poverty, while 71 percent are young people, at least 50 percent of whom are girls.

The project will generate 3,400 jobs, including 1,200 permanent positions, through infrastructure works, entrepreneurship training, the provision of water and sanitation services, and improvements to river navigation. In addition, a specific resilience and social cohesion programme will be implemented to benefit 25,000 people, in collaboration with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).

In terms of governance, the project plans to strengthen the capacities of more than 1,300 stakeholders. One hundred percent of the women targeted will benefit from skills development within national, regional and community institutions involved in the preservation of shared resources.

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

Contact:
Pascale ESSAMA 
Communication and External Relations Department
African Development Bank
media@afdb.org

About the African Development Bank Group:
The African Development Bank Group is Africa’s leading development finance institution. It comprises three distinct entities: the African Development Bank (AfDB), the African Development Fund (ADF) and the Nigeria Trust Fund (NTF). Represented in 41 African countries, with an external office in Japan, the Bank is committed to the economic development and social advancement of its 54 regional member countries. For more information, visit www.AfDB.org.

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Remarks by Dr. Akinwumi A. Adesina President and Chairman, Boards of Directors, African Development Bank Group at the Signing Ceremony for Mandated Lead Arranger New Bishoftu Airport of Ethiopia

Source: APO – Report:

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Protocols 

Honorable Minister of Finance and Governor of Ethiopia to the African Development Bank Group, Ahmed Shide. 

Honorable Ministers and senior officials of the Government of Ethiopia. 

Honorable Ministers, including the Honorable Minister of Finance for Malawi, Simplex Banda. 

The Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Ethiopian Airlines Group, H.E. Lieutenant General Yilma Merdassa. 

Chief Executive Officer, Ethiopian Airlines Group, Mesfin Tasew Bekele. 

The Chief Commercial Officer and the Deputy Chief Executive Officer of Ethiopian Airlines Group. 

The Chairman of the Board of Directors, Ethiopian Airline Group. 

The Management and staff of the Ethiopian Airlines Group. 

Vice Presidents Nnnena Mwabufo and Vice President Solomon Quaynor of the African Development Bank Group. 

The Country Manager for Ethiopia and Deputy Director General for Eastern Africa of the African Development Bank Group, Leandre Basole, who is now the Director General of the Bank for Central Africa. 

The Country-Manager Designate for Ethiopia and Deputy Director General for Eastern Africa, Olajide Oyewusi. 

All staff of the African Development Bank. 

All staff of the Ethiopian Airlines Group. 

Members of the Media. 

Ladies and gentlemen. 

Good morning!  

I am delighted to be back in Addis Ababa, a city that is witnessing incredible transformation under the visionary leadership of Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed.  If the transformation is happening in years, I can understand, but it is happening every hour, every day, every week, at scale.  

Speed and scale are now the hallmarks of Ethiopia. And scale is what we are signing onto today: the start of the pathway for the construction of the mega Bishoftu international airport.  

It is a testament to the power of vision, determination and resolve to put Africa at the top. 

Ethiopia airlines has put Africa at the top in global aviation. I am writing these remarks onboard the ET flight from Abidjan to Addis Ababa. In the air, on top, across 130 destinations, across 5 continents, Ethiopia Airlines makes Africa proud. 

With its 75 years of operational history, Ethiopian Airlines is Africa’s oldest and best airline. It is critical for regional economic integration, connecting capitals, people and markets, with its globally rated cargo facilities.  

This was remarkable during the Covid19 pandemic. When many global airlines stopped flying., Ethiopian Airlines was in the air. It innovated by turning passenger cabins in its fleets to cargo facilities, moving goods, vaccines, medicines and equipment, across the world. 

Ethiopian Airlines have won the Skytrax ‘Best Airline in Africa’ award for seven consecutive years. 

I applaud the CEO of Ethiopian airlines, Mr. Mesfin Bekele, who is doing an outstanding job, and the Board of Directors, Management and staff of the airline for their incredible top-notch performance and for making Africa proud.  

I understand that Mr. Mesfin Bekele had wanted to retire twice and twice he has been encouraged to stay on a little longer. That is not surprising, for as the saying goes, the price for great work is more work. I understand that he will be retiring in another year, and you already have a clear succession plan. There will be no surprises.  

That is the mark of a great institution.  

I wish to commend you, the Board of Directors, Management and staff for making Ethiopian Airlines such a profitable company, with $7.2 billion in revenues in 2024, an increase of 14% from 2023. I learnt that you also increased your passenger numbers by 24%, to 19 million passengers.  

What a performance! 

The African Development Bank is proud to partner with Ethiopia in its vision to expand the operational and fleet capacity of the Ethiopian Airlines.  

That’s why in 2016, one year after my election as President of the African Development Bank, we provided a $160-million corporate loan to Ethiopian Airlines for its expansion and fleet modernization.  

I was delighted on one of my trips from Addis to Abidjan, when suddenly the CEO of Ethiopian Airlines showed up and said they had changed the aircraft we would use to the new Airbus which was purchased with the financing from the African Development Bank.  

What a flight it was, for me and all my accompanying staff! I can still recall my photographer, Roland (who is here today), sitting comfortably and enjoying the flight, in the brand-new aircraft.  

From then, Ethiopian Airlines has not looked back. Today, its fleet expansion program will acquire an additional 114 aircrafts, to bring its fleet capacity to 240 aircrafts. 

To stay dominant, the government of Ethiopia is also expanding its airport facilities, especially for international flights. The Bole International airport, which currently is at 19 million out of its 25 million passenger capacity per year is no longer enough for the ambition of Ethiopia to be on top. 

The Prime Minister looks forward again! 

The new Bishoftu international airport will be a game changer for air transport in Africa and globally. 

The phase one of the Bishoftu airport will handle 60 million passengers per annum, which will rise to 110 million passengers per annum, in phase 2.  

The Bishoftu airport will enable Ethiopian Airlines to reduce its fuel consumption by 15%. It will also accommodate 3.7 million tons of cargo and provide parking for 270 aircrafts. 

The construction of the new Bishoftu airport will cost a total of $10 billion.  

The African Development Bank is delighted to have been selected as the Mandated Leader Arranger, Global Coordinator and Book Runner to mobilize $8 billion of debt financing towards the construction of the new airport, including up to $500 million of debt from the Bank. 

You can understand why.  

The African Development Bank is the largest financier of infrastructure in Africa. In the past ten years under my Presidency, the Bank has financed over $55 billion in infrastructure.  

We will do all we can to support Ethiopia to achieve its dream. 

I wish to highly commend the Honorable Minister of Finance, Ahmed Shide, for his strong leadership, for believing in the African Development Bank and for working closely with my staff to make this day a reality. You were with me in Abidjan on March 24, 2025, along with the the CEO of Ethiopian airlines, when you signed the Letter of Intent for the project with Vice President Nnenna Mwabufo. 

I am proud that the team of the Bank moved with speed and deployed a project preparation mission to Addis Ababa from 5th-9th May, 2025.  

And here we are today, signing the Mandate letter for the African Development Bank to mobilize the $8 billion for the construction of the new airport. 

I wish to commend the Government of Ethiopia for moving rapidly to relocate and financially settle all the 2,800 households that will be affected by the project, with transparency and accountability. 

I wish to assure you that the African Development Bank will deliver, so that this project can be delivered by Ethiopia for its people. 

As this will be my last official visit to Ethiopia, as President of the African Development Bank, I wish to use the opportunity to express my deep appreciation to Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, as well as the Government of Ethiopia for all your support for the African Development Bank, my staff and I, over the past ten years.  

I wish to commend the Minister of Finance for his excellent support. I also wish to commend all my staff, especially my senior Vice President, Vice Presidents, General Counsel and our exemplary legal staff, Directors of the Bank, as well as the country manager and deputy director general and his team at the Bank’s office in Addis Ababa.  

I wish to use this time to specially commend Leandre Bassole, the Country Manager for Ethiopia and the Deputy Director General, who is now taking on a new role as the Director General of the Central Africa region for the African Development Bank.  

Under you, Leandre, and with your leadership and strategic partnership, the Bank was able to secure this mandate.  

Well done! I have no doubt that you will excel in your new role.  

I am equally pleased that Olajide Oyewusi, the new Country Manager designate for Ethiopia and the Deputy Director General is here at the event. Given his extensive experience as a commercial banker, he will be able to put this to use to accelerate the Bank’s delivery on the project.  

This will ensure a smooth leadership transition and stability in the operations of the African Development Bank in Ethiopia. 

I look forward to flying Ethiopian Airlines to come back here in few years and land at the Bishoftu International Airport. 

What a great day that will be! 

I will always have Ethiopia in my heart. 

Thank you very much. 

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

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SA’s success story in elephant conservation

Source: Government of South Africa

Home to 44 000 African savanna elephants and a population that continues to grow, South Africa’s conservation efforts have demonstrated success when compared to the decline of elephant numbers in some other countries. 

“Our elephants are a national treasure, a keystone species, an integral part of our heritage and plays a significant role in maintaining a balance where the creation of value exceeds consumption, crucial for sustaining and increasing South Africa’s social and natural capital, which are fundamental for inclusive socio-economic development,” Deputy Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment Narend Singh said on Tuesday.

As South Africa joins the global community in celebrating World Elephant Day, the Deputy Minister noted that elephants in South Africa have also expanded their range over the past 40 years.

Most elephants in the country live in government-protected areas like Kruger National Park, Mapungubwe National Park, and Tembe Elephant Park. 

These parks are part of larger Transfrontier Conservation Areas (TFCAs), where elephants often move freely across national borders and are shared with neighbouring countries. 

“In addition to these large parks, there are 89 smaller, fenced reserves that also support elephant populations. About 6000 elephants are owned privately or by communities, and in recent years, more and more communities have started to manage elephants themselves,” Singh said.

While South Africa’s success in recovering elephant populations offers hope for the species, the Deputy Minister warned that it also brings a difficult trade-off in the context of the country’s developmental agenda and needs. 

“As elephant numbers and ranges expand, encounters between people and elephants have increased, particularly in rural communities living near protected areas.

“Human-elephant conflict can result in crop losses, damage to infrastructure, and in some cases, injury or loss of human life. For many affected families, these incidents can threaten food security and livelihoods. 

“Managing these interactions is essential to ensuring that conservation gains do not come at the expense of community well-being. It requires innovative solutions that promote co-existence, such as, improved land-use planning, early-warning systems, community-based monitoring, and benefit-sharing initiatives that recognise the costs of living alongside elephants,” Singh said.

While re-imagining conservation in the country, South Africa’s aspiration is to ensure that thriving elephants contribute to improving the well-being of people and ecosystems simultaneously.

The country’s conservation efforts are guided by the four goals of the White Paper policy on Conservation and Sustainable Use of South Africa’s Biodiversity, which are aimed at balancing conservation with sustainable use, transformation, access and benefit sharing.

The Deputy Minister was addressing the Elephant Indaba at Bonamanzi in KwaZulu-Natal, a province that is home to the second largest elephant population in the country.

The Elephant Indaba coincided with World Elephant Day that is being celebrated under the theme: “Matriarchs’ and Memories”.

World Elephant Day is a day dedicated to raising awareness of the urgent need to protect and manage the world’s elephants. –SAnews.gov.za