Category: MIL-OSI

Source: APO – Report:

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World Breastfeeding Week is being observed from 1 to 7 August with various activities under the theme “Prioritize Breastfeeding – Create Sustainable Support System.”

At a national-level ceremony organized today in Asmara, Sister Amleset Hagos from the Ministry of Health stated that breastfeeding protects against various diseases, supports physical and mental development, contains all essential nutrients, and ensures the future health of infants.

Sister Amleset also called on all institutions to establish daycare centers to ease the burden on breastfeeding mothers.

Mr. Abdulah Mohammed Yosuf, UNICEF Representative in Eritrea, noted that according to the 2010 Eritrea Public Health Survey, over 90% of children are breastfed within the first hour, and 69% are exclusively breastfed for six months. These achievements have significantly contributed to reducing neonatal and child mortality, placing Eritrea among the global leaders in breastfeeding practices.

At the discussion forum moderated by the Association of Medical Doctors of Eritrea, female doctors shared their experiences with participants, focusing on the general benefits of breastfeeding, maternity leave, the importance of establishing daycare centers at institutions, and support for breastfeeding mothers in the workplace.

Awards were also presented to winners of the general knowledge competitions conducted during the week.

– on behalf of Ministry of Information, Eritrea.

Source: APO – Report:

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Ambassador Zemede Tekle, Commissioner of Culture and Sports, indicated that preparations for the National Festival 2025 have been finalized. The festival is scheduled to take place from 9 to 17 August at the Expo Grounds in Asmara.

Noting that “displays depicting our cultural diversity and unity have been prepared,” Ambassador Zemede said the festival will feature cultural and musical performances, traditional villages representing the cultures and traditions of the various ethnic groups in the country, exhibitions of products by various institutions and regions, children’s educational and entertainment programs, book displays, paintings and sculptures exhibitions, as well as seminars, among others.

Ambassador Zemede also underlined that the National Festival, beyond being an entertainment event, is a reflection of the unity and cultural diversity of the Eritrean people.

– on behalf of Ministry of Information, Eritrea.

Source: APO – Report:

Dr Akinwumi Adesina says his passion to mobilize global capital for Africa’s development will continue way beyond his presidency of the African Development Bank (www.AfDB.org), which ends on 1^st September 2025.

In a keynote speech titled “Tilting Global Capital for Unlocking Investment Opportunities in Africa”, delivered at the Standard Chartered Africa Summit on July 31, in Lagos, Adesina said, “Together, let us tilt global capital to unlock Africa’s assets. As I step into a new future, you can be sure this will be my focus! For I will always have Africa in my heart and in my sight.”

The Standard Chartered Africa Summit, with the theme, “Africa to the Globe: Innovation, Resilience, and Growth”, brought together corporate leaders, policymakers, investors and other stakeholders. Attendees included Standard Chartered’s Co-Heads of Corporate & Investment Banking, Sunil Kaushal and Roberto Hoornweg; Chief Executive Officer of Standard Chartered Bank Nigeria, Dalu Ajene; Nigeria’s Minister of Trade and Investment, Dr. Jumoke Oduwole; Africa’s richest man, Aliko Dangote; Hakeem Belo-Osagie, Chairman, FSDH Group and Senior Lecturer at Harvard Business School; and award-winning author, Chimamanda Adichie.

Adesina kicked off by alluding to his signature optimism about Africa’s prospects. “When I was approached to consider delivering the keynote speech, I did not hesitate. How can someone known as ‘Africa’s Optimist in Chief’ not accept to speak on Africa!”, he said.

Highlighting the African Development Bank’s focus on bold financial innovation in the last decade, Adesina declared, “The African Development Bank is not just waiting for more capital, we are innovating to do more with the capital we have. Through our balance sheet optimization initiatives, we are stretching every dollar of risk capital further. Our ambition is threefold: free up capital, crowd in investors and amplify development impact.”

He outlined several ambitious and innovative financing solutions pioneered by the African Development Bank, supported by its AAA rating which it has maintained over the last decade:

• Over $102 billion in low-cost financing to Africa since 2015
• Capital raise from $93 billion in 2015 to $318 billion in 2024, the highest in the Bank’s sixty-year history
• Spearheading, in partnership with the Inter-American Development, the rechanneling of the IMF’s Special Drawing Rights (SDRs) to multilateral development banks—a move that will of the rechanneled SDRs as hybrid capital, which can be leveraged by 4-8 times.
• The Africa Investment Forum, launched by the Bank in collaboration with strategic partners, has mobilized over $225 billion in investment interest across infrastructure, energy, agribusiness, manufacturing and other critical sectors, since 2018
• The biggest social bond issuance by multilateral development banks, amounting to $14 billion in the past eight years.
• $10 billion of long-term global benchmark bonds issued in 2025 alone to finance projects across Africa
• The first-ever synthetic securitization of a non-sovereign portfolio by a multilateral development bank, involving the transfer of mezzanine risk of a $1 billion portfolio of private sector loans.
• The first-ever private sector hybrid capital transaction by a multilateral development bank, valued at $750 million—with over 275 investors participating with a book order of $5.1 billion, making it the largest ever book order achieved by the African Development Bank.
• A Room to Run Sovereign offering that created an estimated $2 billion in new sovereign lending headroom
• 16 partial credit and partial risk guarantees valued at close to $3 billion, mobilizing $ 5 billion for the continent
• A $250 million partial credit guarantee that allowed Egypt to raise the first ever Panda Bond by an African country on the Chinese capital market, valued at $500 million.

Adesina praised Standard Chartered Bank’s successful partnership with the African Development Bank’s successful partnership, which notably delivered a partial credit guarantee for Côte d’Ivoire in 2023 — a deal that won ‘Sovereign Syndicated Loan Deal of the Year’ at the 2025 Bonds, Loans & ESG Capital Markets Africa Awards in Cape Town, South Africa, in April.

“The Standard Chartered Bank participated as the sole lender in the 2023 Cote d’Ivoire’s sustainable loan partial credit guarantee transaction. The African Development Bank was able to unlock €533 million from the Standard Chartered Bank in support of the country’s financing needs.”

He also congratulated Standard Chartered on being named Best Transaction Bank at the Asset Triple A Treasurise Awards in Hong Kong. “Your record breaking 127 accolades reflects an exceptionally strong track record of excellence in banking and finance, globally.”

Adesina urged global financial institutions to partner more strategically with the African Development Bank and other multilateral development banks, to scale up capital flows to Africa.

He called for greater use of risk mitigation and credit enhancement instruments, mainstreaming of best practices in Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG), and increased collaboration to scale up local currency financing solutions.

Adesina’s delegation included the Bank Group’s Vice President for Private Sector, Infrastructure and Industrialization Solomon Quaynor, and the Director General of the Nigeria Country Department, Dr. Abdul Kamara.

The African Development Bank’s current active portfolio in Nigeria is the largest in the Bank, valued at $5.1 billion and comprising 52 operations, equally distributed between the public and private sectors, with 26 projects each. National operations account for 84% of the portfolio, while multinational operations constitute the balance of 16%.

The Bank Group is set to establish a Youth Entrepreneurship Investment Bank in Nigeria, as part of a pan-African portfolio designed to create and finance entrepreneurship opportunities for young Africans.

The Bank is also rolling out Phase 1 of its Special Agro-Industrial Processing Zones across 8 States, including the Federal Capital Territory. Construction has already begun in four States of Kaduna, Cross River, Oyo and Ogun. Phase 2, which will cover the remaining 28 States, is scheduled to take off from September 2025.

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

Photos: (https://apo-opa.co/4opyFqj)

Media Contact:
Tolu Ogunlesi
Communication and External Relations
African Development Bank
Email: media@afdb.org

Source: APO – Report:

The President of the African Development Bank Group (www.AfDB.org), Dr. Akinwumi Adesina, has reaffirmed the Bank’s strong commitment to supporting African entrepreneurs and industrial innovation. He was speaking during a visit to Saglev, a Nigerian electric vehicle assembly and distribution company in Lagos. 

“Our role as a bank, and my role as President, is to be a champion of African entrepreneurs.” Dr. Adesina said.  

Located in Ikorodu, in the north of Lagos, Saglev Electromobility Nigeria Limited produces electric vehicles from semi-knocked-down components under a technical partnership with a Chinese automobile group. Targeting Nigeria and other emerging markets, the plant has an annual capacity of 2,500 vehicles on a single shift, expandable to 10,000 with multiple shifts 

Welcoming Dr. Adesina to the facility, Saglev Chairman and CEO, Dr. Sam Faleye, described the visit as a fulfilment of a promise made during the 2024 Africa Investment Forum in Rabat, Morocco. “You told me you’re going to come here,” he said.  

Adesina was accompanied by his wife, Mrs Grace Yemisi Adesina, and a Bank delegation that included the Vice President for Private Sector, Infrastructure and Industrialization, Solomon Quaynor, and the Director General of the Nigeria Country Department, Dr. Abdul Kamara.  

Faleye shared his journey from Nigeria to the United States and back to Nigeria. “I went to the US, I practiced 28 years as an Internist, and also in Clinical Informatics, and I ended up here. If I did this project anywhere else in the world, it would not satisfy me as much as this satisfies me.” 

During the tour, Adesina engaged in discussions on the key challenges facing Nigeria’s automotive sector, including fiscal policy, logistics, access to finance, and the lack of local manufacturing capacity for critical components. He also explored issues related to battery technology, charging infrastructure, capacity building, and the Bank’s commitment to clean energy investments.  

“For us as the African Development Bank, a big part of our work is infrastructure. That is what I see here—you need to be able to have power at a lower cost, so that your unit cost of production will be low,” Adesina said. “Electric vehicles run on electricity — and that is why at the African Development Bank, in the last 10 years, we have connected more than 28 million people to electricity, investing heavily in energy.” 

He added, “If you look at the amount of solar radiation we have in Africa, it’s about 11 terawatts, hydro is about 350 gigawatts, wind is about 150 gigawatts, and geothermal is about 15 gigawatts, so Africa is actually the largest place in terms of renewable energy sources. When you have that amount of renewable energy resources, clearly, how we power our homes, offices, industries, and cars, is very important. Globally, the electric vehicle market is valued at about 7 trillion dollars today, by 2050 it will be 59 trillion dollars, so you’re in what is a very major sector for the energy transition.” 

He commended Faleye for investing his own capital significantly into the company, given the high borrowing costs in Africa. “The cost of capital in Africa is three to five times higher than in any other part of the world. And so, the African Development Bank can help in many ways to de-risk lending to companies like this. We have a lot of facilities that can do that. We also have lines of credit we provide for commercial banks, many of them in Nigeria, that are able to support us as well.” 

Adesina commended the high caliber of the company’s young engineers and technicians, citing their skills and evidence of the quality of Nigerian technical education. He also praised the company’s effort toward gender inclusion, particularly among its technical workforce.  

He also underscored the importance of African diaspora to the continent’s development, praising Faleye for returning to Nigeria to invest in the country’s automobile industry. 

“You’re a medical doctor by training, you didn’t have to be doing this, you were already doing very well in the United States, but I think the passion, the drive, and the commitment that you have to Africa is how we want it to be. Africa’s diaspora is valuable not just in terms of money—we get about $91 billion of remittances that come to Africa every year, and those remittances are very important—but I think the big power of diaspora is the knowledge, the skills and the commitment to the continent of your birth.” 

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

Media Contact: 
Tolu Ogunlesi
Communication and External Relations
African Development Bank
Email: media@afdb.org

Source: APO – Report:

Demonstrating its continuous innovation, Canon (www.Canon-CNA.com) today announces multiple enhancements to its toner-based imagePRESS V1000 production printer, boosting its productivity, reliability, and application versatility. Building on the foundation of more than 700 successful installations across EMEA, the V1000 now features new hardware and firmware upgrades, including a vacuum-fed paper deck, an updated user interface, and compatibility with long-sheet handling accessories. The imagePRESS V1000, together with the rest of the Canon cut-sheet production toner portfolio, has also been awarded the highest INGEDE [1] certification for the deinkability of its printed output, demonstrating once again Canon’s commitment to sustainability.

Responding to customer feedback, Canon has introduced a new vacuum-fed paper deck for the imagePRESS V1000, a feature previously available only on the V1350. This suction-feeding and paper separation technology delivers more reliable paper handling, particularly with challenging media types, while maintaining the press’s compact footprint as the most space-efficient production device in its class. Extending its application capabilities, the imagePRESS V1000 is also now compatible with the Plockmatic LCT XL (Large Capacity Tray), supporting media weights up to 400gsm and efficiently handling long sheets up to 700mm/27.5 inches long from two vacuum trays and sheets up to 1,300mm/51.1 inches from the LSM long-sheet tray above the two trays. This expansion significantly increases the automated production of output such as landscape booklets, trifold brochures and gate-folded applications.

Improved user experience

The imagePRESS V1000 now comes with a new, larger operating panel for the PRISMAsync print server, making the system more user-friendly and efficient to operate. The 533mm/21-inch panel enhances visibility of workflow and printer functions, providing a more intuitive interface where operators can check all information in one screen, including media loaded in paper decks. Allowing operators and users to be more self-reliant and reducing the need for service visits for routine maintenance issues, Canon also continues to support cloud-based e-maintenance on the imagePRESS V series. Beneficial to all customers, this feature is particularly valuable for customers in remote locations, further enhancing productivity, uptime, and overall value for money.

Quality and sustainability leadership

The imagePRESS V1000 continues to meet high standards for both quality and sustainability. Its FOGRA 51 certification confirms its ability to deliver exceptional print quality and it does so without compromising on productivity – a balance that is typically difficult to achieve on toner presses. The V1000 produces output with a colour gamut that meets the FOGRA 51 standard without additional colour stations.

In line with Canon’s goal of reducing its environmental impact, the imagePRESS V1000 has also received INGEDE certification for ‘good’ deinkability, the highest category awarded by the non-profit association, which is committed to maintaining and improving the recyclability of graphic print products. This certification confirms that output from the imagePRESS V1000 can be efficiently recycled, supporting circular economy principles.

Proven reliability

The reliable performance of the imagePRESS V1000 is evidenced by customers like UWV, the public organisation in the Netherlands responsible for implementing employee insurance schemes and providing social security services. Operating a dedicated, in-house print centre to manage all its outgoing customer communications, UWV prints an average of 2.5 million A4 pages each month on five identically configured V1000 presses, enabling UWV to handle a daily volume of 144,000 impressions within a 5-6 hour production window.

Hans Schmidbauer, Director, Marketing & Innovation, Production Printing Group, Canon EMEA says: “At Canon, we’re very conscious of the ever-growing pressure on turnaround time that is placed on our customers by their own, so we continuously look to offer technology improvements that will result in greater workflow efficiency and productivity. With these multiple enhancements to the imagePRESS V1000, we’re reaffirming our commitment to the toner-based production print market and ensuring that we continue to offer our customers the industry’s broadest range of both toner and inkjet printing technologies.

“While others may be shifting focus, Canon continues to invest in toner technology to meet the ongoing demand of our customers for high-quality, reliable, on-demand printing. The improvements to the imagePRESS V1000 we’re announcing again demonstrate our approach to customer-driven innovation, ensuring that Canon remains at the forefront of digital production printing technology while helping our customers add value throughout their production workflow, expand their application range and migrate more volume from offset to digital printing.”

The enhanced imagePRESS V1000 with vacuum-feed paper deck is available immediately from Canon’s direct sales organisations and accredited channel partners. The press is available with either a PRISMAsync or Fiery controller, both of which have been updated for more efficient usability.

For more information about the imagePRESS V1000, please go to:

https://apo-opa.co/47gOGZy

– 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 (https://apo-opa.co/47nIQpc) – ‘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

Source: APO – Report:

LEAP (Leadership, Effectiveness, Accountability, and Professionalism) Africa (https://LEAPAfrica.org), a pan-African non-profit organization committed to leadership, development and youth empowerment, in partnership with Dow, a global material science company, and a dynamic network of regional collaborators, is proud to announce the launch of the Youth Day of Service (YDoS) 2025 campaign, an annual celebration of youth agency and volunteerism driving sustainable change across Africa. 

Now in its sixth edition, YDoS 2025, themed “From Ideas to Impact”, builds on a series of impactful activities already underway, including the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) themed Bootcamp and ongoing webinar series, and now calls on young people across the continent to imagine, design, and execute community-focused service projects between August 1st and August 31st, 2025. 

“We are proud to collaborate with LEAP Africa for the fourth consecutive year as part of our commitment to empowering Africa’s youth through meaningful service. By supporting the Youth Day of Service, we aim to inspire young people across the continent to harness their creativity and energy for the betterment of their communities. Through our partnership, we hope to amplify youth-led initiatives, promote cross-sector collaboration, and contribute to lasting, positive change throughout Africa,” said Mumbi Keega, Public Affairs Leader, Dow Africa.  

The campaign provides a platform for youth-led social impact, giving young people the tools, visibility, and support to drive solutions in areas such as education, health, climate action, gender equality, civic engagement, and more. From street clean-ups and digital literacy workshops to environmental advocacy and youth empowerment initiatives, YDoS is igniting a new era of action-oriented leadership in Africa. 

“The Youth Day of Service is more than a campaign. It’s a continent-wide call to action that recognises the power of young people to drive transformation where it’s needed most,” said Kehinde Ayeni, Executive Director of LEAP Africa. “It’s about shifting from potential to impact,  and from moment to movement.” 

Why YDoS Matters 

According to the United Nations. (2017). World population prospects: The 2017 revision – Key findings and advance tables, Africa is home to the largest youth population in the world. Yet, millions of these young people remain under-engaged in governance, economic development, and civic life. The YDoS campaign confronts this challenge head-on by empowering young people to lead, serve, and shape the future of their communities, not tomorrow, but today. 

Since its inception, YDoS has: 

• Engaged over 20,000 youth volunteers across 30+ African countries 
• Delivered 4,000+ community impact projects 
• Partnered with over 50 organisations and institutions 
• Inspired cross-sector collaboration between young changemakers, private sector leaders, civil society, and public institutions 

This year’s campaign aims to double that impact by providing increased access to project grants, mentorship, and digital storytelling platforms to spotlight youth efforts across borders. 

How to Get Involved 

Young people, youth groups, NGOs, schools, corporate partners, and civic organisations are invited to lead a project or volunteer for one through the official campaign website: www.YouthDayofService.org 

Registered participants receive access to a planning toolkit, social media support, and potential seed funding to bring their ideas to life. Projects can range from one-day actions to ongoing initiatives, as long as they’re driven by purpose and youth-led. 

– on behalf of LEAP Africa.

Media Contact: 
Hembadoon Inyamkume 
Communications & PR Manager, LEAP Africa 
hinyamkume@leapafrica.org 
+23408119652975 
www.YouthDayofService.org 

About YDoS:
The Youth Day of Service is an annual pan-African campaign coordinated by LEAP Africa, designed to harness the creativity, energy, and leadership of African youth through community-led service. It marks International Youth Day by shifting the focus from celebration to action. 

About LEAP Africa:
LEAP (Leadership, Effectiveness, Accountability and Professionalism) Africa is a youth-focused leadership development organisation committed to raising transformative leaders who will drive sustainable development across Africa. Founded in 2002, LEAP Africa is renowned for pioneering impactful youth-focused initiatives that equip young people with the skills, values, and tools needed to lead ethically and solve critical challenges in their communities. 

With a strong presence across Nigeria and partnerships spanning the continent, LEAP Africa empowers youth through leadership development, social innovation, entrepreneurship, civic engagement, and policy advocacy.  

About Dow:
Dow (NYSE: DOW) is one of the world’s leading materials science companies, serving customers in high-growth markets such as packaging, infrastructure, mobility and consumer applications. Our global breadth, asset integration and scale, focused innovation, leading business positions and commitment to sustainability enable us to achieve profitable growth and help deliver a sustainable future. We operate manufacturing sites in 30 countries and employ approximately 36,000 people. Dow delivered sales of approximately $43 billion in 2024. References to Dow or the Company mean Dow Inc. and its subsidiaries. ​​​​Learn more about us and our ambition to be the most innovative, customer-centric, inclusive and sustainable materials science company in the world by visiting www.Dow.com. 

Source: APO – Report:

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Parliament has mourned the passing of Hon. Rhoda Nsibirwa Kalema, a trailblazer in Uganda’s political history and a champion of women’s rights, who passed away on 3 August 2025.

She was 96.

Speaker of Parliament Anita Among, while opening the plenary sitting on Tuesday, 5 August 2025 described Kalema as “a remarkable leader whose legacy will live after her demise.”

Hon. Rhoda Nsibirwa Kalema was one of the first two female members of the National Consultative Council (NCC), the third Parliament of Uganda, serving from 1979 to 1980, and later represented Kiboga district in the Constituent Assembly that drafted Uganda’s 1995 Constitution.

“She served in several cabinet positions, notably as Minister of Culture and Community Development and Deputy Minister for Public Service. On behalf of Parliament and myself, we extend our deepest condolences to the bereaved family, the people of Kiboga, and all the women of Uganda,” Among said, before leading the House in a moment of silence.

AUDIO: Speaker Among

Hon. Christine Kaaya (NUP, Kiboga District) said the people of Kiboga had lost a mother, mentor and strategist.

“She was a woman activist who always offered guidance. When I was elected, she told me she would push for three more years and I thank God she lived to see them,” Kaaya said.

Hon. Gorreth Namugga (NUP, Mawogola South), speaking on behalf of the Uganda Women Parliamentary Association (UWOPA), described Kalema as a commendable figure who served with distinction as a public servant, politician, and cultural leader in Buganda.

She urged Parliament to use the tribute sessions to highlight issues of human rights, including the pending bill on labour externalisation.

“As women, we have lost a hero. Her work in human rights should inspire us to pass legislation that protects migrant workers and vulnerable citizens,” Namugga said.

State Minister for Trade, David Bahati, said that government will release the official burial programme on Wednesday.

Speaker Among also directed the government to ensure that local leaders from Kiboga district are incorporated in all funeral arrangements.

Born in 1929, Kalema was the daughter of former Buganda Katikkiro Martin Luther Nsibirwa. She studied social work in the United Kingdom before returning to Uganda, where she rose to prominence in 1979 as a member of the NCC and went on to shape Uganda’s democratic journey during turbulent times.

– on behalf of Parliament of the Republic of Uganda.