Category: MIL-OSI

Source: APO

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Educators from over 20 African Union Member States are currently participating in a capacity-building workshop on School-Related Gender-Based Violence (SRGBV), taking place in Yaoundé under the theme: “Empowering Educators to End SRGBV through Teacher Leadership and Advocacy”. The training is to be held from July 28–31, 2025, in Yaoundé, Cameroon.

The four-day training aims to deepen participants’ understanding of SRGBV and equip them with practical skills to design learner-centred activities that integrate SRGBV prevention and response strategies. By the end of the workshop, participants are expected to serve as trainers within both pre-service and in-service teacher education programs, extending the impact across national education systems.

In her opening remarks, Mrs. Simone Yankey, Coordinator of the African Union International Centre for Girls and Women’s Education in Africa (AU CIEFFA), emphasised the pivotal role of educators in creating safe learning environments: “Educators are vital agents of change. You are the custodians of safe and nurturing learning spaces and advocates for the rights of our children. This training goes beyond prevention—it provides tools to ensure safety and offer psychosocial support to both learners and teachers.”

Mr. Ndissara Philemon, General Inspector Coordinator for Teachers’ Training at Cameroon’s Ministry of Secondary Education, welcomed participants on behalf of the Minister. He reaffirmed Cameroon’s commitment to promoting safe schools and closing gender gaps in education.

Globally, an estimated 246 million children experience violence in and around schools each year, according to UNICEF. SRGBV remains a major barrier to learning, particularly for girls, affecting school attendance, academic performance, and overall well-being.

Professor Jean Koulidiati, Rector of the Pan African University, highlighted the importance of collective responsibility: “If we all take responsibility and give violence prevention the priority it deserves, we can turn risks into opportunities.”

Dr. Said Ould A. Voffal of UNESCO asserted the organization’s commitment to ensuring the safety of all students, especially girls, who are disproportionately affected by physical violence.

SRGBV has been linked to increased absenteeism, school dropouts, and poor learning outcomes. Addressing it is essential to achieving inclusive and equitable quality education across Africa.

H.E. Prof. Sarah Anyang Agbor, President of Cameroon office of the Forum for African Women Educationalists (FAWE), shared key milestones achieved by FAWE in reducing SRGBV and advancing girls’ education through its national chapters.

During the opening, Mrs. Yankey officially presented the award trophy to the Cameroonian authorities in recognition of their efforts in launching the #AfricaEducatesHer Campaign in the country.

The Teachers’ Capacity Building workshop is jointly organised by AU CIEFFA, the UNESCO International Institute for Capacity Building in Africa (IICBA) and FAWE, reflecting a strong partnership to empower educators and promote gender equality in education.

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

Source: APO

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Measuring trade in ICT services remains complex due to diverse operations, rapid technologic development and limited data sources. Only 56 countries currently report service data by partner country, essential for crafting effective policies.

When people think of Mauritius, idyllic beaches and tourism often come to mind. However, the country’s information and communication technology (ICT) sector is also emerging as an important economic driver. In 2024, it contributed Rs 33.9 billion ($735.6 million) to the economy—5.6% of total gross value added (GVA).

Mauritius is pursuing a government-led digital strategy, as outlined in the 2025–26 budget and the upcoming Digital Transformation Blueprint (2025–29). These initiatives emphasize artificial intelligence, open data, digital government services, and a robust startup ecosystem.

On the trade front, ICT services became the country’s fifth-largest service export category in 2023, accounting for 5.2% of total service exports. This surpasses pre-COVID-19 levels and signals strong growth potential. However, fully tapping into this potential requires better trade data.

High-quality, detailed trade statistics—including bilateral data and modes of supply—are crucial for designing effective policies, attracting investment, and ensuring sustainable growth. Yet capturing accurate ICT trade data is challenging due to rapidly evolving technologies and complicated tracking of transactions. Recognizing this, the upcoming Balance of Payments Manual (BPM7) includes new guidance on international standards for digitalization, covering areas such as cloud computing, digital platforms, and crypto-related transactions.

To improve this trade data, the International Trade Centre (ITC) is partnering with key Mauritian institutions, including the Bank of Mauritius, Statistics Mauritius, the Ministry of Information Technology, Communication and Innovation, and the Economic Development Board. A technical workshop held from 14 to 16 July 2025 focused on data integration, trade surveys, modes of supply, and improved dissemination.

Currently, the Bank of Mauritius relies on bank-reported data through the International Transactions Reporting System (ITRS) and is exploring the feasibility of publishing bilateral trade data. Such data is rare across African countries. ‘The ITRS offers frequent data, but we face accuracy issues in identifying partner countries,’ said Satishingh Jugoo, Chief of the Statistics Department. He noted that financial flows often do not match the country of residence of service providers or clients—especially for ICT services. Many countries therefore use surveys, requiring collaboration between central banks, national statistical offices, and regulators.

‘The open exchange of experiences showed our collective strength in tackling shared challenges,’ said Rajivsing Jeetoo, the Ministry’s Programme Manager.

ITC and Bank of Mauritius will now work together to enhance ITRS data and support a smooth transition to BPM7 standards. ‘We value this collaboration and look forward to continuing beyond the current phase of the African Trade Observatory project,’ concluded Dooneshsingh Audit of the Bank of Mauritius.

The African Trade Observatory is led by the African Union, implemented by ITC, and funded by the European Union.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of International Trade Centre.

Source: APO

In the industrial zones of northwestern Tunisia, a quiet revolution is transforming how businesses operate and communities live. Where heavy fuel oil once dominated the energy landscape, natural gas now flows through newly constructed pipelines, bringing cleaner air and economic opportunity to a region that has long waited for such progress.

The contrast is striking when you visit facilities like SICAM, an agri-food company specializing in canned tomatoes. Not long ago, the plant ran on heavy fuel oil. Thick black smoke choked the surrounding neighborhoods, machinery clogged up quickly, and starting the boilers was time-consuming. Today, thanks to natural gas, everything has changed.

“With gas, we have eliminated pollution, reduced production costs, and increased our efficiency. We save up to 500,000 Tunisian dinars per season,” says Kamel Trabelsi, Deputy Director General of SICAM.

This transformation was made possible by the Natural Gas Transport and Distribution Network Development Project in Western Tunisia, implemented by the Société Tunisienne de l’Électricité et du Gaz (STEG), with €49.39 million in financing from the African Development Bank.

A transformative project for households and businesses

Designed to improve access to cleaner, more affordable, and more reliable energy in a historically underserved region, the STEG project has already achieved two major natural gas activations: in February 2025 in Béja Sud and in June 2025 in Mjez Elbeb.

These rollouts connected over 1,250 households to the natural gas network. Eventually, the infrastructure will serve 13,500 subscribers across 19 municipalities in Tunisia’s Northwest, including 2,500 additional connections by the end of this year.

“This project is truly improving people’s lives. It not only heats homes, but also boosts local economic activity,” notes Mohamed Riadh Hellal, Lead Department Head at STEG and the project’s coordinator.

Driving industrial and economic growth

Beyond residential connections, many businesses are benefiting from the switch to natural gas — with positive impacts on performance, production costs, and environmental sustainability.

“Thanks to natural gas, our boilers now reach 95% capacity in record time. Efficiency is up, maintenance is easier, and pollution has dropped significantly,” explains Mr. Trabelsi. SICAM, connected to the grid in October 2024, now uses around 17,000 m³ of natural gas per production cycle.

According to Mehdi Khoali, Chief Operations Officer at the African Development Bank, “One of the project’s most transformative outcomes is the gradual industrialization of the serviced zones. Around ten new industrial units — including brickyards and cement plants — have been established thanks to the gas supply. Others have expanded their operations. This is helping create jobs and strengthen regional economic resilience.”

A model partnership between the African Development Bank and STEG

The project also stands as a model of effective collaboration between STEG and the African Development Bank. Mr. Hellal commends the Bank’s swift disbursement process: “The African Development Bank disburses funds within five to seven days on average, compared to up to two months with other donors. That has been key to keeping the project on track.”

By accelerating the energy transition, fueling industrialization, and improving living standards in western Tunisia, the STEG project — backed by the Bank — aligns seamlessly with Tunisia’s national priorities for inclusion, green growth, and balanced regional development.

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

Source: APO – Report:

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On the 25th of July 2025, the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) celebrated its 50th anniversary at a high-level event organised at the United Nations headquarters in New York, under the theme: “United for a better future: promoting regionalism and multilateralism for shared prosperity”.

Held in the ECOSOC chamber, the meeting brought together senior United Nations officials, ECOWAS leaders, diplomatic representatives and partners to commemorate five decades of regional integration, peace-building and development, while looking ahead to the future of West Africa in a changing global context.

The event was hosted by the ECOWAS Permanent Observer Mission to the United Nations, in close collaboration with the ECOWAS Group of Ambassadors to the UN.

In her welcome address, Ambassador Kinza Jawara-Njai, ECOWAS Permanent Observer to the United Nations, underlined the organisation’s central role in promoting regional cohesion, sustainable development and peace. She stressed the symbolic significance of this celebration within the United Nations, reaffirming ECOWAS’s commitment to multilateralism and international partnerships.

H.E. Damtien L. Tchintchibidja, Vice-President of the ECOWAS Commission, spoke of the Community’s evolution from an economic bloc to a multidimensional institution working for peace, democratic governance and human development. She recalled the relevance of the ECOWAS Vision 2050 and reaffirmed the Commission’s commitment to strengthening its cooperation with all its partners, for a peaceful, people-centred and prosperous West Africa.

The keynote speech was delivered by H.E. Dr Abdel-Fatau Musah, Commissioner for Political Affairs, Peace and Security, who gave an in-depth analysis of regional challenges, while presenting the strategic responses being implemented to combat terrorism and deepen regional integration. He referred in particular to the operationalisation of the Regional Rapid Reaction Force against Terrorism, as well as the citizens’ introspection currently underway, which will culminate in a Pact for the Future of Regional Integration.

One of the highlights of the event was a message from H.E. General Dr Yakubu Gowon (retired), former President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and the last living founding father of ECOWAS. In a recorded video, General Gowon recalled the visionary spirit and historical context that led to the creation of the organisation in 1975. He emphasised the values of solidarity, cooperation and shared development: “The dream of ECOWAS was born of a deep conviction: only regional unity will enable our peoples to overcome the burden of colonial fragmentation and build a future of peace, prosperity and pride. I am proud that after five decades, ECOWAS remains a symbol of hope, despite the many trials it has endured”.

He called on current leaders and citizens to preserve and strengthen the foundations of integration, while encouraging the youth of West Africa and the Diaspora to carry on the torch.

High-level speeches were also given by:

• Ms Martha Ama Akyaa Pobee, UN Under-Secretary-General for Africa, who reaffirmed the UN’s continued support for peace, security and democracy in West Africa;
• E. Mohamed Ibn Chambas, former President of the ECOWAS Commission and High Representative of the United Nations, who provided a historical perspective and visionary reflections on the path taken by regional integration;
• E. Santos Leonardo Simão, Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General and Head of UNOWAS, who highlighted the importance of strategic regional partnerships;
• Ms Aïssata De, Deputy Regional Director of the UNDP Regional Bureau for Africa, who reiterated the UNDP’s commitment to supporting the development of human and institutional capital in ECOWAS;
• E. Fatima Kyari Mohammed, Permanent Observer of the African Union to the United Nations, who welcomed the strategic alignment between ECOWAS and the African Union on governance, peace and economic transformation.

The event was also well attended by civil society, academics and diplomatic representatives, with speeches by Dr Rita “Kiki” Edozie, Professor of African Affairs at the University of Massachusetts Boston, and members of the ECOWAS Group of Ambassadors.

This Golden Jubilee commemoration was much more than a celebration of past achievements: it marked a high point of collective renewal and strategic orientation. The reflections arising from the New York meeting will feed into the regional consultations underway across West Africa, leading up to an Extraordinary Summit of ECOWAS Heads of State and Government later this year.

– on behalf of Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).

Source: APO – Report:

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Liberia’s 178th Independence Day celebration on the 26th of June 2025 served as a powerful tribute to regional unity and peacebuilding, with a spotlight on the enduring role of ECOWAS and ECOMOG in Liberia’s journey through civil conflict and reconciliation.

The ceremony welcomed high-level dignitaries from across West Africa, including the Presidents of Guinea-Bissau, Ghana, Senegal, and Sierra Leone, along with senior officials from Nigeria and Côte d’Ivoire, symbolizing Liberia’s strong ties within the sub-region.

In recognition of ECOWAS at 50, Liberia honored contributing member states of ECOMOG – Benin, Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana, Guinea-Bissau, Nigeria, Senegal, and Sierra Leone with awards presented by H.E. Joseph Nyuma Boakai, President of Liberia. Special honors were also given to past Executive Secretaries of ECOWAS who played pivotal roles during Liberia’s crisis, including H.E. Lansana Kouyate, H.E. Dr. Abass Chernor Bundu, and H.E. Dr. Mohammed Ibn Chambas.

President Maada Bio, serving as Chair of the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State, led the presentation of awards to H.E. Dr. Omar Alieu TOURAY and H.E. Jean-Claude Kassi Brou, and other key figures recognized for their commitment to regional peace and stability. H.E. Josephine Nkrumah, Resident Representative of ECOWAS in Liberia received the award on behalf of the President of the ECOWAS Commission.

Liberia’s Foreign Minister highlighted the vital impact of ECOMOG peacekeepers, whose sacrifices laid the foundation for lasting peace prior to the deployment of UNMIL. President Boakai also announced plans to commission a National Memorial dedicated to victims of Liberia’s civil wars and fallen ECOWAS peacekeepers, reinforcing the government’s commitment to remembrance, reconciliation, and regional solidarity.

– on behalf of Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).