Category: MIL-OSI

Source: APO

.

As a result of a rigorous awareness campaign to eradicate harmful practices, Nakfa sub-zone has officially declared itself free of female genital mutilation (FGM).

At the declaration event, Mr. Yakob Idris, administrator of the sub-zone, stated that the achievement is the result of the active and conscious participation of the public, government institutions, and national associations. He emphasized that maintaining this status is a shared responsibility.

Religious leaders, noting that FGM has no connection to religious teachings, commended the initiative and called for integrated efforts and participation to ensure its sustainability.

Mr. Rezene Feseha, chairman of the committee for the rights of children and women, said the declaration in Nakfa sub-zone reflects the coordinated efforts conducted at the regional level and called for continued active involvement by all.

The event featured cultural and artistic performances to mark the occasion.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Ministry of Information, Eritrea.

Source: APO – Report:

.

Africa Tech Festival (www.AfricaTechFestival.com), the longest running and most influential tech event on the continent, has announced the first wave of 25 headline speakers for its 2025 edition, bringing together influential voices from global tech, government, and business who are driving the growth and transformation of Africa’s digital economy.

The 2025 speaker line-up features some of the most influential voices in global technology and African business leadership. Among them is Bernardo Mariano Junior, Assistant Secretary-General and Chief Information Technology Officer at the United Nations, who brings a global governance perspective to digital development. Mark Elliott, President for Africa at Mastercard, will offer insights into advancing inclusive finance across the continent. Representing the frontier of artificial intelligence, Emmanuel Lubanzadio, Senior Director and Head of Africa at OpenAI, will contribute to conversations around AI adoption and policy readiness in African markets.

Also speaking is Odunayo Eweniyi, a prominent tech entrepreneur and investor, serving as Co-Founder and Chief Operating Officer of PiggyVest and General Partner at First Capital, who will share perspectives on fintech growth and funding in Africa. From the telecoms and enterprise space, Tumi Chamayou, Chief Enterprise Business Officer at MTN South Africa, and Ravi Bhat, Chief Technology and Solutions Officer at Microsoft Africa, will explore enterprise innovation and the role of strategic partnerships in enabling digital infrastructure.

They will be joined by senior decision-makers from across the public and private sectors, including technology and strategy executives from African Bank, Transnet, Cell C, Telkom, the Department of Public Service and Administration of South Africa, and Hewlett Packard Enterprise. Together, these leaders represent a broad spectrum of industries and expertise, united by a common goal: to drive forward Africa’s digital transformation.

Africa Tech Festival 2025 will be held in Cape Town from 11 to 13 November. The conference will feature a structured programme built around four core tracks: AfricaCom, AfricaTech, AfricaIgnite, and The AI Summit Cape Town. Each track is designed to address key areas of technological advancement and policy development across the continent. This year’s agenda is also framed by four central themes: Responsible Innovation, Inclusive Investment, Connectivity for Development, and Policy Harmonisation. These themes reflect the Festival’s commitment to providing a platform for examining the challenges and opportunities shaping Africa’s digital economy.

“We’re excited to share a speaker roster that truly represents the diversity of experience shaping Africa’s tech future,” said Kadi Diallo, Portfolio Manager for Africa Tech Festival. “These are individuals who are actively working to improve systems, close gaps, and build digital infrastructure that works for everyone.”

“This year, you’ll also notice a bold new look and feel as we unveil our refreshed branding. It marks the start of a new era for the Africa Tech Festival—one that reflects the scale, ambition, and innovation of the continent’s thriving tech ecosystem.”

Following the success of 2024, Africa Tech Festival will continue to provide in-depth discussions on national digital strategies, economic growth, infrastructure, and public-private collaboration. Although a formal partnership with the Department of Communications and Digital Technologies (DCDT) is still under consideration, last year’s engagement with senior government officials led to meaningful policy dialogue. Now in its third decade, the Festival remains a key platform for shaping Africa’s digital transformation through informed debate, investment, and strategic partnerships.

Further programme details and additional speakers will be announced in the weeks ahead.

Registration for Africa Tech Festival 2025 is now open and can be completed via the official portal here (https://apo-opa.co/450ROWS).

– on behalf of Africa Tech Festival.

About Africa Tech Festival:   
Now in its 28th edition, Africa Tech Festival 2025 will take place from 11 to 13 November 2025 at the Cape Town International Convention Centre (CTICC), bringing together over 15,000 technology leaders, policymakers, investors, startups, and visionaries. The festival encompasses four anchor events:

• AfricaCom – The continent’s largest telecoms and connectivity event
• AfricaTech – The hub for technology, innovation, and enterprise growth
• AfricaIgnite – Driving growth and impact in Africa’s startup ecosystem
• The AI Summit Cape Town – Where commercial AI comes to life
   

With over 500 speakers, 300 exhibitors, and multiple networking opportunities, Africa Tech Festival remains the largest and most influential tech event on the continent.

Source: APO – Report:

.

President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni has today met and held fruitful discussions with the Director General of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations, H.E Qu Dongyu at State House, Entebbe.

Welcoming the Director-General, President Museveni underscored the critical role of the FAO in supporting the transformation of agri-food systems, reiterating that agricultural development remains a top priority for Uganda.

President Museveni assured H.E Dongyu of his unwavering support to facilitate smooth collaboration with the FAO.

The two leaders further discussed how they could enhance collaboration in key areas such as sustainable agriculture, and food security that are vital for Uganda’s agricultural transformation.

 A significant emphasis was also placed on the need for income security, nutrition and hygiene to provide a stable foundation for well-being and development of individuals.

H.E Dongyu expressed gratitude for Uganda’s ongoing commitment to the FAO and affirmed the organization’s readiness to provide strong support to Uganda’s investment plans.

“Uganda has significant potential for rapid growth and development.”

The FAO delegation included; Mr. Maximo Torero, Chief Economist; Mr. Abebe Haile Gabriel, Assistant D.G and Rep. for Africa; Ms. Lineo Molise, Regional Coordinator for Africa; and Mr. Shen Hong, Assistant to the Director General.

– on behalf of State House Uganda.

Source: APO

.

The First Lady’s humanitarian organisation, the Lordina Foundation, has donated a quantity of essential medical supplies and equipment to the Techiman North constituency to enhance healthcare delivery.

The items were officially handed over to the Member of Parliament for Techiman North and Minister for Trade, Agribusiness and Industry, Elizabeth Ofosu-Agyare, by Mrs Lordina Dramani Mahama, First Lady and President of the Foundation.

Mrs Mahama reiterated the Foundation’s enduring commitment to improving the quality of life for vulnerable populations in the country.

“We are dedicated to contributing to the development of deprived children and women in both rural and urban areas, focusing on quality healthcare promotion, education, and overall well-being,” Mrs. Mahama stated during the presentation ceremony.

“This donation highlights our belief in collaborative efforts to foster sustainable development within Ghana’s health sector.”

Mrs Ofosu-Agyare (MP) expressed her gratitude and that of the people of Techiman North for the gesture, noting that the equipment and supplies will have a positive impact on the health delivery service.

“This contribution from the Lordina Foundation will play a pivotal role in bridging gaps in our healthcare system. It reflects our shared commitment to improving the well-being of our people,” she said.

This initiative is part of the Lordina Foundation’s broader mission to modernise and strengthen under-resourced health facilities across communities, and to ensure medical professionals are equipped with the necessary tools to provide high-quality, life-saving care to patients.

The items presented include Hospital and Theatre Beds, Delivery Beds, Incubators, Theatre Lights, Phototherapy Machines, Baby Scales, Syringes and Gloves and Trolleys. The remaining items include Wheelchairs, Commodes, Baby Cots, Baby Carts, Medical Screens, Baby Baths, Bedside Cabinets, and Overhead Tables.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of The Presidency, Republic of Ghana.

Source: APO

.

Many young South Sudanese women and men are involuntarily idle and desperate for any opportunities to earn qualifications that may lead to gainful employment or enable them to start their own small businesses.

In Akobo and Bor, in volatile Jonglei State, a significant number of them were given such chances, with the graduates of three-month-long vocational trainings in both towns determined to grab them with both hands.

“Everyone should plant vegetables. If you do, you gain good health and a possibility to earn money without subjecting yourself to the risks of assaults we women run when we collect firewood,” says Rodah Nyathuok Lual in Akobo.

There, more than 100 youth, with the majority being women, have learnt income-generating skills like farming, tailoring, hairdressing, marketing and financial management.

The initiative, funded by the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) and implemented by the national non-governmental organization Community Initiative for Development, is timely as resources in Akobo, following the return of many previously conflict-displaced persons, have become scarcer than usual.

“When we work, we become role models in our communities by promoting both development and peace. When everyone is busy, there is no time or room for conflict,” says Domach Makuach Mark, another proud owner of new and marketable skills who, like all graduates, was also given a starter kit and connected to banks and other lenders for possible investments.

UN peacekeepers from South Korea have given 77 of Domach’s peers in Bor reason to be equally optimistic about their futures. In the state capital, they have learnt everything from wiring a building safely and repairing a leaking pipe to cultivating food and raising poultry.

“From now on, I hope people will buy eggs and chickens from me,” says Akuoch Mary Atem as she details her plan to open a poultry farm to support herself and her family.

More young, aspiring women and men in and around Bor are likely to benefit from similar opportunities in the future.

“In cooperation with the government, we hope that we’ll be able to expand our vocational school,” says Colonel Kwon Byung Guk, Commander of the South Korean contingent, who also revealed that his government will provide five top students with full scholarships for advanced studies in the East Asian country.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS).

Source: APO

.

On Monday 21st July 2025, the High Commissioner-designate of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh to the Republic of Seychelles, H.E. Mr. Zokey Ahad, paid a courtesy call on the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Tourism, Mr. Sylvestre Radegonde, at Maison Quéau de Quinssy, ahead of his official accreditation ceremony scheduled for tomorrow.

Discussions centered around the conclusion of six Memoranda of Understanding (MOU), including one focused on the Blue Economy, a key sector which will be mutually beneficial for both countries.

The meeting also served as an opportunity for the two parties to reaffirm their commitment to strengthening bilateral ties and to explore new avenues for cooperation in areas such as tourism, agriculture, trade, investment, and education.

Due to the size of the Bangladeshi community in Seychelles, both sides recognized the importance of appointing an Honorary Consul for Bangladesh in Seychelles to better serve and support the growing Bangladeshi community.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Tourism, Republic of Seychelles.

Source: APO

.

Foreign aid is no longer a viable solution for Africa’s growing development needs. The continent’s annual Sustainable Development Goal financing shortfall has reached $1.3 trillion, and leaders are increasingly clear-eyed about the limits of donor-driven models.

At a high-level session on the margins of the 2025 UN High-level Political Forum, African leaders called for structural reforms to expand domestic resource mobilization, build regional value chains and shift away from exporting raw commodities.

“Aid won’t close the gap. We must stop exporting raw materials and importing poverty,” said Claver Gatete, UN Under-Secretary-General and Executive Secretary of the Economic Commission for Africa (ECA).

He called for greater investment in manufacturing, green industries and youth-led enterprises. More than 80 percent of Africa’s exports remain unprocessed, a model he described as unsustainable.

Mr. Gatete was speaking at a session organized on the margins of the 2025 High-level Political Forum on Sustainable Development in New York. The event, co-hosted by the Government of Uganda and the ECA, focused on how to translate the Kampala Declaration, adopted at this year’s Africa Regional Forum on Sustainable Development (ARFSD), into concrete action.

Uganda’s Prime Minister Robinah Nabbanja said the continent was “dangerously off track” but highlighted progress made in her country, including reductions in maternal mortality, gains in gender equality and increased national budget allocations linked to the Sustainable Development Goals.

“The Kampala Declaration is practical,” said Ms. Nabbanja. “We’re proud to host this conversation and to take it forward in terms of implementation.” Her remarks underscored a broader shift toward self-determined development.

Uganda chaired the ARFSD Bureau in 2025 and has introduced measures to align domestic planning with regional and global frameworks. Despite this, debt pressures, limited access to concessional finance and the high cost of capital continue to challenge many African economies.

Mr. Gatete reiterated ECA’s support for the creation of an African Credit Rating Agency, arguing that current international rating practices distort risk and restrict access to affordable capital. He also called for scaling blended finance mechanisms, issuing local currency bonds and digitizing tax and revenue systems to boost efficiency and compliance.

He noted that inclusive growth also depends on people-centered investments. “We must stop viewing youth as recipients of development and start recognizing them as drivers of it,” he said, emphasizing the need for vocational training, digital skills and youth entrepreneurship.

Selma Malika Haddadi, Deputy Chairperson of the African Union Commission, said the Kampala Declaration represents more than a political commitment. “It is not just about potential. It is about will,” she said. “Partnership is not patronage. It must be grounded in mutual recognition and institutional respect.”

She warned against “performative partnerships” and called for better alignment between global funding frameworks and Africa’s priorities. Ms. Haddadi cited progress on regional integration, including the rollout of the Pan-African Payment and Settlement System and implementation of the African Union’s climate finance strategy.

With fewer than five years remaining to achieve the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, and with the second ten-year plan of Agenda 2063 now underway, speakers agreed that declarations must be backed by systems capable of delivery. The Kampala Declaration, they said, provides a roadmap, but only coordinated action will close the gap.

The event drew senior-level representation from across the continent and the UN system, including Uganda’s Minister for General Duties, Justine Kasule Lumumba; UN Special Adviser on Africa, Cristina Duarte; and other experts and policymakers engaged in development financing, innovation and regional planning.

“The future we want will not be given to us,” Mr. Gatete said. “It must be built. And we must build it now.”

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (ECA).