MIL-OSI – Page 166 – MIL Africa Engine

November 13, 2025

We studied the walking habits of young men in Cape Town and London – and debunked a myth

Source: The Conversation – Africa – By Bradley Rink, Associate Professor of Human Geography, University of the Western Cape

Being mobile means people can get access to opportunities and take part in economic and social life. Mobility, in all its forms, is critical for cities to thrive.

Recent studies highlight what most African city dwellers already know: walking is the main way of getting around, and essential for daily life. This is true for people who live in low-income neighbourhoods across the world. When people lack money for taxi, bus or train fares, walking becomes the only option even if the distances are great.

Yet, most African cities and many low-income neighbourhoods globally lack spaces for walking that are safe and appropriate.

While researchers place a lot of emphasis on road traffic, public transport and infrastructure, little attention has been paid to the importance of walking as a daily mobility strategy for low-income communities.

Even less is known about the walking experiences of young men. There often seems to be an assumption they are free to travel wherever and whenever they choose, that they’re invulnerable. But what are the realities they face on the street, and what we can learn from them?

We’re a team of human geographers and anthropologists working in collaboration with an international non-governmental organisation and a group of 12 peer researchers who are walkers: six from Cape Town and six from London. Our study aimed to learn more about the experiences of men like this, aged 18-35, in low-income urban neighbourhoods in South Africa and the UK.

We wanted to better understand issues of access and opportunity for communities that rely on walking. We also wanted to explore the potential of community-based research for improving lives.

Our findings revealed what expected cultural and gender norms often mask: young men in these communities often walk with great fear and trepidation.

The study

Our focus on young men was influenced by findings from an earlier study of young women in Cape Town. That study emphasised the particular concerns women have for the safety of their male counterparts who had to walk back home after accompanying the women to transit points.

We not only set out to foreground the walking experiences of young men; we also wanted to do research differently and with maximum potential impact for those involved. Peer research provides living knowledge, and also a chance to make meaningful change in transforming policy and practice. Peer researchers are, after all, experts in their own lives.

South Africa’s townships were built as black residential areas under racist apartheid rule. Shutterstock

Through a five-day workshop we trained peer researchers in research methods, ethics and data collection. We gained an understanding of their communities through shared mapping exercises. The young men then set out to collect data independently, using mobility diaries. Each of them also interviewed at least 10 other young men in their community.

Although their specific neighbourhoods aren’t named for ethical reasons, the study areas were two township neigbhourhoods in Cape Town and various boroughs in the east end of London. They were strikingly similar when it came to a sense of everyday dangers from high rates of crime, violence and deprivation.

What we found

Young men in our study helped to undermine this myth of male invulnerability. They revealed how fear shapes their daily walking experiences and has an impact on their lives. As one participant said:

I’ve been a victim of crime: at that time I felt useless, weak and vulnerable.

More than this, their stories revealed how they use various tactics and strategies to stay safe. They walk with trusted others. They pay attention to their appearance and avoid displaying things like mobile phones and jewellery. They adjust their routes depending on the weather, darkness and the presence of criminal gangs.

As one participant put it:

I walk in the afternoon to the bus (to get to a job in a distant neighbourhood). It takes 10 minutes. It’s not safe … If I see criminals I pretend I’m tying my shoelace.

Other peer researchers confirmed that even the simple act of appearing to tie a shoelace allows you to survey the street while not looking scared and protecting masculine dignity. If it looks dangerous, they said, you can pretend you’ve forgotten something and run back the way you’ve come.

Our findings illustrate the complexity of daily walks. While mediating danger on the streets and navigating the precarities of urban life, our peer researchers also reflected on the pleasures of walking. They sometimes found joy and relief in walking:

I get to breathe fresh air instead of just sitting in the house … thinking about being unemployed and stuff. I get to see people and be healed.

Encountering the city on foot has benefits for physical and mental health.

Why this matters

Safe, reliable mobility is essential for lives and livelihoods in the city. Our study identified ways that community stakeholders can support safe walking and therefore help with access to economic and social opportunities.

Lifting the veil on men’s vulnerabilities allows community members and policy makers to understand the challenges across the gender spectrum.

But our research also matters because of how we went about it. The potential for change comes in the form of ongoing stakeholder engagement. Findings from the research were presented by the peer researchers themselves to community stakeholders and local government officials, people who have the capacity to improve infrastructure and safety.

Sam Clark and Caroline Barber from Transaid UK and Bulelani Maskiti, an independent South African researcher, contributed to this article.

– We studied the walking habits of young men in Cape Town and London – and debunked a myth
– https://theconversation.com/we-studied-the-walking-habits-of-young-men-in-cape-town-and-london-and-debunked-a-myth-268131

November 13, 2025

Africa Day at 30th Conference of the Parties (COP30): Advancing Sustainable Financing for a Green and Resilient Future

Source: APO

Africa marked Africa Day at COP30 under the theme “At the Forefront of Climate Action: Sustainable Financing for Inclusive and Resilient Green Growth,” reaffirming the continent’s united call for a new era of climate finance that delivers for people, planet, and prosperity.

The event, held in Belém, brought together ministers, development partners, and representatives from the African Union Commission (AUC), the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (ECA), the African Development Bank Group (AfDB), and Afreximbank, alongside civil society and youth representatives.

Ten years after the signing of the Paris Agreement, the global community faces a critical reckoning: climate pledges have yet to match reality. Global warming targets remain off-track, financing falls short, and the gap between promise and delivery continues to widen. For Africa — home to 20 percent of the world’s carbon sinks, responsible for less than four percent of global greenhouse gas emissions, yet receiving under 10 percent of adaptation finance and only three percent of total climate funding—the consequences are existential.

Building on the Second Africa Climate Summit (ACS2) and the Addis Ababa Declaration on Climate Change and Call to Action, Africa Day at COP30 amplified the continent’s message: climate finance must work for Africa.

H.E. Moses Vilakati, AUC Commissioner for Agriculture, Rural Development, Blue Economy and Sustainable Environment at Africa Day, gave a message reaffirming Africa’s united negotiating stance and leadership on climate justice.

“Africa speaks with one voice bold, united, and leading on climate justice. From Africa to Belém, Africa stands united in purpose and action reaffirming its leadership on climate justice, grounded in equity and the principles of common but differentiated responsibilities,” he declared, adding:

“We are not passive recipients of the global transition but active architects of fair, inclusive, and African led climate solutions that shall shape a fair and green global future.”

Discussions focused on mobilising sustainable, equitable, and innovative finance to accelerate Africa’s green industrialization. Leaders highlighted that the continent’s future lies in leveraging its abundant natural resources for value addition and local manufacturing — from processing critical minerals to scaling renewable energy solutions.

“Africa already stands at the forefront of global climate action, shaping solutions that are both locally grounded and globally relevant,” said Dr Kevin Kariuki, Vice President for Power, Energy, Climate and Green Growth of the African Development Bank Group.

He added: “Currently, we are driven by a new vision articulated by our President Dr Sidi Ould Tah, to sharpen the Bank’s focus around four strategic priorities – referred to as the Four Cardinal Points to unlock Africa’s Capital Power; enhance the continent’s financial sovereignty; turn demographics into a dividend; and build resilient infrastructure, while adding real value.

Addressing climate change is central to this bold and ambitious agenda. We are therefore taking decisive steps to close Africa’s sustainable financing gap, strengthen Africa’s adaptive capacity, and to generally accelerate climate action through innovation, partnerships, and financial leadership.”

Africa is among the world’s leading producers of key minerals such as cobalt, manganese, and other critical raw materials, yet it captures only a small share of their final value. By investing in local beneficiation, battery manufacturing, and regional value chains, the continent aims to shift from exporting raw materials to becoming a global hub for innovation and green industrial production.

Africa also holds immense untapped carbon market potential, yet captures less than 1 percent of global revenue. With reforms and African-led governance, the market could generate up to $100 billion annually and create five million green jobs by 2030.

Participants emphasised the urgency of reforming the global financial system to shift from debt-based models to direct, grant-based, and Africa-owned solutions. Despite promises at COP29, only a fraction of global climate funds reaches African communities. Africa Day reiterated the continent’s call for a new collective quantified goal on climate finance that meets the scale and urgency of its needs.

Speaking on behalf of the Executive Secretary of the ECA, Cosmas Milton Ochieng, Director of the Climate Change, Food Security and Natural Resources Division, said: “Reshaping the global financial architecture is not just a matter of fairness but a prerequisite for survival.”

He added: “Africa needs a predictable, transparent, and equitable climate finance system that channels resources directly to where they are needed most: in the hands of African countries and communities driving transformative climate action.”

The call for sustainable domestic financing was equally strong. Africa holds over $350 billion in sovereign and pension funds that could be redirected toward green infrastructure, resilience, and innovation. Mobilising these domestic resources alongside external partnerships will be key to achieving the continent’s Agenda 2063 and the Sustainable Development Goals.

Africa Day at COP30 was not merely a commemoration — it was a declaration of intent.

Leaders called for fair carbon pricing, direct access to climate finance, and a just transition that ensures no African is left behind. African countries are calling for full implementation of the commitments made in Baku, particularly the mobilisation of $300 billion in climate finance for Africa.

COP29 in Baku fell short of delivering the resources needed to address the continent’s climate crisis. Despite calls for a global annual goal of $1.3 trillion by 2030, including $300 billion earmarked for Africa, systemic challenges remained unresolved. African leaders had urged for debt-free grants and direct access to funds through African institutions such as the AfDB.

However, the final agreement favoured loan-based financing and reliance on external intermediaries, leaving nearly 60 percent of climate funds as debt obligations for African economies.

As the world looks to Belém for delivery, Africa’s message is clear: the continent is not seeking charity but partnership—a new global climate compact that recognis>es Africa’s leadership, rewards its environmental stewardship, and invests in its people.

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

Media contact:
Communications and External Relations Department
media@afdb.org

About Africa Day at COP30:
Africa Day at COP30 serves as the continent’s flagship event at the UN Climate Change Conference, offering a platform to highlight Africa’s leadership in climate action and advocate for equitable access to climate finance. The event embodies the shared vision of Africa’s institutions to build a resilient, inclusive, and sustainable future for all Africans.

November 13, 2025

Société Internationale Islamique de Financement du Commerce (ITFC) contribue à la sécurité énergétique et à la résilience alimentaire des Comores grâce à des solutions innovantes de financement du commerce

Source: Africa Press Organisation – French

La Société Internationale de Financement du Commerce Islamique (ITFC) (www.ITFC-IDB.org), membre du Groupe de la Banque Islamique de Développement (BID), continue de réaliser des progrès significatifs dans le cadre de son partenariat avec l’Union des Comores, assurant des solutions de financement du commerce efficaces pour renforcer la sécurité énergétique, l’approvisionnement alimentaire et la diversification économique du pays.

Sans production nationale de pétrole et avec une production agricole modeste, les Comores dépendent fortement des importations pour alimenter son économie et subvenir aux besoins de sa population d’environ 850 000 habitants. Depuis 2008, l’ITFC s’est révélée être un partenaire essentiel, approuvant un total de plus de 799,3 millions de dollars américains de financement du commerce pour soutenir les priorités de développement du pays.

Propulser une nation grâce au financement de l’énergie

Depuis sa création, l’ITFC a approuvé 655,4 millions de dollars américains en financement du secteur de l’énergie aux Comores, ce qui représente plus de 80 % de l’ensemble du soutien apporté par l’ITFC à ce pays. Cet investissement a permis aux Comores de garantir l’ensemble de leurs importations annuelles de produits pétroliers raffinés, estimées à 100 000 m³, assurant ainsi la stabilité de leur approvisionnement énergétique même en cas de chocs tarifaires sur le marché international.

En 2023, l’ITFC s’est associée à la Société Comorienne des Hydrocarbures (SCH), l’entreprise publique des hydrocarbures, pour mettre en œuvre des Solutions Commerciales Intégrées (ITS) combinant financement et renforcement des capacités. Dans le cadre d’un programme de liaison inversée, le personnel de la SCH a suivi une formation à la raffinerie STIR en Tunisie, acquérant ainsi des compétences essentielles en matière de négociations commerciales, de finance islamique et de gestion de stocks de pétrole. Cette initiative permet de préserver environ 480 emplois directs, dont près de 200 sont occupés par des femmes. Plus de 70 % des importations de pétrole proviennent des pays membres de l’OCI, ce qui renforce le commerce intra-OCI et la coopération régionale.

Garantir l’approvisionnement en denrées alimentaires dans un contexte de flambée des prix mondiaux

En 2024, l’ITFC a approuvé une nouvelle ligne de financement commercial de 20 millions d’euros afin de renforcer la sécurité alimentaire dans l’Union des Comores. Cette ligne de financement permet de financer l’importation de denrées alimentaires essentielles, notamment du riz, de la farine, du sucre, de l’huile et de la viande, apportant ainsi un soutien crucial à la chaîne d’approvisionnement alimentaire du pays.

En 2023, les Comores ont importé 91 929,94 tonnes de denrées alimentaires pour une valeur de 62,7 millions d’euros. La nouvelle ligne de crédit couvrira environ 31,9 % des besoins annuels en approvisionnement alimentaire, permettant ainsi aux ménages d’accéder à des denrées alimentaires à des prix plus abordables. Ce financement soutient entre 50 et 75 micro et petites entreprises locales, préservant ainsi plus de 2 500 emplois. Depuis la fondation de l’ITFC, le secteur de la sécurité alimentaire et de l’agriculture a ainsi pu bénéficier d’un total de plus de 143,9 millions de dollars de financements.

En outre, l’ITFC promeut la finance islamique aux Comores par des partenariats avec les banques locales, notamment AFG Bank et BDC. Cela élargit l’accès aux facilités de confirmation des lettres de crédit (L/C) et renforce le secteur financier national, conformément au programme de diversification du gouvernement.

Grâce à ces interventions stratégiques, l’ITFC continue de jouer un rôle crucial dans la promotion du programme de développement durable des Comores en garantissant la sécurité énergétique, en renforçant les systèmes alimentaires et en autonomisant les entreprises locales. Les Solutions Commerciales Intégrées proposées par la Société renforcent la résilience face aux chocs externes et favorisent une croissance économique inclusive et la coopération régionale.

Regardez la vidéo sur nos projets aux Comores- https://apo-opa.co/3LDt6Wv

Distribué par APO Group pour International Islamic Trade Finance Corporation (ITFC).

Contactez-nous :
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Fax : +966 12 637 1064
E-mail : ITFC@itfc-idb.org

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Twitter : @ ITFCCORP (https://apo-opa.co/47Ccib0)
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À propos de la Société Internationale Islamique de Financement du Commerce (ITFC) :
La Société Internationale Islamique de Financement du Commerce (ITFC) est un membre du Groupe de la Banque Islamique de Développement (BID). Elle a été créée dans le but premier de promouvoir le commerce entre les pays membres de l’OCI, ce qui contribuerait en fin de compte à l’objectif global d’amélioration des conditions socio-économiques des populations à travers le monde. Ayant commencé ses activités en janvier 2008, l’ITFC a fourni 89 milliards de dollars de financement aux pays membres de l’OCI, ce qui en fait le principal fournisseur de solutions commerciales pour les besoins de ces pays membres. Avec pour mission de devenir un catalyseur du développement du commerce pour les pays membres de l’OCI et au-delà, la Société aide les entités des pays membres à obtenir un meilleur accès au financement du commerce et leur fournit les outils nécessaires au renforcement des capacités liées au commerce, ce qui leur permettrait d’être compétitifs sur le marché mondial.

Media files

November 13, 2025

Darker Shade of Pale: why I wrote a book about my grandfather and how it changed my view of him

Source: The Conversation – Africa – By Leslie Swartz, Professor, Stellenbosch University

Deborah Posel, the founding director of the Wits Institute for Social and Economic Research, an interdisciplinary research institute in the humanities and social sciences in South Africa, has published a new book, Darker Shade of Pale: Shtetl to Colony. Using a combination of personal memoir and historical inquiry, it retraces the early 20th century migration of Jewish people from the Russian Empire to colonial South Africa through one man’s life.

The book uncovers the hidden story of global migration at the turn of the 20th century from the Jewish territories of the Russian Empire, The Pale of Settlement, to the British colony of South Africa. It follows the author’s grandfather, Maurice Posel, whose struggles and disappointments mirror those of countless others, using the intimacy of a single story to illuminate a much broader set of issues.

Leslie Swartz, a psychology scholar and the editor-in-chief of the South African Journal of Science, talks to Posel about the book.

Leslie Swartz: A key feature for me is the vibrance and joy with which the book, though often dealing with painful issues, is written. I was interested to know how you came to write the book.

Deborah Posel: I had been working for years on a book – entitled Racial Material – on the politics of race and consumption. I had tons of material for the book, and I had absolutely loved researching it, including spending a year in the British Library. During that year, I was not looking for material on Jews, but Jews and Jewish issues kept crossing my page. I took note, but moved on.

I got back to South Africa, intending to write this hefty book. I began as did the COVID-19 lockdown. I started writing the first chapter of Racial Material as all our lives changed – in theory, an entirely free and unfettered time to write, but it was an unexpectedly joyless process.

At that moment, the conventions of academic writing were entirely alienating: nailing everything down in copious detail, reading all the available literature to find out what every single person had said about something in order to be able to make an argument, making sure that I had painstakingly chased after everything that could possibly be relevant, and very cautiously claiming only what this accumulation of evidence would tolerate. No doubt not every academic writes like that, but my academic writing is risk averse. I can and do make bold claims but only on the strength of this kind of effort.

Leslie Swartz: Which, may I say, distinguishes you from many social scientists in South Africa. This is part of why I love your work.

Deborah Posel: The other thing that I do when I write academically is that I make an argument – that’s at the core of academic writing, in my mind – and I sustain an argument that ties everything tightly together.

So I hauled myself through the first chapter but couldn’t face doing it again for the second one. I then decided to embrace the spirit of lockdown: do whatever you feel like doing, these are not normal times; here is an interregnum, so break out, cut loose. That’s when and how I started writing the Darker Shade of Pale book, having no clue where I was going, having no plan, no structure – a 180 degrees different approach from the way I would tackle academic writing.

The second big change for me was I wanted to write in a much more fluid way, more lyrically, more speculatively, more imaginatively, in ways that I thought would be inappropriate in academic writing. I started exploring literary devices that I probably would not use if I was writing what I would call an academic book.

Locked down and locked in, I broke out of my old way of writing. It was joyful. But it was also difficult, with new challenges. I now had two voices: as an historian, but also as a granddaughter. Initially I wasn’t sure how to speak in unison. Also, I had so little material about my grandfather’s life that I would call evidence – no letters, no diaries, very few people alive who could remember him, few photos. I decided early on that I didn’t want to fictionalise and make things up.

I wanted to create a narrative, however patchy and porous, that I knew to be reasonably accurate. That gave me my space. In fact, it required me to produce a story with gaps and shadows. Which is very explicit in the text. I make it clear that I’m giving my take on the possibilities that presented themselves to me.

I tried as far as possible to substantiate them, but I gave myself much more freedom to interpret and imagine. And along with that, writing about my grandfather‘s life became more emotional for me than would have been appropriate in an academic text. In this book, my feelings, though not the central concern, were current and live.

Leslie Swartz: I am glad that you “cut loose”. I view Darker Shade of Pale first and foremost as a cracking good read – a book I have earmarked to give to family members who are not academics but who are interested in migration, families, racial politics, marginalisation. For me it is also scholarly, painstakingly researched, important for any scholar of race and racialisation to read as well. In what way do you think it offers an understanding specifically of Jewish issues?

Deborah Posel: When I started writing this book I was so ignorant about Jewish history. I often asked myself: why, as a Jewish scholar of South Africa, had I paid absolutely no attention to Jews? Why had my intellectual peers also not done so? I had never considered questions about how you write Jews into South African history.

So I had a steep learning curve too, reading as much as I could find, and spending lots of time in South African archives, to produce a social history intertwined with my grandfather’s story. I tried to make sense of him, and his individual Jewishness, as made and unmade by his wider society.

It started with life in the shtetl (the name for a small town with a predominantly Jewish population in eastern Europe). I deliberately started there because most migration stories start when people get off the ship, as day one of the new life. But what did they come with? What was the headspace? What were the psyches that landed, and how well equipped or not were they psychologically to cope?

And I must say that I found the world of the shtetl staggeringly unexpected. Even the smallest shtetl was status-obsessed; failure was deeply shameful, even there.

The people who hadn’t made it in the shtetl were among those who left and tried to start new lives, another chance to make something of themselves. My great-grandfather was one of them, and he failed again. A shameful trajectory. It gave me an entirely different perspective on my grandfather, and his ill-fated son, unlikely, given his life in the shtetl, to realise the hopes and ambitions of his emigration. I had judged him all too readily and ignorantly. I started to feel sorry for him, which no doubt seeped into the writing.

Leslie: For me, the emotions have seeped into the writing and that is why this book is so good – disciplined and emotional at the same time. And an important read, I think, in world, Jewish and South African history.

– Darker Shade of Pale: why I wrote a book about my grandfather and how it changed my view of him
– https://theconversation.com/darker-shade-of-pale-why-i-wrote-a-book-about-my-grandfather-and-how-it-changed-my-view-of-him-268582

November 13, 2025

International Islamic Trade Finance Corporation (ITFC) Strengthens Comoros’ Energy Security and Food Resilience with Innovative Trade Finance Solutions

Source: APO

The International Islamic Trade Finance Corporation (ITFC) (www.ITFC-IDB.org), a member of the Islamic Development Bank (IsDB) Group, continues to make significant progress in its partnership with the Union of Comoros, delivering impactful trade finance solutions to bolster the country’s energy security, food supply, and economic diversification.

With no domestic oil production and modest agricultural output, Comoros depends heavily on imports to power its economy and sustain its population of approximately 850,000. Since 2008, ITFC has emerged as a critical partner, approving over US$799.3 million in trade finance to support the country’s development priorities.

Powering a Nation Through Energy Financing

Since its inception, ITFC has approved US$655.4 million in energy financing for Comoros, accounting for over 80% of all ITFC support to the country. This investment has allowed Comoros to secure all its annual imports of refined petroleum products, estimated at 100,000 m³, ensuring the stability of its energy supply even amid global price shocks.

In 2023, ITFC partnered with Société Comorienne des Hydrocarbures (SCH), the state-owned hydrocarbons company, to implement an Integrated Trade Solution (ITS) that combined financing with capacity building. As part of a Reverse Linkage program, SCH staff trained at Tunisia’s STIR Refinery, gaining vital skills in trade negotiations, Islamic finance, and oil storage management. This initiative safeguards around 480 direct jobs, with nearly 200 of them held by women. Over 70% of petroleum imports are sourced from OIC member countries, reinforcing intra-OIC trade and regional cooperation.

Securing Food Supply Amid Global Price Shocks

In 2024, ITFC approved a new EUR 20 million trade finance facility to strengthen food security in the Union of Comoros. The facility will finance the import of essential staple foods, including rice, flour, sugar, oil, and meat, providing critical support to the nation’s food supply chain.

In 2023, Comoros imported 91,929.94 metric tons of foodstuffs valued at EUR 62.7 million. The new facility will cover about 31.9% of annual food procurement needs, enabling households to access food at more affordable prices. This financing supports 50 to 75 local micro and small enterprises, sustaining over 2,500 jobs. Since its establishment, ITFC has provided over US$143.9 million in financing to support the food security and agriculture sector.

Additionally, ITFC promotes Islamic finance in Comoros through its partnership with local banks, namely, AFG Bank and BDC. This expands access to Letters of Credit (L/C) confirmation facilities and strengthens the domestic financial sector, aligning with the government’s diversification agenda.

Through these strategic interventions, ITFC continues to play a vital role in advancing Comoros’ sustainable development agenda by ensuring energy security, strengthening food systems, and empowering local enterprises. The Corporation’s integrated trade finance solutions enhance resilience to external shocks and promote inclusive economic growth and regional cooperation.

Watch the Comoros project video – https://apo-opa.co/3LDt6Wv

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of International Islamic Trade Finance Corporation (ITFC).

Contact Us:
Tel: +966 12 646 8337
Fax: +966 12 637 1064
E-mail: ITFC@itfc-idb.org

Follow International Islamic Trade Finance Corporation (ITFC):
Twitter: @ ITFCCORP
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LinkedIn: International Islamic Trade Finance Corporation (ITFC)

About the International Islamic Trade Finance Corporation (ITFC):
The International Islamic Trade Finance Corporation (ITFC) is a member of the Islamic Development Bank (IsDB) Group. It was established with the primary objective of advancing trade among OIC member countries, which would ultimately contribute to the overarching goal of improving the socioeconomic conditions of the people across the world. Commencing operations in January 2008, ITFC has provided US$89 billion of financing to OIC member countries, making it the leading provider of trade solutions for these member countries’ needs. With a mission to become a catalyst for trade development for OIC member countries and beyond, the Corporation helps entities in member countries gain better access to trade finance and provides them with the necessary trade-related capacity-building tools, which would enable them to successfully compete in the global market.

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November 13, 2025

Open Access to Surgery is the Essential Foundation to Achieving Universal Health Coverage

Source: APO

The Pan-African Surgical Healthcare Forum (PASHeF 2025) continues to serve as a growing continental platform where African countries design and implement solutions that strengthen surgical healthcare systems for their people.

Now in its third year, PASHeF 2025 brought together representatives from the World Health Organization Regional Office for Africa (WHO AFRO), WHO Ethiopia Country Office, the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC), the African Union (AU), along with 42 African Ministries of Health and Ministry of Finance, under the theme, From Policy to Practice – expanding Africa’s Multidisciplinary Surgical Workforce: What Works for Africa?’

This landmark event aims to translate commitments into action by showcasing scalable solutions, sharing successful national models, showcasing examples of innovative financial models, and fostering collaboration to strengthen surgical, obstetric, and anesthesia care throughout Africa.

During the event, Dr. med. Mustapha Kabba, the Republic of Sierra Leone’s Deputy Chief Medical Officer for Clinical Services in the Ministry of Health, presented his National Surgical, Obstetric, and Anaesthesia Plan (NSOAP) 2026-2030, launched just last week in Freetown. Developed in collaboration with national and international partners, including Mercy Ships, this plan provides a strategic, budgeted roadmap for expanding safe, timely, and affordable surgical, obstetric, and anaesthetic care throughout Sierra Leone.

Dr. Walt Johnson, Director of Strategic Partnerships at Mercy Ships and former WHO lead for Emergency and Essential Surgical Care, represented the organization at PASHeF. There, he reaffirmed Mercy Ships’ long-standing commitment to building surgical capacity in Africa.

“Africa is driving its own way towards creating its own solutions,” said Dr. Johnson. “The launch of Sierra Leone’s NSOAP demonstrates how political commitment, and partnership can translate into real improvements in access to surgical care at the national level. PASHeF provides exactly the kind of platform needed to turn these ambitions into dedicated action on a continental level.”

As more countries across Africa develop their own NSOAPs, including Ethiopia, Ghana, Nigeria, Rwanda, Madagascar, and Tanzania, among many others at various stage of development, PASHeF has emerged as the key driver for collective progress.

NSOAPs were established following the recommendations of the Lancet Commission on Global Surgery (LCoGS) (https://apo-opa.co/3LAONXe) and the UN General Assembly Resolution 68.15 (https://apo-opa.co/47CbhzI), which call for essential surgery to be integrated into national health systems as a core component of Universal Health Coverage (UHC).

The LCoGS estimates that 5 billion people lack access to safe and timely surgical care, including 1.7 billion children affected by treatable conditions such as cleft lip and palate, club foot, hernia, injuries, or congenital malformations. Early surgical intervention not only saves lives but also empowers individuals to contribute to their countries’ economic and social development.

Ethiopia’s Minister of Health, Dr. Mekdes Daba, a trained Obstetrician/Gynecologist, emphasized that surgical care must be at the core of Africa’s journey towards UHC and called for bold, government-led actions and innovative strategies to transform surgical systems across the continent.

The highlight of the meeting was the unanimous adoption of two resolutions by all governments in attendance and the development of a strong partnership with Africa CDC. As the health technical arm of the AU, Africa CDC can bring PASHeF roadmaps and resolutions to the AU agenda and drive successful implementation after adoption.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Mercy Ships.

For more information about Mercy Ships, contact: international.media@mercyships.org

About Mercy Ships:
Mercy Ships operates hospital ships that deliver free surgeries and other healthcare services to those with little access to safe medical care. An international faith-based organization, Mercy Ships has focused entirely on partnering with African nations for the past three decades. Working with in-country partners, Mercy Ships also provides training to local healthcare professionals and supports the construction of in-country medical infrastructure to leave a lasting impact.

Each year, more than 2,500 volunteer professionals from over 60 countries serve on board the world’s two largest non-governmental hospital ships, the Africa Mercy® and the Global Mercy™. Professionals such as surgeons, dentists, nurses, health trainers, cooks, and engineers dedicate their time and skills to accelerate access to safe surgical and anesthetic care. Mercy Ships was founded in 1978 and has offices in 16 countries as well as an Africa Service Center in Dakar, Senegal.

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November 13, 2025

G20 Forum to Feature Green Energy, Carbon Leaders Amid African Energy Transition Drive

Source: APO

Africa’s green energy sector is entering a period of rapid growth, driven by continental efforts to enhance power generation, support an energy transition and make energy poverty history. With over 620 trillion cubic feet of natural gas reserves and abundant solar and wind potential, the continent is well-positioned to use its green energy sector as a catalyst for achieving these goals. Realizing these objectives will require significant investment, underscoring the need for innovative financing mechanisms, strengthened global partnerships and private-led project development.

At the G20 Africa Energy Investment Forum – taking place November 21 in Johannesburg – representatives from leading green energy and carbon credit companies are expected to share insight into Africa’s emerging green energy economy. Discussions will center on how innovative financing can bridge the continent’s investment gap, advancing impactful projects and strengthening Africa’s energy systems. As the continent accelerates a just and inclusive energy transition, the forum will serve as a launchpad for new investments.

Diversified energy represents the cornerstone of Africa’s energy transition and companies such as Levene Energy are leading this strategy. With projects in natural gas, oil and renewable energies, Levene Energy is driving Nigeria’s energy development. The company is expanding midstream gas infrastructure, supporting the transportation of low-carbon gas as a substitute for diesel, while providing emission reduction services for upstream projects. In the renewable energy sector, Levene Energy has a partnership with the Rural Electrification Agency focused on implementing rural generation projects and manufacturing solar systems. During the G20 Forum, Levene Energy’s CEO Nzan Ogbe is expected to share insight into this strategy and how diversification can fuel energy security in Africa.

In the power sector, companies such as Clarke Energy are addressing Africa’s energy challenges by providing distributed power plant solutions in the gas sector. The company specializes in energy efficient, low-carbon and flexible energy systems, delivering projects such as gas engines, biogas upgraders, battery energy storage systems and carbon dioxide capture. These solutions are supporting Africa’s economic growth by leveraging natural gas to fuel operations. In Nigeria, the company is harnessing as to support agriculture processing through the 1.5 MW Jenbacher plant, powered by CNG. In Tunisia, the company deployed a CHP plant to enhance power supply and support textile manufacturing. These developments showcase the role gas-fired power generation can play in reducing emissions while supporting operations across a variety of industries. At the G20 Forum, Kara Neale, Commercial Leader at Clarke Energy, is expected to provide further insight into these applications.

Beyond renewable energy and natural gas projects, Africa’s carbon credit market is beginning to gain traction. As a viable solution for driving investment across Africa’s energy sector, carbon credits have significant growth potential across the African market. Companies such as Green Asset Exchange – Africa’s first locally developed trading platform for environmental assets – have emerged as a pathway for African carbon credits and Renewable Energy Certificates to reach international buyers. The company – launched in South Africa – enables transparent, standardized transactions, playing a key role in addressing the continent’s energy finance gap and supporting project development across the continent. Green Asset Exchange’s Managing Director Nick Rowley is speaking at the G20 Africa Energy Investment Forum, where he is expected to shed light into Africa’s carbon credit market, including strategies opportunities and challenges.

“To make energy poverty history, we need financing mechanisms that reflect Africa’s realities. The G20 Africa Energy Investment Forum is more than a dialogue; it’s a platform to unlock real investments that will turn Africa’s vast renewable and natural gas potential into reliable energy for our people. This is how we build an inclusive, sustainable future,” states NJ Ayuk, Executive Chairman of the African Energy Chamber.

To register for the Forum click here (https://apo-opa.co/47VAMuC).

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of African Energy Chamber.

November 13, 2025

South African National Petroleum Company (SANPC) Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Joins G20 Forum as South Africa Targets Accelerated Hydrocarbon Exploration

Source: APO

Godfrey Moagi, CEO of the South African National Petroleum Company (SANPC), has joined the African Energy Chamber’s (AEC) (https://EnergyChamber.org/) G20 Africa Energy Investment Forum – taking place in Johannesburg on November 21, 2025. Moagi’s participation comes at a time when South Africa is implementing measures to accelerate oil and gas exploration across on- and offshore basins and is expected to support new deals and partnerships as the country pursues near-term oil and gas production.

With significant resource potential across onshore and offshore basins, South Africa is taking steps towards transforming its energy sector through upstream development. In October 2025, the country announced that it is lifting the moratorium on shale gas exploration, paving the way for new investments across strategic areas such as the Karoo Basin. While unproven, the basin is estimated to hold up to 200 trillion cubic feet of technically recoverable shale gas resources, the development of which could become a catalyst for enhancing energy security and supporting a just energy transition.

South Africa’s oil and gas potential transcends onshore margins, with proven resources revealed in the offshore Outeniqua Basin – home to the Brulpadda and Luiperd finds – and estimated resources in the Orange Basin – which extends into Namibia. While environmental and financial challenges have impacted development, the country’s offshore market is witnessing renewed interest by global operators. Notably, energy major Shell secured approval for a five-well drilling campaign in the Northern Cape Ulrta Deep block, while TotalEnergies is targeting a two-well wildcat campaign in South Africa’s portion of the Orange Basin. These campaigns stand to unlock these basins, introducing a new source of energy for South Africa’s high-demand market.

Supporting these efforts, South Africa also signed its Upstream Petroleum Resources Development Act into law in 2024, offering a separate regulatory framework for the country’s upstream oil and gas sector. The act aims to accelerate exploration and production, facilitate development and support foreign investment by providing a transparent and industry-focused piece of legislation, highlighting the government’s commitment to the industry.

The establishment of the SANPC in 2025 is also a strong reflection of the country’s commitment to improving industry oversight, transparency and growth, while strengthening the operational capacity of South Africa’s state-owned entities. Created through a merger of iGas, PetroSA and the Strategic Fuel Fund, the SANPC aligns with regional trends in governance and is positioned as a vehicle for investment and project development. For international operators, the establishment of the SANPC signals the emergence of strong, competitive national partner, thereby enhancing South Africa’s attractiveness as an oil and gas investment destination.

The scale of capital and expertise required to develop shale and offshore resources calls for robust partnerships between the state, private operators and international investors. The G20 Africa Energy Investment Forum provides the ideal platform for advancing this agenda. Bringing together global financiers, energy leaders and policymakers, the forum will showcase South Africa’s reformed upstream framework and investment-ready opportunities. For SANPC, it represents an opportunity to position the company as the linchpin of the country’s exploration revival, attracting strategic partnerships and securing funding for future drilling programs.

“By enabling exploration both onshore and offshore, and by fostering collaboration with experienced international partners, South Africa can finally move from energy scarcity toward energy abundance. The SANPC has a vital role to play in ensuring that exploration delivers tangible benefits – not just in energy supply, but in job creation, industrial growth and technological advancement,” states NJ Ayuk, Executive Chairman of the AEC.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of African Energy Chamber.

November 13, 2025

MTBPS reinforces commitment to economic growth

Source: Government of South Africa

Cabinet has welcomed the 2025 Medium-Term Budget Policy Statement (MTBPS) as part of continuing government efforts to drive economic growth, create jobs and address the cost of living.

Delivered by the Minister of Finance, Enoch Godongwana, on Wednesday in Parliament, the MTBPS announced a shift from inflation target range to a specific inflation target of 3%.

“The benefits of low inflation target at personal income level include prevention of cost-of-living spirals, promotion of price stability and thus protect purchasing power, supporting equitable income distribution, and protection of savings.

“At a macroeconomic level, the aim is to support gross capital formation and enhance currency stability which are important for investor confidence and economic growth.

“The National Treasury/Reserve Bank technical team that made the recommendation for this change in Monetary Policy position, considered the drawbacks of this shift but on balance Cabinet was advised that this is the best approach for the country at the current period,” Minister in The Presidency Khumbudzo Ntshavheni said on Thursday, in Cape Town.

The Minister made these remarks during a media briefing on the outcomes of the Cabinet meeting held on Wednesday, 12 November 2025.

“The MTBPS also reaffirmed government’s commitment to improve provision of critical services such as health, education, and protection of the poor through social grants while also driving investments in public infrastructure such as energy, water and transport,” Ntshavheni said.

SA produces first vaccine

In a groundbreaking milestone for the country’s pharmaceutical sector, South Africa’s Biovac has produced a Cholera vaccine – the first vaccine to be produced in the country.

“Cabinet congratulated Biovac and the Departments of Health and Science, Technology and Innovation for the launch of the first vaccine to be produced in South Africa, in the history of the country.

“Biovac’s ability to produce the Cholera vaccine in South Africa is a demonstration of South Africa’s advancement in pharmaceutical, science and technology and marking a graduation from vaccine packaging like in the instance of the BNG vaccine to full vaccine manufacturing capability,” the Minister said.

She hailed the partnership of Biovac with the Human Sciences Research Council and the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) as it demonstrates the mobilisation of government’s capabilities to address the country’s challenges.

“Cabinet is confident of Biovac, with its partners, future contribution to the eradication of diseases in South Africa and Africa through the manufacturing of vaccines focused on our continent’s disease profile,” the Minister said.

Quarterly Labour Force Survey

With Statics South Africa (Stats SA) reporting that 248 000 more jobs were created in the third quarter of 2025, Cabinet welcomed this development.

These stats showed that the increasing number of employed persons now stands at 17.1 million and the official unemployment rate declined by 1.3 percentage points, to 31.9%, in the quarter.

“With more jobs recorded in the construction, community and social services, and trade sectors, Cabinet is pleased with job creation momentum in key areas of the economy.

“More jobs in the construction sector is concomitant with government’s prioritisation of infrastructure development which is matched by a R 1trillion infrastructure budget as announced during the 2025 Budget and reaffirmed in the 2025 MTBPS,” the Minister said.

SA tourism sees boost in international travellers

South Africa’s tourism continues a positive trajectory as the country welcomed 7 634 261 million international tourists between January and September 2025, marking an impressive increase of 1 108 222 visitors compared with the same period in 2024.

This confirms South Africa as a premier global tourism destination.

Key strong growth markets that contributed to the growth are the Middle East with 58%; Europe grew by 29%; key markets in Africa grew by 28%; North America by 22%, and Asia with 11%.

Energy

Cabinet also welcomed Eskom’s announcement that the National Nuclear Regulator has approved a 20-year licence extension for Koeberg Unit 2, enabling its operation until 9 November 2045.

“This is a significant milestone that strengthens South Africa’s long-term energy security and reflects Eskom’s commitment to world-class nuclear safety standards.

“Cabinet further welcomed the National Energy Regulator of South Africa’s (Nersa) announcement of the registration of 181 new generation facilities during the second quarter of the 2025/26 financial year. These facilities represent a combined capacity of 1 401 MW and an estimated investment value of R30.78 billion,” she said. – SAnews.gov.za

November 13, 2025

Cabinet ‘confident’ about G20 Leaders’ Summit

Source: Government of South Africa

Cabinet has expressed its full confidence in South Africa’s ability to host a successful G20 Leaders’ Summit.

This according to Minister in the Presidency, Khumbudzo Ntshavheni, who briefed the media on the outcomes of the cabinet meeting held this week.

The summit will be held at the Nasrec Expo Centre in Johannesburg, from 22 to 23 November.

“Since taking over the reigns as the President of the G20, South Africa has hosted 130 preparatory meetings which were incident free and used the opportunity to showcase the diversity of our provinces and tourism destinations.

“All provinces hosted a G20 preparatory event of one form or the other,” she said.

Turning to the Leaders’ Summit itself, Ntshavheni assured that law enforcement is ready to ensure that the summit is safe and secure for all attendees.

“Comprehensive safety and security plans for the Leaders’ Summit and the Social Summit are being managed and coordinated by the relevant security structures.

“A G20 State of Readiness media briefing will be held on Sunday, 16 November 2025, to take citizens and the global stakeholders into the country’s confidence, including milestones achieved since South Africa’s G20 Presidency in November 2024,” she said.

President Ramaphosa is expected to undertake a walkabout at the Nasrec precinct tomorrow (Friday).

Regional support

With just over a week to go until the Leaders’ Summit, the African Union has thrown its support behind South Africa – calling South Africa’s G20 Presidency a milestone reflecting the country’s “growing role in global governance”.

“As the current Chair of the G20, South Africa has shown exceptional leadership in promoting the priorities of the Global South, advancing sustainable development, and strengthening inclusive global governance.

“The Republic of South Africa is a vibrant democracy that upholds equality, human rights, and the rule of law. Its Constitution and policies reflect values aligned with the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights.

“The African Union encourages all international partners to engage with South Africa and the wider African continent on the basis of mutual respect, truth, and constructive cooperation, supporting Africa’s continued contribution to global peace, development, and prosperity,” the continental body said. – SAnews.gov.za