Category: MIL-OSI

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Antibiotic resistance is spreading through South Africa’s water systems: study explains how

Source: The Conversation – Africa – By Thulani P. Makhalanyane, Professor of Microbiology, Stellenbosch University

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is defined as the ability of disease-causing microorganisms to withstand treatments like antibiotics.

Often described as a silent pandemic, it is already responsible for an estimated 1.27 million deaths each year, with the highest burden in Africa.

Efforts to tackle antibiotic resistance have largely focused on hospitals and clinics, where antibiotic use is highest and resistant infections often emerge. But the problem is not confined to healthcare settings. Resistant bacteria can reproduce and pass on their resistance, or transfer resistance genes to other bacteria. These can spread beyond hospitals via wastewater or human carriers. Scientists increasingly recognise that the environment also plays a role. Rivers, lakes and wastewater systems are places where bacteria, antibiotic residues and other pollutants mix and interact.

Wastewater treatment plants bring all of this together. They take in what we flush away from homes, hospitals and industry and clean it before releasing it back into rivers or reusing it. These systems have significantly reduced the burden of infectious disease.

But there is a blind spot.

As part of the African Microbiome Project, we investigate the occurrence of antibiotic-resistant bacteria and resistance genes in wastewater discharges and receiving environments. We’ve found that resistant bacteria can still be found downstream, even after treatment has reduced overall bacterial loads. So, we set out to examine how this happens.

We pursued this line of inquiry because earlier research showed that when bacteria are killed during treatment, their cells break apart, releasing DNA into the water. This genetic material, known as extracellular DNA, or DNA that exists outside the cell, can carry antibiotic resistance genes and persist in treated water released into the environment. Some microorganisms in the environment are then able to incorporate this genetic material into their own.

In effect, resistance can spread without the original bacteria being present. Our research in South Africa suggests that there is indeed an overlooked pathway to the spread of antibiotic resistance.

Our findings also suggest that current measures of treatment success may be incomplete. Reducing living bacteria is important, but it may not capture the full risk if the genetic basis for resistance remains. Therefore, advanced treatment technologies, such as ultraviolet treatment, enzymatic degradation and advanced oxidation, should be considered for use. These technologies have been shown to degrade extracellular DNA in wastewater, reducing its ability to transfer resistance genes.

The evidence

We analysed wastewater from several treatment plants in the city of Tshwane. We found that even after standard treatment, extracellular DNA carrying antimicrobial resistance genes remained in the water released into the environment.

Some of these genes are linked to resistance against antibiotics of last resort. These are medications used to treat serious infections in humans and animals.

This does not mean treated wastewater is directly causing disease. But it points to a way for resistance to survive treatment and potentially re-enter communities, through drinking water, food production or recreational exposure.

Similar findings have been reported in other parts of the world. Some countries are beginning to use advanced treatment technologies designed to remove or degrade extracellular DNA.

What’s called for

Developing countries face bigger challenges than developed countries for a number of reasons.

Treated wastewater is routinely discharged into rivers, reused in agriculture, or fed back into domestic water supplies. Limited access to safe water and sanitation may create more opportunities for antibiotic resistance genes to circulate from these environmental reservoirs to communities.

Read more: Resistance to antibiotics in northern Nigeria: what bacteria are prevalent, and which drugs work against them

On top of this, water scarcity is hitting developing countries harder.

In water-scarce regions such as South Africa, where infrastructure challenges persist, communities may be more directly exposed to these contaminated water sources and opportunities for resistance genes to spread.

These risks point to the need for a shift in how antibiotic resistance is understood. It is not only a medical issue, but also an environmental one. It will require changes across both domains.

First, monitoring systems need to evolve. Globally, water quality assessments rarely include genetic material – detecting it requires specialised molecular methods.

Although these techniques require specialised equipment and expertise, they are already available in many laboratories and could be integrated into monitoring programmes as costs decline and testing capacity expands.

Second, wastewater treatment technologies may need to adapt. Advanced processes, like ozonation (which uses ozone to break down contaminants), ultrafiltration membranes that physically remove particles and genetic material, and DNA-degrading enzymes, are being explored but they aren’t widely used.

The rollout of these technologies has mostly occurred in parts of Europe, North America and Asia. In South Africa, there are encouraging signs of adoption. For example, current upgrades to wastewater treatment plants in Cape Town include UV treatment.

Third, stronger collaboration across sectors is essential. Antibiotic resistance is not solely a health issue, and water management is not only an engineering challenge. Policymakers, engineers, microbiologists and public health practitioners must work together on this interconnected challenge.

Read more: South Africa’s sewage crisis: official reports don’t include millions of litres of leaking wastewater

Finally, public awareness matters. Most people don’t know that antibiotic resistance can spread through water. Communicating this risk clearly can help build support for the changes needed. While individuals cannot always control the quality of the water available to them, understanding the risks can encourage simple protective measures, such as boiling water and disposing of medicines responsibly.

Antibiotic resistance and water insecurity are linked through the systems that sustain everyday life. As pressure on global water systems grows, understanding and managing the links will become increasingly important.

– Antibiotic resistance is spreading through South Africa’s water systems: study explains how
– https://theconversation.com/antibiotic-resistance-is-spreading-through-south-africas-water-systems-study-explains-how-283907

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How do teens living with disabilities in Ghana view their future? We asked them to show us

Source: The Conversation – Africa – By Mary Asirifi, Assistant Professor, Department of Nursing Foundations, MacEwan University

About 8% of Ghana’s population is disabled. A high percentage are adolescents, which could be linked to the country’s dominant population of young people (15 to 35 years).

The perspectives of adolescents with disabilities in Ghana are often overlooked, as most of the time, society views the cause of the disability as related to parental sins against the gods, being a descendant of river gods, and bewitchment or curses by family members. Consequently, the adolescents experience pejorative labelling, ableism and social exclusion, resulting in depression, low self-esteem, a lack of confidence and suicidal thoughts.

I was part of an interdisciplinary research team with diverse expertise on stigma, nursing, public health and social work. We engaged adolescents in Ghana with disabilities in a recent study that focused on their lived experiences. This research involved working with 54 adolescents aged 10-19 years with hearing, visual and physical disabilities. We explored their lived experiences using photos that participants captured. Participants used a range of visual images to represent their challenges.

We also found that adolescents with disabilities often face hostile experiences that contribute to negative self-perceptions. These include feelings of hopelessness about their future. This calls for urgent attention to addressing the needs of this vulnerable population.

Finding the challenges

We provided participants with a range of visual images to represent their challenges. These included images symbolising darkness, a stick lying on the floor, a coconut tree, heaps of sand, and stacks of wood logs. These images from the participants were used in the study as they captured the perspectives and the meaning of their experiences with disability.

Of the 54 adolescents we interviewed, 22 were hearing impaired, 23 were visually impaired and 9 struggled with physical disability. Of these, 34 were females and 20 were males. The majority of the participants had been born with their disabilities. Only four participants with visual impairments had been disabled later in life. The visually impaired participants informed the researchers to take pictures of images that the participants preferred to depict their experience of disability. The researchers informed the participants of the content and the features of the images captured in the photos.

We then used photo voice data analysis. This is a process where participants’ stories related to the photos were interpreted into meaningful clusters of ideas known as themes. Three overarching themes emerged from the data:

  • adversity

  • resilience

  • social support.

Adversity

Some of the adolescents characterised the adversity experience of disabilities as difficult, burdensome, and full of rejection. Participants presented images symbolising darkness, a stick lying on bare floor, a coconut tree, heaps of sand, and stacks of wood logs as challenges they face.

The photographs of wood logs and darkness were used to explain participants’ lived experiences. According to the adolescents with disabilities, the images of wood logs and darkness meant that life was a burden. Those who used darkness compared their lived experiences to an unforeseen, blurred future because they were physically challenged, lacking strength, and appeared unfit for any productive job.

A 19-year-old adolescent with physical impairment compared her life journey to a stick lying on the ground, indicating “everyone can walk on her life”.

According to her, a stick on the ground could be easily picked up, used, and then dumped at any time. She said several men had showed interest in her but abandoned her after a sexual encounter. She had a child with a partner who did not provide paternal support, and she found it difficult to get any employment, which made her vulnerable to similar exploitative advances.

A visually impaired participant related her experience with a coconut tree.

I could see with my eyes before this sickness happened to me. When I was having sight, people saw me as someone who would be a great person in the future, but now that I am blind, they believe that it is the end of my life. Some still consider me beautiful in my current state because I have not given birth yet. However, I know if I allow myself to become pregnant, I will become a wretched thing after giving birth, which can be related to the coconut tree: once the fruit has been harvested and the leaves have been removed, it will lose its attraction.

A 17-year-old who was visually challenged used a heap of sand at the side of the road to explain his predicament.

According to him, life was a burden because it required him to bear more weight, and occasionally he thought about ending his life.

A female physically challenged adolescent compared her life to a footpath that anyone could walk on. She indicated that the disability had devalued her personality and she’d lost her identity. She felt bullied by her peers, and excluded, which had affected her academic and sporting life and mental health.

Resilience and social support

Some adolescents were hopeful and resilient about their life experiences. They used a photograph of a chapel representing a place where their experiences, struggles and identity were most visible and meaningful.

One of the participants indicated that the church was a place where he felt accepted beyond his disability.

The photo of a group of people meeting and holding hands together signified a space to share their experiences and their sense of safety as well as expressing feelings such as anger, frustration and hope. According to the participants, such meetings fostered a sense of community and offered practical coping strategies for navigating school activities and life in general.

What needs to happen

The findings show that there’s a need for culturally appropriate interventions to support and empower adolescents with disabilities in Ghana.

An example is the Obuntu Bulamu peer-to-peer support intervention in Uganda. The concept underlying the this intervention is fostering behaviour that reflects a shared set of values promoting well-being, togetherness and unity. The intervention, which was co-created by a team of children, parents, teachers, disability rehabilitation workers and academics in Uganda, consists of training sessions, peer support meetings, and activities for children, parents and teachers around the themes of peer support, disability and belonging.

Finally, the findings also provide a basis for programmes and policies to incorporate their voices into decision-making that affects their well-being.

– How do teens living with disabilities in Ghana view their future? We asked them to show us
– https://theconversation.com/how-do-teens-living-with-disabilities-in-ghana-view-their-future-we-asked-them-to-show-us-287727

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Pregnant and parenting teens in Nairobi’s informal settlements: the hidden mental toll of stigma

Source: The Conversation – Africa – By Anthony Idowu Ajayi, Research Scientist, African Population and Health Research Center

Pregnancy is demanding at any age. But for adolescents, it comes on top of everything else they are dealing with: school, relationships, and the passage into adulthood. Add the hormonal shifts and shock of an unplanned pregnancy, and the weight of societal disapproval, and it is little wonder that pregnant adolescents are at heightened risk of mental disorders.

Existing studies have largely focused on quantifying the burden of mental health problems and their risk factors among pregnant and parenting adolescents. Less attention has been paid to understanding how pregnant and parenting adolescents themselves experience, interpret and navigate these mental health challenges in their everyday lives.

Read more: Teenage girls in Africa face shocking rates of physical and sexual abuse in intimate relationships – new global report

We have spent a combined 40 years researching adolescent sexual and reproductive health across Africa, and what policymakers can do to alleviate their pressures. In our most recent paper we looked at the social consequences of adolescent pregnancy. In particular we examined experiences of stigma, rejection, social isolation and lost opportunities that affected adolescents’ mental health and how the girls coped with the pressures.

Our study drew from interviews with 22 pregnant and parenting girls and 10 parents or caregivers in an urban informal settlement in Nairobi, Kenya, where adolescent childbearing is common. The burden of adolescent childbearing in Kenya’s informal settlements is disproportionately high, with birth rates reaching roughly 116 per 1,000 girls aged 15-19 (compared to a national average of 73 per 1,000).

We found that much of the mental distress they experienced was socially produced, through paternity denial, financial precarity, humiliation and exclusion by family, school, church and community.

Girls carry the blame; male partners remain socially invisible. We argue that stakeholders should move beyond moralising adolescent pregnancy and instead provide comprehensive, evidence-informed support that enables adolescent girls and their children to thrive.

Three layers of distress

Our study explored the social pressures that contributed to psychological distress among pregnant and parenting adolescent girls, and what factors helped them cope.

We identified three layers of distress:

  • costs

  • stigma

  • shame.

The first was the kind of hardship any struggling household faces: the cost of food, rent, school fees and sanitary products. Many of the girls we spoke to already lived with single mothers scraping by on unstable, low-paid work. Pregnancy stretched that thin income further. Several girls described turning to high-interest mobile loans which only deepened their financial stress.

Read more: Teachers in South African schools may be slow to report rape of girls: study shows why

Most of the girls reported that the fathers denied paternity or refused support after initially promising to help. They were left to shoulder childcare and household costs alone. Also, participants reported that employers were unwilling to hire them or accommodate their children, pushing some of them into longer working hours for little pay.

An 18-year-old parenting girl recalled:

They tell you that they will employ you but without the child or that you take your child to daycare, yet you do not even have money. It takes me two hours to wash clothes, I get paid 250 shillings [US$2] because of the child. She only sits on her own for five minutes then you must pick her up and that is why it takes longer to wash the clothes.

Read more: Pregnant teens in Kenya’s low-income areas avoid health care because of fear and stigma

The second layer was distinctive to their new, stigmatised status as pregnant or parenting adolescents. This form of distress is based on family, friends and community reactions to adolescent pregnancy. It stems from the perception of adolescent pregnancy as an individual’s moral failing.

The girls we interviewed weren’t just struggling quietly. They were publicly shamed, mocked, whispered about and shunned by neighbours, teachers, classmates and even close friends. Fathers reportedly blamed the girls’ mothers for “failing” to protect and control their daughters, and this triggered conflicts. One adolescent girl told us her father called her “a burden and embarrassment”. Several girls dropped out of school even when they wanted to continue their education. Yet the boys and men who got them pregnant were invisible.

Read more: Zambian teens can’t talk about sex or contraception, even with their friends

The third layer was internal. Having absorbed months of judgement and rejection, many adolescent girls described overwhelming shame, guilt and a sense of worthlessness. Some withdrew from friends and family entirely. In the most severe cases, this internalised distress escalated into suicidal thoughts or attempts. And, in a context where abortion is heavily restricted, some girls turned to unsafe methods to try to end unwanted pregnancies out of desperation rather than choice.

Read more: Attitudes towards abortion in the DRC suggest there are ways to overcome stigma

A 16-year-old parenting adolescent girl shared:

I wanted to hang myself. I thought maybe my parents would chase me away or beat me, I used to come back (from school) and cry, cry, and cry. I tried taking tea with a lot of tea leaves (to abort) but it never worked out. I wanted to buy poison and take it … Something used to tell me to get out of the house get hit by a vehicle and die because I have wronged my parents.

What helped?

Not all experiences followed the same trajectory.

Supportive family relationships were consistently described as critical turning points. Adolescents whose parents responded with acceptance rather than punishment frequently reported feeling better able to cope with their circumstances. In several cases, adolescent girls highlighted that reassurance from a parent was particularly important in helping them regain a sense of stability and mental safety. A 19-year-old parenting young woman shared:

My mother found out about the pregnancy when it was three months. She encouraged me by telling me that it was not the end of everything, and she was still going to be my mother no matter the situation I found myself in.

Read more: Childhood sex education reduces risky sexual behaviour: a Nigerian case study

Grandmothers commonly provided practical assistance, especially childcare and emotional support. Community-based groups also played an important role by offering counselling, material support and opportunities for social connection.

Interactions with other pregnant or parenting adolescents were highly valued. They provided a sense of solidarity, reduced isolation, and reassured girls that others faced similar challenges and had found ways through them.

What needs to change?

Our findings suggest that reducing the mental health toll of adolescent pregnancy requires more than just economic support, though that matters too.

Read more: A quarter of the world’s population are adolescents: major report sets out health and wellbeing trends

Interventions also need to directly address stigma in schools, religious institutions, health facilities and neighbourhoods and expand access to psychosocial support.

Policymakers and other key stakeholders addressing this issue need to move beyond pregnancy prevention to comprehensive support systems that enable young mothers to thrive.

– Pregnant and parenting teens in Nairobi’s informal settlements: the hidden mental toll of stigma
– https://theconversation.com/pregnant-and-parenting-teens-in-nairobis-informal-settlements-the-hidden-mental-toll-of-stigma-287892

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Gold Sponsor Chevron Brings Senior Executive Delegation to Angola Oil & Gas (AOG) 2026

Source: APO

International energy company Chevron will bring a senior executive delegation to Angola Oil & Gas (AOG) 2026, with leaders spanning global exploration, regional operations and commercial strategy participating at the conference. As a Gold Sponsor, the company’s presence reflects both the scale of its investment in Angola and its long-term commitment to exploration, production growth and lower-carbon development across the country.

The delegation includes Kevin McLachlan, Vice President of Exploration; Emmanuelle Garinet, Director of Exploration for the Americas and Sub-Saharan Africa; Toni Henning, Commercial General Manager, Chevron Southern Africa; and Frank Cassulo, Southern Africa Managing Director. Bringing together global decision-makers responsible for exploration strategy alongside regional executives leading Chevron’s Angolan portfolio, the delegation underscores the strategic importance of Angola within the company’s international upstream business.

Chevron remains one of Angola’s largest international oil and gas investors, with a portfolio spanning mature offshore assets, new production projects, frontier exploration and non-associated gas development. The company continues to balance production from established operations with investment in new resources, supporting Angola’s objective of sustaining crude output while unlocking new gas opportunities.

Production growth remains a key pillar of Chevron’s strategy. In late 2025, the company achieved first oil from the N’dola Sul development in Block 0, a project designed to maximize recovery from one of Angola’s longest-producing offshore concessions. The development forms part of Chevron’s broader brownfield investment strategy, demonstrating how tiebacks to existing infrastructure can deliver additional production while improving capital efficiency.

Alongside production optimization, Chevron is advancing a frontier exploration campaign. The company is progressing exploration activities in Blocks 49 and 50 in the Lower Congo Basin, where seismic acquisition was completed in 2025 before moving into data processing and interpretation. The program is expected to strengthen geological understanding of the offshore acreage and support future drilling decisions as Angola seeks to unlock new reserves through frontier exploration.

Beyond oil, Chevron continues to play a leading role in establishing Angola’s gas industry through the New Gas Consortium. The consortium spearheaded development of the Quiluma and Maboqueiro fields, Angola’s first non-associated gas project, which now supplies feedstock to the Angola LNG plant in Soyo. The project represents a major milestone in the country’s gas commercialization strategy, supporting LNG exports while creating opportunities for future domestic industrial development.

Chevron is also expanding its lower-carbon portfolio in Angola. Earlier this year, the company renewed its memorandum of understanding with the Angolan government to advance collaboration on lower-carbon initiatives, building on previous work related to carbon management, renewable fuels and other technologies that support the country’s broader decarbonization objectives.

The participation of Chevron’s senior leadership team at AOG 2026 reflects the breadth of the company’s Angolan portfolio and its continued confidence in the country’s upstream potential. With executives responsible for global exploration strategy, regional commercial operations and Southern African business leadership, the delegation will contribute high-level perspectives on frontier exploration, production optimization, gas monetization and the next generation of investment opportunities.

As Angola continues to advance exploration, develop new gas resources and maximize production from existing assets, Chevron’s leadership at AOG 2026 reinforces the company’s position as a long-term partner in the country’s oil and gas industry.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Energy Capital & Power.

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As Ebola accelerates in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) warns food assistance and logistics are critical to containing the outbreak

Source: APO


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The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) is urgently scaling up food assistance, logistics, telecommunications and air services in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), where Ebola has evolved from a localized health emergency into the fastest-spreading outbreak on record.

Ebola is not only a health crisis; it is a threat multiplier for communities already facing conflict, displacement and hunger. Without urgent, flexible support, families may be forced to choose between complying with public health measures and finding food, undermining containment and deepening an already severe humanitarian crisis.

“Ebola feeds on delay, fear and hunger,” said Carl Skau, WFP’s acting Executive Director. “Stopping this outbreak requires all hands on deck and communities at the center. Food assistance is frontline Ebola containment. It helps families stay home, supports safe isolation, builds trust with communities and keeps health teams moving. We know what works; what we need now is the speed and resources to scale it before this outbreak outruns the response.”

Here are the latest updates on food security and WFP operations in eastern DRC:

Health and Food Security Situation in eastern DRC:

  • The outbreak is unfolding in a complex humanitarian environment marked by conflict, displacement, limited access to basic services, and an ongoing health workers strike.
  • The Ebola outbreak is now affecting 48 health zones across five provinces in eastern DRC: Ituri, North Kivu, South Kivu, Tshopo and Haut-Uele.
  • Ituri accounts for about 90 percent of confirmed cases, while the spread to Tshopo, including Kisangani, and Haut-Uele raises the risk of wider transmission through major transport routes.
  • In eastern DRC, nearly 10 million people are already facing crisis or emergency levels of hunger. Ituri remains one of the country’s most severe hunger hotspots with 1.9 million people facing crisis levels of food insecurity or worse.
    • More than 2.65 million people in the 48 Ebola-affected health zones face acute food insecurity (IPC Phase 3+), including more than 628,000 people in emergency conditions (IPC Phase 4).

WFP’s Operational Food Response:

  • WFP is providing food assistance to Ebola patients, close contacts of those infected, frontline responders and affected households – helping people comply with containment measures while reducing pressure on families already struggling to meet basic food needs.
  • In DRC, WFP has delivered more than 160,000 hot meals to patients, contacts and frontline workers in 17 treatment and isolation centres.
  • WFP has also provided dry food rations to 23,000 people in North Kivu, South Kivu and Ituri, including 14,000 people under quarantine with monthly food assistance. An additional 36,000 people in Ebola-affected zones have been reached with general food assistance.
  • Food assistance is critical to containment: it helps reduce movement of people in search of food, supports safe isolation, lowers the risk of harmful coping strategies and creates the social conditions for health actors to operate safely and effectively.

WFP

 Logistics and Supply Chain Operations:

  • WFP is supporting efforts as the logistics backbone of the Ebola response – helping to move responders, medical supplies, telecommunications equipment and essential cargo into hard-to-reach areas.
  • Since the onset of the outbreak, UNHAS has operated 495 flights, transported 3,395 humanitarian responders and delivered 56 metric tons of essential cargo to frontline locations, including newly affected provinces such as Haut-Uele and Tshopo.
  • Within DRC, the WFP-led Logistics and Telecommunications Cluster is providing storage and last-mile delivery to more than 200 locations across Bunia, as well as 36 other affected health zones.
  • WFP is supporting WHO and the Ministry of Health to set up six logistics hubs across Ebola hotspots to increase storage capacity.
  • With the virus spread into Tshopo and Haut-Uele, the Logistics and Telecommunications Cluster has rapidly mobilized road and air deliveries on behalf of partners.
  • Three EpiShuttle isolation units are deployed in Bunia to support safe medical evacuation from frontline locations, while UNHAS has strengthened passenger and staff protection measures.
  • WFP has restored the UN security communications channel in Bunia and is establishing a dedicated communications channel for NGO partners to coordinate field movement.

Challenges and Funding Requirements

  • Speed and resources are the main challenges. Every delay gives Ebola more room to spread, while gaps in logistics, food assistance and community support risk weakening containment efforts.
  • Insecurity, access constraints, community unrest and limited operational capacity in newly affected areas continue to complicate surveillance, supply movements and response scale-up.
  • WFP requires USD 101 million for the next six months for the Ebola response in the region. Of this, USD 76 million is needed for DRC alone.
  • Food and nutrition assistance remains the largest urgent gap, with USD 50 million needed to sustain hot meals, support quarantine, and expand assistance in newly affected areas.
  • WFP requires USD 293.6 million over the next six months to sustain all operations in DRC, including emergency logistics and food assistance in Ituri and other affected areas.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of World Food Programme (WFP).

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African Energy Chamber (AEC) Delegation to Conduct Venezuela Working Visit as Energy Reforms Open New Frontiers in Gas, Oil and Tech

Source: APO


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The African Energy Chamber (AEC) (https://EnergyChamber.org) will conduct a three-day working visit to Venezuela on August 3-5, 2026, reinforcing its support for the country’s energy sector reforms and advocating for increased international investment in oil, natural gas and associated infrastructure. Led by Executive Chairman NJ Ayuk, the AEC delegation will engage key industry leaders and government representatives to assess the country’s evolving investment landscape, identify opportunities for collaboration and support efforts to mobilize foreign capital as the country re-positions itself as a global energy supplier. 

The visit comes as Venezuela enters one of its most decisive energy chapters yet, underpinned by regulatory reform, reengagement with foreign operators and a growing reserve base. At a time when global supply chains are increasingly volatile, the visit will showcase Venezuela’s capacity to become a central player in meeting growing international energy demand, while promoting new capital frontiers such as natural gas, AI and digital infrastructure.

Home to some of the world’s largest proven oil and gas reserves, Venezuela has the geological advantage to play a more prominent role in global markets – all it needs is investment. Recent reforms have created a stronger foundation for international capital expenditure, opening new pathways for operators and financiers, while renewed engagement with international companies has created opportunities for companies able to provide capital, technology and technical expertise. Changes to the country’s hydrocarbons framework have created greater flexibility for private participation and strengthened the commercial terms available for operators.

These efforts have already begun to yield results, setting the stage for accelerated production growth and project reactivation. Repsol plans to increase production from its Venezuelan assets while Eni is relaunching a heavy crude project in the Orinoco Belt. Chevron is cementing its presence in the country while ExxonMobil and ConocoPhillips have expressed interest in emerging Venezuelan opportunities. These moves point to a market poised for growth, underscoring the impact reform has played in reopening the sector. 

Natural gas represents a particularly significant opportunity. International companies are advancing projects capable of monetizing Venezuela’s offshore resources and strengthening regional energy supply. Shell is progressing the Dragon gas development, designed to deliver Venezuelan gas to Trinidad and Tobago, while bp is advancing the Cocuina-Manakin development. Repsol and Eni are also pursuing increased production from the Cardón IV project, demonstrating the growing commercial focus on Venezuela’s gas resources.

“Venezuela continues to be integral to global energy security. When foreign investment enters Venezuela’s energy sector, it unlocks vital supply needed to meet expanding global demand. The reforms underway send an important signal to the market. Continued progress on competitive terms, regulatory certainty and international collaboration can position Venezuela to attract the capital and technology required to increase production and deliver energy to markets that need it,” states Ayuk.

For the AEC, these developments represent the beginning of a much larger investment opportunity. Beyond exports and traditional industrial demand, Venezuela’s gas resources could support the expansion of reliable power infrastructure required by emerging industries. Rapid global growth in AI, cloud computing and data centers is increasing demand for secure, scalable electricity supply, creating a potential new market for gas-backed power development.

“We are exceptionally bullish on Venezuela’s natural gas potential. Developing gas reserves to power next-generation technology -including data centers and AI infrastructure – represents the next major investment frontier in the region,” Ayuk added.

Stepping into this picture, the AEC’s upcoming working visit builds on this momentum to showcase Venezuela’s energy story to a global audience. Backed by world-class resources, an improving investment climate and opportunities spanning upstream oil, natural gas infrastructure and digital technologies, Venezuela is positioning itself as a major global energy hub. Unlocking this potential will require greater investment to bring projects online, expand infrastructure and accelerate development.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of African Energy Chamber.

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Delegação da Câmara Africana de Energia (AEC) realizará visita de trabalho à Venezuela, numa altura em que as reformas energéticas abrem novas fronteiras nos setores do gás, do petróleo e da tecnologia

Source: Africa Press Organisation – Portuguese –

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A Câmara Africana de Energia (AEC) (https://EnergyChamber.org/) realizará uma visita de trabalho de três dias à Venezuela, de 3 a 5 de agosto de 2026, reforçando o seu apoio às reformas do setor energético do país e defendendo um aumento do investimento internacional no petróleo, no gás natural e nas infraestruturas associadas. Liderada pelo Presidente Executivo NJ Ayuk, a delegação da AEC irá reunir-se com líderes-chave do setor e representantes governamentais para avaliar o panorama de investimento em evolução do país, identificar oportunidades de colaboração e apoiar os esforços para mobilizar capital estrangeiro, à medida que o país se reposiciona como fornecedor global de energia. 

A visita surge num momento em que a Venezuela entra num dos capítulos mais decisivos da sua história energética, sustentado por reformas regulatórias, o restabelecimento de relações com operadores estrangeiros e uma base de reservas em crescimento. Numa altura em que as cadeias de abastecimento globais se mostram cada vez mais voláteis, a visita irá demonstrar a capacidade da Venezuela para se tornar um interveniente central na satisfação da crescente procura internacional de energia, promovendo simultaneamente novas frentes de investimento, tais como o gás natural, a IA e as infraestruturas digitais.

Sendo o lar de algumas das maiores reservas comprovadas de petróleo e gás do mundo, a Venezuela possui a vantagem geológica para desempenhar um papel mais proeminente nos mercados globais — tudo o que precisa é de investimento. As recentes reformas criaram uma base mais sólida para o investimento internacional, abrindo novos caminhos para operadores e financiadores, enquanto o reatamento das relações com empresas internacionais criou oportunidades para empresas capazes de fornecer capital, tecnologia e conhecimentos técnicos. As alterações ao quadro regulamentar dos hidrocarbonetos do país proporcionaram maior flexibilidade à participação privada e reforçaram as condições comerciais disponíveis para os operadores.

Estes esforços já começaram a dar frutos, preparando o terreno para um crescimento acelerado da produção e a reativação de projetos. A Repsol planeia aumentar a produção dos seus ativos venezuelanos, enquanto a Eni está a relançar um projeto de crude pesado no Cinturão do Orinoco. A Chevron está a consolidar a sua presença no país, enquanto a ExxonMobil e a ConocoPhillips manifestaram interesse nas oportunidades emergentes na Venezuela. Estas medidas apontam para um mercado pronto para o crescimento, sublinhando o impacto que a reforma teve na reabertura do setor. 

O gás natural representa uma oportunidade particularmente significativa. As empresas internacionais estão a avançar com projetos capazes de rentabilizar os recursos offshore da Venezuela e de reforçar o abastecimento energético regional. A Shell está a avançar com o desenvolvimento do projeto de gás Dragon, concebido para fornecer gás venezuelano a Trinidad e Tobago, enquanto a bp está a avançar com o desenvolvimento de Cocuina-Manakin. A Repsol e a Eni estão também a procurar aumentar a produção do projeto Cardón IV, demonstrando o crescente foco comercial nos recursos de gás da Venezuela.

«A Venezuela continua a ser fundamental para a segurança energética global. Quando o investimento estrangeiro entra no setor energético venezuelano, desbloqueia o abastecimento vital necessário para satisfazer a procura global em expansão. As reformas em curso enviam um sinal importante ao mercado. O progresso contínuo em termos de competitividade, certeza regulatória e colaboração internacional pode posicionar a Venezuela para atrair o capital e a tecnologia necessários para aumentar a produção e fornecer energia aos mercados que dela necessitam», afirma Ayuk.

Para a AEC, estes desenvolvimentos representam o início de uma oportunidade de investimento muito maior. Para além das exportações e da procura industrial tradicional, os recursos de gás da Venezuela poderiam apoiar a expansão de infraestruturas energéticas fiáveis exigidas pelas indústrias emergentes. O rápido crescimento global da IA, da computação em nuvem e dos centros de dados está a aumentar a procura por um fornecimento de eletricidade seguro e escalável, criando um potencial novo mercado para o desenvolvimento de energia baseada no gás.

«Estamos extremamente otimistas quanto ao potencial do gás natural da Venezuela. O desenvolvimento das reservas de gás para alimentar a tecnologia de próxima geração — incluindo centros de dados e infraestruturas de IA — representa a próxima grande fronteira de investimento na região», acrescentou Ayuk.

Enquadrando-se neste contexto, a próxima visita de trabalho da AEC aproveita este impulso para apresentar a história energética da Venezuela a um público global. Apoiada por recursos de classe mundial, um clima de investimento em melhoria e oportunidades que abrangem o setor petrolífero a montante, as infraestruturas de gás natural e as tecnologias digitais, a Venezuela está a posicionar-se como um importante centro energético global. Desbloquear este potencial exigirá um maior investimento para colocar projetos em funcionamento, expandir as infraestruturas e acelerar o desenvolvimento.

Distribuído pelo Grupo APO para African Energy Chamber.

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Authorities monitor N3 amid snowfall

Source: Government of South Africa

Authorities monitor N3 amid snowfall

KwaZulu-Natal MEC for Transport and Human Settlements Siboniso Duma says authorities are monitoring the road network as the Drakensberg Mountains experience snowfall.

The MEC said grader operators are on standby to remove snow before it accumulates to more than 30cm.

“Van Reenen between Harrismith and Ladysmith is being closely monitored to ensure road closure where necessary. This will help to prevent motorists from being stuck on the N3. Coastal and low-lying areas where there are informal settlements are being closely monitored,” Duma said on Wednesday.

The South African Weather Service (SAWS) has issued a warning for disruptive rain, which is expected to result in flooding of bridges, roads and settlements, as well as damage to property and infrastructure, in places along the coast and adjacent interior between East London in the Eastern Cape and Cape Vidal in KwaZulu-Natal.

The weather service has also issued a warning for disruptive snow, which is expected in places over the north-eastern high ground of the Eastern Cape and the Drakensberg area of KwaZulu-Natal. The snow could result in traffic disruptions, disruption to essential services and some communities being temporarily cut off.

Disruptive rain, resulting in flooding of bridges, roads and settlements, as well as damage to property and infrastructure, is expected over the south-eastern parts of the Eastern Cape and the eastern parts of KwaZulu-Natal, except in the extreme north-east.

The Human Settlements team, working with eThekwini Municipality Human Settlements and Infrastructure, has made more than 170 rooms available at the newly acquired Montclair Lodge.

“We will accommodate families that may be left destitute because of floods. There is construction on the Quarry Heights Bridge, which was partially destroyed by floods in 2022. Gabions are being installed by eThekwini Municipality to prevent soil erosion and restore sidewalks.

“Engineers from the Department of Transport have ensured that culverts are installed in some bridges to prevent water from pooling on the road, which normally results in flooding,” the MEC said. –SAnews.gov.za

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Évacuations médicales, transport de troupes : dans les airs, les casques bleus bangladais ne comptent pas leurs heures

Source: Africa Press Organisation – French


Déployée en République démocratique du Congo depuis août 2003, l’Unité d’aviation du contingent bangladais constitue l’un des piliers du dispositif aérien de la MONUSCO. Ses équipages participent régulièrement aux évacuations médicales de militaires congolais blessés au combat, ainsi qu’à cellesde civils nécessitant une assistance urgente dans des zones difficiles d’accès.

Jeudi 23 juillet à Bunia, chef-lieu de la province de l’Ituri, le Commandant de la Force de la MONUSCO, le général Ulisses De Mesquita Gomes, a présidé la cérémonie de remise de la Médaille des Nations Unies aux Casques bleus de cette unité. Cette distinction récompense leur engagement et leur contribution à la mise en œuvre du mandat de protection des civils dans l’est de la République démocratique du Congo.

« Recevoir la Médaille des Nations Unies est non seulement un immense honneur et un privilège, mais également une reconnaissance du dévouement, du professionnalisme et des efforts collectifs de notre contingent en faveur de la paix et de la stabilité en République démocratique du Congo », s’est notamment réjouie l’une des récipiendaires, le lieutenant Rifah Tania Badhon, officier de sécurité de l’Unité d’aviation bangladaise.

Son unité assure aussi le transport de troupes, de matériel et de munitions dans le cadre des opérations de la Force, ainsi que celui du personnel de la MONUSCO et des Nations Unies à travers le pays.

39 000 heures de vol

Dans un territoire aussi vaste que le Congo, où les infrastructures routières et de communication demeurent limitées dans plusieurs régions, les capacités aériennes représentent un élément indispensable à la mise en œuvre du mandat de protection des civils et au soutien des opérations de maintien de la paix.

Le Bangladesh est l’un des principaux pays contributeurs de troupes de la MONUSCO dans le domaine de l’aviation, avec le déploiement d’hélicoptères utilitaires Mi-17, dont certains sont équipés de capacités de vision nocturne, ainsi qu’un avion de transport Hercules C-130 destiné au transport de passagers et de fret.

En Ituri, cet engagement se traduit par un bilan remarquable. Depuis son déploiement en 2003, l’Unité d’aviation bangladaise de la MONUSCO a effectué avec succès plus de 39 000 heures de vol sans accident, apportant un soutien essentiel aux opérations de la Mission et à la protection des populations civiles.

Au cours de la cérémonie de jeudi, le commandant de la 32e région militaire des Forces armées de la République démocratique du Congo (FARDC), le général Antoine-David Mushimba a salué la contribution des Casques bleus bangladais, qui achèvent leur mission après près d’une année de service en Ituri, dans un contexte marqué par la persistance de l’activité des groupes armés et l’épidémie de la maladie à virus Ebola.

« L’Unité d’aviation des Casques bleus bangladais de la MONUSCO a beaucoup apporté comme appui dans la protection des civils en Ituri, aux côtés des FARDC », a-t-il déclaré, rendant hommage à leur engagement au service de la population congolaise.

« Tous les soldats de la MONUSCO ont accepté de donner leur vie pour les Congolais afin qu’il y ait la paix dans notre pays », a-t-il ajouté.

Fierté

De son côté, le Commandant de la Force de la MONUSCO a souligné le professionnalisme et le dévouement des récipiendaires tout au long de leur déploiement.

« Ces hommes et femmes des Nations Unies ont démontré un engagement sans faille et ont travaillé avec professionnalisme au service de la paix, malgré un environnement sécuritaire complexe », a déclaré le général Ulisses De Mesquita Gomes.

Pour le lieutenant Rifah Tania Badhon, cette distinction représente une reconnaissance collective du travail accompli par l’ensemble du contingent.

« En tant que Casque bleu du Bangladesh, je suis profondément honorée de servir sous le drapeau des Nations Unies. Cette médaille nous rappelle que le maintien de la paix n’est pas seulement un devoir, mais un engagement envers l’humanité, l’impartialité, la discipline et la protection des civils conformément au mandat des Nations Unies », a-t-elle affirmé, ajoutant :

« Je rends également hommage à mes compagnons de mission qui continuent de travailler sans relâche, souvent dans des conditions difficiles, afin de promouvoir la paix, la sécurité et l’espoir pour la population de ce magnifique pays. »

À travers cette distinction, les Nations Unies ont rendu hommage à l’engagement de ces Casques bleus qui apportent chaque jour assistance, sécurité et espoir aux communautés affectées par les violences armées dans l’Est de la République démocratique du Congo.

Distribué par APO Group pour Mission de l’Organisation des Nations unies en République démocratique du Congo (MONUSCO).

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Une délégation de Chambre africaine de l’énergie (AEC) effectuera une visite de travail au Venezuela alors que les réformes énergétiques ouvrent de nouvelles perspectives dans les secteurs du gaz, du pétrole et des technologies

Source: Africa Press Organisation – French


La Chambre africaine de l’énergie (AEC) (https://EnergyChamber.org) effectuera une visite de travail de trois jours au Venezuela, du 3 au 5 août 2026, afin de renforcer son soutien aux réformes du secteur énergétique du pays et de plaider en faveur d’un accroissement des investissements internationaux dans le pétrole, le gaz naturel et les infrastructures associées. Dirigée par son président exécutif, NJ Ayuk, la délégation de l’AEC rencontrera des dirigeants clés du secteur et des représentants du gouvernement afin d’évaluer l’évolution du paysage des investissements dans le pays, d’identifier des opportunités de collaboration et de soutenir les efforts visant à mobiliser des capitaux étrangers, alors que le pays se repositionne en tant que fournisseur énergétique mondial. 

Cette visite intervient alors que le Venezuela entame l’une des étapes les plus décisives de son histoire énergétique, soutenue par une réforme réglementaire, un renouveau des relations avec les opérateurs étrangers et une base de réserves en croissance. À l’heure où les chaînes d’approvisionnement mondiales sont de plus en plus instables, cette visite mettra en avant la capacité du Venezuela à devenir un acteur central pour répondre à la demande énergétique internationale croissante, tout en promouvant de nouveaux secteurs d’investissement tels que le gaz naturel, l’intelligence artificielle et les infrastructures numériques.

Abritant certaines des plus grandes réserves prouvées de pétrole et de gaz au monde, le Venezuela dispose d’un avantage géologique lui permettant de jouer un rôle plus important sur les marchés mondiaux – il ne lui manque plus que les investissements. Les réformes récentes ont renforcé les fondements des dépenses d’investissement internationales, ouvrant de nouvelles voies aux opérateurs et aux bailleurs de fonds, tandis que le renouveau des relations avec les entreprises internationales a créé des opportunités pour les sociétés capables d’apporter des capitaux, des technologies et une expertise technique. Les modifications apportées au cadre réglementaire du pays en matière d’hydrocarbures ont permis une plus grande flexibilité pour la participation du secteur privé et ont renforcé les conditions commerciales proposées aux opérateurs.

Ces efforts ont déjà commencé à porter leurs fruits, ouvrant la voie à une croissance accélérée de la production et à la relance de projets. Repsol prévoit d’augmenter la production de ses actifs vénézuéliens tandis qu’Eni relance un projet de pétrole brut lourd dans la ceinture de l’Orénoque. Chevron consolide sa présence dans le pays tandis qu’ExxonMobil et ConocoPhillips ont manifesté leur intérêt pour les opportunités émergentes au Venezuela. Ces initiatives indiquent un marché prêt à croître, soulignant l’impact des réformes sur la réouverture du secteur. 

Le gaz naturel représente une opportunité particulièrement importante. Les entreprises internationales font avancer des projets capables de valoriser les ressources offshore du Venezuela et de renforcer l’approvisionnement énergétique régional. Shell poursuit le développement du gisement de gaz Dragon, destiné à acheminer du gaz vénézuélien vers Trinité-et-Tobago, tandis que bp fait progresser le projet Cocuina-Manakin. Repsol et Eni s’efforcent également d’augmenter la production du projet Cardón IV, ce qui témoigne de l’intérêt commercial croissant pour les ressources gazières du Venezuela.

« Le Venezuela reste un maillon essentiel de la sécurité énergétique mondiale. Lorsque des investissements étrangers affluent dans le secteur énergétique vénézuélien, cela libère des approvisionnements vitaux nécessaires pour répondre à la demande mondiale en pleine expansion. Les réformes en cours envoient un signal important au marché. La poursuite des progrès en matière de conditions concurrentielles, de sécurité réglementaire et de collaboration internationale peut permettre au Venezuela d’attirer les capitaux et les technologies nécessaires pour accroître la production et fournir de l’énergie aux marchés qui en ont besoin », déclare M. Ayuk.

Pour l’AEC, ces développements marquent le début d’une opportunité d’investissement bien plus vaste. Au-delà des exportations et de la demande industrielle traditionnelle, les ressources gazières du Venezuela pourraient soutenir le développement d’infrastructures électriques fiables, indispensables aux industries émergentes. La croissance mondiale rapide de l’IA, du cloud computing et des centres de données accroît la demande en approvisionnement électrique sécurisé et évolutif, créant ainsi un nouveau marché potentiel pour le développement de l’énergie alimentée au gaz.

« Nous sommes extrêmement optimistes quant au potentiel du gaz naturel vénézuélien. L’exploitation des réserves de gaz pour alimenter les technologies de nouvelle génération – notamment les centres de données et les infrastructures d’IA – représente la prochaine grande frontière d’investissement dans la région », a ajouté M. Ayuk.

S’inscrivant dans ce contexte, la prochaine visite de travail de l’AEC s’appuie sur cette dynamique pour présenter le parcours énergétique du Venezuela à un public international. Fort de ressources de classe mondiale, d’un climat d’investissement en amélioration et d’opportunités couvrant l’amont pétrolier, les infrastructures gazières et les technologies numériques, le Venezuela se positionne comme un pôle énergétique mondial majeur. Libérer ce potentiel nécessitera des investissements accrus pour mettre en service des projets, étendre les infrastructures et accélérer le développement.

Distribué par APO Group pour African Energy Chamber.