Category: MIL-OSI

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A decade on, Somalia’s federal pact benefits elites and al-Shabaab – but it fails the people

Source: The Conversation – Africa – By Nisar Majid, Research associate, London School of Economics and Political Science

The federal government of Somalia was established in 2013 after years of peace and reconciliation talks, held in the context of a famine in 2011 and the rise of militant Islam in the form of al-Shabaab. It was the first permanent central government in Somalia since the start of the civil war in 1991.

Peace agreements and political settlements do not necessarily transform a country’s development prospects. In Somalia and the region, conflict and political instability continue. The federal government still has limited reach and authority, and al-Shabaab is still entrenched.

Political elites at federal and state levels are seen to be corrupt and at odds with each other.

I have studied Somalia’s political economy for over 20 years. In 2016 I co-authored the book Famine in Somalia, and since 2018 I have led two research programmes examining Somalia’s persistent conflict and political instability.

Read more: South Sudan at 15: how the political elite have found a way to profit from peace as well as war

Over the past three years, my work with the PeaceRep Somalia programme at the London School of Economics has sought to deepen understanding of this situation in order to better inform policy responses. The work brings together researchers based inside and outside the country. We have conducted several hundred interviews across the country and in the Somali diaspora, and analysed our data according to themes.

Two themes stand out:

  • checkpoint governance, or the control of movement – goods and people – by different political authorities

  • the control, mismanagement and manipulation of international aid.

We found that political elites and their business allies at both federal and member state levels benefit from corruption associated with international assistance. They also benefit from the rents generated at the various “chokepoints” (seaports and road-based checkpoints) along Somalia’s transport corridors.

At the same time, the international community advances its own priorities on counterterrorism, anti-migration, development and humanitarian objectives. And al-Shabaab taxes, regulates and extracts from the entire complex.

I argue that Somalia has settled into a situation which brings questionable benefits to the majority of the public, exploits displaced people, and positions al-Shabaab as a credible alternative to the official government.

Somalia’s chokepoints

Somalia has the second longest coastline in Africa – about 3,000km. The country’s major and minor seaports and landing beaches act as both avenues and chokepoints for international trade. The main export is livestock. Imports include food, electrical and electronic goods, clothes and construction materials.

This trade infrastructure links markets in the Gulf and Asia with those in the Horn and east Africa. Taxes are extracted at the entry points – including Berbera, Bosasso, Mogadishu and Kismayo ports – and on the interior roads. These taxes, formal and informal, make up a big part of the revenue generated in the country.

The recipients of these revenues include the federal government, the more autonomous federal member states – notably Jubbaland and Puntland – and al-Shabaab. This enables all these players to continue as they are.

Read more: Somalia at 65: what’s needed to address its dismal social development indicators

Our research has shown how control over chokepoints has been central to political power in Somalia. It also shapes alliances between local elites and external actors like Ethiopia and Kenya.

Somalia’s business-political elites and al-Shabaab continue to profit from the way things are. Meanwhile large proportions of the population see little benefit or, in the case of internally displaced people, see aid diverted.

Manipulation of external aid

Somalia receives significant amounts of international aid for humanitarian, development and security needs. Since 2010, Overseas Development Aid has averaged US$1.6 billion annually, reaching approximately US$2.5 billion in 2024. The aid is channelled through project contracts – typically for hiring staff, construction, security, vehicle hire, offices and accommodation. All of these are highly susceptible to aid diversion and corruption.

One of the worst forms is the exploitation of internally displaced people, who are some of the main recipients of assistance. This is typically carried out by chains of “gatekeepers” who claim some of the humanitarian cash to allow access to camps. Religious leaders have spoken out against this practice.

Development aid, which supports a range of activities from institution building to public services, is no less subject to capture and abuse but is much less publicly exposed. This is partly because development actors are much better able to hide their dirty laundry. This is particularly important currently as, with the global reductions in humanitarian aid, the World Bank continues to run a large programme supporting state institutions and social protection. The security sector is even more opaque but just as susceptible to elite capture.

The core issue for me is the lack of acknowledgement that aid is diverted systematically.

The result is that external aid givers advance their own priorities but do not fully acknowledge or systematically address their role in the diversion of resources that sustain this predatory system.

The losers in this arrangement are the general population. Many see al-Shabaab as a credible alternative to the official government leadership, incumbent or opposition.

What should be done?

International donors must not just engage with elites. They must identify, engage with and support inclusive Somali-led dialogue processes. Engagement must create space for diverse voices and interests across society (including al-Shabaab). It must hear what civic networks, women’s groups, business communities and religious scholars have to say.

Read more: Al-Shabaab in Somalia has resisted military force: now is the time for a new strategy

The humanitarian system is in a global reset. This is a process of reform driven by aid cuts. In Somalia, this reset must include acknowledgement of systemic barriers to change and address some of its perverse internal incentives, which continue to enable corruption and aid diversion.

– A decade on, Somalia’s federal pact benefits elites and al-Shabaab – but it fails the people
– https://theconversation.com/a-decade-on-somalias-federal-pact-benefits-elites-and-al-shabaab-but-it-fails-the-people-291192

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Young South Africans move for work and opportunity. What happens to their health when they do?

Source: The Conversation – Africa – By Carren Ginsburg, Senior Researcher in Public Health, University of the Witwatersrand

Moving between rural homes, towns and cities is a normal part of life for many South Africans. Young adults often move in search of work or education, sometimes settling elsewhere for long periods and sometimes moving repeatedly between rural homes and urban destinations. These patterns of temporary and circular migration are particularly prevalent in South Africa. They have deep roots in the country’s labour system and apartheid spatial planning.

But changing the place where someone lives can also change the conditions that shape their health: whether they have a job, what they eat, the environment they live in and the healthcare they can access. Despite high levels of internal mobility in South Africa, we still know relatively little about what happens to people’s health when they move and spend more time in urban areas.

Read more: African cities are diverse and thriving, but face many challenges. How to make them healthier

This is the question behind the Migrant Health Follow-Up Study. Since 2018, a team of public health and social science researchers from the South African Medical Research Council/Wits Agincourt Unit at the University of the Witwatersrand and Brown University in the US have been following about 3,000 young adults aged 18 to 40 from the Agincourt sub-district in Bushbuckridge, Mpumalanga in the rural north-east of the country. The study compares the health of young adults who remain at home with those who move away, including people who later return or move repeatedly between destinations and their rural homes.

Using home visits and telephone interviews over five rounds approximately one year apart, the research team gathered information on migration, education, employment, household characteristics, health and health service use. Health measures included general health, chronic conditions, diet, depression risk and resilience.

During home visits, blood pressure, height and weight were measured, and HIV status was determined through dried blood spots. Following the same people over time helped to distinguish between the migrants’ pre-migration characteristics and changes that may occur after migration.

Overall the study found that migration was widespread and associated with changes in health, but this relationship varied by the health outcome, and was shaped by both personal characteristics and circumstances in destinations.

This shows that migration cannot be treated as a single health exposure with a uniformly positive or negative effect. Who moves, where they move, and how long they remain away all matter.

These insights help clarify the complex relationships between migration, urbanisation and health. This study can help address how migration and livelihood changes may affect chronic health conditions and their treatment, with policy implications for South Africa.

The study findings suggest that policies should focus on how to reduce the health risks that can accompany movement while recognising the opportunities migration can create. In turn, these results encourage policy and planning that improves migrants’ integration in destinations, by improving access to services and economic inclusion.

The differences between those who go and those who stay

Over the observation period, about a third of the sample lived continuously in destinations outside the Agincourt study area, while about a third remained within the Agincourt sub-district. The remaining participants had more dynamic movement patterns. Some moved away for the first time, some returned after living elsewhere, and others moved repeatedly between destinations and rural homes in a pattern of circular migration.

The province of Gauteng, the country’s economic engine, about 500km from Agincourt, was the most common destination. A substantial share of moves also took place within Mpumalanga province, some to the city of Mbombela (Nelspruit) and the industrial towns of Witbank, Middelburg and Secunda. Internal migration included a range of destinations and repeated movement over time.

At the time of making a move, migrants also differed from those who stayed behind in several important ways. In the study, migrants tended to be younger and more often were men. Retrospective information collected in the survey also indicated that migration was increasingly likely among younger cohorts of women. Migrants had higher levels of education and fewer chronic conditions, and appeared to be more resilient, as indicted by a psychological index of “grit”.

These findings are consistent with the well-known “healthy migrant hypothesis”: people who migrate are often healthier than their non-migrant counterparts at the point when they move.

Migration and employment are closely linked

For many young adults in rural South Africa, moving is a livelihood strategy. Migrants in our study were far more likely than those who remained at home to report being employed. On average, about two thirds of migrants were working in destinations, while more than half of those who remained at home were unemployed and looking for work.

The relationship became particularly visible during the COVID-19 pandemic. Job losses resulted in some people returning to the Agincourt sub-district. Employment levels recovered in the post-COVID period.

For those who found work, migration could also benefit households in rural areas because migrants were able to send money or goods home and contribute to household living conditions.

The health effects are mixed, not uniformly harmful

Our findings so far do not support a simple story in which migration makes people less healthy. The prevalence of chronic conditions increased over the duration of the study among both migrants and non-migrants, but the increases were lower among migrants, suggesting that some of the health advantage seen at the time of migration persisted.

At the same time, living in urban areas can introduce particular health risks. There, migrants consumed processed food more frequently and had a higher chance of abdominal obesity. Other risks were unevenly distributed. Our more recent work, for example, suggests that migration to urban areas may increase blood pressure, particularly among women. But the reasons for higher blood pressure among migrant women are not obvious. It is possible that migration may be especially stressful for women, which could be contributing to higher blood pressure.

The net effects of migration on health over time are therefore still being established.

Plan for mobility rather than treating it as the problem

The findings point to the need for attention to continuity of healthcare as people move between places, as well as to the urban conditions that shape diet, blood pressure and longer-term chronic disease risk.

This also means planning around the reality that many people’s lives span more than one place. Internal migrants contribute to destination economies while remaining connected to their places of origin. Health services, urban planning, employment, housing and social protection need to account for these patterns of residence.

– Young South Africans move for work and opportunity. What happens to their health when they do?
– https://theconversation.com/young-south-africans-move-for-work-and-opportunity-what-happens-to-their-health-when-they-do-289182

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Governo está alinhado com a Câmara Municipal do Paul para acelerar desenvolvimento do município

Source: Africa Press Organisation – Portuguese –

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O Primeiro-Ministro, Francisco Carvalho, recebeu esta sexta-feira, 18 de setembro, o Presidente da Câmara Municipal do Paul, Adilson Fernandes, no quadro do processo de auscultação dos municípios promovido pelo Governo, com o objetivo de reforçar a articulação entre o poder central e as autarquias e identificar prioridades e projetos capazes de responder aos principais desafios das populações.

O encontro permitiu analisar um conjunto de intervenções consideradas prioritárias para o desenvolvimento do Paul, com particular incidência nos setores da agricultura, água, pesca, turismo, acessibilidades, requalificação urbana e habitação social.

O Primeiro-Ministro destacou a existência de vários pontos de convergência entre as prioridades apresentadas pela Câmara Municipal e as orientações estabelecidas no Programa do Governo para a XI Legislatura, “Cabo Verde para Todos”, que define as linhas estratégicas da ação governativa para o período 2026–2031.

Francisco Carvalho sublinhou, neste sentido, a importância do setor primário, particularmente da agricultura e das pescas, assim como do turismo, enquanto áreas fundamentais para a criação de oportunidades económicas e para o desenvolvimento do município e do país.

Durante o encontro foram igualmente analisados projetos que, apesar de já terem conhecido diferentes etapas de preparação, incluindo lançamento de concursos ou assinatura de acordos e contratos, ainda não foram concretizados. O Chefe do Governo manifestou a disponibilidade do Executivo para trabalhar diretamente com a Câmara Municipal no sentido de avaliar os processos, desbloquear constrangimentos e acelerar a concretização das intervenções consideradas prioritárias.

Desafios

Entre os desafios identificados está o abastecimento de água. Francisco Carvalho reafirmou a determinação do Governo em trabalhar com o município na procura de soluções para ultrapassar os problemas existentes neste domínio, incluindo a mobilização de água necessária ao desenvolvimento da agricultura.

A Câmara Municipal apresentou, neste âmbito, três projetos hidroagrícolas para Pedra das Moças, Fajã de Janela e Cidade das Pombas, considerados importantes para reforçar a disponibilidade de água e criar melhores condições para o desenvolvimento da atividade agrícola.

A requalificação urbana e as acessibilidades constituíram igualmente pontos centrais do encontro. Entre as intervenções apresentadas pela autarquia está a requalificação urbana da Cidade das Pombas, um projeto estimado em cerca de 90 mil contos, bem como intervenções em Chã de Manuel dos Santos. A requalificação e modernização de infraestruturas nesta última localidade já tem integrado investimentos apoiados pelo Governo no município.

No domínio das acessibilidades, foram analisadas intervenções destinadas ao desencravamento de localidades como Pedra das Moças, Ribeira do Penedo e Igrejinha, zonas com potencial para o desenvolvimento de atividades agrícolas e turísticas.

A habitação social mereceu também particular atenção. O Governo e a Câmara Municipal reconheceram a necessidade de uma intervenção articulada para responder ao défice habitacional existente no concelho, sobretudo no que diz respeito às condições qualitativas das habitações.

Neste quadro, o Primeiro-Ministro anunciou a intenção de retomar intervenções no domínio habitacional, incluindo o programa Casa para Todos, a requalificação de habitações de famílias que necessitam de apoio e projetos de construção e melhoria de casas de banho, procurando garantir melhores condições de habitabilidade às famílias do município.

As pescas foram outra das áreas abordadas. O Presidente da Câmara Municipal chamou a atenção para a necessidade de melhorar as infraestruturas de apoio à atividade piscatória e apresentou a construção de um porto de pesca entre as prioridades estratégicas para o desenvolvimento do setor no Paul.

Adilson Fernandes apresentou ainda o projeto de requalificação e proteção da orla marítima da Cidade das Pombas. A intervenção é perspetivada como um projeto estruturante, destinado não apenas à proteção costeira, mas também à criação de uma frente marítima capaz de gerar benefícios ambientais, urbanísticos, turísticos e económicos para o município. Pela dimensão do investimento, a autarquia considera necessária a mobilização de recursos do Governo e de outros parceiros de desenvolvimento.

Abertura do Governo 

No final do encontro, o Presidente da Câmara Municipal do Paul destacou a abertura demonstrada pelo Executivo.

“Estamos a sair de um importante encontro com o Senhor Primeiro-Ministro, dentro da estratégia do Governo de auscultar os municípios, que são as estruturas que estão mais próximas das populações”, afirmou Adilson Fernandes, sublinhando que o Paul é um município com “inúmeras potencialidades”, mas que enfrenta também importantes desafios.

O autarca considerou que o encontro ficou marcado por um diá. franco e aberto e manifestou confiança numa atuação conjunta entre o Governo e a Câmara Municipal para que o Paul possa avançar de forma sustentada no seu processo de desenvolvimento.

Por seu lado, Francisco Carvalho reafirmou a disponibilidade do Governo para manter um diá. direto e permanente com a autarquia, destacando que as prioridades identificadas no Paul apresentam uma forte convergência com as orientações do Executivo.

O encontro com o Presidente da Câmara Municipal do Paul integra a ronda de auscultação dos autarcas que o Primeiro-Ministro tem vindo a realizar, assente numa abordagem de cooperação institucional e de procura conjunta de soluções para os problemas das populações. O Chefe do Governo já reiterou, neste processo, o compromisso do Executivo de atuar como parceiro das autarquias, independentemente das diferenças político-partidárias.

A articulação permitirá igualmente avaliar os projetos e compromissos que poderão ser enquadrados ainda no Orçamento do Estado para 2026, bem como aqueles que deverão ser considerados para 2027 e para os restantes anos da legislatura, tendo como objetivo transformar as prioridades identificadas em intervenções concretas para melhorar as condições de vida da população do Paul.

Distribuído pelo Grupo APO para Governo de Cabo Verde.

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Moçambique e brasil reforçam cooperação no sector energético

Source: Africa Press Organisation – Portuguese –

Moçambique e Brasil reforçaram no Rio de Janeiro, a aposta na cooperação no sector energético, com destaque para oportunidades de investimento, partilha de conhecimentos na exploração de petróleo e gás e desenvolvimento de competências técnicas.

O reforço da cooperação esteve no centro dos encontros do Presidente da República, Daniel Francisco Chapo, com responsáveis do Instituto Brasileiro do Petróleo (IBP) e da Shell Brasil, à margem da sua participação no Fórum Petróleo e Gás 2026 (ROG.e).

O Presidente do ROG.e, Nelson Narciso Filho, disse que o encontro com o Chefe do Estado permitiu discutir a experiência brasileira e o seu possível contributo para o desenvolvimento da indústria energética moçambicana.

“Nós conversámos sobre desenvolvimento, sobre capacitação de pessoas, sobre onde o Brasil pode de alguma forma colaborar com todo esse processo”, afirmou.

Narciso Filho defendeu que a cooperação deve assentar numa lógica de benefício mútuo, aproveitando os conhecimentos acumulados pelo Brasil e as oportunidades existentes em Moçambique.

“Nós vemos uma oportunidade ímpar para os dois países, de trabalharem juntos, de desenvolverem juntos”, declarou, sublinhando que a relação não deve ser unilateral.

“Não é o Brasil dando e Moçambique recebendo, é o Brasil dando, Moçambique dando, é o Brasil recebendo e Moçambique recebendo”, sublinhou.

O responsável apontou as reservas de gás natural e a localização geográfica de Moçambique como factores que podem favorecer a sua inserção no mercado energético internacional.

Por seu turno, o Presidente da Shell Brasil, João dos Santos Rosa, afirmou que o encontro serviu para abordar o desenvolvimento da indústria energética moçambicana, futuras formas de colaboração e o posicionamento do país no panorama internacional.

“Falámos de potenciais oportunidades futuras, mas, principalmente, agradecer a sua presença e a sua comitiva hoje aqui no Brasil”, afirmou.

Segundo João dos Santos Rosa, a colaboração poderá abranger estudos energéticos, partilha de boas práticas e experiências de outros mercados, além do desenvolvimento de competências técnicas.

“Foi nesse âmbito que discutimos também uma futura colaboração e a continuação de uma relação que tem sido muito boa entre a nossa empresa e o Governo de Moçambique”, explicou.

Os encontros decorreram no contexto da participação de Chapo no ROG.e, onde foi o principal orador.

Organizado pelo IBP, o evento deverá reunir cerca de 80 mil participantes e apresentar aproximadamente mil trabalhos técnicos sobre tecnologia, inteligência artificial, diversidade, igualdade e desenvolvimento de competências. (AIM)

Distribuído pelo Grupo APO para Portal do Governo de Moçambique.

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Letsike condemns threats against women at Sandton establishment

Source: Government of South Africa

Letsike condemns threats against women at Sandton establishment

Deputy Minister in the Presidency for Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities Mmapaseka Steve Letsike has condemned threats of violence allegedly directed at a group of women at a Sandton establishment after they rejected the unwanted advances of a man publicly, who has been identified as Lawrence Chamurwa Mudzinganyama.

Letsike said the threats, which were captured on video, cannot be dismissed as an unfortunate exchange, or a momentary loss of temper.

She said the incident highlighted the broader dangers of gender-based violence and femicide (GBVF), particularly attitudes that seek to punish women for exercising their autonomy.

“Rejection, anger, intoxication, wealth or social standing, perceived or real, can never excuse the harassment, humiliation or threatening of any woman in the Republic, as our Constitution guarantees all women an inalienable right to agency,” Letsike said.

The Deputy Minister has called on the Department of Home Affairs to urgently review Mudzinganyama’s presence and immigration status in South Africa.

She said if he meets the statutory grounds for classification as a prohibited or undesirable person under sections 29 or 30 of the Immigration Act, the department must act decisively and impose the full consequences permitted by law.

Letsike said her office will petition the Minister of Home Affairs on the matter.

The Deputy Minister also reiterated the condemnation of the incident by the Inter-Ministerial Committee on Gender-Based Violence and Femicide and Substance Abuse, saying proper judicial process must now determine criminal liability.

Letsike welcomed the fact that Mudzinganyama has been processed by the South African Police Service and is expected to appear in court on 1 October 2026.

“The swift action taken by stakeholders across the public and private sectors demonstrates that the fight against gender-based violence requires consequences wherever abusive conduct occurs and cannot be left to the criminal justice system alone.”

The Deputy Minister also welcomed measures taken by entities in the private sector following the incident, including Moriel Infrastructure Group’s removal of Mudzinganyama as Executive Chairman and director, and Steyn City Properties’ termination of his lease.

She further welcomed investigations ordered by Transport Ministers Barbara Creecy and Home Affairs Minister Dean Macpherson into the company’s South African National Roads Agency Limited (SANRAL) contracts and Construction Industry Development Board (CIDB) gradings.

Letsike stressed that these measures do not replace the criminal investigation and that no one should prejudge the outcome of the judicial process.

However, she said the response demonstrates that conduct involving threats against women carry social, institutional and economic consequences and cannot be dismissed through an apology or an appeal to wealth and influence.

Letsike reiterated that perpetrators of GBVF must have no place to hide within the borders of the Republic of South Africa.

“These interventions demonstrate what a whole-of-society response should look like. Accountability must follow a perpetrator into every space from which power, status or impunity is derived.

“There must be criminal accountability where an offence has been committed, professional and corporate accountability where codes of conduct have been violated, and public-sector accountability wherever state contracts or public resources are involved,” the Deputy Minister said.

At a time when the country is confronting intolerable levels of violence against women, Letsike warned that society cannot normalise the language of murder or treat threats against women as entertainment.

She called on society to reject violence and intimidation against women wherever it occurs and stand with women who speak out.

“Women must be able to say no and continue with their lives without fear of retaliation.” – SAnews.gov.za
 

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África defende um papel mais importante na cena mundial

Source: Africa Press Organisation – Portuguese –

África está a empenhar-se em assumir um papel mais importante na definição da economia global, numa altura em que líderes empresariais, chefes de Estado, investidores, decisores políticos e parceiros globais se reuniram ontem em Nova Iorque para expressar a ambição do continente em matéria de comércio global, investimento e criação de valor. Realizado em paralelo com a 81.ª sessão da Assembleia Geral das Nações Unidas, o “Unstoppable Africa 2026” colocou a agenda empresarial africana no centro do debate global.

A quinta edição do principal evento da Global Africa Business Initiative (GABI) reuniu líderes de alto nível do mundo empresarial, do governo e de instituições globais no Marriott Marquis, na Times Square, incluindo o Secretário-Geral da ONU, S. Ex.ª António Guterres; S. Ex.ª Mahmoud Ali Youssouf, Presidente da Comissão da União Africana; e Massad Boulos, Conselheiro Sénior do Presidente dos Estados Unidos para os Assuntos Árabes e Africanos.

O Secretário-Geral da ONU apelou à tomada de medidas para conferir a África um papel mais importante na cena mundial, incluindo uma presença permanente no Conselho de Segurança das Nações Unidas: “África necessita de uma presença permanente no Conselho de Segurança das Nações Unidas, onde possa contribuir para o diá. e a ação em benefício de todo o mundo.” Ele salientou que a crescente influência de África nos mercados globais deve traduzir-se numa voz mais forte nos assuntos internacionais. Guterres apelou ainda à implementação de reformas que reflitam melhor as necessidades dos países em desenvolvimento, em particular em África, e para que os recursos naturais do continente, incluindo os minerais essenciais, criem mais valor a nível local e empregos dignos, em vez de serem simplesmente exportados.

Com os minerais essenciais, o comércio, a energia e o investimento a dominarem o primeiro dia, o evento “Unstoppable Africa” refletiu uma mudança mais ampla na trajetória económica de África: passar de um papel de fornecedor da economia global para a criação de mais empresas, indústrias e cadeias de valor capazes de aproveitar essa oportunidade.

S. Ex.ª Mahmoud Ali Youssouf, Presidente da Comissão da União Africana, afirmou que os 1,5 mil milhões de habitantes de África e o seu mercado em crescimento representam uma oportunidade significativa, mas que o continente deve acelerar o desenvolvimento das cadeias de valor africanas e eliminar as barreiras ao comércio para impulsionar a transformação industrial. Identificou a energia a preços acessíveis, melhores infraestruturas, o acesso ao financiamento, as competências, a tecnologia e normas claras como requisitos essenciais para que África transforme o seu potencial de mercado num crescimento económico mais rápido.

O setor privado assumiu um papel central, à medida que líderes empresariais africanos e mundiais expuseram o que será necessário para transformar os recursos, os mercados e o talento de África numa capacidade económica produtiva. O Painel de Líderes reuniu Samaila Zubairu, presidente e diretor executivo da Africa Finance Corporation; Aliko Dangote, fundador e presidente do Conselho de Administração do Grupo Dangote; Mandy DeFilippo, diretora executiva para as Américas, Europa, Médio Oriente e África do Standard Chartered; Nonkululeko Nyembezi, presidente do Standard Bank Group; Nolitha Fakude, presidente da Anglo American South Africa; e Tidjane Thiam, sócio geral do Allied Critical Minerals Fund.

Os líderes salientaram a necessidade de ir além da exportação de matérias-primas, incluindo minerais essenciais e petróleo bruto, através do desenvolvimento de cadeias de transformação, de produção e de valor locais que criem postos de trabalho e retenham mais valor económico no continente.

Um dos pontos altos anunciados ontem foi o facto de o Fundo de Energia Renovável Distribuída (DRE) da Nigéria, no valor de 300 milhões de dólares americanos, ter concluído a sua primeira ronda de financiamento, garantindo os compromissos de capital iniciais e entrando em funcionamento. Gerido em conjunto pela Autoridade de Investimento Soberano da Nigéria (NSIA) e pela Africa50, o fundo irá disponibilizar financiamento por capitais próprios a promotores locais de energia limpa, apoiando soluções descentralizadas, incluindo minirredes solares, sistemas solares domésticos, soluções de energia para o setor comercial e industrial e armazenamento de energia. Em consonância com a Missão 300, que visa ligar 300 milhões de africanos à rede elétrica até 2030, o fundo foi concebido para mobilizar investimento privado e alargar o acesso a energia fiável aos agregados familiares e às empresas nigerianas.

A energia foi outro dos principais temas em destaque. Anna Bjerde, Diretora-Geral de Operações do Grupo do Banco Mundial, e Damilola Ogunbiyi, Diretora Executiva e Representante Especial do Secretário-Geral da ONU para a Energia Sustentável para Todos, participaram em debates sobre a forma como o financiamento inovador poderia desbloquear o investimento nas infraestruturas energéticas de África e acelerar o acesso a energia fiável.

A área da saúde também foi abordada no âmbito do debate económico mais alargado. A Roche reafirmou o seu compromisso em promover os cuidados de saúde no âmbito do cancro da mama através da sua iniciativa “Africa Breast Cancer Ambition” (ABCA), que visa ajudar 80% das mulheres diagnosticadas com cancro da mama em África a sobreviver durante, pelo menos, cinco anos até 2030.

O evento “Unstoppable Africa 2026” prossegue hoje, 21 de setembro, com novas sessões centradas na transformação digital, no investimento, nas indústrias criativas, no desporto e no papel de África na economia global.

Todos estão convidados a assistir ao evento em direto no canal do YouTube do Unstoppable Africa, em https://apo-opa.co/4yMNNCu

Distribuído pelo Grupo APO para Global Africa Business Initiative.

Questões à Comunicação Social: 
Ekene Nwakonobi
Ekene.Nwakonobi@apo-opa.com
Tel.: +(234) 90 2130 8781

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África: Sistemas alimentares resilientes podem combater choques do clima, diz relatório

Source: Africa Press Organisation – Portuguese –

A Organização das Nações Unidas para Alimentação e Agricultura, FAO considerou a resiliência do sistema agro alimentares  como crucial para conter os crescentes choques climáticos em África. 

A conclusão consta do roteiro para 2036, uma avaliação sobre o estado da adaptação agrícola realizada em 46 dos 53 países Africanos entre 2016–2026.

Iniciativa para a Adaptação da Agricultura 

A apresentação do relatório ocorreu na sede da FAO num evento de alto nível que assinalou o 10º aniversário da Iniciativa para a Adaptação da Agricultura Africana, também designada AAA.

A iniciativa estima as necessidades de adaptação climática dos países analisados ​​em 566 mil milhões de dólares, 80 mil milhões dos quais refere-se à agricultura.

O relatório propõe apoio mais robusto aos países na elaboração de projectos de investimento e que seja canalizado à instituições já existentes.

Para o diretor-geral adjunto da FAO, a Iniciativa AAA não podia ser mais relevante numa altura em que as alterações climáticas afetam a produtividade agrícola, a disponibilidade de água, a saúde do solo, os meios de subsistência rurais e a segurança alimentar na África.

Protagonismo das nações

Godfrey Magwenzi ressalvou que uma ação coordenada em grande escala, impulsionada pelo protagonismo das nações e bem alinhada entre políticas climáticas, agricultura, água e desenvolvimento  pode gerar resultados concretos.

A ação deve ser fundamentada na ciência, inovação e soluções adaptadas às realidades locais, e o financiamento, acessível, previsível e responsivo.

Os planos nacionais de clima e adaptação dos governos africanos apontam vias para adaptar a agricultura a um clima em transformação, mas a integração do sistema, através da articulação dos instrumentos com políticas e financiamento é um desafio.

O projeto apoio a sistemas agroalimentares resilientes ao clima, inclusivos e de baixas emissões da FAO assistiu os países a integrarem soluções orientadas nos seus planos.

Dos planos aos investimentos

A ideia é ligar  a ação climática ou os sistemas agroalimentares ao financiamento e aos investimentos.

A Iniciativa AAA foi lançada durante a Conferência das Nações Unidas sobre as Alterações Climáticas de 2016, COP22, em Marrocos. 

O propósito era fazer ouvir a agricultura africana e em meio a apresentação do relatório, a fundação considera a avaliação verificável  e o guião mensurável.

Ações e atuação 

O embaixador do Reino de Marrocos e representante permanente junto da ONU em Roma, Youssef Balla, diz que o apelo à acção sobre a adaptação agrícola em África já não é uma voz isolada em Marrocos.

A iniciativa assegura a presidência do Conselho de Administração da Fundação da Iniciativa AAA, continua empenhado em apoiar o esforços.

A atuação da Parceria Alimentação e Agricultura para a Transformação Sustentável também destacou-se no reforço de capacidade, identificação de soluções financeiras e mobilização de recursos para os sistemas agro alimentares.

O evento de alto nível acolheu igualmente a Semana de Política e Financiamento Climático, workshop sobre perdas e danos nos sistemas agro alimentares e debateu o acesso das mulheres agricultoras ao financiamento.

Distribuído pelo Grupo APO para UN News.

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eThekwini honours entrepreneurs and creatives at business fair awards

Source: Government of South Africa

eThekwini honours entrepreneurs and creatives at business fair awards

On a night celebrating enterprise, creativity and ambition, the eThekwini Municipality honoured entrepreneurs and creatives whose businesses contribute to the city’s economy and job creation at the Durban Business Fair (DBF) Excellence Awards. 

Held at the Durban Exhibition Centre on Saturday, the awards brought together the Durban Business Fair, Lions’ Den Business Plan Competition and Durban Fashion Fair Recognition Awards.

Winners received recognition and enterprise development support, including funding towards equipment and other business needs, with prizes ranging from R10 000 to R60 000 across various categories.

The Lions’ Den attracted 121 applications, with winners recognised across three stages of business development. 

Sparkle n’ Glow won the Emerging Business category, with Creative Tech named runner-up. Super Clean Tekkie Wash won the Established Business category, with Thandimpumelelo Hardware as runner-up. 

Msuthukazi Group received the Entrepreneurship Excellence Award, while Waterloo Blocks was named runner-up.

The Durban Business Fair Excellence Awards recognised Plastimed Packaging as the DBF Excellence Award winner, MM Clothing as the Rural and Township Based Business Award winner, and Amazizi Leatherworks as the Women Owned Business Award winner.

The Youth Owned Business Award ended in a tie, with Magaga Media and Communications and Grace Academy High School named joint winners.

The Durban Fashion Fair Recognition Awards celebrated excellence across the fashion value chain.

Zwandy won Best Ladieswear Collection, House of Vyagor Louvre won Best Menswear Collection, while Kireshen Chetty was named Collection of the Week.

Sibu Msimang was crowned Durban Designer of the Year, with Martin Bespoke receiving the Fashion Innovator Award. Nellie D Designs won the Next Generation and Emerging Durban Designer Award, while Karen Monk Klijnstra and Mita-N Dezynz both received the DFF Special Recognition Award.

The Rising Star awards went to Hendeika Booi, Sindiswa Khomo and Lerato Mabesa in first, second and third place respectively.

The New Face awards recognised Noxolo Ndabambi as the Plus Size winner, Awande Khuzwayo as the Standard Size Female winner, and Lindokuhle Mnqayi as the Male winner.

Addressing approximately 1 000 guests, eThekwini Mayor Cyril Xaba said the awards reflect the municipality’s commitment to broadening economic participation, creating opportunities for businesses to grow and building a stronger, more inclusive local economy.

“Tonight, we recognise excellence, but we also reaffirm our commitment to micro, small, and medium enterprises development, economic inclusion, and broader participation in the eThekwini economy,” said Mayor Xaba.

The combined initiative is providing more than R800 000 in enterprise development support, alongside opportunities for market access.  

The monetary awards will be used towards enterprise development support, including the purchase of equipment to strengthen business operations and support growth.

Businesses and entrepreneurs welcomed eThekwini Municipality’s investment in local enterprises and its practical support to help them strengthen operations, access markets and pursue sustainable growth. – SAnews.gov.za
 

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Motorists warned against AARTO fake website scam

Source: Government of South Africa

Motorists warned against AARTO fake website scam

The Road Traffic Infringement Authority (RTIA) is urging South African motorists to exercise caution and vigilance following a surge in fraudulent Administrative Adjudication of Road Traffic Offences (AARTO) platform websites.  

The authority said scammers are now using cloned payment portals, SMS, WhatsApp, and email to steal money and personal data from unsuspecting motorists. 

“The RTIA emphasises that it is the only entity which is legally authorised to administer and process fines under the Administrative Adjudication of Road Traffic Offences (AARTO) Act. Motorists are strongly advised to make payments only through verified and approved payment platforms.

“Motorists must always make use of the 16-digit Infringement Notice number as a reference, which does not need the RTIA bank account to make payments on the official payment platforms. These fake messages claim to be AARTO fines, often with threats of licence blocks, vehicle disc blocks, or additional penalties,” the RTIA said.

The authority explained that scammers are “sending various messages containing links urging recipients to pay R250 to qualify for a supposed discount on a traffic fine.”

“Always make payments only through verified and approved payment platforms. Don’t click on links to make payments. If you receive a message like this, delete it immediately, remain calm, and contact the RTIA directly for verification,” the RTIA said.

Watch out for:

  • Urgency and Threats: Subject lines like “Final Notice: Action Required to Avoid Additional Penalties” or “Final Demand: Enforcement Notice” claiming your driving licence card or vehicle licence disc will be blocked.
  • Fake Discounts: Messages falsely state you owe money and offer a 50% discount or “penalty fee waiver” if you pay within 24 hours. 
  • After-hours Delivery: Many are sent after working hours and on weekends to create panic.
  • They also target times of the month when clients are likely to have money in their bank accounts, such as the 15th, 20th, 25th, 30th, or 31st.
  • Cloned Websites: “Please be cautious of fraudulent websites pretending to be the official AARTO website. These fake sites may be used to scam the public and steal personal or payment information.”
  • Be on the lookout for Typos and Wrong Names on fake websites: E.g., signed by “NATS Online Vehicle License Disc Renewal” – a misspelling of eNATIS.

Do not:

  • Click any link in an SMS/WhatsApp/email about AARTO fines.
  • Make payments on any site other than AARTO official payment platforms.
  • Share ID numbers, licence details, or banking details.

Do:

  • Ignore and delete the message.
  • Make payments on official payment platforms. 
  • Verify your AARTO status ONLY via official channels.
  • Report the scam number/link to your network provider and to RTIA. 

“The only official AARTO website is https://online.aarto.gov.za. Do not make payments or provide personal details on any other website claiming to be AARTO. All other links, .com, .co.za, and .online domains claiming to be AARTO are fraudulent.

“The RTIA remains committed to providing a secure environment for motorists to manage their traffic infringements and urges everyone to remain vigilant against these digital scams.

“To ensure your information remains secure, the public is reminded that there is only one legitimate website for AARTO services. Motorists can verify the status of their fines or infringement notices by visiting the official RTIA platform at https://online.aarto.gov.za,” the RTIA said.

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Ambassador Meyer calls for dialogue to restore South Africa-US relations

Source: Government of South Africa

Ambassador Meyer calls for dialogue to restore South Africa-US relations

New York, USA – South African Ambassador to the United States Roelf Meyer has called for dialogue between South Africa and the United States (US) to restore the bilateral relationship, saying the two countries must engage with each other as partners. 

Speaking to SAnews ahead of the 81st United Nations General Assembly (UNGA81) in New York on Sunday, Meyer said the multilateral gathering could provide an opportunity to reinforce the importance of dialogue, not only in the relationship between South Africa and the US, but also in addressing conflicts elsewhere in the world. 

“Well, we all know that problems can be solved if people talk to each other. It often starts with talks about talks, and then there’s a phase of dialog and then negotiations.

“And I would hope that the messages that will combine our intention, our aspiration in that regard, will also come out from UNGA, not only to the question of the relationship between South Africa and the United States, but also others where there are conflicts,” Meyer told SANews.

Meyer said the bilateral relationship between South Africa and the US, which he described as being “at the foundation of this challenge” needed to be restored through dialogue.

“But very specifically, in the case of the United States and South Africa, the bilateral relationship, which is at the foundation of this challenge that we have must be restored, and it can only be done through dialogue,” he said.

He emphasised that meaningful dialogue required both sides to recognise each other as partners rather than seeking to impose their positions on one another.

“And in the case of dialogue, it has to be in such a way that parties accept each other as equal partners to that dialogue and sit down and talk it through and look each other in the eye and say we can do it. One can’t prescribe over the other, because then it will definitely not lead to a resolution of the problem,” he said. 

Strengthening communication

Meyer also highlighted the changing nature of communication and the challenges this presents for governments seeking to communicate their positions to international audiences.

“If I look back at my own experience years ago, there was a very easy line of communication through formal channels. Now there is no regulated channel. Everyone speaks for him or herself, and that of course brings a lot of challenges,” he said.

He said this made it more difficult for national leadership to ensure messages were communicated reliably, requiring governments to continually assess and strengthen their communication capabilities.

“I’m asking myself when I look at my task here in Washington, on behalf of South Africa, do we communicate correctly and in the necessary way to get our message across?”

Meyer said South Africa also needed to address what he described as “misunderstanding and misrepresentation” about the country’s constitutional framework and democracy.

“We know there’s a lot of misunderstanding and misrepresentation about the South African case, when it comes to our constitutional framework and how we apply it, and that South Africa is a constitutional democracy. There’s a lot of misrepresentation about that, as if there is government-initiated violence taking place, so-called genocide and things like that.

“We all know it’s not true, but that is the narrative that is being broadcast by some, and we have to address that and find ways to bring the real story across,” he told SANews. 

He said the challenge extended beyond South Africa’s international reputation, pointing to narratives around migration on the African continent. 

“And that applies to other countries as well. But it also applies on our continent again, because there is also misrepresentation about the whole subject of migration on the African continent, and sometimes we are being blamed for things that we haven’t done,” he said.

Meyer’s comments come as world leaders and senior officials gather in New York for the 81st Session of the UN General Assembly (UNGA 81), with South Africa expected to use the high-level week to advance its diplomatic priorities and engage international partners. – SAnews.gov.za

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