Category: MIL-OSI

Source: APO

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The ECOWAS Center for Youth and Sports Development (CDJS) is organizing a meeting of experts in Dakar from July 27 to 31, followed by a meeting of ministers responsible for youth and Sports from member states, dedicated to the consolidation, validation, and adoption of key regional strategic frameworks aimed at strengthening human capital development in West Africa.

These high-level meetings bring together representatives from the twelve ECOWAS member states, regional institutions, technical and financial partners, as well as experts from the sectors of sports, youth, and volunteerism.

The proceedings focus on (i) the analysis and validation of three fundamental strategic documents: the ECOWAS Youth Policy and its 2026–2035 Strategic Action Plan, (II) the ECOWAS Sports Policy and its 2026–2035 Strategic Action Plan, and (III) the Strategic Policy Document for the ECOWAS Volunteer Program and its 2026–2035 Action Plan.

These instruments aim to provide the region with harmonized frameworks to promote youth empowerment, strengthen the role of sports as a driver of peace, social cohesion, and economic development, and consolidate volunteerism as a tool for regional integration, citizenship, and solidarity.

Following the expert meeting, the recommendations formulated will be submitted to the ministerial meeting for validation and adoption, prior to their implementation in member states.

On the sidelines of these proceedings, the ECOWAS Commission will officially launch the ECOWAS Youth and Women Entrepreneurship Program (ECOWAS Youth and Women Entrepreneurship Program—EYWEP), implemented by the Center for Youth and Sports Development with financial support from AUDA-NEPAD and the Spanish Agency for International Development Cooperation (AECID). This regional program aims to promote entrepreneurship, innovation, skills development, and access to sustainable economic opportunities for youth and women.

Through these initiatives, ECOWAS reaffirms its commitment to investing in human capital, promoting inclusive public policies, and strengthening cooperation among member states, in order to provide West African youth with an environment conducive to their development, civic participation, and contribution to the region’s sustainable development.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).

Source: APO

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The Society of Eritrean Earth Scientists and Mining Engineers conducted its annual conference on 24 and 25 July in Asmara under the theme “Professional Engagement for Building Shared Values in Mining”.

Mr. Daniel Woldeyohannes, chairman of the society, the society reminded that the sustainable development of the mining sector depends not only on technical excellence but also on collaboration, knowledge sharing, professional integrity, and c collective commitment to advancing profession.

Mr. Daniel went on to say that the objective of the conference was to bring together Earth Scientists and Mining Engineers, foster professional engagement, promote the exchange of knowledge and experience, and contribute to the responsive and sustainable development of Eritrea’s Mining Industry.

At the conference 14 research papers were presented focusing on overview of Environmental Impact Assessment and Developmental Projects; Bisha Processing Plant overview; Eritrea’s Mining Strategic Roadmap; Zara Mining Share Company update; and General Condition of Mining Industry in Eritrea; among others. The participants conducted extensive discussion on the research papers presented.

The conference also discussed on the role of mining professionals in raising public awareness as well as on the expectation and challenges of Artificial Intelligence in the mining sector.

Society of Eritrean Earth Scientists and Mining Engineers was established on December 2019 and currently has over 300 members.

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

Source: APO

CEM Africa, Africa’s leading customer experience conference, has announced three internationally respected speakers who will take to the stage at CEM Africa 2026, taking place from 18 – 20 August 2026 in Cape Town.

Bringing together senior leaders from customer experience, marketing, digital transformation, retail, customer service and business strategy, CEM Africa continues to attract influential voices who challenge conventional thinking and share practical insights that organisations can apply to create stronger customer relationships and better business outcomes.

Joining this year’s programme are Martin Urrutia, Global Head of Retail Experience at The LEGO Group; Bruce Whitfield, one of South Africa’s most respected business journalists and best-selling authors; and Zahirah Variawa, Emmy-nominated television presenter, award-winning travel producer and destination marketing strategist.

Together, they represent three distinct but complementary perspectives on leadership, customer experience and business transformation.

Creating World-Class Customer Experiences

Making his South African debut at CEM Africa, Martin Urrutia brings extensive global expertise in retail experience design and customer engagement.

As the Global Head of Retail Experience at The LEGO Group, Martin leads the development of retail concepts and customer experiences that strengthen one of the world’s most recognised brands. His work demonstrates how thoughtful experience design, innovation and brand strategy can be translated into commercially successful customer experiences across global markets.

During his session, Martin will share practical insights into designing memorable retail experiences that strengthen customer relationships while delivering measurable business value.

Speaking ahead of his visit to Cape Town, Martin said:

“During my visit to Cape Town, I look forward to engaging with the city’s authentic experiences, local culture, and distinctive destinations, all of which continue to inform and inspire the retail and brand experiences I create. I am particularly keen to explore Cape Town’s seamless integration of global brands and unique local retailers, alongside its exceptional culinary scene and vibrant public spaces — environments that foster connection, discovery, and new perspectives.”

Leadership in an Age of Uncertainty

Bruce Whitfield has built a reputation as one of South Africa’s most trusted business commentators, interviewing some of the world’s leading executives, entrepreneurs and innovators throughout his career. Drawing on decades of experience covering business, leadership and economic change, Bruce will explore how leaders can make better decisions, embrace uncertainty and identify opportunity in rapidly changing environments.

His keynote will challenge delegates to rethink how resilience, adaptability and decisive leadership can become competitive advantages in today’s business landscape.

The Power of Storytelling to Shape Experiences

Joining the programme is Zahirah Variawa, whose career spans more than 16 years across Africa, the Middle East and international markets.

An Emmy-nominated television presenter, award-winning travel producer, content creator and destination marketing strategist, Zahirah has partnered with tourism boards, governments, airlines and luxury hospitality brands to shape how destinations are experienced and remembered. Beyond broadcasting, she advises governments and international organisations on destination marketing strategy, facilitates industry dialogue and champions tourism as a catalyst for economic growth across Africa.

At CEM Africa 2026, Zahirah will explore how storytelling, human connection and authentic experiences influence perception, build trust and create lasting emotional connections. Her session will demonstrate why the principles of destination branding and experience design are increasingly relevant to organisations seeking to differentiate themselves through customer experience.

A Platform for Africa’s Customer Experience Leaders

The announcement reinforces CEM Africa’s position as the continent’s premier gathering for senior customer experience professionals, bringing together business leaders to explore the ideas, strategies and innovations shaping the future of customer engagement.

From world-class retail innovation and leadership to the power of storytelling, delegates will gain practical insights from speakers whose experience extends well beyond traditional customer experience disciplines. Together, they demonstrate that exceptional customer experiences are shaped by design, strengthened by leadership and brought to life through authentic human connection.

CEM Africa 2026 takes place in Cape Town from 18–20 August 2026, bringing together senior decision-makers from financial services, retail, telecommunications, healthcare, technology, government and other leading industries for three days of learning, networking and business collaboration.

For more information and to register, visit the CEM Africa website.

CEM Africa.com (https://apo-opa.co/4wtCFtN)

View the event programme https://apo-opa.co/4wr3j6r

Ticket Options https://apo-opa.co/4bgs9gQ

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of VUKA Group.

Source: APO

Across West Africa, violence against women and girls (VAWG) continues to undermine fundamental human rights, limit public participation, and threaten community safety. According to UN Women’s Gender Snapshot, an estimated 14 million women experienced intimate partner violence in the past year across the region. Women hold only 11% of seats in national parliaments and 13% of local government seats across the region.

From 14–16 July 2026, women parliamentarians, Ministers of Gender and civil society leaders gathered in Accra to launch the West Africa Female Parliamentarians Movement on Ending VAWG.

Organized by the Women in Politics Forum (WIPF) and UN Women West and Central Africa, the conference was held under the ACT to End VAWG programme, supported by the European Union, UN Women and the UN Trust Fund.

Participants stressed the need for stronger alliances capable of driving legislative reforms across the sub-region and ensuring that commitments translate into safety for women and girls.

An Emerging Threat: The Pushback on Girls’ Rights

In the West and Central Africa region, there remains a troubling pushback against the rights of women and girls, exacerbated by emerging global crises. “Climate-induced shocks are escalating economic  stress, are driving a rise in child marriages and exploitation. Digital violence continues to target young women and female political leaders.” Prof. Joy Ngozi Ezeilo, Nigerian legal scholar, human rights activist, and leading authority on gender equality and human trafficking.

UN Women data show that laws alone are not enough if access to justice remains out of reach. The ACT programme strengthens partnerships between women’s rights organizations and decision-makers to advance action on ending violence against women and girls.

“This evidence is vital for parliamentarians. It equips legislators to move from concern to action: to review laws and policies, ask the right parliamentary questions, scrutinize budgets, strengthen oversight, and build cross-party consensus for reforms that protect women and girls.” Afua Ansre, Programme Manager, Gender Partnerships and Institutional Support, UN Women 

High-Level Political Mobilization

Parliamentarians emphasized that ending VAWG is a national development imperative and a legislative emergency. 

Senator Ireti Kingibe, Chair of the Nigerian Senate Committee on Women Affairs and only the second woman in history to represent Abuja in the Senate, emphasized strategic political leveraging: 

“As women, we cannot just beg; we must become a unified lobbying bloc. We must make it clear that any politician who does not support gender bills will not receive the votes of women.”

Similarly, Hon. Zuweira Ibrahim Mohammed, the first female MP elected from Ghana’s Salaga South constituency and a former diplomat, highlighted grassroots awareness: 

“I firmly believe that women hold the inherent power to change things. Our single biggest resource is women themselves. They simply need to be educated on their rights.”

Evidence-Based Action & Next Steps

The movement also reinforces efforts to protect women leaders and strengthen safe political participation across the region.

Participants adopted the Accra Declaration and committed to key actions under the new movement:

Legislative harmonization: Advocating for an ECOWAS Supplementary Protocol on VAWG to establish uniform cross-border protections.

Gender-responsive budgeting: Securing national funding for survivor services and legal aid.

Accountability:  Establishing an annual Ministerial Summit and regional scorecard.

The movement marks a significant step toward a future where every woman and girl can live free from violence and discrimination.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of UN Women – Africa.

Source: APO

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• IMF Management has approved the completion of the first review under Zimbabwe’s 10‑month Staff-Monitored Program (SMP).
• Program implementation through end-March 2026 was strong, with all quantitative targets and structural benchmarks met and most indicative targets observed.
• Sustained policy discipline, stronger fiscal risk management, protection of social spending, continued monetary and exchange rate reforms, and governance improvements will be important to entrench macroeconomic stability and advance Zimbabwe’s re-engagement efforts.

IMF Management has approved the completion of the first review under Zimbabwe’s 10‑month Staff-Monitored Program (SMP). Completion of the review marks an important step in consolidating recent stabilization gains and strengthening Zimbabwe’s track record of policy implementation in support of arrears clearance, debt restructuring, and re-engagement with the international community.

Zimbabwe’s economy has remained resilient despite a more challenging external environment. Growth remained strong in 2025 at 8.3 percent and continued into early 2026, supported by improved agricultural production, robust mining activity, and favorable gold prices. Inflation has remained low, reflecting tight monetary conditions and relative exchange rate stability.

The outlook remains favorable, but risks are tilted to the downside. Growth is projected at 5 percent in 2026 and 4.2 percent over the medium term, while inflation should remain in single digits under tight policies. The current account surplus is projected to narrow but remain robust. Downside risks stem from a major El Niño event and a renewed war in the Middle East.

Program implementation was strong. All end-March quantitative targets were met, including those relating to the primary budget balance, net international reserves, Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe credit to the non-financial public sector, external borrowing, and monetary base growth. Most indicative targets were observed, although the indicative target on protected social and priority spending was missed. The end-March and end-June structural benchmarks were completed, and the authorities are making progress toward subsequent reform commitments.

The program continues to support prudent fiscal management. The fiscal primary balance through end-March was stronger than expected, supported by robust revenue collection. The program supports the authorities’ commitment to maintain spending within the approved 2026 national budget, while saving additional revenues to build buffers for potential food-security needs in 2027. The program also supports commitments to contain fiscal risks from gold delivery incentives, a rules-based approach to early redemptions and other liability-management operations, and stronger safeguards for domestic arrears clearance. Strengthening budget execution, commitment controls, public financial management, and domestic arrears clearance will be critical to preventing new arrears and safeguarding fiscal credibility.

The Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe has maintained a tight monetary policy stance to contain inflation and reduce pressures in the foreign exchange market. This stance should continue until inflation expectations are firmly anchored and confidence in the local currency strengthens. Staff welcomes the operationalization of the ZiG-denominated term deposit facility as part of a gradual shift toward more market-based instruments. Over time, reducing reliance on non-negotiable certificates of deposit would help strengthen monetary transmission and support domestic money market development. Staff also welcomes the authorities’ plans to develop a comprehensive strategy to further liberalize the foreign exchange market and reform the foreign exchange intervention framework.

Structural reforms remain central to the program’s objectives. Staff welcomes the authorities’ commitment to strengthening social protection systems, while the missed indicative target on protected social and priority spending underscores the need to improve budget execution and ensure timely support to vulnerable groups. Continued progress in public financial management, governance, and fiscal risk management will also be important to reinforce transparency, accountability, and confidence in the authorities’ policy framework.

The program also supports the authorities’ broader re-engagement agenda. Continued progress under the SMP, together with ongoing efforts to reconcile debt data and develop a credible arrears-clearance and debt-resolution strategy, will help advance discussions with external partners and support the next stages of Zimbabwe’s re-engagement process.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of International Monetary Fund (IMF).

Source: APO

Following the successful subscription of its Series 1 corporate bond, Dimension Data Limited (https://DimensionData.com.ng) has completed the signing ceremony for the issuance of N4.05 billion (approximately US$2.9 million), marking the first tranche of its N20 billion (US$14.7 million) bond programme. The proceeds will support the expansion of the company’s fibre infrastructure to meet Nigeria’s growing demand for digital connectivity.

Speaking at the ceremony, Olugbenga Olabiyi, Managing Director of Dimension Data Limited, said the investment reflects the company’s long-term commitment to strengthening Nigeria’s digital economy.

“Beyond delivering technology solutions, we work every day to strengthen Nigeria’s digital economy. This milestone reflects the confidence of our partners and investors in our vision, and we look forward to translating these investments into infrastructure that supports businesses, innovation and national digital transformation.”

Olabiyi also thanked the company’s customers, partners, Board members and advisers, including Pathway Advisors Limited, Deloitte, STL, Fidelity Bank, FCMB and FSDH Capital, for their continued support.

Shatse Kakwagh, Managing Partner of Mbavaa Partners Limited and Director of Dimension Data SPV Limited, described the transaction as the culmination of a two-year journey built on collaboration and market confidence.

“Today’s achievement validates the quality of work being done by the Dimension Data team and the market’s confidence in the company’s growth strategy. This funding is not the destination – it is the beginning of an even bigger journey.”

He also acknowledged the contributions of the Board, advisers, transaction partners, FSDH Capital, Pathway Advisors and other stakeholders who supported the successful execution of the transaction.

Adekunle Alade, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Pathway Advisors Limited, the Lead Issuing House and Book Runner, thanked Dimension Data for its confidence in the firm and expressed appreciation to the high-net-worth investors who participated in the issuance, noting that their support demonstrated strong confidence in the company’s long-term growth prospects despite prevailing preferences for shorter-term investments.

The planned investments will fund the continued expansion of Dimension Data’s fibre network, supporting increasing demand from financial institutions, fintechs, enterprise customers and other technology-driven sectors. As cloud adoption, digital financial services and data-intensive applications continue to grow, the company believes resilient fibre infrastructure will remain a critical enabler of Nigeria’s digital economy.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Dimension Data.