Category: MIL-OSI

Source: APO

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The United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) participated in the third Luanda Financing Summit for Africa’s Infrastructure Development, held from October 28-31, 2025. The high-level event convened African leaders, global investors, and development partners to address the continent’s infrastructure funding gap and accelerate economic integration.

Organised under the patronage of the African Union Chair, Angolan President João Manuel Gonçalves Lourenço, the summit tackled the theme “Capital, Corridors, Trade: Investing in infrastructure for the AFCFTA and shared prosperity.”

ECA co-organised a session on the digitalization of transport corridors and participated in a side-event on energy interconnection.

At the energy event, jointly organized by the African Union Development Agency (AUDA-NEPAD) and the Global Energy Interconnection Development and Cooperation Organization (GEIDCO), Mr. Robert Lisinge, Director of the Technology, Innovation, Connectivity and Infrastructure Development Division (TICID), highlighted the critical link between frontier technologies and energy security.

“Frontier technologies such as Artificial Intelligence require huge amounts of electricity that African countries may struggle to produce individually, hence the relevance of regional projects,” Lisinge stated.

He also connected the continent’s energy needs directly to the success of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), noting, “AfCFTA is expected to increase electricity demand by 8% by 2035 and 14% by 2040.”

The summit, organized by the African Union Commission (AUC) and AUDA-NEPAD in collaboration with the Angolan government, aimed to transform Africa’s infrastructure ambitions into bankable, investment-ready projects. The outcomes of the Luanda Summit are anticipated to significantly advance the goals of both the AfCFTA and the Programme for Infrastructure Development in Africa (PIDA), fostering a more prosperous and interconnected continent.

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

Source: APO

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Experts in new energy vehicles, along with industry leaders, academics, and specialists, are gathering in Gqeberha to share valuable insights on industry innovations and initiatives – particularly those focused on decarbonising the transport sector. The Department of Science, Technology and Innovation (DSTI) has partnered with the uYilo e-Mobility Programme at Nelson Mandela University (NMU) to host the annual uYilo Annual e-Mobility Summit, which runs from 28 to 30 October 2025.

The Department’s Mbangiseni Mabudafhasi, Deputy Director: Power, said that the summit recognises the urgency of global commitments to reduce carbon dioxide emissions in the transport sector, which have catalysed growing market demand for electric vehicles (EVs). He added that, while internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles remain dominant, particularly in developing markets, their market share is expected to decline significantly in high-income countries after 2035.

South Africa’s automotive industry plays a crucial economic role, contributing approximately 5,2% to the national GDP. Studies show that the sector supports around 115 000 high-skilled manufacturing jobs and roughly 500 000 formal jobs across the automotive supply chain.

Mr Mabudafhasi stressed that discussions about the future of ICEs are essential as the industry stands at a critical juncture. “By 2035, it is projected that 63% of key export markets, including the EU and the UK will implement bans on the sale of new ICE vehicles,” he said.

To navigate this transition, South Africa is encouraged to adopt a pragmatic dual-track strategy, which aims to maximise the operational life and minimise the carbon emissions of ICE vehicles while simultaneously fostering the growth of the most promising EV and hybrid platforms. It acknowledges that although ICE vehicles remain dominant, especially in developing markets, their market share is expected to decline sharply in high-income countries beyond 2035.

Mr Gareth Burley, CEO of Microcare Solar Energy, said that Africa’s e-mobility transition must be designed around local realities rather than imported wholesale from abroad. “African innovations must solve African problems,” he said, emphasising that the continent’s success hinges on developing systems tailored to its economic, infrastructural and social contexts. E-mobility in Africa, he contended, cannot simply replicate European or Asian models but must address challenges such as energy access, affordability and the informal nature of much of the transport economy.

“If we only import our chargers and software, we will continue to outsource jobs, intellectual property and after-sales services,” Mr Burley warned. “Localising support technologies, such as chargers, power electronics and related components, is the fastest on-ramp for small, medium and micro enterprises in our country.”

Microcare Solar Energy has developed the DC-DC Solar EV Charger, a flexible, solar-integrated solution that delivers consistent charging directly from photovoltaic panels, eliminating the need for AC conversion or grid dependency. This makes it ideal for remote locations.

Burley noted that sustainable progress requires close coordination between governments, academia and the private sector. “Research must inform regulation, regulation must enable innovation, and innovation must be rooted in community benefit,” he said. The desired outcome, he maintained, is a self-reinforcing ecosystem of skills, investment and local manufacturing capacity rather than continued dependence on imported solutions.

Mr Zakariae Ouachakradi, Business Development Manager of Morocco’s Green Energy Park echoed this sentiment as he described Morocco’s approach to building an EV charging network. He highlighted the delicate balance between technical precision and the institutional coordination required to sustain such an initiative. Morocco’s strategy, he explained, relies on the government’s proactive role in setting standards, funding research and aligning industrial policy with environmental goals.

The Green Energy Park – a partnership between the Institute for Research in Solar Energy and Renewable Energies and the OCP Group – employs engineers and researchers who design and test charging stations adapted to African climates and grid conditions. This localised research and development model ensures that technologies are not only viable but are also resilient under regional constraints. However, Mr Ouachakradi also pointed to persistent challenges, particularly the lack of harmonised standards across the continent. Without shared frameworks for charging protocols, battery systems and safety compliance, he cautioned, African countries risk building fragmented systems that hinder regional integration.

Africa’s e-mobility future depends on alignment and cooperation, not on nations working in silos. The continent’s diversity in energy systems, industrial capacity and regulatory readiness must become a source of collective strength. Two of the most pressing and decisive factors identified were the transfer of technical expertise and the development of skilled human capital. Without a workforce capable of building, maintaining and innovating within these systems, even the most advanced technologies will remain underutilised.

Both speakers signalled a shift away from viewing Africa as a passive recipient of technology and toward recognising it as a generator of homegrown solutions. A growing number of African research institutions and startups are already contributing to global clean-mobility knowledge. The consensus was clear – this momentum must be channelled through supportive policies, regional collaboration and sustained investment in applied science.

Africa’s e-mobility transition is an active continental agenda and realising it will demand coordination, foresight and unwavering commitment. The road ahead leads toward a cleaner, more connected, self-reliant and innovative Africa that is powered by its own ingenuity.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Department of Science, Technology and Innovation, Republic of South Africa.

Source: APO

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Parliament has directed that a family whose four-month-old child snatched by baboons and later found dead in a forest is compensated. 

The Deputy Speaker, Thomas Tayebwa, gave the directive to the Minister of Tourism, Wildlife and Antiquities during plenary on Thursday, 30 October 2025.

He observed that children in Kagadi District no longer go to school and parents are not working, in a bid to protect their children from wild animals.

“People say they have been reporting these incidents to the authorities, but no action has been taken. This is a big problem in Kagadi and other areas where there is human-wildlife conflict,” Tayebwa said.

Parliament urged the Ministry of Tourism, Wildlife and Antiquities to find lasting interventions to protect communities living in the district and other parts of the country from attacks by wild animals and present a comprehensive statement to Parliament showing the action taken on the matter.

Ntoroko County MP, Hon. Ibanda Rwemulikya, noted that communities living at the borders of game parks and forest reserves face similar challenges, citing human-wildlife conflict near Semuliki National Park.

“In Kanara Town Council, we have a number of cases where children were snatched and injured by baboons. Parents are footing expensive medical bills, and there is no compensation for them,” Rwemulikya said.

He called for a nationwide investigation into such incidents in areas where local communities live close to wildlife, and reiterated the need for adequate action by the Ministry of Tourism, Wildlife and Antiquities.

Hon. Richard Wanda (NRM, Bungokho Central County) cited incidents of harassment by staff of Uganda Wildlife Authority on communities in the Elgon region.

“They harass locals over boundaries, and sometimes lives have been lost because these staff shoot people and destroy property including buildings and crops. The minister should develop an action plan to address the challenges of wildlife management,” Wanda said.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Parliament of the Republic of Uganda.

Source: APO

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Parliament has approved a new loan worth US$ 121,961,000 from the African Development Fund to finance Uganda’s electricity export project to South Sudan, despite sharp divisions among Members.

While some legislators welcomed the project as a strategic regional investment that could generate foreign income, others warned that it would worsen Uganda’s debt burden and disadvantage local consumers still paying some of the highest electricity tariffs in East Africa.

Presenting the minority report, Hon. Charles Tebandeke (NUP, Bbale County) expressed concern over missing key documents, including the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), Power Purchase Agreement (PPA), and contracts between Uganda and its neighbours.

“We acknowledge that the regional power trade is increasing rapidly after exports to Rwanda, Kenya, Tanzania, and DRC. However, Ugandans have not known the MoUs behind these exports, it is a secret to government,” he said during the plenary sitting on Thursday, 30 October 2025.

The sitting was chaired by the Deputy Speaker, Thomas Tayebwa

Tebandeke noted that while Uganda’s national grid coverage stands at 25.3 percent, only 15 percent of Ugandans have access to reliable electricity. “Where we export, importers enjoy a unit price cheaper compared to Ugandans. This has disadvantaged Ugandans, with places like Kalangala paying over Shs1,500 per unit. Why is electricity still costly in Uganda?” he asked.

The Rushenyi County MP, Hon. Naome Kabasharira, decried persistent power outages and tasked government to explain the paradox of surplus generation and limited distribution.

“We have a lot of power generation in this country. What is making it hard to distribute? Now our people will see this loan to supply power to South Sudan, yet load shedding is too much, can we fix it?” she said.

Erute County MP, Hon. Jonathan Odur, faulted the energy ministry for under performing projects.

“The Electricity Scale-Up Access Project is at 20 percent. There is a transmission line in Masaka whose execution has not commenced, as a result out of 10.8 million households, only two million are connected. Government should not allow citizens who are going to shoulder the burden of this loan to continue crying for power,” Odur said.

However, several MPs supported the loan, saying regional energy trade would strengthen Uganda’s economic position.

“This will be a good business for South Sudan because Ugandans do business there. Ugandans will also be beneficiaries, and in turn it will bring in income,” said Hon. Siraji Ezama (NRM, Aringa County).

Western Youth Representative, Hon. Edson Rugumayo argued that the export plan would help Uganda utilise its excess generation capacity.

“With this project, we project ourselves as powerful in the region. The majority committee report explains that in 2020 Uganda generated 2,000 megawatts but consumed only 900, leaving a surplus of 1,000. This loan is in the best interest of Ugandans, that we supply power to South Sudan and offset our debt burden,” he said.

Defending the project, the Minister of State for Energy and Mineral Development (Energy), Hon. Sidronius Okaasai, said regional power trade is vital for economic growth and energy security.

“If we fall short of electricity, we should be able to import it. We must trade in the EAC to avoid shortages. We have 2,056 megawatts and are using 900, meaning we have some electricity to sell,” he said.

A report by the Committee on National Economy presented by its chair, Hon. John Bosco Ikojo, revealed that the 299 kilometre power interconnector will start at the Gumbo substation site in the outskirts of Juba in South Sudan, crossing into Uganda territory at Nimule to the metering substation at Bibia, and proceed to terminate at Olwiyo substation which is supplied from the Karuma Hydroelectric Power Station.

He argued that the project will address power surplus and energy in Uganda and power deficits in South Sudan and projected that Uganda will trade 624 GWh of its surplus energy with South Sudan in the first year of operation with a big reduction in greenhouse gas emissions.

Parliament also passed two other loans; one worth €342.5 million from Standard Chartered Bank for construction of 400KV Karuma-Tororo double circuit transmission line and substation, and 132/33KV Ntinda Substation project.

House also approved a loan request for €230.4 million from Citi Bank to finance design and construction of 127 kilometres of Jinja-Mbulamuti-Bukungu Road and 10 kilometres of Jinja City roads.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Parliament of the Republic of Uganda.

Source: APO

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His Excellency President Dr. Julius Maada Bio has visited the Government’s Harmful Drug Rehabilitation Facility in Hastings, where he assured recovering victims of his administration’s unwavering commitment to ending the harmful drug pandemic affecting the nation’s youth.

President Bio expressed deep concern over the growing abuse of kush and other synthetic substances, describing the trend as a national crisis that threatens the country’s future.

“If you destroy your future now, there will be no one to develop Sierra Leone. I see a very bright future in all of you. We want you to be better citizens than us and that’s why we are breaking the chain of supply of these harmful drugs,” he told the victims.

The President condemned those involved in the production and sale of kush, particularly parents who profit from the illicit trade, calling it a betrayal of parental duty.

“It saddens me to learn that some parents are selling kush. I urge them to stop immediately and find a decent way to earn a living,” he warned.

Highlighting government’s multi-pronged approach, President Bio said rehabilitation facilities have been established in Hastings, Gondama (Bo) and Daru (Kailahun) while plans are on the way to establish in Teko (Makeni). He also instructed the police and judiciary to take stronger action against those involved in the drug trade.

The President became visibly emotional as he listened to testimonies from victims and parents. He expressed outrage after hearing from a mother who was unjustly imprisoned for eight months because her son, a kush victim, had stolen Le17,000 from a drug dealer.

“That woman suffered double jeopardy, she was punished for her son’s addiction and for her poverty. That was wrong,” he said firmly.

Several parents shared their experiences of pain and recovery. Hawa Gborie, a single mother, recounted how her son’s addiction led to her imprisonment, only to find hope when he was later rehabilitated at the free government facility.

Elizabeth Ansumana described how her son, a trained lawyer, lost his career to kush addiction before receiving treatment through the government’s free programme, after being unable to afford private care.

Another recovering victim, Margaret Jawara, now an anti-drug ambassador, shared how peer pressure led her to addiction during university but credited the Hastings facility and the Ministry of Social Welfare for her recovery and return to school.

Minister of Social Welfare, Mrs. Melrose Karminty, thanked President Bio for his leadership, noting that military support at the barracks has reduced escape cases.

“We are also doing family tracing to reconnect victims with their parents. Many have successfully reintegrated into their families,” she said.

President Bio concluded the visit by reaffirming his government’s determination to defeat the kush scourge through prevention, rehabilitation, and justice, calling on all Sierra Leoneans to join the fight to save the nation’s youth.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of State House Sierra Leone.

Source: APO

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Briefing ambassadors in the Security Council, the UN’s top relief official Tom Fletcher said “women and girls are being raped, people being mutilated and killed – with utter impunity,” adding: “We cannot hear the screams, but – as we sit here today – the horror is continuing.”

After overrunning the Sudanese Armed Forces’ (SAF) last major stronghold in Darfur which had held out for over 500 days, RSF fighters moved house to house, he said, with “credible reports of widespread executions” as civilians attempted to escape.

Nearly 500 patients and their companions were reportedly killed in the Saudi Maternity Hospital, one of numerous health facilities targeted in the fighting.

“Tens of thousands of terrified, starving civilians have fled or are on the move,” Mr. Fletcher said. “Those able to flee – the vast majority women, children, and the elderly – face extortion, rape and violence on the perilous journey.”

Horror spreads

Assistant Secretary-General for Africa Martha Pobee called the fall of El Fasher “a significant shift in the security dynamics,” warning that the implications for Sudan and the wider region are “profound.”

Fighting has already intensified in the Kordofan region, where the RSF captured the strategic town of Bara last week.

Drone strikes by both RSF and SAF, she said, are now hitting new targets across Blue Nile, South Kordofan, West Darfur and Khartoum. “The territorial scope of the conflict is broadening,” she cautioned.

“The risk of mass atrocities, ethnically targeted violence and further violations of international humanitarian law, including sexual violence, remains alarmingly high,” Ms. Pobee told the Council.

“Despite commitments to protect civilians, the reality is that no one is safe in El Fasher. There is no safe passage for civilians to leave the city.”

The UN human rights office, OHCHR, has documented mass killings, summary executions, and ethnically motivated reprisals both in El Fasher and Bara. In the latter, at least 50 civilians were killed in recent days, including five Sudanese Red Crescent volunteers, Ms. Pobee said.

History of atrocity in Darfur

“What is unfolding in El Fasher recalls the horrors Darfur was subjected to twenty years ago,” Mr. Fletcher said, referring to the atrocities of the early 2000s that shocked the world and eventually led to International Criminal Court indictments.

“But somehow today we are seeing a very different global reaction – one of resignation,” he continued. “This is also a crisis of apathy.”

“The Sudan crisis is, at its core, a failure of protection, and our responsibility to uphold international law,” Mr. Fletcher said. “Atrocities are committed with unashamed expectation of impunity…the world has failed an entire generation.”

Descent into all-out war

The conflict in Sudan began in April 2023, when a long-simmering power struggle between the SAF and RSF erupted into open war.

The RSF traces its roots to the Janjaweed militias accused of atrocities in Darfur 20 years ago, while the SAF represents the remnants of long-standing military rule from Khartoum.

Both forces once shared power after the 2019 ouster of former president Omar al-Bashir, but a dispute over integrating the RSF into the national army triggered a nationwide collapse.

What began as a contest for control of the State has since devolved into a brutal struggle marked by ethnic killings, urban siege warfare, mass displacement, and famine conditions across large parts of the country.

Regional spillover and humanitarian collapse

More than four million people have already fled into neighbouring Chad, South Sudan and the Central African Republic, straining humanitarian operations and heightening instability in already fragile border regions.

Inside Sudan, more than 24 million people – over 40 per cent of the population – are food insecure. Tawila, the main destination some 50kms away for those fleeing El Fasher, is already hosting hundreds of thousands displaced by earlier attacks.

“Our teams in Tawila are seeing traumatized people arriving showing shocking signs of malnutrition,” Mr. Fletcher said.

‘Blood on the sand. Blood on the hands’

Mr. Fletcher said the Council must act “with immediate and robust action” to stop atrocities, ensure safe humanitarian access, and halt flows of weapons fuelling the war.

“I urge colleagues to study the latest satellite imagery of El Fasher; blood on the sand,” he told ambassadors. “And I urge colleagues to study the world’s continued failure to stop this. Blood on the hands.”

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of UN News.

Source: APO

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President John Dramani Mahama of Ghana and French President Emmanuel Macron held extensive bilateral talks at the Élysée Palace on Thursday, discussing security cooperation, economic development, and regional stability on the sidelines of the 2025 Paris Peace Forum.

The meeting opened on a solemn note, with President Macron offering condolences for the recent passing of Ghana’s former First Lady, Nana Konadu Agyeman-Rawlings.

Both leaders praised the Paris Peace Initiative and the strengthening of relations between Ghana and France. A key focus of the talks was Ghana’s request for French assistance in combating piracy in its territorial waters. President Mahama sought support to protect Ghana’s maritime integrity from increasing piratical threats in the Gulf of Guinea.

The two leaders also discussed a French concessionary loan for Ghana’s health sector that is awaiting parliamentary approval. President Mahama asked his French counterpart to use his influence with the International Monetary Fund to secure Ghana’s access to the facility from the French Development Bank, noting Ghana’s improved debt-to-GDP ratio.

President Mahama, in his capacity as the African Union (AU) Champion of African Financial Institutions, advocated for collaboration to renegotiate loan agreements with lower interest rates for infrastructure projects.

He emphasised Ghana’s role as home to the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) secretariat and the need for enhanced road infrastructure to facilitate intra-African trade.

The Mahama highlighted Ghana’s ambitious one-million-coders programme, which has already registered 200,000 students. He requested French support to train additional French language teachers to improve language education in Ghanaian schools.

President Macron noted several upcoming opportunities for collaboration, including the VivaTech Summit in Nairobi in May 2026, where Ghana could showcase its digital innovation capabilities, the African Union-European Union summit in Angola, and the June 2026 G7 summit, where France would advocate for increased support for Ghana.

President Mahama raised the subject of reparations for slavery, which Ghana is currently championing. President Macron pledged support for the initiative, noting that France had criminalised slavery, while cautioning that the reparations discussion should acknowledge the involvement of various actors beyond Western powers.

The leaders discussed the deteriorating security situation in the Sahel region, particularly terrorist incursions in Mali and other countries of the Alliance of Sahel States (AES).

President Macron commended President Mahama’s leadership in the subregion, and Ghana’s economic reforms, pledging continued French support for Ghana’s development agenda.

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

Source: APO

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The Swiss branch of the National Union of Eritrean Women (NUEW) held its 6th Congress on 25 October in the city of Bern.

Speaking at the event, Mr. Habtom Zeray, Chargé d’Affaires at the Eritrean Embassy in Switzerland and Permanent Representative of Eritrea to the Human Rights Council of the United Nations and other International Institutions, said that as a result of strong organization and awareness, Eritrean women made a significant contribution to the victory of the armed struggle for independence, the safeguarding of national sovereignty, and the successful implementation of national development programs.

Commending the role of the NUEW branch in Switzerland in national affairs, Mr. Habtom expressed confidence that the Congress would adopt resolutions that strengthen the implementation of the strategic objectives of the Eritrean diaspora.

Ms. Negisti Tsegay, Chairperson of the Union’s European branch, provided a briefing on the objectives of the Congress and the expected outcomes.

Ms. Tirhas Tewolde, Chairperson of the Union’s Swiss branch, presented a report on activities, highlighting the achievements registered and challenges encountered over the past seven years.

Participants conducted extensive discussions on the report presented and elected a new executive committee to serve a three-year term.

In related news, Mr. Teame Haile, Head of Public and Community Affairs at Eritrea’s Frankfurt Consular Office, conducted a seminar for nationals in Kaiserslautern on the objective situation in the homeland and regional developments.

Participants of the seminar expressed their resolve to strengthen participation in national affairs and contribute to the Afambo Boarding School project.

Likewise, Eritrean nationals in Germany have contributed over 44,300 Euros in support of families of martyrs.

Accordingly, national committee in Stuttgart contributed 5,879 Euros; Eritrean community in Darmstadt and environs 2,500 Euros; national committee in Munich 2,500 Euros; nationals in Cologne and environs 1,742 Euros; national committee in Wuppertal: 2,500 Euros; Eritrean community in Magdeburg 150 Euros; Eritrean community in Wiesbaden 540 Euros; Eritrean community in Kassel 1,300 Euros; national committee in Frankfurt 12,440 Euros; national committee in Düsseldorf 1,800 Euros; national committee in Wetterau District 935 Euros; national committee in Fulda: 1,910 Euros; Mr. Berhe Yohannes and Ms. Leula Seium 1,000 Euros and Orotta-Arareb life insurance association 6,565 Euros

Similarly, Eritrean nationals in the French cities of Paris, Nantes, and Lyon contributed 3,625 Euros to augment the National Martyrs Trust Fund.

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