Category: MIL-OSI

Source: APO

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Hanna Tetteh, the Special Representative of the Secretary-General, said that while some progress has been made toward implementing a UN-backed political roadmap, divisions between the House of Representatives and the High Council of State continue to block key steps needed ahead of long-awaited national elections.

“The two institutions have yet to achieve this objective,” Ms. Tetteh told ambassadors in the Security Council.

“They have not yet discussed jointly the constitutional and legal framework for elections. Achieving political consensus on these matters will be challenging … [but] Libya cannot afford continued delays or disruptions.”

Lack of political will

The roadmap’s first milestone – reconstituting the full Board of Commissioners of the High National Elections Commission – remains incomplete.

Disagreements persist over whether to replace all seven members or fill only the vacant posts – a debate that Ms. Tetteh said reflects “a broader lack of political will.”

She urged Libyan leaders to “engage constructively” to complete the initial milestones, adding that if no agreement is reached, the UN Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) will “pursue another approach” and seek the Council’s backing to ensure the roadmap advances.

Inclusive process vital

In parallel, UNSMIL is preparing to launch national dialogue sessions in November, aimed at bringing together broader segments of Libyan society – including civil society, youth and women’s representatives – to help shape an inclusive political process.

It will cover governance, security, the economy, and human rights.

Ms. Tetteh also reported a reduction in tensions across the capital Tripoli following mediation between the Government of National Unity (GNU) and the so-called Deterrence Apparatus for Combating Organized Crime and Terrorism (DACOT), crediting local actors and Türkiye’s intervention.

“A stable security environment is critical for stability and for political progress,” she said.

Corruption and oversight

On governance, she raised concern about corruption and weak oversight, noting the Central Bank’s discovery of billions of dinars in unregistered currency.

She welcomed Libya’s newly launched national plan for combating corruption, calling it “an important step forward” but one that would require “political will to advance transparency and accountability.”

The top UN official underscored the Libyan people’s desire for legitimate, unified institutions.

“They deserve political stability and long-term peace,” she said. “UNSMIL is committed to supporting them.”

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of UN News.

Source: APO

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Moroccan authorities have cracked down on youth-led protests demanding sweeping reforms to public services, resulting in deaths and mass arrests, Human Rights Watch said today. The authorities should heed protesters’ calls and fulfil the rights to health care and education, respect the right to peaceful protest, and investigate the use of lethal force by the Royal Gendarmerie and other alleged widespread abuses against protesters by public security forces.

Nationwide protests erupted on September 27, 2025, after the youth movement GenZ212 urged Moroccans to peacefully take to the streets and demand increased spending for public health care and education systems and an end to corruption. They criticized public spending on mega-sporting events the country is set to host, such as the 2030 FIFA World Cup. Some protesters also reportedly damaged private and public property. Police and Royal Gendarmerie responded by banning protests and forcibly dispersing protesters, including with lethal force, killing three people and injuring dozens. They reportedly arrested nearly 1,000 people and brought criminal cases against at least 270 protesters including 39 children, who remain detained. Some courts have sentenced protesters to prison terms and fines.

“Morocco’s youth are voicing their dissent over the state of health care and education in the country,” said Hanan Salah, associate Middle East and North Africa director at Human Rights Watch. “The government should heed protesters’ calls and replace repressive tactics with public engagement and wide-ranging reforms.”

Deficiencies in the public healthcare system, amplified by the recent deaths of several pregnant women in a public hospital in Agadir, contributed to widespread anger and fueled protests. Meanwhile, Morocco is preparing to host the December 2025 Africa Cup of Nations and co-host the 2030 FIFA World Cup, reportedly spending US$5 billion for new stadiums, sports complexes, public transportation, and accommodations. 

Largely peaceful protests kicked off on September 27 in at least 11 cities and towns, including in Rabat, Casablanca, Tangier, Salé, Agadir, Marrakesh, Sidi Eltaibi, and Inezgane. 

Human Rights Watch geolocated a video posted to social media on October 1 that shows a dark-colored security forces van driving into protesters in a roundabout in Oujda on the night of September 30, before driving away. Another video posted to social media on October 1 and geolocated by researchers shows a dark-colored security forces van drive into a group of protesters roughly 350 meters from the roundabout in Oujda, crushing a man against a wall before backing up and driving away. According to news reports, security forces’ car ramming incidents injured at least two people in Oujda that night, including 17-year-old Wassim Eltaibi, whose mother told reporters he required urgent medical care, and 19-year-old Amine Boussaada, whose father said his left leg had been amputated.

On October 1, the Royal Gendarmerie used lethal force to quell protests that turned violent in front of a gendarmerie post in Lqliâa, in Agadir, reportedly killing three men and injuring others, including a child. Those reportedly killed include Abdessamade Oubalat, a 22-year-old cinematography student, and a 25-year-old man. In a televised statement on October 2, an interior ministry spokesperson sought to justify the use of lethal force, saying that protesters had used stones and allegedly used knives as weapons. He said forces first used tear gas to disperse crowds and then used their firearms “in self-defense.” 

Human Rights Watch analyzed and geolocated a series of videos shared on social media on October 2 showing the events in Lqliâa. 

CCTV video footage filmed outside the gendarmerie post and time-stamped at 9:28 p.m. showed dozens of protesters throwing large rocks, breaking down the front gate, and setting fires. The video shared online shows clips of CCTV video edited together. A uniformed man inside the post fires a weapon toward protesters, time-stamped at 9:34pm. 

The footage also shows tear gas being used outside a minute later, but Human Rights Watch could not conclusively determine whether authorities used tear gas before lethal force, as they claimed. One video showed a gravely wounded, or possibly dead, man lying approximately 70 meters from the entrance with a bloody wound on his back, but Human Rights Watch could not conclusively determine whether he had been shot in the back.

Moroccan authorities should urgently conduct a transparent investigation into the events in Lqliâa and the reported killing of three men and hold accountable any members of the gendarmerie found responsible for wrongdoing, Human Rights Watch said. 

Nationwide protests on October 1 also resulted in the injury of 354 people, including 326 public security personnel, and damage to 271 of their vehicles and 175 private vehicles, according to an interior ministry spokesperson. 

On October 2, violent clashes broke out in Marrakesh between police and protesters, who reportedly damaged three bank branches. The authorities arrested scores of people.

Prosecutions against protestors are ongoing. On October 4, the Agadir Court of First Instance reportedly sentenced a man to four years in prison and a fine of 50,000 dirhams (around US$5,400) for “inciting minor offenses and crimes via social media.” On October 8, the Agadir Court of Appeal reportedly sentenced a man to 10 years in prison for his alleged role in destroying public property during the Lqliâa events, and for alleged violence against security forces. On October 9, the Silla Court of Appeal reportedly sentenced several defendants to up to 20 years in prison for alleged “acts of vandalism.”

The GenZ212 protests follow Gen-Z protests that gripped Madagascar, Indonesia, Kenya, Nepal, Peru, and the Philippines. Their calls mirrored long-standing grievances as one-third of Morocco’s youth face unemployment, as well as a poor quality public education system, health services, and social safety net. 

In 2022, Morocco’s public spending on health care amounted to only 2.3 percent of its GDP, less than half of the international benchmark of at least 5 percent, according to data from the World Health Organization. Morocco also made clear commitments under the 2001 Abuja Declaration to spend at least 15 percent of its national budget to promote health, but spent less than half of that in 2022. Morocco’s 2021 Framework Law on the Social Protection System sought to close social protection gaps, yet around half of the country’s 38 million population lack healthcare coverage. 

Public spending on education in Morocco, excluding the Western Sahara territory it occupies, reached 6 percent of its GDP in 2023, within the globally recommended public spending benchmark on education. However, fewer than 20 percent of adolescents achieved minimum reading and math skills in 2022, and adult and youth literacy rates lagged at 77 percent as of 2022.

In a speech on October 10, Morocco’s King Mohamed VI, said that “creating jobs for young people, and the concrete improvement of the education and health sectors,” were priorities, but did not address the youth protests or what measures the government would take to achieve these goals. 

Morocco should adopt a human rights approach that emphasizes the equitable distribution of resources to realize rights like universal access to quality health care, education, and social security, under international human rights law, and ensure that people are paid a living wage, Human Rights Watch said. The country’s 2011 constitution guarantees “the right to health care, social protection, education, decent housing, [and] work.” 

Under human rights law, governments, and the international financial institutions that support them, are required to respond to economic crises in ways that do everything possible to protect and advance rights. They are expected to ensure that proposed reforms, including to fiscal policy and public spending, best fulfill people’s economic, social, and cultural rights.

The International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, to which Morocco is a party, upholds the rights to freedom of expression, association, and peaceful assembly. Any law enforcement response to protests must meet international standards. The United Nations Basic Principles on the Use of Force and Firearms by Law Enforcement Officials state that security forces should apply nonviolent means before resorting to the use of force. Where it is required for a legitimate law enforcement purpose during an assembly, only the minimum force necessary may be used. Intentional lethal use of firearms may only be made when strictly unavoidable in order to protect life. 

“Young people in Morocco are making very clear-cut demands for better health care, better education, and an end to corruption,” Salah said. “If the government can fund state-of-the art football stadiums, it can afford to fund its healthcare system, and those calling for a fair chance for their future should not be met with lethal force and repression.”

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Human Rights Watch (HRW).

Source: APO

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Africans and people of African descent whose lives continue to be shaped by the discriminatory legacies of the transatlantic slave trade and colonialism must receive reparatory justice, Amnesty International said ahead of the Wakati Wetu Festival, due to take place from 22-23 October in Nairobi, Kenya.

The festival, for which Amnesty International is a partner, is the first of its kind in Africa. Wakati Wetu (which means ‘our time’ in Swahili) will see hundreds of people including artists, musicians, policymakers, philanthropists, activists and cultural educators join forces to discuss historical injustices, the ongoing impact of the slave trade and colonialism and to imagine what reparatory justice involves.

Rym Khadhraoui, Amnesty International’s Racial Justice Advisor, said:

“We often think about colonialism as something that’s finished, but we are still living in its long shadow. Across the world, people are still suffering the long-lasting effects of colonialism and struggling to get the reparations they deserve from governments.

“With many European leaders still refusing to acknowledge their responsibility to redress the persisting effects of slavery and colonialism in today’s world, the Wakati Wetu Festival provides an opportunity to come together and discuss ways to achieve justice and reparations. Reparation involves not only justice for the historic wrongs of slavery, the slave trade and colonialism, it requires dismantling contemporary systems and structures of racial discrimination and inequality. With so many incredible activists set to speak and perform, we hope to forge a path forward for those who are still awaiting justice.”

The festival coincides with the African Union’s (AU) theme of the year, recently extended to a decade, which calls for justice for Africans and people of African descent through reparations. During the two-day festival, the organizers, led by African Futures Lab, Baraza Media Lab, Reform Initiatives and Deep South Solidarity Fund, will hold sessions and artistic performances on why reparations in Africa are necessary and possible, and how civil society can help. Discussions will focus on past and present injustices; the use of litigation to achieve reparations; the role of media in shifting narratives around colonial injustices; as well as land restitution and tax justice to tackle inequalities.

The line-up of speakers and performers at the festival include award winning writer and poet, Yvonne Adhiambo Owuor, Kenyan human rights activist, Beatrice Waithera Maina, prominent Kenyan singer and songwriter Eric Wainaina and activist Naira Leite who will be spearheading the ‘One million women’s march’ in Brazil on 25 November as well as many more.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Amnesty International.

Source: APO

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About fifty Programme Officers and Assistants of the Commission of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) have been equipped with knowledge and tools on results-based project and programme management, as well as monitoring and evaluation.

This follows a five-day training which began on Monday, 13th October 2025, at Zuma Rock in Niger State, Nigeria. The training is organized by the Human Resources Directorate of the Internal Services Department of the Commission.

In his opening remarks delivered via video, the Commissioner of the Department, Prof. Nazifi Abdullahi Darma, reiterated that the objective of the training is to equip participants with the skills and tools necessary to plan, implement, monitor and evaluate projects and programmes, with the ultimate goal of achieving measurable results.

Supervised by Mrs. Kete Gillis-Harry, Principal Career Management Officer at the ECOWAS Commission, this training is deemed necessary to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of the Organization’s projects and programmes and to ensure their positive impact for the benefit of West African citizens.

The training will conclude on Friday, 17th October 2025, and will enable participants to become familiar with concepts such as the fundamental principles and best practices of project and programme management, results-based planning, with a particular focus on techniques for setting clear and measurable objectives in project and programme management.

It will also provide participants with an opportunity to gain a deeper understanding of the monitoring and evaluation of these projects and programmes, particularly the methods and tools for their monitoring, performance indicators and results evaluation, data collection and analysis techniques, as well as stakeholder identification and engagement.

After the opening session, each participant was invited to share their objectives and express their expectations regarding the training, in other words, what they hope to gain, learn or improve through it.

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

Source: APO

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Bana Harinet Secondary School in Dekemhare, Southern Region, has recognized 48 outstanding students who scored high marks in the 2024/2025 national school leaving examination. The awardees are members of the 37th round of the National Service.

Mr. Asmerom Tadese, Director of the School, said that the awardees were students who scored between 3 and 4 GPA. He also urged them to work hard in their college education and become competitive students.

He further indicated that out of the 224 students who sat for the national school leaving examination, 113 scored grades qualifying them for degree and diploma programs, while 13 students scored a straight 4 GPA.

Mr. Hibtizgi Kidane, head of the Education Office in the Southern Region, said that the award was the result of the strong effort of the students themselves as well as the support of their parents and teachers. He also congratulated the awardees and their parents.

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

Source: APO

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A meeting aimed at strengthening the organizational capacity and contribution of youth workers in the set-out development programs was conducted in the port city of Assab.

At the meeting, in which youth workers from various Government institutions took part, Mr. Osman Abdulkadir, head of the National Union of Eritrean Youth and Students in the Southern Red Sea Region, gave a briefing focusing on enhancing productivity.

Noting the significant role of youth workers in the implementation of programs at their respective workplaces, Mr. Osman called on the participants to apply their knowledge and energy toward the execution of development programs.

Mr. Osman also highlighted the importance of organizing forums through which youth workers can share experiences with one another and expressed readiness to play due part in the effort.

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

Source: APO

A new chapter in African art history opened this week at Tate Modern, London, with the unveiling of Nigerian Modernism, a landmark exhibition made possible through a partnership with Access Holdings Plc (https://AccessHoldingsPLC.com) and Coronation Group. The exhibition, which officially began with an opening reception at Tate Modern, celebrates Nigeria’s pivotal contribution to global modern art and runs from October 2025 to May 2026.

Bringing together 50 artists and 250 works, Nigerian Modernism traces the evolution of Nigeria’s modern art movement from the 1940s to the 1980s, spanning the late colonial era through independence, and showcases paintings, sculptures, ceramics, textiles and poetry that helped shape global perceptions of African creativity.

Among the works on display are seven wooden sculptures by Ben Enwonwu, commissioned in 1960 for the Daily Mirror in London and now part of the Access Holdings Art Collection. Once symbols of a newly independent nation asserting its identity, these sculptures return to the UK as powerful emblems of cultural heritage and reclamation, owned, curated, and championed by Nigerians.

This partnership between Access Holdings, Coronation Group and Tate Modern, reflects a shared commitment to celebrating Africa’s creative excellence and ensuring that Nigerian modernists such as Ben Enwonwu, Uzo Egonu, and Ladi Kwali take their rightful place in the global art narrative.

“This collaboration is a statement of confidence in Africa’s creative excellence,” said Aigboje Aig-Imoukhuede, CFR, Chairman of Access Holdings and Coronation Group. “We see culture as both legacy and opportunity, a way to strengthen our identity, empower future generations, and place African narratives at the heart of global conversations.”

“Seeing our Nigerian art on the walls of Tate Modern filled me with indescribable pride. It felt like home had travelled, like Nigeria itself was being celebrated in the heart of London, and the world bore witness,” said Amaechi Okobi, Chief Communications Officer, Access Holdings.

Beyond the exhibition, both organisations are extending their cultural impact through educational programming and youth engagement initiatives. Access Holdings and Coronation Group also sponsored a student tour at Tate Modern, giving young Africans in the UK the opportunity to engage directly with their country’s artistic heritage, while fostering cultural exchange and creative learning.

Ngozi Akinyele, Chief Marketing and Communications Officer at Coronation Group, commented: “The opening of Nigerian Modernism was the largest in Tate’s 25-year history. That signals the scale and significance of our partnership with Tate. We are stewarding a renaissance in African art, just as we have seen in music, film, and fashion, a renaissance that is restoring dignity and belonging for a generation that must carry our story forward.”

Access Holdings continues to demonstrate leadership in supporting the creative ecosystem through its corporate art collection, which houses seminal works by Nigerian modernists, and through its support of cultural education programmes that promote heritage appreciation and artistic development among young people.

Coronation Group, through its Coronation Art Galleries, continues to promote the appreciation of modern and contemporary African art and contribute to the preservation of Benin Bronzes in partnership with national institutions.

Together, Access Holdings and Coronation Group exemplify how modern finance and modern art intersect to drive a shared vision.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Access Holdings PLC.

Source: APO – Report:

The Africa Trade Gateway (ATG), a pioneering digital trade ecosystem designed to revolutionize Africa’s trade, has launched an initiative for national adoption awareness in Rwanda, marking a significant milestone in the continent’s economic integration journey. 

A collaboration between African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) and the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) Secretariat, the ATG is a one-stop digital  trade ecosystem designed to make AfCFTA work in practice by  enabling businesses to find trusted partners, secure financing, complete cross-border payments, and access new markets with confidence. It connects buyers, sellers, financial institutions, and logistics providers across Africa. By providing a seamless and efficient continental digital infrastructure, businesses can conduct trade to scale trade activities – hence increase Intra-African trade, promote trade and economic integration, and create jobs. 

The Government of Rwanda, a key partner in its local implementation, rallied private sector players to embrace digital trade, terming it as ‘a huge leap in trade liberalisation that will achieve the promise of the AfCFTA.

“The Africa Trade Gateway represents more than technology; it symbolizes Africa’s readiness to define its own digital destiny. As we deepen our integration under the AfCFTA, let us ensure that digital trade becomes a cornerstone of industrialisation, inclusion, and resilience. Rwanda stands ready to play its part as a committed partner, a digital innovator, and a champion of continental cooperation,” said Alexis Kabayiza, Chief Technical advisor at the Ministry of Trade and Industry, Rwanda.  

The event brought together key stakeholders in trade, including senior government officials, the Private Sector Federation, Rwanda Bankers Association, banking executives, diplomats, importers and exporters, entrepreneurs, Rwandese business industry associations, and Real Sources Africa (the AfCFTA Trading Company), and representative from Afreximbank.  

Speaking during the launch, Mr. Emeka Onyia, Director of Digital Banking at Afreximbank said: “The Africa Trade Gateway is a game-changer for African trade.  It is the boldest economic project of our time — Africa’s gateway to transformation. Intra-African trade still accounts for less than 15% of our total trade which demonstrates that we simply don’t trade enough with ourselves. This is the perfect place to take the Africa Trade Gateway to the next level — from concept to community, from potential to impact.”  

Other speakers emphasized the significance of this initiative, terming it as Africa’s one-stop digital ecosystem designed to accelerate the AfCFTA Digital Trade Protocol. “The ATG represents far more than a system — it is the gateway to Africa’s next economic era. Africa’s trade future is digital, integration is achievable, and the Africa Trade Gateway is the highway that will get us there,” stated Felix Kabara Chege, CEO Real Sources Africa.

The ATG launch in Rwanda is a significant step towards realizing the AfCFTA’s vision of a single, integrated African market. With its innovative digital solutions and collaborative approach, the ATG is poised to transform the face of African trade and contribute to the continent’s economic growth and development. 

– on behalf of Afreximbank.

Media Contact: 
Vincent Musumba 
Communications and Events Manager (Media Relations) 
Email: press@afreximbank.com

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About Afreximbank: 
African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) is a Pan-African multilateral financial institution mandated to finance and promote intra- and extra-African trade. For over 30 years, the Bank has been deploying innovative structures to deliver financing solutions that support the transformation of the structure of Africa’s trade, accelerating industrialisation and intra-regional trade, thereby boosting economic expansion in Africa. A stalwart supporter of the African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA), Afreximbank has launched a Pan-African Payment and Settlement System (PAPSS) that was adopted by the African Union (AU) as the payment and settlement platform to underpin the implementation of the AfCFTA. Working with the AfCFTA Secretariat and the AU, the Bank has set up a US$10 billion Adjustment Fund to support countries effectively participating in the AfCFTA. At the end of December 2024, Afreximbank’s total assets and contingencies stood at over US$40.1 billion, and its shareholder funds amounted to US$7.2 billion. Afreximbank has investment grade ratings assigned by GCR (international scale) (A), Moody’s (Baa2), China Chengxin International Credit Rating Co., Ltd (CCXI) (AAA), Japan Credit Rating Agency (JCR) (A-) and Fitch (BBB-). Afreximbank has evolved into a group entity comprising the Bank, its equity impact fund subsidiary called the Fund for Export Development Africa (FEDA), and its insurance management subsidiary, AfrexInsure (together, “the Group”). The Bank is headquartered in Cairo, Egypt. 

For more information, visit: www.Afreximbank.com