Category: MIL-OSI

Source: APO

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Guinea-Bissau’s economy demonstrated notable resilience in 2025, according to the World Bank Group’s Guinea-Bissau Economic Update (Spring 2026), released today.

Real GDP expanded 5.8% in 2025, buoyed by a strong cashew harvest and farmgate prices that supported rural incomes and private consumption. Yet beneath this encouraging headline, the country faces mounting structural pressures — including elevated public debt, a fragile financial sector, and a private sector that is growing in employment but shrinking in productivity.

The report, titled Pathways for Unlocking Productivity-Led Private Sector Growth, examines Guinea-Bissau’s macroeconomic trajectory, fiscal and financial sector risks, and the policy agenda required to shift the economy toward a more diversified and productive growth model.

“Guinea-Bissau has shown resilient growth in 2025 — but resilience anchored in a single crop and weighed down by falling labor productivity is not a foundation for lasting prosperity. Turning today’s investment into better jobs and rising incomes for Bissau-Guinean households will require a fairer tax system, broader access to finance, and institutions that firms can rely on” said Rosa Brito, World Bank Group Resident Representative for Guinea-Bissau.

Inflation fell sharply to 0.9% in 2025, offering temporary relief to households amid continued political uncertainty. The fiscal deficit narrowed to 6.5% of GDP, though consolidation relied heavily on spending restraint rather than stronger revenue generation. Public debt stood at 75.6% of GDP — above the WAEMU ceiling. Non-performing loans surged to over 22% by mid-2025, sharply curtailing credit to small and medium enterprises (SMEs), women-led firms, and the broader private sector.

Looking ahead, GDP growth is projected to ease to 4.8% in 2026, reflecting subdued investment and lingering political uncertainty following the political transition of November 2025. Spillovers from the Middle East conflict are projected to reach Guinea-Bissau mainly through higher fuel and food import prices (each about 30% of imports) and rising freight costs that squeeze cashew export margins. Policy priorities should focus on protecting vulnerable households while safeguarding macro fiscal sustainability. Extreme poverty is expected to decline to 37.8% by 2028, though rising food and fuel prices risk slowing that progress.

Drawing on the 2025 World Bank Enterprise Survey, the report finds a striking divergence between investment and labor productivity in Guinea-Bissau’s private sector. The share of firms investing in fixed assets rose from 45.1% in 2006 to 61.2% in 2025 — yet labor productivity turned sharply negative, dropping from 6.2% to -6.8%. Firms are hiring more workers without expanding output, pointing to a pattern of low-quality job creation that leaves wages, efficiency, and living standards stagnant. Taxation, access to finance, and institutional unpredictability have emerged as the most binding constraints, while gender gaps in firm ownership and credit access further narrow the productive base of the economy.

To reverse this trend, the report calls for broadening the tax base and simplifying compliance, including scaling up digital filing and introducing a streamlined SME regime, while expanding access to finance through stronger credit systems and targeted support for SMEs and women-led firms. It also underscores the need to modernize customs to enhance predictability, sustain energy reliability and utility governance, and close the digital gap through telecom reforms and deployment of the national fiber backbone.

“Guinea-Bissau’s private sector challenge is not a lack of entrepreneurship— it is a lack of the conditions that allow firms to grow, formalize, and become more productive. Addressing firms most binding constraints in a coordinated way is what will turn investment into productivity and growth into better jobs.”, said Maria Elkhdari, Country Economist for Guinea Bissau and lead author of the report.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of The World Bank Group.

Source: APO

Africa’s Green Economy Summit (AGES) has released its first Impact Report, revealing a project pipeline exceeding US$12 billion, more than 20 deals initiated, and over US$25 million in known financing outcomes linked to projects participating in the AGES ecosystem.

Across four editions, AGES has established itself as a leading platform connecting investors, project developers, policymakers and industry leaders to accelerate green economy opportunities across Africa.

At a time when the continent faces a significant climate financing gap, the report demonstrates the importance of creating pathways between capital and credible, investment-ready projects.

“Africa does not lack innovation, ambition or opportunity. The challenge is often creating the connections that enable projects to move forward,” said Emmanuelle Nicholls, Portfolio Director at VUKA Group.

“AGES was designed to bring the right people into the same room and create the conditions for partnerships, investment and implementation. This report demonstrates that when those connections happen, real outcomes follow.”

Since its launch, AGES has welcomed more than 1,500 stakeholders from 34 countries, including over 500 investors, facilitated more than 1,500 curated meetings, and showcased over 140 projects spanning renewable energy, climate finance, carbon markets, sustainable mobility and green infrastructure.

Unlike traditional conferences, AGES focuses on creating meaningful connections between projects, investors and strategic partners, with an emphasis on outcomes rather than participation.

The Impact Report highlights a number of partnerships and growth stories enabled through the platform. Among them is the collaboration between Uber Sub-Saharan Africa and e-mobility company vALTERNATIVE Energy, which originated through introductions made at AGES and led to the launch of Uber Package, an electric last-mile delivery service creating jobs while supporting cleaner urban logistics.

The report also showcases the growth of PAM Africa’s Net Zero Village initiative, the expansion of Green Riders’ carbon-free mobility platform, and STROOM’s strategic partnership with P4G — demonstrating how targeted introductions can accelerate investment, partnerships and scale.

Looking ahead, AGES will continue to strengthen project pipelines, deepen investor engagement and support opportunities that can deliver both commercial value and sustainable impact.

As Africa’s green economy enters its next phase of growth, the challenge is no longer identifying opportunities, it is ensuring that capital, partnerships and implementation capacity can reach them.

AGES was created to help make those connections happen.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of VUKA Group.

Download the Impact Report link: https://apo-opa.co/4wsIMy7

About Africa’s Green Economy Summit (AGES): 
Africa’s Green Economy Summit is a leading deal-making platform connecting investors, policymakers, entrepreneurs and project developers working to accelerate sustainable growth across Africa. Through curated matchmaking, project showcases, investor engagement and strategic dialogue, AGES helps bridge the gap between capital and opportunity across key sectors of the green economy.

Source: APO

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The ECOWAS Commission successfully organized the first meeting of the Strategic Steering Committee (SSC) of the “ Africa Trade Competitiveness and Market Access ” (ATCMA) Program – ECOWAS component from June 17 to 19, 2026, in Banjul, The Gambia.

Funded by the European Union under the Global Gateway initiative and implemented by the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) and the International Trade Centre (ITC), the program aims to strengthen the competitiveness of regional value chains and improve market access for West African businesses.

The meeting brought together representatives from the ECOWAS Commission, the UEMOA Commission, the European Union Delegation, ECOWAS member states, Mauritania, regional private-sector organizations, and the program’s implementing agencies (UNIDO and ITC).

Participants reviewed progress made since the program’s launch on June 17, 2025, in Abuja, Nigeria; the program’s governance and coordination mechanisms; the report on the selection of priority value chains; and the six-month work plan.

Following the deliberations, the Committee adopted the terms of reference for the Strategic Steering Committee, approved the report on the selection of value chains, and validated the two priority value chains identified by the program, namely, formulated complementary foods and pharmaceuticals. The six-month work plan was also adopted, accompanied by recommendations aimed at strengthening institutional coordination, stakeholder participation, and the effectiveness of the program’s implementation.

In his opening remarks, Dr. Kalilou SYLLA, Commissioner for Economic Affairs and Agriculture, emphasized the vital importance of the program for the region, which is undergoing rapid economic and geopolitical change. He suggested clear indicators and a collective commitment so that, by the end of the project, measurable results could be demonstrated: an increase in the percentage of trade, a rise in local pharmaceutical production, and an effective reduction in customs barriers.

In conclusion, the representatives commended the progress made and reaffirmed their commitment to supporting the program’s effective implementation for the benefit of member states and the regional private sector.

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

Source: APO

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The Islamic Development Bank Institute (IsDBI) (https://IsDBInstitute.org/) successfully conducted a series of bilateral meetings with government institutions, multilateral organizations, financial regulators, academic institutions, development agencies, and industry leaders on the sidelines of the 2026 IsDB Group Annual Meetings in Baku, Azerbaijan.

The meetings reaffirmed IsDBI’s commitment to advancing Islamic economics and finance as a catalyst for sustainable development, innovation, financial inclusion, and economic transformation across Member Countries and beyond.

The engagements covered a wide spectrum of strategic themes, including Islamic finance ecosystem development, regulatory and legislative reform, capacity building, sukuk market development, Islamic social finance, digital transformation, fintech, sustainable finance, waqf innovation, and knowledge partnerships.

Among the key engagements were discussions with representatives from the Governments of Tajikistan, Libya, Maldives, Türkiye, Ethiopia, and Sierra Leone on strengthening Islamic finance ecosystems through technical assistance, regulatory enhancement, and institutional capacity development.

The Institute also met with leading international organizations and standard-setting bodies, including the Islamic Financial Services Board (IFSB), AAOIFI, the Eurasian Development Bank, and the Islamic Microfinance Development Fund (FDMI). The meetings explored avenues for collaboration in research, standards development, capacity building, and strategic initiatives aimed at broadening the global reach and impact of Islamic finance.

Several meetings focused on innovation and emerging opportunities, including discussions with Rosatom State Corporation on sustainable financing solutions and sukuk structures, Islamic Money Australia on digital Islamic banking models, and INCEIF University on Islamic social finance data, waqf tokenization, and applied research collaboration.

The Institute also explored partnerships with organizations from Brazil, Palestine, Somalia, Senegal, Djibouti, and the private sector to advance knowledge dissemination, capacity-building programs, blended Islamic finance solutions, cash waqf digitalization initiatives, and investment-related research.

Commenting on the outcomes of the engagements, the Institute’s team, led by Acting Director General, Dr. Sami Al-Suwailem, noted that the meetings reflected the growing global interest in leveraging Islamic economics and finance to address contemporary development challenges and unlock new opportunities for inclusive and sustainable growth.

The discussions generated a pipeline of follow-up initiatives, including technical assistance programs, joint research projects, capacity-building activities, policy advisory support, and collaborative knowledge-sharing platforms.

The 2026 IsDB Group Annual Meetings provided a valuable platform for strengthening existing partnerships, establishing new strategic relationships, and advancing the Institute’s mission of promoting innovative, impactful, and development-oriented Islamic economics and finance solutions worldwide.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Islamic Development Bank Institute (IsDBI).

Source: APO

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At a time when conflict and instability are driving new displacement across the region, Ethiopia is showing that refugee protection and inclusion can go hand in hand, UN High Commissioner for Refugees Barham Salih said at the end of his first official visit to the country.

“Ethiopia is demonstrating what becomes possible when protection is matched with inclusion and opportunity – not only for refugees, but also for the communities that welcome them,” Salih said. “This leadership deserves greater international support, investment and responsibility-sharing.”

During the five-day mission, from 18 to 22 June, Salih marked World Refugee Day with refugees and host communities, and held high-level discussions with the Government of Ethiopia, the African Union, UN partners, donors and the private sector. While in Addis Ababa, he also presided over an important tripartite meeting with the governments of Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo on safe, voluntary and sustainable repatriation of refugees.

Ethiopia is one of Africa’s largest refugee-hosting countries, home to over 1.1 million refugees and asylum-seekers. Despite economic pressures, climate shocks and regional instability, the country continues to offer safety to people fleeing conflict, violence and persecution.

A key moment of the visit was the launch of the Makatet Roadmap, a national framework to include refugees in national systems and services. It aims to move beyond short-term aid by providing access to documentation, education, health care, jobs, and local services – benefiting refugees and host communities alike. The High Commissioner said the initiative was closely aligned with UNHCR’s “50 by 35” vision to reduce the number of refugees in protracted situations and dependent on humanitarian assistance by half over the next 10 years through greater inclusion, self-reliance and lasting solutions.

“The Makatet Roadmap is exactly the kind of practical, nationally-led approach the world needs more of,” Salih said. “It recognizes that refugees need more than safety; they need the chance to learn, work and rebuild their lives.”

The High Commissioner spent World Refugee Day in Ura settlement in Benishangul-Gumuz, near Sudan. He met some of the 45,000 families who have arrived from Sudan since the devastating conflict started in 2023. In Ura, newly arrived Sudanese refugees live alongside host communities and access shared services, including schools and health care, highlighting Ethiopia’s “solutions from the start” approach, which brings long-term development into emergency response as soon as refugees arrive.

Salih engaged with refugee entrepreneurs whose businesses are creating jobs, supporting families and contributing to the local economy in Ura and Addis Ababa. “The pathway is clear,” Salih said. “With the right policies and support, refugees can move from dependency to self-reliance, creating growth and opportunities for the entire community. This is Makatet in action, and a win for all.”

At Jewi camp – in Ethiopia’s Gambella region, which is home to nearly 450,000 South Sudanese refugees – the High Commissioner witnessed the impact of severe funding shortages. In recent months, thousands more from South Sudan have sought safety from renewed violence in their country, with contingencies for at least 100,000 new arrivals in Gambella this year.

“There is one doctor for 70,000 people in this camp. This is unacceptable and a moral failure,” said Salih. “Humanitarian assistance continues to save lives and needs sustained international support. We cannot afford to look away.”

UNHCR, with the Government and partners, is providing protection and life-saving assistance to those forced to flee. However, extreme funding shortfalls limit the scale and sustainability of the response.

During his visit, Salih also addressed African Union member states and underscored the inextricable link between peace and displacement and the need for stronger regional and international cooperation to address its root causes.

On his final day, Salih presided over a High-Level Ministerial Tripartite Meeting between the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the Republic of Rwanda and UNHCR, where he reaffirmed UNHCR’s commitment to working with both governments to support voluntary and safe repatriation as part of the peace process. The parties signed a joint communiqué to strengthen support for voluntary returns when conditions allow and for the reintegration of refugees who choose to return.

“Displacement is only one chapter of a life. Refugees should not spend decades waiting in limbo,” Salih added. “What I’ve seen over the past week in Ethiopia shows that with investment, support and political will, durable solutions for refugees can move from aspiration to reality.”

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).