Category: MIL-OSI

Source: APO – Report:

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The Chairperson of the African Union Commission, H.E. Mahmoud Ali Youssouf, extends his warmest congratulations to the Government and people of the Republic of Uganda on the occasion of the anniversary of their independence.

This auspicious occasion is a moment to honour the sacrifices of the Ugandan people in their struggle for freedom and sovereignty, and to reflect on the nation’s remarkable journey since attaining independence. Uganda has played an important role in advancing African solidarity, peacekeeping, and regional integration, in line with the ideals of Pan-Africanism and the vision of Agenda 2063: The Africa We Want.

The African Union applauds Uganda’s contributions to regional stability, continental initiatives, and its commitment to the principles of unity, democracy, and sustainable development. The celebration of this Independence Day is not only a national milestone, but also a reaffirmation of Africa’s collective aspiration for peace, prosperity, and shared progress.

May Uganda continue to shine as a beacon of Africa’s resilience and promise. Let us all draw inspiration from its journey as we collectively strive for a peaceful, prosperous, and integrated continent.

Happy Independence Day!

– on behalf of African Union (AU).

Source: APO – Report:

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The African Union Commission’s Women, Gender and Youth Directorate (AUC-WGYD) successfully concluded its inaugural Annual Gender and Youth Mainstreaming Focal Persons (GYFP) Meeting, held from 7-8 October 2025 at the AUC Headquarters in Addis Ababa. The hybrid meeting convened designated GYFPs from across AUC Departments/Directorates, AU Organs, Institutions, and Offices, marking a crucial step towards strengthening institutional coordination and accelerating gender equality and youth empowerment across the Union.

The two-day meeting served as a critical platform to build the technical capacity of Focal Persons to effectively integrate gender and youth perspectives into all phases of policy formulation, programme implementation, and monitoring and evaluation across their respective areas of work.

In her opening remarks, on behalf of Ms. Prudence Ngwenya, Director of Women, Gender and Youth Directorate (WGYD),  Dr. Jeanne Flora Kayitesi, Acting Head of the Women and Gender Policy and Development Division, underscored the need for a coordinated institutional approach, noting that these efforts are firmly anchored in continental policy frameworks.

“To achieve the aspirations of Agenda 2063: The Africa We Want, particularly Aspiration 6 on an Africa whose development is people-driven, we must ensure that gender and youth mainstreaming is not an add-on, but a core component of our institutional DNA,” Dr. Kayitesi stated. “This commitment is guided by instruments such as the Maputo Protocol, the Solemn Declaration on Gender Equality in Africa, the African Youth Charter, the AU Strategy on Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment (GEWE) , and the African Plan of Action for Youth Empowerment (APAYE).”

Key discussions during the meeting focused on:

1. Policy Frameworks and AU Commitments: Reviewing the alignment of departmental work with the AU’s existing gender and youth frameworks and structures.
2. Implementation Capacity: Providing technical guidance on mainstreaming tools, including the introduction of the AU Gender and Youth Mainstreaming Scorecard for departmental performance tracking.
3. Coordination and Synergy: Defining a structured coordination mechanism between WGYD and the Focal Persons to align ongoing initiatives and enhance inter-departmental synergy.
4. Roadmap Development: Drafting a comprehensive roadmap for the Focal Persons’ reporting process, crucial for contributing input towards the annual AU Chairperson’s Report on Gender and Youth Mainstreaming.

The meeting directly addressed existing gaps in coordination, implementation, and monitoring, laying the groundwork for the forthcoming AU Gender and Youth Mainstreaming Strategy.

The AUC-WGYD reaffirms its dedication to working collaboratively with everybody to ensure that the AU achieves its targets, including the institutional commitment to achieve 50 percent women (50%) and 35 percent youth (35%) representation in the AU workforce.

– on behalf of African Union (AU).

Source: APO – Report:

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In response to the growing mental health needs triggered by public health emergencies or natural disasters in the African region, World Health Organization (WHO) is working closely with countries to integrate mental health and psychosocial support into every stage of emergency response, aiming to have at least 80% of countries with functional mental health and psychosocial support systems by 2030.

In the African region, access to mental health services during emergencies remains critically low. Between 2020 and 2025, only 11 of the 47 countries incorporated MHPSS into their national disaster preparedness and risk reduction plans. Just five countries have implemented comprehensive mental health services at the primary care level, and only 10 have dedicated budget lines for mental health. Government spending remains below US$0.50 per capita—far short of what is needed to meet rising demand and build resilient systems.

Africa records over 100 major public health events annually, including outbreaks of Ebola, cholera, measles, and armed conflict. These emergencies not only strain fragile health systems but also trigger widespread psychological distress. WHO estimates that one in five people affected by emergencies will develop a mental health condition. Without timely support, these conditions can deepen suffering and hinder recovery.

“Emergencies don’t just threaten physical health—they leave lasting scars on mental well-being,” said Dr Mohamed Janabi, WHO Regional Director for Africa. “We must ensure that mental health services are available before, during, and after disasters, as these services are a lifeline.”

Efforts are being made to scale up mental health services through training, system strengthening, and community engagement. In Ethiopia, for example, in response to the humanitarian crisis in the north, 1 230 general health workers were trained using the Mental Health Gap Action Programme (mhGAP) Humanitarian Implementation Guide. This led to a consistent increase in mental health service uptake in the Afar, Amhara, and Tigray regions within six months of the training.

During the 2023 Marburg outbreak in Tanzania, 72 social welfare officers were trained to provide emergency mental health support, reaching over 1 400 people with counseling and care. In Chad, mental health and psychosocial support is a core pillar of emergency preparedness, benefiting more than 19 000 people as of March 2025.

These examples offer a blueprint for scaling up access and building mental health resilience across the continent.

WHO continues to work closely with governments, partners and communities to ensure that mental health is prioritized—not just in times of crisis, but as a cornerstone of health and well-being for all.

“Access to mental health care is a matter of dignity, resilience, and recovery,” says Dr Janabi. “We are committed to helping countries build systems that protect mental well-being and leave no one behind.”

– on behalf of WHO Regional Office for Africa.

Source: APO – Report:

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Nearly 150 million people in Africa are living with mental health conditions, with limited access to decentralized and integrated care, highlighting the region’s mental health challenges, a new mental health dashboard launched today by the World Health Organization (WHO) Regional Office for Africa shows.

Mental health conditions such as depression, anxiety, and substance use disorders are widespread in Africa, affecting individuals in every country and community. Despite growing recognition of mental health as a public health priority, services remain severely under-resourced, fragmented and inaccessible, particularly in rural and underserved areas.

Suicide is also a major concern, with a regional age-standardized suicide rate of 11.5 per 100 000 population. Alcohol consumption rates exceed 10 liters per capita in some countries, further exacerbating mental health risks.

Despite the scale of the challenge, the dashboard shows that mental health systems remain under-resourced, with only nine countries in the region having dedicated mental health budget lines. Access to care is limited, with many countries lacking national mental health policies and trained professionals. 

The dashboard—launched on World Mental Health Day which is being marked this year under the theme “Strengthening Mental Health Systems before, during and after disasters and emergencies”— allows users to monitor mental health sustainable development goal indicators, assess country alignment with regional frameworks and explore country-specific profiles on mental health systems and resources.

The WHO Africa Mental Health Dashboard, accessible via WHO AFRO Mental Health Dashboard, consolidates key indicators into a single, interactive platform that enables users to track progress, identify gaps and align national efforts with regional and global targets. It is designed to support ministries of health, policymakers, WHO staff, technical partners and the public in making informed decisions and driving action. The dashboard features an AI-powered chatbot that simplifies complex insights for users, making the data more accessible.

This initiative is part of WHO Africa’s broader commitment to strengthening data-driven health systems and promoting equitable access to care. By providing a one-stop shop for mental health data, WHO is helping build a healthier, more resilient future for Africa’s 1 billion people. 

– on behalf of WHO Regional Office for Africa.