Category: MIL-OSI

Source: APO – Report:

Africa Finance Corporation (AFC) (www.AfricaFC.org), the continent’s leading infrastructure solutions provider, today announced the inauguration of the expanded Cabeolica Wind Farm and Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) in Cabo Verde- an achievement made possible through AFC’s catalytic €55million bridge financing provided in 2024. The ceremony, officiated by Prime Minister Ulisses Correia e Silva, marks a major step forward in the country’s renewable energy ambitions.

AFC’s early financing enabled rapid implementation, bringing the expansion and BESS online sooner to enhance grid stability, support renewable integration, and advance Cabo Verde’s emissions-reduction and energy-security objectives. The expansion delivers 13.5 MW of new wind capacity on Santiago alongside 26 MWh of battery storage across four islands, significantly enhancing the stability and resilience of Cabo Verde’s national grid. The BESS is already contributing to improved frequency regulation and higher renewable penetration, reducing curtailment and strengthening energy security across the archipelago.

Since 2010, AFC has been a majority investor in Cabeolica S.A, supporting its evolution into one of Cabo Verde’s strongest corporate institutions and the first commercial-scale renewable PPP in sub-Saharan Africa. Over the past decade, the company’s 25.5MW wind farms across four islands have generated more than 800,000 MWh of affordable electricity, contributing approximately 25% of the country’s total power generation while offsetting over 560,000 tonnes of CO₂ emissions. With this new phase, Cabeolica further consolidates its role as a cornerstone of the country’s clean-energy system.

The newly inaugurated BESS, expected to reach nearly 30 MW of storage capacity upon final completion in January 2026, marks a significant advancement in stabilising Cabo Verde’s grid, allowing greater integration of intermittent renewables and reducing dependency on imported fossil fuels. AFC’s bridge financing was pivotal in fast-tracking construction activities and ensuring alignment with the Government’s clean-energy delivery timelines, while long-term financing from senior lenders, including the African Development Bank and the European Investment Bank, is being finalised.

“From the early days of the Cabeolica project to this milestone inauguration, AFC’s mission has remained unwavering: to catalyse renewable energy solutions that enhance the reliability and resilience of power systems across Africa,” said Samaila Zubairu, President & CEO of Africa Finance Corporation. “Our innovative financing accelerated this expansion, and the successful integration of new wind capacity with one of the continent’s most advanced grid-stabilising battery storage systems stands as a clear testament to AFC’s position as Africa’s leading infrastructure solutions provider,” he added.

Ayotunde Anjorin, Chairman of Cabeólica and Chief Financial Officer of AFC said: “As the first renewable energy commercial scale PPP in sub-Saharan Africa, Cabeólica is again proud to partner with AFC to lead this transformative expansion project comprising additional wind capacity and battery energy storage. This project underscores the Cabeólica’s deep commitment to delivering reliable, clean energy infrastructure in line with national goals and priorities and continues to set a replicable model for the region.”

AFC is committed to accelerating Africa’s energy transition, by deploying capital, expertise, and innovative solutions that strengthen grids, enhance energy security, and drive climate-resilient growth across the continent. Most recently, the Corporation’s portfolio company, Infinity Power, Africa’s largest independent renewable energy provider, reached financial close on the 200MW Ras Ghareb Wind Farm in Egypt, which will power over 300,000 homes.

– on behalf of Africa Finance Corporation (AFC).

Media Enquiries:
Yewande Thorpe
Communications
Africa Finance Corporation
Mobile: +234 1 279 9654
Email: yewande.thorpe@africafc.org

About AFC:
AFC was established in 2007 to be the catalyst for pragmatic infrastructure and industrial investments across Africa. AFC’s approach combines specialist industry expertise with a focus on financial and technical advisory, project structuring, project development, and risk capital to address Africa’s infrastructure development needs and drive sustainable economic growth.

Eighteen years on, AFC has developed a track record as the partner of choice in Africa for investing and delivering on instrumental, high-quality infrastructure assets that provide essential services in the core infrastructure sectors of power, natural resources, heavy industry, transport, and telecommunications. AFC has 47 member countries and has invested over US$17 billion in 36 African countries since its inception.

www.AfricaFC.org

Source: APO – Report:

Vestergaard Sàrl (www.Vestergaard.com) and Harvestfield Industries Limited today marked a historic milestone with the ground-breaking of a first-of-its-kind joint venture to transform malaria prevention and strengthen health security through direct investment in mosquito net manufacturing in Nigeria. The new joint venture, named SNG Health, will manufacture PermaNet® Dual, Vestergaard’s latest, dual active-ingredient pyrethroid-chlorfenapyr net designed to combat insecticide resistance. Production at the state-of-the-art facility is scheduled to begin in April 2026, with at-scale annual capacity of 10 million nets, creating 600 skilled jobs.

The ground-breaking ceremony took place at the site in Ogun State, with contributions from Dr Abdu Mukhtar, National Coordinator of the President’s Value Chain Initiative (PVAC); Dr Godwin Ntadom, Director of Public Health at the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare; Dr Nnenna Ogbulafor, Director and National Coordinator of the National Malaria Elimination Programme; Ms Cornelia Camenzind, Consul General, Consulate General of Switzerland in Lagos, Nigeria; and Mr Onoriode Ezire, Task Team Leader, World Bank Nigeria.

Dr Abdu Mukhtar, National Coordinator of PVAC, said: “Nigeria is signalling that we are ready to lead the next frontier of malaria control in West Africa. This facility is a direct outcome of the Federal Government’s commitment to industrialize our health sector and anchor critical health products within the country. Every mosquito net produced here represents a Nigerian job, a Nigerian skill strengthened, and value created within our economy. This joint venture between Vestergaard and Harvestfield shows what responsible, future-focused partnership looks like. Today’s ground-breaking reaffirms our determination to ensure that lifesaving tools like PermaNet Dual are manufactured at scale, to global standards, and with long-term sustainability built into the system.”

Nigeria shoulders the world’s highest malaria burden, accounting for a quarter of all global cases and tragically, two out of every five children lost to malaria are Nigerian. While these are daunting statistics, new evidence from the Malaria Atlas Project shows we know what works: insecticide-treated nets have been instrumental in the fight against malaria, responsible for 72% of all malaria cases prevented (https://apo-opa.co/3KjuMEr) globally between 2000 and 2024. Notably, dual active-ingredient nets including PermaNet Dual have alone stopped 40 million cases from 2019 to 2024. These findings underscore that, though the challenge is immense, scaling up access to these proven, life-saving tools can unlock progress towards both national and global malaria control targets.

In March 2024, Nigeria signed the Yaoundé Declaration, pledging that “no one should die from malaria given the tools and systems available.” Today’s ground-breaking ceremony turns that pledge into action, building on the momentum from the memorandum of understanding (https://apo-opa.co/3KjuNbt) that was signed between the Nigerian Ministry of Health and Vestergaard last year, and turning technological advancements into tangible progress for a malaria-free generation.

Amar Ali, CEO of Vestergaard, said: “This facility embodies Vestergaard’s commitment to long-term partnership with Nigeria, demonstrating that private sector leadership can drive lasting impact. By directly investing in local production of PermaNet Dual—and putting our brand’s reputation behind this venture—we are not only delivering world-class innovation, but also ensuring families across Nigeria have quality protection against malaria. We believe that responsible enterprise must support African leadership in health by investing in local systems, training professionals and strengthening the capacity needed for countries to have the autonomy to protect the health of their own people.”

Martins Awofisayo, CEO of Harvestfield Industries, said: “Today marks an important step in strengthening Nigeria’s health security and industrial capacity. By partnering with Vestergaard to establish this facility in Nigeria, we are creating a reliable local source of world-class mosquito nets that will support malaria prevention efforts across the country. This investment is a testament to our commitment to saving lives, empowering communities, and building a sustainable manufacturing base for essential public health tools.”

Prosper Ndayiragije, Managing Director, SNG Health, said: “Today’s ground-breaking opens a new chapter of malaria control for Nigeria, underlining this country’s steadfast commitment to defeating this devastating disease. We are honoured to have the unwavering support of PVAC as we work together with Vestergaard and Harvestfield to make this initiative a reality. By manufacturing Vestergaard’s latest mosquito net innovation – PermaNet Dual – we are committed to doing our part to ensure that no Nigerian family will have to endure the burden of malaria in the future.”

– on behalf of Vestergaard Sàrl.

Media contacts:
Vestergaard
Sarah-Jane Loveday
Director of Communication & Marketing
media@vestergaard.com

Harvestfield Industries
Morenikeji Lannisa
Compliance Manager
morenikeji@harvestfield-ng.com

About Vestergaard Sàrl:
Vestergaard is a social enterprise making innovative fabrics that have life-changing impact. Our PermaNet® insecticide-treated mosquito nets are a mainstay of global malaria elimination programmes, and our agricultural products safeguard harvests and protect high-value crops. Founded in Denmark in 1957, today the company is based in Switzerland and the USA, which leads all our research and innovation. Our manufacturing and quality testing operations are located in Vietnam, and we have teams across Africa, with facilities including a vector control research laboratory in Ghana. We have been a member of the United Nations Global Compact since 2006 and a certified B Corporation since 2021.

More information: www.Vestergaard.com

About Harvestfield Industries Limited:
Harvestfield Industries Limited (HIL) focuses on the importation and distribution of agrochemicals (herbicides, insecticides, fungicides and store fumigants), provision of malaria vector control products and services to the Roll Back Malaria Programme in Nigeria, and agricultural spraying equipment used in the crop production value chain. HIL currently has offices and warehouses in 26 locations in the six geo-political zones of Nigeria, with a multi-billion naira agro-chemical formulation and manufacturing factory in Ogun State and Head Office in Lagos State.

More information: www.Harvestfield-ng.com

About SNG Health:
SNG Health is a first-of-its-kind joint venture between Vestergaard Sàrl and HarvestField Industries Limited, created to transform malaria prevention and strengthen health security through direct investment in mosquito net manufacturing in Nigeria. The state-of-the-art facility will manufacture PermaNet® Dual, Vestergaard’s flagship dual active-ingredient mosquito net designed to overcome insecticide resistance. Facilitated by the Nigerian President’s Value Chain Initiative (PVAC), SNG Health combines Vestergaard’s long-term vision for sustainable, locally anchored solutions with Harvestfield’s extensive distribution network and manufacturing excellence, setting a benchmark for quality, safety, and resilience in regional supply chains.

More information: www.SNG-Health.com

Source: APO – Report:

The TikTok (www.TikTok.com) community has spoken, and Africa has crowned its newest icons. The 2025 TikTok Awards Sub-Saharan Africa lit up Johannesburg on 6 December, marking a powerful moment in the continent’s rapidly evolving creator landscape. Under the bold theme “New Era, New Icons,” TikTok honoured the creators who are reshaping culture, storytelling, and digital influence across the region.

Guests were treated to an electrifying night of glitz, glamour, and unforgettable performances from top African talents, including Ciza, Lord Kez, Thuli P, DJ Fif_Laa and Thabsie. Popular creator and entertainer Bontle Modiselle-Moloi commanded the stage as host, bringing unstoppable energy to the awards, while Red Carpet presenters Keegan Gordon and Zayaan Noorani captured every moment of fashion and flair. South African favourite Mihlali Ndamase made a surprise appearance to present the Video of the year award, while famous sports athlete Akani Simbine presented the Sport Creator of the Year Award.

Supported by partner brands like NIVEA, inDrive, Coca-Cola, PEP and Dis-chem, the event highlighted the diversity of the region’s creator landscape. Winners crowned hailed from Nigeria, South Africa, Kenya, Ghana, and Tanzania, reflecting TikTok’s commitment to elevating the voices shaping entertainment, education, and social impact across the continent.

Reflecting on the evening’s festivities, Boniswa Sidwaba, TikTok’s Head of Content Operations for Sub-Saharan Africa said, “Tonight’s ceremony was a gathering of the trailblazers who have redefined what it means to be a creator in Africa. From Sokoto to Nairobi, and Accra to Pretoria, we honoured the creators who turned 60-second clips into cultural movements. We are honoured to celebrate them as they amplify their voices and take their stories from Africa to the world.”

Audiences across Africa will get another chance to experience the glamour, performances, and emotional acceptance moments when the ceremony is rebroadcast exclusively on TikTok LIVE on 11 December at 20:00 SAST on the @ tiktok.africa (http://apo-opa.co/49Xn8tI) account.

And the 2025 Winners are:

Creator of the Year (Sponsored by NIVEA)

Winner: Raja’atu Muhammed Ibrahim @ diaryofanortherncook (https://apo-opa.co/48nHsTU) (Nigeria)

Taking the night’s most prestigious title, @ diaryofanortherncook (https://apo-opa.co/48nHsTU) was recognised for her mastery of visual storytelling through food with the rich sounds of northern music. Based in Sokoto, the creator has captivated a global audience by documenting Northern Nigerian cuisine with that kind of cinematic flair that draws global attention to Nigerian food.

Storyteller of the Year (Sponsored by inDrive)

Winner: Brian Nwana @ briannwana (https://apo-opa.co/4poE4hp) (Nigeria)

Based in Abuja, @ briannwana (https://apo-opa.co/4poE4hp) claimed the Storyteller of the Year award through his food content. From street interviews to compelling personal narratives woven into his food adventures, Brian has a rare gift for capturing the human experience bite by bite. His content keeps audiences hooked from the first second to the last. His Guinness World Record (https://apo-opa.co/4pUqBxI) for the most fast-food restaurants visited in 24 hours is just the latest example of his bold, inventive approach to content.

Speaking while receiving his award, Brian Nwana said, “Every single creator is a storyteller. We all tell stories that help drive the local communities, our cities, and our countries, and when we do that we change the perception that the world has about us”.

Video of the Year

Winner: Fanuel John Masamaki @ zerobrainer0 (https://apo-opa.co/4oEfLuE) (Tanzania)

Tanzanian sports creator @ zerobrainer0 (https://apo-opa.co/4oEfLuE) makes a triumphant return, winning Video of the Year after securing Sports Creator of the Year in 2024. He has become a continent-wide fan favourite thanks to his signature beige blazer and his unique, silent comedy spin on football moments.

I am truly grateful to my fans and the love I have received from Tanzanians. Thank you so much . This win was for all of us.” Said John Masamaki while receiving his award.

Rising Star of the Year

Winner: @ tunero_animations (http://apo-opa.co/4oEfMic) (Kenya)

The future of African storytelling is animated. Celebrating the next generation of talent, the Rising Star award went to Nairobi-based @ tunero_animations (http://apo-opa.co/4oEfMic), who has carved out a niche with animated characters like Bob Kichwa Ngumu, whose clever, sarcastic and stubborn traits resonate with Kenyans and the world.

• Runner-up: Esther Francis @ estherfrancisbackup (https://apo-opa.co/49Ze2N7) (Nigeria), adds a creative and relatable flair to health information that empowers users on the platform with credible information.

Social Impact Creator of the Year (Sponsored by Dis-chem)

Winner: Dejoke Ogunbiyi @ noositiwantiwa_ (https://apo-opa.co/4oEfNTi) (Nigeria)

Using the platform for good, @ Noositiwantiwa_ (https://apo-opa.co/4oEfNTi) is driving conversations that matter. From Ibadan, she tackles social issues with grace and impact, mobilising her community for positive change.

• Runner-up: Sinethemba Masinga @ ufarm_julia (https://apo-opa.co/3XGQ5CN) (South Africa) – A champion for agriculture and sustainability, proving that farming is the future.

Food Creator of the Year (Sponsored by Coca-Cola)

Winner: @ malumfoodie (https://apo-opa.co/3XCGNrz) (South Africa)

Pretoria’s self-taught cook, @ malumfoodie (https://apo-opa.co/3XCGNrz) took home the trophy thanks to the flavour and fun his videos bring to the kitchen. His approachable recipes and charismatic delivery using South African street language called Spitori and native South African languages bring a fresh, entertaining twist to his recipes and meals.

“From my humble beginnings of Haamanskraal, to Soshanguve and to all of South Africa, now we are in Africa!”, says Malume Foodie, reflecting on the significance of the award.”

• Runner-up: Abena Amoakoaa Sintim-Aboagye @ chefabbys (https://apo-opa.co/4iMKnsM) (Ghana) – Showcasing the best of Ghanaian cuisine to the world with style. She was recently named amongst Time Magazine’s 2025 list of the 1000 most influential creators in the World

Sports Creator of the Year

Winner: John Maingi Mbugua  @ zozasportscast (https://apo-opa.co/4ayvs3d) (Kenya)

From Nairobi to the world, the @ zozasportscast (https://apo-opa.co/4ayvs3d) team delivers football analysis with passion and precision. They represent a new wave of sports journalism, which is fan-led, authentic, and always on the ball.

“Winning isn’t the finish line, it’s fuel for the next chapter. Every piece of content, every discussion, every moment captured was driven by passion, and receiving this recognition means that passion is resonating far beyond my expectations.” Said John Mbugua as he received his award

• Runner-up: Victor Ademola @ ademolavictortv (https://apo-opa.co/3KEQrqv) (Nigeria) has kept the Super Eagles and global football conversation alive with energetic commentary.

Entertainment Creator of the Year (Sponsored by PEP)

Winner: Belove Olocha @ beloveolocha (https://apo-opa.co/493iAjx) (Nigeria)

A dominant force in content creation, Lagos-based @ beloveolocha (https://apo-opa.co/493iAjx) was awarded for her consistent ability to entertain and engage audiences with relatable movie content. She also stands out for incorporating her love for movies, sharing film moments and recommendations that resonate with her community.

• Runner-up: Jabulani Macdonald @ jabu_macdonald (https://apo-opa.co/44VGig1) (South Africa) is a staple of South Africa’s entertainment scene, known for his quick wit and engaging presence.

Education Creator of the Year

Winner: Izzi Boye @ izziboye (https://apo-opa.co/4oRKXHi) (Nigeria)

Making tech accessible to the masses, @ izziboye (https://apo-opa.co/4oRKXHi) is the go-to guy for gadget reviews, hacks, and digital tips. He proves that TikTok is a powerful classroom for the digital age.

• Runner-up: @ michelle_expert (https://apo-opa.co/3KDvY5A) (South Africa) empowers her audience with expert advice and actionable insights from career development and financial literacy to personal growth and everyday decision-making.

Artist of the Year

Winner: Crown Uzama @ theycallmeshallipopipp (https://apo-opa.co/4pwc1gm) (Nigeria)

2025 was the year of the “Plutomania”. Shallipopi (https://apo-opa.co/4pwc1gm), popularly referred to as “Pluto Presido” by his fans, “plutomanians”, dominated the soundwaves and the platform, with tracks that sparked viral challenges and became the soundtrack of the year across the continent.

The platform has also played a significant role in spreading culture through music in 2025. “Thank you, TikTok, for supporting all upcoming artists and giving them a spotlight to shine. “said 2025 Artist of the Year and “Laho” hit-maker, Shallipopi (https://apo-opa.co/4pwc1gm).

– on behalf of TikTok.

Additional Images: https://apo-opa.co/3MKll1k

About TikTok Awards: 
The TikTok Awards are our annual celebration of the most impactful and inspiring creators across Sub-Saharan Africa. This year’s event will highlight the extraordinary ways our creators have engaged, inspired, and connected communities on and off TikTok.

About inDrive:
inDrive is a global mobility and urban services platform. The inDrive app has been downloaded over 360 million times, and has been named the second most downloaded mobility app for the third consecutive year. In addition to ride-hailing, inDrive provides an expanding list of services, including intercity transportation, delivery, and financial services. In 2023, inDrive launched New Ventures, a venture and M&A arm.

inDrive operates in 982 cities in 48 countries. Driven by its mission of challenging injustice, the company is committed to having a positive impact on the lives of one billion people by 2030. It pursues this goal both through its core business, which supports local communities via a fair pricing model; and through the work of its impact programs.

For more information visit http://inDrive.com

About Coca-Cola:
The Coca-Cola Company (NYSE: KO) is a total beverage company with products sold in more than 200 countries and territories. Our company’s purpose is to refresh the world and make a difference. We sell multiple billion-dollar brands across several beverage categories worldwide. Our portfolio of sparkling soft drink brands includes Coca Cola, Sprite and Fanta. Our water, sports, coffee and tea brands include Dasani, smartwater, vitaminwater, Topo Chico, BODYARMOR, Powerade, Costa, Georgia, Gold Peak and Ayataka. Our juice, value-added dairy and plant-based beverage brands include Minute Maid, Simply, innocent, Del Valle, fairlife and AdeS. We’re constantly transforming our portfolio, from reducing sugar in our drinks to bringing innovative new products to market. We seek to positively impact people’s lives, communities and the planet through water replenishment, packaging recycling, sustainable sourcing practices and carbon emissions reductions across our value chain. Together with our bottling partners, we employ more than 700,000 people, helping bring economic opportunity to local communities worldwide.

Learn more at www.Coca-ColaCompany.com and follow us on Instagram, Facebook and LinkedIn.

About PEP:
PEP is the largest single retail brand in Southern Africa, with over 2,700 stores. Providing families with clothing, footwear, home, cellular and financial services at the lowest prices.

For more information, please visit www.PEPStores.com

Source: APO

On the evening of 21 December 2025, a football match will kick off between Morocco and Comoros in Rabat. It will be the opening game of the 35^th edition of the TotalEnergies CAF African Cup of Nations (TotalEnergies CAF AFCON) tournament. The game will have an audience of millions.

There will likely be a full house of 68,000-odd fans at the Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium, but the overwhelming majority of fans will watch the game via streaming and television, from across the African continent – and the world.

At the previous TotalEnergies CAF AFCON tournament in 2024, the semi-final match between South Africa and Nigeria had a record-breaking audience (https://apo-opa.co/4rJl26Z) of 10.3 million. The tournament itself had an estimated cumulative total viewership of 1.4 billion TV viewers.

The sale of broadcast rights to reach this enormous audience provides the income that makes the tournament possible. Media businesses invest billions in securing the feed for their home markets. In sub-Saharan Africa, those rights (https://apo-opa.co/4iGjuXm) have been secured by MultiChoice, a CANAL+ company, through SuperSport, its sports broadcasting affiliate.

Beyond rights payments, media investment sustains an entire economy that runs for the duration of the month-long tournament. Film crews, accommodation, logistics, and catering are hired by broadcast teams.

Media funds football

Broadcast licence fees also finance the Confederation of African Football (CAF) itself, the body that administers football on the continent. In many ways, media coverage funds football. Revenue from broadcast rights underpin the development programmes that find talent at youth level, and help to nurture it.

Media income funds infrastructure that makes football possible – the fields, the kits, the match officials, the transport, the administrators. At the top level, media income funds national teams, the coaching teams, and the elite training camps, so they can attend the continental showpiece, where they carry hopes and dreams of their nations.

However, the entire football edifice is a precarious one, heavily dependent on the ability of official media partners to recoup the multi-million-dollar costs of broadcast rights. If broadcaster income from subscriptions, contracts and pay-per-view sales does not cover rights fees, then ultimately, football dies.

Only large media businesses, with the advantage of regional scale, are able to fund the costs of media sports coverage. Perversely, their business model is threatened because the same sports events they bring to their viewers are prime targets of content piracy.  

Viewers might not see the harm of accessing a pirate stream, but the impact runs deep. Where a subscription paid to a legitimate rightsholder would help to fund African football, any income earned by a pirate stream goes directly to criminal syndicates in other parts of the world.

Content piracy undermines football. It robs football associations of the funding they desperately need to survive, to develop youth structures and to compete at the highest level. It’s therefore critical that sports fans understand the damage they do to the sport they supposedly love when they use pirate streams.

The impact is global. In Spain, LaLiga (https://apo-opa.co/4oC1TRL) reported that audiovisual fraud was costing Spanish football €600 and €700-million. In the UK, the Premier League blocked more than 600,000 illegal live streams (https://apo-opa.co/4pt6VRU) in a single season in its fight against piracy.

Pirate websites also place users at risk, exposing them to malware, hacking and identity theft, as well as unwanted pop-ups, viruses, fraud and adult content. When football content is spread across hundreds of thousands of sites, it also becomes harder to measure audiences, and makes the sport less attractive to sponsors.

Fight to save the game

Helping to fight sports piracy and keep football alive are initiatives such as Partners Against Piracy, which work to strengthen legal frameworks to prosecute pirate sites and pirate users, and to educate fans about the consequences of piracy.

Cybersecurity organisations like Irdeto harness tech and digital solutions (https://apo-opa.co/4aB6nog) to protect streams and track the source and the users of pirate feeds. For instance, a new innovation enables continuous renewal of authentication keys, which degrades the pirate experience and shifts users back to legal platforms.

The best partner in the fight to save football from piracy is the African public. Knowing how piracy destroys the football ecosystem empowers fans to make ethical choices in how they support their sport and makes them more likely to access games through legitimate channels.

As a fan, when you watch football content, the choice is yours: Will you be part of destroying football, or building it up? Choose wisely, the future of your sport depends on it.  

• To report content piracy, contact Partners Against Piracy on any of these channels:
  • International Hotline: +27 11 289 2684
  • piracy@multichoice.co.za
  • mcg@irdeto.com
  • supersport@irdeto.com
  • Visit: https://apo-opa.co/44KEGpm

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of MultiChoice Group.

Source: APO

A Conference bringing together African government officials, scientific institutions, development partners and global organisations from 23 countries, issued a clear call to strengthen climate–health intelligence. It emphasised that countries will remain vulnerable to climate hazards unless they build and sustain systems that measure how climate change affects human health. The call followed three days of dialogue and technical exchange at the Standards for Official Statistics on Climate – Health Interactions (SOSCHI) Conference held in Kigali from 3 to 5 December 2025.

Climate change is already driving severe health impacts across Africa, yet most countries collect data in those fields in isolation. To effectively quantify risk of climate change impacts on health and protect vulnerable populations, comparable indicators are needed to guide preparedness, shape policy, or allocate resources for adaptation.

The joint communiqué adopted in Kigali emphasises that enhancing climate–health intelligence will strengthen existing national strategies and unlock new possibilities for targeted interventions, resilience building and the development of early warning. It highlights the “urgent need for more robust information on the health impacts of climate hazards to strengthen national policies and to guide target interventions.”

Delegates agreed that robust climate–health interactions indicators are essential to move from reactive responses to proactive, evidence-based planning. They emphasised that data alone is insufficient: decision-makers require harmonised indicators that reveal where climate hazards are affecting health, how disease patterns are shifting, and where adaptation efforts will have the greatest effect. Participants therefore committed to embedding the SOSCHI indicators into national statistical systems, with particular focus on extreme weather, water-related disease, vector-borne disease and mental health.

A major theme across the discussions was sustainability. Participants highlighted that climate–health interaction monitoring cannot depend on short-term projects, but must be rooted in long-term domestic financing, skilled personnel and systems that persist across political and funding cycles. Strengthening civil registration and vital statistics systems, improving the timeliness of health data, and enhancing environmental and meteorological monitoring were identified as critical foundations for sustainable climate–health intelligence. Collaborative data sharing and system interoperability were also deemed essential, given that climate–health indicators rely on multi-sectoral datasets that are rarely analysed together.

Technical demonstrations from Rwanda, Ghana and the UK showed how the SOSCHI indicators reveal emerging vulnerabilities and shifting disease burdens. Rwanda’s results illustrated spatial changes in malaria risk linked to temperature and rainfall patterns, while Ghana’s results highlighted how diarrhoeal disease, air pollution and heat-related mortality can be quantified and tracked over time. These findings underscore the value of harmonised methods for informing policy and supporting adaptation planning.

Participants left Kigali with a shared commitment to advance the scaling and institutionalisation of the SOSCHI framework. The communiqué invites national statistical offices, health ministries, research institutions and funders to join this effort, noting that together they can “deliver validated climate-health metrics that inform policy, strengthen resilience, and safeguard population health in the face of climate change.”

The Kigali meeting affirmed that Africa is not only experiencing the most immediate impacts of climate change but is also shaping the global standards required for effective climate–health action. The collective commitment expressed by participants represents a significant step towards building the climate–health intelligence necessary for a safer and more resilient future.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of African Institute for Mathematical Sciences – Research and Innovation Centre.

Media contact:
Joseph Ndiritu
Programs delivery and reporting
AIMS Research and Innovation Centre
Email: jndiritu@aimsric.org
Phone: +250 780 440 935

About the SOSCHI Partnership:
Standards for Official Statistics on Climate – Health Interactions (SOSCHI) is a collaboration between the UK’s Office for National Statistics, the African Institute for Mathematical Sciences Research and Innovation Centre (AIMS-RIC) in Rwanda, and the Regional Institute for Population Studies (RIPS) at the University of Ghana, supported by global partners and funded by Wellcome Trust. The project provides a harmonised statistical framework and open-source platform enabling countries to generate actionable climate– health indicators.

Source: APO – Report:

The African Airlines Association (AFRAA) heralds a transformative milestone in African aviation with the full operational deployment of Free Route Airspace (FRA) in the Western and Central Africa (WACAF) region, effective 30 October 2025.

This landmark achievement, transitioning from successful trials initiated in November 2023, will allow any airline to plan and fly more direct User Preferred Routes (UPRs), significantly enhancing the efficiency and sustainability of air travel across the continent.

UPRs allow airlines to fly the most fuel-efficient and timely paths based on current conditions, rather than having to follow fixed, conventional routes, giving the pilots more flexibility and enabling them to adjust to factors like weather and winds, leading to reduced fuel consumption, shorter flight times and lower carbon emissions.

African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) has supported the FRA initiative since the trials begun in 2023, in accordance with its Memorandum of Understanding with AFRAA and in line with the Global Air Navigation Plan of the International Civil Aviation Organisation and the conclusions of the Africa-India (AFI) FRA Planning and Implementation Regional Group.   

The deployment of the FRA represents a decisive step resulting from a collaborative effort between air operators and air navigation service providers (ANSPs) who reached a consensus at a joint workshop in Dakar, Senegal to conclude the trial phase and move to full implementation.

“The implementation of Free Route Airspace in the WACAF region is a game-changer for African aviation,” said Mr. Abdérahmane Berthé, AFRAA Secretary General. “This is a testament to what we can achieve through collaboration. By cutting flight times and fuel consumption, we are not only boosting the competitiveness and profitability of our airlines but also making a significant commitment to environmental sustainability. We extend our profound gratitude to Afreximbank and all stakeholders who have journeyed with us for their unwavering commitment to this vision: the Western and Central African Air Navigation Service Providers (ANSPs), Agence pour la Sécurité de la Navigation Aérienne en Afrique et à Madagascar (ASECNA), Ghana Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA), Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA), Régie des Voies Aériennes (RVA), Roberts Flight Information Region (Roberts FIR), The International Air Transport Association (IATA), the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) and the Civil Air Navigation Services Organization (CANSO.”

While commenting on the FRA initiative, Mrs. Kanayo Awani, Executive Vice President, Intra-African Trade and Export Development, Afreximbank, said: “Efficient, safe, and well-regulated air services are critical to facilitating intra-African trade, tourism and connectivity in line with the objectives of the Single African Air Transport Market (SAATM) and the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).  Afreximbank is fully committed to supporting the full implementation of SAATM and the establishment of an effective and efficient aviation industry through a range of financing instruments, including its aircraft leasing platform as well as trade facilitation interventions.

Substantial Benefits for Launch Airlines

In a powerful demonstration of the initiative’s potential, six leading African airlines including Ethiopian Airlines, Kenya Airways, EGYPTAIR, Royal Air Maroc, RwandAir and ASKY Airlines  were granted approval for UPRs, connecting 30 key city pairs. The shift to UPRs is expected to generate significant annual returns to participating airlines including over 1,393 hours of cumulative flight time saved, cutting 5,000 metric tonnesof fuel burn and therefore avoiding some 16,000 metric tonnes of CO2 emissions, and a reduction in annual fuel costs of about US$ 15 million.

A Free Route Airspace for all

Crucially, the WACAF airspace is now open for free routes. Starting 30 October 2025, any airline can plan and operate User Preferred Routes. The region’s ANSPs have committed to approving newly requested UPR within 48 hours. Furthermore, following final administrative work by the 24 WACAF States, this process will be further streamlined, with approvals no longer required for new UPR requests from mid-2026.

A Continent-wide Vision for the Future

The success in WACAF paves the way for the next phase of continental integration. The focus for 2026 will shift to the Eastern and Southern Africa (ESAF) airspace to conclude trials and achieve a similar FRA implementation. The region is also committed to developing a web-based coordination platform to streamline operations for airlines and ANSPs.

– on behalf of Afreximbank.

Contact:
For more information, please contact: AFRAA: afraa@afraa.org

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

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About AFRAA:
The African Airlines Association, also known by its acronym AFRAA, is a trade association of airlines from the member states of the African Union (AU). Founded in Accra, Ghana, in April 1968, and headquartered in Nairobi, Kenya, AFRAA’s mission is to promote, serve African Airlines and champion Africa’s aviation industry. The Association envisions a sustainable, interconnected, and affordable Air Transport industry in Africa, where African Airlines become key players and drivers of African economic development. AFRAA membership cuts across the entire continent and includes all the major intercontinental African operators. The Association members represent over 85% of total international traffic carried by African airlines.

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 industrialization 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

Source: APO – Report:

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As Sudan’s civil war intensified on Monday, top UN officials condemned the killing of dozens of children in drone strikes in South Kordofan state – and the targeting of first responders trying to help the wounded.

In a statement issued by his Spokesperson, UN Secretary-General António Guterres said that he was appalled to learn that multiple drone strikes on 4 December had hit a children’s nursery and a hospital in Kalogi, where the injured were being treated.

Echoing those concerns, the head of UN World Health Organization, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, said that Kalogi Rural Hospital had been targeted at least three times, killing 114 people including 63 children.

Blood bank call

Survivors from those strikes have been moved to Abu Jebaiha Hospital in South Kordofan for treatment “and urgent calls are being made for blood donations and other medical support”, Tedros noted in a statement posted on X.

“Disturbingly, paramedics and responders came under attack as they tried to move the injured from the kindergarten to the hospital,” Tedros added.

On the same day as those attacks, an aid convoy was also targeted in North Kordofan state. It had been transporting lifesaving supplies to North Darfur when it came under fire, seriously injuring the driver of a UN World Food Programme (WFP) truck.

“The Secretary-General deplores this further attack on humanitarian operations at a time of dire needs,” the statement continued.   

Suffering on a huge scale

Aid agencies warn that the situation across Sudan remains catastrophic for millions of people caught up in heavy fighting between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF).

In the central Kordofan region in particular, dire conditions are worsening still as life-saving supplies run low, while famine conditions have been confirmed in South Kordofan’s state capital, Kadugli.

“As fighting intensifies, the horrific human rights violations and abuses reported in El Fasher in recent months, as well as reports of serious violations of international humanitarian law, must not be repeated in the Kordofan region,” the UN chief’s Spokesperson insisted.

And amid reports of continued foreign involvement in the Sudan conflict, “the Secretary-General calls on all States with influence over the parties to take immediate action and use their leverage to compel an immediate halt to the fighting and stop the arms flows” that are fuelling it, his Spokesperson’s statement added.

“The Secretary-General renews his call on the parties to agree on an immediate cessation of hostilities and to resume talks to reach a lasting ceasefire and a comprehensive, inclusive and Sudanese-owned political process. The United Nations stands ready to support genuine steps to end the fighting in Sudan and chart a path towards a durable peace.”

UN rights chief’s plea

The development comes after the UN’s human rights chief, Volker Türk, said that he feared “another wave of atrocities” in Sudan.

Since late October, hundreds of civilians have been killed and tens of thousands more have fled aerial strikes, shelling and summary executions, he said, amid mass civilian displacement involving more than 45,000 people fleeing violence and seeking safety in or near to Kordofan region.

“Safe passage for those fleeing the horror of famine, death and destruction is essential and a human rights imperative,” the High Commissioner’s office said.

In an appeal for “urgent diplomatic action” the WFP’s Deputy Executive Director Carl Skau insisted that greater attention was needed to prevent further atrocities and help reverse famine.

More than 30 million people in Sudan now need humanitarian assistance and more than nine million have been displaced inside the country since fighting erupted in April 2023 between the SAF and paramilitary RSF.

– on behalf of UN News.

Source: APO – Report:

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Today, President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi received Commander-in-Chief of the Libyan National Army, Field Marshal Khalifa Haftar. The meeting was also attended by Director of the General Intelligence Service, Major General Hassan Rashad; Chief of the General Staff of the Libyan Army, General Khaled Khalifa; and Deputy Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, General Saddam Khalifa.

Spokesman for the Presidency Ambassador Mohamed El-Shennawy said that during the meeting the profound and special characteristics of the Egyptian-Libyan relations were confirmed. President El-Sisi reiterated Egypt’s full support for Libya’s sovereignty, stability, unity and territorial integrity. The President valued the pivotal role of the General Command of the Libyan National Army in this context, stressing the vital necessity to confront any external interference and to work towards the withdrawal of all foreign forces and mercenaries from Libya.

Field Marshal Haftar expressed appreciation for the pivotal role played by Egypt and the President personally in restoring security and stability in Libya, as well as the persistent support provided to the Libyan people since the outbreak of the crisis. He affirmed his commitment to continuing coordination and exchanges of view with President El-Sisi with regard to developments on both the Libyan and regional arenas.

President El-Sisi underscored Egypt’s support for all initiatives and efforts aimed at resolving the Libyan crisis, particularly those targeting the simultaneous conduct of Presidential and Parliamentary elections. The President affirmed Egypt’s commitment to continue providing all forms of support and assistance to the Libyan National Army and national institutions, within the framework of the historical fraternal relations that unite the two brotherly countries and their peoples. 

The two sides also discussed developments concerning the joint maritime border delimitation between the two countries. They agreed on the importance of continuing joint cooperation on this file in a manner that serves the interests of both countries without causing any harm, in accordance with the rules of international law.

The meeting also focused on the latest developments in in the region and the challenges facing the two countries, particularly the developments in Sudan. The two sides agreed on the critical importance of strengthening international and regional efforts to reach a peaceful settlement that preserves Sudan’s stability, sovereignty, and territorial integrity. They affirmed that the stability of Sudan is firmly linked to the national security of both Egypt and Libya.

– on behalf of Presidency of the Arab Republic of Egypt.