MIL-OSI – Page 414 – MIL Africa Engine

June 18, 2026

What’s overlooked in student mental health in South Africa: social connection and sexual wellbeing

Source: The Conversation – Africa – By Jarred H Martin, Senior Lecturer in Clinical Psychology, University of Pretoria

Student mental health has become one of the defining challenges facing universities worldwide. In South Africa, these concerns are often framed around reports which point to anxiety, burnout and academic pressure. With this comes the call for expanded student counselling and crisis services.

These concerns are important. Previous research has shown that university students in South Africa face mental health challenges shaped by financial strain, inequality, academic pressure and social stressors. Studies conducted during and after the COVID-19 pandemic have also shown how isolation and loss of support affected students’ mental health and wellbeing.

But mental health is not only the absence of distress or illness. It is also the presence of wellbeing: feeling connected to others, being satisfied with one’s life overall, and having the ability to manage everyday challenges and participate meaningfully in one’s community.

Our recent study suggests that this broader view matters. As psychologists and researchers, we wanted to better understand the factors that help university students flourish.

We surveyed 1,366 students at a public, in-contact South African university to examine what influences student mental health and wellbeing. We looked at structural factors, such as socioeconomic status, food security, financial strain and living conditions. We also examined academic pressures and psychosocial factors. These included life satisfaction, loneliness, sexual wellbeing, and health-related social support (help from friends, family and others to maintain a person’s physical and mental health).

The findings suggest that students are more likely to flourish when they experience both material security and psychosocial support, including greater life satisfaction, stronger social support for their health, and lower levels of loneliness.

Coping, but not all thriving

Most students in our study were not languishing, a state characterised by low levels of wellbeing and a sense of disconnection, stagnation, or lack of purpose. But many were also not flourishing, which refers to high levels of emotional, psychological and social wellbeing.

About two-thirds (66%) of participants were classified as having moderate mental health. Just over a quarter (28%) were flourishing, while around 6% were languishing.

This matters because students with moderate mental health may appear to be coping. They may attend class, complete assignments, and continue with their studies. But coping is not the same as thriving.

The distinction is important because flourishing has been associated with stronger psychological functioning, better social relationships, improved academic engagement and greater resilience when facing life’s challenges.

For universities, this means student mental health strategies should consider not only how to address and reduce distress, but also what enables students to flourish.

Two different student profiles

One of the clearest findings from our study was that students tended to fall into two broad profiles.

The first group, which we called “Strained and Stressed”, was characterised by greater financial strain, poorer food security, lower life satisfaction, weaker social support for health, and higher loneliness.

The second group, which we called “Resourced and Supported”, had greater material security, stronger psychosocial resources, more health-related social support and higher life satisfaction. These students also reported better mental health outcomes and were less lonely.

This highlights an important reality for South African universities: student wellbeing is shaped by both material circumstances and psychosocial resources. Financial strain, food insecurity and unstable living conditions matter, but so do social connection, support, life satisfaction and the ability to manage one’s health.

In other words, student mental health is both a material and relational issue.

Why connection matters

Psychosocial factors showed the strongest associations with mental health in our study. Students who reported greater life satisfaction and social support for health reported better mental health. Loneliness was associated with poorer wellbeing.

This aligns with previous research showing that social connection and belonging are central to student wellbeing.

This does not mean universities should stop investing in counselling and psychological services. These services remain essential, particularly for students experiencing significant distress.

But counselling services alone cannot carry the full burden of student wellbeing. Universities also need to create environments in which students can build meaningful relationships and experience a sense of belonging.

This could be through promoting peer mentoring programmes, student societies, residence-based support, orientation programmes that extend beyond the first few weeks of university, and structured opportunities for students to connect across academic and social spaces.

The overlooked role of sexual wellbeing

One finding stood out because it is rarely discussed in South African higher education research: students who reported higher sexual wellbeing also tended to report better mental health.

Sexual wellbeing is not simply the absence of disease, dysfunction or risk. It includes feeling safe, respected, comfortable and able to exercise agency in intimate relationships.

This is important because much of the South African research on student sexuality has understandably focused on sexual violence and risk. These remain urgent issues.

But our findings suggest that universities should also consider the positive dimensions of sexual wellbeing as part of holistic student health. A student’s sense of safety, respect and autonomy in intimate life may be connected to their broader wellbeing.

This does not mean that sexual wellbeing should replace risk-prevention work. Rather, it suggests that student wellness programmes should be broad enough to address both protection from harm and the conditions that allow students to experience dignity, agency and wellbeing.

What universities can do

The findings highlight three priorities.

First, universities must, with the support of government and other relevant agencies, continue addressing the structural barriers that shape student wellbeing. Financial hardship, food insecurity and living conditions remain serious pressures. Support systems such as food programmes, accommodation assistance and academic flexibility are not peripheral to mental health. They are part of the conditions that make wellbeing possible.

Second, universities should invest in and support social networking interventions that create durable social connections among their student communities. Students experiencing greater loneliness are more likely to report poorer mental health. This means that belonging should not be treated as an optional aspect of university life. It is central to the wellbeing of young adults.

Third, universities should adopt a broader view of student wellbeing and implement targeted support interventions which encourage multiple dimensions of wellbeing. Our findings support a “whole-university” approach to health promotion. This integrates student wellbeing across the university ecosystem. Mental health, belonging, academic success, as well as physical and sexual wellbeing, cannot be addressed through disconnected health and support services.

Student mental health is often discussed only in terms of crisis. Our findings suggest that universities should focus equally on the conditions that help students thrive.

For South African universities, this means combining structural support with psychosocial care to create environments where students can flourish – not merely survive, but fully participate in university life and realise their potential.

– What’s overlooked in student mental health in South Africa: social connection and sexual wellbeing
– https://theconversation.com/whats-overlooked-in-student-mental-health-in-south-africa-social-connection-and-sexual-wellbeing-285001

June 18, 2026

Address by President Ramaphosa on the launch of the Milestones of Freedom Programme, Union Buildings, Tshwane

Source: President of South Africa –

Programme Director,
Ministers and Deputy Ministers,
Veterans of our struggle,
Leaders of our future,
Distinguished Guests,
Fellow South Africans,

Sanibonani. Dumelang. Avuxeni. Molweni. Ndi matsheloni. Lotjhani. Goeie môre. Good morning.

It is a profound honour to stand before you today to launch the Milestones of Freedom programme.

Over the course of the next year, our nation will together remember where we have come from. We will honour those who carried us here. And we will renew the promise we made to one another at the dawn of our democracy.

In the span of a few short months, the calendar of our history brings together four anniversaries that, woven together, tell a story of who we are as a people.

They speak of oppression and dispossession, of courage and resistance, and of restoration and rebuilding.

Seventy years ago, on the 9th of August 1956, in the very place that we gather today, some 20,000 women of every colour and creed converged to demand an end to injustice and discrimination.

They came from the cities and the countryside, from the factories and the farms, many with their children strapped to their backs.

They came to say to the apartheid state, in a single defiant voice, that they would not carry the hated dompas.

They stood in silence for thirty minutes. And then they sang the words that have echoed through the decades: Wathint’ abafazi, wathint’ imbokodo. You strike the women, you strike a rock.

We pay tribute to the women who carried thousands of petitions to the door of Prime Minister JG Strijdom: Lilian Ngoyi, Helen Joseph, Rahima Moosa and Sophie De Bruyn.

We remember the thousands whose names history did not record but whose courage built the foundation on which our democracy stands.

Those women taught us that there can be no freedom for our nation while half of our people are not free.

Today, we honour those women not only with our words, but with our determination to finish the work they began.

Sixty years ago, in February 1966, the apartheid government declared District Six in Cape Town a whites-only area under the Group Areas Act.

In the years that followed, more than 60,000 people were torn from their homes, their shops, their mosques and their churches, and scattered across the Cape Flats.

A vibrant and diverse community – a place where people of many faiths and origins had lived side by side for generations – was reduced to rubble.

The people of District Six were not alone in their fate.

Across our country, over many decades, the same cruelty was unleashed upon the people of Sophiatown, of Cato Manor and of countless other places whose names are written in the memories of the dispossessed.

Today, as families return to the land that was stolen from them, we are reminded of our solemn responsibility to achieve redress for all the people of our land.

Fifty years ago, on the 16th of June 1976, the children of Soweto walked out of their classrooms and into history.

They were schoolchildren who refused to be taught in the language of their oppressor. They refused to bend their knee to a system designed to keep them in servitude.

Their peaceful protest was answered with teargas, bullets, arrest and torture.

We will never forget the young people who fell that day in Soweto, and in the days and years that followed across this land.

The youth of 1976 changed the course of our history. They showed the world that a system built on injustice could not endure forever.

They reminded us that young people are not only the leaders of tomorrow. They are the conscience, the voice and the pioneers of the present.

Thirty years ago, on the 8th of May 1996 – having endured all these hardships, having resisted the pass laws, the forced removals and the injustice of Bantu Education, and having fought a courageous struggle for freedom – the people of South Africa adopted a new democratic Constitution.

The Constitution begins with the words: ‘We, the people of South Africa.’

In doing so, the Constitution reaffirms the fundamental principle that this country belongs to all who live in it, black and white, united in our diversity.

Our Constitution declared that we would heal the divisions of the past.

That we would establish a society based on democratic values, social justice and fundamental human rights.

That every person – regardless of race, gender or belief – would be equal before the law and equal in dignity.

This Constitution is our inheritance from the generations of freedom fighters who came before us, and it is the birthright we hold in trust for those who come after us.

When we remember these milestones, we do not see them as artefacts of the past.

We see them as the foundations on which we need to build.

They are a reminder of the work we still have to do.

There are still South Africans who go to bed hungry, still young people without work, still communities living in fear of criminals.

There are still South Africans waiting for the dignity that freedom promised.

We do not gather here to declare that our long walk to freedom is complete.

Rather we gather here to acknowledge the great progress that we have achieved together as free South Africans, and affirm our commitment to complete the task that history has bestowed upon us.

Since the dawn of democracy, millions who lived in darkness now have electricity.

Millions who carried water from distant rivers now have clean water flowing from a tap. Together, we have built millions of homes and thousands of clinics and schools.

Through the provision of social grants and free basic services, we have improved the quality of life of children, the elderly, persons with disabilities and families across the country.

For the women of South Africa, we have opened doors that were once bolted shut.

Women hold positions of leadership in government, in our courts, in our boardrooms, in our universities and colleges, and in many other areas of our national life.

We have done much to advance the education of the girl child, achieving gender parity in access to schooling and seeing female learners excelling in matric and in further studies.

We have put in place laws and programmes that advance the position of women in the workplace and in the economy more broadly.

We have placed the fight against gender-based violence and femicide at the centre of our national agenda, because a country where women are not safe is a country that is not yet free.

The work is far from done, but we can say that through our collective efforts the daughters of Lilian Ngoyi, Helen Joseph, Rahima Moosa and Sophie de Bruyn are rising.

For our young people, we have made school accessible to more children than ever before, with no-fee schools and daily meals for those who would otherwise learn on an empty stomach.

Through financial aid, we have opened the gates of universities and colleges to the children of workers and the poor.

And we are investing in the skills, the enterprises and the opportunities that turn the potential of young South Africans into meaningful livelihoods.

We have made great progress in returning the land to its original owners through our land restitution process. We have undertaken extensive redistribution of white-owned agricultural land to black farmers. We have given many rural dwellers security of tenure.

Despite this progress, this work is not complete. We are committed to continue until we can say with confidence that the land belongs to all who work it and need it.

This is what freedom has built.

The Milestones of Freedom programme is a recommitment. It calls us to the work that remains.

It calls us to grow an economy that includes everyone, not only the few.

To achieve this, we are removing the obstacles to investment, fixing our energy supply, rebuilding our ports and railways, and backing the small businesses and entrepreneurs who create the most jobs.

An economy that is inclusive and growing – that reaches every township and village – is the surest instrument we have against poverty.

An economy that creates jobs, particularly for young people, is the greatest guarantor of a secure and prosperous future.

We continue to expand the pathways from the classroom to the workplace.

We are strengthening our partnerships with business, labour and civil society so that no young South African is left to wait, year after year, for a chance that never comes.

We are intensifying the fight against poverty and hunger, protecting the most vulnerable while creating the job opportunities that allow families to stand on their own.

We are focused on the education that shapes a child’s destiny.

We are investing in early learning, lifting the quality of our schools and equipping our young people for the world they will inherit.

And we are building a health system that serves all our people, ensuring that access to quality health care is never again determined by a person’s ability to pay.

We are working to confront crime and corruption without fear or favour, because South Africans deserve to feel safe in their homes and on their streets.

We are rebuilding our police, our prosecution service and all our law enforcement institutions.

We are pursuing those who stole from the people, because money looted through corruption is money taken from a clinic, a classroom, a child.

We are building a capable, ethical state that serves the people, a state where public representatives and officials understand that they are there to serve citizens.

We do this work in a spirit of partnership.

The milestones we honour this year were made by ordinary people, working together, who decided that they would not rely on others to determine their fate.

That is the spirit we must rekindle. Freedom is not a monument we visit once a year.

It is a responsibility we carry every day.

So today we issue a call to activism, a call to service, a call to participate.

This is a call to all of us, to volunteer in a school, to mentor a young person, to clean a street, to grow a business.

It is a call to serve on a school governing body, to report corruption, to prevent violence against women.

It is a call to vote in every election and to hold to account those that are elected into public office.

This is a call to register to vote this weekend, on the 20th and 21st of June.

If we are to honour those who came before us, we should all of us be active participants in the National Dialogue that is taking place across the country.

We must attend the public dialogues that are going to take place in our wards, in our sectors and in our organisations.

We should add our voice to the millions of people who will be charting a new way forward for our country.

This nation belongs to all of us, and it will be only as strong, as just and as free as we are willing to make it.

As we launch the Milestones of Freedom, let us hold all four of these anniversaries in our hands at once: the women, the children and the dispossessed and the Constitution that turned their dreams into a promise of a better future.

We are the inheritors of their courage. We are the keepers of their dream.

And we are, every one of us, the authors of what South Africa will become.

Let us, together, build the South Africa of which our forebears dared to dream, united in our diversity, equal in our dignity and free at last.

May God bless South Africa.
Nkosi Sikelel’ iAfrika.
Morena boloka setjhaba sa heso.
God seën Suid-Afrika.
Mudzimu fhatutshedza Afurika.
Hosi katekisa Afrika.

I thank you.

June 18, 2026

Islamic Development Bank Institute (IsDBI) Announces Winners of Applied Artificial Intelligence (AI) in Islamic Finance Competency Challenge

Source: APO

The Islamic Development Bank Institute (IsDBI) (https://IsDBInstitute.org/) successfully concluded the Applied AI in Islamic Finance Competency Challenge and Awards in Baku, Azerbaijan, in collaboration with the IsDB Group Business Forum (THIQAH) and the Small and Medium Business Development Agency of Azerbaijan (KOBİA). The initiative was organized as part of the 5th IsDB Group Startups Pitch Competition under the focused category of Artificial Intelligence, FinTech, and Cybersecurity.

The awards were presented to the top three participating teams during the 20^th IsDB Global Forum on Islamic Finance, held on the sidelines of the IsDB Group Annual Meetings.

The challenge brought together innovators, professionals, and emerging entrepreneurs to design practical, AI-powered solutions that address key challenges in Islamic finance while aligning with Maqasid Al-Shariah principles. Over several days, participants developed impactful concepts focused on improving financial inclusion, efficiency, transparency, and social finance delivery systems.

Following a rigorous evaluation process based on problem relevance, AI application and Shariah alignment, feasibility, impact, and presentation, the top teams were awarded as follows:

1st Place
Mr. Emin Jafar
Solution: SCMS 2.0 – A Channel-Based (B2G · B2B · B2C)
Achieved the highest overall evaluation scores across judges

2nd Place
Mr. Mohamed Khalil Ben Mohamed
Solution: Takaful AI Fund Management Platform
Recognized for strong AI integration and Shariah alignment

3rd Place
Mr. Elchin Huseynov
Solution: Smart Voucher System – Beneficiary Status Management
Noted for innovation in Zakat distribution and beneficiary lifecycle management

Commenting on the initiative, Dr. Sami Al-Suwailem, Acting Director General of IsDBI, said: “This Competency Challenge reflects IsDBI’s commitment to fostering innovation and developing talent at the intersection of AI and Islamic finance. The quality of the solutions presented demonstrates the potential of emerging technologies to address real-world challenges and contribute to a more inclusive and impactful Islamic finance ecosystem.”

The challenge showcased how emerging technologies – including AI, blockchain, and advanced analytics – can transform Islamic finance by:

Enhancing the efficiency of Zakat and social finance systems
Ensuring fair and transparent distribution of funds
Strengthening trust in digital financial ecosystems
Supporting underserved and vulnerable populations

Participants demonstrated practical approaches to solving real-world problems, reinforcing the role of innovation in building a more inclusive and ethical financial future.

The challenge forms part of IsDBI’s broader efforts to promote innovation, capacity development, and the responsible adoption of emerging technologies across the Islamic finance industry.

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

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About the IsDB Institute:
The Islamic Development Bank Institute (IsDBI) is the knowledge beacon of the Islamic Development Bank Group. Guided by the principles of Islamic economics and finance, the IsDB Institute leads the development of innovative knowledge-based solutions to support the sustainable economic advancement of IsDB Member Countries and various Muslim communities worldwide. The IsDB Institute enables economic development through pioneering research, human capital development, and knowledge creation, dissemination, and management. The Institute leads initiatives to enable Islamic finance ecosystems, ultimately helping Member Countries achieve their development objectives.
More information about the IsDB Institute is available on https://IsDBInstitute.org/

June 18, 2026

SARS announces 2026 filing season dates

Source: Government of South Africa

SARS announces 2026 filing season dates

South African Revenue Service (SARS) Commissioner Dr Johnstone Makhubu has announced that the 2026 tax filing season will commence on 1 July, starting with the auto assessment period.

SARS will begin with an Auto Assessment period from 1 to 12 July 2026 for taxpayers with less complex tax matters and whose information has been fully provided by employers and other third-party data providers.

“While today’s launch marks the continuation of the filing season communication campaign, filing season does not open to everyone at the same time,” Makhubu said during a media briefing in Pretoria on Thursday.

The Auto Assessment period will be followed by the broader filing period, from 13 July to 23 October 2026, for provisional and non-provisional taxpayers who must submit returns.

Provisional taxpayers have until 22 January 2027 to file their returns.

The Commissioner explained that the phased approach will help manage taxpayer flows, reduce unnecessary pressure on service channels, and provide certainty about when each taxpayer should act.
“Taxpayers are urged not to come to SARS’s Service Centres during the Auto Assessment period. This year, SARS expects to issue approximately six million Auto Assessments during this period.

“Our point of departure this year is our recognition that behind every tax number is a person trying to get it right while managing the pressures of daily life. With that in mind, SARS encourages taxpayers to do a pre–Filing Season health check by confirming that their personal details, banking particulars, contact information, and tax affairs are up to date,” Makhubu said.

He added that a closed bank account, missing third-party data submission, or an outstanding return from a previous year can all delay an otherwise smooth outcome.
“By resolving these matters early through SARS’s digital channels, taxpayers place themselves in the best position for a seamless Filing Season experience.

“If you are chosen for Auto Assessment, like millions of other taxpayers, wait for a notification from SARS to see if you are part of that population. By using third-party data, SARS can reconcile and automatically assess these taxpayers,” the Commissioner said.

Taxpayers who receive an SMS, email, or other SARS notification indicating they have been auto-assessed are urged not to visit SARS Service Centres unnecessarily.

“If they are satisfied that the information reflected is complete and correct, they do not need to do anything — tax just happens for them. SARS will process the outcome accordingly, and if a refund is due and all details are in order, it will be issued within 72 hours. This is the convenience SARS is building into the tax system, with fewer forms, less manual intervention, and a more seamless experience for compliant taxpayers whose information is already available to SARS,” he said.

Makhubu said SARS has implemented robust systems and capacity upgrades to handle high volumes, with a virtual “waiting room” in place on eFiling and the SARS MobiApp to manage volume surges.
If too many users log in simultaneously, some will be held briefly in a secure queue to keep systems running smoothly.

SARS’s Contact Centres and Service Centres are also fully staffed to provide support when needed, with normal weekday hours (08:00–16:00).

“There is no need for taxpayers to take a day off work or take a taxi to visit a SARS Service Centre. Taxpayers are encouraged to use enhanced digital channels first before considering a visit to a SARS Service Centre,” he said.

Where taxpayers need to visit a Service Centre, they can book an appointment online via the SARS website; by calling 0800 00 7277 and selecting option 0; or by sending an SMS to 47277 with “Booking” followed by an ID or passport number.

Although taxpayers are encouraged to book appointments before visiting a Service Centre, those without appointments will be served after those who have booked.

Makhubu stressed that tax compliance is both a legal obligation and a civic duty, as it enables the building of a capable state that funds the public services and infrastructure on which South Africans rely.

“We understand that Filing Season involves more than just deadlines and forms; it is about creating certainty, reducing unnecessary effort, and assisting taxpayers in complying in a manner that is easier, faster, and more seamless.

“SARS last year paid more than R35 billion during Filing Season. If there is a refund, it will be paid within 72 hours if all is in order. I wish to urge taxpayers to be truthful in their declaration,” he said. –SAnews.gov.za

nosihle
Thu, 06/18/2026 – 15:00

June 18, 2026

Islamic Corporation for the Insurance of Investment and Export Credit’s (ICIEC) EUR 150 Million Cover Supports Landmark Motorway Project Driving Regional Connectivity and Sustainable Economic Development in Türkiye

Source: APO

The Islamic Corporation for the Insurance of Investment and Export Credit (ICIEC) (https://ICIEC.IsDB.org), a Shariah-based multilateral credit and political risk insurer and member of the Islamic Development Bank Group, is pleased to announce its support for the financing of the Kınalı–Malkara section of the Kınalı–Tekirdağ–Çanakkale–Savaştepe Motorway Project in the Republic of Türkiye. The transaction was signed on the sidelines of the IsDB Group 2026 Annual Meetings, held in Baku, Azerbaijan, from 16 to 19 June 2026.

The EUR 150 million financing facility was arranged by Standard Chartered on behalf of a pool of banks involving Standard Chartered, DZ Bank AG, and ING Bank. ICIEC provides 95% insurance cover through its Non-Honouring of Sovereign Financial Obligations (NHSFO) Policy, supporting a strategic transport infrastructure project developed by Çanakkale Otoyol ve Köprüsü İnşaat Yatırım ve İşletme A.Ş.

The Kınalı–Malkara Motorway forms a key segment of Türkiye’s wider Kınalı–Tekirdağ–Çanakkale–Savaştepe Motorway corridor. Once completed, the project is expected to reduce travel times, improve journey reliability, lower transport costs, and strengthen connectivity across the Thrace region and beyond. The motorway is also expected to support regional economic development by improving the movement of goods and people, enhancing industrial and agricultural logistics, attracting investment, and creating employment opportunities across transportation, logistics, construction, tourism, and related sectors. By diverting traffic from existing roads and populated areas, the project will also help reduce congestion and improve road safety.

Commenting on the transaction, Dr. Khalid Khalafalla, Chief Executive Officer of ICIEC, said: “Strategic transport infrastructure is a catalyst for economic transformation. Through this transaction, ICIEC is helping unlock long-term financing for a project that will strengthen regional connectivity, facilitate trade, improve logistics efficiency, and create new opportunities for businesses and communities across Türkiye. We are proud to support an initiative that not only enhances mobility but also contributes to sustainable economic development and regional competitiveness. The signing of this agreement during the IsDB Group Annual Meetings in Baku further underscores the value of partnership in delivering tangible development outcomes.”

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Islamic Corporation for the Insurance of Investment and Export Credit (ICIEC).

Contact:
Email: ICIEC-Communication@isdb.org

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About ICIEC:
As a member of the rated Islamic Development Bank (IsDB) Group, ICIEC commenced operations in 1994 to strengthen economic relations between OIC Member States and promote intra-OIC trade and investments by providing risk mitigation tools and Shariah-compliant financial solutions. The Corporation is the only Islamic multilateral insurer in the world. ICIEC has led in delivering a comprehensive suite of solutions to companies and stakeholders across its 51 Member States. For the 18th consecutive year, ICIEC maintained an “Aa3” insurance financial strength credit rating from Moody’s, ranking the Corporation among the top tier of the Credit and Political Risk Insurance (CPRI) industry. Additionally, S&P has reaffirmed ICIEC’s “AA-” long-term Issuer Credit and Financial Strength Rating for the third consecutive year, with a Stable Outlook. ICIEC’s resilience is underpinned by its sound underwriting practices, a robust global reinsurance network, and strong risk management policies. Cumulatively, ICIEC has insured more than USD 138 billion in trade and investment. ICIEC’s activities span several key sectors, including energy, manufacturing, infrastructure, healthcare, and agriculture.

For more information, Visit: https://ICIEC.IsDB.org

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June 18, 2026

Qatar Welcomes Signing by US and Iran of MoU on Addressing Outstanding Issues

Source: Government of Qatar

Doha | June 18, 2026

The State of Qatar welcomes the electronic signing by the United States of America and the Islamic Republic of Iran of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on addressing outstanding issues between them, including the cessation of military operations and ensuring freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz. Qatar considers this a renewed affirmation of the two sides’ commitment to resolving their differences through negotiation and peaceful means as well as to enhancing prospects for sustainable peace and economic growth at both the regional and international levels.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs reiterates Qatar’s full appreciation of the partnership and efforts undertaken by the Islamic Republic of Pakistan and all regional and international parties to de-escalate tensions and bridge the gaps in viewpoints, culminating in the signing of this memorandum.

The Ministry emphasizes that the MoU represents a solid foundation for moving forward with the next phase of talks between the American and Iranian sides, calling upon all parties to maintain a positive spirit, good offices, and joint coordination to ensure comprehensive and sustainable outcomes.

The Ministry affirms Qatar’s continued full support for all good offices and endeavors aimed at enhancing regional security and stability, and reaching sustainable solutions to outstanding issues through dialogue and peaceful means, in accordance with the principles of international law and good neighborliness, and contributing to opening new horizons for cooperation, development and prosperity, and achieving the common interests of the peoples of the region and the world.

June 18, 2026

La Société islamique d’assurance des investissements et des crédits à l’exportation (SIACE) donne une couverture à hauteur de 150 millions d’euros pour un projet autoroutier majeur favorisant la connectivité régionale et le développement économique durable en République de Türkiye

Source: Africa Press Organisation – French

La Société islamique d’assurance des investissements et des crédits à l’exportation (SIACE) (https://ICIEC.IsDB.org), assureur multilatéral conforme à la Charia spécialisé dans l’assurance du crédit et des risques politiques, et membre du Groupe de la Banque islamique de développement (BID), a le plaisir d’annoncer son soutien au financement du tronçon Kınalı–Malkara du projet autoroutier Kınalı–Tekirdağ–Çanakkale–Savaştepe en République de Türkiye. La transaction a été signée en marge des Assemblées annuelles 2026 du Groupe de la BID, organisées à Bakou, en Azerbaïdjan, du 16 au 19 juin 2026.

Le financement de 150 millions d’euros a été arrangé par Standard Chartered agissant pour le compte d’un pool bancaire incluant Standard Chartered, DZ Bank AG et ING Bank. La SIACE fournit une couverture d’assurance à hauteur de 95 % au titre de sa Police d’assurance du Non-Respect des Obligations Financières Souveraines (NHSFO), soutenant ainsi un projet stratégique d’infrastructure de transport développé par Çanakkale Otoyol ve Köprüsü İnşaat Yatırım ve İşletme A.Ş.

L’autoroute Kınalı–Malkara constitue un segment clé du corridor autoroutier plus vaste Kınalı–Tekirdağ–Çanakkale–Savaştepe de la République de Türkiye. Une fois achevé, le projet devrait réduire les temps de trajet, améliorer la fiabilité des déplacements, diminuer les coûts de transport et renforcer la connectivité dans la région de Thrace et au-delà. Il devrait également contribuer au développement économique régional en facilitant la circulation des personnes et des marchandises, en améliorant la logistique industrielle et agricole, en attirant davantage d’investissements et en créant des opportunités d’emploi dans les secteurs du transport, de la logistique, de la construction, du tourisme et d’autres secteurs connexes. En détournant une partie du trafic des routes existantes et des zones densément peuplées, le projet contribuera également à réduire la congestion routière et à améliorer la sécurité des usagers.

Commentant cette transaction, Dr Khalid Khalafalla, Directeur général de la SIACE, a déclaré : « Les infrastructures de transport stratégiques constituent un puissant levier de transformation économique. Grâce à cette opération, la SIACE contribue à mobiliser des financements à long terme pour un projet qui renforcera la connectivité régionale, facilitera les échanges commerciaux, améliorera l’efficacité logistique et créera de nouvelles opportunités pour les entreprises et les communautés à travers la République de Türkiye. Nous sommes fiers de soutenir une initiative qui améliore non seulement la mobilité, mais contribue également au développement économique durable et au renforcement de la compétitivité régionale. La signature de cet accord à l’occasion des Assemblées annuelles du Groupe de la BID à Bakou illustre une nouvelle fois l’importance des partenariats dans la réalisation d’impacts concrets en matière de développement. »

Distribué par APO Group pour Islamic Corporation for the Insurance of Investment and Export Credit (ICIEC).

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À propos de la SIACE :
En tant que membre du groupe de la Banque islamique de développement, bénéficiant d’excellentes notations financières, la Société islamique d’assurance des investissements et des crédits à l’exportation (SIACE) a commencé ses opérations en 1994 afin de renforcer les relations économiques entre les États membres de l’Organisation de la coopération islamique (OCI) et de promouvoir le commerce ainsi que les investissements intra-OCI, grâce à des instruments d’atténuation des risques et à des solutions financières conformes aux principes de la Charia. La Société est le seul assureur multilatéral islamique au monde. Elle a joué un rôle de premier plan en proposant une gamme complète de solutions aux entreprises et aux parties prenantes de ses 51 pays membres. Pour la 18ᵉ année consécutive, la SIACE a conservé sa note de solidité financière « Aa3 » attribuée par Moody’s, la classant parmi les leaders du secteur de l’assurance-crédit et des risques politiques. Par ailleurs, S&P a confirmé la note « AA- » pour la troisième année consécutive, avec des perspectives stables. La résilience de la SIACE repose sur une souscription solide, un réseau mondial de réassurance et des politiques rigoureuses de gestion des risques. Au total, la SIACE a assuré plus de 138 milliards USD de transactions commerciales et d’investissements, couvrant des secteurs clés tels que l’énergie, l’industrie manufacturière, les infrastructures, la santé et l’agriculture.

Pour plus d’informations, veuillez visiter : https://ICIEC.IsDB.org

Media files

June 18, 2026

Rise, Youth of 2026: Your Vote, Your Future

Source: Government of South Africa

Rise, Youth of 2026: Your Vote, Your Future

By Sandile Nene
The baton for building and advancing South Africa has now been passed to the youth of today. While the generation of 1976 made immense sacrifices to secure the freedom and democracy that we enjoy, it is now the responsibility of the youth of 2026 to safeguard and strengthen that hard-won legacy through active citizenship and participation in democratic processes, particularly through voting.

The youth of 2026 must ensure that the spirit of courage, activism and determination demonstrated by the generation of 1976 continues to thrive and this can be expressed at the ballot box. This is to acknowledge that voting is not merely a symbolic act; it is a powerful tool for shaping the future that we desire for South Africa.

Many young people face significant challenges every day, including unemployment, poverty, crime, inequality and limited economic opportunities. These frustrations are real and deeply felt, and choosing not to vote weakens young people’s power to change their circumstances, influence government decision-making, and take up critical roles in shaping public policy and leadership.

Young people account for about 33.1% of the South African population, yet youth voter registration and representation in elected office remain far below what their numbers may suggest. While there has been a gradual increase in the number of young people serving in government and parliament, these gains may remain limited unless more young South Africans take the first step as active citizens to shape the affairs of our state.

This matters, especially for local government elections, as municipal leadership shapes the quality of daily life through decisions about water, electricity, sanitation, roads, refuse removal, public spaces and local development.

Voting in local elections is therefore one of the most direct ways for young people to influence service delivery, demand accountability and choose leaders who understand the realities on the ground. Young people are not only voters; they are organisers, advocates, community leaders and increasingly important actors in governance itself.

As we commemorate Youth Month, let us remember that the generation of 1976 did not fight so that future generations would stand on the sidelines. They fought so that young South Africans of today could speak with equal power in building a better nation. To vote is to honour that hard-won sacrifice which many were previously denied.

This year’s Youth Month theme, “RESET@50–The Future Calls”, reminds us that remembrance must lead to renewed action. Government calls upon young people to become active participants in democracy.

Furthermore, the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) has intensified efforts ahead of the local government elections, under the tagline, Get Up, Show Up, Vote. The Commission has deployed more than 800 Municipal outreach coordinators and also conducted targeted door-to-door voter communication and registration campaigns in several municipalities.

It has also expanded its Tertiary Institutions Campaign, which has reached more than 97 000 students, through over 1000 activations, resulting in over 45 000 successful registrations.

These efforts are being reinforced by new platforms such as Beats for My Peeps, the Commission’s exciting electoral education programme, which uses music, popular culture, dialogue and real-life experiences to encourage informed participation. The youth is encouraged to tune in every Wednesday at 18:00 on SABC 1 as we prepare for this year’s elections.

South African citizens over the age of 18 are encouraged to register to vote, using a green bar-coded ID, smart ID card or temporary identity certificate. Eligible voters can register, check their registration status, confirm or update their details, apply for a special vote and track their application online (https://registertovote.elections.org.za/ or www.elections.org.za) or at local Electoral Commission offices.

Citizens can also verify their details by SMS (to 32810), or through the Commission’s call centre (0800 11 8000), or at their voting station during the voter registration weekend on 20 and 21 June 2026.

Just under 24 000 registration stations across 4 488 municipal wards will be open to help citizens register and verify their details. It is imperative that registration details are correct so that every eligible voter can vote at the right station on election day.

This youth month, we encourage every young person to get up, show up and make their mark. Through your vote, you can help shape the future of your community and the future of our nation.
As Nelson Mandela reminded us, “It is in your hands to create a better world for all who live in it.”

*Nene is the Acting Deputy Director-General at the Government Communication and Information System (GCIS)

Neo
Thu, 06/18/2026 – 14:48

June 18, 2026

From a painful history to a prosperous future: Government launches Milestones of Freedom

Source: Government of South Africa

From a painful history to a prosperous future: Government launches Milestones of Freedom

South Africa’s painful past and hard-won triumphs serve as a reminder that although much has been achieved, building a better life for all is still a work in progress.

This was the message by President Cyril Ramaphosa as he led the launch the Milestones of Freedom campaign at the Union Buildings on Thursday.

The campaign is held under the theme: ‘Honouring the Past. Delivering the Future’, and is aimed at reflecting on South Africa’s journey to freedom and the interventions government has made to build a capable State.

This year, several significant and defining milestones in South Africa’s democratic journey are observed. These include:

The 30th anniversary of the adoption of the Constitution;
The 50th anniversary of the 1976 youth uprisings;
The 70th anniversary of the anti-pass campaign spearheaded by South African women, and
The 60th anniversary of the forced removals from District Six.

“When we remember these milestones, we do not see them as artefacts of the past. We see them as the foundations on which we need to build.

“They are a reminder of the work we still have to do,” President Ramaphosa said.

He acknowledged that although government has made great strides in living up to the promise of the Constitution, many South Africans still face challenges.

“There are still South Africans who go to bed hungry. [There are still] young people without work, communities living in fear of criminals, and there are still South Africans waiting for the dignity that freedom promised.

“We do not gather here to declare that our long walk to freedom is complete.

“Rather, we gather here to acknowledge the great progress that we have achieved together as free South Africans and affirm our commitment to complete the task that history has bestowed upon us,” he said.

A government at work

Despite these challenges, the strides made since the fall of apartheid cannot be understated.

“Since the dawn of democracy, millions who lived in darkness now have electricity. Millions who carried water from distant rivers now have clean water flowing from a tap. Together, we have built millions of homes and thousands of clinics and schools.

“Through the provision of social grants and free basic services, we have improved the quality of life of children, the elderly, persons with disabilities and families across the country,” President Ramaphosa highlighted.

For the women and girl children of South Africa, government has “opened doors that were once bolted shut”.

“Women hold positions of leadership in government, in our courts, boardrooms, universities and colleges, and in many other areas of our national life.

“We have done much to advance the education of the girl child, achieving gender parity in access to schooling and seeing female learners excelling in matric and in further studies. We have put in place laws and programmes that advance the position of women in the workplace and in the economy more broadly.

“We have placed the fight against gender-based violence and femicide at the centre of our national agenda, because a country where women are not safe is a country that is not yet free. The work is far from done, but we can say that through our collective efforts the daughters of Lilian Ngoyi, Helen Joseph, Rahima Moosa and Sophie de Bruyn are rising,” he said.

The barriers to accessing education have also been torn down to nurture the seeds of potential in all children.

“For our young people, we have made school accessible to more children than ever before, with no-fee schools and daily meals for those who would otherwise learn on an empty stomach.

“Through financial aid, we have opened the gates of universities and colleges to the children of workers and the poor.

“And we are investing in the skills, the enterprises and the opportunities that turn the potential of young South Africans into meaningful livelihoods,” President Ramaphosa said.

The pain of the people of District Six who – together with millions of other South Africans – were forcefully removed from their homes are also not in vain with land rights protected by the Constitution for all South Africans.

“We have made great progress in returning the land to its original owners through our land restitution process. We have undertaken extensive redistribution of white-owned agricultural land to black farmers. We have given many rural dwellers security of tenure.

“Despite this progress, this work is not complete. We are committed to continue until we can say with confidence that the land belongs to all who work it and need it.

“This is what freedom has built,” the President added.

Government is also working hard in areas including:

Building an economy that is inclusive and growing.
Expanding the pathways from the classroom to the workplace.
Intensifying the fight against poverty and hunger.
Building a health system that serves all people.
Confronting crime and corruption without fear or favour.
Building a capable, ethical State that serves the people.

Standing together

President Ramaphosa called on ordinary South Africans to embody the spirit of those who experienced the brutality of the apartheid government and chose to stand against it.

For those milestones, the President added, were made by “ordinary people, working together, who decided that they would not rely on others to determine their fate”.

“That is the spirit we must rekindle. Freedom is not a monument we visit once a year. It is a responsibility we carry every day.

“So today, we issue a call to activism, a call to service, a call to participate. This is a call to all of us, to volunteer in a school, to mentor a young person, to clean a street, to grow a business. It is a call to serve on a school governing body, to report corruption, to prevent violence against women.

“It is a call to vote in every election and to hold to account those that are elected into public office. This is a call to register to vote this weekend, on the 20th and 21st of June,” he said.

The President urged South Africans to honour the heroes of the past by participating in the National Dialogue and have their voices heard once more and contribute in the conversation about the South Africa they want to live in.

“We must attend the public dialogues that are going to take place in our wards, in our sectors and in our organisations. We should add our voice to the millions of people who will be charting a new way forward for our country.

“This nation belongs to all of us, and it will be only as strong, as just and as free as we are willing to make it. As we launch the Milestones of Freedom, let us hold all four of these anniversaries in our hands at once: the women, the children and the dispossessed and the Constitution that turned their dreams into a promise of a better future.

“We are the inheritors of their courage. We are the keepers of their dream. And we are, every one of us, the authors of what South Africa will become. Let us, together, build the South Africa of which our forebears dared to dream, united in our diversity, equal in our dignity and free at last,” President Ramaphosa concluded. – SAnews.gov.za

NeoB
Thu, 06/18/2026 – 14:31

June 18, 2026

Home Affairs launches upgraded online booking system

Source: Government of South Africa

Home Affairs launches upgraded online booking system

The Department of Home Affairs has launched an upgraded online booking system on the MyHomeAffairsOnline platform, introducing enhanced security measures to prevent the abuse of booking slots and improve access to services.

Users are now required to create a MyHomeAffairsOnline profile linked to their South African ID number and email address before making a booking, helping to ensure that appointments remain available to legitimate clients.

The upgrade follows years of abuse of the previous booking platform by syndicates and other unscrupulous individuals who exploited vulnerabilities in the system to block appointment slots and sell them to desperate citizens.

As a result, many ordinary South Africans struggled to secure appointments for essential Home Affairs services.

The upgraded booking system is available at myhomeaffairsonline.dha.gov.za and marks another milestone in Home Affairs’ digital transformation journey to improve service delivery, combat fraud and deliver dignity for all.

“For too long, ordinary South Africans were disadvantaged by criminals who exploited weaknesses in the previous booking system to hoard appointment slots and sell them for profit.

“The migration of our booking system to MyHomeAffairsOnline directly addresses this abuse by linking bookings to verified user profiles, strengthening the integrity of the system and protecting citizens’ access to services.

“This reform advances our vision of Home Affairs @ home by making services more secure and convenient for citizens,” Home Affairs Minister Dr Leon Schreiber said in a statement on Thursday. – SAnews.gov.za

Edwin
Thu, 06/18/2026 – 14:15