MIL-OSI – Page 46 – MIL Africa Engine

October 15, 2026

Liberia Launches 2026 Offshore Licensing Round, Offering 15 Blocks to Investors

Source: APO

Liberia has launched its 2026 Offshore Direct Negotiation Licensing Round, offering 15 offshore blocks across the Liberia and Harper basins as the country seeks to attract exploration investment and advance the development of its petroleum sector.

Announced on October 14 in Cape Town alongside African Energy Week 2026 and African Mining Week, the round was launched by the Liberia Petroleum Regulatory Authority (LPRA) and organized by Energy Capital & Power (ECP). The campaign invites qualified companies to pursue individual blocks through direct negotiations, with the licensing process closing on April 15, 2027.

LPRA Director General Marilyn T. Logan called on investors to submit letters of intent and highlighted the potential for exploration success to shape Liberia’s petroleum industry.

“Our petroleum system works,” Logan said. “Whichever company makes the first discovery will play a significant role in the history of our country.”

15 Offshore Blocks Available for Negotiation

The licensing round comprises twelve blocks in the Liberia Basin – LB-1, LB-2, LB-3, LB-7, LB-12, LB-13, LB-14, LB-18, LB-19, LB-20, LB-21 and LB-23 – and three in the Harper Basin – LB-25, LB-28 and LB-33.

The acreage targets Cretaceous structures, deepwater basin-floor fans and structural closures along Liberia’s Atlantic margin. The offering provides investors with opportunities to evaluate frontier exploration prospects in a region with established petroleum system indicators and potential for further discoveries.

The round is supported by more than 80,000 km of seismic data, including over 50,000 line-km of 2D seismic and 31,000 km² of 3D surveys, alongside gravity, magnetic and well-log datasets.

Geophysical data company TGS has reprocessed 12,000 km of 2D seismic using Pre-Stack Depth Migration, as well as 5,100 km² of 3D seismic data, to improve subsurface imaging and support prospect evaluation.

“There’s a working petroleum system offshore Liberia,” said Jason Robinson, Managing Director at ENARJI and former Director of Business Development at TGS. “It’s been a prolific system across the margin and there are significant fan-plays that go out into the very deepwater.”

Direct Negotiations Offer Flexible Entry

Under the direct negotiation framework, qualified companies can pursue individual blocks and negotiate proposed exploration programs with the LPRA. Applicants must demonstrate technical capability, financial strength and relevant offshore experience.

The process is governed by Liberia’s 2014 Petroleum Exploration and Production Act and its 2019 amendments. The framework is designed to provide investors with a route to acreage access while maintaining qualification requirements and regulatory oversight.

Fiscal terms and regulatory predictability were highlighted as important considerations for prospective investors. LPRA Deputy Director General for Finance Robert Sonkarlay said the authority is prepared to accommodate changing market conditions and the needs of participating companies.

“Investors are not just looking to find attractive fiscal terms; they’re also looking for fiscal predictability,” Sonkarlay said. “We can assure that our terms are flexible and benchmarked. We will ensure that our terms adapt to changing markets and the needs of interested participants.”

LPRA Board Member Kau Dorilae also emphasized the importance of investor engagement and consistency in the country’s investment framework. She noted that prequalification remains valid for five years, allowing companies to establish eligibility before pursuing specific block opportunities.

Government Backs Offshore Exploration Campaign

Liberian President Joseph Nyuma Boakai reaffirmed the government’s support for the licensing round in a prerecorded address delivered during the launch.

“Today, I assure you that the journey you are about to begin with Liberia through the LPRA carries the full support of the Liberian government and is guided by principles that this administration is dedicated to stand for,” Boakai said.

Preparations for the campaign included an investor day in Houston on August 19, 2026, followed by the opening of prequalification on August 28. The campaign forms part of Liberia’s efforts to engage international exploration companies and attract investment into its offshore petroleum resources.

With 15 blocks available through direct negotiations, the 2026 licensing round provides a structured pathway for qualified companies to assess Liberia’s offshore potential and advance discussions on exploration opportunities.

For information on the licensing round and prequalification requirements, visit the LPRA’s official licensing round page (https://apo-opa.co/47kJzXe) or contact lpra2026submission@lpra.gov.lr.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Energy Capital & Power.

Media files

.

October 15, 2026

African Mining Week (AMW) 2026 Opens with Call for African Value Addition and United States (U.S.) Critical Mineral Partnership

Source: APO

African Mining Week (AMW) 2026 officially opened on Wednesday with keynote addresses from regional leaders, regulators and international stakeholders, underscoring the vital need for deeper regional integration, localized value addition and strategic global partnerships to drive mining growth across the continent.

Patrick Mulindwa Lubega, Chief of Staff of the Africa Minerals Strategy Group (AMSG), stressed that African producers must leverage the surging global demand for critical resources to deliver socioeconomic benefits for local communities.

“The world’s appetite for African minerals is growing rapidly – copper for the power grid, lithium for batteries and gold as a strategic reserve,” Lubega stated. “The core question must be how these mineral export initiatives leave our people with real skills and economic benefits – we cannot simply be left with holes in the ground. The true measure of our mineral wealth lies in the jobs we create and the industrialization we foster.”

To secure these long-term gains, Lubega emphasized the pivotal role of state-owned enterprises in negotiating equitable, high-value deals with international investors.

He pointed to the launch of the AMW African National Mining Companies Forum as a key milestone. The forum has brought together state mining entities from Malawi, Libya, Egypt and Kenya, along with an official delegation from Eswatini observing best practices to accelerate the creation of its own national mining firm.

“This forum is not about locking out the global market; historically, our governments regulated a sector in which they rarely participated as commercial actors. National mining companies allow us to directly participate and partner with the private sector to advance our shared agenda for local and regional value addition.”

Hon. Dr. Monica Musenero Masanza, Uganda’s Minister of Energy and Mineral Development, backed Lubega’s call for local impact, arguing that mining must be defined by investments made across the entire value chain rather than mere extraction.

“Mining on its own does not equal true industrialization,” Masanza stated. “No matter what you extract, you are starting with raw ore, and only about 10% of a mineral’s potential value is realized at the initial mining stage. We must focus on how we can maximize economic benefits by taking raw materials like tin mined in Uganda and adding significant value to them domestically.”

Ashley Ndir, Principal Commercial Officer at the U.S. Commercial Service under the U.S. Department of Commerce, underscored the U.S government’s commitment to partnering with African mineral producers across the entire mining value chain.

“The mere presence of resources means nothing unless we transform them into long-lasting economic value; we must focus on building resilient supply chains that deliver real economic gains for local populations,” Ndir stated. “There is a clear alignment between the United States and Africa. African nations are seeking opportunities for local and regional value addition, while the U.S. is focused on building more diversified, resilient critical mineral supply chains – and these objectives mutually reinforce each other.”

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Energy Capital & Power.

Media files

.

October 15, 2026

Lion tracks from the ice age: how two ways of seeing brought ancient animals to life

Source: The Conversation – Africa – By Charles Helm, Research Associate, African Centre for Coastal Palaeoscience, Nelson Mandela University

The coastline near the southern tip of Africa looked vastly different between about 400,000 years ago and 70,000 years ago, compared with today. At times it lay as much as 100km south of its present location, exposing the vast Palaeo-Agulhas Plain, which contained an extensive habitat for large mammals. At other times the sea level was briefly as much as 13 metres higher than today’s mean level.

Through our work as ichnologists (involving the study of fossil tracks and traces) and in combination with the regional body fossil record, we are building a picture of the animals that populated the region in that distant past.

A charging Cape lion. Artwork by Maggie Lambert-Newman (reproduced with permission from Grootbos Private Nature Reserve and the African Centre for Coastal Palaeoscience), CC BY

Since 2008 our team of fossil hunters has identified more than 400 vertebrate tracksites in this southern Cape area of South Africa. We search for the fossilised tracks that creatures made thousands of years ago on sandy surfaces which have since hardened into rock.

The Pleistocene (2.58 million to 11,700 years ago) is close enough to the present to allow modern tracking guidebooks to be used as an aid to identifying what made the tracks, though the body fossil record shows that certain Pleistocene animals have become extinct.

In 2024 we decided to focus on lion tracks. Although a well-preserved adult lion track is unmistakable, in many cases tracks are not that well preserved. This is where the expertise of our San colleagues #oma Daqm and /uce Nǂamce was invaluable. They are expert wildlife trackers from Namibia’s Kalahari desert.

At three fossil tracksites on the southern Cape coast, they were able to confirm or identify the tracks of large felids (“big cats”) from the Pleistocene Epoch and add their interpretation of the animals’ behaviour.

Their indigenous knowledge and diagnostic acumen pushed the boundaries of our collective capability as scientists. The results have recently been published.

These are the only reported fossilised lion tracksites in southern Africa. And in the whole of Africa there is only one other reported lion tracksite (in Tanzania). Only one of the three Cape tracks has been dated so far, to about 70,000 years ago. Lions are no longer found in nature in this area.

Expert trackers

Our Cape South Coast Ichnology Project is based at the African Centre for Coastal Palaeoscience at Nelson Mandela University. The research team got a major boost in 2023, when, thanks to the support of the Discovery Wilderness Trust, we were able to invite expert trackers from north-eastern Namibia to join us. These members of the Ju/’hoansi San community from the Nyae Nyae Conservancy practise their traditional tracking skills and are designated as Indigenous Master Trackers by the nonprofit environmental monitoring organisation CyberTracker.

Tracker #oma Daqm at the Goukamma lion tracksite. Author provided (no reuse)

The trackers – #oma Daqm, /uce Nǂamce and the late Steve Kunta – have been co-authors on two science papers on Cape south coast Pleistocene discoveries: one on the only fossil pangolin trackway thus far reported, and the other on a fossil trackway of the brown hyena.

This time we needed their expertise on lion trackways.

First we took them to a known lion tracksite in the Goukamma Nature Reserve. Not only did they confirm our identification, but they also provided extra behavioural interpretation, including the presence of tracks of both a male and a female lion.

One of the lion tracks in the Goukamma Nature Reserve. CC BY

Next, we visited a site in the De Hoop Nature Reserve where we had previously reached a tentative identification of lion tracks, but were far from certain. Our colleagues inspected the evidence, debated at length in Ju/‘hoan, and then provided their verdict: these were definitely lion tracks, suggestive of a lion in a crouched position, ready to pounce. This interpretation explained the set of two footprints next to each other, pointing in the same direction.

The Indigenous Master Trackers at the lion tracksite in the De Hoop Nature Reserve. CC BY

A few days later we were on a remote stretch of the coastline, east of the small town of Witsand, examining a tracksite that had previously been found. We had been unable to identify the trackmaker, other than noting that it was a large animal.

Our San colleagues looked at the track-bearing surface, discussed it among themselves, and then declared it another lion tracksite, with evidence that both a male and a female lion had passed that way.

Thrill of tracking lions

Modern lion track. Simon Sephton

The tracking of extant lions in Africa has developed its own mystique. Tracking the savannah’s apex predator is ranked by many as the peak tracking experience. The quest for Pleistocene lion tracks might be devoid of the danger inherent in tracking live lions, but there is nonetheless a thrill in finding tracks of the “king of beasts”.

The excitement is heightened by the possibility that the tracks were left by the extinct Cape lion (Panthera leo melanochaita), although its status as a distinct subspecies is debatable. While we cannot distinguish Cape lion tracks from those of other subspecies, the possibility is intriguing in itself.

Ways of knowing

Integrating modern science and Indigenous ways of knowing has again proved its worth, leading to a deeper understanding of trackmaker behaviour.

Soon a new team of Ju/’hoansi trackers will participate in another round of collaborative work on the Cape south coast. This time one focus will be on hominin tracks; another will be on searching for trackway evidence of the extinct bloubok antelope. We look forward to further discoveries of note.

– Lion tracks from the ice age: how two ways of seeing brought ancient animals to life
– https://theconversation.com/lion-tracks-from-the-ice-age-how-two-ways-of-seeing-brought-ancient-animals-to-life-293281

October 15, 2026

Can Ethiopia ever be at peace? Four reasons conflict keeps flaring up

Source: The Conversation – Africa – By Alemayehu Fentaw Weldemariam, Adjunct Professor and Ph.D. Fellow, Center for Constitutional Democracy, Indiana University

Ethiopia has experienced recurrent conflicts for over five decades. This includes a long-running civil war sparked by the overthrow of Emperor Haile Selassie in 1974, renewed fighting in Tigray, and ongoing conflicts in Amhara and Oromia.

The renewed hostilities in Tigray threaten to undo a peace process that had begun with an agreement signed in Pretoria, South Africa, in 2022.

Why has peace been so difficult to sustain in Ethiopia? My research on constitutional design and conflict points to four interconnected explanations:

the foundations of the Ethiopian state remain contested
ceasefires are mistaken for political settlements
armed force continues to be a route to political power
regional rivalries reinforce internal conflicts.

The problem isn’t that Ethiopians of diverse ethnic backgrounds hate one another and can’t live together peacefully. It’s that successive political arrangements have failed to establish widely accepted rules for managing disagreements.

1. The foundations of the state remain contested

Ethiopia’s 1995 constitution emerged from a political transition that followed the overthrow of the military government in 1991. This ended nearly two decades of civil war.

The new leadership sought to address long-standing grievances over ethnic marginalisation and demands for greater autonomy. It restructured the country as a federation largely organised around ethnolinguistic communities. The constitution vested sovereignty in Ethiopia’s nations, nationalities and peoples. It guaranteed their right to self-determination, including secession.

Proponents of federalism regard this right as protection against historical domination. Opponents argue that it entrenches ethnic boundaries and encourages competition over territory and resources.

Ethnic diversity doesn’t inevitably lead to violence. And federalism isn’t inherently destabilising. It was introduced to accommodate competing national claims within a common political order.

But constitutional recognition is not the same as political reconciliation.

The problem arises when a constitution sets out rules for sharing power and governing the country without sufficient agreement among the political groups expected to follow them. Instead of providing a common framework for resolving disputes, those rules become another source of political conflict.

2. Ceasefires are mistaken for political settlements

The 2022 Pretoria agreement was about stopping hostilities, not about resolving their causes. The federal government and the Tigray People’s Liberation Front agreed to end two years of war. Major political questions were left for later negotiation.

Disputed territories, regional administration, political participation and accountability for wartime abuses remain contentious.

Eritrea, a major participant in the 2020-2022 war in Tigray, did not sign the agreement. Eritrean forces are still present in parts of Tigray.

The Tigray People’s Liberation Front itself also became fragmented after the war. Divisions emerged within the leadership. Disagreements over federal relations, political authority and control of military forces developed into a struggle within the movement.

A peace agreement assumes that the parties signing it have authority over their political and military organisations to honour their commitments. But when these organisations fragment, it becomes unclear who can carry out agreements.

The Tigray leadership’s loss of legal party status in 2025 added another obstacle to political reintegration.

These developments have undermined confidence that the transition from armed conflict to constitutional politics would be honoured.

This distinction is fundamental. A cessation of hostilities can save lives immediately. But it cannot, by itself, establish a legitimate regional government, resolve territorial claims or restore trust between former enemies.

3. Armed force is a route to political power

The use of violence to acquire or retain political authority has deep roots in Ethiopia’s modern history. In 1974, the military overthrew the empire-state and established a military regime. This regime was itself overthrown in 1991 by a coalition of rebel forces led by the Ethiopian People’s Revolutionary Democratic Front.

These transitions reinforced a pattern in which political power could be won through armed struggle. When political opponents have little confidence that elections, courts or negotiations can bring change, taking up arms can appear more effective than peaceful political competition.

The continued use of force by both the state and armed groups makes this cycle difficult to break.

Abiy Ahmed became prime minister in 2018 after years of anti-government protests and divisions within the ruling coalition. Two years later, rising political tensions led to war in Tigray. Abiy’s regime has faced accusations of serious rights abuses and a lack of accountability.

This has deepened distrust. It’s made negotiated settlements harder to achieve. Under Abiy, political authority has become increasingly personalised. Military operations and extraordinary security measures have been used to confront political challenges.

Peace needs a political environment where losing an election doesn’t mean exclusion from power or exposure to coercion.

4. Regional rivalries reinforce internal conflicts

Ethiopia’s domestic conflicts are increasingly intersecting with the interests and actions of neighbouring countries. Eritrean forces fought beside Ethiopia’s army in Tigray. They remained in parts of the region after the 2022 peace deal. Now the former allies are adversaries.

There have been accusations of cross-border military intervention. This has renewed concerns that the war in Tigray could develop into a wider conflict.

Ethiopia’s ambitions to secure Red Sea access have further complicated relations with Eritrea and Somalia. Its 2024 agreement with Somaliland provoked a dispute with Mogadishu.

Ethiopia also has strained relations with Egypt over its mega dam in the Nile River. Sudan’s ongoing civil war and rival Saudi Arabia and Emirati relationships across the Red Sea add further pressures.

These external tensions can make domestic troubles harder to contain. Ethiopia has a duty to defend its boundaries and also to respect those of its neighbours.

What would lasting peace require?

These four obstacles to peace reinforce one another:

disagreements over constitutional rules fuel political tensions
armed conflict makes inclusive negotiations more difficult
peace agreements that fail to address underlying grievances leave the door open to renewed violence
competing regional interests complicate efforts to achieve lasting peace.

As a result, Ethiopia’s recurring conflicts cannot be resolved through ceasefires alone.

Lasting peace requires all Ethiopians to agree on how power is shared, and the relationship between the federal government and its regions.

But resolving Ethiopia’s internal divisions will not, on its own, settle tensions with neighbouring countries. That requires diplomacy built on respect for sovereignty, non-interference and peaceful negotiation over interests.

Ethiopia therefore faces two interconnected challenges. First, building a political system that its diverse communities can accept. Second, establishing peaceful relations with its neighbours.

Lasting peace depends on both.

– Can Ethiopia ever be at peace? Four reasons conflict keeps flaring up
– https://theconversation.com/can-ethiopia-ever-be-at-peace-four-reasons-conflict-keeps-flaring-up-294278

October 15, 2026

Good gut bacteria vs bad: what we learnt about antibiotic resistance from a community in Nairobi

Source: The Conversation – Africa – By Eric Ng’eno, PhD Candidate, Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology and Biodiversity Institute, University of Kansas

Years of antibiotic use have fuelled a rise in bacteria that can survive antibiotics. These antibiotic resistant bacteria are competing with and displacing other bacteria that are naturally present in the human gut, where they play a critical role in maintaining good health. Resistant bacteria have led to increased illness and death from diseases that were once easily treatable with antibiotics. Disease ecologist Eric Ng’eno shares findings from his research on how some resistant strains of Escherichia coli bacteria are taking over the guts of people who are otherwise healthy. He suggests how this displacement can be slowed down.

What did you do that’s new?

In every person’s gut there are millions of friendly microbes that help digest food, produce energy, and shield the person from harmful, disease-causing bacteria and other invaders. The microbes that live in the body include bacteria, fungi and viruses. They form a community of microorganisms.

Where people live and work together, healthy microbes spread easily through everyday interactions like handshakes, kissing, and sharing food or water. In this way, people who interact often tend to develop similar gut microbes. We call these the background microbial community.

Disease-causing agents spread in a similar way.

Microorganisms affect the environment around them so as to encourage or prevent the growth of other microorganisms in their community. We wanted to assess whether these microbial interactions play a role in the presence of resistant E. coli in the gut of individuals living in a densely populated urban informal settlement in Nairobi, Kenya.

To do this, we mapped out background microbial communities in people living in different areas across the study region.

We then tested how different background microbial composition identified at the beginning of the study were associated with resistance patterns observed thereafter.

How did you go about it?

To determine the role of the gut microbes, we first built a statistical model that used all three factors that contribute to the spread of antibiotic-resistant bacteria together. These factors are:

antibiotic use
spread of bacteria
background microbial communities in people’s guts.

We measured how well this combined model predicted where resistant E. coli appeared.

Next, we ran a similar model, but this time using background microbial communities as the only predictor. These are the microbes people naturally had in their gut at the beginning of the study.

By comparing the two results, we were able to pinpoint how much the background microbial communities alone drove resistance in this setting. We used E. coli strains identified from faecal samples collected from people living in different locations across the whole study area.

The idea of considering microbial interactions in the analysis of drivers of resistant bacteria carriage isn’t new. But this is the first time where such interactions were considered in an analysis of real-world data.

What did you find?

We showed that the background microbial community largely determined which E.coli strains people in this area ended up carrying.

People who lived in areas where invading resistant bacteria made up a larger share of the local microbial community were more likely to carry resistant E. coli strains. Those in areas where the local microbial communities mostly included the native non-resistant bacteria were less likely to carry resistant E.coli strains. This was the case despite how antibiotics were used and how easily bacteria could spread in these areas.

Antibiotic use and background microbial communities work together. When antibiotics disrupted the gut microbiota of individuals, the native microbes that people had in their guts were quickly displaced by microbial communities present in the surrounding environment. If these replacement microbial communities include invading resistant bacteria, they may create an environment that supports growth of even more resistant bacteria in the invaded guts.

How this process worked varied with the type of antibiotics involved.

Antibiotics that severely disrupted the gut microbiota facilitated direct takeover by microbes present in the surrounding environment.

On the other hand, milder, less universally lethal antibiotics tended to result in varied outcomes. The resistant E. coli has fewer opportunities to take over since these antibiotics preserve the original gut microbiota that compete with incoming microbes.

Why are your findings useful?

These findings highlight that carriage of antibiotic resistant E. coli in community settings is context dependent. Native microbes present in the broader environment shape whether an invading resistant strain established itself or not.

Strategies to minimise antibiotic resistance need, therefore, to be tailored to the local microbial community context. In areas where the background microbial community includes resistant types, measures which minimise disruption or facilitate the spread of harmless microbes should be encouraged.

Broadly speaking, current preventive efforts should always aim at helping natural, diverse, non-resistant microbial communities to reclaim their ground in human populations.

These communities carry the potential for holding back resistant bacteria. The goal is to preserve them.

Minimising the use of antibiotics is key to this effort. Vaccines and hygiene practices which minimise the risk for diseases can help reduce the need for antibiotics.

Where unavoidable, antibiotics need to be used carefully. In addition, there need to be efforts to restore microbes lost with antibiotic use.

In the short term, using probiotics after using antibiotics may be a good strategy. For the long term, people could be encouraged to embrace “farming of the microbiome”. This describes the continuous efforts of creating a culture of good bacteria in the body. People around the world have been doing this for centuries through eating fermented foods, for example, which are naturally packed with the good microbes.

– Good gut bacteria vs bad: what we learnt about antibiotic resistance from a community in Nairobi
– https://theconversation.com/good-gut-bacteria-vs-bad-what-we-learnt-about-antibiotic-resistance-from-a-community-in-nairobi-289108

October 15, 2026

South Africa is going digital on VAT: what it can learn from the rest of Africa

Source: The Conversation – Africa – By Amina Ebrahim, Research Fellow, World Institute for Development Economics Research (UNU-WIDER), United Nations University

Completing value-added tax (VAT) returns takes time, and waiting for a refund can tie up money a business needs to pay suppliers or invest.

The South African Revenue Service wants to ease both pressures while making it harder for businesses to under-report VAT. VAT-registered businesses already file returns electronically, reporting VAT on their sales and purchases. The revenue service checks supporting invoices after submission when it requests them.

VAT is a tax on most goods and services. VAT-registered businesses charge it on the goods and services they supply, deduct the VAT they are entitled to claim on purchases, and pay the difference to the tax authority.

In an August 2026 consultation paper, the South African Revenue Service proposed receiving VAT-related transaction details in near real time. Businesses would issue invoices in a standard digital format, with the relevant details sent automatically to the revenue service. It could use this information to pre-fill returns for businesses to review and correct, and to identify discrepancies sooner. Public comments are due by 16 October 2026.

More accurate reporting could help the revenue service collect VAT that businesses have failed to declare. A study estimated South Africa’s domestic VAT reporting gap at between 35% and 41% across the 2016-2020 tax years. This measures the difference between VAT declared and the amount that would have been declared under full compliance.

VAT is South Africa’s second-largest source of tax revenue. In 2024/25, it raised R457.8 billion (about US$28 billion) after refunds, accounting for 24.7% of total tax revenue. Personal income tax, the largest contributor, accounted for 39.5%.

We study taxation in Africa, including how businesses respond to tax rules and how tax authorities administer them. Our work has investigated how much VAT businesses under-report and how electronic invoicing changes their reporting behaviour. Drawing on this work and other research from South Africa, Uganda, Rwanda and Ethiopia, we consider the lessons for South Africa’s proposed VAT reform.

Together, these studies show that digital records can improve VAT reporting, but businesses may find other ways to under-report. Collecting records is therefore only part of the task. Tax authorities also need to compare buyers’ and sellers’ records, identify claims that do not match, and investigate possible under-reporting.

How firms respond to tighter checks

Businesses can lower their tax bills by deducting VAT on purchases from the VAT they collect from customers. Some businesses understate the VAT they owe by exaggerating purchases or concealing sales. Digital invoice records allow officials to check whether the purchases businesses claim match their suppliers’ records.

Uganda required VAT-registered businesses to start issuing electronic invoices from January 2021, reporting sales information to the tax authority. Initially, businesses could choose how to report, including entering details through an online portal. In April 2022, about 5,000 larger firms were instructed to connect their accounting software directly to the system, automating invoice reporting.

Research on this stricter requirement found that affected businesses reported 43% fewer purchases, while their reported VAT liabilities increased by nearly 150%. The researchers interpret this as evidence that tighter checks reduced exaggerated purchase claims. Reported sales also fell by 39%, suggesting that some businesses shifted towards hiding sales when exaggerating purchases became harder. Higher declared VAT does not necessarily translate immediately into higher cash payments. Many businesses had accumulated VAT credits that could offset the amounts owed.

Acting on discrepancies

Uganda illustrates how businesses respond to tighter checks. Rwanda shows why follow-up matters. A Rwandan study using records from 2012 to 2019 estimated that electronic invoicing increased annual VAT declared after deductions by about US$11,000 per firm. However, audits among firms using electronic invoicing increased subsequent annual declared VAT by an estimated US$33,400 per firm. The study suggests that digital invoice records can make audits more effective.

Evidence from Ethiopia also shows the importance of using the information collected. Electronic sales registers increased VAT payments by adopting businesses in Addis Ababa by at least 48%. They also reduced inconsistencies in reporting. Nevertheless, across the declarations studied for 2010-2016, about 42% contained different sales figures for income tax and VAT. Officials did not fully use the available information to address these discrepancies.

The South African Revenue Service already plans to use automated risk detection. The proposed pilot could test which discrepancies automated checks flag, which businesses can correct, and which require further investigation.

Protecting revenue and paying refunds promptly

How the revenue service handles checks also matters to businesses waiting for VAT refunds. The challenge is to investigate questionable claims without unnecessarily delaying legitimate refunds. Refund claims arise when deductible VAT on purchases exceeds VAT charged on sales. Delaying payment restricts money available for investment and operating costs.

A South African study of refund administration found that roughly halving the audit rate on refund claims, alongside faster processing, increased investment by 31% and reported sales by 24% among affected firms. Delays were particularly damaging to smaller businesses.

Fewer audits and smaller adjustments also reduced additional tax recovered through those checks. The study did not establish the overall short- and long-term revenue effects.

The study did not assess electronic invoicing. But it highlights a practical test for the proposed reform: can better records help the tax authority to investigate questionable claims while paying legitimate refunds sooner?

What South Africa can test

The consultation paper already identifies VAT gap indicators, compliance risks and ease of adoption as considerations for phased rollout. Estimated reporting gaps by sector, based on data from 2016 to 2020, were approximately 47% in construction and 5% in gold mining. These estimates can help inform which sectors adopt first, alongside potential revenue gains and businesses’ readiness.

The South African Revenue Service’s indicative roadmap places the pilot in 2029/2030, with phased implementation starting in 2030. The pilot can test whether businesses report more accurately, whether the service can resolve discrepancies, and whether legitimate refunds reach businesses sooner. Assessing declarations alongside cash payments, investigation workloads, refund delays and adoption costs would show how the reform works in practice. Software changes and staff training may create particular challenges for smaller businesses, which may need support to participate.

For South Africa, success would mean detecting under-reporting while making compliance easier and paying legitimate refunds promptly.

– South Africa is going digital on VAT: what it can learn from the rest of Africa
– https://theconversation.com/south-africa-is-going-digital-on-vat-what-it-can-learn-from-the-rest-of-africa-294238

October 15, 2026

Sudan: Children facing threat of drones overhead as school classes disrupted in El Obeid

Source: APO

“I visited a school where teachers told me they are being forced to regularly suspend lessons as a result of drones flying overhead,” Saraf said. “It is an outrage that children should experience such things when simply trying to get education: they should not have to be brave just to attend school.”

NRC-supported learning centres in El Obeid have enrolled more than 5,500 pupils, with many other families still trying to enrol their children. NRC works with its partner, the Alsalam Organisation for Rehabilitation and Development (AORD), to help children catch up on missed learning and cope with fear and stress.

Drones have repeatedly struck civilian sites in El Obeid in recent weeks, including a university dormitory, a shelter for displaced families, and warehouses in Sheikan locality holding more than 330,000 textbooks. El Obeid is home to more than half a million people, including tens of thousands displaced by fighting elsewhere in Kordofan and Sudan.

“The places where people sleep have been hit from the air, and so have the books children need to learn,” Saraf said. “Each attack leaves families wondering what will be hit next. Families who have already lost their homes are also facing rising prices and struggling to find enough clean water, safe sanitation and adequate shelter.”

“Children are willing, teachers are willing, parents are willing. What they are missing is the certainty that a school day can simply be a school day, without listening for drones or wondering when lessons might have to stop,” Saraf said.

NRC also supports a girls’ school in El Obeid, where about 1,200 students are enrolled, and just three classrooms are available for use. “Entering one of the classrooms meant trying not to step on one another,” Saraf said. NRC has built two more classrooms and toilets, provided learning materials, and trained teachers to support children affected by conflict. “Standing there, I could see that it was not enough,” he said.

In response to the growing needs in El Obeid, NRC has provided cash assistance to 4,000 households and distributed 3,000 kits containing hygiene and shelter items, including blankets, plastic sheeting, sleeping mats, jerrycans and solar lamps. NRC will also support community initiatives, building on the efforts of people who are already responding to needs within their communities. NRC’s 12-month response plan for El Obeid seeks $7.1 million to reach 107,000 people, and 65 per cent of that is still unfunded.

“Attacks on civilians and the infrastructure they rely upon are prohibited under international humanitarian law,” Saraf said. “The parties to this war must protect schools, homes, shelters and markets, and keep military assets away from civilian areas. Donors must fund water, shelter and education now, so that displaced and host families in El Obeid have somewhere to turn.”

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC).

Media files

.

October 15, 2026

South Sudan: ‘Citizens’ Talk’ in Terekeka creates community platform for shared solutions to complex challenges

Source: APO

A new United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) initiative, known as Citizens’ Talk, is bringing communities together to discuss shared challenges and explore solutions.

As the name suggests, these dialogue forums aim to empower people to play an active role in shaping their communities’ futures.

In Terekeka, where land disputes, competition over scarce resources and cattle raids have long fueled tensions, the forums offer a pathway towards peaceful coexistence.

“After all, dialogue is the best way to build trust, understanding and confidence amongst community members,” explained Christoper Muchiri, UNMISS Head of Field Office for Central and Eastern Equatoria states, during the latest forum.

The gathering brought together community representatives from across Terekeka County to share their concerns and identify practical, locally driven solutions.

Setting the tone for the discussions, Mr. Muchiri encouraged participants to seek amicable, community-based solutions rather than take the law into their own hands.

“This is your platform to collaborate. We encourage you to use it wisely and focus on reconciliation that will create resilience within your communities.”

And the participants did just that.

“Today, our people openly shared their problems, which allows us to now come together and actively work on solutions,” said Right Reverend Bishop Paul Modi of the Terekeka Diocese of the Episcopal Church of South Sudan.

He highlighted two pressing challenges: the lack of water points and poor road connectivity to parts of the county, which leave some communities isolated and unable to access essential resources.

These shortages can exacerbate tensions, pushing cattle keepers, including members of the Mundari community, to travel beyond their home areas to places such as Wonduruba, Lainya and parts of Yei River county in search of water and grazing land. Such movements can, in turn, trigger violent clashes between herders and farmers.

Yet participants were also candid about the limitations of dialogue if discussions fail to translate into tangible results.

Among them was Josephine Kakule, who stressed the need to turn words into action.

“I understand that dialogue is the best and only solution to resolve conflict but fail to understand why we still keep returning to war,” said the mother of three.

Echoing her concerns, women’s representative Sarah Tarazio called for practical measures, including better coordination and formal agreements between communities competing for resources, particularly farmers and cattle keepers.

“We urgently need these dialogues to negotiate and discuss how we can share the few resources available to us, but in the end, these spoken words will only bring peace if we hold each other accountable and translate them into concrete actions,” Tarazio concluded.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS).

Media files

.

October 15, 2026

Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) Day 2026: Honouring Sacrifice, Strengthening Military Readiness And National Service

Source: APO

The Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) commemorated KDF Day 2026 with nationwide and international engagements that honoured fallen heroes, celebrated the dedication of serving personnel and veterans, and reaffirmed the centrality of troop welfare, professionalism and operational readiness in safeguarding national security.

Marked annually on 14 October in remembrance of the launch of Operation Linda Nchi in 2011, this year’s celebrations were held under the theme, “A Soldier-Centric Approach to Enhanced National Security and Development.” The commemorations brought together Officers, Service Members, military families and communities in recognition of the courage, sacrifice and enduring contribution of the Defence Forces to Kenya’s peace, security and development.

Across military formations, bases, training institutions and operational deployments, commanders delivered the Chief of the Defence Forces’ (CDF), General Charles Kahariri’s message, emphasising that a professional, well-equipped, motivated and supported force remains fundamental to mission success.

At Kenya Navy Base Mtongwe, Commander Kenya Navy, Major General Paul Otieno, underscored the importance of translating the soldier-centric approach into tangible improvements in personnel welfare. He highlighted ongoing housing initiatives, the KDF Mortgage Scheme, improved healthcare, professional military education and career development as critical investments in the Force’s operational effectiveness.

He further urged commanders to remain accessible and responsive to the physical, mental and emotional wellbeing of personnel, while recognising the sacrifices of military families. The celebrations included a solemn wreath-laying ceremony at the Kenya Navy monument and a blood donation exercise.

In the Close Operations Area, Deputy Army Commander, Major General John Nkoimo, visited troops at Mandera and Elwak, where he emphasised vigilance, operational readiness, discipline and mutual support. He cautioned against drug and substance abuse and encouraged personnel to prioritise mental wellbeing while maintaining focus on their security mandate.

At Defence Headquarters Camp Administrative Unit, Commandant Colonel Francis Cheret reinforced the CDF’s call for integrity, accountability, professionalism and responsible leadership. The message also highlighted the importance of joint operational planning, military modernisation, indigenous defence technologies and continuous professional development in responding to evolving security threats.

The Kenya Air Force commemorated the occasion at Moi Air Base, Laikipia Air Base and Embakasi Air Base, under the leadership of Brigadier Herbert Wafula, Brigadier Hillary Kipkurui and Colonel Wilson Yatich, respectively. The ceremonies featured prayers, moments of silence and tributes to fallen personnel, reinforcing the enduring bond between the Defence Forces and military families.

Beyond Kenya’s borders, the spirit of service and sacrifice resonated with troops deployed on international peace support missions. At Mavivi Permanent Operating Base in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, MONUSCO Deputy Force Commander, Major General Pierre Chareyron, joined Kenya Quick Reaction Force 5 (KENQRF 5) personnel in commemorating the occasion.

He commended the contingent’s professionalism and contribution to civilian protection, humanitarian assistance and Ebola prevention efforts, particularly during its deployment in Mambasa, Ituri Province. A wreath-laying ceremony honoured Kenyan peacekeepers who made the ultimate sacrifice in international service.

At Kenya Navy Base Manda Bay, Commander Operation Amani Boni, Brigadier Meshack Kishoyian, led commemorations recognising the dedication of personnel serving in the operational area. The celebrations also extended into the community, where troops painted classrooms and sanitation facilities at Kauthara Primary School.

Community service, environmental conservation and support for vulnerable populations formed another defining pillar of the nationwide commemorations.

In Nanyuki, Commandant Counter Insurgency, Terrorism and Stability Operations Centre, Brigadier N. Muhindi, led KDF personnel, KENQRF 6 troops, teachers and pupils of DEB Nkandone Comprehensive School in planting 4,200 trees as a living tribute to fallen heroes, veterans and serving personnel.

Elsewhere, KDF personnel supported vulnerable children through donations and outreach activities at Hope for Orphans Rescue Centre in Joska, Liki Special School in Nanyuki and Shanzu Orphan’s Home in Mombasa.

Additional commemorations at the Defence Forces Recruits Training School in Eldoret, 78 Tank Battalion in Isiolo and other military establishments featured remembrance ceremonies, professional reflections, community engagement and sporting activities aimed at strengthening unity, camaraderie and esprit de corps.

Throughout the celebrations, special tribute was paid to fallen heroes, wounded personnel, veterans and military families whose resilience and sacrifices remain integral to the strength of the Defence Forces.
KDF Day 2026 reaffirmed a defining principle of military service: that national security rests not only on operational capability and military strength, but also on the professionalism, wellbeing, unity and unwavering commitment of the men and women entrusted with defending the nation.

The commemorations reinforced the Kenya Defence Forces’ determination to safeguard Kenya’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, contribute to regional and international peace, and support national development, guided by the CDF’s vision: “One Force, Mission Ready, Deeply Rooted in Professionalism.”

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Ministry of Defence – Kenya.

Media files

.

October 15, 2026

Ethiopia Joins Pan-African Payment and Settlement System (PAPSS) Network as National Bank of Ethiopia and PAPSS Announce the 2nd Edition of COWRY in Addis Ababa

Source: APO

The National Bank of Ethiopia (NBE) and the Pan-African Payment and Settlement System (PAPSS) today announced that Ethiopia has officially joined the PAPSS network, marking an important milestone in the country’s integration into Africa’s financial and payments ecosystem.

PAPSS was established under the auspices of Afreximbank, the African Union and the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) Secretariat as a critical infrastructure supporting the continent’s economic integration and intra-African trade ambitions.

Ethiopia’s participation in PAPSS will enable financial institutions in the country to connect to the PAPSS network and participate in cross-border payments with financial institutions across Africa, creating new opportunities for Ethiopian businesses and consumers to transact with the rest of the continent.

The announcement was made by H.E. Dr. Eyob Tekalign, Governor of the National Bank of Ethiopia, and Mike Ogbalu III, Chief Executive Officer of PAPSS, during a joint press conference held on the sidelines of the Ethiopia Finance Forum (EFF) in Addis Ababa.

During the press conference, NBE and PAPSS also officially announced that Ethiopia will host PAPSS COWRY 2026, Africa’s Payments Conference, on 26–27 November 2026 at the Ethiopian Skylight Hotel in Addis Ababa, co-hosted by PAPSS and the National Bank of Ethiopia.

Held under the theme “Scaling Africa’s Sovereign Payments: From Continental Connectivity to Global Integration”, COWRY 2026 will bring together the leaders shaping the future of payments in Africa and connect the continent’s payments ecosystem with leading players from around the world.

H.E. Dr. Eyob Tekalign, Governor of the National Bank of Ethiopia, said: “Ethiopia’s integration into the PAPSS network represents an important step in our continued efforts to modernise our financial system and deepen our economic connections with the rest of Africa. It creates new opportunities for Ethiopian financial institutions and businesses to participate more actively in cross-border payments and intra-African trade. We are equally pleased to co-host PAPSS COWRY 2026 and welcome Africa and the global payments community to Addis Ababa at an important time in the transformation of Ethiopia’s financial sector.”

Mike Ogbalu III, Chief Executive Officer of PAPSS, said: “Participating in the Ethiopia Finance Forum has allowed me to witness first-hand a dynamic and innovative financial ecosystem, with institutions and entrepreneurs eager to embrace new technologies, build new partnerships and play a greater role in Africa’s financial transformation. Ethiopia joining the PAPSS network is an important milestone. It connects Ethiopian financial institutions to a growing continental payments infrastructure and opens new opportunities for cross-border payments with the rest of Africa.

“I would like to thank Governor Eyob for his vision and support for PAPSS, and for accepting to co-host PAPSS COWRY 2026 with us. Our ambition is to deliver an African-owned conference to the standards of any leading international payments conference, bringing together the people who are shaping the future of payments in Africa and globally.”

Africa’s payments landscape is evolving rapidly. Payment systems are becoming increasingly interconnected, fintech innovation is accelerating, new technologies are changing how money moves, and growing intra-African trade is creating greater demand for efficient cross-border payments. COWRY will provide a platform to bring the public and private sectors together to address these developments and turn them into practical opportunities for Africa.

Over two days, discussions will cover cross-border payments, local currency settlement, interoperability, financial infrastructure, artificial intelligence, stablecoins, digital assets, cybersecurity and Africa’s integration with global payment networks.

PAPSS COWRY 2026 is expected to welcome more than 1,000 delegates, feature over 60 speakers and host more than 35 exhibition booths. Central Bank Governors, bank CEOs, fintech founders, payment switches, global payment networks, technology companies, regulators, corporates and other industry leaders from Africa and beyond are expected to participate.

Alongside its high-level conference programme, COWRY will offer extensive opportunities for networking, bilateral engagements, partnerships, business development and an exhibition showcasing solutions and innovations from across the payments industry.

The PAPSS COWRY Awards will also be presented during the PAPSS COWRY Gala Dinner on the evening of 26 November, recognising outstanding contributions across Africa’s payments ecosystem.

Financial institutions, fintechs, payment and technology companies, corporates, policymakers and payments professionals from Africa and around the world are invited to attend PAPSS COWRY 2026 in Addis Ababa.

Further information about PAPSS COWRY 2026 and registration to attend can be found on the site (https://apo-opa.co/4dYOwZF)

PAPSS COWRY 2026 | Africa’s Payments Conference

26–27 November 2026 | Ethiopian Skylight Hotel, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

One Africa. Connected by Payments. Open to the World.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Afreximbank.

Media Contact:
Papa Samba Thiongane
Head Marketing & Communications, PAPSS
Email: communications@papss.com

Negede Yilma
Senior Communications Advisor, NBE
Email: negede.yilma@nbe.gov.et

About PAPSS:
The Pan-African Payment and Settlement System (PAPSS) is the brainchild of Afreximbank, Africa’s pre-eminent trade finance institution, whose mission includes stimulating the expansion, diversification, and development of African trade. PAPSS enables the efficient flow of money securely across African borders, minimizing risk and contributing to financial integration across the regions.

About the National Bank of Ethiopia:
The National Bank of Ethiopia is the central bank of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia. Established in 1963 and headquartered in Addis Ababa, the National Bank operates under the National Bank of Ethiopia Proclamation No. 1359/2025, which sets price stability as its primary objective while supporting sustainable and inclusive growth. NBE formulates and implements monetary policy through its Monetary Policy Committee, regulates and supervises banks and other financial institutions to keep the financial system safe and sound, oversees the national payment system, and manages the country’s foreign exchange reserves. NBE is also committed to expanding financial inclusion and literacy across Ethiopia.

For more information, visit www.NBE.gov.et.

Media files

.