Category: MIL-OSI

Source: APO – Report:

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Six years ago, Mercy Awuniyi left her studies and hospital work in Ekiti State, Nigeria, with dreams of advancing her education and career in South Africa. What she found instead was a reality faced by countless migrant women across the world: the challenge of building a life in a foreign country without support networks or access to formal employment. “When you’re in another person’s country, it’s a big challenge, especially when there’s no one to help. As a woman, there’s nothing that you can do if there’s no one to help you. You just feel like, where should I start from?” says Awuniyi, now based in Pretoria. 

Awuniyi had been studying laboratory technology in Nigeria, gaining practical experience working in a hospital while pursuing her diploma. Her move to South Africa was driven by the desire to explore opportunities beyond her home country and further her education. However, the reality of migration proved more complex than she had anticipated. 

A second chance at success

A recent entrepreneurship training programme, presented by Future Families, opened an unexpected door. For Awuniyi, it was a revelation that changed her perspective on what’s possible. The training is an initiative of UN Women’s Making Migration Safe for Women programme in South Africa, supported by the Federal Government of Germany, and is designed specifically to support migrant women through two distinct pathways: entrepreneurship and employment. The programme goes beyond simply providing startup equipment; it offers comprehensive business training covering financial literacy, pricing strategies, market analysis, and the crucial skill of separating personal income from business capital.

Participants learn practical concepts like calculating owner’s drawings, tracking sales, and budgeting for stock replenishment – knowledge that transforms informal hustling into sustainable enterprises. The aim is to help women build sustainable businesses that can generate enough income to support themselves while maintaining the capital needed for continued growth.

“I didn’t know that there was a programme like this in South Africa. I learned that even if you are not working as a government worker, you can also have your own handwork – maybe in the beauty industry, or learning to bake. I’m very happy to know that there’s an opportunity for me here,” says Awuniyi. During the training, Awuniyi discovered her entrepreneurial path: nail artistry. The choice wasn’t random. She observed that women across South Africa and beyond invest in nail care, creating a consistent market for skilled technicians. “Ladies all over the world like to put nails,” she notes. “If I know how to do this, I’ll be able to make money. I like beauty, but nails are what I like most to do.”

Breaking cycles of dependence 

For women choosing the entrepreneurship pathway, the programme provides intensive skills training lasting between five days and two weeks, followed by startup kits in their chosen sector – whether beauty services, baking, or other trades as well follow up mentoring. The ultimate goal is to create independence to generate their own sustainable income. For those preferring employment, the programme offers CV writing support, email account creation, guidance on accessing online job portals, and interview preparation – recognizing that different women need different pathways to economic security.

“At the end of the day, for us, it’s about creating independence, so participants don’t rely on the programme or family members for an income”, says Sinoxolo Mbekeni, Future Families Strategic Information Manager.  “They get to generate their own income. With the employment pathway, we can’t guarantee they’ll get a job soon, but with the entrepreneurship pathway, I know if they are equipped with the right tools, they can get started right away,” he adds.”

What makes participating in this programme particularly significant for Awuniyi is that it’s the first time someone has offered to support her business idea. “I’ve never had an opportunity for someone to help me, to teach me how to do this. But since I’m here, and I heard today that they can help me with my idea, I’m very happy.” Her story reflects the experiences of many migrant women who possess skills, education, and ambition but face systemic barriers. 

“The truth is that migrant women face a perfect storm of discrimination: gender-based violence, blocked pathways to decent work, and services that are often out of reach. Yet many of these women are also economic lifelines to those who depend on them, and they contribute significantly to their families and communities across borders. Programmes like this enable these women to contribute to the home and host communities,” says Siziwe Jongizulu, UN Women South Africa Programme Specialist for Making Migration Safe for Women South Africa. 

For Awuniyi, the journey from laboratory science to nail artistry may seem like a departure from her original plans. But it represents something more fundamental: the resilience of migrant women who continue to seek opportunities despite overwhelming obstacles, and the transformative power of programmes that recognize their potential and provide tangible support to help them thrive.

– on behalf of UN Women – Africa.

Source: APO – Report:

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More than a year after conflict broke out in the Cal Miskaad mountain range of Somalia’s Puntland region, fighting continues to take a heavy toll on the lives of thousands of families. Many have been forced to flee their homes, leaving behind land and livelihoods they depend on. As communities struggle to cope with the long-term consequences of violence, severe drought conditions gripping much of the country are deepening needs, placing additional pressure on communities already stretched to their limits.

In 2025, for the second year running, conflict was the main driver of displacement in Somalia, uprooting more than 200,000 people from their homes, according to humanitarian data tracking population movements. Military operations, including sustained air and drone strikes, escalated throughout the year.

Now in its second year, the conflict in the northern part of the country between Puntland Defence Forces and the Islamic State Group-Somalia (ISg-S) has displaced tens of thousands of people, disrupting a nomadic way of life that communities have relied on for generations. As a result, Bari region, where the fighting continues, ranks as among the regions hosting the highest number of people displaced by conflict in Somalia.

“We left in a hurry. We abandoned a house with four rooms, three water reservoirs and two farms. I had lived there for about 30 years,” said Sudci Ismail, 70, who now stays in a temporary house made of plastic tarps on the outskirts of a small village in Barookhle, Bari region.

Sudci Ismail and her extended family outside their temporary shelter in a small village in Barookhle, Bari region. Like thousands of others, they have been displaced by fighting between Puntland forces and Islamic State in Somalia (IS-Somalia) in northern Somalia.

A severe drought, declared a national emergency in November, has also affected millions of people across Somalia. The northern parts of the country have been hit particularly hard due to their arid landscape. For those who were displaced, the area’s scorching temperatures add further strain to an already vulnerable population.

“Some of these families are pushed to remote areas where access to essential services such as food, water and health care is extremely limited,” said Antoine Grand, head of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) in Somalia. “Combined with persistent drought conditions, the traditional lifestyle of these nomadic pastoralists is profoundly disrupted.”

To support communities affected by the ongoing fighting and drought, the ICRC has maintained an operational presence in the region and has carried out the following activities since the start of the conflict:

• The ICRC supplied Bosaso General Hospital and Balidhidhin Hospital with three weapon-wounded medical kits, along with additional complementary supplies. The items included anaesthetics, surgical materials, dressings, sterilization sets, infusions, splints, sutures and gloves. This enabled the treatment of 485 injured patients.
• A total of 200 body bags were provided to the Ministry of Health to support the proper and respectful handling of the dead.
• The ICRC rebuilt the Iskushuban Somali Red Crescent Society (SRCS) clinic, expanding its services to the host community and nearby villages. In 2025, the facility served 7,534 patients, including displaced people. The ICRC has been supporting the clinic since 2023 with staff salaries, capacity building, and medical supplies.
• The main water source in Ufayn was rehabilitated, improving access to safe water for more than 54,000 people, including displaced families.
• A total of 5,027 displaced families in 30 hard-to-reach villages in Bari region received two rounds of cash assistance $220 each. Following deteriorating drought conditions in December, families received an additional $120 in support.
• Cash assistance was provided to 4,285 families displaced from the Cal Miskaad hills to Bosaso and Carmo towns, with each family receiving $330 over three rounds.
• In Kalabayr and Waciye, 300 families received 1,500 goats (five per family) to help them restore livelihoods and strengthen self-reliance.
• Three visits were conducted to Bosaso Police Station and Bosaso Central Prison to assess the condition of detainees held in connection with the fighting.
• A total of 120 Puntland Defence officers in Galkayo and Garowe bases and 50 frontline personnel of Puntland Maritime Police Force received international humanitarian law (IHL) training, with a focus on the protection of civilians and the rules of armed conflict.
• The SRCS volunteers in Bosaso are providing free phone call services to help families restore contact with missing or separated relatives.

– on behalf of International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC).

Source: APO – Report:

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Today World Health Organization (WHO)’s Regional Office for Africa (AFRO) and the East, Central and Southern Africa Health Community (ECSA-HC) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to strengthen collaboration in advancing health outcomes and resilient health systems across the East, Central and Southern African region.

The MoU establishes a structured framework for cooperation aligned with WHO’s Fourteenth General Programme of Work (GPW 14) and regional priorities, reinforcing joint efforts to accelerate progress towards universal health coverage, health security and the Sustainable Development Goals.

Dr Mohamed Yakub Janabi, WHO Regional Director for Africa, highlighted the value of strengthened regional partnerships in addressing complex health challenges. “This MoU is not only about cooperation between institutions, but also, perhaps more importantly, about delivering better health outcomes for Africans, especially the most vulnerable, across East, Central and Southern Africa,” he said.

Through this partnership, WHO AFRO and ECSA-HC will collaborate across a broad range of strategic areas, including primary health care strengthening, disease prevention and control, health workforce development, digital health transformation, regulatory harmonization, research and innovation and improved preparedness and response to public health emergencies. The agreement also underscores the importance of regional approaches to addressing emerging threats such as climate change, antimicrobial resistance and future pandemics.

ECSA-HC Director-General, Dr Ntuli Kapologwe, emphasized the importance of the agreement in supporting Member States. “This MoU strengthens our long-standing collaboration with WHO AFRO and enhances our collective ability to support countries in building resilient, equitable and people-centred health systems. Together, we will advance regional solutions that respond to shared health priorities and challenges,” he said.

WHO AFRO provides leadership and technical support to 47 Member States in the African Region. ECSA-HC is an intergovernmental organization established in 1974 to foster regional cooperation in health among its nine Member States: Eswatini, Kenya, Lesotho, Malawi, Mauritius, the United Republic of Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe.

The MoU will be operationalized through a joint plan of action, including defined activities, timelines and monitoring mechanisms, ensuring coordinated implementation and accountability. The partnership reflects a shared commitment to solidarity, regional integration and sustainable investment in health systems to ensure no one is left behind.

– on behalf of WHO Regional Office for Africa.

Source: APO – Report:

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Uganda’s revenue projection for the coming financial year 2026/2027 is estimated at over Shs40 trillion, according to State Minister for Finance, Planning and Economic Development (General Duties), Hon. Henry Musasizi.

The minister made the revelation while appearing before the Committee on Finance, Planning and Economic Development chaired by Hon. Amos Kankunda.

“This is an increment of Shs3.35 trillion compared to the projection of the current financial year 2025/2026 target of Shs36.73 trillion. This is in line with Uganda Revenue Authority’s (URA) mission of mobilising revenue for national development,” Musasizi said.

The minister also presented URA’s budget estimates for financial year 2026/2027 that stand at Shs877.296 billion for activities that will support increased domestic revenue and improved institutional coordination, management and reporting.

Sheema Municipality Member of Parliament, Hon. Dicksons Kateshumbwa wondered whether the support given to the authority is sufficient to enable its achievement of the projected revenue for 2026/2027.

He also raised queries on the workings of government-owned banks like Pearl Bank Uganda and Uganda Development Bank (UDB).

“What is the role of such banks? Are they able to operate in a manner different from the privately-owned banking institutions? Some of these banks have given loans to individuals who end up defaulting on payments saying it is a government-owned bank,” Kateshumbwa said.

Hon. Paul Omara (Indep., Otuke County) tasked the minister on how the revenue projection is expected to be achieved, particularly with the increment from the current financial year.

The Permanent Secretary and Secretary to the Treasury (PSST), Ramathan Ggoobi noted that the Finance Ministry supports URA in revenue collection, albeit with a clearly spelt out return on investment strategy.

“The ministry has clear return on investment metrics with URA. When we invest a certain amount of money in improving their capabilities to collect revenue, they must account in terms of the revenue collection and that is why they are also improving,” he said.

Ggoobi added that the projected revenue of Shs40 trillion in the next financial year will be attributed to faster economic growth and a new tax policy that will initiate reforms to support revenue generation.

“The Shs40 trillion is still very small in an economy which has Shs284 trillion. Our target is 20 per cent within the medium term, which we should attain in the next five years. We are currently at slightly less than 14 per cent,” Ggoobi noted.

He also clarified on the role of government-owned banks noting that that they do not play from any rules different from those governing privately-owned banks.“Their role is clear – to distort the financial market in such a way that it fulfils our objective of reducing the cost of doing business for the critical strategic sectors without necessarily distorting the financial stability,” the PSST said.

Ggoobi added that strict protocols at the Central Bank ensure that every financial institution plays by the rulebook, and noted that such entities that default on the rules risk being closed.

In its budget interventions for financial year 2026/2027, the Finance Ministry plans to capitalise government-owned banks and financing schemes including UDB, Pearl Bank, the Agricultural Credit Facility (ACF), the Uganda Agriculture Insurance Scheme (UAIS), the Small Business Recovery Fund (SBRF) and the Large Farmers Scheme.

– on behalf of Parliament of the Republic of Uganda.

Source: APO – Report:

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Millions of children in Sudan have missed nearly 500 days of learning since the war started in April 2023 in what has become one of the world’s longest school closures, surpassing the worst shutdowns during the COVID-19 pandemic, Save the Children said.

New analysis by Save the Children on the scale of the emergency crisis in Sudan comes ahead of the 8th International Day of Education, that was set up to mark the role education plays in peace, development and breaking the cycle of poverty.

Across Sudan more than 8 million children – nearly half of Sudan’s 17 million school-aged children – have spent about 484 days without entering a classroom [1]. This is 10% longer than the approximate 440 classroom days lost to the COVID-19 pandemic in the Philippines [2] which was the last country to resume regular face-to-face schooling after COVID.[3] Few modern conflicts have closed schools this long. 

Unlike during the pandemic, remote learning is not an option for most children in Sudan where more than 1,000 days of fighting have disrupted education across the  country, shattered families, and destroyed communities.

Sudan is now facing one of the worst education crises in the world with many schools closed while others have been damaged in the conflict or are being used as shelters for displaced families, leaving children without safe places to learn and millions of children increasingly unlikely to ever complete their studies. 

North Darfur state, where conflict is ongoing, is the most affected region with only 3% of over 1,100 schools open. West Kordofan, South Darfur and West Darfur are next in terms of the least number of schools operating at 15%, 13% and 27% respectively, according to data from Sudan’s education cluster due to be released this week. [4] 

Additionally, many teachers have not received salaries for months, severely affecting morale and forcing some to abandon their jobs. Without immediate funding to pay and train teachers, restore learning spaces, and provide essential learning supplies, the education system risks total breakdown, Save the Children warned.

Education in crisis settings is lifesaving, it protects children from violence, sexual and gender-based abuse, exploitation, and recruitment into armed groups.  

Save the Children International CEO Inger Ashing travelled through Sudan this month, visiting schools and learning centres in Port Sudan, River Nile and Khartoum. She said:

“Children who have fled unimaginable violence in Sudan deserve more than just safety – they deserve the chance to learn, to hope, and to rebuild their lives. Education is not a luxury for children; it is a lifeline that protects children from exploitation, early marriage, and recruitment into armed groups. It provides safety, stability, and hope for the future.

“Everywhere I went during my visit, I heard the same message from children: they want to be in school – safe, supported, and learning.

“I met Amina*, a 9-year-old girl who was living in Khartoum when the conflict began and was forced to flee. She missed nearly a year of school. Today, like other children I spoke to, she walks several kilometres every day on her own to attend class, even though she said the journey can be lonely and at times frightening. Amina told me how happy she is to be back with her friends and learning from her teachers. Her favourite activity is writing in English.

“To reach every child, we must listen to them and find the ways – and the funding – to expand this support and close the learning gaps. Every child in Sudan has the right to an education and the chance to pursue their dreams – to become doctors, nurses, teachers, and engineers, as children told me this week. We must not fail them.

“We urgently need more funds to restore and expand safe and quality educational services, rehabilitate damaged schools, and provide teachers with fair working conditions. If we fail to invest in education today, we risk condemning an entire generation to a future defined by conflict rather than by opportunity.”

Save the Children runs inclusive education programmes in nine of the 18 states across Sudan, supporting over 400 schools to support children’s learning and well-being despite the crisis. 

Programmes include school meals, school gardens and providing essential items like school supplies, and uniforms. Schools are also being rehabilitated and equipped with safe water and sanitation facilities. Teachers receive monthly incentives and training, including technical and psychosocial support, to support children’s well-being and help them deal with the psychological impacts of conflict and displacement. 

Save the Children has been working in Sudan since 1983 and is currently supporting children and their families across the country, providing health, nutrition, education, child protection, and food security and livelihoods support.  

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– on behalf of Save the Children.

Source: APO – Report:

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• H.E. Dr. Rania Al-Mashat: We are working with Multilateral Development Banks to expand blended finance instruments for local and foreign private sector investment
• The “NWFE” Programme has contributed to increasing the appetite of local and foreign investors for renewable energy projects in Egypt
• We have been able to leverage debt swap mechanisms to increase climate investments and implement projects across several development sectors
• Activating investment guarantee mechanisms with the European Union and the World Bank to expand financing mechanisms for the private sector
• Signing power purchase agreements with the private sector for projects with a capacity of 8.25 GW under the “NWFE” Programme, out of a total target of 10 GW

H.E. Dr. Rania Al-Mashat, Minister of Planning, Economic Development and International Cooperation, participated in a high-level session on the GAEA Initiative launched by the World Economic Forum, focused on mobilizing capital to support transitions in climate, nature, and energy. The session aimed to discuss the mobilization and direction of catalytic capital and accelerating partnerships between the public and private sectors and development institutions to support climate action, nature protection, and accelerate the energy transition.

H.E. Dr. Rania Al-Mashat affirmed that climate finance needs in emerging markets are enormous, particularly when aligned with global mitigation and climate adaptation goals, stressing that governments should focus on “blended finance” models to reduce private sector investment risks in green projects.

She noted that blended finance mechanisms, including concessional finance, technical assistance, and risk mitigation instruments, contribute to reducing risks, enhancing investment viability, and attracting private capital, which often avoids early-stage or high-risk climate investments.

H.E. Dr. Rania Al-Mashat reviewed Egypt’s efforts to enhance climate action through the national platform of the “NWFE” Programme, which has become a leading platform regionally and globally, and is cited in international reports as one of the platforms that integrates project design, implementation, and financing, through coordination among the government, development partners, international institutions, and the private sector.

She affirmed that the progress achieved in the renewable energy sector since the launch of the programme has contributed to promoting the significant opportunities Egypt possesses in renewable energy, and has strengthened the country’s ability to achieve its target of generating 42% of energy from renewable sources. She referred to the recent inauguration of the Obelisk project, one of the largest renewable energy projects.

She explained that the “NWFE” platform, launched in 2022 to accelerate the implementation of the National Climate Change Strategy 2050 and the updated Nationally Determined Contributions, and to move from pledges to actual implementation, relies on blended finance mechanisms by combining public, private, and concessional financing, alongside technical support and multi-sector partnerships.

She added that the programme has contributed to increasing investor appetite in the renewable energy sector, and has succeeded in mobilizing financing worth USD 4.5 billion for clean energy projects, aimed at accelerating the implementation of solar and wind energy projects led by the private sector, with a total implemented capacity of 5.2 GW, while the total capacity for which power purchase agreements have been signed reached 8.25 GW, out of a total target of 10 GW under the programme.

She noted that, to date, 1.3 GW of conventional thermal power plants have been decommissioned out of a total target of 5 GW, in addition to strengthening electricity grid infrastructure, supported by concessional financing worth EUR 367 million, to ensure grid readiness for power transmission and system stability.

On another note, H.E. Dr. Rania Al-Mashat confirmed that Egypt has been able to leverage debt-for-development swap mechanisms with bilateral partners, represented by Italy and Germany, to enhance climate investments, particularly in the energy sector under the “NWFE” Programme, and to implement projects across several development sectors. She pointed out that the Ministry is working with the European Union and the World Bank to expand investment guarantees for the private sector, enabling additional financing mechanisms.

The session was attended by Chevalier Frederick Tsao, Chairman of the Tsao Pao Chee Group; Ray Dalio, Founder of the Dalio Family Office; and Justin Mundy, Head of the Centre for Sustainable Sovereign Debt. The session was moderated by Sebastian Buckup, Managing Director of the World Economic Forum, and was opened by André Hoffmann, Vice Chairman of Roche Holding and Co-Chair of the World Economic Forum.

– on behalf of Ministry of Planning, Economic Development, and International Cooperation – Egypt.