The Ministry of Defense has provided three months of vocational training to 175 of its members from the Naval Force, Air Force, and various departments of the Ministry.
In the theoretical and practical training, 29 members were trained in journalism, 37 in still and video camera operation, 59 in graphics, and 50 in computer technology.
Speaking at the closing ceremony of the training, Gen. Filipos Woldeyeohannes, Chief of Staff of the Eritrean Defense Forces, urged the trainees to assume the responsibility of properly documenting the history of Eritrean generations with the aim of transferring it to posterity.
Noting that the training was part of the ongoing effort being exerted by the Promotion and Information Unit of the Ministry to enhance the capacity of its members, Mr. Tesfa’alem Kesete, coordinator of the program, said that the trainees were also provided training on time management, information and its proper usage, as well as artificial intelligence, among others.
Commending the training opportunity they were provided, representatives of the trainees expressed conviction to apply the knowledge they gained from the training in properly documenting the activities of the Ministry. They also called for the sustainability of the program.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Ministry of Information, Eritrea.
Call for protection of rights of people with albinism
The Gauteng Department of Social Development has called for the stronger protection, dignity, and equal treatment of persons with albinism.
This as Saturday, 13 June, marked International Albinism Day.
“Persons with albinism must be protected, respected, and treated with dignity. As government, we continue to work with communities to fight discrimination and ensure that no one is left behind,” Gauteng MEC for Social Development, Nomantu Nkomo-Ralehoko said.
Observed annually, the day raises awareness about the challenges faced by persons with albinism, including discrimination, social exclusion, and harmful myths that continue to affect safety and access to opportunities.
“The department continues to work with communities, schools, and non-profit organisations to promote awareness, provide psychosocial support, and strengthen efforts to protect vulnerable groups,” the provincial department said in a statement.
The department further encouraged communities to report any form of discrimination or abuse against persons with albinism and to support ongoing awareness efforts that promote understanding and acceptance. –SAnews.gov.za
Source: The Conversation – Africa – By Mbali Sunrise Dhlamini, Lecturer on the New Generation of Academics Programme (nGAP) in African Language Studies, University of the Western Cape
It’s 50 years since the Soweto uprising in South Africa. On 16 June 1976, tens of thousands of young black South Africans protested against being taught in the Afrikaans language (alongside English) at school.
At the time, under apartheid laws, language, ethnicity and race were all treated as characteristics that defined identity and belonging. Geographic settlement (the artificial system of homelands) added another layer of ethnolinguistic affiliation.
In the case of language, the government designated Afrikaans, now spoken by 10.6% of the population, and English, now spoken by 8.7% of the population, as the two official languages. African languages – spoken by 78.6% of the population at present – had no official status except in the homelands.
These policies made languages political:
black South Africans regarded Afrikaans as the language of the white oppressor
English was seen as the language of education, advancement and opportunities
African languages were maintained as carriers of cultures and ethnic identities.
Each African language of a homeland was linked with ethnic affiliation. This embedded the idea that if one spoke isiZulu (the language), for example, one identified as umZulu (a Zulu person) and one was meant to live in KwaZulu (the “homeland”).
The homelands were abolished in 1994 and nine provinces were created. These provinces, however, still promote official African languages based on their first language dominance in the previous homelands.
As scholars of African languages, it’s our view that the manufactured notions of ethnic allegiance and belonging continue to bar the promotion of African languages in the country.
In a recent paper we looked at the distribution and teaching of languages at South African universities.
We found that English and Afrikaans remain interprovincial languages and are offered across South African universities. African languages still primarily determine the university and province in which prospective African language students can study.
The results suggest that the apartheid pattern of language use hasn’t been broken in the democratic era.
African languages at universities
Our research involved interviews with 10 academics in African language departments. We approached eight South African public universities that offered any of the four official South African isiNguni languages (isiZulu, isiXhosa, siSwati, isiNdebele). These can be classified as varieties of the same language. The research participants were lecturers who taught these languages.
Apartheid policies used language and ethnic affiliation to determine admission to universities in the homelands. So we enquired about the language policies of universities today, especially for admission to study African Languages.
We also asked about the language varieties that the academics accepted for learning, teaching and assessment.
English and Afrikaans are offered in South African universities across the provinces.
But a student’s own language still matters for admission to study an African language. When deciding who to accept, university African languages departments use the African language the applicant studied as a home language in grade 12.
African language courses are taught based on the first languages that the students and most of the lecturers speak.
English and Afrikaans courses at the same institutions accommodate students and lecturers who speak different first languages.
This linguistic setup creates another layer of inclusion and exclusion for African languages in the democratic era. The findings revealed that African languages that many people speak as first languages enjoyed priority over African languages that a minority speak. For example, isiZulu (spoken by 24.4% of the population) and isiXhosa (spoken by 16.3%) were offered by seven of the eight universities in our study. Just one of the eight universities offered isiNdebele (spoken by 1.7%) and siSwati (2.8%).
We found that some academics accepted only the standard language version of the isiNguni language that they taught in their own classrooms. They argued that their teaching practices were guarded by the rules of the standard language. They said this promotes a “pure” and “correct” language variety. Other academics said they accepted all language varieties of the isiNguni languages in their classrooms. They acknowledged that students’ linguistic profiles at universities have changed in the last few decades. Hence, they said their approach was based on respect for all students’ language rights, preservation of all African language varieties, and promotion of student engagement and belonging in the classroom.
Some academics were still upholding the standard language ideology that the apartheid government imposed in the learning and teaching of African languages. Others were opting for approaches that recognise what students actually speak.
African languages should be promoted at a national rather than provincial level.
Higher education institutions should develop their own system of benchmarking language proficiency instead of relying on grade 12 certificates.
Official African languages should incorporate standard and non-standard language varieties.
African languages that are official in some provinces should be taught as second languages in provinces where they are not official. For instance, although Xitsonga first language speakers are concentrated in Limpopo, the language could be taught as a second language in KwaZulu-Natal. Similarly, siSwati could be taught as a second language in the Free State.
Firstly, it would encourage collaboration between African language scholars across the country. It could break silos in the promotion of African languages.
Secondly, African languages could cross provincial borders just like English and Afrikaans. This might change how languages are perceived.
Thirdly, African languages would be accessible to everyone instead of just language experts and their first language speakers.
This could enhance training of teachers, particularly for the advancement of mother tongue-based bilingual education. And it would preserve African language varieties, regardless of the number of their speakers and official status.
Overall, changing the teaching of African languages to avoid the provincial pattern would promote language inclusion and social cohesion.
– Want to learn a South African language? Your options are limited – here’s why – https://theconversation.com/want-to-learn-a-south-african-language-your-options-are-limited-heres-why-284961
Source: The Conversation – Africa – By Kobus Maree, Professor of Educational Psychology, University of Pretoria
Thirty-two years after South Africa became a democratic state, the futures of millions of young people in the country are shaped to a large degree by uncertainty, exclusion, poverty and discouragement. As one lens on this scene, unemployment in the age group 15-34 borders on 46%.
I am an educational psychologist who has done 35 years of research on the career-life stories of young people growing up in contexts marked by extreme poverty, exclusion, inequality and disadvantage. These hardships shape their career development and views of the ever-changing world of work.
I have encountered many young people who have bottled up and eventually internalised repeated experiences of disenchantment, rejection and “failure”. Some have dropped out of education, lacking support. Others have completed their schooling only to learn that marks and qualifications alone could not open doors to successful futures. In many instances, in their environments, unemployment and unemployability have become normalised.
Yet many show resilience, adaptability and determination to find work and to construct meaningful lives.
In a recent journal article, I described an intervention which involved career counselling for a group of 51 disadvantaged black South Africans, aged around 27. They had experienced poverty, unemployment, social exclusion, and limited access to educational and occupational opportunities. I wanted to assess whether counselling could help them use their resilience as a resource. Could it improve their adaptability? And if so, how?
The results showed positive change for most participants following the programme, though the outcomes were uneven.
Structural barriers to finding work remained formidable. Nevertheless many participants developed a stronger sense of agency, hope, adaptability and future orientation. The intervention appeared to help them tell their career-life stories in new ways, with purpose, self-understanding and a shift towards taking action.
These findings underscore the importance of a counselling approach that helps young people recognise and mobilise their strengths, and convert their most significant developmental challenges into assets that benefit both themselves and their communities.
The intervention
In September 2020, the group of young, unemployed, rural South Africans took part in structured career conversations and reflections guided by researchers and career development practitioners. In a workshop and group discussions, we recorded their career interests, strengths and areas for development. They also thought about how their future careers could transform their early life challenges into something positive and empowering.
They explored fields of study aligned with their individual profiles and aspirations that could help them experience meaning, fulfil a sense of purpose and contribute existential value to their career-lives. To this end, they conducted in-depth analyses of occupations associated with their selected fields.
Participants then received guidance on managing emotions, stress and study techniques.
The aim was to elicit themes about their conscious knowledge about themselves and their subconscious insights.
A recurring theme in their reflections was personal development and motivation. Inspiration to work hard, and overcoming adversity, were part of this theme.
They showed a growing awareness of the attitudes, beliefs and competencies necessary to achieve their career-life goals. Their awareness of the need to be adaptable increased. So did their understanding of employment and economic growth realities. They reported increased confidence in defining and achieving their career and life goals. They developed greater clarity about the meaning they wished to find in their work, the contribution they hoped to make to others through their work, and the deeper existential purpose that gives direction to both their work and their lives.
Career adaptability
The intervention used a method called Career Construction Counselling. This is essentially a way to help people come up with their own advice instead of being told what to do. Through reflecting on their own stories, they think of what steps they can take towards their future working life.
This approach is consistent with findings from our career construction and narrative career counselling research. This suggests that reflecting on and reconstructing personal life stories can enhance self-understanding, agency, career adaptability and future planning. Studies have shown that people who actively engage with their own narratives are often better able to identify meaningful career directions, clarify their self- and career identity, identify appropriate study fields, articulate their mission and vision, and develop strategies for navigating future transitions.
The approach emphasises adaptability, which has four elements:
concern (do I have a future?)
control (who is responsible for my future?)
curiosity (what do I want to achieve in my future?)
confidence (can I succeed?).
A year after the intervention, the participants reported back.
Their scores for career adaptability had improved somewhat. The area of strongest improvement was their career confidence.
I concluded that narrative-based career construction counselling can strengthen career clarity, adaptability, and self-directed action among severely disadvantaged unemployed youth.
However, lasting change also requires systemic intervention. Not only is career counselling scarce in South African schools; traditional approaches are often culturally mismatched and fail to empower disadvantaged youth.
Resilience
I’ve noticed that people often speak of resilience as if it’s an end point in itself.
I believe resilience may be understood not as the culmination of coping but as a preparatory phase in the movement from passive endurance towards what the psychologist Mark Savickas calls active authorship (“active mastery”). My belief draws on life design (people actively shaping their careers and lives by constructing meaning, adapting to change, and aligning work with personal values and identity) and career construction perspectives.
From this perspective, the crucial shift lies in supporting young people to move beyond “withstanding” adversity towards re-authoring their experiences.
– Young, South African and unemployed: finding direction starts with knowing yourself – counsellor – https://theconversation.com/young-south-african-and-unemployed-finding-direction-starts-with-knowing-yourself-counsellor-283796
Source: The Conversation – Africa – By Maria Suriano, Associate Professor, Department of History, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, University of the Witwatersrand
While many men are remembered as heroes of political struggles, women seldom get enough attention. Vesta Smith is a good example. She fought for South Africa’s liberation from white minority rule, called apartheid.
Historian Maria Suriano has written a biography of this activist. With the 50th anniversary of the momentous 1976 Soweto youth uprising in mind, we asked her to tell us about the woman affectionately known as Ma Vesta.
Why is Vesta Smith important?
Vesta Smith was a community activist who dedicated her life to the anti-apartheid struggle, social justice, non-racialism and gender equality.
She participated in key events in South Africa’s history, attending the Congress of the People in 1955, where the Freedom Charter was adopted, and the historic 1956 Women’s March. Two decades later, during the Soweto uprising, Ma Vesta became a trusted mentor to younger militants.
Her political work happened largely outside formal politics. It was grounded in building non-racial and inter-generational networks of care and solidarity. She hid students in her home while they were on the run from the security police and supported the families of political prisoners. She paid the price with four months in prison.
Ma Vesta’s story contributes to efforts to uncover the radical ideas, practices and key figures behind the students’ protests. These helped pave the way for South Africa’s democratic transition and continue to echo in today’s student struggles for decolonisation.
Ma Vesta’s passionate, community-based activism matters because it reveals the importance of “everyday politics” – the small acts of resistance, often outside official politics, that foster personal and collective emancipation.
This invites us to reconsider the dominant narrative of the liberation struggle, long centred on prominent male leaders and party strategies.
Who was Vesta Smith?
Born in Johannesburg in 1922, she was forcibly relocated in 1941, along with her mother and sisters, to Noordgesig. She lived there until her passing in 2013. Segregation laws governing residential areas reserved this small section of Soweto for poor townspeople classified as “coloured”.
A young Vesta.Courtesy the Smith family
She was born into a stable family. Her father, Stephen Mpama, moved in the circles of Johannesburg’s Black intelligentsia. Her early life was marked by hardships after his premature death in 1927. Inner-city cosmopolitanism shaped her non-racialism, and daily racial discrimination informed her refusal to be subservient to white people.
From the late 1960s to the mid-1990s she worked consecutively for the South African Council of Churches, the South African Committee for Higher Education and the Legal Resources Centre. Although formally an administrator, at these progressive organisations Ma Vesta relentlessly pursued social justice by mobilising her broad political networks.
In the 1980s she connected legal advocacy to Black townships through advice centres, while participating in key anti-apartheid campaigns. After 1994 and the first democratic elections, she advocated for women’s empowerment and poverty alleviation in the townships.
What are the key takeaways?
Drawing on personal conversations with those who knew Ma Vesta and on archival sources, private papers and press coverage, the book is structured around four key themes.
First, her activism was grounded in her faith – fighting injustice was a spiritual duty. Her work within the Young Women’s Christian Association from the 1960s onwards pioneered the idea that Christianity and political activism should be intertwined.
Second, Ma Vesta’s politics were non-sectarian. Although aligned with the African National Congress (ANC) resistance movement, she was a “bridge-builder”. She connected the struggles of the 1950s to those of the 1970s and 1980s as well as activists across generations, townships and ideologies.
At home in her retirement years.Courtesy the Smith family
Third, non-racialism was central to her political work. The formal and informal, secular and religious connections she forged over time reflected this belief. In the 1970s, her rejection of apartheid categories matched the Black Consciousness Movement. The book traces her friendships and shifting relations with white liberals, alongside her understanding of her Blackness.
Fourth, looking beyond prominent leaders reveals the pivotal yet under-recognised contributions of Black women who worked on the ground. What dominant historical accounts leave out about everyday politics deserves closer examination.
What was her impact on young militants?
During the 1976 uprising Ma Vesta emerged as one of the senior activists who provided practical help, political guidance and emotional support to student activists. This was regardless of their political affiliation.
Many young militants who encountered her in 1976 and afterwards describe her as a formative influence. She helped shape their political thinking and sustained them through difficult times.
She built networks with fellow anti-apartheid activists across generations. This brings into view a political world of friendships and mutual support. What emerges is a collective political biography, but also an intimate portrait. Locating her in Noordgesig extends our understanding of June 1976 beyond its epicentre in Soweto.
Why has she been overlooked?
Ma Vesta’s absence from academic and popular accounts of the liberation struggle reflects broader patterns in how this history has been written.
First, scholarship has focused mostly on male leaders, their strategies and political organisations. It has overlooked community activists and organic intellectuals, particularly Black women outside formal leadership structures. Ma Vesta’s politics were not defined by rigid allegiances. So, figures like her are harder to categorise and less visible in such accounts.
Her erasure may also be attributed to her refusal to accept racialised politics and apartheid racial classifications (black, white, coloured, Indian). This sits uneasily with recent efforts to celebrate iconic struggle figures from coloured communities as “coloured”, a framing she herself would have rejected.
In East Africa, 1985.Courtesy the Smith family
Lastly, she was disillusioned with the unfilfilled promises of the ANC government that won democratic power in 1994. This may have also contributed to her being marginalised.
It’s important to restore Vesta Smith to her rightful place in South African history. Not as a footnote to more famous figures, but as a central example of how grassroots activists can become extraordinary agents of change and liberation.
But recovering this story is not only about correcting the historical record and advancing epistemic justice. It also speaks to pressing contemporary concerns. Her Christian-based activism offers a counterpoint to the recent resurgence of narrow identity politics in the country.
During South Africa’s first major xenophobic attacks in 2008, she called a Johannesburg radio station to question assumptions of national superiority over other Africans. She never grew tired of addressing issues of social justice.
Her commitment to community empowerment after 1994 is also a reminder that the democratic transition was only one step in the struggle for equality and dignity. Above all, her life shows that transformation is often driven by those who work in the background.
– Ma Vesta Smith: why this unsung activist matters 50 years after the Soweto uprising – https://theconversation.com/ma-vesta-smith-why-this-unsung-activist-matters-50-years-after-the-soweto-uprising-280319
Finance Minister Henry Musasizi has unveiled a Shs84.4 trillion national budget framework for the 2026/2027 financial year, projecting strong economic growth of 10.2 percent as government leans on oil production, infrastructure development, agriculture and industrial expansion to accelerate economic transformation.
Presenting the budget on behalf of President Yoweri Museveni during a sitting on Thursday, 11 June 2026 at Kololo Independence Grounds, Musasizi said the economy is on a firm recovery and expansion path, driven by improved macroeconomic stability and rising investment inflows.
“The economy is stable. Growth is accelerating. Inflation is low. The exchange rate is stable. Exports are rising. Investment is increasing,” he said, adding that Uganda is positioned for what he described as a major structural shift once commercial oil production begins.
The Shs84.4 trillion resource envelope comprises domestic revenues, borrowing, external financing and debt refinancing flows. Domestic revenue is projected at Shs45.96 trillion, of which Shs40.16 trillion will come from tax collections, Shs4.02 trillion from non-tax revenue, Shs1.44 trillion from petroleum revenue and Shs339.8 billion from local government own-source revenue.
Domestic borrowing is projected at Shs11.97 trillion, while external budget support and project financing will contribute Shs1.22 trillion and Shs11.27 trillion respectively. The framework also includes Shs13.97 trillion in domestic debt refinancing, which government says represents rollover of maturing obligations within the domestic debt market.
On expenditure, government has allocated Shs9.71 trillion for wages and salaries, while non-wage recurrent expenditure stands at Shs33.28 trillion. This category includes operational funding for government institutions, service delivery programmes, interest payments, health and education grants, medicines, maintenance of infrastructure, and wealth creation initiatives.
Development expenditure is projected at Shs22.05 trillion. Domestic debt refinancing accounts for Shs13.97 trillion, while Shs4.18 trillion has been set aside for debt amortisation. Additional allocations include Shs547 billion for repayment of domestic debt held at the Bank of Uganda and Shs317 billion for domestic arrears clearance.
Musasizi said government remains committed to stabilising public finances while sustaining investment in key growth sectors.
“A country that finances its development from its own resources enjoys greater policy independence, resilience and sustainability,” he said.
Infrastructure remains a central pillar of the budget, with Shs8.79 trillion allocated to transport systems including roads, bridges, railways, airports and related logistics infrastructure. The minister confirmed that construction of the Standard Gauge Railway from Malaba to Kampala is underway, noting that it is expected to significantly reduce transport costs and improve regional competitiveness.
“Construction of the Standard Gauge Railway is at an advanced stage, and it will transform the cost of doing business in Uganda and the wider region,” Musasizi said.
Government also plans to expand Uganda Airlines by acquiring eight additional aircraft to strengthen tourism, trade and international connectivity.
The oil and gas sector remains a key driver of the projected economic expansion, with ongoing development of the East African Crude Oil Pipeline and central processing facilities. Musasizi told Parliament that drilling activity has already exceeded requirements for first oil.
“Fifty-one additional wells were drilled, bringing the cumulative number to 199 wells, exceeding the 189 wells required for first oil production later this year,” he said.
Health and education continue to receive significant funding, with Shs5.23 trillion allocated to the health sector and Shs6.66 trillion to education. Government also set aside Shs568.65 billion for salary enhancements for primary school teachers and arts teachers in secondary and technical institutions.
In agriculture and wealth creation, Shs2.26 trillion has been allocated to agro-industrialisation, while Shs2.49 trillion will support broader wealth creation programmes including the Parish Development Model, Emyooga, the Agricultural Credit Facility, and other targeted funds. Musasizi said the Parish Development Model is already reshaping rural livelihoods.
“PDM is not merely a financing programme. It is a structural transformation programme. Its objective is to move households from subsistence to commercial production and from survival to enterprise,” he said.
Government also earmarked Shs1.14 trillion for science, technology and innovation, alongside Shs1.03 trillion for industrial development, as part of efforts to expand manufacturing, digital innovation and value addition. Security institutions received Shs10.21 trillion to support defence modernisation, counter-terrorism, intelligence systems and community policing.
On the broader economy, Musasizi projected continued stability, citing improving external balances and rising export earnings. He said Uganda’s foreign exchange reserves had risen to US$6 billion, while exports of goods and services reached US$18.04 billion in the year ending March 2026. Coffee exports alone generated US$2.46 billion.
However, he acknowledged concerns over public debt levels, which he said stood at US$34.86 billion, equivalent to about Shs126.19 trillion or 53 percent of GDP.
“Uganda’s public debt remains sustainable and is projected to stay so over the medium and long term,” he said.
Musasizi concluded that the budget is designed to accelerate Uganda’s transformation agenda, arguing that strategic investments in infrastructure, energy, agriculture and human capital will drive sustained high growth.
“Without peace you cannot create prosperity, without security and rule of law there is no investment, and without stability there is no growth,” he said.
– on behalf of Parliament of the Republic of Uganda.
The ECOWAS Permanent Delegation in Côte d’Ivoire organized, on June 8 and 9, 2026, in Grand-Bassam, a series of commemorative activities marking the 51st anniversary of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), under the theme of peace, regional integration, and civic engagement.
The activities began on June 8 with a workshop to promote the ECOWAS Vision 2050 and the Early Warning and Response System as tools for peace and prosperity in the Community. The meeting brought together queen mothers, leaders of women’s organizations, civil society representatives, institutional partners, the media, and community stakeholders.
Chaired by Ms. Fathmah Mahan, Acting Resident Representative of ECOWAS in Côte d’Ivoire, and Mr. Minourou Sylla, representing Her Excellency Ms. Sandra Folquet, Ambassador and Director of the ECOWAS National Office in Côte d’Ivoire, the meeting helped raise participants’ awareness of ECOWAS’s Vision 2050, which aims to build an “ECOWAS of the People: Peace and Prosperity for All.”
The proceedings were enriched by presentations led by Mr. Daniel Bodo Lago, former Legal Director of ECOWAS, and Mr. Yves Konan, Program Officer and ECOWAS Focal Point at WANEP, a strategic partner of the Organization in the areas of early warning, conflict prevention, and human security. Their presentations gave the participants a better understanding of the Vision 2050 framework, the institutional architecture of ECOWAS, and the regional mechanisms established to promote peace, stability, and regional integration. Discussions also focused on the security challenges facing West Africa and the essential role of communities, particularly women, in early warning and conflict prevention mechanisms. At the conclusion of the discussions, the participants reaffirmed their commitment to supporting the ideals of ECOWAS and to actively contributing to the building of a peaceful, resilient, and prosperous region.
The official celebration of ECOWAS’s 51st anniversary continued on June 9, 2026, in the presence of numerous government officials, traditional leaders, community representatives, and diplomats, including Ms. Sandra Folquet, representing Her Excellency Ms. Nialé Kaba, Minister of State, Minister of Foreign Affairs, African Integration, and Ivorians Abroad; Mr. Minourou Sylla, representing the Deputy Minister for African Integration; Ms. Fathmah Mahan, Acting Resident Representative of ECOWAS in Côte d’Ivoire; Mr. Sidibé Mamadou, representing the Mayor of Grand-Bassam; as well as representatives from the National Coordination Center for the Response Mechanism, civil society, and the media.
In her remarks, Ms. Fathmah Mahan noted that since its creation on May 28, 1975, ECOWAS has worked tirelessly to promote regional integration, the free movement of people and goods, peace, security, and the socio-economic development of the peoples of West Africa.
Participants commended the Organization’s many achievements over the past fifty-one years, particularly in the areas of conflict prevention and management, regional trade facilitation, infrastructure development, education, health, the empowerment of women and youth, as well as the strengthening of democracy and governance.
The screening of a message from His Excellency Dr. Omar Alieu Touray, Chairperson of the ECOWAS Commission, served to reaffirm the Organization’s commitment to building a stronger, more resilient Community that is more attuned to the aspirations of its citizens.
One of the highlights of the celebration was the tribute paid to Mr. Sondo Hamidou for his twenty-one years of service at the ECOWAS Permanent Representation in Côte d’Ivoire. His professionalism, loyalty, and dedication were unanimously praised by all participants.
Through these commemorative activities, the ECOWAS Permanent Representation in Côte d’Ivoire reaffirmed its commitment to strengthening the bond between the Organization and the people, while fostering a better understanding of Community policies, programs, and mechanisms. The various sessions highlighted the achievements of regional integration, the challenges that the West African region continues to face, and the essential role of citizens in preserving peace, security, and social cohesion.
The celebration of ECOWAS’s 51st anniversary thus provided a unique opportunity to reflect on the progress made since the Organization’s founding on May 28, 1975, while renewing the collective commitment to a more integrated, peaceful, resilient, and prosperous West Africa.
– on behalf of Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).
Le gouvernement ivoirien renforce son action en faveur des ménages en situation de grande vulnérabilité. Dans le cadre du projet Popote familiale, lancé en juin 2025, les bénéficiaires ont reçu des kits alimentaires et d’hygiène pendant sept mois.
Dans les régions du Haut-Sassandra et de la Marahoué, l’assistance apportée par le gouvernement a permis d’améliorer significativement les conditions de vie de nombreuses familles dans le besoin.
« Je suis aveugle et malade. Recevoir des kits composés de riz, d’huile, de savon et de pâtes alimentaires nous a vraiment soulagés », confie Soman Koné, rencontré à Bonon.
« Nous avons reçu du riz, de la pâte de tomate, des pâtes alimentaires, de l’huile et du savon. Cette aide a vraiment retiré un poids de mes épaules », témoigne Bouabré Gnaleba.
« Chaque appel des agents du ministère de la Solidarité me remplissait de joie, car je savais que mes enfants mangeraient bien dans les jours à venir », ajoute Nadège Tagro, mère de neuf enfants à Bémadi, dans le département d’Issia.
« Avec la cherté de la vie, acheter un kilo de riz à 600 FCFA était très difficile pour nous qui avons une vingtaine de personnes à charge. Ce projet nous a réellement aidés », témoigne Esther Kouadio, mère de famille à Daloa.
Durant sa phase pilote, ce sont des kits d’une valeur de 50 000 FCFA qui ont été offerts aux ménages non encore bénéficiaires des programmes sociaux du gouvernement.
Cette initiative vient renforcer les actions déjà menées à travers le programme des Filets sociaux productifs, dont 457 000 ménages ont bénéficié entre 2017 et 2024 sur l’ensemble du territoire national.
Distribué par APO Group pour Portail Officiel du Gouvernement de Côte d’Ivoire.
The East African Community (EAC) is scaling up regional efforts to respond to the ongoing Ebola outbreak and strengthen preparedness measures against communicable diseases across the region.
In line with this, the EAC and KfW Development Bank on Friday, 12 June 2026, signed a €5 million partnership to strengthen the regional health sector in addressing Mpox and other highly infectious disease outbreaks. The support will also contribute to strengthening laboratory capacities across the region.
The agreement was signed by the EAC Secretary General, Amb. Stephen P. Mbundi and KfW Development Bank Country Director, Tanzania/EAC Ms. Vanessa Eidt.
In addition, Germany committed a further €3 million through KfW Development Bank to support Ebola response efforts in the region.
Speaking during the signing ceremony held at the EAC Headquarters in Arusha, Tanzania, the EAC Secretary General, Amb. Mbundi, appreciated Germany’s consistent commitment to strengthening resilient regional systems and institutions that directly serve the people of East Africa.
He acknowledged Germany as one of the EAC’s long-standing and highly valued strategic partners that continues to make tangible contributions to regional integration and development.
“This support will go a long way in supporting the EAC advance regional coordination in response to current public health threats. This includes strengthening surveillance systems, enhancing laboratory capacity, and mobilizing technical expertise across Partner States,” he stated.
The German delegation was led by the Chargé d’Affaires of the German Embassy in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, Mr. Manuel Müller. Mr. Müller highlighted the value of long-term investment in regional preparedness.
“At this very moment, it is paying off that German development cooperation has been partnering with EAC for many years in pandemic preparedness: in the establishment of early warning systems that are now sounding the alarm; in training for medical professionals who are now on the front lines; and in laboratories where testing is now being carried out around the clock. The aid, know-how and expertise do exist and are fully available in EAC Partner States. We are confident that all stakeholders continue facilitating cross-border cooperation to prevent the dangerous virus from spreading further,” he said.
The additional German support reflects continued efforts by the EAC and its partners to strengthen regional solidarity, enhance preparedness capacities, and ensure Partner States are equipped to respond effectively to current and future public health emergencies.
The EAC and the German Government have a long-standing partnership in strengthening regional health security, epidemic preparedness, and outbreak response. Since 2016, Germany has supported the EAC in strengthening disease surveillance systems, laboratory networks, workforce development, and emergency response mechanisms across the region.
As part of this cooperation, the EAC further flagged off one mobile laboratory supported by the German Government. Through German support, the EAC has deployed ten mobile laboratories across seven Partner States, namely Burundi, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Kenya, Rwanda, South Sudan, Tanzania, and Uganda. The mobile laboratories provide rapid diagnostic services that enable early detection, confirmation of cases, and timely outbreak containment.
The EAC Mobile Laboratory Network was established under the Regional Network of Reference Laboratories for Combating Communicable Diseases Project, implemented by the EAC with technical support from the Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine (BNITM) and financial support from the Government of Germany through KfW Development Bank.
The laboratories have already proven critical in major public health responses, including the COVID-19 pandemic, the 2022 Ebola outbreak in Uganda, the 2023 Marburg outbreak in Tanzania, and the regional Mpox outbreak in 2024.
The EAC also received 500 sets of Personal Protective Equipment (PPEs) from the Government of Germany to support frontline health workers engaged in preparedness and response activities.
The Secretary General noted that EAC Partner States continue to facilitate the deployment of technical experts at strategic locations, including border points of entry and identified hotspots.
“The EAC Rapidly Deployable Pool of Experts (RDE), a multidisciplinary network of more than 180 experts operating under a One Health approach, has been significant in strengthening this response by enabling rapid deployment of specialists during outbreaks and other public health emergencies,” he added.
To further enhance regional readiness, healthcare workers and members of the RDE will undergo targeted training in infection prevention and control, risk communication and community engagement, risk assessment, and outbreak management. These activities are being implemented through the Support to Pandemic Preparedness in the EAC Region (PanPrep) project by GIZ in collaboration with Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, the German Epidemic Preparedness Team (SEEG), and the African Volunteers Health Corps (AVoHC) of the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC).
As of June 2026, the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and Uganda continue to report cases of Ebola Virus Disease, underscoring the need for sustained vigilance and coordinated regional action. EAC Partner States have experienced recurrent outbreaks of infectious diseases, including Ebola, Marburg, Measles, Avian Influenza, and COVID-19, all of which pose significant threats to public health, livelihoods, and economic stability.
The EAC Deputy Secretary General responsible for Infrastructure, Productive, Social and Political Sectors, Hon. Aguer Ariik Malueth, was in attendance.
Also in attendance from the German delegation were Ms. Julia Kronberg, Head of Cooperation, German Embassy, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania; Ms. Anne Hahn, GIZ Country Director, Tanzania/EAC; and Mr. Bjorn Richter, GIZ Cluster Coordinator.
L’Agence Nationale de la Sécurité des Systèmes d’Information (ANSSI) a organisé, les 10 et 11 juin 2026 à Abidjan, l’atelier national de lancement officiel et de mise en route opérationnelle du Réseau National des Responsables de la Sécurité des Systèmes d’Information (RN-RSSI) de l’Administration publique.
Cette rencontre a marqué un pas décisif dans le renforcement de la cybersécurité au sein des administrations publiques ivoiriennes. Elle a réuni les Responsables de la Sécurité des Systèmes d’Information (RSSI) des ministères, institutions, sociétés d’État et structures publiques autour d’une vision commune : bâtir un cadre de collaboration durable pour renforcer la résilience numérique de l’État.
Résultat de plusieurs mois de préparations, le RN-RSSI entend favoriser le partage d’expériences, la coordination des actions, le renforcement des capacités, ainsi que la mise en œuvre harmonisée des bonnes pratiques de sécurité des systèmes d’information au sein de l’Administration publique.
Pour le Général de Brigade Guelpetchin OUATTARA, Dircteur Général de l’ANSSI, il s’agit de « créer un espace permanent de coopération, un mécanisme d’entraide et surtout une communauté de confiance. Ce réseau est un canal direct entre l’ANSSI et l’ensemble des administrations ».
Puis, il a ajouté : « Je vous invite donc à faire vivre ce réseau de confiance d’expertise et de vigilance, à partager vos expériences, à mutualiser vos connaissances, à signaler les difficultés, à proposer des solutions et à cultiver l’esprit de solidarité qui doit nous unir face aux défis cyber ».
Au cours de ces deux journées, les participants ont échangé sur les enjeux de gouvernance de la cybersécurité, les mécanismes de coordination opérationnelle, la gestion des incidents, la conformité aux politiques de sécurité ainsi que les actions de sensibilisation et de renforcement des compétences. Des groupes de travail thématiques ont également permis d’élaborer une feuille de route et un calendrier d’actions pour les premiers mois de fonctionnement du réseau.
À travers cette initiative, l’ANSSI réaffirme ainsi sa ferme volonté d’accompagner les administrations publiques dans la sécurisation de leurs systèmes d’information et de contribuer à la construction d’un espace numérique plus sûr, plus résilient et plus digne de confiance pour l’ensemble des citoyens.
L’Agence Nationale de la Sécurité des Systèmes d’Information (ANSSI) est l’autorité nationale chargée de la cybersécurité en Côte d’Ivoire. Elle œuvre à la protection des systèmes d’information, à la prévention et à la gestion des incidents de cybersécurité, ainsi qu’au développement de la confiance numérique au service de l’État, des entreprises et des citoyens.
Rappelons qu’à ce jour, ce sont plus de soixante-dix structures qui ont déjà procédé à la désignation de leurs RSSI, traduisant l’engagement croissant des acteurs publics en faveur de la confiance numérique.
Distribué par APO Group pour Portail Officiel du Gouvernement de Côte d’Ivoire.
