MIL-OSI – Page 694 – MIL Africa Engine

January 15, 2026

World Advanced Manufacturing & Future Mobility Exhibition (WAM Morocco) s’installe à Casablanca et met à l’honneur la dynamique industrielle et la coopération régionale autour de l’industrie 4.0

Source: Africa Press Organisation – French

La première édition du World Advanced Manufacturing & Future Mobility Exhibition (WAM Morocco) se tiendra à Casablanca du 20 au 22 janvier. Ce rendez-vous inédit s’impose comme la première plateforme régionale intégralement dédiée à l’industrie 4.0, à la fabrication avancée, à la mobilité du futur, à l’innovation industrielle et à la transformation des chaînes d’approvisionnement. Imaginé comme un point de rencontre stratégique entre l’écosystème industriel marocain et les grands noms de la technologie et de la production à l’échelle internationale, l’événement a pour vocation d’accélérer les investissements, d’encourager l’adoption des technologies émergentes et de renforcer les synergies transfrontalières à travers l’Afrique et au-delà.

Porté par KAOUN International, filiale du Dubai World Trade Centre (DWTC), WAM Morocco bénéficie du soutien actif d’un solide réseau de partenaires régionaux et internationaux. Parmi eux figurent MSC Pro, le Centre de Développement de la Démocratie (CDD), l’Université Mohammed VI Polytechnique (UM6P), Advantage Austria, ainsi que l’organisation allemande Der Mittelstand. BVMW. Ensemble, ces acteurs publics et privés œuvrent à une transformation industrielle concrète fondée sur la coopération internationale et l’intelligence collective.

Trixie LohMirmand, directrice générale de KAOUN International, déclare : « WAM Morocco constitue un levier stratégique pour affirmer la place du Maroc et du continent africain dans la nouvelle ère de l’industrie intelligente et de la mobilité d’avenir. En articulant l’expertise mondiale autour des ambitions régionales, cet événement ouvre de nouvelles voies pour l’investissement, la collaboration et la construction d’un tissu industriel résolument tourné vers l’avenir. »

Cette édition inaugurale traduit la confiance croissante que portent les industriels internationaux à l’égard du Maroc en tant que terre d’avenir pour les industries de nouvelle génération. Plus de 100 entreprises issues de plus de 18 pays, dont le Maroc, le Nigeria, la Suisse, l’Autriche, l’Espagne, l’Allemagne, Hong Kong, le Vietnam ou encore l’Arabie Saoudite, participeront à l’événement. WAM Morocco réunira notamment des acteurs de premier plan tels que Schneider Electric, SAP, Engie, Sumitomo Corporation, Zoho, Rockwell Automation, Hitachi, Vigel ou encore Vivo Energy, avec l’objectif de favoriser des coopérations d’envergure et une mise en œuvre concrète des technologies 4.0 à l’échelle du continent.

Un porte-parole de Schneider Electric témoigne : « La fabrication intelligente est en train de redessiner les contours des industries mondiales, et le Maroc émerge comme un territoire stratégique où cette transformation peut se déployer à grande échelle. En tant que partenaire technologique des industries, des entreprises et des foyers, notre présence à WAM Morocco reflète notre volonté d’accompagner les acteurs industriels avec les outils, les compétences et les alliances nécessaires pour bâtir les usines de demain. »

Au cœur de cette première édition, la conférence proposera un programme ambitieux et structurant pour l’avenir industriel de la région. Pendant trois jours, les participants auront accès à une programmation dense articulée autour de quatre thématiques centrales, couvrant huit secteurs stratégiques. Le contenu cumule plus de 60 heures d’interventions, animées par plus de 60 experts internationaux, répartis sur deux scènes spécialisées. Les grands sujets à l’agenda porteront sur les centres de données pour les industries du futur, les flux de capitaux internationaux vers la fabrication intelligente, la production industrielle verte ou encore les nouvelles formes de mobilité du fret. Des discussions stratégiques seront également consacrées à la souveraineté des infrastructures industrielles, aux usines dopées à l’intelligence artificielle, à la décarbonation à grande échelle et à la transition énergétique.

WAM Morocco accueillera un public de décideurs de haut niveau issus des sphères gouvernementales, industrielles et financières. Parmi les intervenants déjà confirmés figurent le Dr Mehdi Snène, Chief AI Officer auprès des Nations Unies (Suisse), Kashifu Inuwa Abdullahi, directeur général du NITDA (Nigeria), Dr Ghita Mezzour, ancienne ministre de la Transition numérique et de la Réforme administrative (Maroc), Khalid Safir, directeur général du groupe CDG (Maroc), ainsi que Yasmina Lahlou, directrice exécutive du Groupe Bank of Africa. Plusieurs figures internationales prendront également la parole pour la première fois au Maroc, notamment Fatou Haidara (ONUDI, Autriche), Alain Sanchez (Fortinet, France), Maxime de Bonrepos (ENGIE, France) et Isaac Chetrit (Blazie Holdings, États-Unis), ce qui témoigne de l’envergure mondiale de l’événement.

WAM Morocco fera également la part belle à une sélection de startups internationales prometteuses telles que Xane. ai (https://Xane.ai) (Inde) et Dinabi (Espagne). Ces jeunes pousses seront mises en lumière au sein d’un pavillon national Invest India, pensé comme un tremplin vers une innovation industrielle transfrontalière. Cette dynamique sera renforcée par le Supernova Challenge, un concours de pitch emblématique doté d’un prix de 10 000 dollars, qui offrira une scène en direct aux startups manufacturières les plus innovantes du continent. L’occasion pour elles de présenter leurs solutions à des investisseurs, à des partenaires de croissance et à des acteurs industriels d’envergure.

L’événement réunira plus de 100 investisseurs internationaux, représentant collectivement plus de 50 milliards de dollars d’actifs sous gestion, et provenant de plus de 20 pays. Parmi eux, des réseaux dynamiques tels qu’Alex Angels (Égypte) croiseront des institutions reconnues comme AMIC (MENA), Harvard Consulting (États-Unis) ou encore Bpifrance. Ce maillage unique favorisera l’accélération des investissements dans la fabrication avancée et les nouvelles mobilités.

En partenariat avec GITEX Africa, WAM Morocco s’inscrit dans le sillage de l’un des écosystèmes technologiques les plus influents au monde. L’événement capitalise sur cette ADN partagée pour affirmer la place du Maroc comme pôle continental d’excellence en matière d’industrie 4.0 et de transformation industrielle avancée.

WAM Morocco se tiendra à Casablanca du 20 au 22 janvier. Les leaders industriels, les innovateurs et les investisseurs sont invités à prendre part à cette plateforme de référence, qui marque un tournant dans la construction d’un avenir industriel plus connecté, plus durable et plus compétitif pour le continent.

Pour vous inscrire, rendez-vous sur le site officiel (www.WAMMorocco.com) de WAM Morocco.

Distribué par APO Group pour KAOUN International.

À propos de KAOUN International et de WAM Morocco:
KAOUN International est une filiale à 100 % du Dubai World Trade Centre (DWTC) et figure parmi les principaux organisateurs d’événements mondiaux à fort impact, qui stimulent l’innovation, favorisent les collaborations et accélèrent la croissance sectorielle. Forte d’une expertise reconnue, la société est à l’origine d’événements emblématiques tels que GITEX GLOBAL, aujourd’hui considéré comme le plus grand salon mondial dédié à la technologie et à l’intelligence artificielle. Elle pilote également les manifestations les plus importantes du secteur agroalimentaire en Arabie Saoudite, notamment le Saudi Food Show et le Saudi Food Manufacturing.

Dans le prolongement de sa mission visant à renforcer les écosystèmes industriels et logistiques à l’échelle mondiale, KAOUN International lance le World Advanced Manufacturing & Future Mobility Exhibition (WAM Morocco). Devenu en quelques mois la principale exposition industrielle et logistique du continent africain, cet événement est organisé par l’équipe à l’origine de GITEX et GITEX AFRICA. Il s’inscrit pleinement dans la vision du Royaume du Maroc en faveur d’un développement industriel inclusif, durable et souverain. À travers ce nouveau rendez-vous, l’ambition est de donner aux pays africains les moyens d’asseoir leur compétitivité mondiale, de renforcer leurs capacités de production, et de faire émerger une économie industrielle plus forte, plus intégrée et plus innovante sur l’ensemble du continent.

Media files

January 15, 2026

The World Advanced Manufacturing & Future Mobility Exhibition (WAM Morocco) debuts in Casablanca, spotlighting progress and regional collaboration in advanced manufacturing and Industry 4.0

Source: APO

The World Advanced Manufacturing & Future Mobility Exhibition (WAM Morocco) makes its debut in Casablanca from 20 to 22 January, positioning itself as the region’s first Industry 4.0–focused platform dedicated to advanced and intelligent manufacturing, future mobility, industrial innovation and supply-chain transformation. Designed to connect Morocco’s industrial ecosystem with the world’s leading technology and manufacturing players, the event accelerates investment, technology adoption and cross-border collaboration across Africa and global markets.

Organised by KAOUN International (DWTC), WAM Morocco is delivered in close partnership with a powerful network of regional and international stakeholders, including MSC Pro, CDD, UM6P, Advantage Austria and Der Mittelstand. BVMW (Germany), uniting public and private sector leaders to drive tangible Industry 4.0 transformation across borders.

Trixie LohMirmand, CEO of KAOUN International, said: “WAM Morocco is a strategic accelerator for Morocco and Africa’s rise in intelligent manufacturing and future mobility. By connecting global expertise with regional ambition, the event creates new pathways for investment, collaboration and next-generation industrial growth.”

This first edition highlights the growing confidence of international manufacturers in Morocco’s industrial future. With 100+ participating companies from 18+ countries, spanning Morocco, Nigeria, Switzerland, Austria, Spain, Germany, Hong Kong, Vietnam and Saudi Arabia, WAM Morocco unites global leaders including Schneider Electric, SAP, Engie, Sumitomo Corporation, Zoho, Rockwell Automation, Hitachi, Vigel and Vivo Energy, driving large-scale collaboration and real-world Industry 4.0 adoption across Africa. A spokesperson from Schneider Electric shared: “Intelligent manufacturing is reshaping global industries, and Morocco is emerging as a place where this transformation can accelerate at scale. As the energy technology partner of every industry, business and home, our participation at WAM Morocco reinforces our commitment to supporting the industrial ecosystem with the technologies, expertise and collaboration needed to build the factories of the future.”

At the heart of the event, the conference delivers the most ambitious debut agenda for industrial transformation in the region, with three days of programming, four core themes, eight key sectors, 60+ hours of content and 60+ global expert speakers across two dedicated stages. The programme tackles high-impact priorities including data centres for future-ready industries, global capital flows into smart manufacturing, green manufacturing, and future freight mobility and transport, alongside strategic discussions on industrial infrastructure sovereignty, AI factories, large-scale decarbonisation and energy transition.

WAM Morocco convenes world-class decision-makers from government, industry and finance. Confirmed speakers include Dr. Mehdi Snène, Chief AI Officer, United Nations (Switzerland); Kashifu Inuwa Abdullahi, CCIE, Director-General, NITDA (Nigeria); Dr. Ghita Mezzour, Former Minister of Digital Transition and Administrative Reform (Morocco); Khalid Safir, Director General, Groupe CDG (Morocco); and Yasmina Lahlou, Executive Director, Bank of Africa Group (Morocco). The event also marks the first speaking appearance in Morocco of several global leaders, including Fatou Haidara (UNIDO, Austria), Alain Sanchez (Fortinet, France), Maxime de Bonrepos (ENGIE, France) and Isaac Chetrit (Blazie Holdings, USA), underscoring its international calibre.

WAM Morocco will present a line-up of promising international startups, including Xane. ai (https://Xane.ai) (India) and Dinabi (Spain), supported by an Invest India country pavilion that fast-tracks cross-border industrial innovation. This is reinforced by the Supernova Challenge, a flagship industrial pitch competition featuring a USD 10,000 cash prize and a live stage where Africa’s most disruptive manufacturing startups connect directly with investors, scale partners and industry leaders.

The programme brings together 100+ global investors managing over USD 50 billion in AUM across 20+ countries, connecting leading networks such as Alex Angels (Egypt) with institutional players including AMIC (MENA), Harvard Consulting (USA) and Bpifrance, accelerating capital deployment into advanced manufacturing and next-generation mobility.

In association with GITEX Africa, WAM Morocco is powered by one of the world’s most influential technology ecosystems, leveraging shared DNA to position Morocco as a continental epicentre for Industry 4.0 and advanced industrial transformation.

WAM Morocco takes place in Casablanca from 20 to 22 January. Industry leaders, innovators and investors are invited to be part of the region’s defining platform for advanced manufacturing.

To register, visit WAM Morocco’s official website (www.WAMMorocco.com).

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of KAOUN International.

About KAOUN International and WAM Morocco:
KAOUN International, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Dubai World Trade Centre (DWTC), is at the forefront of organizing transformative global events that foster collaboration, innovation, and industry growth. Building on a rich legacy of landmark exhibitions such as GITEX GLOBAL, the world’s largest tech and AI event, KAOUN International is also responsible for the Kingdom’s most significant food industry events, including the Saudi Food Show and the thriving Saudi Food Manufacturing show.

In line with its mission to advance global industry and logistics, KAOUN International presents World Advanced Manufacturing & Future mobility Exhibition (WAM Morocco), Africa’s leading industrial and logistics expo. Organized by the team behind the renowned GITEX and GITEX AFRICA events, WAM Morocco reflects Morocco’s steadfast commitment to sustainable and inclusive industrial development. This landmark event aims to empower African nations, driving partnerships, investment, and technological advancement that will elevate the continent’s global competitiveness and realize the vision for a stronger, interconnected, and innovative industrial economy across Africa.

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January 15, 2026

Student teachers in South Africa choose comfort over challenge in practical placements: but there’s a hidden cost

Source: The Conversation – Africa – By Clive Jimmy William Brown, Teaching Practice Coordinator, Lecturer & Faculty of Education Transformation Chairperson , Cape Peninsula University of Technology

South Africa’s schools still carry the imprint of apartheid, where resources, language and geography were deliberately divided according to “race”. Many communities today remain deeply unequal in terms of school infrastructure and resources.

For student teachers, this means that placement for practical experience in one school can feel worlds apart from a placement just a few kilometres away.

One school may offer smaller classes and well-resourced classrooms with access to textbooks and digital tools. Another contends with overcrowded classes, limited teaching materials and little to no digital infrastructure.

These disparities are not abstract. They shape daily teaching decisions, classroom management strategies and professional confidence. This makes one placement feel like a supported apprenticeship, and another an exercise in endurance and improvisation.

My doctoral research in education studies shows that many final-year student teachers actively avoid schools that differ from their own schooling backgrounds. Instead, they select placements that feel comfortable and familiar, even if this limits their professional growth and reinforces historical divides in education.

My research, drawing on in-depth interviews and institutional documents, reveals why this happens, and why it matters for equity, learning and justice in education.

Understanding student teachers’ choices matters for any country grappling with inequality and diversity in teacher preparation. Countries need teachers who can work confidently across different school contexts.

The quiet pull of comfort

In the programmes I oversee as a teacher educator, student teachers are placed in schools twice a year for teaching practice blocks of four weeks at a time. This amounts to about 32 weeks over a four-year degree. Placements are formally coordinated by universities. However, operational pressures and the growing number of student teachers mean that, in practice, many students find the placements themselves. The options are often shaped, too, by whether schools are willing to host students from particular universities.

A policy framework that took effect in 2016 sought to standardise teacher qualifications nationally and provide learning across diverse schooling contexts. But when student teachers select schools for their compulsory teaching practice, they are able to fine-tune the placement programme to suit their own needs rather than its broader transformative purpose.

Their choice appears simple: go where you feel you will “fit in”, be supported and pass.

The students I followed over several years consistently chose schools that:

resembled their former schools
matched their language and cultural norms
felt socially “safe”, meaning that these environments aligned closely with their own ethnic, class and racial backgrounds, and offered predictability, familiarity and reduced emotional risk during an already demanding practicum period
promised minimum disruption to completing the four-year degree quickly.

Many framed their decisions in terms of pragmatism:

I just want to finish and qualify.

Others spoke honestly about their fears, including fear of failing, not belonging or being judged in communities unlike their own. As one student confessed,

Teaching is already stressful. Why add discomfort?

A sense of comfort reduced anxiety and helped them “get through” their degrees. But it also meant that many avoided the kinds of classrooms where they might have learned how to work across differences, the very classrooms they might encounter later in their careers.

My future research aims to examine how early teaching practice placements shape graduates’ later career choices.

Expedience over authenticity

Many students themselves came from historically marginalised and economically impoverished communities. But they still worried that more challenging placements might expose them to failure, conflict or unsupportive mentors. Some feared that schools with limited resources would make it harder for them to demonstrate their teaching competence, manage classrooms effectively and access the kinds of support needed to learn how to teach well.

Only two chose placements in unfamiliar contexts. For most others, the comfort of familiarity mattered more than challenge.

In effect, the practicum became a credential-seeking exercise rather than a transformative professional learning experience.

This is not a moral failing on the part of the students. It reflects:

pressure to complete degrees quickly
fears about employability
uneven support systems across schools
deeply embedded memories of their own unequal schooling experiences.

Why this matters beyond the university

If teaching practice reinforces comfort rather than courage, it might narrow, rather than widen, what education can do.

My research and that of others suggests there could be three consequences.

Persistent inequity in teacher confidence: in “unfamiliar” kinds of schools, teachers may feel unprepared, anxious and sometimes resistant.
Reproduction of historical divides: placements could signal that some teachers “belong” in certain communities and not in others.
Lost opportunities for professional growth: discomfort can encourage reflective learning.

But discomfort must not become harm

My findings also caution against romanticising discomfort.

A small minority of students chose unfamiliar placements in poorer, more diverse or conflict-affected school contexts. This was driven by personal convictions and a desire to challenge themselves. In interviews, reflective journals and post-placement discussions, they reported feeling more confident and adaptable as teachers and classroom managers. They had a deeper sense of professional purpose.

These positive outcomes were closely tied to strong mentoring and consistent university support. Without that, they reported feelings of panic, isolation and emotional exhaustion.

Exposure to diversity must be intentional, scaffolded and humane. When unsupported student teachers are faced with large class sizes, multilingual classrooms, limited resources, long and costly commutes, or concerns about personal safety, it could be a risk rather than a growth opportunity.

What universities and policymakers can change

The research suggests several levers for re-designing teaching practice.

Structured placement pathways: ensure that every student rotates through at least one context that differs meaningfully from their own, with a clear rationale and adequate preparation.
Mentor development: invest in mentor-teachers who understand how to support novices across cultural and socioeconomic divides.
Shared responsibility for placements: universities, schools and education departments must collaborate to distribute opportunities equitably.
Reflective supervision: create guided reflective spaces where students make sense of discomfort rather than flee from it.
Transparent expectations: frame teaching practice not as a hurdle to clear, but as an ethical apprenticeship into public-serving professionalism.

South Africa’s education system still reflects deep structural inequality. If future teachers primarily work in schools that resemble their own histories, those divides could be cemented into the next generation.

– Student teachers in South Africa choose comfort over challenge in practical placements: but there’s a hidden cost
– https://theconversation.com/student-teachers-in-south-africa-choose-comfort-over-challenge-in-practical-placements-but-theres-a-hidden-cost-272938

January 15, 2026

Israel’s recognition of Somaliland is about political alliances, not legal principles

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

Israel’s decision to recognise Somaliland as an independent nation has been described as historic by Somaliland’s president, Abdirahman Mohamed Abdullahi. He framed the December 2025 declaration as the first decisive breach in the wall of diplomatic isolation that has surrounded Somaliland for more than three decades.

Somaliland has operated as a fully functional de facto state with defined territory, population and government since declaring independence from Somalia in 1991. But it lacks international recognition. This would allow it full participation in the global community, such as membership in the United Nations, as well as boosting its economic opportunities.

I am a scholar of peace and conflict resolution, constitutional design and constitutional law, with a regional focus on the Horn of Africa. My work includes examining regional peace and security.

Based on this deep knowledge of the region, I would argue that Tel Aviv’s decision is indeed consequential. But not because it resolves anything.

Its significance lies in the fact that it has elevated a question of legal status into a strategic contest unfolding within the world’s most volatile geopolitical corridor.

Over the last decade the Red Sea – which links the Mediterranean to the Indian Ocean – has become the frontline of a new multipolar order. The region has been transformed into a dense arena of overlapping crises. These include state collapses in Sudan, Yemen and Somalia, and Ethiopia’s destabilising quest for maritime access. There is also the intensification of Gulf rivalry and great power competition, which includes China’s consolidation of a coastal arc of influence.

The Red Sea region now hosts the highest concentration of foreign military bases on earth. It also sits astride critical global trade routes.

Against this backdrop, Israel’s recognition unsettles an already fragile equilibrium. While the decision alters the board, it doesn’t end the game. It increases Somaliland’s strategic value while increasing its geopolitical toxicity in a region already under strain.

The African Union and the fear of precedent

The African Union viewed the Somaliland question as a dangerous exception that must not be entertained. Its position rests on a single overriding fear: that recognition would weaken the postcolonial settlement built on inherited borders.

Somaliland’s claim is that it merely reasserts the boundaries of the former British protectorate. But the AU’s doctrine is rigid by design. It does not distinguish between border revisionism and constitutional secession within colonial lines. For the AU, the precedent is intolerable.

If African politics were governed by doctrine alone, the matter would end there. But it doesn’t.

For Ethiopia, the Somaliland question is inseparable from the Red Sea itself. Landlocked, populous and strategically exposed, Ethiopia treats maritime access as a condition of state survival. Recognising Somaliland would not automatically grant Ethiopia access to the sea. But it would fundamentally change the bargaining structure through which such access could be secured. Recognition would convert what is currently an informal, reversible commercial arrangement into a sovereignty-linked exchange.

With nearly all its trade flowing through Djibouti at enormous cost, Addis Ababa’s anxiety is real – and destabilising.

Here the wider Red Sea crisis intrudes directly. Ethiopia’s quest for access unfolds amid collapsing neighbours, proliferating militias, drone warfare supplied by Gulf states and external powers, and an increasingly militarised coastline.

It is not yet clear which direction Ethiopia has decided to take in its relations with Somaliland. Last year, prime minister Abiy Ahmed quietly retreated from the memorandum of understanding signed in 2024 with Somaliland. This was after it became clear that the move would provoke severe African Union repercussions.

For the present, therefore, any meaningful external support for Somaliland recognition comes only from Israel and the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

What is emerging in the region is an increasingly polarised alignment. On one side are Egypt, the Sudanese Armed Forces, Turkey, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Eritrea, Djibouti and Somalia. On the other are the UAE, the Rapid Support Forces in Sudan, Libya, Somaliland, Israel – and Ethiopia, despite its efforts to conceal the extent of its involvement.

Some states continue to hedge. South Sudan, Uganda and Kenya have sought to avoid choosing sides.

Israel, the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia

In Israel’s recognition announcement, the country’s prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, explicitly situated Somaliland within the logic of the Abraham Accords. Signed in 2020, the accords are a set of US-brokered agreements that normalised relations between Israel and several Arab states. They link diplomatic recognition to security cooperation, economic integration and regional realignment.

By invoking the accords, Netanyahu is seeking to pull Somaliland into the gravitational field of the Gulf. And, above all, to signal the influence of the United Arab Emirates. The UAE’s imprint in the Horn of Africa in recent years is evident in ports, bases, logistics corridors, and paramilitary finance across the region.

Israel’s recognition of Somaliland, therefore, is a strategic move that aligns it with the UAE’s economic and security architecture in the Red Sea. It is not that Israel has suddenly developed an interest in Somaliland’s legal merits, nor that it is simply acting at the UAE’s behest. Rather, recognition makes sense because Israel is choosing to embed itself within an Emirati-centred political economy of the Red Sea.

Saudi Arabia, on the other hand, condemned Israel’s decision on the grounds that it entrenched unilateral secession and violates international law. In doing so, it aligned itself with the African Union’s position while asserting independent leadership in the Red Sea arena.

China

Beijing’s resistance to Somaliland’s recognition is not about Africa alone. It is about precedent in a maritime corridor central to China’s global strategy to develop an unbroken arc of influence from the Horn to the Suez. It already has a military base in Djibouti and is expanding naval diplomacy along the African coast.

Recognition of Somaliland by major powers would validate a dangerous idea from Beijing’s perspective: that durable quasi-states can eventually overcome diplomatic isolation through persistence.

The outcome is ambiguity, but not necessarily failure

Seen whole, the Somaliland question is not a recognition cascade but a coordination failure unfolding in the world’s most dangerous maritime corridor. Multiple enforcers – the African Union, China, Saudi Arabia and others in the Middle East – raise the cost of recognition. Multiple bargainers – Ethiopia above all – demand compensation commensurate with those costs.

As a consequence, recognition has developed into a scarce and risky currency, spent only when the return justifies the danger.

History suggests that unresolved questions of sovereignty rarely disappear. They linger, reshaped by power and circumstance, until either violence settles them or institutions adapt. In the Red Sea today, institutions lag behind reality. What emerges is not resolution, but managed contradiction.

This may disappoint advocates of clarity. It should not surprise students of history. International order has never been sustained by justice alone. It endures through arrangements that most actors find tolerable and none find ideal. In the Red Sea – now the frontline of a new global order – ambiguity is not failure. It is the price paid for avoiding something worse.

In the absence of a power willing to bear the full costs of finality, ambiguity will persist – not as a failure of will, but as the international system’s preferred substitute for resolution.

– Israel’s recognition of Somaliland is about political alliances, not legal principles
– https://theconversation.com/israels-recognition-of-somaliland-is-about-political-alliances-not-legal-principles-273488

January 15, 2026

President Herminie Engages Seychelles Community in the United Arab Emirates

Source: APO

The President of the Republic, Dr. Patrick Herminie, met with members of the Seychelles community residing in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) during a community engagement event held yesterday on the margins of the Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week 2026, which the President is attending.

The meeting brought together Seychellois citizens living, working, and studying in the UAE, providing a valuable opportunity for direct interaction with the Head of State. Currently, an estimated 437 Seychellois reside in the UAE, employed primarily in aviation, tourism, health, entrepreneurship, and related service sectors. Some members of the community have been resident in the country for over two decades, reflecting a long-standing and well-integrated diaspora presence.

Addressing the gathering, President Herminie underscored the importance of maintaining strong ties between Seychelles and its diaspora, noting that Seychellois abroad remain an integral part of the nation’s social and economic fabric. He commended the community for the positive image they project of Seychelles internationally and for their meaningful contribution to the UAE economy, particularly in the hospitality, tourism, and aviation sectors.

The Minister for Foreign Affairs and the Diaspora, Mr. Barry Faure also addressed the community, outlining the mandate and objectives of the newly established Diaspora Division within the Ministry. The Ministry is tasked with reviewing existing frameworks and reassessing policies, legislation, and regulations to facilitate the return and reintegration of Seychellois abroad, while also strengthening mechanisms through which the diaspora can contribute to Seychelles’ development.

These reforms will be guided by an Inter-Ministerial Diaspora Council, whose responsibilities include examining issues raised by Seychellois overseas and proposing policy, regulatory, and legislative changes to Cabinet. The Minister emphasised that diaspora engagement is now a strategic national priority and encouraged community members to actively participate in consultations as this work progresses.

The meeting also acknowledged the presence of Seychellois students in the UAE. There are currently 16 students pursuing studies in the country, the majority of whom are government funded. Students welcomed the recent increase in stipends, particularly considering the high cost of living in cities such as Dubai.

The event was organised by the Office of the Seychelles Embassy in the United Arab Emirates, under the leadership of Ambassador Gervais Moumou.

The engagement reaffirmed the new Administration’s commitment to a more structured and sustained engagement with Seychellois living overseas, as well as to the creation of enabling conditions for those wishing to return home or contribute to national development through skills transfer, investment, and knowledge-sharing. It further underscored the Government’s resolve to strengthen dialogue with the diaspora, ensuring that Seychellois abroad remain connected, supported, and actively involved in shaping the country’s future.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of State House Seychelles.

January 15, 2026

Maio regista “avanços extraordinários” após o primeiro trimestre do ano letivo 2025-2026

Source: Africa Press Organisation – Portuguese –

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A Ilha do Maio está a viver um momento de viragem no setor educativo. Após um ano letivo de 2024-2025 desafiante, em que os indicadores ficaram aquém da média nacional, os novos dados do primeiro trimestre de 2025-26 apontam para uma recuperação robusta.

A informação foi avançada pelo Ministro da Educação, Amadeu Cruz, esta quarta-feira (14), no âmbito de uma visita de três dias à ilha do Maio. Segundo o governante, os resultados do primeiro trimestre revelam uma inversão de tendência na ilha, com o 12.º ano a alcançar os 95% de aprovação. O Ministro associou tal sucesso às recentes reformas curriculares e de infraestrutura.

Amadeu Cruz fez estas considerações citando os relatórios oficiais dos serviços educativos, que apontam que o Maio conseguiu não só melhorar os seus números, mas também alinhar-se com os padrões de sucesso de Cabo Verde. “Genericamente, os resultados são positivos, mas no Maio quero sinalizar avanços extraordinários”, afirmou o Ministro, destacando que a ilha está a superar o histórico recente. “Terminamos 2024-2025 com resultados abaixo da média nacional, mas estamos a recuperar”, reforçou.

O aproveitamento escolar na ilha reflete um esforço transversal a todos os níveis de ensino. No Ensino Básico, o 1.º e o 2.º ciclos registaram cerca de 89% de notas positivas. No Secundário, a média de sucesso fixou-se nos 90%, sendo que o 12.º ano obteve o resultado mais expressivo, com uma taxa de aprovação de 95%.

Para o governante, esta evolução é a prova de que as mudanças estruturais estão a surtir efeito no terreno: “Esta melhoria significativa mostra que o Maio está a convergir em termos de resultados das aprendizagens. Este é um resultado concreto das reformas introduzidas”, explicou, enumerando a reforma curricular, a valorização das carreiras docentes e a modernização das infraestruturas como pilares deste crescimento.

Apesar do otimismo, a tutela sublinha que o sucesso não é isolado, mas sim fruto de uma articulação entre o Governo, os profissionais no terreno e o poder local. “Estamos a conseguir isto graças aos professores, aos demais agentes educativos, à liderança dos dirigentes do Ministério e à parceria que temos mantido com as câmaras municipais”, concluiu.

O primeiro dia da missão de Amadeu Cruz na Ilha do Maio ficou marcado por encontros com a equipa da Delegação local, com o Presidente da Câmara Municipal e por uma visita à Escola Secundária Horace Silver.

Distribuído pelo Grupo APO para Governo de Cabo Verde.

January 15, 2026

President Ramaphosa to visit flood-stricken areas in Limpopo

Source: President of South Africa –

President Cyril Ramaphosa will this afternoon, Thursday, 15 January 2026, visit flood-stricken parts of Limpopo Province to assess the extent of the damage and the response of Government.

The President’s thoughts are with families who have lost loved ones, people who have been injured and individuals, businesses and organisations who have lost property.

Due to the constraints presented by the state of the roads in the flood areas and rescue missions currently under way, facilitation of media coverage will be constrained.

The Presidency will endeavour to gather footage and distribute to the media.

Media enquiries: Vincent Magwenya, Spokesperson to the President – media@presidency.gov.za

Issued by: The Presidency
Pretoria

January 15, 2026

Minister of Planning, Economic Development & International Cooperation Announces Disbursement of €1 Billion from the EU under the Macro-Financial Assistance & Budget Support Mechanism (MFA) Following the Implementation of 16 Measures under the National Structural Reform Program

Source: APO – Report:

H.E. Dr. Rania Al-Mashat, Minister of Planning, Economic Development, and International Cooperation, announced today, Thursday, the disbursement of €1 billion in concessional development financing from the European Union under the first tranche of the second phase of the Macro-Financial Assistance and Budget Support Mechanism (MFA). This disbursement follows the announcement upgrading relations between Egypt and the European Union, signed by H.E. President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi, President of the Arab Republic of Egypt, and H.E. Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission, in March 2024.

This financing forms part of the broader package signed in October during the first Egypt–EU Summit in Brussels, which resulted in the Memorandum of Understanding governing the second phase of the EU’s Macro-Financial Assistance and Budget Support Mechanism for Egypt, amounting to €4 billion.

Dr. Al-Mashat confirmed that the first tranche of the second phase is linked to the implementation of 16 structural reform measures that Egypt has already completed under the National Structural Reform Program, in coordination with relevant entities, including the Central Bank of Egypt, and the Ministries of Finance; Planning, Economic Development and International Cooperation; Investment and Foreign Trade; Electricity and Renewable Energy; Water Resources and Irrigation; Environment; and Industry.

She explained that these reforms contribute to strengthening macroeconomic stability through improved public financial management, development of medium-term budgetary frameworks, enhanced financial risk management, and governance of public investment. They also support competitiveness and the business environment by improving industrial land allocation mechanisms and streamlining investment licensing procedures. In addition, the reforms advance the green transition through strengthening sustainable water resource management, developing waste-to-energy policies, improving energy efficiency, and protecting the natural capital of the Red Sea—thereby supporting the achievement of sustainable economic development.

Dr. Al-Mashat added that, with this tranche, Egypt has implemented a total of 38 reform measures under the National Structural Reform Program within the framework of the strategic partnership with the European Union. This includes 22 measures under the first phase, disbursed in January 2025 for €1 billion, and 16 measures under the tranche disbursed this week. She noted that €3 billion remain, to be disbursed in two tranches during 2026.

She further clarified that this tranche comes as part of the continued implementation of the Macro-Financial Assistance and Budget Support Mechanism, which totals €5 billion. Egypt received the first phase of €1 billion in January 2025, while the second phase consists of three tranches—the first tranche of €1 billion, disbursed today, and the second and third tranches scheduled for disbursement during 2026. This reflects ongoing efforts to secure concessional and lower-cost financing alternatives compared to international markets, in order to support the state budget and expand fiscal space for spending on development programs and projects.

Dr. Al-Mashat emphasized that this development reflects the depth and strength of Egypt–EU relations, which are witnessing strong momentum with the support of the political leadership. She noted that the Macro-Financial Assistance and Budget Support Mechanism is part of broader government efforts to implement the National Structural Reform Program, aimed at consolidating macroeconomic stability, improving the business and investment climate, and accelerating the transition toward a green economy.

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

January 15, 2026

Commission provides €1 billion in macro-financial assistance to Egypt

Source: APO – Report:

Today, the European Commission disbursed €1 billion in Macro-Financial Assistance (MFA) to Egypt, an important commitment of the EU-Egypt Strategic Comprehensive Partnership signed in March 2024.

Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission said: “Egypt is an important strategic partner for the European Union. Today’s €1 billion payment shows both the EU’s commitment to this partnership and Egypt’s efforts to build a stronger and greener economy. This funding is going where it is needed most: economic stability, democracy, sustainability, and the rule of law. And as Egypt advances reforms and strengthens its economy, we continue to work together to make our shared Mediterranean home more secure and prosperous.”

This financial support, the first of the expected three instalments under the ongoing €4 billion MFA operation, will help Egypt cover part of its ongoing financing needs and ensure macroeconomic stability. It will also support progress within the country’s economic reform agenda in conjunction with the ongoing International Monetary Fund (IMF) programme. This support will contribute to addressing Egypt’s balance-of-payments pressures, including those stemming from Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine, the situation in the Middle East and the Houthi attacks in the Red Sea.

In its assessment, the Commission concluded that Egypt fulfilled all the required conditions for the disbursement: first, Egypt met all the economic policy conditions agreed with the EU for this payment; second, the country has taken concrete and credible steps towards respecting effective democratic mechanisms, including a multi-party parliamentary system, upholding the rule of law, and ensuring respect for human rights; and third, the IMF programme remains on track as required for the disbursement of MFA funds.

As regards the economic policy conditions, Egypt has implemented economic reforms to strengthen macroeconomic stability and resilience, including improvements in the public financial management and the functioning of the foreign exchange market. Progress has also been made in enhancing the business environment and competitiveness, notably through competitive bidding for industrial land allocation and streamlined online licensing. Further progress has also been made in fostering the green transition, including in the areas of water management and energy.

Background

The Macro-Financial Assistance package, comprising this operation (€4 billion) and the short-term MFA of €1 billion disbursed at the end of 2024, is a fundamental part of the EU-Egypt Strategic and Comprehensive Partnership concluded in March 2024, totalling €5 billion in MFA support. Since it was signed, the EU and Egypt have achieved good progress on the implementation of the Partnership across its six key pillars. The first ever EU-Egypt summit in October 2025 elevated our relations with Egypt as a key and strategic partner and boosted the implementation of the partnership.

– on behalf of Delegation of the European Union to Egypt.

January 15, 2026

President El-Sisi Meets Japan’s Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology

Source: APO – Report:

Today, President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi received Japanese Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology Matsumoto Yohei. The meeting was attended by Minister of Education and Technical Education Mohamed Abdel Latif, Japan’s Ambassador to Egypt Iwai Fumio, Director-General for International Affairs at the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology Kitayama Kouji, also from the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology Mr. Kobataki Yasu.

The Spokesman for the Presidency, Ambassador Mohamed El-Shennawy, said the President welcomed the Japanese minister and asked him to convey his greetings to His Majesty Emperor Naruhito of Japan and to Her Excellency Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi.

The President emphasized that Egypt holds in high esteem its close and longstanding cooperation with Japan in various fields, particularly education. The President commended Japan’s significant contribution to the Grand Egyptian Museum project and the success of the Egyptian-Japanese Schools project, noting Egypt’s interest in increasing the number of these schools in various governorates and enhancing the participation and increasing the number of Japanese principals and experts managing them.

The Japanese Minister of Education noted this was his first official visit abroad since assuming office, which reflects Japan’s keenness to enhance cooperation with Egypt in the field of education. He emphasized that the Egyptian-Japanese Schools project represents a successful model of developmental cooperation and the support Japan provides to its partners in Africa and the Middle East. The Japanese minister also offered his congratulations on the election of Dr. Khaled El-Enany as Director-General of UNESCO, noting that Japan looked forward to further strengthening cooperation and coordination with UNESCO and Dr. El-Enany.

The meeting addressed prospects for developing educational relations between the two countries, including cooperation in developing Egyptian curricula, introducing software studies for approximately 750,000 students according to the Japanese curriculum, as well as cooperation in technical education and training Egyptian teachers to teach the Japanese language and curriculum, and supporting education and rehabilitation programs for people with special needs. Both sides also discussed means to expand the Japanese schools in Egypt to serve as a model that could be replicated in Africa and the Arab region.

The President expressed his appreciation to Japan for its cooperation with Egypt in all fields, especially education, and looked forward to doubling the targeted number of Japanese schools in Egypt in the next five years, as well as to increase the number of Japanese experts managing those schools. The President stressed the importance of benefiting from the distinguished Japanese experience in discipline and educational vision, and working to intensify student exchange programs between the two countries.

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