Category: MIL-OSI

Source: APO – Report:

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The 25th Session of the African Forestry and Wildlife Commission (AFWC25) has opened in Banjul, The Gambia, with a clear call for African countries to scale up innovation and reinforce political commitment to protect and restore Africa’s forests and wildlife.

Delegates from across the continent are attending the week-long meeting, organised by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and hosted by the Government of The Gambia, under the theme Innovative and Inclusive Forest and Wildlife Resources Management for Africa.

Against a backdrop of rising climate risks, accelerating biodiversity loss, and growing demand for forest products, AFWC25 aims to strengthen collective action on sustainable forest and wildlife management and guide FAO’s technical support in the coming biennium.

In his opening address, H.E. Muhammed B. S. Jallow, Vice President of the Republic of The Gambia, welcomed delegates and emphasised the country’s commitment to environmental stewardship.

“Hosting this important Africa Forestry and Wildlife Commission meeting here in Banjul is both a privilege and a statement of intent,” he said. “It is a clear message that The Gambia positions firmly among the nations of Africa that have chosen to protect, not exploit; to restore, not destroy; and to act, not just talk about our environment.”

He highlighted significant reforms undertaken in recent years, including the National Forest Policy (2023–2032), strengthened national institutions, and decisive actions against illegal logging.

“My government took a bold and irreversible step to ban all timber exports, revoke all illegal felling permits, and disrupt the cross-border trafficking of rosewood that was devastating our environment,” he said. “Forest degradation has slowed, reforestation is increasing, and community forestry programmes continue to expand across the country.”

The Vice President also underscored the central role of partnerships, especially with FAO: “FAO’s support has been consistent in community forestry programmes, mangrove restoration, biodiversity protection, forest management and capacity strengthening across the sector.”

FAO calls for integrated action to unlock the full potential of Africa’s forests

FAO Assistant Director-General and Regional Representative for Africa, Abebe Haile-Gabriel, commended The Gambia for its achievements and reaffirmed FAO’s commitment to supporting African Member States as they work to strengthen the sustainability and resilience of forests and wildlife.

“FAO continues to work with countries to unlock the potential of forests, trees and wildlife in transforming agrifood systems for better production, better nutrition, a better environment and a better life, leaving no one behind,” he said.

He also emphasised the urgency of coordinated action across sectors: “The challenge before us, notably climate change, biodiversity loss, wildfires, and land degradation, continue to impact economies, agrifood systems and livelihoods. This reality underscores the urgency of our shared responsibility,” he stressed.

The Minister of Environment, Climate Change and Natural Resources of The Gambia, Hon. Rohey John Manjang, underscored the importance of forests and wildlife to the nation’s environmental and cultural heritage, highlighting that community-based forest management models now cover over 30 percent of the country’s forest estate.

Drawing attention to the global importance of Africa’s forests and wildlife, the Chairperson of the Committee on Forestry (COFO), Pierre Taty, highlighted key initiatives driving progress across the continent, including the Sustainable Wildlife Management Programme, which supports over 400 million people who rely on wild meat for nutrition. He noted that while African countries have pledged to restore more than 100 million hectares of degraded land, under 9 percent has been restored to date, emphasising the need to accelerate efforts through the newly proclaimed UN Decade for Afforestation and Reforestation (2027–2036). He urged delegates to deliver strong recommendations to guide the work of COFO and FAO in the years ahead.

The outcomes of AFWC25 will feed into the 28th Session of the Committee on Forestry and the 34th FAO Regional Conference for Africa in 2026.

AFWC25 at a glance

Throughout the week, AFWC25 delegates will examine key forestry and wildlife priorities for the continent, including:

innovative financing mechanisms for forestry and wildlife;

sustainable management of forests and wildlife in Small Island Developing States;

strengthening cross-sectoral linkages for resilient agrifood systems;

sustainable forest-based bioeconomy approaches; and

the interconnection between forestry, wildlife, forest foods and agrifood systems.

In parallel, the Ninth African Forestry and Wildlife Week (AFWW9) will feature a series of side events and exhibitions led by The Gambia, showcasing national achievements in forest and wildlife management. These events will highlight innovative approaches to community forestry, progress in biodiversity protection, and successful models of ecosystem restoration, while offering a platform for delegates to explore practical solutions that can be adapted and scaled across Africa.

Delegates will also participate in a field excursion to observe local forestry and wildlife initiatives first-hand.

About the AFWC

Established in 1959, the African Forestry and Wildlife Commission is one of FAO’s Regional Forestry Commissions. It provides a platform for African countries to review progress, share experiences, and guide FAO’s technical support on sustainable forest and wildlife management.

AFWC25 is taking place from 1–5 December 2025 in Banjul, The Gambia.

More on this topic

See more on the AFWC25 website. Follow #AFWC25. 

– on behalf of Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO): Regional Office for Africa.

Source: APO – Report:

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World AIDS Day 2025 has been commemorated for the 33rd time on 1 December at the national level in Asmara under the theme “Overcoming Disruption, Transforming the AIDS Response.”

Dr. Araia Berhane, Director of Communicable Diseases Control at the Ministry of Health, said that the day serves as a reminder to review the efforts exerted to combat the prevalence of HIV/AIDS and to renew commitment. Dr. Araia went on to say that, over the past 10 years, HIV infection among individuals aged 15 to 54 has been reduced to 0.35%, and new infections and deaths among the 15 to 24 age group have significantly declined.

Dr. Araia also stated that mother-to-child transmission of HIV has almost been reduced to zero, that people living with the disease are receiving anti-viral medicines free of charge, and that for 95% of them the viral load has decreased to a level that is undetectable in laboratory tests. He also called for coordinated efforts to nurture an HIV/AIDS-free society.

Dr. Mary Stephen, WHO Representative in Eritrea, commended the progress Eritrea has achieved in controlling the prevalence of HIV/AIDS. She noted that, at the global level in 2024, 1.3 million people acquired HIV, 40.8 million people were living with HIV, and 630 thousand people died from HIV-related causes.

Sister Nigisti Tesfamicael, head of HIV/AIDS Control at the Ministry of Health, gave a briefing on the spread of HIV/AIDS and the measures taken to control it. Members of the Medical Association of Eritrea also conducted a panel discussion.

At the event, representatives of UNICEF and UNFPA presented messages of solidarity.

Members of the voluntary Bidiho association also delivered testimonies about the disease and their personal experiences.

– on behalf of Ministry of Information, Eritrea.

Source: APO

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The Ministry of Health, with crucial support from The World Bank under the Institutional Foundations to Improve Service for Health (IFISH) project, announces the arrival of a specialized team of 20 surgeon doctors and lecturers from the Democratic Republic of Congo. This delegation will provide critical technical services and surgical expertise to health facilities across Liberia for ten months, from November 2025 to August 2026.

This initiative marks a significant step in alleviating the medical burden on Liberia’s healthcare system and enhancing specialized surgical care nationwide. The surgeons possess a wide range of specialties, including but not limited to general surgery, orthopedics, neurosurgery, pediatric surgery, and urology. In a significant development, the first contingent of 12 specialist surgeons has already arrived in Monrovia. Upon arrival, they were warmly received by the Honorable Minister of Health, Dr. Louise M. Kpoto, alongside the senior leadership at the MOH office for a brief welcome and orientation meeting.

Following the meeting, the team conducted a familiarization tour of the John F. Kennedy (JFK) Medical Center, one of Liberia’s premier referral hospitals, where they will begin integrating into the clinical environment.

“The Government of Liberia, through the Ministry of Health, is immensely grateful for this timely and strategic partnership,” stated Dr. Louise Mapleh Kpoto, Minister of Health. “The arrival of these highly skilled Congolese surgeons is a direct response to our urgent need for specialized surgical capacity. Their expertise will not only provide immediate life-saving services to our citizens but will also facilitate vital knowledge and skills transferred to our local medical teams. This collaborative effort, supported by The World Bank, embodies our commitment to strengthening Liberia’s health sector and achieving universal health coverage.”

The 12 surgeons currently in the country will be deployed with immediate effect to pre-identified hospitals and health facilities facing high surgical demand. The remaining eight surgeons are expected to arrive in Liberia within the forthcoming week.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Ministry of Health, Republic of Liberia.

Source: APO

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Today, the nation witnessed the official launch of the Triple Elimination Strategy at Capitol Hill, targeting HIV, Syphilis, and Hepatitis B. The launch of Liberia’s Triple Elimination Strategy during the 2025 World AIDS Day aims to eliminate mother-to-child transmission of HIV, Syphilis, and Hepatitis B while demonstrating the government’s commitment to strengthening the health system and advancing national and global public health goals.

Dr. Louise Mapleh Kpoto delivered the keynote address on behalf of Vice President Jeremiah K. Koung, underscoring the government’s renewed obligation to expand domestic financing for HIV prevention, testing, treatment, and program coordination, an intervention she described as essential to safeguarding the nation’s health security. “Government remains firmly committed to increasing domestic financing for HIV prevention, testing, treatment, and program coordination,” she declared, reaffirming the administration’s push for stronger national ownership of the HIV response.

Representing the Vice President, Dr. Kpoto emphasized that Liberia must take full responsibility for the health and well-being of its people. She announced Vice President Koung’s commitments on the matter: “Liberia must take full responsibility for the health and well-being of its people. I, Jeremiah K. Koung, commit to the following: strengthening domestic financing to secure the future of our HIV response; extending community-led initiatives to reach vulnerable populations and eliminate stigma; and integrating HIV services into the broader health system for sustainable lives.”

Dr. Kpoto performed the formal launch: “Ladies and gentlemen, I am honored to officially launch the triple elimination of HIV, Syphilis, and Hepatitis B in Liberia.” She noted that Liberia has made remarkable progress in HIV testing coverage over the past seven years. Testing rates have surged from 10 percent in 2017 to nearly 90 percent in 2024, a leap that has prevented more than 1,000 newborn babies from acquiring HIV at birth. “Liberia has increased HIV testing from 10 percent in 2017 to nearly 90 percent in 2024. This means over 1,000 newborn lives have been protected from HIV,” she highlighted.

Dr. Kpoto added that the country remains committed to improving maternal and neonatal outcomes through integrated care: “We want to protect mothers and newborn babies through integrated care,” she said. She concluded with a call for collective resolve in achieving an AIDS-free future: “Ending AIDS is not an aspiration but a promise, one that requires unity, leadership, and sustained commitment.”

Delivering the day’s welcome statement, Dr. Cecelia J. Nuta, Chairperson of the National AIDS Commission, commended Liberia’s progress in its HIV response but cautioned that the fight was far from over. “This day carries profound meaning for our country,” she said. “AIDS is a human reality, and the estimated 36,000 people living with HIV in 2025 reflect both progress and a continuing challenge. Fewer people are dying because care has improved, but inclusion from all fronts remains essential if we are to end AIDS in Liberia.”

On behalf of H.E. President Joseph Nyuma Boakai, President of the Republic of Liberia, Emma K. Appleton, a student of Zoe Louise Preparatory School, read the Proclamation, which reaffirmed Liberia’s commitment to global health goals.

The document recalled that, since AIDS was first diagnosed in 1981, it has posed “a serious threat to the well-being of the human race,” and that December 1 each year is observed globally “to honor those who have lost their lives and show solidarity with people living with HIV/AIDS.” It noted Liberia’s progress through “national policies, community-based programs, and partnerships with civil society, international donors, and healthcare professionals,” while calling for renewed efforts to strengthen health systems, promote inclusion, and protect human rights.

Meanwhile, Alieu Dia, UNDP Resident Representative to Liberia, speaking on behalf of UN Resident Coordinator Christine N. Umutoni, emphasized the need for equality, inclusion, and sustained investment.

“Despite the shocks of recent years, the commitment to end AIDS as a public-health threat remains unwavering,” he said. “Communities continue to lead innovation in prevention and care. Yet stigma and inequality still block progress. Liberia’s response must build local capacity and ensure that every person, no matter who they are, has access to services and the rights they deserve.”

He urged partners to “renew our commitment,” adding, “Working alongside the government and networks of people living with HIV, we can achieve an inclusive response.”

Dr. Jonathan Flomo, Program Manager of the National AIDS and STI Control Program, presented an update on Liberia’s clinical progress.

Citing UNAIDS data, he reported that about 36,000 Liberians are currently living with HIV. He outlined the global 95-95-95 targets for 2030: 95 percent of people living with HIV should know their status, 95 percent of those who know their status should be on treatment, and 95 percent of those on treatment should achieve viral suppression.

“Liberia has reached 86-99-95 percent,” Dr. Flomo said proudly, noting that 32,596 people are on treatment nationwide.

He highlighted new prevention strategies: “We have introduced Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis, or PrEP, which helps prevent HIV infection,” he said. “We are ensuring that Injectable PrEP is available in the country to optimize HIV prevention.”

The ceremony also drew a range of speakers representing LibNeP+, LPRIDE, faith-based organizations, the United Nations, the Swedish Embassy, and the Liberia Coordinating Mechanism. Lawmakers from both the House and Senate Committees on Health pledged to strengthen healthcare funding and ensure accountability in the national HIV response.

This year’s celebration was held under the global theme, “Overcoming Disruption, Transforming the AIDS Response,” and re-cast nationally as “Mobilizing Domestic Support, Transforming the AIDS Response.” The observance seeks to galvanize national momentum by fusing political resolve, local engagement, and sustainable investment in Liberia’s HIV response.

The Ministry of Health reiterates its resolve to maintain the momentum, ensuring that Liberia not only keeps pace with global health priorities but ultimately prevails in the enduring quest to end AIDS as a public health threat.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Ministry of Health, Republic of Liberia.

Source: APO

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Uganda has been elected to the Industrial Development Board (IDB) of the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) for the period 2025- 2027 at elections conducted during the 21st UNIDO General Conference held in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia from 23rd to 27th November 2025.

The Industrial Development Board is composed of 53 Members and is responsible for reviewing implementation of UNIDO’s work programme, the regular and operational budgets, and makes recommendations to the General Conference on policy matters, including the appointment of the Director-General. Uganda’s Delegation to the General Conference was led by H.E. Isaac Sebulime, Ambassador of the Republic of Uganda to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and comprised of officials from the Uganda Permanent Mission in Vienna and the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Cooperatives. 

In his address to the General Conference, Amb. Sebulime commended UNIDO for promoting inclusive and sustainable industrial development worldwide. He noted that Uganda is particularly interested in accelerating the country’s national development agenda by using UNIDO’s expertise in transformative partnerships, knowledge transfer, and agro-industrialization. ‘Uganda’s focus on promoting innovation, improving productivity, and increasing the level of value addition from primary processing of raw materials to secondary and tertiary manufacturing of medium to high technology products for exports, aligns closely with UNIDO’s mission’, he added.

According to UNIDO, 125 million people worldwide depend on coffee for their livelihoods. Uganda is currently one of five countries (Uganda, Kenya, Malawi, Ethiopia, Tanzania) earmarked to receive assistance in the coffee value chain development through the UNIDO-Italy programme for Advancing Climate-Resilience and Transformation in African Coffee (ACT). The programme worth €15 million is aimed at improving the lives of the people at the beginning of the coffee supply chain by providing better jobs and better incomes for families and communities.  The General Conference was held as the Global Industry Summit under 3 key thematic areas, namely: Investment and Partnership; Women and Empowerment; and Generation Future. The Session on Women Empowerment focused on the essential role women play in the economy and industry, and the importance of equal rights, equal access to education, training and finance, and equal opportunities in the workplace and in professional life.

Delivering the Key note address, Her Highness Princess Mashael Saud Al-Shalaan, founder of AEON Collective, highlighted the fast progress that has been made in Saudi Arabia’s development and the significant progress made in providing equal opportunities for women – from equal pay to more female participation in STEM education. She emphasized that both equality and gender equity should be at the heart of industrial policy and called upon governments to truly listen to women’s voices, ‘to understand their needs, recognize the barriers they confront, and support them in rewriting those stories – keeping what empowers them and changing what holds them back’.

During the General Conference, Nature Bio Foods, an Indian Company with operations in Uganda was announced winner of the UNIDO One World Sustainability Awards under the Category of Sustainable Supply Chains. The Award was received by Mr. Amit Singh, Sustainability Lead, who noted that one cannot talk about sustainability without talking about agriculture. Therefore, sustainability is about ‘how to increase the income of the farmers, how to reduce the cost of cultivation, and how take the farmers to the stage where they can grow and prosper.’

Nature Bio Foods is a Subsidiary of LT Foods, which is headquartered in India. The company opened a processing plant in Uganda in 2023 and is currently working with 16000 farmers involved in the production of soyabean, sorghum, chia seeds and sesame seeds for export.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of The Republic of Uganda – Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Source: APO

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• Across Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger and Nigeria, over 55% of gender-based violence (GBV) survivors supported in early 2025, have been left without continued access to essential, safe and confidential services for their recovery following broad funding cuts.

• In Menaka, Mali, nearly 90% of survivors’ cases are still waiting for full support.

• In Burkina Faso, 52% of GBV cases remain unaddressed in the Sahel and North regions, with over 500 women and girls at risk of losing access to dignity kits, awareness sessions, and case management at the time of analysis.

• In Nigeria, between 42% and 67% of GBV cases remain “open” following program closures across Borno, Adamawa, Katsina, and Zamfara States, leaving hundreds of women and girls without access to critical support.

• In Niger, 26% of GBV cases in Diffa and Tillabéri are no longer being actively managed. In Balayera, IRC was the only actor providing protection services.

More than half of all survivors of gender-based violence (GBV) have lost access to critical support services following the initial complete suspension of essential funding in Niger, Burkina Faso, Mali, and Nigeria, according to data collected by the International Rescue Committee (IRC). As the protection gap widens, which leaves women and girls increasingly vulnerable to violence, isolation, and long-term harm, the IRC urges the international community of donor governments to significantly increase funding for organizations responding to GBV.

The abrupt suspension of case management, which came after large funding cuts in the first half of the year, deprived survivors of a vital service that had supported them from the moment they disclosed violence. Many had been accessing safe spaces where they could speak freely and receive life-saving medical care, psychosocial support, and legal assistance. Suddenly, survivors, many still grappling with ongoing trauma or threats, were left without anywhere to turn, their recovery interrupted, their choices curtailed, and their needs unmet.

Services shut down entirely for three to five months, depending on the country. Now, even as some programs have been brought back to partial operation, fewer than 55% of specialized GBV caseworkers have been rehired, meaning there is now limited coverage of GBV services in those locations.

Safiatou,* who lost access to IRC services for women at risk in eastern Mali, said:

“With the end of the project, I feel isolated. I keep my problems to myself because this project was special. It always gave us the opportunity to share our fears and concerns through listening sessions and awareness activities that addressed the challenges we face. The staff always responded to our concerns: they were like doctors to us girls.”

Yolande Longang, Women’s Protection and Empowerment Technical Advisor for IRC in West Africa, said: 

“When services were shut down, survivors were left in the dark. With urgent medical care and emotional support disrupted, survivors were left to endure their trauma in isolation. In contexts where access to comprehensive protection services including health, psychosocial, legal, and community-based support is largely limited or unavailable, their suffering remained invisible and unaddressed. 

And when services finally resumed, in some locations, they were a shadow of what was needed. Even GBV case management was only partially restored, and support was limited to the most critical cases, those involving clinical management of sexual assault or imminent risk to life. This left countless survivors without the help they urgently needed, including girls at risk of child marriage and women experiencing intimate partner violence.”

GBV frontline workers were confronted with cases where survivors accessed services with significant delays; this is particularly troubling in cases of sexual assault, with GBV responders unable to provide the essential care within the critical 72-hour window following the assault. In regions where the IRC was the primary or sole provider of GBV services, the suspension has left a dangerous vacuum. With limited coverage and resources from alternative actors, many communities now rely on under-resourced local mechanisms that struggle to meet the demand for essential GBV support.

As humanitarian actors face severe funding cuts, administrative barriers, and security constraints, many open cases are left without follow-up care. Community-based organizations, though trained, lack the resources to fully assume service delivery, and government structures are too under-resourced to absorb the growing caseload. 

Without urgent action to restore funding or mobilize alternative support, hard-won gains – from having appropriate levels of staffing to respond to GBV to working with communities to see GBV as a rights violation and women and girls as equal actors – risk being reversed. Operating within a broader ecosystem of humanitarian services, continued reductions in foreign aid are placing unprecedented strain on local organizations and decentralized systems already operating at their limits.

Urgent and sustained funding is essential to support GBV response organizations, including local organizations, to help close the widening gap in resources needed to protect women and girls. At the same time, it is essential to strengthen local structures and systems that provide vital support to survivors. In this world of hyper-prioritization in humanitarian response, we remind all actors that GBV prevention and response are lifesaving services and must be included in all response plans.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of International Rescue Committee (IRC) .

Source: APO

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The Chairperson of the African Union Commission, H.E. Mahmoud Ali Youssouf, extends his congratulations to the Government and people of the Central African Republic on the occasion of their Proclamation Day.

On this historic occasion, the African Union honors the valiant struggle of the people of Central African Republic, whose steadfast pursuit of freedom and dignity led to the nation’s proclamation. The Chairperson applauds Central African Republic’s continued efforts in consolidating peace, strengthening stability, and deepening democratic governance, while striving to fulfill the aspirations of its citizens.

The African Union reaffirms its solidarity with the Central African Republic and reiterates its commitment to working hand in hand with the Government and people of Central African Republic in advancing the continental vision of a united, peaceful, and prosperous Africa, as embodied in Agenda 2063.

On behalf of the African Union, the Chairperson conveys his heartfelt wishes for the continued peace, unity, and prosperity of the Central African Republic.

Happy Proclamation Day!

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of African Union (AU).