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SA welcomes ICJ’s advisory opinion calling Israel to facilitate humanitarian aid in Gaza

Source: Government of South Africa

South Africa has welcomed the advisory opinion issued by the International Court of Justice (ICJ) regarding Israel’s obligations. 

As a Member State of the United Nations (UN) and an occupying power, the ICJ said Israel is expected to fulfil its responsibilities by facilitating the delivery of humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip, and respecting the rights and needs of the people in the Occupied Palestinian Territory.

On Wednesday, the ICJ, which is the UN’s top court, delivered a non-binding opinion in The Hague, Netherlands.

According to the Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO), the court’s advisory opinion “authoritatively interpreted and reaffirmed Israel’s already existing obligations under binding international law”.

“The ICJ’s findings underscore that there is no legal ambiguity regarding Israel’s obligations to facilitate and respect the mandates of independent and impartial international and humanitarian organisations operating in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including Israel’s binding obligations under international law to respect and protect the privileges and immunities of United Nations and entities, including their premises and personnel,” DIRCO said.

South Africa has noted the court’s reminder that Israel must not use starvation of the Palestinian civilian population as a method of warfare.

“The court further emphasised Israel’s responsibility as an occupying power to ensure that the population of the Occupied Palestinian Territory has the essential supplies of daily life, including food, water, clothing, bedding, shelter, fuel, medical supplies and services.” 

The department also noted that the court acknowledged the essential role of the UN, including the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), along with other humanitarian organisations and third-party nations, in delivering humanitarian assistance in Gaza.

“The court observed that Israel had not substantiated its allegations concerning UNRWA’s impartiality and referred to the immediate actions undertaken by the United Nations to address Israel’s concerns.

“Israel was therefore not permitted to take unilateral action against UNRWA, in violation of its UN Charter obligations to cooperate in good faith with the UN and to render it every assistance.

“Consequently, any arbitrary restrictions or curtailment by Israel that impedes such relief operations are inconsistent with its obligations under international humanitarian law. As an occupying power, Israel is prohibited from extending its domestic laws, such as the one banning UNRWA, to the Occupied Palestinian Territory.” 

DIRCO stated that this aligns with South Africa’s submissions to the court, asserting that Israel cannot deny the Palestinian people’s inalienable right to territorial integrity and sovereignty over the entire Occupied Palestinian Territory, which includes the West Bank and East Jerusalem.

“Importantly, the Court recalled the prohibition on the forcible transfer and deportation of Palestinians in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, and the right of Palestinian detainees – as protected persons under international humanitarian law – to be visited by the International Committee of the Red Cross. 

“Further, the court underscored that Israel must respect, protect and fulfil the human rights of the population of the Occupied Palestinian Territory – an obligation which persists, even in cases of armed conflict.

“Overall, the court anchored its findings in the Palestinian people’s right to self-determination, affirming that humanitarian and UN operations are essential to upholding this right,” the department said.

South Africa, DIRCO said, insists on the necessity for all parties involved in the conflict to adhere to their obligations under international law, including international humanitarian law and international human rights law, without exception, and consistently.

“As confirmed by the court, South Africa maintains that the cornerstone of lasting regional peace and stability lies in the full realisation of the Palestinian people’s right to self-determination, through a just and inclusive process.” – SAnews.gov.za

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NERSA to consult on changes of calculations to Eskom losses charge

Source: Government of South Africa

The National Energy Regulator of South Africa (NERSA) has published a consultation paper regarding an application from Eskom to amend the losses charge calculation methodology for embedded generators. 

The generator losses charge is the cost that electricity generators pay to account for power lost when transporting electricity through the grid. 

“The proposed change aims to modify the existing formula for calculating technical losses incurred by embedded generators connected to the Eskom distribution network, ensuring that it better reflects the actual costs based on recent technical studies,” NERSA said on Thursday.

Eskom intends to implement the amended methodology in the 2026/27 financial year’s Eskom Schedule of Standard Tariffs.

According to NERSA  not all the generated electricity reaches end-users.

Some of it is lost as heat in conductors, transformers and other network equipment. 

“In practice, this means a generator must supply more electricity than what is delivered to consumers, with the difference representing transmission or distribution losses. 

Eskom motivates that the charge provides a financial signal that encourages generators to locate closer to demand centres, since plants that are far from major load areas typically result in higher losses,” the Regulator explained.

Eskom’s recent technical studies and power flow simulations revealed that seemingly embedded generators now contribute to increased network energy losses in most geographical areas. 

Moreover, Eskom’s studies show that the current rebate system, which offers financial advantages to embedded generators, is no longer cost-reflective and results in an unintended subsidy. 

Subsequently, Eskom considers it necessary to amend the losses charge methodology to more accurately represent the costs linked to the use of the distribution network by embedded generators.

Eskom’s application proposes changes to the formula, thereby constituting an amendment to section 5.5.1 of the Tariff Code. 

In terms of section 5.1 of the Governance Code, NERSA is the approval authority for the Grid Code, and any amendment, derogation or exemptions from the Grid Code shall therefore be approved only by NERSA, as guided by the Grid Code Advisory Committee (GCAC).

The recommendations from and input of the GCAC on Eskom’s application will be considered during the decision-making process of the Energy Regulator.

This public consultation process is undertaken in accordance with the requirement of procedural fairness, which necessitates that the Energy Regulator undertake a public consultation process to ensure that its decisions comply with section 10 of the National Energy Regulator Act, 2004 (Act No. 40 of 2004) (‘NERA’), read with sections 4 and 5 of the Promotion of Access to Information Act, 2000 (Act No. 2 of 2000) (‘PAIA’).

Eskom’s application is available on the NERSA website at http://www.nersa.org.za under ‘Notices>Public Hearings’. Members of the public and stakeholders are requested to submit written comments to ertsa@nersa.org.za by Thursday, 13 November 2025.

A virtual public hearing to make oral representations on this application will be held on 24 November 2025 via MS Teams and livestreamed on X and YouTube. 

Members of the public and stakeholders who wish to attend or present their views at the hearing must submit their requests by 16:30 on Monday, 17 November 2025 to publichearings@nersa.org.za. –SAnews.gov.za

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République démocratique du Congo (RDC) : une épidémie de choléra de plus en plus préoccupante à travers le pays

Source: Africa Press Organisation – French


La République démocratique du Congo (RDC) est frappée par une épidémie de choléra d’une intensité alarmante. En seulement neuf mois, plus de 58 000 cas ont été enregistrés par le ministère de la Santé. Il s’agit de l’une des épidémies les plus graves de ces dix dernières années, révélant l’ampleur de la crise sanitaire qui touche le pays. Face à cette progression rapide, Médecins sans Frontières (MSF) appelle à une mobilisation immédiate et renforcée des autorités nationales, des acteurs humanitaires et des partenaires internationaux pour contenir la propagation de la maladie. 

Le choléra touche désormais 20 des 26 provinces du pays. Entre janvier et la mi-octobre, plus de 1 700 décès ont été enregistrés, avec un taux de létalité supérieur à 3.0 %. La situation ne cesse de s’aggraver, s’étendant à de nouvelles zones de santé, y compris des provinces jusque-là non endémiques au choléra.  

Les inondations, les conflits, les déplacements, les mauvaises conditions d’hygiène, ainsi que l’insuffisance des systèmes d’assainissement et d’approvisionnement en eau provoquent de vastes flambées de cette infection bactérienne hautement contagieuse qui, sans traitement, peut être rapidement mortelle. Or, à l’approche de la saison des pluies, la situation risque encore de se dégrader, notamment dans les zones urbaines densément peuplées comme Kinshasa, ou dans les zones rurales accueillant un grand nombre de personnes déplacées. Cette période favorise en effet une propagation accrue de la maladie, pourtant traitable et évitable. 

La réponse à l’épidémie se heurte à plusieurs obstacles majeurs : un financement insuffisant du gouvernement congolais, la présence limitée des acteurs humanitaires et un manque de coordination dans le mécanisme d’intervention d’urgence. De plus, la faiblesse des systèmes de surveillance et d’identification de cas suspects, le manque de personnel et de matériel médical, ainsi que la distribution limitée de vaccins, compromettent sérieusement la mise en œuvre d’une réponse rapide, efficace et durable face à l’épidémie.

Depuis janvier 2025, les équipes MSF ont intensifié leurs efforts pour pallier les faiblesses des mécanismes d’intervention d’urgence des autorités sanitaires et d’autres acteurs. Elles ont renforcé leurs activités dans plusieurs provinces du pays, notamment dans le Nord-Kivu et les zones les plus touchées, comme à Fizi (Sud-Kivu) et Kongakonga (Tshopo). Depuis janvier, elles ont déjà mené 16 interventions d’urgence en soutien au ministère de la Santé, permettant de soigner plus de 35 800 patients et de vacciner plus de 22 000 personnes contre la maladie. Mais « à ce stade critique, seule une mobilisation générale permettra de contenir la maladie sur le terrain et de freiner l’expansion alarmante des foyers épidémiques », insiste le Dr Jean Gilbert Ndong, coordinateur médical de MSF en RDC. 

Afin de ralentir la propagation de la maladie, MSF soutient également le ministère de la Santé dans la prise en charge médicale dans les centres de traitements spécialisés, la formation d’agents de santé communautaire et la mise en place de points de chloration, ainsi que le renforcement des systèmes d’approvisionnement en eau et d’assainissement. 

Mais les équipes de MSF doivent composer avec des difficultés logistiques, administratives et sécuritaires qui entravent leur accès aux patients. « L’insécurité persistante, marquée par les affrontements entre groupes armés le long des axes principaux, entrave les déplacements et retarde la livraison de l’aide, obligeant les équipes à effectuer de longs détours pour éviter les zones à risque », déplore Ton Berg, cheffe des programmes de MSF au Sud-Kivu. 

Pour les communautés elles-mêmes, l’accès aux soins de santé constitue un défi immense. Les distances à parcourir, le manque de transport ou l’insécurité rendent difficile l’accès aux structures médicales. Et même lorsqu’elles parviennent à rejoindre un centre de santé, celui-ci est souvent sous-équipé et incapable de répondre à leurs besoins essentiels, laissant les populations les plus vulnérables sans les soins indispensables.  

« Nous appelons à une action coordonnée et urgente pour garantir la fourniture rapide de soins médicaux, notamment un accès sans entrave et un investissement durable dans l’accès à l’eau potable et à l’assainissement », plaide Ton Berg. 

Distribué par APO Group pour Médecins sans frontières (MSF).

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Inaugural Ministerial Meeting of the Sectoral Committee on Fisheries and Aquaculture Strengthens Africa’s Policy Voice in Blue Economy Governance

Source: APO


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The inaugural Sectoral Committee of Ministers for Fisheries and Aquaculture convened on 23 October 2025 in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, as part of the framework of the Revised African Fisheries Reform Mechanism (AFRM). This high-level ministerial meeting marked a significant milestone in ensuring that Africa’s fisheries and aquaculture sectors have a structured, evidence-based reporting and coordination mechanism within the Specialized Technical Committee on Agriculture, Rural Development, Water, and Environment (STC-ARDWE).

The establishment of the Sectoral Committee followed years of institutional groundwork within the African Union’s policy architecture. The decision to institutionalize fisheries and aquaculture governance was endorsed through Executive Council Decision EX.CL/Dec.1074 (XXXVI) of 2020, building on earlier Conference of African Ministers in Fisheries and Aquaculture (CAMFA) held in Banjul, The Gambia (2010), and Addis Ababa (2014). These conferences produced the Policy Framework and Reform Strategy for Fisheries and Aquaculture in Africa (PFRS), a blueprint for sustainable development, and established the African Fisheries Reform Mechanism as a platform for policy coherence, coordination, and technical dialogue.

The meeting brought together Ministers and Directors of Fisheries and Aquaculture from ten African Union Member States, representatives from the African Union Commission (AUC) and African Union-Interafrican Bureau for Animal Resources (AU-IBAR). The inaugural session aimed to operationalize the Sectoral Committee as a functional policy organ that consolidates technical recommendations from working groups and submits them to the STC-ARDWE for ministerial endorsement and subsequent transmission to the Executive Council and AU Summit.

Opening the session, on behalf of the Commissioner for Agriculture, Rural Development, Blue Economy, and Sustainable Environment (ARBE), Director of AU IBAR Dr Huyam Salih emphasized the increasing recognition of fisheries and aquaculture as drivers of food security, job creation, and climate resilience in Africa. He noted that the establishment of this ministerial structure reflects the AU’s commitment to embedding fisheries and aquaculture governance within the broader continental agricultural agenda under the Kampala CAADP Strategy and Action Plan (2026–2035) and Agenda 2063. The Commissioner underscored that Africa’s fisheries sector generates approximately USD 24 billion annually, sustains over 17 million livelihoods, and plays a critical role in addressing malnutrition and fostering inclusive economic growth. The Commissioner reiterated AU-IBAR’s leadership role as the Secretariat of the AFRM and its mandate to coordinate evidence-based policy reforms.  AU-IBAR, therefore, has facilitated the operationalization of the PFRS, supported the establishment of the African Fisheries and Aquaculture Database (AFAData), and developed continental strategies addressing nature-based solutions for aquatic ecosystems. 

The meeting reviewed a comprehensive Technical Expert Report detailing the implementation progress of the PFRS, validated Terms of Reference of the SCFA, the achievements of the EU-funded Fisheries Governance II (FishGov II) project, and the Swedish-funded Aquatic Biodiversity Conservation project. These initiatives have operationalized six African Centres of Excellence in training and research, supported national policy harmonization in over 15 Member States and COMESA, and developed regional capacity on fisheries governance and trade facilitation. The report also outlined the strategic priorities of the AU-IBAR Strategic Plan (2024–2028), whose five pillar, governance and policy coherence, resilient production systems, One Health principles, trade facilitation, and institutional strengthening, are aligned with continental frameworks including the PFRS, the Africa Blue Economy Strategy (ABES), and the Livestock Development Strategy for Africa (LiDeSA).

Ministers welcomed these updates and engaged in substantive discussions on how the Sectoral Committee can better support Member States in implementing national fisheries policies and translating AU decisions into practical interventions. Several delegations stressed the importance of the timely dissemination of technical documents prior to ministerial sessions to enable adequate national consultations and informed decision-making. Others called for enhanced resource mobilization mechanisms, including engagement with the development banks and private sector partners, to ensure long-term sustainability of the AFRM and related continental programs.

A recurring theme throughout the deliberations was the need to accelerate aquaculture development as a strategic response to declining fish stocks and growing demand driven by population growth and urbanization. Ministers emphasized that aquaculture could serve as a vital source of protein, employment, and export earnings, particularly for landlocked countries and communities facing limited access to marine fisheries. They called for investment in feed systems, hatchery infrastructure, value-addition chains, and climate-smart aquaculture technologies. The meeting also underscored the importance of integrating cross-cutting issues such as gender equality, climate adaptation, and the One Health approach into fisheries and aquaculture programming.

Ministers further discussed the critical role of the AFRM in amplifying the African voice in global fisheries negotiations. They emphasized that a unified continental position, informed by robust data and evidence from the African Fisheries and Aquaculture Database, would strengthen Africa’s negotiating capacity and ensure that international commitments reflect the continent’s unique socio-economic and ecological contexts.

The Sectoral Committee endorsed several strategic recommendations, including the establishment of designated national focal points for improved communication between AU-IBAR, Member States, and RECs; the acceleration of aquaculture subsector development through targeted investment and capacity building; the mainstreaming of gender, climate change, and One Health principles into all fisheries and aquaculture policies; and the institutionalization of biennial reporting cycles to ensure continuity and accountability in implementing AU decisions.

The meeting concluded with the adoption of the Technical Experts’ Report of the Inaugural Sectoral Committee Meeting. Ministers commended AU-IBAR, AUDA-NEPAD, the European Union, SIDA, the World Bank, and other partners for their leadership and financial support in advancing continental fisheries and aquaculture governance. They reaffirmed their collective commitment to transforming the sector into a cornerstone of Africa’s food security, blue economy growth, and sustainable development agenda.

By establishing a direct and functional reporting pipeline between the AFRM and the STC-ARDWE, this inaugural meeting laid the institutional groundwork for evidence-based policy coherence, stronger inter-governmental collaboration, and accelerated implementation of continental strategies. It represents a defining moment in Africa’s journey toward inclusive, sustainable, and resilient fisheries and aquaculture systems that contribute meaningfully to the realization of Agenda 2063 and the Kampala CAADP Agenda.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of The African Union – Interafrican Bureau for Animal Resources (AU-IBAR).

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The second day of the working visit of the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Belarus M.Ryzhenkov to Algeria

Source: APO

On October 23, 2025 as part of a working visit to the People’s Democratic Republic of Algeria, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Belarus, Maxim Ryzhenkov, met with the Minister of Agriculture, Rural Development and Fisheries of Algeria, Co-chairman of the Algerian side of the Belarusian-Algerian Intergovernmental Joint Commission on Trade, Economic, Scientific and Technical Cooperation, Yacine El Mahdi Oualid.

The parties stated the need to increase mutual trade turnover. In particular, the Algerian side expressed interest in procuring Belarusian baby food, increasing the supply of powdered milk, as well as Belarusian meat products with a halal certificate.  

An agreement was reached to sign an intergovernmental agreement in the field of veterinary medicine and a Memorandum of Cooperation in the field of agriculture. 

The parties exchanged mutual invitations to attend specialized exhibitions in the field of agriculture and food, in particular, “Belagro 2026” in Minsk. 

The interest in intensifying practical cooperation between the relevant departments was emphasized.

Maxim Ryzhenkov noted that Belarus, being a major producer of agricultural machinery and possessing extensive competencies and technologies in the field of agriculture, is ready to contribute to ensuring Algeria’s food security. 

In this context, the parties discussed the need for agricultural mechanization within the framework of a large-scale project implemented by the Algerian side to develop new lands in the desert with an area of up to 1 million hectares.

The Algerian side also expressed interest in continuing work on projects to create grain storage systems.

In addition to the main meetings, a number of point-to-point negotiations and consultations of expert groups on cooperation in industry, agriculture, business contacts, as well as other areas of trade and economic cooperation took place. An agreement was reached to organize a visit of a delegation of representatives of “Bobruiskagromash”, “MTZ”, “MAZ” and “Amkodor” enterprises to Algeria on November 3, 2025 to practice areas of further cooperation in the supply of Belarusian machinery to Algeria, as well as conditions for the creation of joint productions of tractors and utility vehicles and attachments and service centers in Algeria.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Belarus.

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South Africa: Committee Tells Nelson Mandela Bay No Relocation of Red Location Museum and No Pumping of Millions While Project Stalls

Source: APO


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The Select Committee on Education, Sciences and the Creative Industries has told the Nelson Mandela Bay Metropolitan Municipality not to commit funds on Red Location Museum without a detailed empirical information that will inform a workable business plan.

The Chairperson of the committee, Mr Makhi Feni, lamented the extent of decay in community infrastructure within the municipality. He said that it was shocking and unacceptable.

“There seems to be no care on government funded projects. The common thing about these projects is that they are within the communities and should serve to stimulate and drive economic activity in the townships,” said Mr Feni.

He added: “Vandalism took over everything but people and officials allowed for it to set in. That is why we are at this quagmire; this is government money.”

In the Nelson Mandela Bay Metropolitan Municipality, the committee visited the Red Location Museum, Dan Qeqe Stadium, KwaNobuhle Sports complex, Kyuga Sports Facility, and St Johns Swimming Pool.

Mr Feni said the committee was to spend money to visit the sites and be given the kinds of reports it received. “We are entirely disappointed with the collapse and the ruin we found on projects that are meant to be viable. It is evidently clear that the decay is a characteristic of Metro assets.”

Mr Feni said if the decay is allowed to manifest and expand as it has, what claim to legitimacy does the Metro have. “It is so sad that millions keep being allocated to refurbishing and reviving projects that should self sustain like the Red Location Museum.”

He said the committee will make firm recommendations with clear timeframes that it will strictly monitor every six months. “The Bay Metro must perhaps prepare to frequent committee meetings, the state of affairs in the Bay is unacceptable.”

The committee will visit Bay schools and TVET colleges on Friday.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Republic of South Africa: The Parliament.

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South Africa: Select Committee on Appropriations Concludes Successful Two-Day Oversight Visit to North West

Source: APO


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The Select Committee on Appropriations has successfully concluded its two-day oversight visit to the Ngaka Modiri Molema District and Dr Kenneth Kaunda Districts in the North West Province.

The oversight visit focused on four projects that are funded through the Health Facility Revitalisation Grant (HFRG). The projects are: Mmabatho Nursing College, Bophelong Psychiatric Hospital, Marcus Zenzile Clinic, and the Potchefstroom Hospital Casualty Ward upgrade.

The HFRG is a direct conditional grant transferred by the national Department of Health to provincial departments of health to support infrastructure development, refurbishment, and upgrading of health facilities.

During its visits to the projects, the committee observed a number of concerning trends that cut across all four of the projects, including cost overruns, inconsistent reporting, under-expenditure of the grant, inadequate interdepartmental planning and coordination, as well as delays.

The Marcus Zenzile Clinic project has been delayed by three years, the Potchefstroom Hospital project by one year, while the Bophelong Psychiatric Hospital project is expected to delay for at least seven months.

The delays were are attributed to several factors, including interference by construction mafias, community protests, poor performance by contractors that often result in penalties, terminations, reappointments, and disruptions by community business forums.

As a way forward, the committee has directed the North West Department of Health to submit a comprehensive report on the progress of the four projects, including the geotechnical report for the Marcus Zenzile Clinic, which is being constructed on dolomitic land.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Republic of South Africa: The Parliament.

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Strong parliamentary ties key to building South Africa–Vietnam partnership

Source: Government of South Africa

By Dikeledi Molobela

Hanoi, Vietnam – President Cyril Ramaphosa has emphasised the importance of strengthening ties between the legislatures of South Africa and Vietnam, describing parliamentary diplomacy as an essential pillar in advancing cooperation between the two nations.

Speaking during a courtesy call on the Chairman of the National Assembly of Vietnam, Trần Thanh Mẫn, President Ramaphosa said it was vital that relations between countries go beyond the executive level and extend to their parliaments. 

“South Africa values the important role that parliamentary democracy plays in strengthening bilateral relations. It is important that relations between two countries are not just limited to government level, but also at a parliamentary level,” the President said.

He noted that South Africa attaches great significance to inter-parliamentary cooperation, which helps deepen understanding, promote accountability, and ensure that bilateral agreements are effectively implemented.

President Ramaphosa recalled the productive engagements earlier this year between the Deputy Chairperson of Vietnam’s National Assembly and South Africa’s presiding officers, including the Chairperson of the National Council of Provinces. 

“These exchanges have laid a strong foundation for deeper institutional cooperation between our parliaments. I am pleased that we have agreed to reciprocal visits by office bearers in 2026, which will further enhance dialogue, oversight, collaboration and the sharing of legislative processes,” the President said.

The President also commended the engagement between the delegation of the Communist Party of Vietnam and Speaker of Parliament, Thoko Didiza, in 2024, saying such interactions reflect the enduring relationship and shared values between the two countries.

Now that South Africa and Vietnam have elevated their bilateral relations to a strategic partnership, President Ramaphosa said the role of both legislatures will be crucial in ensuring that agreements reached in areas such as trade, culture, and governance are effectively translated into action.

“Our legislatures will play a critical role in ensuring that agreements between our governments are implemented and that they deliver tangible benefits for our peoples,” the President added.

Following the courtesy call, President Ramaphosa was given a brief tour of the National Assembly Museum. 

Earlier, the President paid a courtesy call to the family home of the late General Võ Nguyên Giáp, one of Vietnam’s most revered military leaders.

During the private engagement, General Giáp’s family took the President through the historic home, where he observed local traditions and paid respects at a sacred site. President Ramaphosa also signed the family book, leaving a heartfelt message of appreciation to the family.

READ | South Africa–Vietnam talks lay foundation for more structured and forward-looking partnership 

 – SAnews.gov.za

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Ouverture du colloque littéraire : Institut National de la Femme (INF) honore les femmes de lettres béninoises

Source: Africa Press Organisation – French


L’Institut National de la Femme (INF) a accueilli, dans la matinée de ce jeudi 23 octobre 2025, la cérémonie d’ouverture du colloque consacré aux femmes écrivaines et auteures du Bénin, un évènement majeur placé sous le thème évocateur : « Voix et regards des femmes béninoises ». Co-organisé avec l’Académie Nationale des Sciences, Arts et Lettres du Bénin (ANSALB), ce rendez-vous intellectuel rend hommage à la littérature comme instrument d’émancipation, de transmission et de reconnaissance du génie féminin béninois. 

La cérémonie d’ouverture a été marquée par des interventions inspirantes et porteuses d’espoir. Dans son mot de bienvenue, la Secrétaire Exécutive de l’INF, Madame Flore DJINOU, a salué la créativité et la persévérance des femmes qui osent écrire pour exister. 

Le Professeur Mansourou MOUDACHIROU, Vice-Président de l’ANSALB, a rappelé,  quant à lui, le rôle essentiel de l’Académie dans la valorisation des œuvres littéraires féminines. 

Point d’orgue de la matinée, la communication inaugurale de la Présidente de l’INF, Madame Huguette BOKPÈ GNACADJA, intitulée « Écriture engagée, combat partagé : la voix des femmes dans la littérature béninoise », a magnifiquement mis en lumière le double combat des auteures : celui de l’émancipation et celui contre l’invisibilisation systémique. 

« Vive le génie littéraire béninois, vive les femmes auteures et écrivaines béninoises d’hier, d’aujourd’hui et de demain », a conclu Madame Huguette BOKPÈ GNACADJA dans son allocution inaugurale. 

L’ouverture officielle des travaux a été faite par l’écrivain Florent COUAO-ZOTTI, Conseiller Technique à la Culture, traduisant ainsi l’engagement du monde culturel pour cette noble cause. 

Le colloque, qui se poursuit jusqu’au vendredi 24 octobre 2025 dans la salle polyvalente de l’INF, promet d’être un vibrant hommage aux pionnières, poétesses, dramaturges et romancières béninoises qui continuent d’enrichir la mémoire littéraire du pays.

Distribué par APO Group pour Gouvernement de la République du Bénin.

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Morocco, Belgium Reiterate Willingness to Deepen Strategic, Multidimensional Partnership

Source: APO


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Morocco and Belgium reaffirmed, on Thursday in Brussels, their shared willingness to deepen a strategic and structuring partnership based on trust, mutual respect and converging views on major regional and international challenges.

This reiteration was expressed on the occasion of a meeting held in Brussels between Minister of Foreign Affairs, African Cooperation and Moroccan Expatriates Mr. Nasser Bourita and the Belgian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, European Affairs and Development Cooperation, Maxime Prévot.

Both senior officials lauded the excellent political dialogue between Rabat and Brussels, marked with intensified exchanges along with the implementation of a bilateral Roadmap issued by the High Joint Commission held in April 2024, which lays the groundwork for future cooperation.

On the economic front, both parties underlined the need to elevate the relationship to a higher level, through the joint development technological value chains, the promotion of sustainable investment in strategic sectors such as green hydrogen, energy transition, infrastructure, and innovation.

The two ministers also highlighted the complementarity between Moroccan and Belgian visions in cooperation, regional security and human development, confirming their commitment to work together at the service of stability, and shared prosperity between the two continents.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Kingdom of Morocco – Ministry of Foreign Affairs, African Cooperation and Moroccan Expatriates.