MIL Africa Engine

Source: APO – Report:

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Across the hills and lowland communities of Eastern Uganda, strengthened collaboration is transforming how routine immunisation and public health emergencies are addressed. In many of the 16 districts and one city that make up the Mbale Region, children in remote, hard-to-reach areas continue to face challenges in accessing life-saving vaccines. 

Through community-driven insights, committed district leadership, and sustained field coordination from the World Health Organization (WHO), partners have successfully turned data into meaningful action, extending services to children who had long remained underserved.

A major turning point came when the African Network for Care of Children Affected by HIV/AIDS (ANECCA) conducted extensive mapping of zero-dose and under-immunised children in Mbale, Tororo, and Kibuku districts. Going door to door, ANECCA teams identified children who were not captured in the routine immunisation system and highlighted health facilities struggling to deliver essential services. 

When WHO’s field coordination team received these findings, they acted quickly. Working alongside ANECCA and district leaders, WHO helped transform the data into targeted interventions. Joint supportive supervision visits were conducted in poorly performing facilities; health workers were assisted in identifying bottlenecks; and Village Health Teams and community influencers were mobilised to increase immunisation uptake.

With logistical support from WHO, teams reached hard-to-access facilities in Budwale, Wanale, and Merikit, even during heavy rains and difficult terrain. This support ensured that communities facing the steepest barriers were not left behind. 

Reflecting on the experience, Hilary Chelangat Ruth from ANECCA noted, “Basically, we are strengthening integration and collaboration now. Without you, some activities would have been so hard for us to implement. Just imagine those rainy days moving to Budwale and Wanale on a boda boda. WHO really did us well.”

Building on this momentum, the WHO field team expanded collaboration with District Health Teams in Pallisa, Sironko, and Butaleja districts, as well as Mbale City. Using the Reach Every District/Reach Every Child (RED/REC) categorisation approach, the team worked with district leaders to identify facilities most in need of support. 

Over time, they visited 28 facilities and conducted detailed assessments using the WHO Open Data Kit. These assessments helped document service delivery gaps, review immunisation performance, and develop immediate corrective actions. 

Health workers were supported in interpreting vaccination monitoring charts, improving data accuracy, and expanding the number of static immunisation sessions available to families throughout the week. At every facility, district Expanded Programme on Immunisation focal persons and assistant district health officers played an active role, ensuring strong district ownership and sustained follow up.

Alongside efforts to strengthen routine immunisation, the region also experienced several public health emergencies that required rapid WHO involvement. When measles outbreaks occurred in Butaleja and Bulambuli, the WHO coordinator joined the Regional Emergency Operations Centre to guide outbreak investigations, lead root cause analyses, and coordinate response actions with partners such as Baylor Uganda. 

This support helped reinforce district emergency response systems and ensured the timely implementation of control measures. Suspected anthrax outbreaks in Kween, as well as floods and landslides in Kween, Kapchorwa, and Bukwo, triggered additional WHO deployments. In each case, WHO provided technical leadership, facilitated coordination among national, regional, and district structures, and supported a harmonised response in areas affected by difficult terrain and rapidly changing conditions.

Together, these achievements show how partnerships and integration, driven by a shared commitment to ensure no child is left behind, make a difference. ANECCA’s community-level mapping illuminated the realities of children missing essential services, while WHO translated these insights into coordinated, district-led action. 

District Health Teams and Village Health Teams ensured that solutions were relevant and grounded in community needs. Through this collaboration, health systems in Eastern Uganda have grown stronger, communities have gained better access to essential services, and children who were once unreachable are now closer than ever to receiving the life-saving protection they deserve.

– on behalf of World Health Organization – Uganda.

Source: APO – Report:

The African Union Pan-African Institute for Education for Development (AU IPED), through the Global Partnership for Education Knowledge and Innovation Exchange (GPE KIX) Africa 19 Hub a joint initiative with Canada’s International Development Research Centre (IDRC), has successfully concluded a three-day workshop in Juba, South Sudan, to support the strengthening of the country’s Education Management Information System (EMIS).

The workshop was undertaken in collaboration with the Ministry of General Education and Instruction (MoGEI) and brought together senior government leadership and technical teams from key departments, including EMIS, Planning and Budgeting, ICT, and Policy. The engagement enabled cross-functional dialogue and alignment across units responsible for the production, management, and use of education data, advancing a shared agenda for strengthening data systems and improving evidence-based decision-making. Strengthening EMIS remains critical for tracking progress toward Sustainable Development Goal 4 (SDG 4) as well as the Continental Education Strategy for Africa (CESA 2026–2035).

The workshop was officially opened by Mr. Adoumtar Noubatour, Head of AU IPED, alongside the Director General for Planning and Budgeting from South Sudan’s Ministry of General Education and Instruction Hon. George Maggo, and Mr. Mabor Tur, GPE KIX Focal Point for South Sudan. In their remarks, they underscored the central role of reliable and well-governed data systems in enabling effective planning, resource allocation, and improved learning outcomes across the education sector. “Without reliable data, planning remains guesswork, strong education systems are built on strong information systems.” – Hon. George Maggo, Director General for Planning and Budgeting from South Sudan’s Ministry of General Education.

Over the three-day engagement, AU IPED led technical consultations, system mapping, and collaborative working sessions with Ministry officials across EMIS, Planning, ICT, and Policy units. Through these engagements, participants traced how education data moves across the system – from handwritten classroom registers and school-level record books to state-level aggregation and national reporting platforms. This process revealed an EMIS landscape that is largely manual, fragmented across multiple systems, and heavily dependent on partner-supported tools, with limited integration between data streams. In practice, this has resulted in parallel reporting processes, inconsistencies in key education indicators, and delays in data availability for decision-making.

Through facilitated discussions, AU IPED supported participants to critically examine bottlenecks in data flow, gaps in standardization, and institutional capacity constraints, as well as the implications these challenges have on planning, resource allocation, and system performance. Particular attention was given to how data is collected, validated, and transmitted across levels, highlighting points where data quality is compromised or lost.

To ground these discussions in operational realities, AU IPED conducted field visits to public schools in Juba, where the team observed firsthand how education data is generated, recorded, and transmitted. The visits provided critical validation of system-level findings – demonstrating the reliance on paper-based tools, the burden placed on school-level staff, and the resilience of educators working within constrained environments, ensuring that proposed reforms are both practical and context-responsive.

The workshop highlighted a number of persistent and interrelated challenges affecting the effectiveness of EMIS in South Sudan:

• Fragmented and parallel data systems, including EMIS, statistical systems, and partner-supported tools, resulting in inconsistencies in key education indicators and limited interoperability
• Limited technical capacity across national and subnational levels, particularly in data management, analysis, and system administration
• Heavy reliance on manual, paper-based data collection at school level, increasing risks of data errors, delays, and limited real-time access to information
• Inadequate ICT infrastructure and connectivity, including limited access to computers, internet, and power supply – especially in rural and hard-to-reach areas
• Weak coordination mechanisms among stakeholders and development partners, leading to duplication of efforts and misalignment with Ministry systems
• Low levels of domestic financing for education data systems, resulting in high dependence on external funding and limited sustainability

Priority Recommendations to Strengthen EMIS

In response, participants identified a set of priority, system-level reforms:

• Strengthening data governance frameworks by clearly defining institutional roles and responsibilities, establishing data standards, and reinforcing accountability mechanisms
• Developing and institutionalizing standardized data collection tools, including instruments to capture critical indicators such as reasons for student dropout and exclusion
• Establishing structured partner coordination mechanisms, led by the Ministry, to align investments, harmonize tools, and reduce duplication
• Designing and implementing a sustainable capacity development strategy, targeting EMIS personnel at national and subnational levels
• Investing in ICT infrastructure and system integration to improve data reliability, accessibility, and use across the education system

A Costed National EMIS Action Plan

A key outcome of the mission was the development of a costed national EMIS action plan, led by the Ministry and supported by AU IPED. The plan translates identified challenges into a set of prioritized, actionable interventions, providing a clear framework for implementation.

Structured around five core investment areas, namely; capacity development, data quality improvement, ICT infrastructure and system integration, governance and policy strengthening, and decentralization, the plan outlines specific activities required to strengthen the EMIS ecosystem at national and subnational levels.

Indicative budget allocations – including targeted investments in training, infrastructure, data quality, governance, and decentralization, were proposed to support implementation. By linking priorities to costed interventions, the plan provides a sequenced and implementable roadmap to guide resource mobilization, partner alignment, and sustained system strengthening.

Looking Ahead

As South Sudan continues its transition from emergency response to long-term system strengthening, the outcomes of this mission represent an important step toward institutionalizing data-driven education planning and decision-making, in line with national priorities, Sustainable Development Goal 4 (SDG 4), and Continental Education Strategy for Africa CESA 2026–2035.

Closing the engagement, Adoumtar Noubatour, Head of AU IPED, emphasized the importance of sustained leadership and commitment:

“Transforming education systems requires us to confront difficult realities and make deliberate choices. Strengthening education data systems is not easy – but it is essential if we are to build systems that serve every learner and support informed decision-making at all levels.”

– on behalf of African Union (AU).

Source: APO – Report:

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“There are various reasons for medication failure,” says Majaha Mtshali, tuberculosis (TB) focal person and staff nurse at Piggs Peak hospital in northwestern Eswatini. “When people do not take their medication correctly, whether by missing doses, taking it at the wrong times, receiving the wrong treatment, or stopping treatment early, there can be serious consequences.”

These serious consequences include drug resistance where the first-line treatment regimen no longer works. Multidrug-resistant TB (MDR-TB), a form of TB caused by bacteria resistant to at least two of the the two most powerful first-line TB medicines, is more complex and more expensive to treat. Just like drug-sensitive TB, it can also be easily transmitted through the air when a person with TB coughs, sneezes, sings or simply talks, especially in crowded or poorly ventilated settings.

This is what happened to 40-year-old Babazile Ngwenya from Manzini, Eswatini’s second largest city. When she first contracted TB in 2012, she took the first-line regimen but stopped after two months. She later developed MDR-TB, likely because of incomplete treatment, and was admitted into hospital for seven months to ensure adherence. However, this did not work. She remembers feeling “overwhelmed”.

“The drugs were too many, that’s why I was defaulting,” she says.

At this time, people with MDR-TB had to take treatment for up to 18 months, using a complex combination of daily oral and injectable medicines.

In 2022, World Health Organization (WHO) recommended a shorter six-month, all-oral regimen known as BPaL(M), making treatment simpler and easier for patients to complete. Eswatini adopted this new regimen in 2023.  It is now standard treatment for patients diagnosed with MDR-TB.

“The shorter all-oral treatment regimen are preferable because they eliminate the need for painful daily injections, which can extend the treatment duration to up to 18 months, depending on the patient’s response,” says Mtshali.

When Ngwenya experienced persistent coughing, dizziness and shortness of breath in 2024 it was no surprise that she was diagnosed again with MDR-TB. “It was hard for me to admit I had TB again,” she says. She was admitted into hospital for three months because she also had anaemia and was administered the six-month BPaL(M) regimen. This time, she adhered to this easier treatment regimen and was cured.

Eswatini is one of the 30 high-burden TB countries globally. According to WHO estimates, Eswatini had a TB incidence of 319 per 100 000 population, including an estimated MDR-TB incidence of 13 per 100 000 population in 2024. “TB continues to be a major public health threat in the Kingdom of Eswatini. The situation is exacerbated by the HIV epidemic and rising rates of drug-resistant forms of TB, which are difficult to treat,” says Mduduzi Matsebula, Eswatini’s Minister of Health.

People diagnosed with MDR-TB are admitted to health facilities if they are very ill at the time of diagnosis or if their home environments do not allow adequate infection prevention and control. Discharge occurs once patients are stable and capable of continuing treatment at home.

“Adherence to treatment begins with proper counselling,” says Mtshali. “At the initiation of treatment, a patient is educated on TB disease and the importance of adherence. For MDR-TB patients, having a treatment supporter is essential.”

A range of supportive measures help the patient to adhere to treatment. Patients and their treatment supporters receive a monthly transport stipend. Monthly food packages are also given to the patient which cover 4‒6 household members. The patient’s treatment supporter, usually a family member, is provided with a card that they mark each observed dose. If the patient misses an appointment, the health facility will make a follow up by calling them. If necessary, they will also send a dedicated treatment adherence supporter on a motorbike to the patient’s home to follow up.

For Ngwenya, her support system was her family and her colleagues. “I thank my mom for being there for me, showing me love and care when I was in the hospital. If it were not for her, I would not be here,” she says.

In Eswatini, 86% of people diagnosed with MDR-TB in 2022 were treated successfully and the number of TB deaths has declined by 60% between 2015 and 2024. However, as of 2024, an estimated 54% of people with MDR-TB were either not diagnosed or initiated on appropriate treatment. Addressing these challenges requires targeted screening and a high-level of community involvement, as well as improving referral systems and data management.

WHO continues to support the Eswatini’s National TB Control Programme. In 2024, the WHO helped develop the new TB national strategic plan 2024‒2028 and the rollout of digital X-rays systems with computer aided diagnostics to strengthen TB case finding. In addition, WHO provides ongoing technical support to improve the quality of TB services and strengthen programme management.

“WHO will continue to play a central role in supporting the country to accelerate the TB response, guided by the latest WHO TB guidelines,” says Dr Susan Tembo WHO Representative in Eswatini. “Strong collaboration with affected communities and civil society remains critical to ensuring equitable access to care.”

Ngwenya is back at her job as a sales assistant at a boutique in Manzini, one that she was forced to quit after falling ill. She is well and upbeat. “TB can be treated and cured as long as you go get checked and helped when you experience symptoms,” she points out.

– on behalf of World Health Organization (WHO) – Eswatini.

Source: APO – Report:

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The President of the ECOWAS Commission, H.E. Dr Omar Alieu Touray, received the High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and Vice-President of the European Commission, H.E. Ms Kaja Kallas, in Abuja on 23 March 2026, for a high-level strategic meeting aimed at strengthening cooperation on regional stability, integration and the implications of global geopolitical developments on West Africa, while advancing coordinated responses to emerging security, economic and institutional challenges across the region.

The meeting brought together senior delegations from both sides and provided a platform for direct, substantive and forward-looking exchanges on the evolving regional context, reaffirming the strength of the ECOWAS–European Union partnership and its central role in addressing shared challenges affecting the region and beyond.

In his remarks, H.E. Dr Omar Alieu Touray underscored ECOWAS’ continued commitment to safeguarding the fundamental achievements of regional integration, noting that the Community has deliberately maintained key pillars such as free movement, trade and technical cooperation in order to protect citizens and sustain regional cohesion, particularly in the context of recent political developments within the region. “ECOWAS has preserved the essential foundations of integration while continuing to engage pragmatically and constructively in areas of common interest,” he stated. He further emphasised the Community’s functional and forward-looking approach to regional engagement. “Our objective is to ensure continuity for our people while building confidence and defining clear modalities for sustainable collaboration,” he added.

In her intervention, H.E. Ms Kaja Kallas reaffirmed the European Union’s strong commitment to its partnership with ECOWAS and recognised the organisation’s central role as a pillar of regional stability and integration in West Africa. “The European Union remains committed to working closely with ECOWAS to address shared challenges and to support peace, stability and regional integration in West Africa,” she stated. She further underscored the importance of enhanced cooperation in a complex and evolving global environment. “At a time of increasing global uncertainty, cooperation between regional organisations is essential to ensure stability and to effectively respond to shared threats,” she added.

Substantive interventions were delivered by H.E. Amb. Abdel-Fatau MUSAH, Commissioner for Political Affairs, Peace and Security, who emphasised the need for coordinated and inclusive responses to the evolving regional security landscape, and by H.E. Dr Habibu Yaya BAPPAH, Commissioner for Internal Services, who briefed on the preparations that the ECOWAS Commission is making in passing EU Pillar Assessment and the reforms being undertaken in strengthening ECOWAS Commission’s internal processes on accounting, finance and procurement. .

The session was moderated by Mr. Jérôme BOA,  the Director of  External Relations of the ECOWAS Commission. Also in attendance were: Commissioner for Economic Affairs and Agriculture, Mr. Kalilou SYLLA, the Acting Secretary-General of the ECOWAS Commission, Mr. Muazu UMARU,  the Director of Cabinet, Mr Abdou KOLLEY, and senior officials of the Commission, including Directors and Heads of key departments such as Legal Affairs, Infrastructure, Information Technology and Human Resources, reflecting a whole-of-institution approach to strategic coordination and delivery.

On the European Union side, led by H.E. Ms Kaja Kallas also included H.E. Mr João T. G. Cravinho, European Union Special Representative for the Sahel; H.E. Mr Gautier Mignot, Ambassador of the European Union to Nigeria and ECOWAS; and Mr Salvador Pinto da França Rato, Member of Cabinet and Africa Adviser to the High Representative, alongside senior officials of the European External Action Service and the European Commission, reflecting a coordinated political, diplomatic and technical engagement.

The discussions addressed key priority areas, including regional peace and security architecture, governance, infrastructure development, digital transformation and institutional capacity-building, as well as the broader socio-economic implications of global developments, notably rising energy costs and food security pressures. Both sides emphasised the need to enhance coordination mechanisms and ensure that strategic commitments translate into concrete, measurable outcomes for Member States and citizens.

The engagement concluded with a renewed commitment to deepen the ECOWAS–European Union strategic partnership, strengthen institutional synergies and accelerate the implementation of joint initiatives, reinforcing ECOWAS’ leadership in regional integration and the European Union’s role as a key and reliable partner in supporting peace, stability and sustainable development in West Africa.

– on behalf of Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).

Source: APO – Report:

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Mr. Dirar Fesehaye, member of the Public Relations Office of the Commission of Culture and Sports, who is with the National Team in Morocco, indicated that the Eritrean Football National Team has finalized its preparation for the first-leg match against the Eswatini National Team in the qualifiers for the 2027 African Nations Cup.

Mr. Dirar went on to say that all the professional players currently playing in football leagues in various countries who were called by the Eritrean Football Federation have joined the national team and are available for the game with full confidence and in good condition.

– on behalf of Ministry of Information, Eritrea.

Source: APO

Marriott Bonvoy® (https://apo-opa.co/4bMGKjw), Marriott International’s (www.Marriott.com) award-winning travel programme and Ethiopian Airlines, Africa’s largest airline and a Star Alliance member, today announced a partnership that gives travellers more opportunities to earn and redeem points and miles across both hotel stays and flights.

Starting today, eligible members of Marriott Bonvoy and ShebaMiles, Ethiopian Airlines’ loyalty programme, can convert ShebaMiles into Marriott Bonvoy points for hotel stays, upgrades and more, as well as Marriott Bonvoy points to ShebaMiles to book flights. Members can also choose whether to earn Marriott Bonvoy points or ShebaMiles when staying at properties participating in Marriott Bonvoy.

This collaboration marks a key partnership for Marriott Bonvoy with a leading African airline, connecting Ethiopian Airlines’ network of over 145 destinations with Marriott Bonvoy’s global portfolio of more than 30 hotel brands and 10,000 destinations worldwide.

“Africa is one of the world’s fastest‑growing regions for travel, and this partnership reflects our continued commitment to deliver the most rewarding travel experiences for our members,” said Andrew Watson, Chief Commercial Officer – Europe, Middle East and Africa, Marriott International. “Through our partnership with Ethiopian Airlines, Marriott Bonvoy members will have the freedom to enjoy the benefits of loyalty in ways that are most meaningful to them – whether earning miles during their stays or using points to get the miles they need for flights.”

Rahel Assefa, Ethiopian Airlines Group Vice President of Marketing, also remarked: “The partnership we have established with Marriott Bonvoy is part of our ongoing efforts to advance our vision of enhancing the ShebaMiles member travel experience while diversifying our service offerings. Through this new partnership, our ShebaMiles members will have greater opportunities to earn and redeem their miles through access to Marriott Bonvoy’s global network of hotels across multiple touchpoints and destinations in Africa and around the world. Ethiopian Airlines remains committed to building strategic partnerships with various stakeholders that enhance our service offerings and enable us to continually exceed our customers’ expectations.”

Ethiopian Airlines offers extensive coverage across Africa and frequent connections to major global cities such as Mumbai, Paris, London, Washington D.C. and Beijing. As a member of Star Alliance, the world’s largest airline network, Ethiopian Airlines gives ShebaMiles members – and Marriott Bonvoy members who convert points to ShebaMiles – access to flight redemptions and cabin upgrades across 25 Star Alliance partner airlines serving more than 1,150 destinations.

ShebaMiles members can convert miles to Marriott Bonvoy points at a 2:1 ratio. Marriott Bonvoy members can convert points to ShebaMiles at a 3:1 ratio and will receive 5,000 bonus ShebaMiles for every 60,000 Marriott Bonvoy points transferred in a single transaction. On eligible stays at participating Marriott Bonvoy properties, members can earn up to two miles per US dollar spent or can earn Marriott Bonvoy points as normal.

To access these benefits, members simply need to be enrolled in both Marriott Bonvoy and ShebaMiles programmes. No account linking is required. For more information, visit the Marriott Bonvoy (https://apo-opa.co/4rQdMFq) and ShebaMiles (https://apo-opa.co/3Ptwa9A) websites.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Marriott International, Inc..

Media Contact:
Marriott International 
Birgit Deibele  
birgit.deibele@marriott.com

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About Marriott Bonvoy®:
Marriott Bonvoy, Marriott International’s award-winning travel platform, connects travelers to the people, places, and passions they love through an extraordinary collection of hotels and experiences worldwide. The platform features over 30 hotel brands and 10,000 destinations, including the largest collection of luxury offerings, distinctive boutique properties, premium home rentals, and more, providing renowned hospitality across the globe. With unrivaled access to the best in entertainment, culinary, sports, outdoor adventure, arts, culture, and more, Marriott Bonvoy offers transformative travel experiences that leave a lasting impression.

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About Ethiopian Airlines:
Ethiopian Airlines Group (Ethiopian) (https://apo-opa.co/4uPvY4G) is a true African success story, transforming a visionary dream into a globally renowned reality for nearly eight decades. Operating flights to more than 160 domestic and international passenger, and cargo destinations (https://apo-opa.co/4rSK42y) across five continents, Ethiopian bridges the gaps between Africa and the world. Emphasizing passenger comfort and environmental sustainability, Ethiopian utilizes ultra-modern aircraft (https://apo-opa.co/4rPWCrm) such as Boeing 737s, 777s, 787s, Airbus A350-900, A350-1000 and De Havilland Q400.

Ethiopian, the Star Alliance member airline, champions in various coveted awards including Skytrax’s ‘Best Airline in Africa Award’ for eight consecutive years, APEX ‘Best Overall in Africa’ award and ‘Leadership in Connecting Africa through Transport’ Award among others. Ethiopian aims to further excel in its success through a strategic plan dubbed ‘Vision 2035’ and become one of the top 20 most competitive and leading aviation groups in the world. Embracing a Pan-African spirit, Ethiopian is pursuing multi-hub strategy through hubs in Lomé, Togo with ASKY, in Lilongwe, Malawi with Malawi Airlines, in Lusaka, Zambia with Zambia Airways, and in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) with Air Congo.

For more information, visit our website at www.EthiopianAirlines.com email us at CorporateCommunication@ethiopianairlines.com , or call us at (251-11)517-8913/8165/8907.