MIL Africa Engine

Source: APO

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The Governments of Mauritania and Chad today signed funding agreements for the Regional Engagement for Learning and Collaboration in Education (RELANCE) Project, supported by the World Bank and the Federal Republic of Germany, for a total of $137 million.

This ambitious project aims to transform education systems in both countries by strengthening sector governance and expanding access to flexible and inclusive learning pathways. It targets more than 850,000 young people, half of whom are girls, while promoting access to learners with special needs.

In a regional context of sustained demographic growth, disparities in access to education, and increasing demand for job-relevant skills, RELANCE offers a collaborative and integrated approach. It builds on ongoing efforts to strengthen education systems while introducing regional mechanisms for coordination, resource sharing, and innovation.

The project includes the establishment of a Regional Institute of Education in Nouakchott to strengthen executive capacity in the education sector, drive applied research, and inform policy through data and evidence. Supported by the Association of African Universities, the institute is positioned to become a center of academic excellence for both countries, fostering structured, long-term collaboration and knowledge exchange.

“The signing of the financing agreements for the RELANCE Sahel project reflects our collective commitment to building a resilient, educated, and forward-looking Sahel,” said Sid’Ahmed Bouh, Minister of Economy and Finance.

The initiative includes the creation of a regional Open School in each country, designed to meet the needs of young people outside the traditional education circuits, especially in areas where access to education remains limited. This hybrid system will combine digital learning, face-to-face support and professional training.

“The Regional Open School is a concrete response to the educational realities of our country. It will allow thousands of young people, often far from traditional structures, to have access to adapted learning paths that bring skills and hope,” said Dr. Aboubakar Assidick Tchoroma, Minister of National Education and Civic Promotion of Chad.

The project also benefits from significant financial support from the Federal Republic of Germany, through KfW, under the Sahel and West Africa Coast Multi-Donor Trust Fund. This partnership reflects a shared commitment to enhanced regional cooperation.

“RELANCE reflects an ambitious and pragmatic regional approach. By supporting this initiative, Germany reaffirms its willingness to support Sahel countries in their efforts to build more inclusive education systems that are better grounded in local realities,” said H.E. Dr. Florian Reindel, Ambassador of the Federal Republic of Germany to Mauritania.

The World Bank is supporting participating countries through a strategic partnership that combines technical support with long-term financing. RELANCE builds on the achievements of existing national projects, such as the Basic Education Sector Support Project (PASEB II) in Mauritania and the Project to Improve Learning Outcomes in Basic Education (PARAEB) in Chad, while introducing a unique regional dimension.

“Shaping minds is about charting the path to a brighter future. Like a carefully planted seed, an ambitious education policy carries the promise of progress. The RELANCE project thus reflects our shared commitment to making education a transformative force in Mauritania and Chad, by training informed, empowered generations ready to take on the challenges of tomorrow,” said Ousmane Diagana, World Bank Vice President for Western and Central Africa.

Designed as an open regional platform, the project will be open to other Sahel countries interested in joining. It marks an important step towards building a more integrated Sahelian educational space capable of meeting the aspirations of a dynamic and committed youth.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of The World Bank Group.

Source: APO

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Three Southern African countries now have Event-Based Surveillance (EBS) Guidelines—a critical tool for detecting and responding to emerging health risks. Event-based surveillance systems collect and analyse information from diverse sources, including communities, the media, and healthcare workers, to detect unusual health events in real time. They complement traditional indicator-based surveillance and are designed to support rapid public health responses.

Botswana, Namibia, and Zimbabwe were supported in developing their guidelines by the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC), in collaboration with the World Health Organization (WHO) and the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (US CDC).

The Botswana Event-Based Surveillance Guidelines were launched on 24 June in Gaborone.

“By institutionalising a robust early warning system, the health sector will be empowered to detect signals of potential disease threats at their earliest stages,” said Dr Stephen Modise, MP, Minister of Health and Wellness.

Speaking on Dr Modise’s behalf, Dr Rex Kealebile Segadimo, Acting Secretary for Specialised Health Care, said the launch of these guidelines marks a significant milestone in Botswana’s efforts to strengthen its public health system.

“This will enable the country to assess risks with precision and respond in a science-based manner, preventing threats from escalating into full-blown crises.”

Dr Modise further stated: “The institutionalisation of a robust early warning system will enable us to stay ahead of emerging health risks and respond effectively to protect the health and well-being of our citizens.”

Dr Lul Riek, the Africa CDC Regional Director for Southern Africa, reaffirmed his commitment to supporting Botswana and all AU Member States in operationalising these guidelines. This support will include capacity building, mentorship, digital tools, and regional coordination—as well as fostering peer learning and cross-border collaboration—recognising that no country can achieve health security in isolation.

With these guidelines in place, Botswana is now better equipped to respond quickly and effectively to emerging health threats, ultimately protecting the health and well-being of its citizens.

Officiating the launch in Windhoek, Namibia, also on 24 June, the country’s Minister of Health and Social Services, Dr Esperance Luvindao, noted that EBS plays a critical role in addressing the increasing number of public health emergencies in the country. The new surveillance system is a timely intervention, as the country faces rising risks of communicable diseases such as malaria and cholera, increasingly influenced by climate-related factors.

She described the launch as a true demonstration of Namibia’s commitment to being proactive in disease preparedness. “Real-time detection of public health threats is essential to mitigate the impact of outbreaks, especially in the face of shifting disease patterns,” she said.

The Minister also called for a multifaceted approach to health security and emphasised the importance of establishing and prioritising National Public Health Institutes (NPHIs) to coordinate preparedness, response, and mitigation efforts.

The Ministry of Health and Child Care (MoHCC) in Zimbabwe launched its EBS Guidelines on 18 June in Harare.

“We are not gathered here merely to unveil a policy document,” said Dr Aspect Maunganidze, Secretary for Health and Child Care. “We are here to affirm a national commitment—to declare that the health and safety of every Zimbabwean is our highest priority.”

He explained that the EBS guidelines represent a strategic shift from reactive to proactive preparedness, empowering health authorities to detect early warning signs of public health threats before they escalate.

Ms Batsirai Mbodza, Regional Programme Lead for Africa CDC, emphasised the critical importance of implementation.

“Guidelines alone will not stop outbreaks. The real impact lies in how well they are implemented,” she said. “These tools must reach health workers in clinics, surveillance officers in the field, and community leaders, often the first to sense when something is amiss.”

On behalf of UNICEF, Mr Diop Daouda stressed the need for inclusivity in the country’s surveillance systems.

“Surveillance systems must be inclusive, they must reach the most remote villages, informal settlements, and border communities,” he said, adding: “They must consider gender dynamics, disability, and cultural norms. No signal should go unnoticed, because no life is dispensable.”

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC).

Source: APO

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ECOWAS, with the support of UN Trade and Development (UNCTAD), organized an e-trade reform tracker (eTRT) training in Lagos, Nigeria, on Monday 14th July, 2025.

The eTRT is an innovative digital tool that will support implementing agencies in tracking progress, coordinating actions, and enhancing accountability in the implementation of e-commerce reforms.

In his remarks at the opening ceremony of the training, Mr. Kolawole Sofola, Director of Trade at ECOWAS Commission, on behalf of Madame Massandjé TOURE-LITSE, ECOWAS Commissioner for Economic Affairs and Agriculture,  stated that this session offers a hands-on opportunity to explore how the Tracker works, how it can be used to streamline internal and inter-departmental coordination, and how it can help generate reliable data for monitoring and evaluation. This will be especially valuable as ECOWAS moves toward the operationalization of the Regional E-Commerce Committee, which will serve as the broader governance platform for the regional e-commerce agenda.

“I encourage all participants, particularly our focal points from key implementing directorates and agencies, to engage actively, ask questions, and explore how the tool can be applied within your respective mandates. I am confident that today’s training will equip us with a shared understanding of how to work smarter, together, to deliver the ambitions of the ECOWAS E-Commerce strategy”.

The objective of the E-Trade Reform Tracker training and workshop was to familiarize key directorates in the ECOWAS Commission with the structure and functionalities of the eTRT, promote utilization of the eTRT in the regular follow-up of the ECOWAS ECS implementation, and strengthen coordination of the implementation of the ECS.

The training was conducted for the ECOWAS internal working group on e-commerce with the following key agencies and directorates from the ECOWAS Commission in attendance: Directorates of Trade, Free Movement of Persons and Migration, Customs Union and Taxation, Private Sector, Macroeconomic Stability and Multilateral Surveillance, Communications,  as well as the ECOWAS Regional Competition Authority, the ECOWAS Gender Development Center and the ECOWAS Youth and Sports Center who were in attendance.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).

Source: APO

“Before this support, we had a lot of difficulties accessing water. We used to fetch it from the river. It was very distant for us, and we suffered from many diseases. But now, since we’ve had water available to everyone, cholera has decreased significantly, infections have decreased a lot, too, so I’m grateful for that”. 

These words from Clementina Artur, capture the real impact of the African Development Bank’s transformative intervention in people’s lives, with the Institutional and Sustainability Support to Urban Water Supply and Sanitation Project, which started in 2015 and will be completed at the end of 2025. 

When the African Development Bank’s initiative reached these communities in Angola, it didn’t merely install infrastructure – it transformed lives for the most vulnerable communities, leaving no one behind. 

Isabel Sambovana is also another success life story. 

Her life changed completely with the installation of a latrine in her community (Sumbe).  

“Before having the latrine, I was forced to go to the grass behind the wall of my house. It was very painful because of my age. But now I have a bathroom, and it has made my life easier. With the latrine here in the yard, I don’t need to move around. I have more dignity.” 

Before this installation, people in the community were forced to defecate in the open air, increasing diseases such as cholera, diarrhea, and malaria – but now with proper sanitation, women have regained their dignity and safety.  

Now, everything has changed. Most importantly, Isabel’s latrine proved to be life changing. It spurred the community to self-build additional 301 latrines.   

A Project That Integrates and Complements Itself Like Life 

The project, set to conclude in December of 2025 after a decade of implementation, has delivered remarkable results: the seven utility companies supported by the project have made a total of more than 59,008 household water connections, reaching a total of more than 472,000 people. Seven utility companies have been legally established and received technical assistance to establish a strong financial management function, and engage the private sector in operation and maintenance; 179 women-run water kiosks set up in peri-urban areas are functioning;  three new water quality laboratories were built in three different provinces  (Cunene, Bengo and Sumbe); 11 coastal cities have developed their sanitation investment plans of which three have proceeded to investment stage and a further five have secured financial commitment, and master plans have been developed for the  provincial capitals. A social and gender inclusion strategy and an action plan for the sector have been developed. An internship program was developed that helped some 60 young Angolans to learn and gain technical experience in project management, engineering, financial management, environment, social and other relevant areas. 

The numbers tell only part of the story.  

According to project task manager from African Development Bank Eskendir Alemseged: “The project is transformative, tackling critical challenges related to institutional reform, infrastructure development, and improved service delivery across a broad geographic area in Angola. Through its comprehensive approach, the project not only provided access to clean water for an additional 472,000 people but also enhanced service delivery systems that positively impacted nearly 1.5 million individuals. This broad-scale intervention has laid the foundation for more resilient and equitable water and sanitation services across the country.” 

Women Empowered, Communities Transformed 

For women like Helena, the project has delivered more than water, sanitation and infrastructure – it has brought financial independence and empowerment.  

“I started as an intern, and now I am responsible for the microbiology department. There are four of us women and two men, and the laboratory’s job is to carry out physical, chemical and microbiological analyses of water. Apart from Sumbe, the laboratory supports some municipalities in Kwanza Sul, such as Gabela and Porto Amboim. This project has brought about a huge change in my life. Before, I was unemployed, but now I work in a fascinating area, where I gain more knowledge every day, and that is very rewarding,” she says. 

In the case of young Gilda Giza Rede, the journey starts today.  

In a group of 10 interns, she is the only girl working as an electromechanical maintenance technician at the Sumbe WWTP (Wastewater Treatment Plant). 

Just 20, she has high expectations for the role she holds and is eager to learn: “This Sumbe WWTP project will help many families in terms of disease prevention and management of wastewater, it will help farmers get access to organic fertilizer,” she says. 

Water is life – and for the African Development Bank, these words are a meaningful insight into how to continue to move forward and improve the quality of Life for the People of Angola. 

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of African Development Bank Group (AfDB).