MIL Africa Engine

Source: APO – Report:

The Public Accounts Committee (Central Government) has questioned officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs over Shs1.3 billion paid to officials at seven of Uganda’s mission abroad for travel within their countries of posting at rates for travel abroad.

The query was raised during a meeting of the committee chaired by Hon. Patrick Oshabe on Wednesday, 02 September 2026. MPs wondered why officials travelling locally within their countries of posting were paid rates intended for foreign travel.

The Permanent Secretary, Vincent Bagiire said the ministry had sought guidance from the Ministry of Public Service arguing that applying Uganda’s domestic travel rates to major cities abroad was impractical.

“We did write to the Ministry of Public Service to approve rates of travel abroad for capitals such as Washington, D.C.,” Bagiire said.

He said Uganda’s domestic rates would not adequately cover the costs incurred by officials travelling between cities in countries such as the United States.

“It is not practical for us to say we shall use the local travel rates,” he said citing travel from Washington to cities such as Seattle where he added that accommodation and other costs exceed Uganda’s domestic rates.

Bagiire however, noted that the Ministry of Public Service has not responded to their request.

Oshabe directed the ministry to provide documentary evidence that it had formally sought clearance to use the foreign travel rates.

The committee also scrutinised the ministry’s handling of domestic arrears and discrepancies in its financial records.

Samia Bugwe Central County MP, Hon. Richard Wanyama questioned why the Ministry of Defence had made a payment to international organisations on behalf of Foreign Affairs.

The Ministry of Defence paid US$2.76 million towards Uganda’s obligations to the African Union.

Bagiire said the payment was necessary because of Uganda’s participation in the African Union Commission Summit and the ministry’s outstanding obligations. 

He said they thought attempts to get a supplementary would delay and that’s how funds came in from defence. 

“These international organisations are very critical to the country’s foreign policy framework,” he said.

The committee was also informed that the ministry requires over Shs25 billion annually to meet its subscriptions to international organisations and prevent the accumulation of arrears.

Elgon County MP, Hon. Wamakuyu Mudiimi noted that while the ministry’s financial statements reported Shs81 billion in contributions to international organisations, the Board of Survey indicated Shs83 billion.

The ministry’s Head of Accounts, Mubaraka Nsambas, attributed the difference to verification of the figures.

“The figure we captured in the financial statements is what was verified. What is in the Board of Survey was not verified,” Nsambas said.

The explanation prompted further scrutiny from MPs and the Auditor General’s representative, who told the committee that the Board of Survey was prepared by the Accountant General in collaboration with the ministry.

– on behalf of Parliament of the Republic of Uganda.

Source: APO – Report:

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Energy majors TotalEnergies and ExxonMobil will host dedicated procurement workshops during the pre-conference program of Angola Oil & Gas (AOG) 2026 on September 8, connecting Angolan companies directly with two of the country’s biggest international operators.

Led by Patricia Campos, Head of Procurement and Contracts Division at TotalEnergies, and Adão Costa, Procurement Manager at ExxonMobil, the respective sessions will offer practical insight into how local companies can position themselves to secure contracts across Angola’s expanding upstream industry. Taking place ahead of the main conference – scheduled for September 9-10 -, the workshops strengthen AOG 2026’s role as a platform for translating investment into tangible opportunities for Angolan businesses.

TotalEnergies’ workshop comes as the operator advances a multi-billion-dollar offshore portfolio. The company is developing the Kaminho project in Block 20/11 alongside Sonangol and Petronas – the first large-scale deepwater development in the Kwanza Basin. Sanctioned in 2024, Kaminho will feature a zero-flaring FPSO with capacity of 70,000 barrels per day, with first oil targeted for 2028.

The company has also extended licenses for strategic producing assets, including Block 32, creating a framework for further development across six discoveries surrounding the Kaombo Norte and Kaombo Sul FPSOs. Through its role in the New Gas Consortium (NGC), TotalEnergies is at the forefront of Angola’s non-associated gas development. The NGC achieved first gas production from the Quiluma field in 2026, paving the way for a diversified energy mix in Angola. Campos’ workshop will provide a direct interface between those suppliers and the procurement processes governing TotalEnergies’ activities.

Meanwhile, ExxonMobil is pursuing a dual-track strategy combining redevelopment of mature producing assets with frontier exploration. In April 2026, the company awarded an EPCI contract to Subsea7 for its Likembe Redevelopment 2.0 Project, which will connect additional reservoirs to existing Block 15 facilities through subsea tiebacks. ExxonMobil and its partners have also moved to extend production from the Mondo and Saxi-Batuque fields following the extension of Block 15’s production license through 2037.

Beyond Block 15, ExxonMobil is expanding its exploration footprint. The company partnered with TotalEnergies and Angola’s National Agency for Petroleum, Gas and Biofuels to secure exploration rights across multiple blocks in the frontier Benguela and Namibe Basins, while subsurface evaluation continues across additional offshore acreage. Costa’s workshop will share insight into how Angolan companies can position themselves at the forefront of these developments.

By placing procurement managers directly in front of Angolan businesses, AOG 2026 will give domestic suppliers greater clarity on what major operators need, how procurement decisions are made and where opportunities are emerging. As billions of dollars move into Angola’s upstream sector, the September 8 sessions will help ensure more Angolan companies are equipped to move with them.

– on behalf of Energy Capital & Power.

Source: APO

The Kampala City Traders Association (KACITA) warns that chronic shortages and high costs of digital vehicle number plates are crippling dealers and eroding public confidence in the automotive trade.

While appearing before the Committee on Physical Infrastructure chaired by Hon. Mwine Mpaka, KACITA Chairperson, Issa Sekitto expressed deep skepticism about the production capacity of the current service provider under the Intelligent Transport Monitoring System (ITMS).

He added that they are not confident that the contractor can maintain adequate stocks of vehicle numbers plates and manufacturing materials.

“The delays are not occasional inconveniences; they are systematically destroying our businesses. Customers place orders, pay deposits, and then wait weeks or months. Many walk away. Dealerships are losing both sales and reputation,” he said.

The association singled out the Shs714,300 fee for new digital plates as particularly burdensome for both dealers and buyers arguing it inflates the cost of vehicles at a time when businesses are still recovering from economic pressures.

The digital number plate programme, rolled out as part of a broader security-driven ITMS initiative, aims to enhance vehicle tracking, curb theft and improve law enforcement through embedded technology.

The project is implemented through a long-term partnership involving the Ministry of Works and Transport and security agencies, with plates produced by a contracted service provider.

Hon. Mwine Mpaka pressed the traders for concrete evidence of the supply failures. 

“We cannot ignore the lived experience of the business community,” Mpaka said adding that, ’if the system meant to improve security is instead paralysing legitimate trade, then Parliament has a duty to demand answers and solutions. Capacity, cost and reliability must all be addressed’.

Ayivu East MP, Hon. William Taylor (said that prolonged delays risk pushing more transactions into informal channels.

“Another question should be whether the pricing structure adequately balances the project’s security objectives with affordability for citizens and the private sector,” he said.

Members also sought clarity on contingency plans for stock outs and the contractor’s ability to scale production.

The association maintains that while it supports measures that enhance national security and road safety, the current operational bottlenecks undermine those very goals by frustrating vehicle registration and sales.

The committee is expected to summon the implementing agencies and the service provider for further scrutiny.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Parliament of the Republic of Uganda.

Source: APO

As we approach World Rabies Day on 28 September 2026, South African and global stakeholders are uniting behind the 2026 theme, ‘Stronger Together,’ which highlights a simple but powerful truth: rabies elimination is only possible when we work together. From communities and pet owners to veterinary and para-veterinary professionals, healthcare professionals, policymakers and international partners, every sector has a role to play in preventing rabies and protecting both people and animals. Through stronger collaboration, better communication and coordinated action, we can move closer to a world free from rabies.

South African stakeholders have once again come together through the National Rabies Advisory Group, joining forces in the fight against rabies. We aim to create awareness around rabies and the animal and public health impact this deadly disease has, using multiple platforms. Be on the lookout for the national social media campaign in September 2026.

Rabies remains one of the world’s deadliest yet most preventable diseases. This year’s World Rabies Day theme, ‘Stronger Together’, reminds us that eliminating rabies requires partnership at every level. Communities, pet owners, veterinary and para-veterinary professionals, healthcare workers, government departments, policymakers and partner organisations each have a critical role in rabies elimination.

Rabies prevention depends on coordinated human, animal and environmental health systems working together in support of each other.

Core rabies messages

Rabies is nearly always fatal once symptoms appear, but it is preventable through vaccination and prompt post-exposure treatment.

• Although Rabies is 99.9% fatal once a person or animal shows clinical signs, it is also 100% preventable through vaccination of our pets and timely and correct treatment of exposed humans.

• Rabies is a deadly disease with no cure once symptoms appear. It can be transmitted to people by an infected animal’s bite, scratch, or lick. If a person is bitten, scratched, or licked by an animal suspected to have rabies (an animal showing odd behaviour or neurological symptoms), the person needs to wash the wound thoroughly with soap and running water for at least 10 minutes and seek medical attention immediately. Post-exposure prophylaxis treatment will involve a series of rabies vaccinations and rabies immunoglobulin being injected into the wound (if the skin has been broken).

• If your dogs and cats are vaccinated annually against rabies, they form a protective barrier for your family and protect you. The same is true if everyone in your community ensures that their dogs and cats are vaccinated annually.

• Rabies vaccines that are registered for use in South Africa are safe to use in your dogs and cats and should be administered through a registered veterinary professional.

• Legally, every pet owner must have their dogs and cats vaccinated to protect both humans and animals against rabies. The first rabies vaccine is given at 12 weeks (three months) of age, followed by a booster vaccination one month later. A booster can be given up to 12 months later, but one month later is the recommended option. Thereafter, a booster is legally required every three years. In high-risk areas, annual vaccination is strongly advised!

• Remember that any mammal can become infected with rabies – this includes pets, wildlife, livestock, and humans. Typical wildlife species that can host rabies include jackals, foxes, mongooses, aardwolf and cape fur seals, amongst others.

• Dogs and cats are often moved between provinces by travellers, workers, or holiday-goers, which can easily cause the spread of rabies to any area if these animals are not vaccinated against rabies and are incubating the disease.

Enquire with your local state or private veterinarian, animal health technician or welfare organisation. State veterinary office contact details are available at: https://www.nda.gov.za/index.php/component/content/article/451-provincial-veterinary-services-contacts

A list of all registered veterinary facilities is available at: https://savc.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/FacilityRegisterPublish_July-2026.pdf

Vaccinate your dogs and cats, support campaigns, share accurate information, educate others and strengthen community protection. For more information about rabies, visit here.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of National Institute for Communicable Diseases, South Africa (NICD).

Source: APO

“It’s surprising it’s taken us this long to recognise and think about facilitating [women’s] role. Because once you see it, you can’t unsee it,” said Nazila Ghanea, UN Special Rapporteur on freedom of religion or belief.

Ghanea was referring to a conference titled “The role of women as guides and spiritual leaders in preventing violent extremism: A peer-to-peer exchange on faith and human rights”. Behind the formal title of the conference, which took place last May in Dakar, Senegal, there is a straightforward argument: that women’s religious leadership may be one of the most under-used tools against violent extremism in the region.

The conference brought together religious and community leaders, human rights experts and government partners.

“Because women are at the centre of social dynamics, their role in preventing violent extremism is extremely important — they have the advantage of proximity, and the legitimacy to speak to communities,” said Fatou Dramé, sociologist and gender expert from Senegal.

“Being both a woman and a religious authority, is yet a double opportunity that must be put to use to prevent this phenomenon,” Dramé added.

The women at the centre of the Dakar meeting go by different names depending on where they work: the Mourchidates — female religious guide in Arabic — of Mauritania, trained, certified and deployed by the State through the Ministry of Islamic Affairs to counter extremist narratives directly, and the Badian Gokh — neighbourhood godmothers in Wolof — of Senegal, trusted local mediators whose role began in maternal and community health and has since extended into questions of faith and social cohesion.

“They are women and young women trained in the alternative discourse to radical, violent speech: the arguments that dismantle the radicals’ arguments,” said Aminata Couro Ly, Coordinator of the Mourchidates network project in Mauritania.

“They were deployed across all of Mauritania’s intervention zones and began raising awareness among several target groups,” she added.

Both networks predate this conference by years. The Mourchidates were established in 2021 as a partnership between Mauritania’s Ministry of Islamic Affairs and the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), which developed the training programme with the Association of Women Heads of Family — an organization Couro Ly represents. By 2022, UNODC reported the network had reached over 8,000 people, from students to former combatants and their families. It’s that existing infrastructure that the Dakar conference — organised jointly by UN Human Rights and UNODC — built on, layering the Faith for Rights framework onto years of groundwork already underway.

A framework built from the ground up

The Faith for Rights framework was launched by UN Human Rights in 2017 to foster peaceful societies through reflection and joint action on the deep connections between religions, beliefs and human rights.

As divine texts rely on human interpretations, the Faith for Rights commitments encourage critical thinking and debate on religion or belief. They specifically commit to revisit those religious understandings that appear to perpetuate gender inequality and harmful stereotypes or even condone gender-based violence.

“We support this through peer-to-peer learning”, said Michael Wiener, Coordinator of the Faith for Rights framework. It’s also why UN Human Rights avoids certain language when it works with faith communities directly.

“We usually don’t use the term ‘training of trainers,’ because ‘trainer’ implies a kind of hierarchy. Rather, we see it as facilitating a discussion,” Wiener said. “It’s very ‘unhierarchical’, as everyone has something to learn and something to contribute. So, our methodology is to facilitate the role of facilitators.”

Dramé said that this conference truly allowed them a different reading of what complementarity between religion and human rights means.

“I was afraid, before coming [to the conference], that we would stay on superficial, very polite exchanges,” said Kahina Bahloul, first female Imam in France since 2019. “[Instead], I saw absolutely incredible people, incredible women who have a drive, a desire — I would say the fire and the will to change things.”

But admiration wasn’t the only thing participants brought back. Repeatedly, they returned to a harder truth: the women doing this work are, in large part, unrecognised.

“These women make incredible efforts. They take incredible risks, at the expense of their own lives. And despite that, they have no institutional or official recognition. They have no official status as social actors,” Bahloul said. “They work today as volunteers, and that is simply unacceptable.”

Asked directly whether UN Human Rights views the Mourchidates and Badian Gokh as human rights defenders in their own right, Wiener didn’t hesitate.

“Yes, they are actually strengthening local action in favour of human rights,” he said. “We need such a bottom-up approach, based on a detailed knowledge of family and community dynamics.”

More than a pledge, a plan of action

The Plan is not aspirational language alone. Adopted by participants on the conference’s final day, the Dakar Plan of Action on the Role of Women in the Religious Sphere states plainly that sacred books, in themselves, do not discriminate against women, in view of the link between text and context.

But rather it’s certain human interpretations that reflect an instrumentalization of religion for political or economic ends or the perpetuation of a system of patriarchal domination.

The Plan goes further, arguing that faith also carries the power to repair what it’s been used to justify.

“The ethical and spiritual foundations of religions and beliefs can help to combat polarization and conflict, while promoting reconciliation,” the Plan states.

The Plan also names what needs to change and what is the best way forward to achieve that change.

The role, legal status, funding and protection of the Mourchidates in Mauritania, the Badian Gokh in Senegal, and many women religious or community leaders, appears essential.

The Plan also sets out seven objectives, among them developing an interfaith commentary on women’s status in religious institutions, and translating the Faith for Rights toolkit into Arabic and local languages.

Its scope also reaches beyond the West Africa region, by aiming to “contribute to the Global Alliance for Human Rights, which brings together a diversity of actors called upon to mobilize, each in their own sphere of influence, to defend, protect and promote human rights.”

The Global Alliance is the coalition UN Human Rights launched in Geneva in 2026 — governments, civil society, cities, faith communities and young people, organized around a call to imagine, dialogue and act, ahead of the 80th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights in 2028.

Faith for Rights is now one of its activations. Dakar, in other words, isn’t a self-contained event — it’s a regional chapter feeding into a considerably larger endeavour.

Wiener said the scale of that larger picture is the point.

“More than six billion people have a religion or belief as their personal affiliation,” he said.

That is more than 80 percent of the world’s population. “It’s also why we refer to the broad concept of ‘faith-based actors’, which also includes anyone in an informal leadership position, notably women and youth. That actually is the entry point,” Wiener added.

Some participants left Dakar wary the momentum wouldn’t last.

“What frightens me is that this becomes one more meeting among many that remains just a moment, and isn’t followed by anything concrete,” Bahloul said.

Dramé said that what she hopes for from this network is that it stays alive and dynamic.

That hope has precedent. Elsewhere in the Faith for Rights framework, momentum has outlasted a closing session before. Just last June, young participants from an earlier peer-learning meeting in Bangkok facilitated working group discussions in Geneva and briefed a side event of the UN Human Rights Council directly — with ambassadors listening before they get to speak.

“Usually, you have the ambassadors reading their statements at the beginning and then listening. With their agreement, we changed the order. They first listened to the youth, and then they reacted to the recommendations from our physical hubs in Cairo, Rome, Geneva and online,” Wiener said.

Another peer-learning week for youth faith actors in Cairo last February was cost-effective thanks to co-organization by the Al Azhar Observatory for Combating Extremism, the British University in Egypt and the Dominican Institute for Oriental Studies.

“Partnerships and creativity can also make things possible,” Wiener explained.

But creativity has a ceiling. Bringing people back to the table for what comes next — the interfaith commentary the Dakar Plan of Action calls for, the translations, a standing network of young women faith actors — is a different scale of ask.

Dakar produced a plan, not just a pledge: seven commitments, written and adopted. What happens to them now is a question of funding. The network exists. The commitments exist. What’s required is the money to carry them out.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of United Nations (UN).

Source: APO

Angolan women and children displaced by drought into Namibia face serious human rights abuses arising from a lack of safe and legal migration pathways for people forced across borders by natural disasters, Amnesty International said in a new report. 

The report, “The Drier It Gets The Longer You Have To Walk, The Deeper You Have To Dig” – The Human Rights Impacts Of Drought-induced Displacement On Angolan Women & Children In Namibia, documents the devastating consequences of recurrent drought in southern Angola and the human rights impacts experienced by those displaced into Namibia, including persistent fear of arrest, detention and deportation, which in turn influences their daily decisions about whether to seek healthcare and other services.  

“Namibian authorities must establish a rights-based approach to migration, ensuring that people displaced by drought and other natural disasters can access basic rights, including registration and documentation.” Said Tigere Chagutah, Amnesty International’s Regional Director for East and Southern Africa.

“The protection of already marginalized Angolans who are forced to move to Namibia in search of livelihoods is not just a humanitarian concern. This is a human rights crisis that demands international solidarity, including legal protection against refoulement,” said Tigere Chagutah.

Between May 2024 and May 2026, Amnesty International interviewed at least 167 people, including displaced people, community leaders, government officials, representatives of civil society organizations (CSOs), academics, and members of the UN Country Team.

At the time of publication, Nambian government officials had not responded to Amnesty International’s request for comment.

Southern Angola, particularly Cunene, Huíla and Namibe provinces, has been among the hardest hit by recurring droughts, which have been exacerbated by El Niño.

Together with long-standing structural vulnerabilities, these conditions have  undermined traditional pastoral and farming systems, eroded people’s resilience and forced them to migrate to Namibia in search of safety, food, water, work, and essential services. 

Women and children are disproportionately affected, often taking these journeys under great risk.  

A young climate activist told Amnesty International that drought-induced displacement is not a simple story of people “running from drought”, but a rational response to collapsing systems. “The drier it gets, the longer you have to walk, the deeper you have to dig,” he said.

Namibian response to Angolan displacement

The report notes that Angolans displaced by drought have limited ways to regularize their stay in Namibia, as the current immigration and protection laws do not reflect the realities of climate-driven displacement. This has forced many people into irregular status as they cross the border in search of food, water, grazing land, healthcare, family support, and work following the droughts which destroys crops, livestock, and livelihoods.

In 2026, the Namibian Ministry of Home Affairs immigration control programme announced that more than 1,000 Angolan nationals had been returned to Angola after being found in the country without regular immigration status.

On 4 June 2025, Amnesty International witnessed Namibian authorities round up about 40 Angolan nationals, including women and children, at a community centre in Opuwo, and transport them the same day to the Ruacana border – over 100km away – for handover to Angolan authorities, without individualized screening, information about asylum or protection options, or assessment of the risks upon return. The absence of individual examination raises serious concerns under the prohibition of collective expulsion and the principle of non-refoulement.

In other instances, Angolan children have also been subject to government-facilitated forcible returns without sufficient information being made publicly available to establish whether appropriate safeguards were applied.

The report highlights that Namibia’s existing immigration framework does not adequately respond to the circumstances of people displaced across the border by drought. Although Angolan passport holders can enter Namibia visa-free through official border posts for limited periods, this does not provide a right to work, longer-term residence or a dedicated protection pathway.

Many people from drought-affected border communities also lack passports or other documentation and use informal crossing points. Once in Namibia without regular status, they have few accessible options to regularize their stay. This has left thousands of Angolans in fear of arrest, detention and deportation, a fear that shapes daily decisions about whether to seek healthcare and other services. 

Amnesty International found that for those already living in northern Namibia, housing, water and sanitation conditions fell far short of international law and standards. Many families live in makeshift shelters, built from branches, plastic and cardboard, in severely overcrowded conditions or, in some cases, entirely without shelter.

The report details how undocumented Angolans were charged higher fees in hospitals than Namibian nationals, pushing them to delay treatment until illness became severe, and avoiding clinics altogether for fear that health facilities were linked to immigration enforcement.

“We only go when the pain is too much; otherwise, we just lie down and wait,” one woman said.

Amnesty International calls on Namibian authorities to honour its international and regional legal obligations by ensuring that displaced Angolans can access legal protections, including registration and documentation needed to access rights. State authorities must conduct individual assessments before deportations and consider the human risk associated with return.

High-income, historically high-emitting states have heightened obligations in relation to climate action, while states that are able to do so must provide international cooperation and assistance, including adequate climate finance, according to their capacity, to support countries such as Angola and Namibia in adaptation, drought preparedness, resilience-building and addressing loss and damage.

“This reality underscores the need for the international community to recognize the injustice faced by these communities and respond with robust cooperation and support. It cannot wait,” said Tigere Chagutah.

Angola’s failure to invest in adaptation and preparedness

Angola’s investment in climate adaptation, drought preparedness, and livelihood protection has remained uneven because of limited finance, weak institutional capacity, inadequate climate-monitoring infrastructure and continued dependence on donor-supported emergency and resilience programmes.

The report shows how gaps in early warning systems, water infrastructure, veterinary support, and social protection mechanisms have contributed to the progressive erosion of pastoral and subsistence farming systems.

“Drought and the increasing risks posed by climate change cannot absolve the government from its legal obligation to protect people’s rights to life, food, water, health, a healthy environment and an adequate standard of living,” said Tigere Chagutah

“Angolan authorities must take urgent action to honour their legal obligations by putting in place safeguards to protect the drought affected through drought preparedness and climate adaptation mechanisms and protect communities at risk of displacement.”

Background

Between January and July 2021, more than 7,000 Angolans, mainly women, including pregnant and lactating women, children and older persons, crossed into northern Namibia following consecutive years of severe drought and food insecurity in southern Angola. Drought and food insecurity have continued to contribute to cross-border movement in subsequent years, including during renewed severe drought conditions in 2023 and 2024. However, the true scale of drought-related displacement over this period is unknown due to the absence of comprehensive reception, registration, or data collection systems.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Amnesty International.

Source: APO

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The Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation, Professor Blade Nzimande, welcomed the Minister of Finance, Mr. Enoch Godongwana, to the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), describing the visit as an important affirmation of the role of science, technology and innovation (STI) in strengthening South Africa’s economic resilience, industrial modernisation and inclusive growth.

Minister Nzimande said the engagement underscored a shared understanding that South Africa’s long-term prosperity depends on the country’s ability to deliberately harness scientific and technological capabilities for development.

“Science, technology, and innovation are not a luxury or an add-on. They are a strategic necessity and a foundational feature of national development,” Minister Nzimande said.

The Minister reiterated the Department of Science, Technology, and Innovation’s commitment to placing ST&I at the centre of government, education, industry, and society, in line with the country’s efforts to build a more knowledge-intensive and innovation-led economy.

He highlighted the CSIR’s standing as Africa’s premier public research institution and its contribution to practical solutions in areas central to South Africa’s development, including digital technologies, advanced manufacturing, health innovation, energy security, food production, human settlements, and logistics.

Minister Nzimande further noted that the CSIR’s work demonstrates how multidisciplinary research can respond directly to national priorities and improve the quality of life of South Africans, citing the organisation’s support during the Covid-19 pandemic and its interventions following floods in KwaZulu-Natal.

During the engagement, Minister Godongwana emphasised that innovation is critical to overcoming the country’s fiscal constraints.

“Across the public sector, we are called upon to do more with limited resources while responding to growing demands from citizens,” said Minister Godongwana.

“In this context, innovation is essential. Institutions such as the CSIR help government identify smarter, more efficient, and more sustainable ways of delivering services and addressing complex development challenges.

The Minister further highlighted that the visit forms part of National Treasury’s commitment to strengthening intergovernmental relations and enhancing oversight of public entities. He noted that understanding how public institutions create societal value is as vital as promoting sound financial management.

Her lauded the CSIR’s capability to translate scientific knowledge into practical solutions that target national priorities, specifically noting impact in digital technologies and data-driven public decision-making; advanced manufacturing and logistics optimisation; health innovation and sustainable energy solutions as well as service delivery support to improve outcomes for citizens.

Minister Godongwana further stated that “the CSIR’s mandate directly aligns with the government’s vision of building an ethical, capable, and developmental state and asserted that a developmental state requires advanced scientific and technological capabilities to drive industrial competitiveness, sustain economic growth and create long-term national capability.”

The visit forms part of the DSTI’s core mantra of placing science, technology, and innovation at the centre of government, education, industry, and society. Furthermore, it also aimed to showcase how the CSIR is using its strategic research and development capabilities to address South Africa’s most urgent developmental challenges.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of South African Government.