MIL Africa Engine

Source: APO – Report:

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The Eritrean community festival in Western Canada was colorfully celebrated in Edmonton on 1 and 2 August under the theme “Our Resilience: Our Guarantee.”

The festival was attended by numerous nationals from the Canadian cities of Edmonton, Calgary, Saskatoon, Winnipeg, Vancouver, Regina, and Toronto, as well as from various cities in the United States. It featured cultural and artistic performances, sports competitions, and displays by members of the Red Flowers.

Noting that the Eritrean community festival in Western Canada has a history of about 40 years, Mr. Okbai Tesfaselasie, Chairman of the Holidays Coordinating Committee, said that the festival, which began with a clear vision and love of country, is a heritage of every Eritrean.

At the event, Mr. Elias Amare, the guest of honor, conducted a seminar for participants focusing on the objective situation in the homeland, as well as regional and global developments.

– on behalf of Ministry of Information, Eritrea.

Source: APO – Report:

The Ministry of Justice conducted its annual activity assessment meeting and discussed future programs on 3 and 4 August.

Speaking at the meeting, Ms. Fauzia Hashim, Minister of Justice, said that ensuring social supremacy, which is the core mission of the Ministry, is not a recent initiative; rather, it is rooted in the way of life of the Eritrean people and the social supremacy nurtured during the armed struggle for independence.

Minister Fauzia went on to say that the community-based legal system, built on the principle of social sovereignty, reflects the history, culture, and identity of the Eritrean people and plays a significant role in ensuring legal supremacy, social harmony, the implementation of overall development programs, and public confidence.

Noting that the community-based legal system stems from the family and is designed to be community-centered, Minister Fauzia said that it makes a significant contribution to preserving social harmony and stability. She added that the Ministry of Justice has been working relentlessly to formulate a community-centered legal system and that the plan already formulated is based on this principle.

Minister Fauzia said that an organizational structure consistent with the history, traditions, and societal values of the Eritrean people will be announced after thoroughly reviewing public participation in the organizational process currently underway at the area-administration level.

Minister Fauzia further said that the necessary efforts will be exerted to ensure that laws reflect the traditions and values of Eritrean society and to nurture capable human resources equipped with the necessary knowledge and professional ethics. She called on all staff members of the Ministry to play their part in realizing these objectives.

At the meeting, reports were presented focusing on the courts and prosecution offices, the five-year strategic plan, and the development of the Ministry’s information technology system.

The participants conducted extensive discussions on the establishment of a community-based legal system, the improvement of laws, human-resource and institutional development, and the enhancement of public awareness.

– on behalf of Ministry of Information, Eritrea.

Source: APO – Report:

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• Eswatini’s growth accelerated in 2025, supported by large ongoing investment projects, but is expected to moderate in 2026, reflecting the impact of higher fuel costs, weaker global demand, weather-related disruptions, and moderation in public investment.
• Public debt rose to 45 percent of GDP by end-FY25/26 and is expected to increase to 50 percent by end-FY26/27, driven by public investment and wage increases. Consolidation is planned over the medium term to stabilize the debt-to-GDP ratio.
• Structural reforms and accelerating digitalization could boost growth potential.

An International Monetary Fund (IMF) team led by Ms. Xiangming Li visited Mbabane during July 23 – August 5, 2026, to hold discussions for the 2026 Article IV Consultation with the Kingdom of Eswatini.

At the conclusion of the mission, Ms. Li made the following statement.

“Eswatini’s real GDP growth accelerated to 4.9 percent in 2025, supported by large public and private investment projects. Despite the strong growth, unemployment remains high at 33.5 percent. Growth is expected to moderate in 2026, reflecting higher fuel costs, weaker global demand, tighter financing conditions, weather-related disruptions, and easing of investment activity. Inflation moderated in 2025 and continued to decline through early 2026 before rising modestly to 2.6 percent in June 2026. Higher fuel prices are projected to raise average inflation for the year.

“The external position improved modestly in 2025, with the current account surplus widening from 2.1 percent of GDP in 2024 to 2.4 percent. This was driven largely by an improvement in the primary income balance. Gross international reserves remained low at 2.5 months of imports at end-2025. The current account surplus is expected to narrow, reflecting higher fuel costs and strong investment-related imports. Reserve coverage is projected to edge down, weakening external buffers over the medium term.

“The outlook is subject to significant downside risks. A prolonged conflict in the Middle East could further increase fuel and fertilizer prices, weaken external demand, and heighten fiscal pressures. Climate-related shocks, particularly drought and erratic rainfall patterns, could disrupt agricultural production, raise food prices, and worsen poverty. Under a severe global shock scenario, growth would be weaker, inflation higher, and public debt would rise more rapidly, underscoring the need for continued fiscal adjustment and structural reforms to build resilience.

“The fiscal deficit rose sharply in FY25/26 to 6.1 percent of GDP from 1.1 percent the previous year, largely reflecting public wage increases and higher public investment. As a result, public debt rose from 40 percent of GDP at end-FY24/25 to 44.7 percent of GDP at end-FY25/26.

“The FY26/27 budgeted deficit narrows slightly to 5.9 percent of GDP, as higher public wages and interest payments offset declines in other spending and higher SACU revenues. Public debt is expected to reach 50 percent of GDP by end-FY26/27.

“The Medium-Term Fiscal Framework approved by Cabinet envisages fiscal consolidation over the medium term to reduce debt vulnerability, with a cumulative reduction of 6.2 percentage points of GDP in the structural primary balance (excluding SACU revenue) through FY31/32. As a result, public debt is projected to peak at over 52 percent of GDP before declining to about 45 percent by end-FY31/32. Meanwhile, the government has been expanding its use of concessional external financing, helping lower borrowing costs.

“Further rationalization of recurrent spending, particularly transfers and other expenses over FY26/27-FY28/29, is advisable to accelerate debt reduction, strengthen fiscal buffers, and create space for growth-enhancing capital spending.

“Structural reforms to strengthen public financial management will be critical to support the fiscal consolidation effort. Priorities include fully implementing and enforcing the 2017 Public Financial Management Act while advancing targeted amendments to strengthen public debt and public investment management. Accelerating the rollout of the Integrated Financial Management Information System and e-procurement, alongside stronger budget execution and financial controls, would improve expenditure management and transparency. Rationalizing public sector employment and strengthening the financial discipline of public enterprises would help contain fiscal pressures while safeguarding service delivery.

“The Central Bank of Eswatini (CBE) has maintained its policy rate at 6.75 percent since May 2025. While this leaves it 25 basis points below the South African Reserve Bank’s (SARB) policy rate, the CBE has kept its overnight deposit rate for banks aligned with the South African money market rate, helping contain capital outflows. Private sector credit growth remained robust at 10.6 percent year-on-year at end-May 2026. The banking system remains liquid and well-capitalized, though financial performance remains uneven across banks.

“Given elevated global uncertainty and the SARB’s transition to a lower inflation target, the CBE should closely monitor developments, carefully calibrate its policy rate alignment with the SARB, and stand ready to take measures as needed to safeguard the exchange rate peg. Strengthening the monetary policy framework, including through refining policy instruments, enhanced liquidity forecasting, and further development of money markets, would improve policy transmission and support macroeconomic stability.

“Strengthening financial sector oversight remains a priority to safeguard financial stability and enhance resilience. Priority reforms include updating the legal and regulatory framework, notably the Central Bank of Eswatini Act and the Financial Services Regulatory Authority Act, and operationalizing the deposit insurance scheme and emergency liquidity assistance framework.

“Structural reforms remain essential to support economic diversification and create jobs. Notably, reducing regulatory hurdles and accelerating digitalization, including the responsible use of artificial intelligence, could boost productivity, improve public service delivery, and create new growth opportunities. Eswatini has made important progress in strengthening its digital foundations; further efforts to build digital skills and modernize regulatory frameworks will be key to unlocking the full benefits of digitalization.

“The mission thanks the authorities for their excellent collaboration and warm hospitality.”

– on behalf of International Monetary Fund (IMF).

Source: APO – Report:

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– on behalf of The World Bank Group.

Source: APO – Report:

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An oral monthly pill to prevent HIV, alimatravir (also known as MK-8527), produced by Merck Sharp & Dohme (MSD), is currently undergoing promising phase three trials. If the trials are successful, this development could provide another tool in the HIV prevention toolbox and a positive step towards ending AIDS. 

UNAIDS commends MSD for its early access plan to help partners prepare for manufacturing and delivery. MSD has announced voluntary licensing agreements with generic pharmaceutical manufacturers, including three in Africa, to produce the once-monthly oral HIV prevention candidate. Early planning for financing, demand forecasting, accessibility and regulatory readiness will be as important as scientific innovation to ensure that new HIV prevention technologies reach people rapidly and equitably. 

“Scientific innovation has the power to change the trajectory of the AIDS pandemic, but only if it reaches everyone who needs it,” said Angeli Achrekar, Deputy Executive Director of UNAIDS. “If alimatravir proves to be safe and effective and receives regulatory approval, manufacturing must be rapidly scaled up and the product made affordable and accessible in low- and middle-income countries from day one. No one should have to wait years for life-saving HIV prevention.” 

UNAIDS commends MSD for the proposed partnerships with Aspen Pharmacare in South Africa, Quality Chemicals Industries Limited in Uganda and Universal Corporation Limited in Kenya. If the trials are successful, the agreement will present an important opportunity to strengthen Africa’s local pharmaceutical manufacturing capacity. It will also bring innovative HIV prevention options closer to the people who need them most, supported by sustainable market development and technology transfer. 

The announcement aligns with UNAIDS’ Global AIDS Strategy’s call to ensure equitable access to innovation and the strengthening of health sovereignty through local production, regional manufacturing and pooled procurement commitments. This was reaffirmed by countries in June this year in the 2026 Political Declaration on HIV and AIDS. 

Despite remarkable progress in scientific innovations in recent years, including antiretroviral-based HIV prevention options, millions of people—particularly adolescent girls and young women, marginalized populations and other people at heightened risk of HIV—still lack access to effective HIV prevention options.  

In 2025, 1.2 million people acquired HIV, and more than half a million people (570 000) died of AIDS-related illnesses. Around 3100 adolescent girls and young women acquire HIV every week in sub-Saharan Africa. Expanding choice through new prevention technologies, alongside sustained investment in community-led services and strong health systems, will be essential to ending AIDS as a public health threat by 2030. 

“UNAIDS welcomes partnerships that link clinical research, regional manufacturing and equitable access to HIV services,” said Ms Achrekar. “UNAIDS calls on governments, pharmaceutical companies, global health partners and communities to work together to accelerate production, ensure affordable pricing and remove barriers that delay access to new HIV prevention tools across all regions of the world.” 

UNAIDS will continue working with countries and partners to monitor equitable access, support affordable pricing, strengthen costing and resource planning, and advance sustainable financing pathways for the introduction and scale-up of all new HIV prevention technologies.

– on behalf of United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS).

Source: APO – Report:

The Ministry of Public Service requires up to Shs308 billion to cover a funding gap necessary to support critical development projects under the ministry, including the establishment of 19 Service Uganda Centres.

Appearing before Parliament’s Committee on Public Service and Local Government on Wednesday, 05 August 2026, the ministry’s Permanent Secretary, Catherine Bitarakwate, said plans are in place to establish 19 zonal centres across the country.

She said the centres will leverage existing POSTA Uganda infrastructure to centralise multi-sector public services including issuance of passports, driving permits, tax assessments and payroll updates and pension verification, among others.

“Currently, individual MDAs run duplicate regional offices averaging shs200 million each, annually. Consolidating into 19 zonal centres eliminates overlapping structures and saves the government an estimated shs286.2 billion annually,” Bitarakwate noted.

She also highlighted the expansion of the Civil Service College Uganda estimated at US$30.4 million, which she said will address challenges faced by civil servants who train at the institution.

“Expansion of the college will reduce daily training costs to shs197,000 per person, generate an annual monetary saving of Shs6 billion to government, and increase non-tax revenue to Shs7.5 billion,” Bitarakwate added.

Hon. Emmanuel Banya (NRM, Koboko County) asked whether the ministry was best aligned to strategically lead the one-stop model service centres aimed at re-engineering citizen access to government services.

Hon. Isaac Modoi (NRM, Lutseshe County) raised concerns over the viability of government’s recent rationalisation process.

“When you merged government institutions through the rationalisation process, the challenges accruing from this process seem to be watering down the purpose for the mergers. What remedies do you have to ensure persons affected are catered for?” Modoi asked.

Bitarakwate explained that the mergers necessitated an integration of different work cultures from different agencies that were put under the supervision of different parent ministries.

“The ministry is going to come up with a monitoring and evaluation report of the challenges and how they can be resolved. For individuals who lost jobs during rationalisation, we are progressively fixing them in MDAs where there is attrition,” Bitarakwate said.

She also added that the proposed adhoc Salary Review Commission is being considered under the review of the Public Service Act, noting that this will give a comprehensive perspective to several other reforms under the Ministry.

Regarding the proposed one-stop service centres, Bitarakwate told MPs that the Ministry of Public Service is spearheading structures through which different government agencies will offer key services at a decentralised level.

“We are not the ones going to do immigration or issue permits, but we shall bring these entities under one roof which is the old post office buildings. This will enable quick access to information and services rather than having people travel all the way to Kampala,” she said.

– on behalf of Parliament of the Republic of Uganda.

Source: APO

The Minister of Gender, Labour and Social Development, Hon. Henry Tumukunde, has raised concern over gaps in government’s ability to monitor and protect Ugandans working abroad, saying more must be done to safeguard migrant workers after they leave the country.

Tumukunde said the country’s labour-export programme should not end with the recruitment and deployment of Ugandans, but must include adequate preparation, monitoring and mechanisms to assist workers once they arrive in destination countries.

He made the remarks while appearing before the Parliament Committee on Gender, Labour and Social Development chaired by Hon. Laura Kanushu, on Wednesday, 05 August 2026.

Tumukunde said Ugandans seeking employment abroad must be properly recruited and trained before departure, but government must also establish mechanisms to monitor their welfare once they are outside the country.

“How do you reach there?” Tumukunde asked, questioning how government can effectively monitor Ugandan workers in foreign countries when there is inadequate facilitation for officials expected to follow up on them.

He said Uganda has labour partnerships with other countries but questioned whether these arrangements were translating into adequate protection for migrant workers.

The minister said the Government needed to strengthen its systems for keeping records of Ugandans working abroad and ensuring that they can be located and assisted if they encounter problems.

He said Uganda should consider the importance of labour export in light of the money migrant workers send back home.

“I hope that you and the government should invest in training people, because you are getting quite a lot of remittances from these people,” Tumukunde told the committee.

The minister questioned why labour export was sometimes treated as a peripheral issue despite the significant contribution of migrant workers to Uganda’s economy.

He told the committee that about 5.5 million young people below the age of 30 are neither employed nor in education or training, warning that the figure could increase significantly in the coming years if the situation is not urgently addressed.

The minister also raised the issue of trafficking, saying the problem requires stronger controls involving several government institutions.

He said government would continue to play its role in addressing the weaknesses within the labour-export system and assured the committee that the Ministry would not ignore internal shortcomings.

Tumukunde also raised concern over inadequate funding, fragmented service delivery and weak oversight mechanisms that he said are undermining efforts to support Uganda’s most vulnerable people.

He said one of the major challenges he had identified was a failure to achieve genuine inclusiveness, particularly because resources allocated to vulnerable groups were often too limited to meet the needs of the intended beneficiaries.

“Are you really giving it enough time? Are you giving it enough coverage? Are you providing the appropriate budget that is supposed to take care of these very, very vulnerable people?” Tumukunde asked.

He also pointed to what he described as “technical fractures” in the system of service delivery, where funds from the gender ministry are sent to districts but are administered through structures under other government institutions.

He further criticised the limited resources available for political supervision, saying ministers and other political leaders are expected to monitor programmes across the country without adequate facilitation.

Hon. Richard Wanyama (NRM, Samia Bugwe Central County), however, challenged the ministry on funding, saying it had failed to absorb some of the funds allocated to it last year.

“Because last time you had Shs410 billion, but you spent Shs333 billion, so it will be very hard for you to ask for more money,” he said.

Wanyama also agreed with the minister about the frustrations faced by girls who go to work abroad, saying they are frequently cheated by labour recruitment companies.

Hon. Sowedi Kitanywa, MP for Busongora County North, asked the minister to lobby Cabinet for increased funding, saying members would support the ministry’s efforts.

“Fight more at Cabinet level to get more funding; we will support you here,” he said.

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