MIL Africa Engine

July 21, 2026

$2.1 Billion and Counting: African Real Estate Is Executing

Source: APO

Verified data gathered from across Africa’s real estate investment landscape reveals that the continent’s leading property and hospitality roleplayers completed more than $2.1 billion worth of transactions over the past 18 months, representing one of the most concentrated periods of institutional real estate deal activity in the continent’s history.

Download Document: https://apo-opa.co/3TraTiH

The 28 transactions (across nine countries and eight asset classes) were closed by API Summit stakeholders from across the institutional property ecosystem – spanning listed capital markets, commercial, residential, hospitality, logistics and alternatives.

The full African Deals Index report – compiled in collaboration with Broll, the data and insights partner for API Summit 2026 – will be unveiled on the opening day of the event, taking place at the Cape Town International Convention Centre on 17 and 18 September.

Talk turning to investment action

The deal-making activity is a signal of the much-spoken-about potential for Africa converting into tangible action, driven by enhanced investor confidence.

“This isn’t a forecast – it’s a balance sheet. $2.1 billion in completed transactions tells you African real estate has moved past the conversation about potential and into the discipline of execution,” said Malcolm Horne, Group CEO of Broll Property Group.

Horne highlighted several key shifts reflected in the data.

“What’s notable is where the conviction is coming from: domestic pension capital acting as a structuring investor, not a passive landlord, and green-linked financing becoming a board-level decision, not a marketing line. At Broll, we see this in our own data every day – across the assets we manage, the cost of capital is increasingly tied to the quality of the asset, not just its location.

“That’s the market maturing in real time, and it’s exactly the momentum my team and I are looking forward to presenting and unpacking at API this year.”

The 17th Annual API Summit takes place under the theme Bold Capital. Real Momentum. and is expected to attract over 600 delegates from more than 30 countries.

Niyi Adeyele, Head of Real Estate Finance, Africa Regions at Standard Bank Group, commented on the evolution of real estate sector funding across Africa.

“It remains interesting to track the resilience and the evolution of activities in the sector, from growing capital market activities, to the rapidly increasing participation of domestic capital sources within the African continent from domestic focused institutional capital sources such as pension funds and family offices to pan-African investor platforms that tend to operate across multiple countries.”

He said that accordingly, sectoral activity levels remain positive, with the “growing pace of green field projects in key markets” providing “early indications of a new growth cycle for the sector”.

Major moves from domestic capital and DFIs

Domestic pension capital has moved decisively beyond its traditional role as a passive landlord, emerging as an active, structuring investor in African real estate – a shift that will be central to discussions at the summit.

The charge was led by South Africa’s Government Employees Pension Fund (through the Public Investment Corporation and retail property powerhouse Pareto), which concluded commercial, residential and industrial transactions valued at over $343.5 million since the start of 2025.

“Through the Standard Bank Group’s franchise operations across multiple countries, there are observed increase deployment of institutional capital to across key markets driving increased primary and secondary market activities,” said Adeyele, pointing to examples such as Grene Capital’s raising of $100 million from Nigerian pension for property investments in Nigeria and beyond.

Sustainability-linked deal leads the way

Sustainability remains a critical factor in real estate financing considerations – evidenced by the largest transaction completed over the past 18 months.

Standard Bank and its African Regions brand Stanbic (along with Rand Merchant Bank) acted as co-lender on a $300 million green financing facility to facilitate Lango’s bid to become Africa’s first Green Pure Play real estate company, with 90% of its portfolio certified according to international standards.

Amongst several other milestones, the Africa Logistics Property (ALP) Industrial REIT listing on the Nairobi Stock Exchange in March 2026 was notable as East Africa’s first listing featuring entirely IFC EDGE-certified green buildings.

Listed capital makes major moves

REIT capital markets were the second largest asset class by value across the period, accounting for $568.5 million of activity, with the action extending well beyond South Africa’s established counters.

East Africa welcomed ALP’s Industrial REIT (marking the region’s first industrial and first USD-denominated security); Centum’s TRIFIC Dollar I-REIT (the first green, income-distributing USD-denominated) and Acorn Holdings’ build-to-rent D-REIT.

On Zimbabwe’s Victoria Falls Stock Exchange, the Pfuma Fund REIT and Eagle REIT both listed, deepening a hard-currency capital market that scarcely existed five years ago.

“Seeing multiple REITs listing on exchanges in one cycle tells you the asset class has crossed from novelty to norm. Investors now have listed, liquid exposure to African real estate, and issuers have a repeatable route to permanent capital,” said Raghav Gandhi, CEO of ALP.

API Summit 2026 – ushering in the next wave of deals

The unprecedented commitment of capital into Africa’s real estate sector takes centre stage when the 17th Annual API Summit convenes. Welcoming the investors, developers, financiers and policymakers behind the continent’s most prominent deals, this year’s event features a new Multifamily Forum alongside the popular Hospitality and Proptech Forums; an impactful main plenary, workshops, deals and meetings rooms and investment showcases, and the 10th edition of the prestigious API Awards.

For more information and to register, visit www.APISummit.co.za

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of API Events.

Enquiries:
Dale Hes
Programmes and Communications Lead
API Events
Tel: +27 (0) 81406 8840
Email: dale@apievents.com

Murray Anderson
Commercial Director
API Events
Tel: +27 (0) 71 890 7739
Email: murray@apievents.com

About API Events:
Africa Property Investments (API) Events is Africa’s leading B2B event and thought leadership platform for real estate investment and hotel development. Each year, its conferences, tours and experiences convene the most senior investors, developers, operators and capital providers in African real estate, create meaningful discussions and hundreds of millions of dollars’ worth of opportunities for attendees and partners.

The group’s high-impact events (across Africa and beyond) span retail, multi-family, mixed-use, commercial and industrial, hospitality and lodging, and emerging asset classes.

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July 20, 2026

Qatar Condemns Repeated Iranian Attacks on Kuwait and Bahrain

Source: Government of Qatar

Doha, July 20, 2026

The State of Qatar condemns in the strongest terms the renewed attacks launched by the Islamic Republic of Iran on the territories of both the sisterly State of Kuwait and the sisterly Kingdom of Bahrain, and considers them a flagrant violation of the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the two countries, and a blatant breach of international law, the Charter of the United Nations and the principles of good neighborliness.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirms that the continuation of these attacks constitutes a dangerous escalation that will complicate efforts to contain tensions and undermine political and diplomatic endeavors aimed at achieving security and stability in the region.

The ministry stresses the need for an immediate and complete cessation of all military actions and attacks that threaten the security and stability of the region, refraining from anything that would widen the circle of escalation, a serious return to the path of dialogue and negotiations, and commitment to the understandings achieved through diplomatic efforts.

The Ministry reiterates the State of Qatar’s full solidarity with the State of Kuwait and the Kingdom of Bahrain, and its support for all measures they take to preserve their sovereignty and security.

July 20, 2026

The Learning Engine: How Rolls-Royce Turns Every Flight into Better Engineering (By Omar Ali Adib)

Source: APO

By Omar Ali Adib is the Senior Vice President – Middle East, Africa and Central Asia for the Rolls-Royce Civil Aerospace division (www.Rolls-Royce.com).

For more than 120 years, Rolls-Royce has engineered solutions to some of aerospace’s most complex challenges. Aviation has been transformed: aircraft fly further, higher and more efficiently, while advances in materials, digital technology and manufacturing now deliver performance that would have seemed impossible 30 years ago.

When every fraction of a percentage improvement counts, the fact that modern Trent XWB engines boast a 25% efficiency gain over their 30-year-old predecessors, it’s clear to see the learning curve is steady and steep.

Progress does not only come through dramatic reinvention. It comes through disciplined observation, careful analysis and thousands of incremental improvements which, together, transform engine performance, durability and reliability.

It is easy to think that an aero engine reaches the end of its development when it enters service after years of rigorous testing, modelling and certification. In reality, that is when a new phase of learning begins. Every take-off, climb, cruise and landing generates operational information that deepens our understanding of how engines perform in the real world.

Inside an engine is one of the most demanding environments created by engineering. High-pressure turbine blades rotate at around 13,000 revolutions per minute in gas temperatures approaching 1,500°C—around 200°C above the melting point of their alloy. They withstand immense thermal and mechanical loads, often with little time to cool fully between flights, yet operate safely for up to six years without overhaul.

Commercial aviation leaves little room for complacency. Airlines expect lower fuel consumption, fewer maintenance events and dependable operation. Governments and national carriers rely on aircraft to connect cities, support tourism and trade, move critical cargo and enable economic growth. Every day an aircraft remains in service creates value for both the airline and the wider economy.

Rolls-Royce engines continuously generate operational data, which, combined with inspection and maintenance findings, reveals how components age and where durability can be improved. This understanding spans aircraft operating across oceans and in hot, high, humid and dusty conditions, where intensive utilisation places additional demands on engines.

Rolls-Royce powers the world’s leading widebody aircraft. The Trent 1000, in commercial service since 2011, powers the Boeing 787 Dreamliner. The Trent XWB powers every Airbus A350. The Trent 7000 powers the Airbus A330neo, the natural successor to the best-selling A330 family, combining proven aircraft credentials with latest-generation engine technology.

Each engine is designed specifically for its aircraft, yet together they form a living engineering ecosystem. Across the Trent family, advances are shared in aerodynamics, combustion, cooling, digital controls, materials, manufacturing, health monitoring and maintenance. Experience from one programme strengthens confidence and accelerates progress elsewhere.

The Trent 7000 illustrates this approach. As the newest Trent family member, it benefits from decades of accumulated experience while providing an important platform for validating the latest durability enhancements. Those lessons have informed technologies being incorporated into the Trent 1000 XE, translating proven operational evidence into wider customer benefit.

The same philosophy shapes the Trent XWB. Its latest Trent XWB-84 Enhanced Performance standard has exceeded its certified fuel-burn improvement. Data from everyday airline operations demonstrated savings of around 1.8 per cent—almost double the original target. This improvement translates to around $450,000 in annual fuel savings per aircraft, or around $9 million per year for a typical fleet of 20 Airbus A350-900s.

This ability to learn across Boeing and Airbus platforms gives Rolls-Royce exceptional breadth of operational understanding. It is underpinned by a commitment of more than £1 billion to a comprehensive engine improvement programme across the Trent 1000, Trent 7000 and Trent XWB-84. Crucially, the resulting durability improvements are covered by standard TotalCare agreements for existing customers and their engines in service.

Few measures matter more than Time on Wing: the period an engine remains in service before scheduled removal for overhaul. It affects aircraft availability, fleet planning, spare-engine requirements, maintenance scheduling and airline economics. For governments and national carriers, it also affects route resilience, tourism, trade, cargo movements and national connectivity. Durability is therefore one of modern aerospace’s defining engineering challenges.

For the Boeing 787, the Trent 1000 XE incorporates improved cooling, lighter high-pressure turbine blades that reduce centrifugal loading, advanced thermal-barrier coatings, redesigned combustor interfaces and updated control software to manage thermal loads more consistently. The package will deliver up to three times the durability of the previous standard in certain operating environments.

These enhancements are being installed in new engines and progressively retrofitted across the existing fleet. As of April 2026, around 30 per cent of in-service Trent 1000 engines had received the first phase through a coordinated programme across the Rolls-Royce maintenance network, with the fleet moving steadily towards the XE standard.

Rolls-Royce is expanding its interconnected global MRO network through its own facilities and, increasingly, through joint ventures, strategic partnerships and authorised maintenance centres. Insights from every overhaul strengthen engineering decisions across the network, while bringing capability closer to customers, transferring skills and developing local talent.

Across more than a century, progress can be measured through thrust, fuel burn, efficiency and durability. Yet behind those achievements lies Rolls-Royce’s accumulated engineering knowledge. Every programme adds insight, every customer broadens experience, and every solved challenge strengthens future capability.

Behind advances in thrust, fuel efficiency and durability lies more than a century of accumulated engineering knowledge. Every programme, customer and solved challenge strengthens future capability.

That knowledge flows across Civil Aerospace, Defence and Power Systems, where advances in materials, manufacturing, digital engineering, predictive analytics and artificial intelligence allow innovation in one part of Rolls-Royce to drive progress elsewhere.

Aviation’s demands will continue to evolve. Airlines will seek greater efficiency, longer Time on Wing, lower operating costs and reduced environmental impact. Governments will look to aviation to strengthen connectivity, trade and growth. Customers will expect both world-class products and trusted engineering partners throughout the life of their fleets.

That is how Rolls-Royce has evolved for more than 120 years. Every flight teaches us something. Every customer makes us better. Every lesson learned today becomes the engineering certainty we deliver tomorrow.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Rolls-Royce.

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July 20, 2026

New forum links capital with pioneering market reforms in Zim

Source: APO

Zimbabwe will host a first-of-its-kind capital markets forum in August, supported by local and regional domestic capital powerhouses and leading private sector investors. Organised by experienced events company API Events (www.APIEvents.com), the forum co- coincides with a period of historic significance for the country’s capital markets landscape.

Co-located with the 6th Annual ZimReal Property Forum, the ZFCF is the first investor- and deal-focused forum that brings the entire ecosystem of institutional capital and bankable assets under one roof domestically, uniting capital seekers and allocators while generating actionable deal flow.

Together, ZimReal and ZFCF are expected to attract over 400 delegates from more than 100 companies, with a spread of local, regional and international attendees.

The event is strongly supported by domestic capital heavyweights such as the Zimbabwe Investment and Development Agency, the Zimbabwe Association of Pension Funds, the Mining Industry Pension Fund and South Africa’s Eskom Provident Pension Fund. Top executives from the Investor Hosting Centre (IHC), the Zimbabwe Stock Exchange (ZSE), the Victoria Falls Stock Exchange (VFEX), the Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE), Arctic Blue Asset Management, MMC Capital Advisory and Terrace Africa, amongst others, also feature on the one-day programme.

Aligning with watershed reforms

The ZCFC launches at an opportune moment for Zimbabwean capital, revolving around opportunities created by a revived landscape for investment. Driven by amendments undertaken over the past 24 months, including:

Eased listing requirements
Structural reweighting toward yield-oriented real assets
Institutionalization of Green, Social and Sustainability Bonds
Establishment of specialized investment frameworks (SPACs and ATPs)
Formation of the Zimbabwe Entrepreneurship Exchange (ZEEX)
The 2026 promulgation of Statutory Instruments 62 and 63, firmly establishing the operational, membership, and trading architecture for the Victoria Falls Stock Exchange (VFEX).

“Zimbabwe’s capital markets have just been through arguably their most significant reset in a generation. Over the past two years the ecosystem and the infrastructure have been built,” says Murray Anderson, Commercial Director at event organizers API Events.

“But reform only matters if it reaches the market, and that is the purpose behind the ZFCF. The capital exists and the products are finally here; this forum is where they meet.”

The shared ZimReal/ZCFC opening plenary will explore how the reforms have created a platform for innovation across the investment ecosystem, including the country’s stock exchanges.

The combined value of the ZSE and VFEX now exceeds US$7 billion. The US-dollar-denominated VFEX has scaled quickly to roughly US$3.8 billion across 19 counters – propelled by Econet InfraCo’s US$1 billion listing in March, the largest in the country’s history – while the 132-year-old ZSE continues to anchor the market at around US$3.4 billion. The two exchanges now offer issuers and investors complementary local-currency and hard-currency routes to capital.

“Zimbabwe has made meaningful progress in strengthening its capital markets through reforms that have enhanced the investment ecosystem. The next phase is about creating a consistent pipeline of well-prepared, bankable investment opportunities that meet institutional investors’ requirements,” said Benerdict Chisale, General Manager of the Investor Hosting Centre (IHC) – a platform for global investment in Africa.

The institutional prize: capital looking for a home

Zimbabwe’s pension sector held approximately US$2.63 billion in assets at mid-2025, according to the Insurance and Pensions Commission (IPEC).

Chisale said that the IHC’s H1 2026 investment analysis illustrates that while liquidity exists within pension funds, asset managers and other institutions, the greatest challenge remains bridging the gap between available capital and investment-ready projects.

“Zimbabwe does not have a capital shortage; it has a bankability challenge. The winners in this new era will not simply be those with capital, but those who can structure investable opportunities that inspire investor confidence. That is the conversation the Zimbabwe Future Capital Forum should lead.”

Meanwhile, listed property, led by Tigere, Revitus, Eagle and Pfuma, has pushed past US$100 million in market capitalisation terms, cementing REITs as early movers and symbols of deepening local capital markets.

“The local REIT market continues to expand rapidly, thanks to growing institutional and retail demand for property-backed assets which provide a packaged combination of passive income, value preservation, yield uplift, and trading liquidity,” said Brett Abrahamse, Managing Director at Terrace Africa (REIT manager for the Tigere REIT).

Tinashe Kembo, Managing Director of Artic Blue Asset Management, REIT manager for the Pfuma Fund, said the fund’s listing on the VFEX earlier this year had illustrated growing demand for USD-denominated assets.

“We’ve seen first-hand the appetite investors have for quality US dollar-denominated assets that offer both stability and genuine diversification in Zimbabwe’s evolving economy. Pfuma Fund is proud to be part of the conversations shaping the real estate and capital markets in Zimbabwe, and ZimReal and ZFCF are one such platform.”

Capital and property – hand-in-hand

Following the joint opening, the ZFCF agenda will further probe how the reforms can be translated into concrete investment pipelines; the unlocking of pension capital and private equity; other non-bank alternatives; and various funding sources available to market players.

“Forums such as the ZCFC serve as great platforms to increase awareness and market knowledge of REITs, amongst other asset classes across our burgeoning capital markets,” Abrahamse said.

ZimReal’s agenda will, as always, focus on the most pertinent topics shaping modern day real estate investment in Zimbabwe, from listed property and REIT performance, to residential, commercial, secondary city, green building and AI-enabled opportunities.

Anchoring both agendas is a convening of Zimbabwe’s most consequential public and private sector players, from banks, pension funds, asset managers and private equity houses holding the capital, and the developers and listed funds turning it into yield and growth.

Event details:

What: Inaugural Zimbabwe Future Capital Forum & the 6th Annual ZimReal Property Investment Forum (co-located)
When: 26 August 2026
Where: Hyatt Regency Harare, The Meikles
Format: In-person
Scale: 400+ delegates · 100+ companies · 10+ countries

For more information and to register, visit the Zimbabwe Future Capital Forum website here (https://apo-opa.co/4by0qbq) and the ZimReal website here (https://ZimReal.com).

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of API Events.

Enquiries:
Dale Hes, Programmes and Communications Lead, API Events
Tel: +27 (0) 81406 8840
Email: dale@apievents.com 

Murray Anderson, Commercial Director, API Events
Tel: +27 (0) 71 890 7739
Email: murray@apievents.com 

The group’s high-impact events (across Africa and beyond) span retail, multi-family, mixed-use, commercial and industrial, hospitality and lodging, and emerging asset classes.

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July 20, 2026

Optez pour le Venezuela : Chambre africaine de l’énergie (AEC) exhorte les investisseurs internationaux à soutenir le renouveau énergétique du pays

Source: Africa Press Organisation – French

La Chambre africaine de l’énergie (AEC) (https://EnergyChamber.org), porte-parole du secteur énergétique africain, invite les opérateurs, les bailleurs de fonds et les fournisseurs de technologies du monde entier à investir au Venezuela, alors que le pays rouvre son secteur énergétique et met ses vastes ressources en hydrocarbures au service d’un renouveau de son développement international. Fort d’une série de réformes et déterminé à assurer une croissance à long terme ainsi qu’à nouer des partenariats mondiaux, le pays se prépare à entrer dans une nouvelle phase énergétique – et c’est maintenant le moment d’investir.

L’AEC est fière de soutenir la prochaine conférence et exposition « Venezuela Energy Week » (VEW), qu’elle considère comme un événement de premier plan pour l’investissement international alors que le Venezuela accélère la réouverture de son secteur énergétique. Se déroulant du 26 au 29 octobre à Caracas, la VEW rassemble des responsables gouvernementaux, des entreprises énergétiques internationales, des financiers et des sociétés technologiques afin de tracer les grandes lignes de la prochaine phase du développement énergétique du pays, renforçant ainsi son potentiel en tant que fournisseur mondial d’énergie. L’AEC participera et apportera son soutien aux tournées mondiales de la VEW, qui se tiendront le 30 juillet à Londres et le 18 août à Houston.

« Le Venezuela s’est réformé et a démontré son engagement en faveur de partenariats mondiaux. Nous devons désormais investir et travailler avec ses citoyens pour reconstruire le pays, en particulier après le tremblement de terre dévastateur. La VEW marque le début d’une nouvelle ère d’investissements énergétiques pour le pays. Avec pour objectif de débloquer des contrats d’une valeur de plusieurs milliards de dollars pour le pays, cette conférence est appelée à transformer le secteur énergétique vénézuélien », déclare NJ Ayuk, président exécutif de l’AEC.

Organisée avec le soutien total du ministère vénézuélien des Hydrocarbures et de la compagnie pétrolière nationale PDVSA, la VEW 2026 intervient à un moment crucial pour le pays. Abritant les plus grandes réserves prouvées de pétrole au monde, avec plus de 300 milliards de barils – ainsi que 195 000 milliards de pieds cubes de gaz naturel –, le pays se lance dans une stratégie de redéveloppement par étapes visant à accélérer les mégaprojets non encore développés, à réactiver les puits fermés et à rétablir la production jusqu’à 3 millions de barils par jour (bpd). Ces objectifs créent d’importantes opportunités d’investissement tant pour les opérateurs que pour les prestataires de services, et le salon VEW mettra les entreprises en relation avec les projets vénézuéliens.

La stratégie énergétique du pays s’appuie sur des réformes réglementaires visant à améliorer l’environnement d’investissement. Les récentes réformes dans le secteur des hydrocarbures comprennent une réduction de la charge fiscale, l’élargissement des mécanismes de partage de la production, le renforcement des protections en matière d’arbitrage et un contrôle opérationnel accru pour les opérateurs étrangers. Ces mesures reflètent les ambitions plus larges du gouvernement visant à attirer des capitaux vers des bassins confirmés présentant un potentiel de croissance significatif. Parmi ceux-ci figurent la ceinture de l’Orénoque et le bassin de Maracaibo, où plusieurs opérateurs internationaux sont revenus ou ont élargi leurs portefeuilles ces derniers mois.

Shell se prépare à forer en 2027 dans le cadre des projets gaziers offshore Dragon, bp a fait son entrée sur le marché en avril grâce à un accord visant à développer le gisement gazier offshore de Cocuina-Manakin, tandis que Repsol a annoncé son intention d’augmenter la production de ses actifs vénézuéliens. Eni relance un projet de pétrole brut lourd dans la ceinture de l’Orénoque, tandis que Maurel & Prom se positionne comme partenaire stratégique pour des actifs tels qu’Urdaneta Oeste. Ces initiatives témoignent d’un marché qui s’oriente vers sa prochaine phase de croissance, démontrant ainsi le potentiel d’investissements futurs.

Les marchés vénézuéliens des secteurs intermédiaire et en aval évoluent de concert. Vitol a récemment renouvelé son engagement dans le pays, tandis que les efforts visant à redynamiser le raffinage et la valorisation du gaz créent de nouvelles opportunités pour les entreprises tant régionales qu’internationales. La capacité de raffinage, qui s’élève à près de 1,3 million de barils par jour, fonctionne actuellement à 35 % de son taux d’utilisation, ce qui met en évidence des opportunités immédiates en matière de remise en état des installations de raffinage et d’expansion plus large du secteur en aval. Avec plus de 100 milliards de dollars nécessaires à la remise en état du secteur pétrolier et gazier du pays, la VEW placera les projets vénézuéliens au premier plan de l’agenda mondial des investissements.

« Le Venezuela dispose de l’une des plus grandes réserves d’hydrocarbures au monde, et son réengagement auprès des investisseurs internationaux a le potentiel de redéfinir les investissements énergétiques dans toute l’Amérique latine. À mesure que le cadre réglementaire évolue et que les opportunités se multiplient, le pays doit être de plus en plus soutenu par des échanges commerciaux et des investissements qui améliorent le sort de la population », a ajouté M. Ayuk.

Pour l’AEC, cet événement illustre le type d’engagement axé sur l’investissement nécessaire pour débloquer un développement énergétique à grande échelle. En réunissant sous un même toit des décideurs politiques, des opérateurs et des financiers, VEW offre une plateforme directe aux entreprises qui envisagent de pénétrer le marché, tout en favorisant un dialogue qui traduit les réformes politiques en partenariats commerciaux.

Distribué par APO Group pour African Energy Chamber.

July 20, 2026

Escolha a Venezuela: A Câmara Africana de Energia (AEC) exorta os investidores globais a apoiarem a recuperação do setor energético do país

Source: Africa Press Organisation – Portuguese –

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A Câmara Africana de Energia (AEC) (https://EnergyChamber.org), que representa a voz do setor energético africano, apela aos operadores globais, financiadores e fornecedores de tecnologia para que invistam na Venezuela, à medida que o país reabre o seu setor energético e posiciona os seus vastos recursos de hidrocarbonetos para um desenvolvimento internacional renovado. Apoiado por uma série de reformas e empenhado no crescimento a longo prazo e em parcerias globais, o país está a preparar-se para a sua próxima fase energética – e agora é o momento de investir.

A AEC orgulha-se de apoiar a próxima Conferência e Exposição Venezuela Energy Week (VEW), reconhecendo a plataforma como um evento de referência para o investimento internacional, à medida que a Venezuela acelera a reabertura do seu setor energético. A decorrer de 26 a 29 de outubro em Caracas, a VEW reúne líderes governamentais, empresas internacionais de energia, financiadores e empresas de tecnologia para traçar a próxima fase do desenvolvimento energético do país, reforçando o potencial da Venezuela como fornecedor global de energia. A AEC também participará e apoiará os eventos globais da VEW no âmbito da digressão promocional, que terão lugar a 30 de julho em Londres e a 18 de agosto em Houston.

«A Venezuela reformou-se e demonstrou o seu compromisso com as parcerias globais. Agora precisamos de investir e trabalhar com os seus cidadãos para reconstruir o país, especialmente após o devastador terramoto. A VEW marca o início de uma nova era de investimento energético para o país. Com o objetivo de concretizar negócios no valor de milhares de milhões de dólares para o país, a conferência está posicionada para transformar o setor energético da Venezuela», afirma NJ Ayuk, presidente executivo da AEC.

Realizada com o total apoio do Ministério dos Hidrocarbonetos da Venezuela e da empresa petrolífera nacional PDVSA, a VEW 2026 chega num momento crítico para o país. Sede das maiores reservas comprovadas de petróleo do mundo, com mais de 300 mil milhões de barris — bem como 195 biliões de pés cúbicos de gás natural —, o país está a embarcar numa estratégia de reabilitação faseada destinada a acelerar megaprojetos ainda por desenvolver, reativar poços encerrados e restaurar a produção para até 3 milhões de barris por dia (bpd). Estes objetivos estão a criar oportunidades de investimento significativas tanto para operadores como para prestadores de serviços, e a VEW irá ligar as empresas aos projetos venezuelanos.

A estratégia energética do país assenta em reformas regulatórias destinadas a melhorar o ambiente de investimento. As recentes reformas no setor dos hidrocarbonetos incluem a redução dos encargos fiscais, a expansão dos mecanismos de partilha de produção, o reforço das proteções em matéria de arbitragem e um maior controlo operacional para os operadores estrangeiros. Estas medidas refletem as ambições mais amplas do governo de atrair capital para bacias comprovadas com um potencial de crescimento significativo. Entre estas contam-se o Cinturão do Orinoco e a Bacia de Maracaibo, tendo ambas assistido, nos últimos meses, ao regresso ou à expansão das carteiras de vários operadores internacionais.

A Shell está a preparar-se para a perfuração em 2027 nos projetos de gás offshore Dragon; a bp entrou no mercado em abril através de um acordo para desenvolver o campo de gás offshore Cocuina-Manakin, enquanto a Repsol anunciou planos para aumentar a produção dos seus ativos venezuelanos. A Eni está a relançar um projeto de crude pesado no Cinturão do Orinoco, enquanto a Maurel & Prom se posiciona como parceira estratégica para ativos como o Urdaneta Oeste. Estas iniciativas revelam um mercado a avançar para a sua próxima fase de crescimento, demonstrando o potencial para investimentos futuros.

Os mercados de médio e jusante da Venezuela estão a evoluir em paralelo. A Vitol renovou recentemente o seu compromisso com o país, enquanto os esforços para revitalizar a refinação e a monetização do gás estão a criar novas oportunidades tanto para empresas regionais como internacionais. A capacidade de refinação de quase 1,3 milhões de bpd está atualmente a operar a 35% da sua utilização, o que destaca oportunidades imediatas na reabilitação da refinação e numa expansão mais ampla do setor a jusante. Com mais de 100 mil milhões de dólares necessários para reabilitar o setor de petróleo e gás do país, a VEW posicionará os projetos venezuelanos na vanguarda da agenda global de investimento.

«A Venezuela possui uma das maiores reservas de hidrocarbonetos do mundo, e o seu reengajamento com investidores internacionais tem o potencial de redefinir o investimento energético em toda a América Latina. À medida que as condições regulatórias evoluem e as oportunidades se expandem, o país deve ser cada vez mais apoiado por comércio e investimentos que melhorem a vida da população», acrescentou Ayuk.

Para a AEC, o evento reflete o tipo de envolvimento centrado no investimento necessário para desbloquear o desenvolvimento energético em grande escala. Ao reunir decisores políticos, operadores e financiadores sob o mesmo teto, a VEW proporciona uma plataforma direta para as empresas que avaliam a entrada no mercado, ao mesmo tempo que apoia o diá. que traduz as reformas políticas em parcerias comerciais.

Distribuído pelo Grupo APO para African Energy Chamber.

July 20, 2026

Choose Venezuela: African Energy Chamber (AEC) Urges Global Investors to Back Country’s Energy Comeback

Source: APO

The African Energy Chamber (AEC) (https://EnergyChamber.org), representing the voice of the African energy sector, is calling on global operators, financiers and technology providers to invest in Venezuela as the country reopens its energy sector and positions its vast hydrocarbon resources for renewed international development. Backed by a series of reforms and committed to long-term growth and global partnerships, the country is gearing up for its next energy phase – and now is the time to invest.

The AEC is proud to back the upcoming Venezuela Energy Week (VEW) Conference and Exhibition, recognizing the platform as a premier event for international investment as Venezuela accelerates the reopening of its energy sector. Taking place October 26-29 in Caracas, VEW convenes government leaders, international energy companies, financiers and technology firms to chart the next phase of the country’s energy development, reinforcing the country’s potential as a global energy supplier. The AEC will also join and support VEW’s global roadshow events, taking place July 30 in London and August 18 in Houston.

“Venezuela has reformed and demonstrated its commitment to global partnerships. Now we need to invest and work with its citizens to build the country, especially after the devastating earthquake. VEW signals a new era of energy investment for the country. With a goal to unlock billions of dollars’ worth of deals for the country, the conference is positioned to transform Venezuela’s energy sector,” states NJ Ayuk, Executive Chairman, AEC.

Taking place with the full support of Venezuela’s Ministry of Hydrocarbons and national oil company PDVSA, VEW 2026 arrives at a critical juncture for the country. Home to the world’s largest proven oil reserves at over 300 billion barrels – as well as 195 trillion cubic feet of natural gas -, the country is embarking on a phased redevelopment strategy aimed at accelerating undeveloped mega-projects, reactivating shut-in wells and restoring production to up to 3 million barrels per day (bpd). These objectives are creating significant investment opportunities for operators and service providers alike, and VEW will connect companies to Venezuelan projects.

The country’s energy strategy is underpinned by regulatory reforms aimed at improving the investment environment. Recent hydrocarbon reforms include reduced fiscal burdens, expanded production-sharing mechanisms, strengthened arbitration protections and increased operational control for foreign operators. These moves reflect the government’s broader ambitions to attract capital across proven basins with significant upside. These include the Orinoco Belt and Maracaibo Basin, both of which have seen several international operators either return or expand their portfolios in recent months.

Shell is preparing for 2027 drilling at the Dragon offshore gas projects, bp entered the market in April through an agreement to develop the Cocuina-Manakin offshore gas field, while Repsol announced plans to increase production from its Venezuelan assets. Eni is relaunching a heavy crude project in the Orinoco Belt while Maurel & Prom is positioning itself as a strategic partner for assets such as Urdaneta Oeste. These moves showcase a market advancing toward its next phase of growth, demonstrating the potential for future investments.

Venezuela’s mid- and downstream markets are evolving in tandem. Vitol recently renewed its engagement with the country, while efforts to revitalize refining and gas monetization are creating new opportunities for both regional and international companies. Refining capacity of nearly 1.3 million bpd is currently operating at 35% utilization, highlighting immediate opportunities in refining rehabilitation and broader downstream expansion. With over $100 billion required to rehabilitate the country’s oil and gas sector, VEW will position Venezuelan projects at the forefront of the global investment agenda.

“Venezuela has one of the world’s largest hydrocarbon resource bases, and its re-engagement with international investors has the potential to reshape energy investment across Latin America. As regulatory conditions evolve and opportunities expand, the country’s must be increasingly backed by trade and investments that lift the people up,” Ayuk added.

For the AEC, the event reflects the type of investment-focused engagement needed to unlock large-scale energy development. By bringing together policymakers, operators and financiers under one roof, VEW provides a direct platform for companies evaluating market entry while supporting dialogue that translates policy reforms into commercial partnerships.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of African Energy Chamber.

July 20, 2026

Afreximbank Approves US$200 Million Facility for Shoreline to Support Algeria’s Energy Development

Source: APO – Report:

As part of ongoing financial interventions in Algeria since becoming a full member of the Bank in 2022, African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) (www.Afreximbank.com) (has approved a US$ 200-million global revolving dual tranche facility in favour of Shoreline Power Company Limited (Shoreline) and its co-borrowers, including Arkad SpA, an Italian EPC contractor majority-owned by the Shoreline Group of Nigeria. The facility will support Arkad’s contractual share in a US$ 980-million contract for the Hassi Bir Rekaiz (HBR) Field Development project in Algeria.

Approved in June 2026, the facility will support Arkad’s 44 per cent contractual share in one of Algeria’s largest upstream infrastructure contracts, the landmark US$980 million engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC) contract for the HBR Field Development Phase 2a project, awarded by Groupement Hassi Bir Rekaiz (GHBR), a joint venture between Sonatrach (Algeria), PTTEP (Thailand) and CEPSA (Spain).

This announcement builds on the momentum of the fourth edition of the Intra-Africa Trade Fair (IATF) held in Algeria in September 2025, which generated US$50 billion in trade and investment deals and further cemented the Fair’s position as a catalyst for intra-African commerce.

Afreximbank acted as sole mandated lead arranger and lender for the transaction, providing the US$ 200 million comprising a US$110-million one-off contract finance facility to support Arkad’s issuance of performance and advance payment guarantees and working capital requirements for the HBR Phase 2a EPC contract and a US$90-million revolving global facility to finance and support Shoreline and its affiliates in the bidding, construction and development of pipeline and infrastructure projects within Nigeria and other permitted jurisdictions.

The development of a new central processing facility for HBR Field Phase 2a, which the facility supports, is expected to lead to an increase in Algeria’s oil and gas production capacity from approximately 13,000 bpd to 50,000–60,000 bpd, generating significant foreign exchange for Sonatrach and the Algerian economy.

In addition, the facility is expected to support Arkad and the Shoreline Group in establishing a credible track record as a pan-African EPC contractor capable of executing sovereign-level energy projects, catalysing skills transfer and reducing dependence on non-African construction firms, while the success of the consortium of Arkad (Nigerian-owned, Italian) and Petrojet (Egyptian, state-owned) will represent a significant intra-African movement of capital, expertise, and engineering resources, demonstrating Africa’s growing capacity to manage and deliver complex EPC projects.

Structured under Afreximbank’s EPC Initiative, which is designed to provide African engineering and construction firms with the financial and non-financial instruments needed to compete for and execute large-scale infrastructure contracts across the continent and beyond, the transaction is expected to generate approximately 6,000 jobs and to catalyse regional supply-chain development in Algeria.

The transaction is a tangible outcome of the Intra-African Trade Fair (IATF) deal-making process and EPC twinning services at IATF2025 in Algiers, where Afreximbank supported the partnership between Arkad and Petrojet and then backed their successful participation in securing the HBR contract.

Welcoming the facility, Mrs. Kanayo Awani, Executive Vice President, Intra-African Trade Finance and Export Development, Afreximbank, described it as a prime example of the kind of support Afreximbank provides to African-owned engineering groups to compete and deliver at the highest levels.

“This transaction providing Shoreline Power Company Limited and Arkad SpA with the financing to execute this landmark US$ 980-million EPC contract in Algeria exemplifies our EPC Initiative and our Intra-African Trade Champions framework in action – enabling an African-owned engineering group to compete and deliver at the highest levels of global project execution,” Awani said. “By providing the US$ 200 million in structured financing, we are not only supporting Algeria’s national energy infrastructure development but also advancing intra-African trade in high-value engineering and construction services among Nigeria, Italy, and Egypt. This is precisely the kind of transaction that demonstrates Africa’s growing industrial capability and its capacity to shape its own development agenda. Afreximbank remains committed to being the financing partner of choice for African champions that are building transformative infrastructure across our continent.”

The transaction is the first time Afreximbank has supported a Sub-Saharan African contractor in undertaking a major infrastructure project in North Africa, marking an important step toward deeper intra-African integration, enhanced cross-regional cooperation, and the creation of truly pan-African engineering champions.

– on behalf of Afreximbank.

Media Contact:
Vincent Musumba
Communications and Events Manager (Media Relations)
Email: press@afreximbank.com

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About Afreximbank:
African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) is a Pan-African multilateral financial institution mandated to finance and promote intra- and extra-African trade. For over 30 years, the Bank has been deploying innovative structures to deliver financing solutions that support the transformation of the structure of Africa’s trade, accelerating industrialisation and intra-regional trade, thereby boosting economic expansion in Africa. A stalwart supporter of the African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA), Afreximbank has launched a Pan-African Payment and Settlement System (PAPSS) that was adopted by the African Union (AU) as the payment and settlement platform to underpin the implementation of the AfCFTA. Working with the AfCFTA Secretariat and the AU, the Bank has set up a US$10 billion Adjustment Fund to support countries effectively participating in the AfCFTA. At the end of December 2025, Afreximbank’s total assets and contingencies stood at over US$48.5 billion, and its shareholder funds amounted to US$8.4 billion. Afreximbank has investment grade ratings assigned by China Chengxin International Credit Rating Co., Ltd (CCXI) (AAA), GCR (A), Japan Credit Rating Agency (JCR) (A-), Moody’s (Baa2) and S&P Global Ratings (BBB+). Afreximbank has evolved into a group entity comprising the Bank, its equity impact fund subsidiary called the Fund for Export Development Africa (FEDA), and its insurance management subsidiary, AfrexInsure (together, “the Group”). The Bank is headquartered in Cairo, Egypt.

For more information, visit: www.Afreximbank.com

July 20, 2026

The African Development Bank Group to provide $13 million to bolster Ebola response-outbreak in Democratic Republic of the Congo, South Sudan and Uganda

Source: APO – Report:

The African Development Bank Group (www.AfDB.org) has approved grants worth USD 13 million to enhance national emergency responses to the Ebola virus disease (EVD-B) outbreak and strengthen efforts to arrest its spread in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), South Sudan and Uganda.

On 15 May 2026, DRC announced a new outbreak of Ebola virus disease centred in Ituri province, in the east of the country, and also affecting Bunia, Rwampara and Mongwalu.

The funding package comprises a grant of USD 10 million drawing on reallocated resources from the Bank Group’s DRC portfolio, and which will be channelled through the World Health Organisation (WHO). A second grant of USD 3 million, sourced from the African Development Bank’s Multi-Country Emergency Assistance Project covering DRC, Uganda and South Sudan, will be implemented by the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC). DRC, the epidemic’s epicentre, will receive USD 11 million dollars of the funding; Uganda and South Sudan will each receive $1 million from the same project.

Under the Bank Group’s Ebola Virus Disease Outbreak Response Plan, the funds will be deployed to halt the spread of the virus and reduce related mortality and morbidity in the most affected and vulnerable areas, in close coordination with the countries’ health ministries. Components of this effort will include strengthening early case diagnosis, epidemiological surveillance, community engagement, public awareness and regional coordination.

“This emergency support reflects the African Development Bank Group’s commitment to supporting the Democratic Republic of Congo and countries in the region in protecting human lives, strengthening the resilience of health systems and preventing the spread of the epidemic,” said Mohamed Cherif, Deputy Director General for Central Africa and DRC country manager at the African Development Bank Group. “Through this support, the Bank Group reaffirms its commitment to standing by regional member countries in times of crisis,” he noted.

Since the Ebola outbreak in May, the disease has also spread to the provinces of North Kivu and South Kivu. This new outbreak is caused by the Bundibugyo strain of the Ebola virus, a particularly virulent variant for which there is, to date, neither an approved vaccine nor a specific treatment.

– on behalf of African Development Bank Group (AfDB).

Contact:
Solange Kamuanga-Tossou
Communication and External Relations Department
African Development Bank
Email : media@afdb.org

July 20, 2026

Gender-based violence survivors need more than justice: four keys to recovery

Source: The Conversation – Africa – By Azwihangwisi Judith Mphidi, Adjunct Academic, University of South Africa

Gender-based violence in Africa is often treated as a legal, social or policing problem. But these responses don’t fully address the conditions that shape the lives of women facing violence or the conditions they face in recovery. Based on their expertise in law, the criminal justice system and their relationship with social justice issues, Azwihangwisi Judith Mphidi and Debra Pheiffer reviewed 10 research papers on responses to gender-based violence. Their findings offer important lessons from South Africa on how survivors are rebuilding their lives.

What are the biggest challenges that survivors of gender-based violence face?

The studies we reviewed reflected the fact that women don’t experience violence as only a legal problem, or only an economic one, or only a psychological one. They experience it across all dimensions of their lives.

Survivors need more than emergency shelters or a legal case. They need safety, income, belonging, dignity and opportunities to lead.

The most important lessons from our study were that survivors are not passive beneficiaries waiting for rescue. They are innovators, organisers and leaders.

Secondly, our findings show that fragmented, single-sector responses to gender-based violence survivors are not enough.

Our research identified four recurring themes that any serious response must address together:

psychological care through peer-led healing
economic collectives such as savings groups and cooperatives
integrated digital and mobile services
community anchoring through culturally adapted, participatory approaches.

What did you find has worked?

The reviewed studies assessed women’s empowerment by examining which services enabled them to gain greater agency, self-efficacy, economic independence, decision-making power, psychosocial wellbeing and social belonging.

“What works” was measured through outcomes such as reduced dependence on abusive partners, increased participation in income-generating activities and leadership in cooperatives and savings groups. Other indicators included stronger peer support, reduced trauma symptoms, and greater recognition within households and communities.

Women described stokvels (savings groups) as lifelines helping them care for their children, repair homes and build confidence through shared responsibility. Others described their roles leading cooperatives as transforming how they saw themselves, and how their children saw them.

Our review also highlighted what is too often treated as a separate issue: the intersection of gender-based violence and energy poverty.

What role does access to energy systems play?

Dark paths, uncharged phones and unlit homes are not incidental details. They are conditions that increase vulnerability and reduce access to help.

Any serious gender-based violence response framework must, therefore, include energy access as a structural intervention, not an add-on.

We found that solar initiatives met multiple needs, providing a useful template for supporting survivors’ recovery. When homes, paths and community spaces are dark, insecurity increases. When women cannot charge their phones, they lose access to help, coordination and income-generating opportunities.

Our review suggests that small, community-owned solar systems deliver multiple benefits. They provide safer lighting and create income opportunities. We found that solar cooperatives offered women more than access to electricity. They also:

created safer, well-lit communal spaces
improved household security
provided emergency phone charging
supported income-generating opportunities
reduced dependence on neighbours for basic energy needs
gave women visible leadership roles.

This access means women can feed their families, build businesses and lead in their communities. Solar power turns survival into entrepreneurship, poverty into possibility.

What needs to change in the response to gender-based violence?

Our study shows that fragmented, single-sector responses to gender-based violence are not enough. Survivors experience violence across every aspect of their lives. Effective responses must, therefore, address multiple needs at the same time.

We identified four themes that work best together: psychological care, economic collectives, digital and mobile services, and participatory approaches. When these are delivered in isolation, their impact is limited. When they are integrated, survivors are more likely to move from crisis to leadership.

Across the 10 studies we reviewed, we consistently found that the most durable outcomes came when survivors were involved in designing solutions rather than simply receiving support.

The family-community-state model that emerged from our research reflects what survivors themselves told us they needed: partnership, not charity.

For example, women who joined stokvels gained more than an income. They also gained a stronger sense of identity and the capacity to support others. Additionally, women in solar cooperatives were able to create safer communal spaces, run charging businesses, mentor peers and become visible community leaders.

Survivors also identified what undermines this model. First, top-down government programmes that bypass local knowledge. Second, funding structures that reward large infrastructure projects over small, community-owned ones.

– Gender-based violence survivors need more than justice: four keys to recovery
– https://theconversation.com/gender-based-violence-survivors-need-more-than-justice-four-keys-to-recovery-285764