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

Source: APO


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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.

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

Source: APO – Report:

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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

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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:

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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 ​

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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

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African entrepreneurs operate in tough conditions: the skills they’ve honed could be useful to others

Source: The Conversation – Africa – By Badri Zolfaghari, Senior Lecturer in Organisational Behaviour, University of Cape Town

When people talk about entrepreneurship in Africa, the conversation usually starts with everything that’s missing. Limited funding. Weak infrastructure. Poor internet connectivity. Unreliable electricity. Bureaucracy. Corruption.

The implicit message is that African entrepreneurs succeed despite these disadvantages.

These challenges are real. But they are only one part of the story.

We study entrepreneurship, innovation and team building in Africa. In a recent paper we followed ten technology startups in South Africa that were developing digital solutions in under-resourced communities. They were involved in a range of activities, including:

  • improving financial services for people excluded from the banking system

  • using virtual reality to improve science and technology education

  • developed digital addressing systems for informal settlements

  • creating platforms connecting waste collectors to the formal recycling economy.

We spent over two years interviewing their founders, observing how their businesses evolved and examining how they responded to changing conditions.

One pattern emerged consistently. These ventures were developing a distinctive way of innovating that depended on five interconnected practices:

  • embedding themselves in local communities to build trust and understand people’s needs

  • designing solutions around local realities

  • adapting quickly when circumstances changed

  • creating digital technologies to connect people and opportunities in new ways

  • moving comfortably between informal community networks and formal institutions. These included banks, schools, corporations and government agencies.

These practices enabled entrepreneurs to build businesses that were deeply rooted in their communities while also connecting them to wider markets and institutions.

Our findings suggest that policymakers should ask what makes African entrepreneurs uniquely effective rather how African entrepreneurs can become more like entrepreneurs elsewhere.

Beyond the ‘deficit’ story

Technology entrepreneurship is often discussed through the lens of places like Silicon Valley. There, startups typically emerge within relatively mature innovation ecosystems. They are supported by dense networks of investors, research universities, specialist talent and established technology firms. Entrepreneurs rely heavily on networks and relationships. But the networks tend to be concentrated within formal innovation institutions.

When this ecosystem is treated as the benchmark, entrepreneurship elsewhere is often understood in terms of what is missing.

By contrast, across Africa, entrepreneurs are building businesses that combine community relationships, informal economic practices, digital technologies and formal institutions to create opportunities that none of these systems could provide on their own.

The result is a different model of entrepreneurship.

Innovation starts with trust, not technology

One of the strongest patterns we observed was that successful startups rarely began by trying to disrupt communities. Instead, they embedded themselves within them.

Education startups worked alongside teachers before introducing new technologies into classrooms. Financial technology companies spent months building trust with informal traders. Legal technology firms partnered with community advice centres before digitising legal services.

Rather than assuming they knew the answers, founders invested time understanding how people already solved problems. Only then did they introduce technology. This contrasts with a common image of startups as fast-moving disruptor. In these examples entrepreneurs arrive with ready-made solutions.

We also found that entrepreneurs constantly moved between local knowledge and external opportunities. This included partnering with banks, universities or multinational companies to access expertise and investment.

They also showed adaptability. Some had to redesign their businesses after robberies and COVID-19 lockdowns. In some cases regulatory barriers made existing approaches impossible.

Digital technology as a bridge

Technology wasn’t simply the product these ventures were selling. It became the bridge connecting different worlds. Examples included:

  • a fintech company. It used digital identities to help informal workers access financial services that had previously excluded them.

  • an addressing platform. This allowed residents of informal settlements to receive deliveries and emergency services in places invisible on digital maps.

  • educational ventures. These combined community spaces with online learning so children without access to equipment could experience technologies.

Building bridges instead of choosing sides

Entrepreneurship is often presented as a choice between the informal economy and the formal economy.

Our research found something quite different.

The most successful ventures operated comfortably across both. They worked with local community leaders while collaborating with multinational firms. They built trust through face-to-face relationships while scaling through digital platforms.

They understood township realities while connecting customers to national and global markets. Rather than choosing one world over another, they built bridges between them.

Why this matters

Africa has one of the world’s youngest populations and one of the fastest-growing digital economies. Governments and investors are increasingly looking to entrepreneurship as a driver of economic growth and job creation. But policies are still mainly being built around the assumption that entrepreneurs simply need better versions of institutions developed elsewhere.

But we argue that support should strengthen the ability of entrepreneurs to connect:

  • communities with larger markets

  • formal institutions with informal networks

  • local knowledge with global opportunities.

That means investing in infrastructure, finance, partnerships, community organisations and digital ecosystems.

Lessons for the rest of the world

The conditions facing entrepreneurs everywhere are becoming more uncertain. Supply chains are fragmenting. Artificial intelligence is reshaping industries. Climate change is creating new disruptions. Markets are increasingly unpredictable.

In many ways, businesses across the world are beginning to face the kind of complexity that entrepreneurs in African townships have navigated for years. In our view African entrepreneurs can offer lessons in how to innovate in complexity (hyperdynamic context, as we call it).

– African entrepreneurs operate in tough conditions: the skills they’ve honed could be useful to others
– https://theconversation.com/african-entrepreneurs-operate-in-tough-conditions-the-skills-theyve-honed-could-be-useful-to-others-287507

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Afreximbank approuve une facilité de 200 millions de dollars US en faveur de Shoreline afin de soutenir le développement du sec-teur énergétique de l’Algérie

Source: Africa Press Organisation – French


Dans le cadre de ses interventions financières continues en Algérie, depuis que le pays est devenu membre à part entière de la Banque en 2022, la Banque africaine d’import-export (Afreximbank) (www.Afreximbank.com) a approuvé une facilité globale renouvelable à double tranches de 200 millions de dollars US en faveur de Shoreline Power Company Limited (Shoreline) et de ses co-emprunteurs, dont      Arkad SpA, un entrepreneur EPC italien (entreprise italienne d’ingénierie, d’approvisionnement et de construction (EPC)) détenu majoritairement par le groupe nigérian Shoreline. Cette facilité financera la part contractuelle d’Arkad dans un contrat de 980 millions de dollars US portant sur le projet de développement du gisement de Hassi Bir Rekaiz (HBR) en Algérie.

Approuvée en juin 2026, cette facilité financera la part contractuelle de 44 % d’Arkad dans l’un des plus importants contrats d’infrastructure en amont d’Algérie : le contrat historique d’ingénierie, d’approvisionnement et de construction (EPC) de 980 millions de dollars US pour la phase 2a du projet de développement du gisement HBR, attribué par le Groupement Hassi Bir Rekaiz (GHBR), une coentreprise entre Sonatrach (Algérie), PTTEP (Thaïlande) et CEPSA (Espagne).

Cette annonce s’inscrit dans la dynamique de la quatrième édition de la Foire commerciale intra-africaine (IATF), qui s’est tenue en Algérie en septembre 2025 et qui a généré 50 milliards de dollars US d’accords commerciaux et d’investissement, consolidant ainsi davantage la position de la foire en tant que catalyseur du commerce intra-africain.

Afreximbank a agi en tant qu’unique arrangeur principal mandaté et prêteur pour cette transaction, en fournissant 200 millions de dollars US comprenant une facilité de financement contractuel ponctuelle de 110 millions de dollars US destinée à soutenir l’émission par Arkad de garanties de bonne exécution et de paiement anticipé, ainsi que ses besoins en fonds de roulement pour le contrat EPC de la phase 2a du projet HBR, et une facilité globale renouvelable de 90 millions de dollars US destinée à financer et à soutenir Shoreline et ses filiales dans le cadre de l’appel d’offres, de la construction et du développement de projets de gazoducs et d’infrastructures au Nigeria et dans d’autres juridictions autorisées.

La mise en place d’une nouvelle installation centrale de traitement pour la phase 2a du champ HBR, que cette facilité soutient, devrait permettre d’accroitre la capacité de production pétrolière et gazière de l’Algérie, qui passerait d’environ 13 000 barils par jour (bpd) à 50 000–60 000 barils par jour (bpd), générant ainsi d’importantes recettes en devises pour Sonatrach et l’économie algérienne.

En outre, cette facilité devrait aider Arkad et le groupe Shoreline à se forger une réputation solide en tant qu’entrepreneur panafricain capable de mener à bien des projets énergétiques d’envergure nationale, favorisant ainsi le transfert de compétences et réduisant la dépendance vis-à-vis des entreprises de construction non africaines. Parallèlement, le succès du consortium formé par Arkad (société italienne à capitaux nigérians) et Petrojet (société égyptienne, détenue par l’État) représentera un important mouvement intra-africain de capitaux, d’expertise et de ressources d’ingénierie, démontrant la capacité croissante de l’Afrique à gérer et à mener à bien des projets EPC complexes.

Structurée dans le cadre de l’initiative EPC d’Afreximbank — conçue pour fournir aux entreprises africaines d’ingénierie et de construction les instruments financiers et non financiers nécessaires pour participer aux appels d’offres et exécuter des contrats d’infrastructure de grande envergure sur le continent et au-delà —, cette opération devrait générer environ 6 000 emplois et stimuler le développement de la chaîne d’approvisionnement régionale en Algérie.

Cette transaction représente un résultat concret du processus de conclusion d’accords de la Foire commerciale intra-africaine (IATF) et des services de jumelage EPC proposés lors de l’IATF2025 à Alger où Afreximbank a soutenu le partenariat entre Arkad et Petrojet, puis appuyé la participation couronnée de succès au marché HBR.

Mme Kanayo Awani, Vice-présidente exécutive d’Afreximbank, en charge du financement du commerce intra-africain et du développement des exportations, a qualifié cette facilité d’exemple éloquent du soutien qu’Afreximbank apporte aux groupes d’ingénierie à capitaux africains pour leur permettre de participer aux appels d’offres et d’exceller au plus haut niveau.

« Cette opération, qui fournit à Shoreline Power Company Limited et à Arkad SpA le financement nécessaire à l’exécution de cet important contrat EPC de 980 millions de dollars en Algérie, illustre la mise en œuvre concrète de notre initiative EPC et de notre cadre de soutien aux champions du commerce intra-africain, permettant à un groupe d’ingénierie à capitaux africains de participer aux appels d’offres et de réaliser des projets selon les meilleurs standards mondiaux », a déclaré Mme Awani. « En apportant ce financement structuré de 200 millions de dollars, nous soutenons non seulement le développement des infrastructures énergétiques nationales de l’Algérie, mais nous favorisons également le commerce intra-africain de services d’ingénierie et de construction à haute valeur ajoutée entre le Nigeria, l’Italie et l’Égypte. C’est précisément le type d’opération qui témoigne de la montée en puissance des capacités industrielles de l’Afrique et de sa faculté à définir sa propre trajectoire de développement. Afreximbank réaffirme sa volonté d’être le partenaire financier privilégié des champions africains qui bâtissent des infrastructures structurantes à travers le continent », a-t-elle poursuivi.

Il convient de souligner que c’est la première fois qu’Afreximbank soutient une entreprise d’Afrique subsaharienne dans la réalisation d’un projet d’infrastructure majeur en Afrique du Nord, marquant ainsi une étape importante vers une intégration intra-africaine plus poussée, une coopération interrégionale renforcée et l’émergence de champions de l’ingénierie véritablement panafricains.

Distribué par APO Group pour Afreximbank.

Contact Presse :
Vincent Musumba
Responsable de la Communication et des évènements (Relations média)
Courriel : press@afreximbank.com

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A propos d’Afreximbank :
La Banque Africaine d’Import-Export (Afreximbank) est une institution financière multilatérale panafricaine dédiée au financement et à la promotion du commerce intra et extra-africain. Depuis 30 ans, Afreximbank déploie des structures innovantes pour fournir des solutions de financement qui facilitent la transformation de la structure du commerce africain et accélèrent l’industrialisation et le commerce intrarégional, soutenant ainsi l’expansion économique en Afrique. Fervente défenseur de l’Accord sur la Zone de Libre-Échange Continentale Africaine (ZLECAf), Afreximbank a lancé les le Système panafricain de paiement et de règlement (PAPSS) qui a été adopté par l’Union africaine (UA) comme la plateforme de paiement et de règlement devant appuyer la mise en œuvre de la ZLECAf. En collaboration avec le Secrétariat de la ZLECAf et l’UA, la Banque a mis en place un Fonds d’ajustement de 10 milliards de dollars US pour aider les pays à participer de manière effective à la ZLECAf. À la fin de décembre 2025, le total des actifs et des garanties de la Banque s’élevait à environ 48,5 milliards de dollars US et les fonds de ses actionnaires s’établissaient à 8,4 milliards de dollars US. Afreximbank est notée AAA par China Chengxin International Credit Rating Co., Ltd (CCXI), A par GCR, A- par Japan Credit Rating Agency (JCR) et Baa2 par Moody’s. Moody’s (Baa2) et S&P Global Ratings (BBB+). La Banque a son siège social au Caire, en Égypte. 

Pour de plus amples informations, veuillez visiter www.Afreximbank.com

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Le Groupe de la Banque africaine de développement accorde un don de 13 millions de dollars pour soutenir la riposte à l’épidémie d’Ebola en République démocratique du Congo (RD Congo), au Soudan du Sud et en Ouganda

Source: Africa Press Organisation – French


Le Groupe de la Banque africaine de développement (www.AfDB.org) a accordé, un don de 13 millions de dollars américains pour soutenir la riposte à l’épidémie de la maladie à virus Ebola (MVE-B) et renforcer la prévention de sa propagation en République démocratique du Congo, au Soudan du Sud et en Ouganda.  

L’enveloppe comprend un don de dix millions de dollars issu d’une reprogrammation des ressources du portefeuille de la République démocratique du Congo (RD Congo), qui sera déployé à travers l’Organisation mondiale de la santé (OMS). Un autre don de trois millions de dollars dont les ressources proviennent du Projet d’aide d’urgence multi-pays (RD Congo, Ouganda et Soudan du Sud), destiné aux trois pays sera mis en œuvre par le Centre africain de contrôle et de prévention des maladies (CDC Afrique). 

La République démocratique du Congo, où se situe l’épicentre de l’épidémie, bénéficiera au total d’un financement de onze millions de dollars, incluant les dix millions issus du portefeuille pays et un million du projet d’urgence régional. L’Ouganda et le Soudan du Sud recevront chacun un million de dollars du même projet. 

Le financement du Groupe de la Banque, qui s’inscrit dans le cadre du Plan de riposte à l’épidémie de la maladie à virus Ebola, vise à interrompre la propagation du virus et à réduire la mortalité et la morbidité liées à l’épidémie dans les zones les plus touchées et les plus vulnérables. L’appui permettra notamment de renforcer le diagnostic précoce des cas, la surveillance épidémiologique, l’engagement communautaire, la sensibilisation des populations et la coordination régionale. L’assistance sera mise en œuvre, en étroite coordination, par les ministères de la santé des pays bénéficiaires.   

« Cet appui d’urgence traduit l’engagement du Groupe de la Banque africaine de développement à accompagner la République démocratique du Congo ainsi que les pays de la région, dans la protection des vies humaines, le renforcement de la résilience des systèmes de santé et la prévention d’une propagation de l’épidémie », a déclaré Mohamed Cherif, directeur général adjoint du Groupe de la Banque africaine de développement pour l’Afrique centrale et responsable de son bureau pays en RD Congo. « À travers cet appui, le Groupe de la Banque réaffirme son principe de rester engagé en situation de crise dans les pays membres régionaux », a-t-il souligné. 

Le 15 mai 2026, la RD Congo a annoncé une nouvelle flambée de la maladie à virus Ebola, dont l’épicentre se situe dans la province de l’Ituri, à l’est du pays, affectant notamment les zones de Bunia, Rwampara et Mongwalu. Il s’agit de la 17e épidémie d’Ebola enregistrée dans le pays. La maladie s’est également propagée aux provinces du Nord-Kivu et du Sud-Kivu. L’Organisation mondiale de la santé a confirmé l’épidémie et activé son deuxième niveau d’alerte d’urgence internationale en raison notamment de cas de transmission enregistrés en Ouganda. Cette nouvelle flambée est provoquée par la souche Bundibugyo du virus Ebola, une variante particulièrement virulente pour laquelle il n’existe, à ce jour, ni vaccin homologué ni traitement spécifique. ​

Distribué par APO Group pour African Development Bank Group (AfDB).

Contact :
Solange Kamuanga-Tossou
Département de la communication et des relations extérieures
Banque africaine développement
email : media@afdb.org ​

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Afreximbank aprova uma linha de crédito de 200 milhões de dólares americanos para a Shoreline, com vista a apoiar o desenvolvimento energético da Argélia

Source: Africa Press Organisation – Portuguese –

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Como parte das suas intervenções financeiras em curso na Argélia desde que o país se tornou membro de pleno direito do Banco em 2022, o Banco Africano de Exportação e Importação (Afreximbank) (www.Afreximbank.com) aprovou uma facilidade global rotativa de financiamento em duas tranches, no valor de 200 milhões de dólares americanos, a favor da Shoreline Power Company Limited (Shoreline) e dos seus co-mutuários, incluindo a Arkad SpA, uma empreiteira italiana de Engenharia, Aprovisionamento e Construção (EPC), maioritariamente detida pelo Grupo Shoreline da Nigéria. A facilidade apoiará a quota contratual da Arkad num contrato no valor de 980 milhões de dólares americanos para o projeto de desenvolvimento do campo de Hassi Bir Rekaiz (HBR), na Argélia.

Aprovada em Junho de 2026, a linha de crédito irá apoiar a participação contratual de 44% da Arkad num dos maiores contratos de infra-estruturas a montante da Argélia: o contrato histórico de Engenharia, Aquisição e Construção no valor de 980 milhões de dólares americanos para a Fase 2a do projecto de desenvolvimento do campo HBR, adjudicado pelo Groupement Hassi Bir Rekaiz (GHBR), uma joint venture entre a Sonatrach (Argélia), a PTTEP (Tailândia) e a CEPSA (Espanha).

Este anúncio surge na sequência do ímpeto gerado pela quarta edição da Feira de Comércio Intra-Africano (IATF), realizada na Argélia em Setembro de 2025, que gerou 50 mil milhões de dólares americanos em acordos comerciais e de investimento e consolidou ainda mais a posição da Feira como catalisadora do comércio intra-africano.

O Afreximbank foi o único organizador principal mandatado e credor da transacção, disponibilizando 200 milhões de dólares americanos, dos quais 110 milhões de dólares americanos correspondem a uma linha de financiamento pontual destinada a apoiar a emissão, por parte da Arkad, de garantias de desempenho e de pagamento antecipado, bem como a cobrir as necessidades de capital de exploração para o contrato de Engenharia, Aquisição e Construção da Fase 2a do HBR, e 90 milhões de dólares americanos correspondem a uma linha de crédito global renovável para financiar e apoiar a Shoreline e as suas filiais na licitação, construção e desenvolvimento de projectos de gasodutos e infra-estruturas na Nigéria e noutras jurisdições autorizadas.

O desenvolvimento de uma nova unidade central de processamento para a Fase 2a do Campo HBR, que a linha de crédito apoia, deverá conduzir a um aumento da capacidade de produção de petróleo e gás da Argélia de aproximadamente 13.000 bpd para 50.000–60.000 bpd, gerando receitas cambiais significativas para a Sonatrach e para a economia argelina.

Além disso, prevê-se que a linha de crédito apoie a Arkad e o Shoreline Group no estabelecimento de um historial credível como empreiteiro de Engenharia, Aquisição e Construção pan-africano capaz de executar projectos energéticos de nível soberano, catalisando a transferência de competências e reduzindo a dependência de empresas de construção não africanas, enquanto o sucesso do consórcio formado pela Arkad (de propriedade nigeriana, italiana) e da Petrojet (egípcia, estatal) representará um movimento intra-africano significativo de capital, conhecimentos especializados e recursos de engenharia, demonstrando a crescente capacidade de África para gerir e concretizar projectos de Engenharia, Aquisição e Construção complexos.

Estruturada no âmbito da Iniciativa de Engenharia, Aquisição e Construção do Afreximbank, concebida para proporcionar às empresas africanas de engenharia e construção os instrumentos financeiros e não financeiros necessários para concorrerem e executarem contratos de infra-estruturas de grande escala em todo o continente e além-fronteiras, prevê-se que a transacção gere aproximadamente 6.000 postos de trabalho e catalise o desenvolvimento da cadeia de abastecimento regional na Argélia.

A transacção constitui um resultado tangível do processo de celebração de acordos da Feira de Comércio Intra-Africano (IATF) e dos serviços de geminação de Engenharia, Aquisição e Construção na IATF2025, em Argel, onde o Afreximbank apoiou a parceria entre a Arkad e a Petrojet e, posteriormente, apoiou a sua participação bem-sucedida na obtenção do contrato da HBR.

Acolhendo com agrado a linha de crédito, a Sr.ª Kanayo Awani, Vice-Presidente Executiva para o Financiamento do Comércio Intra-Africano e Desenvolvimento das Exportações do Afreximbank, descreveu-a como um excelente exemplo do tipo de apoio que o Afreximbank presta a grupos de engenharia de propriedade africana para que possam competir e cumprir os seus compromissos ao nível mais elevado.

“Esta transacção, que proporciona à Shoreline Power Company Limited e à Arkad SpA o financiamento para executar este contrato histórico de Engenharia, Aquisição e Construção no valor de 980 milhões de dólares americanos na Argélia, exemplifica a nossa Iniciativa de Engenharia, Aquisição e Construção e o nosso quadro de Campeões do Comércio Intra-Africano em acção – permitindo que um grupo de engenharia de propriedade africana concorra e cumpra aos mais altos níveis de execução de projectos globais”, afirmou Awani. “Ao disponibilizar 200 milhões de dólares americanos em financiamento estruturado, não estamos apenas a apoiar o desenvolvimento das infra-estruturas energéticas nacionais da Argélia, mas igualmente a promover o comércio intra-africano de serviços de engenharia e construção de elevado valor entre a Nigéria, a Itália e o Egipto. Este é precisamente o tipo de transacção que demonstra a crescente capacidade industrial de África e a sua aptidão para definir a sua própria agenda de desenvolvimento. O Afreximbank mantém o seu compromisso de ser o parceiro financeiro de eleição para as empresas líderes africanas que estão a construir infra-estruturas transformadoras em todo o nosso continente.”

Esta transacção representa a primeira vez que o Afreximbank apoia um empreiteiro da África Subsariana na realização de um grande projecto de infra-estruturas no Norte de África, marcando um passo importante rumo a uma integração intra-africana mais profunda, a uma cooperação inter-regional reforçada e à criação de verdadeiras empresas líderes pan-africanas no sector da engenharia.

Distribuído pelo Grupo APO para Afreximbank.

Contacto para a Imprensa:
Vincent Musumba
Gestor de Comunicações e Eventos (Relações com a Imprensa)
Correio Electrónico: press@afreximbank.com

Siga-nos no: 
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Sobre o Afreximbank:
O Banco Africano de Exportação e Importação (Afreximbank) é uma instituição financeira multilateral pan-africana com mandato para financiar e promover o comércio intra e extra-africano. Há mais de 30 anos que o Banco utiliza estruturas inovadoras para oferecer soluções de financiamento que apoiam a transformação da estrutura do comércio africano, acelerando a industrialização e o comércio intra-regional, impulsionando assim a expansão económica em África. Apoiante firme do Acordo de Comércio Livre Continental Africano (ACLCA), o Afreximbank lançou um Sistema Pan-Africano de Pagamento e Liquidação (PAPSS) que foi adoptado pela União Africana (UA) como plataforma de pagamento e liquidação para sustentar a implementação da ZCLCA. Em colaboração com o Secretariado da ZCLCA e a UA, o Banco criou um Fundo de Ajustamento de 10 mil milhões de dólares para apoiar os países que participam de forma efectiva na ZCLCA. No final de Dezembro de 2025, o total de activos e passivos contingentes do Afreximbank atingiu mais de 48,5 mil milhões de USD, e os seus fundos próprios totalizaram 8,4 mil milhões de USD. O Afreximbank tem notações de grau de investimento atribuídas pela China Chengxin International Credit Rating Co., Ltd (CCXI) (AAA), pela GCR (A), pela Japan Credit Rating Agency (JCR) (A-) e pela Moody’s (Baa2) e pela S&P Global Ratings (BBB+). O Afreximbank evoluiu para uma entidade de grupo que inclui o Banco, a sua subsidiária de fundo de impacto de acções, denominada Fundo para o Desenvolvimento das Exportações em África (FEDA), e a sua subsidiária de gestão de seguros, AfrexInsure (em conjunto, “o Grupo”). O Banco tem a sua sede em Cairo, Egipto.

Para mais informações, visite: www.Afreximbank.com.

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Grupo Banco Africano de Desenvolvimento concede doação de 13 milhões de dólares para apoiar a resposta à epidemia de Ébola na República Democrática do Congo, Sudão do Sul e Uganda

Source: Africa Press Organisation – Portuguese –

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O Grupo Banco Africano de Desenvolvimento (www.AfDB.org) concedeu uma doação de 13 milhões de dólares para apoiar a resposta à epidemia da doença causada pelo vírus Ébola (MVE-B) e reforçar a prevenção da sua propagação na República Democrática do Congo, no Sudão do Sul e no Uganda. 

O montante inclui uma doação de dez milhões de dólares proveniente de uma reprogramação dos recursos da carteira da República Democrática do Congo (RD Congo), que será canalizada através da Organização Mundial da Saúde (OMS). Outra doação de três milhões de dólares, cujos recursos provêm do Projeto de Ajuda de Emergência Multinacional (RD Congo, Uganda e Sudão do Sul), destinada aos três países, será implementada pelo Centro Africano de Controlo e Prevenção de Doenças (CDC África). 

A República Democrática do Congo, onde se situa o epicentro da epidemia, beneficiará, no total, de um financiamento de 11 milhões de dólares, incluindo os dez milhões provenientes da carteira do país e um milhão do projeto de emergência regional. O Uganda e o Sudão do Sul receberão, cada um, 1 milhão de dólares do mesmo projeto. 

O financiamento do Grupo do Banco, que se insere no âmbito do Plano de Resposta à Epidemia da Doença Causada pelo Vírus Ébola, visa interromper a propagação do vírus e reduzir a mortalidade e a morbilidade associadas à epidemia nas zonas mais afetadas e mais vulneráveis. Este apoio permitirá, nomeadamente, reforçar o diagnóstico precoce dos casos, a vigilância epidemiológica, o envolvimento da comunidade, a sensibilização das populações e a coordenação regional. A assistência será implementada, em estreita coordenação, pelos ministérios da saúde dos países beneficiários. 

“Este apoio de emergência reflete o compromisso do Grupo Banco Africano de Desenvolvimento em acompanhar a República Democrática do Congo, bem como os países da região, na proteção de vidas humanas, no reforço da resiliência dos sistemas de saúde e na prevenção da propagação da epidemia”, afirmou o diretor-geral adjunto do Grupo Banco Africano de Desenvolvimento para a África Central e responsável pelo seu gabinete nacional na RD Congo, Mohamed Cherif. “Através deste apoio, o Grupo Banco reafirma o seu princípio de manter o compromisso em situações de crise nos países membros da região”, sublinhou. ​

A 15 de maio de 2026, a República Democrática do Congo anunciou um novo surto da doença causada pelo vírus Ébola, cujo epicentro se situa na província de Ituri, no leste do país, afetando nomeadamente as zonas de Bunia, Rwampara e Mongwalu. Trata-se da 17.ª epidemia de Ébola registada no país. A doença também se propagou às províncias de Kivu do Norte e Kivu do Sul. A Organização Mundial da Saúde confirmou a epidemia e ativou o seu segundo nível de alerta de emergência internacional, nomeadamente devido aos casos de transmissão registados no Uganda.  

Este novo surto é causado pela estirpe Bundibugyo do vírus Ébola, uma variante particularmente virulenta para a qual não existe, até à data, nem vacina aprovada nem tratamento específico. ​

Distribuído pelo Grupo APO para African Development Bank Group (AfDB).

Contacto para os media:  
Solange Kamuanga-Tossou
Departamento de Comunicação e Relações Externas
media@afdb.org ​

Sobre o Grupo Banco Africano de Desenvolvimento:
O Grupo Banco Africano de Desenvolvimento é a principal instituição financeira de desenvolvimento em África. Inclui três entidades distintas: o Banco Africano de Desenvolvimento (AfDB), o Fundo Africano de Desenvolvimento (ADF) e o Fundo Fiduciário da Nigéria (NTF). Presente no terreno em 41 países africanos, com uma representação externa no Japão, o Banco contribui para o desenvolvimento económico e o progresso social dos seus 54 Estados-membros. Mais informações em www.AfDB.org/pt

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Macpherson requests audit into state-owned properties

Source: Government of South Africa

Macpherson requests audit into state-owned properties

The Minister of Public Works and Infrastructure, Dean Macpherson, has requested the department’s Director-General Sifiso Mdakane to conduct a comprehensive investigation into the 6 238 State-owned residential properties allocated to various user Departments and those occupied by government officials across the country.

Mdakane has also been requested to develop a comprehensive strategy for the disposal of properties that are not required for legitimate operational purposes. 

Of these properties, 3 626 are situated in KwaZulu-Natal, 566 in the Western Cape and 407 in Gauteng. 

The department further recorded that an estimated R39.6 million was spent from its day-to-day maintenance budget during the 2025/26 financial year, although the available expenditure information relates to only 108 of the 6 238 properties. 

The Director-General has been requested to submit a comprehensive report to the Minister within 30 days. 

“The report must include a complete assessment of the 3 626 properties situated in KwaZulu-Natal, identifying the user department to which each property has been allocated, its intended purpose and operational need, the capacity in which the current occupant resides at the property and which properties should be retained, repurposed or disposed of,” the Department of Public Works and Infrastructure said in a statement. 

According to the department, the report must separately identify properties occupied by officials of the department and determine whether the same allocation criteria, governance requirements, rental provisions, housing entitlement checks and tax treatment applicable to other departments have been applied without exception or preferential treatment. 

The investigation must further examine: 

● The legislative and regulatory basis for the leasing of State-owned residences, including compliance with the Government Immovable Asset Management Act, the Public Finance Management Act and applicable National Treasury regulations. 

● Whether the rentals charged are market-related and whether the necessary approvals were obtained for any deviations. 

● Whether officials occupying work facility or official housing qualify for such accommodation under their conditions of employment and whether the appropriate fringe benefit tax treatment has been applied. 

● Whether user departments have surrendered properties that are no longer required for service delivery and whether any surplus properties should be repurposed, redeveloped, disposed of or released from the State’s portfolio. 

“It is my view that the State should not own more than 6 000 residential properties for government officials, particularly when many officials already receive housing allowances, subsidies or other housing-related benefits as part of their remuneration packages. 

“Unless there is a clear and compelling operational reason for the State to retain a residential property, it should be sold. The default position cannot be that the State indefinitely carries the maintenance, rates and other costs of thousands of residential properties, while the public fiscus remains under immense pressure.

“We need to establish who is occupying each property, the basis on which it was allocated and whether it still serves a legitimate public purpose. Where properties are underutilised, unnecessary or no longer required for government operations, they should be released from the State’s portfolio through a transparent and legally compliant disposal process. 

“Selling properties that the State does not need will reduce unnecessary expenditure, generate value for the public and ensure that government focuses its limited resources on infrastructure and assets that directly support service delivery. This is central to our commitment to use public assets for the public good and build a better South Africa,” the Minister said. – SAnews.gov.za

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