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Limpopo Province Will Close Out Provincial Marriage Bill Public Hearings

Source: APO


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The Portfolio Committee on Home Affairs calls on residents of Limpopo to participate in the final round of national public hearings on the Marriage Bill [B43–2023], scheduled to take place during the first week of February. The committee views the hearings as a critical opportunity for Limpopo residents to make meaningful contributions to legislation that will have a direct impact on their lives.

The committee’s call is anchored in the constitutional importance of public participation in the legislative process. Emphasising this point, committee Chairperson Mr Mosa Chabane said community involvement is essential in shaping laws that affect all South Africans. “It is not only important but necessary that communities participate actively in shaping the legislation rationalising marriage laws in South Africa. Public participation is not only a civic duty, but a cornerstone of participatory democracy,” said Mr Chabane.

Limpopo is the final province to host public hearings, following similar engagements held in the other eight provinces during the course of last year.

The Marriage Bill seeks to repeal the existing three separate marriage laws and replace them with a single, inclusive statute that recognises all forms of marriage – civil, customary, and religious – regardless of sexual orientation, belief or cultural practice.

Key provisions of the Bill include:

  • Prohibiting child marriages by setting the minimum legal age for marriage at 18 years;
  • Criminalising the facilitation or solemnisation of marriages involving minors;
  • Enabling the designation of marriage officers from across all sectors, including traditional leaders; and
  • Curbing fraudulent marriages, particularly marriages of convenience involving South African citizens and foreign nationals.

During recent public hearings in the Western Cape, community members expressed diverse views on the Bill. While many welcomed its provisions aimed at protecting children, some participants proposed raising the minimum marriageable age to 21. Concerns were also raised regarding the recognition of same-sex marriages, particularly in relation to religious beliefs, alongside calls for stricter regulation of marriages involving foreign nationals.

The committee has emphasised that significant effort has been made to ensure the hearings are inclusive and accessible. Through Parliament’s Public Education Office, extensive outreach initiatives have been undertaken to ensure communities are well-informed and able to make substantive and meaningful submissions.

“Public hearings are not a tick-box exercise. They are a vital platform to ensure that the voices of ordinary South Africans are heard and reflected in the laws passed by Parliament,” Mr Chabane added.

The committee encouraged all residents of Limpopo to attend the upcoming hearings and actively participate in shaping this transformative piece of legislation.

Details of the Limpopo hearings are as follows: 

DATE

DISTRICT MUNICIPALITY

LOCAL MUNICIPALITY

Proposed venue

TIME

2 February

Mopani District Municipality

Languages: 
Sepedi, Xitsonga, English, and Afrikaans

Greater Tzaneen Local Municipality
(Lenyenye)

Lenyenye Community Hall

10:00 – 15:00

3 February

Vhembe District Municipality

Languages:
Tshivenda, Xitsonga, English, and Afrikaans

Thulamelo Local Municipality
(Thohoyandou)

George Phadagi Town Hall

10:00 – 15:00

5 February

Sekhukhune District Municipality

Languages: Sepedi, English, IsiNdebele, and Afrikaans.

Elias Motsoaledi Local Municipality
(Groblersdal)

 

Apostolic Faith Mission of South Africa. Tafelkop

10:00 – 15:00

ISSUED BY THE PARLIAMENTARY COMMUNICATION SERVICES ON BEHALF OF THE CHAIRPERSON OF THE PORTFOLIO COMMITTEE ON HOME AFFAIRS, MR MOSA CHABANE.

For media enquiries or interviews with the Chairperson, please contact the committee’s Media Officer:

Name: Malatswa Molepo (Mr)
Parliamentary Communication Services
Tel: 021 403 8438
Cell: 081 512 7920
E-mail: mmolepo@parliament.gov.za

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Republic of South Africa: The Parliament.

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Dakar Business Connect lance sa 1ère édition autour des enjeux et opportunités de la titrisation

Source: Africa Press Organisation – French

Le Magazine économique et financier de référence au Sénégal, Le Marché (https://LeMarche.finance), a organisé, samedi 17 janvier 2026 à Dakar, la 1ère édition du Forum Dakar Business Connect (DBC) autour du thème : « La titrisation et le financement du développement : opportunités, enjeux et perspectives ». Deux panels ont été au programme : le premier sur « La titrisation : un levier stratégique pour le financement des infrastructures et des politiques publiques » et le second « La titrisation et le secteur privé, en tant qu’outil pour accélérer la croissance des entreprises et dynamiser les marchés financiers ».

En complément de ces panels, une Keynote prononcée par le Directeur Général de KF Titrisation, Mouhamadou Moustapha Faye, a permis d’explorer en profondeur les enjeux et les atouts de la titrisation. Des Masterclass et des ateliers pratiques ont également permis de revenir sur les récentes opérations de titrisation couronnées de succès dans l’espace UEMOA.

« L’objectif de cette première édition était de clarifier le concept de la titrisation et son utilité dans le financement du développement. Il s’agissait également de mettre en lumière les opportunités qu’elle offre aux États, aux entreprises, aux banques et aux investisseurs institutionnels, tout en identifiant les contraintes, les risques et les prérequis nécessaires à un recours efficace et soutenable à cet outil financier », a déclaré Dr Abdou Diaw, directeur de publication et fondateur du magazine Le Marché. Selon lui, ce rendez-vous, qui se veut pérenne, ambitionne de stimuler le débat économique et financier tout en établissant un cadre d’échanges structuré entre les différents acteurs de l’écosystème.

Le magazine financier Le Marché œuvre depuis plusieurs années à susciter le débat et à éveiller l’intérêt autour des grandes mutations et des enjeux économiques majeurs. C’est dans cette dynamique qu’il a lancé le concept Dakar Business Connect (DBC), une initiative visant à explorer des thématiques clés de l’économie et de la finance, en donnant la parole à des professionnels et à des références reconnues dans leurs domaines respectifs. 

Distribué par APO Group pour Le Marché.

Contact :
+221772755891
Mail : contact@lemarche.finance
Site Web: https://LeMarche.finance

A Propos de Le Marché :
Le Marché est à la fois une plateforme digitale et un magazine d’informations économiques et financières édité par l’Agence de communication Africa Medias Finance (AMFin).

Cette publication mensuelle, destinée aux décideurs, aux investisseurs et à tous les acteurs intervenant dans le secteur de l’économie, de la finance, des assurances, des Fintech, des ressources extractives et des Télécom, vous parle et vous aide à être au diapason de l’actualité économique et financière. Il vous connecte également aux mutations et faits saillants des secteurs clés de l’économie tels que le pétrole et le gaz, les assurances, etc.

Grâce au traitement approfondi des sujets, au décryptage des thématiques oú nous faisons intervenir des experts de renom et de qualité, nous mettons à votre disposition, un outil de compréhension et d’aide à la décision. Une véritable révolution qui porte, apporte mais également accompagne la transformation structurelle.

Votre magazine préféré s’affirme en un support incontournable pour comprendre, commenter et démystifier l’information économique financière.

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Colonial tax records hold 3 lessons for South Africa today – economic historian

Source: The Conversation – Africa – By Johan Fourie, Professor, Department of Economics, Stellenbosch University

In 1825, a tax collector compiling a census in South Africa’s Cape Colony paused to write a poem in the margin of his work. In it, he complained about the idle chatter of townsmen in Stellenbosch and uncooperative taxpayers. It is a tiny window on the regular frustrations of a 19th-century taxman. But the poem survives only because the bureaucracy did.

Year after year, from the 1660s to the 1840s, local officials appointed by the Dutch East India Company and, after 1806, the British colonial government, recorded settler households, their harvests and their labour obligations in ledgers known as opgaafrolle (tax censuses). Read closely, these records provide fleeting glimpses of lived experience; taken together, they allow us to trace long-term social and economic dynamics.

We often treat the past as distant. But the 18th-century Cape Colony also serves as an experiment for current-day economic historians in state capacity, market trust and inequality. Those themes remain central to South Africa today, and to the experience of many African economies shaped by colonial institutions.

Over the past year, my team and I at the Laboratory for the Economics of Africa’s Past at Stellenbosch University have published three studies that return to the Cape’s archival record with new data and new methods. Together, they suggest three lessons that still resonate: the non-neutrality of administrative data; how markets are social as well as economic institutions; and how inequality endures.

1. Data is never neutral

The opgaafrolle were fiscal instruments, introduced under Dutch East India Company rule in the second half of the 17th century and maintained under Batavian and British administrations in the early 19th century. Their purpose was straightforward: to record who lived where, what they owned, what they produced and what could be taxed.

In a paper co-authored with colleagues and students, we analyse the complete series of tax censuses for Stellenbosch and Drakenstein, two of the earliest and wealthiest districts of the Colony, close to Cape Town, between 1685 and 1844. These records allow us to trace kinship networks, marriage patterns, changes in agricultural output and the evolution of slave ownership over nearly 160 years.

The Cape was a slave economy. Enslaved people, brought from territories across the Indian Ocean, were recorded as assets in settler households. Indigenous Khoesan people are not included in these records, although there is little doubt that they, too, worked on settler farms. They are traced in later records.

For this study, we simply wanted to know what these detailed records, unique for their time, revealed about life at the Cape. We found they could be used to understand not only the economy, but also social life. For example, surnames showed marriage patterns that preserved wealth within the family.

The broader lesson is that data – in this case, administrative data – is never neutral. Some things are never recorded, like the Khoesan workers on farms. And when things are recorded, they can easily be biased, for a variety of reasons. Cape farmers underreported production to reduce their tax burden, for example. Enslaved people, by contrast, were recorded with far greater consistency in the censuses, partly because “owners” were not required to pay a slave tax.

Any serious engagement with administrative data, past or present, therefore requires attention to incentives and institutions. This is particularly important as South Africa today debates policy using census and administrative data whose limitations are often poorly understood. There are real consequences for planning and accountability.

2. Markets are social institutions before they are economic ones

Tax records tell us what households declared about their productive activities. To understand more about their consumption, we need different sources.

In another paper, we turn to the Cape Orphan Chamber’s auction records. These auctions were held when estates were liquidated, often after a death, and they recorded who bought what, at what price, and from whom. The dataset covers the period from 1701 to 1825 and has recently been fully transcribed.

What emerges is a picture of markets embedded in social relationships. Auctions were public events. Family members often bid on household goods to keep them within the family or to support widows and children. Credit – borrowing to invest in new tools or to acquire enslaved people – flowed along kinship lines. Consumption – buying an ox, or a wagon, or a Bible – was a public signal of status, belonging and obligation.

This matters for contemporary Africa. Economic policy often treats markets as anonymous spaces where prices alone coordinate behaviour. Yet across much of the continent, markets still operate through trust and reputation. For example, one recent study shows African firms in historically pastoral regions remain smaller, partly because pastoralists are less likely to trust those outside the immediate family.

Even today, credit access, business partnerships and labour arrangements remain deeply relational. The Cape’s auctions remind us that markets have always been social institutions and that ignoring this leads to poor policy design.

3. Inequality is not a modern deviation but a historical constant

South Africa’s extreme inequality is often attributed to 20th-century industrialisation, apartheid policy and post-apartheid failures. While all of these matter, they do not tell the full story.

In another paper, I measured inequality in the Cape Colony between 1685 and 1844. The study used an expanded set of tax censuses, as well as probate inventories – lists of assets that people owned when they died – and slave valuation rolls – the lists created to compensate slave owners during the period of emancipation.

Wealth was highly unevenly distributed from the earliest periods of settlement. Today the situation would be described as severe inequality.

Even if we only consider settlers (and exclude enslaved and Khoesan inhabitants), wealth was very skewed. A small elite owned most productive resources.

Even more surprising, similar patterns appear in the limited records we have for Khoesan settlements.

In other words, wealth was severely unequally distributed not only between groups but also within.

This perspective forces us to rethink how we talk about inequality today. If inequality has deep historical roots, then it cannot be understood simply as a recent malfunction of modern capitalism, nor fixed by narrow technical adjustments to tax rates or social transfers.

Inequality, in other words, is not an anomaly to be corrected back to some imagined baseline of equality, but a recurring outcome of how societies organise power and production. That does not make severe inequality morally acceptable, but it does shift the policy question. The relevant issue is not whether inequality exists, but whether those at the bottom are becoming less poor and are more able to move up.

Looking back to think forward

The 18th-century Cape Colony does not offer ready-made policy solutions. What it offers is perspective. It shows how states govern through what they can observe and record, how markets operate through social ties as much as prices, and how inequality can persist across centuries.

The frustrated tax collector in Stellenbosch could not have imagined that his tax records would one day inform debates about governance, markets and inequality. Yet they can. They remind us that the past continues to shape the constraints within which policy is made, and the possibilities for change.

– Colonial tax records hold 3 lessons for South Africa today – economic historian
– https://theconversation.com/colonial-tax-records-hold-3-lessons-for-south-africa-today-economic-historian-273407

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Justice Committee Chairperson Congratulates New Deputy Public Protector

Source: APO


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The Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on Justice and Constitutional Development, Mr Xola Nqola, today congratulated Advocate Dinkie Portia Dube on her appointment as Deputy Public Protector.

President Cyril Ramaphosa announced Adv Dube’s appointment earlier today for a non-renewable term of seven years, with effect from 1 February 2026. The appointment was made in terms of section 2A(1) of the Public Protector Act, 1994 (Act 23 of 1994), following a recommendation by the National Assembly.

Adv Dube brings more than 20 years of experience in the public sector, with extensive expertise in oversight, complaints management and investigations. The position of Deputy Public Protector became vacant following the appointment of Adv Kholeka Gcaleka as Public Protector.

Mr Nqola said Adv Dube enjoyed unanimous support from the multiparty committee that conducted the interview process.

“All Members who participated in the interviews last year agreed that Adv Dube was the strongest candidate among those interviewed. She was calm and composed during a very robust interview process, demonstrated a wide knowledge of the field and articulated her responses clearly and confidently. We therefore recommended to the National Assembly and by extension the President that she should be appointed,” Mr Nqola said.

The Chairperson wished Adv Dube well in her new role and assured her of the committee’s support. “At the same time, the committee will continue to exercise its oversight responsibilities vigorously, but in a constructive manner, in the interest of strengthening constitutional democracy,” he emphasised.

ISSUED BY THE PARLIAMENTARY COMMUNICATION SERVICES ON BEHALF OF THE CHAIRPERSON OF THE PORTFOLIO COMMITTEE ON JUSTICE AND CORRECTIONAL SERVICES, MR XOLA NQOLA.

For media enquiries or interviews with the Chairperson, please contact the committee’s Media Officer:
Name: Rajaa Azzakani (Ms)
Tel: 021 403 8437
Cell: 081 703 9542
E-mail: razzakani@parliament.gov.za

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Republic of South Africa: The Parliament.

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Departments finalising MoU to strengthen subject-choice guidance, learner preparedness

Source: Government of South Africa

Departments finalising MoU to strengthen subject-choice guidance, learner preparedness

The Departments of Basic Education and Higher Education and Training are finalising a formal Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) aimed at strengthening alignment between the school and post-school systems.

This is particularly around subject-choice guidance, learner preparedness and smoother transitions into post-school Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) programmes.

Briefing the media on the state of the Post-School Education and Training (PSET) sector and readiness for the 2026 academic year on Thursday, Higher Education and Training Minister Buti Manamela said a major structural constraint confronting the system is the weakening STEM pipeline.

He said current trends show growing enrolment in Mathematical Literacy instead of pure Mathematics, stagnant performance in Mathematics and Accounting, and limited growth in Physical Sciences.

As a result, learners are excluded from high-demand programmes in engineering, health sciences, information and communications technology (ICT), data science and advanced manufacturing—not due to institutional failure, but because of inadequate subject-level preparation.

“This weakens our national skills base and limits the system’s responsiveness to industrialisation, innovation, and economic growth,” Manamela said.

He emphasised that the MoU is not a short-term solution but a “medium- to long-term structural intervention” to address systemic challenges.

Managing the gap between passes and pathways

Manamela said the department is strengthening coordinated enrolment planning across the PSET system, guided by matric trends and labour-market intelligence.

He said rising matric pass rates reinforce the need to move beyond a university-centric approach to post-school education.

“South Africa’s PSET system was deliberately designed to be differentiated with universities, Technical Vocational Education and Training (TVET) colleges, Community Education and Training (CET) colleges, occupational qualifications, skills programmes, and workplace-based learning all forming part of a single ecosystem,” the Minister said.

Manamela said the newly established Just Energy Transition Skills Desk will play a critical role in linking learner demand with priority economic sectors, including renewable energy, construction, grid infrastructure and electric mobility.

Given infrastructure and staffing constraints, the department will increasingly prioritise short courses and modular qualifications, scalable occupational programmes, and workplace-based learning such as apprenticeships, learnerships and internships.

“These pathways offer faster labour-market entry while allowing articulation into further learning,” he said.

The Minister reiterated that TVET and CET colleges are not residual options but “central pillars of the PSET system”.

“They provide practical, accessible, and work-relevant education to the majority of South Africans and are essential to confronting unemployment, inequality and poverty,” he said.

Through these institutions, students can progress into artisan and trade qualifications, occupational qualifications at National Qualifications Framework (NQF) Levels 3 to 6, sector-linked skills programmes, employment or self-employment, entrepreneurship, and further learning opportunities.

Manamela said the department is strengthening TVET colleges as sector-focused skills hubs through Centres of Specialisation, Trade Test Centres, modernised workshops and industry-aligned curricula.

He highlighted that the National Skills Fund (NSF) is funding the uMasinga TVET Smart Campus pilot at a cost exceeding R350 million, with completion expected by 2027.

“The project signals the direction we must take: modern, digitally enabled, future-ready institutions.”

Readiness for the 2026 academic year

Manamela said institutions across the PSET sector have undertaken extensive preparations for the 2026 academic year.

“This morning, the Ministerial War Room convened to assess readiness. We are confident of a stable opening of the academic year, with ongoing monitoring,” he said.

He also emphasised the importance of student well-being, encouraging the use of Higher Health to address mental health challenges.

“Higher Health remains the designated wrap-around support institution, operating a 24-hour Toll-Free Crisis Helpline (0800 36 36 36). Over 61 000 students have been supported through this service in recent years,” Manamela said.

The department is also strengthening sector-wide responses to mental health, gender-based violence, food insecurity, accommodation and campus safety through national norms, preventative interventions and coordinated protocols.

The Minister urged students to rely on official departmental websites, the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) and institutional platforms for accurate information.

He further warned prospective students to beware of illegally operating private colleges and institutions offering unaccredited programmes.

“The department has a database of all registered colleges available on the website of the department. To first time entrants, only go to campus when it has confirmed acceptance of an application and accommodation has been confirmed,” the Minister reiterated. – SAnews.gov.za
 

 

GabiK

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“O lançamento do Portal da Transparência representa o compromisso do Governo com a responsabilidade pública e com a participação cidadã na construção de uma sociedade mais justa e aberta” – Ministro Eurico Monteiro

Source: Africa Press Organisation – Portuguese –

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O Ministro da Modernização do Estado e da Administração Pública assegurou, esta quarta-feira, 21 de janeiro, que, mais do que um avanço tecnológico, o Portal da Transparência, representa o compromisso do Governo com a responsabilidade pública e a participação ativa dos cidadãos na construção de uma sociedade mais justa e uma governação mais aberta.

Para Eurico Monteiro, que falava no ato de lançamento deste importante instrumento, a implementação deste projeto reafirma um dos pilares essenciais de um Governo atento, saudável e comprometido, perante uma sociedade cada vez mais exigente e sedenta de informação. “Um Governo comprometido com os métodos e a forma como as coisas são feitas, mas sobretudo, com resultados concretos”, afirmou. “No fundo, um comprometimento com a transparência”, vincou o Ministro, para quem a transparência não é apenas um dever acessório, mas o alicerce que sustenta a relação entre Estado e Sociedade.

Com o lançamento deste Portal, garantiu o governante, o Governo de Cabo Verde está a dar um passo decisivo rumo a uma governança mais democrática, onde todos os cidadãos têm acesso claro, direto e em tempo real às informações sobre a forma como é arrecadado e planejado o dinheiro público, e como são executadas as despesas.

O aumento da transparência fiscal, lembrou ainda o Ministro, não só fortalece a confiança dos cidadãos, como também promove e estimula a sua participação, designadamente, nos processos de elaboração dos orçamentos.

Este Portal, explicou o governante, ao disponibilizar informação aberta, facilitando o acesso e a análise de dados, seja para fins académicos, seja para fins informativos, redefine o próprio conceito de cidadania, na medida em que contribui para o seu aprofundamento, trazendo elementos valiosos para conhecimento e para fomentar o debate público. Para Eurico Monteiro, não se trata mais apenas de votar ou pagar impostos, trata-se, sobretudo, de acompanhar, questionar, propor e construir políticas públicas com base em evidências reais e informações acessíveis a todos.

“Ao entregar visibilidade total sobre a aplicação dos recursos, devolvemos ao cidadão o poder de exigir resultados, de participar ativamente e de contribuir para uma gestão mais responsável”, finalizou o Ministro, para quem o Portal da Transparência veio para transformar a relação entre os cidadãos e o Estado. “Ser mais exigente também contribui para que o Estado aprimore as suas ferramentas e seus cuidados na gestão da coisa pública”, concluiu Eurico Monteiro.

Distribuído pelo Grupo APO para Governo de Cabo Verde.

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Cabo Verde dá passo decisivo na formação para o futuro do mar com arranque do Mestrado em Economia Azul e Circular

Source: Africa Press Organisation – Portuguese –

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O Mestrado em Economia Azul e Circular, uma iniciativa conjunta do Ministério do Mar e do Instituto Superior de Ciências Económicas e Empresariais (ISCEE), tem início oficial no próximo dia 26, marcando um momento histórico para o ensino superior e para a estratégia de desenvolvimento sustentável de Cabo Verde.

Lançado oficialmente a 30 de setembro de 2025, este é o primeiro mestrado a nível nacional inteiramente dedicado à Economia Azul e Circular, materializando uma visão estratégica que aposta no conhecimento, na inovação e na valorização do capital humano como pilares fundamentais do futuro do país.

Na cerimónia de lançamento, ocorrida esta tarde, no Mindelo, o Ministro do Mar, Eng.º Jorge Santos, destacou a importância simbólica e estratégica deste momento, sublinhando que “isto é que é importante: fazer as coisas acontecerem”, tendo destacado que o início do mestrado representa “a afirmação clara” da visão do Governo, “não apenas do presente, mas sobretudo do futuro”, consagrando um compromisso firme com o desenvolvimento sustentável de Cabo Verde através de formação de excelência.

O Ministro manifestou grande satisfação e entusiasmo pela concretização desta primeira edição do mestrado, frisando que o mesmo é fruto de uma parceria “sólida e estratégica” entre o Ministério do Mar e o ISCEE, criada para viabilizar uma oferta formativa inovadora e alinhada com as prioridades nacionais da economia do mar.Durante a sua intervenção, o governante anunciou que o Ministério do Mar está a mobilizar ativamente diversas instituições públicas e privadas para aderirem ao mestrado, numa lógica de envolvimento nacional e de reforço de capacidades técnicas no setor marítimo. O objetivo, ajuntou, é garantir entre 21 e 25 formandos com bolsas de estudo, financiadas no quadro do Ministério do Mar, através dos Fundos de Segurança Marítima e Autónomo de Pescas, bem como com o apoio de empresas estratégicas do setor, como a CABNAVE e a ENAPOR.

Estão igualmente envolvidas várias instituições autónomas tuteladas pelo Ministério do Mar, nomeadamente o Instituto do Mar, a Escola do Mar e o Instituto Marítimo e Portuário, que contam com técnicos a serem qualificados neste domínio estratégico.

O Ministro revelou ainda que o Ministério da Educação irá disponibilizar bolsas no âmbito do Sistema Nacional de Bolsas de Estudo, estando em preparação a assinatura de um protocolo entre os dois ministérios, com o objetivo de maximizar o número de bolsas e garantir maior acesso ao mestrado a nível nacional.

Neste momento, o mestrado conta já com 42 candidaturas prontas para o arranque, demonstrando o elevado interesse e a forte procura por esta formação especializada.

Formação de excelência com dimensão internacional

Por sua vez, o Presidente do ISCEE, Dr. José Lopes, afirmou que este mestrado visa capacitar o capital humano cabo-verdiano nas áreas da Economia Azul e Circular, respondendo às exigências atuais e futuras do desenvolvimento económico sustentável do país. Enalteceu ainda o Ministro Jorge Santos, em concreto, pela forma “célere e entusiástica” com que abraçou o projeto, contribuindo decisivamente para a sua concretização.

O mestrado tem a duração de dois anos. O primeiro ano letivo é composto por 12 unidades curriculares, enquanto o segundo ano é dedicado à elaboração da dissertação, com orientação técnica assegurada por docentes altamente qualificados.

A equipa docente integra professores doutorados, com reconhecida idoneidade técnica a nível nacional e internacional, assegurou o Presidente do ISCEE. Cinco das unidades curriculares serão lecionadas por docentes de prestigiadas universidades estrangeiras, nomeadamente a Universidade de Coimbra, a London School of Economics e a Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, no Brasil, reforçando a dimensão internacional e a qualidade académica do curso.

Um marco estratégico

O início do Mestrado em Economia Azul e Circular constitui um marco estratégico para Cabo Verde, consolidando a aposta do Governo na formação avançada, na ciência e no conhecimento como motores da economia do mar. Através desta iniciativa, o Ministério do Mar reafirma o seu papel mobilizador, congregando instituições nacionais e parceiros estratégicos em torno de uma visão comum: preparar quadros qualificados para liderar a transformação sustentável da economia azul cabo-verdiana.

Distribuído pelo Grupo APO para Governo de Cabo Verde.

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Islamic Development Bank Institute (IsDBI) and IE University Join Forces to Develop Risk-Sharing Financial Solutions for Startups in Civil Law Jurisdictions

Source: APO – Report:

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The Islamic Development Bank Institute (IsDBI) (https://IsDBInstitute.org) and IE University Spain, through the IE Foundation, and have launched a joint initiative to design contract models grounded in European legal frameworks and compatible with Islamic finance principles, with the objective of facilitating investment in startups.

The project focuses on identifying and structuring financing instruments adapted to the needs of early-stage ventures operating in civil law systems. Contractual solutions widely used in common law jurisdictions, such as convertible notes, simplified convertible preferred shares, and SAFE agreements, have proven effective in reducing cost, complexity, and negotiation time. However, their application within civil law frameworks requires further legal development, particularly to ensure compatibility with Islamic finance principles.

Within this framework, the initiative combines research, comparative legal analysis, and contract design to review existing risk-sharing financing models, assess their alignment with Islamic finance principles, and examine the feasibility of adapting comparable mechanisms to the Spanish legal framework. Particular attention is given to identifying enabling factors as well as legal and regulatory constraints that may affect their implementation.

Building on this analysis, the project will develop a set of Shari’ah-compliant risk-sharing contract models fully compatible with Spanish and European Union law. These models are conceived to ensure legal enforceability, economic efficiency, and adaptability for use across EU Member States and, more broadly, in non-European civil law jurisdictions, including North Africa and the Gulf.

The project also evaluates the potential of these instruments beyond early-stage ventures, with a view to supporting entrepreneurship more broadly and contributing to more ethical, inclusive, and socially responsible economic development.

“This project represents an important step in strengthening the Islamic finance industry by translating its core principles of risk sharing, fairness, and real economic activity into legally robust instruments suitable for contemporary startup ecosystems,” said Dr. Sami Al-Suwailem, Acting Director General of the IsDB Institute. “By anchoring these solutions in European civil law frameworks, the initiative supports the development of Islamic finance in Europe and offers scalable models adaptable to Muslim countries with civil law or hybrid legal systems, reflecting IsDBI’s commitment to ethical, inclusive, and innovation-driven finance at a global level.”

Dr. Celia de Anca, Deputy Dean and expert in Islamic Finance at IE University, who is leading the development of this project, said. “Ensuring that entrepreneurs have access to suitable financial tools is essential for the success of their ventures and for the sustainable development of local and regional economies.

“Startups play a key role in innovation and social value creation. Islamic finance offers principles that are highly relevant today, but they require practical and flexible legal instruments that can work across different jurisdictions. This initiative responds to that need and comes at a particularly relevant moment, with the new EU-INC (European Inclusive Company) framework, which will greatly facilitate the adoption of these legal innovations across Europe.”

– on behalf of Islamic Development Bank Institute (IsDBI).

About the Islamic Development Bank Institute:
The Islamic Development Bank Institute (IsDBI) is the knowledge beacon of the Islamic Development Bank Group. Guided by the principles of Islamic economics and finance, the IsDB Institute leads the development of innovative knowledge-based solutions to support the sustainable economic advancement of IsDB Member Countries and various Muslim communities worldwide. The IsDB Institute enables economic development through pioneering research, human capital development, and knowledge creation, dissemination, and management. The Institute leads initiatives to enable Islamic finance ecosystems, ultimately helping Member Countries achieve their development objectives. More information about the IsDB Institute is available on https://IsDBInstitute.org

About IE University:
IE University promotes positive change through education, research, and innovation. The academic institution offers a technology-based learning ecosystem for leaders with a global vision, an entrepreneurial mindset, deep respect for diversity and sustainability, and a unique focus on the humanities. IE University is comprised of six schools, IE Business School, IE Law School, IE School of Politics, Economics and Global Affairs, IE School of Architecture and Design, IE School of Science and Technology and IE School of Humanities. IE University faculty produce research and teach students from 160 countries in Bachelors, Masters and Executive Education programs. IE University’s platform of more than 84,000 alumni is present in 185 countries.

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eThekwini accelerates digital HR transformation to boost service delivery

Source: Government of South Africa

eThekwini accelerates digital HR transformation to boost service delivery

The eThekwini Municipality is accelerating the digitisation of its Human Resources (HR) systems, a strategic shift aimed at improving accountability, enhancing workforce performance and enabling faster and more reliable services for residents.

This was highlighted during an oversight visit by the Governance and Human Resources Portfolio Committee to employee training sessions on the new digital HR platform.

The visit was led by committee chairperson Nkosenhle Madlala and focused on assessing implementation milestones and organisational readiness of the new digital HR platform.

The oversight visit underscored the municipality’s commitment to transforming internal systems to deliver visible, and measurable improvements in public service delivery.

The HR digital transformation is designed to enhance the employee experience, while improving the speed, accuracy, and efficiency of municipal operations.

By reducing manual processes, eliminating duplication and strengthening internal controls, the initiative aims to address long-standing inefficiencies, reduces errors, and improve transparency and accountability.

Speaking during a briefing on Wednesday, Madlala said the digitisation of HR services would resolve several operational challenges by consolidating previously fragmented processes into a single, reliable and compliant system.

“In a rapidly changing world of work, digital transformation is no longer optional. It allows us to reduce time spent on manual administrative tasks and redirect our efforts towards citizen centric services,” Madlala said.

The new system is expected to improve performance tracking and accountability across the municipality, helping to curb corruption, remove bottlenecks and ensure employees deliver on their mandates.

It will also streamline recruitment processes and strengthen integrity in hiring, closing loopholes linked to job scams, “ghost employee” allegations, and mishandled applications.

“This is a modern, user-friendly approach [platform] that allows job seekers to apply from anywhere, track their progress and experience a smoother onboarding process,” Madlala added.

The digitised HR platform is further designed to improve compliance with the Municipal Standard Chart of Accounts (mSCOA) by aligning financial and non-financial processes, enabling better reporting and stronger organisational performance.

To ensure a smooth transition, the HR team is conducting hands-on training to equip employees with the skills needed to operate effectively in the new system, with a focus on simplicity, transparency and service excellence.

The municipality said its e-Recruitment system is expected to go live in February, with full integration of HR functions scheduled to be operational by March 2026.

Officials said the transformation marks a decisive step towards improved performance and the delivery of faster, more transparent and higher-quality services to communities across eThekwini. – SAnews.gov.za

GabiK

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Libya’s Oil & Gas Minister to Detail Production Targets, Investment Plans at Libya Energy & Economic Summit (LEES) 2026

Source: APO – Report:

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Libya’s Minister of Oil and Gas, Dr. Khalifa Abdulsadek, will deliver a keynote address at the fourth edition of the Libya Energy & Economic Summit (LEES), taking place on January 24–26, 2026 at the Tripoli International Convention Center. Held under the theme, Infrastructure & Investment Driving Energy Growth, the Summit convenes policymakers, operators and investors to assess progress and opportunities across Libya’s energy value chain.

Minister Abdulsadek’s address comes as the Ministry of Oil and Gas, together with the National Oil Corporation (NOC), advances a series of operational initiatives to restore production capacity, modernize infrastructure and accelerate upstream investment. Libya aims to reach crude oil production of 1.6 million barrels per day (bpd) by the end of 2026, up from around 1.4 million bpd at the start of the year. Longer-term targets include 1.8 million bpd by 2027 and 2 million bpd by 2030, supported by an estimated $3-4 billion in near-term investment to rehabilitate aging facilities, optimize mature fields and unlock marginal production.

Major projects underpinning these targets include the $8-billion Structures A&E offshore gas development led by Eni, expected to deliver 750 million cubic feet per day by 2026 to support domestic power generation and exports. Brownfield rehabilitation is also underway at key oil fields, including Sarir, Messla and Al-Atshan, while expansion programs at the Waha concessions – notably North Gialo and NC-98 – are progressing with international partners.

Minister Abdulsadek has emphasized mature field optimization and marginal field development as critical levers for delivering near-term production gains, while maintaining momentum toward longer-term capacity expansion. In January 2026, he also assumed the chairmanship of the Organization of Arab Petroleum Exporting Countries Council of Ministers, further reinforcing Libya’s regional energy leadership.

​​In parallel, the NOC has outlined long-term infrastructure upgrades, including pipeline expansions and refinery rehabilitation, while new gas-focused initiatives aim to strengthen domestic supply security. These efforts are complemented by Libya’s first upstream licensing round in nearly two decades, offering 22 onshore and offshore blocks across the Sirte, Murzuq and Ghadames basins. More than 37 international and regional companies have been pre-qualified to participate.

Join industry leaders at the Libya Energy & Economic Summit 2026 in Tripoli and explore investment opportunities in one of North Africa’s most dynamic energy markets. LEES 2026 offers a premier platform for partnerships, innovation and sector growth.

– on behalf of Energy Capital & Power.