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Kenya’s peacebuilding efforts hold valuable lessons for the rest of the world, but gaps remain

Source: The Conversation – Africa – By Leonor Oliveira Toscano, PhD Candidate in Political Science, University of Oslo

Kenya has been praised as a “model for the world” when it comes to peacebuilding efforts to manage outbreaks of violence within its borders. The country has systematically put in place a peacebuilding architecture rooted in a history of local peace initiatives. These date back to the early 1990s.

Over this period, the Wajir Peace and Development Committee emerged in the country’s north-eastern region. The committee successfully addressed decades of inter-clan violence in Wajir, an arid county bordering Somalia. It also inspired the emergence of numerous local peace committees across the country.

These committees have been set up in some other African countries – like Ghana, South Africa, Sierra Leone and Burundi – and continue to contribute informally to local peacebuilding in these states.

Read more: Training local leaders in mediation can reduce violence: positive results in Nigeria

In Kenya, the committees became institutionalised after post-election violence in 2007-08 and a mediation process led by former UN secretary general Kofi Annan. They now form part of the national peacebuilding architecture.

Violence triggered by the contested 2007 presidential election outcome resulted in the killing of more than 1,000 people. The mediation process led to a power-sharing agreement signed by the presidential contenders Mwai Kibaki and Raila Odinga.

The country’s peacebuilding architecture is now supported by several policies and frameworks. These include the constitution of 2010. The system that’s been built has the capacity to connect a wide variety of peacebuilding actors – both state and non-state, formal and informal – at all levels of society. This helps resolve conflict and build resilience.

The Kenyan government initiated a review of the peacebuilding architecture in 2023. It involved a lengthy consultation process and high levels of participation among Kenyans. The National Steering Committee on Peacebuilding and Conflict Management led the way, assisted by an independent panel of 13 peacebuilding experts.

Released at the end of 2024, the review looked at the strengths and weaknesses of the architecture.

It offers a vision for building a robust peacebuilding system, along with an actionable roadmap. One lesson is that Kenya can use the capacities and unique approaches of different peacebuilding actors. At the local level, peace committees showed that they made contributions to early warning systems and building confidence in communities.

However, insufficient resources and a consistent focus on electoral violence prevent the system from addressing other drivers of conflict.

The strengths

Local peace committees, with membership typically drawn from ordinary citizens, religious groups or local civil society organisations, play a crucial role. They support dialogue around conflict issues. They promote trust and understanding, and can build a constructive environment for conflict resolution.

Their information gathering feeds into the regional Intergovernmental Authority on Development’s Conflict Early Warning and Response System (CEWARN) to prevent election violence. Local peace committees have contributed to negotiating local disputes. They have also helped de-polarise ethnic identities and facilitated local peace agreements. One example was the Modogashe Declaration. It sets ground rules to solve conflict and local disputes over pasture, water access and cattle rustling.

Read more: Kenya violence: 5 key drivers of the decades-long conflict in the north and what to do about them

We are researchers in Norway on a project focusing on civilian agency, local peace and resilience building. Our own interviews with committee members in Nakuru – a county greatly affected by the violence in 2007-08 – found that peace committee members continued to work together and share conflict-sensitive information with local stakeholders. These include administration officers and religious leaders, and covered periods during and after the 2022 elections.

Further, local peace committees can offer women valuable opportunities for participation in conflict management. This contributes to their protection, for example from sexual violence.

The weaknesses

Despite these successes, Kenya’s peacebuilding architecture faces pressing challenges.

First, local peace committees aren’t perfect. They can be manipulated by politicians seeking to build local support. They can also compete with traditional actors such as elders in conflict resolution.

Kenya’s institutionalisation of local peacebuilding strengthened information flow across all levels. But it also threatens to undermine local peacebuilding agency and autonomy. Formalising local peace committees can spur an unhealthy monetisation of peacebuilding, with some members joining for financial gain. This threatens to erode the voluntary character of peacebuilding as a common good and undermine genuine priorities for peace.

Read more: How women in Kenya mobilised for peace after surviving violence

Second, elite-level politics in Kenya creates the persistent risk of electoral violence. This diverts attention and resources away from other long-standing causes of conflict. The drivers of violence in Kenya are varied and region specific. They include disputes over access to land, and marginalisation of ethnic and religious communities. Climate change threatens to worsen competition and conflict between pastoralists and farming communities.

Our analysis of event data from Armed Conflict Location & Event Data shows that communal violence is the deadliest form of political violence in Kenya. For their part, fatalities related to election violence have decreased. This underscores the urgent need to consistently invest in prevention and local peacebuilding beyond narrow electoral periods.

Fatalities in Kenya by type of armed violence: 2010-2023

Electoral competition can escalate violence between pastoralists and farmers, but it’s the persistence of communal conflicts that represents a serious threat. Communal violence particularly affects Kenya’s arid and semi-arid areas in the Rift Valley, eastern and north-eastern regions.

What next

Our interviews with local peace committee members show that funding for their activities diminishes outside election years. This hampers their capacity to address conflict outside these periods.

Yet research has shown that local peacebuilding can build social resilience against recurrent communal violence. Peacebuilding interventions grounded in local realities are also vital for countering insurgent violence. This is especially important as counterterrorism operations by state forces often trigger cycles of violence rather than resolving underlying issues.

Read more: Drivers of electoral violence in Kenya: red flags to watch out for

Our research finds that Kenyans place significant trust in local peacebuilders, such as community leaders, elders and women. The review of the country’s peacebuilding architecture proposes a 40% quota for women, youth and people with disabilities in local peace committees.

However, quotas alone may not be sufficient to address the political and cultural challenges that entrench inequality.

Ultimately, political elites need to transform Kenya’s “win at all costs” politics. This way, the country’s mediators and peacebuilders can address the deep social and economic grievances that underpin cycles of violence.

– Kenya’s peacebuilding efforts hold valuable lessons for the rest of the world, but gaps remain
– https://theconversation.com/kenyas-peacebuilding-efforts-hold-valuable-lessons-for-the-rest-of-the-world-but-gaps-remain-257761

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Highways to hell: west Africa’s road networks are the preferred battleground for terror groups

Source: The Conversation – Africa – By Olivier Walther, Associate Professor in Geography, University of Florida

What’s the connection between roads and conflict in west Africa? This may seem like an odd question. But a study we conducted shows a close relationship between the two.

We are researchers of transnational political violence. We analysed 58,000 violent events in west Africa between 2000 to 2024. Our focus was on identifying patterns of violence in relation to transport infrastructure.

Anecdotal evidence suggests that roads, bridges, pipelines and other transport systems are increasingly attacked across west Africa, but little is known about the factors that explain when, where and by whom.

Violence in west Africa involves a complex mix of political, economic and social factors. Weak governance, corruption, urban-rural inequalities and marginalised populations have been exploited by numerous armed groups, including transnational criminal networks and religious extremists.

West Africa has been one of the world’s most violent regions since the mid 2010s. In 2024 alone, the Armed Conflict Location and Event Data initiative recorded over 10,600 events of political violence in the region. These ranged from battles between armed groups, explosions and other forms of remote violence, to attacks on unarmed civilians. An estimated 25,600 people were killed. This has been the status quo in the region for nearly a decade.

The results of our study show that 65% of all the attacks, explosions, and violence against civilians recorded between 2000 and 2024 were located within one kilometre of a road.

Only 4% of all events were located further than 10km from a road. This pattern was consistent across all road types but most pronounced near highways and primary roads.

We think the reason for this pattern is that there is fierce competition between state and non-state actors for access to and use of roads.

Governments need well-developed road networks for a host of reasons, including the ability to govern, enabling economic activity, and security. Roads enable military mobility and reduce potential safe havens for insurgents in remote regions.

Insurgent groups also see transport networks as prime targets. They create opportunities to blockade cities, ambush convoys, kidnap travellers, employ landmines, and destroy key infrastructure.

Our research is part of a long line of work that explored the role of infrastructure in relation to security in west Africa. Our latest research reinforces earlier findings linking the two. Transport networks have become battlegrounds for extremist groups seeking to destabilise states, isolate communities and expand their influence.

The network

The west African road network is vast, estimated at over 709,000km of roads by the Global Roads Inventory Project. It compares unfavourably with other African regions. For example, paved roads remain relatively scarce in west Africa (17% of the regional network) when compared with north Africa (83%).

Poorly maintained roads impose costs on west African countries. They increase transport time of perishable goods, shorten the operational life of trucks, cause more accidents, and reduce social interactions between communities.

Still, significant variations in road quality are found across the region. The percentage of paved roads ranges from a high of 37% in Senegal to just over 7% in Mali. Nigeria has the largest road network in west Africa with an estimated 195,000km, but much of it has deteriorated because of poor maintenance.

Road-related violence is on the rise

We found that road-related attacks have been on the rise since jihadist groups emerged in the mid-2010s. Only 31 ambushes against convoys were reported in Burkina Faso, Chad, Mali and Niger from 2000-2015, against 497 from 2016-2023.

Attacks frequently occur along the same road segments, such as around Boni in the Gourma Mounts, where Jama’at Nusrat ul-Islam wa al-Muslimin (JNIM) conducted nine attacks against Malian forces and Wagner mercenaries between 2019 and 2024.

Violence was the most clustered near roads in 2011, with 87% of all violent events located within 1km of a road. Our analysis shows that, though still high, there’s been a decline post-2000: 59% in 2022 and 60% in 2024. This evolution reflects the ruralisation of conflict in west Africa. As jihadist insurgents target rural areas and small towns more and more, an increasing share of violent events also occurs far away from roads.

We’ve studied the root causes of west Africa’s violence for nearly a decade, documenting the ever-intensifying costs paid by its people. In the process, we’ve uncovered overlooked aspects of the turmoil, including the centrality of the road networks to an understanding of where the violence is happening.

The most dangerous roads of west Africa

Our findings show that violence against transport infrastructure is very unevenly distributed in west Africa and that specific road segments have been repeatedly targeted. This was particularly the case in the Central Sahel, Lake Chad basin, and western Cameroon.

For example, the 350km ring road linking Bamenda to Kumbo and Wum in Cameroon is the most violent road in west Africa, with 757 events since 2018, due to the conflict between the government and the Ambazonian separatists.

The longest segments of dangerous roads are in Nigeria, particularly those connecting Maiduguri in Borno State to Damaturu, Potiskum, Biu and Bama.

In the central Sahel, the road between Mopti/Sévaré and Gao is by far the most violent transport axis, with 433 events since the beginning of the civil war in Mali in 2012. South of Gao, National Road 17 leading to the Nigerien border, and National Road 20 heading east toward Ménaka have experienced 177 and 139 events respectively since the Islamic State – Sahel Province (ISSP) intensified its activities in the region in 2017.

In Burkina Faso, all the roads leading to Djibo near the border with Mali have experienced high levels of violence since the early 2020s.

Building transport infrastructure to promote peace

Roads are an important part of state counterinsurgency strategies and a strategic target for local militants. Yes, as our work highlights, transport infrastructure is largely ignored in debates that emphasise more state interventions as a means of combating insecurity. Sixty years after the independence of many west African countries, road accessibility remains elusive in the region.

Peripheral cities such as Bardaï, Bilma, Kidal and Timbuktu, where rebel movements have historically developed, are still not connected to the national network by tarmac roads.

The duality of the transport infrastructure, as both a facilitator and target of violence, has put government forces at a disadvantage. Regular forces are heavily constrained by the sparsity and poor conditions of the road network, which makes them vulnerable to attacks without necessarily allowing them to project their military power over long distances.

Rather than building transport infrastructure, states have focused on strengthening security by investing in military bases. The military coups in Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger have further reinforced this trend, with the creation of a joint force by the countries of the Alliance of Sahel States.

Strengthening security has taken precedence over developmental support for peripheral communities, who experience the worst of the violence.

– Highways to hell: west Africa’s road networks are the preferred battleground for terror groups
– https://theconversation.com/highways-to-hell-west-africas-road-networks-are-the-preferred-battleground-for-terror-groups-258517

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Lutte contre la pollution plastique : le gouvernement veut accélérer la transition vers une économie circulaire


Dans la lutte contre la pollution plastique, le gouvernement ivoirien veut aller plus loin, plus vite, plus fort. Cet engagement a été réaffirmé lors de la célébration de la Journée mondiale de l’environnement qui, une nouvelle fois, attire l’attention sur un des plus grands défis de la protection environnementale.

Les emballages plastiques constituent 36% de la production mondiale de plastique. Et 85% de ces emballages finissent dans les décharges ou la nature. Dans le secteur de la pêche industrielle, 50 millions de kilogrammes de plastique sont rejetés chaque année dans les océans. Dans l’industrie de la mode, 60% des textiles contiennent des fibres synthétiques. En Côte d’Ivoire, entre 40 000 et 100 000 tonnes de déchets plastiques sont produites chaque année. 5 à 20% de ces déchets sont recyclés tandis que le reste est jeté dans les rues, les dépôts sauvages ou brûlés à l’air libre. Ici comme dans de nombreux pays, la menace plastique est réelle et constitue l’un des plus grands fléaux environnementaux.

Pour le gouvernement ivoirien, la célébration de la Journée mondiale placée sous le thème « Mettons fin à la pollution plastique » est un appel fort et urgent à freiner cette menace par l’accélération de la transition vers une économie circulaire.

En 2023, la Côte d’Ivoire avait été choisie pour accueillir le cinquantenaire de la Journée mondiale de l’environnement, avec pour thème « Solutions à la pollution plastique ». A cette occasion, le gouvernement ivoirien a réaffirmé son engagement à être « un modèle en matière de développement durable ». Soulignant l’urgence de parvenir à des solutions plus innovantes et plus efficaces.

L’engagement du gouvernement repose sur des politiques publiques audacieuses mettant l’accent sur l’interdiction du plastique, l’incitation à l’innovation, le soutien aux entreprises responsables, la modernisation de la collecte et de la gestion des déchets dans les collectivités. Sans oublier la mobilisation de chaque citoyen à travers des gestes simples.

La Côte d’Ivoire a décidé en 2014 d’interdire la production, l’importation, la commercialisation, la détention et l’utilisation des sachets plastiques sur l’ensemble du territoire national par le décret 2013-327 du 22 mai 2013, entré en vigueur depuis le 08 novembre 2014. Des avancées notables ont été observées dans certains secteurs tels que les pâtisseries, les pharmacies et les supermarchés, où l’utilisation de sacs en papier kraft et de sacs réutilisables a été promue. Cependant, les choses piétinent dans d’autres secteurs. Face à cette résistance du plastique, le ministère de l’Environnement, du Développement durable et de la Transition écologique veut initier « des journées zéro sachet plastique ».

La lutte contre la pollution plastique peut désormais s’appuyer sur l’adoption en novembre 2023 d’un nouveau code de l’environnement intégrant le développement durable, la ratification des conventions internationales majeures en matière de pollution. Et le 16 octobre 2024, le Conseil des ministres a adopté une communication relative à la stratégie nationale intégrée de promotion de l’économie circulaire en Côte d’Ivoire sur la période 2023-2027.

Cette stratégie vise à l’horizon 2027 à faire de la Côte d’Ivoire un modèle d’économie en faveur du développement durable et de la lutte contre le changement climatique.

Le pays est bien déterminé à faire bouger les lignes et accélérer la transition vers une économie circulaire où le plastique est utilisé avec rationalité, réutilisé, recyclé ou remplacé.

Pour le gouvernement, cette lutte est une exigence écologique et une responsabilité intergénérationnelle. Ce devoir oblige les Etats à œuvrer pour un développement qui assure les besoins du présent sans compromettre la survie et le droit des générations futures à vivre dans un environnement sain.

C’est un engagement rappelé chaque année lors de la Journée mondiale de l’environnement qui ouvre la Quinzaine nationale de l’environnement, du Développement durable et de la Transition écologique (QNEDDTE) qui se déroule du 3 au 17 juin. Les temps forts sont : la célébration officielle de la JME, le 05 juin à Abidjan, la Journée internationale de la biodiversité, le 12 juin à Sassandra, la Journée mondiale des océans, le 13 juin à Jacqueville, et la Journée mondiale de la lutte contre la désertification et la sécheresse, le 17 juin à Korhogo.  

Distribué par APO Group pour Portail Officiel du Gouvernement de Côte d’Ivoire.

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Banco Africano de Desenvolvimento aprova financiamento de 19,6 milhões de euros para ampliar a capacidade pioneira de Cabo Verde em energia eólica e armazenamento em baterias

O Conselho de Administração do Grupo Banco Africano de Desenvolvimento (www.AfDB.org) aprovou um pacote de financiamento de 19,6 milhões de euros para apoiar o Projeto de Expansão da Fase II da Cabeólica em Cabo Verde. 

O projeto é a primeira iniciativa de energia renovável do país a integrar a geração de energia eólica e sistemas de armazenamento de energia em baterias (BESS) em grande escala.

O financiamento inclui um empréstimo de aproximadamente 12,6 milhões de euros do Banco Africano de Desenvolvimento e 7 milhões de euros em financiamento concessional do Fundo para a Energia Sustentável em África (SEFA), gerido pelo Grupo Banco. 

Com base no sucesso do projeto original de energia Cabeólica, inaugurado em 2012, a Fase II irá adicionar 13,5 megawatts de capacidade de geração eólica e 26 megawatts-hora de armazenamento de energia em baterias ligadas à rede. A expansão deverá gerar mais de 60 gigawatts-hora de energia limpa por ano, eliminando a dispendiosa geração térmica e reduzindo as emissões de dióxido de carbono em cerca de 50 mil toneladas por ano.

“Este projeto é uma prova da visão de longo prazo de Cabo Verde para descarbonizar o seu setor energético e aumentar a sua resiliência. Também demonstra como o investimento do setor privado, facilitado por financiamento concessional catalisador, pode proporcionar soluções energéticas sustentáveis e rentáveis para as economias das pequenas ilhas”, afirmou Wale Shonibare, Diretor de Soluções Financeiras, Políticas e Regulamentação Energética do Banco Africano de Desenvolvimento.

Daniel Schroth, diretor do Grupo Banco para Energias Renováveis e Eficiência, afirmou: «O apoio da SEFA à integração do armazenamento em baterias no sistema energético de Cabo Verde reforça a segurança energética e a fiabilidade da rede, reduzindo simultaneamente os custos de produção em Cabo Verde”. Referiu ainda que o projeto destaca o valor acrescentado da combinação certa de financiamento e tecnologia para reforçar a sustentabilidade a longo prazo do setor energético.

Ayotunde Anjorin, presidente da Cabeólica e diretor sénior e diretor financeiro da Corporação Financeira Africana, afirmou: “Como primeira PPP de energia renovável à escala comercial na África subsaariana, a Cabeólica orgulha-se mais uma vez de liderar este projeto de expansão transformador que inclui capacidade eólica adicional e armazenamento de energia em baterias. Este projeto sublinha o profundo compromisso da Cabeólica em fornecer infraestruturas de energia fiáveis e limpas, em linha com os objetivos e prioridades nacionais, e continua a estabelecer um modelo replicável para a região”.

A Fase II da Cabeólica envolve cinco instalações em quatro ilhas: uma expansão eólica em Santiago e implantações de BESS em Santiago, Sal, Boa Vista e São Vicente. O armazenamento em baterias apoiará serviços auxiliares da rede, como resposta de frequência e regulação de tensão, permitindo uma utilização mais eficiente da energia eólica intermitente e reduzindo a restrição. Com o sistema elétrico de Cabo Verde ainda fortemente dependente de combustíveis fósseis importados, estas atualizações deverão reduzir os custos do sistema e aumentar a segurança energética.

Propriedade da Corporação Financeira Africana, da A.P. Moller Capital e de entidades públicas cabo-verdianas, a Cabeólica S.A. é a primeira produtora independente de energia (IPP) do país. A Fase II do projeto será sustentada por um contrato de compra de energia e serviços de armazenamento de 20 anos com a empresa nacional de serviços públicos Electra S.A., a tarifas significativamente inferiores ao custo médio nacional de produção.

O projeto promove o objetivo de Cabo Verde de gerar 50% da sua eletricidade a partir de fontes renováveis até 2030, bem como a sua Contribuição Nacionalmente Determinada ao abrigo do Acordo de Paris.

Está em consonância com o objetivo de Iluminar e Eletrificar África,  uma das cinco prioridades estratégicas, conhecidas como ‘High 5’, do Banco Africano de Desenvolvimento, com a sua Estratégia Decenal e com o pilar ‘Green Baseload’ do SEFA. 

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

Contacto para os media:
Olufemi Terry
Departamento de Comunicação e Relações Externas
media@afdb.org

Contacto técnico: 
Wole Lawuyi
Diretor de Investimentos
Soluções Financeiras para a Energia
c.lawuyi@afdb.org

Sobre o Grupo do 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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African Development Bank approves €19.6 million in financing to scale up Cabo Verde’s pioneer in wind and battery storage capacity

Source: Africa Press Organisation – English (2) – Report:

The Board of Directors of the African Development Bank Group (www.AfDB.org) has approved a €19.6 million financing package to support the Cabeólica Phase II Expansion Project in Cabo Verde.

The project is the country’s first renewable energy initiative to integrate wind power generation and battery energy storage systems (BESS) at scale.

The financing includes a loan of approximately €12.6 million from the African Development Bank, and €7 million in concessional loan financing from the Bank Group-managed Sustainable Energy Fund for Africa (SEFA).

Building on the success of the original Cabeólica power project commissioned in 2012, Phase II will add 13.5 megawatts of wind generation capacity and 26 megawatt-hours of grid-connected battery energy storage. The expansion is expected to generate over 60 gigawatt-hours of clean energy annually, eliminating expensive thermal generation and reducing carbon dioxide emissions by an estimated 50,000 tonnes annually.

“This project is a testament to Cabo Verde’s long-term vision to decarbonize its power sector and enhance its resilience. It also demonstrates how private sector investment, facilitated by catalytic concessional financing, can deliver cost-effective, sustainable energy solutions for small island economies,” said Wale Shonibare, Director for Energy Financial Solutions, Policy and Regulations at the African Development Bank. 

Daniel Schroth, the Bank Group’s director for Renewable Energy and Efficiency said: “SEFA’s support for the integration of battery storage into Cabo Verde’s power system enhances power security and grid reliability while reducing generation costs in Cabo Verde.” He noted that the project highlights the added value of the right mix of financing and technology to strengthen long-term power sector sustainability.

Ayotunde Anjorin, Chairman of Cabeólica and Senior Director and CFO at Africa Finance Corporation, said: “As the first renewable energy commercial scale PPP in sub-Saharan Africa, Cabeólica  is again proud to lead this transformative expansion project comprising additional wind capacity and battery energy storage. This project underscores Cabeólica’s deep commitment to delivering reliable, clean energy infrastructure in line with national goals and priorities and continues to set a replicable model for the region.”

Cabeólica Phase II entails five installations across four islands: a wind expansion on Santiago and BESS deployments on Santiago, Sal, Boa Vista, and São Vicente. Battery storage will support ancillary grid services such as frequency response and voltage regulation, enabling more efficient use of intermittent wind power and reducing curtailment. With Cabo Verde’s electricity system still heavily reliant on imported fossil fuels, these upgrades are expected to reduce system costs and enhance energy security.

Owned by Africa Finance Corporation, A.P. Moller Capital, and Cabo Verdean public entities, Cabeólica S.A. is the country’s first independent power producer (IPP). Phase II of the project will be underpinned by a 20-year power purchase and storage services agreement with the national utility Electra S.A., at tariffs significantly lower than the national average generation cost.

The project advances Cabo Verde’s goal of generating 50% of its electricity from renewables by 2030 as well as its Nationally Determined Contribution under the Paris Agreement.

It aligns with the African Development Bank’s ‘Light Up and Power Africa’ High-5 priority, its Ten-Year Strategy, and SEFA’s Green Baseload pillar.

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

Media Contact:
Olufemi Terry
Communication and External Relations Department
media@afdb.org

Technical Contact:
Wole Lawuyi
Chief Investment Officer
Energy Financial Solutions
c.lawuyi@afdb.org

About the African Development Bank Group:
The African Development Bank Group is Africa’s premier development finance institution. It comprises three distinct entities: the African Development Bank (AfDB), the African Development Fund (ADF) and the Nigeria Trust Fund (NTF). On the ground in 41 African countries with an external office in Japan, the Bank contributes to the economic development and the social progress of its 54 regional member states. For more information: www.AfDB.org

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President El-Sisi Meets Chairman of Arab Organization for Industrialization (AOI) Board of Directors

Source: Africa Press Organisation – English (2) – Report:

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Today, President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi met with Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Arab Organization for Industrialization (AOI) Major General Mokhtar Abdel Latif.

Spokesman for the Presidency, Ambassador Mohamed El-Shennawy, said the President was briefed on the activities and projects undertaken by factories and companies affiliated with the Arab Organization for Industrialization across various fields. Major General Abdel Latif noted that the AOI operates according to a comprehensive strategy aimed at deepening local manufacturing, increasing export rates, and enhancing the industrial and technological capabilities of its factories. This is in addition to cooperating with the private sector to establish joint projects, leveraging the AOI’s advanced industrial capabilities.

President El-Sisi affirmed the AOI’s significant role in various sectors, particularly with regard to the improvement of local manufacturing ratios, the localization of industry, and the increase of exports, which contributes to reducing the import bill and providing foreign currency, thereby supporting the national economy.

President El-Sisi was also updated on the existing frameworks of cooperation between the AOI and several major international companies operating in the automotive industry. The President inspected a number of “Citroën C4X” models, which are locally manufactured with a 45% component ratio in the factories of the Arab Organization for Industrialization, in partnership with the Arab American Vehicles Company (AAV) and the French “Stellantis” Group.

AOI Chairman, Major General Abdel Latif,  said planning for the production of this model began in August 2023, adding that technical and logistical preparations were undertaken, leading to the production of initial prototypes in March 2025. He noted that approximately 7,000 cars are scheduled for annual production over four years, totaling 28,000 vehicles. Furthermore, preparations are underway for the production of a new car in cooperation with the “Stellantis” Group, with production set to begin in late 2026. This new model will see a total of 240,000 cars manufactured exclusively in AOI factories, and will not be manufactured in any of the Group’s other global facilities.

President El-Sisi gave directives to further strengthen cooperation with private sector companies, both locally and internationally. This is in alignment with the state’s strategy aimed at localizing the automotive industry, increasing the percentage of local components, and maximizing exports of products manufactured in Egypt.

– on behalf of Presidency of the Arab Republic of Egypt.

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Government continues to prioritise economic growth

Source: South Africa News Agency

Deputy President Paul Mashatile says government will continue leading from the front in creating a conducive environment for economic growth, education, safety and opportunity.

Addressing the Youth Day commemoration in the North West, Deputy President Mashatile urged the private sector to help create opportunities by investing, hiring, and supporting youth innovation.

“I want to emphasise that the youth deserve nothing less than a future where their skills, creativity, and determination can flourish in a changing world. To the youth, do not give up in pursuing a better future for yourselves and the country. Your voice, your ideas, and your energy are the fuel that can rebuild this country.

“We therefore invite you to be part of the upcoming National Dialogue to shape the future trajectory of our country. To parents, teachers, and communities, let us support and guide our children,” the Deputy President said on Monday.

READ I National Convention to set agenda for the National Dialogue

This year’s National Youth Day event took place under the theme: “Skills for the Changing World – Empowering Youth for Meaningful Economic Participation”.

This is a call to all government entities and its strategic partners to accelerate and enhance meaningful interventions in bridging the gap between skills development programmes and services available for access by youth to realise economic gain.

“As government, we offer various programmes to support young entrepreneurs, including financial assistance, business development services, and skills training.

“We need to encourage young people to look into starting their own businesses instead of waiting for employment. In this day and age, entrepreneurship is one of the keys to building a better future,” Deputy President Mashatile said.

He informed young people that the National Youth Development Agency’s Grant Programme and Youth Challenge Fund are key initiatives, along with the launch of a R20 billion annual Transformation Fund for the next five years, aimed at boosting Black-owned businesses and historically disadvantaged groups.

“These funds will act as a catalyst to attract other funds to enhance support of Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises. Additionally, government is promoting youth participation in the digital economy through initiatives like the Digital Economy Masterplan and the National Digital and Future Skills Strategy.

“These initiatives inspire hope in our quest to create employment and entrepreneurship for young people,” he said.

The Deputy President acknowledged that government could do more to create an enabling environment for young people.

“We must speed up the execution of existing legislation and regulations to make a meaningful contribution to the lives of the youth.

“As part of assisting young entrepreneurs with quick turnaround on invoice payments, we have proposed a War Room on Clean Governance. Part of the main priorities of the Clean Governance War Room will be the prioritisation of the 10 – 15-day payment cycles and Transformative Procurement of small businesses,” Deputy President Mashatile said.

30 years of democracy

While challenges remain, the Deputy President reflected on some of the major victories that the democratic dispensation has registered in advancing youth empowerment since 1994.

“Firstly, at the basic education level, we have transformed the matric pass rate from 58% in 1994 to a historic 87.3% in 2024. This is the result of three decades of making education an apex priority of government.

“Our basic education system has gradually transformed whilst redressing the generational legacies of Verwoerd’s Bantu Education System. While we are not yet where we wish to be, we are also far from the inequality and disregard inherited in 1994,” he said.

In higher education, the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFA) is a catalyst for widening access to higher education for the marginalised.

The scheme has grown from a modest budget of R33 million in 1991, serving only 7 240 students, to over R52 billion today, funding more than 1.1 million students at universities and TVET colleges.

“As a result of this sustained investment, the demographic composition of our higher education system has been fundamentally transformed. In 1994, there were 266 190 Black students, representing 50.4% of the total student population. By 2020, that number had grown to 862 313 Black students, constituting 80% of enrolments.

“In 2017, our government restructured NSFAS, converting it from a predominantly loan-based scheme into a grant system to ensure that higher education does not become a debt sentence for our young people,” Mashatile said.

This support includes the NYDA’s Solomon Mahlangu Scholarship, which continues to advance the educational aspirations of youth from rural and township communities.

Government has also met and surpassed gender parity in higher education participation rates, with over 60% of graduates from colleges and universities now being young women.

“As the demand for education continues to grow, it is only natural that challenges around accommodation and the administration of NSFAS have emerged.

“However, we are encouraged by the efforts of the Department of Higher Education and Training, which are currently underway to ensure that no deserving student is left behind,” the Deputy President said.

Over the past five years, several mass youth employment programmes have been implemented across the length and breadth of the country to respond to the challenge of youth unemployment.

The Presidential Youth Employment Intervention (PYEI) was launched in 2020 to cultivate sustainable earning opportunities for young people from all walks of life.

“The latest quarterly report confirms that over 4.7 million young people are now registered on the National Pathway Management Network, with more than 1.6 million earning opportunities secured through a variety of initiatives and partnerships.

“At the beginning of this month, 205 000 young people were placed in jobs through Phase 5 of the Basic Education Employment Initiative as part of the Presidential Employment Stimulus,” he said.

Government has also implemented the Social Employment Fund, managed by the Industrial Development Corporation, which has been designed to address unemployment and promote social value through “whole of society” approaches. –SAnews.gov.za
 

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SA concerned about the escalation of hostilities in Israel-Iran conflict

Source: South Africa News Agency

Monday, June 16, 2025

The South African government has expressed deep concern regarding the escalation of hostilities between the State of Israel and Islamic Republic of Iran.

In recent days the two countries have launched attacks against each other, which has led to the loss of lives, casualties and the destruction to property.

“We extend our deepest condolences to the peoples of both nations suffering from the tragic loss of life,” the Ministry of International Relations and Cooperation said on Sunday.

“South Africa emphasises that under international humanitarian law, civilians and civilian infrastructure must never be considered legitimate targets. We reiterate our urgent call for de-escalation, restraint, and full compliance with international law by all parties to prevent further human suffering,” it said. – SAnews.gov.za
 

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South Africans in Iran urged to register with the embassy

Source: South Africa News Agency

Monday, June 16, 2025

The South African government has encouraged all citizens currently in the Islamic Republic of Iran to contact the Embassy in Tehran to ensure that they are registered with, and that their whereabouts are known to, the Embassy.

Hostilities between the State of Israel and Islamic Republic of Iran have escalated in recent days as the two countries have launched attacks against each other, leading to the loss of lives, casualties and the destruction to property.

“It is important to note that South Africa’s support in the country is limited and that it could be assumed that no face-to-face consular assistance will be possible in an emergency and the South African Government may not be able to help you if you get into difficulty, depending on your location.

“Therefore, citizens are further encouraged to assess their own safety and security and act accordingly,” the Ministry of International Relations and Cooperation said in a statement on Sunday.

The following contacts may be used:
•    In Tehran, one can phone +98-912-230-8968 or +98-930-495-8965.
•    The department’s helpline in Pretoria, South Africa is +27 12 351 1000.
•    DIRCO may be consulted for further contact information at www.dirco.gov.za. – SAnews.gov.za

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Un nouveau chapitre s’ouvre en Sierra Leone pour les soins chirurgicaux : Mercy Ships et le ministère de la santé préparent le retour du Global Mercy™ à Freetown en août

En partenariat avec le ministère de la santé de la Sierra Leone, l’organisation humanitaire internationale Mercy Ships (www.MercyShips.org) se prépare pour la prochaine phase de sa mission : fournir gratuitement des interventions chirurgicales qui transforment la vie et former des professionnels de santé locaux. Cette nouvelle phase devrait débuter en août jusqu’en juin 2026.

Après le départ du navire, une équipe continuera à travailler sur place aux côtés de nos partenaires pour renforcer les compétences des professionnels de santé et le système de soins chirurgicaux du pays jusqu’en 2030. Cette initiative s’inscrit dans le cadre des priorités nationales du gouvernement visant à améliorer l’accès aux soins chirurgicaux essentiels et à renforcer les capacités médicales.

Depuis son arrivée à Freetown en août 2023, le plus grand navire-hôpital civil au monde a effectué plus de 3 630 opérations chirurgicales gratuites et formé plus de 290 professionnels de santé à bord du navire et sur site. Chaque semaine, entre 4 et 8 participants sierra-léonais ont suivi une formation à bord.

Le Dr Sandra Lako, directrice de Mercy Ships pour la Sierra Leone, déclare : « Nous attendons avec impatience le retour du navire en août, afin de poursuivre notre partenariat avec le ministère de la santé et l’université de Sierra Leone pour renforcer les soins chirurgicaux. Même après le départ du navire en 2026, notre accord avec le gouvernement souligne notre engagement commun en faveur d’un impact durable jusqu’en 2030.  Nous constatons déjà les retombées de ce partenariat durable. »

Le retour du Global Mercy en août 2025 marquera la troisième mission consécutive de l’organisation humanitaire en Sierra Leone et sa huitième visite dans le pays depuis 1992, renforçant ainsi un partenariat de longue date.

Le ministre de la santé, le Dr Austin Demby, souligne : « Notre partenariat avec Mercy Ships a véritablement transformé la vie des habitants de ce pays. En tant que gouvernement, nous sommes très fiers de la contribution significative que l’ONG apporte à l’amélioration de l’accès à des services chirurgicaux gratuits ainsi qu’à l’amélioration des compétences du personnel de grâce à la formation. Nous attendons avec impatience la prochaine mission et nous apporterons tout le soutien nécessaire pour que davantage de Sierra-Léonais puissent bénéficier de leur aide. »

Mercy Ships continuera à travailler aux côtés de l’université de Sierra Leone pour soutenir la mise en place du diplôme d’infirmier anesthésiste, afin de pallier la pénurie actuelle de ce type de professionnels dans le pays. Pour garantir une augmentation durable du nombre d’infirmiers qualifiés, l’objectif à long terme est que ce programme soit entièrement dirigé par des enseignants sierra-léonais.

En outre, Mercy Ships poursuit son partenariat avec l’hôpital Connaught dans le cadre du programme « Safer Surgery », qui met l’accent sur le renforcement des équipes chirurgicales et l’amélioration mesurable des soins aux patients.

Le soutien à l’enseignement dentaire se poursuivra grâce au parrainage d’étudiants en médecine dentaire sierra-léonais qui étudient à l’université Gamal Abdel Nasser en Guinée, en partenariat avec l’université de Sierra Leone. 

Distribué par APO Group pour Mercy Ships.

Contact média :
Ministère de la santé de Sierra Leone :
Abdul S. Brima/James T. Kallay
E-mail : communications@mohs.gov.sl   
Site web : https://MOHS.gov.sl

Mercy Ships :
Sophie Barnett
responsable internationale de Mercy
Ships E-mail : International.media@mercyships.org                
Site web : https://apo-opa.co/4l6Y59I
Pour plus d’informations, visitez www.MercyShips.org.

Media files