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GE Vernova-Larsen & Toubro Consortium to Build Advanced National System Control Center (NSCC) for the Kenya Electricity Transmission Company (KETRACO) in Kenya

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

  • New centers being built at Embakasi and Suswa with advanced grid technology for efficient electricity transmission.
  • GE Vernova to provide advanced grid technology and software, with Larsen & Toubro handling all civil works. 
  • Project financed by France through the French Development Agency and the French Treasury.

GE Vernova Inc.(NYSE:GEV) (www.GEVernova.com) today announced that the GE Vernova-Larsen & Toubro (L&T) consortium will build an advanced National System Control Center (NSCC) for Kenya Electricity Transmission Company (KETRACO) to monitor and manage Kenya’s national electricity grid. The work will include constructing a Main Control Centre building in Embakasi, equipped with advanced grid software solutions and the latest substation automation, monitoring, and communication equipment. Additionally, an Emergency Control Centre building in Suswa will be constructed, featuring the same systems and an Enterprise Asset Management (EAM) system for transmission operations. GE Vernova booked the order in the first quarter of 2025.

Kenya’s Electricity Goals

Kenya has set ambitious electricity goals aimed at achieving universal access and transitioning to a sustainable energy future. The country aims to ensure that 100% of its population has access to reliable and affordable electricity by 2030 (https://apo-opa.co/4dXKxLr). To achieve this, Kenya is investing heavily in expanding its electricity grid and enhancing generation capacity. Additionally, Kenya is focusing on enhancing energy efficiency and developing smart grid technologies to optimize electricity transmission, distribution and consumption.

“A new, advanced NSCC is essential for managing increased electricity demand as Kenya’s economy grows. When commissioned, the new NSCC system would play a critical role in supporting our mandate as System Operator(SO). It will ensure reliable, secure, and efficient electricity transmission across the country. It is a game-changer for Kenya’s electricity transmission capabilities, significantly improving our ability to manage the grid, enhance the quality of power, and integrate renewable energy sources,” said Dr. Eng. John Mativo, MBS, Managing Director and CEO at KETRACO.

Consortium Roles and Responsibilities

GE Vernova, through its French entity Grid Solutions SAS, will lead the consortium and provide advanced grid technology from its Electrification Software and Grid Automation portfolio. This technology includes two solutions from its GridOS® orchestration software portfolio—Advanced Energy Management Systems (AEMS) (https://apo-opa.co/43XaPc4) and Wide Area Management Systems (WAMS) (https://apo-opa.co/3ZpEj0V)—Enterprise Asset Management Systems (EAM), and several solutions from its grid automation portfolio – GridBeats™ (https://apo-opa.co/444Wqee) – Asset Performance Management System (APM), Condition Monitoring devices (https://apo-opa.co/4kCf9on), Substation Automation Systems (https://apo-opa.co/4kyVG7V), and Telecommunication Systems (https://apo-opa.co/3HPMbCK). Larsen & Toubro will handle all civil works, including the construction of two fully equipped greenfield control center buildings, equipment installation, and support for system configuration, testing, and commissioning. The project is expected to be completed within three years.

“GE Vernova is uniquely positioned to handle projects of this scale and complexity, requiring both advanced software solutions and grid automation equipment, as well as unique financing solutions. With our comprehensive capabilities in managing such projects end-to-end, we believe KETRACO will significantly benefit from GE Vernova’s expertise, ensuring seamless integration and operational efficiency from project inception to completion,” said Philippe Piron, CEO of GE Vernova’s Electrification Systems businesses. “By providing Kenya with an advanced electricity control center, we’re aiming to enhance the reliability and efficiency of its national grid. This is a pivotal step in paving the way for a more sustainable future that supports the country’s electrification and decarbonization goals.”

Financial and Development Support

The project is made possible through a financing partnership with the French Development Agency (AFD) and the French Treasury, which are providing vital support to KETRACO for the development of a stronger and more sustainable electricity grid in Kenya. This collaboration reflects a shared commitment to advancing Kenya’s energy goals by enabling more reliable and efficient power infrastructure.

“France is committed to supporting sustainable infrastructure projects in Kenya, notably in the Power sector, as part of the broader ongoing collaboration between Kenya and France on energy transition and climate. A modern NSCC will make the Kenyan grid more resilient and reliable, enabling the integration of more variable renewable energy and ultimately providing more reliable and affordable power to Kenya’s businesses and households. The project is fully financed by France with two separate and complementary financing from AFD and the French Treasury, supported by a related grand from the European Union dedicated to Capacity building,” said H.E Arnaud Suquet, the French Ambassador to Kenya.

GE Vernova’s Financial Services business played an integral role in the procurement process, advising the consortium and securing concessional financing from the French Treasury to supplement AFD’s funding. This seamless partnership showcases the importance of combining technical expertise with innovative financing to deliver impactful, future-ready energy solutions.

– on behalf of GE.

Notes to Editors:
A National System Control Center (NSCC) is like a central brain of a country’s electricity grid. It’s responsible for monitoring, controlling, and optimizing the flow of electricity across the entire power system. It can also effectively integrate renewable energy sources like solar, wind, and geothermal into the grid. Real-time monitoring allows for prompt corrective actions, improving grid stability and reducing the risk of power outages and blackouts.

Media Contact – GE Vernova:
Rachel Van Reen
Media Relations
GE Vernova
rachael.vanreen@gevernova.com
+1 678 896 6754

Anshul Madaan
Media Relations
GE Vernova
anshul.madaan@gevernova.com
+91 8377880468

Winnie Gathage
Africa Communications Leader
GE Vernova
winnie.gathage@gevernova.com
+254 704 873 459

Media Contact – KETRACO:
Raphael Mworia
Manager, Corporate Communications
rmworia@ketraco.co.ke
+254 702 949 951
+254 719 018 000

Social Media:
Linkedin: https://apo-opa.co/3HAtinq

About GE Vernova:
GE Vernova Inc. (NYSE: GEV) is a purpose-built global energy company that includes Power, Wind, and Electrification segments and is supported by its accelerator businesses. Building on over 130 years of experience tackling the world’s challenges, GE Vernova is uniquely positioned to help lead the energy transition by continuing to electrify the world while simultaneously working to decarbonize it. GE Vernova helps customers power economies and deliver electricity that is vital to health, safety, security, and improved quality of life. GE Vernova is headquartered in Cambridge, Massachusetts, U.S., with approximately 75,000 employees across 100+ countries around the world. Supported by the Company’s purpose, The Energy to Change the World, GE Vernova technology helps deliver a more affordable, reliable, sustainable, and secure energy future. Learn more: GE Vernova (www.GEVernova.com) and GE Vernova in Middle East & Africa (https://apo-opa.co/3Tjv0vT).

GE Vernova’s Electrification segment includes Grid Solutions, Power Conversion, Solar and Storage Solutions, —collectively referred to as Electrification Systems —and digital technologies, referred to as Electrification Software. The solutions offered by this segment are essential for the transmission, distribution, conversion, storage, and orchestration of electricity from point of generation to point of consumption.​

About KETRACO:
KETRACO, owned by the Government of Kenya, was incorporated on 2nd December 2008 under the Companies Act, pursuant to the reforms in Sessional Paper No.4 to plan, design, construct, own, operate, and maintain high voltage national electricity transmission lines and regional power inter-connector which form the backbone of the National Electricity Grid.

In carrying out its mandate, the Company is developing a new robust grid system to:

  1. Improve quality, reliability, and safety of electricity supply throughout the Country.
  2. Transmit electricity to areas that are currently not supplied by the national grid.
  3. Evacuate power from planned generation points.
  4. Provide a link with the neighbouring countries to facilitate power exchange and trade in the East Africa Region
  5. Reduce electricity transmission losses hence reducing the cost to the economy.
  6. Protect electricity consumers from the high costs of power by absorbing the capital transmission infrastructure.

Forward Looking Statements:
​This document contains forward-looking statements – that is, statements related to future events that by their nature address matters that are, to different degrees, uncertain. These forward-looking statements address GE Vernova’s expected future business and financial performance, and the expected performance of its products, the impact of its services and the results they may generate or produce, and often contain words such as “expect,” “anticipate,” “intend,” “plan,” “believe,” “seek,” “see,” “will,” “would,” “estimate,” “forecast,” “target,” “preliminary,” or “range.” Forward-looking statements by their nature address matters that are, to different degrees, uncertain, such as statements about planned and potential transactions, investments or projects and their expected results and the impacts of macroeconomic and market conditions and volatility on business operations, financial results and financial position and on the global supply chain and world economy.

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Youth Charter Joins United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) in Celebrating International Day of Play: “Choose Play – Every Day”

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

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The Youth Charter (www.YouthCharter.org) proudly marks UNICEF’s International Day of Play under the global theme “Choose Play – Every Day”, standing in solidarity with children and young people worldwide to champion the universal right to play.

This year’s theme serves as a powerful reminder to governments, corporations, educators, families, and communities to make daily choices that protect, promote and prioritise play in the lives of every child and young person. Play is not a luxury – it is essential to physical, mental, emotional and social development. It builds resilience, nurtures creativity, and strengthens inclusion, especially in times of adversity.

In alignment with this, the Youth Charter continues to deliver on its Global Call to Action, launched at the UN Summit of the Future, to ensure that sport, art, culture, and digital innovation are recognised as vital tools of development and peace in the lives of children and youth.

Prof. Geoff Thompson MBE FRSA DL, Youth Charter Founder and Chair, stated:

“Play is a universal language – a bridge that connects young people to opportunity, potential and hope. On this International Day of Play, we reaffirm our mission to create safe, inclusive, and accessible environments where young people everywhere can play, learn, and grow. From our Community Campuses in London to our programmes across Africa and the Caribbean, play is the foundation of our work and a right we will never stop advocating for.”

As we move towards 2030 and the UN Sustainable Development Goals, the Youth Charter calls on partners, policymakers and people of influence to embed play into education, urban design, health, and youth policy frameworks – especially in underserved and marginalised communities.

Join the Movement

The Youth Charter invites individuals and organisations to:

  • Support and share the Global Call to Action at www.YouthCharter.org
  • Host local play-based events across Community Campuses and schools
  • Advocate for investment in inclusive, safe spaces for sport and creative expression
  • Listen to and uplift the voices of young people in decisions that affect their lives

Let us all “Choose Play – Every Day” and commit to a world where every child and young person can live, learn and thrive.

– on behalf of Youth Charter.

Media Contact:
Youth Charter Communications Team
media@youthcharter.org
www.YouthCharter.org
+44 (0)161 998 9555

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Belgium: Independent UN body finds systemic racism against Africans and people of African descent

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

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The UN International Independent Expert Mechanism to Advance Racial Justice and Equality in Law Enforcement called on Belgium to take concrete steps to address the legacies of its colonial past and fight what it said was widespread, systematic racism that still permeates the nation today.

The call came on the final day of a 10-day visit that began 2 June. Experts Tracie Keesee and Victor Rodriguez visited Brussels, Namur, Charleroi, Antwerp, and Mechelen.

“Community members told us that they want to be treated as humans, that nothing has changed and nothing is changing, that diversions and political complexities are used to keep from committing to true change,” said Keesee. “They also explained the great work they do within their communities and expressed their commitment to work with the authorities to bring about meaningful change.”

The experts recognized several good practices; for instance, the existence of a specialized police watchdog outside of the executive power and a centralised internal police control body, as well as the grants to some civil society organizations working to combat racism. “These practices can serve as a model for other States,” Rodriguez said.

However, the experts concluded that Africans and people of African descent, as well as other persons perceived as “foreigners” – including Belgian nationals and persons born in Belgium – face systemic racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance.

“Systemic racism permeates all sectors of society, including in law enforcement and the criminal justice system,” said Keesee. “It is a legacy of enslavement and colonialism, whose long-lasting impacts continue to be felt today. Belgium must continue to take concrete steps towards reparatory justice by confronting the legacies of its history, with the effective participation of affected communities.”

The Mechanism heard testimonies of racial profiling and of excessive use of force by the police against Africans and people of African descent, including against children. “These cases are a clear illustration of systemic racism against these communities, which severely impacts trust in law enforcement institutions,” Rodriguez said.

The Mechanism also witnessed very good community policing practices, which it said should be expanded and strengthened. “We visited police zones that have wonderful practices to bring the police closer to the population and vice versa, including programmes that encourage racialized and vulnerable young people to join the police, something that is lacking in Belgium,” Keesee said.

The experts emphasized how the challenging and stressful nature of law enforcement work directly affects the mental health and well-being of officers, and how this can impact the way they perform their duty and their interactions with the communities they serve. “Peer support groups, and mental health resources should be readily available in support of officers,” Keesee said.

The Mechanism also addressed overcrowding in prisons with disproportionate incarceration of Africans, people of African descent, and people of foreign origin. It noted the use of prisons for administrative migration detention and as mental health detention facilities.

The experts thanked the Government for its invitation and for the smooth cooperation in organizing the visit. They also thanked all institutions and stakeholders who met with them and provided valuable information.

During their visit, members of the Mechanism met with a wide range of governmental stakeholders, including police departments, federal and regional ministries and authorities, city authorities, and other specialized organs, including the Standing Commission of the Local Police, the Committee P, and the General Inspectorate of the Federal and Local Police.

The experts also met human rights institutions, including Unia, the Flemish Institute of Human Rights, and the Federal Institute of Human Rights, and visited the Museum of Central Africa in Tervuren and the memorial museum of Kazerne Dossin in Mechelen. They also visited the administrative detention centre for migrants “Caricole,” the Namur prison, and the local police zones of PolBru and BruWest, in Brussels.

The Mechanism shared its preliminary observations and recommendations with the Belgian Government earlier today. The full findings of its visit will be presented to the UN Human Rights Council at its 60th session in September/October 2025.

– on behalf of United Nations: Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR).

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Significant progress in Eastern Cape power restoration

Source: South Africa News Agency

Significant progress has been made in restoring electricity supply to areas affected by severe weather conditions in the Eastern Cape over the past 48 hours.

Gale force winds, heavy snowfall, and damaging gusts have left thousands in the province without power earlier this week.

According to a statement issued on Wednesday, Eskom Eastern Cape Distribution, electricity had been restored to approximately 136 000 customers, marking a substantial improvement from 300 000 customers that were without power as of Tuesday morning.

“Some of the customers brough back online include over 50 000 in Umzimvubu and Elundini Local Municipalities, 15 000 within Port St Johns Local Municipality, and 20 000 customers in Tsolo within King Mhlontlo Local Municipality. Electricity to all these customers was restored yesterday evening [Tuesday].

“Eskom teams have resumed this morning to continue with the restoration efforts to the outstanding 164 000 customers in areas that include Qumbu, Matatiele, Mthatha, Ntabankulu, Bizana, Mqanduli, and Willowvalley,” Eskom said.

The entity has urged the remaining customers to be patient and to continue treating all electricity appliances as live during this period.

“As the weather is starting to clear, we trust that there will be access to some of the sites to speed up electricity supply restoration.”

Eskom has also urged affected customers to remain patient and treat all electrical appliances as live for safety reasons.

Customers are reminded to use the available platforms to report supply issues including: 
•    Alfred the Chatbot by connecting to https://alfred.eskom.co.za/chatroom/. 
•    USSD string: Dial *120*37566# on any mobile phones.
•    MyEskom Customer App: Available on Google Play Store for Android devices and iPhone App Store for iPhone.

“Customers now have the option of contacting Eskom directly via WhatsApp on 08600 37566 to log a fault or use email: EasternCape@Eskom.co.za,” Eskom said. – SAnews.gov.za
 

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Cabo Verde reafirma compromisso com a justiça social e o trabalho digno na 113.ª Conferência Internacional do Trabalho da Organização Internacional do Trabalho (OIT)

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Cabo Verde participa na 113.ª Conferência Internacional do Trabalho, promovida pela Organização Internacional do Trabalho (OIT), que decorre de 2 a 13 de junho, em Genebra, Suíça. A delegação cabo-verdiana é liderada pelo Ministro de Estado da Família, Inclusão e Desenvolvimento Social, Fernando Elísio Freire, que representa o país de 10 a 13 de junho, integrando os principais painéis de discussão sobre os desafios emergentes no mundo do trabalho.

A Conferência Internacional do Trabalho é o maior fórum mundial de diálogo tripartido, reunindo governos, empregadores e trabalhadores dos 187 Estados-membros da OIT. Este ano, os temas em destaque incluem a proteção contra riscos biológicos nos ambientes de trabalho, o trabalho digno na economia digital, a formalização do trabalho informal e a promoção de condições laborais justas e seguras, com especial enfoque no setor dos cuidados.

Hoje, 11 de junho, o Ministro de Estado da Família, Inclusão e Desenvolvimento Social de Cabo Verde, Fernando Elísio Freire, discursou na sessão plenária. Na sua intervenção, afirmou: “Cabo Verde associa-se, com firme convicção, aos trabalhos desta sessão da Conferência, dedicada a temas que refletem os desafios mais prementes do mundo do trabalho na atualidade.”

Segundo o Ministro, a pandemia da COVID-19 evidenciou a urgência de proteger os trabalhadores contra riscos biológicos e expôs fragilidades estruturais nos sistemas de segurança e saúde no trabalho, especialmente em países em desenvolvimento e insulares, como Cabo Verde.

Destacou ainda que o Governo tem implementado uma estratégia nacional integrada para reforçar a proteção contra riscos biológicos, sublinhando iniciativas como a atualização da legislação sobre o seguro obrigatório de acidentes de trabalho e doenças profissionais, a validação de um manual de biossegurança para laboratórios e a introdução de normas específicas sobre biossegurança na legislação laboral.

O Ministro realçou também a importância das parcerias com a OIT e a Organização Mundial da Saúde (OMS) para ações de capacitação técnica, distribuição de Equipamentos de Proteção Individual (EPI), bem como para campanhas de sensibilização e workshops sobre segurança e saúde no trabalho, incluindo ações específicas dirigidas a imigrantes.

Relativamente ao trabalho nas plataformas digitais, o Ministro sublinhou: “Cabo Verde está a desenvolver um quadro de políticas que equilibra a inovação tecnológica com a proteção dos direitos dos trabalhadores.” Este esforço visa garantir que os trabalhadores digitais tenham acesso a condições laborais justas e a benefícios sociais, em consonância com os Objetivos de Desenvolvimento Sustentável (ODS) e com a Agenda 2030 da OIT.

Sobre o desafio da informalidade no país, o Ministro enfatizou que o Governo está a implementar medidas concretas para promover a transição para a formalidade, destacando o Programa Nacional de Formalização, que oferece incentivos fiscais, acesso a microcrédito e formação em gestão para pequenos negócios. Acrescentou ainda que estão em curso sistemas simplificados de registo e licenciamento via plataformas digitais, a promoção do empreendedorismo jovem e feminino, e a expansão da proteção social aos trabalhadores informais.

“Estas iniciativas refletem o nosso compromisso em construir um mercado de trabalho justo, equitativo e resiliente, onde todos os cidadãos possam prosperar”, afirmou Fernando Elísio Freire, reforçando o empenho de Cabo Verde na promoção de políticas inclusivas de proteção social, valorização do diálogo social e combate às desigualdades no mundo do trabalho.

O Ministro saudou também a criação da Coligação Global pela Justiça Social, promovida pela OIT, classificando-a como “uma iniciativa visionária e necessária”, e reforçou que Cabo Verde está disponível para colaborar de forma construtiva com os Estados-membros, parceiros sociais e instituições multilaterais na sua implementação. Segundo o Ministro, “só com justiça social poderemos garantir um futuro de paz, equidade e prosperidade para todos”.

Em nome da Comunidade dos Países de Língua Portuguesa (CPLP), afirmou que a comunidade reafirma o seu empenho num sistema multilateral baseado em regras, centrado no desenvolvimento sustentável, harmonioso e inclusivo. Reiterou ainda a importância da realização, em novembro de 2025, do Segundo Fórum Mundial para o Desenvolvimento Social, e recomendou a adesão de todos os Estados-membros à Coligação Global pela Justiça Social como prova de um compromisso partilhado com os direitos no trabalho e a equidade global.

Concluiu reiterando a posição da CPLP quanto à necessidade de promover o português como língua de trabalho na OIT e de reforçar a igualdade de género e a não discriminação no mundo laboral, em consonância com os princípios fundamentais da organização.

A participação de Cabo Verde na 113.ª Conferência Internacional do Trabalho reafirma o seu papel ativo na defesa da justiça social, na construção de políticas laborais inclusivas e na promoção de um futuro mais digno e sustentável para todos os trabalhadores.

Distribuído pelo Grupo APO para Governo de Cabo Verde.

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Deputy President Mashatile to respond to Oral Questions in the National Assembly

Source: President of South Africa –

Deputy President Shipokosa Paulus Mashatile will on Thursday, 12 June 2025, respond to Questions for Oral Reply in the National Assembly, on wide-ranging issues related to agricultural support, addressing water shortages in the country and intensified efforts in the country’s comprehensive HIV and AIDS response.

As Chairperson of the Inter-Ministerial Committee (IMC) on Agriculture and Land Reform, the Deputy President will apprise Members of Parliament on Government efforts towards improving access to funding and resource support for small-scale and smallholder farmers, as well as supporting infrastructure development in the rural areas.

Following the withdrawal of the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) funding by the United States government, the Deputy President will reassure the members that Government has the capacity to fund its HIV/AIDS programme and the withdrawal will not have a dire impact in the purchasing and the distribution of the anti-retrovirals.

As the Chairperson of the Water Task Team, the Deputy President will emphasise the need to enhance municipal service management and financial stability in the water sector to address water shortages in the country.

In light of the persistent and evolving threat posed by gang-related violence in both urban and peri-urban areas, the Deputy President will brief Parliament on the comprehensive strategy the Justice, Crime-Prevention and Security Cabinet Committee has implemented to dismantle organised criminal networks. 

The Deputy President will further reiterate South Africa’s commitment to the rule of law, which is a cornerstone of South Africa’s democratic constitutional order.

Details of the National Assembly sitting are as follows:

Date: Thursday, 12 June 2025
Time: 14h00
Venue: Good Hope Chambers, Parliament, Cape Town

Media enquiries: Mr Keith Khoza, Acting Spokesperson to the Deputy President, on 066 195 8840.

Issued by: The Presidency
Pretoria

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African women entrepreneurs are a smart bet for climate change investment: research shows why

Source: The Conversation – Africa – By Kate Gannon, Assistant Professor, London School of Economics and Political Science

Women in Africa are often framed as especially vulnerable to climate change. Our earlier research suggested that women entrepreneurs often face a “triple differential vulnerability” to climate risk compared to men.

What we mean is that there are three possible reasons for their additional vulnerability. First, their livelihoods are often in climate sensitive sectors. Second, they face additional barriers to accessing resources for adaptation in the business environment – such as finance, new adaptation technologies and markets for climate smart goods and services. Last, they also hold primary responsibility for managing climate risk at the household level.

However, our new research also suggests a parallel, more overlooked reality. Women entrepreneurs may also be leading the way in action on climate resilience in Africa.

Through the Women Entrepreneurs in Climate Change Adaptation (WECCA) project we are researching this role of women as strategic actors in inclusive adaptation action.

Women’s entrepreneurship is key to development outcomes in Africa. This is because their businesses make wide ranging contributions to economic activity. They are active in critical agriculture and food processing value chains, which boosts export earnings. And through cooperatives, and savings groups, at the local level, women create access points to finance and markets for others in underserved regions. Studies also suggest women are more likely to use their profits to address the most critical household needs.

Small businesses form the backbone of most African economies. They generate most employment opportunities and provide essential goods and services.

Yet, these businesses are on the frontline of climate impacts. Floods, droughts, and concurrent disruption to power, water and transport networks threaten supply chains, disrupt markets, interrupt livelihood activities and damage business assets.

Businesses must adapt to survive. But how they adapt can make the difference between building long-term resilience and deepening vulnerability.

Results from our study of small businesses in climate vulnerable regions of Kenya and Senegal suggest that businesses with women leaders take a more sustainable approach to adaptation than those with only male leaders. This safeguards long-term business resilience. Our results also found adaptation assistance has a stronger impact on helping women-led small businesses adjust to climate change, compared to those led only by men.

These results suggest that supporting adaptation for women entrepreneurs isn’t just about fairness. It’s also a smart strategy for scaling up climate resilient economies. Building an inclusive business environment for adaptation may deliver bigger returns on investments for governments and donors.

Women entrepreneurs as strategic actors

Our study analysed survey data of small businesses in semi-arid regions of Senegal and Kenya. The aim was to consider how having female owners and managers shaped a business’s adaptation to extreme events.

Our dataset covered the Senegalese regions of Louga, Saint Louis and Kaolack. In Kenya, it covered the county of Laikipia. The regions experience extreme drought and flooding that is expected to increase in the coming decades. Entrepreneurship in these regions is particularly concentrated in agricultural sectors. These are highly exposed to the impacts of these extremes.

We investigated how a business having female leaders impacted the number of sustainable and unsustainable adaptation strategies that they adopted.

Following earlier literature, we classified adaptation strategies as:

  • “sustainable” when they maintain business operations at existing levels

  • “unsustainable” if they help businesses “cope” in the short term but result in a temporary (or sometimes permanent) reduction in business activity. This could reduce the resources that they have to cope with future climate impacts.

We found that businesses which include women within their management and ownership teams adopted fewer unsustainable adaptation measures than those led solely by men. Unsustainable adaptation actions are typically reactive coping strategies that can help businesses address immediate needs to minimise the negative impacts of climate shocks in the short term. These might include selling off business assets or cutting staff.

But these actions often come at a cost. They reduce business activity, undermine future growth, and may limit a business’s ability to recover from subsequent climate impacts.

In contrast, we found that businesses with female leaders were more likely to adopt sustainable adaptation measures that protected the long-term health of the business. These included:

  • diversifying income sources

  • switching to different crops

  • taking out loans or insurance.

Such strategies can help to reduce vulnerability to future climate shocks, and support income stability and recovery during periods of climate stress.

These findings are striking given the additional barriers that women face when trying to adapt.

It is well documented, for example, that women entrepreneurs in Africa face deeper constraints than men in accessing adaptation resources. This includes finance, training and technologies.

Similarly, gendered expectations around domestic responsibilities can limit women’s time and mobility, restricting their ability to attend training sessions or participate in external markets.

Social norms may also limit their decision-making power within households or businesses. This can make it harder to act independently on adaptation investments.

Given these constraints, the use of more sustainable adaptation strategies by women-led businesses deserves careful interpretation. Many of the sustainable measures we analysed – such as switching crops or diversifying income streams – can require less upfront capital than the unsustainable ones. Actions like selling assets or scaling back staff, meanwhile, are only possible if the business owns significant physical or financial resources to begin with.

The lower use of unsustainable strategies by women-led businesses may therefore reflect more limited coping capacity: they may simply have fewer assets to draw on when a shock hits.

Yet this makes the findings even more important. Sustainable strategies can still be highly effective. Our research suggests that women business leaders are often finding ways to adapt that are both practical and forward-looking, even when working with limited capital. In this sense, women entrepreneurs are not just more vulnerable – they are also strategic actors driving adaptation innovation, often with fewer resources.

What’s needed

These findings highlight not only the constraints women entrepreneurs continue to face, but also their untapped potential in adaptation.

What’s more, our study suggests that this potential can be especially powerful when the right support is in place. We found that when adaptation assistance (whether financial or technical) is made available, women-led businesses didn’t just catch up with their male-led counterparts. They often outperformed them.

This points to a highly strategic opportunity: that investing in adaptation for women entrepreneurs could deliver outsized benefits for climate resilience. For their businesses as well as the communities and economies they support.

This finding points to the need for governments to develop a business-enabling environment for adaptation that targets women entrepreneurs. This means designing policies, programmes, and support that address persistent gaps in access to tailored finance, technologies, and adaptation goods and services.

Better data is also needed. Our study used the best available data. But it was based on a relatively small sample from specific regions in Kenya and Senegal and should not be overgeneralised.

To test the strength of our findings, there is an urgent need for additional high-quality, gender-disaggregated datasets on business level adaptation behaviour.

The World Bank Enterprise Surveys could play a vital role, as one of the most extensive sources of data on small and medium-sized enterprises globally.

– African women entrepreneurs are a smart bet for climate change investment: research shows why
– https://theconversation.com/african-women-entrepreneurs-are-a-smart-bet-for-climate-change-investment-research-shows-why-252821

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Waste pickers and vendors should be treated as workers, not small businesses – labour lawyer

Source: The Conversation – Africa – By Marlese von Broembsen, Associate Professor (in Labour Law and Development), University of the Western Cape

A new report from the International Labour Organisation outlines a set of propositions on how countries should go about formalising the informal economy. The report provides the basis for negotiations on the subject at the International Labour Conference in Geneva in June 2025.

Formalising the informal economy is a burning issue, particularly for countries in Africa. In some, such as Nigeria and Ghana, more than 80% of the workforce is informal.

According to the ILO report, the informal economy is a “structural barrier” to social justice and decent work. This is so because informal enterprises do not pay tax, therefore governments do not have the public revenue to meet their sustainable development goals.

Based on my research and policy work on the informal economy I believe that the ILO’s analysis, and its proposed solutions, are flawed. In my view, they follow a long tradition of misplaced thinking about the formalisation of informal work.

The ILO has the view that all “independent workers” should be “brought under” laws that regulate enterprises. And it assumes that providing “independent workers” with access to finance, business and skills training, and access to markets (“business development services”), will lead to more “productive” enterprises that create jobs.

I don’t agree.

Business development services have been tried in many countries since the 1990s – without success.

Clearly, informal enterprises that earn above the tax threshold must be “brought under” enterprise laws and must comply with labour laws if they employ others. But what about own-account workers, such as street vendors and waste pickers, who earn way below the tax threshold?

Labour law only covers employees, but I argue that it should be reformed to include own-account workers. That’s because given structural unemployment, artificial intelligence and a shift from firms investing in production to investing in financial products, industrial reform and business development services are not going to create sufficient jobs.

The flaws

The ILO report argues that the reasons “independent workers” don’t formalise are that: they lack the capital to be productive; it’s too costly to comply with legislation; and they don’t want to pay tax because they don’t trust state institutions.

This logic suggests that states should: support enterprises to become more productive and profitable; reduce the cost of compliance; make institutions trustworthy; and reform industrial policy to improve productivity and create jobs. This is exactly what the report recommends.

But these approaches haven’t worked. If decent work is the aim, most people in the informal sector should fall under labour law, rather than enterprise law.

Old wine in new wineskins

Policy approaches to the informal sector have changed over the decades. For example, in the late 1980s simplifying regulations and creating property rights was seen as the answer for informal micro-enterprises to formalise.

This was first popularised by Peruvian economist Hernando De Soto’s 1989 book The Other Path: The Invisible Revolution in the Third World. He argued that Peruvians operated informally because complying with the regulations was too time-consuming and expensive. His insights were incorporated into the World Bank’s “good governance” development agenda.

Similarly, access to credit and markets, business and skills training – known as “business development services” – was the key strategy in the 1990s, when I first worked in this sector. When the first democratically elected government in South Africa published its small business strategy in 1996, this reflected “best practice” at the time.

South Africa’s policy visualised the formalisation process as a ladder: with the right support, micro-businesses would climb the “entrepreneurial ladder” to become “globally competitive businesses” and create jobs. Government’s role was to simplify regulations and provide funds to service providers.

Back in 2010, I critiqued this approach, in part because there was no evidence that livelihood activities (such as street vending) will grow into job-creating businesses simply by providing the inputs, correcting market failures and simplifying business regulations.

Since then, informality has increased everywhere, as evidenced in the ILO’s report. Kate Philip, the programme lead on the Presidential Employment Stimulus in the Office of the South African Presidency, argues that this approach places the responsibility on the most economically marginalised citizens to “self-employ themselves out of poverty”.

One size does not fit all

The ILO report lumps together employers – people whose businesses are informal and employ others – together with own-account workers into one category: “independent workers”.

Read more: Informal workers in Ghana’s chop bars get no benefit from foreign aid: donors are getting it wrong

ILO data show that own-account workers make up 47% of informal workers, and fewer than 3% are employers. In Africa, the percentage of own-account workers is even higher. In sub-Saharan Africa, street vendors comprise 43% of informal employment.

The goal is “bringing them under regulation, with both the advantages and obligations it entails” to realise decent work and to grow the tax base. It assumes that own-account workers are not regulated and are not contributing to the fiscus.

Both these assumptions are false. Public space, where many work, falls under nuisance, health and vagrancy regulations. And vendors pay “taxes” to local authorities to trade.

The report recognises that own-account workers suffer violence and harassment in their workplace. Violence, arrests and confiscation of goods – by municipal officials and the police – is ubiquitous. Workers are powerless to engage individually with the state. To realise decent work, they need to do that collectively.

Where labour law fits in

Labour law recognises that workers and employers’ interests are not aligned. It provides a collective bargaining framework for workers to negotiate as a group.

Although labour law only covers employees, I have argued that it can be reformed to include own-account workers. Street vendors and other own-account workers are here to stay. Reforming labour laws to realise their right to collective bargaining – to co-determine their working conditions – should be a critical part of formalisation.

– Waste pickers and vendors should be treated as workers, not small businesses – labour lawyer
– https://theconversation.com/waste-pickers-and-vendors-should-be-treated-as-workers-not-small-businesses-labour-lawyer-258635

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République centrafricaine : Des routes, des ponts et des bacs pour la protection des civils et le développement local


L’état des routes en République centrafricaine (RCA) demeure un défi majeur pour le développement et la stabilité du pays. Le réseau routier national s’étend sur environ 24 000 km, dont seulement 3 % sont asphaltés. La majorité des routes sont des pistes en terre battue, qui deviennent impraticables pendant les huit mois de la saison des pluies, rendant de nombreuses localités difficilement accessibles. Cette situation complique la circulation des biens et des personnes, entrave la mise en œuvre du mandat de protection des civils de la MINUSCA et limite la capacité d’extension de l’autorité de l’État sur le territoire.

Pour remédier à cette situation, de 2022 à 2025, plus de 120 ponts métalliques ou en bois ont été construits ou réhabilités, entre autres, à Bangui, Obo, Bambari, Bangassou, Berberati, Paoua, Kaga-Bandoro, Bouar, Ndélé, Bria, Birao, Bossangoa. Six bacs ont été réhabilités, comme à Bambari, Obo et Berberati. Cela inclut aussi la construction de 2,5 km de routes asphaltées à Bangui et la réparation de plus de 580 km de routes dans le reste du pays.

Plus de 10,400 millions de dollars (environ 6 milliards de francs CFA) ont ainsi été investis par la MINUSCA au cours des trois dernières années (2022 et 2025), pour la construction et la réhabilitation de routes, ponts et bacs en République centrafricaine (RCA).

Cette contribution de la Mission aide à surmonter les difficultés logistiques qui entravent la circulation dans le pays et à renforcer la mobilité des Forces de défense et de sécurité centrafricaines et des Casques bleus de la MINUSCA. Ces infrastructures, nouvelles ou réhabilitées, améliorent leur capacité à assurer la sécurité et la protection des civils.

En effet, elles permettent d’organiser des patrouilles actives et des opérations conjointes dans les zones à risque.

Au-delà des chiffres et des projets, ce sont les populations locales qui ressentent concrètement l’impact de ces travaux.

À Gbakassa, dans la préfecture de la Lobaye, les efforts conjoints des autorités locales, de la jeunesse et de la MINUSCA ont permis d’améliorer une voie longtemps délaissée.

À l’instar de nombreuses voies du pays, la route reliant Gbakassa à Bimon, dans la commune de Bimbo, était en mauvais état. A l’initiative des autorités locales et grâce au soutien logistique et financier de la MINUSCA, la jeunesse de Bimon s’est investie dans des travaux d’amélioration de la voie. Au grand bonheur des usagers.

Habitant de Bimon, Hugues Stanislas Bollo y entrevoit un impact indéniable. « Elle va véritablement aider nos compatriotes de Gbakassa. C’est une zone agricole qui approvisionne également Bangui. Son accessibilité est donc essentielle », fait-il valoir.

Le chantier a mobilisé une vingtaine de jeunes et des membres de la communauté locale, répartis en quatre équipes chargées du débroussaillage, du terrassement, du remblayage et de l’aménagement du système de drainage pour prévenir l’érosion.

D’autres régions, comme le Haut-Mbomou, connaissent également des transformations grâce à la réhabilitation d’axes routiers. Dans le Haut-Mbomou, la MINUSCA a entrepris la réhabilitation de la route Obo-Bambouti, jusqu’alors impraticable. Les travaux, encore en cours, sont exécutés par le contingent pakistanais de la MINUSCA, avec le soutien de 50 jeunes bénéficiaires du projet de réduction de la violence communautaire (CVR) de la Mission.

Les habitants espèrent le retour de la paix et de la sécurité dans leur localité. Mbolinzapa Carine, résidente du village Zara, exprime son souhait de voir la route réhabilitée jusqu’à Bambouti. Elle affirme : « Avant, c’était difficile de circuler sur cette route, la peur gagnait les esprits. Aujourd’hui, tu peux circuler comme bon te semble ».

Un autre habitant se réjouit de cette initiative : « Auparavant, la circulation sur cette route était réservée aux groupes armés, mais aujourd’hui, il y a un grand changement. Les gens circulent librement, ce qui témoigne du retour de la sécurité sur cette voie. Si les travaux se poursuivent jusqu’à Bambouti, vraiment, je remercie Dieu ».

Dans le même esprit, la MINUSCA a restauré plusieurs ponts dans les préfectures de la Kémo et de l’Ouham-Fafa. En juillet 2024, dans le cadre du projet de réduction de la violence communautaire (CVR), la MINUSCA, a réhabilité quatre ponts sur l’axe Dekoa-Bouca, dans les préfectures de la Kémo et de l’Ouham-Fafa en République centrafricaine.

Le chef du village Télé, Jean Ernest Vincent Ngouyomba, indique que la réparation de ces ponts a diminué le nombre d’accidents sur cette voie. « Désormais, nous n’aurons plus à souffrir de voir des accidents se produire devant nous avec des conséquences graves. Je suis très content de la réparation de ce pont qui est un réel soulagement », a-t-il indiqué.

A Bouar, dans la préfecture de la Nana-Mambéré, où les intempéries détérioraient régulièrement les voies, la demande locale a conduit à une réhabilitation ciblée de tronçons routiers. Le maire de Bouar, Dieu Beni Massina, a sollicité en juillet 2022 le soutien de la MINUSCA pour la réhabilitation de certaines routes, soulignant que « sans routes, il n’y a pas de développement ».

De juillet 2022 à juillet 2025, la Mission, à travers la compagnie de génie militaire péruvien, a réhabilité au moins sept tronçons routiers, couvrant une distance totale de plus de 50 kilomètres, à la grande satisfaction de la population et des autorités.

« Grâce à ces routes rénovées, les habitants de la ville de Bouar peuvent désormais accéder plus aisément à la mairie pour des services administratifs et circuler en toute sécurité dans la ville », a indiqué le maire.

Pour Judith Koïgbé, habitante de la ville, « la réhabilitation des routes a permis de réduire les accidents et de faciliter la mobilité des biens et des personnes ».

Avis partagé par Justin Ngate, conducteur de taxi-moto depuis six ans et membre de l’Association de conducteurs de taxi-motos. « Avant les travaux de réhabilitation des routes de Bouar entrepris par la MINUSCA, il était tout simplement inenvisageable de transporter des patients sur ces routes, car cela aurait compromis leur état de santé. De plus, nous étions constamment exposés à des accidents, et nos motos se détérioraient rapidement. Cependant, aujourd’hui, grâce à l’intervention de la MINUSCA, nous empruntons ces routes avec beaucoup plus de confiance et de sécurité », témoigne-t-il avec satisfaction.

Enfin, dans la préfecture de la Ouaka, la réhabilitation du bac, qui était resté en panne depuis plusieurs mois, permet de relier la sous-préfecture de Kouango aux autres localités de la préfecture., Ce bac constitue un moyen de transport important pour une population estimée à 68 000 habitants. Cet arrêt entravait la circulation de la population et l’économie de la localité.

Le fleuve Ouaka traverse la sous-préfecture de Kouango et sépare la ville des autres localités, comme la petite bourgade de Bombala, située à 97 km de Bambari. Pour relier les deux parties, la population utilise soit des pirogues, soit le bac en panne depuis plusieurs mois.

La réhabilitation du bac était donc une doléance pressante non seulement de la population, mais également des autorités locales. Pour le premier adjoint au maire de la ville, il en va de la performance de l’économie locale. « Nous avons le café, nous avons les bœufs, l’arachide, tout est à Kouango, mais pour faciliter l’écoulement de ces produits, il est nécessaire de remettre en route ce bac », a indiqué Dongba Thierry Martinien.

Des infrastructures pour désenclaver

La réhabilitation de ces infrastructures contribue à l’amélioration de l’accès, à la sécurité, au développement économique, à la réduction des coûts de transport, à la facilitation des échanges commerciaux entre localités voisines, à un accès plus rapide aux services administratifs, de santé et à l’éducation, etc.

Ces diverses projets n’améliorent pas seulement la circulation ; elles génèrent aussi des retombées économiques et sociales pour les communautés locales. Grâce au dispositif Cash for Work, souvent utilisé par la MINUSCA, ces projets contribuent aussi à la création d’emplois locaux et boostent la vente de matériaux locaux de construction.

Distribué par APO Group pour United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in the Central African Republic (MINUSCA).

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Empowering voices, cultivating resilience: Farmer Field Schools transform lives in Zimbabwe’s Sebungwe Landscape

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

In Zimbabwe’s Kariba District, a quiet transformation is taking place driven by knowledge, inclusion, and resilience. Supported by the Embassy of Ireland through UNDP and led by FAO in partnership with the Ministry of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development, the ZRBF 2 bridging fund project “Resilience Building in the Sebungwe Landscape” is unlocking the potential of local communities to lead the way in climate-smart agriculture and natural resources management.

Shifting mindsets: From command to collaboration

Simbarashe Kashiri, a young extension officer in Ward 4, Kariba shared how the training changed his outlook. “I initially thought extension work was all about giving orders to farmers,” Simbarashe reflects. “But now I understand the power of facilitation. In the Kujatana FFS group I helped establish, farmers are making their own decisions, and they’re thriving.”
That group, aptly named Kujatana (which means “working together” in the local language), has 88 percent women, and is already reaping the rewards of collaboration. They are cultivating tomatoes and producing organic compost from goat manure using the Bokashi method – a climate-smart practice that enhances soil fertility while promoting food security and sustainable farming.

Simbarashe’s experience is just one among many inspired by the project’s holistic, community-driven approach. Across nine wards in Kariba, 13 AGRITEX officers have been trained in the FFS model, resulting in the establishment of 12 Farmer Field Schools. More than just learning hubs, these schools are becoming spaces of empowerment, experimentation, and collective problem-solving, particularly for women and youth, who are leading the way in building local resilience.

Linking local knowledge with strategic objectives

The FFS approach not only improves local agricultural practices but also aligns with national and global sustainability targets. It supports FAO’s Strategic Framework (2022–2031), which seeks to promote Better Production, Better Nutrition, a Better Environment, and a Better Life, leaving no one behind.

“This project contributes directly to FAO’s Strategic Framework by promoting sustainable food systems and inclusive rural transformation through capacity building, climate-smart agriculture, and stakeholder engagement. The adoption of the Farmer Field School approach exemplifies how local innovation and empowerment are essential to achieving resilience and sustainable development,” said Alexander Carr the Resilience Building in the Sebungwe Landscape, Project Coordinator.

The project supports UN SDGs 1, 2, and 10, reinforcing the right to food, gender equality, and decent rural livelihoods. “Particularly by advancing SDG Target 2.4 (sustainable food production systems) and promoting gender-sensitive value chains that create economic opportunities in rural areas,” asserted Obert Maminimini, FAO Crops and Extension Specialist.

From chickens to chilies: Creating climate-smart livelihoods

Through participatory processes involving over 240 farmers, seven climate-smart value chains were identified and analyzed: goats, cattle, indigenous chickens, sorghum, fish, sesame, and chilies. These value chains are being nurtured to enhance food and nutrition security, reduce environmental pressure, and increase household incomes.
The promotion of these value chains reflects the project’s broader vision: to create a landscape of resilience, where ecological conservation and human development go hand in hand.

Alongside community empowerment, the project has laid a strong technical foundation for sustainable development. A high-resolution Land Use and Land Cover (LULC) map was developed using Sentinel-2 satellite imagery, and ecological connectivity for elephants was modelled to guide land planning. These tools are vital for aligning conservation priorities with local livelihoods.

More than 20 institutional stakeholders, including local government, conservation agencies, traditional leaders, and NGOs were engaged in mapping and consultation processes. This level of participation is essential for ensuring community ownership and policy alignment.

Collaboration for long-term impact

The Sebungwe project is not a standalone effort. It builds upon previous work under the EU-funded SWM 2 initiative and integrates FAO’s GEF-7 supported Integrated Landscape Planning Model. Together with partners such as Nyaminyami Rural District Council, Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority, African Parks, and Peace Parks, the project lays the groundwork for a comprehensive, coordinated resilience-building strategy in Zimbabwe.

In addition, the project’s success in integrating ecological and socio-economic priorities through land use planning, natural resources governance, and value chain development sets the stage for the larger European Union funded Zimbabwe Resilience Building Fund (ZRBF) Phase 2 implementation.

– on behalf of Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO): Regional Office for Africa.

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