MIL Africa Engine

October 27, 2025

Islamic Corporation for the Development of the Private Sector (ICD) and Indonesia Exim Bank Sign Letter of Intent to Strengthen Cooperation in Shariah-Compliant Investment and Support Indonesia’s Financial Sector

Source: APO – Report:

The Islamic Corporation for the Development of the Private Sector (ICD) (https://ICD-PS.org/), the private sector arm of the Islamic Development Bank (IsDB) Group, and Indonesia Eximbank today announced the signing of a landmark Letter of Intent (LOI) expressing their intention to explore a potential USD 30 million Line of Finance (LoF) facility to be extended by ICD to Indonesia Eximbank (the “Facility”).

The proposed Facility is intended to be used by Indonesia Eximbank for onward financing of eligible private sector enterprises whose operations have strong development impact in Indonesia. In deploying the Facility, there will be strong focus on supporting Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) and large corporates whose operations have the potential of boosting national export performance and the growth and development of export-oriented halal industries in Indonesia thereby driving economic growth and strengthening national development.

Following the signing of the LOI, Mohammad Asheque Moyeed, Acting Director of Banking Department of ICD commented:

“This proposed LOF facility is not just another financing line; it is a landmark shariah compliant transaction designed to increase access to capital and open new opportunities for private sector growth and development in Indonesia. The Facility aims to unlock new opportunities and serve as a catalyst for attracting greater participation from investors and financiers in our member countries and other international markets into the dynamic Indonesia’s economy. It reinforces our commitment to expanding and diversifying Islamic finance globally.”

Indonesia Eximbank expressed its appreciation for ICD’s proactive engagement, emphasizing that the proposed Facility will be efficiently channeled to finance eligible businesses, unlocking new opportunities for Indonesian enterprises and contributing to the advancement of export-oriented halal businesses and the growth of the Islamic finance industry in Indonesia.

Anwar Harsono, Managing Director of Finance, Operations, & Information Technology of Indonesia Eximbank said:

“This collaboration underscores our shared commitment to strengthening Indonesia’s export sector and expanding SME access to financing. We believe this Facility will support the growth of export-oriented halal industries and further strengthen Indonesia Eximbank’s role as the Special Mission Vehicle of the Ministry of Finance in promoting national businesses, particularly halal products, in the international market.”

ICD has a strong track record of providing Line of Finance facilities to financial institutions across its 56 member countries. This partnership with Indonesia Eximbank represents a strategic step in expanding ICD’s footprint and growing impact in its member countries within the ASEAN region and promoting inclusive and sustainable private sector growth.

– on behalf of Islamic Corporation for the Development of the Private Sector (ICD).

Media Contact:
Islamic Corporation for the Development of the Private Sector (ICD)
Nabil Al-Alami
Manager, Communication & Corporate Marketing, ICD
Email: nalami@isdb.org

Indonesia Eximbank
Corporate Secretary – Indonesia Eximbank
Ph: (021) 39503600
Email: corpsec@indonesiaeximbank.go.id
Web: www.IndonesiaEximbank.go.id

About the Islamic Corporation for the Development of the Private Sector (ICD):
The Islamic Corporation for the Development of the Private Sector (ICD) is a multilateral development financial institution that supports the economic development of its member countries. ICD is a member of the Islamic Development Bank (IsDB) Group with an authorized capital of $4 billion, ICD’s shareholders include the IsDB, 56 member countries, and five public financial institutions. ICD’s mandate is to promote the economic development of its member countries by financing and encouraging the establishment, expansion and modernization of private sector enterprises and projects in its member countries, promoting competition and entrepreneurship, and encouraging cross-border investments. The ICD is currently rated ‘A2’ by Moody’s, ‘A+’ by Fitch, and ‘A’ by S&P. For More information on ICD visit: https://ICD-PS.org/.

About Indonesia Exim Bank:
Established under Law No. 2/2009, Indonesia Eximbank is a financial institution wholly owned by the Government of the Republic of Indonesia. Its primary objective is to enhance national export growth and support exporters in expanding their business capacity.

Indonesia Eximbank is committed to promoting Indonesian exporters as respected global players, offering world-class export products and services to international markets.

October 27, 2025

New discovery reveals chimpanzees in Uganda use flying insects to tend their wounds

Source: The Conversation – Africa – By Kayla Kolff, Postdoctoral researcher, Osnabrück University

Animals respond to injury in many ways. So far, evidence for animals tending wounds with biologically active materials is rare. Yet, a recent study of an orangutan treating a wound with a medicinal plant provides a promising lead.

Chimpanzees, for example, are known to lick their wounds and sometimes press leaves onto them, but these behaviours are still only partly understood. We still do not know how often these actions occur, whether they are deliberate, or how inventive chimpanzees can be when responding to wounds.

Recent field observations in Uganda, east Africa, are now revealing intriguing insights into how these animals cope with wounds.

As a primatologist, I am fascinated by the cognitive and social lives of chimpanzees, and by what sickness-related behaviours can reveal about the evolutionary origins of care and empathy in people. Chimpanzees are among our closest living relatives, and we can learn so much about ourselves through understanding them.

In our research based in Kibale National Park, Uganda, chimpanzees have been seen applying insects to their own open wounds on five occasions, and in one case to another individual.

Behaviours like insect application show that chimpanzees are not passive when wounded. They experiment with their environment, sometimes alone and occasionally with others. While we should not jump too quickly to call this “medicine”, it does show that they are capable of responding to wounds in inventive and sometimes cooperative ways.

Each new insight adds reveals more about chimpanzees, offering glimpses into the shared evolutionary roots of our own responses to injury and caregiving instincts.

First catch your insect

We saw the insect applications by chance while observing and recording their behaviour in the forest, but paid special attention to chimpanzees with open wounds.

Insect application by subadult Damien.

In all observed cases, the sequence of actions seemed deliberate. A chimpanzee caught an unidentified flying insect, immobilised it between lips or fingers, and pressed it directly onto an open wound. The same insect was sometimes reapplied several times, occasionally after being held briefly in the mouth, before being discarded. Other chimpanzees occasionally watched the process closely, seemingly with curiosity.

Most often the behaviour was directed at the chimpanzee’s own open wound. However, in one rare instance, an adolescent female applied an insect to her brother’s wound. A study on the same community has shown that chimpanzees also dab the wounds of unrelated members with leaves, prompting the question of whether insect application of these chimpanzees, too, might extend beyond family members. Acts of care, whether directed towards family or others, can reveal the early foundations of empathy and cooperation.

The observed sequence closely resembles the insect applications seen in Central chimpanzees in Gabon, Africa. The similarity suggests that insect application may represent a more widespread behaviour performed by chimpanzee than previously recognised.

The finding from Kibale National Park broadens our view of how chimpanzees respond to wounds. Rather than leaving wounds unattended, they sometimes act in ways that appear deliberate and targeted.

Chimpanzee first aid?

The obvious question is what function this behaviour might serve. We know that chimpanzees deliberately use plants in ways that can improve their health: swallowing rough leaves that help expel intestinal parasites or chewing bitter shoots with possible anti-parasitic effects.

Insects, however, are a different matter. Pressing insects onto wounds has not yet been shown to speed up healing or reduce infection. Many insects do produce antimicrobial or anti-inflammatory substances, so the possibility is there, but scientific testing is still needed.

For now, what we can say is that the behaviour appears to be targeted, patterned and deliberate. The single case of an insect being applied to another individual is especially intriguing. Chimpanzees are highly social animals, but active helping is relatively rare. Alongside well-known behaviours such as grooming, food sharing, and support in fights, applying an insect to a sibling’s wound hints at another form of care, one that goes beyond maintaining relationships to possibly improving the other’s physical condition.

Adult male Wayne (right) observing adult male Garrison (left). Kayla Kolff, Author provided (no reuse)

Big questions

This behaviour leaves us with some big questions. If insect application proves medicative, it could explain why chimpanzees do it. This in turn raises the question of how the behaviour arises in the first place: do chimpanzees learn it by observing others, or does it emerge more spontaneously? From there arises the question of selectivity – are they choosing particular flying insects, and if so, do others in the group learn to select the same ones?

In human traditional medicine (entomotherapy), flying insects such as honeybees and blowflies are valued for their antimicrobial or anti-inflammatory effects. Whether the insects applied by chimpanzees provide similar benefits is still to be investigated.

Finally, if chimpanzees are indeed applying insects with medicinal value and sometimes placing them on the wounds of others, this could represent active helping and even prosocial behaviour. (The term is used to describe behaviours that benefit others rather than the individual performing them.)

Watching chimpanzees in Kibale National Park immobilise a flying insect and gently press it onto an open wound reminds us how much there is still to learn about their abilities. It also adds to the growing evidence that the roots of care and healing behaviours extend much further back in evolutionary time.

If insect applications prove to be medicinal, this adds to the importance of safeguarding chimpanzees and their habitats. In turn, these habitats protect the insects that can contribute to chimpanzee well-being.

– New discovery reveals chimpanzees in Uganda use flying insects to tend their wounds
– https://theconversation.com/new-discovery-reveals-chimpanzees-in-uganda-use-flying-insects-to-tend-their-wounds-267301

October 27, 2025

President Ramaphosa calls for enhanced ASEAN-AU cooperation

Source: Government of South Africa

By Neo Bodumela

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia – President Cyril Ramaphosa has called for a strengthened strategic alliance between the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and African Union as two major blocs in the global South.

The President was delivering remarks at the 20^th East Asia Summit during a Working Visit to Malaysia.

The two regional blocs represent billions of people with countries within the groupings still considered developing or emerging nations.

“The world is undergoing profound change and uncertainty. We face crises of climate change, inequality and geopolitical instability. Rising protectionism, supply chain disruptions and unequal access to markets continue to undermine development prospects. These challenges demand coordinated responses and innovative partnerships.

“We see great potential in strengthening cooperation between ASEAN and the African Union. These platforms can serve as vehicles for enhanced connectivity, economic resilience and peacebuilding across and between our regions,” President Ramaphosa said.

He noted that ASEAN’s ethos of “mutual upliftment and regional solidarity is one we share” adding that it resonates with “South Africa’s values and those embedded in the African Union”.

The President emphasised that increased trade is one of the tools that can be used by both blocs to drive prosperity.

“Throughout history, trade has been a powerful instrument of economic growth and social progress.

“We must therefore increase mutually beneficial trade by improving market access, reducing non-tariff barriers and enhancing trade connectivity between our regions,” he said.

President Ramaphosa highlighted that cooperation can lead to the development of “solutions to the challenges we all face as developing economies”.

“Together, we can defend multilateralism and address critical issues such as climate change, development and resolution of conflict. We must seize this moment to reaffirm our shared commitment to multilateralism and to deepen our partnerships.

“We must honour the legacy of Band building a future defined by unity, dignity and progress,” President Ramaphosa concluded. – SAnews.gov.za

October 27, 2025

SA calls for unity ahead of G20 Women’s Declaration

Source: Government of South Africa

South Africa has called on G20 member states to exercise maximum flexibility and solidarity as the Empowerment of Women Working Group (EWWG) enters the final phase of negotiations on the first-ever G20 Ministerial Declaration on the Empowerment of Women.

Delivering her welcoming remarks at the 4th Empowerment of Women Technical Meeting, currently underway in Kempton Park, Johannesburg, Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities Director-General, Advocate Mikateko Joyce Maluleke, expressed optimism that the declaration, if adopted, would mark a historic milestone for the G20’s gender equality agenda.

“If we can reach agreement amongst ourselves, this would indeed be a momentous occasion — for the G20 Forum to adopt, for the first time, the Empowerment of Women Ministerial Declaration,” Maluleke said.

The meeting, which takes place from 27 – 29 October 2025, is attended by representatives from G20 member states, including guest countries and international organisations. It is the final meeting under South Africa’s Presidency of the Working Group.

The delegates are negotiating the Ministerial Declaration, to be adopted during the EWWG Ministerial Meeting on 31 October 2025.

Maluleke commended the “robust engagement” of delegations over the past three and a half months, noting that 29 paragraphs of the draft declaration have been finalised, with 18 still under negotiation.

She also reflected on the evolution of the text since South Africa introduced the initial draft, emphasising efforts to balance diverse perspectives. These include references to gender issues, which have increased significantly, from 13 mentions in the Zero Draft to 44 in the latest revision (REV3), showing the growing recognition of women’s empowerment as a core development priority.

However, she acknowledged that some contentious issues, such as references to comprehensive sexuality education, patriarchy, and harmful practices, had been removed through successive revisions to reach consensus.

“This is an indication that the issues under discussion are vibrant and relevant under the gender equality and the empowerment of all women and girls’ agenda for all delegation,” Maluleke said.

She also appealed for the use of “agreed UN language” in remaining discussions, stressing that the goal was to produce a declaration that is balanced, ambitious, bold, and action-oriented, ensuring that “all women and girls in our countries will be able to confirm that their human rights are also promoted and protected in the G20.”

The EWWG, first established under India’s G20 Presidency in 2023, has since evolved under Brazil in 2024 and now South Africa in 2025. The Johannesburg meeting marks the culmination of this three-year process, setting the stage for a potential global commitment to women’s empowerment within the G20 framework.

As the delegates gather for their final week of negotiations in Gauteng, Maluleke expressed confidence that collective determination would lead to success.

“We rely on all delegations to exercise their maximum flexibility in this last leg of the negotiations. When the negotiation session resumes, I want us all to reflect, take cognisance that we have spent 55 hours in each other’s company engaging in this text over three and a half months.

“This has not been an easy process, and we cannot allow all this hard work to turn into nothing,” the Director-General said. – SAnews.gov.za

October 27, 2025

SA to relaunch TB Caucus to combat national epidemic

Source: Government of South Africa

To enhance the government’s efforts in combating tuberculosis (TB), Health Minister Dr Aaron Motsoaledi and National Assembly Speaker, Thoko Didiza, are set to lead the relaunch of the South African TB Caucus.

The relaunch is set to take place in Parliament, on Tuesday,28 October 2025.

According to the Department of Health, TB has been South Africa’s leading cause of death for several years and continues to pose a significant public health threat, claiming around 56 000 lives a year.

South Africa falls in the top 30 high-burden TB countries globally, and in the country, an estimated 54% of people with TB are coinfected with HIV.

“While TB is a curable and preventable disease, only a quarter of those infected are successfully treated each year,” the advisory read.

The caucus is part of the Global TB Caucus – a unique, non-partisan global network that mobilises parliamentarians to foster an enabling environment for access to TB services, research and development, disease awareness, and resource mobilisation among stakeholders.

The department said it provides a vital platform for Members of Parliament to drive political action towards ending the TB epidemic and ensures accountability for TB-related commitments.

During the sixth administration, Parliament recognised TB as one of the country’s primary causes of morbidity and mortality.

Both the National Assembly and the National Council of Provinces resolved to establish a South African Chapter of the Global TB Caucus – the relaunch is therefore a continuation of that work.

Coordinated by the South African National AIDS Council (SANAC) as the in-country Secretariat, the relaunch is hosted in collaboration with the National Assembly, Department of Health and the TB Accountability Consortium.

The relaunch precedes a National Assembly debate led by Health Minister Motsoaledi on ‘The Status of TB in South Africa’ scheduled for later in the day on Tuesday. – SAnews.gov.za

October 27, 2025

Raila Odinga mastered the art of political compromise for the good of Kenya

Source: The Conversation – Africa – By Westen K Shilaho, International Relations Scholar, University of the Witwatersrand

One of the markers of Kenyan statesman Raila Odinga was not just his courage in challenging the establishment but his ability to fortify it when circumstances demanded. An example was his willingness in 2007 to set aside his ambition at having been robbed of the presidency in a rigged election by agreeing to a coalition government with his opponent, President Mwai Kibaki.

Odinga espoused compromise and never squandered the political moment. Thus he ceded political ground for the greater national good and stability. This is how he helped to quell violence following disputed presidential elections in 2007. To his admirers this showed political maturity and astuteness.

This was not always interpreted as courageous, however. Some detractors labelled it as political weakness and betrayal. Despite numerous compromises, his detractors hardly ceded ground.

Just before his death, some of his detractors had labelled him the ultimate betrayer for solidifying his relationship with President William Ruto. Odinga worked with Ruto under what they termed broad-based government, formed at the height of mass protests to oust Ruto. Odinga propped up the embattled government under pressure over a controversial taxation bill and other problems. The nomination and sebsequent appointment of party members to the beleaguered government immediately deflated the protests. This demonstrated Odinga’s unmatched influence in Kenya’s politics.

I am a scholar of politics who has studied Kenya’s transition from authoritarianism to more democratic forms of politics. My 2018 book Political Power and Tribalism in Kenya examined the salience of ethnicity in the country’s multiparty politics.

It’s my view that Odinga employed compromise to integrate Kenya and hopefully live to fight another day. He had either official or informal working arrangements with all of Kenya’s five presidents bar one. He was therefore party to top decision making in the country without the benefit of executive power.

Had he thrown his weight behind the protest movement in 2024, it is highly likely that Kenya would have dissolved into chaos, as witnessed after disputed elections in 2007. He held that the mass protests in 2025 could have resulted in state collapse and bloodletting had he not intervened.

Through chutzpah and guile, Odinga escaped all attempts by his detractors to reduce him to an ethnic leader. Instead, he built alliances and connected with the working-class and rural poor, especially young Kenyans, who identified with his courage in Kenya’s human rights and democracy struggle.

Odinga: The bogeyman of Kenya’s establishment

A former Kenyan vice president, Michael Wamalwa Kijana, once described Odinga’s relationship with Kenyans as either Railamania or Railaphobia – people either passionately liked or irrationally feared him.

He commanded fanatical support among his co-ethnics and across Kenya, especially in his strongholds. But a section of Kenyan society opposed him, especially the clique that has controlled executive power and economic privileges since 1963.

Although Odinga was part of the establishment and rose to the position of prime minister (2008-2013), the only second Kenyan to occupy the post, he was treated with suspicion and disdain especially over the male circumcision rite that his community did not traditionally practise. His father, the founding vice president of Kenya who became the doyen of opposition politics, Jaramogi Oginga Odinga, suffered the same fate.

Raila Odinga’s detractors, among the elite and populace, mocked him while he was sick and irreverently celebrated his death.

This grouping, opposed to a capable welfare state based on inclusivity and egalitarianism, showed almost irrational antipathy towards Odinga. The establishment consistently schemed against him. His mass appeal, socialist orientation and populist politics posed a threat to the most reactionary cohort of the Kenyan political elite. Odinga’s uncompromising stance against the one-party dictatorship which earned him nine years of detention without trial, and implicated him in an abortive coup in 1982, did not endear him to all.

Odinga’s capacity to reinvent himself politically was astounding. Despite losing presidential elections five times, on several occasions because of state instigated fraud, he was undiminished. He was widely known in diplomatic circuits across Africa and globally. Memorably he mediated the Ivorian conflict following violently disputed elections in 2010. Thus, Odinga was among the pantheon of Kenya’s greats, a pan-Africanist and an internationalist.

Kenya’s moment of introspection

His death affords Kenyans an opportunity to reflect on the state of the Kenyan nation. He personified Kenya’s contradictions. Odinga’s long political career exhibited hope and despair for his supporters. In a country hamstrung by the ideology of ethnicised politics, there could not have been a more opportune moment for introspection.

Some of Odinga’s political moves turned out to be miscalculations. For instance, the grand coalition government formed in the wake of the 2007-2008 post-election maelstrom stabilised Kenya but did not address long term historical injustices.

Although it was the most inclusive since independence, it was bloated and mired in corruption, and perpetrated human rights violations. This rapprochement sealed his fate because it gave his opponents room to regroup. They regained the political initiative and eventually locked him out of the presidency forever.

His relationship with Ruto appeared to be more trusting than earlier ones, but Odinga still seemed to be the outsider in Kenya’s political matrix. Odinga’s shortcomings humanised him. Giants can have feet of clay.

Odinga bows out as the people’s president; the president that Kenya never had.

– Raila Odinga mastered the art of political compromise for the good of Kenya
– https://theconversation.com/raila-odinga-mastered-the-art-of-political-compromise-for-the-good-of-kenya-268022

October 27, 2025

China: A High-level Delegation from Shaanxi Visited Zambia

Source: APO

A high-level delegation from Shaanxi Province of China visited Zambia from 22 to 24 October, 2025, headed by Mr. Wang Xiao, Executive Vice Governor of Shaanxi Province. On 22 October, 2025, the delegation paid a courtesy call on Hon. Chipoka Mulenga, Minister of Commerce, Trade and Industry of Zambia.

Mr. Wang Xiao stated that during President Hakainde Hichilema’s visit to China last year to attend the Beijing Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation, he visited Shaanxi Province and toured several Shaanxi-based businesses. This visit aimed to implement the outcomes of the Beijing Summit and the consensus reached by the two heads of state. Mr. Wang expressed a readiness to further strengthen local and economic exchanges with the Zambian side, as part of the practical cooperation between the two countries.

Hon. Mulenga welcomed the delegation, and stressed that under the guidance of older generations of leaders from China and Zambia, in particular, Chairman Mao Zedong and President Kenneth Kaunda, the traditional friendship between China and Zambia remains unbreakable, with the Tanzania-Zambia Railway serving as the best testament. With the personal attention of President Xi Jinping and President Hakainde Hichilema, the revitalization of the Tanzania-Zambia Railway has achieved breakthrough. Hon. Mulenga further expressed a readiness to strengthen exchanges and cooperation with Shaanxi Province and welcomed more Shaanxi businesses to invest in Zambia.

During the visit, the delegation also paid courtesy calls on Minister of Agriculture of Zambia as well as Permanent Secretary of the Education and Energy,and hosted a China (Shaanxi)-Zambia Economic and Trade Cooperation Conference. Ambassador Han Jing and Minister Counsellor Wang Sheng were present at these events.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Embassy of the People’s Republic of China in the Republic of Zambia.

October 27, 2025

No Shocking Governance Failures at University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN), Higher Education Chairperson Responds to Sunday Tribune

Source: APO

The Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on Higher Education and Training, Mr Tebogo Letsie, has noted with concern the Sunday Tribune article published on 26 October 2025, which contains several factual inaccuracies about the committee’s recent oversight visit to the University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN).

Mr Letsie wishes to clarify that during the oversight visit, the committee observed that the University Council was fully functional and properly constituted, and that relations between the council, management and stakeholders were cordial and constructive.

“The Sunday Tribune sent written questions to me and I provided them with full responses. However, I was misquoted in the opening paragraph of the article, which falsely claims that the committee found ‘shocking governance failures’ at UKZN,” said Mr Letsie.

The article incorrectly attributes to the committee the statement: “Parliament’s Portfolio Committee on Higher Education has revealed shocking governance failures at the University of KwaZulu-Natal, where a private security company allegedly ‘captured’ the university’s Risk Management Services.”

Mr Letsie said that this was untrue. “What we actually said was that, in terms of specific governance matters, the committee expressed concern about the council’s decision to approve a deviation from normal procurement processes in the awarding of a contract to Ungoti Security Company. This company was originally appointed to assist the university with student residence accreditation, even though the university confirmed that Ungoti had no prior experience in that area,” explained Mr Letsie.

“During the committee’s meeting on 9 October, Members engaged extensively on the matter and expressed the view that the council should have prioritised good governance by instructing management to advertise a public tender when seeking a security service provider,” added Mr Letsie.

“We therefore call on the Sunday Tribune to correct its report, as it does not reflect the true state of affairs. The committee has not found shocking governance failures but rather raised a specific governance concern that the university has been tasked to address,” concluded Mr Letsie.

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

October 27, 2025

The International Rescue Committee (IRC) and GiveWell partner to deliver safe water to 1.7 million people in Chad, Nigeria, and Somalia with cost-effective approach

Source: APO

The International Rescue Committee (IRC) today announced the launch of a new project to bring safe, clean drinking water to crisis-affected communities in Nigeria, Chad, and Somalia. In partnership with GiveWell, the project will deploy in-line chlorination (ILC) solutions to ensure safe water at scale in some of the world’s most fragile humanitarian settings.

In communities affected by conflict and climate change, safe water is a lifeline. It is necessary for survival, underpins nutrition, and enables health systems to function. Yet, millions of displaced people and members of host communities remain reliant on untreated or contaminated water, particularly in areas where climate change is accelerating drought, flooding, and disease outbreaks.

According to WHO estimates, 1.4 million deaths could be prevented each year through improving access to safely managed water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) services. The IRC and GiveWell partnership is designed to deliver safe water to 1.75 million people by installing in-line chlorination devices into water systems across 7 refugee camps in Chad, 93 communities in Nigeria and 50 communities in Somalia.

This 18-month pilot will introduce a cost-effective approach to water treatment across refugee camps, displacement settlements, and vulnerable host communities. In-line chlorination is a simple, low-tech method that automatically doses chlorine into flowing water at the point of collection, reducing the daily effort required of households compared with manual chlorination. By treating water at the source, it supports consistent use and can be scaled to serve entire communities or small municipalities.

David Miliband, President and CEO of the IRC, said:

“Water chlorination is one of the most evidence-based and effective WASH interventions. It dramatically reduces diarrheal disease, safeguards against outbreaks like cholera, and protects children from the cycle of illness and malnutrition. In partnership with GiveWell, we will not only deliver safe water to people affected by some of the world’s most challenging humanitarian crises, but also generate evidence on a highly cost-effective intervention that works—strengthening the case for wider adoption across the humanitarian sector and demonstrating how to achieve the greatest results for every dollar invested.”

The IRC has decades of experience supporting communities in crisis with vital WASH services, with local partnerships and community engagement at the heart of our approach. With this pilot, the IRC will strengthen these local systems for consistent chlorination, building robust water quality monitoring and cost effectiveness analysis so that local actors can map the most cost-effective pathways to scale.

Elie Hassenfeld, Co-Founder and CEO of GiveWell, said:

“We expect this program will do even more than provide safe water to about 1.7 million people—it will generate important learnings about implementing cost-effective chlorination at scale in humanitarian settings. The data we collect by supporting this pilot program, and others like it, will inform our future grantmaking and help people more in the years ahead.”

GiveWell’s support builds on its partnership with the IRC, previously backing efforts to improve access to malnutrition treatment across five countries. Together, the organizations are committed to demonstrating that lifesaving interventions can be highly cost-effective, ensuring that every dollar of donor funding reaches as many people as possible.

The climate crisis is a water crisis — and the stakes are highest in fragile and conflict-affected settings. This pilot will demonstrate how consistent chlorination is a key pillar of cost-effective, climate resilient WASH, protecting the health and resilience of those most in need.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of International Rescue Committee (IRC) .

October 27, 2025

Darfur: International Rescue Committee (IRC) warns of rapidly deteriorating conditions for people fleeing El Fasher as needs escalate in Tawila

Source: APO

The International Rescue Committee (IRC) is deeply alarmed by the worsening humanitarian situation as thousands continue to flee El Fasher in Darfur, Sudan towards Tawila in search of safety. Thousands of newly displaced people have arrived in Tawila in recent weeks, joining around 400,000 people already displaced and living there, putting immense strain on already limited resources and services.

Despite ongoing efforts by humanitarian actors, basic needs in Tawila are being met at only about 50 percent. Families are living in overcrowded, makeshift shelters with limited access to clean water, food, and healthcare. The mass arrival of displaced people is overwhelming existing systems, leaving thousands without even the most essential support.

Arjan Hehenkamp, IRC Darfur crisis lead, said

“People arriving from El Fasher are coming from what can only be described as a hellscape, a city torn apart by conflict, destruction, and despair. They come with nothing but the clothes on their backs, severely traumatized, looking for safety and support. But Tawila itself is at breaking point. Without a significant scale-up in humanitarian assistance, the suffering here will deepen further.”

The IRC is scaling up its emergency response in Tawila and the surrounding areas through safe water supply, mobile health clinics, cash assistance, and emergency response activities to reach those most in need. The IRC’s teams are providing lifesaving medical care, clean water, emergency cash and essential supplies to newly arrived families, while also working to prevent disease outbreaks amid poor sanitation and overburdened services.

The IRC calls for urgent action from the international community to rapidly increase flexible funding and exert diplomatic pressure on all parties to the conflict, and their sponsors, to protect civilians, ensure safe passage for displaced people, and sustain humanitarian access across North Darfur. All parties to the conflict must ensure protection of civilians, both those remaining in El Fasher and those seeking safe passage out, and ensure the protection of all humanitarian responders. Without immediate support, the needs of over 400,000 displaced people in Tawila will far outstrip the capacity of humanitarian organizations to respond, leaving countless families without water, shelter, or medical care.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of International Rescue Committee (IRC) .