As part of ongoing efforts to control blindness, cataract surgery was performed on over 250 citizens in the Golij sub-zone from 7 to 11 July. The surgeries were carried out by a medical team from Berhan Aini Hospital in Asmara.
Dr. Merhawi Kiflom, Medical Director of the Golij Community Hospital, stated that the objective of the program was to provide citizens with access to eye care services, including surgical treatment, within their local areas.
Mr. Alem Zekarias, Head of the National Blindness Control Program, noted that while cataract surgeries were previously conducted in collaboration with foreign experts, the current program was implemented entirely through local capacity.
Dr. Eyob Beyene, one of the participating physicians, explained that cataracts often occur with age and are treatable and curable through timely surgical intervention.
South Africa strongly condemns Israel’s latest attacks on the Syrian capital Damascus, on 16 July 2025, on the Syrian Ministry of Defence and air strikes near the Presidential Palace, which are a flagrant violation of the country’s territorial integrity and international law.
Israel’s announcement on 17 July 2025, that it will continue to occupy Syrian territory south of the capital Damascus is a serious threat to Syria’s sovereignty. Israel’s redeployment of forces in the Golan Heights, its occupation of Quneitra near the Golan Heights, and its airstrikes on Suwayda, Daraa, and in the centre of Damascus are a military escalation that threatens security and stability in the country and the region.
The United Nations Secretary General, António Guterres, has called on Israel to cease any violations of Syria’s sovereignty and respect the 1974 Disengagement of Forces Agreement. South Africa concurs with the UN Secretary-General, who also condemned Israel’s “escalatory airstrikes” and called for an immediate de-escalation of violence and measures to facilitate humanitarian access.
– on behalf of Republic of South Africa: Department of International Relations and Cooperation.
The Ministry of Education branch in Gala-Nefhi sub-zone has presented awards to 24 outstanding teachers from elementary, junior, and high schools, including 12 female teachers.
Mr. Daniel Solomon, Head of the branch office, stated that the awardees were selected by a committee comprising supervisors, teachers, and students.
Mr. Yohannes Solomon, Head of Secondary School Supervision in the Central Region, emphasized that honoring outstanding teachers not only serves as recognition but also significantly contributes to the development of the teaching and learning process. He congratulated the recipients and urged fellow teachers to emulate their dedication and play an active role in enhancing education quality.
The awardees, expressing appreciation for the recognition, stated that the award motivates them to work with greater commitment to nurture competent students through their profession.
There are 68 educational institutions in the Gala-Nefhi sub-zone, ranging from kindergartens to high schools.
Source: People’s Republic of China – Ministry of National Defense
BEIJING, July 19 (Xinhua) — Chinese President Xi Jinping and Mauritanian President Mohamed Ould Cheikh Ghazouani exchanged congratulations Saturday on the 60th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two countries.
Over the past 60 years, regardless of changes in the international landscape, the two sides have always respected each other and treated each other as equals, setting a model of mutual support and win-win cooperation between developing countries, Xi said.
He noted that in recent years, China-Mauritania relations have been developing in a sound and stable manner, with growing political mutual trust and fruitful exchanges and cooperation across various fields.
Xi recalled that he met with President Ghazouani last year during the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) Beijing Summit, where they reached important consensuses and jointly announced the elevation of China-Mauritania relations to a strategic partnership, marking a new chapter in bilateral ties.
Xi said he attached great importance to developing China-Mauritania relations and is willing to work with Ghazouani to take the 60th anniversary of diplomatic ties as a new starting point to carry forward the traditional friendship, deepen mutual trust and cooperation, and jointly open up a new future for the development of the China-Mauritania strategic partnership, so as to bring more benefits to the two peoples.
For his part, Ghazouani said that over the past 60 years, his country and China developed a solid friendship featuring close cooperation at all levels and mutual support on international occasions.
During the FOCAC Beijing Summit last September, he and Xi jointly lifted the exemplary bilateral relations to a strategic partnership, he said, calling the move a reflection of the deepening of bilateral ties, which will benefit the friendly people of the two countries, and help promote the security, prosperity and well-being of people around the world.
On the same day, Chinese Premier Li Qiang exchanged congratulatory messages with his Mauritanian counterpart, Mokhtar Ould Diay.
In his message, Li said China is willing to make joint efforts with the Mauritanian side to take the 60th anniversary of bilateral ties as an opportunity to fully implement the important consensuses reached between Xi and Ghazouani, consistently enriching the content of the bilateral strategic partnership.
For his part, Ould Diay said Mauritania firmly adheres to the one-China principle and is willing to work with China, under the wise guidance of the two presidents, to strengthen the bilateral strategic partnership, serving the development of both countries.
Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian – People’s Republic of China in Russian –
An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
KUALA LUMPUR, July 19 (Xinhua) — Malaysia has significantly accelerated its clean energy development and industrial restructuring in recent years, showing strong momentum in the electric vehicle (EV) sector and deepening cooperation with China in technology and investment in this area, Lee Pei Mei, an analyst with the International Islamic University Malaysia, told Xinhua.
Malaysia’s shift to EVs has been supported by both domestic policy frameworks and external technology partnerships, she said. In particular, China’s advanced and cost-effective EV technologies have helped develop the country’s EV ecosystem and support its green industrial transformation.
“China’s global expansion in the EV industry is not limited to just selling vehicles, it also involves the transfer of technological capabilities. Chinese companies are localizing production, investing in research and development and building supply chains, helping Malaysia build a comprehensive EV ecosystem,” Li Pei Mei emphasized.
She noted that China’s EV sector is known for its vertically integrated value chain, spanning R&D, manufacturing, sales, after-sales service and standard setting. Several leading Chinese companies have already adapted this business model in Malaysia.
Malaysia’s ambition to become a regional hub for electric vehicle manufacturing is centred on the Automotive High-Tech Valley (AHTV) project in Tanjung Malim, which is expected to attract significant investment and cement the country’s status as a global EV producer.
Li Pei Mei added that the AHTV project is not limited to being a production site, but also supports the development of local talent in areas such as artificial intelligence, software development and automotive innovation.
The analyst stressed that Chinese companies also benefit from this partnership and access to the Malaysian market. In her view, the growing middle class and favorable investment environment in Southeast Asia are the main attractions for them. “By expanding into Southeast Asia – especially in business-friendly countries like Malaysia – they gain access to new consumer bases and cost advantages,” she explained.
Lee Pei Mei also noted that the right combination of policy support, strategic cooperation and industry alignment has put Malaysia on a solid path to becoming a leader in EVs in the region.
“This is a classic win-win situation. Malaysia gets technology, jobs and industrial depth. China gets markets and long-term strategic partnerships. Together, both sides are shaping the future of green mobility in Asia,” she concluded. –0–
Please note: This information is raw content obtained directly from the source of the information. It is an accurate report of what the source claims and does not necessarily reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
Chinese President Xi Jinping and Mauritanian President Mohamed Ould Cheikh Ghazouani exchanged congratulations Saturday on the 60th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two countries.
Over the past 60 years, regardless of changes in the international landscape, the two sides have always respected each other and treated each other as equals, setting a model of mutual support and win-win cooperation between developing countries, Xi said.
He noted that in recent years, China-Mauritania relations have been developing in a sound and stable manner, with growing political mutual trust and fruitful exchanges and cooperation across various fields.
Xi recalled that he met with President Ghazouani last year during the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) Beijing Summit, where they reached important consensuses and jointly announced the elevation of China-Mauritania relations to a strategic partnership, marking a new chapter in bilateral ties.
Xi said he attached great importance to developing China-Mauritania relations and is willing to work with Ghazouani to take the 60th anniversary of diplomatic ties as a new starting point to carry forward the traditional friendship, deepen mutual trust and cooperation, and jointly open up a new future for the development of the China-Mauritania strategic partnership, so as to bring more benefits to the two peoples.
For his part, Ghazouani said that over the past 60 years, his country and China developed a solid friendship featuring close cooperation at all levels and mutual support on international occasions.
During the FOCAC Beijing Summit last September, he and Xi jointly lifted the exemplary bilateral relations to a strategic partnership, he said, calling the move a reflection of the deepening of bilateral ties, which will benefit the friendly people of the two countries, and help promote the security, prosperity and well-being of people around the world.
On the same day, Chinese Premier Li Qiang exchanged congratulatory messages with his Mauritanian counterpart, Mokhtar Ould Diay.
In his message, Li said China is willing to make joint efforts with the Mauritanian side to take the 60th anniversary of bilateral ties as an opportunity to fully implement the important consensuses reached between Xi and Ghazouani, consistently enriching the content of the bilateral strategic partnership.
For his part, Ould Diay said Mauritania firmly adheres to the one-China principle and is willing to work with China, under the wise guidance of the two presidents, to strengthen the bilateral strategic partnership, serving the development of both countries.
Despite a marginal 1.4 per cent decline in business investment confidence, India recorded the highest year-on-year growth among 32 economies surveyed for Q3 2025, registering a strong 12.6 per cent increase, according to the Dun & Bradstreet (D&B) Global Business Investment Confidence Index.
The report noted that the Global Business Investment Confidence Index fell by 13.1 per cent quarter-on-quarter (q/q) for Q3 2025, marking the third consecutive quarter of decline.
This drop in confidence was broad-based, with sharp declines reported across all five sub-indices. This contrasts with Q2 2025, when only capital expenditure and workforce size were expected to decrease.
The report also highlighted that nearly half of the surveyed businesses (46.8 per cent) cited supply chain stability as a key factor influencing investment decisions for Q3 2025. In contrast, tariff uncertainty and domestic interest rates were among the least influential factors. This aligns with earlier findings indicating that the Global Supply Chain Continuity Index remains the lowest among all indices, standing at 99.9 for Q3.
Globally, the decline in investment confidence was steeper in advanced economies than in emerging ones. Even when excluding the U.S.—which saw a sharp 16.7 per cent q/q drop and holds the largest weight—confidence in advanced economies fell more significantly than in emerging economies. France, Japan, Germany, and Spain recorded the steepest declines among advanced economies, reversing the gains made in Q2.
Among emerging markets, the Russian Federation (-26.1 per cent), Brazil (-23.9 per cent), and South Africa (-20.7 per cent) experienced the largest q/q drops. In Brazil, aggressive monetary tightening by the Central Bank, which has raised the Selic rate by 425 basis points since last year, has significantly dampened capital expenditure plans. In South Africa, exposure to U.S. tariffs—particularly on automobile exports—has contributed to the decline in confidence.
In terms of sectors, the manufacturing industry recorded a steeper drop in investment confidence (-17.2 per cent) than the services sector (-10.8 per cent) for Q3 2025. Within manufacturing, the capital goods (-33.1 per cent), food (-26.9 per cent), and automotive (-26.4 per cent) sub-sectors saw the most significant declines. The chemicals manufacturing sub-sector reported the smallest decline at -14.8 per cent, potentially due to exemptions from new U.S. tariffs, particularly those affecting pharmaceutical products.
On a positive note, the report stated that expected capacity utilisation for Q3 2025 rose to 68.9 per cent in the services sector and 69.3 per cent in the manufacturing sector—the first quarter-on-quarter increase since Q1 2024.
“Though this is a positive signal for future capital expenditure, the level remains below the 2024 averages of 73.9% and 74.1% for services and manufacturing, respectively,” the report concluded.
Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian – People’s Republic of China in Russian –
An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
Xinhua | 19.07.2025
Key words: China-Mauritania
Source: Xinhua
Flash: Xi Jinping, Mauritanian President Mohamed Ould Ghazwani exchange congratulations on 60th anniversary of diplomatic relations Flash: Xi Jinping, Mauritanian President Mohamed Ould Ghazwani exchange congratulations on 60th anniversary of diplomatic relations
Please note: This information is raw content obtained directly from the source of the information. It is an accurate report of what the source claims and does not necessarily reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.
Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian – People’s Republic of China in Russian –
An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
BEIJING, July 19 (Xinhua) — The Tianjin Vocational Institute (TVI) in northern China recently completed training for the first group of teachers who will work at the second Lu Ban Workshop in Kazakhstan, the Tianjin Daily newspaper reported.
The course participants included 15 teachers from the L.N. Gumilyov Eurasian National University (ENU) in Astana, Kazakhstan. During the artificial intelligence (AI) training, which started on June 23, they studied four core disciplines – data mining, machine learning, deep learning, and industrial internet – and also received practical training in AI-related technologies, a collaborative robot, and an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV).
Last year, a memorandum of cooperation was signed between TPI and ENU on the joint creation of the second Lu Ban Workshop in Kazakhstan, which will focus on AI. The first such institution in this country, founded with the support of TPI and aimed at training specialists in the field of transport and communications, was put into trial operation in 2023.
As the teacher of this training, TPI teacher Li Guohui said: “We specially designed these training courses aimed at the industrial development of Kazakhstan. In particular, according to the scenarios of UAV technology application in local agricultural activities, the cadets from Kazakhstan not only learned flight control, but also completed a series of practical tasks, including mapping agricultural land.”
He added that the first batch of training equipment intended for the second Lu Ban Workshop in Kazakhstan had already been delivered to the country, and installation and commissioning work would soon begin.
Lu Ban Workshop, named after the famous ancient Chinese craftsman Lu Ban, is a brand of international vocational education initiated and promoted by Tianjin City Government.
To date, China has built 34 Lu Ban Workshops in 30 countries and regions around the world. 10 of them were established in Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Russia, Pakistan, Cambodia, Egypt and other SCO countries. -0-
Please note: This information is raw content obtained directly from the source of the information. It is an accurate report of what the source claims and does not necessarily reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.
Displaced Haitians are dispersed among the 250 active displacement sites across the country, most of which are informal. Just over a fifth of these sites are managed by humanitarian organizations, meaning that many are living in precarious conditions.
In June alone, more than 200 alerts were reported across displacement sites, over 80 per cent of which were related to essential needs such as lack of water, food, shelter or healthcare.
OCHA noted that nearly 1.3 million people are now internally displaced in Haiti, the highest number ever recorded in the country due to violence.
Constrained UN response
The UN and partners have supported more than 113,000 displaced Haitians this year, providing essential services such as water, shelter, sanitation and healthcare.
The humanitarian response is severely constrained by limited funding and persistent insecurity, hampering humanitarian access to the most affected areas and delaying the delivery of aid.
Despite the challenges, the agency continues to work closely with Haitian authorities and humanitarian partners to coordinate relief efforts and mobilise additional resources to support displaced communities.
DR Congo: Ongoing violence in the east drives displacement, impedes aid delivery
Ongoing violence in North and South Kivu provinces in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) continues to claim the lives of civilians and to trigger new displacement.
In North Kivu, UN partners on the ground in Rutshuru and Lubero territories reported that fighting between M23 and other armed groups was ongoing until Tuesday, resulting in eight civilian deaths and 42,500 displaced people as of earlier this week.
Since early July, heavy clashes between M23 and other armed groups in South Kivu have also persisted, as local partners said the fighting has displaced at least 37,000 people from their homes.
Aid access restrictions
The surge in violence is making it harder for humanitarians to deliver assistance to vulnerable communities.
While partners and teams on the ground are doing their best to maintain services for those affected, access restrictions and severe funding shortages pose significant obstacles.
A humanitarian convoy coordinated by OCHA along the road between the provincial capital Bukavu and the city of Uvira, primarily planned for this Friday, has been postponed due to a lack of security guarantees on that route.
Many UN partners on the ground are forced to scale back their operations, disrupting essential services for those in need.
OCHA called on the international community to take urgent action to address these severe funding gaps and avert a humanitarian tragedy.
New panel to examine the effects of a nuclear war
The UN Secretary-General has appointed an independent scientific panel of 21 experts to examine the physical and societal consequences of a nuclear war on a local, regional and planetary scale in the days, weeks and decades following such an event.
The creation of the panel, mandated by a General Assembly resolution, comes at a time when nuclear guardrails are being eroded and “the risk of nuclear war is higher than at any point since the depths of the Cold War,” UN deputy spokesperson Farhan Haq said on Friday during the daily media briefing from Headquarters in New York.
The panelists will seek input from a wide range of stakeholders – including international and regional organizations, the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), civil society and affected communities.
Members will hold their first meeting in September and will submit a final report to the General Assembly in 2027.
Operations across the U.S. target criminal illegal aliens convicted of burglary, kidnapping, and human trafficking
WASHINGTON — The Department of Homeland Security announced U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers arrested removable criminal illegal aliens across the country on July 17, 2025, as part of coordinated enforcement targeting some of the worst of the worst in our communities. Among those taken into custody were previously deported felons, gang members, and individuals with long histories of violent criminal conduct.
One of the most serious arrests was of Phong Thanh Nguyen, a criminal illegal alien from Vietnam, with a conviction for second-degree murder, indecent exposure, and a U.S. immigration judge issued a final order of removal in 2012. Nguyen was arrested by ICE Los Angeles officers after it was determined he had violated the terms of his supervision. Despite his murder conviction, indecent exposure, and removal order, Nguyen was released under an Order of Supervision in 2012 during the Obama administration.
“A Vietnamese national murdered someone, exposed himself in public and remained on U.S. soil for years,” said Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin. “ICE has a duty to protect the American public from criminal illegal aliens. President Trump and Secretary Noem will not allow convicted criminal illegal alien killers to hide behind outdated policies. Our message to criminal illegal aliens is clear, leave now. If you don’t, we will find you and deport you, and you will never return.”
ICE continues to target and remove the worst offenders—those who pose the greatest threat to the safety and security of American communities. Nguyen remains in ICE custody pending removal procedures.
ICE agents across the country carried out similar arrests of criminal illegal aliens with serious convictions, including:
Abraham Taddesse, an illegal alien from Ethiopia, convicted of rape in the second degree in Upper Marlboro, Maryland.
Juan Felix Yanes-Montano, a criminal alien from Cuba,convicted of robbery with a deadly weapon, armed burglary, and kidnapping with a deadly weapon in Miami-Dade County, Florida.
Cesar Porras, an illegal alien from Mexico, convicted of possession with intent to distribute a quantity of a mixture and substance containing fentanyl in Pecos, Texas.
Eduardo Salinas-Gonzalez, an illegal alien from Mexico, convicted of smuggling aliens, escape, and two illegal re-entries in Zapata County, Texas.
Source: United Nations General Assembly and Security Council
NEW YORK, 18 July (United Nations Office for Disarmament Affairs) — On 17 July, United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres announced the appointment of an independent scientific panel of experts tasked with examining the physical effects and societal consequences of a nuclear war on a local, regional and planetary scale in the days, weeks and decades following a nuclear war.
The panel was established pursuant to General Assembly resolution 79/238, titled “Nuclear War Effects and Scientific Research”, and is mandated to examine “the physical effects and societal consequences” of a nuclear war “on a local, regional and planetary scale, including, inter alia, the climatic, environmental and radiological effects, and their impacts on public health, global socioeconomic systems, agriculture and ecosystems, in the days, weeks and decades following a nuclear war”.
The panel is tasked with publishing a comprehensive report on these matters, making key conclusions, and identifying areas requiring future research. The report will be considered by the UN General Assembly at its eighty-second session in 2027.
The last cross-sectional United Nations study of this kind was undertaken almost four decades ago in 1988 (Study on the Climatic and Other Global Effects of Nuclear War, United Nations publication, Sales No. E.89.IX.1).
The panel consists of 21 members drawn from a range of scientific fields, including: nuclear and radiation studies; atmospheric sciences and climate; environment and environmental studies; agriculture, biology and life sciences; public health and medicine; and behavioural and social sciences and applied economics.
As mandated by resolution 79/238, the Secretary-General selected members of the panel based on “their leading scientific expertise across relevant disciplines, while ensuring impartiality, and equitable geographical and gender balance”. In selecting the panel, the Secretary-General drew on the expertise and recommendations of relevant agencies from the United Nations system.
The panel will engage the widest possible range of stakeholders, including international and regional organizations, the International Committee of the Red Cross, civil society, affected communities, and peoples from around the world, in order to understand local, regional and global perspectives on the effects of nuclear war. Member States, relevant international and regional organizations and others are encouraged to support the panel’s work.
The independent Scientific Panel on the Effects of Nuclear War will consist of the following 21 members, each participating in their personal capacity:
Arlene Alves dos Reis, Head, Division of Dosimetry at the Brazilian Nuclear Energy Commission (CNEN);
Ana María Cetto Kramis, former Deputy Director General, International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). Full research professor at the Physics Institute of the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM). Founder and current holder of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) Chair on Science Diplomacy and Heritage at UNAM;
Manvendra K. Dubey, Senior Scientist and Fellow, Earth Systems Observations, Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL);
Friederike Renate Friess, Senior Scientist, BOKU University, Department of Landscape, Water and Infrastructure, Institute of Safety and Risk Sciences;
Abel Gonzalez, Senior Adviser to the Argentina Nuclear Regulatory Authority, Olenum member of the National Academy of Sciences of Buenos Aires, the Argentine Academy of Environmental Sciences, the Argentine Academy of the Seas, and the International Nuclear Energy Academy;
Md Ahsan Habib, Professor at the Department of Chemistry, University of Dhaka, Fellow, Chinese Academy of Sciences;
Andrew Haines, Professor of Environmental Change and Public Health, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine (LSHTM), Co-Director World Health Organization (WHO) Collaborating Centre on Climate Change, Sustainable Development and Health;
Gi Hoon Hong, former President and Research Professor, Korea Institute of Ocean Science and Technology;
Togzhan Kassenova, Senior Fellow, Center for Policy Research, University at Albany, State University of New York, former member of the Secretary-General’s Advisory Board on Disarmament Matters (ABDM);
Ausrele Kesminiene-Suonio, Senior Visiting Scientist, Environment and Lifestyle Epidemiology Branch, International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC/WHO), former head of the Lithuanian Chernobyl Medical Centre;
Peter Klimek, Director of the Supply Chain Intelligence Institute, Austria, Associate Professor, Section for Science of Complex Systems, Medical University of Vienna;
Karina Meredith, Director of Environment Research and Technology at Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation (ANSTO), Adjunct Professor in the Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences school at University of New South Wales;
Thobela Nkukwana, Senior Lecturer, University of Pretoria, Sub-editor for the South African Journal of Animal Sciences, Editorial Board member and Sub-editor of Welwitschia International Journal of Agricultural Sciences;
Sébastien Philippe, research scholar at the Princeton University Program on Science and Global Security, member of the Scientific Advisory Group of the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons;
Laura Revell, Associate Professor in Atmospheric Chemistry at the University of Canterbury, member of the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) Environmental Effects Assessment Panel (EEAP) panel;
Neil Rowan, Professor, Faculty of Science and Technological Health, University of the Shannon, Adjunct Professor to the School of Medicine, Nursing and Biomedical Science at the University of Galway;
Rabia Sa’id, Professor of atmospheric and space-weather physics and a researcher at Bayero University Kano, Co-founder of Nigeria’s Association of Women Physicists;
Georgiy L. Stenchikov, Professor Emeritus at King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, Professor of Earth Sciences, Division of Physical Sciences and Engineering, Earth Sciences and Engineering Program, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology;
Masao Tomonaga, Emeritus Director, Atomic Bomb Hospital, former Director of the Japanese Red Cross Nagasaki Atomic Bomb (Genbaku) Hospital, President of Nagasaki Prefecture Hibakusha Association and current President of IPPNW Nagasaki Branch. A hibakusha from Nagasaki;
Hüseyin Yalçinkaya, Anakara University Institute of Medical Sciences, Department of Animal Nutrition and Nutritional Diseases, Veterinary Officer at the Turkish Directorate General for Food and Control/Department of Border Control for Animal and Animal Products; and
Zhao Wuwen, Professor at the Center for Strategic Studies, China Academy of Engineering Physics.
In a significant step toward advancing inclusive climate solutions, the African Development Bank (www.AfDB.org), in partnership with the Climate Investment Funds (CIF) (https://apo-opa.co/44PhRQI), has launched the Gender and Renewable Energy Country Diagnostics (https://apo-opa.co/3GXAwSi)—a pivotal initiative exploring the nexus between gender equity and energy access in six African countries: Ghana (https://apo-opa.co/450VUOL), Liberia (https://apo-opa.co/44DKrFW), Mali (https://apo-opa.co/44ZZLM5), Lesotho (https://apo-opa.co/3GTIKeb), Madagascar (https://apo-opa.co/46jgk7Q), and Malawi (https://apo-opa.co/46dH5KX).
Commissioned by the Bank under CIF’s Scaling Up Renewable Energy Program, the diagnostics provide evidence-based, country-specific recommendations to enhance women’s leadership, financial inclusion, and participation in Africa’s clean energy economy. Focusing on localized, actionable solutions, the reports identify opportunities to embed gender considerations into national energy planning, investment strategies, and policy frameworks. They also propose inclusive financing models that de-risk women-led energy enterprises and highlight the need for capacity-building efforts to strengthen technical skills, entrepreneurial readiness, and leadership among women in the renewable energy sector.
The findings were officially unveiled at a virtual launch event on 30 June 2025, hosted by the Bank’s Climate Change and Green Growth Department and Gender and Women Empowerment Division. The event brought together stakeholders from government, civil society, the private sector, and development institutions, underscoring a strong regional commitment to gender-equitable and resilient energy transitions.
Opening the event, Al Hamndou Dorsouma, Manager of the Climate Change and Green Growth, reaffirmed the Bank’s commitment to a just and inclusive energy transition. “Gender equality is a source of serious innovation and sustainable growth,” he stated, emphasizing the need to translate diagnostic findings into concrete reforms, strengthening institutional coordination, and gender-responsive business and financing mechanisms. He noted that the initiative directly responds to growing country-level demand for stronger gender integration in energy strategies, building on earlier successes in East Africa.
Nathalie Gahunga, Manager of the Gender and Women Empowerment Division, closed the event with a compelling call to action. She urged governments, development partners, NGOs, financiers, and the private sector to turn the data into transformative investments, innovative programs, and inclusive policy reforms. “The real work begins now,” she declared, calling for cross-sector collaboration to remove structural barriers and unlock women’s full participation in Africa’s green economy.
Fewstancia Munyaradzi, Executive Director of Rand Sandton Consulting Group (www.RandSandton.com), presented a consolidated action plan focused on closing financing gaps, building institutional capacity, and integrating gender-responsive approaches into energy policy and project design.
At the African Development Bank, gender integration is a core priority. Gender considerations are mainstreamed in 100 percent of the Bank’s climate operations—from design through implementation. These diagnostics reflect that commitment, providing practical tools to help countries operationalize gender equality in energy planning and programming.
As Africa advances on its path to energy transformation, diagnostics are now available to guide gender-responsive policy and investment decisions across the continent. They affirm that gender inclusion is not only a development imperative but a cornerstone of sustainable, resilient progress.
This new effort builds on the Bank’s earlier collaboration with the Climate Investment Funds in 2020, which produced Gender and Sustainable Energy Access country briefs for Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania, and Uganda (https://apo-opa.co/46MLNiY). Those briefs guided gender-sensitive energy interventions and highlighted the importance of sex-disaggregated data, national-level engagement, and context-specific recommendations.
To review the Country Diagnostic Studies on Gender and Renewable Energy, click here (https://apo-opa.co/3GXAwSi):
Ghana (https://apo-opa.co/450VUOL)
Liberia (https://apo-opa.co/44DKrFW)
Mali (https://apo-opa.co/44ZZLM5)
Lesotho (https://apo-opa.co/3GTIKeb)
Madagascar (https://apo-opa.co/46jgk7Q)
Malawi (https://apo-opa.co/46dH5KX)
– on behalf of African Development Bank Group (AfDB).
Media Contact: Sonia Borrini Climate Change & Green Growth Department s.borrini@afdb.org
About the African Development Bank Group: The African Development Bank Group is Africa’s premier development finance institution. It comprises three distinct entities: the African Development Bank (AfDB), the African Development Fund (ADF) and the Nigeria Trust Fund (NTF). On the ground in 41 African countries with an external office in Japan, the Bank contributes to the economic development and the social progress of its 54 regional member states. For more information: www.AfDB.org
The Board of Directors of the African Development Bank (www.AfDB.org) has approved a $40 million equity investment in Project Zafiri, a transformative equity platform and flagship initiative under Mission 300 (https://apo-opa.co/4m1ve7m). This investment will accelerate the expansion of renewable energy access across Africa.
Zafiri – jointly developed by the Bank, World Bank Group and other partners – aims to address the critical shortage of patient, longer-term equity capital needed to de-risk and scale Decentralized Renewable Energy solutions (DRE) for underserved communities across the continent.
Decentralized Renewable Energy is the fastest, most cost-effective, and sustainable way to expand electricity access in rural Africa. Unlike centralized grids, DRE solutions—such as mini-grids and stand-alone solar home systems—can be deployed quickly and affordably, even in remote or fragile areas.
Under Mission 300, which aims to connect an additional 300 million people to electricity by 2030, DRE will play a central role in ensuring no community is left behind. These decentralized systems are modular, scalable, and well-suited to the continent’s dispersed populations and geographic challenges. More than half of all new electricity connections by 2030 are expected to come from DRE.
Zafiri is structured as a Permanent Capital Vehicle with a targeted capitalization of $1 billion, raised through a phased approach. Phase 1 targets $300 million in total commitments, equally split between junior and senior equity, with junior equity serving as a key catalyst to crowd-in private sector in this higher-risk, undercapitalized market.
The African Development Bank’s $40 million contribution consists of $30 million in senior equity from its balance sheet and $10 million in junior equity from the Sustainable Energy Fund for Africa (SEFA), a multi-donor special fund managed by the Bank.
“Zafiri is a catalytic platform that will be an integral component of the Bank’s strategy to accelerate universal access to modern energy in Africa. With just five years remaining to reach Mission 300’s goal of additional 300 million connections by 2030, this initiative provides a timely and innovative solution to scale private capital for impact,” noted Kevin Kariuki, Vice President for Power, Energy, Climate, and Green Growth at the African Development Bank.
Wale Shonibare, Director for Energy Financial Solutions, Policy, and Regulations, described Zafiri as the largest patient capital commitment to the African DRE sector to date. He said it exemplifies how structured blended financing can unlock commercial capital while delivering inclusive, climate-resilient energy access across the continent.
Project Zafiri will address the lack of longer-term equity that is constraining the growth of the DRE sector in Africa, Daniel Schroth, Director for Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency, said, adding that by anchoring the junior equity tranche, SEFA is helping to crowd in private investment at scale.
Zafiri aligns with the Bank’s Ten-Year Strategy (2024–2033) to promote private investment in energy infrastructure, the High 5s, particularly Light Up and Power Africa, Industrialize Africa, and Improve the Quality of Life for the People of Africa, and the New Deal on Energy for Africa. It also contributes to both mitigation and adaptation goals under the Bank’s Climate Change and Green Growth Policy and Strategy and supports the objectives of SEFA and the Private Sector Development Strategy (PSDS) to mobilize equity for clean energy and energy efficiency investments. Zafiri also aligns with the Bank’s Equity Investment Framework and represents a pioneering approach to blended finance in Africa’s energy transition and a critical step toward achieving universal energy access.
– on behalf of African Development Bank Group (AfDB).
Contact: Amba Mpoke-Bigg Communication and External Relations Department Email: media@afdb.org
About the African Development Bank Group: The African Development Bank Group is Africa’s premier development finance institution. It comprises three distinct entities: the African Development Bank (AfDB), the African Development Fund (ADF) and the Nigeria Trust Fund (NTF). On the ground in 41 African countries with an external office in Japan, the Bank contributes to the economic development and the social progress of its 54 regional member states. For more information: www.AfDB.org
Durban, South Africa – Commenting on the outcome of the G20 3rd Finance Ministers and Central Bank Ministerial Meeting, Greenpeace welcomed the G20 ministers’ support for international tax negotiations at the United Nations. However, Ministers did not reference the proposal introduced under Brazil’s G20 presidency last year to tax the ultra-rich.[1]
Fred Njehu, Global Political Lead of the Fair Share campaign, Greenpeace Africa, said: “This show of support for the UN Tax Convention is a welcome step in the right direction for new global tax rules that work for everyone, not just the select few. The G20 must now put words into action and engage constructively in the process as a global multilateral platform that will shape and determine the future of taxation, one rooted in equity, transparency and justice.
“However, the G20 Finance Ministers are squandering an incredible opportunity to end financial apartheid and achieve a breakthrough on wealth taxation that could redistribute much needed funds to tackle the social, economic, environmental and climate polycrisis. Equality is not the accumulation of wealth and power in the hands of a few billionaires. We need to stand up to the power of billionaires who are a threat to our democracies, security and wellbeing.[2]
“Turbulent economic times like these demand global cooperation and a multilateral response. G20 ministers have an historic obligation to help steer the global economy and environment towards safer waters. They must listen to growing public calls and build the political momentum for taxing the super-rich and set new global tax rules that work for all to achieve social and climate justice.”
END
Notes:
[1] New global tax rules in an UN Framework Convention on International Tax Cooperation are being negotiated, from now until 2027. It is a historic opportunity to redistribute power and wealth, and foster tax transparency and accountability. It aims to take control of global tax rules from the rich OECD (Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development) countries to place it in the hands of the 193 member states of the United Nations.
Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian – People’s Republic of China in Russian –
An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
JOHANNESBURG, July 18 (Xinhua) — A two-day meeting of G20 finance ministers and central bank governors concluded in Durban, South Africa on Friday, with participants agreeing to strengthen multilateral cooperation to address existing and emerging risks to the global economy, according to a joint communique issued after the meeting.
According to the communique, G20 officials discussed global challenges such as conflicts, geopolitical and trade tensions, disruptions to global supply chains, high debt levels, and frequent extreme weather events and natural disasters.
The document notes that the officials reaffirmed their commitment to global economic cooperation despite difficult negotiations. “It was not easy in the current environment,” said South African Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana, commenting on the negotiations that allowed the ministers to reach an agreement and sign the communiqué.
“There was a renewed commitment to strengthen multilateral cooperation to address existing and emerging risks to the global economy and to recognise the importance of the World Trade Organisation (WTO) in advancing trade issues and agreed rules in the WTO,” the South African Treasury Department said in a statement.
The statement said the G20 ministers and central bankers agreed that the WTO requires comprehensive reform to improve all its functions through innovative approaches to meet and respond to modern realities. They noted that developing countries face high levels of debt and debt servicing costs that need to be addressed.
“The G20 members expressed their commitment to addressing the debt vulnerability of low- and middle-income countries and reaffirmed their intention to strengthen the implementation of the G20 Common Principles. They also stressed the need to enhance the role and voice of developing countries in decision-making in multilateral development banks and other international financial and economic institutions,” the South African Treasury said in a statement. –0–
Please note: This information is raw content obtained directly from the source of the information. It is an accurate report of what the source claims and does not necessarily reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that three Fort Towson, Oklahoma co-conspirators in a 2020 double homicide were sentenced in federal district court.
Ashlie Nicole Rose Martin, age 22, was sentenced to 456 months in prison for one count of Conspiracy to Commit Murder.
Chad Jon’Dale Voyles, age 23, was sentenced to 420 months in prison for one count of Murder in Indian Country.
Bryson Noel Miller, age 19, was sentenced to 300 months in prison for one count of Murder in Indian Country.
The charges arose from an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation, the Oklahoma Highway Patrol, and the Choctaw County Sheriff’s Office.
According to investigators, on December 22, 2020, Martin, then age 17, recruited Voyles, age 18, and Miller, age 15, to murder her parents. That evening, Martin let Voyles and Miller into her house through a rear window. Miller and Voyles found Martin’s mother sleeping on a couch and beat her to death. All three assisted in burying her in a shallow grave in the backyard. After the murder of Martin’s mother, the co-conspirators cleaned up and disposed of evidence of the murder.
Over the next few hours, Martin attempted to arrange plans to flee, while Voyles and Miller awaited the arrival of Martin’s father at Martin’s residence. When Martin’s father arrived, Voyles ambushed him and fired at him with a compound bow and field-tipped arrow. Voyles missed, leading to a struggle with the father. Ultimately, Miller intervened and struck the father in the head with a dumbbell. Once incapacitated, Voyles and Miller doused the man in gasoline and set him and the house on fire.
The crimes occurred in Choctaw County, within the boundaries of the Choctaw Nation Reservation and within the Eastern District of Oklahoma.
“In December 2020, two lives were tragically cut short, and the entire community of Fort Towson was gripped by fear and disbelief,” said FBI Oklahoma City Acting Special Agent in Charge Joe Ogden. “The ruthless violence displayed by all three defendants in this case undoubtedly proves they belong behind prison walls. The efforts of the FBI and our law enforcement partners have guaranteed they will each feel the full weight of the federal justice system.”
“The defendants’ actions were brutal and horrifying,” said United States Attorney Christopher J. Wilson. “Although nothing can erase the effects of these crimes or ease these families’ agony, the sentences imposed remove three very dangerous people from our community for a very long time.”
The Honorable David C. Joseph, U.S. District Judge in the United States District Court for the Western District of Louisiana, sitting by appointment, presided over the hearing. The defendants will remain in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending transportation to a designated United States Bureau of Prisons facility to serve non-paroleable sentences of incarceration.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Benjamin D. Traster represented the United States.
Headline: Members call for reinvigorated work on technology transfer, elect new Chair
Members welcomed the election of Ambassador Eheth, who succeeded Ambassador Raimondas Ališauskas of Lithuania, and expressed appreciation for the outgoing Chair’s leadership over the past year in advancing the Group’s work.
In his opening remarks, Ambassador Eheth underscored the continued relevance and growing importance of the Group’s mandate. He noted that technology transfer is vital for “strengthening productive capacity, upgrading infrastructure, and building resilience,”. He also highlighted its role in “supporting structural transformation, responding to environmental challenges, and ensuring that the rapid deployment of artificial intelligence and its applications in trade benefit all and do not further widen the gap between members at different stages of development.”
In a discussion initiated by India, members exchanged views on how to advance work on technology transfer and build momentum towards the 14th Ministerial Conference (MC14), to be held in Yaoundé, Cameroon, in March 2026.
Ambassador Eheth encouraged members to “continue sharing national experiences on how trade has facilitated technology transfer and supported development”. He reaffirmed the value of the practice – introduced by his predecessor – of hearing from chairs of other WTO bodies. This, he noted, “enriches the Group’s work by illustrating the cross-cutting nature of technology transfer and its relevance across the WTO’s agenda.”
Looking ahead, the Chair announced his intention to hold informal consultations in September to hear members’ views on how best to advance the Group’s work. “I am committed to helping advance not only the mandate of this Group, but also the broader objectives of the Organization as set out in the preamble of the Marrakesh Agreement establishing the WTO: raising standards of living, ensuring steadily growing real income, and supporting sustainable development in a manner consistent with the needs and aspirations of all members,” he said.
The next formal meeting of the working group is scheduled for November 2025.
Source: United Nations General Assembly and Security Council
On 2 July 2025, the Security Council Committee established pursuant to resolution 1533 (2004) concerning the Democratic Republic of the Congo was briefed by the Group of Experts on its final report.
The Coordinator of the Group presented the report’s main findings on conflict in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, including the ongoing support to armed groups, continued violations of the arms embargo and international humanitarian law, and human rights violations and abuses. The briefing also addressed the illicit exploitation of natural resources and the impact of regional dynamics on peace and security.
Members of the Committee exchanged views with the Group and took note of its findings and recommendations.
Source: United States Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco Firearms and Explosives (ATF)
WASHINGTON – Ronte Ricardo Greene, 29, of the District of Columbia, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court to 108 months in federal prison for his role in a fentanyl trafficking conspiracy which distributed hundreds of thousands of lethal fentanyl-laced pills from Southern California to destinations throughout the United States, including Washington D.C. Greene was one of 24 co-defendants arrested over the course of 2023 in D.C., Virginia, Maryland, San Diego, and Los Angeles and charged in the conspiracy. The sentencing was announced by U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
Greene, aka “Cardiddy,” pleaded guilty on Feb. 27, 2025, to conspiracy to distribute and possession with intent to distribute 40 grams of fentanyl. In addition to the 108-month prison term, Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly ordered Greene to serve five years of supervised release.
Joining in the announcement of Greene’s sentencing today were Special Agent in Charge Ibrar A. Mian of the Drug Enforcement Administration Washington Division, Inspector in Charge Damon Wood of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, and Chief Pamela Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department.
According to court documents, Greene entered into the conspiracy in 2022 after he was introduced to a Los Angeles-based drug trafficker who was a wholesale distributor of the counterfeit pills. Greene’s role was to travel to Southern California, purchase the fentanyl-laced pills, and return with them to the DMV where he would sell the pills to others.
Greene regularly boasted of the money generated from his drug trafficking, and posted photos of himself on social media holding stacks of cash.
When Greene was arrested on Nov. 15, 2023, he was in possession of about 100 fentanyl-laced pills.
This investigation is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
The prosecutions followed a joint investigation by the DEA Washington Division and the USPIS Washington Division in partnership with the Metropolitan Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). The investigation had valuable support from the DEA Los Angeles, San Diego, and Riverside Field Offices, the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Washington Field Office, and the Charles County, Maryland Sheriff’s Office. Valuable assistance was provided by the U.S. Attorney’s Offices in the Central and Southern Districts of California, the Eastern District of Virginia, and the District of Maryland.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Matthew Kinskey, Solomon Eppel, and Iris McCranie of the Violent Crimes and Narcotics Trafficking Division.
DEFENDANT
AGE
LOCATION
CHARGES/SENTENCE
Hector David Valdez,
aka “Curl”
27
Santa Fe Springs, California
Conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl;
conspiracy to commit international money laundering.
Craig Eastman
21
Washington, D.C.
Sentenced Feb. 6, 2025, to 165 months for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute more than 40 grams of fentanyl.
Charles Jeffrey Taylor
21
Washington, D.C.
Pleaded guilty Feb. 28, 2025, to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl.
Raymond Nava, Jr.
21
Bell Gardens,
California
Sentenced Sept. 17, 2024, to 14 years for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl.
Ulises Aldaz
28
Bell Gardens,
California
Sentenced June 28, 2024, to 95 months in prison for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl.
Max Alexander Carias Torres
27
Bell Gardens,
California
Conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl; conspiracy to commit international money laundering.
Teron Deandre McNeil, aka “Wild Boy”
35
Washington, D.C.
Conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl; Conspiracy to commit wire fraud.
Marvin Anthony Bussie,
aka “Money Marr”
22
Washington, D.C.
Sentenced June 28, 2024, to 120 months in prison for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl.
Marcus Orlando Brown
29
Washington, D.C.
Sentenced Oct. 3, 2024, to 108 months in prison for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl.
Columbian Thomas, aka “Cruddy Murda”
27
Washington, D.C.
Sentenced Oct. 22, 2024, to 160 months in prison for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl.
Wayne Rodell Carr-Maiden
35
Washington, D.C.
Sentenced April 29, 2024, to 45 months in prison for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl.
Andre Malik Edmond,
aka “Draco”
24
Temple Hills, Maryland
Sentenced July 22, 2024, to 130 months in prison for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl.
Treyveon James Johnson,
aka “Treyski”
21
Alexandria, Virginia
Sentenced Sept. 5, 2024, to 108 months in prison for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl.
Karon Olufemi Blalock,
aka “Fat Bags”
30
Alexandria, Virginia
Conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl; conspiracy to commit wire fraud; conspiracy to commit money laundering.
Ronte Ricardo Greene,
aka “Cardiddy”
29
Washington, D.C.
Sentenced July 18, 2025, to 108 months for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl.
Melvin Edward Allen, Jr., aka “21”
39
Washington, D.C.
Sentenced June 20, 2025, to 75 months for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl.
Darius Quincy Hodges,
aka “Brick”
34
Glen Allen, Virginia
Conspiracy to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl.
Lamin Sesay,
aka “Rock Star”
28
Alexandria, Virginia
Sentenced May 30, 2025, to 110 months in prison for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl.
Paul Alejandro Felix
26
Glendale,
California
Sentenced Nov. 12, 2024, to 164 months in prison for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl.
Omar Arana,
aka “Frogs”
27
Cudahy,
California
Sentenced May 2, 2025, to 93 months, for conspiracy to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl.
Edgar Balderas, Jr., aka “Nano”
27
San Diego,
California
Sentenced May 8, 2025, to 148 months in prison for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl.
Raul Pacheco Ramirez
31
Long Beach,
California
Sentenced Nov. 26, 2024, to 95 months for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl.
Giovani Alejandro Briones
31
Victorville, California
Sentenced Feb. 20, 2025, to 90 months for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl.
Alfredo Rodriguez Gonzalez
27
Rosarito, Mexico
Conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl;
conspiracy to commit international money laundering.
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Mark Pocan (2nd District of Wisconsin)
WASHINGTON D.C. – Today, U.S. Representatives Mark Pocan (WI-02), Raja Krishnamoorthi (IL-08), and Gabe Amo (RI-01) led a letter with 49 of their colleagues to Secretary of State Marco Rubio opposing his decision to withhold nearly 500 metric tons of emergency food aid and instead incinerate those supplies once they expire.
“As you know, these rations were designed to nourish vulnerable children in conflict-affected regions such as Afghanistan and Pakistan,” the Members wrote. “This action is not only morally indefensible, but also wasteful, strategically shortsighted, and completely counter to the entirety of your work while in the Senate.”
“We understand that instead of delivering this emergency assistance to malnourished children as originally intended, the State Department will destroy the biscuits at an additional cost to the taxpayer of $130,000,” the Members continued. “According to reporting in the Atlantic, USAID employees and inventory data say this food could have fed 1.5 million children for a week. Given the alarming rates of food insecurity and famine in regions like Gaza and Sudan, the decision to burn lifesaving aid produced by American farmers and paid for by American tax dollars amounts to a tragic abdication of our global humanitarian responsibilities and hurts our own global interests.”
“The United States has long led the world in humanitarian assistance, not only as a matter of compassion but also as a cornerstone of global stability and diplomacy,” the Members concluded. “Destroying aid that could save lives undermines that legacy and damages our standing in the international community. We urge you to immediately prioritize the distribution of all remaining and viable food assistance stockpiles. American leadership demands nothing less.”
Source: United Nations General Assembly and Security Council
Following is UN Secretary-General António Guterres’ remarks at the General Assembly commemoration of Nelson Mandela International Day, in New York today:
Today, we celebrate the life and legacy of Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela. Madiba’s extraordinary life was a triumph of the human spirit. He endured the brutal weight of oppression and emerged not with a vision of vengeance and division — but of reconciliation, peace and unity.
Today, Madiba’s legacy is now our responsibility. We must carry forward his commitment to peace, justice and human dignity.
One of the central lessons of Mandela’s life was that power is not a personal possession, to be hoarded. Power is about lifting others up. It is about what we can achieve with one another, and for one another. Power is about people.
In every facet of his life, Nelson Mandela demonstrated the power of collective, grass-roots action to drive change and progress and deliver power to the powerless.
This same spirit can be found in today’s winners of the Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela Prize. Ms. Brenda Reynolds is a Saulteaux member from Fishing Lake First Nation in Canada. She is a social worker, who turned her struggle against the most hideous of crimes against children into a national force for change, supporting and developing trauma responses for survivors and families of the residential schools system.
Mr. Kennedy Odede grew up in the Kibera slum in Kenya. A long-time community activist, the organization he founded unites community groups from across the country and now reaches more than 2.4 million people each year with essential services — everything from education to water.
Both prize winners embody Nelson Mandela’s words, which are engraved on their Prizes: “What counts in life is not the mere fact that we have lived. It is what difference we have made to the lives of others.”
On behalf of the United Nations, I congratulate Ms. Reynolds and Mr. Odede on this well-deserved recognition.
As the United Nations celebrates its eightieth anniversary, Nelson Mandela’s legacy of reconciliation and transformation continues to inspire and drive us. Around the world, human rights and dignity are under threat — not only from conflict and instability, but from systematic inequalities, exclusion, climate disasters and the rollback of hard-won freedoms.
Now is the time to renew our global commitment to the principles that define our organization — and indeed, the extraordinary life of Nelson Mandela. Freedom. Justice. Equal rights. Solidarity. Reconciliation. Peace.
Today, and every day, let’s continue following the path and principles set by Nelson Mandela’s life of service and progress.
July 18, 2025 Ottawa, Ontario Natural Resources Canada
With wildfires impacting Canadians across the country, the federal government is taking action to prevent wildfires, mitigate their effects and boost resilience. The Government of Canada’s first priority is protecting Canadians and supporting those affected by wildfire.
Today, the Honourable Tim Hodgson, Minister of Energy and Natural Resources, and the Honourable Eleanor Olszewski, Minister of Emergency Management and Community Resilience, announced an investment of $11.7 million over four years to establish the Wildfire Resilience Consortium of Canada (WRCC). Funded through the Wildfire Resilient Futures Initiative, the WRCC will serve as a national centre of excellence and virtual hub for wildland fire innovation and knowledge exchange.
The WRCC will advance many of the actions in the Kananaskis Wildfire Charter, agreed to by the leaders of the G7 this spring in Canada and endorsed by the leaders of Australia, India, Mexico, the Republic of Korea and South Africa. It will bring together domestic and international governments, communities impacted by wildfires, the private sector and individual experts to share knowledge, facilitate collaboration and accelerate the use of cutting-edge science and technology in wildfire prevention, mitigation, preparedness and response. It will also support Indigenous fire stewardship and the cultural use of fire, recognizing and respecting traditional knowledge as a critical component of wildfire resilience.
Minister Hodgson also delivered the latest national wildfire forecast. Looking ahead, Environment and Climate Change Canada’s weather forecasts point to above-average temperatures across much of Canada from July through August, with dry conditions expected to intensify in the coming weeks, particularly in the west and north.
Based on these weather forecasts, Natural Resources Canada’s modelling predicts elevated wildfire risk from Yukon eastward to northwestern Ontario and in Nova Scotia and eastern New Brunswick. By August, wildfire activity is expected to continue to increase and persist to well-above-average conditions over much of western Canada, with the highest fire danger in southern British Columbia.
Throughout this wildfire season and beyond, Canada is coordinating cross-jurisdictional collaboration, supporting those on the front lines, protecting Canadians and equipping communities with the tools and knowledge they need to stay informed and stay safe.
Energy Capital & Power (ECP) (https://EnergyCapitalPower.com/), in partnership with global accounting, audit and advisory network Moore Global, is proud to launch the African Special Mining Report 2025, a definitive analysis of Africa’s mining landscape released in support of African Mining Week (AMW).
As the world accelerates toward a low-carbon, high-tech future, Africa is emerging as a critical player in global mineral supply chains. This timely publication captures the continent’s rising profile as a destination for strategic mineral investment – from copper and cobalt to lithium, gold, graphite and iron ore – while providing deep, actionable insight into the trends, policy shifts and financing structures shaping the future of mining across Africa.
Produced as an official knowledge product of AMW 2025, the report connects directly to the platform’s mission of driving capital, partnerships and industrial development across Africa’s mining value chain. With extensive contributions from Moore Global’s energy, mining and renewables experts, the report draws on decades of experience advising clients in Africa and globally, offering forward-looking perspectives on ESG compliance, climate finance, regulatory reform and capital mobilization for mining ventures.
The report explores Africa’s renewed strategic importance in global mineral supply chains, spotlighting developments such as the copper resurgence in Zambia and the DRC, the return of private equity to the continent’s mining sector and the persistent logistics challenges impacting offtake reliability. It also examines how ESG metrics are increasingly being monetized, how climate finance is reshaping the feasibility of mining projects and how the integration of renewables is redefining operational best practices. Alongside these forward-looking insights, the report provides a clear-eyed view of the regulatory landscape, analyzing sovereign policy shifts, beneficiation mandates and the evolving capital environment for both junior and major mining companies.
“This report is about more than trends – it’s about where the African mining sector is headed, who is driving the shift and how the global investment landscape is responding. It also underscores AMW’s unique role in anchoring high-level dialogue and dealmaking around these developments. We’re proud to partner with Moore Global to deliver a resource that informs, challenges and empowers decision-makers across the mining ecosystem,” stated Rachelle Kasongo, AMW Conference Director.
The African Special Mining Report 2025 is now available digitally (https://apo-opa.co/44BbrWu).
– on behalf of Energy Capital & Power.
For media inquiries, interview requests or report access, please contact: communications@energycapitalpower.com
The third edition of the Pan-African Business and Development Awards has recognised and celebrated leading businesses on the continent and in the diaspora in alignment with Afreximbank’s push for a promotion of a Global Africa
Marking his distinguished tenor, Professor Benedict Oramah, outgoing Afreximbank President, was honoured with the Bank’s Long Service Award alongside other employees
Export Trading Group (ETG) won the Global Africa Business Leader Award 2025 for fostering economic growth across the continent and enhancing food security
KCB Group Plc, Kenya and CBZ Bank, Zimbabwe emerged winners of the Afreximbank Financial Institutions Award 2025 for banking institutions with more than $500m and less than $500m capital respectively for having played a pivotal role in bridging the trade finance gap in Africa.
TRACE, a multimedia platform dedicated to the entertainment and empowerment of people of African descent won the Diaspora Business of the Year Award for their impact in strengthening continental and diaspora ties.
African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) (www.Afreximbank.com) hosted the third edition of the Pan-African Business and Development Awards in association with the Business Council for Africa (BCA) on Wednesday June 25, 2025, at a colourful Gala Dinner attended by more than 400 dignitaries including business and political leaders from Nigeria, across Africa and the diaspora.
The Pan-African Business and Development Awards, held annually during the Afreximbank Annual Meetings, are designed to celebrate and recognise transformative businesses and financial institutions within the African continent and in the diaspora in keeping with the Bank’s vision for a Global Africa.
Export Trading Group (ETG), operational in nearly 20 countries on the continent, won the Global Africa Business Leader Award, 2025 for fostering economic growth across the continent and enhancing food security by connecting smallholder farmers with regional and global markets, improving livelihoods and boosting intra-African trade, reflecting Afreximbank’s mandate of fostering trade and economic growth across the continent. The company’s investments in storage, logistics, and processing infrastructure have helped reduce post-harvest losses and increased value addition.
This year, TRACE, the multimedia platform dedicated to the entertainment and empowerment of people of African descent, won the Diaspora Business of the Year award for its impact in strengthening continental and diaspora ties through the vehicle of entertainment. Its mission is to uplift African identity through music, education, and storytelling. TRACE’s platforms reach and support over 5,000 artists and 1,000 brands annually. It employs hundreds across Africa, contributing hundreds of millions of dollars in value.
Two banking giants were recognised in the Afreximbank Financial Institutions Award–2025. KCB Group Plc, Kenya’s largest bank by assets emerged winner of the award for banking institutions with more than $500m capital while CBZ Bank, also Zimbabwe’s largest Bank emerged winner of the Afreximbank Financial Institutions Award-2025 for banking institutions with less than $500m capital.
KCB, which won in the same category in 2024, was recognised for facilitating local and cross-border trade finance through various products as well as mitigating risks inherent in trade on behalf of its customers. One of the first East African banks to enhance financial inclusion and economic growth, it has positioned itself as an enabler for businesses and consumers to transact efficiently across African borders.
CBZ Bank from Zimbabwe has played a pivotal role in bridging the trade finance gap in Africa by leveraging strategic partnerships, introducing innovative products, and executing a comprehensive pan-African vision. During the 31st Afreximbank Annual meetings held in Nassau, The Bahamas last year, CBZ Bank and Afreximbank inked two deals (https://apo-opa.co/44ZDCxm) totalling $80 million consisting of US$60 million line of credit and $20 million Afreximbank Trade Facilitation Programme (AFTRAF) facility signalling their continued collaboration aimed at promoting economic development.
In a speech delivered on behalf of Professor Benedict Oramah, President and Chairman of Board of Directors at Afreximbank, the Bank’s Senior Executive Vice President, Denys Denya, said: “This Awards event is our way of saying thank you to everyone who, regardless of size or significance of your role, has contributed to furthering the course of development in Africa. I would like to take this opportunity to congratulate you. With these awards, we reaffirm our commitment to the shared goal of transforming the African economy and restoring the dignity of Africans, regardless of their geographic location.”
Arnold Ekpe, former group CEO of Ecobank Transnational Incorporated and chair of the BCA, in his remarks, commented on the importance of recognising and celebrating institutions that contribute to Africa’s development, which he said, “has become the defining essence of Afreximbank.”
A major highlight of the awards ceremony was the recognition of four long serving Afreximbank staff members for their dedicated service of between 25 and 30 years. This esteemed group included Professor Benedict Oramah who was honoured for over three decades at the Bank with ten years spent at the helm as President and Chairman of Board of Directors.
Presenting the long service award to Prof. Oramah, Wale Edun, Nigeria’s Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy said: “Tonight, we acknowledge not just a remarkable career, but a transformative journey spanning three decades. Under your leadership, the bank hasn’t just scaled; it has soared, championing strategies that have fundamentally reshaped trade and development across Africa. Nigeria is incredibly proud of your achievements, your leadership, and your unwavering commitment to the economic prosperity of our continent. You are a true son of the soil; a shining example of what dedication and vision can accomplish.”
The Pan-African Business and Development Awards are hosted by Afreximbank in association with the BCA. The awards series was launched in 2023 to recognise those organisations and leaders that epitomise the pan-African spirit by leading the way in building substantive and transformative cross-border businesses.
– on behalf of Afreximbank.
Media Contact: Vincent Musumba Communications and Events Manager (Media Relations) Email: press@afreximbank.com
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About Afreximbank: African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) is a Pan-African multilateral financial institution mandated to finance and promote intra- and extra-African trade. For over 30 years, the Bank has been deploying innovative structures to deliver financing solutions that support the transformation of the structure of Africa’s trade, accelerating industrialisation and intra-regional trade, thereby boosting economic expansion in Africa. A stalwart supporter of the African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA), Afreximbank has launched a Pan-African Payment and Settlement System (PAPSS) that was adopted by the African Union (AU) as the payment and settlement platform to underpin the implementation of the AfCFTA. Working with the AfCFTA Secretariat and the AU, the Bank has set up a US$10 billion Adjustment Fund to support countries effectively participating in the AfCFTA. At the end of December 2024, Afreximbank’s total assets and contingencies stood at over US$40.1 billion, and its shareholder funds amounted to US$7.2 billion. Afreximbank has investment grade ratings assigned by GCR (international scale) (A), Moody’s (Baa2), China Chengxin International Credit Rating Co., Ltd (CCXI) (AAA), Japan Credit Rating Agency (JCR) (A-) and Fitch (BBB-). Afreximbank has evolved into a group entity comprising the Bank, its equity impact fund subsidiary called the Fund for Export Development Africa (FEDA), and its insurance management subsidiary, AfrexInsure (together, “the Group”). The Bank is headquartered in Cairo, Egypt.
July 18, 2025 – Durban, South Africa – Department of Finance Canada
With global political and economic uncertainty abounding, strong relationships and cross-continental collaboration with reliable nations has never been more important. Canada is spearheading a new era of collaboration and partnership with nations it can trust and whose priorities it shares.
The Honourable François-Philippe Champagne, Minister of Finance and National Revenue, today concluded his participation in the G7 and G20 meetings of Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors (FMCBG) in Durban, South Africa – a key engagement under Canada’s ongoing G7 Presidency and a demonstration of Canada’s commitment to strong international partnerships.
At the G20 meeting, Minister Champagne outlined Canada’s vision for the global economy, as well as for the international financial architecture, international taxation and ways to improve longer-term growth prospects for Africa. Discussions during the meeting included the importance of sustainable finance and the role of resilient infrastructure in supporting economic development.
The Minister leveraged the occasion to engage in a series of bilateral meetings with his counterparts, further strengthening Canada’s relationships and fostering collaboration with key global partners. This included meetings with Ministers from Indonesia, Australia, the United Arab Emirates, Norway, Sweden, Singapore, Italy, the United Kingdom, Saudi Arabia and Japan, along with pull-asides with South Africa and Denmark.
On the margins of the G20 meeting, Minister Champagne co-chaired with Tiff Macklem, Governor of the Bank of Canada, the fourth G7 Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors’ meeting under Canada’s G7 Presidency. Discussions focused on ways to work together to reduce the ongoing trade and economic policy uncertainty, notably by establishing new uninterrupted trade routes with reliable partners and lifting existing barriers to trade. Russia’s illegal and unjust war against Ukraine, and actions to improve supply chain resilience including for critical minerals, were also discussed. Australia and South Korea joined the discussion on supply chains.
During a short stay in Cape Town prior to the G7 and G20 meetings, Minister Champagne also met with local business leaders and government officials to advance Canada’s goals of partnership, economic development and innovation.
In his remarks, the Secretary-General celebrated the extraordinary life of the South African civil rights icon, affectionately known by his Khosa clan name, Madiba.
“He endured the brutal weight of oppression, and emerged not with a vision of vengeance and division – but of reconciliation, peace and unity,” Mr. Guterres said.
“Today, Madiba’s legacy is now our responsibility. We must carry forward his commitment to peace, justice and human dignity.”
To honour this legacy, the UN chief awarded the annual Nelson Mandela Prize to two individuals who reflect the late leader’s commitment to peace and collective action, and this year’s theme of combating poverty and inequity: Brenda Reynolds of Canada and Kennedy Odede of Kenya.
Brenda Reynolds: turning pain into action
Brenda Reynolds is a Saulteaux member from Fishing Lake First Nation in Canada, and as a social worker she has spent decades advancing Indigenous rights, mental health and trauma-informed care.
“There are many parallels to what we had experienced in both our countries, where the governments made impacted policies to change who we are, to face oppression, to face violations of human rights in our countries,” Ms. Reynolds said in her acceptance speech.
In 1988, she supported 17 teenage girls in the first residential school sexual abuse case in Saskatchewan.
“These charges were the beginning of other disclosures that came from across Canada from survivors speaking about their sexual abuse experiences. Those charges and the disclosures became the largest class action lawsuit to date in Canada,” known as Canada’s Indian Residential Schools Settlement Agreement, she explained.
Afterwards, she became a special adviser to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission and developed the Indian Residential School Resolution Health Support Program – both created by the agreement – helping shape survivor support and trauma responses nationwide.
Kennedy Odede: from slums to CEO
After growing up in Kenya’s Kibera Slum, Kennedy Odede went from living on the street to global recognition when he was named one of TIME magazine’s 2024 100 Most Influential People and became a New York Times bestselling author.
“At ten years old, fleeing domestic violence, I joined the ranks of Nairobi’s street children. One day I stole a mango because I was starving. A mob gathered to beat me dead, until a stranger stepped forward, paid for that mango, and in that single act of grace, showed me that kindness could interrupt cycles of violence,” Mr. Odede recounted in his acceptance speech.
He began his journey as an activist by saving his meagre factory earnings to buy a soccer ball and bring his community together.
“That ball was not just for play; it was a tool for organising. A centre around which a community could form,” he said.
This soon grew into Shining Hope for Communities (SHOFCO), the largest grassroots movement in Kenya he now leads as CEO. SHOFCO operates across the country, empowering local groups and delivering vital services to over 4 million people annually.
“Mandela showed all of us at SHOFCO, that leadership is not a privilege reserved for those born to power. It belongs to anyone willing to serve and look within.”
Source: The Conversation – UK – By Rachael Eastham, Lecturer in Young People’s Health Inequalities, Division of Health Research, Lancaster University
Homabay, Kenya, in February 2025.Rachael Eastham, CC BY
My phone wouldn’t stop ringing – nurses, social workers, young mothers – all begging for help. ‘I’ve lost my job,’ ‘I have no food,’ ‘What do we do now?’ I felt helpless.
These are the words of Rogers Omollo, founder and CEO of Activate Action – a youth-led non-profit organisation that supports young people with HIV and disabilities in Homa Bay, a town in west Kenya on the shores of Lake Victoria.
As specialists in youth and sexual and reproductive health, we were on a field trip to learn from Omollo and others like him. We wanted to find out about the work they were doing to tackle HIV, stigma and health inequalities.
But our time there was dominated by one thing: President Donald Trump’s executive order which put almost all international spending by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) on pause for a 90-day review and subsequently took a wrecking ball to all international aid programmes funded by the US.
In July, research published in The Lancet medical journal found that the US funding cuts towards foreign humanitarian aid could cause more than 14 million additional deaths by 2030, with a third of those at risk of premature deaths being children. Davide Rasella, who co-authored the report, said low- and middle-income countries were facing a shock “comparable in scale to a global pandemic or a major armed conflict”.
In the immediate aftermath, we saw firsthand the profound impact the “pause” had in this community. Activate Action is not directly funded by USAID, but as we followed in the footsteps of our host, Omollo, meeting the organisation’s collaborators and beneficiaries, the true extent of the funding freeze became shockingly apparent.
Places like Homa Bay relied heavily on USAID funding to keep hospitals and clinics running, to ensure access to essential medicines, and to support reproductive health and HIV programmes. The executive order, in principle, resulted in the immediate halting of over US$68 billion (£51 billion) in foreign aid, a substantial portion of which supports lifesaving reproductive health and HIV programmes worldwide.
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As we walked through abandoned offices and healthcare facilities speaking to bewildered people out of work and in need of critical services in February 2025, the chilling reality set in. Omollo reflected:
People who have spent years saving lives are now struggling to survive. The clinics are empty, the hope in their voices fading. It broke my heart. I wanted to scream, to fix it, but the truth hit hard – we can’t depend on one lifeline. If funding stops, lives should not. We must build something stronger, something that lasts.
So, before we even set off on our research trip to unite sexual and reproductive health advocates and collaborate with African partners, we knew we were swimming against this tide.
Final figures remain unclear but in early 2025, the abrupt suspension of an estimated US$500 million of funding to Kenya was suggested by Amnesty International to have led to the layoff of 54,000 community health workers – many of whom had been part of robust, locally led responses to HIV, tuberculosis and malaria.
The decision to do this was driven by US audit and efficiency “reevaluations” over 8,000 miles away in Washington. Decisions were made and implemented by small numbers of people within the Trump administration including Elon Musk, whose estimated individual wealth far exceeds the gross domestic product of many entire east African nations, including Kenya.
Despite years of progress in community-based healthcare systems managed by Kenyans just like Activate Action, these cuts by one external donor disrupted critical services overnight. This also demonstrated that African health systems, no matter how effective, remain subject to profound external control.
Our project was funded in October 2024, before Trump’s re-election. One week of activities in the UK, one week in Kenya. By the time Activate Action visited Lancaster, in the north of England, in January 2025, we had already started to raise eyebrows as our colleagues began receiving communications from USAID-funded initiatives about pausing projects. Two weeks later, by the time we gathered in Kenya, the immediate human cost was clear to see.
‘The field has been eviscerated’
We sat at the back of a meeting observing training for an Activate Action initiative that would see community health champions offer peer support for their neighbours on safer sex and HIV prevention. In a building that was usually busy and populated by USAID-funded staff, the lights remained on in only one room.
Before visiting Homa Bay, we knew of its reputation when it came to the so-called triple threat of gender-based violence, HIV infection and teenage pregnancy rates – all of which disproportionately affects this semi-rural county in west Kenya.
As we watched the training, a colleague based in Europe (who was instrumental in connecting some of the members of our group) texted after learning we were in Kenya, saying:
It’s terrifying. Document it. No one gets it. The field has been eviscerated.
So, what did this evisceration look like?
Staff directly affected by the order were either not permitted to talk about what was happening on the record or didn’t feel safe doing so. We spoke to at least five people who told us directly they couldn’t “speak out” and were nervous about us taking any photographs.
An Activate Action event on International Condoms Day in February 2023. Rogers Omollo, CC BY
We saw how scores of people were served their notice to cease projects, backdated and effective immediately – a stop work order, followed by (for reasons with cloudy legal foundations) official terminations to contracts. Their economic and professional futures left hanging in the balance.
As we navigated workshops and meetings, Omollo (now unexpectedly advantaged through Activate Action not being USAID-funded) continued to receive multiple texts, calls and emails from people seeking work.
A researcher we know working on a USAID supported HIV and maternity care project described doing frantic overtime in the face of uncertainty. She needed to put in hours of extra (unpaid) work to communicate with research participants as it would not be ethical to abruptly disappear on people currently engaged in an active research programme.
She had no way to manage expectations with those she spoke to and no way of knowing if they were saying a final “thank you and goodbye” to the people she had been working with for months. Despite the descriptions of USAID project funds being “paused”, she was quickly served a full termination of employment notice.
In east Africa, where this sudden and mass unemployment of vital technical and administrative staff is happening, more than half of young people aged 15-35 are unemployed. The rate is even higher among young women in rural areas (up to 66%.)
A greater horror unfolds when you consider who these unemployed workers are usually paid to help because they serve communities with some of the highest needs related to HIV, teenage pregnancy and gender-based violence.
The youth health facility we visited, for example, was locked up when we arrived. We sat in stunned silence in an empty three-roomed building with a youth HIV counsellor. We were shown photographs that showed how it was once a vibrant and busy place.
Locked up youth health facility. Rachael Eastham, CC BY
Here, the free services and information on HIV, contraception and mental health was being delivered by skilled and non-judgmental youth specialists. But it was closed down from January 20, 2025 and its future remains uncertain. A free condom dispenser outside lay empty, all supplies given out on closure day in a last ditch attempt to help young people remain safe over the coming weeks.
In Homa Bay, huge achievements have been made in addressing teenage pregnancy and adolescent HIV infection in recent years. There has been a remarkable decline in prevalence rates, new infections, and HIV-related deaths, aided by robust treatment programmes that contribute to better health. People have been living with HIV at undetectable levels, therefore unable to transmit infection. But this “safe” status requires ongoing treatment with antiretroviral medication.
What now in the absence of USAID?
But at the time of our visit, the delivery of antiretroviral therapy was becoming more restricted and would require collection by the user every three weeks, rather than the usual three months, therefore lasting the user a shorter time. To service providers we spoke to, this increase in the frequency of collection of medication was known to be a significant barrier for people having to travel long distances more frequently without transport to get their supply replenished.
Omollo explained to us that Homa Bay is also a medication hub, of sorts. People come here from other communities where, due to stigma, the risks of being identified as someone who is HIV positive in their own communities are much higher.
Every conversation we had yielded new information about the reality. Gender-based violence projects were also suspended, in part because of the Trump administration’s intentions to end “gender ideology”. A service provider joked despondently during a presentation how: “I got sacked for saying gender.”
In Kenya, femicide (the murder of women or girls because of their gender) has been described as a “crisis” requiring urgent action. In Homa Bay specifically, the sexual and gender-based violence statistics are higher than national averages and have been on the rise, especially among young people.
This follows alarming countrywide coverage about femicide across Kenya including high profile and horrifying cases such as that of the Ugandan athlete Rebecca Cheptegei.. Official figures are unclear but there are currently widespread protests and calls to action related to this injustice.
Activate Action had recently won one USAID award focusing on men living with HIV and substance use problems (factors that are both implicated in gender-based violence). Since the USAID funding freeze this offer has instantly been dissolved with no expectation of reinstatement.
Meanwhile, the fight against cervical cancer – the leading cause of cancer death in Kenya – has also been hit. Human papilloma virus (HPV) vaccination campaigns across the county have stalled, despite the fact the vaccines help prevent cervical cancer.
At one point, a 23-year-old mother of three small children asked us directly if we found it troubling (as she did) that she will not be able to receive maternal healthcare and her contraception. The list of effects is grim and feels endless.
Collateral damage
When our group convened for a workshop at a community venue with sexual and reproductive health and rights staff from across the area, the chatter was similarly focused on the effects of the USAID funding freeze, but this time in the direct shadow of operations.
Next door, four-wheel drive Jeeps had been recalled and locked behind USAID premises gates, gathering dust instead of being out in the field delivering HIV outreach services. They represented the stasis of operations more widely.
Dr Peter Ibembe, from a party of service providers visiting from Uganda, was formerly a Programme Director for the non-governmental organisation Reproductive Health Uganda where he was in charge of service delivery. He spoke to us about the atmosphere:
An eerie tone of quiet has descended on the place. Many have been suddenly rendered jobless; creating mental stress, depression, anxiety. But there has also been an indirect effect on the wider community through the entire value chain: landlords, banks and other credit institutions; food vendors; gas stations; transportation facilities and companies; hotels, restaurants and lodges; schools hospitals and the like.
Everyone has been left in limbo. Kenya, despite gradual improvements, is a lower middle income country. Poverty identified by the World Bank as a key development challenge for the nation with, in 2022, over 20 million Kenyans identified as living below the poverty line. So these knock-on effects can be drastic.
At an organisational level we also saw clearly how the boundaries of any one project running within any organisation cannot be neatly drawn, nor can projects be plucked from this matrix discretely in the way we might imagine when we hear how “USAID projects” have been suspended. This way of thinking profoundly undermines the reality of what these cuts mean because many projects are interdependent and interrelated. Omollo added:
Whilst Activate Action was not directly funded by USAID, the overall reduction in health services affects the community they serve. The lack of support for HIV prevention, mental health and economic empowerment programmes placed additional strain on grassroots organisations like us … which have had to fill gaps with limited resources.
Omollo taking a selfie with Activate Action on International Condoms Day in February 2023. Rogers Omollo, CC BY
Services the world over, especially community based services, usually operate with multiple funding streams each providing different projects. Naturally the people, resources and activities overlap. To stress, this is not evidence of the “corruption” the Trump administration claims it wants to weed out, but it is the reality of how services reliant on external funding work.
It is usual that a patchwork of project grants function together to keep the doors open and the lights on. In fact, the sharing of operational resource is what bolsters an organisation’s capacity to serve its communities most effectively.
Considering “USAID projects” as single discretely bounded entities belie the messy complexity of how community and healthcare services work.
For another example of this kind of inter-connection, look no further than “table banking”. Table banking has been described as a “microcredit movement by women and for women” – effectively a DIY bank. We saw table banking used at Activate Action’s Street Business School, an initiative that tackles HIV through training women and building economic sustainability so they do not become trapped in poverty which may force them into have transactional sex. From a seated circle under trees, we watched as the collective pay in and take out loans to support their businesses from a central informal “bank account”.
Beneficiaries from this project continue to come together every Thursday, pooling finances and taking loans to sustain their business needs for the coming week (for example, buying stock for their market stalls). They told us how they are planning to collaborate on a catering business which will mean the older, sicker members of the group remain able to work and earn.
Similarly, Omollo told us how “a bit like table banking”, among his friends and colleagues, they also pool finance on a weekly basis to tick off items on a collective shopping list. He said: “One week we buy for one person, the next week, the next person and so on, until we all have a microwave.”
These demonstrations of microfinance arguably present, however idealistic, inspiration for a more financially sustainable future whereby its principles offer a “light of hope” at grassroots level, possibilities for nations in meeting sustainable development goals and, crucially in this context, freedom from dependency on external donors.
Social dictators of health
When we planned this exchange project, we wanted to work with Activate Action because of our shared interests.
Its explicit focus on the “social determinants of health” (the non-medical factors that affect health) is a refreshing departure from so many health programmes that seek to intervene on a person’s behaviour without attending to how it may be shaped by the wider social system.
For example, in the case of Homa Bay, Activate Action works to address root causes, such as poverty. Poverty means that transactional sex (which could be sex for food or period products) is common. Unsafe sex can be a hallmark of these sexual encounters, increasing HIV risk and transmission. Helping women build businesses, earn their own money to buy food and make their own period pads, reduces the need to trade sex for necessities.
As we sat discussing the various ways the cancelling of USAID would have devastating effects on different programmes and so the lives of different people, we realised how myriad social determinants – such as income, unemployment and healthcare services – are overwhelmingly contingent on distant regimes. Regimes run by people who seem to demonstrate little regard for the lives of disadvantaged and minoritised people.
No period of consultation, no management of expectations – a profound example of how bigger systems that govern our social lives can, in fact, dictate the outcomes of our health.
Antiretroviral drugs for HIV literally keep people alive and prevent transmission to others. Efforts to critique the USAID freeze by the inspector general of USAID, Paul Martin, saw him sacked. Again, no reason was given, and the White House did not have any comment.
When we were trying to explore whether termination notices for staff in Kenya were even legal, one media report about a judicial effort to halt the USAID stop work order noted that Trump has a “high threshold for legal risk”. An insight into what type of threats we may need to consider when trying to understand risks to and protections for health in the future.
Dr Ibembe, who provided closing remarks to our workshop, highlighted how “the effect of USAID cuts on the east African development landscape has been nothing short of seismic. It has created an environment of uncertainty, fear and stress. In some instances, up to 80% of health-related initiatives are donor supported. The funding and operational gap created is almost insurmountable.”
This reliance on external financial support and limited domestic financing in Kenya and other sub-Saharan African countries is common. This makes a nation vulnerable. Kenya also experiences substantial “donor dependency” especially across the health system which makes it harder to absorb the shock of a donor pulling funds.
In other words, this is a highly precarious system that is going through a shock which it will find incredibly difficult to withstand.
The situation is a stark reminder of just how unfair the power dynamics are that dictate African health governance and sovereignty.
Conversations about reducing the dependence of countries like Kenya on external donors have been going on for a long time. Throughout it has been acknowledged that any transition away from donor dependence needs to be carefully managed to avoid upsetting all the gains that have been made through initiatives like those funded by USAID. This has been completely impossible given the pace of change since January 2025 when the USAID stop work order came into play.
African solutions to African problems
The question now is not merely how African institutions will survive these disruptions but how they will leverage them as an impetus for change. Discussions about donor dependency arguably contribute to the framing of African states and institutions that are economically vulnerable and a “risk”. This in turn creates a negative bias that has recently been identified as costing African nations billions in lost or missed investment opportunities.
While financial constraints are a reality, the dominance of stereotypes also means we may overlook the effective strategic responses and resilience demonstrated by African organisations over the years. The challenge is not simply to reduce donor reliance but to reposition African institutions as key architects of health solutions through approaches that emphasise ownership, sustainability and regional integration.
Omollo talking to The Street Business School in January 2023. Rogers Omollo, CC BY
The Afya na Haki (Ahaki) institute provides a clear example of this shift towards what they refer to as “Africentric” models of health governance. The aim is to build African solutions to African problems.
This approach is anchored on four key pillars: amplifying positive African narratives; strengthening engagement with African regional institutions; supporting and fostering collaboration among African non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and other organisations; and bringing together African experts and communities to create knowledge that reflects local realities and needs.
Yet, restrictive policies that pre-date the USAID cuts such as the global gag rule which means NGOs are prohibited from receiving any US government funding if they provide, advocate for, or even refer to abortion services, have significantly disrupted this work, forcing institutions to rethink their operational strategies. An Ahaki staff member told us how their core focus on empowering Africans has been “thrown into disarray”.
Research that puts African stories and priorities front and centre is crucial – not just for shaping policies but for shifting the focus from dependence on external aid to African-led solutions and self-determination.
‘Hope hasn’t disappeared’
Within days of the USAID executive order on January 20, the USAID website was unreachable and our colleagues in Homa Bay sat reeling. By February 14, just after our visit, it was confirmed that a federal judge had successfully blocked the funding suspensions, although the relevance of this for people and projects like those we met in Homa Bay, whose contracts had already been terminated, was limited.
This executive order is one of many that has triggered global shockwaves. But for every action there is a reaction and we have also witnessed international resistance, from protests of USAID and nonprofit workers in Washington, to 500 Kenyan community workers demanding their unpaid salaries.
Musk’s company Tesla has been subject to widespread boycott and coordinated protest by “Tesla Takedown” in over 250 cities around the world. Canada has also made strides to reject American imports and strengthen its domestic markets, building greater independence from the USA, echoing desires of many African nations in relation to US donor dependence.
Musk suggested that USAID needs “to die” due to widespread corruption – an assertion that remains unsubstantiated. However, the violence and damage of this sentiment is being realised. As the sites we visited remain eerie and empty, gathering dust, our immediate concern is for the people and communities that agencies once funded by USAID represent and serve.
Omollo, and others like him, are now finding new ways to navigate these problems. The ripple effects of the USAID funding freeze have hit hard, programs have stalled, uncertainty has grown and communities are feeling the strain.
“But in the cracks, we’ve found ways to adapt,” he said. “At Activate Action, we’ve leaned on local partnerships, stretched every resource, and kept showing up for young people. Hope hasn’t disappeared; it’s just become something we fight for daily.”
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We would like to acknowledge the specific contribution of Rogers Omollo from Activate Action in developing this article.
Christopher Baguma works with Afya na Haki as a Director of Programmes.
Source: The Conversation – UK – By Chee Meng Tan, Assistant Professor of Business Economics, University of Nottingham
Political and economic pressures might force Chinese president and overall leader Xi Jinping to delegate some of his powers to his deputies in a highly significant move. This has prompted some observers and media outlets to speculate that Xi’s grip on power may be waning.
A major part of why this is happening is likely to stem from Xi’s difficulties in dealing with China’s economic woes, which began from a real estate crisis in 2021. For years, the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) has relied on providing economic prosperity to legitimise its rule over the country.
But the continuously lacklustre performance of the Chinese economy over the past four years coupled with Trump’s trade war with Beijing is making recovery a difficult task. And this is likely to be a factor that undermines Xi’s rule.
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These rumours about Xi started just after the latest meeting, on June 30, of the politburo (the principal policy making body of the party), which brings China’s top leaders together to make major decisions.
For people who don’t follow Chinese politics, the idea of Xi delegating some authority might seem nothing special. However, in understanding China, it’s important to understand that Xi has massive power, and it seems the politburo is signalling there are some changes on the horizon.
What are the clues?
Symbolism and indirect language play an important role in how the communist party communicates with Chinese people. The way it is done comes through slogans or key phrases, which are collectively known as “tifa (提法)”’.
This method of information is important since it shapes political language and debate, and influences how a Chinese, and international, audience understands what’s going on. At first glance, the politburo’s call for enhancing “policy coordination” and the “review process” of major tasks may appear to indicate that the central government is seeking to ensure local officials follow through with Beijing’s agenda.
For experienced China watchers there are hints here that this powerful decision-making body is making a veiled threat against Xi for holding on to too much power. But the opaque nature of China’s elite decision-making process, where a great deal of backroom politics occurs behind closed doors, means that decoding its messages isn’t always easy.
China’s president Xi Jinping on a public outing, after several weeks when he was not seen in public.
Because of all of this, there is increasing speculation that a power struggle is in progress. This isn’t entirely surprising given Xi’s purge of many senior party officials through anti-corruption campaigns and dominance over the highest levels of government is likely to have earned him many enemies over the years.
Another sign that all isn’t going well with Xi’s regime is the removal of some his allies from key positions within the government. Xi began his anti-corruption campaign in 2012 when he became China’s leader. On paper, while officially framed as a drive to clean up corruption, evidence suggests that the campaign may have been used to remove Xi’s political rivals.
The problem for Xi is that the campaign is being used against his loyalists as well. In October 2023, defence minister Li Shangfu, who was considered a Xi ally, was sacked due to what was later confirmed in 2024 to be from due to corruption charges. But the dismissals of Xi loyalists continued.
But even if it weren’t and the purges are part of a concerted effort to stamp out corruption, Xi’s campaign will not only cast aspersions on his ability to appoint the right people into government, but also create a climate of fear among allies and potentially create further enemies. Either scenario puts Xi on the spot. But since Xi became China’s head of state in 2013, he and his loyalists have taken over leadership of many key national commissions, making him the most powerful Chinese leader since the time of Chairman Mao.
But it looks like Xi is about to delegate some of his power, and there are some other decisions that may indicate a shift. For the first time since coming into power in 2012, Xi skipped the annual summit organised by the Brics group (named after Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa). Instead, from July 5 to 7 this year, Chinese premier Li Qiang, led a delegation to Rio de Janeiro.
This isn’t the first time that Li has represented Xi in high-profile conferences abroad. In September 2023, Li attended the G20 summit in New Delhi, India, and has taken part in Asean summits.
But the Brics appearance alongside with Li’s increasingly prominent role in economic policy making may suggest that his influence is on the rise, while Xi’s is declining. Watch this space.
Chee Meng Tan does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
The WomenIN Festival, Africa’s definitive gathering of women from across industries, sectors, and stages of life, is thrilled to announce its official theme for 2025:
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WomenIN (WiN): Empowering Women, Breaking Barriers, Creating Impact: WomenIN is a powerful cross-sector movement that connects, inspires, and uplifts women across Africa through collaboration, leadership, and sustainable development. From energy and mobility to retail, gaming, and the green economy, WiN is driving real change by building inclusive ecosystems where women can thrive.
Through a range of in-person gatherings, digital content, workshops, and sector-specific initiatives, WomenIN provides a trusted platform for female professionals, entrepreneurs, changemakers, and allies to grow together, break silos, and co-create solutions for Africa’s future. With a strong focus on capacity building, leadership development, and market access for female-owned businesses, WomenIN is building a legacy of impact for generations to come.
Whether you’re a corporate, NPO, SMME, or individual changemaker, there is space for you at the table—because we win when we WiN together.
For more information, please visit: www.WeAreWomenIN.com or contact our team at info@wearewomenin.com.
ABOUT VUKA Group: VUKA Group brings people and organisations together to connect with information and each other in meaningful conversations that drive growth and transformation across Africa’s industries. With 20+ years of experience on the continent, the group delivers sector-leading platforms across Energy, Mining, Smart Mobility, Transport, Retail, and Women Empowerment.
The WomenIN (WiN) portfolio is a flagship initiative of VUKA Group, championing gender inclusivity and creating opportunities for women to lead, influence, and innovate across sectors. With a proudly African team and a commitment to sustainable development, VUKA is creating a future where everyone has the opportunity to rise.