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After their house was burned down, Abdul Selemane (44), his wife, two kids and mother fled Mocímboa da Praia, one of the districts most affected by insurgent attacks in the northern province of Cabo Delgado. Leaving behind a farm full of crops, Selemane and his family found shelter in the Marrupa resettlement site in Metuge district, where they have been for four months. In Marrupa, Selemane has received support and been welcomed by the local community that has even provided his family with some land for farming. 

“We left because of the war. Our house was burned. The people here gave us some food and land for farming,” he says, hoping for better days after harvesting the crops grown from the seeds he received from FAO, under the emergency programme. 
The food insecurity situation in Cabo Delgado has deteriorated due to ongoing violence that has disrupted the livelihoods of more than half a million people, who have had to leave behind almost all of their possessions, including crops and livestock assets. Selemane and his family are part of a larger number of households that have lost everything and are trying to start over in safer areas. In a country where food insecurity is lurking, engaging in agriculture can help to keep food on the table and reduce vulnerability in the resettlement sites.
The displaced find shelter in resettlement sites and with host families in the districts of Ancuabe, Chiure, Metuge and Montepuez in the south of the province, as well as in the provincial capital, Pemba, including other provinces such as Nampula and Niassa.
Makupe Bahetwe, 41, a community leader in the Ntokota neighborhood of Metuge, is in charge of hosting displaced people newly arrived from conflict-affected areas.
“We receive these people because they are human beings like us. We received them happily and shared our space with them so they can also cultivate because we are an agricultural community,” he explains.
Like other members of the community who are supporting displaced families, Bahetwe received an electronic card, under FAO’s emergency programme, through which he had access to beans, groundnut, maize and sesame seeds, in addition to farming tools to help sustain his family of nine.
With the help of his wife on the farm, Bahetwe hopes to improve his family’s nutrition and sell cash crops such as sesame to buy other household needs.
“Restoring livelihoods remains a priority”
Local authorities in Cabo Delgado estimate that the conflict has resulted in a 30 percent drop in production compared with the previous agricultural season.
According to the Provincial Director of Economic Activities, Haggai Mário, support to restoring livelihoods remains a priority, as 86 percent of the population relies on agriculture.
“The violent actions that are occurring are having a negative impact on the performance of various sectors of the economy and on agriculture in particular, an activity carried out by a majority of the population, who are now at risk of hunger,” said the Provincial Director.
“We are happy because one of the partners that responded positively was FAO, which has been a traditional partner of the Government in the development of agricultural programmes,” he said.
FAO is currently implementing projects in nine districts that host displaced families, four in Cabo Delgado (Ancuabe, Chiure, Namuno, Mecufi, Metuge and Montepuez) and three in Nampula Province (Meconta, Erati and Monapo), to help restore the livelihoods of the affected population.
In addition to supporting families directly affected by violence, FAO is assisting families that host displaced people to relieve pressure on their resources and food supply.
Between December 2020 and January 2021, FAO reached more than 14 000 families, using electronic cards to provide each family with access to credit to buy cereal and vegetable seeds and farming tools, guaranteeing that affected people can produce their own food and thus reducing their dependency. The emergency programme is funded by the Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) and the Government of the United Kingdom and Northern Ireland.
An ongoing crisis
The violence has escalated since January 2020 with reports of attacks by non-state armed groups expanding geographically with increased intensity.  
Cabo Delgado is now the province with the largest population in Crisis and Emergency levels of high acute food insecurity (Integrated Food Security Phase Classification [IPC] Phases 3 and 4) according to the last IPC. It is estimated that families with high levels of acute food insecurity (IPC Phase 3 or worse) will rise from 0.58 million in December 2020 to 0.77 million in the period April–September 2021.
There are also serious indirect impacts on livelihoods, through disruptions to food supply chains and access to food, basic services and humanitarian assistance. 
Communities in less insecure areas of Cabo Delgado, as well as in the neighbouring provinces of Nampula and Niassa, have shown incredible solidarity and generosity with displaced people fleeing the crisis. A large number of people who have escaped are staying with family and friends in host communities. However, the situation is putting immense strain on the already meagre resources of these areas. 
In recognition of the risk of worsening food insecurity and malnutrition, FAO is intensifying its efforts to support displaced people in accommodation centres by providing agricultural inputs (seeds, tools, etc.) to help them in recovering their livelihoods as well as to host communities as resources become even more limited.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). Media files

Communities host displaced people and share farmland to fight hunger in Cabo Delgado

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The Basketball Africa League (BAL) today announced that the league’s historic inaugural season will tip off Sunday, May 16 at the Kigali Arena in Kigali, Rwanda, with 12 teams from across Africa competing in the new professional league.  The BAL, a partnership between the International Basketball Federation (FIBA) and the National Basketball Association (NBA) (www.NBA.com), builds on the foundation of club competitions FIBA Regional Office Africa has organized on the continent and marks the NBA’s first collaboration to operate a league outside of North America.  The first BAL Finals will be held Sunday, May 30.

The BAL will implement robust health and safety protocols for the 12 teams and personnel traveling to Rwanda, based on guidance from the World Health Organization and the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, with advice from public health officials and medical experts.
“We are thrilled that the inaugural Basketball Africa League season will take place at the world-class Kigali Arena,” said BAL President Amadou Gallo Fall.  “Through the BAL, we will provide a platform for elite players from across the continent to showcase their talent and inspire fans of all ages, use basketball as an economic growth engine across Africa, and shine a light on Africa’s vibrant sporting culture.”
“We are extremely happy to finally launch the highly anticipated first season of the BAL,” said FIBA Africa and BAL Board President Anibal Manave.  “FIBA and the NBA have been working closely together to develop protocols to address the health and safety of all players, coaches and officials.  The experience of hosting the FIBA AfroBasket 2021 Qualifiers in Rwanda late last year will contribute to a safe and successful inaugural BAL season.”
The league today also announced an adjusted competition format for the inaugural season, which will feature a total of 26 games at the Kigali Arena.  The competition will tip off with an 18-game group phase with the 12 teams divided into three groups of four.  During the group phase, each team will face the three other teams in its group once.  The top eight teams from the group phase will qualify for the playoffs, which will be single elimination in all three rounds.
Below are the 12 club teams from 12 African countries that will compete in the inaugural BAL season:

COUNTRY
TEAM
Algeria
GSP (https://bit.ly/3diB0ji) (Groupement Sportif des Pétroliers) **
Angola
Petro de Luanda (https://bit.ly/3ryAnHs) (Clube Atlético Petroleos de Luanda) *
Cameroon
FAP (https://bit.ly/2Ph0aGX) (Forces Armées et Police Basketball) **
Egypt
Zamalek* (https://bit.ly/3czzRop)
Madagascar
GNBC (https://bit.ly/2PESmhU) (Gendarmerie Nationale Basketball Club)**
Mali
AS Police (https://bit.ly/3lZnp4m) (Association Sportive de la Police Nationale) **
Morocco
AS Salé (https://bit.ly/2PESq1)  (Association Sportive de Salé) *
Mozambique
Ferroviàrio de Maputo (https://bit.ly/3cuKkBs) **
Nigeria
Rivers Hoopers BC (https://bit.ly/3rAVlFs) (Rivers Hoopers Basketball Club)*
Rwanda
Patriots BC (https://bit.ly/3u58Ajy) (Patriots Basketball Club)**
Senegal
AS Douanes (https://bit.ly/3rGFTId) (Association Sportive des Douanes) *
Tunisia
US Monastir (https://bit.ly/3diCoCm) (Union Sportive Monastirienne)*

*Champion from national league that earned representation in the inaugural BAL season
**Secured participation in the inaugural BAL season through a BAL qualifying tournament (https://bit.ly/31wMgTw)
Champions from the national leagues in Angola, Egypt, Morocco, Nigeria, Senegal and Tunisia earned their participation in the inaugural season.  The remaining six teams, which come from Algeria, Cameroon, Madagascar, Mali, Mozambique and Rwanda, secured their participation through BAL qualifying tournaments conducted by FIBA Regional Office Africa across the continent in late 2019.
The BAL groups and additional details about the league will be announced at a later date.
 Distributed by APO Group on behalf of National Basketball Association (NBA).
Media contact: Yvon Edoumou BAL +221 77 637 3401 yedoumou@thebal.com
About the BAL: The BAL, a partnership between the International Basketball Federation (FIBA) and the NBA, is a new professional league featuring 12 club teams from across Africa.  Headquartered in Dakar, Senegal, the BAL builds on the foundation of club competitions FIBA has organized in Africa and marks the NBA’s first collaboration to operate a league outside North America.  Fans can follow the BAL (@theBAL) on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook and register their interest in receiving more information at www.theBAL.com.

Basketball Africa League To Tip Off Historic Inaugural Season In May

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The African Development Bank’s (www.AfDB.org) Fashionomics Africa initiative has named a women-led Kenya shoe design house as the winner of its competition to support producers of sustainable fashion.

Pine Kazi, which converts pineapple leaf and recycled rubber into fashionable footwear, won the $2,000 Fashionomics Africa competition cash prize. In addition, the business will have the opportunity to showcase its creation in online events, share insights on key sustainability challenges facing the industry and receive a certificate.

The brand, co-founded by Olivia Okinyi, Angela Musyoka and Mike Langa, will also have access to media opportunities and receive mentoring and networking opportunities from competition collaborators.

“Pine Kazi is greatly humbled to be the winners of the first Fashionomics Africa contest in Africa. This is indeed an honour to the Kenyan people and the African continent at large,” said Okinyi.

Musyoka added: “All our dreams can come true if we have the courage and the patience to pursue them.”

Competition judges said Pine Kazi’s shoes are innovative and sustainable. The upper of the shoe is made from pineapple textile, while the inside is lined with organic cotton. The sole is made from sisal plant fiber, fitted with recycled tyre underneath.

The Fashionomics Africa contest honours African fashion brands working to change how fashion is produced, bought, used and recycled, to encourage more sustainable consumer behaviour. A panel of four judges representing the Bank and competition collaborators – the United Nations Environment Program, the Parsons School of Design and the Ellen MacArthur Foundation – reviewed 110 entries from 24 African countries and selected three finalists: Pine Kazi; CiiE Luxuries, an eco-friendly accessories business based in Abuja, Nigeria; and clothing brand Labake Lagos.

“We were pleasantly surprised by all the applications received for the first edition of our Fashionomics Africa competition. It was very difficult to make a choice, but the finalists stood out with their innovative, durable and contemporary designs,” said Emanuela Gregorio, coordinator of the Fashionomics Africa initiative at the African Development Bank.

Of the applications, 65% were submitted by women and the businesses were predominantly micro-enterprises (54%), solo entrepreneurs (35%) and small businesses (12%).

“What we learned from this Fashionomics Africa contest, in this month celebrating women around the world, is that many women entrepreneurs are advocating for sustainable production and consumption, and we commend their efforts,” said Amel Hamza, Division Manager at the Bank’s Gender, Women and Civil Society Department.

An online public vote by 986 participants determined the winner: Pine Kazi got 400 votes, 318 votes went to CiiE Luxuries, and 268 to Labake Lagos.

Competition judge and a Program Director at New York-based Parsons School of Design, Brendan McCarthy, congratulated Pine Kazi during the competition winners’ announcement last Friday: “You transformed waste materials from pineapples into profound new textiles and absolutely beautiful new shoes,” he said.

The shoes are 100% handmade to reduce carbon footprint and can last three years, Pine Kazi says.

Okinyi wrote in Pine Kazi’s competition entry that if they won, they would invest half the winnings in machinery used to make shoe source materials. “[This machinery] will see pineapple leaf waste put to work and create more green jobs for unemployed youth,” she added.

The design house said resources would also be divided equally between research and development of natural dyes, the acquisition of professional stylists and the establishment of a centralized production system.

To learn more about the Fashionomics Africa online competition, click here (https://bit.ly/3wb37JS).

Fashionomics Africa (https://FashionomicsAfrica.org) is an initiative of the African Development Bank to increase Africa’s participation in the global textile and fashion industry value chains – with an emphasis on women and youth.
 Distributed by APO Group on behalf of African Development Bank Group (AfDB).
Media Contact: Alphonso Van Marsh Principal Digital Content and Events Officer African Development Bank Email: a.vanmarsh@afdb.org

Women-led Kenyan design house wins Fashionomics Africa sustainable design competition for turning fruit waste into eco-friendly footwear

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Douglas Ryder, Team Qhubeka ASSOS (TeamQhubeka.com) founder and principal, has spoken candidly of just how close he came to seeing his dream of having Africa&#39;s UCI WorldTour team competing at the highest level of the sport extinguished, as in late 2020 his prospects of finding a sponsor to secure its future looked over.

The first episode of the team’s podcast ‘Unclipped’ as Team Qhubeka ASSOS sees Ryder talk in-depth about the incredible fight to survive after staring down the barrel of extinction following the conclusion of the 2020 season.
 “This team has a strong message and does some great things, so it was important for us to continue to exist and fight for what we believe in; the mobility of people and giving them hope, opportunity and of course to do significant things at the highest level of world cycling,” Ryder said.
 The episode also sees Ryder reflect on the the team’s purpose-led outlook in its endeavour to harness the power of sport for good, dealing with critics and also addresses the question of the team’s existence beyond 2021.
 This exciting content offering aims to further enhance the way in which supporters can engage with the team, offering unique insights and access in a way that hasn’t been widely available in the peloton before. So look out for further episodes to come during the course of the season.
 Please subscribe, download the episode, share it widely, leave a review and to send us your feedback.
 ‘Unclipped with Team Qhubeka’ is available via all podcasting platforms including:
 	Apple podcasts (https://apple.co/39GI88f) 	Spotify (https://spoti.fi/3w6H5I1) 	Omny (https://bit.ly/31t7XUv) Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Team Qhubeka ASSOS.
About the Image: ‘UnClipped’ was chosen as the series title for a number of reasons using the iconic toe clip as the perfect representation of what the series hopes to achieve.
 The toe clip firstly reminds us about the rich history of the sport as well as being a visual metaphor related to being off the bike and having a conversation. It also reflects the intended unscripted candour of the content while also mirroring the innovation and technological advantages so important to our team.
 Plus, ‘old school’ is simply cool.
Media Contact: Jean Smyth (Head of Communications) Email: jean@ryder.co.za Mobile: +27 63 4701 1710 or +31 625 739 033
About Team Qhubeka ASSOS: Team Qhubeka ASSOS is a purpose-led, high-performance team, fighting to win on the world&#39;s biggest stage, to inspire hope and create opportunity. Founded in 2007, Team Qhubeka ASSOS (formerly NTT Pro Cycling) became the first-ever African cycling team to gain a UCI WorldTour license, in 2016.
We achieved our first major win in 2013 when Gerald Ciolek won Milan-San Remo, one of the five Monuments of cycling. We have competed in six Tour de France’s and notched up 7 stage wins, with Mark Cavendish wearing the coveted Yellow Jersey at the 2016 Tour de France.
We are a multicultural, diverse team with bases in South Africa, the Netherlands and Italy. There are 19 nationalities represented across our World Tour and continental feeder team rosters. Our focus on developing African cycling has resulted in more than 55 riders from the African continent be given the opportunity to race on the world stage, since the team&#39;s inception.
We race to help people to move forward with bicycles through our relationship with Qhubeka Charity. Through our work with Qhubeka, we have contributed to the distribution of over 30 000 bicycles in communities in South Africa.
About Qhubeka: Qhubeka (https://Qhubeka.org) is a charity that moves people forward with bicycles. People earn bicycles through our programmes, improving their access to schools, clinics and jobs.
A bicycle is a tool that helps people to travel faster and further, and to carry more. In the face of extreme and persistent poverty, bicycles can change lives by helping to address socioeconomic challenges at the most basic level – helping people to get where they need to go. 
All images attached to the press release can be used with the respective image credit in combination to this release.
Media files

LISTEN NOW: Unclipped with Doug Ryder

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Malawi has registered 23 new COVID-19 cases, 26 new recoveries and one new death. Of the new cases, 21 are locally transmitted: 11 from Blantyre, nine from Lilongwe, and one from Kasungu District while two of the new cases are imported and were identified at Mwanza border during routine screening: one each from Blantyre and Zomba Districts. One new death was registered from Kasungu District. To the families that have lost their loved during this pandemic, may you find peace, hope and love during this difficult time. May the souls of the departed rest in peace.

Cumulatively, Malawi has recorded 33,481 cases including 1,114 deaths (Case Fatality Rate is at 3.33%). Of these cases, 2,114 are imported infections and 31,367 are locally transmitted. Cumulatively, 29,611 cases have now recovered (recovery rate of 88.4%) and 134 were lost to follow-up. This brings the total number of active cases to 2,622. Two cases were hospitalised while two were discharged. A total of 32 active cases are hospitalised: 10 in Blantyre, seven in Lilongwe, three each in Mchinji and Salima, two each in Thyolo and Zomba, and one each in Mzimba North, Mangochi, Dedza, Rumphi, and Ntchisi Districts. On testing, 510 COVID-19 tests were conducted. Of these, 275 tests were through SARS-CoV-2 Antigen Rapid Diagnostic test while the rest were through RT-PCR. The positive cases out of the total, translates to a positivity rate of 4.5%.
Cumulatively, 216,858 tests have been conducted in the country so far. On COVID-19 vaccination, cumulatively 111,592 people have been vaccinated in the country with 2,066 being vaccinated.
As we are still experiencing community transmission of COVID-19, I would like remind the public on the COVID-19 symptoms to facilitate the early care seeking when we experience the symptoms. It has to be noted that COVID-19 affects people in different ways. Most infected people will develop mild to moderate illness and recover without hospitalization. The most common symptoms include fever, dry cough, and tiredness, while in some patients it presents with aches and pains, sore throat, diarrhoea, conjunctivitis, headache, loss of taste or smell, a rash on skin, or discolouration of fingers or toes. When one has these symptoms, there is need to have a COVID-19 test. If one experiences the following serious symptoms ofdifficulty breathing or shortness of breath, chest pain or pressure, loss of speech or movement, immediate medical attention is needed. It is important to note that early care seeking lead to positive treatment outcomes.
Lastly, on COVID-19 Vaccination, let me emphasize that the AstraZeneca vaccine which we are using is safe as it has less or fewer side effects. Most of them are minor and self-limiting and these include pain or soreness on the injection site, fever, headache, muscle or joint pain, fatigue or nausea. These will usually go away without any need of hospital treatment.People receiving the vaccine are informed on the possible side effects of the vaccine including those that may require to be immediately reported to the health authorities or facilities. Those that have or will be receiving the vaccine are encouraged to report to nearest health facility any adverse effects following immunization or call toll free number 929. It is important to note that reporting adverse reactions of COVID-19 vaccine supports continuous monitoring of the safe and effective use of the vaccine in our country.
No one is safe until everyone else is safe. Protect yourself. Protect your loved ones. Protect everyone. Call toll free 929.
Hon. Khumbize Kandodo Chiponda, MP MINISTER OF HEALTH CO-CHAIRPERSON – PRESIDENTIAL TASKFORCE
 Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Ministry of Health and Population, Republic of Malawi. Media files

Coronavirus – Malawi: COVID-19 update (28 March 2021)

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Daily: Laboratory test: 7,250 Severe cases: 805 New recovered: 1,087 New deaths: 17 New cases: 1,769

Total: Laboratory test: 2,332,735 Active cases: 43,437 Total recovered: 154,323 Total deaths: 2,801 Total cases: 200,563
 Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Ministry of Health, Ethiopia. Media files

Coronavirus – Ethiopia: COVID-19 update (28 March 2021)

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Tests conducted: 9,803,871 Positive cases identified: 1,545,431 Total recoveries: 1,471,899 Total deaths: 52,663 New cases: 965
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Republic of South Africa, Department of Health. Media files

Coronavirus – South Africa: COVID-19 update (28 March 2021)

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Active cases: 206 New cases: 19 New tests: 462 Total confirmed: 5,420 Recovered: 5,050 (+20) Deaths: 164 (+1)
Vaccinated: 5,345
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Ministry of Health, The Gambia. Media files

Coronavirus – Gambia: COVID-19 update (28 March 2021)

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104 new cases of COVID-19 in Nigeria;

Lagos-48 Enugu-16 Kwara-8 Kaduna-6 Plateau-5 Kano-5 Rivers-4 FCT-4 Ogun-4 Edo-2 Ekiti-1 Katsina-1

162,593 confirmed 150,308 discharged 2,048 deaths
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC). Media files

Coronavirus – Nigeria: COVID-19 update (28 March 2021)

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884 people have tested positive, from a sample size of 5,377. Our positivity rate is at 16.4%. 843 are Kenyans &#038; 41 are foreigners. 464 are females &#038; 420 are males. 

The youngest is a year-year-old baby &#038; the oldest is 110.
Total confirmed positive cases are now 130,214 and cumulative tests so far conducted are 1,468,835.
Nairobi has 509 new cases, Kiambu 99, Uasin Gishu 59, Machakos 48, Nakuru 46, Kajiado 38, Meru 13, Kitui 12, Nandi 11, Kilifi 9, Elgeyo Marakwet 5, Marsabit 5, Bungoma 4, Murang’a 3, Vihiga 3, Kakamega 2, Laikipia 2, Nyandarua 2, Taita Taveta 2, Wajir 2, West Pokot 2, Turkana 1, Baringo 1, Lamu 1, Migori 1, Mombasa 1, Garissa 1, Nyeri 1 and Homa Bay 1.
89 patients have recovered, 57 are from Home Based and Isolation Care, &#038; 32 are from various health facilities. Total recoveries now stand at 91,754.
13 deaths have been reported in the last 24 hours out of which 2 occured in the last 24 hours while 11 are late death reports from facility record audits that occurred on diverse dates. This now pushes our cumulative fatalities to 2,117. Our sincere condolences to the families and friends of those who have lost their loved ones.
1,221 patients are currently admitted in various health facilities countrywide, while 4,060 patients are on Home Based Isolation and Care.  121 patients are in the ICU, 32 of whom are on ventilatory support and 82 on supplemental oxygen. 7 patients are on observation.
Another 88 patients are separately on supplementary oxygen with 76 of them in the general wards and 12 in the High Dependency Unit (HDU).
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Ministry of Health, Kenya.

Coronavirus – Kenya: COVID-19 update (28 March 2021)

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As of 28th March 2021, we recorded 145 new cases out of 4,817 tests (3% positivity), 83 recoveries and 2 deaths, MTSRIP.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Zambia National Public Health Institute (ZNPHI). Media files

Coronavirus – Zambia: COVID-19 update (28 March 2021)

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Minister of Health Lizzie Nkosi announces one new COVID-19 death, taking the total number of COVID19 deaths to 667. &#8220;May her soul rest in peace.&#8221;

New cases: 3 Total cases: 17 321
Active cases: 238
New recoveries: 24 Total recoveries: 16 413
New deaths: 1 Total deaths: 667
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Ministry of Health, Government of the Kingdom of Eswatini.

Coronavirus – Eswatini: COVID-19 update (28 March 2021)

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Total cases: 21,419 (+49) Recovered: 19,785 (+44) | 92.3% Active cases: 1,333 In critical condition: 7 Tests: 1,123,901 (+10,578) Test positivity rate: 0.5% Vaccinated: 348,926 (+0) Deaths: 301 (+0) | 1.4%
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Ministry of Health, Republic of Rwanda. Media files

Coronavirus – Rwanda: COVID-19 update (28 March 2021)

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Africa Oil &#038; Power (AOP) (www.AfricaOilandPower.com) has signed a strategic partnership with Invest in Africa (IIA) to drive participation of local SMEs in West Africa’s burgeoning energy sector; The upcoming MSGBC Oil, Gas &#038; Power 2021 Conference &#038; Exhibition in Dakar, Senegal (October 26-27) will serve as a critical platform to facilitate market entry and deal-making for indigenous firms; IIA is a leading business and investment promotion association that improves access to skills, contracts and finance for African enterprises.

Africa Oil &#038; Power (AOP) is proud to announce its strategic partnership with Invest in Africa (IIA) – a leading business and investment promotion association for African SMEs – to drive the participation of local suppliers in the energy sector at the upcoming MSGBC Oil, Gas &#038; Power 2021 Conference &#038; Exhibition.
The partnership aims to expand the presence of African SMEs by connecting multinationals and IOCs to credible local suppliers; facilitating collaboration with partners, vendors, clients and governments; and ensuring that large-scale energy developments translate into tangible opportunities for indigenous businesses.
The collaboration between the two entities is foundational to the event’s central mission to promote local content, capacity building and cooperation between IOCs and local partners.
“Invest in Africa has a particular interest in this Summit because it allows key stakeholders of the extractive industries and energies around the MSGBC Basin to meet and access the same level of information on ongoing operations, as well as development prospects,” stated Ibrahima Talla, African Partner Pool Manager at IIA. “This constitutes the foundation of the local content promoted and advocated by IIA. We are convinced that this forum will promote the establishment of partnerships that will foster the creation and sharing of value.”
With over 1,400 companies as members, IIA grows African SMES by improving their access to skills, markets and finance, with a view to transforming their competitiveness, creating jobs and building long-term capacity. The association also helps to improve the investment climate and quality of policy discussions to create a more favorable business environment for investors. According to IIA, the investment promotion platform has created 80,000 jobs, trained over 260 SMEs and retained $116 million within local economies to date.
Hosted in Dakar, Senegal on October 26-27, MSGBC Oil, Gas &#038; Power 2021 seeks to kick-start a new era of regional cooperation and integration across the energy sector, from hydrocarbons to renewables to power access and reliability. The two-day event will also prioritize local content discussions and the development of the national private sector through international partnerships.
Find out more about Senegal and the MSGBC’s energy industry and about the inaugural event at www.MSGBC2021.com and contact International Conference Director João Marques directly at joao@afriaoilandpower.com.
 Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Africa Oil &#038; Power Conference. Media files

Africa Oil & Power, Invest In Africa Forge Strategic Partnership in MSGBC Region

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Wedjane took time out to give Rugby Africa (www.RugbyAfrique.com) insight into her journey as a citing commissioner and share some of the experiences that have stood out for her in the last few years.

 	What does your appointment as a citing commissioner liaison officer (CCLO) for the Six Nations match between France and Scotland (on 26 March) mean to you, especially since you were the only female appointed representing the French panel? 
I am extremely proud and honoured to be the first African and Tunisian women to be appointed as a CCLO, and I am thankful to the French Professional championship and LNR for offering me this opportunity and for their trust in me.

 	How long have you been a citing commissioner and what appealed to you about the role? 
I have been a Citing Commissioner since December 2018 (the citing commissioner can be appointed as a Citing Commissioner or as a Citing Commissioner Liaison Officer), and what appealed to me the most initially was the importance of this role. It is not only vital to ensure the safety of the players, it also guarantees fairness in a match.

 	Tell us briefly what the role entails (list some of your responsibilities)? 
A Citing Commissioner is an independent official, appointed by the competition organiser, the union in which the match is taking place, or World Rugby. They are responsible for citing players who commit any act of foul play which warrants a Red Card sanction.
 Citing Commissioners may cite players for an act(s) of foul play detected by the Match Officials (referee, assistant referee or TMO) and which may have been the subject of referee action.

As a general rule, the citing commissioner should carefully consider the actions taken by the match officials and support the on-field decision, and only consider taking action if it is ‘clear and obvious’, based on all the evidence available to the citing commissioner post-match, that the player’s actions justify a citing (red card equivalent) or citing commissioner warning.

 	What do you enjoy most about being a citing commissioner? 
One of the aspects I enjoy most about the role is being in direct contact with all the stakeholders in a match including referees, team managers, doctors and the players.

 	How can more women follow in your footsteps and take up similar roles? 
My advice to women who would like to become citing commissioners is to have determination and a high work ethic, as it takes hard work.

 	What challenges have you faced in your career? 
I suppose the biggest challenge is to succeed as a woman in sport dominated by men and to ensure that one continues to make progress.

 	What are your career highlights? 
My career highlights so far are being part of the Sevens Series in Biarritz where we had the first fully female team of citing commissioners, and more recently the Six Nations encounter between France and Scotland in France this month.

 	Name some of the other tournaments you have worked on as a citing commissioner? 
The Africa Cup 7s men’s and women’s tournaments, the Top 14 in France and the Paris Sevens Series.

 	What are your goals for the future? 
My goals for the future are to establish myself as a leading citing commissioner in Africa and to be appointed as a citing commissioner in the Rugby World Cup.
 Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Rugby Africa.
Media Contact: Rugby@APO-opa.com
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Tunisia’s very own Wejdane Limame had the pleasure of experiencing one of her career highlights last week after serving as the citing commissioner liaison officer for the Six Nations match between France and Scotland

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The coronavirus pandemic has had severe socioeconomic consequences in Africa including increased unemployment and loss of income. It has, however, also demonstrated the increasing importance of digital technology in responding effectively to crises and planning for recovery, not the least of which is in the fields of education and vocational skills.

As part of this recovery, new learning formats have the potential to accelerate the continent’s digital transformation, and to create sustainable and resilient digital jobs in Africa. ​In the vanguard of this move to leverage digital technology on behalf of Africa’s job seekers is atingi, the free, digital learning platform conceptualised and developed by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ).

Prof. Dominic Orr, a team leader at atingi, says, “Young people are the backbone of Africa’s human capital future and a key driver of continental development. The success of each country’s response to the Covid-19 pandemic, the sustainability of their social and economic recovery, and the achievement of that country’s long-term development goals will depend on the labour, insights and expertise of skilled and healthy young people. This is where we believe atingi can make a tangible contribution.”

#FutureYou Awareness campaign Now, more than ever, it is crucial to invest in youth employment and digital skills development in order to accelerate and optimise Africa&#39;s digital transformation.  The team behind atingi believes that their learning platform will help African people future-proof their careers and has recently launched a new awareness campaign called “#FutureYou” in support of this.

The #FutureYou initiative specifically addresses how atingi users are unlocking the potential of their future careers through the platform’s courses and accreditations.  It deploys the mediums of digital and traditional media communications, disseminating several motivational and educational campaign streams that address core elements of the #FutureYou promise including #FutureProof, #FutureCareer and #FutureLeaders.

atingi, which means &#8220;to achieve&#8221; in Esperanto, aims to improve the employability of young people through modern digital learning opportunities. BMZ, together with a large network of strategic cooperation partners &#8211; from politics and business to science and civil society – localises educational content to suit the needs of African audiences and makes it available, free of charge, via the atingi platform.  This ensures that the learning materials are easy to use and aimed at capacitating African jobseekers for the professions of the future in their home countries.

2021 employment insights for Africa In 2020, McKinsey projected that up to 400 million people in Africa would face reduced incomes or complete loss of work opportunities due to Covid-19.  With the expectation currently that this pandemic will see a third and fourth wave impact in countries globally, it remains unclear how many more African people will be facing the prospect of joblessness in 2021.

According to a World Bank survey earlier this year, many people in Africa have simply stopped working due to COVID-19. In fact, their research reports that by June 2020, in Nigeria 45% had stopped completely, with 17% in Uganda, 8% in Ethiopia, and 6% in Malawi.  Unsurprisingly, it also notes that urban informal jobs, which make up about 80% of workers in Africa, have been hit hardest – and that urban jobs were lost in higher proportion than in rural areas.  And, in terms of challenges to workplace gender parity, the World Bank notes that more women lost their job due to Covid-19 than men, thereby deepening the already wide gender gap in employment.

“A time of uncertainty calls for people to be courageous and to re-think their future. Our #FutureYou campaign aims to encourage young adults to actively choose and chart their own course. We aim to give African youths insights into the emerging opportunities in new job fields for their #FutureCareer. At the same time, we will also direct them to relevant user reviews and recommendations, as well as free courses that upskill and prepare them to take advantage of Africa’s evolving world of work,” concludes Dominic Orr.
 Distributed by APO Group on behalf of GIZ.
Press Contact: GIZ Johannes Pohlmann Phone: +49 152 90007250 Email: johannes.pohlmann@giz.de or atingi@giz.de
Instinctif Partners Thandeka Ngqeleni Tel.: ++27 82 325 1810 Email: Thandeka.Ngqeleni@instinctif.com
About atingi: The platform atingi, Esperanto for &#8220;to achieve something&#8221;, is part of an international cooperation of the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), the Smart Africa Alliance and the German Corporation for International Cooperation GmbH (GIZ). atingi aims to qualify the population in Africa for the jobs of the future. To this end, atingi offers people in Africa free access to high-quality digital learning content tailored to local needs and markets. The platform was developed by a team of education and digital experts and works closely with partners at national level as well as partners from politics, business, civil society and academia.

African Youth Using atingi to Future-Proof their Careers in a Covid-Impacted Job Market

Content provided by APO Group. CNBC Africa provides content from APO Group as a service to its readers and does not edit the articles it publishes. CNBC Africa is not responsible for the content provided by APO Group.

A successful four-year project in East Africa has demonstrated how improved weather, water and climate services save lives and livelihoods and support socio-economic development of vulnerable communities.

The High Impact Weather Lake System (HIGHWAY) project (https://bit.ly/2P76Mrx) established a pilot regional Early Warning System to inform fisherfolk and other local stakeholders about high impact weather events on Lake Victoria. There is now growing momentum to scale up the investment as part of support for the implementation plan of the East African Community (EAC) Regional Early Warning System Vision 2025.
Initial studies concluded that more than 200 000 people have directly benefited, and 1.4 million indirectly, from the HIGHWAY project, which was funded by the UK Government’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) through the Weather and Climate Information Services for Africa (WISER) programme.
The project has also reduced annual weather-related deaths on the lake by 30% &#8211; thus saving more than 300 lives per year, according to the studies. Economic benefits of the project are estimated at US$ 44 million per year, a benefit to cost ratio of 16:1.
“The HIGHWAY project demonstrates that improved access to, and use of, co-designed early warnings has protected lives and livelihoods and improved the economic and social well-being of the communities living in the Lake Victoria Basin,” said WMO Secretary-General, Petteri Taalas. “WMO hopes that this is a model that can be replicated in other parts of Africa and, indeed, the world.”
The Lake Victoria Basin supports approximately 25% of the surrounding population. It hosts Africa’s largest inland fishery, producing about one million tons of fish annually, employing over 200 000 fisherfolk and generating over US$ 500 million annually in exports. Over 30 million people live near the coastline, with 1 400 landing sites or beaches from which 50 000 boats operate.
On average, 3 000 to 5 000 deaths occurred on the lake each year due to navigation accidents caused by strong winds and waves. Prior to the HIGHWAY project, no regional, operational early warning systems existed to protect the health and safety of those dependent on the lake.
The need for early warnings were highlighted by heavy rainfall which caused Lake Victoria waters to rise to record levels. Ensuing floods displaced more than 200 000 people living in the Basin in Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda.
Loss of life was minimized by improved regional cooperation between the National Meteorological and Hydrological Services (NMHSs) of Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania and Uganda. This resulted in a regionally harmonized set of marine forecasts covering the whole of Lake Victoria, issued twice daily in English and local languages.
“The WISER HIGHWAY project is a great example of how to increase resilience to climate change through the improvement of weather and climate services. HIGHWAY has worked with partners across East Africa and leaves a legacy of improved services along with a commitment to ongoing development. HIGHWAY demonstrates the difference partner funding can make to lives and livelihoods when implemented through a coordinated and collaborative approach. Fewer lives lost and less damage to property,” commented Julius Court, Deputy High Commissioner and Development Director, FCDO, Nairobi, Kenya.
Since its inception in 2017, the project has enhanced capacities of the participating NMHSs through strengthening institutional frameworks, improving access to data sources and strengthening integration between forecasters and beneficiaries.
Main achievements include:
 	The development of forecasts, co-designed by NMHSs and fishing communities, to meet the needs of fisherfolk to ensure safety before going out on the lake; 	The dissemination of high impact weather warnings from NMHSs to fishing communities through radios, flags, notice boards and social messaging applications; 	The establishment of a regional WMO Integrated Global Observing System (WIGOS) centre to monitor meteorological data quality in East Africa, jointly run by the Kenya Meteorological Department and the Tanzania Meteorological Authority; 	The improvement of meteorological data through enhanced observations tools in the Lake Victoria Basin, notably through the revival of Upper Air Stations in the region; and 	The development and enhancement of meteorological tools (Met Office 4km Unified East Africa model; the RDT (Rapid Development Thunderstorm); Near-Cast product, and Convective Rain Rates (CRR) products) to improve the accuracy of severe weather forecasting in the region. 
The project also worked through the EAC to develop a regional strategy for coordinating the issue of severe weather warnings throughout EAC’s six Member States &#8211; Regional Early Warning System Vision 2025 for East Africa. The Vision was approved in June 2019 by Ministers at the EAC 16th Meeting of the Sectoral Council on Transport, Communications and Meteorology.

On his part, EAC Deputy Secretary General in charge of Infrastructure and Planning, Engineer Steven Mlote, said that Regional EWS Vision 2025 for East Africa would enhance regional cooperation with pooled resources, harmonise practices, and facilitate knowledge exchange to deliver impact-based early warnings across East Africa in a consistent way.

“To that end, the Severe Weather Forecasting programme (SWFP) would underpin the operationalisation of the Vision 2025 in delivering the regional consensus forecasts and potentially aggregating at the regional level the warnings produced at the national level through a proposed East Africa Community multi-hazard Alert System (EACAS),” said Eng. Steven Mlote.

The way forward
HIGHWAY project partners are calling for greater investment by international development partners, to build upon the FCDO investment and support the implementation of the Regional Early Warning System Vision 2025.
The countries have committed to increasing regional cooperation for the delivery of more accurate, timely and reliable impact-based early warning services, notably by the availing of data through the WMO Information System (WIS) and application of EAC policy for sharing of meteorological data. They have also agreed to work within their respective governments to ensure sustained resourcing for such efforts.
For more information on the HIGHWAY project: Project Video &#8211; https://bit.ly/3ssY5WK Project Webpage &#8211; https://bit.ly/3wbggT1
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of World Meteorological Organization.
WISER The Weather and Climate Information Services for Africa (WISER) programme’s purpose has been to strengthen the capacity for climate services delivery in Africa. It focuses principally on East Africa and has run from 2016 to 2021. The WISER East Africa programme is led by the Met Office, the UK’s national meteorological service. The programme is funded by the UK Government’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO). More information on the WISER programme can be found here &#8211; https://bit.ly/3m1n159.
HIGHWAY The GBP 4.1 million HIGHWAY project was delivered by the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) working with partners including the UK Met Office, the National Meteorological and Hydrological Services (NMHSs) of Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania and Uganda, the East African Community (EAC), the Lake Victoria Basin Commission and the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR).
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Tunisia’s very own Wejdane Limame had the pleasure of experiencing one of her career highlights last week after serving as the citing commissioner liaison officer for the Six Nations match between France and Scotland

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Early warnings protect lives on Africa’s Lake Victoria

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