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Daily: Laboratory test: 7,092 Severe cases: 693 New recovered: 1,019 New deaths: 19 New cases: 1,692

Total: Laboratory test: 2,293,486 Active cases: 38,309 Total recovered: 149,590 Total deaths: 2,693 Total cases: 190,594
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Ministry of Health, Ethiopia. Media files

Coronavirus – Ethiopia: COVID-19 update (23 March 2021)

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214 new cases of COVID-19 in Nigeria;

Adamawa-109 Lagos-33 Bauchi-26 Kaduna-9 Rivers-9 FCT-7 Oyo-7 Gombe-5 Ebonyi-4 Osun-3 Ekiti-1 Ogun-1

162,076 confirmed 148,530 discharged 2,031 deaths
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC). Media files

Coronavirus – Nigeria: COVID-19 update (23 March 2021)

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As of 23rd March 2021, we recorded 244 new cases out of 6,248 tests (4% positivity), 159 recoveries and 3 deaths.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Zambia National Public Health Institute (ZNPHI). Media files

Coronavirus – Zambia: COVID-19 update (23 March 2021)

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1,127 people have tested positive to the coronavirus disease, out of a sample size of 5,393. Our positivity rate is at 22.1%. Total confirmed positive cases are now 123,167. Cumulative tests so far conducted are 1,425,377.

Nairobi has 575 cases, Nakuru 99, Kiambu 92, Machakos 66, Kisumu 47, Uasin Gishu 45, Nyeri 32, Mombasa 25, Kirinyaga 18, Nyandarua 14, Kitui 14, Kajiado 12, Turkana 11, Taita Taveta 10, Kericho 10, Meru 9, Kilifi 9, Kakamega 7, Trans Nzoia 7, Nandi 6, Siaya 4, Murang’a 3, Elgeyo Marakwet 2, Homa Bay 2, West Pokot 2, Embu 1, Garissa 1, Laikipia 1, Kwale 1, Vihiga 1 and Busia 1.
210 patients have recovered from the disease, 110 are from the Home Based and Isolation Care while 100 are from various health facilities. Total recoveries now stand at 90,586. 
*We thank our healthcare workers for the good job they are doing to save the lives of our people.
We have recorded 25 deaths in the last 24 hours. 3 occurred in the last 24 hours while 22 are late death reports from facility record audits. Cumulative fatalities is now 2,048. Our sincere condolences to the families and friends of those who have lost their loved ones.

1,090 patients are admitted in various health facilities countrywide, while 3,224 patients are on Home Based Isolation and Care. 135 patients are in the ICU, 34 of whom are on ventilatory support and 93 on supplemental oxygen. 8 patients are on observation. 55 patients are separately on supplementary oxygen with 42 of them in the general wards and 13 in the High Dependency Unit (HDU). The number of those seeking hospitalization in our public and private facilities as a result of complications associated with the Coronavirus disease has in the recent weeks shot up. This means we are experiencing more cases of infections that are widespread among our communities.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Ministry of Health, Kenya.

Coronavirus – Kenya: COVID-19 update (23 March 2021)

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Minister of Health Lizzie Nkosi&#39;s COVID-19 update on 23 March 2021:

New cases: 6 Total cases: 17 296
Active cases: 524
New recoveries: 34 Total recoveries: 16 101
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Ministry of Health, Government of the Kingdom of Eswatini.

Coronavirus – Eswatini: COVID-19 update (23 March 2021)

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Everlytic, South Africa’s leading provider of multi-channel bulk messaging and automation-driven marketing software, recently launched its Channel Partnership Programme (https://bit.ly/3ckSmNj) with the aim of partnering with like-minded businesses and agencies in South Africa, Africa, the United Kingdom, Western Europe, and Scandinavia. The pioneering technology company, which has been ranked the fastest-growing tech company in South Africa and the third fastest in Africa by Deloitte, is looking for channel partners which have existing, complementary relationships with customers who have a need for a bulk and targeted, automated digital messaging solution.

Everlytic is no stranger to the global market, with the team already servicing international customers in various sectors &#8211; but expansion has never been a focus until now. New channel partners would ideally include marketing agencies (and the numerous specialisations within marketing that speak to bulk campaigns); consultancies with expertise in the CRM space or companies selling other similar solutions looking to round out their offering; as well as technology distributor partners – and particularly data-focused software and technology providers in the marketing technology sphere. 

“We are looking to identify channel partners selling related solutions to their existing clients who might have a need to communicate with consumers across multiple direct channels whether in bulk or through targeted automation. Our value proposition is simple: we share upwards of 20% of all qualifying monthly recurring receipts with partners, whilst we take care of the tech, support, service, billing, and our sales specialists sell with you and empower you with everything you need,” explained JD Engelbrecht, Managing Director, Everlytic. “With this model, no restructuring or investment from partners is required; instead, we come on board as a trusted partner that enables you to grow your profits with very little effort and no risk.”

Often referred to as ‘the best-kept secret’ in the South African technology industry, Everlytic has become the most chosen enterprise solution in its field, and the business has grown to employ over 70 talented employees and software developers, with offices in both Johannesburg and Cape Town. The company has a proven track record with enterprise customers that span sectors and industries and has become synonymous with excellent customer support, which stems from a personal, transparent relationship with every customer. When working with new channel partners located abroad, support will be provided by the well-versed South African-based Everlytic teams.

“We believe that our marketing and automation software solves customer pain points that are universal – and our bold approach to harnessing data to drive engagement and enable customers to create personalised, impactful content is widely applicable in markets around the world,” added Engelbrecht. “Our customers have come to expect advanced functionality, customised solutions and a close working relationship, at a price point that makes it both affordable and sustainable in the long term. Customers very rarely leave us – we are strategic partners to our customers.”

Having become the clear frontrunner and market leader within marketing and automation technology in South Africa, the natural next step for Everlytic is to seek forward-thinking channel partners across geographies.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Everlytic.
About Everlytic: Everlytic is a digital messaging platform that helps businesses communicate personally, reliably, and automatically using bulk email, SMS, and voice broadcasting – at scale. Hundreds of brands use Everlytic, including Old Mutual, Comedy Central, NetFlorist and many more. 
Everlytic customers are delighted with the effectiveness, ease of use, and the support that its solutions and teams offer. With an impressive email sending volume of about five billion emails a year, Everlytic stands proud as a world-class South African email and SMS messaging platform, recognised and endorsed by leading industry experts.
To find out more, visit Everlytic’s website here (https://bit.ly/39ayN8e).
Media files

South African email marketing leader, Everlytic extends its channel partnership programme across Africa

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The second Intra-African Trade Fair (IATF2021) is now set to take place from 8 to 14 December 2021. African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank), the African Union (AU) and the Government of Rwanda have decided to shift the date of the continental trade fair, to allow for a broader roll-out of COVID-19 vaccines across the continent and ensure that the event is held under the most optimal health conditions.

The decision was made at the extraordinary meeting of the IATF2021 Advisory Council held virtually on 18 March 2021. The new date will enable organizers to take stock of all the latest safety precautions, allow for wider roll-out of COVID-19 vaccines and to put in place effective COVID-19 safety and prevention protocols.

Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, IATF2021 Advisory Council Chairman and former President of Nigeria, said that the new date would also give countries and businesses more time to prepare for IATF2021.
“Our intent is that all participants garner the full benefits of the abundant networking, trade and investment opportunities that will arise at IATF2021. Despite the COVID-19 pandemic, there is a lot of enthusiasm for the event. The extra time given to preparatory activities and effective roll-out of COVID-19 vaccines will allow IATF2021 to be held under favourable conditions, giving more confidence to participating governments, exhibitors, buyers, conference delegates and other visitors,” said Chief Obasanjo. “IATF2021 will bring together continental and global players to showcase and exhibit their goods and services, and explore business and investment opportunities enabled by the single market created by the African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA) to accelerate Africa’s integration and industrialisation agenda,” he added.
Organised by Afreximbank in collaboration with the African Union and hosted by the Government of Rwanda, IATF2021 will play a crucial role in assisting and enabling businesses and corporates across Africa to share trade and market information and conclude business deals that are critical in supporting the implementation of the AfCFTA.

The second edition of the biennial Intra-African Trade Fair (IATF) will take place in Kigali from 8 to 14 December 2021. IATF2021 will provide a platform that will allow trade under the African Continental Free Trade Agreement. It will serve as a marketplace that will bring together continental and global buyers and sellers. It will enable stakeholders to share trade, investment and market information as well as trade finance and trade facilitation solutions designed to support intra-African trade and African economic integration. In addition to establishing a business-to-business and a business-to-government exchange platform for business deals and advisory services, IATF2021 will also operate IATF2021 Virtual, an interactive online platform accessible to all. It will also focus on Africa’s creative economy as well as the automotive industry with dedicated programs. A Conference will run alongside the exhibition and will feature high-profile speakers and panellists addressing topical issues relating to trade, trade finance, payments, trade facilitation, trade-enabling infrastructure, trade standards, industrialization, regional value chains and investment.
To register as a delegate or as an exhibitor for IATF2021 please visit: www.IntrafricanTradeFair.com
 Distributed by APO Group on behalf of African Union (AU).

Intra-African Trade Fair (IATF2021) new date confirmed

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The Chairperson of the African Union Commission, Moussa Faki Mahamat, continues to monitor the developments in Somalia ahead of today&#39;s planned National Consultative Forum meeting to resolve the electoral impasse.

While the Chairperson is encouraged by the arrival in Mogadishu of leaders from all the Federal Member States, as well as other stakeholders, he is gravely concerned at reports that the meeting could take place without the participation all the FMS Presidents.
 The Chairperson urges national stakeholders to engage in a constructive dialogue to resolve all outstanding issues within the framework of the 17 September 2020 agreement and the 16 February 2021 Baidoa Technical Committee recommendations for the good of the country and of all Somalis.
The Chairperson reaffirms the AU&#39;s commitment to continue supporting the people and Government of Somalia in their quest for an immediate organisation of peaceful and transparent elections.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of African Union (AU).

Statement by H.E. Mr. Moussa Faki Mahamat, Chairperson of the African Union Commission, on Somalia

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The Dane, whose road racing abilities are mirrored by his starring role on the track, forms a vital part of the engine-room that will be looking to deliver the likes of European and Italian champion Giacomo Nizzolo, Germany’s Max Walscheid and leadout man Matteo Pelucchi in to the final stages of the highly-anticipated race.

It’s an event in which crosswinds are likely to play a factor over the 204.4km route, and should make for an exciting spectacle.
The additional firepower for Team Qhubeka ASSOS will come from fellow Dane Andreas Stokbro together with Dutchman Bert-Jan Lindeman and Poland’s Lukasz Wisniowski.
We would like to extend our thanks to Michael Prior for his video submission of our lineup for the race and for his continued support of the team and the Qhubeka Charity. You can view that here (https://bit.ly/3d47Fc2).

Lineup [squad numbers]:
 	Lasse Norman Hansen [44] 	Bert-Jan Lindeman [02] 	Andreas Stokbro [08] 	Giacomo Nizzolo [33] 	Max Walscheid [13] 	Matteo Pelucchi [27] 	Lukasz Wisniowski [99] 
Lasse Norman Hansen
I’m looking forward to going into a sunny edition of De Panne tomorrow, but it looks like there will be some wind playing a factor. That said generally the weather looks to be good, so at this point it would point towards the race finishing in a bunch sprint. I’m looking forward to play my part in getting success for the team, however the race may develop.
More generally I’m really happy in the team. I’m really enjoying the atmosphere and the Ubuntu style in the races. Its a good and professional environment with space for having fun on the bike.
Hendrik Redant – Sports Director
It can be a very interesting race especially if there’s going to be a lot of wind – and if the weather’s good or bad. Tomorrow we’re expecting no rain and the wind to be “average” but it will still create quite a bit of damage in the peloton because there is quite a stretch of narrow roads and there’s always crosswinds.
It was a race which I won once – a long time ago! – but the sport’s changed drastically but for us I think we will be looking to see how far as a team we’re able to ride with the peloton if it doesn’t break up.
I reckon, weather dependent, it’s going to be a big group for a sprint and then with Nizzolo, Walscheid and others we have guys who can go fast. The plan will be for Nizzolo as our fastest guy but first of all he has to be in the big break, if that happens, and I think tomorrow we’ll create chances for a good result.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Team Qhubeka ASSOS.
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 (TeamQhubeka.com) 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 (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

Team Qhubeka name lineup for Brugge-De Panne

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UK’s International Champion for Adaptation &#038; Resilience Anne-Marie Trevelyan meets Federal Minister of Environment, business leaders and civil society experts to discuss Nigeria’s climate change vulnerabilities.

On a virtual visit to Nigeria on18th March, Minister Anne-Marie Trevelyan, the UK’s International Champion on Adaptation and Resilience, met with His Excellency Dr Mohammed Mahmood Abubakar, Federal Minister of Environment, other members of Federal government of Nigeria, business leaders, civil society experts and other interlocutors. Her visit follows last month’s visit of the COP26 President Designate, Alok Sharma to Nigeria.
Climate change impacts will not be the same across the world. The risks climate change brings to Nigeria are increasing. The country is already one of the most climate vulnerable in the world. As the effects of climate change get worse Nigeria is expected to face increasing aridity, drought, desertification, flooding and erosion. Nigeria’s capacity to develop the levels of climate change resilience needed to effectively offset the negative impacts of climate change is critical to ensuring Nigeria’s peaceful and prosperous future.
As COP26 hosts, and as is made clear in the UK Government’s Integrated Review, which was published this week and which sets out the UK’s security, defence and foreign policy priorities for the next ten years &#8211; climate change and biodiversity loss is and will remain a long-term fundamental strategic priority for the UK Government. Minister Anne-Marie Trevelyan’s role as International Champion on Adaptation and Resilience is an important part of the UKs ambition to delivering against our climate change commitments.
Minister Anne-Marie Trevelyan’s visit was an important milestone for the UK and Nigeria’s engagement on a range of climate change issues. In particular, it was a key moment to develop actions Nigeria can take to increase awareness and adoption of accessible adaptation practices that will help to halt the potential damage from climate change in Nigeria.
The dual threats from climate change faced by Nigeria of flooding and drought are real. The primary means of livelihood for 70 per cent of the Nigerian population is agriculture based. These livelihoods are heavily reliant on the right amount of rainfall and are significantly sensitive to the adverse effects of climate change.
Nigeria lost about 25% of its rice harvest last year due to floods. Without the essential development of adequate adaptation actions across Nigeria, the country faces the threat of increasing crop failures, desertification, flooding and drought which will lower agricultural productivity and have a significant impact on the population’s livelihoods, food security and Nigeria’s economy. Evidence suggests that climate change will also increase malaria prevalence in Nigeria.
During her visit, the Minister met a range of interlocutors from the Government of Nigeria, the private sector, civil society and climate change experts. This included a call with the UK-funded Propcom Mai-Karfi rural and agricultural markets development programme. They discussed impacts of the changing climate on people’s livelihoods in Nigeria and how they are making available affordable climate-resilient and locally adapted seed varieties and farming techniques to improve and preserve soils. The Minister was also able to hear from companies that have adopted the model such as Techni Seed and Premier Seed Nigeria Limited.
The minister met with Nigerian SMEs to discuss how their businesses and clients (smallholder farmers) are responding to the changing climate. The Minister attended an adaptation and resilience roundtable chaired by Professor Francis Adesina who helped draft Nigeria’s National Adaptation plan framework in June 2020. The Minister met UN Environment Programme head of operations in the Niger Delta to understand how to speed up the clean-up operation in Ogoniland.
The Minister met Special Adviser to the President on Agriculture. Dr. Momale to better understand the linkages between climate change/environmental degradation and insecurity in Nigeria.
The minister also met with His Excellency Dr Mohammed Mahmood Abubakar, Federal Minister of Environment where she was able to reaffirm the UK’s commitment to a balanced outcome at COP26 that facilitates ambition not only on mitigation, but also on Adaptation and Resilience and green finance. The importance of the Climate Change Bill, environmental clean-up in the Niger Delta and Nigeria’s National Gender Action Plan was also discussed.
The Minister urged progress on mobile money and financial inclusion as a key way to facilitating savings for climate change shocks and adequately budgeted disaster risk preparedness programmes to cope with floods and drought. She also encouraged climate smart agriculture requirements to be mainstreamed into Government-lending programmes.
At the end of the visit Minister Anne-Marie Trevelyan, the UK’s International Champion on Adaptation and Resilience, said:

&#8220;As the largest economy in Africa, and a country highly vulnerable to climate impacts, Nigeria’s regional leadership on climate action is hugely important. Great progress has been made to adapt to the impacts of climate change, whilst also advancing gender-equality, including through its publication of a ‘National Action Plan on Gender and Climate Change’, and the development of a National Adaptation Plan framework. I look forward to seeing some of this progress reflected in an ambitious Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC).&#8221;

&#8220;Building resilience to climate change is a priority for the UK’s COP26 Presidency and I look forward to working with Nigeria as we look to COP26 and beyond, to drive global action and ambition.&#8221;

Anne-Marie Trevelyan was appointed as the UK International Champion on Adaptation and Resilience for the COP26 Presidency on 7 November 2020. On behalf of the UK government and the UN Climate Change Conference of Parties COP26 Presidency, the UK International Champion on Adaptation and Resilience Champion will lead discussions between national governments, the international community and business on adaptation and resilience (A&#038;R) and work towards supporting countries, including those most affected by climate change, to increase action to adapt to its impacts and build resilience for the future.

Propcom Mai-karfi is a rural and agricultural markets development programme funded by the UK government. Their goal is to increase incomes for the rural poor by reviving and facilitating access to agricultural and rural markets in nine locations in Northern Nigeria; including the six post-conflict North-East state. Their Improved Seeds initiative is designed to address challenges related to awareness and access to certified seeds by rural farmers. They work with Premier Seeds, a major seed distributor (MSDs), who supports and supervise rural seed promoters (RSPs) to supply seeds. Visit Propcom Mai-Karfi website for more information.

The UK Government’s Integrated Review of Security, Defence, Development and Foreign Policy, describes the government’s vision for the UK’s role in the world over the next decade and the action we will take to 2025. The review is a comprehensive articulation of the UK’s national security and international policy. It outlines three fundamental national interests that bind together the citizens of the UK – sovereignty, security and prosperity – alongside our values of democracy and a commitment to universal human rights, the rule of law, freedom of speech and faith, and equality. Read the Integrated Review.
 Distributed by APO Group on behalf of British High Commission Abuja.

Nigeria: Anne-Marie Trevelyan meets experts to discuss climate change vulnerabilities

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The United States reaffirms its commitment to the people of the Republic of the Congo following a peaceful presidential election day on March 21. We are also saddened by the passing of Guy Brice Parfait Kolelas and extend our condolences to all Congolese mourning his recent death.

As electoral institutions tabulate the results, the United States calls on authorities to ensure that this process is conducted in a transparent and fair manner. We encourage all parties to remain committed to the democratic process, Congo’s constitution, and the rule of law.  We also call on Congo’s political leaders to adhere to the democratic principles of good governance and equal treatment for all under the law and urge security officials to exercise restraint, professionalism, and respect for human rights.
The United States looks forward to deepening its relationship with the Republic of the Congo through battling the effects of Covid-19, supporting economic recovery, and strengthening our partnership to protect the Congo River Basin.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Africa Regional Media Hub.

Presidential Election in the Republic of the Congo

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The United States is following events in Zimbabwe closely, including the troubling moves on March 17 to strip Movement for Democratic Change Alliance (MDC Alliance) Vice President Tendai Biti and other MDC Alliance members of their elected seats in parliament.

Since March 2020, parliamentary maneuvers supported by the Zimbabwean government have led to the ouster of 39 MDC Alliance MPs and 81 local elected officials.  These actions subvert the will of voters, further undermine democracy, and deny millions of Zimbabwean citizens their chosen representation.
We continue to monitor efforts by the government to dismantle the MDC Alliance through the arrest and detention of its leaders and diversion of its assets.  We also note the government’s selective enforcement of COVID-19 regulations to indefinitely postpone by-elections and prohibit MDC Alliance gatherings, while permitting internal elections and gatherings for the ruling Zimbabwe African National Union – Patriotic Front (ZANU–PF) party and its allies to go forward.
The ZANU–PF is misusing the levers of government to silence critics, neutralize opposition, and entrench its political power over the Zimbabwean people.
We call on the Government of Zimbabwe to comply with its obligation to respect the freedoms of expression and association enshrined in Zimbabwe’s constitution and its international commitments.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Africa Regional Media Hub.

Actions against Opposition Members in Zimbabwe

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The U.S. government, through the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), will be providing an additional $14.5 million to prepare Egyptian public university students for career success.  The funding, which brings total U.S. government investment in Career Centers to $33 million, will establish 30 Centers for Career Development at 22 public universities throughout Egypt by 2025.  When complete, these Centers for Career Development will serve 70% of all Egyptian public university students &#8212; approximately 1.5 million students.

Through these Career Centers, the U.S. government has brought the concept of career guidance and counseling to public university scholars and graduates for the first time in Egypt.  In partnership with the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research, the American University in Cairo (AUC), and public university partners, the U.S. government has so far opened 16 Centers at 10 universities across Egypt, from Alexandria to Aswan, and served 150,000 students.  Even during the pandemic, these Centers have found innovative ways to train students in communication and leadership skills and introduce them to key employers in their community. 

U.S. Ambassador Jonathan R. Cohen announced the additional funding during the virtual Career Expo organized by AUC and co-sponsored by the Ministry of Higher Education. “With this additional $14.5 million U.S. government investment, we’re helping students transition from education to employment in direct coordination with the private sector so that a new generation of Egyptians can parlay their academic studies into meaningful employment, cutting-edge research, and future leadership roles at Egypt’s premier companies,” he said.   

The virtual Career Expo gave 6,000 public university students an opportunity to meet with employers from dozens of Egypt’s leading companies in a COVID-safe online environment. 

The U.S. government is committed to strengthening education in Egypt.  Over the past four decades, the United States has built more than 2,000 schools, trained over 100,000 teachers, provided more than $350 million in scholarships and academic exchanges, and has supported over 70,000 students in secondary and vocational schools so they can succeed in the labor force.  

U.S. economic assistance to Egypt through USAID, totaling over $30 billion since 1978, promotes a healthy, educated, and employed population.  To find out more about USAID’s work, please see https://www.usaid.gov/egypt, and follow along on Facebook and Twitter at @USAIDEgypt.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of U.S. Embassy &#8211; Cairo, Egypt. Media files

United States announces $14.5 Million to prepare Egyptian University Students for Careers

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The African Development Bank and the Climate Investment Funds [CIF (https://bit.ly/3vSPNtq)] have joined forces (https://bit.ly/2OQ4QU9) to produce a study of the role of green banks and national climate change funds in mobilizing finance to support low-carbon, climate-resilient development in Africa.

The ground-breaking study (https://bit.ly/2OY4mv7), released on Tuesday 23 March, is expected to underpin development of a multi-country climate finance initiative in Africa.
For countries to better access and mobilize private investment, the climate finance system must reorient toward national financial capacity that can channel capital to projects and markets where it is needed most. Nationally-based green banks are powerful tools to address market needs, and drive private investment.
The Bank engaged six countries in the study – Ghana, Zambia, Uganda, Tunisia, Mozambique, and Benin – to explore how expansion of the Green Bank model in Africa could build country-based green finance capacity.
The study found that a combination of green banks working alongside national climate change funds has the potential to scale private investment in support of climate and sustainable development goals.
A combination of green grant programs and catalytic climate finance facilities focused on how the low-carbon and sustainable development sectors could help to boost private sector participation and mobilize support from global development partner institutions, according to the report.
Two sectors stand out as priorities across the study countries: renewable energy and climate-smart agriculture. Green cities infrastructure is another potential priority sector in several of the countries engaged in the study.
Innovative green finance could play a key role in Africa’s economic recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic, to build resilience and grow jobs, said Dorsouma Al Hamdou, Acting Director for Climate Change and Green Growth at the African Development Bank.
“As we look towards what will be needed to progress from emergency aid relief to medium- to longer-term measures to build resiliency and re-grow developing economies, the role of catalytic, innovative finance capacity to support sustainable infrastructure and social investment through mobilizing public and private resources will be essential,” Al Hamdou said.
“Green banks and national climate change funds are well positioned to fill this role and support economic recovery and job growth through the rebuilding of green development sectors such as agriculture, renewable energy, and green cities.”
Andrea Colnes, of the Coalition for Green Capital, the NGO recruited to carry out the study, said the green bank model had demonstrated its effectiveness in other regions of the globe and had great potential in Africa.
Green banks adjacent to national climate change funds have significant potential in Africa, based on their effectiveness at driving clean energy investment around the world, Colnes said.
“To date, members of the Green Bank Network have leveraged more than $24 billion in public capital to finance more than $70 billion in clean energy projects. This investment has supported jobs, economic development and avoided more than 25 million tonnes of CO2 emissions annually,” according to Colnes.
Download the full report here &#8211; https://bit.ly/3lHbtnC.
 Distributed by APO Group on behalf of African Development Bank Group (AfDB).
Media Contact: African Development Bank Olufemi Terry Communication and External Relations Department o.terry@afdb.org
Gareth Phillips Manager of Climate and Environment Finance g.phillips@afdb.org
Coalition for Green Capital Andrea Colnes Director, Global Green Bank Development andi@coalitionforgreencapital.com
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.

Green banks and national climate funds have a key role in mobilizing funds for low-carbon, climate-resilient development in Africa: report

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National laboratory systems play a crucial role in preventing, detecting and responding to health threats. An integral part of these systems, veterinary diagnostic laboratories are at the centre of veterinary services’ control programmes for transboundary animal diseases (TADs).

TADs, including zoonosis, can have major impacts on economies, trade and food security. They can easily spread to other countries and reach epidemic proportions, with some affecting both humans and animals (zoonotic diseases). In this context, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) Emergency Centre for Transboundary Animal Diseases (ECTAD), through the Global Health Security Agenda (GHSA) programme funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), has provided support to 14 national and subnational veterinary diagnostic laboratories. Since 2015, the programme has been implemented in ten countries in West and Central Africa (Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Côte d’Ivoire, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ghana, Guinea, Liberia, Mali, Senegal and Sierra Leone). Since 2020, support is now also provided to the Niger and Nigeria. In addition, FAO ECTAD supports other countries in the region such as Benin, the Gambia, Guinea-Bissau, Togo and Chad through various FAO Technical Cooperation Programme projects.
Having the capacity to detect, characterize and share information for decision-making on infectious agents was a major challenge for national veterinary laboratories (NVLs), which were often constrained by the lack of adequate facilities, inadequate implementation of biosecurity measures, and a lack of qualified staff or inefficient systems for rapid data exchange. For many years, NVLs in some countries, such as Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone, were unable to diagnose animal diseases, including zoonotic diseases. The remaining countries were able to test, but with great difficulty. However, after continued support from FAO ECTAD, all of the NVLs in the ten countries in the region that have received GHSA support since 2015 are now able to diagnose some of the TADs and priority animal diseases, such as rabies, brucellosis, highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI), viral haemorrhagic fevers, among others. In Sierra Leone, FAO supported the refurbishment of the veterinary laboratory and the reinforcement of the capacities of the laboratory staff in 2019. A year later, canine rabies was confirmed for the first time in many years. The efforts made in the area of veterinary detection and confirmation strengthened the national detection system. &#8220;We have been sending samples abroad for laboratory confirmation for a long time. The earlier we detect and confirm animal diseases, the faster we can implement prevention and control measures,&#8221; stated Mohammed Alpha Bah, Director of the Livestock and Veterinary Services Division of the Sierra Leone Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry.
The importance of having strong laboratories in COVID-19 times
During the COVID-19 pandemic, FAO ECTAD has collaborated in all ten countries with line ministries to improve coordination, capacity building, surveillance, laboratory strengthening and the enhancement of diagnostic capacity, conducting socio-economic and value chain studies, and expanding advocacy and risk communication. The support provided by FAO ECTAD to the NVLs has made a difference. In several NVLs in the region, work is currently being carried out to detect COVID-19 in animal samples and investigate and conduct follow-up testing of domestic animals in contact with COVID-19 patients. In Ghana, Accra, Pong-Tamale and Takoradi veterinary laboratories regularly test human samples for COVID-19 by real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR). In Cameroon, the National Veterinary Laboratory (LANAVET) in Garoua has assisted the Institute Pasteur by supplying culture media for sample testing. Liaising between the national veterinary services and the International Atomic Energy Agency, FAO has also contributed to strengthening the capacity of veterinary laboratories to detect COVID-19 in animal samples.
SILAB-FA installation to improve diagnostic processes
The installation of Sistema Informativo Laboratori (SILAB) for Africa (SILAB-FA)/Laboratory Information Management System (LIMS) in four NVLs (Cameroon, Côte d&#39;Ivoire, Ghana and Senegal) has enabled them to standardize diagnostic processes, from the submission and tracking of samples to the reporting of test results – with quality standards implemented in compliance with ISO/IEC 17025. “FAO’s support, including the installation of SILAB-FA in LANAVET Garoua, was instrumental in the laboratory’s accreditation under the ISO 17025 standard, as well as for the diagnosis of peste des petits ruminants (PPR) and contagious bovine pleuropneumonia by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and PCR techniques,” said Abel Wade, Director-General of LANAVET in Cameroon. Furthermore, FAO ECTAD Ghana has also installed SILAB-FA with a One Health module at the Accra Veterinary Laboratory to assist the laboratory with the management of COVID-19 samples (including human samples), in accordance with international standards. 
FAO ECTAD improved the provision of essential diagnostic equipment and training
To improve diagnostic capacity, the 14 veterinary laboratories of the ten countries supported by the GHSA since 2015 received high-value key equipment for molecular and serological diagnostics. This proved to be critical in the most recent HPAI H5N1 outbreak in Senegal. In January 2021, at the Government&#39;s request, FAO ECTAD assisted with the provision of sampling and personal protective equipment, laboratory reagents and consumables to the Directorate of Veterinary Services and the National Livestock and Veterinary Research Laboratory (LNERV) in order to continue the investigations of and response to the HPAI H5N1 strain.
The testing capacities of all the laboratories significantly increased from the start of the implementation of the GHSA projects. Out of the ten countries supported since 2015, only four were able to perform diagnostic tests for avian influenza in the first year of the programme. Today, all of the countries are able to carry out reliable tests for avian influenza detection using algorithms provided by the FAO/World Organisation for Animal Health Reference Laboratory – Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale delle Venezie. There has been a significant reduction in the time needed for laboratory confirmation. The average time taken for laboratory confirmation has fallen from 30 days in the first year of the programme to two days or less. 
FAO has helped to successfully operationalize the NVLs of Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone, which had not been in use for many years. Sierra Leone has now successfully confirmed African swine fever, PPR, foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) and Rift Valley fever. Liberia has accurately diagnosed rabies, while Guinea has detected anthrax, FMD, avian influenza (subtype H9), PPR and rabies. While no samples had been tested for many years in these laboratories, in 2019, Guinea tested 7 822 samples, Liberia tested 1 597 samples and Sierra Leone tested 2 117 samples. The development of this diagnostic capacity is a major achievement for the programme.
FAO’s work through the USAID-funded GHSA programme has been critical to ensuring the control of future outbreaks, as well as the prevention, detection and response to a range of emerging infectious diseases in West and Central Africa. By enhancing the capacities of laboratory and field staff, the number of reported disease outbreaks in the region increased on average by 15-20 percent (FAO, 2019).
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO).

FAO builds stronger veterinary diagnostic laboratories in West and Central Africa

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UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, condemns in the strongest terms the attacks in western Niger that killed 137 people, many of them already displaced after having fled earlier violence.

On Sunday afternoon, armed assailants on motorbikes attacked the villages of Intazayane, Bakorat and Wirsnat in Niger’s Tahoua region, some 50 kilometres from the Malian border. Some of the injured were evacuated to Tahoua city, 150 kilometres away.
UNHCR is evaluating the needs and preparing to assist affected people with health care and to provide protection services, as populations may move towards nearby Intikane, Telemces and Tahoua, where we are, together with our partners, already providing humanitarian assistance to refugees, internally displaced and vulnerable people among their hosts.
In Intikane, a large area designed to accommodate Malian refugees (20,000) and displaced Nigeriens (15,000) as well as their herds, 7,000 refugees were only just returning following an attack last May, when armed groups assassinated refugee leaders and a local host community leader. They had destroyed the main water station and pipes as well as phone tower, cutting communication and water supply to the displaced population and host communities.
Niger’s Tahoua and Tillaberi regions, which border Burkina Faso and Mali, currently host 204,000 refugees and internally displaced people.
UNHCR renews its urgent call on warring parties in the Sahel to protect civilians, people forced to flee and communities hosting them, as civilians are bearing the brunt of increasing attacks in Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger.
Niger, Burkina Faso, and Mali in the Sahel are at the epicentre of one of the world’s fastest-growing displacement and protection crises. The region is already hosting nearly three million refugees and people displaced inside their own country.
Despite increased insecurity, Nigeriens continue to show their generosity to people fleeing violence in Africa’s Sahel and Lake Chad regions.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). Media files

UNHCR outraged by deadly attack against displaced population in Western Niger

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Stabilizing a region ravaged by conflict is no easy feat, particularly when that region remains a hotspot for violent acts perpetrated by extremist groups.

Approximately 10.7 million people in the Lake Chad Basin region (parts of Cameroon, Chad, Niger and Nigeria) are directly affected by this crisis, and close to a quarter of that number have been forced to flee their homes due to conflict caused by the Boko Haram insurgency.
Despite this reality, a different story is being told on the ground. Spread out over 7 Key Impact Areas – Education, Health, Security, Justice, Environment, Communal Support and Livelihood; the Lake Chad Basin is being transformed, and its people are at the heart of it.
Over 30,000 households have been provided with access to healthcare, education, justice, alternative livelihood options, and over 1,800 houses, market stalls, and waterlines constructed to support communities and enhance cross-border economic activities in restive parts of the Lake Chad Basin impacted by acts of violent extremism.
That, however, is not where the story began.
In late 2018, at a meeting of the Lake Chad Basin Commission’s (LCBC) Council of Ministers, a Regional Strategy for the Stabilization, Recovery and Resilience of Boko Haram-affected Areas of the Lake Chad Basin (RSS) was presented as a robust framework for addressing these complex and urgent challenges. It recognizes the need for a comprehensive, multi-sectoral and coordinated set of national and cross-border efforts.
“The Lake Chad crisis is of global concern, and neither its causes nor its effects respect national borders. The Regional Strategy for Stabilization Recovery and Resilience (RSS) provides us with instruments and resources to go beyond borders and military operations and promote cross-border cooperation on security and stabilization, early recovery, and development” said Chika Charles Aniekwe, Senior Advisor and Head of Regional Stabilization Strategy Secretariat (RSS Secretariat). “The RSS is premised on a new way of working through the whole of society approach that connects regional challenges at the communities with regional solutions. It brings communities back at the center of the solution under the leadership of the Governors. It provides a framework for regional and cross-border cooperation, which is essential to tackle the Lake Chad crisis,” he added.
This strategy symbolized strong commitment on the part of relevant stakeholders in the region to usher in an era of peace, stability and development.
Almost a year later, a funding facility known as the Regional Stabilization Facility (RSF), consisting of support from Germany, Sweden, the United Kingdom (UK), the Netherlands, the African Development Bank (AfDB) and the European Union (EU), was established to facilitate the strategy&#39;s implementation. What followed was a significant shift signaling partners&#39; willingness to drive positive change and local peoples&#39; resilience to build back their communities.
This paved the way for concrete actions built around key national and Regional Territorial Action Plans.
At the national level, the RSF has supported governments and affected local authorities to strengthen social contracts, re-establish trust, law and order and opened new channels for cross border trade, construction of infrastructure such as cross &#8211; border roads, notably in the border region of Nigeria &#8211; Cameroon. The Facility has improved security conditions for affected communities and enhanced access to livelihood options.
At the regional level, the RSF has supported the LCBC in establishing the Stabilization Secretariat, ensuring institutionalisation of governance and coordination structures, including a high-level strategic Steering Committee, and a robust nexus coordination approach to stabilization, recovery, and resilience through the establishment of the LCBC Task Force of Implementing Partners. The RSF has also led to the development and elaboration of the Territorial Action Plan for long term stabilization, recovery and resilience interventions. 
COVID-19
The onset of COVID-19 threatened to hinder stability gains in the region and expose vulnerable communities to a heightened level of economic instability. However, what was a threat in many ways proved to show the willingness of partners in the region to respond to the dangers faced by Lake Chad Basin (LCB) communities. The RSF traced and analyzed COVID-19 evolution and response strategies in the LCB territories of Cameroon, Chad, Niger and Nigeria and provided initial rapid analysis and assessment of its implications for priority themes of the Regional Stabilization Strategy and the mandate of the Regional Stabilization Facility.
 Distributed by APO Group on behalf of United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).

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