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Max Walscheid once again delivered another strong individual time trial performance as he finished 17th on the penultimate stage of the Tour de France, which was won by Wout van Aert (Jumbo-Visma).

Walscheid followed up his excellent performances at the Giro d&#39;Italia with another strong ride over the 30.8km course, that saw him briefly in the &#39;hot seat&#8221; after posting a time of 37&#39;54&#8243; before being usurped by Mikkel Bjerg (UAE).
Sergio Henao battled his way to the finish line still suffering from an arm injury suffered during a crash in the Pyrenees and slipped one position in the overall classification to 21st.
While the likes of Simon Clarke, Carlos Barbero and Sean Bennett all finished their races ahead of the ceremonial final stage that finishes in Paris on Mandela Day.
Max Walscheid
It was nice to finally be in the &#8220;hot seat&#8221; at the Tour. That was my goal going into the ride, to have the best time when I rolled over the finish line and I achieved that so I am happy.
Now for Paris, which I&#39;m really looking forward to. To ride on the Champs-Élysées on Mandela Day is going to be very special.
Sergio Henao
The last three days have not been the best for me, crashing twice. Yesterday was difficult for me with the arm being very, very painful today and will also likely be tomorrow (on the cobbles in Paris). Let&#39;s hope I have a good night and finish well tomorrow as the Tour comes to an end.
It&#39;s been frustrating as I had been feeling really good, the legs were good and I felt like I could have an impact in the final parts of the stages but the crash meant it was very tough to handle the bike and so I&#39;m just focused on trying to finish the Tour on Sunday, on Mandela Day.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Team Qhubeka NextHash.
Media Contact: Jean Smyth (Head of Communications) Email: jean@ryder.co.za Mobile: +27 63 470 1710 or +31 625 739 033
About Team Qhubeka NextHash: Team Qhubeka NextHash 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 NextHash (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 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.

Walscheid delivers strong performance as Henao battles through the pain on stage 20 of Le Tour France

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Foreign Minister Othman Jerandi called on the international community to continue to support the Libyan political process and help it on the road to stability.

In an address to the Security Council meeting on Thursday on the situation in Libya, Jerandi highlighted the challenges and complexity of the transitional period, stressing that the experience of the last ten years in Tunisia has shown that the inter-Libyan dialogue is the only solution to the crisis in this country.
He referred to President Kais Saied&#39;s continuous call for the mobilisation of Libyans around a national project that restores stability and security in Libya and prevents the region from further tensions and security threats.
M.Jerandi expressed Tunisia&#39;s satisfaction with the Libyans&#39; commitment to respect the roadmap issued by the inter-Libyan dialogue held in Tunis in November 2020 and to hold the legislative and presidential elections within the set timeframe.
He insisted on the respect of the ceasefire agreement and UN resolutions regarding the disarmament, disbanding of militias and the withdrawal of mercenaries and foreign fighters, who, he noted, pose a threat to stability in Libya and the whole region.
M.Jerandi expressed confidence in the Libyans&#39; ability to meet the challenges of the stage, affirming that Tunisia will always stand by the Libyans and support the transitional process in Libya and the efforts to build a strong and united state that will strengthen peace and stability in the region.
 Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Republic of Tunisia &#8211; Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Migration and Tunisians Abroad.

M.Jerandi Calls on International Community to Continue Supporting Libya’s Political Process

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During the past year, Libya has come a long way towards peace and unity:

 	An interim executive authority has been selected and approved by the Libyan House of Representatives. 	Military representatives from both sides have agreed to a ceasefire. 	And the oil shutdown has been lifted, providing an economic lifeline for the Libyan people. 
We owe this progress to the Libyans, who want to take their country’s future into their own hands.
And we owe it to the United Nations, which has shown outstanding support for Libya.
And we owe it to Libya’s international supporters, who have been working together, including through the Berlin Process.
At the Second Berlin Conference, held on 23rd June, we were able to advance our joint agenda.
First and foremost, by inviting the representatives of Libya to the conference table. The interim executive authority with Prime Minister Dbeiba played a key role in all the preparations and negotiations – a crucial step towards full Libyan ownership.
Second, all participants are recommitted to the sovereignty, independence, territorial integrity and national unity of Libya.
There was broad agreement that – in line with the Libyan Ceasefire Agreement and Security Council Resolutions – all foreign fighters, forces and mercenaries have to leave the country. We now need to find a way to make this happen – without any delay.
Third, all conference participants reaffirmed the need to hold free, fair and inclusive elections set for 24th December. Because Libyans must finally be able to make their voices heard.
Distinguished members of the Security Council,
We now have a chance to build on this work. That is why I am asking you today to support the implementation of the conclusions of the Second Berlin Conference.
Moving forward, we are also counting on the continued leadership of Special Envoy Ján Kubiš and his team to push for elections on the agreed date in December.
We regret that the Libyan Political Dialogue Forum has so far failed to agree on a legal basis for national elections.
We must take a strong stance against those who favour postponing the elections for selfish political motives. Here, the Security Council must reaffirm that it will not tolerate any obstruction.
Ladies and gentlemen,
With the support of the United Nations and this Council, Libya has made great progress towards peace and unity.
Now, we must stay the course to make that progress irreversible.
This is what we agreed upon in Berlin three weeks ago. And I am counting on you to help us honour that commitment.
Thank you.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Germany &#8211; Federal Foreign Office.

Statement by Foreign Minister Heiko Maas on the occasion of the UN Security Council Meeting on Libya

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The journey of the second cohort of UNFPA Ghana’s Youth Leaders (YoLe) Fellowship took off on 6th&nbsp;January,2020 moving swiftly into equipping 21 young people with scientifically proven sexual and Reproductive Health information, knowledge for professional development, as well as skills in innovation. These included coding, photography, graphic design, video editing, human-centered design among other relevant proficiencies needed to enable them to thrive in the digital age. Uniquely challenged with the global pandemic, the YoLe Fellows exhibited resilience and continued to implement scheduled activities by virtual means and in adherence to the COVID-19 protocols with the support of the Country Office.



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To climax activities of the ‘COVID-19 heroes’, a colorful send-off was held to appreciate their efforts in contributing to the Country Office’s quest to achieving the three transformative results of zero preventable maternal deaths, zero unmet need for family planning, and zero incidences of sexual and gender-based violence. Furthermore, sharing of success stories of the Fellows as well as rich experiences characterised the ceremony while certificates of completion were awarded to the Fellows.



UNFPA Resident Representative, Mr Niyi Ojuolape applauded the outgoing Fellows for their tangible and impactful contribution to the Country Office. “Allow me to stress that these young people have made valuable contribution to our work which is recognised not only in Ghana but globally”, he emphasized.



The occasion was also used to inaugurate a YoLe Alumni Network. The network is made up of thirty-one young people comprising the first and second cohort. This is aimed at ensuring the sustainability of the Fellowship and maintaining their statuses as worthy ambassadors of the International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD) agenda.



For the second cohort, leaving the walls of UNFPA Ghana is a drop in the ocean because&nbsp;Orange&nbsp;has become a lifestyle!



Distributed by APO Group on behalf of United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA).

Youth Leaders Cohort II end their Fellowship programme with UNFPA Ghana

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The latest reports out of Ethiopia are worrying: in Tigray, we are witnessing a further deterioration of the humanitarian situation; there have been clashes again, and there is the danger of a renewed increase in severe violence between different population groups. These developments must be stopped while that is still possible.

We call on everyone involved to agree and adhere to an immediate ceasefire. It is completely clear that all foreign troops must immediately and fully withdraw from the region, and that we need a transparent investigation into the human rights violations. Any redrawing of borders through armed force or by other unconstitutional means is unacceptable.
Safe, unhindered and permanent humanitarian access to Tigray must now be the top priority. Those who have fled because of the conflict must be able to return safely to their homes.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Germany &#8211; Federal Foreign Office.

Federal Foreign Office on the situation in Ethiopia

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.
Simon Clarke and Max Walscheid delivered strong, fighting performances on stage 19 of the Tour de France that saw Matej Mohoric (Bahrain) solo to an impressive victory in Libourne for their third stage victory of the race.

Team Qhubeka NextHash’s attacking mindset was clear from the outset as Australia’s Simon Clarke immediately made the early move with five other riders in the day’s early breakaway.
Together with his breakaway colleagues, Clarke set a furious pace but were kept on a relatively short leash by the peloton with the gap never getting to over four minutes.
With various teams still in the hunt for the green jersey, the race once again reignited after the intermediate sprint point was safely negotiated and a group of 14 riders broke away and then eventually bridged across to the front group of six.
This group rode together until the short climb at approximately 37km to go, where a series of attacks followed with Mohoric eventually proving strongest and riding solo from 25km to go.
Walscheid finished a very credible 12th place on the 207km stage with Clarke, managing both the heat and the effects of a back injury sustained in the first week of the race further back in 20th position; while the rest of our squad safely negotiated themselves to the finish in the maillot jaune group.
Max Walscheid
I managed to get across in the group after the sprint, and was really happy with that, but with the short climb at 37km to go it was really a shame that I got dropped there and that in the end was my story of the day.
The break went today pretty fast, it wasn’t as hard a start as the other days but it was definitely a tricky final and it was a very high class front group in front. We knew that we had to go full flat out because the bunch was chasing and it’s always a crucial moment when the gap stays around 1 minute but finally they gave up and we could ride for the victory.
As for Mohoric I’m quite impressed because he was already in the early break and he already used some energy there so chapeau to him to win in that way.
Simon Clarke
After I found out that I had the injury I decided that I would stay in the race, I said to myself that at least one day that I wanted to make an impact and with the hard mountain stages it was difficult for me to get amongst it, so today was my last day to have some kind of impact on the race.
Once the attacks started to fly my back won’t let me go after those attacks but it was good to be amongst it and it was good to make, at least, one TDF breakaway this year.
It was a strange race, I don’t know exactly what went on behind but one thing I was sure of was that a flat day in the third week of the Tour de France very rarely ends in a sprint stage. So I thought that if I could get up the road there might be a chance and it was the right move, I just wasn’t able to put the power out. No regrets.
I would have liked to be able to help Max more, I said to him that I would help cover as many attacks as I could before the little climb with 37km to go but that is all that I was able to do.
 Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Team Qhubeka NextHash.
Media Contact: Jean Smyth (Head of Communications) Email: jean@ryder.co.za Mobile: +27 63 470 1710 or +31 625 739 033
About Team Qhubeka NextHash: Team Qhubeka NextHash 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 NextHash (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 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.

Walscheid and Clarke animate breakaway in grueling stage 19 of Le Tour

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23 million children missed out on basic vaccines through routine immunization services in 2020 – 3.7 million more than in 2019 &#8211; according to official data published today by WHO and UNICEF. This latest set of comprehensive worldwide childhood immunization figures, the first official figures to reflect global service disruptions due to COVID-19, show a majority of countries last year experienced drops in childhood vaccination rates.

Concerningly, most of these – up to 17 million children – likely did not receive a single vaccine during the year, widening already immense inequities in vaccine access. Most of these children live in communities affected by conflict, in under-served remote places, or in informal or slum settings where they face multiple deprivations including limited access to basic health and key social services.
“Even as countries clamour to get their hands on COVID-19 vaccines, we have gone backwards on other vaccinations, leaving children at risk from devastating but preventable diseases like measles, polio or meningitis,” said Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General. “Multiple disease outbreaks would be catastrophic for communities and health systems already battling COVID-19, making it more urgent than ever to invest in childhood vaccination and ensure every child is reached.”
In all regions, rising numbers of children miss vital first vaccine doses in 2020; millions more miss later vaccines
Disruptions in immunization services were widespread in 2020, with the WHO Southeast Asian and Eastern Mediterranean Regions most affected.  As access to health services and immunization outreach were curtailed, the number of children not receiving even their very first vaccinations increased in all regions. As compared with 2019, 3.5 million more children missed their first dose of diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis vaccine (DTP-1) while 3 million more children missed their first measles dose. 
“This evidence should be a clear warning – the COVID-19 pandemic and related disruptions cost us valuable ground we cannot afford to lose – and the consequences will be paid in the lives and wellbeing of the most vulnerable,” said Henrietta Fore, UNICEF Executive Director. “Even before the pandemic, there were worrying signs that we were beginning to lose ground in the fight to immunize children against preventable child illness, including with the widespread measles outbreaks two years ago. The pandemic has made a bad situation worse. With the equitable distribution of COVID-19 vaccines at the forefront of everyone’s minds, we must remember that vaccine distribution has always been inequitable, but it does not have to be.”
Table 1: Countries with the greatest increase in children not receiving a first dose of diphtheria-tetanus-pertussis combined vaccine (DTP-1)

2019
2020
India
1&#39;403&#39;000
3&#39;038&#39;000
Pakistan
567&#39;000
968&#39;000
Indonesia
472&#39;000
797&#39;000
Philippines
450&#39;000
557&#39;000
Mexico
348000
454&#39;000
Mozambique
97&#39;000
186&#39;000
Angola
399&#39;000
482&#39;000
United Republic of Tanzania
183&#39;000
249&#39;000
Argentina
97&#39;000
156&#39;000
Venezuela (Bolivarian Republic of)
75&#39;000
134&#39;000
Mali
136&#39;000
193&#39;000

The data shows that middle-income countries now account for an increasing share of unprotected children – that is, children missing out on at least some vaccine doses. India is experiencing a particularly large drop, with DTP-3 coverage falling from 91 per cent to 85 per cent.
Fuelled by funding shortfalls, vaccine misinformation, instability and other factors, a troubling picture is also emerging in WHO’s Region of the Americas, where vaccination coverage continues to fall. Just 82 per cent of children are fully vaccinated with DTP, down from 91 per cent in 2016.
Countries risk resurgence of measles, other vaccine-preventable diseases
Even prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, global childhood vaccination rates against diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis, measles and polio had stalled for several years at around 86 per cent. This rate is well below the 95 per cent recommended by WHO to protect against measles –often the first disease to resurge when children are not reached with vaccines &#8211; and insufficient to stop other vaccine-preventable diseases.
With many resources and personnel diverted to support the COVID-19 response, there have been significant disruptions to immunization service provision in many parts of the world. In some countries, clinics have been closed or hours reduced, while people may have been reluctant to seek healthcare because of fear of transmission or have experienced challenges reaching services due to lockdown measures and transportation disruptions.
“These are alarming numbers, suggesting the pandemic is unravelling years of progress in routine immunization and exposing millions of children to deadly, preventable diseases”, said Dr Seth Berkley, CEO of Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance. “This is a wake-up call – we cannot allow a legacy of COVID-19 to be the resurgence of measles, polio and other killers. We all need to work together to help countries both defeat COVID-19, by ensuring global, equitable access to vaccines, and get routine immunization programmes back on track. The future health and wellbeing of millions of children and their communities across the globe depends on it.” 
Concerns are not just for outbreak-prone diseases. Already at low rates, vaccinations against human papillomavirus (HPV) &#8211; which protect girls against cervical cancer later in life &#8211; have been highly affected by school closures. As a result, across countries that have introduced HPV vaccine to date, approximately 1.6 million more girls missed out in 2020. Globally only 13 per cent of girls were vaccinated against HPV, falling from 15 per cent in 2019.
Agencies call for urgent recovery and investment in routine immunization
As countries work to recover lost ground due to COVID-19 related disruptions, UNICEF, WHO and partners like Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance are supporting efforts to strengthen immunization systems by:
 	Restoring services and vaccination campaigns so countries can safely deliver routine immunization programmes during the COVID-19 pandemic; 	Helping health workers and community leaders communicate actively with caregivers to explain the importance of vaccinations; 	Rectifying gaps in immunization coverage, including identifying communities and people who have been missed during the pandemic. 	Ensuring that COVID-19 vaccine delivery is independently planned for and financed and that it occurs alongside, and not at the cost of childhood vaccination services. 	Implementing country plans to prevent and respond to outbreaks of vaccine-preventable diseases, and strengthen immunization systems as part of COVID-19 recovery effort 
The agencies are working with countries and partners to deliver the ambitious targets of the global Immunization Agenda 2030, which aims to achieve 90% coverage for essential childhood vaccines; halve the number of entirely unvaccinated, or ‘zero dose’ children, and increase the uptake of newer lifesaving vaccines such as rotavirus or pneumococcus in low and middle-income countries.

 Distributed by APO Group on behalf of United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF).

COVID-19 pandemic leads to major backsliding on childhood vaccinations, new WHO, UNICEF data shows

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Focal Persons of the ECOWAS Conflict Prevention Framework (ECPF) began a two-day consultative meeting with Civil Society Organisations (SCOs) on modalities to strengthen regional capacities for conflict prevention in West Africa and the Sahel.

At the opening of the meeting in Abuja, on the 12th of July, 2021, the ECOWAS Commission’s Director, Political Affairs Dr. Aderemi Ajibewa stated that the forum’s objectives are geared towards the creation of a more politically stable and economically integrated region, mindful of the impacts of democratic reversals on peace and security processes alongside its implications for the formulation and operationalization of the new generation ECPF Plans of Action.
Represented by the Dr. Onyinye Onwuka, Head, Mediation and Coordination of Regional Political Affairs, participants who were joined remotely by officials of ECOWAS institutions, diplomats, stakeholders and partners, were charged to work out a more sustained partnership framework between CSOs, ECOWAS and UN, to advance in-country implementation of conflict prevention, including the promotion of inclusive peace, constitutional and electoral processes.
Stressing that the more agreeable way to address the roots causes of conflict is set out by the ECPF, he however noted that the Framework should be a guide to actions that must be constantly adapted to the changing security dynamics while incrementally promoting and consolidating peace and security, development, and human rights in West Africa.
“we believe that by raising this platform for exchange between CSO representatives and ECPF focal points, the implementation of the ECPF through a more active, systematic and sustainable partnership, is better served” He added.
For Dr. Chukwuemeka Eze of the West Africa Network for Peace building (WANEP), the realization that several countries still struggle with a partisan security forces, judicial partiality, and dependent electoral Commission including the increased cases of identity, ethnicity and religiosity, calls for a collective assessment of roles in strengthening the integrity of democracies, elections and political transitions in fulfilment of a broader agenda of sustainable development where no one is left behind.
The representative of the Director, Political Affairs, United Nations Regional office for West Africa and the Sahel (UNOWAS), Dr. James Aji disclosed the readiness of the UNOWAS to partner with Civil society and all stakeholders by enhancing regional and sub-regional partnerships to address cross-border and cross-cutting threats to peace and security in West Africa and the Sahel.
The Director, West African Division, United Nations Departments of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs and Peace Operations Mr. Abdel-Fatau Musa, in his guiding intervention, averred that there is need to urgently examine rising unemployment in the region, stressing that challenges that stare the civil society at the face would not be effectively addressed if governance is weak. He called for implementation of the numerous ECOWAS frameworks while ensuring that traction is gained by the already developed plans of action.
The meeting featured presentations on democracy and security challenges as well as gaps and lessons learnt in the operationalization of ECPF plans of action in Member states, using case examples. Participants will also be looking at the outcome of the earlier Accra consultations on the engagement of civil society as partners in preventing and responding to political and electoral conflicts as well as findings of the ECPF Plans of Action evaluation. The set of outcomes emanating from the meeting are also expected to inform broader policy discussions on strengthening of the meaningful participation of civil society in conflict prevention, inclusive peace and political processes in West Africa and the Sahel.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).

ECOWAS, Civil Society Meet on Strengthening Regional Capacities for Conflict Prevention in West Africa and the Sahel

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Achieving African integration is not an end in itself. The purpose must be to offer the African citizenry prosperity and security. The objective of both regional and continental integration must enable African countries benefit from economies of scale, trade amongst themselves, move freely across the continent and most importantly, benefit from the common goals of Africa’s Agenda 2063, aimed at shared prosperity, unity and integration. The commemorative activities of the African Integration Day that kicked off on the 7th of July, will examine into details, the status of the continental integration and with particular focus on the role of continental integration in accelerating African economic recovery from the COVID-19 Pandemic.

In the last two decades, Africa has recorded a 4.6 percent growth rate on average, despite an unfavourable international economic and financial environment. The current COVID-19 pandemic has however plunged the continent into its first recession in 25 years exposing the vulnerability of African economies. The cumulative loss of Africa&#39;s GDP is estimated at between $145 and $190 billion with worrying projections that 39 million more people could be pushed into extreme poverty, if urgent and purposed measures are not taken to address the socio-economic difficulties caused by the pandemic.

Accelerating African economic recovery has brought to the fore, yet again, the need to piece the puzzle of African integration. With a fragile recovery based on the health, economic and financial measures member states were quick to implement at the onset to curb the spread of COVID-19 and mitigate the related economic and social consequences, the African Development Dynamics report show the continent will experience a positive growth of 3.4 percent. Although positive, the return to growth remains far below the minimum threshold of the 7 percent target to accelerate socio-economic transformation as envisioned in Agenda 2063.

For the continent to advance positively on the post recovery efforts to build back better, stronger and reinforce Africa’s resilience in this and future pandemics, H.E Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, President of the Republic of Uganda and Champion of Regional Integration in Africa, notes that Africa can only be prosperous through production of goods and services and most importantly, by ensuring its continental market is integrated from the 55 micro markets to trade under the common market of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AFCFTA). “How will the 1.4 billion Africans be prosperous? You can only be prosperous through production of goods of services but this prosperity can only be guaranteed by integrating the market. Integration should not only be a slogan but should be able to enable us overcome poverty and underdevelopment through production where people are assured of markets for their goods and services. Strategic security is also another key factor.”

The launch of trade under the African Continental Free Trade Area in January 2021, demonstrated Africa’s political will to make regional integration a tool for development and reposition Africa in the international environment by redefining its mode of insertion in international trade, not just as a mere supplier of cheap raw materials and importer of industrial products, but as a producer and exporter of final goods with high added value. H.E Moussa Faki Mahamat, Chairperson of the African Union Commission, asserts, “achieving productive transformation requires us to accelerate the implementation of the flagship projects of Agenda 2063 in areas with high growth potential in agriculture, infrastructure, energy, industry and services. Particular attention should be paid to the creation of continental value chains connected to global value chains. Making AFCFTA a Production Community will ultimately enable us to accelerate economic growth and ensure our food, industrial and medical sovereignty to meet the emerging challenges on the horizon.”

Economic integration go hand in hand in facilitating the increased share of Africa’s global trade and competitiveness. Amb. Albert Muchanga, AU Commissioner for Economic Development, Trade, Industry and Mining observes that with the AFCFTA, the common market would create a large market space of 1.3 billion people that is capable of attracting large scale and long term investments and in the process, shift the people from low productivity agriculture to higher productivity industrial activities thus leading to poverty reduction in the rural areas and equally, create prosperity in the urban areas. “In this market, what will be very characteristic is intense competition for all those firms that want to operate in this market and this is good for increased productivity, in addition, it will prepare these firms to compete globally. With economic integration, we (Africa) will be better placed to overcome the negative effects of the pandemic.”

African integration envisions that every African citizen should enjoy the benefits associated with regional integration, and in this connection allowing for free movement of persons across the continent, conducive business environment and favorable conditions that enhance the skills and capabilities of the labour force, especially, those of the youth and women. Dr. Amany Asfour, Interim President of the African Business Council notes that for African integration to become a reality, it is mandatory to invest in our African private sector. “The private sector is appealing for policies and enabling conducive business environment and to have special preferential procurement, at least 40 percent of the government procurement of African products. If we are going to increase intra-African trade and for enhance industrialization, we must invest in our own resources, including human resources to involve our youth and women.”

The need for Africa’s health independence through the production of essential medicines needed to fight diseases and pandemics has repeatedly been emphasized to address the unhealthy heavy dependence on external health care. As of July 2021, less than 2 percent of the African population has had access to COVID-19 vaccines, which calls for unity of purpose for the continent to achieve its economic independence.

Watch the opening session of the three-day commemoration of African Integration Day 2021 here.
 Distributed by APO Group on behalf of African Union (AU).

Piecing the Puzzle of African Integration: The Successes and Exponential Potential

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UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, is calling for urgent and enhanced measures to protect civilians in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), where a series of recent attacks by an armed group has displaced nearly 20,000 people in North Kivu province.

Armed groups continue to devastate civilian lives despite DRC’s President Felix Tshisekedi launching a state of emergency on 6 May in North Kivu and its neighbouring Ituri province. The declaration was meant to halt violence perpetrated by armed groups and establish law and order in the region.
Since 22 June, the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) are alleged to have brutally killed at least 14 people and injured many others in and around the city of Beni. Several properties were looted, and others burned to the ground.  This was the first attack in two years by the ADF on the city, and the group’s resurgence is terrorizing the lives of inhabitants.
There is a sense of panic and anxiety among the community, as well as a lack of confidence in security forces given the high expectations of improved security conditions following the new measures. These recent attacks have forced thousands of people to flee their homes to seek safety in the eastern part of Beni, and are continuing to weaken and disrupt social, economic and educational activities.
Despite our best efforts, the humanitarian response in this part of the DRC is becoming worryingly over-stretched by the cumulative impact of multiple emergencies including the after-effects of the volcanic eruption of Mount Nyiragongo in Goma on 22 May.
Nearly two million people have been uprooted by insecurity and violence in North Kivu province alone over the past two years.
UNHCR and its partners are supporting local authorities to register forcibly displaced families and assess and respond to their needs. Despite dire conditions some of the displaced are slowly returning to their neighbourhoods.
More than 100,000 displaced people were assisted with emergency shelters in 2020 &#8211; and almost 14,000 so far in 2021 &#8211; but needs remain high as attacks by armed groups continue to displace people in the province, with many forced to flee multiple times. Women and children with particularly acute needs are being assisted with shelter, relief items and cash assistance.
We also continue to support local communities as important first responders to recurrent forced displacement. UNHCR partners are doing the vital work of documenting human rights violation.
More resources are urgently needed. UNHCR’s appeal for our DRC operations of US$ 205 million is only 36 per cent funded.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).

Attacks by armed group displace 20,000 civilians in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC)

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The Government of Germany, through the German Federal Foreign Office, has contributed EUR 3 million to the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) in Zimbabwe to support highly vulnerable communities struggling to meet their basic food needs amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. This is part of a EUR 18 million contribution by Germany to Southern Africa for 2021-2023.

This contribution will be used to improve access to food and ensure that vulnerable communities, including refugees, have access to an adequate and nutritious diet in times of need, particularly during the lean season. 
Chargé d´affaires / Deputy Ambassador for German Embassy Harare Christian Oelfke said this contribution will help those who need food assistance the most.
“As part of the Federal Republic of Germany´s worldwide efforts to mitigate the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic we are extending a helping hand to the Zimbabwean population with this contribution. The pandemic has exacerbated the food security situation which has been strained for large parts of the population in the past few years. We hope that our contribution will help to temporarily alleviate the plight of vulnerable groups.”     
WFP Zimbabwe Country Director and Representative Francesca Erdelmann said this contribution comes at a time when many are finding it increasingly difficult to put food on the table because of COVID -19 and the loss of income and livelihoods.
“Most of Zimbabwe’s urban population relies heavily on seasonal migration for work and the lockdown has had a detrimental impact on levels of urban food insecurity.  While the agriculture season witnessed an improved harvest from the previous years, some areas still needs support to see them through the peak; hunger period. Refugees at Tongogara Refugee Camp will struggle to make ends meet as they depend on WFP for assistance. This contribution from Germany will go a long way in assisting these vulnerable groups that need help the most” she said.
According to the 2020 Urban Livelihoods Assessment, 2.4 million urban dwellers, or 42% of the total urban population in Zimbabwe, are estimated to be food insecure.  While the rural livelihoods assessment estimates 2.9 million that is approximately 27% of the rural households will be food insecure during the peak of lean season (Jan-March 2022).
WFP assists 326,004 people across 23 urban domains until the end of this year, with monthly cash-based transfers via e-voucher and Western Union remittance exchange. Beneficiaries receive USD 12 per person, per month to help meet their basic food needs.  Presently WFP is assisting more than 13,500 refugees and through the Lean Season Assistance we aim to support 1 million people at the peak of the lean season.
 Distributed by APO Group on behalf of World Food Programme (WFP).

Germany Provides Support to Vulnerable Communities in Zimbabwe

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Commercial activity in the Tigray region of Ethiopia is hampered by the ongoing crisis that began with fighting nine months ago. Over the last two weeks, since commercial traffic ground to a halt, food prices are skyrocketing. Banks throughout the region are now closed, and people are running out of cash to cover basic needs.

Factories sit damaged or destroyed. Many businesses are closed, leaving people out of work; and affecting the availability of essential goods and services, including healthcare.
The only company producing oxygen went out of business and the few functioning hospitals – submerged with referrals from no longer functioning primary healthcare centers – are all facing shortages as the country continues to address the Covid-19 crisis. Healthcare facilities and water treatment plants also largely continue to run on generators, with no regular provision of electricity or fuel in the region.
&#8220;People are showing incredible resilience and solidarity with each other in this crisis,&#8221; said Nicolas Von Arx, the Head of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) delegation in Addis Ababa. &#8220;However, their reserves and savings are exhausted. Restoring normal commercial activity and supply chains is also vitally important. Humanitarian assistance can&#39;t replace them.&#8221;
Operational update
 	Following renewed fighting in June, ICRC delivered medical supplies and hospital equipment to five hospitals in Amhara and Tigray regions: Sekota general hospital, Lalibela general hospital, Gondar university hospital, Aykel primary hospital and Ayder university hospital. These supplies are sufficient to treat 250 critically or 900 moderately wounded people; and 3000 people with other medical conditions. 	In addition, there is a medical consignment for fourteen health facilities, both PHC&#39;s and hospitals, ready to be shipped to Mekelle in a convoy to help address needs in rural areas. 	The ICRC also provided financial assistance to rehabilitate Mekelle General Hospital&#39;s Covid-19 ward, as cases continue to rise in the region and the ward the only serving facility. 	The ICRC started to rehabilitate Suhul hospital in Shire and Shiraro Hospital; and donated spare part for the water treatment plant of Ayder hospital, as well as generators for Humera, Dansha and Maikadra hospitals. 	In collaboration with the Ethiopian Red Cross, the ICRC continued supplying water through water trucking in order to immediately support Tigray&#39;s most vulnerable communities. The ICRC also continued its donation of chemicals to water treatment plants in order to maintain safe water production as the rainy season threatens the return of various water-borne diseases. 	In addition, the rehabilitation of electromechanical materials such as pumps, generators and replacement of filters is taking place in different parts of Tigray and Amhara regions; this includes rehabilitation and replacement of handpumps. 	With the ongoing communications blackout, the ICRC continues to provide phone calls or written messages to restore family links and to help individuals dispersed in and out of Tigray to maintain contact with their loved ones. These services have been used by university students, persons at risk and members of the general population from different parts of the country. 
 Distributed by APO Group on behalf of International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC).

Ethiopia: Communities in Tigray Hit Hard by Growing Food and Fuel Prices

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More than 130 governments are making food systems a top priority amid the pandemic and committing to an unprecedented programme of Dialogues in the run-up to the UN Food Systems Summit in September.

The Dialogues, involving thousands of people around the world, are taking place as the impact of COVID-19 on food systems is laid bare. The recently released 2021 State of Food Insecurity (SOFI) report revealed 118 million additional people are facing hunger because of the pandemic.
Member State Dialogues, hosted by National Dialogues Convenors, give governments the opportunity to engage with actors across sectors and disciplines to shape pathways towards food systems that are sustainable, resilient, and equitable.
“It is an indictment on our entire food systems – from production to distribution and disposal – that in 2020, as many as 811 million men, women, and children went without enough to eat,” said Dr. Agnes Kalibata, the UN Secretary-General’s Special Envoy for the 2021 Food Systems Summit.
“Hunger on this scale is a symptom of a dysfunctional food system that buckles under pressure and abandons the most vulnerable first. We need systemic transformation, and this is the aim of the UN Food Systems Summit, but it will be up to Member States to pave the way for the changes we urgently need.”
The convening teams of the National Dialogues have a vital role in enabling national stakeholders to have a seat at the table, linking up with those from other workstreams in preparing for the Summit.
Initial insights into the country-led momentum are illustrated in outcomes from the early Member State Dialogues across 40 countries connecting more than 15,000 people. The inclusiveness and diversity of the Dialogues is evident with participants ranging from school students in Asia, rural farmers in West Africa, parliamentarians in Latin America, and producers in North America.
The challenges of facilitating Dialogues amid pandemic restrictions has created a precedent for novel and extensive engagement, with National Dialogue Convenors taking full advantage of digital connectivity to involve communities who are hardest to reach.
There have been thousands of unusual interactions, exploratory conversations, heated debates and constructive exchanges through hundreds of Food Systems Summit Dialogues since October 2020, involving food producers and processors, distributors and retailers, caterers, chefs, marketers, traders and others directly involved in moving food from farm to fork.
“I commend National Convenors for embracing this unique opportunity to engage with the Summit and identify what needs to be done and who needs to be involved in shaping how their citizens can eat food that is nutritious and produced in ways that are good for the planet, despite threats of climate change, infectious disease and violent conflict,” said Dr. David Nabarro, Senior Advisor to the Special Envoy for the Summit Dialogues.
“Convenors are sparking shifts in thought, knowledge and action at scale, and this is just the beginning of a journey that will most definitely continue beyond this monumental year. This is our moment, as a human race, to reveal and respond to the most difficult and often hidden challenges so that we are united in a collective race to build a resilient, sustainable and equitable food systems for all people, and the planet.”
The UN Secretary-General’s Food Systems Summit and all of its preparatory processes have been a powerful catalyst that has brought new and unexpected voices to the forefront as well as grassroots lessons and innovative solutions in ways that will reveal the collective action and commitments the world needs, this September.
The programme of Dialogues in many countries is a three-stage multi-stakeholder exploration through food systems, starting with identifying the characteristics of current food systems, followed by generating a wide range of potential adaptations and evolutions of those systems, and then consolidating these into an agreed sense of direction.
 Distributed by APO Group on behalf of United Nations (UN).

Shaping the future of food systems: thousands commit to dialogues amidst the COVID-19 pandemic

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A new Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) report, South Sudan at 10: an MSF record of the consequences of violence, offers a consolidated account of MSF’s experience in South Sudan since 9 July 2011. It seeks to serve as a record and reminder of the human toll of violence since independence, as seen by MSF – through its staff and patients.

Independence to civil war
At independence, South Sudan was grappling with at least 30 humanitarian emergencies. Parts of the country were engulfed in increasingly fierce intercommunal clashes, and there was renewed conflict in border areas with Sudan. Despite the challenges, the first years in the post-independence period were a time of anticipation and optimism and, for most of the country, it was a period of relative peace.
However, by December 2013 – less than two years after independence – the country had rapidly imploded into civil war, quickly exposing the fragility of the emerging young state.
&#8220;After these 22 years of civil war came, then there came independence in 2011. The whole population was joyous. We were happy because a new country was born&#8230; but all this hope and dreams became all of a sudden no more.&#8221; – MSF staff member, Yambio, August 2019
Extreme violence
The five-year conflict is estimated to have led to nearly 400,000 deaths, many the result of ethnically motivated targeting of civilians, including children and the elderly. Sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) has been used as a weapon of conflict, with systematic ethnically and politically motivated attacks.
Some of the most extreme violence was conducted in places of refuge and sanctuary, including state hospitals, where patients and people seeking shelter were killed in a series of brutal attacks. Millions of people have been displaced, often multiple times, inside and outside South Sudan. This includes hundreds of thousands of people who sought shelter in Protection of Civilian (PoC) sites, inside the bases of the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS).
Since independence, 24 of MSF’s South Sudanese staff have been killed by violence, five while on duty. All of MSF’s patients, staff and their communities have been impacted directly and indirectly by conflict and violence.
Deaths from preventable diseases
Across the country, people have been subject to destruction, displacement, disease, and death. Violence disrupts access to healthcare, including routine vaccination, while increasing the risk of disease transmission and food insecurity.
There have been repeated failures to ensure dignified living conditions for people in refugee camps and PoC/Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) sites. Instead, people fleeing conflict and violence have, over and again, been forced to live in deplorable conditions – with basic requirements for living space, water and sanitation unmet, far below the minimum emergency thresholds for survival.
At its worst, MSF has recorded three to five children a day dying from preventable diseases – such as malaria – in different refugee camps and PoC sites. Meanwhile, people forced to live in the open, in the bush and swamps, have repeatedly been exposed to disease and extreme hunger.
In some areas, conflict brought a resurgence of kala azar, the world’s second largest parasitic disease. In addition, there have been measles, hepatitis C and cholera outbreaks, amongst others.
Mental health
Millions of people in South Sudan have been repeatedly exposed to traumatic events. MSF has witnessed increases in suicide attempts and has worked with patients coping with post-traumatic stress disorder.
&#8220;The most difficult thing to be South Sudanese is the fear. People facing in fear. People sleeping in fear. So, this creates a lot of trauma on people because people are not free like when we first got our independence.&#8221; – MSF staff, Mundri, August 2019
The impact of protracted conflict and repeated humanitarian crises in South Sudan is worsened by a weak, chronically underfunded, healthcare system, destroyed in many areas and largely neglected in others. In 2020, of approximately 2,300 health facilities, more than 1,300 were non-functional. Less than half (44 per cent) of the total population and just 32 per cent of internally displaced persons live within five kilometres of a functional health facility.
Continuing humanitarian crises
Despite a peace agreement in 2018 which ended five years of civil war, and the formation of a unified government in early 2020, the situation remains volatile in many areas. In 2019, South Sudan saw a resurgence of subnational conflicts and factional fighting, which has since escalated in 2020 and 2021.
Today, 8.3 million people – more than two-thirds of the population – are estimated to be in dire need of humanitarian assistance and protection. Today, in what is the largest refugee crisis in Africa, 2.2 million South Sudanese people are sheltering in neighbouring countries. More than 1.6 million people remain internally displaced. Even in a best-case scenario, South Sudan will remain vulnerable to humanitarian crises for the foreseeable future and will need assistance for some time.
South Sudan’s leaders must make every effort to ensure civilians&#39; safety and security and an environment conducive to the delivery of humanitarian assistance, independent of any political agenda.
“My hope for the future for the next 10 years is a transformed society, a transformed community where we can live and co-exist among ourselves. Where I see someone is my brother. I see someone is my sister … Where I can just move without any restriction. Where I can express my feelings, to anyone, regardless of their race, regardless of their tribe. And this is the society that I&#39;m longing for in the next 10 years … It’s the young generation that will inspire the generation that is coming after us,” MSF staff member, 22 April 2021.
For nearly 40 years, the area that constitutes South Sudan has been amongst MSF’s highest global priority countries, in terms of operations, employment and financing. As the young nation moves into its next decade, MSF remains committed to the people of South Sudan.
 Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Médecins sans frontières (MSF).

South Sudan: An MSF record of the consequences of violence since independence

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The Provincial Disaster Management Centre has been informed that the South African National Defence Force will be deploying a company of soldiers in the Western Cape today as part of the national deployment of soldiers gazetted earlier this week. The SANDF is deploying in support of the South African Police Service and their ongoing efforts to maintain law and order in the country.

Premier of the Western Cape, Alan Winde said: “I welcome this proactive step, which we believe is necessary given the unrest seen in some parts of the country. It is important that the SAPS get as much support as possible during this unprecedented time so that they can respond quickly to incidents and maintain the calm that we have seen to date. This is not a cause for concern and shows proactivity in the response. I have complete faith in the Provincial Police Commissioner, Lt. Gen. Patekile, who is in command, and will continue to liaise closely with him and other stakeholders so that we keep the Western Cape safe.”
The Provincial Minister of Community Safety, Adv. Albert Fritz added: “As of our latest report, there have been no incidents of looting or public violence across the Western Cape, and I am glad that there is thorough planning and proactive steps being taken by the SAPS and their partners to ensure this stays the case. I encourage our residents to remain calm, to reject violence and to respect the rule of law. If you do have any information that relates to potential criminal activity, please report it directly to the SAPS.”
The following regional numbers can be called in the event of an emergency:
City of Cape Town &#8211; 107 or 021 480 7700 and 080 911 4357 Overberg &#8211; 028 425 1690 West Coast &#8211; 022 433 8700 Garden Route &#8211; 044 805 5071 Central Karoo – 023 449 8000 Cape Winelands – 021 886 9244 / 021 887 4446
Issued by: Western Cape Office of the Premier
 Distributed by APO Group on behalf of South African Government.

Western Cape Government on deployment of South African National Defence Force (SANDF) in the Western Cape

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Nearly two million people affected by the crisis in northern Ethiopia desperately need life-saving assistance, including water, medicine and shelter, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) said today as it issued an urgent appeal for USD 40 million to help internally displaced men, women and children, including newborn babies. 

Since the outbreak of the conflict eight months ago in Ethiopia’s Tigray Regional State, millions of people are enduring unimaginable suffering, including forced displacement, hunger, death, and destruction of private and public property.  
In Tigray, IOM has been providing support to more than half a million people, including displaced children, women, men, and vulnerable groups such as pregnant women and persons with disabilities. This includes shelter and provision of essential items such as food, water, clothing, medicine and supplies for babies, as well as sanitation and hygiene services.
IOM has also been supporting camp coordination and management efforts, providing mental health care to those in need, and producing Displacement Tracking Matrix (DTM) reports to shed light on the evolving situation.
Nearly USD 70 million (USD 69.3M) is needed to respond to the needs of internally displaced populations in northern Ethiopia but only USD 28.7 million has been received this year. IOM needs an extra USD 40.6 million for the remainder of 2021 to be able to continue and further expand its response to help the displaced.
“The nearly two million people displaced by this crisis continue to live in inhumane and undignified conditions and require critical and urgent support,” said Maureen Achieng, IOM Chief of Mission to Ethiopia and Representative to the African Union and UNECA. “IOM Director General António Vitorino said it before, and we say it again: we must act without delay to meet the needs of people in the region.”  
The situation in Tigray remains volatile. In partnership and coordination with other UN agencies, IOM is committed to delivering life-saving humanitarian assistance, to continue reaching people in need. IOM is planning to significantly scale up response programming and increase the deployment of senior IOM staff in the region despite the severe shortage of funding. 
IOM’s response is aligned with the Inter-Cluster Coordination Group’s (ICCG) – a cooperative effort among sectors and the Humanitarian Country Team to improve the national response – Northern Ethiopia Response Plan, which estimates that 5.2 million people are in dire need in the worst-case scenario of this escalating humanitarian crisis. 
 Distributed by APO Group on behalf of International Organization for Migration (IOM).

IOM Ethiopia Appeals for USD 40 Million to Assist Additional 1.6 Million People in Northern Ethiopia

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President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has been re-elected for the second term as Chair of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).

At an extraordinary meeting of the Heads of States of the Authority held virtually on February 2, 2021, President Akufo-Addo received the consensus ECOWAS Member States to serve for one more year.
In a communique issued at the end of the conference, President Akufo-Addo, with support from the Ministerial Ad hoc Committee on Institutional Reform, would oversee the implementation of institutional reforms to enhanced financial management and internal control of the Institution.
Fourteen Heads of States, who took part in the summit, were President Roch Marc Christian Kabore of Burkina Faso; President Jorge Carlos de Almeida Fonseca,l of Cape Verde; President Alassane Ouattara of Cote d’Ivoire; President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo of Ghana; President Prof. Alpha Conde of Guinea; President Umaro Sissoco Embalo of Guinea Bissau and President George Manneh Weah of Liberia.
The rest are President Macky Sall of Senegal; President Julius Maada Bio of Sierra Leone; President Faure Essozimna Gnassingbe of Togo; President Yemi Osinbajo, Vice-President of Nigeria; Prime Minister Brigi Rafini of Niger; Moctar Ouane, Prime Minister of Transition of Mali and Aurélien Agbenonci, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Benin.
The session was also attended by H.E. Jean-Claude Kassi Brou, President of the ECOWAS Commission.
The session chaired by President Akufo-Addo was in preparation for the 34th ordinary Session of the Assembly of the African Union on the election of the new management team of the African Union Commission.  
President Akufo-Addo was first appointed Chair of the 15-member ECOWAS in September 2020 by the 57th Ordinary Session of the Authority.
He replaced President Mahamadou Issoufou of the Republic of Niger, who steered the activity of the Authority for a year.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Embassy of the Republic of Ghana in Luanda, Angola.

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Youth Leaders Cohort II end their Fellowship programme with UNFPA Ghana

Federal Foreign Office on the situation in Ethiopia

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COVID-19 pandemic leads to major backsliding on childhood vaccinations, new WHO, UNICEF data shows

ECOWAS, Civil Society Meet on Strengthening Regional Capacities for Conflict Prevention in West Africa and the Sahel

Piecing the Puzzle of African Integration: The Successes and Exponential Potential

Attacks by armed group displace 20,000 civilians in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC)

Germany Provides Support to Vulnerable Communities in Zimbabwe

Ethiopia: Communities in Tigray Hit Hard by Growing Food and Fuel Prices

Shaping the future of food systems: thousands commit to dialogues amidst the COVID-19 pandemic

South Sudan: An MSF record of the consequences of violence since independence

Western Cape Government on deployment of South African National Defence Force (SANDF) in the Western Cape

IOM Ethiopia Appeals for USD 40 Million to Assist Additional 1.6 Million People in Northern Ethiopia

President Akufo-Addo re-elected as Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Chair

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APO

Walscheid delivers strong performance as Henao battles through the pain on stage 20 of Le Tour France

M.Jerandi Calls on International Community to Continue Supporting Libya’s Political Process

Statement by Foreign Minister Heiko Maas on the occasion of the UN Security Council Meeting on Libya

Youth Leaders Cohort II end their Fellowship programme with UNFPA Ghana

Federal Foreign Office on the situation in Ethiopia

Walscheid and Clarke animate breakaway in grueling stage 19 of Le Tour

COVID-19 pandemic leads to major backsliding on childhood vaccinations, new WHO, UNICEF data shows

ECOWAS, Civil Society Meet on Strengthening Regional Capacities for Conflict Prevention in West Africa and the Sahel

Piecing the Puzzle of African Integration: The Successes and Exponential Potential

Attacks by armed group displace 20,000 civilians in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC)

Germany Provides Support to Vulnerable Communities in Zimbabwe

Ethiopia: Communities in Tigray Hit Hard by Growing Food and Fuel Prices

Shaping the future of food systems: thousands commit to dialogues amidst the COVID-19 pandemic

South Sudan: An MSF record of the consequences of violence since independence

Western Cape Government on deployment of South African National Defence Force (SANDF) in the Western Cape

IOM Ethiopia Appeals for USD 40 Million to Assist Additional 1.6 Million People in Northern Ethiopia

President Akufo-Addo re-elected as Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Chair

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