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.
The much-awaited ‘Sport for Peace’ football tournament has finally started at the Yei Checkpoint playground in South Sudan’s capital, Juba.

Sponsored by the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) with support from the South Sudan Football Association and Inter-Community Peace Initiative (ICPI), the tournament brings together a total of 12 teams that include four women-only clubs.
Matches are being played between football clubs from the Juba Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) Camp adjacent to UNMISS headquarters and sports clubs from six surrounding communities such as Moroyok, Nakitun and Jondoru, and so forth.
Male and female players are competing alternately to determine who will take home the trophies on the final day.
In the opening game, Camp One Girls FC locked horns with Camp Three Central Girls FC. The well-attended match ended on a score of 3-1, in favour of Camp One FC, sending jubilant fans onto the pitch, ululating thunderously.
The tournament harnesses the power of sport to bring together young people in a common pursuit, thereby promoting reconciliation and unity.
“Do not discriminate against one another during the game based on your ethnic or cultural identity,” said Brigadier General Malek Mapor from the South Sudan Police Service during the opening ceremony. “If you lose a match, work hard enough to win next time. This tournament is not aimed at dividing our people, but at bringing everybody together in social harmony.”
Captain Chan Thomas from the POC Three Girls FC, also a member of a national football team, was upbeat about the prospect of peace being achieved through the game. “Playing football together like this creates a much-needed bond between our different cultures and helps us build relationships, thereby advancing an acceptance of our diversity,” she states.
Ms. Thomas feels that girls around the country should take part in sport: “When a girl or a woman is interested in playing football, she shouldn’t be stopped. Every young girl has the right to achieve her own dreams. It’s only by empowering young girls to follow their heart will love and unity prevail in our young nation.”
Local musician, King of the Forest, also from the Juba IDP camp agrees.  “We are one people, we are one nation,” were his lyrics of choice as he performed for the cheering crowd. “We do not want any more ethnic divisions in South Sudan. Peace has come and let’s embrace it.”
For his part, Wilson Stephen Ladu, Chair of the ICPI, believes that economic development will only come about if South Sudanese eschew intercommunal rivalries.  “Peace has to begin from the heart of the individual, before it permeates to the hearts of others; if someone steps on your toe and says sorry, please forgive him or her,” he averred.
The male segment of the game played between Nakitun FC and Lokwilili FC on the same day ended 1-0 in favour of Lokwilili FC.
Checkpoint FC player Kano Kuot eloquently spoke about the power of sport. “Football isn’t just about scoring goals. It’s about physical fitness and playing as a team,” he said. “It teaches us to work together and live together. Football teaches us to unite and that is what we need to do as a nation if we are to achieve a sustainable peace for everyone across our great nation.”
Prior to the tournament, the UN peacekeeping mission helped train some 100 local coaches and 75 community leaders drawn from residents across Juba IDP camp on the rules of the game.
Furthermore, the UNMISS Community Outreach Unit provided necessary sports gear to all participating clubs and distributed T-shirts, facemasks, pens and other promotional materials.
The tournament finals will be played on 9 August.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS).

Inter-community football tournament in Juba kicks off with call for peace, unity in diversity

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Independent online news publication The Bulrushes (www.TheBulrushes.com) has entered into a news content partnership with APO Group (www.APO-opa.com), the leading pan-African communications consultancy and press release distribution service.

The partnership will see the APO Group&#39;s content published on www.TheBulrushes.com in real-time: www.TheBulrushes.com/apo-releases.

&#8220;APO Group is the largest and most trusted provider of corporate news in Africa and we are glad to offer that content for free so any African media can boost their audience at no cost&#8221;, said APO Group Founder and Chairman Nicolas Pompigne-Mognard.

Commenting on the positive development, founder of The Bulrushes Moses Mudzwiti said: &#8220;We are delighted to partner with the APO Group whose stated goals of reporting the best of Africa are similar to ours.&#8221;

Mudzwiti added: &#8220;Long may it last&#8221;.

APO Group is the undisputed source of press releases and multimedia files related to Africa, distributing press releases, videos, photos, documents and audio-files for high-quality, authoritative sources such as global fortune 1000 companies, reputable international and African based PR agencies, governments and international institutions.

Last month, iconic football club Olympique de Marseille (OM) announced the APO Group as its first-ever African official partner.
 Distributed by APO Group on behalf of The Bulrushes.

The Bulrushes News Website enters news content partnership with APO Group

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For the past eight years, a series of droughts have devastated southern Madagascar, and this year the situation is especially severe. Many people are struggling day-to-day to find enough food to eat.  Farmers are experiencing sandstorms instead of rainstorms and the outlook for the current harvest is not optimistic.
That is why, barely a month after announcing a commitment of $40 million in emergency aid for the south and seven months after launching three new emergency and development programs worth a combined $100 million in the region, the U.S. government is announcing more desperately needed food, health, and agricultural assistance for southern Madagascar.
“Today, we’re announcing another $7.5 million that will go towards feeding people, treating children and pregnant women with malnutrition, and trying to get farmers back on their feet,” John Dunlop, Mission Director for the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), said.
“Our projects will deliver food, drinking water, and health care to 46,000 people.  We will provide treatment for 13,000 children with malnutrition.  And 41,000 farmers will get seeds and other support, along with the hope that the next harvest season will be better,” USAID Mission Director Dunlop added.
The money announced today will fund activities by the Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA) in the hard-hit Ampanihy region and Action Contre la Faim (ACF) in Atsimo Andrefana, Androy, and Anosy regions.
“The sad reality of the situation is that the crisis is deepening and continuing to pull in more and more families,” said the U.S. Chargé d’Affaires a.i. Amy J. Hyatt.  “That’s why we are acting again to bring more assistance.  The United States will continue to stand by the Government and people of Madagascar to respond to this crisis, to try and prevent starvation and famine, to help those who desperately need it.”
Projects funded by the U.S. government are feeding 683,000 people, improving water access for 50,000 people, and preventing and treating malnutrition in 159,000 children and pregnant women.  This assistance will continue until the end of September.
From October 2021 to March 2020, USAID food assistance, funded by June’s $40 million announcement and today’s $7.5 million announcement, will be delivered to 489,000 people, and activities to prevent and treat malnutrition will help 357,600 children, pregnant women, and new mothers.
The two new five-year development projects announced in December, designed to introduce long-term solutions that prevent and reduce acute food insecurity among some of the most vulnerable people, have begun operations in the regions of Atsimo Andrefana, Androy, Vatovavy-Fitovinany, and Atsimo Atsinanana. 
“Unfortunately all the money we’ve dedicated to this emergency isn’t enough to feed and care for everyone who needs it.  That is why we continue to see reports of people eating leaves or locusts,” USAID Mission Director Dunlop said.  “More needs to be done.  Some donors have recently announced contributions. This is very welcomed, but even more help is necessary to meet the tremendous need that exists.”
More than 1.1 million people are currently facing high levels of food insecurity and that number is expected to rise.  At least 14,000 people are already at the point of famine, the upcoming harvests are projected to be very poor, and access to food will likely worsen heading into 2022.
The U.S. government continues to stand by the Government and people of Madagascar like “mpirahalahy mianala” to respond to this crisis, to try and prevent starvation and famine, and to help those who desperately need it.
Last year, USAID assistance to Madagascar totaled $133.5 million. That amount included $74.5 million in activities for the health sector, where the United States is the largest single-country donor, and $48.5 million for food security.  Since 2015, the U.S. government through USAID has been the leading provider of assistance to the south, committing more than $236 million to respond to the urgent needs of families in hunger and provide long-term solutions to food insecurity.
 Distributed by APO Group on behalf of U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID).

100,000 People in Southern Madagascar to Benefit from New U.S. Government Assistance

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Over 75 airline workers from National Aviation Services (NAS), Swissport, and multiple airlines received training in U.S. visa security features and impostor detection in Dar es Salaam.  The training was provided by the office of overseas criminal investigation at the U.S. Embassy.

NAS and Swissport are contractors who provide frontline security/ticketing agents to assist various airlines at the Julius Nyerere International Airport.  The training focused on providing airline workers with an understanding of various fraudulent travel documents and how imposters use these documents to gain access to the United States.
This training is an example of the strong 60-year partnership between the United States and Tanzania.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of U.S. Embassy in Tanzania.

Overseas Criminal Investigation (OCI) Provides Training in Visa Security and Imposter Detection to Airline Workers in Dar Es Salaam

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The official Event Brochure, released by the organisers, details the African Ministers, government leaders, CEOs and upstream experts due to speak on the CPD-accredited agenda later this year. 

Amongst those listed as main stage headliners is Nicolas Terraz, President of Exploration and Production and Member of the Executive Committee at TotalEnergies. It will be Nicolas&#39;s first speaking engagement in his new role as E&#038;P lead. Lorenzo Fiorillo, Head of SSA Upstream at Eni, and CEOs from Fugro, Seplat, Panoro Energy and Wood Mackenzie are all confirmed as 2021 headliners.

45 Ministers and government leaders will also be joining the strategic in-person event, and of which 15 ministers have been selected to host their national energy strategies and investment opportunities. Independents, including CEOs from Africa Oil Corp, Tullow Oil, ReconAfrica, First E&#038;P and Discover Exploration, will too be presenting their farm out and JV opportunities in the revived Africa Independents Forum.

Paul Sinclair, Vice President of Energy and Director of Government Relations at Africa Oil Week, explained that “the agenda, as always, is focused on strategic business intelligence and deal-making opportunities. The past two years have seen an accelerated transition towards clean energy solutions. At this year&#39;s AOW, our curated programme will run under the theme ‘Succeeding in a Changed Market’ where we, and our impressive line-up of industry experts, will explore opportunities created by the energy transition for the African Upstream.”

Download the official brochure here (https://bit.ly/3x6NxOF).
 Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Africa Oil Week.
For more information, please contact: On behalf of Africa Oil Week­­ Shelby O’Brien Email: shelby.obrien@hyve.group

About Africa Oil Week: Africa Oil Week is the meeting place of choice for the continent&#39;s upstream oil and gas sector. The event is now entering its 27th year, bringing together governments, national and international oil companies, independents, investors, the G&#038;G community, and service providers.

Africa Oil Week headliners announced

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Today, Orange (www.Orange.com) and the German Cooperation are inaugurating, an “Orange Digital Center” in Bamako, an ecosystem entirely dedicated to the development of digital skills and innovation, attended by the highest political and administrative authorities from Mali, the German Ambassador to Mali, Dr. Dr. Dietrich Pohl and the French diplomatic representation in Mali, Alioune Ndiaye, Chairman and CEO of Orange Africa and Middle East, Elizabeth Tchoungui, Executive Director of CSR, Diversity and Philanthropy at Orange, Deputy Chair of the Orange Foundation, Sékou Dramé, CEO of Sonatel and Brelotte Ba, Managing Director of Orange Mali.

Following on from Tunisia, Senegal and Ethiopia, Mali will inaugurate the fourth Orange Digital Center in Africa and the Middle East. Spread over 1,557 sq.m, the Orange Digital Center brings together the four strategic programs of the Orange group, namely: a coding school (Orange Digital Kalanso), a FabLab Solidaire -one of the Orange Foundation&#39;s digital manufacturing workshops -, an Orange Fab start-up accelerator and Orange Ventures Africa, the Orange Group investment fund. All of the programmes provided are free-of charge, open to all. They range from digital training for young people, 90% of which are practical, start-up acceleration, guidance for project bearers and investment.

Working as a network, the Orange Digital Centers allow experiences and expertise to be shared between countries and offer a simple and inclusive approach to improve young people&#39;s employability, encourage innovative entrepreneurship and promote the local digital ecosystem. Moreover, discussions are underway between Orange Mali and the Ministry of Higher Education for the digital transformation of universities in Mali. An Orange Digital Center Club will be installed in each university in the region, thus completing the system to give as many people possible access to new technologies and support in using them to their full extent.

As part of its Corporate Social Responsibility approach, Orange Mali wishes to support new ideas, which bring progress for all and in particular those that create economic value and jobs at the local level. This is why Orange Mali wanted to set up and support, in a partnership-based approach, initiatives that help accelerate this positive change.
As the leading contributor to digital development in the country, Orange Mali supports the emergence of a creative, prosperous ecosystem that gives digital players the opportunity to create and develop. 

Orange and the German Cooperation by GIZ are working together as part of a development partnership within the develoPPP program, which GIZ is implementing on behalf of the German Federal Ministry of Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ). The goal is to fulfil their shared vision: fostering youth employability &#8211; and access to ICT jobs for women and girls &#8211; while supporting sustainable growth and the country&#39;s digital transformation. This joint project by Orange and GIZ is an example of successful cooperation between German Cooperation and the private sector.
Because digital technology must provide opportunities for everyone, this initiative fully embodies our commitment as a responsible operator and meets the following six sustainable development objectives: (4) quality education, (5) gender equality, (8) decent work and economic growth, (9) industry, innovation and infrastructure, (10) reduced inequalities and (17) partnerships for goals.

So far, eight Orange Digital Centers have already been opened in the region: Tunisia, Senegal, Ethiopia, Cameroon, Côte d&#39;Ivoire, Jordan, Morocco, and Mali. This means other inaugurations are still to come in 2021.

Alioune Ndiaye, Chairman and CEO of Orange Africa and the Middle East, says: “I am very proud to inaugurate the fourth Orange Digital Center in Africa today in Mali, which is part of the network of 32 Orange Digital Centers deployed in all the countries where Orange operates to support the start-ups. The main objective is to democratize access to digital technology for young people &#8211; with or without qualifications &#8211; giving them access to the latest technological trends to improve their employability and give young Africans the ability to write their digital future.”

Elizabeth Tchoungui, Executive Director of CSR, Diversity and Philanthropy at Orange, Deputy Chair of the Orange Foundation adds: “This new initiative is a key step in our societal commitment in favor of digital inclusion for young people and women in particular. The FabLab Solidaire, a key program of the Orange Foundation, is an essential building block of this socially useful action, by allowing beneficiaries without access to digital tools to reconnect with the professional world. It is the start of a great journey based on the development of technical skills and can even help to create innovative companies thanks to the complementary nature of the actions deployed.&#8221;

Brelotte BA, CEO of Orange Mali adds: “Orange Mali is truly committed to the digital transformation. Being the partner of the digital transformation makes us a leading player in the socio-economic development of the country thanks to innovative ecosystems and specific actions intended to develop entrepreneurship. The Orange Digital Center brings together all the necessary skills in a single place to illustrate Orange’s commitment to digital inclusion.”

Dr. Dr. Dietrich Pohl, Ambassador of the Federal Republic of Germany to the Republic of Mali says: “The future of Mali is its youth &#8211; and digital is the future of the world. This initiative aims to strengthen young people&#39;s access to the labour market as well as to entrepreneurship so that they can fully contribute to a better future for their generation and Mali as a whole.”


Orange is present in 18 countries in Africa and the Middle East and has more than 130 million customers at of 31 March 2020. With 5.8 billion euros of revenues in 2020, Orange MEA is the first growth area in the Orange group. Orange Money, its flagship mobile-based money transfer and financial services offer is available in 17 countries and has more than 50 million customers. Orange, multi-services operator, key partner of the digital transformation provides its expertise to support the development of new digital services in Africa and the Middle East.
 Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Orange.
Media Contact: Orange Mali: Fatoumata Doucouré: + 223 76 29 91 61
Orange Middle East and Africa Khadija Komara, khadija.komara@orange.com, +33 6 76 45 96 18

GIZ Mali: Mahamoudou Touré, Technical Advisor – Digitization Partner, Mahamoudou.toure@giz.de
GIZ Germany Toni Kaatz-Dubberke, toni.kaatz-dubberke@giz.de, +49 152 9000 6751
About Orange: Orange is one of the world’s leading telecommunications carriers with a turnover of €42.3 billion in 2020 and 142,000 employees as at March 31, 2021, of whom 82,000 are in France. The Group has a total customer base of 262 million customers worldwide at March 31, 2021, including 217 million mobile customers and 22 million fixed broadband customers. The Group is present in 26 countries. Orange is also a leading provider of global IT and telecommunication services to multinational companies, under the brand Orange Business Services. In December 2019, the Group presented its new ‘Engage 2025’ strategic plan, which, guided by social and environmental accountability, aims to reinvent its operator model. While accelerating in growth areas and placing data and AI at the heart of its innovation model, the Group will be an attractive and responsible employer, adapted to emerging professions.
Orange is listed on Euronext Paris (symbol ORA) and on the New York Stock Exchange (symbol ORAN).
To find out more (online and via your mobile device), go to: www.Orange.com, www.Orange-business.com or to follow us on Twitter: https://bit.ly/3BOHiTk.
Orange and any other Orange product or service names included in this material are trademarks of Orange or Orange Brand Services Limited.

About GIZ and develoPPP: Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH is a federal enterprise operating worldwide. It supports the German government in the fields of international cooperation for sustainable development and international education. GIZ helps people and societies to shape their own future and improve their living conditions. www.giz.de/en    

The German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) has set up the develoPPP programme to foster private sector participation to the point where business opportunities and development policy initiatives overlap. To this end, BMZ offers financial and technical support to companies that want to do business or have already started operating in developing and emerging countries. GIZ acts as one of the two official partners implementing the programme on behalf of BMZ. www.developpp.de

Orange Mali and the German Cooperation Inaugurate the 4th Orange Digital Center in Africa and the Middle East, a Center Dedicated to Digital Development and Innovation to Train Young People in Digital Technology and Enhance their Employability

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Invest Africa (www.InvestAfrica.com), the leading business and investment platform for African markets, and Standard Chartered Private Bank, a leading international private bank for emerging market clients, are pleased to announce a strategic partnership, focused on driving the growth of Standard Chartered’s private banking services across the continent.

The new collaboration will involve a programme of targeted business development opportunities in key hubs such as London, Dubai and Cape Town to showcase the bank’s expertise and thought-leadership in areas like sustainable investing. Standard Chartered’s relationship managers, investment advisors and product specialists are also able to leverage Invest Africa’s global reach, market intelligence and networking opportunities with fellow members.
Karen Taylor, CEO of Invest Africa said, “In today’s turbulent times, the importance of effective wealth management and succession planning has never been more evident. We look forward to supporting Standard Chartered Private Bank, as a leading private bank of choice across the Continent, to develop its business and find new ways of connecting through our network.”
Demir Avigdor, Managing Director, Market Head, Private Banking, Europe and Africa, Standard Chartered Bank commented, “I’m delighted to announce our partnership with Invest Africa. The relationship shows our commitment to growing our private banking business in Africa and serving our clients in the continent, and supporting the long-term sustainable growth of the region.”
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Invest Africa.
For more information please contact: Invest Africa Eleanor Brown Content Manager Invest Africa Tell: +44 (0)203 730 5035 Email: eleanor.brown@investafrica.com
Standard Chartered Bank Claire Newell Senior Communications Manager, Europe Standard Chartered Bank Tel: +44 (0)207 885 8857 Email: Claire.newell@sc.com
About Invest Africa: Invest Africa is a leading business and investment platform, using over sixty years’ experience in Africa to provide its members with unique information and exposure to business opportunities. Headquartered in London, Invest Africa also operates from three additional chapter cities: Johannesburg, New York and Dubai.  
Our vision is to play a central and influential role in Africa’s socio-economic growth by guiding sustainable capital towards key prospects on the continent. As a trusted entry point into Africa, we support and connect business and investment through a unique range of services and events. We believe that a responsible and profitable private sector has a crucial role to play in Africa’s development and aim to connect businesses across Africa and to support entry-level participants into the African investment ecosystem.
For more information, please visit: www.InvestAfrica.com.
About Standard Chartered: We are a leading international banking group, with a presence in 59 of the world’s most dynamic markets, and serving clients in a further 85. Our purpose is to drive commerce and prosperity through our unique diversity, and our heritage and values are expressed in our brand promise, here for good. Standard Chartered PLC is listed on the London and Hong Kong Stock Exchanges.
We partner clients in their wealth journey across Asia, Africa, the Middle East and Europe and provide private banking services from Singapore, Hong Kong, Dubai, India, London, and Jersey. With clients at the center of our advice, we use an unbiased approach underpinned by the open sourcing of solutions, helping you make better financial decisions to meet your goals. This also means we offer access to the best products and solutions in the market without in-house bias, backed by our market-leading derivatives trading platforms to ensure price competitiveness and speed-to-market.
We understand that in our markets are also the causes and communities our clients care about. We’re committed to partnering with our clients to promote sustainable growth and our sustainable investing offering and Impact Philosophy helps translate their impact through investments aimed at solving environmental and social issues &#8211; starting with their personalised Impact Profile.
For further information about Standard Chartered Private Bank, please visit: https://bit.ly/3iXOTX4.
Follow Standard Chartered on Twitter (https://bit.ly/3ylldcV), LinkedIn (https://bit.ly/3x75e0u) and Facebook (https://bit.ly/2WukXKB).

Invest Africa and Standard Chartered Private Bank announce strategic partnership

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It has been brought to the attention of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) Secretariat (https://AfCFTA.au.int) that our strategic partner, a leading African financial institution supported a $200 million bid by Made in Africa to purchase Vlisco, a textile company that sells almost exclusively in Africa. Whilst we respect the rights of parties in a private transaction, as a matter of public interest for Africa’s market integration, regional and global competitiveness, we do find it curious that the bid of Made in Africa was rejected by the seller. We totally support the bid by Made in Africa, which is financially backed by one of the leading trade finance banks in Africa.

The objective of the AfCFTA is to accelerate industrialisation in Africa, consolidate an integrated market of over 1.3 billion people with a combined GDP of US$3.4 trillion and to place Africa on a sustained path to regional and global competitiveness. At the heart of Africa’s global and regional competitiveness is the textiles and clothing sector. This sector employs thousands of Africans, mainly women and contributes to Africa’s industrialisation.

Whilst we respect the rights of parties in a private business transaction to structure their business transactions as they see fit, we do believe that the sale of Vlisco to Made in Africa, is in the broader economic and trade interests of Africa, hence as the AfCFTA Secretariat we are following this matter closely. We therefore urge the successful conclusion of this transaction in favour of Made in Africa, which is backed by the leading financial institution, and led by Mr. Kojo Annan, the entrepreneurial son of the late Mr. Kofi Annan, along with other African fashion and business luminaries.

“We cannot express a value judgement as to the reasons for the bid of Made in Africa – which was the higher bid – being rejected. We do however firmly believe that where an African company puts forward a formidable bid for a foreign company that appears to profit exclusively from sales to Africa, supported by a leading African trade finance bank, the African company has a reasonable expectation to successfully conclude the transaction in favour of Africa” says Wamkele Mene, Secretary General of AfCFTA.

We strongly urge reconsideration of this matter, the entire African continent and business community of Africa is following this matter very closely, African entrepreneurship and global competitiveness must be treated fairly.
 Distributed by APO Group on behalf of African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) Secretariat.
Media Contact: Grace Khoza AfCFTA Senior Communications Advisor Tel: +233551606606 Email: grace.khoza@au-afcfta.org

About African Continental Free Trade Area: African Continent Free Trade Area Agreement (AfCFTA) is an initiative adopted by the African Union, which aims to create a single market and deepen the economic integration of the African continent.

AfCFTA aims improve trade between African countries by aiding the movement of capital and people, facilitating investment across the continent, in order to achieve sustainable and inclusive socioeconomic development, gender equality and structural transformations within member states. This will enhance competitiveness of member states within Africa and in the global market, while encouraging industrial development through diversification and regional value chain development, agricultural development and food security (https://bit.ly/3x83nZo). Ultimately, AfCFTA’s vision of an economically transformed Africa.

African Continental Free Trade Area Strongly supports bid of Made in Africa to buy Vlisco

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.
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EVA Pharma’s (www.EVAPharma.com) timely shipments of Remdesivir reached India during a major wave of coronavirus cases.

When India experienced an unexpected COVID-19 surge this spring, the rapid increase in cases put pressure on the local pharmaceutical industry to supply the medicines needed. In April, EVA Pharma signed a contract with the Indian government to export 300,000 vials of Remdesivir, an approved treatment for coronavirus, to meet the urgent needs there.
Six shipments of Remdesivir were flown to Mumbai between May and June and were subsequently dispatched to hospitals across India, reaching patients everywhere from major cities to the remote archipelago of Lakshadweep.
“I’m glad to say that the six consignments in which the Remdesivir was dispatched to India were not only sent on schedule but in all cases before the schedule,” commented Ambassador Ajit Gupte, India’s envoy to Egypt. “This was a period when the caseload was very high in India, and the shipments would have helped to save a lot of lives.”
EVA Pharma is the only company in the Middle East or Africa that has been granted a voluntary license to produce and distribute Remdesivir by Gilead Sciences, Inc, the owner of the molecule. The production lines at the EVA Pharma facility in Haram, Cairo, are certified by the European Medicines Agency (EMA), enabling the company to export its products globally.
COVID-19 cases in India have since declined, reducing the immediate pressure on local health systems and supply lines. Cases in other countries have gone up in recent months, however, especially due to the spread of the Delta variant. As a result, EVA Pharma has increased its exports of Remdesivir to other Asian countries such as Indonesia.
“We are proud to support COVID-19 efforts both in Egypt and around the world by manufacturing Remdesivir at our world-class manufacturing facility in Cairo,” said Dr. Riad Armanious, CEO of EVA Pharma. “With our monthly production of Remdesivir now amounting to 1.5 million doses, we are able to meet the local needs of Egyptian patients while also helping other countries tackle this crisis. In fact, we now supply more than 20 countries around the world with Remdesivir.”
The success of the cooperation between EVA Pharma and India highlights the potential for further fruitful collaboration between emerging economies, especially during times of need.
“As developing countries, what I can say is India and Egypt face similar challenges,” said Ambassador Gupte. “One of the challenges we face is how we can provide affordable health care to our millions of people because we are populous countries. Cost is important. So I think the closer the cooperation between India and Egypt, the more we will be able to help provide basic needs for the people of our countries.”
 Distributed by APO Group on behalf of EVA Pharma.
Media Contact: Info@evapharma.com
About EVA Pharma: EVA Pharma, one of the major multinational pharmaceutical companies headquartering in Cairo, Egypt while operating in more than 40 countries and one of the fastest-growing pharmaceutical companies in the MENA region. The company has partnerships with some of the leading international pharmaceutical names the world over and has a presence in 41 countries throughout the region. With a 3,000-strong team of some of the region&#39;s most competent pharmaceutical professionals, EVA Pharma produces an average of 350,000 packs of more than 185 different drugs daily. Its state-of-the-art facilities are equipped with cutting-edge technology and are internationally recognized for innovation and the highest international quality standards.
To learn more about EVA Pharma, please visit: www.EVAPharma.com.

Supporting India amid COVID-19 surge

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Vedanta Zinc International (VZI) (www.Vedanta-ZincInternational.com) announced that it started a new Iron Ore product line this year. It will be scaling up iron ore production at its Black Mountain Mine (BMM) operations in Aggeneys, Northern Cape, South Africa.

According to the mine, it has undertaken advanced steps towards developing a 3 MTPA iron ore project, with the first production seen from the pilot plant it started, which is expected to grow significantly in the current financial year. Phase 1 of the project expects to produce between 0.7 to 1MTPA Iron ore, comprising two products, namely Sinter feed and DMS feed. BMM worked with global industry experts and partners to design a process capable of producing a high-quality product.

Speaking of the project, Laxman Shekhawat, VZI Business Head, says “The Iron Ore project will add another scalable product line to the VZI-BMM operations and offer the best-in-class product to our customers. The first part of the project will utilise feed from existing operations and produce high-grade iron ore (67%+) and Dense Media Separation Products (DMS), to be utilised as feedstock for the steel and coal industry; respectively.”

“This innovative project will assist in transforming our existing VZI BMM operations to be competitive, globally cost-efficient, and sustainable. It will also enhance the life of mine of the existing operations, thereby enhancing our Environmental, Social, and Governance footprint across our Southern African operations,” adds Shekhawat.

As one of the largest private-sector employers in the Northern Cape, VZI employs approximately 2,700 people at their current operations and has brought value to Aggeneys and the communities in the surrounding Khâi-Ma region through work opportunities and ongoing social development projects.

“We are proud of the impact our current operations have in our communities. We truly believe that the rollout of this new Iron Ore project will allow us the opportunity to create employment opportunities as well as provide ongoing support to our social development projects in the region,” said Shekhawat.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Vedanta Zinc International.
Media Contact: Vedanta Zinc International Ontiretse Molloyi Mobile: +27 76 287 5895 OMolloyi@vedantaresources.co.za
PurpleRoom Consultancy Ribu Mabelane Mobile: 072 920 4280 ribu@prconsultancy.co.za
About Vedanta Zinc International: Vedanta Zinc International (VZI) is the proud custodian of Vedanta Limited’s zinc assets in Africa. VZI is a grouping of zinc assets located in South Africa and Namibia, owned by the 6th largest Diversified Resources Company globally, Vedanta Limited. VZI is the largest integrated zinc operation in Africa, with a vision to be a globally renowned brand in the base metals sector. The BMC cluster, Black Mountain Mining (BMM) and Gamsberg Mine, represents VZI’s South African operations, while the Skorpion Zinc Mining and Refining operations are in Namibia.
VZI employs ~2700 people directly and indirectly, of which ~99% are local South Africans, ~ 80% are from the Northern Cape, and ~60% from the Namakwa District, where operations are located.
BMM comprises two underground shafts – Deeps and Swartberg &#8211; and a processing plant. The Deeps shaft produces copper, lead, and zinc, with silver as a by-product. Annual production is of the order of 102Ktpa of zinc-equivalent metal-in-concentrate.
The Swartberg shaft produces primarily copper and lead, with silver as a by-product. Annual production is of the order of 13.5Ktpa of metal-in-concentrate.

Vedanta Zinc International adds a new product line to expand its Black Mountain operations

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All Indian arrivals to Egypt are advised to note the following:

Indian arrivals are subject to rapid DNA (ID NOW) test irrespective of valid Vaccination Certificate and RT-PCR negative test report that they carry with them. If tested positive, another RT-PCR test would be done by airport quarantine authorities. If the RT-PCR report also is positive, the passengers are sent to a designated hospital for further tests. Then, passengers bound to Egypt and transit passengers will be allowed entry only when the test reports are negative.
Indian passengers/transit passengers including students are advised to get vaccinated and strictly follow the COVID Protocol guidelines during their travel to avoid undesirable situation.
 Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Embassy of India, Cairo, Egypt.

Advisory for Indian arrivals in Egypt (26 July 2021)

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At least half a million children under the age of five are expected to be acutely malnourished including 110,000 in severe condition, in drought-affected southern Madagascar, suffering irreversible damage to their growth and development. The number of acutely malnourished children is likely to increase fourfold since the previous assessment conducted in October 2020, warn UNICEF and the UN World Food Programme (WFP).

“What is currently happening in southern Madagascar is heartbreaking. We cannot turn our backs on these children whose lives are at stake,” said Moumini Ouedraogo, WFP’s Representative in Madagascar.
‘’We need to double our efforts to curb this catastrophic rise in hunger but we cannot do it without significant funding resources and buy in from partners.”
Four consecutive years of drought have wiped out harvests and cut off people’s access to food.  With the lean season around the corner, the time of year when food stocks run low, the crisis is expected to drastically worsen. More than 1.14 million people are food insecure in southern Madagascar and the number of people in ‘Catastrophic’ conditions (IPC Phase 5) risks doubling to 28,000 by October.
The worst-affected Ambovombe-Androy district, where global acute malnutrition rates have touched an alarming 27 percent is at risk of famine unless urgent steps are taken to prevent further deterioration.  The crisis has been aggravated by poor health and sanitation facilities and a lack of safe water. 
“There is an urgent need to invest in the prevention and treatment of malnutrition in children to prevent the situation from becoming even more critical,” said Michel Saint-Lot, UNICEF’s Representative in Madagascar. “By providing families with access to safe water and treating malnourished children with therapeutic food, lives can be saved. But we have to act now.”
Continuous increases in the prices of certain basic foods coupled with a marked decrease in availability on the markets continues to negatively impact food security. Moreover, ongoing COVID-19 restrictions are posing additional challenges limiting people’s access to food, markets and jobs.
WFP and UNICEF have been working closely with the Malagasy government and partners since last year to address severe hunger in the south. As the crisis deepens efforts must be intensified and UN agencies are in the process of strengthening their emergency nutrition response in the south. There is a need for an integrated response tackling all drivers of malnutrition. Treatment for malnutrition needs to go hand in hand with a robust multi-sectoral prevention and response plan in collaboration with all partners and the national authorities.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of World Food Programme (WFP).

Malnutrition among children expected to quadruple in Southern Madagascar as drought worsens, warn UNICEF and WFP

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Backed by the eradicateMalaria initiative, German company BioNTech announces a malaria project consisting of the development of an mRNA-based vaccine against the disease and the evaluation of mRNA vaccine production in Africa; The initiative can count on substantial financing by Team Europe, including for the late-stage trials of BioNTech’s project; eradicateMalaria is run by the kENUP Foundation and benefits from the convening power of the World Health Organization and the Africa Centre for Disease Control and Prevention.

Backed by the eradicateMalaria initiative, German biotech company BioNTech SE (https://bit.ly/3iQ6Zdq) (“BioNTech”) announced a project to develop a malaria vaccine candidate based on its proprietary mRNA technology today. The project also aims to expand vaccine production capacity across Africa. BioNTech co-developed the first mRNA-based COVID-19 vaccine with its partner Pfizer. The company has benefited from two European Investment Bank (EIB) loans under the Investment Plan for Europe (https://bit.ly/3zC2UQJ) for its cancer and COVID-19 research.

The scientific and entrepreneurial progress made during the pandemic raises hopes that a highly efficacious vaccine could soon help to eradicate malaria. This goal was out of reach so far, despite the enormous financial and public health efforts of the global community. BioNTech is the first major vaccine developer in over 30 years to commit to working towards eradicating malaria. The company follows a two-pronged approach. 1) It aims at developing a first-generation mRNA (https://bit.ly/3ycwDzC) vaccine, using a known antigen, the CSP protein. The clinical trial for this first-generation vaccine candidate is expected to start at the end of 2022. 2) It will be running a dedicated antigen discovery process to potentially identify new antigens, which may pave the way for a second-generation vaccine with higher efficacy. In addition, the company has pledged to manufacture the potential vaccine in African facilities – either with licensed production partners or on its own.

BioNTech plans to use revenues from the COVID-19 vaccine to develop its malaria vaccine candidates and bring them to the first phase of clinical trials. The EIB and the European Commission pledge to support companies that aim to eradicate malaria via the joint InnovFin Infectious Diseases Finance Facility (https://bit.ly/3eS6ZIH), backed by Horizon 2020. EIB investment will cover projects that enter late-stage clinical development, which primarily aims at demonstrating the efficacy, safety and cost-effectiveness of a medical product.

“Malaria is a tricky disease to vaccinate against – this is why it takes a lot of courage and dedication to embark on the endeavour BioNTech just committed to,” said Werner Hoyer (https://bit.ly/3eYD3up), President of the EIB. “Finding an efficient vaccine is the only way to eradicate one of the biggest causes of death in children in less developed countries. mRNA technology has shown itself to be a game changer to end the pandemic, and the EIB confirmed its support for this innovative approach with two loans to BioNTech, one in 2019 for developing cancer treatments and the other in 2020 for research on the COVID-19 vaccine. If mRNA can revolutionise malaria vaccine development as well, the EU bank would be proud to support this mission.”

Ursula von der Leyen (https://bit.ly/3iRiW2i), President of the European Commission: “We are witnessing the start of a revolution in medical science &#8211; the revolution of messenger RNA technology, pioneered by BioNTech and others. Thanks to this, billions of doses of a COVID-19 vaccine are being produced for Europe and the world. And mRNA technology can be a game changer in the fight against other diseases too – including malaria. Eradicating malaria is a realistic goal and now we know that it might be achieved already in this generation. The European Commission is supporting the global effort to develop mRNA vaccines against malaria. This initiative is also a part of the broader engagement by the EU for health in Africa and the Developing World. If we succeed, we will not only be better equipped for the next pandemic. We will also invest in an African continent that is finally free from malaria.”

Mariya Gabriel (https://bit.ly/3BG6hbg), Commissioner for Innovation, Research, Culture, Education and Youth: “For decades, the European Union’s research and innovation programmes along with its financial instruments have provided the framework and financing to contribute to the global research agenda for malaria, and we are committed to continuing these efforts. Solving the global threats of malaria requires breakthrough discoveries, the efforts of our brightest minds, and also the joint actions of policymakers and investors. Today, I am very pleased to embark on a new venture with our global partners with the aim of bringing an mRNA-based vaccine against malaria from the idea to the patient to address and eradicate the disease once and for all.”

Jutta Urpilainen (https://bit.ly/3i3wubO), Commissioner for international partnerships: “I warmly welcome the ground-breaking announcement of BioNTech, that aims to use the mRNA technology in the fight against Malaria, a major disease affecting the African continent. Our Team Europe initiative on enhancing vaccine manufacturing and access to medicines and health technologies in Africa will support this important project.”

Uğur Şahin (https://bit.ly/3i4Ahpp), CEO and co-founder of BioNTech, said: “We’re committed to reducing the suffering of people worldwide, so we feel we have a duty to utilise our technology to develop and manufacture an mRNA-based vaccine that addresses this life-threatening disease. We want to develop sustainable solutions for and together with the people of Africa. Setting up infrastructure could help to address various diseases using this disruptive technology. Building on our mRNA technology and the expertise gained during the pandemic, our efforts will include substantial investments in vaccine development as well as transferring manufacturing expertise to sites on the African continent.”

In parallel to developing a malaria vaccine, BioNTech will evaluate how to establish sustainable mRNA manufacturing capabilities on the African continent. The company plans to co-locate its potential African facilities with the technology transfer hubs under development by the World Health Organization (WHO). The hubs will strengthen low- and middle-income countries’ capacity to manufacture COVID-19 vaccines and increase global vaccine production. BioNTech’s commitment to vaccine production on the African continent supports Team Europe’s Sustainable Healthcare Industry for Resilience in Africa (SHIRA) initiative (https://bit.ly/3rECevR), as the company’s projected mRNA vaccine manufacturing facilities could also produce the existing vaccine against COVID-19 or an envisioned tuberculosis vaccine – pending successful development of candidates and regulatory approval.

The fight against malaria has been one of the European Union’s priorities in the health and development sectors for some years now. In 2019, the EIB and the European Commission supported the EU Malaria Fund, a public-private partnership between the European Union, international organisations, corporations, and civil society, initiated by the kENUP Foundation. With the advancement of the BioNTech malaria vaccine candidate on a proven technology platform, the EU Malaria Fund accomplished its mission earlier than expected. Therefore, on June 30, its investment period came to an end. The fund has successfully initiated more than two dozen novel scientific approaches to fighting malaria and financed several innovative companies.
 Distributed by APO Group on behalf of European Investment Bank (EIB).
Background Information:

Team Europe: The Team Europe (https://bit.ly/3zGifQr) approach was born in the context of COVID-19 and was initially conceived as a way to brand collective European support for partner countries in response to the pandemic. The team comprises EU institutions, EU countries and their implementing organisations, well as various development banks. Today, Team Europe also responds to longer-term political trends and the concept now serves as a blueprint for EU-wide development cooperation.

Malaria: According to the WHO’s latest world malaria report (https://bit.ly/3kXO6YM), more than 1.5 billion cases of malaria and 7.6 million deaths have been averted since 2000 through global efforts to control the disease. However, in recent years, the gains in combating malaria have plateaued, and progress towards critical targets is no longer on track. In 2019, there were approximately 229 million new cases of malaria worldwide, an annual estimate that has remained virtually unchanged over the last four years. Malaria claimed some 409 000 lives in 2019 compared to 411 000 in 2018, with about three-quarters of the total represented by children under five.

eradicateMalaria: The eradicateMalaria (https://bit.ly/3iN4Wqo) initiative is managed by the kENUP Foundation, a non-profit public benefit foundation supporting research-based innovation in the wider health industries for societal benefit. It aims to initiate innovations against malaria. Following the guidance of the WHO and the eradicateMalaria Scientific Advisory Board, further projects by various companies may be considered under the eradicateMalaria scheme.

European Commission support for malaria research: Under the FP7 and Horizon 2020 framework programmes for research and innovation, the European Union has supported 86 malaria research projects with funding of €160 million. These projects focused on diagnosis, vaccine development, vector control, treatment, as well as basic and operational research, research infrastructure and training.

Europe also led the European and Developing Countries Clinical Trials Partnership (EDCTP), which was launched in 2003 with 16 European countries to support clinical trials and capacity building to fight malaria and other infectious diseases in Africa. To date, this initiative has supported 74 projects with a total of €135 million.

Infectious Diseases Finance Facility: The InnovFin Infectious Diseases Finance Facility is a joint European Commission and EIB Group initiative and part of Horizon 2020, the 2014-2020 EU research and innovation programme. The facility enables the Bank to provide between €7.5 million and €75 million of funding to innovative players in the development of vaccines, drugs, medical and diagnostic devices and research infrastructure for combating infectious diseases. Financing mainly goes to projects that have completed the preclinical stage and require clinical approval for further development. The facility has been increased by €400 million to boost its capacity for tackling the outbreak of the coronavirus.

Press contacts: Antonie Kerwien a.kerwien@eib.org Tel.: +352 43 79 82175 Mobile: +352 691 285 497 Website: www.EIB.org/press

Press Office: +352 4379 21000 press@eib.org

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Team Europe pledges support for eradicateMalaria, an initiative aiming to facilitate the development and production of a highly efficacious malaria vaccine

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Reacting to the news that Parliament voted on 23 July to abolish the death penalty in Sierra Leone, Amnesty International’s West and Central Africa Director Samira Daoud said:

“Parliament’s vote in favour of abolishing the death penalty in Sierra Leone is a major victory for all those who tirelessly campaigned to consign this cruel punishment to history and a strengthening of the protection of the right to life.
“Now that the abolition Bill has been approved by Parliament, President Julius Maada Bio should, without delay, sign it into law and commute all death sentences.
“The President should also ensure that Sierra Leone immediately accede to the Second Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, aiming at the abolition of the death penalty.
&#8220;Amnesty International opposes the death penalty in all cases without exception because it violates the right to life as proclaimed in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. The death penalty is the ultimate cruel, inhuman and degrading punishment which has no place in our world.”
Background
On 23 July 2021, the Parliament of Sierra Leone voted in favour of a Bill abolishing the death penalty. The Bill is required to receive the assent of President Julius Maada Bio before it becomes law. 
In February, President Bio officially gave the directives for the death penalty to be abolished from Sierra Leone’s laws.
In May, in response to the calls of the international community in Geneva during Sierra Leone’s United Nations Universal Periodic Review, the Deputy Justice Minister announced the commitment of President Julius Maada Bio’s cabinet to fully abolish the death penalty.
Amnesty International’s latest report on the global use of the death penalty shows that recorded death sentences increased in Sierra Leone in 2020 compared with 2019 from 21 to 39. However, no executions were carried out in 2020; seven death sentences were commuted by the President; and 94 people were under the sentence of death at the end of 2020.
As of 30 June 2021, 22 African countries have abolished the death penalty for all crimes.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Amnesty International.

Sierra Leone: Abolition of Death Penalty a Major Victory

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With the Tokyo Olympics rugby sevens competition underway from today until 31st July at the Tokyo Stadium, Rugby Africa (www.RugbyAfrique.com) is fully supporting and wishing well the South African and Kenyan teams who qualified for the Olympics.

South Africa, bronze medallists in Rio, and USA are in Pool C having both achieved direct Olympic qualification by finishing in the top four of the HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series 2019, where the USA Eagles finished runners-up after reaching the medal podium in seven of the 10 Series rounds.
Joining them are Kenya, who qualified in 2019 courtesy of their first Rugby Africa men’s sevens title since 2015, and Olympic debutants Ireland, who secured the final spot thanks to a thrilling 28-19 victory over France in the World Rugby Sevens Repechage in Monaco earlier this month.
The Lionesses from Kenya will compete in their second Olympic Games after finishing runners-up to South Africa in the Rugby Africa Women&#39;s Sevens Championship in Monastir, Tunisia last year.
Speaking about the three African teams competing, President of Rugby Africa, Khaled Babbou, emphasised Rugby Africa’s commitment to delivering teams from their preparation games, all the way to international fixtures such as the Olympic Games.
“Through the leadership of Rugby Africa, African teams came together to prepare the qualified teams for the Olympic Games and Olympic Repechage, with friendly tournaments and shared preparation camps. Despite COVID-19, teams stood in solidarity and shared experiences and learnings from one another. We wish all three teams well in their battles on field and we will be encouraging and supporting them from the sidelines.”
Excited about the Lionesses, Rugby Women’s Advisory Committee President, Paula Lanco, said that the exceptionally hard work shown by the Kenyan women’s team was remarkable and their place in the Olympics was well deserved.

“The team has worked exceptionally hard to achieve a high level of fitness and endurance. They learnt from their successes and lessons of the past and it held them in good stead. They certainly reflect the vision of Kenyan rugby, and we wish them well at the Tokyo Olympics.”

Kenya women’s rugby sevens captain Philadelphia Olando said that the team were in prime physical and mental condition for Tokyo 2020.
“We have every intention of flying the flag of Kenya high and putting Africa on the world map.  We are absolutely boosted thanks to coach Felix Oloo who created a fitness plan for every member of the squad, while no team training was allowed during lockdown. While the Olympics may have been postponed in 2020, it only gave us more time to prepare for the tournament.”

Andrew Amonde who will captain the Kenya Men’s Sevens national team -Shujaa &#8211; said that he was happy to have a team with experienced and fit players.
“It is such a privilege to have the likes of South Africa and the Lionesses as part of this journey to the Olympics. We as a team are ready to support our African brothers and sisters and encourage each other during our time in Tokyo. The Shujaas are ready to set the standard of African rugby.”
South African Rugby Sevens coach, Neil Powell, said they are excited to be flying not only the South African, but African flag as well. “This is the biggest stage in the biggest sporting event you can find, so to be able to represent our continent, alongside Kenya, will be massive for us. The two of us will both be gunning for that gold medal no doubt. We feel we have unfinished business after our bronze medal in Rio, while Kenya has shown their ability to beat anyone on many occasions before. As luck would have it, we are in the same pool, but that will motivate both squads. The USA and Ireland are standing in the way of both African teams making the top eight, so we have our fate in our hands.”  
Kenyan Rugby union was thrilled that they had both their men and women representing the country in Asia.
“Our teams have shown resilience and shown the world that they are both forces to be reckoned with. We are pleased to represent Africa with both our teams carrying the hopes of Kenyans and Africans alike.”
 Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Rugby Africa.
Media Contact: Rugby@APO-opa.com

Rugby Africa wishes the South African and Kenyan rugby sevens teams well during the Tokyo Olympics

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The United Republic of Tanzania has received the first batch of COVID-19 vaccines, delivered through COVAX arrangement. The 1,058,400 doses of the vaccines donated by the United States of America arrived at the Julius Nyerere International Airport.

The US Ambassador to Tanzania, Ambassador Donald Wright handed the vaccines to the Minister of Health, Community Development, Gender, Elderly and Children, Dr. Dorothy Gwajima, during a brief ceremony at the airport.
Present to witness the reception were the Minister of Foreign Affairs and East African Cooperation, Hon. Amb. Liberata Mulamula; the WHO Country Representative, Dr. Tigest Ketsela Mengestu; the UNICEF Representative to Tanzania, Ms. Shalini Bahuguna; and other senior government officials.
Emphasizing the need for continued vigilance, the WHO Country Representative, Dr. Tigest Ketsela advised, “while delivery of these vaccines represents a stronger hope to save lives, vaccination does not replace the need for the key preventive measures of frequent hand washing, social distancing, masking, sanitizing, and avoiding gatherings and crowds. We must unleash the entire armour in solidarity to defeat COVID-19”.
The consignment is part of an initial delivery to Tanzania. It is expected that more COVAX deliveries will land in Tanzania in the coming months.
“The vaccines that arrived today and all the vaccines arriving in Tanzania over the coming months, have all been vigorously tested and deemed safe and effective by some of the best vaccine experts in the world. I therefore urge everyone who is offered the vaccine to take it,” said UNICEF Country Representative to Tanzania, Ms. Shalini Bahuguna.
Citing delivery of the vaccines as a continuation of the United States and Tanzania’s 60-year partnership, Ambassador Wright said, “We are sharing these vaccines to save lives and to lead the world in bringing an end to the pandemic.  The U.S. government, via agencies such as USAID and CDC, has invested for decades in strengthening the Tanzanian health system and institutions to be able to respond quickly to urgent needs such as this one.”
The Minister of Health informed the public on the plans to roll out the vaccines in the coming days “we have assured ourselves that these vaccines are safe and we will make them available at health facilities in selected priority regions, free of charge. As we are working to mobilize more vaccines, this first phase of the roll out will prioritize frontline health workers, the elderly (50years and above) and those with chronic illnesses”.
Warning about misinformation, Dr. Dorothy reiterated, “We are aware of the rumors circulating in the social media about vaccines, but I urge you to follow the advice provided by our health experts as credible sources of information. Vaccines are an additional bullet to the public health measures we are promoting in fighting this pandemic”.
“Tanzania has a track record of doing very well with immunization. This COVID-19 vaccine is not different from the other vaccines. Let us embrace the same spirit with these vaccines. We will continue to work in collaboration with partners and nations, because partnership is the way to go”, said Ambassador Mulamula.
COVAX is a global initiative working with governments and manufacturers to ensure COVID-19 vaccines are available worldwide to both higher-income and lower-income countries.
 Distributed by APO Group on behalf of World Health Organization &#8211; United Republic of Tanzania.

Coronavirus: The United Republic of Tanzania receives the first COVAX shipment

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To help foster a new generation of African youth, The Confederation of African Football (CAF) (www.CAFonline.com) is developing a football competition to be introduced into schools across the continent. The CAF Pan-African Schools Football Championship will be an intercontinental school soccer tournament for both boys and girls in a grassroots effort to use the lessons of football to guide growth and development and shape future leaders.

CAF President, Patrice Motsepe believes football has the power to change the continental narrative from the ground up. “The best investment we can make to ensure that African football is amongst the best in the world and self-sustaining, is to invest in schools’ football and youth football development infrastructure for boys and girls. This is one of my key focus areas as President of CAF” said Motsepe.
As a renowned tycoon and philanthropist in Africa, Motsepe has dedicated US$10 million to the Pan-African Schools Football Championship initiative through the Motsepe Foundation.
This past week a meeting of heightened importance was held, which included notable key leaders and ministers from the West African Football Union, representing the seven countries of the region (Benin, Burkina Faso, Côte d’Ivoire, Niger, Nigeria, Togo, and DRC) wherein CAF received their significant endorsement of the Schools Football Championship program.
CAF believes football is an incredible catalyst for change. Not only does the beautiful game unite the world, it can educate, inspire and mobilise our youth to overcome their greatest challenges and become agents of change in their communities.
As an agent of change in the continent, CAF believes that schools are a vehicle for integration into African Society. CAF General Secretary Véron Mosengo-Omba said, “As our schools prepare our future leaders, a continent-wide tournament will help instil football values like respect, discipline, teamwork and fair play into their hearts and minds.”
Set to begin in March 2022, the CAF Pan-African Schools Football Championship will begin with a bidding process whereby countries across the continent will bid to be a host country.
The tournament will be divided into three levels, starting with its first leg &#8211; the National School Football Championship to be held in June and August 2022. In this, each CAF Member association will organise a national competition with its school football teams. The finalist teams of the boys and girls national tournaments will then qualify for the Zonal tournament.
Each CAF Zone will then organise a Zonal School Football Championship to be held between September and December 2022. Finalists in this championships, and two boys and two girls schools teams will qualify to participate in the official and ultimate Pan-African School Football Championship to be kicked off in March 2023.
CAF hopes to generate a hype and buzz among schools across the continent. Mosengo-Omba  said, “Much like the Africa Cup of Nations, we want to generate an excitement to become a part of something truly momentous. We will host a bidding process and determine the host country like we do in these tournaments. We want it to be something to aspire to and be proud of.”
By creating a gravity of participation, Mosengo-Omba believes the educational impact of football played at schools will be heightened. “Football not only develops a child’s physical health but promotes a mental and social wellbeing that are vital to growth. We also hope that a pan-African football tournament will promote pan-African friends and keep children away from darker corners of society like criminality and drugs.”
CAF is the governing body of African football and was founded in 1957. The founding members are Egypt, Sudan, Ethiopia, and South Africa. With a membership of 54 Member Associations, the secretariat is based in Cairo, Egypt.
The organisation has always believed in the power of football in African schools. It was in 2018 that CAF launched its very first educational campaign “Learn today, Lead Tomorrow” to raise awareness and support educational institutions in Africa through football. It is in line with the vision that CAF supported Books and Boots, a non-profit social project which combines education and recreation in communities.
“If you want kids to go to school, put football into schools,” said Mosengo-Omba. “At CAF, we can’t stress enough the importance of education and sports. By putting the two together, we have a recipe for change. We look forward to bringing our young African leaders together through the Pan-African Football Championship.” 
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Confederation of African Football (CAF).
Media contact: CAF Communication Department communications@cafonline.com

Seven countries from West African Football Union (WAFU) B and Confederation of African Football (CAF) commit to African youth with Pan-African Schools Football Championship

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Team Europe pledges support for eradicateMalaria, an initiative aiming to facilitate the development and production of a highly efficacious malaria vaccine

Sierra Leone: Abolition of Death Penalty a Major Victory

Rugby Africa wishes the South African and Kenyan rugby sevens teams well during the Tokyo Olympics

Coronavirus: The United Republic of Tanzania receives the first COVAX shipment

Seven countries from West African Football Union (WAFU) B and Confederation of African Football (CAF) commit to African youth with Pan-African Schools Football Championship

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