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Hyde Park Corner is where The Jameson Distillery on Tour Winter Edition kicks off this May. the amazing process behind every drop of triple distilled, smooth tasting of Jameson Whiskey will be revealed to whiskey lovers… and those who are whiskey-curious too! The Jameson Distillery on Tour Experience hosts a series of tailored, interactive experiences …
The Government Communication and Information System (GCIS) on Friday hosted the Bulgarian News Agency Director-General, Kiril Valchev, at its headquarters in Tshwane.
Nearly one month since intense fighting broke out in Sudan, the humanitarian situation is quickly deteriorating. Civilians trapped in Khartoum are facing serious food and water shortages, as are hundreds of thousands of people who fled their homes. Many people don't know what happened to their loved ones. The few functioning hospitals are running critically low on essential supplies, and many dead bodies are yet to be collected and identified.
At the same time, relentless fighting and widespread insecurity have made it extremely challenging to rapidly deliver emergency assistance. Given that, the Sudanese Red Crescent Society (SRCS) and the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) welcome the Jeddah declaration, in which the parties to the conflict reaffirmed their commitment to adhere to international humanitarian law and facilitate humanitarian action. Transforming this pledge into concrete actions on the ground is urgently needed.
“This past month has been a nightmare for people in Sudan, who saw their neighborhoods ravaged by fighting and now face incredible hardship. As a humanitarian worker, I am frustrated to see such suffering and not be able to provide aid at the scale and speed needed,” said Alfonso Verdu Perez, the head of the ICRC delegation in Sudan. “We hope the agreement reached in Jeddah will improve the security situation, enabling us to scale up our emergency response. Facilitating humanitarian work is an obligation under international humanitarian law as well as a matter of life or death. The urgency grows each day.”
The rules of international humanitarian law govern access to victims of armed conflict, which should be facilitated by all parties. The ICRC has been in contact with all stakeholders to request security guarantees needed to deliver emergency medical supplies from its warehouses to hospitals and to help repair critical civilian infrastructure like power and water plants. To date, the ICRC has been able to make donations to three hospitals and provide body bags for Sudanese Red Crescent Society volunteers engaged in collecting mortal remains. However, much urgent humanitarian work remains, including visiting detainees on both sides and re-establishing contact for family members who became separated while fleeing Khartoum or Darfur.
Despite the growing needs, the necessary security conditions have been lacking for the ICRC, the SRCS and other Red Cross Red Crescent Movement partners to conduct the emergency response operation at the scale needed to assist and protect people affected by conflict and violence, as reports of direct threats and attacks against medical and humanitarian personnel, including SRCS volunteers, emerged.
“Adherence to the principles stipulated in this agreement, as well as a streamlining of administrative processes, will save human lives,” Mr Verdu Perez said. “We continue doing everything possible to deliver and call on everyone to facilitate humanitarian work. More lives can be saved.”
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC).
Nearly four years after the UNHCR protests, Bellville camp asylum seekers choose unsanitary camp conditions rather than face xenophobia and crime
Experts in the prevention and management of Tuberculosis (TB) and representatives of health ministries from 18 countries in southern and eastern Africa have established a new regional network.
The newly established "South and Eastern African Regional TB Network (SEARN-TB) aims to improve the coordination and harmonization of TB control strategies, focusing on encouraging implementation and operational research and the effective use of research outcomes to strengthen TB control throughout the region.
Representatives from Botswana, Comoros, Djibouti, Uganda, Ethiopia, Botswana, Lesotho, Madagascar, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, Seychelles, Somaliland, Zimbabwe, Eswatini, Zambia, Somalia Republic formed the network.
Addressing participants of the workshop with a keynote speech, the Acting Representative of WHO-Ethiopia, Dr. Nonhlanhla Dlamini, said, "The network will play an essential role in strengthening coordination and harmonization of TB control approaches among countries with a particular focus on promoting the implementation of operational research and the efficient use of research outcomes to strengthen TB control efforts in countries.
"TB research networks are essential to boost national capacities for TB research and innovation and generate quality evidence for TB patient-centered prevention, treatment, and care. It is also an important opportunity for us in the region to work collaboratively towards achieving the End TB goals", Dr. Dlamini Said.
She added that the network would facilitate greater communication and cooperation between National TB Programs (NTPs) and partners, promote sharing of best practices for TB control across the member states, and enhance advocacy and resource mobilization to support national efforts.
The network will further promote operational research, harmonize strategies and best practices for TB control across the region, and support advocacy and resource mobilization efforts.
The Special Program for Research and Training in Tropical Diseases (TDR) at the World Health Organization (WHO), the Global TB Department of WHO (GTB), the WHO Regional Office for Africa (AFRO), and the WHO Regional Office for East Mediterranean Region (EMRO) as well as WHO-Ethiopia Country Office (WHO-Ethiopia), Damien Foundation, are all collaborating with key international partners towards the formation of the network.
Officially opening the workshop, Dr. Abera Bekele, Senior Advisor with the Ministry of Health Ethiopia, said that collaboration among African countries to achieve the end of TB is critical as each NTP in Africa has a unique strength and best practice that can be successfully adopted and implemented by neighboring countries.
"Established in 2001, the TB Research Advisory Council (TRAC) of Ethiopia has significantly helped the country in bringing together the academia, research institutes, regional health bureaus, the National TB Control Program, and international partners in the fight against TB, thereby registering an encouraging evidence-based intervention in improving the TB management' The advisor said.
He added that similar structures and networks at regional and sub-regional levels would help amplify the successes achieved at national levels.
TDR will provide financial support via internal funding and a recently awarded grant from the German Ministry of Health through TDR's partnership with the Robert Koch Institute (RKI).
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of World Health Organization (WHO) - Ethiopia.
NATIONAL: NSRI SAFETY ALERT: NSRI are appealing for safety during the cold front expected to prevail over the weekend in places around South Africa. Strong winds, heavy rain, flood conditions and flash floods, thundershowers, rough sea conditions – are forecast by SAWS (South African Weather Services) in places across the country. Follow SAWS (South African Weather …
Spokesperson for President Cyril Ramaphosa, Vincent Magwenya, says there is no evidence to suggest that a Russian vessel, which docked in the Western Cape last year, took weapons back to that country.
According to the Consumer Goods Council of South Africa; “An estimated 10.3 million tonnes of food and beverages is wasted per year in South Africa (about a third of the food available), yet 9.34 million people in South African suffer from acute food insecurity and almost 20% of South African households have inadequate access to […]
Why is experiential marketing important to understand? What is it? Whether you’re a novice Whether you’re launching a new brand or managing an established business, you need to make sure you take every chance to engage your clients and differentiate yourself from the competition. There has never been more competition for your target demographic. To …
President Cyril Ramaphosa says government’s appeal of the High Court judgment on load shedding is a means of saving the grid from collapsing.
Mother’s Day is upon us, which means it’s time to spoil the original love of your life. The million-rand question is, what do you get the woman who has spent her entire life loving and caring for you? Well, unfortunately, a hand-drawn picture and breakfast in bed may not cut it. Here are some gadgets …
Are you trying to find a constant source of happiness? You might concur that the ideal choice for such a source is a cool swimming pool. Its sparkling water may brighten your life, enhance your health, and help you unwind after a long day. Beyond its advantages, a swimming pool needs ongoing maintenance to maintain …
President Cyril Ramaphosa says all hands are on deck to ensure that the severity and frequency of load shedding is reduced in the immediate term and brought to an eventual end.
The United States Government has pledged $12 million (TZH 28 billion) to support Tanzanian youth in starting, operating, and financing agricultural businesses on the mainland and in Zanzibar. The announcement was made by U.S. Ambassador to Tanzania Michael A. Battle and the USAID/Tanzania Mission Director V. Kate Somvongsiri at launch events for the Feed the Future (FtF) – Private Sector Strengthening Activity (PSSA) in Zanzibar and Dodoma.
“For over six decades, the United States has cherished its partnership with Tanzania,” said U.S. Ambassador Battle during the PSSA launch in Zanzibar on May 5. “The U.S. Government remains committed to our partnership to generate new job opportunities, improve access to financing, and advise on establishing an enabling environment where entrepreneurs and the private sector can invest and prosper in Tanzania's future.”
In addition to helping youth in Tanzania get business loans, teaching them important business skills, and helping them find customers, PSSA is also working to ensure fair and equitable administration of the government's business regulations to support young entrepreneurs. Targeting Tanzania's SAGCOT regions of Iringa, Mbeya, Morogoro, and the Unguja and Pemba regions of Zanzibar, PSSA will award grants on an open, competitive basis to private sector associations, organizations, and lead firms working to improve the business enabling environment and expand economic opportunities for youth. Overall, PSSA aims to reach 30,000 youth, enhance business support services for 6,000 youth-led enterprises, offer financial services to over 3,000 young people, and establish ten new policies to stimulate economic opportunities for youth and facilitate expansion into new markets.
During the May 11 launch of PSSA in Dodoma, USAID/Tanzania Mission Director Kate Somvongsiri said, “Feed the Future Tanzania Private Sector Strengthening Activity prioritizes investing in youth. By working together with private sector associations and aligning with the Ministry of Agriculture's Building a Better Tomorrow, we can support the implementation of policies that help youth overcome barriers to their economic empowerment. PSSA can only achieve its goals in partnership with the Tanzanian government and private sector partners across the country.”
The Deputy Permanent Secretary, Dr. Hussein Omari, Ministry of Agriculture officiating at the event in Dodoma commented, “I see opportunities for collaboration between PSSA and our Building a Better Tomorrow: Youth Initiative for Agribusiness program. The Government of Tanzania is fully committed to working with this activity to support youth in the private sector and promote local and international investment.”
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of U.S. Embassy in Tanzania.
The year is 2023 and it’s the 70th anniversary of the Cannes Lion awards, the respected global benchmark for creative excellence. I, a black South African is counted amongst the group of individuals who are now a part of history as this year, Cannes Lions boasts the highest ever representation from Africa and the Middle …
On 27 April 2023, the United Nations Capital Development Fund (UNCDF), with the support of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, launched the Cash-in/Cash-Out (CICO) project in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. The launch brought together key stakeholders from Ethiopia's banking sector, MNOs, Fintechs, MFIs, development agencies and other digital financial services ecosystem players. High-level speakers from the National Bank of Ethiopia, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, and the UN Resident Coordinator's office in Ethiopia joined the UNCDF Ethiopia Country Coordinator to express their commitment to the CICO project as a significant step to ensure financial inclusion for all Ethiopians.
The CICO project aims to strengthen Cash-in/Cash-out (CICO) networks in Ethiopia. This will be done through ecosystem-wide boot camps, the improvement or launch of new technology solutions, and the development of a CICO measurement dashboard for industry players, including the regulatory body.
The project will contribute to efforts by the Ethiopian government to achieve 70% mobile account ownership by 2025 as per its revised National Financial Inclusion Strategy 11. According to the World Bank's 2022 Findex report, mobile account ownership in Ethiopia is currently at 46.5%, meaning that efforts at expanding the agent network need to be ramped up to achieve the government's 2025 target. Through this project, different ecosystem players will be empowered to generate meaningful insights and make evidence-based decisions to ensure the inclusion and participation of unserved and underserved constituents in the digital economy.
The project will run for two years and focus on activities such as CICO boot camps, a digital distributor incubator, and support to the central bank to expand an automated data collection system on CICO and financial services access points. About 15 service providers, including mobile money providers and their agents, retail banks, microfinance institutions, etc., will receive training in foundational and specialized digital money distribution courses through the boot camps.
Through the digital distributor incubator, CICO managers and technology firms will be able to develop and test the viability of their new technology ideas. Selected service providers (CICO providers and technology firms) with the most viable solutions will be awarded US$50,000 and will work with financial service providers to bring their solutions to market. Through this activity, more sustainable solutions can scale faster, offering better services, lower network costs, and limiting dormancy in agent networks.
Speaking at the launch event, Ariel Delaney, Ethiopia Program Officer, Financial Services for the Poor, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, said, "The Gates Foundation recognizes that UNCDF has a strong track record of supporting financial inclusion initiatives in Ethiopia and is well-positioned to implement this project effectively. By partnering with UNCDF, we hope to leverage our expertise and resources to make a meaningful impact in Ethiopia and help to build a more inclusive financial system in the country."
The CICO project aims to increase women's active participation in the digital economy. It will ensure the adequate representation of women by highlighting the case for sex-disaggregated data to the Central Bank and regulated entities and identify opportunities to disaggregate some data points by gender. The World Bank's Global Findex Database of 2021 indicates that only 29% of women in Ethiopia have an account compared to 41% of men, with the gap even wider in rural areas, where only around 15% of the population have an account.
Emphasizing the need for gender inclusion in the project, Abibatou Wane-Fall, Chief of Mission to Ethiopia, International Organization for Migration (IOM), who represented the UN Resident Coordinator, stressed that "we must take targeted action to address this issue and increase financial inclusion among marginalized communities in Ethiopia. This includes expanding access to financial services, promoting financial literacy, and addressing cultural and social barriers that prevent women and youth from accessing financial services."
The National Bank of Ethiopia's Acting Director of Payment Systems and Settlements Directorate, Solomon Damtew, said, "The National Bank of Ethiopia fully supports this project, and we are committed to working closely with UNCDF and the Gates Foundation to ensure its success. We hope this project will help us identify areas where we need to improve our policies and regulations further and support the growth of CICO networks sustainably and responsibly. This will not only benefit the financial sector but also contribute to the overall development of our country. I urge all stakeholders to support this project and work together to improve financial inclusion in Ethiopia."
During the panel session of the launch, panelists from the private and public financial services space agreed that Ethiopia had made significant progress in its agent network journey. However, they emphasized that access to financial services still needs to be improved, particularly in rural areas. They highlighted challenges like limited infrastructure, lack of awareness and trust in digital financial services, limited technical capacity, and inadequate regulatory frameworks. Also, the lack of coordination among stakeholders leads to fragmentation and inefficiencies in the system. They concluded that these challenges need to be addressed. Thus, improving the reach and quality of CICO networks is a critical step towards achieving financial inclusion for all Ethiopian citizens, particularly the underserved.
Endashaw Tesfaye, Digital Finance Country Lead and Ibrahim Mamma, Country Coordinator for UNCDF Ethiopia, both affirmed UNCDF's belief in the transformative power of digital technologies to improve access to financial services, create new business opportunities and enhance social inclusion, ensuring that no one is left behind in the digital era. Improving CICO networks in Ethiopia and enhancing data collection and analysis for the Central Bank, will ensure that underserved populations such as women, youth and rural dwellers in Ethiopia can also access and benefit from the digital economy.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of United Nations Capital Development Fund (UNCDF).
Higher Education, Science and Innovation Minister, Dr Blade Nzimande, has extended his heartfelt condolences to the family, friends and comrades of David Niddrie, who was a ministerial envoy responsible for advising the Minister on the National Skills Development policies and strategy.
Rietgat station in Soshanguve used to get electricity from the train station
National heroes Banyana Banyana and comedian David Kau are joining the much-loved crew from Takalani Sesame to teach children and their families how to manage their emotions in The Big Feelings Special, airing on SABC 2 at 17.30 on Saturday, 20 May 2023. With South African families still dealing with the aftermath of the COVID-19 …
In a bid to bolster investment in Nelson Mandela Bay the need for a transversal investment facilitation forum was raised by Executive Mayor Cllr Retief Odendaal, to create a platform to unblock investment-related opportunities within NMBM and promote economic development, increase employment, and reduce poverty. This forum would also serve as platform/structure for the private […]
Official FIFA World Cup 2026™ (www.FIFA.com) Brand to be launched in Los Angeles, USA, on 17 May 2023; #WeAre26 campaign launched, revealing the faces and places of the 16 Host Cities and inviting fans to get involved; 16 bespoke Host City brands developed by FIFA in an unprecedented initiative to unite fans across the continent.
On Wednesday, 17 May 2023, the Official Brand of the 23rd edition of the FIFA World Cup™ will be unveiled to fans around the world, with FIFA and host countries Canada, Mexico and the USA celebrating a major milestone on the road to the biggest sporting event ever. The unveiling will take place at 19:30 local time (04:30 CEST on 18 May) in Los Angeles, USA, one of the tournament's 16 Host Cities, at a star-studded show with special guest performances live-streamed to the whole world on FIFA+ (https://apo-opa.info/3BkOp6O).
Projections, events and digital amplifications across the other Host Cities in Canada, Mexico and the USA will also take place on 17 May, giving fans another opportunity to get involved in the Official Brand launch and start counting down the days until kick-off.
Anticipation has already started building as FIFA, the 2026 host countries and the event's commercial partners launched #WeAre26, a campaign that will empower people, places and communities to play an integral role in introducing the FIFA World Cup 2026™ Official Brand. The campaign will capture portraits of faces and places that tell their own unique FIFA World Cup stories, featuring individuals and experiences that await fans in 2026 and inviting everyone to be a part of #WeAre26.
“The Official Brand introduces fans to the tournament's new emblem, typeface and striking colour palette, three exciting elements that will bring this tournament to life in the coming months and years. But it also goes beyond that, as we open countless opportunities to local communities and our partners to integrate their own story. A local football fan, a global superstar or a famous location, the brand will spotlight distinctive aspects and highlight the inclusive and diverse aspect of the first FIFA World Cup featuring 48 teams,” said FIFA's Chief Business Officer, Romy Gai.
The Official Brand will be accompanied by 16 bespoke Host City brands developed by FIFA in an unprecedented initiative to integrate local fans and cultures across Canada, Mexico and the USA. Each Host City brand embodies its own world‑renowned culture and heritage, in which millions of international fans will immerse themselves when kick-off comes in 2026. The public in all 16 Host Cities will be treated to a range of activations on 18 May, when the artworks will be presented by the hosts themselves. Everyone taking part is encouraged to use the hashtags #FIFAWorldCup and #WeAre26 and join the celebration.
The FIFA World Cup 2026 will be the biggest single-sport event ever. Three host countries, 16 Host Cities, 48 teams and 104 matches will unite an entire continent and showcase a momentous new tournament to ensure the ultimate football show. The much-loved four-team group stage phase remains ahead of an expanded knockout phase that will see the 32 world's best teams fight it out for the game's ultimate prize.
With more countries, cities, teams and matches, the FIFA World Cup 2026 will be the most inclusive and diverse sporting event ever, uniting the entire world on a vast stage and engaging millions of fans across 16 stadiums and billions worldwide.
Fans and members of the media worldwide are invited to tune in to the event via FIFA+ (https://apo-opa.info/3BkOp6O).
For general FIFA media enquiries, please contact the FIFA Media Team on media@fifa.org. The FIFA Media Team can also assist with specific Host City media team contacts if required.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of FIFA.
Contact for African media:
AfricanMedia@fifa.org
Excitement builds ahead of the MANCOSA Mid-Year Graduation Ceremonies As we approach the second half of the year, the excitement starts to build up at tertiary institutions as they prepare for their Mid-Year Graduation Ceremonies. “We cannot underestimate the achievements of these graduates,” says Professor Kiveshni Naidoo, Academic Director at MANCOSA. She adds that these …
Cabinet says it welcomes the adoption of measures needed to “recalibrate” the health system and accelerate National Health Insurance (NHI) reforms.
What is an influencer agreement? A social media influencer is a user on social media who has established credibility in a specific industry. These content creators have access to a large audience and can share information and content to persuade others through their authenticity and reach. An influencer agreement is a contract between a brand …
