APO

Download logo

South Sudan is taking steps to reposition itself as a strategic destination for foreign investment, with a renewed focus on attracting capital across the oil value chain. During a working visit to Juba, the African Energy Chamber (AEC) (https://EnergyChamber.org/) - which serves as the voice of the African energy sector - engaged with government officials and industry stakeholders to identify priority reforms designed to stimulate new capital flows, increase production and advance projects across both upstream and downstream segments.

The visit reflects a shared recognition that while South Sudan remains one of the continent's most resource-rich oil frontiers, lack of investment has disrupted the country from unlocking the full potential of its hydrocarbon reserves. The government seeks to address this challenge by implementing new reforms aimed at strengthening the investment climate, ensuring clearer regulatory frameworks and incentivizing greater participation from both international and regional operators.

With proven oil reserves of 3.5 billion barrels, South Sudan is both a legacy oil producer and currently the only major oil producer in East Africa. Production is largely led by the national oil company Nilepet, alongside Dar Petroleum Operating Company, Greater Nile Petroleum Company - operated by China National Petroleum Company - and Sudd Petroleum Operating Company. South Africa's Strategic Fuel Fund also holds a 90% stake in the Block B2 concession, with plans to advance exploration while assessing opportunities for refining development.

Current production ranges between 70,000 barrels per day (bpd) and 100,000 bpd, with approximately 8.5 million to 12.2 million barrels of production estimated between August and November 2026. The government seeks to raise these numbers by attracting investment across the entire oil value chain, facilitating greater exports while addressing key national challenges such as fuel security and power generation. Oil represents the backbone of South Sudan's economy, and the government seeks to cement this position by introducing reforms aimed at alleviating the country's energy crisis.

To achieve this, the government has committed to reduce barriers to investment, improve project execution and create a more predictable environment for energy companies. Discussions also explored opportunities across natural gas, power generation and associated infrastructure, recognizing that diversified energy investment will be essential to supporting long-term economic development. The AEC reaffirmed its commitment to promote South Sudan on a global stage, taking the country's energy story to a global audience.

Beyond oil and gas production, a major focus of the working visit was strengthening local content. Parties discussed strategies to increase employment opportunities for South Sudanese workers, while developing local value chains and ensuring that future projects generate broader economic benefits beyond production revenues. By increasing international visibility, the Chamber aims to position South Sudan alongside other emerging African energy markets competing for exploration and infrastructure capital.

 “South Sudan possesses the resource potential to become one of Africa's most compelling frontier investment destinations, but attracting capital requires sustained engagement with the global investment community. The Chamber will champion South Sudan's opportunities on the international stage, connecting investors with government and industry leaders while supporting reforms that create a stable, competitive and investable energy sector capable of delivering long-term growth,” said NJ Ayuk, Executive Chairman of the AEC. 

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of African Energy Chamber.

Today, the Council for the Examination of Atrocities in the DRC (https://CEADRC.org/) has launched.

Co-chaired by prominent Congolese human rights activist Julienne Lusenge and Sir Howard Morrison KC, one of the UK's foremost specialists in international criminal and humanitarian law, the Council will advise two Congolese institutions - the National Fund for Reparations for Victims of Sexual Violence (FONAREV) and the Interministerial Commission for Victim Assistance and Reform Support (CIA-VAR) as they work towards transitional justice for the people of the DRC.

Examining the findings of the 2010 UN mapping report (https://apo-opa.co/4yp6wVu) and recent human rights violations in the ongoing conflict in Eastern DRC, the Council will provide expert insight on the legal and diplomatic processes required to secure formal recognition of atrocities committed over the last three decades, and accountability for their perpetrators.   

It is made up of leading figures from across international law, diplomacy and academia.

Alongside its co-chairs, the Council's members are:

• Patrick Hayford, former Ghanaian career diplomat and Director of the United Nations Office of the Special Adviser on Africa.
• Stephen Rapp, former United States Ambassador-at-Large for War Crimes Issues.
• Nina Jørgensen, British-Norwegian international judge at The Hague and leading academic at the University of Southampton.
• Pascal Turlan, French expert in international criminal justice and accountability, and former official in the Office of the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court.

The Council held its inaugural meeting on Monday 13^th July 2026. During the meeting, members were presented with an update on FONAREV and CIA-VAR's work - specifically their Plus Jamais Seuls; Nos Voix Pour Elles; Ne Pas Oublier advocacy campaigns - as well as their programmes on access to transitional justice, urgent provisional measures in areas still affected by conflict, and rehabilitation initiatives for victims where violence has had lasting impacts.

At UNGA 80 in September 2025, President Tshisekedi used his keynote address (https://apo-opa.co/4pGPsqd) to call on UN member states to recognise a “silent genocide” in the DRC over the past three decades. He called for an independent international commission of inquiry to help “break the cycle of impunity”, and for UN sanctions against the perpetrators of war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide in the east of the country.

In the initial meeting, Julienne Lusenge echoed this domestic sentiment, stating that “the first mission of the Council will be to break the silence”.

Last month, the DRC filed (https://apo-opa.co/4f4FsDq) a petition in the ICJ accusing Rwanda of breaking the 1948 UN Genocide Convention. The Council members also discussed this, noting that although the Council is independent and separate from this process, it will play a key role advising FONAREV and CIA-VAR on navigating the proceedings as they progress.

Director General of FONAREV, Patrick Fata Makunga:

“The formation of the Council for the Examination of Atrocities in the DRC marks a further major step in the quest for truth, justice and reparation for the victims of grave crimes committed in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Following the government's filing before the International Court of Justice, the Council is more important than ever; it will provide vital guidance to FONAREV and CIA-VAR as we navigate the ICJ process ahead and any other legal or diplomatic avenues. With the guidance of these eminent international figures, we reaffirm that lasting peace cannot be built without recognition of suffering, responsibility and full reparation for victims.”

Executive Coordinator of CIA-VAR, François Kakese Kimaza:

“The establishment of this Council for the Examination of Atrocities in the DRC ahead of the third annual Genocost Day reflects the shared mission of FONAREV and CIA-VAR to bring before the international community the voice of victims and the demand for truth. We are honoured by the calibre of expertise this Council brings together, spanning human rights, international law and diplomacy. For CIA-VAR, this step is part of an essential struggle for the international recognition, accountability and reparation of grave crimes committed on our territory, in direct alignment with the national strategy of which CIA-VAR ensures the technical implementation."

Co-chairs of the Council for the Examination of Atrocities in the DRC, Julienne Lusenge and Sir Howard Morrison KC:

“For the last three decades, atrocities have been inflicted on the Congolese people at a scale reminiscent of the darkest incidents in human history.

“And yet, the stories of victims and survivors - their names and suffering - for too long have been ignored.

“Perpetrators of war crimes were able to act with impunity, shrouded by a veil of apathy amongst the international community who, for 30 years, have failed to provide recourse to formal recognition and justice.

“We are immensely proud to be leading this joint international effort to help find a path to transitional justice for the Congolese people.”

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of CEADRC.

Notes to Editor:

• Council for the Examination of Atrocities in the DRC website: https://CEADRC.org/
•  Full biographies of Council members:

Julienne Lusenge, Co-Chair

Julienne Lusenge is one of Africa's most prominent advocates for survivors of conflict-related sexual violence, with over four decades of frontline experience in the DRC.

She is co-founder and President of Solidarité Féminine pour la Paix et le Développement Intégral (SOFEPADI), a coalition of forty women's organisations, and founder and Executive Director of the Fonds pour les Femmes Congolaises (FFC), which channels international donor resources to more than 250 women-led local organisations across fourteen DRC provinces.

Her work has directly supported the prosecution of over 800 perpetrators of gender-based violence and war crimes, and SOFEPADI's medical centre has treated more than 7,500 survivors.

In 2020 the World Health Organization appointed her co-chair of an independent commission investigating sexual exploitation and abuse by humanitarian workers during the 2018 Ebola outbreak in the DRC.

Her recognition includes the US State Department's International Women of Courage Award (2021), the Aurora Prize for Awakening Humanity (2021) and inclusion in TIME's 100 Most Influential People (2024).

Sir Howard Morrison KC, Co-Chair

Sir Howard Morrison KC is one of the United Kingdom's foremost specialists in international criminal and humanitarian law, with a legal career spanning nearly five decades.

He began as a UK barrister before serving as a Senior Circuit Judge and Senior Justice of the UK Sovereign Base Areas in Cyprus, then as UK judge at the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia, where he presided over the trial of Radovan Karadžić, and subsequently as UK judge at the International Criminal Court, serving two terms as President of the Appeals Division.

In recognition of his services to international law he was appointed OBE, CBE and KCMG. He holds academic appointments as Visiting Professor at Northumbria University, Honorary Professor at Leicester University, an honorary doctorate of law, and is a Senior Fellow of the Lauterpacht Centre for International Law at Cambridge University.

He currently serves as the UK's Independent Advisor to the Ukrainian Prosecutor General and President of the Court of Appeal of the British Indian Ocean Territories, training judges in Iraq and Ukraine on war crimes cases and lecturing worldwide on international criminal and humanitarian law. He is a special advisor to the UK Ministry of Defence on the laws of armed conflict and a Master of the Bench of Gray's Inn.

Patrick Hayford

Patrick Hayford is a retired Ghanaian career diplomat with five decades of experience in international diplomacy mainly on multilateral issues.

Between 2006 and 2012 he served at the United Nations headquarters Secretariat in New York as the Director , Office of the Special Adviser on Africa  before which time he was the Director for Africa and Regional Affairs in the Executive Office of United Nations Secretary- General Kofi Annan (1999-2005 ).

Ambassador Hayford served between 1996 and 1997 as Ghana's Acting High Commissioner (Ambassador), to the U.K. and then as Ghana's High Commissioner (Ambassador) to South Africa, Mauritius, Lesotho, the Comoros, and the Seychelles (1997-1999). 

His career in international affairs began in September, 1974 . He also served tours of duty in New York and in Cairo. At the Accra headquarters of Ghana's Foreign Ministry he held multiple responsibilities including head of the International Organizations and Conferences Department.

Stephen Rapp

Stephen J. Rapp is a leading figure in international accountability, having served as the fourth United States Ambassador-at-Large for War Crimes Issues, leading the Office of Global Criminal Justice from 2009 to 2015 under President Obama.

He previously served as Chief Prosecutor of the Special Court for Sierra Leone (SCSL) from 2007 to 2009 and Chief of Prosecutions at the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR) from 2001 to 2007.

At the ICTR, Rapp led the prosecution in the Nahimana case, securing the first convictions of media figures for direct and public incitement to genocide, and he also led the prosecution at the SCSL of former Liberian President Charles Taylor. His prosecutorial approach is recognised for its victim-centred strategy and for advancing the recognition of sexual and gender-based violence as an international crime.

Since 2015 he has held a portfolio of academic and advisory roles, including Global Prevention Fellow at the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, Senior Fellow at Georgetown Law's Center on National Security, Fellow of Practice of Oxford's Institute for Ethics, Law, and Armed Conflict, Distinguished Fellow at the Hague Institute for Global Justice, and Chair of the Commission for International Justice and Accountability (CIJA).

Nina Jørgensen

Professor Nina Jørgensen is a British and Norwegian academic and sitting international judge whose career bridges scholarship and international criminal justice.

She has served as Professor of Public International Law at the University of Southampton since 2019 and as a Judge on the Appeals Chamber of the Kosovo Specialist Chambers in The Hague since 2020. She is a barrister in England and Wales, called to the Bar at Gray's Inn in 1999.

Her career of approximately twenty-five years spans international criminal tribunals including the Special Court for Sierra Leone, the Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia, the ICTY and the ICTR, alongside academic posts at Leiden University, the Chinese University of Hong Kong and Southampton. She obtained her doctorate from the University of Oxford and has published widely in international law, including two monographs, an edited collection and numerous peer-reviewed articles.

Pascal Turlan

Pascal Turlan is a French international lawyer with over 25 years of experience in international criminal justice, international human rights law, and international cooperation. A leading expert in international criminal law, he has dedicated his career to advancing justice and accountability on the global stage.

Based in The Hague, he spent nearly two decades at the Office of the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC), rising from Situation Analyst to Adviser and Head of Judicial Cooperation, and began working on the Democratic Republic of the Congo situation as early as 2003.
Earlier in his career, he played a pivotal role in establishing international justice mechanisms, including working at the French Ministry of Justice and the Sierra Leone Ministry of Justice, where he contributed to the setting up of the Special Court for Sierra Leone, and in humanitarian contexts, collaborating with Médecins Sans Frontières and Médecins du Monde.

In recent years, he has served as Legal and Programme Director for Project Expedite Justice's Ukraine programme. Currently, he combines high-level consultancy work on accountability and justice sector reform with organizations such as the International Development Law Organization, the EU Pravo-Justice project, and Truth Hounds International, with academic roles at Sciences Po Paris and France's École Nationale de la Magistrature.

Download logo

The Government of Uganda is considering recruiting skilled Ugandans recently repatriated from South Africa into the Uganda People's Defence Forces (UPDF) as part of wider efforts to reintegrate them into the country's workforce and harness their expertise for national development.

​The Minister for Gender, Labour and Social Development, Lt. Gen. Henry Tumukunde, said he would engage the Chief of Defence Forces, Gen. Muhoozi Kainerugaba, on the possibility of recruiting qualified returnees who have expressed interest in serving in the military.

Lt. Gen. Tumukunde made the remarks on Tuesday, July 14, 2026, while delivering a lecture on employment and reintegration opportunities to more than 1,000 returnees currently undergoing rehabilitation and ideological orientation at the National Leadership Institute (NALI), Kyankwanzi.

During the interactive session, many of the returnees expressed a desire to join the UPDF, citing their professional experience in driving, forensic investigations, machine operation, and other technical fields.

“We have many of them who are drivers, and I think the army wouldn't mind having professional drivers. We shall discuss with General Muhoozi Kainerugaba, who has been very helpful in bringing these people back, to see whether we can absorb some of them directly because they are very skilled,” Lt. Gen. Tumukunde said.

He noted that many of the returnees had worked as Uber drivers and in other specialised occupations in South Africa, making them a valuable human resource for Uganda.

According to the minister, the 1,030 Ugandans currently undergoing the re-entry programme at Kyankwanzi, including 331 children, represent a significant pool of skills acquired while living and working abroad.

“I must say that this is a very big pool of skilled people, ranging from plumbers, refrigeration and cooling systems technicians, dog handlers and trainers, machine operators, and many other professions,” he said.

Lt. Gen. Tumukunde said the government had initially anticipated challenges in reintegrating the returnees but had instead found a disciplined, resilient, and highly skilled group capable of making meaningful contributions to the country's socio-economic transformation.

“I came here worried that we were going to receive people who would struggle to fit into our society, but I am extremely impressed. Despite what we are calling a bad experience, Uganda is receiving back people with valuable skills,” he said.

He added that the government intends to identify highly skilled individuals and facilitate their involvement in training fellow Ugandans, while supporting others to establish businesses through existing government empowerment programmes.

“We shall ensure that those who are highly skilled are supported to teach others. Those who want to start businesses will receive assistance, and we are also organising them into a pool of skilled workers so that Ugandans can easily access their services,” he said.

The minister highlighted several government initiatives that will support the returnees, including the Generating Growth Opportunities and Productivity for Women Enterprises (GROW) Project, the Youth Livelihood Programme, and Emyooga.

He also urged the returnees to remain law-abiding citizens as they reintegrate into society.

“I warned them about lawlessness because South Africa has developed tendencies towards lawlessness. That is not something we are going to accommodate here,” Lt. Gen. Tumukunde said.

Expressing optimism about Uganda's capacity to receive more citizens returning home, he said the government remains committed to welcoming all Ugandans who choose to return.

“Enjovu teremererwa masanga gaayo' (An elephant is never burdened by its own tusks). We shall receive them. They are in a very good mood, very impressive, and they will receive certificates after completing this re-entry course,” he added.

The minister further observed that although reports indicate that about one million Ugandans are living in South Africa, only about 1,000 have so far returned under the first phase of the voluntary repatriation exercise.

“We need to be even more receptive to their return,” he said.

Speaking on Africa's future, Lt. Gen. Tumukunde emphasised that the continent's development must remain the responsibility of Africans.

“Either way, the business of developing Africa is ours,” he said.

Meanwhile, the Chairperson of the NRM Chapter in South Africa, Mr. Luzige Isma, appealed to Ugandans still living in South Africa who wish to return home to remain calm and patient as the government prepares subsequent phases of the voluntary repatriation programme.

He urged them to stay safe and continue following official communication from the Government of Uganda.

The rehabilitation and ideological orientation programme at NALI Kyankwanzi is being coordinated by the National Secretariat for Patriotism Corps under the leadership of Commissioner Hellen Seku.

The day's programme also featured presentations by the Executive Director of the Uganda Media Centre, Mr. Alan Kasujja, and the Uganda Police Force spokesperson, ACP Kituuma Rusoke, who guided the returnees on responsible citizenship, personal security, crime prevention, and the responsible use of social media as they prepare to reintegrate into Ugandan society.

The returnees are expected to complete the programme on Friday, July 17, 2026, during a pass-out ceremony to be presided over by President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, who spearheaded the repatriation initiative following the recent xenophobic violence in South Africa.

The programme is designed to provide ideological orientation, facilitate the returnees' successful reintegration into Ugandan society, and connect them with government programmes that promote employment, skills development, entrepreneurship, and wealth creation.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of State House Uganda.

By Viv Muthan Pr Eng, Head of Export Sales and Operations.

When organisations talk about personal protective equipment (PPE), the conversation usually centres on the product. Specifications, certifications and proper usage dominate safety discussions. Yes, these matter, but they are not where safety integrity is ultimately determined. PPE only does the job if it is available, consistently supplied and trusted to perform at the exact moment of need. Integrity is created or destroyed upstream by the system that ensures that the product shows up, performs as expected and can be relied on without hesitation. That system is the supply chain.

If safety is determined upstream, where does it actually break?

The supply chain sets the boundary conditions for safety. It operates quietly in the background, but its impact is immediate and tangible on the ground. When it functions well, workers have uninterrupted access to the protection they need. When it falters, the absence is felt instantly, not as a logistical inconvenience, but as a direct threat to safety and operational continuity. The risks associated with weak supply chains are often underestimated because they do not always present themselves as dramatic failures. Instead, they emerge as small, compounding deviations. A delayed shipment forces teams to stretch existing inventory. A quality inconsistency introduces doubt about whether equipment will perform as expected. A stockout forces substitution under pressure with products that may not fully meet operational demands.

Each of these disruptions chips away at the certainty that safety systems depend on. What appears isolated is rarely contained. Research into PPE supply chains shows that disruptions propagate through feedback loops, where delays and shortages reinforce each other and persist, often surfacing at precisely the moment demand peaks. This erosion of certainty does not just affect safety outcomes but fundamentally changes the economics of the system.

The hidden cost of “efficiency”

Many PPE procurement strategies optimise for unit cost, which assumes a stable system. In reality, supply chains operate under variability where lead times shift, demand signals distort and quality drifts. Once variability enters the system, linear cost logic collapses. The amplification of variability across supply chains, widely described as the bullwhip effect, demonstrates how small demand or supply fluctuations expand upstream, creating both shortages and instability.  The cost is no longer just the product but the consequences of unavailability, some of which include downtime and lost productivity, forced substitution under pressure, and exposure to risk under uncertainty. Once those costs are accounted for, the economics invert and the lowest unit cost often produce the highest total system cost.

The constraint not being managed

Treating PPE as a commodity is common but structurally flawed. Commodities are optimised with the view that price is the governing constraint. Safety-critical systems are optimised for reliability under pressure. Those are not the same objective and they produce very different decisions. The constraint in PPE is not supply or cost but the system's ability to maintain certainty of supply under conditions of variability. If that constraint is left unmanaged, variability will accumulate until the system fails. Typically, this will not occur at scale, but at the exact point where tolerance for error is lowest.

Reliability is an emergent property

If variability is what breaks the system, reliability must be engineered into it. You do not buy reliability through a supplier choice. It is a design choice and a property that either emerges or does not, depending on how the system's boundary conditions are defined. The conditions for reliability to emerge must be established in the configuration of the supply chain - how sourcing is distributed, where buffers are positioned and why, how demand signals are generated and interpreted, and how quality is measured and controlled across the chain. Given the networked nature of these conditions, any variability that enters the system will propagate in unpredictable ways.

What high-performing operators do differently

Operators who understand certainty of supply as a governing constraint within the safety system design their supply chains differently. They segment risk rather than standardise blindly and introduce redundancy where the cost of failure justifies it, like engineers do at the higher automation layers. They include metrics for consistency and reliability and not just price. This is an anchor statement made by many procurement professionals in the first meetings across the table from potential suppliers. Security of supply is non-negotiable. Supplier relationships are built around performance over time, not transactional cost gains. Managing purchasing becomes engineering a system of supply.

The effectiveness of PPE is not determined at the point of use. It is determined by whether the system behind it can deliver the right product, at the right time, with consistent performance under real-world conditions of variability. If that system is fragile, protection is conditional and in industrial environments where the margin for error is already thin, supply chain reliability is not a luxury. It is a requirement.

---

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of RS South Africa.

Further information is available via these links:
RS South Africa (https://apo-opa.co/4brRi8f)
RS Africa Exports (https://Africa.RSDelivers.com) 
DesignSpark (https://apo-opa.co/4aT4FhA)
RS Group plc (www.RSGroup.com)

PR Contact Person - RS South Africa:
Princess Tlou
Communications & Content Specialist
RS South Africa
Princess.Tlou@rsgroup.com
+27 11 691 9366

Media Contact Person – NGAGE:
Thobile Ndlovu
PR Account Executive
thobile@ngage.co.za
+27 11 867 7763

Follow RS South Africa:
Twitter: https://apo-opa.co/3SYCrMg
LinkedIn: https://apo-opa.co/4wIikR3
Facebook: https://apo-opa.co/4yhYLjY

About RS:
RS is a high-service global product and service solutions provider for industrial customers, enabling them to operate efficiently and sustainably.

We operate in 33 markets, stock over 875,000 industrial and specialist products and list an additional five million relevant for our industrial customers, sourced from over 2,500 suppliers. This extensive range supports our customers across the industrial lifecycle of designing, building and maintaining equipment and operations. We enhance their experience through a tailored service model, leveraging our efficient physical, digital and process infrastructure sustainably. We combine a technically led and digitally enabled approach with an exceptional team of experts; ultimately, it is our people that make the difference.

Our purpose, making amazing happen for a better world, reflects our focus on delivering results for people, planet and profit.

RS Group plc is listed on the London Stock Exchange with stock ticker RS1 and in the year ended 31 March 2026 reported revenue of £2,881 million.

Across Africa, cryptocurrency is shedding its reputation as a speculative asset and becoming an everyday tool for moving money, running businesses and bridging gaps left by traditional finance. Binance (www.Binance.com), the world's leading blockchain ecosystem and cryptocurrency infrastructure provider, says this shift toward utility-driven adoption is positioning the continent as a global blueprint for how digital assets create real economic value.

Unlike markets driven largely by investment appetite, African adoption is anchored in practical need. With roughly 1.3 billion adults globally still unbanked (https://apo-opa.co/4aKV78i) and a young, mobile-first population coming online at speed, digital assets are solving tangible problems. Stablecoins help freelancers receive cross-border payments, allow small businesses to manage cash flow against volatile local currencies and enable families to send remittances faster and more affordably than legacy channels allow. Tools such as Binance Pay (https://Pay.Binance.com) and Binance Card (https://apo-opa.co/4eRPWWz) extend this further, allowing users to send, receive and spend digital assets in everyday transactions.

"Africa did not wait for permission to reimagine money. It built the use case first," said Hannes Wessels, General Manager for South Africa at Binance. People here are not asking what crypto might do one day. They are using it to solve real problems now, from settling invoices across borders to protecting the value of their earnings. That is utility in its purest form, and the world should be paying attention to what Africa is teaching it."

This momentum is being reinforced by a maturing regulatory environment. From Kenya's proposed frameworks to licensing progress across various markets, regulators are increasingly recognising digital assets as part of the formal financial system rather than a threat to it. Binance maintains that greater adoption aligns with many governments' aims to foster innovation, financial inclusion and economic competitiveness, and continues to engage directly with policymakers on frameworks that protect users while preserving innovation.

This utility-led growth also raises the importance of education. "As more people use digital assets for real financial needs, equipping them to transact safely is essential," says Wessels. "Through Binance Academy and ongoing education initiatives across the continent, we help users understand how to protect their assets, recognise scams and make informed decisions, building the confidence that sustainable adoption depends on."

The opportunity is substantial. Mobile phone access already reaches the vast majority of adults in developing economies, and with small and medium enterprises forming the backbone of African economies, demand for faster settlement, transparent transactions and accessible financial tools continues to expand.

"The next chapter of global crypto won't be written in the markets everyone expects," Wessels added. "It will be shaped by the entrepreneur in South Africa, the trader in Nairobi, and the freelancer in Accra who have already made digital assets part of how they live and work. Our role is to keep building the infrastructure, trust and education that allow that progress to continue safely and responsibly."

Binance remains committed to advancing financial inclusion, regulatory collaboration and user education across Africa, ensuring more people can participate in the future of finance with confidence.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Binance.

About Binance:
Binance is a leading global blockchain ecosystem behind the world's largest cryptocurrency exchange by trading volume and registered users. Binance is trusted by more than 300 million people in 100+ countries for its industry-leading security, transparency, trading engine speed, protections for investors, and unmatched portfolio of digital asset products and offerings from trading and finance to education, research, social good, payments, institutional services, and Web3 features. Binance is devoted to building an inclusive crypto ecosystem to increase the freedom of money and financial access for people around the world with crypto as the fundamental means. For more information, visit: www.Binance.com

Download logo

Renew Capital (http://RenewCapital.com/) has selected 15 companies from more than 500 applicants across 48 African countries to advance through its inaugural Renew Venture Lab: EmFi Series.

The size and breadth of the applicant pool point to a larger shift underway across Africa: some of the continent's most promising embedded finance opportunities may come not from traditional fintechs, but from tech companies already serving small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).

Africa's SMEs are the main creators of jobs, yet they face an estimated $330B annual credit gap. However, Africa is rapidly becoming a global center for technology innovation and currently boasts the world's largest mobile money market. Meanwhile, SMEs are becoming more tech-enabled as smartphone adoption across sub-Saharan Africa is projected to rise from 54% in 2024 to 81% by 2030 and data costs plummet.

These trends open new opportunities to embed financial products in mobile applications to reach the world's most capital-constrained private sectors, unlocking growth and job creation. As Africa's startup ecosystems grow, technology companies powering digital payments, organizing smart distribution, optimizing logistics, improving healthcare, and digitizing agriculture value chains have the potential to reach millions of SMEs that banks are not serving and use their customer data to underwrite financial products.

All 500+ applicants were invited to exclusive expert sessions with founders from some of Africa's fastest-growing companies and gained advice from some of the world's leading embedded finance and Web3 companies. Forty-seven companies were selected for a pitch competition and given a startup package valued at more than $250,000. From this group, 15 were selected to advance to deeper technical training and investment consideration. The 15 companies represented Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Morocco, Nigeria, Senegal, South Africa, Togo, Uganda and Zambia.

Matthew Davis, Co-CEO of Renew Capital, said: “The next generation of Africa's small business banks won't be banks. They'll be startups that already understand how SMEs operate, have their data and have earned their trust. These 15 companies are building from that advantage. That's why we're paying attention.”

THE TOP 15 COMPANIES

Company	Country	Founder	Website
AgroCenta	Ghana	Francis Obirikorang (https://apo-opa.co/4vTsP3Q)	https://apo-opa.co/4vW91No
Boost Technology	Ghana	Mike Quinn (https://apo-opa.co/4vWkAEm)	https://apo-opa.co/4vWkE74
Dots for Africa	Senegal	Carlos Oba (https://apo-opa.co/4peki9h)	http://DotsFor.com
Fanaka	Zambia	Hillary Sang (https://apo-opa.co/4h7E1oS)	https://apo-opa.co/4h3rkvj
Kutana	Ghana	Samuel Opoku (https://apo-opa.co/4vW923U)	https://apo-opa.co/4fnYapA
MajibuAfrica	Uganda	Janis Zicans (https://apo-opa.co/4f3YGrg)	https://apo-opa.co/4aGskSe
Marakisoft	Ethiopia	Alemayehu Seifu (https://apo-opa.co/4eSIN8o)	https://apo-opa.co/3R1TAUI
Oze	Ghana	Meghan McCormick (https://apo-opa.co/4paWgf9)	https://apo-opa.co/4vXKbN6
Regxta	Nigeria	Rukayat Bello (https://apo-opa.co/4vSdMaz)	https://apo-opa.co/4h28bdg
Rigo	Nigeria	Olukayode Odeyinde (https://apo-opa.co/4aJjcfF)	https://apo-opa.co/4w2UbEP
Shiprazor	South Africa	Lesego Tladinyane (https://apo-opa.co/3SU3hVK)	https://apo-opa.co/4aGsl8K
Solimi	Togo	Gael Egbidi (https://apo-opa.co/3SSjZor)	https://apo-opa.co/4vWkFIa
Tradevu	Nigeria	Nkiru Amadi-Emina (https://apo-opa.co/4aGsadA)	https://apo-opa.co/4eS7dPl
Z Systems	Morocco	Samer Choumar (https://apo-opa.co/4bd4PQU)	https://apo-opa.co/4vUQUYf
Zendawa	Kenya	Wilfred Njuguna (https://apo-opa.co/4pavJyx)	https://apo-opa.co/4eREuKE

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Renew Capital.

Media Contact:
Nihal Grii
ngrii@renewcapital.com
+212 641 665 577

About Renew Capital:
Renew Capital is a pan-Africa investment firm with a presence in 13 countries. We back the bold founders using technology to pursue Africa's greatest opportunities.

With more than a decade of investing on the continent, Renew Capital is among the most active investors building Africa's thriving private sector. Learn more at http://RenewCapital.com/

Download logo

• AI investment is accelerating faster than governments can govern it in the public interest.
• Governments are investing in AI skills while leaving workers' rights behind.
• Governments are still failing to prevent misuse and unacceptable uses of AI, like surveillance.

Second edition of the Global Index on Responsible AI compares 135 countries and finds that laws, strategies and global commitments are spreading faster than the institutions, enforcement tools and transparency mechanisms needed to protect human rights.

A new study from the Global Center on AI Governance (www.GlobalCenter.AI/) warns that the global AI governance race is leaving many regions behind, even as artificial intelligence becomes embedded in public services, workplaces, education, healthcare, policing, finance and everyday life.

By “leaving many regions behind,” the report refers to a widening gap between countries that are turning responsible AI commitments into enforceable rules and those still relying mainly on non-binding principles, strategies and voluntary frameworks. That divide matters because, without institutions, oversight bodies, transparency requirements and redress mechanisms, many governments remain poorly equipped to protect people as AI systems shape access to public services, jobs, education, healthcare, policing, finance and other areas of everyday life.

In this scenario, the second edition of the Global Index on Responsible AI (GIRAI) (http://www.Global-index.AI/) finds that responsible AI governance is expanding, but unevenly and too slowly for the pace of AI development and diffusion. While more countries are adopting AI strategies, laws and policy commitments, many still lack the institutional capacity, enforcement tools, public accountability and transparency mechanisms required to protect human rights as AI systems spread.

Built by the Global Center on AI Governance with a network of 135 regional experts, GIRAI compares national approaches across 135 countries and five human-rights-linked dimensions: AI Use in Public Service Delivery, Ethics and Sustainability, Inclusion and Diversity, Labour and Skills, and Trust and Safety. The data used for the report covers the period 1 Nov 2023 - 30 Sept 2025.

The Index exposes a widening AI governance divide between countries with enforceable rules and countries relying mainly on non-binding principles, voluntary frameworks and early-stage capacity-building efforts.

The findings are especially relevant as governments move to regulate private AI while often failing to disclose, monitor or oversee their own use of algorithmic systems. The Index finds that the weakest-performing area is AI use in public service delivery, where automated systems can affect access to welfare, healthcare, education, housing, policing, migration and other essential services.

“Responsible AI cannot be secured through principles alone. The second edition of GIRAI shows a persistent gap between responsible AI as a commitment and responsible AI as a capability,” said Rachel Adams, founder and CEO at the Global Center on AI Governance. “As AI becomes a structural force in public life, governments need enforceable obligations, independent oversight, public disclosure, monitoring systems and accessible routes for redress.”

Key findings

The report identifies a global responsible AI landscape that is more active than before, but still fragmented, under-enforced and insufficiently grounded in public accountability. Among the main findings:

1. AI is accelerating faster than governments can govern it in the public interest

Diffusion of AI is expanding, with 53% of the global population having used generative AI tools. Yet average GIRAI scores remain low, at roughly 35 out of 100, and evidence of implementation exists in only 55% of cases where frameworks are active, falling to 45% in Global South countries.

2. Responsible AI governance is expanding in Global South countries, but binding protections remain scarce

Since the 1st Edition, Global South countries substantially broadened the responsible AI content of their national frameworks. On average, the number of GIRAI topics covered rose from 2.5 to 4.7, an 88% increase. In Global North countries, the number rose from 8.2 to 11.1, a 35% increase. Global South countries account for 203 of the 306 new country cases of indicators covered by frameworks identified since the 1st Edition. Despite this progress, most of the growth is in soft law: 78% of responsible AI framework cases in these countries are non-binding, compared with 42% in Global North countries.

3. AI safety is being governed as a technical problem, while human harms remain under-addressed

AI safety and security is one of the fastest-growing areas of governance, but much of it focuses on technical safeguards. Meanwhile, the Index found credible evidence of government misuse of AI in 35 of 135 countries, and only 49 countries (36%) have frameworks addressing AI-facilitated misinformation and violence.

4. Governments are regulating AI transparency but not disclosing their own use of AI

Transparency and Explainability is the strongest-performing indicator, with 58% of countries having some form of framework. Yet implementation lags behind the existence of frameworks. For government use of AI, Public Disclosure of Government Algorithmic Systems is the weakest-performing indicator, with only 18% of countries requiring disclosure of government AI systems.

5. Gender is increasingly recognised in AI governance, but protection from gendered harms remains weak

Gender equality is gaining visibility, with 29 new countries addressing gender and AI since the 1st Edition, but only 24 of 55 countries with gender-related frameworks show evidence of implementation. Protection from gendered AI harms remains limited.

6. Future generations are being prepared for the AI economy but not protected from AI-related harms

AI Literacy is one of the strongest-performing indicators, with 71 countries (53%) having some framework in place and 106 countries showing evidence of some activity in this area. By contrast, only 55 countries (41%) have frameworks addressing Children's Rights in AI, and only 27 of them show evidence of implementation.

7. AI's environmental footprint remains a blind spot in responsible AI governance

Only 27% of countries have frameworks addressing AI's environmental effects, and 83% of those frameworks are non-binding. Very few governments require disclosure of AI's energy use, water use, or environmental impact, contributing to making the environmental impact of AI a global blind spot.

8. Governments recognise the need for local-language AI but do not require developers to deliver it

Governments are investing in local-language technologies and cultural inclusion, with 52 countries (39%) showing government-led initiatives. Only 47 countries (35%) have frameworks addressing Cultural and Linguistic Diversity, and few require developers to use diverse datasets or adapt systems to local contexts.

9. Governments are investing in AI skills but neglecting workers' rights

Labour protection frameworks exist in only 39 countries (29%), compared with 72 countries (53%) with frameworks on reskilling and upskilling. Few countries address workers' rights to organise and collectively bargain in response to AI-driven workplace change.

10. Global AI governance is fragmenting before a shared floor of protection has been established

Average GIRAI scores range from 55 in Global North countries to 27 in Global South countries. Available evidence shows that 164 of 215 recent AI-related frameworks are non-binding, and multi-stakeholder consultations appear only 31 times in the global implementation record. Only 73 of 135 countries (54%) have adopted a national AI policy or equivalent framework, and just 36 countries (27%) have operational mechanisms for participation of civil society organisations (CSOs) in AI governance. Without a shared rights-based floor, interoperability risks serving markets before it protects people.

What GIRAI measures

The Global Index on Responsible AI is a research and advocacy initiative designed to measure countries' commitments, capacities and progress toward rights-respecting responsible AI. It is developed by the Global Center on AI Governance, a South Africa-based think tank that works as a global hub for research and evidence-led action on inclusive and equitable AI governance.

This work was carried out with the aid of a grant from the International Development Research Centre, Ottawa, Canada and the Foreign and Commonwealth Development Office under the AI4Development funding programme. Some further funds were used for the project from the Government of Canada, and from the International Development Bank of Latin America.

The Global Center's mission is to reduce global inequalities exacerbated by AI and to help build a world where AI technologies and governance reflect all of humanity. A central part of its work is bringing voices that are often marginalised into global AI governance debates, especially from regions and communities underrepresented in policy conversations.

GIRAI is intended to move the global AI governance debate from aspiration to evidence. It ranks countries but it also helps policymakers identify where stronger laws, institutions, resources and implementation mechanisms are needed; helps civil society actors see where governments have made commitments and where they can be held to account; and helps international organisations, funders and researchers understand where capacity gaps are most urgent.

Africa: Growing momentum, but implementation remains the greatest challenge

Africa continues to expand its responsible AI governance landscape, but the Global Index on Responsible AI finds that implementation and enforceability remain significant barriers. The region records the world's lowest average GIRAI score (22 out of 100), 13 points below the global average, reflecting persistent gaps between policy ambition and practical action.

Out of the 39 African countries surveyed, only 6 score above the global average: Nigeria, Egypt, Kenya, Ghana, Benin and Morocco, with North Africa emerging as the continent's strongest-performing subregion overall.

The continent's biggest gap lies between commitments and action. Key topics related to the Ethics and Sustainability of AI have the widest policy coverage, yet only 20.45% of the existing policy frameworks are implemented. In contrast, Policy frameworks addressing Labour and Skills challenges in the context of AI record the strongest implementation rate at 65.52%, making it the only dimension in Africa to exceed the global implementation average.

Most of Africa's governance frameworks also remain non-binding, Just 21% of the continents' 170 documented cases of policy areas covered by frameworks throughout the 39 countries are legally enforceable, with the majority taking the form of strategies, guidance or draft policies.

The Index also finds that civil society efforts are largely focused on building awareness, strengthening capacity and fostering collaboration, while fewer initiatives concentrate on accountability and oversight. At the same time, documented cases of unacceptable-risk AI in Kenya, Ghana and Uganda highlight the urgent need to strengthen governance as AI adoption accelerates across the continent.

Ranking

World Top 10

1. Norway
2. Italy
3. Ireland
4. France
5. Netherlands
6. Germany
7. United Kingdom
8. Slovenia
9. Latvia
10. Estonia
11. Brazil
12. Spain
13. Greece
14. Chile
15. Bulgaria

Regional Top 5

Region	Rank	Country	GIRAI score
Europe	1	Norway	74.66
	2	Italy	72.71
	3	Ireland	71.39
	4	France	70.32
	5	Netherlands	69.58
Latin America and the Caribbean	1	Brazil	63.3
	2	Chile	61.91
	3	Uruguay	56.99
	4	Colombia	54.74
	5	Costa Rica	52.3
Northern America	1	Canada	55.17
	2	United States of America	53.34
Asia	1	Japan	55.66
	2	Kyrgyz Republic	51.64
	3	South Korea	47.69
	4	Singapore	45.21
	5	China	43.58
Africa	1	Nigeria	45.93
	2	Egypt	41.26
	3	Kenya	39.53
	4	Ghana	38.43
	5	Benin	37.01
Oceania	1	Australia	56.4
	2	New Zealand	45.81

How the Index was built

The index was built by translating major global AI governance commitments, including the UNESCO Recommendation on the Ethics of AI and the OECD AI Principles, into measurable, comparable indicators that can be tracked over time.

These indicators assess the three core pillars of the GIRAI: AI Policy, covering laws, regulations, policies and their implementation; Civil Society Engagement; and Enabling Conditions. The indicators are grouped across five dimensions: AI Use in Public Service Delivery, Ethics and Sustainability, Inclusion and Diversity, Labour and Skills, and Trust and Safety.

The measurement framework was validated with civil society organisations working on human rights in digital environments. Once the framework was finalised, the research team hired 135 local experts, one in each country covered by the Index, to collect evidence for all primary indicators. That process produced more than 68,000 data points, which were then analysed to identify global and regional trends grounded in local evidence.

The second edition introduces a stronger distinction between the existence of AI governance frameworks and their implementation in practice. It assesses not only whether countries have adopted laws, policies, strategies or guidelines, but whether those commitments are being operationalised through institutions, oversight mechanisms, programmes, standards, monitoring systems, budgets, consultations and other concrete actions.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Global Center on AI Governance.

Additional resources:

• Download the second edition of the Global Index on Responsible AI.

• Access country-level data and methodology at global-index.ai.

• Learn more about the Global Center on AI Governance and its work on inclusive and equitable AI governance.

• Contact us to get in touch with your local researcher.

About the Global Center on AI Governance:
The Global Center on AI Governance is a South Africa-based think tank that works as a global hub for research and evidence-led action on inclusive and equitable AI governance. Its mission is to reduce global inequalities exacerbated by AI and to help build a world where AI technologies and governance reflect all of humanity.

Through research, advocacy and global collaboration, the Center works to ensure that communities historically marginalised in global technology governance are included in the decisions shaping AI futures.

www.Globalcenter.AI

Download logo

Four Ugandan farmers have launched a legal challenge in the UK High Court against the East African Crude Oil Pipeline (EACOP), seeking to apply Ugandan constitutional, environmental and climate law to EACOP Ltd., the project's UK-registered operating company. Filed mere months before the pipeline is expected to begin transporting Uganda's first crude exports, the case argues that the 1,445-km pipeline breaches Uganda's legal protections and asks the English court to prevent the project from becoming operational.

This is clearly nothing but the latest example of foreign-backed litigation targeting strategically important African energy projects through overseas courts. And it comes at a time when Uganda and Tanzania stand on the threshold of transformational economic opportunity.

The African Energy Chamber (AEC) maintains that decisions about Uganda's energy future should be made in Uganda – not in London.

And the timing is no coincidence.

After years of permitting, financing and construction, EACOP is approaching one of its most important milestones. Yet just as Uganda prepares to become an oil-producing nation, another legal challenge has emerged – this time asking a British court to determine whether one of Africa's most important infrastructure projects should proceed.

“This is colonialism 2.0,” says NJ Ayuk, Executive Chairman of the AEC. “For generations, Africa was told what resources it could exploit and how it should develop. Today, some of those same pressures are being repackaged through foreign-funded litigation and ideological campaigns that seek to dictate Africa's energy choices from thousands of kilometres away. UK courts should not determine Uganda's energy future. Ugandans should.”

The Chamber has long warned that legal campaigns against projects such as EACOP are becoming an increasingly common tool for delaying African energy development. Whether through repeated court challenges in East Africa, litigation targeting Mozambique LNG or legal battles that have stalled exploration in South Africa, the pattern is becoming difficult to ignore.

Each lawsuit may differ in its legal basis, but the cumulative effect is the same: greater uncertainty for investors, delayed infrastructure and slower economic growth for countries seeking to monetize their natural resources.

EACOP is the infrastructure that unlocks Uganda's estimated 6.5 billion barrels of oil resources, connects the country's production to international markets and creates opportunities for thousands of workers, local businesses and suppliers across Uganda and Tanzania. Developed by some of the world's largest companies – TotalEnergies and CNOOC – alongside the Uganda National Oil Company and Tanzania Petroleum Development Corporation, the project will strengthen local content, generate government revenues, expand infrastructure and support broader industrial development across East Africa.

Activists argue the project has affected more than 100,000 people through land acquisition while raising concerns about freshwater systems and protected habitats. TotalEnergies has consistently maintained that the project has implemented extensive environmental and social safeguards, biodiversity protection measures and international standards designed to minimize impacts while delivering long-term benefits to host communities.

Delaying those benefits carries consequences.

Every year that strategic energy projects are tied up in prolonged litigation is another year that jobs are postponed, investment decisions become more difficult and governments face greater obstacles in addressing energy poverty. For many African countries, responsible oil and gas development remains one of the few realistic pathways to financing schools, hospitals, roads, electricity networks and future renewable energy investments.

The Chamber also argues that the lawsuit raises a broader question of sovereignty. African institutions have already examined legal challenges related to EACOP, and Uganda possesses its own constitutional and judicial mechanisms for resolving disputes. Asking a UK court to intervene risks setting a precedent that extends well beyond one project. It effectively invites foreign jurisdictions to influence domestic development priorities across the continent.

“The time for Uganda to exploit its immensely valuable resources is now. Africa will not give in to international coercion to prevent the continent from energizing and bringing wealth to its people. Africa will not succumb to pressure to adhere to the energy transition on anyone else's terms. We know what is good for African energy and we will do everything in our power to ensure that the continent's resources benefit her people,” Ayuk concluded.

The debate over EACOP has never been about a pipeline alone. It is whether Africans retain the sovereign right to develop their own resources, under their own laws and for the benefit of their own people, or whether those decisions will increasingly be contested in foreign capitals by interests far removed from the communities they claim to represent.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of African Energy Chamber.

Download logo

Benford Mokoatle, Executive Vice President at Gold Fields, has been appointed to the Advisory Board of African Mining Week (AMW) – Africa's Most Influential Mining Conference.

Mokoatle's appointment reinforces AMW's commitment to bringing together leading industry figures to help shape discussions on the opportunities and challenges transforming Africa's mining sector. It also comes at a pivotal time for the continent's gold industry, as record gold prices and sustained central bank demand create favorable conditions for new project development and investment.

In his advisory role, Mokoatle will provide strategic guidance on the event's gold-focused agenda, engage with industry stakeholders and support participation from mining executives, investors and government leaders. His expertise will help ensure AMW delivers practical insights into the trends shaping Africa's gold industry while fostering partnerships that unlock new investment opportunities.

Taking place under the theme, “Mining the Future: Unearthing Africa's Full Mineral Value Chain” from October 14–16 in Cape Town, AMW will feature a dedicated Gold Forum examining the key opportunities and challenges across Africa's gold value chain. Discussions will focus on increasing production, advancing local beneficiation and supporting the formalization of artisanal and small-scale mining.

With more than 21 years of mining experience, Mokoatle has held senior technical and operational leadership positions at Gold Fields, AngloGold Ashanti and De Beers. His expertise spans geology, mine management and operational excellence, providing him with a comprehensive understanding of the operational and strategic priorities shaping Africa's gold industry.

At Gold Fields, Mokoatle plays a leading role in advancing the South Deep Mine in South Africa – one of the world's deepest and largest gold mines – as a cornerstone of the company's long-term growth strategy. Current initiatives include the South of Wrench development and renewable energy projects designed to improve operational efficiency while supporting Gold Fields' 2026 production guidance of 2.4 to 2.6 million ounces.

“Benford Mokoatle brings more than two decades of operational and leadership experience in Africa's gold mining industry. His contribution will be instrumental in ensuring AMW 2026 delivers meaningful outcomes for the sector,” said Rachelle Kasongo, Event Director, AMW. “As African producers expand output to capitalize on strong global demand, his expertise will help shape the program and strengthen dialogue on the policies, partnerships and investment needed to support long-term growth.”

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Energy Capital & Power.

Download logo

On the occasion of Seychelles' 50th anniversary of its independence, celebrated on June 29 2026, heads of state and governments across the world sent their well wishes to the President of the Republic of Seychelles, Dr. Patrick Herminie and the people of Seychelles.

Among the many messages received were messages from leaders of diplomatic missions represented in Seychelles. In his message, H.E. Xi Jinping, President of the People's Republic of China, noted that over the past 50 years, China and Seychelles have consistently demonstrated mutual trust and support, fostering a steadfast and enduring friendship despite evolving international circumstances. President Xi further conveyed that, as the Republic of Seychelles commemorates the 50th Anniversary of its Independence, he extends his sincere wishes for lasting peace, continued prosperity, and the well-being of the people of Seychelles.

In her message, Her Excellency Smt. Droupadi Murmu, Honourable President of the Republic of India, highlighted the close and enduring partnership between India and Seychelles. She noted that the two countries share not only the waters of the Indian Ocean and deep historical ties, but also a steadfast commitment to the well-being of their peoples and to the security and stability of the region.  She further emphasised that the strong bilateral partnership continues to contribute to stability in the Western Indian Ocean region and reaffirmed India's readiness to further strengthen and deepen cooperation with Seychelles for the mutual benefit of both peoples and the wider Indian Ocean region as Seychelles embarks on its next chapter of nationhood.

The Emperor of Japan, H.E. Emperor NARUHITO and the Prime Minister of Japan, H.E. TAKAICHI Sanae also sent their congratulations on the occasion. Emperor NARUHITO extended his heartfelt congratulations and sincere good wishes to the President and the people of Seychelles. On her side, Prime Minister TAKAICHI highlighted the increasing bilateral cooperation between Seychelles and Japan since the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries back in 1976. Prime Minister TAKAICHI noted that as an island nation, just like Seychelles, Japan remained committed to international cooperation in the maritime field and to climate change measures. She ended her message by thanking Seychelles for accepting to participate in the International Horticultural Expo 2027, to be held in Yokohama, Japan and hoped that the relationship between the two countries would make further leaps forward and that even stronger bonds of friendship would be built.

Seychelles also received a congratulatory message from His Excellency Mr. Vladimir Putin, President of the Russian Federation. In his message, President Putin noted that Russia–Seychelles relations are characterised by friendship, a sentiment he said was reaffirmed during bilateral discussions held in Moscow in April. He further expressed confidence that both countries would continue their joint efforts, including in the lead-up to the Third Russia-Africa Summit, to expand mutually beneficial cooperation across various fields for the benefit of their peoples.

The President of the Democratic Socialist of Sri Lanka, H.E. Anura Kumara Disanayaka joined the many leaders in congratulating President Herminie and the people of Seychelles on the occasion, noting that Seychelles and Sri Lanka shared a cordial and longstanding relationship founded on mutual respect and close cooperation in the regional and international foras. He ended his message by saying that he was confident that the friendship and cooperation between the two nations will continue to grow and strengthen for the countries mutual benefit.

In his message to the President, His Majesty, King Charles V noted that the United Kingdom valued its close and enduring partnership with Seychelles underpinned by the two countries' mutual commitment to democratic principles, rule of law and good governance. Furthermore, as a SIDS, Seychelles was an important partner in promoting stability, openness and respect for international law. His Majesty the King added that he looked forward to the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in November where he hoped they would reaffirm their shared commitments and chart a course for the future. He welcomed Seychelles' global leadership on ocean conservation and its approach to sustainable development which continues to be an example for SIDS and the wider international community. He extended his and his wife, Queen Camilla's best wishes to the President and the people of Seychelles on the occasion.

The President also received a congratulatory note from the President of the United States of America, H.E. Mr. Donald J. Trump, who praised Seychelles for being a key maritime security partner throughout the Indian Ocean region, noting that it was an area where the two countries work together to confront common threats. He ended his message by adding that the United States of America looked forward to further bolstering maritime security and trade cooperation with Seychelles, which he described as a model of good and stable governance.

Following President Trump, were the leaders of the United Arab Emirates, His Highness, Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan – President of the United Arab Emirates, His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum – Vice President of the United Arab Emirates, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai and High Highness Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Chairman of the Presidential Court of the UAE who congratulated President Herminie and the people of Seychelles on the occasion of Seychelles' Independence Day. They wished good health, happiness, further progress and prosperity to the President and people of Seychelles.

The President of the Republic of Zambia, H.E. Mr. Hakainde Hichilema, whose High Commissioner-designate will be presenting his credentials to President Herminie on Tuesday 7 July, also conveyed his heartfelt congratulations to the President and people of Seychelles on the occasion. President Hichilema noted that Zambia cherished the cordial relations that exist between Seychelles and Zambia and remained committed to strengthening bilateral cooperation in areas of mutual interest.

The President of the Republic of Palau, H.E. Mr. Surangel S. Whipps Jr. also sent a congratulatory message to his counterpart, noting that his country valued the friendship between the two countries and hoped to continuing close collaboration on shared priorities including climate change advocacy, environmental protection, and sustainable development as large ocean states. President Whipps Jr. traced back on Seychelles' accomplishments over the years in sustainability and ocean governance initiatives globally, like the BBNJ and gave his assurances that Palau would continue to work closely with Seychelles to turn these commitments into tangible protection for the high seas.

The President of the Republic of Malta, H.E. Ms. Myriam Spiteri Debono joined other world leaders in congratulating President Herminie and the people of Seychelles on the occasion and noted that the Republic of Malta was committed to strengthening bilateral ties between the two countries on the basis of mutual respect and cooperation.

In his message, the King of Spain, his Majesty Felipe V, together with the government and people of Spain, extended his congratulations to President Herminie and his best wishes for the peace and prosperity of the people of Seychelles.

H.E. Mr. Antonio Guterres, Secretary General of the United Nations also conveyed his well wishes to the President and people of Seychelles, noting that national days served as important moments for reflection on a country's journey, its contributions to the international community and the aspirations that guide its future.

In his message on the occasion, His Holiness Pope Leo XIV, sent his best wishes to the President and the people of Seychelles and prayed that the Almighty God blessed the nation with everlasting peace and fraternal solidarity.

Mr. Antonio COSTA, the President of the European Council, reaffirmed the European Union's longstanding partnership with Seychelles, built on shared values of democracy, the rule of law, and respect for human rights. Over the past five decades, this collaboration has expanded across trade, sustainable fisheries, maritime security, and economic development, contributing to Seychelles' progress and prosperity. In light of evolving global challenges, including geopolitical tensions and supply chain disruptions, the EU underscored the importance of this trusted partnership and reiterated its commitment to working closely with Seychelles to address future challenges and advance the mutual interests of both peoples.

In her message, Her Excellency the Honourable Ms. Sam Mostyn, Governor-General of the Commonwealth of Australia, conveyed her warmest wishes to the Government and people of Seychelles, on behalf of the Government and people of Australia. As we mark 50 years of bilateral relations between our two countries, she expressed confidence that the friendly relations between Australia and Seychelles will continue to grow and prosper in the years ahead.

Messages to the President were also received from leaders of the following countries and organisations: the Republic of Malawi, the Islamic Republic of Iran, the Republic of Nicaragua, the Republic of Benin, the Republic of Botswana, the Arab Republic of Egypt, the Republic of Gabon, the Kingdom of Morocco, the State of Qatar, the Republic of Sierra Leone, the Republic of South Africa, the Republic of Turkiye, the Republic of Zimbabwe, the Kingdom of Sweden, the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, the United Nations Development Programme and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Diaspora, Republic of Seychelles.

Download logo

South Africa has entered a critical phase in its upstream development. With new petroleum legislation in place, a national petroleum company established and the Karoo shale gas moratorium lifted, the country has taken important steps toward unlocking its oil and gas potential. The key question now is whether South Africa can translate policy momentum into investment, and Angola's reform experience provides a practical roadmap for doing so.

In Crude Oil: Power, Turnaround and Transformation in Angola, NJ Ayuk, Executive Chairman of the African Energy Chamber, documents how coordinated legal, fiscal and structural reform reversed years of production decline in the country. The two countries operate in different contexts: Angola reformed a mature producing sector while South Africa is working to establish one. There is, however, a transferable lesson in the sequencing and institutional commitment that made Angola's reforms effective.

Angola Prioritized Structural Reform
When President João Lourenço took office in 2017, his administration conducted a 30-day sector review that led to sustained regulatory change. The newly-established National Agency for Petroleum, Gas and Biofuels (ANPG) took over upstream regulation, a function previously housed within state oil company Sonangol alongside its commercial portfolio. This coincided with the creation of a dedicated downstream regulator, Instituto Regulador dos Derivados do Petróleos, strengthening governance across the entire hydrocarbon value chain.

On a policy front, the 2018 Natural Gas Law gave Angola its first standalone framework for gas exploration and commercialization across an estimated 11 trillion cubic feet of reserves. The Permanent Offer Regime, introduced in 2021, opened acreage for negotiation on a rolling basis rather than through periodic bid rounds, resulting in 27 block awards. Following that, the Incremental Production Law came into effect in November 2024 and targets recovery of an estimated 500 million barrels from mature assets while extending their productive life by as much as 20 years.

These reforms quickly yielded strong results. Foreign direct investment rose by $2.59 billion in the same year Angola improved from 167th to 146th on Transparency International's Corruption Perceptions Index. Hydrocarbon production has now been sustained above one million barrels per day, while $70 billion in planned upstream investments signal rising international confidence in Angola's oil and gas opportunities.

“Angola's regulatory reforms demonstrate that political will, matched with clear fiscal and legal frameworks, can transform an upstream sector within a single policy cycle. These reforms offer critical lessons for countries such as South Africa, which has the opportunity to be a first-mover in establishing a strong regulatory environment,” states Ayuk.

South Africa's Regulatory Window is Open
South Africa has begun moving in a similar direction. The Upstream Petroleum Resources Development Act (UPRDA) was enacted in late 2024, consolidating upstream licensing and establishing a 20% mandatory carried interest for the state. The South African National Petroleum Company (SANPC) launched in May 2025, merging PetroSA, iGas and the Strategic Fuel Fund. In October 2025, the government lifted a 13-year moratorium on shale gas exploration in the Karoo Basin - estimated to contain up to 300 trillion cubic feet of shale resources.  

The challenge for South Africa is implementation. Environmental litigation has blocked or delayed offshore exploration by TotalEnergies and Shell since 2022. In August 2025, the Western Cape High Court rescinded the environmental authorization for Block 5/6/7 off the southwest coast. The Brulpadda and Luiperd gas-condensate discoveries in the Outeniqua Basin, which an FTI Consulting analysis estimates could contribute up to R25 billion per year to the balance of payments, remain undeveloped.

Angola's experience suggests that legislative reform alone does not produce investment outcomes. The country's upstream investment trajectory followed from how quickly and consistently those reforms were applied – from the ANPG's operational launch through to the rolling award of blocks under the Permanent Offer Regime.

With the UPRDA, the SANPC and the Karoo moratorium lift, South Africa has put its own legislative foundation in place. Whether it can match that pace of execution will determine if the current wave of exploration interest in southern Africa's offshore basins finally extends south of the Namibian border.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of African Energy Chamber.

Lesotho is charting a new path towards improved mental health care following the validation of its National Mental Health Policy on 20 May 2026, a key milestone in the country's efforts to strengthen its health system and support the well-being of its population.

Acting Director of the Mental Health Programme at the Ministry of Health, Dr Thabo Mokhothu, made the revelation during the East and Southern Africa Intercountry meeting, organized by the World Health Organization Regional Office for Africa, with support from the Wellcome Trust, in Johannesburg, South Africa, from 26-29 May. Dr Mokhothu explained that the policy represents a significant step forward in addressing gaps in mental health services and in establishing a more coordinated and responsive system.

“The validation of the National Mental Health Policy marks meaningful progress in our journey to strengthen mental healthcare and ensure services are more accessible, inclusive, and effective. The policy provides a critical framework for transforming mental health services and addressing longstanding gaps in prevention, treatment, and support,” said Dr Mokhothu.

The Mental Health Intercountry Meeting brought together countries from East and Southern Africa, alongside partners, to accelerate mental health reforms and share practical solutions.

The meeting provided a platform for countries to collectively address persistent challenges and identify opportunities to strengthen inclusive and evidence-based mental health policies, build a skilled and resilient mental health workforce, expand access to quality care, particularly in underserved and rural communities, enhance financing mechanisms and partnerships, and improve data collection, monitoring, and surveillance systems.

A key focus of the intercountry workshop is advancing integrated, people-centred mental health systems that prioritize dignity, equity, and community-based care. Participants are exploring strategies to close service gaps and ensure that vulnerable populations are not left behind.

By sharing country experiences and best practices, the meeting aimed to accelerate the scale-up of mental health services and support countries in meeting the regional mental health targets set for 2030.

Speaking at the meeting, the Head of the Mental Health Programme, Dr Chido Rwafa, urged countries to accelerate progress towards the 2030 African Region Mental Health targets, including ensuring that all countries have a mental health policy, 70 percent have a dedicated mental health budget line, 60 percent integrate mental health into Primary Health Care, 80 percent include Mental Health and Psychosocial Support in disaster preparedness, reduce the regional suicide rate, and ensure that 95 percent report mental health indicators in Health Management Information Systems.

Lesotho's efforts reflect a broader regional drive to close gaps in mental health care and ensure that no one is left behind. 

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of World Health Organization (WHO) - Lesotho.