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African Development Bank (www.AfDB.org) President Akinwumi Adesina, recipient of the 2017 World Food Prize, and Professor Joseph E. Stiglitz, recipient of the 2001 Nobel Memorial Prize in Economic Sciences, have called for a quick and comprehensive plan for debt restructuring in Africa.

At the launch of the African Development Bank’s 2021 edition of its annual African Economic Outlook, Adesina urged African governments to consider collectively establishing an African financial stabilization mechanism, which would give Africa the fiscal space it needs to deal with debt. Africa’s collective debt now stands at 70% of the continent’s gross domestic product (GDP).
“It is high time that we set up a homegrown financial stability mechanism where we work together to mutualize our funds and ensure we avoid the spillover effects that come from global pandemics or any external shocks,” the head of Africa’s premier financial institution said.
“We must start by making sure that we carry out the macroeconomic policy reforms and the fiscal policy reforms that we need to get done,” he said, adding that Africa “is not looking for a free pass. We are just looking for an equitable way in which Africa’s fiscal space gets dealt with.”
The idea was backed by Stiglitz, who proposed an international debt framework.
“That’s a question I’ve been very concerned with for a long time,” said Stiglitz. “You need debt restructuring, and that needs to be really high on the international agenda. Every country has bankruptcy laws but there’s no bankruptcy law for international debt. When there’s too much debt, it’s as much the creditor’s problem as the debtor’s problem.”
Stiglitz added: “What needs to be done with debt is comprehensive and quick restructuring. We don’t want to fall into the trap of doing too little, too late.” Stiglitz’s proposal calls for an international debt framework that includes the private sector, given its growing role as a source of government debt.
According to the African Economic Outlook, the share of commercial creditors in Africa’s external debt stock has more than doubled in the last two decades, from 17 percent in 2000 to 40 percent by the end of 2019.
Some hope has come in the form of new special drawing rights, potentially $500 billion, that the International Monetary Fund could issue, in accordance with the G20’s recommendation at the end of February.  Adesina said these funds will “go a long way” to stabilizing foreign reserves and the exchange rate, allowing countries to handle debt and re-engage in massive pro-growth investments that will help them to quickly recover from the Covid-19 pandemic.
Adesina presented a proposed African Financial Stabilization Mechanism, strongly supported by Stiglitz, as a critically needed solution that would allow African countries to agree on a set of convergent macroeconomic policies and principles and pool funds. Adesina said: This will allow us to “deal with the cause of the illness and not always the symptoms.”
The 2021 edition of the African Economic Outlook estimates that Africa’s GDP contracted 2.1 percent in 2020, the continent’s first recession in half a century. GDP is projected to grow by 3.4 percent in 2021. The report estimates that African governments will require additional gross financing of about $154 billion in 2020/21 to respond to the Covid-19 crisis.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of African Development Bank Group (AfDB).
Media Contact: Richard Uku Communication and External Relations Department African Development Bank Email: r.uku@afdb.org
About the African Development Bank Group: The African Development Bank Group (AfDB) (www.AfDB.org) is Africa’s premier development finance institution. It comprises three distinct entities: the African Development Bank (AfDB), the African Development Fund (ADF) and the Nigeria Trust Fund (NTF). On the ground in 44 African countries with an external office in Japan, the AfDB contributes to the economic development and the social progress of its 54 regional member states.

African Development Bank President Adesina calls for African Financial Stabilization Mechanism

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African Development Bank (www.AfDB.org) President Dr. Akinwumi Adesina has called for vaccine justice for Africa. Speaking at the launch of the Bank’s African Economic Outlook 2021 report on Friday, Adesina decried the lack of Covid-19 vaccines reaching Africa.

“We need global solidarity and vaccine justice for Africa,” Africa’s premier development bank chief said.
Adesina underlined the stark disparities between vaccine acquisitions by several rich countries that have acquired sufficient vaccines to inoculate their populations twice over, and African countries, that remain primarily dependent on the World Health Organization’s COVAX initiative for the minuscule quantities of vaccines acquired so far.
Speaking on CNN’s First Move with Julia Chatterley on Friday, Adesina said: “So far, 14.6 million vaccines have been delivered in Africa, but many people still cannot get shots in their arms. That is only 1% of what we need. We are way off the mark in terms of getting to 60% of herd immunity, and sadly, I do not see that happening for another year or two at this rate— not unless things change.”
According to Adesina, “We therefore need to improve Africa’s access to vaccines. COVAX is doing a great job but still, we need more. We need them in adequate quantity. We need them quickly and we need them at an affordable price.”
Acquiring vaccines has significant implications for African countries. As Adesina emphasized in a broader discussion with panelists at the launch of the African Economic Outlook 2021—including Professor Joseph E. Stiglitz, recipient of the 2001 Nobel Memorial Prize for Economic Sciences—for Africa, rapid vaccine acquisition is a matter of life and death. As elsewhere, Africa’s first priority is to prolong lives and preserve jobs.
From an economic perspective, Stiglitz agreed with Adesina that the slow pace of acquiring vaccines and arresting the pandemic will make stemming extreme poverty and negative economic growth difficult. They agreed that a comprehensive global plan was needed to help countries cope with mounting debt, which the pandemic had compounded.
Africa’s economy is expected to grow by 3.1% in 2021. However, 39 million Africans could be pushed into extreme poverty this year because of the pandemic unless the international community takes the kind of action that Stiglitz and Adesina are calling for now.
The African Development Bank chief says: “as long as Africans remain unvaccinated, the world will go right back to square one.” He said no amount of ‘vaccine passports’ being advocated for by some developed countries could change that fact.  “Africa needs to develop its pharmaceutical industry and begin manufacturing. The African Development Bank is going to support African countries to do this,” Adesina said.
Supporting this position, Stiglitz said in his conversation with Adesina: “One of the things that some of us have been campaigning for is the suspension of the intellectual property rights related to Covid-19 because the supply constraint that you describe is at least, to some extent, artificial… If access to the intellectual property rights were more extensive, there is throughout the emerging markets and developing countries considerable capacity to produce a lot of more vaccines.”
He added that it was in the self-interest of advanced countries to make sure that everybody has access to the vaccine and other related medicines. “The longer the disease festers in any part of the world, it can mutate and one of the things we know is that those mutations are not going to respect borders. The Covid-19 virus doesn’t carry a passport.”
Other notable African voices that have called for speeding up vaccine delivery to Africa are those of South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, WHO Director General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, and Director of the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, Dr. John Nkengasong.
 Distributed by APO Group on behalf of African Development Bank Group (AfDB). 
Media Contact: Richard Uku Communication and External Relations Department African Development Bank Email: r.uku@afdb.org
About the African Development Bank Group: The African Development Bank Group (AfDB) (www.AfDB.org) is Africa’s premier development finance institution. It comprises three distinct entities: the African Development Bank (AfDB), the African Development Fund (ADF) and the Nigeria Trust Fund (NTF). On the ground in 44 African countries with an external office in Japan, the AfDB contributes to the economic development and the social progress of its 54 regional member states. For more information: www.AfDB.org

African Development Bank President calls for Global Vaccine Solidarity and Justice for Africa

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In March 2021, Kabakoo Academies confirmed once again its position as a leading tech learning platform in Africa. By launching the first no-code training in West Africa, Kabakoo becomes a pioneer of this growing tech trend enabling people to design apps without coding. This new training should boost its learners’ employability and their local entrepreneurship projects. A bold approach that earned Kabakoo the Zoom EdInnovation Award.

Committed to democratizing access to tech education for the African youths, Kabakoo has launched in March 2021 the first no-code training in West Africa for a batch of twenty learners at its Bamako campus. This intensive “FullStack&#39;&#39; program is designed and delivered in partnership with Contournement, the European leader in no-code training. Kabakoo bets on no-code skills to supercharge its learners’ employability and their local entrepreneurship projects.
Coached by word-class mentors, the learners will acquire full proficiency in no-code tools to create websites, mobile apps, automation and data management projects. Co-designed with Contournement, the training aims at mastering key tools such as Zapier, Airtable, Adalo, Glide or Dorick, which will help learners to rapidly develop ambitious tech products (without having to code) to meet the needs of local communities and markets in the Sahel.
The Kabakoo engagement in the no-code segment is catalyzed by strong partnerships with, among others, the current leading no-code app Notion, which supports Kabakoo&#39;s activities through its impact program.
By pioneering no-code training in Africa, Kabakoo reaffirms its leading role in the pan-African EdTech space. After being praised as a “School of the Future&#39;&#39; by the World Economic Forum, Kabakoo has received the Zoom EdInnovation Award on March 1st, 2021, which recognizes “the boldest and brightest solutions supporting underserved students.&#8221; .Among the six global winners, Kabakoo is the only organization on the African continent and the francophone world. This award formalizes the partnership between Kabakoo and Zoom, which becomes a key financial and tech partner for scaling up Kabakoo impact.
 Distributed by APO Group on behalf of L’Agence Digitale d’Informations Africaines (ADIA).
Media Contact: Leïla Keita keita@kabakoo.africa Partnership Officer
About Kabakoo Academies: Kabakoo (www.Kabakoo.africa) is building the leading pan-African learning platform for digital and decentralized manufacturing skills. Blending cutting-edge tech with local knowledge, Kabakoo reimagines learning by enabling young Africans with the skills to own the 4th Industrial Revolution. The Kabakoo Learning Experience is geared towards sustainable value creation through challenge-based and blended learning.
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Kabakoo Academies, EdTech leader and pioneer of no-code training in Africa

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By: Andy Jury, CEO of Mukuru (www.Mukuru.com)

With the World Economic Forum warning (https://bit.ly/2NntZ7V) of a deepening digital divide that will ultimately exacerbate global inequality, the role of intuitive digital financial services platforms in bridging this divide is becoming more important than ever before. Indeed, next generation tools that provide essential financial services &#8211; savings accounts, global money transfers, loans, etc &#8211; to customers in an accessible way, are becoming a powerful force for change by driving financial inclusion in developing economies.

The global health crisis and national lockdowns have illustrated this point – and revealed that when informal cash out services became less accessible to communities, for instance, people were able to turn to intuitive digital financial services platforms, supported by physical distribution infrastructures, to send and receive money when they needed it most. And having interacted with these digital channels for the first time, many users discover that they can fulfil other financial aspirations and needs simply by following the user journey and providing ongoing feedback.

Today, it is these seamless and increasingly digitised user journeys, supported and driven by incremental, customer-led fintech innovation, that are disrupting the financial services ecosystem, effectively banking the unbanked…and elevating financial literacy where it is most needed.

Beyond Fintech: an empowering journey to financial freedom 

Simply by looking at recent trends in remittance flows, one can grasp the growing role of digitised banking services in empowering marginalised communities and people with new financial tools. For instance, despite predictions (https://bit.ly/3cEKjK3) by the World Bank that global remittance flows would dramatically decline in the wake of the pandemic, evidence in countries such as South Africa, Zimbabwe, Malawi and Zambia suggest that formal remittance flows across African borders have actually increased – and in fact, are proving to be more resilient than many other financial services. The GSMA also stated that ‘remittances are expected to retain or even exceed their current levels of importance with Foreign Direct Investment flows into LMICs expected to decline by as much as 35% over 2020.’

Yet remittances are only the beginning of a digitised and customer-led journey to financial inclusion and upliftment in many of these economies. Importantly, when fintech banking platforms are able to not only provide multiple channels &#8211; USSD, an app, WhatsApp, live chats, etc, whereby customers can transact, but also the ability to sign up without having to physically interact with a bank or branch, then the opportunity for self-empowerment and financial emancipation is further amplified.

At Mukuru (www.Mukuru.com), we listened to customer feedback and provided this opportunity in the form of self-sign up channels. This was met with a phenomenal surge in interactions with Mukuru’s next generation financial services platform: in South Africa, up to 30% of users are engaging with the platform by signing up to the service via self help channels, up from 0% this time last year. Added to this, over 86% of money transfers generated on the Mukuru platform are self-service initiated transactions. The Mukuru app, which has recently been relaunched with new features and capabilities, demonstrates the way in which digitised user journeys are a powerful and equalising force within global financial services.

Meeting customers where they are

As we have seen across our own digital banking channels, grassroots financial services innovation is about meeting customers where they are – and providing intuitive ways to transact, save and send on various channels, and with any device. When users engage with an app or tool that provides a highly visual, multi-stranded presentation of financial information, they are immediately empowered by the decision-making capabilities that this type of engaging interface engenders.

Over the long term, this is essentially about going beyond fintech and providing an ecosystem which empowers users on a gradual but progressive journey to financial inclusion. For instance, as customers embrace elements such as self sign-up and digital onboarding, they begin to build up a comprehensive and detailed financial transaction profile. Over time, diaspora remittances and this increasingly robust digital footprint can be harnessed as a strong indicator of creditworthiness – and in many instances, these profiles could be leveraged to gain access to credit for capital accretion (vs consumption).

The security aspect of emerging digital banking platforms is also becoming more of a focus point as financial crime and cyber theft spikes worldwide. Mobile money electronically records all transactions, which radically improves the security of payments as well as their transparency (the consequences of which are far-reaching for every economy). Providing this layer of safety, transparency and accountability to users for everyday transactions is paramount to both financial upliftment in the short term, as well as the longer term goal of greater financial inclusion.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Mukuru.
About Mukuru: Mukuru (www.Mukuru.com) is a FinTech company founded in 2004, with a diverse operating footprint with offices across Africa and Europe, with the largest being in South Africa.
Mukuru enables safe, affordable, reliable financial services to underserved communities. With over 40 million cross-border transactions over the last decade, we are one of Africa’s largest remittances-led FinTech’s. Our remittance service offers customers the opportunity to send money to their relatives or friends in over 20 countries across Africa and Asia. Additionally, we offer critical customer services such as Funeral Cover, The Mukuru Money Card and payment solutions for businesses in emerging markets.
Mukuru has been listed as one of the leading 150 cross-border companies globally in the 2020 FXC intelligence Incumbents vs Challengers in Cross-Border Payments (https://bit.ly/30POXPI)
The company is 17 years old and cannot be classified as a start-up, although it continues to harness and foster the ‘entrepreneurially orange’ energy on which it was founded. South African, Andy Jury is the CEO.
Further information can be found at www.Mukuru.com/the-mukuru-group.
Media files

How next generation financial services platforms are driving global financial inclusion (By Andy Jury)

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Results of COVID-19 tests done on 14 March 2021 confirm 10 new cases. The cumulative confirmed cases are 40,591. 

The breakdown of the new cases are:10 contacts and alerts: Kampala (7) Amuru (1) Gulu (1) Mbale (1).
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Ministry of Health &#8211; Republic of Uganda. Media files

Coronavirus – Uganda: COVID-19 update (14 March 2021)

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The Special Envoy of the Secretary-General for Libya, and Head of the United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL), Ján Kubiš welcomes the swearing-in of the Government of National Unity (GNU) today before the House of Representatives (HoR), during its session in Tobruk.

The Special Envoy congratulates the Prime-Minister Abdlehamid AlDabaiba and his cabinet as well as the new Presidency Council and encourages them to swiftly embark on addressing the many challenges the Libyan people face, enhance the living conditions and basic services and prepare the country for the holding of inclusive national elections on 24 December 2021. He commends the HoR, its leadership, and members who have once again come together in unity and demonstrated their constitutional responsibility for the benefit of their people and their country.
Special Envoy Kubiš, takes this opportunity to commend former President of the Presidency Council of the Government of National Accord Mr. Fayez Serraj for his leadership, statesmanship, and his keenness to ensure a smooth and rapid transition of power.
Today’s swearing-in session illustrates the eagerness and the determination of Libyans to overcome their difference, work for a better future for all, march together towards unity, national reconciliation, transitional justice, equality and empowerment of women and youth, and towards building a united, sovereign, independent and democratic state, governed by the rule of law and the respect for human rights equality for all.
UNSMIL and its international partners stand firmly ready to continue providing all necessary support to the Libyan people and Libyan institutions.
 Distributed by APO Group on behalf of United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL).

Special Envoy Ján Kubiš Welcomes the Swearing-In of the Government of National Unity as Important Step Towards a Unified, Democratic and Sovereign Libya

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By NJ Ayuk

African Energy producers and the governments are facing an unprecedented economic crisis due to the Coronavirus, unemployment, recession, and energy poverty and energy transition concerns.
The African Energy Chamber’s Road to Recovery: How the African energy industry can reshape itself for a post-COVID comeback offers a commonsense strategy for the public and the private sector from leading industry experts.
It calls on all of us to take bold actions when it comes to job creation and opportunities that get people back to work, build infrastructure, capitalize on AFCTA and diversify our economies.
We understand that we have an obligation as an energy sector to build and support African economies that attract investment and position our continent, its people and investors for prosperity.
It&#39;s a plan for today that provides hope for the future. Register for the virtual book launch here: https://bit.ly/38FfWlo
After spending a week in Mozambique, I came to believe more in this mission and what we can do to create opportunities especially for young people. We must never waiver on our commitment to work with international partners to bolster energy security and independence matters.
Let’s face it, creating an environment that attracts investment and job creators is key to getting Africans back to work in the well-paying jobs our energy sector offers.
I love this book and commonsense strategy because it calls on all of us to stand up for something bigger than our own personal interest. We must not be ashamed of our energy sector and the working men and women are good people and we must stand up for them and the investors. African countries must understand that to reinvigorate our energy sector and economy, we must all do a lot more when it comes to investment in infrastructure; job creation; and diversification. We must move beyond words.
Our continent needs to be competitive in the global marketplace because every continent is doing everything to attract the same investment opportunities and capital. We in Africa must stand out from the other continents – so investors will choose the African energy sector as the best place to invest.
We must also be proud of the work we have done so far and in countries like Senegal, Mozambique, Ghana and others have a good foundation, but they must build upon it and grow. The Chambers work is to work with businesses and help governments to build on our existing strengths to make African countries as one of the most desirable places to live for our young people by creating a good quality of life with our vast natural resources. We can build an entrepreneurial culture that calls on young people to be go getters rather than wait for some government bureaucrat or foreign aid worker for a handout. But we must also challenge and push governments on creating a business-friendly environment and improving a culture of good governance.
Register for the African Energy Chamber’s Road to Recovery: How the African energy industry can reshape itself for a post-COVID comeback virtual book launch here (https://bit.ly/38FfWlo)!
By NJ Ayuk, Executive Chairman of the African Energy Chamber.
 Distributed by APO Group on behalf of African Energy Chamber. Media files

Energy Industry will be the bedrock of Africa’s Road to Recovery (By NJ Ayuk)

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As we mark the second anniversary of Tropical Cyclone Idai, the United Nations is honoured to continue standing in solidarity with the people and Government of Mozambique.

In the aftermath of the unprecedented back-to-back Cyclone Idai and Cyclone Kenneth, I travelled to the country and saw the devastation and recovery efforts first-hand. I will never forget it. I was deeply moved by the strength and resilience of all those affected — and I was also inspired by the heroism of first responders.
The force of the storm is a reminder that time is running out for the world to act on climate change.  Tropical storms are becoming more intense and more frequent. Parts of Africa are warming at twice the global rate.  Indeed, Africa is the least responsible for climate disruption, yet is among the first and worst to suffer.
The world must take immediate action to mitigate global warming while supporting nations on the front line of climate change to build resilience and adapt to impacts.
Two years after Cyclone Idai, so many families still struggle to rebuild their lives. Tropical Storm Chalane hit in December 2020 followed by Tropical Cyclone Eloise in January 2021. These storms were emergencies on top of emergencies.
The people of Mozambique urgently need our help to tackle the triple threat of conflict, the climate crisis and the COVID-19 pandemic. I call on the international community to step up and support the humanitarian response plan for Mozambique, which needs $254 million to respond to escalating humanitarian needs brought on by the triple crises.
On this solemn anniversary, let’s join hands to help the people of Mozambique recover better together.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of United Nations (UN).

Mozambique Needs $254 Million in Humanitarian Aid to Tackle Conflict, Climate Change, COVID-19, Secretary-General Says on Second Anniversary of Tropical Cyclone Idai

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on 28th February to 2nd March 2021, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) mission to the Arab Republic of Egypt conducted a training for 16 staff members of the only government-run shelter for victims of trafficking (VoTs) in Egypt – one of the joint priorities towards the enhancement of the framework of protection for VoTs. The training was organized within the framework of the project “Strengthening the Sphere of Protection for Victims of Trafficking and Vulnerable Migrants in Egypt While Preventing Irregular Migration and Human Trafficking” (SPHERE ll), which aims to expand and strengthen the scope of protection and assistance to victims of trafficking and vulnerable migrants at risk of exploitation in Egypt on a rights-based approach, supported by the Government of Denmark.

The training was developed and conducted by IOM and various government stakeholders such as the Ministry of Social Solidarity, the Office of the Prosecutor General, the National Council for Childhood and Motherhood (NCCM), in cooperation with the National Coordinating Committee for Combating and Preventing Illegal Migration and Trafficking in Persons (NCCPIM&#038;TIP), with a special focus on shelter management and protection provision for VoTs. The three-day training programme covered a number of fundamental elements on this topic: definition of human trafficking, national referral mechanism for cases of trafficking, how to deal with victims at the shelter, data management, provision of psychosocial support, and more; all in order to enhance the participants’ knowledge in identifying the victims’ needs, understanding their profiles, and adopting the best approach for a holistic protection and reintegration plan. The training also addressed and provided tools for staff to manage and deal with stress, burnout syndrome, and compassion fatigue.
The Minister of Social Solidarity, Dr. Nevin Al-Kabbaj, alongside H. E. Ambassador Svend Olling, Denmark’s Ambassador to Egypt, Ambassador Naela Gabr, Chairperson of NCCPIM&#038;TIP, Laurent De Boeck, the Chief of Mission of IOM Egypt, and NCCM, commenced the training with opening remarks.

“We believe it is essential to work together across borders to secure that migrants and victims of trafficking are treated with decency and humanity. The shelter is a key protection intervention in this matter, and we are very glad to have it as a product of SPHERE project. We look forward to further see the fruits of the joint efforts between Denmark and Egypt.”, said H. E. Ambassador Svend Olling, Denmark’s Ambassador to Egypt.

“Through a collaborated effort of several governmental stakeholders, we were able to provide protection services, including dedicated shelter, to victims of all forms of trafficking and allocate adequate resources and staffing for these services”, said Laurent De Boeck, IOM Chief of Mission in Egypt.
SPHERE ll project supports the realization of Egypt’s Sustainable Development Strategy: Egypt’s Vision 2030. It also falls in line with the United Nations’ Agenda 2030, specifically the UN Sustainable Development Goals, namely, Goal 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth; Goal 10: Reduced Inequalities; Goal 16: Peace, justice and strong institutions and Goal 17: Partnership for the Goals. 
 Distributed by APO Group on behalf of UN Information Centre in Cairo.

International Organization for Migration (IOM) and National Coordinating Committee for Combating and Preventing Illegal Migration and Trafficking in Persons (NCCPIM&TIP) conduct the first training for the staff of the only shelter for Victims of Trafficking in Egypt

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On the morning of 15 March 2021, a warm sun shone brightly on an airplane landing at the Mogadishu’s Adden Adde International Airport. After one year since the first COVID-19 case was officially confirmed in Somalia, on 16 March 2020, the country received part of the 300 000 doses of Oxford-Astra Zeneca vaccines from the COVAX Facility, which will be rolled out in the capital city. This consignment is a first of many, and will be used to protect frontline workers across all states of Somalia, including frontline health workers, the elderly and people with chronic health conditions.   

Somalia’s Federal Minister of Health and Human Services HE Dr Fawziya Abikar Nur and her team received the vaccines. The United Nations Secretary-General’s Special Representative for Somalia James Swan, Deputy Secretary-General’s Special Representative for Somalia Adam Abdelmoula, and representatives and technical teams from the World Health Organization (WHO), United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), the European Union Delegation to Somalia (EU) and World Food Programme (WFP) also joined the Federal Minister of Health in the historic moment. 
Vaccines to contain spread of COVID-19 
“This is a historic day for this country. Thanks to the vaccines received from the COVAX Facility and funding support from our partners, we can now protect the people at risk of being infected, who are working along the front lines of public service, in addition to vulnerable elderly populations,” said Dr Mamunur Rahman Malik, WHO Representative for Somalia.
While we have lost many lives to COVID-19 and seen many people suffer, we have also taken huge strides in addressing this infectious disease. I commend all health workers who have helped us track, trace and test for COVID-19 cases in this country,” added Dr Malik. As of 15 March 2021, Somalia had reported 9190 laboratory-confirmed COVID-19 cases, including 367 deaths.  Currently, the country is witnessing a new wave of the epidemic which is more severe and devastating than the last and the speed and scale with which the outbreak is evolving with this new wave has surprised all. 
While calling on all frontline workers and eligible people to receive their vaccines, HE Dr Fawziya Abikar Nur added, “The vaccines have helped other countries slow down the transmission and infection rate and we are confident they will do the same for our population.”  
Intense preparations under way for COVID-19 vaccinations 
In preparation for the rollout of COVID-19 vaccines across the country, the Federal and state Ministries of Health collaborated with WHO and UNICEF to conduct intense training to acquaint technical teams and health workers on COVID-19 vaccination. Trainees had a chance to get to know the characteristics of the Oxford-Astra Zeneca vaccines, and learn about vaccine storage, handling and delivery, waste management, injection safety, vaccine delivery strategies, dealing with adverse events following immunization, and increasing demand for and trust in vaccines. They also had the opportunity to refresh their memories on COVID-19 infection prevention and control measures. Meanwhile, in the lead up to vaccination rollout, teams of social mobilizers were also able to strategize on effective ways to engage Somali communities and other partners to prevent the spread of COVID-19. 
COVAX Facility to provide more vaccines 
While vaccination is expected to roll out in Mogadishu’s main hospitals this week, people from other federal states are expected to receive vaccines in districts from the week of 21 March 2021 onwards. As the Government and partners ship off additional vaccines to different states, additional flights and vehicles will deliver vaccines to the targeted populations across the country, using logistical systems set up through previous mass vaccination campaigns. 
Overall, Somalia has secured enough vaccines from the COVAX Facility to vaccinate at least 20% of its population in phases. The COVAX Facility is co-led by Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, WHO and the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI), working in partnership with UNICEF, and seeks to accelerate the development and manufacturing of COVID-19 vaccines, and to guarantee fair and equitable access for every country in the world. 
The Government of Somalia, with support from WHO, UNICEF and partners, is also working on ways to provide vaccines for rest of its population. 
 Distributed by APO Group on behalf of WHO Regional Office for the Eastern Mediterranean. Media files

Coronavirus – Somalia: Historical moment for Somalia as COVID-19 vaccines arrive through COVAX Facility

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Health facilities across Ethiopia’s Tigray region have been looted, vandalised and destroyed in a deliberate and widespread attack on healthcare, according to teams from international medical organisation Médecins Sans Frontières/Doctors Without Borders (MSF). Of 106 health facilities visited by MSF teams between mid-December and early March, nearly 70 per cent had been looted and more than 30 percent had been damaged; just 13 per cent were functioning normally.

In some health facilities across Tigray, the looting of health facilities continues, according to MSF teams. While some looting may have been opportunistic, health facilities in most areas appear to have been deliberately vandalised to make them non-functional.  In many health centers, such as in Debre Abay and May Kuhli in the North-West, teams found destroyed equipment, smashed doors and windows, and medicine and patient files scattered across floors.
In Adwa hospital in central Tigray, medical equipment, including ultrasound machines and monitors, had been deliberately smashed. In the same region, the health facility in Semema was reportedly looted twice by soldiers before being set on fire, while the health centre in Sebeya was hit by rockets, destroying the delivery room.
Hospitals occupied by soldiers
Every fifth health facility visited by MSF teams was occupied by soldiers. In some instances this was temporary, in others the armed occupation continues. In Mugulat in east Tigray, Eritrean soldiers are still using the health facility as their base. The hospital in Abiy Addi in central Tigray, which serves a population of half a million, was occupied by Ethiopian forces until early March.
“The army used Abiy Addi hospital as a military base and to stabilise their injured soldiers,” says MSF emergency coordinator Kate Nolan. “During that time it was not accessible to the general population. They had to go the town’s health centre, which was not equipped to provide secondary medical care – they can’t do blood transfusions, for example, or treat gunshot wounds.” 
Ambulances seized
Few health facilities in Tigray now have ambulances, as most have been seized by armed groups. In and around the city of Adigrat in east Tigray, for example, some 20 ambulances were taken from the hospital and nearby health centres. Later, MSF teams saw some of these vehicles being used by soldiers near the Eritrean border, to transport goods. As a result, the referral system in Tigray for transporting sick patients is almost non-existent. Patients travel long distances, sometimes walking for days, to reach essential health services.
Many health facilities have few – or no – remaining staff. Some have fled in fear; others no longer come to work because they have not been paid in months.
Devastating impact on population
“The attacks on Tigray’s health facilities are having a devastating impact on the population,” says MSF general director Oliver Behn. “Health facilities and health staff need to be protected during a conflict, in accordance with international humanitarian law. This is clearly not happening in Tigray.”
Before the conflict began in November 2020, Tigray had one of the best health systems in Ethiopia, with health posts in villages, health centres and hospitals in towns, and a functioning referral system with ambulances transporting sick patients to hospital. This health system has almost completely collapsed.
MSF staff conducting mobile clinics in rural areas of Tigray hear of women who have died in childbirth because they were unable to get to a hospital due to the lack of ambulances, rampant insecurity on the roads and a night-time curfew. Meanwhile many women are giving birth in unhygienic conditions in informal displacement camps.
In the past four months, few pregnant women have received antenatal or postnatal care, and children have gone unvaccinated, raising the risk of future outbreaks of infectious diseases. Patients with chronic diseases such as diabetes, hypertension and HIV, as well as psychiatric patients, are going without lifesaving drugs. Survivors of sexual violence are often unable to get medical and psychological care.
“The health system needs to be restored as soon as possible,” says Behn. “Health facilities need to be rehabilitated and receive more supplies and ambulances, and staff need to receive salaries and the opportunity to work in a safe environment. Most importantly, all armed groups in this conflict need to respect and protect health facilities and medical staff.”
 Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Médecins sans frontières (MSF).

Médecins Sans Frontières/Doctors Without Borders (MSF): Health facilities targeted in Ethiopia’s Tigray region

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Military and political officials in South Sudan supporting community-based militias in the Greater Jonglei region, must be held accountable for violence that killed more than 700 people over a six-month period last year, the UN human rights office, OHCHR, said on Monday. 

Between January and June 2020, organized and heavily-armed militias from the Dinka, Nuer and Muerle communities, carried out planned and coordinated attacks on villages across Jonglei and the Greater Pibor Administrative Area (GPAA), according to a joint report issued on Monday by the UN Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) and OHCHR. 
“Six months after the last devastating attack in Greater Jonglei, it must be made clear that those key figures at both local and national levels, who deliberately fuelled and exploited localized tensions, will be held accountable”, said UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet.  
“The risk that these community-based militias will reignite armed violence is too grave to ignore. It is of paramount importance that the Government takes effective steps to ensure that members of the security forces are prevented from supplying weapons from Government stocks to these militias,” she added. 
The report underlines that the South Sudanese Government needs to take full responsibility for the harm inflicted on civilians.   
Killings, abductions, rape 
More than 738 people were killed, and 320 wounded, during the reporting period, while at least 686 women and children were abducted, and 39 women were raped.   
The violence also displaced tens of thousands of people.  Civilian property and humanitarian facilities were looted or destroyed, and at least 86,000 cattle, worth over $35 million, were stolen. 
Although grassroots efforts to reconcile the affected communities have been underway for months, the authorities have not taken meaningful action to investigate and prosecute those responsible, the authors said. 
Support in high places 
The report found at least 50 traditional chiefs and spiritual leaders, as well as military and political elites, supported the attacks, whether directly or indirectly.  Members of Government and opposition forces actively participated in the fighting, according to their kinship, or as part of a calculated move to reinforce political alliances. 
UNMISS peacekeepers were deployed to affected areas when the violence erupted, establishing temporary bases and conducting regular patrols in efforts to deter further attacks. 
The UN Mission engaged with political and traditional leaders, both at the national and local level, to promote reconciliation and to support efforts to release the hundreds of women and children who were abducted. 
The report calls for the Government to finalize the appointment of local administrators and assemblies throughout Jonglei and the GPAA.  The authorities are also urged to investigate all allegations of human rights abuses and to prosecute the perpetrators, and to ensure state-owned weapons are securely stored to prevent theft or supply to community-based militias. 
The authors also called for immediate action to facilitate the release and reunification of abducted women and children with their families.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of UN News.

Allies of South Sudan militias must be held accountable: UN human rights report

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Today, at the Tanzania Port Authority, the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) welcomes a US$8 million contribution from the United States Government, through the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID). The contribution will help maintain critical food assistance to refugees living in Nduta, Mtendeli and Nyarugusu camps in north-western Tanzania.

&#8220;We are grateful for the United States’ generosity and continued support. This support reflects their commitment to continue assisting nearly 220,000 Burundian and Congolese refugees who solely rely on WFP’s food assistance. Part of the donation is used to procure food locally from smallholder farmers. This represents a good investment in the local economy”, said Sarah Gordon-Gibson, WFP Representative in Tanzania.
With support from USAID, WFP provides emergency food assistance to refugees and asylum-seekers in the camps. This assistance includes locally and regionally sourced commodities and in-kind food rations.
The U.S. Government through USAID is the largest donor to the WFP’s support to refugees in Tanzania. Today’s $8 million contribution includes $6 million in cash for commodity procurement in the local market, and $2 million  towards yellow split peas supplies.
WFP distributes monthly rations consisting of cereal, pulses, salt, vegetable oil and fortified maize meal, including specialised nutritious foods for vulnerable pregnant and nursing mothers and children under five.
Also speaking at yesterday’s event, the United States Ambassador to Tanzania Dr. Donald J. Wright remarked “This contribution is made possible by the generosity of the American people, and we are very proud of the life-saving impact it will have in vulnerable communities. The U.S. government supports the protection of refugees, asylum seekers, conflict victims, stateless persons, and vulnerable migrants in Tanzania and around the world. We recognize Tanzania’s long-standing efforts as a host-country to refugees and asylum-seekers, and strongly encourage the Government of Tanzania to ensure that the humanitarian needs of all vulnerable migrants in Tanzania are met.”
The United Nations World Food Programme is the 2020 Nobel Peace Prize Laureate.  We are the world’s largest humanitarian organization, saving lives in emergencies and using food assistance to build a pathway to peace, stability and prosperity for people recovering from conflict, disasters and the impact of climate change.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of World Food Programme (WFP).

United States Government and the United Nations World Food Programme partner with the Government of United Republic of Tanzania to maintain food assistance for refugees in Tanzania

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Liquid Intelligent Technologies (www.LiquidTelecom.com), a pan-African technology group, today announces the culmination of its extensive business transformation from being a telecommunications and digital services provider to a full one-stop-shop technology group through a group-wide rebrand.

Over the last two decades, Liquid has firmly established itself as the leading pan-African digital infrastructure provider with an extensive network spanning over 73,000 KM.  This rebrand to Liquid Intelligent Technologies highlights the organisation&#39;s expansion of its Cloud business, Cyber Security services, and other technologies added to its existing telecoms and connectivity capability. 

This furthers the Group&#39;s aim of accelerating growth by providing tailor-made digital solutions to businesses in the public and private sectors across the continent.  This strategic rebrand reflects Liquid&#39;s new digital-first product offerings, enabling employees and customers to interact with each other digitally irrespective of the time or location.
By aggressively expanding into new countries, including Nigeria and the Democratic Republic of Congo, Liquid Intelligent Technologies is bringing its award-winning high-performance network connectivity closer to more people and accelerating the development of the digital workplace.
Liquid Intelligent Technologies will expand its Managed Services offerings to drive and ensure successful adoption of tools to re-imagine their customers&#39; businesses and how they work and connect. Whether they are focused on enabling collaboration or utilising the most advanced cloud applications. 
As a Microsoft Gold Partner, Liquid Intelligent Technologies is redefining Network, Cloud and Cyber Security offerings through strategic partnerships with leading global players, bringing innovative business applications, intelligent cloud services and world-class security to the African continent.
With the future of network security-driven from the cloud, Liquid Intelligent Technologies&#39; recently launched its Cyber Security business unit, which uniquely delivers security at its core, protecting your business&#39;s data throughout its lifecycle.
According to Nic Rudnick, Group Chief Executive Officer, Liquid Intelligent Technologies, &#8220;Our ongoing investment in our networks and data centres across Africa have uniquely positioned us to utilise our infrastructure to accelerate the availability of new intelligent technologies including the high computing power of the Cloud, Artificial Intelligence and Cyber Security to our customers. We are now excited to be executing our vision of bringing new technological opportunities to the market with a highly differentiated product set supported by our existing infrastructure and digital innovation. &#8220;
 Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Liquid Intelligent Technologies.

Liquid Telecom unveils its new identity – Liquid Intelligent Technologies, as it expands to a consolidated technology group

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New Cases: 0 Total Confirmed: 3,937 Deaths: 79 Recovered: 2,780 Total in quarantine: 78 Discharged from quarantine: 14,570
 Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Ministry of Information and Communication, Sierra Leone. Media files

Coronavirus – Sierra Leone: COVID-19 update (14 March 2021)

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New cases: 47 Total active cases: 5,355 Total currently admitted: 51 (5 new) Total number of tests conducted: 208,165 (383 new) Total confirmed cases: 32,831* Total recovered: 26,259 (681 new) New discharges from treatment units: 10 Total deaths: 1,083 (1 new)
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Ministry of Health and Population, Republic of Malawi. Media files

Coronavirus – Malawi: COVID-19 update (14 March 2021)

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Daily: Laboratory test: 5,895 Severe cases: 467 New recovered: 1,669 New deaths: 10 New cases: 1,413

Total: Laboratory test: 2,227,729 Active cases: 29,205 Total recovered: 143,710 Total deaths: 2,550 Total cases: 175,467
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Ministry of Health, Ethiopia. Media files

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African Development Bank President Adesina calls for African Financial Stabilization Mechanism

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Médecins Sans Frontières/Doctors Without Borders (MSF): Health facilities targeted in Ethiopia’s Tigray region

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United States Government and the United Nations World Food Programme partner with the Government of United Republic of Tanzania to maintain food assistance for refugees in Tanzania

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