Month: February 2025

 UN experts today expressed grave concern about urgent protection needs and dire living conditions of displaced civilians in the mineral-rich eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). Intensified hostilities between the Rwandan-backed M23 armed group and the armed forces of the DRC, supported by allied militias and mercenary and related actors have displaced at least 700,000 people, killed at least 900 and injured over 2000 in Goma and surrounding areas since […]

 The Portfolio Committee on Health received a comprehensive briefing from the Minister of Health, Dr Aaron Motsoaledi, regarding the recent withdrawal of funding from the United States President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR). During the briefing, Minister Motsoaledi highlighted PEPFAR’s critical role in supporting various health initiatives, stating that approximately 7.8 million South Africans are living with HIV/AIDS, the highest number globally. The Minister emphasised that PEPFAR funding has […]

 In Tarime, a small village in the Mara region in Tanzania, Amina, a survivor of female genital mutilation (FGM) shares her story of hope. Growing up in a rural community, Amina experienced the weight of cultural traditions, including FGM. In her early teens, she endured the painful practice – a rite of passage long considered essential for women in her community. But for Amina, the traumatic experience ignited the need […]

 Eritreans are preparing to celebrate the 35th anniversary of one of the greatest military victories in the thirty-year armed struggle for independence, Fenkil Operation, under the theme “Fenkil- the right choice.” Fenkil operation, which saw the liberation of the strategic port city of Massawa, was a three-day battle that began on 8 February and ended on 10 February1990. It demonstrated, once again and in the most eloquent terms, the military […]

 In a vibrant workshop in Antananarivo, the hum of sewing machines mixed with the sound of laughter as 19 Malagasy women immersed themselves in an extraordinary opportunity. These women, entrepreneurs from across Madagascar, came together to learn, create, and grow under a training programme led by the Academy of Design&Innovation (ADI) and the International Trade Centre (ITC). This initiative, part of the UK Trade Partnerships programme, aimed to empower women through […]

 Ambassador Mohammed Lawan Gana, ECOWAS Resident Representative in Ghana, received on 3 February 2025 in Accra a delegation from the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) and the Human Trafficking Secretariat (HTS) of the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection of Ghana. This meeting is part of the commitments made by ECOWAS and IOM to implement a project to support ECOWAS Member States to protect victims of human trafficking. The main […]

 On February 4, 2025, the newly appointed Uganda Country Representative of the World Health Organization (WHO), Dr. Kasonde G. Mulenga Mwinga formally presented her Letters of Credence from the UN Secretary-General to the Hon. Oryem Henry Okello, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs in Charge of International Affairs, marking the official commencement of her tenure in Uganda. During the ceremony, Dr. Mwinga expressed her dedication to enhancing bilateral relations and […]