The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Resident Representative to Seychelles Ms. Amanda Serumaga provided an overview on the initiatives aimed at supporting the country in enhancing its policies, institutional capacities, as well as strengthening its resilience to ensure sustainable development outcomes.

During the meeting, that took place on 16 July at Maison Quéau de Quinssy, with the Principal Secretary of the Foreign Affairs Department, Ms. Vivianne Fock Tave, and the Principal Secretary for Tourism, Ms. Sherin Francis, the two parties also touched upon the potential expansion of their programmes to encompass foreign investment, digitalization, capacity development and cultural tourism initiatives.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Tourism – Foreign Affairs Department, Republic of Seychelles.

Faced with increasing water stress and climate change impacts on the water resources it shares with its neighbours, Cote d’Ivoire has joined the United Nations Water Convention – a UN treaty to improve joint water management across borders. 

It is the 53rd Party to the Convention and 10th African country to join the 1992 Convention on the Protection and Use of Transboundary Watercourses and International Lakes, known as the 1992 UN Water Convention. This further consolidates the strong momentum for water cooperation in Africa, where over 90% of water resources are in 63 basins shared by two or more countries.  

“Cote d’Ivoire’s accession is a milestone for multilateralism and reaffirms the role of the UN Water Convention as a tool to support water cooperation for peace, sustainable development and climate change adaptation across borders. I encourage all countries worldwide to join this proven instrument for water diplomacy and I reconfirm our commitment to support them in this process”, said Tatiana Molcean, Executive Secretary of UNECE, which services the UN Water Convention.  

“The accession of Côte d’Ivoire to the UN Water Convention will support relations with countries with which we share water resources. In our capacity as defenders of water in the context of the United Nations, we must use transboundary cooperation to reinforce peace, and for harmonious and sustainable development in our countries”, said Minister of Water and Forest of Côte d’Ivoire, Laurent Tchagba.  

Cote d’Ivoire, the 9th largest economy in Africa and 5th fastest growing economy on the continent, shares eight transboundary river basins (Black Volta, Bia, Tanoé, Comoé, Niger, Sassandra, Cavally et Nuon) with its neighbours, which include Ghana, Burkina Faso, Mali, Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone.  Meeting the water needs of the country’s population of some 30 million people, which is growing by 2.5% annually, brings significant challenges. Its water resources are threatened by urbanisation, climate change impacts including drought and flooding, while water quality is deteriorating due to pollution from agricultural, industrial waste, illegal gold panning and untreated wastewater. Water resources are also unevenly distributed across the country, with areas of water stress in the north and north-east.  

According to the last Sustainable Development Goals indicator 6.5.2 report, in Cote d’Ivoire only 25% of the transboundary basin area is covered by operational arrangements. No transboundary aquifers shared by the country are covered by operational arrangements. 

Cooperation is indispensable to address Africa’s water challenges 

Since the global opening of this treaty to all UN Member States in 2016, Chad, Senegal, Ghana, Guinea Bissau, Togo and Cameroon became the first African nations to accede, before being joined by five countries in 2023 – Nigeria, Namibia and the Gambia, in addition to Iraq and Panama who became the first Parties in their respective regions. Over 20 more are in the process of joining, the majority of which are in Africa, including Zimbabwe and Sierra Leone, which are in the final stages of accession.   

The four largest economies of West Africa – Nigeria, Ghana, Senegal and Cote d’Ivoire — are now Water Convention Parties. 

The 10th session of the Meeting of the Parties to the Water Convention, to be held in Ljubljana, Slovenia (23-25 October), is expected to further catalyze this momentum.   

Executive Secretary of the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa, Claver Gatete, said “In the context of increasing water scarcity and high demand for water in Africa, Côte d’Ivoire’s accession as the 10th African Party to the 1992 Water Convention is a significant step for the continent. The UN Economic Commission for Africa – ECA – will continue to work in partnership with the UN Economic Commission for Europe – UNECE – to promote transboundary water cooperation to address climate change impacts and reduce conflict risks, fostering an enabling environment for the realization of the Sustainable Development Goals and Africa’s Agenda 2063.” 

Reinforcing transboundary cooperation helps countries to jointly develop and implement climate change adaptation strategies, which are key to reduce risks linked to flooding, drought and other climate related events, which cost African countries between 2% and 9% of their GDP.  

According to the African Development Bank, one in every three people in Africa currently faces water insecurity, only 58% of Africans have access to safely managed drinking water services, and 72% of people lack basic sanitation services. Water, however, also has huge transformational potential, considering less than 5% of cultivated land is irrigated today and only 10% of hydroelectricity potential in Africa is utilized.  

With Sub-Saharan Africa’s population forecast to double by 2050 and climate change impacts set to intensify, strengthening cooperation across borders is crucial to addressing water challenges and seizing opportunities on the continent. Fortunately, Africa, along with Europe, is among the regions with the highest levels of water cooperation, illustrated by a number of established joint bodies to manage many of its transboundary rivers and lakes, such as the Lake Chad Basin Commission, the Niger Basin Authority, Senegal River Basin Development Organisation, Volta Basin Authority, and the Cubango Ovakango River Basin Commission. Joining the UN Water Convention further reinforces this cooperation. 

However, the latest data for Sustainable Development Goals indicator 6.5.2 revealed that in sub-Saharan Africa, one-third of the countries in the region sharing transboundary rivers, lakes, and aquifers have 90% or more of their transboundary basin area covered by operational arrangements.  

The Convention requires Parties to prevent, control and reduce negative impacts on water quality and quantity across borders, to use shared waters in a reasonable and equitable way, and to ensure their sustainable management through cooperation. Parties bordering the same transboundary waters are obliged to cooperate by concluding specific agreements and establishing joint bodies.   

In addition to facilitating cooperation on surface water, the Water Convention helps countries work together on groundwater reserves, which are less susceptible to climate change impacts and hence crucial for climate change adaptation. 40% of the continent is situated on transboundary aquifers, where 33% (381 million people) of Africa’s population resides. The UN Water Convention has supported pioneering cooperation on the Senegal-Mauritania Aquifer Basin, leading to the establishment by the Gambia, Guinea-Bissau, Mauritania and Senegal of a joint body to support its cooperative management. 

Recognizing that sound transboundary water management needs to be rooted in solid national governance, the Water Convention supports new Parties to develop national implementation plans. Following multistakeholder processes, Togo, Senegal and Ghana, for instance, have started using their plans to mobilise resources for implementation, while Chad is set to do the same following the recent validation of its plan; the development of Guinea Bissau’s plan is underway, while Nigeria and Cameroon are expected to follow in the development of their plans. 

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (ECA).

By NJ Ayuk, Executive Chairman, African Energy Chamber (www.EnergyChamber.org).

A recent policy brief, “Natural Gas as a Transition Fuel in South Africa,” produced by Eye for Business, minced no words concerning the need to access and use that plentiful underground resource.

As stated up front, “Among alternatives, there is a compelling case for investing in natural gas as the most prudent steppingstone to a low-carbon future of power generation.”

In their brief, commissioned by The EnerGeo Alliance — a global trade alliance for the energy geoscience industry — Eye for Business makes a good point.

South Africa’s continuing power deficits make the case anew each day for expanded extraction and use of the country’s natural gas.  A significantly lower-carbon alternative to coal and diesel, this fuel can provide electricity for growing needs while paving the way for renewables and an increasingly lower-carbon future.

The Current Energy Picture

The brief highlights the growth forces that are now at work and expected to push South Africa’s demand for energy to a projected three times current demand by 2040.  These forces include a growing population and a trend toward migration into cities. 

South Africa’s current energy sources — coal, diesel, renewables, and unpredictable natural gas imports from Mozambique — are inadequate to prevent the daily 6- to 10-hour outages that now hinder business, education, medicine, industry, and more.

Residentially, these intermittencies impact poorer households the most. Likewise, the frequent failures of old coal-fired plants and associated maintenance costs result in higher tariffs that hit low-income families hardest.

These stark realities make it imperative that South Africa use its own clean natural gas to transition toward renewables, at a pace that allows its economy to benefit. Moving in that direction will draw more needed outside interest and investment in the country’s natural gas deposits.

As a real-time example, Namibia is wisely using its offshore discoveries in this way, helping that nation move toward prosperity.

For South Africa to likewise gain the economic health needed to increase development of renewables, it must first stabilize its energy supply to reverse disturbing trends in business closures and increased unemployment due to intermittencies. Energy sources such as wind and solar, which are by nature intermittent, cannot provide immediate solutions to these economic and human problems.

With substantial in-country natural gas discoveries such as Brulpadda, prospects like the Karoo shale reserves, and potential offshore discoveries on the horizon, it just makes sense to put those resources to work to achieve energy stability.

Natural Gas, the Natural Solution

“Countries using gas as a source for power generation have seen their electricity supply grow about three times faster in the past 10 years than those not able to use gas,” states Eye for Business’ brief.

As is well known, the wealthy countries around the globe have long made tactical use of their vital natural gas resources for building economic soundness. Once their people and businesses were supported by a reliable supply of electricity, these nations could begin to develop renewables on a large scale.

Importantly, for South Africa’s industrial sector to grow, it needs increased feedstocks, such as those used to make fertilizers and petrochemicals. These vital chemicals are produced from natural gas, which can also supply the heat energy needed by the cement, steel, and other industries to make their products.

Less Cost, Less Emissions

Putting South Africa’s natural gas resources to work during transition will cost less than most alternatives. Comparing the price tag for various types of electric power plants, the costs per kilowatt hour to build solar, biomass, nuclear, wind, and coal plants are all more than twice as high as the cost to build natural gas plants.

This difference is largely due to modular construction methods used for natural gas plants, which makes them easier to scale and suit to their locations, thus avoiding the cost overruns typical on larger facility projects.

Another cost-efficient build method for natural gas plants is converting inactive existing coal-fired power plants. These conversions can be done at lower costs than new construction. This is a win-win proposition that utilizes unused plants for producing cleaner energy while avoiding unnecessary expense.

As the brief highlights, natural gas emits 50% to 60% less CO2 than coal. This makes it an ideal transition fuel for South Africa that will contribute only a very miniscule amount to global emissions. And even that could be decreased with the use of carbon capture and storage.

To keep a realistic perspective on emissions, it is important to bear in mind that Africa as a whole, with about 17% of the world’s population, contributes only a tiny 4% of global carbon emissions at 1.45 billion tonnes.

Potential Employment and Exports

Increased investment in and use of natural gas could pay off for South Africa in two very important areas — job creation and the opportunity to achieve net exporter status.

Growing new jobs is crucial, as South Africa’s unemployment rate is currently hovering around 30%. Jobs will come with the territory as the country’s gas infrastructure is enlarged for drilling, transport, and electricity production.

Young managers and workers will need to be trained in the necessary skills to run and maintain these operations. In short, revving up the natural gas sector will breathe new energy into the job market as young people see and take advantage of these new opportunities.

On the export front, a sizeable opportunity for boosting the country’s economy has appeared on its northern horizon.  Because of Europe’s recent reduction in imports of Russian gas, the vast European market presents an opportunity South Africa could pursue, along with other markets, after its own energy needs are met.

The Way Forward

To diversify South Africa’s energy mix, government policy support in accordance with the country’s draft Gas Master Plan (GMP2024) and the National Development Plan (NDP) will be needed.

The Integrated Resource Plan (IRP) aligns with those documents’ goals, supporting, as Eye for Business’ brief puts it, “a significant shift in the energy mix, projecting an additional 29,500MW to the electricity capacity by 2030, with 3,000MW expected from gas.”

With all the benefits they can bring, South Africa must not leave its valuable natural gas deposits stranded while lacking reliable green energy sources. Making steady progress toward a lower-carbon energy mix while transitioning toward renewables makes sense for South Africa and its people.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of African Energy Chamber.

About 600 stakeholders from over 30 countries in Africa and beyond came together from July 8 to 10 at the inaugural Mastercard Foundation (https://MastercardFdn.org/) EdTech Conference in Abuja, Nigeria, to discuss education technology for resilient and inclusive learning in Africa. Participants reached a consensus that integrating technology into learning systems in Africa is now a necessity, not a luxury.

Hosted in partnership with the Federal Government of Nigeria, the conference concluded with a collective call to action on 10 recommendations for governments and other EdTech stakeholders.

“Investing in education in Africa is not only about Africa; rather, it is about investing in human capital for the world. It is also about building resilience in our learning systems to better prepare us for future shocks such as the recent COVID-19 pandemic. This is why the Mastercard Foundation is committed to working with partners to scale education initiatives and enable innovations that foster the integration of technology into learning systems,” Peter Materu, Chief Program Officer at the Mastercard Foundation, told participants while underscoring education as the key to building an inclusive and resilient society and the urgent need for investments in education to skill Africa’s young people.

Nigeria’s Federal Minister of Education, Prof. Tahir Mamman, stated, “technology isn’t just a tool; it is a powerful incentive that empowers students and ignites their passion for learning.”

“Inclusion is the cornerstone of EdTech,” added Dr. Bosun Tijani, Nigeria’s Federal Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy. “If we fail to reach all learners, we fail to fulfill our potential to revolutionize education.”

Participants proposed the following recommendations as guidance to national decision-making to advance the building of an impactful EdTech ecosystem in Africa.

Champion local innovation through supportive EdTech policies, with governments as leaders, proactive enablers, and consumers of quality content and delivery mechanisms.
Harmonize cross-sector policy by coordinating inter-ministerial strategies, plans, and initiatives on technology-enabled access to education for all.
Underwrite foundational infrastructure through creative use of resources such as Universal Service Funds to invest in electricity, the internet, devices, and dedicated infrastructure for education programs.
Drive decisions with data by investing in government systems and capabilities for timely collection, analysis, and informed decision-making.
Enhance delivery capacity along the EdTech value chain by upskilling teachers to deliver learning using EdTech and supporting leaders in education systems to work with tech-enabled processes and data.
Systematize EdTech integration by introducing (where nonexistent) and enforcing clear, context-relevant standards for technology integration into the educational curriculum.
Guide context-relevant innovation with clear and timely guidelines and approval processes for content, tools, and licenses to encourage innovation, investment, and technology mainstreaming.
Diversify learning pathways for out-of-school youth by developing flexible technology- enabled alternatives for learning, accredited certification, and re-entry to the formal education system.
Lower access barriers to EdTech through strategic private-public partnerships that support responsive, evidence-based policy and affordable solutions for all.
Embed responsive inclusivity (gender equity, persons with disabilities and refugees and displaced persons) in policy and innovation processes, centering and engaging diverse young people throughout development and delivery.

Referencing the African Union’s 2024 Year of Education, discussions at the conference focused on the state of EdTech in Africa, assessment of technology-enabled solutions to the continent’s education challenges, data evidence, collaborations, funding, and opportunities to tap into emerging technologies to accelerate the skilling of young people, particularly young women.

Dr. Jamila Bio Ibrahim, Nigeria’s Federal Minister of Youth Development, emphasized the need to prioritize inclusiveness in education reform. “All voices, especially voices of young women, need to be included in the formulation of policies for them to be effective,” she noted.

The African Union’s Special Youth Envoy, Chido Mpemba, noted that “accessible innovations can be global in outlook while also being deeply rooted in the needs of Africa’s young population.”

African-led EdTech entrepreneurs exhibited their solutions at the conference to demonstrate how efforts to encourage impactful education innovation can deliver the future of learning.

The recommendations from the conference were shared at the 3rd Ministerial Forum on EdTech in Africa, which took place at the conclusion of the conference. Three of the recommendations were prioritized for concrete action between now and the next Forum:

Developing strategies and policies to integrate EdTech into learning systems.
The need to enhance quality education data and accompanying analytical skills for evidence-based decision-making.
Addressing the challenge of out-of-school children and youth in Africa, which currently stands at 108m and is growing.

Through its Centre for Innovative Teaching and Learning, the Mastercard Foundation strategically partners to foster innovation, share best practices, conduct research, and convene events such as the EdTech Conference to advance inclusive education, especially for underserved learners. Speaking about the recently concluded conference in Abuja, Joseph Nsengimana, the Director of the Mastercard Foundation Centre for Innovative Teaching and Learning, said, “The collective commitment to advancing education through the power of technology promises to significantly transform the educational landscape, ensuring that Africa’s youth are well-equipped for the future.”

The next EdTech Conference is planned for 2026, the year the Mastercard Foundation marks its 20th anniversary.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of The Mastercard Foundation.

Media Contact:
Joy Doreen Biira
jbiira@mastercardfdn.org

About the Mastercard Foundation: 
The Mastercard Foundation is a registered Canadian charity and one of the largest foundations in the world. It works with visionary organizations to advance education and financial inclusion to enable young people in Africa and Indigenous youth in Canada to access dignified and fulfilling work. Established in 2006 through the generosity of Mastercard when it became a public company, the Foundation is an independent organization separate from the company, with offices in Toronto, Kigali, Accra, Nairobi, Kampala, Lagos, Dakar, and Addis Ababa. Its policies, operations, and program decisions are determined by the Foundation’s Board of Directors and leadership.

For more information on the Foundation, please visit https://MastercardFdn.org/

Mastercard Foundation Centre for Innovative Teaching and Learning: 
The Mastercard Foundation Centre for Innovative Teaching and Learning drives the innovative use of technology to improve access to quality education, particularly for the most underserved communities. The Centre works with a range of actors — including innovation hubs, EdTech entrepreneurs,

policymakers, researchers, educators, and learners – to support the effective and impactful integration of technology in education, including the development, deployment and scale-up of promising EdTech innovations that boost learning and strengthen the education system. For more information about the Centre for Innovative Teaching and Learning, visit:

https://apo-opa.co/4d3HbFe

The Mastercard Foundation EdTech Conference: 
The Mastercard Foundation EdTech Conference is a biennial event organized by the Foundation’s Centre for Innovative Teaching and Learning to transform the future of learning in Africa using technology as an enabler. The conference, which kicked off in July 2024, seeks to convene EdTech stakeholders to share best practices and increase access to relevant, quality, and inclusive education in Africa.