WE, the women of Sudan from women’s organisation, civil society, the private sector, gathered in Kampala, Uganda from 3-4 July 2024, on the occasion of the Sudan Women’s Peace Dialogue, convened by the African Union Commission through the Office of the Special Envoy on Women, Peace and Security, under the leadership of the AU High Level Panel on Sudan,

THANKING His Excellency Yoweri Museveni, President of the Republic of Uganda, and the people of Uganda through the Prime Minister, Rt Hon. Robinah Nabbanja and the Minister of Gender, Labour and Social Development, Hon Betty Ongom Amongi, for their warm hospitality and support for the Dialogue

COGNIZANT of our common objective of advancing women’s inclusion and Participation in search of peace and security in Africa towards silencing the guns in Sudan;

APPLAUD the efforts of the High Level Panel on Sudan in the convening of this Sudan Women’s peace dialogue.

FURTHER APPLAUD the Special Envoy of the African Union Commission on Women, Peace, and Security, and other AU Departments/ Divisions/ Programmes such as the Gender, Peace and Security Programme (GPSP) and the FemWise Secretariat for their collective efforts towards ensuring that the voice of Sudanese women remains a priority in Search of Lasting Peace in Sudan ; 

GUIDED BY the various normative instruments and decisions that advance the WPS Agenda in Africa, including the United Nations Security Council Resolution 1325 (2000); Article 4(l), of the AU Constitutive Act, the Maputo Protocol on Women’s Rights (2003), the Solemn Declaration on Gender Equality in Africa (2004), the African Women’s Decade (2010-2020), Aspiration 6 of the Agenda 2063; and the AU Strategy for Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment 2018-2028, amongst others;

FURTHER GUIDED BY the AU instruments and the peace and security architecture;

APPLAUD the commitment of African leaders, and H.E Mr Moussa Faki Mahamat, Chairperson of the African Union Commission (AUC), towards advancing the WPS Agenda in Africa,  including establishing a Panel of the Wise, which has 50 percent gender parity, and the appointment of a High Level Panel on Sudan (HLP-Sudan),  with  30%  female representation  chaired by Dr. Mohamed Ibn Chambas and also including Dr. Specioza Wandira Kazibwe and Ambassador Francisco Madeira.

FURTHER COMMEND the AUC for investing in efforts to strengthen women’s participation in peace and security processes through its establishment of mechanisms such as the Network of African Women in Conflict Prevention and Mediation and the African Women’s Leadership Network; and putting in place the Swakopmund processes to enhance women’s participation and inclusion in peace and security processes.

Having focused in these two days on political and governance issues, security, humanitarian and protection issues, and truth, healing and reconciliation processes,

Gravely concerned at the continuing war throughout Sudan, which is having catastrophic impact on Sudanese civilians, in particular, women and girls and vulnerable groups, destruction of physical and social infrastructure, including agriculture, health and other services, in additional the denial of access to food and water, electricity, education and other services essential for life.

Further concerned at the impact that the total destruction of Sudan is having on communities, with massive displacement of populations, both internally and into neighbouring countries,

Expressing concern at the reports of grave food insecurity, which is already leading to growing numbers of deaths from hunger and attendant disease, and which threatens to descend into full scale famine, if not reversed within the coming two months,

Expressing regret that the warring parties have failed to date to implement the provisions of the Declaration of Commitments to Protect the Civilians of Sudan, signed in Jeddah on 10th May 2023.

Confirming that establishment of an immediate and unconditional ceasefire and the opening of humanitarian corridors are necessary conditions for initiating political dialogue, hence demand that the warring parties immediately cease fire unconditionally, allow for the opening of humanitarian corridors and distribution of live-saving food and other items to affected populations,

Condemning in the strongest terms the continuing violations of international humanitarian and human rights law by the two warring parties, in particular systematic commission of sexual and gender based violence against women and girls, abduction, detention and forced disappearance,

Demanding that regional and international organizations put in place neutral mechanisms for the protection of civilians, in particular women, girls, children and other vulnerable populations, supported by local mechanisms to facilitate protection of civilians at the local level,

Acknowledging the challenges we have faced in our discussions, given the extreme polarization and division amongst Sudanese, in the context of continuing war and grave atrocities,

Also acknowledging the need, as part of the political dialogue process, to address the trauma and anger that is experienced by all Sudanese,

Recognizing the importance of transparency as fundamental tool for trust and confidence building,

Demanding that women in all their diversity form an integral part of all negotiating processes, including ceasefire negotiations, security arrangements, constitutional and governance processes, transitional justice, truth and healing processes, and humanitarian assistance provision,

Demanding further that woman participation be at 50% quota at all levels, including political and grassroots levels, and ensure also that gender equality and women’s rights are embedded in the provisions of any peace agreement,

Also demanding that mechanisms are put in place for monitoring the implementation and enforcement of peace agreement,

Urging the international partners to make available the necessary resources to support the implementation of this communique, and

Remaining committed to work together as women to strive for peace, justice and security in Sudan.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of UN Women – Africa.

African Energy Week (AEW): Invest in African Energy 2024 – scheduled for November 4-8 in Cape Town – will seek to advance local content development within the continent’s burgeoning energy sector. The summit will host key panel discussions aimed at fostering sustainable economic growth and maximizing value for African nations through the development and implementation of effective local content policies (LCPs).

As Africa’s energy sector expands, the need for productive LCPs has become critical for local job creation and value retention. At AEW: Invest in African Energy, a panel on Building Value and Promoting Investment through Local Content will explore strategies for empowering African companies, enhancing global competitiveness and establishing local and regional integrated value chains. African and global energy industry stakeholders will discuss integrating LCPs into business models to make the investment case for utilizing local goods and services and hiring, training and promoting the local workforce. Meanwhile, a panel on Pan-African Local Content will focus on the intersection between climate justice, local content, sustainability and digital transformation within a new era of energy sector development.

AEW: Invest in African Energy is the platform of choice for project operators, financiers, technology providers and government, and has emerged as the official place to sign deals in African energy. Visit www.AECWeek.com for more information about this exciting event.

Maximizing the socioeconomic benefits of oil and gas activities remains fundamental to the continent’s progress. Following Namibia’s series of commercial oil and gas discoveries, the government is working on embedding favorable local content policies into its national development plan, learning from the experiences of established producers to ensure that the sector’s benefits are extended to local communities. To this end, Namibia’s Ministry of Mines and Energy has published a draft National Upstream Local Content Policy and hopes to have the policy completed and ready to present to the legislature by February 2025.

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Mature petroleum producers like Nigeria have seen an increase in local participation within the oil and gas industry on the back of functional local content initiatives. The Nigerian Oil and Gas Industry Content Development Act mandates the prioritization of Nigerian products, services and employment. Central to this effort is the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB), which oversees the Act and fosters partnerships with industry and educational institutions, aiming to achieve a 70% local content target by 2027.

Senegal has also enacted reforms to prioritize local participation ahead of first oil production – which was achieved earlier this year – including a dedicated Local Content Development Fund and National Local Content Monitoring Committee (CNSCL). The CNSCL’s recent collaboration with Nigeria’s NCDMB aims to strengthen industry cooperation and capacity building across both countries, with a view to achieving 50% local content in Senegal by 2030.

In Angola, local content is centered around the country’s Angolanization policy, which prioritizes the hiring and training of Angolan nationals and was amended in October 2020 to expand the requirements for the provision of local goods and services. The updated framework promotes fair competition among Angolan service companies and reduces the dominance of international players across various sectors, and is not exclusive to the upstream oil and gas industry.

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Ghana’s energy sector is also benefiting from robust local content initiatives driven by the country’s Petroleum Commission. Key measures include the Local Content and Local Participation Regulations, which mandate a minimum 10% equity for Ghanaian companies in all projects and establish employment targets for nationals. The Local Content Fund provides crucial financial support to enhance the competitiveness of local firms, while the Enterprise Development Center offers essential training, advisory services and market linkages to Ghanaian SMEs in the sector.

“Local content is not just about job creation or training targets – it’s about ensuring that Africans are the primary beneficiaries of our continent’s vast energy resources. By developing local content policies and establishing pathways to implementation and compliance, we can empower African companies, enhance Africa’s competitiveness on a global scale and build a self-reliant energy sector,” states NJ Ayuk, Executive Chairman of the African Energy Chamber.

Against this backdrop, AEW: Invest in African Energy 2024 will serve as a critical platform for refining local content strategies and ensuring sustainable and inclusive growth across Africa’s energy landscape. The outcomes from this event will shape the future of local content development and the trajectory of economic empowerment for African nations.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of African Energy Chamber.

As frontier exploration continues to drive upstream investment in Africa, Liberia offers extensive offshore territory to interested investors and established exploration and production (E&P) companies, with the aim of developing its emerging oil and gas industry. Poised to provide insight into the country’s frontier energy opportunities, the National Oil Company of Liberia (NOCAL) and Liberia Petroleum Regulatory Authority (LPRA) will participate at the African Energy Week (AEW): Invest in African Energy 2024 conference – taking place in Cape Town from November 4-8 – as Technical Presentation and Networking Cocktail co-sponsors.

Committed to exploring the untapped potential of Liberia’s offshore resources, NOCAL recently partnered with surveying services firm TGS to reprocess multi-client seismic data offshore Liberia. The project, which was announced earlier this month, aims to update existing 2D and 3D seismic data in the Liberia and Harper basins, integrating legacy data sets into a unified velocity model using advanced imaging algorithms. TGS recently completed the first phase of the initiative, reprocessing approximately 12,097 km of 2D legacy seismic data, which is now available for industry licensing. In the second phase, the firm will reprocess a further 12,675 km in the Liberia and Harper basins and approximately 15,616 km2 of 3D seismic data in the Liberia basin.

AEW: Invest in African Energy is the platform of choice for project operators, financiers, technology providers and government, and has emerged as the official place to sign deals in African energy. Visit www.AECWeek.com for more information about this exciting event.

Liberia’s prospective energy resources, coupled with the proactive efforts of the LPRA and NOCAL, is attracting the interest of major explorers. American multinational ExxonMobil has expressed interest in four exploration blocks – LB-15, LB-16, LB-22 and LB-24 – strategically positioned in the Liberia basin. Liberia’s ongoing direct negotiation process has further strengthened its appeal to interested companies, with 33 blocks opened for direct negotiation with the government. The negotiations were opened in June 2021 and are still available for all reputable international oil and gas companies to participate in the country’s Liberia Basin, which features blocks LB-01 to LB-24, and Harper Basin, which hosts blocks LB-24 to LB-33. As NOCAL forges ahead with its E&P agenda, the parastatal remains at the forefront of driving responsible and sustainable petroleum exploration in Liberia.

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Through initiatives like the Liberia Energy Access Practitioner (LEAP) network, the country and its parastatal oil company have also focused on fostering the participation of local companies, workforces and industries in the energy sector. The program targets the transfer and diffusion of technologies in the energy sector, while enhancing the role of consumers, architects, technicians, rural developers, financial institutions, suppliers and community leaders. As Liberia seeks to increase power access from 30% to 70% by 2030, promoting local content has become central to the country’s efforts to foster sustainable and inclusive growth. NOCAL’s approach to driving electrification and resource monetization through initiatives such as LEAP not only serves to stimulate job creation and skills development, but also empower local businesses to engage in the supply chain and contribute to Liberia’s broader economic growth.

“Liberia holds tremendous untapped potential, underscored by ambitious targets to increase electricity access and develop its local workforce. Through continued exploration of Liberia’s hydrocarbon resources, NOCAL and LPRA have the potential to unlock new energy frontiers and stimulate economic growth for the nation and wider West African region,” stated NJ Ayuk, Executive Chairman of the African Energy Chamber – the voice of the African energy sector.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of African Energy Chamber.

Flagbearer of the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP), Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia has urged widows in Bunkpurugu in the North East Region to vote for him in large numbers in the forthcoming election.

This appeal came after he hosted an event for the widows on Wednesday, July 10, which was attended by hundreds of widows and NPP supporters in high spirits.

During his address, Dr. Bawumia emphasized the importance of their support, assuring them that, if elected President, he would implement policies and actions aimed at improving their lives.

He highlighted his commitment to addressing their needs and enhancing their well-being.

Dr. Bawumia also announced that the event marked the beginning of his constituency-to-constituency campaign, which he chose to start in his home region.

He also expressed his readiness to promote his vision for the nation’s progress and development.

The event not only showcased Dr. Bawumia’s dedication to grassroots engagement but also reinforced his campaign’s focus on inclusive development and support for all citizens.

The Vice President also emphasised his intent to connect directly with voters and understand their concerns.

“I am very touched and grateful to be with you this evening as the Presidential Candidate of the New Patriotic Party for the 2024 presidential elections. Today is the first of my campaign at every constituency, and I decided to start the campaign at home, and that is why I am with you today.”

“I am your son and your husband, and therefore, I am asking for your support, so I can help you when I become the president of Ghana in 2025,” he said.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of The Presidency, Republic of Ghana.