At the cabinet meeting yesterday, President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni received culturally significant artifacts from Cambridge University, marking a profound moment in the nation’s history.

These artifacts, taken from Uganda during the colonial era, have been a poignant reminder of the country’s rich cultural heritage that has long resided abroad.

The Ministry of Tourism, Wildlife, and Antiquities expresses profound gratitude for the return of these invaluable pieces, eagerly anticipated since negotiations began in 2019. These artifacts, taken by British colonial administrators, missionaries, anthropologists, and soldiers during the 1890s and early 1900s, hold immense historical importance for Uganda and its people.

The repatriation of these artifacts sets a precedent for future returns of historical objects acquired during colonial rule, as Uganda joins other African nations in reclaiming its cultural legacy. This endeavour is part of a broader effort to secure the cultural rights of Ugandans sustainably and preserve the country’s heritage for generations to come.

The process of repatriating the artifacts began under the ‘Rethinking Uganda Museum’ project in 2016, supported by the University of Michigan and funded by the Andrew Mellon Foundation. Through collaborative efforts, two Ugandan curators were invited to select the artifacts to be repatriated in November 2022, a pivotal moment in the journey to bring these cultural treasures back to Uganda.

Having been housed at the Cambridge University Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology for over a century, these artifacts represent a tangible link to Uganda’s past, awaiting their rightful place within the country’s cultural landscape. The return of these artifacts underscores a commitment to acknowledging and honouring Uganda’s history while paving the way for a brighter cultural future.

As Uganda welcomes back these artifacts with open arms, the nation embraces a renewed sense of pride in its heritage and looks forward to the positive impact this return will have on cultural preservation and historical remembrance.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of State House Uganda.

James Swan, head of the UN Assistance Mission in Somalia (UNSOM) briefed ambassadors noting that the Somali government is prioritising security and combating Al-Shabaab fighters on many fronts.

“For its part, Al-Shabaab remains determined to continue terrorist attacks with little regard for the loss of civilian life,” he said. “I condemn these terrorist attacks and extend my condolences to the families of those killed.”

Mr. Swan said that current AU Transition Mission in Somalia (ATMIS) forces are leaving the regions as part of a “planned transition of responsibilities to Somali security forces” with the help of the UN Support Office in Somalia (UNSOS). 

He noted that 5,000 ATMIS troops have left Somalia since June 2023, and further reductions are planned over the coming weeks.

Humanitarian needs and climate change

Mr. Swan, who is also the acting Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Somalia, informed Council members that the humanitarian situation remains “dire.”

More than 3.8 million people remain displaced and extreme weather, insecurity and disease outbreaks are all increasing demand for lifesaving support.

He said these challenges can be addressed through investments to reinforce the “longer-term resilience” of communities, infrastructure and the economy.

“At the current rate, the impact of climate change is outpacing our ability to support adaptation and humanitarian response,” he said.

Mr. Swan urged international partners to provide funding to meet humanitarian needs, as the 2024 Humanitarian Needs and Response Plan, which required $1.6 billion as of Sunday, is only 24 per cent funded.

Regional tensions

Also in his briefing, Mr. Swan noted tensions between Ethiopia and Somalia and urged both nations to resolve their differences peacefully.

“I encourage Somalia and Ethiopia to resolve this matter peacefully in accordance with these principles of sovereignty and territorial integrity as enshrined in the UN Charter and international law,” he said.

ATMIS activities

El-Amine Souef, head of the AU Transition Mission in Somalia (ATMIS), described ongoing counterterrorism operations.

He told ambassadors that Al-Shabaab remains resilient, pointing to recent attacks on Somali Security Forces (SSF) in the Galmudug region and on the ATMIS camp in Southwest state.

“The group still retain[s] the ability to conduct devastating attacks, including employing asymmetric tactics, and organising complex operations on civilians and security targets,” he said.

ATMIS’ Head said 2,000 troops will depart by the end of June 2024, and the remaining 2,000 at the end of September 2024, as part of the transition of security responsibility from ATMIS to the SSF.

Mr. Souef said he welcomes the transitions but noted that local leaders, communities and others expressed concern about the potential of “a need to secure strategic locations and strengthen territorial control” with an increased SSF.

He said in order establish lasting peace, security and development in Somalia beyond 2024, there needs to be a smooth and orderly transition as well as, “building capacity, strengthening security institutions, countering Al-Shabaab and securing critical infrastructures.” 

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of UN News.

The IMF and Guinea Bissau have reached staff-level agreement on economic policies that could support the sixth review of the Extended Credit Facility (ECF). Once the review is approved by IMF Management and completed by the IMF Executive Board, Guinea Bissau will have access to about US$ 7.2 million; The authorities’ commitment to a range of difficult policy reforms is starting to show some results. They should persevere with their ambitious structural reform agenda to improve domestic revenue mobilization, strengthen expenditure controls, and improve governance; Economic growth is expected to be around 5 percent in 2024, while inflation should slow to 4.2 percent compared to 7.2 percent in 2023. However, the economic outlook remains subject to significant downside risks.

A team from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) led by Jose Gijon, Mission Chief for Guinea Bissau, held videoconferences and meetings in Bissau from June 12 to June 24, 2024, to discuss macroeconomic policies in the context of the Sixth Review of the ECF arrangement [[1]]. This staff-level agreement is subject to IMF Management approval and Executive Board consideration. The initial arrangement was approved by the IMF Executive Board for a total amount of SDR 28.4 million (about US$ 37.3 million) on January 30, 2023. The IMF Executive Board granted an augmentation of access (140 percent of quota or SDR 39.76 million) on November 29, 2023.

At the conclusion of the mission, Mr. Gijon issued the following statement:

“I am pleased to announce that the Guinea Bissau authorities and the IMF staff have reached a staff-level agreement on economic and financial policies that could support the approval of the Sixth Review of the ECF program. Conclusion of the Review by the IMF Executive Board, tentatively scheduled for end-August 2024, would enable the disbursement of SDR 5.44 million (about US$ 7.2 million), bringing total disbursement under the arrangement to SDR 24.88 million (about US$ 32.7 million).

“Growth is expected to be around 5 percent in 2024 and inflation should decline significantly from last year to reach 4.2 percent. The current account deficit is expected to narrow and reach 6.1 percent of GDP. The authorities remain committed to achieving the domestic primary deficit target of 1.2 percent of GDP in 2024 in order to put public debt on a firm downward trajectory.

“In this context, the authorities’ economic and financial program is on track and its implementation has been satisfactory. At least seven of the nine quantitative performance criteria (QPC) for end-April 2024 have been met, and six structural benchmarks (SB) have been completed of which three in advance of their test dates. The QPC on external payment arrears was missed because of two delayed payments of external debt service that ran into arrears in January and May 2024. The continuous SB on the Technical Committee of Arbitration of Budgetary Expenditure (COTADO) was not met between March and May 2024 as some expenditures were not authorized by the committee during these months. The continuous SB on debt service payments was also not met between February and May 2024. The authorities are taking corrective actions for these missed SBs.

“The authorities’ commitment to a range of difficult policy reforms is starting to show some results, but the economy remains subject to important near-term risks, including a challenging socio-political climate and capacity constraints. The authorities should persevere with their ambitious structural reform agenda to improve domestic revenue mobilization, strengthen expenditure controls, and improve governance. Moreover, mitigating fiscal risks from State-Owned enterprises and improving cash and debt management will be critical to maintain macroeconomic stability and attain program objectives. Political stability as well as continued support from the international community will be crucial.

“The team would like to thank the authorities for their openness, productive discussions, and excellent cooperation.

“The IMF team met with H.E. President Sissoco Embaló, Prime Minister Barros, Minister of Finance Te, Minister of Economy, Planning and Regional Integration Sambu, Minister of Public Administration, Labor, Vocational Training and Social Security Hijazy, and BCEAO National Director Cassama. The team met with officials from the Ministries of Finance, Economy, Agriculture, Fisheries, Justice, Public Health, the National Directorate of the BCEAO, the National Institute of Statistics, the Financial Intelligence Unit, the procurement authorities, and other officials. The team also met with representatives of public sector enterprises, as well as key bilateral and international partners.”

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of International Monetary Fund (IMF).

In the wake of new challenges and its prolonged oil-dependency, Equatorial Guinea’s government is aiming for economic diversification as a key course of action for growth and stability. The adoption of digital technologies has the potential to increase the productivity of Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) and stimulate innovation, increasing productivity, and create high-skilled jobs in Equatorial Guinea. Digital transformation could therefore play a critical role in diversifying Equatorial Guinea’s economy in the upcoming years.

The Digital Economy Country Diagnostic for Equatorial Guinea, developed by the World Bank and the Government of Equatorial Guinea and supported by the Digital Development Partnership (DDP), notes that, while many Sub-Saharan African countries are undertaking digital transformations, Equatorial Guinea must step up its efforts to capture a larger share of the dividends of the digital economy. The report focuses on challenges and opportunities facing Equatorial Guinea along the five foundations of the digital economy: digital infrastructure, digital public platforms, digital financial services, digital businesses, and digital skills.

“Looking at the size of Equatorial Guinea’s economy, digital marketplace platforms can help firms to expand and access other markets, which could be especially important to stimulate the development of the private sector in the country,” said Aissatou Diallo, Resident Representative for Equatorial Guinea.

The report further provides a series of specific, actionable, and prioritized recommendations for Equatorial Guinea to develop a vibrant, safe, and inclusive digital economy. These are intended to structure dialogue going forward between the Government of Equatorial Guinea, the private sector, and the country’s technical and financial partners to catalyze action and enable the country’s rapid digital transformation.

The highlighted quick-win recommendations from across the five digital economy pillars include:

Digital Infrastructure: Apply cost-oriented obligations in the international capacity and national network fiber wholesale markets, as well as conducting a cybersecurity maturity assessment.
Digital Public Platforms: Develop a national Strategy for digital public platforms and strengthen a whole-of-government approach.
Digital Financial Services: Assess the need to expand and strengthen agent networks to foster DFS adoption, especially in remote areas.
Digital Businesses: Articulate a roadmap to develop an inclusive digital entrepreneurship ecosystem, as well as promoting public-private dialogue.
Digital Skills: Develop a national education ICT policy and conduct a digital skills gaps assessment.

“Going forward, it is essential for the Government of Equatorial Guinea to undertake concerted reform efforts across the five pillars, while addressing the following cross-cutting issues: Improving data quality, coverage, and usage; improving institutional coordination and access to reliable electricity; strengthening the implementation of the legal and regulatory framework; and bridging the island-continental digital divide and gender gap,” said Camila Mejia Giraldo, World Bank Senior Digital Development Specialist and lead author of the report.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of The World Bank Group.