Sudan’s Foreign Minister Hosein Awad who is on a trip to Tehran as his country’s special envoy to attend the swearing-in ceremony of the Islamic Republic of Iran’s president met the Acting Iranian Foreign Minister Ali Bagheri for talks.

Sudan’s Foreign Minister Hosein Awad, who is on a trip to Tehran as his country’s special envoy to attend the swearing-in ceremony of the Islamic Republic of Iran’s president, met the Acting Iranian Foreign Minister Ali Bagheri for talks.

During the meeting, the caretaker Iranian foreign minister expressed gratitude to the top Sudanese diplomat for travelling to Tehran, adding his participation in the ceremony indicates ranking Sudanese officials’ strong determination to boost ties between the two Muslim states.

Bagheri said the establishment and reopening of the embassies and resumption of activities of the ambassadors of the two countries are valuable steps, saying it shows officials of both countries are strongly determined to take the right path in the expansion of bilateral ties.

He also said he was confident that both countries would witness the opening of new horizons in expansion of bilateral ties as well as the cooperation between the two countries in international forums.

Meanwhile, Bagheri called for enhancing mutual understanding and synergy between the Islamic Republic of Iran and Sudan in international circles on issues that affect both countries and the Muslim world.

He also proposed the creation of a mechanism to stand up against and slam the Zionist regime’s war crimes and genocide in Gaza, and defend the rights of the defenseless Palestinian people in besieged strip.

For his part, the Sudanese foreign minister congratulated Iran for holding the presidential elections and choosing a new president. He said Iranians and the Islamic world can take pride in holding the elections in a safe, healthy and democratic environment as well as peaceful transition of power in the Islamic Republic.

Awad said he was pleased to visit Tehran for the second time during the last two months. He highlighted the Sudanese officials’ special efforts to follow up the promotion and expansion of ties with the Islamic Republic of Iran as a friendly and important country.

He also lauded the late Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian for his role in pursuing the restoration of ties between Tehran and Khartoum and appreciated the continuation of the approach.

The Sudanese foreign minister also briefed his Iranian counterpart on the latest developments in Sudan and the improving stability and security in his country despite foreign interference. He also thanked the Islamic Republic of Iran for its political support for the Sudanese government and nation.

Furthermore, Awad expressed his country’s independent, principled and steadfast stance on the Palestinian issue as a pivotal and fundamental issue, saying the Sudanese nation is against any reconciliation or normalization of ties with the Zionist regime.

He also underlined the Sudanese government and people’s continued support for the Palestinian people’s cause and Palestinian rights in regional and international assemblies.

The Sudanese foreign minister further stated that his country is ready for full cooperation and close interaction with Iran in international forums for reciprocal support from the two countries

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Ministry of Foreign Affairs – Islamic Republic of Iran.

The Chief Justice of the Federal Republic of Somalia (FRS), Hon. Bashe Yusuf Ahmed, visited the East African Court of Justice (EACJ) in Arusha, Tanzania on Tuesday morning in what he described as part of efforts to foster cooperation between FRS and the regional court.

Hon. Ahmed said that Somalia was a nation emerging from decades of conflict and was therefore committed to strengthening her judiciary and aligning it with regional standards.

“The East African Court of Justice, with its commendable history of promoting justice and upholding the rule of law within the EAC is a model for us at the Supreme Court of Somalia,” said Hon. Ahmed.

Hon. Ahmed, who was received by the Judge President of the EAC, Justice Nestor Kayobera, said that Somalia was seeking to learn from the experiences and expertise of the EACJ as she strives to establish a fair, impartial and efficient justice system.

“We have been working tirelessly to rebuild and strengthen our legal frameworks, enhance judicial independence, and ensure that justice is delivered efficiently and fairly for all. We recognise that peace, stability, development and prosperity are inextricably linked to the establishment of a just and equitable legal framework,” said Hon. Ahmed. 

Hon. Ahmed reaffirmed that Somalia was committed to strengthening and rebuilding its institutions and playing its important role within the EAC.

“Our visit to the EACJ is a significant opportunity for us to share views, experiences, best practices and learn from each other and more importantly, it is a new beginning, new chapter and opportunity for building strong relationships, mutual cooperation and partnerships between the Somalia judiciary and the EACJ,” he said.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of East African Community.

To improve global trade in Africa and align with international regulatory and compliance standards, African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) (www.Afreximbank.com), in partnership with the Inter-Governmental Action Group against Money Laundering in West Africa (GIABA), is hosting a high-profile Compliance Forum in Dakar, Senegal, from 4 to 6 September 2024.

The Forum will focus on the Financial Action Task Force’s (FATF) requirements for identifying Ultimate Beneficial Owners (UBOs) and their far-reaching implications for trade facilitation. The FATF, an intergovernmental organisation, sets international standards to prevent money laundering, terrorist financing, and other threats to the integrity of the global financial system. One of its critical mandates is to identify and verify UBOs to ensure transparency and accountability in financial transactions.

Additionally, the Forum will explore the transformative role of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in compliance processes, address strategies for African countries to make the necessary reforms to be removed from the FATF’s grey list and showcase the latest compliance technologies.

The Forum will provide a platform for experts from the compliance and monitoring industry to discuss these requirements and their practical impact on trade facilitation in Africa. It will attract delegates from Africa, the UK, Europe, Russia, and the UAE.

Idrissa Diop, Compliance Director at Afreximbank, said: “The Afreximbank Compliance Forum has been designed to improve intra-African trade and bolster Africa’s global trade with the rest of the world by aligning with international compliance standards to build credibility and create safe global trade.

“We believe better compliance generates better trade for Africa. Trade compliance is a responsibility for all businesses and is especially important for those importing and exporting. It ensures goods move swiftly across borders. The weight of today’s regulatory pressures makes trade compliance controls especially important for mitigating risks.”

Shane Riedel, Founder and CEO of Elucidate, a Berlin-based financial crime risk quantification agency, said: “With the increasing digitalisation and the growing complexity of transactions, adherence to international and local regulations is more critical than ever to promote transparency, reduce corruption, and mitigate fraud. Accurate and timely data reporting enhances visibility and accountability in trade and payments operations.”

Commenting on the ACF, Gary Mthombeni from LexisNexis Risk Solutions, said: “We look forward to insightful discussions around improving compliance standards that will drive African businesses toward global success.”

The Forum is expected to attract diverse participants, including central bankers, commercial bankers, compliance officers, trade experts, financial institutions and technology providers from across Africa. By fostering a collaborative environment, the event aims to drive meaningful dialogue and develop actionable solutions to enhance compliance and trade facilitation in Africa.

Attendees can register for the Afreximbank Compliance Forum through this link (https://apo-opa.co/3SscyBi).

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Afreximbank.

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Email: press@afreximbank.com

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About Afreximbank: 
African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) is a Pan-African multilateral financial institution mandated to finance, facilitate, and promote intra and extra-African trade. For over 30 years, the Bank has been deploying innovative instruments to deliver financing solutions that support the transformation of the structure of Africa’s trade, accelerating industrialization and intra-regional trade, thereby boosting economic expansion in Africa. A stalwart supporter of the AfCFTA, Afreximbank has in partnership with the African Union Commission and AFCFTA Secretariat launched a Pan-African Payment and Settlement System (PAPSS) that was adopted by the African Union (AU) as the payment and settlement platform to underpin the implementation of the Free Trade Agreement. The AFCFTA Secretariat and the Bank have created a USD 10 billion Adjustment Fund to support countries to effectively participate in the AfCFTA.

At the end of December 2023, Afreximbank’s total assets and guarantees stood at over US$37.3 billion, and its shareholder funds amounted to US$6.1 billion. Afreximbank has investment grade ratings assigned by GCR (international scale) (A), Moody’s (Baa1), Japan Credit Rating Agency (JCR) (A-) and Fitch (BBB). Afreximbank has evolved into a group entity comprising the Bank, its impact fund subsidiary called the Fund for Export Development Africa (FEDA), and its insurance management subsidiary, AfrexInsure, (together, “the Group”). The Bank is headquartered in Cairo, Egypt.

For more information, visit: www.Afreximbank.com

On 26 July, the world watched as Paris ignited the Olympic flame with a breathtaking opening ceremony on the Seine River. Athletes from over two hundred countries, participated in a historic celebration. This year’s Games mark a pivotal moment—the first Olympics with an equal number of male and female competitors.

Ahead of the Olympics, UN Women sat down with Sophia Anisa Latiff, a young swimmer and one of the three women and seven team members representing Tanzania this year, to discuss her journey to the Olympics.

Making waves – from Tanzania to the world stage

Retelling her first encounter with a body of water, Sophia laughs as she shares how she screamed when her father first tried to dip her in the sea. “It’s funny to think about now,” she says, “but I like to introduce my story this way to inspire others that you can do whatever you put your mind to.”

Having eventually learned how to swim, Sophia’s journey into competitive swimming officially began at the age of nine when her swimming club coach identified her exceptional talent.

Honing her skills further meant giving up other extracurricular activities to focus exclusively on the sport, undergoing an intense training regimen four to six days a week, with her days regularly beginning at 5 a.m.

As a student-athlete, she says balancing between swimming and academics has been one of her biggest challenges. “It’s incredibly tough,” she explains. “If you focus on school more, you can’t attend all the training and lose your performance in the pool. If you focus on swimming more, then you risk letting your grades slip.”

Despite these hurdles, Sophia’s determination prevailed. She proved her swimming prowess through numerous competitions over the years and ultimately secured a coveted spot on the national Olympic team. “Competing at the Olympics has always been my dream,” she shares, crediting the achievement to the support of her family, friends, and coaches. “It hasn’t quite set in yet, and it still feels surreal. But it also feels great and I’m soaking it all in.”

With her competition date for the women’s 50m freestyle mere days away, she approaches it with excitement and confidence: “I have been doing the work, and I’m ready. I just want to do my country proud and represent the flag of Tanzania well.”

Facilities, training and recognition – Her three essentials to advance gender equality in sports

Women’s participation in sports in Tanzania has been steadily increasing, with notable strides made in recent years. Determined athletes and supportive organizations are driving positive change with Tanzanian women increasingly achieving success at national, regional and international levels.

Despite significant progress, as in many countries, women remain underrepresented in sports. Additionally, studies have shown that girls are more likely to drop out of sports than boys, a trend Sophia attests to witnessing first-hand.

 “At our swimming heats, you usually see tons of little girls, but as they get older, there are fewer and fewer,” she observed. To encourage more girls to pursue sports, Sophia recommends increasing investments in swimming facilities like Olympic-sized pools and essential equipment, “Having the right facilities will set Tanzanian swimmers apart from other African nations and improve our performance significantly.”  She also advocates for expanding swimming programmes, fair compensation, and increasing media coverage of female athletes to create inspiring role models for young girls.

Paving the way for the next generation

Looking ahead, Sophia is clear on her Olympic goals: to beat her personal best time and break the records of previous Tanzanian swimmers. She also wants to inspire young girls from the country,

“I’m not just swimming for myself. This sport has opened countless doors for me, and it has been extremely rewarding. I want to show young Tanzanian girls that with dedication, hard work and the right support, their potential is endless, and they can become the next generation of rising stars to achieve amazing things.”

“The Olympics provides a crucial platform to demonstrate that women can excel in all sports, and I’m also proud to be one of two swimmers on a gender-equal national swim team,” she adds.

Following the Olympics, Sophia will embark on her final year of high school. Afterwards, she plans to pursue a degree in psychology, taking her passion for swimming with her wherever she goes.

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