Following the successful outing at the inaugural West African Startups Awards in Niamey, Niger in 2021, the Directorate of Private Sector of the ECOWAS Commission holds preparatory meeting from June 3rd to 5th, 2024 in Abuja, Nigeria. This is following the directive of the Authority of ECOWAS Heads of State and Government to hold the Awards Annually.

While welcoming participants on behalf of Mrs. Massandjé Toure-Litse, Commissioner for Economic Affairs and Agriculture, Dr. Tony Elumelu, the Ag. Director of Private Sector of the ECOWAS Commission highlighted that the Startup Awards ignites innovation, collaboration, and digital entrepreneurship across the West African Region.

Dr. Elumelu added that “the vision is to create an ecosystem where startups thrive, ideas find fertile ground, and collaboration transcends borders”.

The ECOWAS Commission in partnership with other stakeholders within the framework of promoting digital entrepreneurship in ECOWAS region, organized the 1st West Africa Startups Summit in Niamey, Niger Republic from 18th – 20th November 2021. Fifty-five (55) contestants participated in the competition from eleven (11) ECOWAS member states. They were awarded prizes of different categories with the top three earning USD 30,000: USD 25,000 and USD 15,000 respectively.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).

Speaker of the House of Representatives, Mr. Rachid Talbi Alami, represented His Majesty King Mohammed VI, on 04 June 2024 in Seoul, in the first Korea-Africa Summit held under the theme “The Future We Build Together: Shared Growth, Sustainability and Solidarity”.

The Summit, which was launched by Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol, will be attended by over 45 African countries, who will spend two days discussing ways of developing cooperation between Korea and African states, particularly in the economic, energy and digital fields.

This event is intended to lay the foundations for close cooperation between Africa and Korea, which in 2006 announced the “Korea Initiative for African Development”, through which this Asian country affirmed its commitment to sharing its development experience with the African continent.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Kingdom of Morocco – Ministry of Foreign Affairs, African Cooperation and Moroccan Expatriates.

Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TİKA) provided agricultural equipment support to farmers operating in village cooperatives affiliated with the Municipality of Birni N’Gaouré in the Dosso region, one of the areas with the most intensive agricultural production in Niger.

As natural factors such as recent droughts and global warming have reduced agricultural production in Niger, policies aimed at strengthening the agricultural infrastructure of the country have grown in importance. The Nigerien government has prioritized industrializing agricultural production processes and supporting innovative technologies.

On the other hand, in the country, where access to agricultural technologies and mechanisation opportunities is limited, planting, harvesting and tillage activities are still mostly carried out using animal power or manual labor.

TİKA Stands With Nigerien Farmers

TİKA supports agricultural activities in Niger, one of the countries most affected by the negative effects of climate change.

TİKA provided agricultural equipment such as hand tractors and manual seed drills to farmers operating in the village cooperatives of Anniya, Yobbi, Etti, Gomni and Sourou in the Municipality of Birni N’Gaouré in the Dosso region, one of the regions with the most intensive agricultural production.

A total of 10 hand tractors and 20 manual seed drills and plows were distributed to farmers for use in agricultural processes.

Practical training on the use of the machinery was provided to the cooperative authorities to increase productivity. Nearly 200 families are anticipated to benefit from this project.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TIKA).

Uganda has plans to open a resident Diplomatic Mission in the Republic of Korea to ensure Uganda achieves maximum benefits from the relations between the two nations, Hon. Okello Oryem, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs has revealed during a bi-lateral meeting with Hon. Chung Byung-won, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Korea on the sidelines of the Ministerial meeting of the first Korea-Africa Summit held at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Korea in Seoul, on 2 nd June 2024. The Summit which comes in the wake of the 7th Korea-Africa Economic Cooperation (KOAFEC) Ministerial Conference, in September 2023, will run from 4-5 th June 2024, under the theme “The Future We Make Together: Shared Growth, Sustainability, and Solidarity.” Uganda’s delegation, led by H.E. the Vice President, Jessica Alupo includes Minister of Finance, Hon. Matia Kasaija, ICT, Hon. Chris Baryomunsi, Science, Technology and innovation, Hon. Monica Jane Musenero Masanza, State for Works, Hon. Musa Francis Ecweru and Hon. Davinia Esther Anyakun, Minister of State for Gender, Labor and Social Development in charge of employment and Industrial Relations and Vice Chair of the Parliamentary Committee on Foreign Affairs, Hon. Fred Opolot. Speaking from Seoul, Hon. Okello revealed that among the topics up for discussion are collaborative solutions for sustainable development, with a focus on tackling global challenges such as climate change, food security, supply chain stability, and health security.

“These issues are critical for Africa’s development and we all look forward to seeing their effective implementation,” he said. Against the backdrop of ten (10) existing MoUs between Uganda and Korea, Hon. Okello said that an additional two would be signed during the Summit, including a Trade and Investment Promotion Framework Agreement and another in Loan Financing. Such a framework provides the Korean Investors predictability and stability in the cooperation that serves also as a channel to resolve difficulties faced by companies of the two nations investing and advancing into each other’s markets. “We look forward to the additional signing of an MOU between our two ministers of Finance from Korea and Uganda on the Summit sidelines under which South Korea will increase its concessional loan commitment to Uganda from USD 34-US$500 million for the period 2024-2028” said Okello, adding that Uganda will, in addition, submit a raft of Bankable projects to be considered for funding by Korea in the area of Infrastructure and Energy. Thanking the delegation of Uganda for responding positively to the invitation to the Summit, Deputy Foreign Minister Chung said Korea considers Uganda a valued and key strategic partner and the Summit was going to lay a strong foundation for stronger cooperation and partnership. “Korea is focusing on capacity building programmes aimed at extending technology transfers and building required skills, manufacturing capacities for Uganda’s industrial growth and development and also sharing of expertise and knowledge,” said Chung.

On the sidelines of the summit, there will be a series of conference sessions across a wide range of topics, including business, agriculture, ICT, forestry and desertification, vaccine and health security, tourism, infrastructure among others aimed at creating partnerships between Korea and Africa. On 5th June a Business Summit will be held at Lotte Hotel Seoul and will focus on two topics: (a) Industrialization and Trade promotion and (b) Infrastructure enhancement and job creation. The Uganda delegation will participate in the following side events: (i) Korea-Africa Tourism Forum (ii) Korea- Africa Future Partnership Conference (KOICA) (iii) The Korean –Africa Health Partnership (iv) Korea-Africa Infrastructure Forum, (v) Enhancing Vaccine access and Health Security in Africa, (vi) The 10th Global ICT Leadership Forum, and (vii) Korea Africa Youth Startup Forum. In attendance at the bi-lateral foreign ministers meeting was Uganda’s Ambassador to Japan, also accredited to the Republic of Korea, H.E. Amb. Kaahwa Tophace and Amb. Elly Kamahungye, Ag. Director Regional and International Economic Affairs.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of The Republic of Uganda – Ministry of Foreign Affairs.