Dr. Fabruce Ramaherimamonjy epitomizes the African Union’s theme of this year’s Africa Day: Educate an African fit for the 21st Century. He remains steadfast in his commitment to prioritizing medical education to elevate the standards of healthcare for his fellow Malagasies. But it wasn’t always his life plan.

Dr. Fabruce began his medical journey with just a simple kit gifted to him upon his graduation, housing a humble headlamp that would become his steadfast companion. Fast forward 15 years, and he stands as the visionary behind Bethany Hospital Centre in Tamatave. Today, he sets his sights on the horizon, envisioning a future adorned with elevated levels of medical education.  

Born and raised in the northern region of Madagascar, Dr. Fabruce harbored a grand ambition of becoming an engineer. He had a knack for fixing things, but when he applied for engineering school, he faced rejection. Never did he consider medicine as an alternative path. It wasn’t even on his radar. In fact, he discouraged a friend who nursed dreams of becoming a doctor, warning him, “You’ll waste time; the training takes eight years.”  However, both men submitted their applications and were accepted to medical school.

After seven years, he finished his general medical studies and decided to take a gap year to devote more attention to Bible studies. “Everything changed with a call from my mother,” according to Dr. Fabruce. “She informed me of an opening at the medical school in Majunga (Northern Madagascar), urging me to apply within a month.” That would mean he had to study for another five years to specialize as a surgeon.

He told himself, “If I can’t find a place to stay, I’ll continue my sabbatical.” Upon arrival, the Pan-African Academy of Christian Surgeons (PAACS) warmly welcomed him on the first day, swiftly arranging accommodation.  

Supported by PAACS, which often dispatched its students on missions abroad, including to Mercy Ships, he began on a new chapter. “In 2016, I joined  the Mercy Ships mission in Tamatave, devoting three months to serving in the hospital, assisting doctors in plastic surgery and fistula treatments,” said Dr. Fabruce. Following these operations, Dr. Gary Parker, a long-term and well-respected volunteer maxillofacial surgeon with Mercy Ships, took his laptop and provided extra lessons to Dr. Fabruce.

During these sessions in the operating room, Dr. Parker said to him: “We thought Madagascar’s healthcare system was improving since our last visit, but it appears progress has been limited. I know you are planning to do your or practice in another nation, but I would urge you to consider returning to serve in your own country.” 

Initially planning to dedicate two years to Cameroon after his time with Mercy Ships and then transition to Congo, his trajectory shifted. Following dialogues with Dr. Parker and heartfelt conversations with patients’ families, he recognized the urgent needs within his homeland.

Dr. Fabruce recalled: “One poignant memory that remains vivid is the case of a young boy whose head had become fused to his shoulder due to a burn injury. These are preventable medical conditions, not inherently complex. Yet, no one in Madagascar could provide assist.”

Inspired by the wise words of Dr. Parker and driven by the daily medical challenges he faced, Dr. Fabruce sought sponsorship to shape his ambitious plans.

“In 2018, we turned a mere warehouse into the Bethany Hospital Center in Tamatave. Today, we offer 35 beds, with a team of 13 dedicated doctors, 8 of whom are full-time, and supported by a staff of 70,” he said.

He takes pride in what he has accomplished, even though the maternity ward is housed in containers, as the land is not his own. The equipment he works with is outdated and discarded in the Western world, but it still serves its purpose in his hands. 

At the back of the hospital, he has a large shed he jokingly refers to as his personal Amazon, given the number of cardboard boxes. He said: “Inside are obsolete medical supplies that may still prove useful. Some items’ purposes remain a mystery to me, as I am yet to acquire that knowledge.” And that, according to him, is where the problem lies: lack of knowledge. 

He is in harmony with this year’s Africa Day theme – Educate an African fit for the 21st Century: Building resilient education systems for increased access to inclusive, lifelong, quality, and relevant learning in Africa.

Dr. Fabruce is determined to continue his own mission: serving his country.

He aims to develop a better medical future for his fellow citizens and has already outlined a plan for the construction of a new hospital. He is adamant about prioritizing education to elevate the medical standards in Madagascar.

“Inspired by Dr. Parker’s insights, I remain steadfast in my commitment to prioritizing education as the foundation for raising Madagascar’s medical standards,” Dr. Fabruce added.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Mercy Ships.

On behalf of His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, UAE President, His Excellency Sheikh Shakhboot bin Nahyan Al Nahyan, Minister of State, attended the inauguration ceremony, held at the capital N’Djamena, of His Excellency Mahamat Idriss Déby Itno, President of the Republic of Chad, after winning the presidential elections.

H.E. Sheikh Shakhboot bin Nahyan conveyed the greetings of His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, UAE President, His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, His Highness Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Vice President, Deputy Prime Minister and Chairman of the Presidential Court, and extended their congratulations to H.E. Déby Itno on this occasion, as well as their wishes of further progress and prosperity to the government and people of Chad.

His Excellency also affirmed the deep-rooted ties between both countries across various fields, highlighting the wise leadership’s keenness to strengthen bilateral relations and collaborations to serve the interests of both countries and their friendly peoples.

For his part, H.E. Déby Itno conveyed his greetings to His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, UAE President, His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, and His Highness Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Vice President, Deputy Prime Minister and Chairman of the Presidential Court, and expressed his wishes for further development and growth for the government and people of the UAE.

H.E. Déby Itno commended the close bilateral ties, emphasizing the importance of joint efforts to enhance the existing partnership between the two countries aiming to achieve benefits on issues of mutual concern. H.E. also underscored that the relationship between the UAE and Chad is witnessing continuous development, which serves the interests of both countries and their friendly peoples.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of United Arab Emirates Ministry of Foreign Affairs&International Cooperation.

The ECOWAS Regional Competition Authority (ERCA) as part of its mandate to support Member States in the competition matters conducted advocacy and sensitization on Competition and Consumer protection laws in Liberia from 20- 22 May 2024, in Monrovia, Republic of Liberia.

The advocacy  brought together key stakeholders such as Ministries and government agencies, manufacturing Association of Liberia, banking or financial services, private sector, Chamber of Commerce, and Consumer Protection bodies with the overall objective to discuss and analyse the existing legal and regulatory provisions on competition in the country, identify gaps and work with the Government and other stakeholders to develop competition and Consumer Protection Law that will efficaciously deal with competition enforcement and the protection of the rights of consumers. The ultimate goal is for Liberia to have in place standard and modern Competition Legislation that mirrors regional and continental frameworks.

The Executive Director of ERCA, Dr. Konan Simeon KOFFI, on behalf of the Commissioner for Economic Affairs and Agriculture, Madame Massandjé TOURE-LITSE, welcomed all participants to the advocacy and sensitization meeting and expressed gratitude and thanks to the Liberia Ministry of Commerce and Industry for their willingness to collaborate with ERCA in hosting this meeting. This shows that the joint advocacy and sensitization programme on Competition policy is an example of the expected cooperation between ERCA and Member States competition authorities, thus consolidation of the regional competition framework. The Executive Director emphases collaboration between ERCA and national stakeholders in order to strengthen: (i) mechanism for collecting and sharing information and best practices, (ii) national ownership of the regional competition framework, (iii) capacities building of the stakeholders, and (iv) investigation and enforcement of competition law.

In her welcome remarks, Her Excellency, Madam Josephine KRUMAH, ECOWAS Commission Permanent Representative to the Republic of Liberia to express sincere gratitude on behalf of President of the ECOWAS Commission, H.E. Dr. Omar Alieu Touray, reaffirmed the Commission’s dedication to strengthening economic integration and through promotion and implementation of competition and consumer laws in the region. This accordingly will continue to create awareness for the important of Competition and Consumer Protection with the aim in particular for the Liberia to have a Competition Framework and Policy that will usher for the creation of a National Competition body to enable enforce competition law by eliminating anti-competitive practices, thus ensure the effective implementation of the Regional Competition Rules.

In his opening remarks on behalf of the Minister of Commerce and Industry of the Republic of Liberia, Honourable Amin MODAD, the Deputy Minister of Commerce, WILMOT REEVES, extended a warm welcome to all participants to Monrovia and thanked the ECOWAS Commission in general, and the ECOWAS Regional Competition Authority for taking the initiative of organising this advocacy and sensitization meeting  with a view to share the mandate of ERCA and to collaborate with the Liberia authorities for  competition and consumer policy and las to assist in the establishment of the National body for Competition.

Recognizing the pivotal role these frameworks play in shaping vibrant markets, the Honorable Minister highlighted that Liberia has embark on process to establish Liberia’s national Competition Authority and enact comprehensive Competition and Consumer Protection laws, that would foster an ecosystem where innovation flourishes, consumer interests are protected, and fair-trade practices are the norm.

The Honorable Minister reminded that “the global economy is rapidly evolving, influenced by technological advancements and shifting market dynamics and in that context, Liberia’s pursuit of a well-defined competition policy is not merely an option but a necessity. As emerging economies around the globe have demonstrated, effective competition law is a cornerstone of economic development. It ensures a level playing field, prevents monopolistic practices, and opens up opportunities for small and medium enterprises to thrive.

The opening statements were followed by presentations and discussions on ECOWAS competition framework, overview of the Competition Law of Liberia and Status of competition and consumer protection monitoring in Liberia. The meeting considered the importance of continue collaboration with stakeholders for enhanced awareness of competition issue and for the Liberian government to review the existing competition law to take into consideration the regional and continental framework, and in particular the creation of the National Competition Authority of Liberia for the implementation of the competition and consumer protection policy.

The meeting further adopted a recommendation for ECOWAS Regional competition Authority to accompany the Liberia in the process of law review, and by extension the Liberian Authority to use the competition laws to strengthen the development of Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs).

The following days, ERCA delegation paid a courtesy call to the Honourable Minister of Commerce and Industry of Liberia and had bilateral working sessions with the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, some businesses, the National Standards Laboratory, the Houses Committee on Commerce of Liberia National Legislature, Liberia Banker’s Association and the Pharmaceutical Board.

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

Peace is the key to unlocking Africa’s future and for strengthening the continent’s voice and influence in building peace globally, UN Secretary-General António Guterres told the Security Council on Thursday. 

“Now is the time to unleash Africa’s peace power,” he said, opening a debate on its critical role in addressing global security and development challenges, convened by Mozambique, the Council president for May. 

Calling Africa “an important voice for the global good”, he cited examples of how the continent has shown “unity and solidarity in a fractured world”, which include focusing on ending poverty and hunger, supporting refugees, achieving sustainable development, and pushing for reform of the decades-old global financial system. 

Ceasefire for Sudan 

Mr. Guterres said that although efforts like these require peace in Africa and beyond, “too many Africans are caught up in the hell of conflicts or living with the relentless danger of terrorism and violent extremism in their communities.”  

Addressing the war and “deepening humanitarian nightmare” in Sudan, he warned that increased hostilities in El Fasher are “opening an alarming new chapter” in the conflict, now in its second year. 

“We need a concerted global push for a ceasefire, followed by a comprehensive peace process to end the bloodshed,” he said. 

Silence the guns 

Mr. Guterres outlined three steps to strengthen Africa’s peace leadership, both on the continent and on the global stage. 

“First – we need peace in Africa itself,” he said, highlighting the UN’s partnership with the African Union (AU) and support for its ‘Silencing the Guns’ initiative. 

He also commended the Security Council’s adoption of resolution 2719 last year which allows AU-led peace support operations that receive their mandates from the Council to access UN assessed contributions.  

The two organizations “will continue working together to defuse conflicts before they escalate, manage them effectively when they occur, and build sustainable peace when they are resolved,” he said. 

Reform outdated institutions 

Secondly, African participation and leadership must be embedded across “the global peace and security architecture”.

He stressed the need to reform the UN Security Council and other global institutions that were established following the Second World War, which are now outdated. 

Structural inequalities have resulted in African states suffering disproportionately from the effects of conflicts, an unjust global financial system, and the climate crisis.  

Praise for Kenya 

Yet at the same time, they are also stepping up and contributing to global peace efforts, he added. 

He commended Kenya for spearheading the upcoming Multilateral Security Support Mission that will be deployed to Haiti to bolster national efforts to quell rampant gang violence.  He also extended praise to other African countries that have offered to send troops. 

The Secretary-General insisted that Africa deserves a voice in the global peace and security architecture. 

A voice among equals 

“But strengthening Africa’s voice can only happen if African countries can participate in global governance structures as equals,” he said.  “This must include correcting the lack of permanent African representation at this Council.” 

The Secretary-General pointed to the Summit of the Future at UN Headquarters in September as an opportunity to push forward on this and other issues, such as reform of the global financial system. 

A new Security Council 

The AU Commissioner for Political Affairs, Peace and Security, Bankole Adeoye, underscored that reconfiguration of the global peace and security architecture is imperative.

“The emerging global order must promote renewed and networked multilateralism for the sake of global stability. This is Africa’s right and not just a demand,” he said, speaking via video conference. 

Furthermore, the new UN Security Council “must be enlarged, must be inclusive, must be pro-Africa, must be more democratic, must be responsive, must be legitimate, must be equitable, and must be accountable.”

Mr. Adeoye also highlighted the issue of financing for peace operations, calling for “100 per cent unhindered, unconditional access to United Nations assessed contributions for peace and security activities.”

Building lasting peace 

The Chair of the UN Peacebuilding Commission (PBC), Ambassador Sérgio França Danese of Brazil, upheld its full commitment to assist African countries seeking support.

He spoke of the PBCs work across several pillars, including institution building, electoral processes, rule of law, transitional justice, security sector reform, and the women, peace and security agenda.

“These are only starting points for normalizing states in transition and post-conflict situations,” he said.

“Investment in sustainable development is crucial to long-term social cohesion and stability and must be undertaken in tandem with other initiatives.” 

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of UN News.