On 19 April, the 2024 International Chinese Language Day Event was successfully held. It was hosted by the Chinese Embassy in Zambia and undertaken by the Confucius Institute at the University of Zambia (CI-UNZA), under the theme of “Chinese Language: Connecting Cultures through the Bridge of Mutual Learning”. Minister Counsellor Meng Hao and Professor Boniface Namangala, Acting Vice-Chancellor of UNZA, attended and delivered speeches. More than 120 people participated in the event, including teachers and students from UNZA, local primary and secondary schools in Lusaka, and representatives of the Chinese community in Zambia.

Minister Counsellor Meng said that the Global Civilization Initiative (GCI) proposed by President Xi Jinping sets the direction for promoting the progress of human civilization and the peaceful development of the world. Over the past 60 years, mutual respect, equality and common development have always been the important principles guiding China-Zambia relations. The two countries have set a good example of cultural exchanges and mutual learning. As language is an important carrier of culture and civilization, it is hoped that the Chinese language learners and users could serve as a bridge of cultural exchanges and mutual learning between China and Zambia, promoting better understanding between the two peoples and jointly building a high-level community of shared future for China, Zambia and Africa as a whole.

Professor Namangala thanked China for its long-term support for Zambia’s educational, economic and social development and said that Chinese language teaching in Zambia is flourishing and has made remarkable progress, and the people-to-people exchanges between the two countries have been strengthened significantly. This year marks the 60th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Zambia and China, and UNZA is ready to contribute more to friendship and practical cooperation between the two countries.

The event went in a lively and warm atmosphere. The teachers and students of CI-UNZA performed Chinese folk dance, Tai chi, poetry recitation and other programs, and the masters from Zambian Shaolin Cultural Center staged a martial arts performance, which received a big round of applause from the audience. After the indoor performances, the guests came to the exhibition stands to participate in projects such as calligraphy, painting facial masks and trying on ethnic costumes, and thoroughly enjoy the charm of the Chinese culture.

Mulungushi University, Livingstone Institute of Business and Engineering Studies and Kasama Girl’s Seconday School also held International Chinese Language Day events respectively.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Embassy of the People’s Republic of China in the Republic of Zambia.

Eighteen women have been awarded a total of US $300,000 in small business grants. Within three months, they have already invested in new equipment, expanded operations, and created jobs.

As part of the programme, run by the International Trade Centre (ITC) and the UN Capital Development Fund (UNCDF), the entrepreneurs received business coaching as well as digital and financial literacy courses. They were also set up to use e-payment systems and the Afrijula e-commerce platform. This allows them to manage their finances while strengthening their outreach and customer base.

‘The MSME grant financing not only provided us with financial assistance but also opened doors to networking opportunities, digitization, and strengthening of capacities. It has been a holistic support system that has empowered us to thrive in the competitive business,’ said Isatou Njie, CEO of Gambricks.

Her business used the grant to invest in new machinery that’s increased production of bricks by 25%. Among the other successes, clothing maker K Creations converted completely to solar power. Herbal tea producer Yaxare and fashion designer Dignified now run 70% of their machines on solar, saving GMD16,000 a month on electricity costs.

The grants were made through the Jobs, Skills and Finance (JSF) Programme, a collaboration between ITC and UNCDF. The partnership facilitates comprehensive economic support through access to finance; quality and relevant business development services; and digital and financial literacy.

Under the leadership of the Ministry of Trade, Industry, Regional Integration and Employment, the grant committee included representatives from:

GWCC (Gambia Women’s Chamber of Commerce)
GCCI (Gambia Chamber of Commerce and Industry)
GIEPA (Gambia Investment and Export Promotion Agency)
GYCC (Gambia Youth Chamber of Commerce) 

Kemo Representative of the Ministry of Trade, Industry, Regional Integration and Employment (MOTRIE): ‘The MSME grant financing and its operational mechanism was a game-changer for our women entrepreneurs. It enabled them to upgrade productive machines, expand business operations, and launch new product lines. We are grateful to the JSF program and EU for the support, which has inspired us to provide similar structured support to other MSMEs.’

The JSF model employed in the selection and disbursement of grants proved very effective, fostering strong collaboration in the entrepreneurship and business development spaces.

‘We focus on collaborative and innovative approaches to youth and women economic empowerment,’ Yusupha Keita, technical advisor and coordinator for the Jobs, Skills and Finance Programme. ‘At ITC we are committed go to the last mile. This has been demonstrated in the support to women-owned businesses, but also in other socioeconomic support programmes to ensure a positive impact.’

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of International Trade Centre.

Denisa Delić, Director of Advocacy, International Rescue Committee UK, said, 

“Irrespective of the passage of the Safety of Rwanda Bill, sending refugees to Rwanda is an ineffective, unnecessarily cruel and costly approach.  

Rather than outsourcing its responsibilities under international law, we urge the government to abandon this misguided plan and instead focus on delivering a more humane and orderly immigration system at home. This includes scaling up safe routes, such as resettlement and family reunion, and upholding the right to seek asylum.  

Sending refugees to Rwanda, or anywhere else, will never be an effective solution.”

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of International Rescue Committee (IRC) .

The Director-General of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), QU Dongyu, today signed an agreement to provide FAO’s support to the Government of Cameroon in building the capacity of small-scale farmers in the country’s Eastern Region.

The Cameroon Emergency Food Crisis Response Project which is receiving $2.92 million from the World Bank and for which FAO is an implementing partner, seeks to strengthen sustainable food production and enhance farmer’s resilience to the impacts of the climate crisis. The mid-term report on the 2023 food crises reveals that in Cameroon 22 percent of the population is in Phase 2 (Stressed), and 10 percent of the population is in Phase 3 (Crisis) of Acute Food Insecurity.

The FAO Director-General signed the agreement in a ceremony with Gabriel Mbairobe, Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development of Cameroon, Dr. Taiga, Minister of Livestock, Fisheries and Animal Industries of Cameroon and a Representative of the World Bank.

“The climate crisis has impacted across the agriculture sector, including livestock and fisheries, as well as affecting other key areas such as health,” Qu stated.

“In view of climate variability and the disruptive events observed in the country, FAO supports the Project through agricultural and livestock support in the eastern region” the Director-General added.

The PULCCA Project will provide support through four key components:

One: by supporting food and nutrition stabilization of rapid response for early recovery and resilience building;
Two: by strengthening smallholder production capacities through crop and livestock support for climate and nutrition resilience;
Three: through support for community preparedness and early warning systems; and
Four: through project management, monitoring, and evaluation.

FAO’s intervention will include the procurement and distribution of agricultural inputs (improved drought-resistant seed varieties, fertilisers) and equipment for primary production to farmers, 60 percent of whom are women. In addition to boosting crop production, support for livestock production is also envisage, including the distribution of inputs and materials for livestock farmers and mass vaccination campaigns for traditional poultry.

FAO will also provide technical assistance to strengthen farmers’ resilience to climate change through the farmer-field-school and climate-smart production approach.  

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO).