South Africa and the Western Cape in particular, is a destination of choice for many respected and market-leading global business process outsourcing (BPO) companies. Many of these businesses base some of their global operations here in the Western Cape, where they employ, train and upskill tens of thousands of local South Africans to provide world-class professional business services to clients across the world.

According to CapeBPO, the Western Cape’s strategic business partner responsible for the growth and development of the BPO industry, for every offshore BPO job based in South Africa, R350 000 of foreign revenue is injected into our economy.

“This means that for the approximately 100 000 BPO jobs country wide, the majority of which (approximately 60 000) are right here in the Western Cape, R35 billion goes into our national economy. The value that our talented people contribute on the world’s stage is impressive,” explained Provincial Minister of Finance and Economic Opportunities, Mireille Wenger.

“The growth of the BPO sector in the Western Cape is a testament to the hard work and perseverance put into the promotion and mobilisation of the industry by our private and public sector stakeholders. The investment in skills development has created a steady and world-class supply of talent to cater to the clear international demand, supported through our agile public/private partnership between our local and provincial government partners (the City of Cape Town and Western Cape Government) and our Operator community. Based on our shared vision to enable  meaningful careers, we are tackling the challenge of unemployment head on, with each job created contributing to a solution we as proud South Africans want to see manifested,” added CEO of CapeBPO, Clayton Williams.

The Western Cape Government’s (WCG) ambitious economic plan of action, ‘Growth for Jobs’ is focused on enabling the private sector to grow and create jobs.

“As the WCG, we are immensely proud to partner, through our dedicated programmes, with the determined and dedicated people investing in the BPO sector. BPO is a thriving and growing industry that must be nurtured if we are to enable the private sector to establish, expand and – critically – employ many more hundreds of thousands of South Africans. At the end of the day, this is why we do what we do – to give more South Africans, and particularly our young people, the opportunities they need to live up to their full potential,” concluded Minister Wenger.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Western Cape Finance and Economic Opportunities, South Africa.

The U.S.-Nigeria Air Transport Agreement, which has been provisionally applied since 2000, entered into force on May 13, 2024. This bilateral agreement establishes a modern civil aviation relationship with Nigeria consistent with U.S. Open Skies international aviation policy and with commitments to high standards of aviation safety and security. The agreement includes provisions that allow for unrestricted capacity and frequency of services, open route rights, a liberal charter regime, and open code-sharing opportunities.

This agreement with Nigeria is a step forward in liberalizing the international civil aviation sector in Africa and further expands our strong economic and commercial partnership, promotes people-to-people ties, and creates new opportunities for airlines, travel companies, and customers. With this agreement, air carriers can provide more affordable, convenient, and efficient air services to travelers and shippers, which in turn promotes tourism and commerce.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of U.S. Embassy and Consulate in Nigeria.

On May 17, 2024, AU-IBAR and the African Union Pan African Veterinary Vaccine Centre (AU-PANVAC) held an inter-coordination meeting at the AU-IBAR. The primary aim of this meeting was to establish and consolidate sustainable coordination mechanisms to tackle critical animal health issues across African Union Member States (AU MS). The meeting brought together key staff from both organizations to discuss strategies and initiatives to enhance animal health and address transboundary livestock diseases. The meeting was co-chaired by the respective directors, Dr. Huyam Salih (AU-IBAR) and Dr. Charles Bodjo (AU-PANVAC).

One of the key objectives of the meeting was to establish robust coordination mechanisms between AU-IBAR and AU-PANVAC. This collaboration is essential for effectively addressing animal health issues, interpreting the Nagoya Protocol, and overcoming challenges in controlling transboundary livestock diseases. The discussion also included a review of the African Union’s position within global frameworks for controlling Transboundary Animal Diseases (TADs), particularly through the Global Framework for the Progressive Control of Transboundary Animal Diseases (GF-TADs). The joint support for projects, including those proposed by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), was emphasized as crucial for controlling diseases such as Peste des Petits Ruminants (PPR), rabies, contagious bovine pleuropneumonia (CBPP), African animal trypanosomiasis (AAT), and African swine fever (ASF).

The eradication of PPR was a major focus of the meeting. Participants discussed strategies to maximize and scale up efforts towards PPR eradication, reinforcing the African Union’s leadership in this domain. The discussions included an evaluation of Africa’s capacity for PPR vaccine production, distribution, and delivery. Public-private partnership (PPP) models for vaccine production were explored as potential strategies to enhance vaccine availability and deployment. The meeting also highlighted the need for a unified stance on the use of local vaccine strains to ensure consistency and efficacy in vaccine deployment across the continent.

Another significant outcome of the meeting was the proposal to establish a network of national regulators for veterinary medicinal products. This network aims to facilitate information exchange and capacity building among regulators, ultimately enhancing the regulation and quality of veterinary medicines and vaccines. The establishment of such a network is expected to improve the overall effectiveness of veterinary medicinal products and contribute to better animal health outcomes in the region.

The meeting agenda was comprehensive, covering a range of strategic initiatives and collaborative efforts between AU-IBAR and AU-PANVAC. The session began with introductory and welcoming remarks from the directors of both organizations, followed by the introduction of participants. The directors then presented their plans and initiatives for the upcoming years, setting the stage for detailed discussions on coordination mechanisms, AU’s global position on TADs control, and strategies for PPR eradication. The meeting also included discussions on formulating a common position when local vaccine strains are available and the establishment of the network of national regulators.

At the close of the the meeting, the directors of AU-IBAR and AU-PANVAC, emphasized the importance of continued collaboration and commitment to achieving the outlined objectives. The outcomes of this inter-coordination meeting are expected to significantly enhance the AU’s capacity to address animal health issues, control transboundary livestock diseases, and achieve the ambitious goal of PPR eradication in Africa. Both AU-IBAR and AU-PANVAC fall the Department of Agriculture, Rural Development, Blue Economy, and Sustainable Environment (ARBE) of the African Union Commission. As sister institutions, this meeting marked a significant step towards stronger collaboration between AU-IBAR and AU-PANVAC, paving the way for improved animal health and veterinary practices across the continent.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of The African Union – Interafrican Bureau for Animal Resources (AU-IBAR).

Today, Principal Secretary for Medical Services, Mr. Harry Kimtai, held discussions with a delegation from the World Health Organization (WHO) led by Dr. Abdourahman Diallo, Country Representative to Kenya, focusing on aligning mutual goals regarding Sexual Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR) priorities. 

The dialogue aimed to foster collaboration to address key issues, including the expansion of Post Abortion Care Guideline implementation, the implementation of the Postpartum Hemorrhage Costed Implementation Plan (CIP), and the rollout of Self-care Guidelines for SRH. 

Other topics included support initiatives for Adolescent and Youth SRH, data quality audits, and the importance of comprehensive SRHR services.

The WHO team members present included Dr. Mona Al-Mudhwahi – Health Systems Advisor&Participatory Governance, Dr. Patricia Wamala – Sexual Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR) Advisor, and Mr. John Kisimir, Communication Officer, SRHR.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Ministry of Health, Kenya.