Today, President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi received Prime Minister and Minister of Defense of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, Dr. Bisher Khasawneh. The meeting was also attended by Prime Minister, Dr. Mustafa Madbouly.

Spokesman for the Presidency, Counselor Dr. Ahmed Fahmy, said the Jordanian Prime Minister conveyed the greetings and appreciation of King of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, His Majesty King Abdullah II bin Al Hussein, to President El-Sisi. The President valued the special and historical relations the two peoples and their leaderships share. President El-Sisi underscored the importance that Egypt places on bilateral cooperation, so as to realize their common interests and fulfil the aspirations of the two peoples for comprehensive development, notably in light of the 32nd session of the Egyptian-Jordanian Joint Higher Committee. This round is currently being held in Cairo and co-chaired by the Prime Ministers of the two countries.

The meeting also focused on the situation in the Gaza Strip, which is passing through an extraordinary critical phase, in light of the unyielding and persistent efforts to reach a comprehensive truce in the sector and an exchange of hostages and detainees. These efforts aim to ensure an immediate and full access of humanitarian assistance in a sustainable and unfettered manner to alleviate the humanitarian catastrophe endured by the people of the Strip. In this regard, the two sides confirmed their categorical rejection and warning against the disastrous humanitarian impact of the Israeli military operations in the Palestinian city of Rafah, which deprive the Palestinian people of the major lifeline of the sector and cripple the safe passage for the evacuation of the wounded and sick to receive medical treatment and for the entry of desperately-needed humanitarian aid and relief. In this regard, it was confirmed that the international community is obliged to assume its responsibilities to reach an urgent, immediate and lasting ceasefire. This shall take place while simultaneously moving ahead, effectively and in earnest, to enforce the acknowledgement of an independent, sovereign Palestinian State, along the June 4, 1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital. This will bring about justice and achieve regional security and stability, opening up prospects of development for all peoples of the region.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Presidency of the Arab Republic of Egypt.

The African Union Commission (AUC), in partnership with the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), hosted a roundtable discussion on the ongoing challenges posed by landmines and Explosive Remnants of War (ERW) in Africa as part of the Commemoration of the International Day for Mine Awareness and Assistance in Mine Action. The event highlighted the devastating impact these weapons have on communities and explored innovative solutions for faster and more cost-effective demining.

The roundtable brought together representatives from 8 high-risk African Member States alongside countries with successful demining programs. Operational demining actors such as UNMAS also participated. In addition, humanitarian organizations, the academia, selected donor states and private sector representatives.

During the opening remark, ICRC Delegation to the African Union, Head of Delegation, Bruce Mokaya noted the importance of the event at this critical time for African Member States ahead of the 5th Review Conference to be held in Cambodia in November 2024 to allow exchange on the progress, best practices, challenges, and the way forward on the implementation of the Anti-Personnel Man Ban Convention. Concerning the needs of victims and affected communities. he added, “We believe it is essential to place victims and affected communities at the center of our action to reduce their suffering. Victim assistance is a long-term commitment that requires sustained mobilization of resources and political will from States.”

The African Union Commission (AUC), representative Jocelyn shed light on several critical issues, Jocelyn acknowledged the landmine contamination faced by attending Member States (MS) and the challenges they encounter in fulfilling clearance obligations. The importance of this meeting was emphasized to address these shared challenges. Shifting focus to the upcoming 5th Review Conference of the Anti-Personnel Mine Ban Convention, Jocelyn raised key issues discussed in Ghana. These included the need for State Parties to fulfill reporting obligations, the development of updated strategies to address the threats at national, regional, and continental levels (promoting South-South cooperation).

Despite progress made towards eradicating landmines, several countries highlighted the increased use of improvised explosive devices (IEDs) in conflicts, posing a significant threat to civilians and demining efforts. Algeria, which has cleared vast swathes of its own territory contaminated by landmines emphasized the importance of South-South cooperation in addressing the challenge. A key focus of the roundtable was exploring innovative solutions for demining. The ICRC presented a project in collaboration with Waseda University in Japan that utilizes drone technology and machine learning to detect landmines and ERW. This technology has the potential to revolutionize demining efforts by expediting the process and reducing risks.

Several African nations expressed keen interest in piloting this new technology. Discussions also centered on knowledge transfer and capacity building, with emphasis on training local demining personnel on using the latest tools and techniques. ICRC Japan Head of Delegation, Shoko Hanzawa, , reiterated to undertake field test in Africa to detect mines and announced the availability of an expert to conduct the testing and expressed readiness for further discussion with the interested AU Member States.

The roundtable underscored the need for sustained financial resources to support demining activities across Africa. The EU reaffirmed its commitment as a leading donor and called for a more coordinated approach to maximize impact. Similarly, Germany recalled its €17 million budget to assist African states with de-mining.

Discussions also highlighted the importance of advocacy efforts to raise awareness about the dangers of landmines and ERW, promote adherence to relevant international conventions, and address the root causes of conflicts that perpetuate these threats. The roundtable called for continued dialogue with State and Non-State actors to minimize civilian casualties.

The roundtable concluded with a renewed commitment from Member States and partner organizations to collaborate on achieving a mine-free Africa and push for a universal adherence to the Anti-Personnel Mine Ban Convention (APMBC). The AUC pledged to follow up on key issues raised during the discussions, including exploring the use of new technologies, facilitating knowledge transfer, and securing additional resources for demining programs. Several countries, like Algeria and Azerbaijan, offered to share expertise and equipment in a spirit of South-South cooperation.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC).

The Brazilian Association of Piped Gas Distributing Companies (ABEGÀS) will bring a delegation of Brazilian companies to the Angola Oil&Gas (AOG) conference this year – taking place October 2-3 in Luanda.

During a working visit to Angola this week, the organization participated in a meeting hosted by the Angola-Brazil Chamber of Commerce, where the parties highlighted opportunities for collaboration between the two countries. AOG 2024 event producer Energy Capital&Power also took part in the discussion.

The meeting called attention to strategic areas of cooperation such as the expansion of the natural gas sector in Angola. ABEGÀS President Luiz Gavazza underscored Brazil’s expertise in this field, emphasizing that the country’s 150-year experience of piped gas usage can support the development of Angola’s gas industry.

Additionally, the parties discussed key regulatory and fiscal indicators that stand to strengthen investment in the natural gas market. Strategies for bolstering the domestic uptake of gas across various sectors of the economy – specifically, agriculture, industry and urban mobility – were also explored.

The meeting formed part of a working visit by ABEGÀS to Angola, with the organization meeting with Angola’s national concessionaire, the National Oil, Gas&Biofuels Agency; the Petroleum Derivatives Regulatory Institute; and the Brazilian Embassy in Angola.

The Angola-Brazil Chamber of Commerce is a partner of the AOG 2024 conference. The collaboration serves to promote investment by Brazilian companies in Angola’s oil and gas sector, with the chamber facilitating bilateral knowledge, trade and investment.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Energy Capital&Power.

About Angola Oil&Gas (AOG):
AOG is the largest oil and gas event in Angola. Taking place with the full support of the Ministry of Mineral Resources, Oil and Gas; national oil company Sonangol; the National Oil, Gas and Biofuels Agency; the African Energy Chamber; and the Petroleum Derivatives Regulatory Institute, the event is a platform to sign deals and advance Angola’s oil and gas industry. To sponsor or participate as a delegate, please contact sales@energycapitalpower.com.

Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) has been forced to suspend work in Madani Teaching Hospital in Sudan due to harassment and obstructions; Over three months, our teams in Madani Teaching Hospital have faced repeated security incidents, including looting of the hospital; MSF calls on warring parties in Sudan to stop violating health facilities and guarantee the safety of medical personnel.

MSF has been forced to suspend work and withdraw staff from Madani Teaching Hospital, the only functional hospital for the hundreds of thousands of people in dire need of medical assistance in the capital of Al Jazirah state, Sudan. 

This difficult decision comes after more than three months of relentless challenges trying to provide care at the hospital. Amidst the growing insecurity, we have been unable to bring new staff and medical supplies into the area due to the denial of travel permits, and faced repeated security incidents, such as looting and harassment, affecting our ability to provide medical care. 

We call on the warring parties to stop violating health facilities and guarantee the safety of medical personnel, and to grant the necessary travel permits for our staff and supplies. 

“The health system and basic services in Al Jazirah state have collapsed as a consequence of the fighting and the systematic blockade on supplies and personnel entering the area,” says Mari Carmen Viñoles, operations manager for MSF in Sudan.

“MSF was the only international NGO providing some support in Wad Madani. Our departure leaves a deep void for people struggling to access healthcare and living in a very insecure environment without transportation to move around.” 

In mid-December, when fighting reached Wad Madani – the capital of Al Jazirah state located about 136 kilometres southeast of Khartoum – at least 630,000 people were forced to flee Al Jazirah towards other parts of Sudan according to the International Organization for Migration – many of whom had already been displaced. 

At the end of that month, MSF evacuated all staff from Wad Madani following the offensive from the paramilitary group Rapid Support Forces (RSF) in the city, which until then had been controlled by the Government led-Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF). 

By 13 January, we were able to send a team back to Wad Madani, where several hundred thousand people remained in which used to be one of the most populated cities of Sudan. 

Since then, our teams have been supporting the emergency room, operation theatre, maternity, inpatient department – including paediatrics, the therapeutic feeding centre, and adult and surgical wards – and pharmacy at Madani Teaching Hospital.

We also provided mental health support and care for sexual violence. In addition, we are also provided training, salary incentives to 240 Ministry of Health (MoH) staff, and food for patients.

Between mid-January and the end of April, MSF provided nearly 10,000 outpatient consultations – malaria was the most common illness treated – 2,142 antenatal consultations, and care to 16 survivors of sexual violence. During this period, there was a constant influx of patients into the emergency room, totalling 2,981 admissions. A significant number of these admissions involved physical injuries sustained in the ongoing violence.  

MSF has now suspended all support to the facility, and we have relocated our staff to safer areas of Sudan. Over the past three months, our team and the supported MoH staff have faced repeated security incidents that have been either carried out or tolerated by the RSF, including looting of the hospital, stolen vehicles, and staff being retained, among multiple other incidents. 

Since January, Sudanese authorities have persistently denied travel permits to bring new staff and medical and logistic supplies into the city.  

“While the humanitarian and medical needs in Wad Madani and Al Jazirah are immense, we have no other option than to stop our work immediately and leave the area,” says Viñoles. 

“The deliberate administrative blockages, the increasing insecurity, and the constant violations of the hospital as a neutral space made it impossible to continue providing services.”  

MSF is willing to return to support the Madani Teaching Hospital to support people in Al Jazirah if the warring parties commit to respecting our medical work and ensure safe and uninterrupted access to the area. 

We call on the RSF to stop violating medical facilities and guarantee the safety of MoH and MSF personnel. We also call on the Government of Sudan-led military and civilian authorities to grant the necessary travel permits for our staff and supplies.  

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Médecins sans frontières (MSF).