Shri Dammu Ravi, Secretary (Economic Relations) in the Ministry of External Affairs, will pay a visit to Rwanda, Uganda and Kenya from April 7-12, 2024. He will be accompanied by AS(E&SA), Shri Puneet R. Kundal.

2. In Rwanda, Secretary (ER) will represent the Government of India, in the event marking the 30th commemoration of the 1994 Rwanda Genocide (Kwibuka 30) on 7th April 2024. During the visit, he is also expected to hold meetings with Ministers and senior officials of the Government of Rwanda.

3. ​Secretary (ER) will thereafter travel to Uganda from 08-09 April 2024, leading a 35 member multi sectoral business delegation that aims to increase trade and commercial ties between the two countries. He will also meet with Ministers and officials of the Ugandan Government besides chairing a business session comprising captains of Indian and Ugandan industry. He is also expected to interact with the Indian community in Uganda.

4. ​Secretary (ER) will then travel to Kenya heading a large delegation comprising officials from Ministry of Agriculture, Indian agricultural companies and business chambers from 10-12 April 2024. This visit will be in fulfilment of the decision taken in the meeting between Prime Minister Modi and President of Kenya, during his visit to India in December 2023. The delegation will interalia explore the possibility of agricultural farming in Kenya. Secretary (ER) will also be chairing a business session comprising Indian and Kenyan companies besides having meetings with Ministers and officials of the Government of Kenya. He will also be meeting with members of the Indian community in Kenya.

5.​ The visit by Secretary (ER) is a reaffirmation of India’s commitment to further strengthen its ties of friendship with Rwanda, Uganda and Kenya and to maintain the momentum of high level contacts between India and countries in Africa, post the entry of the African Union (AU) as a permanent member of the G-20 during the Indian Presidency.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Ministry of External Affairs – Government of India.

Around one in two out-of-school children and adolescents live in countries at the forefront of the climate crisis, according to new analysis by Save the Children. The figures come as extreme heat has forced hundreds of schools to shut in the Philippines this week [1], while in South Sudan, students are only just returning to school after two weeks of heatwave-induced school closures, which impacted tens of thousands of children. 

For the analysis, Save the Children looked at how many of the approximately 250 million children and adolescents worldwide that are not in primary or secondary education (covering ages 5 to 19) live in places most vulnerable to climate change [2]. We found that 50% of children missing out on school live in 36 countries which are most at risk of the negative effects of the climate crisis while being least able to adapt [3]. These countries however, only represent around a quarter of children of school age.

Globally, the countries that are most vulnerable to the effects of climate change are those that are poorest or most fragile, where children were already more likely to be out-of-school for reasons including conflict, poverty, disability and gender inequality. Climate change makes extreme weather events and natural disasters that impact education even more likely. Around 62 million children and adolescents in 27 countries have had their education disrupted by climate shocks since 2020 [4], resulting in significant long-term impact on learning, both from school closures and from increased heatwaves [5].

In South Sudan, which saw scorching temperatures of up to 45 °C as this year’s hot season hit much earlier than usual, the government ordered schools to close for two weeks. Temperatures in at least ten of the Philippine’s 17 regions meanwhile are expected to hit or exceed 42 °C this week, about 20 % higher than typically seen in April.  

Kelley Toole, Save the Children’s Interim Global Director Child Poverty, Climate&Urban, said: 

“The climate crisis is a child rights’ crisis and its effects on children’s right to learn is a stark reminder of this. The climate emergency threatens children’s ability to access education and has potentially life-long consequences for children who again are being forced to pay the price for a crisis they are the least responsible for. 

Unless we act to protect education from the negative effects of a changing climate, the impact on the futures of these children who already live in some of the countries where out-of-school rates are already highest will only be more pronounced. We cannot let inequality build upon inequality and injustice upon injustice.” 

More than 1 billion children, around half the world’s 2.2 billion children, live in countries highly susceptible to – and in many cases already experiencing – the effects of climate change. 

Climate shocks and extreme weather such as cyclones, floods, and fires often damage or destroy schools and can lead to the displacement of school-age children or force them to enter the workforce to support their families. Girls are particularly affected as they are less likely to return to school after a disaster or a climate shock. 

As the world’s leading independent child rights organization, Save the Children works in 116 countries, tackling climate across everything we do, including education.

Save the Children is part of Building the Climate Resilience of Children and Communities through the Education Sector (BRACE), a green schools initiative which provides finance to support education systems in vulnerable countries to construct climate-resilient and green schools, integrate climate change in school curricula and provide climate early warnings to schools. We are also part of the Climate Smart Education Systems initiative to strengthen the resilience and relevance of education to climate change and environmental degradation, while the Comprehensive School Safety Framework, endorsed by over 70 governments is central to our approach to address climate change and ensure children have continued access to learning.

Save the Children is calling for improved understanding of climate change’s impact on education, a greater focus on education as part of climate action and more climate and education investment globally, including in Africa, where the African Union has declared 2024 the Year of Education.  

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Save the Children.

UK company Globeleq, the leading independent power company in Africa, today announced that its Red Sands project in the Northern Cape has been awarded Preferred Bidder status in South Africa’s Energy Storage Capacity Independent Power Producer Procurement Programme (ESIPPPP). Globeleq is majority-owned by British International Investment (BII), the Development Finance Institution of the UK Government.

Battery storage is an essential enabler of renewable-energy generation, and the market for these systems is growing rapidly in South Africa and worldwide as a means of resolving energy crises and tackling climate change. These systems provide reliable power supply on demand, even when the energy grid is unstable, overcoming the challenges of intermittent wind and solar sources. They store energy at times of excess generation so that it can be released into the grid when generation falls short of demand, helping to mitigate the need for load-shedding.

Experts say that widespread energy storage is vital to expanding the reach of renewables and speeding the transition to a carbon-free power grid – this is key to helping reduce South Africa’s reliance on fossil fuels as it seeks to transition to clean energy. This R5.7 billion (US$300 million) investment therefore represents a flagship project financed by the UK as part of its commitment under the Just Energy Transition Partnership agreed at COP26.

The Red Sands project is in the Northern Cape, about 100km southeast of Upington, and was originally developed by African Green Ventures, a South African renewable project development company owned by Norwegian based energy firm Magnora ASA. The project will cover approximately 5 hectares (12 acres) and will connect to the grid through the Eskom Garona substation. The substation will be upgraded by the Red Sands project to ensure that full network support capabilities of the project’s batteries can be utilised.

Working closely with leading global battery and balance-of-plant suppliers, Globeleq estimates that the project will require an investment of approximately US$300 million and will take 24 months to construct after financial close, which is expected in 2024.

Globeleq is the largest independent power produce in Africa, providing nearly 1,800 MW of energy in South Africa, Mozambique, Kenya, Tanzania, Cote d’Ivoire, Egypt and Cameroon. Globeleq is a UK company based in London and backed entirely with Official Development Assistance (UK aid).

Red Sands will be Globeleq’s first Battery Energy Storage Solutions (BESS) project in South Africa but the Group owns and operates a combined solar and BESS plant at Cuamba in Mozambique, and is developing BESS projects across the African continent. Globeleq also owns and operates 8 renewable plants (6 solar PV, 2 wind) in South Africa with a total generating capacity of 384 MW.

Mike Scholey, Globeleq’s CEO commented:

“I am delighted that we have received Preferred Bidder status for this very important project, and I look forward to working with the government and our partners to take Red Sands to financial close and into operations. Electricity storage is going to be key not only in helping South Africa meet its considerable industrial and domestic demand for energy but also across Africa as more renewable energy projects benefit from the advances our industry has made with BESS technology.”

British High Commissioner to South Africa, Antony Phillipson said:

“This is a significant investment in South Africa’s future. The UK is proud to play such a vital role in helping to tackle the energy crisis with new technology that will bring power supply stability and most importantly support South Africa’s ambition to reduce carbon emissions.”

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of British High Commission Pretoria.

The Ethiopia National Center of the Africa Health Observatory Platform on Health Systems and Policies (AHOP), in close collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Health (FMoH) and the World Health Organization (WHO), successfully conducted a “Policy Dialogue on Engagement of the Private Health Sector in the Delivery of Tertiary Healthcare Services in Ethiopia.”

Despite its advantages, numerous barriers and challenges hinder the private sector’s engagement in investing in health sector development and healthcare service delivery to optimize tertiary healthcare services, as revealed by the policy dialogue held in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, on March 21st.

The policy dialogue was graced by the presence of esteemed dignitaries, including Dr. Asnake Wakjira, the Ministry of Health’s management chief executive officer; Dr. Samuel Kifle, the President of Addis Ababa University; senior officials from the WHO African Regional Office and the WHO Ethiopia Country Office; Representatives from the Health Ministries of Ethiopia, Nigeria, and Rwanda; and the London School of Economics. 

The policy dialogue aimed at understanding how private sector engagement impacted the provision of health services generally and tertiary care specifically. It sought to identify changes to enabling environments such as policy and regulatory frameworks, advocacy, implementation of the policy framework, access to physical space, finance, and foreign currency, which have improved the interest and motivation of the private health sector for optimizing and engaging in the scale-up of tertiary healthcare service delivery. 

Moreover, the policy dialogue is set to make significant contributions to the ongoing development of the Ethiopian National Strategy for Private Sector Engagement in the Health Sector. This strategic alignment with the priorities of the Ethiopian Health Sector Mid-term Development and Investment Plan is a promising step towards enhancing healthcare services through effective public-private partnerships.

Speaking at the occasion, Dr. Dawit Wondimagegne, Director of the Ethiopian National Center of AHOP, emphasized that the policy dialogue aimed to foster inclusive discussions, networking opportunities, and strategic collaborations to enhance healthcare systems and services through effective public-private partnerships.

Based on the dialogue’s recommendations, the MoH will reshape strategies and enabling environments for effective private sector engagement in the health sector, strengthening approaches to enhance the capacities of the private sector. The policy dialogue holds significant importance for policymakers, the FMoH, and the private sector, Dr Dawit added.

Dr. Asnake, the Chief Executive Officer of the Ministry of Health, outlined the core priorities of the health sector over the next three years, which include restoring and establishing services in conflict-affected areas, enhancing the provision of medical supplies and equipment, increasing greater private sector engagement, and enhancing the quality and equity of health services.

He affirmed that the Health Sector Medium-Term Development and Investment Plan (HSDIP) will lead to a healthier and more prosperous Ethiopia. He also highlighted the development of a 10-year Specialty and Subspecialty Service Roadmap in Ethiopia to improve availability and access to tertiary healthcare services and ensure the quality of specialty and subspecialty services in both the public and private health sectors.

“The evolving nature of mixed health systems, where 33% of health facilities and healthcare providers in Ethiopia belong to the private sector, underscores the critical role of both public and private sectors in achieving universal health coverage,” said Dr.  Bejoy Nambiar, representing WHO-Ethiopia at the dialogue. He acknowledged that while the involvement of private sector players has increased access to healthcare services, significant challenges remain.

According to Dr. Bejoy, private health facilities and providers are predominantly concentrated at the primary level of service delivery, with only one out of 28 tertiary health facilities being privately owned. He stressed the importance of continuously collecting and analyzing data to align priorities for action and fostering relationships with the main actors to ensure effective private sector engagement.

WHO Regional Office for Africa and the WHO Country Office for Ethiopia have supported the Ethiopian Ministry of Health in reshaping the National Strategy on Private Sector Engagement to ensure equitable access to quality health services for all Ethiopians. Dr. Bejoy reiterated WHO’s commitment to working with the Government of Ethiopia and other partners, including the private sector, to ensure universal access to quality healthcare and improve health outcomes.

The private sector exerts significant influence in most of the world’s health systems, including through direct provision of health services, medicines and medical products, health insurance, health workforce training, information technology, infrastructure, and support services. As a result, most countries have “mixed health systems” where a mix of public and private providers deliver health services and health-related goods.

The Ethiopian Health Sector Mid-Term Development and Investment Plan recognizes the role of the private sector in expanding the health sector’s resource base and delivering specific services. Policy and regulatory frameworks have also been developed to encourage private-sector engagement. 

However, due to the limited engagement of the private health sector in tertiary healthcare service delivery, the public sector remains the primary source of such services (80%). In 2023, out of the 28 comprehensive specialized hospitals for tertiary healthcare service delivery across the country, only one was owned by the private sector.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of World Health Organization (WHO) – Ethiopia.