Today, Deputy Administrator Isobel Coleman announced the launch of the Africa Trade Desk, a signature trade platform from Prosper Africa that links large U.S. food retailers to African producers. The announcement was made during the Atlanta Phambili: A Trade&Investment Gateway to Africa&South Africa event, an event highlighting the economic relationship between the United States and Africa, with a spotlight on South Africa.

The Africa Trade Desk, a public-private partnership between Prosper Africa and Afritex Ventures, is set to facilitate at least $300 million in export sales between Africa and the United States within the next 18 months. The Africa Trade Desk bridges the gap between African suppliers and U.S. retailers by establishing a secure supply chain from Africa to U.S. retailers by consolidating logistics, insurance, and track and trace technology from farm to retailer. Initially, the focus will remain on specialty food products such as seafood, peppadews, stone fruit, citrus, and high-value herbs and vegetables. This initiative aggregates products from African suppliers, secures firm orders from its established network of U.S. buyers, and accesses financial resources to fund large orders. It supports U.S. retailers in diversifying their sourcing, reducing dependencies on traditional supply chains, and embracing high-quality, sustainable products from Africa, and also aims to mentor and scale African suppliers for success in the U.S. market. The Africa Trade Desk will help streamline business for African farmers by addressing hurdles including logistics and overseas marketing.

Prosper Africa is a U.S. Presidential-level national security initiative created to increase trade and investment at transformative levels. Prosper Africa is leading innovative approaches to U.S.-Africa trade relations and is changing the way we do business with Africa.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of United States Agency for International Development (USAID).

The Duayaw Nkwanta Traditional Council has expressed immense gratitude to the Government of President Akufo-Addo, for making its dream of having a Fire Service Academy and Training School in the area possible.

The Vice President, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, on Tuesday March 26, 2024, commissioned a new Fire Service Training School in Duayaw Nkwanta, the second Fire training school built by the Akufo-Addo Government, to take the national tally of fire academy and training school in Ghana to three.

Speaking at the commissioning, Acting President of Duayaw Nkwanta Traditional Council, Nana Boakye Bonsu, expressed the joy and gratitude of his people to President Nana Akufo-Addo and Vice President Bawumia.

“Indeed, today is a great day for our Municipality and the Traditional Area. The reason is that the dream and concept of this wonderful project that we are witnessing today, was initiated and conceived by wonderful persons like tje late Nana Boakye Tromo III, Omanhene and Presidemt of the Duayaw Kwanta Traditional Council,” he said.

“The entire Traditional Council wants to take this opportunity to express our profound gratitude to the government.”

“Duayaw Nkwanta will always remember the President, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, Vice President Alhaji Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia and the NPP Government.”

Facilities at the training school include dormitory blocks for men and women, classroom blocks, administration blocks, as well as modern training equipment such as hydraulic platforms to reach the 16th floor, to fight fires and effect rescue operations.

The Vice President announced that a third Fire Service Training School built by the government in the Eastern Region,  will soon be commissioned.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of The Presidency, Republic of Ghana.

In a further move towards pooled procurement of essential medicines and medical products, Ministers of Health from small African islands states established a secretariat and elected Mauritius as the host, taking critical steps to launch joint operations for increased access to affordable, quality-assured and safe medicines and medical supplies.

The pooled procurement programme, signed in 2020 by Cabo Verde, Comoros, Guinea-Bissau, Mauritius, Sao Tome&Principe and Seychelles, that form the Small Island Developing States (SIDS) from Africa, and endorsed by Madagascar, aims to coordinate the purchase of selected medicines and medical products affordably, harmonize medicines management systems, improve supplier performance and reduce procurement workload. The programme also sets the guiding principles and governance structure, including the creation of a secretariat, technical committees and a council of ministers.

The ministers, gathering for the 8th SIDS meeting in Victoria, Seychelles, took the new step to set up a secretariat as they embark on the final stages of the joint procurement initiative.

“Mauritius is honoured to assume this important responsibility and we thank fellow SIDS countries and Madagascar for the confidence demonstrated in us to host the pooled drugs procurement secretariat,” said Hon Kailesh Jagutpal, Minister of Health and Wellness of Mauritius. “We will assume this duty with the care and rigour that it requires for the common good of all people and countries represented.”

Pooled procurement has been on the SIDS agenda since 2017 when the countries expressed commitment to implement the initiative.

“I congratulate Mauritius on the election as host for the secretariat. This is a win for all of us. Our unique position of SIDS in the African region is what brings us together and makes us stronger,” said Cabo Verde Minister of Health, Hon Filomena Gonçalves. “We will continue to play an important role in moving the agenda of pooled procurement forward and will work closely with our partners, including WHO.” 

During the 25–27 March 2024 meeting, the ministers and government representatives also agreed to strengthen collective efforts and actions on health, including bolstering preparedness and response to health emergencies, strengthening health systems and putting in place measures to mitigate and adapt to the impacts of climate change, to which island nations are particularly vulnerable. 

“As a collective we have come together to explore different ways of working so we can make our voices heard in all the important global arenas. Even if we don’t always have the capacity on our own, through SIDS we can do it. We may be small, but we can be big in our actions,” said Hon Peggy Vidot, Minister of Health of the Seychelles. 

The meeting was the first for Guinea-Bissau, which has now become a full member of SIDS, and for Madagascar, which accepted the invitation to be part of the SIDS Network initiative and therefore part of pooled procurement efforts. 

“This meeting will be remembered as a milestone. We’ve had fruitful discussions and made important decisions that will have an impact on SIDS and the rest of the region. At WHO, we will provide technical support to SIDS to ensure the implementation of the agreed-upon actions from this meeting,” said Dr Matshidiso Moeti, World Health Organization Regional Director for Africa. 

The SIDS meeting in the African region serves as a forum for a collective voice for joint inputs into global SIDS events, including the upcoming Fourth International Conference on SIDS in Antigua and Barbuda, which will take place in late May 2024. 

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of WHO Regional Office for Africa.

Kenya today received provisional approval for the Yr. 2 PEPFAR Country Operational plan (COP) – USD 322,000,000 (KES43B) funding for HIV response whose implementation will run from 1 October 2024 to 30 September 2025. This was announced today during the COP 23 approval meeting, that took place between the Kenya Government represented by the CS, Ministry of Health – Hon. Nakhumicha S. Wafula, Office of the Global Aids Coordinator -Ambassador Dr. John Nkengasong; US Ambassador to Kenya, HE Meg Whitman; Kenya Chair of COP 23 Julia Martin; PEPFAR Country team through the respective agencies, CDC/ USAID, DOD; Council of Governors (COG); the civil society and MOH representatives including the Ag. Director General Health, National AIDS and STI Control Program and the National Syndemic Disease Control Council (NSDCC) among others.  

During the meeting, the US Ambassador to Kenya, HE Meg Whitman, expressed confidence in Kenya’s ability to achieve epidemic control in the near future including ending AIDS in Children by 2027. Amb. Dr. John Nkengasong, the US Global AIDS Coordinator, while giving the provisional approval, lauded Kenya’s strong commitment and efforts in management of HIV and GOK transformation of the health sector through the Universal Health Coverage (UHC) and Primary Health Care (PHC) platform which are a critical pillar to a sustainable HIV response. The speakers lauded the alignment of the proposed priorities and the collaboration between MOH, communities, counties and Kenya PEPFAR team reflected in the COP process and proposal. In her remarks the Cabinet Secretary reiterated the MOH commitment to steward the response and provide a conducive environment in the convergence of the HIV response in the context of UHC as the country accelerates the epidemic control efforts.     

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