School-age children between 5 and 19 years old now account for 33 per cent of mpox cases in Burundi, presenting a new challenge as families prepare for the upcoming school year.

“The rising number of mpox cases among children in Burundi, including children under five, is deeply concerning, and protecting them is our top priority,” said France Bégin, UNICEF Representative in Burundi. “Additionally, ensuring that all children can safely return to school amidst this outbreak is critical. Our teams are working closely with the Ministry of Education to implement health measures in schools, safeguard students, and prevent further learning disruptions.”

Since the first confirmed case on 25 July 2024, Burundi has reported 564 mpox cases, 62.9 per cent of which are under 19 years old, and over 1,576 suspected cases. There have been 1,774 alerts across 34 of the country’s 49 health districts, with the three health districts of Bujumbura being the outbreak’s epicentre.

Children and vulnerable communities have been at the sharp end of an expanding outbreak of mpox across Eastern and Southern Africa. With more than 3 million children in Burundi heading back to school as of 16 September 2024, UNICEF and the government are scaling up efforts for their safe return to learning amid the mpox outbreak.

As the lead partner in education and emergency preparedness, UNICEF is providing technical support to the Ministry of Education to help prevent the spread of mpox in schools and support children affected to reduce the risk of dropouts. This includes addressing concerns in communities, training staff to identify early symptoms of mpox and refer learners to care, reinforcing hand hygiene, and supplying essential resources to ensure safety and maintain educational momentum.

UNICEF is appealing for US$58.8 million to address the rising mpox crisis across six African countries, including Burundi, where children are most affected. The response aims to stop transmission, protect children, and ensure the continuation of essential services. This includes coordinating with health authorities and partners, promoting vaccination, enhancing infection control, and providing mental health support. UNICEF also works to combat stigma, support families in isolation centres, and maintain critical services like education and healthcare during the outbreak.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF).

President of the Republic of Rwanda Paul Kagame will make a Working Visit to Singapore from 18 to 23 September 2024. As fellow members of the Forum of Small States (FOSS), Singapore and Rwanda work closely together to advance the interests of small nations and to strengthen the multilateral system. This will be President Kagame’s fourth visit to Singapore. His last visit was in September 2022.  

During his visit, President Kagame will meet President Tharman Shanmugaratnam and Prime Minister and Minister for Finance Lawrence Wong. President Kagame will also be hosted to a meal by Senior Minister Lee Hsien Loong.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Ministry of Foreign Affairs – Singapore.

When the 2024 Africa Tech Festival (https://AfricaTechFestival.com/) kicks off in Cape Town on 12 November, anchor event AfricaIgnite will see the continent’s most innovative startups exposed to unprecedented opportunities to pitch their businesses, connect with funders, and meet potential customers.

Building on the resounding success of its launch last year, AfricaIgnite is the flagship event for founders, investors, and key players in the tech ecosystem, supporting market access and investment opportunities for the continent’s startups.

In addition to the various events on offer at Africa Tech Festival’s other anchor events – AfricaCom, AfricaTech, and AI Summit Cape Town – AfricaIgnite provides startups with a range of supportive sessions and experiences.

“Africa Tech Festival is all about providing a platform for stakeholders from across all spheres of Africa’s technology arena to connect, collaborate, and drive innovation. It is wonderful to see how AfricaIgnite has grown since first being included in the Africa Tech Festival line-up. This year sees the highest attendance by founders and venture capitalists to date, reflecting the effectiveness of the platform in growing Africa’s startup ecosystem. Delegates can look forward to a stellar range of speakers, and sponsorship by established brands like Collective 54 and SAP for Scaleups,” said James Williams, Event Director of Africa Tech Festival.

Confirmed AfricaIgnite speakers include:

Bongani Sithole, CEO, 54 Collective [View speaker profile (https://apo-opa.co/3BadswD)]
Art Chupeau, Managing Partner, Baobab Network [View speaker profile (https://apo-opa.co/3ZqmRdl)]
Zach George, Managing Partner, Launch Africa [View speaker profile (https://apo-opa.co/4gslscu)]
Laurie Fuller, Partner, Raiven Capital and Google for Startup Mentor [View speaker profile (https://apo-opa.co/3zzCCUK)]

“For the first time at Africa Tech Festival, we will see founders that can talk succinctly and comprehensively about building businesses during a high interest rate environment as well as a low interest rate environment, and how they’ve been able to do so despite fluctuating macroeconomic conditions,” said Launch Africa’s Zach George, who will be a panellist speaking about strategies for early-stage startups, and participating in a keynote fireside chat on navigating mergers and acquisitions and local investments for success in the tech ecosystem.

Several exclusive prospects are open to both startup founders and venture capitalists at the event. A pre-event Founder and Investor Day will enable founders to learn from and network with experienced entrepreneurs, while the Matchmaking Programme offers an chance to connect with potential venture capitalists. Opportunities to exhibit in the event’s startup marketplace will allow founders to increase brand visibility and connect with potential customers.

Presented in partnership with the Startup World Cup and powered by Pegasus Tech Ventures, the AfricaIgnite Pitch Competition presents an opportunity for innovators to showcase their ideas to potential investors and partners in a live pitch. The winner will advance to next year’s Startup World Cup Grand Finale in the United States, where they will compete for a $1,000,000 investment prize alongside the best startups from around the globe.

Taking place from 12 to 14 November at the Cape Town International Convention Centre, the 27th Africa Tech Festival is Africa’s biggest showcase of enterprise tech innovation, providing a 360 view of how tech and strategy evolution is reshaping Africa’s diverse industry sectors – from telecoms, to financial services, healthcare, government, SMEs and start-ups, retail, manufacturing, and beyond.

Register now to secure your spot and join us in shaping the future of technology in Africa: https://apo-opa.co/3zewUb0

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Africa Tech Festival.

About Africa Tech Festival:
Africa Tech Festival, including anchor events AfricaCom, AfricaTech, AfricaIgnite&AI Summit Cape Town is part of the Informa Tech Connecting Africa event series. A vibrant celebration of Africa’s diverse community of tech champions, Africa Tech Festival is the largest tech and digital connectivity conference and exhibition in Africa, attracting hundreds of exhibitors, more than 450 speakers and more than 15000 delegates.

 In a ceremony held at the Permanent Mission of Eritrea to the United Nations, Eritrea and St. Lucia have established diplomatic relations, signifying a mutual commitment to fostering closer ties.

The agreement was signed by Ambassador Sophia Tesfamariam, Permanent Representative of Eritrea to the United Nations, and Ambassador Mennissa Rambally, Permanent Representative of St. Lucia to the United Nations.

Both ambassadors emphasized that this new partnership reflects a desire to build a better understanding of each other’s cultures, histories, and aspirations. They expressed optimism that these strengthened ties would pave the way for exploring opportunities to advance their relations bilaterally, particularly in areas such as trade, education, tourism, and sustainable development.

The formalization of diplomatic relations is expected to enhance cooperation within the United Nations and other international forums, where Eritrea and St. Lucia will collaborate on key global issues, including climate action, peacebuilding, and development. This milestone lays the foundation for a long-lasting and fruitful partnership, with both nations looking forward to working together to achieve shared goals.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Ministry of Information, Eritrea.