The World Health Organization’s (WHO) Ethiopia Country Office (WCO-Ethiopia) convened a strategic working session on August 13-14, 2024, to evaluate and refine the ongoing implementation of the 2024-25 Program Budget (PB).

This session is a crucial part of the broader Country Cooperation Strategy (CCS) 2021-2025 implementation, which is now in its fourth year, aligned closely with Ethiopia’s national health priorities.

Amidst Ethiopia’s complex health landscape, the WCO is actively engaged in responding to five WHO graded emergencies—including disease outbreaks and humanitarian crises—and several non-graded emergencies such as measles, malaria, and landslides. However, challenges of financial resources availability are impending implementation of key health programs and complicating the overall health response efforts in the country.

To address these challenges, the country office has initiated several strategies that were discussed at the working session.

The timing of the session coincides with the recent approval of the Fourteenth General Program of Work (GPW14) 2025-2028 at the Seventy-seventh World Health Assembly in May 2024. GPW14 will shape WHO’s global health initiatives over the next four years and is integral to the WCO’s future planning in Ethiopia.

The session objectives included: assessing the progress of the 2024-25 biennium workplan, identifying ongoing challenges, and formulating actionable recommendations. It also focused on finding opportunities for synergy across various health programs, with an emphasis on identifying short, medium, and long-term actions.

In his opening remarks, WHO Ethiopia Country Representative Dr. Owen Laws Kaluwa emphasized the importance of the session, stating, “this session marks a pivotal step in strengthening the WCO’s capacity to support Ethiopia in overcoming its public health challenges and achieving its health objectives in the coming years.”

Participants of the session proposed a fit-for-purpose organizational structure that aligns with the WHO Africa Regional Office (WHO-AFRO) clusters and strategic priorities, including the GPW14. They also reviewed and endorsed strategies for resource mobilization and communication, which are critical for sustaining the WCO’s finances and visibility.

The workshop concluded with a detailed understanding of the GPW14, the identification of key challenges and bottlenecks, and the development of mitigation strategies.

Additionally, participants identified areas for synergy across different health clusters and programs and outlined a roadmap to guide the formal review of the current CCS and the development of the next generation strategy.

This session underscores the WCO’s commitment to adapting and evolving in response to both global and local health challenges, ensuring that it remains an effective partner in Ethiopia’s journey toward improved public health outcomes, Dr. Kaluwa stated in his closing remarks.

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

Leading and facilitating dialogue at Africa’s premier energy event, Rwandan-Belgium entrepreneur and television presenter Tania Habimana has joined African Energy Week: Invest in African Energy 2024 as the Master of Ceremonies of the opening ceremony.

Through insightful reporting, extensive financial acumen and a dynamic stage presence, Habimana is widely-recognized as a leading voice in financial journalism on the continent. Habimana has served as an anchor for CNBC Africa’s primetime financial markets and business show Closing Bell since 2021. In April of this year, she began presenting Startup Caps – CNBC Africa’s latest show that uncovers Africa’s thriving startup ecosystem across multiple sectors, featuring voices from venture funds to angel investors to startup founders. To date, Habimana has interviewed and chaired panel discussions with over 400 leaders across 35 countries to an audience of over 200,000 in both French and English. She has also founded several organizations, including integrated marketing company NONZēRO Africa; business fashion program Threads Stitched by Standard Bank; and FASHIONTech Africa hackathon&conference, a 24-hour fashion technology platform.

AEW: Invest in African Energy is the platform of choice for project operators, financiers, technology providers and government, and has emerged as the official place to sign deals in African energy. Visit www.AECWeek.com for more information about this exciting event.

Kicking off the five-day, multi-track conference, the opening ceremony at AEW: Invest in African Energy 2024 will begin with opening remarks from NJ Ayuk, Executive Chairman of the African Energy Chamber, and Dr. Omar Farouk, Secretary General of the African Petroleum Producers Organization, followed by keynote addresses and exclusive conversations with Africa’s leading energy ministers and international energy companies. A deal-signing ceremony will follow – celebrating the latest groundbreaking deals in Africa’s energy sector – as well as an opening panel discussion addressing Africa’s vital role in global energy security and supply chains.

Habimana’s experience covering global economic trends and financial markets will add a valuable dimension to AEW: Invest in African Energy 2024. Attracting capital to Africa’s energy sector is critical to addressing the continent’s growing energy needs and supporting its economic development. With untapped oil and gas reserves and abundant, co-located renewable resources, Africa has the potential to leapfrog traditional energy models and develop its own blueprint for a sustainable and industrialized future. AEW 2024 is committed to driving critical discussions around transparent and stable regulatory environments, enabling public-private partnerships and fostering international collaboration on financing mechanisms and technical support that can install investor confidence and unlock funding for large-scale energy infrastructure projects.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of African Energy Chamber.

His Majesty’s Trade Commissioner for Africa, John Humphrey, visited Egypt for the first time this week to enhance UK-Egypt trade and investment co-operation, focusing on green transition, tourism, aviation and core infrastructure.

During his week-long visit, John Humphrey met key ministers across the Egyptian Government, including Minister of Foreign Affairs, Emigration and Egyptian Expatriates, H.E Badr Abdelatty and Minister of Trade and Investment, HE Hassan El-Khatib, where they discussed ways of strengthening the UK-Egypt £4.7 billion trade and investment relationship to support economic prosperity for both countries.  

Additionally, Mr Humphrey met Minister of Tourism, HE Sherif Fathy, and reaffirmed the UK’s commitment to help Egypt meet its ambitious tourism targets, through commercial flight routes, such as the recently announced Liverpool to Luxor route, and targeting UK trade and investment to improve the tourist experience.

Mr Humphrey also met Minister of Civil Aviation, Pilot Sameh El-Hefny to discuss strengthening bilateral co-operation on the development and operation of Egyptian airports, including welcoming EgyptAir’s recent order of 10 new Airbus aircraft designed for efficiency and reduced emissions.

Finally, Mr Humphrey had the opportunity to attend Egypt’s International Airshow at El-Alamein International Airport and visit the MCV factory to see CEO Karim Ghabbour, and some of the trademark double deck London buses that assembled here and exported to the UK.

The visit to Egypt follows a business delegation of 31 UK companies who visited in June this year to build future trade partnerships and investment deals. This important delegation met with senior Egyptian government officials and conducted 250 business to business meetings with Egyptian counterparts.

Building on the trade ties strengthened by Mr Humphrey’s visit, an Egyptian business delegation led by the British Egyptian Business Association (BEBA), will visit the UK from the 18th to the 20th of September to unlock investment opportunities in Egypt.

The event will be attended by: HE Ahmed Kouchouk, Minister of Finance; HE Hassan El Khateeb, Minister of Investment; HE Walid Gamal El Din Chairman of the SCEZ; HE Dr Mohamed Farid, Chairman of FRA; HE  Rami Aboul Naga Deputy Governor of the Central bank and HE Khaled Abass Chairman of the New Capital. The event will also highlight the Egyptian government’s efforts in attracting investment and accelerating private sector growth, while modernising regulations across key sectors like energy, infrastructure, manufacturing and finance.

Reflecting on his visit, John Humphrey said:

It’s a great pleasure to be in Egypt looking into potential opportunities to boost the UK-Egypt trade and investment relationship. The highlights include an exciting visit to the new El-Alamein City, one of the 37 planned new cities in Egypt, which serves as a tangible example of how these kinds of plans can become a reality.  It is a perfect illustration of why thousands of UK tourists flock to Egypt every year, to witness its beautiful beaches and wonderful climate.

The UK Department for Business and Trade (DBT) and UK Export Finance (UKEF) work hand in glove in Egypt, and UKEF has £2 billion available for projects in all sectors, including those that harness Egypt’s incredible potential to become a renewable energy superpower and to build sustainable cities.

British Ambassador to Egypt, Gareth Bayley, added:

The UK is committed to a growing and prosperous UK-Egypt trade and investment partnership, especially in the areas of renewable energy, tourism and core infrastructure.  Our strong bilateral trade relationship is valued at £4.7 billion annually, and the UK is one of Egypt’s largest foreign direct investors. His Majesty’s Trade Commissioner for Africa’s recent visit demonstrates the growing opportunities found here, especially with. Egypt’s strategic position as a gateway into Africa. I believe the future of trade and investment between our two countries has huge potential.”

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Government of UK.

Heavy rains have ravaged 30 of Nigeria’s 36 states. According to the government, over a million people have been affected, 269 lives tragically lost, and more than 640,000 have been displaced from their homes.

Maiduguri town, a humanitarian hub in the northeast, is at the epicentre of the crisis. Rains caused a breach in Alau Dam, about 20 kilometres away, uprooting over 400,000 people in recent days. The impact submerged half of Maiduguri, and most residents have lost everything. Many of the displaced had already been uprooted by conflict or the effects of the climate crisis.

UNHCR and its humanitarian partners are working tirelessly to provide life-saving relief to those who lost their homes in the floods. UNHCR is providing tarpaulins, blankets, sleeping mats, mosquito nets and other essential items. Emergency cash assistance is also being provided to single-parent families, people with disabilities and families with young children to help them purchase food and other necessities.

However, supplies are quickly depleting and we can only meet less than 10 per cent of the urgent needs.

The devastating floods have compounded years of prior displacement, food insecurity and economic hardship, with disastrous consequences. Communities which, after years of conflict and violence, had started rebuilding their lives were struck by the floods and once again displaced. They and thousands of others are seeking safety from rising waters in overcrowded schools and camps.

These situations often result in an increase in gender-based violence, which requires urgent intervention. Protection partners are also addressing the issue of separated families, including some unaccompanied children.

When the floodwaters finally recede, thousands of families will face the daunting task of returning to homes that have been destroyed. They will need significant support to rebuild homes, livelihoods, and a sense of normalcy.

The UN and partners are collecting more data to help assess and address the overall needs. But we cannot afford to wait. The urgency of this crisis requires immediate action and increased support for flood-affected families, in Maiduguri and elsewhere in Nigeria.

There are currently 3.6 million internally displaced people in Nigeria, mostly in the northeast, and the country hosts almost 100,000 asylum-seekers and refugees. UNHCR’s country appeal for $107.1 million was just 28 per cent funded by the end of August.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).