The Board of Directors of the African Development Bank Group (www.AfDB.org) has approved a $10 million junior equity investment in the KawiSafi (www.KawiSafi.com) II Fund to help local businesses create and expand climate projects that aid vulnerable communities. The approved financing will be deployed from the Sustainable Energy Fund for Africa (SEFA) (https://apo-opa.co/3YKeVDx), a catalytic financing facility managed by the Bank Group. 

KawiSafi II is a $200 million venture equity fund to address investment gaps in energy transition, productivity, mobility and logistics in sub-Saharan Africa. It includes a $10 million technical assistance facility to maximise climate impact and ensure better management of environmental, social, and governance risks.

KawiSafi II is a follow-on from KawiSafi Fund I, a $67 million off-grid energy fund established in 2016, which benefited from a strong sponsor, Acumen Fund (https://Acumen.org). Acumen has over 20 years of experience investing in transformational companies to solve global poverty challenges, including in the renewable energy space. KawiSafi Fund I successfully invested in companies such as D.light (www.Dlight.com), Bboxx (www.Bboxx.com), and BioLite (www.BioLiteEnergy.com), among others.

“The African Development Bank’s investment into KawiSafi II, our innovative climate fund, is catalytic for helping us reach a first close and attract the significant private capital that is urgently required to support Africa’s climate innovators,” said Amar Inamdar, Managing Director of KawiSafi Ventures. “As the leading development finance institution on the continent, the Bank’s catalytic commitment will leverage investments into breakthrough African start-ups addressing climate change through renewable energy, clean mobility, and other key sectors crucial to achieving our climate goals.”

The KawiSafi Funds are prime examples of the patient and risk-tolerant capital required to support growing African climate businesses seeking to penetrate new markets against the backdrop of a significant shortage of equity capital in the market.

João Duarte Cunha, Manager of the Bank Group’s Renewable Energy Funds Division, which oversees SEFA, said, “The KawiSafi Fund II presents an opportunity to avail more venture and growth capital to emerging businesses linked to energy access and energy transition, at a time when such capital is most needed in the market.”

The African Development Bank’s investment through SEFA in KawiSafi II demonstrates its ongoing commitment to promoting a just energy transition and combating climate change via strategic partnerships with the private sector and investments in innovative solutions.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of African Development Bank Group (AfDB).

Media contact: 
Toluwalope Ogunlesi
Communication and External Relations Department
media@afdb.org

SEFA technical contact:
João Duarte Cunha
Manager of the Renewable Energy Funds Division in charge of SEFA
sefa@afdb.org

About SEFA: 
SEFA is a multi-donor Special Fund that provides catalytic finance to unlock private sector investments in renewable energy and energy efficiency. SEFA offers technical assistance and concessional finance instruments to remove market barriers, build a more robust pipeline of projects and improve the risk-return profile of individual investments. The Fund’s overarching goal is to contribute to universal access to affordable, reliable, sustainable, and modern energy services for all in Africa, in line with the New Deal on Energy for Africa and Sustainable Development Goal 7.

About the African Development Bank Group: 
The African Development Bank Group (AfDB) is Africa’s premier development finance institution. It comprises three distinct entities: the African Development Bank (AfDB), the African Development Fund (ADF) and the Nigeria Trust Fund (NTF). On the ground in 34 African countries with an external office in Japan, the AfDB contributes to the economic development and the social progress of its 54 regional member states. For more information: www.AfDB.org  

The International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) made a significant step forward in enhancing aviation’s role as a catalyst for sustainable development in Africa. During the AFI Week held in Gabon, ICAO signed four pivotal capacity building and implementation support agreements with Member States, each aimed at strengthening their aviation sectors and alignment with international standards.

Gabon’s Agence Nationale de l’Aviation Civile entered into a Management Service Agreement (MSA) with ICAO. This comprehensive agreement will provide Gabon with access to ICAO’s expertise, project management and procurement services, and customized training packages. A key focus of this collaboration is the potential development of a Civil Aviation Master Plan, which will chart the strategic growth of Gabon’s aviation sector, ensuring efficient, safe, and sustainable development of infrastructure and services.

Chad’s Autorité de l’Aviation Civile partnered with ICAO for a preliminary assessment of training needs. This crucial project will evaluate the technical and general skills of ADAC’s staff responsible for overseeing civil aviation safety and security. By optimizing human resources, Chad aims to significantly enhance the operational efficiency of its civil aviation authority.

Uganda’s Civil Aviation Authority and ICAO agreed to develop a comprehensive 15-year Air Navigation Plan. This strategic framework will not only guide the implementation of air navigation services and infrastructure but also ensure Uganda’s alignment with international aviation standards, in order to facilitate a safer, more efficient, and higher capacity air navigation system for the East African nation.

South Africa’s Civil Aviation Authority signed a Declaration of Intent to host the next Global Next Generation of Aviation Professionals (NGAP) Summit. Set for February 2025 in Johannesburg, this summit highlights South Africa’s commitment to nurturing the future leaders of the aviation industry.

These agreements represent ICAO’s commitment to supporting African Member States in developing sustainable aviation sectors. By focusing on areas such as strategic planning, human resource development, and infrastructure enhancement, these initiatives are set to improve aviation safety, efficiency, and capacity across the continent.

The collaborative efforts between ICAO and these African states are expected to yield significant benefits, not only for the aviation sector but also for the broader economy. As aviation acts as a multiplier for economic growth, these agreements are poised to contribute to the UN Sustainable Development Goals, improve connectivity, and foster economic opportunities in the region.

As these projects unfold, they will serve as examples of how targeted ICAO support and collaboration in the aviation sector can drive sustainable development and economic growth in Africa.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO).

The Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) has officially declared the ongoing Mpox outbreak a Public Health Emergency of Continental Security (PHECS), marking the first such declaration by the agency since its inception in 2017.

This declaration, under Article 3, Paragraph F of the Africa CDC Statutes, empowers the organization to lead and coordinate responses to significant health emergencies. The statute mandates Africa CDC to “coordinate and support Member States in health emergency responses, particularly those declared PHECS or Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC), as well as health promotion and disease prevention through health systems strengthening, addressing communicable and non-communicable diseases, environmental health, and Neglected Tropical Diseases.”

The declaration will enable the mobilization of resources across affected countries, unlocking essential funding, strengthening Risk Communication and Community Engagement (RCCE), boosting surveillance and laboratory testing efforts, and enhancing human resource capacities to respond effectively to Mpox through a One Health approach.

Africa CDC Director General Dr. Jean Kaseya emphasized the urgency of swift and decisive action: “Today, we declare this PHECS to mobilize our institutions, our collective will, and our resources to act—swiftly and decisively. This empowers us to forge new partnerships, strengthen our health systems, educate our communities, and deliver life-saving interventions where they are needed most. There is no need for travel restrictions at this time.”

At least 13 African countries, including previously unaffected nations like Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, and Uganda, have reported Mpox outbreaks. So far in 2024, these countries have confirmed 2,863 cases and 517 deaths, primarily in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). Suspected cases across the continent have surged past 17,000, a significant increase from 7,146 cases in 2022 and 14,957 cases in 2023. This is just the tip of the iceberg when we consider the many weaknesses in surveillance, laboratory testing and contact tracing.

Dr. Kaseya underscored the gravity of the situation stating “This is not just another challenge; it’s a crisis that demands our collective action. Article 3, Paragraph F of the Africa CDC Statutes mandates us to lead and coordinate the response when there is a declaration of a public health emergency of international concern.”

From May 2022 to July 2023, Mpox was declared a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC) by the WHO. However, Africa did not receive the support it urgently needed during this period. As global cases began to decline, the escalating numbers in Africa were largely ignored. Dr. Kaseya emphasized the need for a change in approach: “We urge our international partners to seize this moment to act differently and collaborate closely with Africa CDC to provide the necessary support to our Member States.”

He continued, appealing to global partners: “We call on you to stand with us in this critical hour. Africa has long been on the frontlines in the fight against infectious diseases, often with limited resources. The battle against Mpox demands a global response. We need your support, expertise, and solidarity. The world cannot afford to turn a blind eye to this crisis.”

He explained that the emergency declaration follows wide consultations, including a unanimous decision by the Africa CDC Emergency Consultative Group (ECG), chaired by Professor Salim Abdool Karim, head of CAPRISA, an AIDS research program based in Durban, South Africa.

Prof. Karim highlighted that limited surveillance and evidence suggest the situation could be more severe than currently understood. “The number of cases has significantly increased compared to 2022 when WHO declared Mpox a public health emergency. It’s clear that we’re facing a different scenario with far more cases, resulting in a higher burden of illness,” he said. He also raised concerns about the rising fatalities, particularly the potential link between HIV and Mpox. “Our concern is that we may be seeing more fatalities in Africa due to the association with HIV,” he noted.

Cross-border transmission to previously unaffected countries was also a concern, prompting the ECG to urge the strategic distribution of the limited vaccines available. The lack of diagnostic capabilities was identified as a critical issue requiring urgent attention, and the ECG encouraged the development of response plans, promising to provide input and support.

To address the Mpox outbreak in Africa, Africa CDC has set up a 25-member Incident Management Team based at the epicenter of the Mpox epidemic with mandate to support affected and at-risk countries. Africa CDC has also signed a partnership agreement with the European Commission’s Health Emergency Preparedness and Response Authority (HERA) and Bavarian Nordic to provide over 215,000 doses of the MVA-BN® vaccine—the only FDA and EMA-approved Mpox vaccine. Africa CDC will oversee the equitable distribution of these vaccines, prioritizing local needs across the affected Member States.

MPOX SYMPTOMS, PREVENTION, AND TREATMENT

Mpox is a viral illness caused by the monkeypox virus, with two distinct clades: Clade I and Clade II. Common symptoms include a skin rash or mucosal lesions lasting 2–4 weeks, fever, headache, muscle aches, back pain, low energy, and swollen lymph nodes. The virus can be transmitted to humans through physical contact with an infectious person, contaminated materials, or infected animals.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC).

The Vice President of the United Republic of Tanzania, H.E. Philip Mpango, has called for joint and concerted regional efforts to tackle challenges in the bloc’s education sector. H.E. Mpango made this call today during the opening ceremony of the Inaugural EAC Regional Education Conference held in Arusha, Tanzania.

The four-day conference, 12th – 15th August 2024, themed,’Educate an African Fit for the 21st Century: Collective Action for Quality, Inclusive, and Life-long Learning in East Africa,’ focuses on improving education in the region.

H.E. Mpango urged EAC Partner States to enhance their education systems to meet the demands of the 21st century. He emphasized the need to embrace global education reforms that focus on flexibility and technology integration.

“It’s upon us to invest in education, adopt innovative approaches and ensure quality learning opportunities for every child. Together, we can create an education system that not only addresses today’s challenges but also ensures a prosperous future for the region,” he stated.

The Vice President acknowledged the region’s significant challenges in the education sector, stating that increasing teacher capacity, improving funding, and embracing digitization are essential. He highlighted the region’s youthful population and high fertility rates as both opportunities and responsibilities for building a better future.

H.E. Mpango noted that Tanzania is already updating its curriculum to better prepare students for the modern world. “Within the education system, we have divided secondary education into two streams, one focusing on general education and the other on vocational education”. To this end, we will have some students who will graduate with both a secondary school certificate and also a Vocational Training Certificate, added Vice President.

The Vice President disclosed that the reforms will also involve more investment in education infrastructure such as class rooms and houses for teachers, improvement in teaching environment, improving quality and quantity of teachers and ensuring availability of teaching aids and materials such as books and computers.

The conference aims at facilitating discussions on building resilient education systems that address the diverse needs of learners and improve quality education across the EAC. Regional education stakeholders will develop and share best practices for implementing evidence-based, innovative, and sustainable education solutions.

The conference also aims at establishing a regional network and forum to strengthen multi-sectoral partnerships for advancing education in the EAC. Additionally, the conference will amplify the need for enhancing quality education for disadvantaged children and outline concrete actions for sustainability.

On her part, EAC Secretary General, H.E Veronica Nduva, highlighted the importance of the regional education conference, stating, “Today marks a milestone as we launch our first regional conference on education. It shows our collective commitment to education as a key to our children’s futures.”

She acknowledged progress made in the region’s education and stressed the need to address ongoing challenges. “While we’ve made strides in education, many children are still out of school, and dropout rates are rising. Foundational learning remains a critical focus.” The Secretary General further called for unified efforts to make a significant impact on education and encouraged all stakeholders to contribute to creating a shared future for everyone.

Addressing the conference, Tanzania’s Minister of Education, Science and Technology, Hon.Prof. Adolf Mkenda, noted that improving the quality and accessibility of primary and secondary education has been a top priority for the government.

“We are committed to continue investing in infrastructure development, teacher training and ensuring the availability of quality learning materials,” he stated.

Prof.Mkenda noted that investing in regional educational infrastructures is critical to facilitate the implementation of productive educational reforms.

Also present at the event was Tanzania’s Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs and East African Cooperation, Hon. Dennis Londo; African Union Commissioner for Education, Science and Technology, H.E. Prof. Mohamed Belhocine; Head of the EU Delegation, H.E. Christine Gau; EAC Deputy Secretary General Hon. Andrea Aguer Ariik Malueth; and various heads of delegations and institutions.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of East African Community.