The Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Uganda, Hon. Gen. Abubakher Jeje Odongo, met with the outgoing British High Commissioner to Uganda, H.E. Kate Airey, as she formally bid farewell following the completion of her distinguished three-year tenure. The meeting took place at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs headquarters in Kampala.

Hon. Gen. Odongo lauded H.E. Airey for her outstanding service and the significant contributions she made in strengthening the bilateral relations between Uganda and the United Kingdom. He commended her openness, her diplomatic acumen, and her forthrightness, which greatly enhanced the collaborative efforts between the two nations. While expressing regret at her departure, he conveyed his hope that her rich experiences and insights as a seasoned diplomat would continue to benefit Uganda in various capacities in the future.

In her remarks, H.E. Airey expressed her deep gratitude to Hon. Gen. Odongo for his unwavering support and the constructive partnership they shared throughout her tenure. She extended her appreciation to the Permanent Secretary, Mr. Vincent Bagiire, and the entire Ministry of Foreign Affairs for their professionalism and dedication to fostering strong bilateral relations.

H.E. Airey also reflected fondly on her time in Uganda, expressing that she would miss the vibrant culture, particularly its rich culinary traditions. She expressed her intention to stay connected with Uganda by engaging with Ugandan communities in London, a testament to the strong bond she has developed with the country.

During their discussions, Hon. Gen. Odongo and H.E. Airey exchanged views on regional issues, particularly concerning the Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Somalia, and Ethiopia. H.E. Airey commended Uganda’s efforts, particularly through Operation Shuja, highlighting the operation’s focus on the welfare of the people and its role in building trust in the Great Lakes region. She encouraged Uganda to continue nurturing this trust, acknowledging its importance as a rare and invaluable asset in regional diplomacy.

Additionally, Hon. Gen. Odongo emphasised the deep cultural and linguistic ties between southeast Ethiopia and northeastern Uganda. He mentioned the upcoming gathering in Soroti, scheduled for November, where representatives from southeast Ethiopia, northeast Kenya, southwest Sudan, and northeastern Uganda will convene to address pastoral issues. He highlighted the shared language and heritage that unite these communities and the significance of such gatherings in strengthening regional cooperation.

In her concluding remarks, H.E. Airey expressed her profound satisfaction in having served in Uganda, assuring Hon. Gen. Odongo that their professional relationship has blossomed into a lasting friendship. She affirmed that he now has a steadfast ally beyond Uganda’s borders, always ready to offer support and collaboration.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of The Republic of Uganda – Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

“Seven months ago, my wife gave birth to twin boys,” says Kalimow Mohamed Nur, a father whose twins are under treatment at the Bay Regional hospital in Somalia, supported by Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) in Baidoa, the capital city of Bay region. “She experienced excessive bleeding during delivery, but I had no money to take her to the hospital. Our village lacks a free health facility.”

“While caring for her at home, our two boys also fell ill,” he says. “I had to take a loan of about US$130 and travelled 300 kilometres from my village to Baidoa to seek free care.”

Kalimow’s wife survived the bleeding and after seven months he managed to bring his sons for treatment. But there are hundreds of women and children who still cannot seek medical care in Baidoa, Bay region, which is located in Somalia’s South West state. The persistent conflict in the region means a precarious situation for anyone in need of critical healthcare.

Women and children have to undertake arduous journeys of hundreds of kilometres to reach medical facilities. Pervasive insecurity along the way frequently obstructs their access, leading to critical delays that exacerbate health conditions and tragically, sometimes, cause death. Those who are able to afford it navigate the risks of getting caught in violence and pay a large amount of money for transport to reach the few fully functioning health facilities.

Barriers to accessing medical care
A significant portion of people in the Bay region and its surrounding areas live in poverty, which makes it difficult for them to afford healthcare services and transportation to reach secondary healthcare services. The cost of transportation, that can be up to $300, can be prohibitive. This forces people to delay or forgo essential medical care, including many women in their reproductive age, leading to high rates of illness and death from preventable diseases.

People in the region have been facing significant health and humanitarian challenges due to prolonged conflict, chronic instability, and climatic shocks that have led to severe droughts and flash floods. The crumbled healthcare system further exacerbates the situation, leaving women and children most vulnerable and depriving them of basic health services.

Cultural norms and traditional practices also play a substantial role in healthcare access. In many families, men make the healthcare decisions. Their consent is crucial to carry out any medical procedure and women often lack autonomy over their own health. This delay in decision-making can lead to late arrivals at medical facilities. 

Additionally, a general mistrust of modern medical practices coupled with health awareness rates hinder the adoption of preventive and curative healthcare measures.

“There has been a widespread belief that undergoing surgery would result in their children being exchanged with others, leading many to refuse hospital treatment,” says Habiba Mohamed Abdirahman, a traditional birth attendant in Baidoa. “Moreover, common misconceptions about blood donation include fears about health risks associated with donating blood, concerns about religious or cultural taboos, and misunderstandings about the medical process.”

The main causes of death for pregnant women are blood-pressure-related complications, haemorrhage, and sepsis. All these conditions can become deadly if not treated in a timely manner and late access to healthcare increases the chance of death for both mother and baby.

Concerns grows over maternal and child health
Most maternal and paediatric deaths stem from delays in seeking care: delays in deciding to seek safe delivery services, delays in reaching a health facility, and delays in receiving prompt and suitable care upon arrival at a facility. These challenges experienced by women in Bay and the surrounding region contribute to the maternal and child mortality rates. 

Somalia has one of the highest maternal mortality rates globally, with 621 deaths per 100,000 live births, and one of the highest child mortality rates, with approximately 137 deaths per 1,000 live births.

The healthcare infrastructure in the region is underdeveloped and suffers from a critical shortage of trained medical professionals. The few facilities that exist in Baidoa and at the periphery are often overwhelmed, particularly during emergencies and disease outbreaks. The region’s healthcare system struggles with limited resources, including human and financial resources, essential medications and medical supplies. 

Ongoing conflict further complicates the delivery of healthcare as it remains out of reach for the majority of people in conflict-affected and inaccessible areas.

Investment needed in the Bay region’s healthcare infrastructure
“The current state of maternal and child health in the Bay region calls for immediate attention,” says MSF’s head of programme in Somalia, Dr Pitchou K. “MSF calls upon national authorities and international organisations to invest more in strengthening the health system, both at basic and specialist levels, by allocating enough resources to improve access to healthcare for women and children in Bay region.”

“Maternal and neonatal deaths can be averted by making it possible for pregnant women to access antenatal care closer to their homes, reducing late referrals for complicated cases and increasing the number of women delivering in a health facility by raising awareness about available services,” they say. “At the same time, vaccination coverage and nutrition screening and support must be expanded. This is only possible through increased financial support, community engagement, and improved cold chain infrastructure.”

Since 2018, MSF has been supporting the Bay Regional hospital in Baidoa, providing a range of medical services to improve maternal and child health and respond to disease outbreaks. We provide comprehensive emergency obstetric and neonatal care, ensuring safe births and offering both inpatient and outpatient care for pregnant women and their newborns. The teams assist in approximately 200 deliveries each month. Additionally, MSF runs seven outreach sites near camps for people who are internally displaced, to provide basic healthcare and ensure timely referrals to specialist services. 

The challenges in accessing healthcare for women and children in Baidoa are multifaceted, involving security, economics, culture, as well as infrastructural barriers. While the efforts of MSF and other organisations have significantly improved healthcare access and outcomes, continuous support and enhancement of these programs are essential.

Strengthening the healthcare system, increasing health literacy, and addressing socio-economic barriers can pave the way for better health outcomes for the women and children of Baidoa. The continued support of the international community is essential to sustain, expand and decentralise health services

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Médecins sans frontières (MSF).

On 1 August 2024, H.E. Mr. Russ Jalichandra, Vice Minister for Foreign Affairs, had a meeting with H.E. Mr. Belmiro José Malate, Ambassador of the Republic of Mozambique to the Kingdom of Thailand with residence in Jakarta, at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on the occasion of his visit to Thailand to attend official functions in celebration of His Majesty the King’s 72nd Birthday Anniversary on 28 July 2024.

Both sides exchanged views on the current regional situations and discussed ways to enhance cooperation in various dimensions, including reciprocal support in the multilateral flora, cooperation on trade and Thailand’s substantial investment in Mozambique as well as development cooperation in line with Mozambique’s needs, particularly in agricultural sectors. In addition, the Thai side expressed its readiness to organise the first Senior Officials’ Meeting (SOM) between Thailand and Mozambique to further enhance bilateral ties.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of Thailand.

The Ministry of Planning, Economic Development and International Cooperation and the United Nations (UN) World Food Programme (WFP) are inviting start-ups with climate innovation solutions that are operational in Egypt to apply for a grant to support affordable, inclusive and high-impact innovations that enhance climate adaptation and food security.

The collaboration capitalises on Egypt’s ClimaTech Run global competition that supports entrepreneurs and innovators with the aim of addressing the most pressing climate and food security challenges in the country.

The ‘Climate Adaptation Innovation Accelerator Programme’ (CAIAP) programme, is supported by the UN Adaptation Fund and is part of the Adaptation Fund Climate Innovation Accelerator’ (AFCIA) partnership with the WFP Innovation Accelerator in Munich.

The programme targets entrepreneurs, start-ups, companies, and non-governmental organizations in Egypt, Jordan and Lebanon that work on solutions to meet distinct food security and climate adaptation challenges.

Successful proposals will receive mentorship, hands-on support, and access to WFP operations in addition to grants of up to US$200,000. For more details on the award’s terms and conditions, visit the website.

The Ministry of Planning, Economic Development and International Cooperation is joining efforts with WFP to reach innovative climate ventures through its ClimaTech Run network, established in the run-up to COP27, and comprise tech entrepreneurs and digital artists.

Egypt’s Minister of Planning, Economic Development and International Cooperation, H.E. Dr. Rania A. Al-Mashat said: “Empowering startups and private sector participation are key drivers for innovation, economic development and accelerating progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals. In cooperation with WFP, the CAIAP will support and help scaling up high-potential climate innovation in Egypt, unlocking the power of local climate action initiatives through multi-stakeholder partnerships. In the last few years, we launched the global ClimaTech Run and to date, we’ve reached over 422 startups from 77 countries across continents in the competition’s 2 editions. Today, as the newly merged Ministry of Planning, Economic Development and International Cooperation, we look forward to continuing our commitment towards empowering green-driven and tech-led startups through diverse initiatives, such as CAIAP.”

“The launch of the Climate Adaptation Innovation Accelerator Programme is a powerful testament that innovation is crucial to tackle food insecurity and climate change. This partnership represents an important chapter in our fight for a food-secure future in a rapidly changing world,” said Bernhard Kowatsch, Head of WFP Innovation Accelerator. 

“We are proud to be working with the Ministry of Planning, Economic Development and International Cooperation, supporting the programme’s launch in Egypt and harnessing the power of local innovations to provide lasting and substantial climate and food security solutions. For a country like Egypt that is both affected by extreme climate and is rich in local innovations and strategic private-public partnerships, this challenge provides a boost to sustainable solutions. This partnership strongly aligns and contributes to our shared mission to ensure food security for all,” said Jean-Pierre de Margerie, WFP Egypt Representative and Country Director. 

Last year, WFP launched its 2023-2028 strategic plan in Egypt that focuses on areas to enhance food security, including agricultural and rural development in Upper Egypt. In April 2024, Minister Al-Mashat and WFP representatives visited projects in Aswan dedicated to community development, capacity strengthening, enhancement of youth employability and vocational training.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of World Food Programme (WFP).