| UNESCO calls on countries to invest far more in physical education |
| A new UNESCO report shows that the majority of the world’s schoolchildren still do not have access to the minimum required physical education. On Wednesday, Audrey Azoulay invited sports ministers, athletes and educators to UNESCO’s headquarters to work towards increasing investment in this area. The outcome of these discussions will feed into the Summit of Heads of State and Government organized by France and the International Olympic Committee (IOC) on Thursday. Two-thirds of secondary school pupils and more than half of primary school pupils worldwide do not get taught the minimum weekly amount of physical education, according to the first-ever Global Status Report on Quality Physical Education published on Wednesday by UNESCO. In addition, two-thirds of pupils with disabilities are deprived of any physical education. Physical education is a worthwhile investment: it not only improves pupils’ health, but also their academic performance and personal development. Yet it is still often treated as a lesser subject. UNESCO is calling on its 194 Member States to make it a priority subject and to allocate the necessary time, human resources and budget to it’, said Audrey Azoulay, Director-General of UNESCO. |
Claver Gatete Calls for Reform of the Global Financial System to Address Africa’s Financing Challenges
During a joint press briefing on the margins of the recently concluded 2024 High Level Political Forum (HLPF), Claver Gatete, Executive Secretary of the UN Economic Commission for Africa (ECA), called upon countries to explore reforms to the common debt relief framework to better address rising high indebtedness in Africa.
Highlighting the challenges of accessing financing for the continent’s priorities, “especially the concessional funds that are long term and cheaper,” Gatete said, “the reform of the global financing system is urgent, as it can mitigate access to critical resources needed for the implementation of the SDGs.”
He noted that from 2010 to 2023, Africa’s debt increased by 192 percent according to data by the African Development Bank stating: “African countries are paying $163 billion per year with an external debt stock of $1.1 trillion. This increase is the highest we have ever seen.”
“This means that by paying the debt, countries have very little room to implement the SDGs and the next 10-year program of the African Union,” he added.
New research suggests Africa’s Green Economy could create more than 3 million direct jobs by 2030
Shortlist and FSD Africa, with analysis from the Boston Consulting Group, today published “Forecasting Green Jobs in Africa,” a first of its kind report that forecasts the new direct job creation potential of 12 “green” sub-sectors by 2030. The report predicts the creation of up to 3.3 million new direct green jobs across the continent by 2030, with the majority in the renewable energy sector, particularly solar. The study, the first in-depth analysis of workforce needs within major green value chains over the next five years, provides detailed forecasts for five focus countries, Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Ethiopia, Kenya, Nigeria and South Africa, which together account for more than a fifth (22%) of new jobs, and in key sectors such as renewable energy, e-mobility, agriculture, construction and manufacturing.
“Forecasting Green Jobs in Africa” underscores the critical importance of a skilled workforce as an input accelerating African green industries, emphasizing the need for substantial investment in skills development and workforce mobilization. Moreover, the millions of jobs created in the green revolution will also contribute to the formalization of African economies, and the inclusion of whole populations in stable systems of remuneration, social security and taxation for the first time.
New partnership to accelerate progress in ending NTDs across Africa
AUDA-NEPAD, the African Union’s development agency, and Uniting to Combat Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs) have signed an historic agreement which will strengthen efforts and mobilise resources to eliminate NTDs across the African continent. This partnership, formalized during the 45th Ordinary Session of the Executive Council and the 6th Mid-Year Coordination Meeting of the African Union, represents a significant milestone in the fight against NTDs in Africa.
NTDs are a group of twenty-one diseases and infections that can disable, disfigure, and be fatal. They disproportionately affect those living in low-income, hard-to-reach areas. These diseases, which include conditions such as river blindness, trachoma, and lymphatic filariasis, perpetuate cycles of poverty and hinder economic growth and development. Currently, more than 1.65 billion people worldwide are at risk of NTDs, with the burden in Africa accounting for more than 35%. Addressing NTDs is crucial for improving health outcomes and fostering sustainable development across the continent.
