Finland’s Ambassador to Kenya, Somalia, Eritrea, Seychelles and Uganda H.E. Pirkka Tapiola, and the Embassy of Finland to Kenya Head of Cooperation Anu Ala-Rantala, joined a team from the UN Women Kenya Country Office led by Country Representative Anna Mutavati,  to visit Kwale County in June 2024. This visit aimed to document impact of a four-year project (2020-2023) focused on enhancing women’s political participation, eliminating gender-based violence (GBV), and promoting peace and security.

UN Women has been implementing the Gender Equality and Women Empowerment (GEWE) project in Kenya with support from the Government of Finland and collaboration with a diverse range of State and Non-State partners. This national initiative, anchored on the Kenya Country Office Strategic Note thematic focus areas,  aims to increase women’s leadership in national and county institutions, enhance the implementation of the National Gender Based Violence (GBV) Policy, and support women, peace, and security commitments in line with UNSCR 1325 and 2242.

The visit began with a meeting with H.E. Fatuma Achani, Kwale’s first female Governor, whose election was supported by the Women of Power (Wadada wa Pawa) project. This initiative, implemented in partnership with the National Council of Churches of Kenya (NCCK), has been crucial in dismantling barriers for women in politics.

“Devolution is working. For the first time, a Muslim woman is Governor in Kwale County. I am determined to lead from the front and ensure that all stakeholders work together to address GBV in our community,” Governor Achani stated.

Governor Achani’s leadership has not only broken cultural barriers but has also driven significant legislative changes such as women assuming prominent political positions and chairing various gender caucuses, marking a pivotal shift towards gender equality and inclusive governance in our region.

“Our efforts in capacity building, media engagement, and community dialogues have created spaces for women to assert their leadership and challenge traditional norms,” said Anna Mutavati.

The delegation then met with Hon. Seth Mwatela, Speaker of the County Assembly, and members of the County Assembly Women’s Caucus. They discussed mainstreaming gender in legislative processes and the recent passage of the Sexual and Gender-Based Violence Protection Bill into law. Hon. Mwatela acknowledged the value of working with UN Women and partners, saying “Our collaboration with UN Women and HURIA has been crucial in incorporating public feedback into the SGBV Bill, ensuring it resonates with the needs of our community.”

Female assembly members shared their journeys and the strides they have made in advocating for gender equality within their respective committees, highlighting the positive impact of their legislative efforts.

The team then met the Deputy Kwale County Commissioner, Lucy Ndemo. UN Women’s Women, Peace, and Security program, has worked closely with HURIA to localize the Kenya National Action Plan on UNSCR 1325 and enhance women’s roles in peace processes and strengthens community resilience against violent extremism.. “Our focus has been on creating inclusive platforms where women’s voices in peacebuilding are amplified,” noted the County Commissioner. Localization of the National Action Plan on UNSCR1325 underscores the importance of integrating women’s perspectives in security and peace efforts at both local and national levels.

An interactive session with beneficiaries of the programme provided a platform for women to share their personal stories of empowerment and resilience. These narratives vividly illustrated how the Finland-funded initiatives have enabled women to rise as leaders and peacebuilders in their communities.

“Being part of this program has given me the confidence to participate actively in local peace committees. I feel empowered to make a difference.” said Binti Jerumani, a beneficiary of the Women Peace and Security programme.

The visit concluded with strategic discussions with gender-based violence and Women Peace and Security stakeholders, focusing on the intersection of terrorism and tourism in Kwale. H.E Tapiola expressed his admiration for the comprehensive approach taken by local and international partners. “It is inspiring to see how these initiatives are not only addressing immediate issues of violence and exclusion but are also contributing to the long-term stability and prosperity of Kwale County,” he said.

The profound impact of the collaborative efforts between the Government of Finland and UN Women is advancing gender equality and peace in Kwale County. It is a clear example that strategic partnerships and targeted interventions can create a more inclusive and peaceful society, empowering women to lead and shape their futures.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of UN Women – Africa.

The President of the African Development Bank Group Dr. Akinwumi Adesina (www.AfDB.org) has said the decision by Nigeria’s government to allow massive food importation risks destroying the country’s agriculture.

This follows the announcement by Nigeria’s Minister for Agriculture Abubakar Kyari on July 10 that the Federal Government would suspend duties, tariffs, and taxes on the importation of maize, husked brown rice, wheat, and cowpeas through the country’s land and sea borders, for 150 days.

“Nigeria’s recently announced policy (https://apo-opa.co/3W1Xdsk) to open its borders for massive food imports, just to tackle short-term food price hikes, is depressing,”  Adesina told African Primates of the Anglican Church at a Retreat in Abuja, Nigeria, on Friday.

He warned that the policy could undermine all the hard work and private investments that have gone into Nigeria’s agriculture sector.

“Nigeria cannot rely on the importation of food to stabilize prices. Nigeria should be producing more food to stabilize food prices, while creating jobs and reducing foreign exchange spending, that will further help stabilize the Naira,” said the African Development Bank president.

“Nigeria cannot import its way out of food insecurity,” he said, “Nigeria must not be turned into a food import-dependent nation.”

Speaking on the theme ‘Food security and financial sustainability in Africa: The role of the Church’, Adesina said Nigeria “must feed itself with pride,” warning, “a nation that depends on others to feed itself, is independent only in name.”

Faith and food security

The clergymen assembled in Abuja under the umbrella of the Council of Anglican Provinces of Africa (CAPA), representing more than 40 million Anglicans across the continent.

In his opening remarks, the host, His Grace the Most Reverend Henry C. Ndukuba, Primate of the Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion), said the gathering was a unique opportunity for African Anglican leaders to deepen bonds of friendship and collaboration, and to share collective wisdom and experiences.

The chairperson of the event, Emeritus Nigerian Professor of Science Education, Olugbemiro Jegede, told Adesina: “You have the whole of Africa represented here. Every Primate represents a region. Behind these Primates are millions and millions of Anglicans who are listening to us here.”

Noting that Africa accounts for nearly a third of the more than 780 million people worldwide who are hungry, the African Development Bank president said agriculture is critical for the diversification of economies, and for the transformation of rural areas, where over 70 percent of the population of Africa live. “It is clear therefore that unless we transform agriculture, Africa cannot eliminate poverty,” he insisted.

Adesina said Africa has 65 percent of the uncultivated arable land left in the world, to feed 9.5 billion people by 2050. Therefore, what Africa does with agriculture will determine the future of food in the world. “Essentially, food is money. The size of the food and agriculture market in Africa will reach $1 trillion by 2030.”

Transformational strides

Adesina briefed the Primates on the Bank’s $25 billion program to transform agriculture by providing high performing agricultural technologies for 40 million farmers and making Africa food self-sufficient by 2030.

He shared the Bank’s successes in helping member countries tackle the negative effects of climate change, through financial investments and its flagship Technologies for African Agricultural Transformation (TAAT) program.

According to the Bank president, TAAT has helped Ethiopia to become a net exporter of wheat within five years, and it has significantly increased Sudan’s wheat production, as well as supported countries in Eastern and Southern Africa to continue producing food in the face of a prolonged drought.

For Nigeria, Adesina said, “Together with the Islamic Development Bank and the International Fund for Agricultural Development, we have provided $520 million to support the establishment of Special Agricultural Processing Zones, which will allow private agribusinesses to establish industries that process and add value to agricultural commodities.”

In addition, the Bank provided $134 million to Nigeria for emergency food production to help drive down food price inflation, by significantly boosting the local production of wheat, and cassava, under the national Agricultural Growth Scheme.

Adesina urged the Nigerian government to take advantage of the Bank’s investments and support for African farmers; show greater determination and commitment to achieving food self-sufficiency, and to incentivize private sector agribusinesses.

To support Africa’s ambitions to move up the global agricultural value chains, the African Development Bank Group and its partners, are supporting the development of 28 Special Agro-Industrial Processing Zones (SAPZs) l in 11 countries, with $4.5 billion dollars mobilized so far.

Speaking on behalf of the Chairman of the Council of Anglican Provinces of Africa and Bishop of Northern Zambia, the Most Reverend Albert Chama, the Archbishop of the Anglican Church of Kenya, the Most Reverend Dr. Jackson Ole Sapit, called for greater cooperation between the Bank Group and the Anglican Church.

“The African mind must be at the center of solving African problems. If the African Development Bank mobilizes resources for the African continent, and the Church also mobilizes resources for holistic transformation, we can achieve a lot working together – and make a difference,” Ole Sapit said.

The church as a change agent

Proposing solutions for agriculture in Africa, Adesina said the world desperately needs “visionary and passionate leaders who are strategic solution providers and transformational change makers.”

This includes, he said,  public advocacy for robust government policies to end hunger and malnutrition, complemented by church-led food banks and other social protection programs for the poor and needy; investing in commercial farms, especially in rural areas; advocacy on issues of climate change; supporting and encouraging young Africans to engage in  agricultural entrepreneurship; and demanding greater financial accountability, public probity, and better financial management from governments.

The Role of the Church – Speech by Dr. Akinwumi A. Adesina (https://apo-opa.co/3W1XefS)

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

More images: https://apo-opa.co/3S3TclO

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

About the African Development Bank Group:
The African Development Bank Group (AfDB) is the premier multilateral financing institution dedicated to Africa’s development. It comprises three distinct entities: the African Development Bank (AfDB), the African Development Fund (ADF) and the Nigeria Trust Fund (NSF).  The AfDB has a field presence in 44 African countries, with an external office in Japan, and contributes to the economic development and social progress of its 54 regional member states. For more information: www.AfDB.org

German technologies and funding have been instrumental in advancing the critical minerals value chain in Southern Africa. In January 2024, the German Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development initiated a call for proposals from South African green hydrogen project developers to access grants from its €270-million ($292 million) Power-to-X Development Fund (http://apo-opa.co/463CQiN). The funding will play a crucial role in helping South Africa maximize the exploitation of its platinum group metals (PGMs) – which account for over 80% of the global reserves – for green hydrogen application.

Amid rising interest by German entities in investing in Africa’s critical mineral value chain, the Southern African-German Chamber of Commerce and Industry (AHK Southern Africa) has once again partnered with Critical Mineral Africa (CMA) Summit – taking place November 6-7 in Cape Town.

The Critical Minerals Africa 2024 summit on November 6-7 serves to position Africa as the primary investment destination for critical minerals. The event is held alongside the African Energy Week: Invest in African Energy 2024 conference (http://apo-opa.co/3VMQTpp) on November 4 – 8, offering delegates access to the full scope of energy, mining and finance leaders in Cape Town. Sponsors, exhibitors and delegates can learn more by contacting sales@energycapitalpower.com

Part of a global network of German Chambers of Commerce Abroad, AHK Southern Africa supports German-based companies in establishing and expanding their business relations across the southern African region. In the critical minerals industry, the chamber supports businesses looking at investing in projects across the value chain, including associated industries such as energy, logistics and infrastructure development.

German companies have been gradually increasing their investments in southern Africa, given the region’s rich mineral reserves and growing global demand for clean energy technologies. In February 2024, German automaker BMW launched a pilot program for its hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicles in South Africa in collaboration with mining firm Anglo American and global energy company Sasol. Anglo American will supply PGMs for green hydrogen production while Sasol will establish green hydrogen electrolyzers. Sasol has partnered with BMW to develop EV charging infrastructure​.

Meanwhile, in July 2023, AHK Southern Africa and German development agency Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit hosted (http://apo-opa.co/3WpyGyQ) a delegation from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC)’s mining industry in Johannesburg. The workshop focused on best practices to enhance cooperation on community development and business opportunities between German firms and the DRC’s mining sector – which holds the world’s largest cobalt reserves and significant copper, lithium, nickel and rare earth resources​. In February 2023, German manufacturer RÄDER VOGEL (http://apo-opa.co/4cCuoJZ) partnered with industrial distributor VGL Africa. VGL Africa became the exclusive distribution partner for the company regarding industrial products and engineering solutions for mining applications across Southern Africa. These include supporting clients such as mining and exploration firm Harmony Gold, Anglo American, Sasol and multinational steel producer ArcelorMittal​.

These projects represent just some of the many investments by German companies kicking off across the regional mineral value chain. During CMA 2024, AHK Southern Africa will participate in exclusive networking sessions and project showcases, highlighting investments prospects for German funders within Africa’s burgeoning critical mineral sector.

“Germany is fostering sustainable development and fast-tracking the global energy transition by advancing southern Africa’s critical mineral landscape. As Africa’s market for energy transition metals expands, lucrative opportunities for German companies continue to increase,” stated Rachelle Kasongo, Project Director at CMA-organizer Energy Capital&Power.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Energy Capital&Power.

Just hours before his untimely death, the life of 16-year-old Murray Dowey from Scotland seemed ordinary—a night of family bonding over television and plans for an upcoming holiday with friends. Little did his parents know that the following morning would shatter their world, as Murray became another casualty of the sextortion epidemic sweeping across the globe.

Murray’s heartbreaking story (https://apo-opa.co/3LpJZk6) echoes the fates of other young victims, including a 12-year-old Canadian boy and 16-year-old Jordan DeMay (https://apo-opa.co/3WmXKWY) from the United States. In all three cases, criminals posing as girls used fake or stolen photos on the scammer’s social media accounts to flirt with and then lure their victims into sharing intimate photos, by often first sharing a fake nude picture of themselves. Once in possession of the compromising material, the perpetrators unleash a torrent of threats, demanding payments or additional explicit content under the guise of public exposure to the victim’s friends and contacts.

“Sextortion is a sinister tactic that coerces victims into sharing explicit images or videos by preying on their vulnerabilities and exploiting their trust,” explains Anna Collard, SVP Content Strategy&Evangelist at KnowBe4 AFRICA. “The perpetrators often masquerade as peers or love interests online, only to turn around and threaten to release the compromising material unless the victim complies with their demands for more images, sexual acts, or monetary payments.”

Highlighting the urgency of the issue, the Internet Watch Foundation received more reports involving sextortion in the first six months of 2023 than the entire previous year—a staggering increase of 257%. According to their findings (https://apo-opa.co/4f5weEE), boys are disproportionately more at risk than girls, but both are at risk.           

Who is behind it?

While the modus operandi of sextortion criminals involves the exchange of sexual images, their ultimate aim is money. “Financially motivated sexual extortion is usually carried out by organised crime groups who are 100% motivated by money,” states Collard. “These groups target all ages and genders. However, a large proportion of cases have involved boys aged 14 to 18.”

Operating from various corners of the globe, these criminal syndicates employ systematic and calculated approaches to identify and exploit multiple victims simultaneously. “One prime example is the ‘Yahoo Boys’, a group of West African cybercriminals responsible for the dramatic increase of sextortion targeting minors,” she says. 

The case of DeMay underscores the transnational nature of this criminal enterprise. Law enforcement arrested and extradited two Nigerian brothers to the US to face child sexual exploitation charges. According to DeMay’s mother, the perpetrators relied on scripted tactics (https://apo-opa.co/3WmXKWY), concurrently targeting as many victims as possible.

Why are teens being targeted?

Both girls and boys are falling prey to sexploitation, although girls are more often targeted for nude images of themselves, while boys are blackmailed for money. “What is so disturbing is that these criminals have such a deep understanding of adolescent psychology,” says Collard.

Teenagers are particularly vulnerable due to the amount of time they spend on social media platforms, particularly Instagram. “There’s also a lack of awareness,” she warns. “Many teens are not fully aware of the risks and tactics used in online exploitation. Criminals make them feel ashamed that they’ve done something wrong, whereas they are the victims.”

Added to this is teens’ emotional vulnerability. “They are often seeking validation and may be more susceptible to flattery and manipulation such as love-bombing which should be an immediate red flag,” asserts Collard. “Also, their cognitive and decision-making skills are still developing, which can lead to poor judgement in risky situations.”

What can be done?

In the wake of this crisis, advocacy groups are rallying for heightened awareness and preventive measures. “Open and honest conversations about cyber-safety and the risks associated with sharing personal information and images online should be encouraged between parents and their children,” Collard recommends. “Cultivating a strong, trusting relationship with teens is crucial so that they feel comfortable and safe sharing their problems with you.”

Monitoring your children’s online behaviour is also a good idea, coupled with instilling a critical mindset towards digital interactions. “Don’t trust strangers online,” she says. “Teens should be cautious about who they interact with and use strong privacy settings on their social media accounts.” Above all, individuals should never share explicit content online.

“Greater awareness will definitely help reduce this form of crime,” says Collard. She believes Meta, the company that owns Instagram, also needs to improve their safety features. “Meta should make teens’ follower and following lists private by default,” she asserts. “On Facebook, users have the option to keep their friends lists private, but this crucial privacy safeguard is glaringly absent for teens on Instagram.”      

For more information, the NCA (UK National Crime Agency) published a warning message (https://apo-opa.co/4eZKX4b) about this crime.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of KnowBe4.