On July 12, commencing at 9:45 a.m. for approximately 40 minutes, Mr. TSUJI Kiyoto, State Minister for Foreign Affairs, held a meeting with H.E. Dr. GIBRIL Ibrahim Mohamed, Minister of Finance and Economic Planning of the Republic of the Sudan. The overview of the meeting is as follows.

At the beginning of the meeting, State Minister Tsuji expressed his appreciation for attending the 5th Japan-Arab Economic Forum and stated that it is significant for our bilateral relations that Minister Gibril, who had studied in Japan for seven years, is in a leading position in the Sudanese government.
In response, Minister Gibril expressed his gratitude for the invitation to the Forum and for Japan’s past support in the humanitarian field.
They exchanged views on the humanitarian situation in Sudan, the cessation of hostilities and the transition to civilian rule, and shared the view to work closely together to achieve peace and stability in the region.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan.

H.E. Dr. Rania A. Al-Mashat, Minister of Planning, Economic Development, and International Cooperation participated in the inaugural events of the Conference of the Forum on Global Action for Shared Development, hosted by the Chinese International Development Cooperation Agency (CIDCA) in Beijing. H.E. Dr. Rania A. Al-Mashat delivered a speech at a high-level session titled “Joint Actions to Promote Sustainable Development.” H.E. Dr. Mostafa Madbouly, Egypt’s Prime Minister, also addressed the forum virtually representing the Arab Republic of Egypt.

The session also featured participation from Mr Melaku Alebel, Ethiopian Minister of Industry; Mr. Ahsan Iqbal Chaudhary, Minister of Planning, Development, and Special Initiatives of Pakistan; Mr. Kitila Alexander, Minister of State for Planning and Investment of Tanzania; Dr. Kan Zaw, Minister of Investment and Economic Relations of Myanmar; Mr. Ano Pala, National Planning Minister of Papua New Guinea; Mr. Danny Alexander, Vice President for Policy and Strategy at the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB); and Mr. Jeffrey Sachs, Director of the Center for Sustainable Development at Columbia University.

In her remarks, Al-Mashat, Minister of Planning, Economic Development, and International Cooperation emphasized the importance of convening the second edition of the Conference of the Forum on Global Action for Shared Development, highlighting her participation in the first edition last July. The Minister noted that holding the second edition following her appointment as Minister of Planning, Economic Development, and International Cooperation enhances comprehensive and constructive partnership efforts with the Chinese side across various fields.

H.E. Minister Al-Mashat affirmed that pursuing sustainable development is of paramount importance, stating that achieving sustainability requires not only economic growth, but also ensuring inclusive development. This underscores the importance of striving for a better future for all, ensuring no one is left behind in the development process.

Al-Mashat stressed that the principle of “country ownership” is crucial in advancing the sustainable development agenda, particularly in coordinating efforts in light of sustainable development goals. H.E. Al-Mashat indicated that country ownership ensures that development occurs more equitably and justly.

Moreover, Al-Mashat pointed out that one of the primary challenges we face is the continued increase in the funding required for development and climate action. While concessional development finance plays a pivotal role, it cannot bridge the continuously widening gap.

H.E. Dr. Rania Al-Mashat presented several proposals to overcome these challenges, including mobilizing additional funding through enhanced engagement among all relevant entities to unlock trillion-dollar financing from the private sector and other development actors, especially NGOs, while simplifying access requirements to multilateral development banks and climate funds to ensure effective and equitable allocations.

Additionally, H.E. Dr. Al-Mashat emphasized the importance of enhancing debt sustainability in middle-income and low-income countries to improve credit ratings, reduce risks, and increase private sector confidence to encourage further investments. Furthermore, Dr. Al-Mashat highlighted the significance of preparing a list of investment-attractive projects aligned with the Paris Climate Agreement, contributing to the realization of national priorities.

In this context, Al-Mashat underscored the need to stimulate private sector involvement in development and climate action by promoting blended financing through multilateral development banks and international financial institutions, thereby enhancing investor confidence and reducing capital costs in developing countries.

The Minister also noted the importance of improving the resilience and efficiency of low- and middle-income countries by developing strong and adaptable policy and regulatory frameworks to explore and leverage opportunities in carbon credit markets, ensuring country ownership and maximizing benefits.

Moreover, Dr. Al-Mashat reiterated the significance of enhancing transparency and accountability in climate finance through budget tracking mechanisms, conducting periodic reviews of climate spending, and institutional assessments at the national level, while developing consistent and comprehensive monitoring and reporting systems based on unified methodologies at the international level.

Additionally, the Minister stressed the necessity of diversifying sources of development finance, relying on national plans that consider the priorities of different countries in implementing the SDGs. Dr. Al-Mashat noted that Egypt is committed to building a sustainable future through effective development planning and enhancing cooperation with international partners, while also working to increase green projects as a share of public investments alongside ongoing efforts with development partners to drive green transformation in the country.

H.E. Minister Al-Mashat stated that advancing South-South Cooperation and Triangular Cooperation also enhances the benefit from successful experiences and their replication. H.E. emphasized the importance of mainstreaming the principles of equitable financing across all development activities and climate finance, which align the SDGs  with national development objectives; promoting equitable pathways for climate financing by affirming the need for  low- and middle-income countries to access climate finance both in quantity and quality.

The Conference of the Forum on Global Action for Shared Development is hosted by the CIDCA, with participation from over 200 representatives of governments, decision-makers, and international institutions to discuss various issues, primarily focusing on South-South cooperation, innovation, and efforts to enhance collaborative action for achieving the 2030 SDGs.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Ministry of Planning and Economic Development – Egypt.

On 8 July, UN Women launched a new project entitled “Promoting the socio-economic recovery and resilience of internally displaced and repatriated women and girls in Northern Mozambique”, in the province of Cabo Delgado, northern Mozambique in partnership with the Northern Integrated Development Agency (ADIN) and the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA).

H.E. António Njanje Taímo Supeia – Secretary of State for the Province of Cabo Delgado presided over the launch ceremony and gave the opening speech. During the ceremony, he officially handed over equipment worth around nine million meticais, given by UN Women to the Department for Assistance to Families and Minors Victims of Violence as a way of ensuring institutional strengthening for the protection of women and girls.

During the launch of the project, Marie Laetitia Kayisire, UN Women Representative in Mozambique said, “We are gathered here today to sign and celebrate the renewal of our efforts to maintain gender commitment in humanitarian coordination mechanisms and provide women and girls affected by conflict with psychosocial support, livelihood assistance, technical-vocational training, financial literacy and business management.”

With a budget of USD 6,000,000.00 (six million US dollars), the project is funded by KOICA and aims to ensure that internally displaced and returnee women and girls in Cabo Delgado lead and benefit from humanitarian aid and reconstruction efforts implemented as a result of the violent conflicts and terrorist acts that have plagued the province for over 5 years.

The money will be used for a series of reconstruction and empowerment activities for 93,400 women and girls affected by the conflict who face multiple vulnerabilities in the districts of Palma, Mocímboa da Praia, Nangade, Muidumbe, Macomia and Quissanga in Cabo Delgado province.

The President of ADIN, Jacinto Lapido Loureiro, who also took part in the event, stressed that, “There can be no development without the economic and social empowerment of women. Women are the key to society’s progress. Women are the core of the family. Let’s support the women of the northern region. Let’s support the development of northern Mozambique.”

Other attendees at the project launch included: Deputy Director of KOICA – Mozambique, Gyeong-jin Noh; Director of Transport and Communication Nelson Pereira, representing the Governor of the Province; Director of the Provincial Directorate of Gender, Child, and Social Action, Kiliriana Alberto Mbule; Administrators and Permanent Secretaries of the districts of Quissanga, Macomia, Muidumbe, Nangade, Palma, and Mocímboa da Praia; representatives of several United Nations agencies operating in Cabo Delgado; and representatives of civil society organizations.

UN Women has been a vital partner of KOICA in developing and implementing policies and interventions aimed at creating positive social change and promoting women’s empowerment. This new funding agreement between UN Women and KOICA marks a significant step in promoting gender-sensitive humanitarian action and the reconstruction of Cabo Delgado.

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

Esther Kimani, a 2022 YouthADAPT winner, received the prestigious 2024 Africa Prize for Engineering Innovation from the Royal Academy of Engineering on June 13 in Nairobi, Kenya. YouthADAPT is sponsored by the African Development Bank (www.AfDB.org) and the Global Center on Adaptation under the Africa Adaptation Acceleration Program (AAAP) (https://apo-opa.co/3XZTJch). 

Innovative Solution for Smallholder Farmers

Kimani’s winning invention is an advanced early detection system, designed to detect crop pests and diseases swiftly, which can reduce crop losses by up to 30% and increase yields by as much as 40%. This device is a transformative solution for smallholder farmers in Kenya, who typically lose about 33% of their crops to pests and disease.

Solar-powered, the device employs cutting-edge computer vision algorithms and machine learning to identify crop pests and diseases. It provides real-time alerts within seconds of detection and offers customised intervention advice using SMS. It also notifies government agricultural officers to engage in broader pest and disease management strategies. The device costs only $3 per month to lease, an affordable alternative to more traditional, expensive methods like drone surveillance or manual inspections.

About the Africa Prize

Established in 2014 by the Royal Academy of Engineering, the Africa Prize for Engineering Innovation supports scalable and sustainable engineering solutions to African challenges. After a decade, the Prize alumni now comprise nearly 150 entrepreneurs from 23 countries. These innovators have created over 28,000 jobs and impacted more than 10 million people across the continent.

In celebration of the Prize’s 10th anniversary, the Royal Academy of Engineering hosted an Alumni Reunion, bringing together 100 past winners and finalists for a special three-day event, underscoring the strength and unity of this community.

Esther Kimani’s Vision

Esther Kimani provided some personal background to explain her innovation. “Growing up, my parents would lose up to 40% of their crops each season, deeply affecting our living standards. Our goal is to empower smallholder farmers, particularly women, to increase their income. We aim to reach one million farmers in the next five years.”

Kimani was awarded £50,000 to further develop her innovation, marking the largest prize amount in the history of the Africa Prize in honour of its 10th anniversary. During the event, finalists presented their business pitches to an audience of around 700 people.

Other Awardees

Three runners-up received £15,000 each:

Eco Tiles by Kevin Maina (Kenya): A roofing material made from recycled plastic, addressing both plastic pollution and high construction costs.
La Ruche Health by Rory Assandey (Côte d’Ivoire): An AI chatbot, “Kiko,” provides essential health information and services alongside a digital backend solution for healthcare providers.
Yo-Waste by Martin Tumusiime (Uganda): A mobile app connecting households and businesses to independent waste collection agents for efficient waste management.

Dr Abubakari Zarouk Imoro received the ‘One to Watch’ award, which was voted on by live and online audiences. This award recognises the profound impact of his innovation on waste and biomass valorisation in local communities. Established in 2024 to honour the late Martin Bruce, a Ghanaian alumnus of the Africa Prize, the award comes with a £5,000 prize.

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

For more information, please contact:
Joash Moitui
Communication and Knowledge Management
Africa Adaptation Acceleration Program
j.moitui@afdb.org