Today, the USAID-funded West Africa Trade&Investment Hub (Trade Hub) hosted a partnership summit. The event, titled “Collaborating for Enhanced Food Security in Nigeria,” showcased the impact of public-private partnerships on Nigeria’s food security and economic growth.

The summit featured panel discussions, presentations, product showcases, and networking sessions. Trade Hub partners shared their successes and challenges in implementing food security initiatives. Through the Feed the Future Initiative, the Trade Hub has awarded $26.6 million in co-investment grants to 33 companies.

These partnerships have yielded results. Through collaborative efforts, the Trade Hub and its partners have strengthened food systems, increased incomes, and promoted inclusive agro-development in Nigeria. Through the U.S. Government’s global hunger and food security initiative, Feed the Future Initiative, the Trade Hub has awarded $26.6 million in co-investment grants to 33 companies. They have catalyzed $171.2 million in private-sector investments, created over 26,000 new jobs, and generated nearly $400 million in domestic sales. These outcomes demonstrate the effectiveness of collaboration in strengthening food systems and promoting inclusive agro-development in Nigeria.

Michelle Corzine, Office Director of Economic Growth, Agriculture and Power, emphasized the U.S. government’s commitment to Africa’s prosperity and Nigeria’s role as a regional powerhouse. She remarked: ““The U.S. government is deeply invested in the prosperity of Africa, recognizing the immense potential for growth and development of the continent. As President Biden said during the 2022 U.S.-Africa Business Forum, ‘Africa’s success and prosperity are essential to ensuring a better future for all of us, not just Africa.’ Recognizing Nigeria’s pivotal role as a regional powerhouse, the U.S. government is dedicated to supporting initiatives that promote economic growth, enhance trade partnerships, and promote food security.”

The Trade Hub, a $116.1 million USAID initiative, aims to improve private sector competitiveness in West Africa. Operating in 16 countries, it targets $400 million in new private investments and the creation of 60,000 jobs. This event highlights the Trade Hub’s ongoing efforts to foster sustainable economic development through strategic partnerships.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of U.S. Embassy and Consulate in Nigeria.

The U.S. Embassy is proud to announce the selection of thirty-two young Ghanaian leaders for the 2024 Mandela Washington Fellowship (MWF). This year’s cohort is among one of the most diverse groups yet with significant representation from the Northern part of Ghana. The Fellows come from a variety and range of fields, focused on health, climate change, combatting gender-based violence and child labor, supporting the agricultural sector and STEM, and strengthening the business sector.

The Mandela Washington Fellowship, the flagship program of the Young African Leaders Initiative (YALI), empowers young African leaders through academic coursework, leadership training, mentoring, networking, professional opportunities, and local community engagement.  YALI, the U.S. government’s signature effort to invest in the next generation of African leaders, supports young Africans as they spur economic growth and prosperity, strengthen democratic governance, and enhance peace and security across Africa.  The Mandela Washington Fellowship is funded by the U.S. Department of State, designed and managed by the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA), and implemented by IREX.  The Mandela Washington Fellowship is celebrating its tenth anniversary in 2024.

“I want to emphasize the reason behind the U.S. investment in Ghana’s – and Africa’s youth.  Sub-Saharan Africa is a major force for the future and in the next couple of years, virtually half the population will be under the age of 25, and by 2050, one of four people on this planet will be from Africa.  The role of people-to-people exchanges is an important part of the rich and historical U.S.-Ghana partnership.  Our partnership extends well beyond government, to include civil society and NGOs, the private sector, and citizens more broadly.” said U.S. Ambassador to Ghana Virginia E. Palmer at a reception for this year’s cohort.

The 32 fellows from Ghana were selected from over 3,000 applications received by U.S. Embassy Ghana. They will be part of a group of 700 Mandela Washington Fellows hosted at 28 educational institutions across the United States.  Fellows were selected from a pool of over 50,000 applications submitted across the continent.

“I expect this cohort to continue the trend of promoting innovation and making a positive impact in your communities and Ghana long after you complete your six-week Fellowship in the United States.” Ambassador Palmer added.

When they return, the 2024 Ghanaian Mandela Washington Fellows will join the more than 3,500 strong U.S. exchange alumni network in Ghana.  This network actively engages with U.S. and Ghanaian leaders to develop community-based solutions to public policy challenges, including in health, education, human rights, women’s empowerment, and other critical areas.

The 2024 Ghana Mandela Washington Fellows

 Name
City-Region

Stephen Abane
 Bolgatanga – Upper East

Maxwell Awaafo
 Bolgatanga – Upper East

Abdul Majeed Alhassan
 Kulungugu – Upper East

Augustine Yeboah
 Wa – Upper West

Mohammed Hafiz Yahaya
 Wa – Upper West

Dominic Akaateba
 Wa – Upper West

Hamza Abdullah
 Tamale – Northern

Fatima Issaka
 Tamale – Northern

Blessila Kandoh
 Tamale – Northern

Fatimata Yakubu
 Tamale – Northern

Banasco Seidu
 Sawla – Savannah

Adams Ewura Karim
 Salaga – Savannah

Reagan Masud
 Larabanga – Savannah

Huda Ibrahim
 Techiman – Bono East

John Baptist Kabo-Bah
 Sunyani – Bono

Aja Anatu Mohammed
 Wenchi – Bono

Joseph Obeng-Asante
 Chiraa – Bono

Philip Baba
 Kumasi – Ashanti

Prince Agbata
 Accra – Greater Accra

Isaac Brenya
 Accra – Greater Accra

Brian Dzansi
 Accra – Greater Accra

Richard Siaw
 Accra – Greater Accra

Felix Appiah
 Kpone – Greater Accra

Victor Loglo
 Hohoe – Volta

Sophia Mensah Boduwah
 Akosombo – Eastern

Luther Quarshie
 Nankese – Eastern

Gifty Gyimah
 Cape Coast – Central

Samuel Quansah
 Cape Coast – Central

Daniel Amoah
 Komenda – Central

Joycelyn Darkwah
 Agona Swedru – Central

Francisca Hagan
 Takoradi – Western

Lois Aubyn
 Takoradi – Western

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of U.S. Embassy in Ghana.

The civil war in Sudan has exacted a heavy toll, claimed nearly 16,000 lives, and displaced over 8.6 million people as of April 2024. The conflict has left 25 million individuals in urgent need of assistance, with severe hunger affecting 18 million. Approximately 53% of the internally displaced are women and girls. Despite having lost livelihoods and family members, Sudanese women have become the backbone of society.

Hind, a mother of four from Bahri in Khartoum, provides a heartbreaking personal story of the devastating consequences of the war. “When the conflict began, my family and I were in our home,” Hind recalls. “We could hear the distant sounds of fighting in the city. My husband, foreseeing the danger, urged us to stay indoors. For about a week, we remained sheltered, but as the violence escalated my husband insisted we seek refuge in the suburb of Hajj Youssef, east of the city, alongside others fleeing people.”

Life in the Hajj Youssef area offered only temporary respite. With conditions deteriorating rapidly and overcrowding concerns, Hind and her husband split up after about a month and a half. She joined her mother and sister in Port Sudan while her husband went to Al Jazira where his extended family stayed. 

Tragedy struck when Hind’s husband fell ill in early June 2023. His health deteriorated rapidly, exacerbated by the lack of medical care amid the chaos, and despite the family’s efforts to obtain treatments from relatives in Saudi Arabia, he passed away.

The loss was a devastating blow. “I was at the bus station, preparing to reunite with him, when I received the news of his death, it was a shock beyond words, leaving my children and me adrift in grief and uncertainty.” Hind and her children stayed in Port Sudan for 4 months waiting for an Egyptian Visa.

During this time, Hind received psychological support from The Women Awareness Group (Awoon), one of UN Women’s main partners in Red Sea State, eastern  Sudan. Awoon is working on providing intensive psychological and legal support to Internally displaced women and girls in special situations.

Hind and her family got the visas, however the financing to resettle in Egypt continued to be a challenge. Hind continues telling of her tragedy “My husband and I were working before the war, but our salaries are very basic and not enough for me and my children (workers’ salaries). After his death, his salary from the Ministry of Health became the property of his heirs, and access to money was very difficult at that time. Thanks to God, I traveled to Egypt with the help of one of my brothers” she told us.

Educating her children became Hind’s priority. She enrolled them in local schools despite financial constraints so that they could complete their education, stand on their own feet, and make it easier for her in the future. Hind juggled manual labor work and baking simple products to make ends meet, but resources were scarce.

“After my husband’s death, I’ve had many conversations with my children to help them understand our new reality. As a working woman, I’ve strived to fulfill their wishes. However, everything we had built together with their father vanished suddenly. My husband, who had a heart condition, had ambitious plans to secure our future. He always reassured me, saying, ‘I don’t want you to suffer if I die one day.’ Losing him and his dreams so prematurely has been incredibly hard.”

Bureaucratic hurdles in obtaining refugee status and documentation, limited resources, and scarce job opportunities for foreigners in Egypt are also one of the main challenges for Hind and many others who have escaped the way in Sudan. “Life has become incredibly difficult, and my only hope is an end to this war so we can return safely to our home country.” Hind laments.

Hind’s story underscores the situation of millions affected by conflict worldwide, particularly the widows and refugees striving to rebuild shattered lives. Awoon collaborates with UN Women to help women and girls with special cases and needs and the support that UN Women gives to the women of Sudan through partners like Awoon is key because widows with children considering are the most vulnerable women in Sudan especially after the war. Through internal funding support, UN Women Sudan and Awoon, a member of the Red Sea state “Women Situation Room”, continue efforts to support women during the war.

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

The United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) has intensified patrols and engagement with local authorities and security services in Unity state and the Ruweng Administrative Area (RAA) after cross-border clashes over the weekend resulted in a number of deaths, destroyed property, and the displacement of civilians.

The violence is understood to have begun on 22 June when officials from Rubkona (Unity) travelled to Aliny in the neighbouring Ruweng Administrative Area to retrieve cattle stolen from their communities. During the planned handover of stolen stock, fighting broke out between the groups and an unverified number of people were killed.  

Following this incident, violence erupted in several other areas and tensions remain high on both sides of the border, fueled by reports of further mobilization of armed youth. Civilians in Pariang, in the north of Unity state, are also reportedly moving away from the town due to fears of retaliatory attacks.

In response to the deteriorating security situation, UNMISS peacekeepers have intensified patrols in Pariang and will reinforce troop numbers at their temporary base to help protect civilians in the area. A peacekeeping patrol has also been dispatched to Manga port, another area where there is a reported risk of violence, while a separate patrol is being deployed to the site of the initial violence in Aliny in RAA.

“UNMISS is gravely concerned by the escalating violence. We urge national and local authorities to make every effort to ensure armed youth refrain from fighting and to reduce tensions and restore calm in the affected areas. It is vital that disputes and grievances are resolved through dialogue rather than conflict which causes immense suffering to communities caught in the crossfire,” said Nicholas Haysom, Special Representative of the Secretary-General and Head of UNMISS.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS).