A mother of four and restaurant owner from Dabola, in central Guinea, Diaraye says she felt scared about the vaccines. She didn’t think she had enough information and she’d heard rumours about harmful side effects.

Several health workers came to visit her to try and convince her to vaccinate her newborn, Madiou, but she still felt uneasy.

That was until she met Bérété, a Guinea Red Cross supervisor with the Community Epidemic and Pandemic Preparedness Programme (CP3). A mother herself, Bérété connected with Diaraye and patiently explained how vaccinating her own children has kept them safe from diseases. She responded sensitively to Diaraye’s concerns.

Newly informed and confident, Diaraye agreed for Bérété to take baby Madiou for his first immunizations. Since then, Diaraye has become a champion for vaccination within her community.

“My advice to mothers is to agree to their children getting vaccinated. For me, since the Red Cross came to help me vaccinate my baby, I’ve seen that it’s good for children. And I tell all mothers to go and get their children vaccinated at the health centre,” says Diaraye.

A global story, playing out locally, house-by-house

Diaraya’s story is far from unique. People around the world often don’t have access to life-saving vaccines, do not have all the facts about how they work, or don’t know who they can trust to give them accurate and unbiased information.

This is why trusted community organizations, like Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies and their volunteers, are playing a critical role in reaching out at the local level, providing trustworthy information while enabling access to vaccines in places that are underserved by health services, or that are in the midst of ongoing emergencies.

This year, World Immunization Week revolves around the theme of Humanly Possible, also the name of a global campaign to celebrate and build on the achievements made in protecting people from vaccines since the latter half of the 20th century.

For its part, the IFRC is redoubling efforts to bring awareness and vaccines to people in vulnerable situations — from conflict to outbreaks, forced migration or natural disaster — or who for whatever reason lack access to immunization services.

The approach varies to meet the specific situation of each county and they span the globe, from the efforts of the National Societies of Guinea, Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Kyrgyzstan, and many others. Here are a few more examples of the ways that Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies are taking on a wide range of very different immunization challenges around the world.

Philippine Red Cross takes on another measles outbreak

The Philippine Red Cross Society (PRCS), for example, has been supporting the government of The Philippines in responding to a measles outbreak by vaccinating more than 15,000 children ages 6 months to below 10 years old with measles vaccine.

As of April 14, 2024, the Philippine Red Cross has vaccinated 15,593 children, mobilizing a total of 131 volunteers (35 vaccinators and 96 support volunteers) in 85 communities in four provinces.

The PRCS’ measles outbreak response is being done in collaboration with the ICRC, which also has a long time presence in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, an area where people are impacted by internal conflict and one of the main areas where the measles outbreak is occurring because of low immunization coverage.

The PRCS has been part of other polio and measles outbreak responses and plans to expand this current operation by deploying vaccination teams from other chapters, with the help of resources from the IFRC and the United States Center for Disease Control.

Using innovation to improve access to immunization in Thailand

The Thai Red Cross Society (TRCS), meanwhile, has been using technology in innovative ways to bring immunization services to underserved populations that would not otherwise have access to immunization services.

In Thailand, many displaced persons and undocumented residents are living without proper forms of identification required to access vaccination services. To address the health gap, TRCS partnered with the Department of Disease Control of the Ministry of Public Health and Thailand’s National Electronics and Computer Technology Center to develop the Thai Red Cross Biometric Authentication System.

This system uses a biometric authentication system, using face and iris recognition technology while still ensuring data privacy, to accurately register and verify identities, with up to 99 per cent accuracy.

This allows for people without official documentation to still receive vaccines and enables a way to keep a record of the vaccinations received and is especially useful in supporting public immunization campaigns to ensure everyone can be vaccinated.

Using this technology, TRCS reached 20,000 adolescent girls, specifically ethnic minorities, migrants, and refugees between the age of 12-15 years old, living in temporary shelters across the country with 40,000 doses of Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine. This helped to significantly decrease their chances of getting HPV, a major, but vaccine-preventable cause of cervical cancer.

If this can be expanded, more displaced persons and undocumented residents can be assured to have access to their next essential vaccine, such as a booster shot, as well as a better quality of life in Thailand.

Local presence, ready to prevent and respond

Over the long term, immunization campaigns are only fully effective if they are of high quality and result in high coverage. The challenge now is to improve and strengthen routine immunisation, to better prevents future outbreaks, while ensuring there is capacity in place to respond quickly and engage communities, if and when outbreaks occur.

This is why the work of National Societies in Afghanistan, Guinea, Kyrgystan, Pakistan, The Philippines, Thailand, and elsewhere, are so critical. As national organizations with widespread local presence at the community level, they are ideally suited to work with local and national health authorities and communities to build and keep the trust with local communities, while delivering consistent and ongoing access to immunization. The video below shows how the Pakistan Red Crescent brings immunization through local clinics.

Back in Guinea, Red Cross volunteer Bérété continues to visit Diaraye to make sure her son Madiou is doing well, as part of her work engaging members of her community on how to protect themselves and their families from life-threatening disease.

“We keep supporting her, because every time I send her child to hospital to be vaccinated, I never forget to follow up,” explains Bérété. “Every morning I come to see her to check on the child. Because what’s really important, you can’t just vaccinate a child and leave without following up. If she can see that you are there for her at all times, she will have the courage.”

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC).

President Isaias Afwerki yesterday, 25 April, met at Denden Guest House, Mr. Ramtane Lamamra, United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres’ Special Envoy for Sudan.

At the meeting, President Isaias noted that progress in resolving the conflict in Sudan has been elusive thus far, attributing it to the proliferation of initiatives and platforms. President Isaias further stated that Eritrea had submitted to Sudan’s Sovereign Council in 2022, a proposal anchored on the establishment of transitional institutions.

President Isaias stated that although the initiative to resolve the conflict was initially accepted by the Sovereign Council, progress was later hampered due to interference and rivalry among various powers. He urged the United Nations Secretary-General to exert more efforts to stem the flow of finance and arms deliveries through neighboring countries.

The UN Envoy, Mr. Ramtane Lamamra, for his part, elaborated on measures that the United Nations and its institutions have embarked on to promote peace in Sudan, as well as to provide support to Sudanese people forced into internal displacement and exile due to the conflict.

President Isaias expressed Eritrea’s support to the United Nations Secretary General initiative as a viable mechanism for unifying all other efforts.

The meeting was attended by Mr. Osman Saleh, Minister of Foreign Affairs, and representatives of UN Offices in Eritrea.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Ministry of Information, Eritrea.

Oil and gas company Trident Energy has secured agreements with multinational energy companies Chevron and TotalEnergies to obtain stakes in the Republic of Congo’s oil fields. The deal with Chevron involves acquiring Chevron Overseas (Congo), granting Trident access to key oil fields including a 31.5% non-operated working interest in the Moho-Bilondo, Nkossa and Nsoko II fields, along with a 15.75% operated interest in the Lianzi field. Meanwhile, Trident has partnered with TotalEnergies to expand its ownership in the Nkossa and Nsoko II fields by 53.5%, while also divesting 10% of its interest in the Moho-Bilondo field to the French oil major.

Pending approval, the transactions are expected to finalize by the end of Q4 2024. Upon completion, Trident Energy will hold an 85% working interest in the Nkossa and Nsoko II fields, a 15.75% working interest in the Lianzi field and retain a 21.5% working interest in the Moho-Bilondo field, further cementing its position as a key player in Africa’s energy landscape.

These agreements highlight Trident’s commitment to sustainable energy development and strategic partnerships in the region, a sentiment echoed by the African Energy Chamber (AEC). By assuming operational control of vital oil fields, Trident Energy demonstrates its dedication to operational excellence and responsible resource management.

Moreover, these agreements not only consolidate Trident Energy’s position in Africa but also signify a milestone for the Republic of Congo’s energy landscape as the company enters into collaboration with new partners, including state-owned SNPC and the Congolese Government. The AEC commends the Republic of Congo’s government and its national oil company SNPC for cultivating these partnerships, which are crucial for developing the country’s oil resources and driving sustainable economic growth within the region.

“Trident Energy’s strategic entry into the Republic of Congo signifies a pivotal moment for the country’s energy sector and underscores the immense potential of collaboration between industry players and government entities. This transformative deal not only strengthens Trident Energy’s footprint in Africa but also highlights the opportunities for sustainable development and economic growth within the region,” states NJ Ayuk, Executive Chairman, AEC.

With proven crude oil reserves totaling 1.8 billion barrels, the Republic of Congo is well-positioned to capitalize on its abundant resources for economic advancement. Trident Energy’s recent agreements and acquisitions, alongside the country’s substantial oil production capacity, signify a promising path for resource utilization. As development efforts progress, there is potential for heightened production, job generation and enhanced economic stability. With prudent management and strategic collaborations, the Republic of Congo can effectively harness its oil wealth to foster sustainable growth and prosperity.

Building on its continued successes in Equatorial Guinea, Trident Energy anticipates unlocking further value and creating opportunities for its partners in the Republic of Congo, host communities and all stakeholders.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of African Energy Chamber.

The white city of Tangiers wakes gently at daybreak. Schoolchildren mill up and down the main streets of the old town, the medina, crossing paths with the crowd heading to offices and a few morning tourists.

Overlooking the Strait of Gibraltar at the northern tip of Morocco, Tangiers is a cosmopolitan place and gateway to the great continent of Africa. Every year, its timeless atmosphere attracts millions of tourists, who come to criss-cross its narrow paved streets.

The guest house “Riad Saba”, in the heart of the medina, welcomes holidaymakers with immense care. On the terrace, guests are treated to the view over the port while enjoying a tasty breakfast prepared by Ibrahim Jallouli.

Originally from Oujda, this young chef came to Tangiers to take advantage of the opportunities the city could offer him. “I came here because it’s a city full of opportunities, which attracts tourists from all over the world with its cultural and gastronomic heritage,” he comments.

For this young professional, the city guarantees access to essential services, particularly the availability of water. “Water is essential in my line of business. I use it every day, either for cooking, drinking or washing ingredients. I couldn’t manage without it. But I’m conscious that having continuous, daily access to water is a real challenge in Morocco.”

Like many of the Kingdom’s citizens, Ibrahim is concerned about the effects of climate change on this vital resource. The region enjoys a warm Mediterranean climate, with the influence of the ocean keeping it damp and temperate.

However, its meteorological profile has been disrupted for several decades: temperatures are rising and rainfall decreasing, affecting the availability of water for millions of the city’s residents.

The region’s economy is expanding rapidly, attracting numerous industries, as well as experiencing a real population explosion. The need for water is increasing and placing heavy pressure on those who manage this precious resource.

The Moroccan government realised the scale of the situation several years ago and responded by launching the National Drinking Water Supply and Irrigation Programme (PNAEPI) 2020-2027.

Through the National Office of Electricity and Drinking Water (ONEE), the government is investing in a range of infrastructure projects to secure, strengthen and optimize water resources, with support from the African Development Bank. The city of Tangiers has benefited from a project completed in 2023: a raw water supply from the Ibn Battouta dam.

Built in the late 1970s, the reservoir has seen its level drop for several years. With raw water supplies decreasing in volume, it was time to optimize the resource. Until now, raw water from the dam used to flow to the Mharhar treatment plant via the riverbed of the same name. This open-air journey resulted in losses, mainly due to evaporation. An 11-kilometre water pipe has now been built to optimize the resource and remedy the situation.

The message is clear: water in Morocco needs to be conserved at any price in light of current and future climatic conditions. This philosophy is shared by the African Development Bank, which is helping Morocco to maintain its momentum. As a result, Africa’s premier development finance institution has supported the ONEE by providing EUR 10 million in funding for the project. This is in addition to the overall amount of EUR 1.2 billion already invested in the water sector in Morocco.

These investments are essential for improving the living conditions of the beneficiary populations and supporting the region’s long-term socioeconomic development. As Ibrahim, our young chef, recalls, “For me, water is life. If there were no water, there would be no life.”

This project, among many others, points to Morocco’s forward-looking vision for the water sector: one of progress and shared growth. 

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