Sudan’s current conflict, which marks its one year point this week, is having a devastating impact on the people of Sudan, particularly women and girls. The conflict has reversed the gains made toward democracy and stability, leaving the country in suffering and insecurity, while facing a catastrophic humanitarian crisis. UN Women calls on the international community to ensure that the conflict in Sudan does not become a neglected crisis.

Sudanese women and girls are paying a heavy price for this violence, bearing the brunt of a humanitarian crisis that remains largely invisible to the world. Sudan is among the largest internal displacement crises in the world. 53 per cent of internally displaced are women and girls, and there is a growing risk that the violence will soon create the world’s largest hunger crisis. More than 7,000 new mothers could die in the coming months if their nutritional and health needs remain unmet.

Over 6.7 million people are at risk of gender-based violence and reports of intimate partner violence, sexual exploitation and abuse, and trafficking in persons are widespread and increasing. Survivors report rarely able to access services or report to authorities. The economic impact of the conflict has further marginalized women, stripping them of livelihood opportunities and pushing many towards extreme measures and the risk of sexual exploitation and abuse as they seek to support their families.

Women and girls, often the first responders in crises, are not only victims of this violence but also pivotal to the survival and resilience of their communities. UN Women salutes the courage and bravery of Sudanese women and women’s rights organizations, who continue to advocate for peace and a return to democratic governance at different fora. Their participation in peace processes and humanitarian responses is not just beneficial but necessary for creating lasting peace and security. 

Immediate steps must be taken to ensure the protection of women and girls, support their economic empowerment, and include them in peace negotiations and decision-making. We urge international partners and donors to invest in local, women-led organizations and prioritize resources to address the gender dimensions of this crisis.

UN Women stands with the people of Sudan during this difficult time and reiterates the Secretary-General’s call for an immediate halt to the fighting and a return to dialogue. Respect for human rights and international law must prevail, with perpetrators of human rights violations held accountable. Only then can we hope to restore democracy and build a peaceful and secure future for all in Sudan.

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

The African Development Bank (www.AfDB.org) successfully concluded a three-day workshop in Nairobi, Kenya, aimed at enhancing its Empowering Novel Agri-Business-Led Employment (ENABLE) Youth Program in preparation for its next phase.

The ENABLE Youth program helps young African men and women access financing to grow their enterprises. Currently active in 15 countries with investments exceeding $490 million, and benefiting around 40,000 youths, the program has emerged as a transformative force in fostering entrepreneurship and tackling youth unemployment.

Held from 3rd-5th of April 2024, the workshop allowed Bank staff to assess the program’s progress and draw valuable lessons for future initiatives in the Regional Member Countries. There were around 45 participants, including Bank staff managing ENABLE Youth projects, government officials coordinating the projects, beneficiary youth agripreneurs, and development and private sector partners.

In her opening remarks, Ms. Nnenna Nwabufo, Director General for East Africa at the African Development Bank, underscored the pivotal role of the youth in advancing agriculture in Africa.

Nwabufo stated: “Africa can feed itself, however, we are importing food from outside the continent. Through empowering Africa’s youth, the Program is changing that story. The Program has demonstrated its potential to catalyze economic growth, create opportunities for young Africans, and drive sustainable development.”

Millicent Omukaga, Principal Policy Analyst at the Bank, highlighted the imperative of skills development and job creation in leveraging Africa’s demographic dividend. She called for a renewed focus on entrepreneurship and private sector engagement in the program’s future extensions.

Dr. Martin Fregene, Director for Agriculture and Agro-industry at the Bank, highlighted the role of agriculture in unlocking Africa’s economic potential and empowering its youth. “By equipping them with the necessary skills, technologies, resources, and support, we can harness the demographic dividend and transform the agricultural sector to make it more efficient and competitive and to become a driver of inclusive growth and prosperity,” Fregene said.

Dr. Damian Ihedioha, Manager for Agro-Industry and Agribusiness, stressed the importance of addressing the multifaceted challenges faced by youth agripreneurs. “Moving forward, we must adopt holistic approaches that address barriers to entry, access to finance, and market linkages to ensure the sustained success of our youth-led agribusiness ventures,” he reiterated.

Edson Mpyisi, Chief Financial Economist and ENABLE Youth Coordinator, underscored the collaborative nature of the program’s success, emphasizing the need for strengthened partnerships and collective action to maximize its impact.

The workshop concluded with a commitment to continue fostering an enabling ecosystem for youth empowerment, incubation, access to finance, and digitalization to drive sustainable development across the continent.

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

For media inquiries, please contact:
Joyce Mulama
media@afdb.org  

NBA Africa (www.NBA.com) and Africell, one of the fastest-growing mobile network operators in Africa, today unveiled an indoor basketball court at 1˚ de Maio at Av. Deolinda Rodrigues in Luanda, Angola as part of their multiyear collaboration to use basketball to benefit Angolan youth.  The new court, donated to and operated by the city of Luanda, will provide a safe space where members of the local community can play basketball year-round and host Jr. NBA events and programming in the future.

The court was unveiled by Africell Angola CEO Jorge Vazquez and NBA Africa CEO Clare Akamanzi.  They were joined by Angolan NBA Academy Africa prospect Aginaldo Neto, who is signed to Petro de Luanda for the 2024 Basketball Africa League (BAL) season as part of the BAL Elevate (https://apo-opa.co/3Ug0vrY) program, and who previously participated in the Jr. NBA program in Angola.  Following the ceremony, the court hosted two exhibition games featuring men’s and women’s teams from the local community.

“By making basketball more accessible to young Angolans, the partnership between Africell and NBA Africa is having a big impact,” said Africell Angola CEO Jorge Vazquez.  “Basketball is an important part of Angolan popular culture, and this new facility brings it into the reach of more potential players.”

“This beautiful new court speaks to Angola’s rich basketball tradition and further builds on our youth development efforts across the continent,” said NBA Africa CEO Clare Akamanzi.  “Thanks to the support of Africell, more boys and girls in Luanda will be able to learn and play the game in a safe environment year-round.”

In addition to the court unveiling and exhibition games, last week, NBA Africa and Africell held a Jr. NBA clinic in Lubango for 250 boys and girls ages 18 and under.  Last year, NBA Africa and Africell held Jr. NBA clinics, a 3-on-3 basketball tournament, as well as a Her Time to Play basketball clinic and leadership workshop for 200 girls ages 16 and under and 20 female basketball coaches.

The new court also builds on NBA Africa’s previous initiatives in Angola, including hosting Basketball Without Borders (BWB) Africa in Luanda in 2016 and a Jr. NBA league in Luanda in 2017 and 2018.  BWB, the NBA and FIBA’s global basketball development and community outreach program, has reached nearly 100 Angolan boys and girls since its launch in Africa in 2003. 

Angola’s Petro de Luanda is representing the country in the 2024 BAL season for the fourth consecutive time.  

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of National Basketball Association (NBA).

Contacts: 
Sam Williams
Africell Communications
swilliams@africell.com
+44 7485 649 555

Pawel Weszka
NBA Africa Communications
pweszka@nba.com
+27 10 0072666

About Africell: 
Africell (https://apo-opa.co/3JgvfTF) provides fast, reliable, low-cost mobile network coverage and related technology services to almost 20 million subscribers in sub-Saharan Africa.  We currently operate in Angola, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Sierra Leone and The Gambia.  Africell is U.S.-owned, headquartered in London, and directly and indirectly employs more than 10,000 people.

Africell also invests in and supports social initiatives that provide benefits to our operating markets and the wider region in the areas of sports, health and wellbeing; education and entrepreneurship; and arts, culture and heritage. 

For more information, visit www.Africell.com or connect with us on LinkedIn (https://apo-opa.co/445H4Wo).

About NBA Africa: 
NBA Africa is an affiliate of the National Basketball Association (NBA), a global sports and media organization with the mission to inspire and connect people everywhere through the power of basketball.  NBA Africa conducts the league’s business in Africa, including the Basketball Africa League (BAL), and has opened subsidiary offices in Cairo, Egypt; Dakar, Senegal; Lagos, Nigeria; and Nairobi, Kenya.  The NBA has a long history in Africa and opened its African headquarters in Johannesburg, South Africa in 2010.  The league’s efforts on the continent have focused on increasing access to basketball and the NBA through youth and elite development, social responsibility, media distribution, corporate partnerships, NBA Africa Games, NBA Stores, the BAL, and more.

NBA games and programming are available in all 54 African countries, and the NBA has hosted three sold-out exhibition games on the continent since 2015. The BAL, a partnership between the International Basketball Federation (FIBA) and NBA Africa, is a professional league featuring 12 club teams from across Africa that tipped off its fourth season in March 2024. Fans can follow @NBA_Africa and @theBAL on Facebook, Instagram, X and YouTube.

IMF staff and the Ghanaian authorities have reached staff-level agreement on economic policies and reforms to conclude the second review of the 36-month ECF-supported program. Ghana will have access to about US$360 million in financing once the review is approved by IMF Management and formally completed by the IMF Executive Board; Performance under the program has been generally strong, with most quantitative objectives met and key reforms implemented. The authorities’ strong policy and efforts have continued to yield positive results: economic growth is higher than initially expected; inflation has continued to decline; and both fiscal and external positions have improved significantly in 2023; To ensure timely completion of the review, Ghana and its official bilateral creditors need to reach agreement on a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for a debt treatment, consistent with the agreement in principle reached in January 2024.

An International Monetary Fund (IMF) staff team, led by Mr. Stéphane Roudet, Mission Chief for Ghana, held meetings in Accra during April 2-12, 2024, to discuss progress on reforms and the authorities’ policy priorities in the context of the second review of Ghana’s three-year program under the Extended Credit Facility. The arrangement was approved by the IMF Executive Board for a total amount of SDR 2.242 billion (US$ 3 billion) on May 17, 2023.  

At the end of the mission, Mr. Roudet issued the following statement:

“I am pleased to announce that IMF staff and the Ghanaian authorities have reached a staff-level agreement on the second review of Ghana’s economic program under the Extended Credit Facility arrangement. This staff-level agreement is subject to IMF Management approval and Executive Board consideration once the necessary financing assurances have been received. An agreement between the Ghanaian authorities and their official creditors on an MoU for a debt treatment in line with program parameters, would provide the needed financing assurances. Upon completion of the Executive Board review, Ghana would have access to SDR 269.1 million (about US$ 360 million), bringing the total IMF financial support disbursed under the arrangement since May 2023 to SDR 1,171.9 million (about US$ 1,560 million).

“Performance under the IMF-supported program has been generally strong, with most quantitative targets met. Good progress has also been made on the key structural reform milestones. The authorities’ policies and reforms to restore macroeconomic stability and debt sustainability while laying the foundations for stronger and more inclusive growth are already generating positive results.

“Economic activity in 2023 was more robust than initially envisaged, and growth projections for 2024 will be revised upward. Monetary policy has remained appropriately tight, allowing for inflation to decline rapidly.

“On the fiscal front, consistent with the authorities’ commitments under the IMF-supported program, the fiscal primary balance on a commitment basis improved by over 4 percentage points of GDP in 2023 and is on track to achieve a fiscal primary surplus of ½ percent of GDP in 2024. Spending has remained within budget limits, while the authorities have significantly expanded social protection programs to help mitigate the impact of the crisis on the most vulnerable. Ghana has met its non-oil revenue mobilization target, while making progress in implementing ambitious structural fiscal reforms to bolster domestic revenues, strengthen public financial and debt management, and enhance transparency.

“The external sector has improved significantly, with international reserve accumulation ahead of program objectives. Financial stability has been preserved, with banks posting solid profits in 2023.

“Given Ghana’s strong progress under the IMF-supported program, the next key step for the country is to reach an agreement with its official bilateral creditors on an MoU consistent with the terms agreed in January 2024. We look forward to the authorities’ continued efforts to reach an agreement with all creditors in line with program parameters.”

IMF staff held meetings with Finance Minister Adam, Bank of Ghana Governor Addison, and their teams, as well as representatives from various government agencies. The IMF team also engaged with other stakeholders. The IMF staff team would like to express their gratitude to the Ghanaian authorities and other counterparts for their continued open and constructive engagement.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of International Monetary Fund (IMF).