The President of the Republic, H.E. Joseph Nyuma Boakai, Sr., has issued an Executive Order suspending $0.20 surcharge on petroleum pricing structure with immediate effect.

The Order, numbered 128, was issued on March 21, 2024, and is part of the Government’s efforts to reduce the cost of living for its citizens. 

The President believes that lowering the cost of petroleum will have a positive impact on the lives of Liberians, as it will reduce the cost of goods and services, spur productivity and business profitability, as well as increase revenue for the Government. 

The Liberian Constitution allows the President to issue Executive Orders in the public interest to address urgent issues paramount to the Country’s development.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Republic of Liberia: Executive Mansion.

The businesses were chosen from 173 applications following a rigorous selection process. The chosen projects come from the energy, transportation, agriculture, forestry and other land uses, circular economy and water sectors.

The businesses concerned will receive tailored one-to-one and group support from financial, technical and gender equality and social inclusion experts to help increase their chances of securing finance from South African and international investors. For the first time, two separate cohorts have been created to trial providing capacity building to promising early-stage projects.

So far, almost a third of projects from the first two phases of CFA South Africa have found investment since participating in the programme.

British High Commissioner to South Africa, Antony Phillipson said:

“South Africa has a huge number of companies and organisations with innovative ideas on how to tackle climate change. Support provided to these projects will help them secure investment, deliver green growth and jobs and contribute to South Africa meeting its climate commitments.”

The 10 core cohort projects will undertake intensive capacity building before pitching to investors at an event in July, which early-stage projects will also be invited to attend.

The 5 projects selected in the early-stage pilot will have the opportunity to attend elements of the core capacity building training and will be encouraged to share their experiences with members of the core cohort, who may act as mentors.

CEO of the National Business Initiative (NBI), Shameela Soobramoney said:

“NBI believes that identifying and supporting innovative, low carbon companies across key green economy sectors is not just a strategic initiative, but a moral imperative. These companies represent the vanguard of progress, offering solutions to some of the most pressing challenges facing our country and the globe.”

“Initiatives like CFA illustrate how targeted support, collaboration, innovation, and unwavering dedication can pave the way for a brighter, greener future for generations to come. If we don’t create the future we want, the one we get will be worth infinitely less.”

CEO of GreenCape (GC), Michael Mulachy said:

“Food systems, rare earth metal beneficiation, storage, e-mobility, waste and sanitation are all featured in this year’s CFA finalists. This incredible cohort have solutions to some of the most pressing green economy challenges globally.”

“Each finalist has found its niche in South Africa and has the potential to scale up rapidly – creating much needed jobs and investment in South Africa’s green economy. The CFA programme has been an incredibly effective launch pad for these innovative green companies and GreenCape is eager to see the impact of this cohort.”

The 10 core cohort projects are:

Charge – catalysing the decarbonisation of the transport sector by installing 120 off-grid, green-powered, ultra-fast charging stations for passenger and light delivery vehicles. Located approximately 150 km apart, this first phase of installations covers South Africa’s major highways and regional routes (18,200 km).
Creslow Energy Solutions – renewable battery manufacturer based in Mpumalanga. The energy storage solution is aimed at leisure, commercial and industrial markets (battery packs are suitable for small to medium factories and shopping malls), as well with specialised solutions provided for the mining sector.
Cultura Fresh – expanding the existing successful hydroponic vegetable business to meet persistent excess demand. Cultura Fresh is currently the largest supplier of leafy greens in Western Cape. This expansion will create jobs and boost food security.
EWaste Africa – expanding EWaste Africa’s existing offer of  storing, collecting, transporting and end-of-life management of e-waste by diversifying into reuse, refurbishment and repair of e-waste (electrical, electronic, solar and lighting equipment waste) and increasing recycling facilities for hazardous e-waste.
Loowatt – providing high-quality ‘Kalula’ home toilets to customers in urban neighbourhoods that lack adequate sanitation access.
Manganese Metal Company – constructing a 5,000 ton per annum manganese sulphate monohydrate (MSM) plant, to be located in Mbombela. MSM is a key ingredient in electric vehicles batteries.
MycoSure – addressing sustainable food production by developing mycelium-based submerged biomass fermentation technology to produce alternative protein and nutraceutical ingredients at scale.
Nambu – turning food ‘waste’ into high value insect protein for livestock and pet feed – including dog kibble, liquid based feed additive and a basic ruminant feed – as well as pelletised frass (fertiliser),
SOCO CAPITAL – a spin off from an Engineering Procurement and Construction company, now an Independent Power Producer delivering comprehensive solutions, including fully funded solar PV (Power Purchase Agreement) and battery offerings available for rental.
Valternative Energy – bringing next-generation clean energy solutions to the e-mobility sector in South Africa with electric bikes, smart batteries and swap stations.

The 5 early-stage cohort projects are:

Aquagel – Regenr8 is addressing climate change through food security. Regenr8 does this by offering organic bio-stimulant that disrupts the chemical fertiliser industry and stores CO2 in the soil for hundreds of years.
Breev – Breev has a vision of an EV charger in every town in Africa and currently aims to expand EV charging along 980,000 km of roads in South Africa and Kenya, doubling mobility options and reducing environmental impact.
React – enhancing access to recycling services and ethical standards by setting up decentralised micro material recovery facilities in low-income areas, integrating informal waste reclaimers as operators, and providing them with access to recyclables and eco-friendly transportation.
Smartfill – connected smart dispensers enabling consumers to accurately fill any container with the quantity of dry food they need, eliminating plastic packaging.
Solarfi – is set to connect 5 million individuals by distributing more than 500,000 innovative lantern-routers, delivering both internet and lighting to off-grid communities and driving progress through sustainable technology.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of British High Commission Pretoria.

The United States, through the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), announces a new program to provide information on climate change advocacy tools for persons with disabilities in Mozambique. The goal of this project is to make information about emergency preparedness and climate change systems accessible to those who are blind, deaf, or other forms of disability. The program is entitled Resilience and Empowerment for Climate-Change Action by Disabled-persons Organizations (RECADO) and is led by Associação TV SURDO in consortium with the Forum of Mozambican Associations of the Disabled (FAMOD), Association of the Blind and Partially Sighted of Mozambique (ACAMO), Association of the Disabled of Mozambique (ADEMO), government entities and other development agents.

Mozambique is one of the most vulnerable countries to the impacts of climate change, with increasingly frequent climatic events such as cyclones, droughts, and floods. According to UNICEF , persons with disabilities are usually left out of discussions about policies, plans, and programs that prepare communities for and respond to these climate events at the national and subnational level. RECADO advocates for integrating disability rights into the work of state entities and other key actors. It will increase access to inclusive information for persons with disabilities and promote community engagement to enhance their capacity to take preventive action against climate shocks. The program will conduct research and develop data collection systems to inform governments’ climate change interventions and improve techniques for identifying people with disabilities most vulnerable to climate change effects. RECADO will also invest in capacity-building activities to ensure government entities, disabled persons organizations, and other stakeholders acquire disability-inclusive climate action knowledge. Additionally, the program will build sustainable ties between them and persons with disabilities to actively include them in decision-making processes, thus living up to the expression, “nothing for us, without us.”

USAID Mission Director Helen Pataki said: “The United States is dedicated to helping all people with disabilities to participate actively in Mozambique’s public life. Inclusivity improves decision-making and strengthens communities.”

USAID is investing $1.1 million for this project over three years. Support for disability rights is a critical component of the broader U.S. Government assistance in Mozambique.  In close collaboration with the Government of the Republic of Mozambique and civil society, the U.S. Government provides more than $700 million in annual assistance to improve the quality of healthcare, education, to promote economic prosperity, and stability to support the overall development of the nation.

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

This March, the United States celebrates Women’s History Month, honoring the progress women have made in their strides to achieve equality, recognizing the continuing challenges faced by girls and young women, and highlighting the need for them to be fully integrated into all aspects of today’s world. This year’s theme, “women who advocate for equity, diversity, and inclusion,” underscores the importance of including women from diverse backgrounds in the economy, governing institutions, and other key areas of society. Empowering girls and young women throughout the world is a priority for the United States.  As Secretary Blinken has remarked, supporting women and girls is not only the right thing to do, it’s the smart and necessary thing to do.

The good news is that young women are emerging as leaders in diverse spheres – communities, classrooms, and clubs – and we must continue to support and encourage them in this effort. Countries like Mauritania are taking significant steps to ensure that half of their population can achieve their full potential. As a close partner, our U.S. Embassy is committed to helping Mauritania achieve the goal of empowering women and girls. Last year, we inaugurated the first Women’s Economic Forum at the U.S. Embassy, promoting trade and developing Mauritanian small businesswomen’s talents.  This year, we’ve continued this event, hosting our second annual forum on March 7 hosting women from business, civil society, students and U.S. government program alumni. We’ve also launched digital literacy programs that provide access to computers and the internet and ensure girls and young women acquire skills relevant to the modern job market.  In many regions of Mauritania, the United States has funded campaigns advocating for girls’ education, encouraging parents and communities to support girls in school, and combatting negative phenomena such as childhood and forced marriage.  We even supported a program to send girl soccer players to the United States to interact with their American counterparts and exchange experiences.  In 2024, we plan to do the same for a group of young women basketball players, knowing that this will empower them to come back to their own country with a strong network for action within their communities.

Overwhelming data from the World Bank, World Economic Forum, and the United Nations indicate that when women are gainfully and fully employed, societies are more stable and prosperous. UN Women estimates that companies with three or more women in senior management positions score higher in all dimensions of organizational performance. Additionally, closing the gender gap in the economy could boost the global economy by $28 trillion, according to a 2023 McKinsey Global Institute report. I myself have seen that Mauritanian communities are stronger when women own and run businesses and contribute to their country’s sustainable economic growth. Remarkable women leaders like doctor Jemila Bouka, a military surgeon who also founded a private hospital to serve the needs of the public, and Berdis Muhammed, a rural entrepreneur who started from nothing to become an international success selling rice, stand as shining examples of the extraordinary accomplishments of Mauritanian women. I am convinced that when all women are fully integrated into business and government, all of society will reap the benefits.

Women’s History Month carries deep personal meaning as I honor my mother, Dr. Marcia Kierscht, a university president who faced a variety of challenges in the United States as the first women in her generation to occupy many of the positions she held.  As a role model, she taught me independence, diligence, the importance of fair play, and perhaps most importantly, that I should have no limits based on social expectations as to what I can achieve. Her wisdom continues to inspire my commitment to advancing equality and women’s education. I have seen it myself as I built my own career with the encouragement and mentorship of strong women leaders to become the United States Ambassador to Mauritania.  I strive to pay back this service through my own mentorship of rising generations of women and encourage all women who occupy positions of power to do the same.

Investing in girls and young women is not only a moral imperative but a strategic decision. Empowering them not only creates a more egalitarian society but also fosters economic prosperity and civil peace. As we celebrate Women’s History Month, let us consider how far we have come in our quest to empower women, and how much more we still need to do, working together, to create a more diverse, equal, and inclusive society for all.

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