In a significant move towards greater youth participation and empowerment, the African Union (AU) adopted a decision to institutionalize the Office of the Chairperson’s Special Envoy on Youth. The decision was adopted during the 45th Ordinary Session of the Executive Council convened on the 18th- 19th July 2024 in Accra, Ghana. The decision underscores the AU’s commitment to meaningful youth participation and aligns with the principles enshrined in the African Youth Charter, which recognizes the right of every young person to participate in all spheres of society, including decision-making processes.

Following the adoption of the decision, the AU Commission will assess the financial, legal and structural implications of institutionalization and submit it to the relevant Policy Organs for further consideration and approval of the structure of the office of the Youth Envoy. The institutionalization of the Office of the Youth Envoy signifies a deliberate shift in the AU’s approach to youth engagement. It ensures continuity and effectiveness beyond individual mandates, addressing previous challenges related to capacity and sustainability.

The role of Youth Envoy has been crucial in fostering a stronger connection between the AU and its young constituents. The Chairperson’s Youth Envoy, Ms. Chido Mpemba, underlines the importance of strategically amplifying the reach and impact of the AU’s youth-focused initiatives, ensuring they resonate with young people on the continent and in the diaspora. “Young people have always been mobilized for advocacy, however, they yearn for more technical engagement, to bring their capabilities and innovation to the forefront and contribute meaningfully to shaping the continent”, she noted.

Among the key notable initiatives to engage the youth, the Youth Envoy has established platforms for youth participation in policy-making, such as the Youth Reference Committee (AU-YRC) where young Africans can voice their concerns and aspirations, directly influencing AU decisions and initiatives. Strategic partnerships, such as those with the Africa Export Import Bank (Afreximbank) and the Africa Leadership Academy (ALA), have strengthened youth capacity development and facilitated the integration of young talent within the various departments of the AU Commission.

Other key initiatives like the LeadHer Fellowship and the Make Africa Digital Campaign (M.A.D) exemplify the proactive approach the Youth Envoy has taken in addressing critical issues affecting African youth. The Youth Envoy’s leadership has also extended beyond continental borders, engaging African youth in global multilateral dialogues and contributing to shaping various foreign policies such as the Netherlands’ Africa Strategy, the Austria-Africa Strategy, and, most recently, the German Africa Policy Guidelines. The decision to institutionalize the office, following extensive consultations with African youth, builds on these achievements and establishes a lasting platform for direct youth engagement with the AU.

In addition, the Executive Council further took note of the recommendations to review the African Youth Charter to reflect the evolving aspirations of Africa’s Youth. In this regard, the Commission will conduct a study and publish a report on the state of implementation of the African Youth Charter since its adoption.

H.E. Moussa Faki Mahamat, Chairperson of the African Union Commission, has consistently championed youth empowerment and prioritised the continental youth agenda since establishing the role of Youth Envoy. During the 6th AU Mid-Year Coordination Meeting on the 21st July 2024, the Chairperson emphasized the importance of Africa speaking with a unified voice to transform its global narrative, noting that no one, especially Africa’s most significant demographic – the youth, should be left behind.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of African Union (AU).

Kazang (www.Kazang.com), the prepaid value-added services (VAS) and card acquiring business within JSE-listed fintech Lesaka Technologies, has launched its Kazang Pay card acceptance solution for merchants in Zambia. Kazang Pay makes it affordable for merchants to accept card payments on the same Kazang terminal they use to sell prepaid products and services.

The Kazang Pay enabled terminal in Zambia accepts VISA debit and credit cards as well as mobile wallet payments. Payments are settled to the merchant’s Kazang wallet on the same day. It’s as easy as letting the customer tap or insert their bank card and enter their PIN on the secure scramble PIN pad.

Kazang operates around 12,000 VAS terminals in Zambia. The goal is to enable the majority to accept card payments over the next six months. Benefits to merchants include low transaction fees and no monthly terminal rental fee for those that meet a modest monthly transaction threshold as well as the opportunity to grow their business through card acceptance.

Kazang is Zambia’s largest VAS point-of-sale terminal provider, enabling mobile money payments, bank and mobile money cash in and out, bill payments, airtime, Zesco, and many other prepaid services on one platform. The addition of card acceptance makes the platform even more comprehensive for merchants and consumers alike.

The launch of Kazang Pay in Zambia follows the introduction of the solution in South Africa, where around 60,000 small and micro merchants use Kazang Pay to accept card payments.  In Zambia, there are around 3.8 million debit, credit and ATM cards in issue and 41,000 point of sale (POS) terminals in place. The value of POS transactions has grown to K 111.4 billion by 2022 from less than K 20 billion in 2018, according to the Bank of Zambia.

Says Leon de Wit, managing director at Kazang Zambia: “Zambia has made enormous strides in terms of financial inclusion, with card usage and penetration growing at a rapid pace. With Kazang Pay, merchants can now easily accept card payments on the same all-in-one terminal they already use for vending of VAS products.

 “Card transactions help merchants to grow basket sizes and potentially attract more customers, and at the same time, reduce the risks and costs of handling cash. Moving towards digitalised payments will also enable merchants to track sales, manage cash flow,  and create a footprint that could make it easier for them to access loans.”

Ashley Naidoo, director of Kazang Pay in South Africa says: “Our Zambian merchants have eagerly embraced our card acquiring service as a valuable part of our one-stop solution. Following the launch of Kazang Pay in Zambia, we have seen higher VAS sales across our merchant base and much-improved merchant retention and with our card acquiring solution we now appeal to a broader merchant base.”

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Kazang.

Sent on behalf of Kazang
For questions contact:
Jacqueline B Mayer
jacqueline@ideaengineers.co.za

ABOUT KAZANG:
Kazang (www.Kazang.com) is a leading provider of cash and digital solutions to merchants in Southern Africa’s informal economies. Our fintech solutions include a diverse range of value-added services (VAS), card acquiring, secure cash vaults and supplier payments platforms. Operating with a network of approximately 90,000 active devices, we process approximately 2.2 million transactions daily in markets such as South Africa, Namibia, Botswana, and Zambia.

We are dedicated to helping small and medium merchants grow and succeed, through increasing their sales, making their businesses more efficient and reducing their risks with its holistic portfolio of products and services. Kazang is a member of Lesaka Technologies (https://LesakaTech.com). 

ABOUT LESAKA TECHNOLOGIES, INC:
The Connect Group and Kazang was acquired by Lesaka Technologies, Inc. in April 2022. Lesaka Technologies, (Lesaka™) is a South African Fintech company that utilizes its proprietary banking and payment technologies to deliver superior financial services solutions to merchants (B2B) and consumers (B2C) in Southern Africa. Lesaka’s mission is to drive true financial inclusion for both merchant and consumer markets through offering affordable financial services to previously underserved sectors of the economy. Lesaka offers cash management solutions, growth capital, card acquiring, bill payment technologies and value-added services to retail merchants as well as banking, lending, and insurance solutions to consumers across Southern Africa.

Lesaka has a primary listing on NASDAQ (NasdaqGS: LSAK) and a secondary listing on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE: LSK). Visit www.LesakaTech.com for additional information about Lesaka Technologies (Lesaka ™). $LSK / $LSAK

In a joint effort with the SADC Secretariat, AU-IBAR is strengthening Regional Monitoring, Control, and Surveillance Systems for the Conservation and Protection of Aquatic Biodiversity and Environmental Management in the SADC region. Through the Conserving Aquatic Biodiversity Project, with funding from the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency, support was provided for the first meeting of the SADC MCSCC Board of Directors in Sandton, Johannesburg, South Africa. The meeting, including a preparatory session, was held from 23-27 September 2024.

Established in April 2023, the Regional Monitoring Control and Surveillance Coordination Centre (RMCSCC) is quickly becoming renowned for its vital role in promoting regional collaboration and advancement in the battle against Illegal, Unreported, and Unregulated Fisheries (IUU). While meeting, the Board’s focus was on incorporating an annual work plan to guide the center’s activities. Improving efficiency, encouraging innovation, and synchronising activities across diverse locations are the goals of this consolidation. 

The meeting also addressed various subjects, including the introduction of new members, the ratification of the inaugural meeting’s record, the report from the MCSCC Secretariat/IPMU, and discussions on reporting requirements. Governance issues, such as the draft governance manual, remuneration, and the draft TORs for the BoD, were also covered. Additionally, the draft Annual Work Plan and Budget, position descriptions, salary structure, and organisational structure were discussed, including commitments from the Chairperson of the MCSCC and partners to provide future support.

The consolidated work plan, which was approved by the Board of Directors, has a strong emphasis on the use of innovative technologies to address Illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) challenges in the region. Some of the key highlights of the workplan included an emphasis on the importance of improved collaboration frameworks among member states in order to share best practices and achieve collective development and impact. In addition, through customised seminars, training programs, and knowledge exchange platforms, capacity development continues to be a top priority. The strategy encompasses robust resource mobilisation initiatives, such as partnerships with private sector entities, international organisations, and local administrations. Furthermore, the workplan points to the RMCSCC employing a comprehensive communications strategy to increase awareness of its mission and activities throughout the region. This strategy includes partnerships with local media, regional and international outreach programs, and social media to guarantee widespread recognition and support. 

The development of a unified and strategic work plan that aligns member states towards common objectives and best practices is one of the key outcomes of the Board’s meeting. Additionally, the meeting served as a forum for stakeholders and directors to offer feedback and enhance operational policy documents. It facilitated the exchange of information among stakeholders to improve the mobilisation of resources for the MCSCC, thereby bolstering its leadership in regional cooperation and development in the fight against IUU fishing. Overall, partnerships were established to facilitate synergies in Monitoring Control and Surveillance initiatives throughout the SADC region.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of The African Union – Interafrican Bureau for Animal Resources (AU-IBAR).

During a recent three-day field visit to central Côte d’Ivoire, Joseph Ribeiro, the African Development Bank’s (www.AfDB.org) Deputy Director General for West Africa, expressed his satisfaction with the progress of two high-impact projects funded by the Bank Group that are set to revolutionize the country’s energy and agricultural landscapes. 

Ribeiro’s delegation, comprising Blanche Kiniffo, Programme Officer for Côte d’Ivoire; Adama Moussa, Regional Sector Manager, Power Systems Operations; and project managers Rokaya Diallo and Mamadou Kane, visited the Singrobo-Ahouaty hydroelectric power station, and the Bélier Region Agro-Industrial Cluster Project (“2PAI-Bélier”). 

The Singrobo-Ahouaty power station, located 150 km north of the capital, Abidjan, is on the brink of completion. “We’re more than 95 percent of the way through the project, and we should be finished soon so that we can feed the electricity into the national grid,” said Frédéric Roux, Project Director at IHE, the Ivorian investment company that is acting as a partner in the project. 

The African Development Bank has contributed €40 million to the €174.3 million project. Key partners, such as the Africa Finance Corporation and DEG, also provided funding. It entails the construction of the 44-megawatt plant, notable for being the country’s first private producer of hydroelectricity. The plant is expected to play a crucial role in powering Côte d’Ivoire and supporting electricity exports to neighboring countries. 

In Yamoussoukro, the Ivorian heartland, the Bélier Region Agro-Industrial Cluster Project (“2PAI-Bélier”), spanning 39 hectares of the industrial zone, is transforming the agricultural sector. This innovative agropole concept aims to stimulate agriculture, achieve food self-sufficiency, and boost exports through agro-processing, particularly by small and medium-sized enterprises.  

The project, 80 percent financed by the African Development Bank with a $121 million investment, is 85.7 percent complete since its launch in 2018. Key accomplishments include: 

Development of 1,241 hectares of rice-growing plots 
Creation of 115 hectares of market garden areas 
Restoration of 92 fishponds 
Construction and renovation of four agricultural dams 
Redevelopment of 542 km of agricultural access roads 

The delegation witnessed the installation of a 40 MVA electrical transformer station designed to secure the agropark’s energy supply. 

At the conclusion of the 72-hour trip, Ribeiro described the 44 megawatts Singrobo-Ahouaty hydroelectric power project as crucial in the country’s efforts to meet the energy needs of the booming economy and for export. “This demonstrates the Bank’s strong commitment. We’re happy with the progress of the work at Singrobo. There are still two or three things to fine-tune, but we hope that energy will soon be available for the national grid,” he said. 

He said the seemingly successful outcome of the Bélier agropole cluster project is proof that Côte d’Ivoire’s future lies in agriculture.  

He stated: “2PAI Bélier is producing tangible results that demonstrate that public-private partnership is essential in the agricultural sector to transform Ivorian agriculture. The vision of the Ivorian authorities and the African Development Bank is also vital. This project is in keeping with our “Feed Africa” strategy, with high-quality works and innovative technology being implemented and delivered on time.” 

Ribeiro stressed that the success of these projects underscored the strong partnership between Cote d’Ivoire and the African Development Bank.  “I think we’re making a difference,” he said, adding that the Bank Group fully backs Côte d’Ivoire’s National Development Plan for 2021-2025. 

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

Media contact: 
Alexis Adélé
Communication and External Relations Department:
media@afdb.org 

About the African Development Bank Group:
The African Development Bank Group is Africa’s premier development finance institution. It comprises three distinct entities: the African Development Bank (AfDB), the African Development Fund (ADF) and the Nigeria Trust Fund (NTF). On the ground in 41 African countries with an external office in Japan, the Bank contributes to the economic development and the social progress of its 54 regional member states. For more information: www.AfDB.org