The funding from Japan will enable WFP to provide food commodity vouchers, redeemable at selected retailers, to 27,000 people adversely affected by drought, of which 16,000 reside in the Kunene Region and 11,000 in the Ohangwena Region.

“We are grateful for the timely contribution from the Government of Japan which enhances our ability to meet the nutritional needs of vulnerable people including pregnant and breastfeeding women and young children,” said Tiwonge Machiwenyika, WFP Country Director and Officer in Charge in Namibia. “Through the provision of vouchers, which compliments the Government of Namibia’s emergency drought response, WFP and partners are strategically improving food and nutrition security, while boosting the local economy.”

Namibia is currently experiencing the worst drought in a century, with 1.4 million people—representing 48 percent of the population—in urgent need of food assistance. The country also faces alarming malnutrition rates, with 17 percent of children under five years stunted and 48 percent in the same age category anaemic.

“The Government of Japan is a long-standing partner to WFP’s operations in Namibia contributing more than US$ 1.5 million (over N$ 29 million) since 2021 in order to provide food assistance and build the resilience of communities affected by drought”, said H.E. Ambassador Hisao Nishimaki, Ambassador of Japan to Namibia.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of World Food Programme (WFP).

The Portfolio Committee on Mineral and Petroleum Resources looks forward to exercising impactful oversight in the mineral and petroleum sector following a successful engagement with non-governmental sector stakeholders on Tuesday.

The committee viewed the engagement as a capacity-building exercise to gather as much information as possible about issues, challenges and opportunities confronting the sector. It is confident that the engagement session was insightful and empowering.

The stakeholders that participated were, among others, the South African Mining Development Association, Mineral Council South Africa, Junior Mining Council, Green Connection, South African Oil and Gas, Fuels Industry Association of South Africa, Women in Oil and Energy South Africa, Mining Affected Communities United in Action, National House of Traditional and Khoisan Leaders, and Solidarity.

Committee Chairperson, Mr Mikateko Mahlaule, said that the committee needed to engage comprehensively with all sector stakeholders to listen to and collaborate with them through ongoing communication. “We are aware that different stakeholders represent different interests within the sector, but what is common with us is that the committee represents the interests of all South Africans; hence, working together is of utmost importance,” said Mr Mahlaule.

One key issue that emerged strongly from the stakeholders was that mining could be a sunrise industry again. However, a lot still needed to be done, such as a review of the Mineral and Petroleum Resources Development Act (MPRDA), support for the Junior Mining Industry, and implementation of the Artisanal and Small-Scale Mining Policy. It was also proposed that the department enforce the “use it or lose it principle” as some companies allegedly hold onto the mining prospecting rights. There were strong views that communities affected by mining do not benefit from the mining operations adjacent to them. It was reported that some mines do not implement the social and labour plans as agreed with the department. “The Committee made a deliberate decision to focus on implementing the social and labour plans during the current administration,” the Chairperson said.

From a petroleum industry perspective, stakeholders are concerned that the country is a net importer of crude oil. They stressed the need to invest in the upstream petroleum industry and address the declining refining capacity. The stakeholders said the country is headed for a gas crisis. Hence, investment in exploration is critical for the country.

It was underscored that as the country develops the mining and petroleum industry, it must consider climate change and the Just Energy Transition. Resources should be extracted in an environmentally responsible manner, and the communities should be meaningfully consulted.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Republic of South Africa: The Parliament.

In South Sudan, where challenges like disease outbreaks, limited healthcare access, conflicts, and flooding are frequent, there’s a strong push to improve health services.

With support from the World Health Organization (WHO) and other global partners, the country has embarked on its Second Joint External Evaluation (JEE) of the International Health Regulations (IHR) 2005.

“The first JEE in 2017 spurred significant advancements, such as developing the National Action Plan for Health Security (NAPHS) 2020-2024 and establishing One Health Multisectoral Coordination Mechanisms. These recommendations were pivotal. They helped elevate our health system, allowing us to better prepare and respond to health threats,” said Dr Harriet Pasquale, Undersecretary, Ministry of Health, South Sudan.

Funded by the United States Agency for International Development, EU Humanitarian Aid, and the World Bank, this second assessment, running from September 16th to 20th, 2024, aims to further identify gaps and enhance the nation’s preparedness for health emergencies. This year’s evaluation focuses on a comprehensive health system review, emphasizing high-level political commitment and multi-sectoral engagement.

Dr Karamagi Humphrey, WHO Representative for South Sudan, emphasized the collective nature of health responsibilities, stating that “it’s imperative we all contribute to strengthening our health systems.” He highlighted that the second Joint External Evaluation (JEE) provides a roadmap for enhancing readiness and response capabilities, noting that sustainable financing and resource mobilization are essential to support the action plans for implementing JEE priorities.

Dr Karamagi further underscored WHO’s commitment to working alongside stakeholders to address identified gaps through strategic initiatives and health system investments, including policy reforms, capacity-building programs, infrastructure development, and partnerships with international agencies. He concluded by reaffirming WHO’s dedication to leading the engagement of national and international stakeholders in implementing the JEE priority actions.

The evaluation process, which started with a self-assessment earlier in April, involves numerous stakeholders, including government agencies, international partners, and local organizations, reflecting a shared commitment to public health security.

The findings from this evaluation are expected to inform the development of the next National Action Plan for Health Security covering 2025-2029, reinforcing the country’s commitment to global health security standards and strengthening capacities to tackle public health emergencies effectively.

WHO continues to lead the engagement with national and international stakeholders to implement strategic health initiatives, ensuring sustainable financing and resource mobilization to support these critical efforts.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of World Health Organization (WHO) – South Sudan.

According to the March 2024 food and nutrition situation analysis of the Cadre Harmonisé, about 50 million people in West Africa and the Sahel, including more than 1 million people in Ghana, are food insecure and need assistance to cover their basic food needs. Against this backdrop, the ECOWAS Commission decided to donate 500 Metric Tons of cereals to Ghana as the expression of regional solidarity.

The Handover ceremony took place on Tuesday 17 September 2024 in Accra at the premises of Ghana’s Ministry of Food and Agriculture in the presence of the Honourable Minister for Food and Agriculture, Dr Bryan ACHEAMPONG. ECOWAS donated 500 Tons of cereals made up of maize, sorghum, millet and rice from the Regional Food Security Reserve (RFSR) under the auspices of Mrs. Massandjé TOURE-LITSE, ECOWAS Commissioner for Economic Affairs and Agriculture and in the presence of the ECOWAS Delegation composed of Mr Charles NDIAYE, representing the Resident-Representative of ECOWAS in Ghana, Mr Mohamed ZONGO, Acting Executive Director of the Regional Agency for Agriculture and Food (RAAF) and Mr Malick LOMPO, Head of the RFSR Division.

This support results from the decision of the ECOWAS Commission to mobilize 5,370 tonnes of cereals for the most affected six (06) countries, Burkina Faso, Ghana, Mali, Niger, Nigeria, and Sierra Leone. The Republic of Ghana received 500 Metric Tons, in response to the difficult food situation that some populations are undergoing in the country. For the ECOWAS speaker at the Ceremony, Charles NDIAYE, “this donation is for ECOWAS an expression of its solidarity to the brothers and sisters of Ghana suffering from difficult food situation. ECOWAS remains committed to stand alongside Ghana and the other member States in facing these difficult situations”.

This expression of regional solidarity is a contribution from ECOWAS to support the various efforts already underway. The donation will help to strengthen the resilience of populations affected by the difficult food situation according to Minister Bryan. “It is truly an honour for the Government of Ghana to receive these Cereals through this important ceremony which symbolizes the solidarity between the ECOWAS Commission, the Member States and especially the People of Ghana. Considering the preoccupying food and nutritional situation in Ghana, we have made a new request to the ECOWAS Commission for more cereals to meet urgent needs”, he said.

To recall, in December 2018, as part of a technical rotation, Ghana received 2,750 tonnes of food grains from ECOWAS to support its national School Canteen Programme.

The Regional Reserve intervened 20 times between 2017 and July 2024 to support six countries in the region (Burkina Faso, Cape Verde, Ghana, Mali, Niger, and Nigeria) for a total of about 59,977 tonnes of cereals.

The Regional Food Security Reserve is the third line of defence of the ECOWAS regional food security storage strategy, adopted by the 15 Member States and created by a Supplementary Act to the ECOWAS Treaty on 28 February 2013.

ECOWAS therefore believes that the development of food security storage at the three complementary levels, namely local stocks, national security stocks and regional stocks, allows the region to strengthen its risk management capacity and its food sovereignty.

ECOWAS is grateful to the various technical and financial partners who have been supporting the operationalization of the Regional Food Security Reserve since 2016. Such partners are mainly the European Union, the French Development Agency (AFD), the Spanish Cooperation (AECID), USAID and the World Bank.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).