On 8 September 2024, Mr. Tanit Loipimai, Minister Counsellor, together with Mr. Chartchai Tiamsanit, Counsellor, Office of Labour Affairs in Riyadh, also accredited to Egypt, met with spa masseuse and chefs of Sabai Sabai restaurant. On this occasion, he exchanged views with Thai workers on living conditions and challenges for working in Egypt.

In addition, he visited the Dusit Thani Hotel in New Cairo, which employed more than 20 Thai workers, as well as visited their dormitory.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Royal Thai Embassy, Cairo, Egypt.

President Wavel Ramkalawan has today announced the appointment of Ms. Thereza Dogley as the new Principal Secretary of the Office of the President.

Ms. Dogley holds a Master’s Degree in Public Administration from the Eastern and Southern Africa Management Institute/University of Seychelles. She has been in the public service for the past 16 years.

Ms. Dogley began her professional career in 2008 as a Senior Flight Attendant with our national Airline, the Air Seychelles.

In 2013, she moved to the Seychelles Revenue Commission, where she served as Assistant Human Resources&Budget Management Officer. In 2018, she was transferred and promoted to the post of Senior Human Resources&Budget Management Officer in the Land Transport Department and the Road Transport Commission.

In July 2019, Ms. Dogley was appointed as the Chief Executive Officer, of the newly created Information Commission, a post she has held until recently.

Her appointment as Principal Secretary in the Office of the President is effective from 1st September 2024.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of State House Seychelles.

From 10 to 13 September 2024, as part of the implementation of the Regional Programme for the Integrated Management of the Fouta Djallon Massif (PRAI-MFD), ECOWAS is organising in Conakry the Regional Workshop for the launch and validation of the tools of the Regional Programme for the Integrated Management of the Fouta Djallon Massif (PRAI-MFD), on the theme ‘Issues and challenges of the Preservation of the Fouta Djallon Massif after the transfer of the Programme to ECOWAS’.

The initiative is part of the implementation of the ECOWAS Regional Policy on the Environment and Water Resources, as well as the ECOWAS Regional Climate Strategy, the Forest Convergence Plan, the Labé Appeal for the preservation of the Fouta Djallon Massif and the Sahel Water Coalition. It is in line with the implementation of the commitments of the International Decade for Action ‘Water for Sustainable Development’ 2018-2028, on the declaration for improving access to water resources of the World Water Forum in 2021.

The ECOWAS delegation is led by Mrs. Massandjé TOURE-LITSE, Commissioner for Economic Affairs and Agriculture, and includes H.E. Mr. Blaise Louis AKA BROU, ECOWAS Resident Representative in Conakry, the Director of the Water Resources Management Centre (CGRE) of the Department of Infrastructure, Energy and Digitalisation, the Acting Director of the Environment and Natural Resources and the Massif du Fouta Djallon coordination team.

The workshop, which was broadcast online, was attended by PRAI-MFD Focal Points, CGRE Integrated Water Resources Management (GIRE) Focal Points, representatives of transboundary basin organisations (OMVS, OMVG, ABN, MRU and ABCBT), technical and financial partners such as the FAO, UNEP and WFP, and the various Guinean ministries involved in the management of the Massif du Fouta Djallon (MFD).

In his opening speech, Mr. Aboubacar Camara, Guinea’s Minister of Energy, Hydraulics and Hydrocarbons, urged the participants to refocus on simple, concrete actions to meet the high expectations of local communities. Before him, the Minister for the Environment and Sustainable Development, Mrs. Djami DIALLO, recalled the strategic importance of the MFD in the Guinean Government’s national policy, hence the priority given to the MFD as part of the national reforestation programme. Mrs Massandjé TOURE-LITSE, Commissioner for Economic Affairs and Agriculture, speaking on behalf of ECOWAS, recalled the worrying state of natural resources in the MFD and invited all stakeholders to join in a dynamic of co-constructive and inclusive partnership in order to synergise all initiatives contributing to the preservation of the MFD. In his introductory remarks, Mr. Kouakou Alex KOUASSI, Director of the CGRE, recalled the actions carried out by the CGRE within the framework of the Massif du Djallon and expressed his intention to strengthen this partnership. On behalf of the partners, Ms. Bintia Chicaya, Representative of the FAO Sub-Regional Coordinator, recalled the interest that the FAO has in safeguarding the MFD, hence its advocacy initiative that led to the LABE APPEAL, and recalled that the FAO is fully committed to mobilising its technical expertise to support all initiatives aimed at restoring the resources of the Fouta Djallon Massif.

On the sidelines of the workshop, the delegation led by Ms Massandjé TOURE-LITSE, accompanied by H.E. Mr. Blaise Louis AKA BROU, ECOWAS Resident Representative in Conakry, and the entire delegation, was received by H.E. Mr. Amadou Ouri BAH, Prime Minister of Guinea. Mrs. TOURE-LITSE conveyed H.E. Dr Omar Alieu TOUREY’s words of gratitude to H.E. General Mamadi DOUMBOUYA, President of the Republic of Guinea. She also reiterated ECOWAS’s commitment to working alongside Guinea to preserve the Fouta Diallon Massif, and to supporting it in its mission to champion the inclusion of the MFD in UNESCO’s list of World Heritage sites. His words were reinforced by those of the Prime Minister, who intends to take the advocacy to a higher level and intends to mobilise all the countries under the influence of the Fouta Djallon Massif.

As a reminder, the aim of this regional workshop is mainly to validate the tools for implementing the PRAI-MFD, but also to help raise awareness and mobilise Member States and all stakeholders with concerns and initiatives relating to the issues and challenges involved in preserving the Massif du Fouta Djallon.

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

The Board of Directors of the African Development Bank Group (“ADB”) (www.AfDB.org) approved $102.79 million for the Multinational (Guinea, Senegal and Togo) Promotion of Sustainable Agricultural Value Chains in Special Agro-Industrial Processing Zones Program which fosters sustainable agricultural value chains around agro-industrial processing zones (SAVC-SAPZ).  

This project expands the integration of climate change and reduction of low greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in three Special Agro-Industrial Processing Zones (SAPZ) projects currently being implemented in the three participating countries, namely: (1) Projet de transformation agro-industrielle du Togo, (2) Sénégal Agropole-Sud and (3) Guinée: Programme de Développement des Zones Spéciales de Transformation Agro-Industrielle de Boké et Kankan (PDZSTA – BK). 

The programme notably supports (i) small irrigation systems covering at least 39,179 ha and the provision of 2,59 MW or all the solar energy needed for water pumping; (ii) the installation of small renewable energy equipment with a cumulative capacity of 14,69 MW; (iii) the supply of 10.24 MW of energy from biogas generated by biodigesters for a cumulative volume of 24576 m3 to treat livestock manure and produce biogas for electricity production; (iv) the adoption of climate-resilient agricultural practices and technologies by agricultural value chain actors (smallholder farmers, agricultural cooperative societies (SCA) and local producer associations (LPA), covering approximately 40,000 ha of land (iv) the development of approximately 40,000 hectares of agroforestry to sequester carbon; (v) activities aimed at improving climate information services (creation and expansion of a network of agrometeorological and rainfall stations, deployment of technologies to strengthen climate information services and early warning systems, etc.). 

The programme complements other actions in favour of gender already underway in the ongoing SAPZ projects in the three countries. It will also provide women: (i) access to innovative small-scale irrigation techniques; (ii) connection between farmers and cooperative processing companies; (iii) access to climate information services and early warning systems; and, (iv) access to low-carbon drying, processing and packaging technologies. Globally, the program is expected to directly benefit 1,104,728 farmers and indirectly 5,612,415. At least 50% of the beneficiaries will be women. 

“I am pleased to achieve this milestone because this is the first GCF financing to support the Bank’s Special Agro-Industrial Processing (SAPZ) Program in Africa. The climate change risk has increased on the continent and this GCF funding will support address the urgent need to support rural communities facing climate challenges by levering proven technologies. This intervention is timely to strengthen the support to women and youth in the agriculture and food industries in these countries while leveraging the collaboration with private sector players associated with the Special Agro-Industrial Processing Zone projects in Guinea, Senegal and Togo,” said Mr Kazuhiro Numasawa, the African Development Bank’s Division Manager in charge of SAPZ operations. 

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

Media contact: 
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