Today, President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi received a phone call from Bulgarian President Rumen Radev.

The call touched on the distinguished cooperation between the two countries. The two presidents affirmed their determination to benefit from the momentum relations gained in recent years and to advance cooperation to broader horizons across various fields, especially economy, trade and energy, to achieve the interests of the two friendly countries and peoples.

The Spokesman for the Presidency said the call also addressed the situation in the Middle East and the Gaza Strip. The President reviewed the latest developments pertinent to the Egyptian efforts to reach a ceasefire and implement humanitarian aid, stressing the need to end the tragedy that the Palestinian people face in Gaza immediately. The President also explained that it was important for the international community to undertake a decisive role in the international recognition of the Palestinian State, in a way that supports peace in the region and the two-state solution, warning that the continuation of the current escalation puts the region at stake of the possibility of the expansion of the war regionally and the grave consequences for all the peoples of the region.

The Bulgarian president expressed appreciation for the Egyptian efforts to calm the situation in the region, and Egypt’s steadfast role as a cornerstone for regional peace and stability, stressing his keenness to continue coordination and consultation with President El-Sisi with the aim of contributing to restoring security and peace in the region.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Presidency of the Arab Republic of Egypt.

The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) has received a contribution of US$900,000 through the United States Agency for International Development’s (USAID) Bureau for Humanitarian Assistance (BHA) for its refugee response operation.

This contribution, the first from BHA towards WFP’s asset creation and livelihood activities since the start of the operation in 2017, will be crucial to support the agency’s efforts to bolster the resilience of refugees and host communities in Lunda Norte province. 

The funds from the United States will support around 6,300 refugees from the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) with food assistance for 12 months. Of these, approximately 1,200 refugees will also receive training on modern farming technologies and post-harvest management. A total of 250 individuals from the host community are expected to benefit from capacity-building opportunities. 

“The residents of the Lóvua refugee settlement face high levels of vulnerability, and the majority still rely on WFP’s food assistance to meet their basic food and nutrition needs,” said José Ferrão, WFP Representative in Angola. “We extend our deepest gratitude to the United States Government for its continued support, which represents a significant advancement in addressing the critical needs of the refugees and host communities.”

WFP, in collaboration with the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) and other partners, has been implementing asset creation and livelihood activities to equip refugees and host communities with the necessary skills and resources to enable them to build sustainable livelihoods, strengthen their resilience, and enhance social cohesion. 

”These efforts aim to help refugees survive, regain stability and dignity and unite vulnerable families and communities, which is all the more crucial in today’s unprecedented times,” said Dr Tulinabo Mushingi, U.S. Ambassador to Angola and São Tomé and Príncipe.

In Angola, BHA has been a long-standing donor to WFP’s operations, contributing more than US$16 million since 2017 to alleviate hunger and boost the resilience of people affected by crisis.

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

The State Department for Medical Services engaged with USAID’s leadership to discuss strategies for strengthening Kenya’s health system. Principal Secretary for Medical Services, Mr. Harry Kimtai, alongside Director General Dr. Patrick Amoth and Deputy Director General Dr. Zainab Gura, met with USAID’s leadership to introduce Bradley Cronk, the new Director of the Health, Population, and Nutrition Office at USAID Kenya and East Africa on 15th August 2014.

The meeting focused on enhancing Universal Health Coverage (UHC) and ensuring sustainable funding for essential programs like HIV services, reproductive health, and vaccination initiatives. Continued collaboration with development partners remains vital to delivering quality healthcare for all Kenyans.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Ministry of Health, Kenya.

The government will increase the number of the National Youth Service recruits to 20,000 in the next intake to enhance the programme’s reach and inclusivity, President William Ruto has announced.

While presiding over the 88th recruits passing-out parade at Gilgil, Nakuru County, on Monday, the President also directed that NYS recruits be taken through a basic course in firearms to prepare them to protect the country when the need arises.

He further directed security agencies to give NYS graduates priority when recruiting, saying “they have demonstrated discipline, capability and enviable paramilitary training”.

As proof of this, he pointed out that out of the 790 officers recently recruited by the Kenya Wildlife Service, 440 were NYS graduates.

During the passing-out ceremony, 14,602 recruits graduated. They will now serve one year of public service. Afterwards, they will join technical training colleges at Government expense.

At the same time, the President approved the recruitment of 200 additional cadet officers and 500 private officers to support NYS operations.

He directed the Ministry of Lands, Public Works, Housing and Urban Development to build hostels to host 3,000 recruits as well as more staff houses.

Moreover, the government will bolster the NYS business model to promote its operational sustainability.

“It has been encouraging to see the strategic partnerships and economic diversification initiatives that the National Youth Service has been able to forge,” President Ruto said.

He pointed out the collaboration between NYS and the University of Nairobi Enterprises and Services Ltd has spurred growth in several areas.

“Similarly, agricultural projects, such as the expansion at Athi River, have not only increased our agricultural productivity, but also positioned NYS as a key player in the edible oil market,” he said.

Further, the President commended NYS for its contribution to environmental conservation through the Greening Kenya Initative, which has added significant momentum towards its goal of planting one billion trees by 2032.

He announced that NYS graduates will be supervising a cohort of young people to be recruited under the Climate Workers Mtaani Initative, whose aim is to green urban centres and fight climate change.

He instructed Cabinet Secretaries Justin Muturi (Public Service and Perfomance Delivery Management), Soipan Tuya (Defence), Adan Duale (Enviroment, Climate Change and Forestry) and Alice Wahome (Lands, Public Works, Housing and Urban Development) to provide leadership in the project.

The President also emphasised the government’s commitment to finding jobs for NYS graduates locally and abroad.

Additionally, he said initiatives have been made to improve the terms of service within the organisation and embrace digital transformation so as to enhance transparency and efficiency in NYS operations.

The President said the legacy of corruption, wastage and inefficiency that has long haunted NYS must be banished for good.

“As the nation’s foremost steward of public resources, I am determined to transform NYS into a symbol of exemplary integrity, efficiency and commitment to national transformation,” he said.

Nakuru Governor Susan Kihika, Cabinet Secretaries, and Principal Secretaries were in attendance.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of President of the Republic of Kenya.