Representatives of the African Risk Capacity (ARC) Group and the African Development Bank (www.AfDB.org) have presented a cheque to the government of Malawi for an insurance payout of $11.2 million, to support the country’s recovery from a devastating drought arising from a weather condition known as El-Nino.

The presentation was made at a ceremony presided over by Malawi president Dr. Lazarus McCarthy Chakwera, in Lilongwe, the capital, on August 2.

The insurance payment, made in response to the government’s drought insurance policy, was financed by the African Development Bank through its African Development Fund (www.ADF.AfDB.org) and its Africa Disaster Risk Financing (ADRiFi) Programme Multi-Donor Trust Fund. The ADRiFi Trust Fund is a collaboration between the Bank Group and the ARC Group, an Agency of the African Union that supports African governments to improve their capacities to better plan, prepare, and respond to extreme weather events and natural disasters.

The funds will support food assistance to an estimated 235,000 households in Malawi’s Lower Shire and Southern regions and cash transfers to 118,000 households in the country’s Central region.

Receiving the cheque, President Chakwera said, “The insurance payout we receive today is not just a financial transaction; it is a lifeline for our vulnerable populations. It is a testament to the power of foresight and planning, allowing us to respond swiftly and effectively to the needs of our people. This payout will enable us to provide immediate relief, ensuring that no Malawian suffers the worst forms of hunger due to the recent dry spell conditions.”

El-Nino is characterized by an abnormal warming of the waters of the eastern Pacific Ocean, radiating heat into the air and causing dry conditions in Southern Africa and wet conditions in Eastern Africa. It has resulted in Southern Africa’s worst drought in years in 2024.

According to the World Meteorological Organization, the 2024 El Niño is one of the five strongest on record, with high temperatures and below-average rainfall to Southern Africa from November 2023 to April 2024. El Niño conditions have hit many regions of Malawi hard, particularly the country’s Lower Shire and Southern regions, worsening an already severe food shortage caused by lingering drought.

In March 2024, the government of Malawi declared a state of disaster in the worst-affected areas of the country, and in April launched a National El Niño Response Appeal (https://apo-opa.co/3STmzaS) to mobilize resources for humanitarian interventions, as well as to boost food production in the country.

“The devastating El-Nino-driven southern African drought underscores the critical need for preparedness in the face of escalating weather-related disasters”, said Ibrahima Cheikh Diong, UN Assistant Secretary General and ARC Group Director General. “We have witnessed the role of the ARC mechanism in facilitating timely interventions, and we are grateful to partners such as the African Development Bank that make it possible for African governments to participate in ARC risk pools. Through your financial support, we can increase our reach and impact, and make a difference in the lives of the most vulnerable.”

“There is a strong nexus between climate change and fragility given the rising negative impacts on food security and livelihoods. The African Development Bank, through the Transition Support Facility (https://apo-opa.co/46THikT) (TSF), will support Government efforts to strengthen capacities for prevention, preparedness, and resilience against climatic shocks in Malawi” said Dr. Yero Baldeh, Director of the Transition States Coordination Office of the African Development Bank Group.

The Bank Group, through the Africa Disaster Risk Financing (ADRiFi) Programme, has contributed to drought insurance policy payments for the governments of Madagascar, Malawi, Mozambique, Zambia, and Zimbabwe, as well as for disaster risk insurance premiums against tropical cyclones for the government of Madagascar.

By September 2024, the African Risk Capacity Group is expected to have paid a total of $62 million in disaster risk insurance payouts to El Niño-impacted countries in Southern Africa, including Malawi ($11.6 million), Mozambique ($5.5 million), Zambia ($13.3 million) and Zimbabwe ($31.8 million). 

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

Media Contacts: 
For the African Development Bank:
Alphonso Van Marsh
Principal Digital Content and Events Officer
Email: media@afdb.org

About ADRiFi: 
The ADRiFi programme has provided capacity building and sovereign insurance premium support to 16 Bank regional member countries, protecting more than 5 million people against severe drought and tropical cyclones, and facilitated the disbursement of $150 million in claims since 2014. The ADRiFi Multi-donor Trust Fund is supported by contributions from the Governments of Canada, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, the United States of America, and the Kingdom of Norway.

President Yoweri Museveni on Sunday, 18 August 2024 officially opened the 21st Edition of the Federation of East Africa Secondary Schools Sports Association (FEASSA) Games.

The games, which will run up to 27 August 2024 are being hosted by Bukedea Comprehensive School and Amus College School in Bukedea District, making it the seventh time Uganda is hosting these intercontinental secondary games.

This year’s FEASSA Games have brought together over 3,000 participants from Uganda, Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania, Burundi and South Sudan.

While at the launch of the games, which also marked the official commissioning of Bukedea Comprehensive Sports Park, a multipurpose sports stadium built by Speaker Anita Among, President Museveni commended the Speaker for being industrious and developmental, thus promoting the local economy.

He urged other leaders to emulate her good and exemplary deeds to attain regional development.

“I want to thank the Rt Hon. Anita Among who developed this stadium at a reasonable cost and quickly. This should serve as an example for other regions to emulate so that they can develop stadiums in other parts of the country,” Museveni said.

Museveni re-echoed the Speaker as instrumental in bridging the gap between the executive and legislature.

“I am very happy with what Rt Hon. Anita Among has done. There is less friction in Parliament, between Parliament and the Executive and as you can see, she is very active in the area here,” Museveni said, adding that he found her a quick learner and an active person.

To the young athletes, Museveni urged them to take sports as a source of livelihood.

“Do not be diverted into only thinking of things in Europe and forget about your own destiny…The East African integration is not just about sports. It’s an issue of livelihood,” he said.

Among appreciated the President’s commitment to sustainable growth and development including the promotion of sports.

” Sports is indeed a universal language which enables participants to understand each other regardless of where they come from, how they look like or what they believe in,” Among said.

State Minister for Sports, Hon. Peter Ogwang advised the athletes to desist from engaging in acts that undermine the spirit of sportsmanship and fair play.

President Museveni later proceeded to Kongunga Primary School in Kachumbala County where he addressed a rally.

The Deputy Speaker Thomas Tayebwa, several Ministers, Members of Parliament and the business community were in attendance.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Parliament of the Republic of Uganda.

The African Association of Energy Journalists and Publishers, AJERAP, (www.AJERAP.org), has listed four countries – Nigeria, Gambia, Namibia and Senegal – as top energy investment destinations to watch in the second half (July – December) of 2024.

In its latest report – African Energy Outlook Second Half of 2024 – AJERAP (www.AJERAP.org), noted that with increased activities, especially oil and gas, the four nations have become very strategic for investors interested in investing in the continent.

Nigeria

The report (https://apo-opa.co/46TJHfp), stated: “Nigeria is a major energy destination to watch at this time for some reasons. First, the nation, which made it first oil discovery in 1956, is naturally endowed with more than 37 billion barrels of crude oil reserves and more than 206 trillion cubic feet of proven gas reserves. Second, with over 200 million population, Nigeria presents a single huge market to investors interested in not only oil and gas, but also offering other products and services in the energy value chain.

“Third, the nation has placed about 31 major oil blocks for bidding, thus providing another opportunity for International Oil Companies, IoCs and indigenous companies to venture into business. Communities will attract many benefits from natural resources domiciled in their areas as some nations have already put in place the regulations, structures and systems to make it work.

“However, community agitations will be experienced in some parts of the continent following the disagreement between companies and host communities, thus scuttling production while reducing revenue generation. The stakeholders, including the government at all jurisdictional levels, investors and communities, can manage any conflicts and move on.

 “President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Minister of Petroleum Resources, Nigeria has embarked on a transformative agenda that aligns with the most stringent global standards and commitments. The recent Presidential Executive Orders issued in March this year, aimed at improving the efficiency and attractiveness of Nigeria’s oil and gas sector, were generously targeted to incentivize oil and gas development, introduced measures to balance the implementation of Nigerian Oil and Gas Industry Content Development Act, 2010 to ensure that oil and gas development is not hindered by local content bottlenecks.

“Commission Chief Executive, Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission, NUPRC, Engr. Gbenga Komolafe, said: “Nigeria under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, as the Minster of Petroleum Resources, has proactively and intuitively vacated barrier to entry for investment in exploration blocks being offered, in both the 2022 deep offshore bid round and the 2024 licensing round, in line with international best practices.

“The Executive Orders also include directives on the reduction of contracting costs and timelines to enhance the global competitiveness of our oil and gas industry and achieve a higher rate of return on oil and gas investments.”

According to the report, “Nigeria is endowed with abundance of Crude Oil and Condensate Reserves and of Natural Gas Reserves representing above 30% and 33% respectively of the entire Oil and Gas reserves in Africa aside abundant mix of other renewable energy resources. In a bid to exploit and optimize these abundant Hydrocarbon resources, Section 7(t) of the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) empowers the NUPRC, the Industry Regulator to conduct bid rounds for the award of PPLs and PMLs under the Act and applicable Regulations.

“It is on this premise that the Federal Government of Nigeria through the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) recently announced the commencement of the 2024 Licensing Round both in-country and outside the shores of the nation. It would be recalled that we commenced the announcement at the maiden edition of the NEITI Dialogue Session, 2024, where the bid processes were thoroughly interrogated by civil society and the media.

“This was subsequently followed by the announcement of the commencement of the bid round at the 2024 OTC in Houston, the roadshow in Miami organized by Zeste Advisory, African Energies Summit in London organized by Frontier Network and Invest in Africa Energy Summit in Paris organized by Energy Capital Power. The Commission aims to project and attract robust local and foreign investors who will be participating in the bid exercise.

“The NUPRC on behalf of the Federal Republic of Nigeria is committed to conducting the licensing round in a fair, competitive and transparent manner and ensuring a level playing field for both indigenous and international investors. Our approach is underpinned by the robust legal framework of the Petroleum Industry Act 2021(PIA), which ensures compliance with best practices to boost investors’ confidence.”

Gambia

It stated: “The Gambia is an emerging oil and gas province with great promise. Exploration for hydrocarbons in the country dates back to the 1950s, even though the initial efforts were not successful. But the deployment of new technologies, including 3D seismic data gathering has culminated in the making of much impact.

“Further studies are ongoing at various locations, including Block A2-A5 area, located towards the south and along structural trend with the recent discoveries in neighbouring Senegal. The Gambia looks forward to welcoming investors interested in investing in the nation.

“Under the leadership of Mr. Nani Juwara as Minister, the Ministry of Petroleum and Energy, MoPE, has provided policies and incentives targeted at enhancing investment and development of the nation’s oil and gas industry. The MoPE, created in 2016 following the merger of the Ministry of Energy and the Ministry of Petroleum, has the mandate to use mineral resources, petroleum and energy as a stimulus for economic growth; employment and sustainable development of the nation. The Ministry also has the mandate to work towards harnessing hydrocarbon and mineral potentials for the sustainable development of power and other sectors of the economy.

“Similarly, the Petroleum Commission, which has Mr. Jerreh Barrow as Director General, regulates upstream and midstream petroleum activities, including managing petroleum resources, ensuring compliance with laws, policies, and regulations as well as promoting Local content for sustainable national development.

“The Commission coordinates upstream and midstream activities, including the licensing of the nation’s onshore and offshore oil blocks, receiving applications and issuing authorizations for specific petroleum activities as required under petroleum laws and regulations; supporting and facilitating acquisitions of authorizations from relevant institutions; and assess and approve appraisal programs.

“Also, The Gambia National Petroleum Corporation (GNPC) is a state-owned company, established in 2003 under the Companies Act of The Gambia, to conduct petroleum operations on behalf of the Gambian government.

“Specifically, the GNPC, having Baboucarr Njie as Managing Director, handles the upstream oil and gas operations in The Gambia on behalf of the government, including conducting seismic surveys, exploring for hydrocarbon resources, developing discoveries into production, and managing the resulting oil and gas production. Other companies carry out different activities, including Total Gambia Limited, Elton Oil, Castle Oil Limited, Galp Energia, Gam-Petroleum and Jah Oil Company Limited in The Gambia.

“The Gambia’s location on the Atlantic Ocean makes it one of the most strategic business hubs in West Africa. With only about a six-hour flight from Europe, The Gambia is strategically located and suitable for both regional and global exports as well as a good entry point for the ECOWAS 400 million population market.

“In recent years, the government of President Adama Barrow has been focusing investments in road infrastructure, while plans are underway to upgrade and expand the seaport of Banjul and build a deep sea port on the coast, off Sanyang, that would enable deep-sea vessels to take advantage of the country’s trading incentives.

“As oil and gas exploration in neighbouring Senegal begins to yield fruits this year, the existing infrastructure there gives opportunity for the Gambia, since Australian firm, FAR Oil and the NNPC Ltd engage in oil and gas exploration offshore The Gambia.”

Namibia

The report noted that “Namibia is another space to watch in the second half of 2024 for at least a reason. The country has already made its major offshore finds by TotalEnergies and Shell (SHELL). James Parr, vice president for new ventures exploration and development at Woodside Energy, has remarked that “It is one of the newest and most attractive areas being explored by the industry and we are very excited by the discoveries so far.

“In recent years, the government of President Adama Barrow has been focusing investments in road infrastructure, while plans are underway to upgrade and expand the seaport of Banjul and build a deep sea port on the coast, off Sanyang, that would enable deep-sea vessels to take advantage of the country’s trading incentives.

“As oil and gas exploration in neighbouring Senegal begins to yield fruits this year, the existing infrastructure there gives opportunity for the Gambia, since Australian firm, FAR Oil and the NNPC Ltd engage in oil and gas exploration offshore The Gambia.

“The oil is potentially some of the lowest carbon barrels being found currently so on the spectrum of oil its very attractive. There seems to be abundant gas which is also part of our transition and a big focus for Woodside.

“Besides oil and gas, Namibia has other natural endowments, including wind and solar energy resources for green hydrogen investors. There are also substantial deposits of minerals. The proximity of Namibia to South Africa also grants investors easy access to maritime transport infrastructure for export and import of goods.”

Senegal

The report identified Senegal as another African nation to watch after making its first oil find, adding: “It looks forward to producing 100,000 bpd from the Sangomar deep-water project. President Bassirou Faye has assured the nation that profits from the sale of the country’s oil and gas would be well managed.

It also quoted Thierno Ly, the general manager of the national oil company, Petrosen, as stating: “We have never been so well positioned for opportunities in Senegal for growth, innovation and success in the economic and social development of our nation.”

The report maintained that it will be interesting to watch how events will unfold in the emerging oil and gas province and how wise and forward-looking investors would key into the nation’s plans and shared prosperity.

On his part, the Managing Director of IBC Consultancy, Haddison Etchou, said: “Africa’s natural resource endowment presents great opportunities for achieving high levels of growth and development if well managed. In the case of African countries, it is not understandable if resource-rich countries have been able to take their full potential to promote development.”

However, AJERAP cautioned that the Outlook does not constitute a feasibility report, adding that investors, potential investors and others should conduct their feasibility studies before taking further actions.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of AJERAP.

AJERAP Media:
+2347077546660
+27605274930
admin@ajerap.org
www.AJERAP.org

The National Eritrean Festival 2024, which also marked the 50th anniversary of the Bologna Festival, officially opened by President Isaias Afwerki on 10 August at Expo Compound, concluded colorfully with a ceremony on 18 August.

At the closing ceremony, attended by senior Government and PFDJ officials, Ambassador Zemede Tekle, Commissioner of Culture and Sports, highlighted that the national festivals have become more than just cultural events. They serve as bridges connecting nationals from inside the country and abroad, strengthening Eritrean identity and unity, preserving cultural values, and presenting to the world the true image of Eritrea—its history, free political choice, and social fabric.

Ambassador Zemede also noted that this year’s national festival was particularly special, as it brought together nationals from both inside the country and abroad in Asmara, creating a unique experience in the history of national festivals.

He further emphasized that the regions of the country showcased their cultural, social, and economic development achievements. Ambassador Zemede expressed hope that the history and journey of national festivals will be documented through research and study to be passed down to future generations.

According to the report presented, the weeklong festival attracted around 400,000 visitors and featured cultural presentations from all six regions of Eritrea, including traditional dances, folklore sessions, and exhibitions depicting various aspects of Eritrean life. The festival also included displays by Diaspora communities from Europe, North America, the Middle East, and Africa, along with a rich tapestry of cultural programs, children’s entertainment, institutional product showcases, and educational seminars.

The closing event was highlighted by cultural and artistic programs, with awards handed out to those who contributed to and participated in the successful implementation of the national festival.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Ministry of Information, Eritrea.