Today, the United States, through USAID, announced nearly $424 million in humanitarian and health assistance to address the ongoing catastrophe in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). This includes $414 million in humanitarian assistance to support people experiencing persistent humanitarian needs resulting from conflict and displacement.  This announcement, made in Kinshasa by the U.S. Ambassador to the DRC Lucy Tamlyn and U.S. Representative to the United Nations Agencies for Food and Agriculture Jeffrey Prescott, also includes an additional $10 million in health assistance to respond to the current mpox outbreak in the DRC and in other affected countries in the region. USAID is also donating 50,000 mpox vaccines to the DRC, which is the country most impacted by this outbreak.

With the additional humanitarian assistance announced today, including funding from the bipartisan National Security Supplemental, USAID’s UN and NGO partners will continue to provide urgent food assistance, health care, nutrition support, shelter materials, and water, sanitation, and hygiene services to crisis-affected communities. Partners will also continue providing critical child protection services and gender-based violence prevention and response activities for the most vulnerable who bear the brunt of the ongoing crisis.

Today’s announcement includes more than $170 million in Commodity Credit Corporation funding from the U.S. Department of Agriculture that USAID is using to purchase, ship, and distribute surplus agricultural commodities from American farmers to provide life-saving food assistance in the DRC. The additional health assistance will be invested across a range of critical public health interventions in response to the mpox outbreak in the region.

The United States is the largest provider of humanitarian assistance to the DRC and the largest bilateral donor to DRC’s health sector. This fiscal year, the U.S. provided more than $256 million in health assistance through bilateral programs including the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), the President’s Malaria Initiative (PMI), and the Global Health Security program, which enabled more than seven million people to receive lifesaving treatment for diseases including TB, HIV, and malaria.

The U.S. government continues to support humanitarian partners to deliver lifesaving assistance to communities in dire need. Today’s announcement brings the total U.S. humanitarian assistance in the DRC to more than $838 million in Fiscal Year 2024. We continue to stand by refugees and the Congolese people and we encourage other donors to join us in our critical efforts to save lives and alleviate suffering caused by this ongoing crisis.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of U.S. Embassy in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

The U.S. government, in partnership with the Federal Ministry of Health and development partners, recognized World Breastfeeding Week from August 1-7.  The campaign highlighted the importance of breastfeeding for infant and maternal health, emphasizing the shared responsibility to protect, promote, and support this vital practice.

Guests at the launch event included mothers and their children, top-level government officials, representatives from the donor community, health development and welfare organizations, and USAID/Nigeria Goodwill Ambassador for Nutrition Chioma Chukwuka Akpotha.

Ms. Chukwuka Akpotha shared a goodwill message and helped lead a discussion with mothers about the importance of breastfeeding. In a coordinated effort, over 30,000 mothers across Nigeria joined the event virtually, setting a new world record for the most mothers breastfeeding simultaneously. This event raised awareness about Nigeria’s low exclusive breastfeeding rate. Only one in three children in Nigeria were exclusively breastfed for their first six months of life, according to a recent study.

USAID is committed to supporting breastfeeding initiatives in Nigeria, which help improve maternal and child health globally. By partnering with advocates like Chioma Chukwuka Akpotha, USAID and implementing partner Helen Keller International are leveraging Nigeria’s creative sector to improve the country’s nutritional landscape.

Since May 2024, the collaboration between USAID, Helen Keller International, and Chioma Chukwuka Akpotha has advanced Nigeria’s nutrition strategy. Our partnership aims to improve breastfeeding rates and reduce child malnutrition through targeted interventions.

World Breastfeeding Week reaffirms the commitment to breastfeeding as a fundamental pillar of child health and development.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of U.S. Embassy and Consulate in Nigeria.

The Deputy Minister of the Department of International Relations and Cooperation, Mr Alvin Botes, met representatives of the German Bundestag on Wednesday, 7 August 2024, in Pretoria.

The meeting with Mr Nils Schmid, Spokesperson on Foreign Affairs for the Social Democratic Party (SDP) in the Bundestag, and Ms Bettina Lugk, Deputy Spokesperson on Foreign Affairs for the SDP in the Bundestag, took place in the context of the two countries’ endeavour to forge closer political, diplomatic, economic and trade ties.

The SDP is the largest party in Germany’s governing coalition and a member of eleven of the sixteen State (Provincial) Governments in Germany.

The meeting presented an opportunity for the two sides to discuss important geopolitical issues.

In addition to meeting the Deputy Minister, Mr Schmid and Ms Lugk will also meet with Members of Parliament, think tanks, trade unions, political parties, German companies, the Ghoethe Institute, the GIZ (Germany’s development agency) and KfW (Germany’s development bank).

South Africa maintains a substantial and diverse relationship with Germany. Germany is one of South Africa’s most important strategic partners and is the second-largest market for South African exports, the third-largest source of overseas tourists, a major investor and development partner. The German Government views South Africa as a “global development partner” with which it seeks close coordination in international bodies such as the United Nations and the World Bank. Germany is a leading investor in the South African economy, with approximately 600 German companies represented in South Africa.

Bilateral development cooperation focuses on energy and climate change (green economy), good governance and public administration, HIV/AIDS prevention and vocational training.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Republic of South Africa: Department of International Relations and Cooperation.

President Cyril Ramaphosa will embark on a working visit to the Republic of Angola on Thursday, August 8, 2024, to meet with President João Manuel Gonçalves Lourenço. 

The two Heads of State will use the occasion of the working visit to reflect on the bilateral relationship between the two countries, who share very deep historical ties that are rooted in the liberation struggle against colonialism and apartheid. 

President Ramaphosa and President Lourenço will also share perspectives on issues of regional mutual interest, including the situation in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and on regional and continental efforts aimed at resolving the conflicts that are plaguing the continent.

President Ramaphosa will be supported by Ministers Ronald Lamola of International Relations and Cooperation and Angie Motshekga of Defence.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of The Presidency of the Republic of South Africa.