People living in large parts of South Sudan, already plagued by devastating floods since 2019, are bracing themselves for what might come this year, with weather forecasters warning for the worst.

For this reason, a high-level delegation led by the government’s National Task Force and accompanied by the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) recently visited Bor to verify what actions that need to be taken to protect residents, livelihoods and property during the peak of the rainy season.

“We are satisfied with the current preparatory work undertaken to mitigate flooding in Jonglei, but it’s critical for us to maintain constant communication with the state’s flood management committee for further close coordination,” asserted Albino Akol Atak, Minister of Humanitarian Affairs.

With more than one million people in Jonglei alone considered to be at risk of being affected by floods, taking stock of the state’s preparedness for rising water levels is vital. On the ground, the visiting delegation could gain insights into specific challenges and pinpointed areas of particular interest, both as places where potential mitigating efforts may be needed and as ground considered safe for residents who may need to be relocated.

The Jonglei high-level flood management committee presented the delegation with its masterplan, which includes both the construction of dykes and culverts and the establishment of subcommittees to oversee the readiness for floods at the county level.

Two priorities identified by the state committee are to strengthen key infrastructure and reintegrate internally displaced persons into existing communities. Securing the 25 million dollars needed to implement these plans has, however, proved difficult.

“We urge all members of the UN family and non-governmental organizations to support us. With our limited capacity, the state government cannot tackle this challenge alone,” affirmed Atong Kuol Manyang, Jonglei State’s Deputy Governor and Chairperson of its Flood Committee.

Anita Kiki Gbeho, the UNMISS Deputy Special Representative of the Secretary-General and Humanitarian&Resident Coordinator, pledged that the world body’s different entities in South Sudan will assist government flood mitigation efforts to the best of their abilities.

“UNMISS is collaborating with the government and humanitarian partners to improve early warning systems by incorporating conflict analysis to identify potential flashpoints, inform preventive measures, and provide technical assistance to state-level flood committees,” she specified.

Resident Coordinator Gbebo, who together with the National Task Force also listened to the concerns of traditional leaders, women’s representatives and other community members – notably the triple threat of climate, insecurity and hunger – will accompany government officials on similar upcoming visits to other states deemed particularly vulnerable to floods. Apart from Jonglei, they are Upper Nile, Unity, Northern Bahr El Ghazal, and Central Equatoria.

During its visit to Bor, the high-level delegation stressed the need for stakeholders to raise awareness on potential risks, not least of displacements and loss of livelihoods and property, also at the grassroots level.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS).

President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni has today met and held discussions with the Transitional President of Gabon, H.E Brice Clotaire Oligui Nguema at State House, Entebbe. H.E Nguema is in Uganda for a two- day official visit at the invitation of President Museveni. He was accompanied by the First Lady of Gabon, H.E Zita Oligui Nguema and other high-level delegates.

During the meeting, President Nguema briefed his host on the political situation in Gabon, highlighting the progress of the transition timetable, including the upcoming referendum. On his part, President Museveni who was in the company of the First Lady and Minister of Education and Sports, Maama Janet Museveni, commended H.E Nguema for the steps taken so far by the Transitional government towards Gabon’s return to constitutional democracy.

The two leaders further welcomed the efforts towards the enhancement of bilateral cooperation between the two countries and expressed desire to intensify the agenda for the mutual benefit of their people. In this regard, the two leaders expressed a shared commitment to boost and broaden cooperation in various sectors.

President Nguema also expressed his country’s desire to end dependence on food imports and hoped to benefit from Uganda’s experience in the agricultural development program with particular interest in wealth creation.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of The Republic of Uganda – Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Angola is boosting energy security by developing three new refineries, increasing capacity to 400,000 barrels of oil per day (bpd). The Cabinda refinery will be commissioned by the end of 2024, followed by the Lobito Refinery and Soyo Refinery from 2025 onwards. Meanwhile, upgrades to the country’s sole operational refinery, the Luanda refinery, represents a major boost to Angola’s downstream sector.

During the Angola Oil&Gas (AOG) 2024 pre-conference program – taking place ahead of the main event on October 1 – specialist consulting company CITAC Africa will present a workshop entitled Demand and Supply Trends for Refined Products in Africa. Led by CITAC Africa’s Executive Director Elitsa Georgieva, the session will provide detailed insight into the evolving downstream industry in Africa.

AOG is the largest oil and gas event in Angola. Taking place with the full support of the Ministry of Mineral Resources, Oil and Gas; national oil company Sonangol; the National Oil, Gas and Biofuels Agency; the African Energy Chamber; and the Petroleum Derivatives Institute, the event is a platform to sign deals and advance Angola’s oil and gas industry. To sponsor or participate as a delegate, please contact sales@energycapitalpower.com.

While the continent’s refinery throughput dropped as low as 365,000 bpd in Q3, 2023, sub-Saharan Africa’s refining sector is currently witnessing a significant rebound. Oil product imports in the continent have increased by 60% over the past decade while clean products net shortfall is expected to narrow substantially from 78.4 million tons in 2023 to 55.9 million tons in 2026. This comes as a result of refining projects coming on stream and reaching full capacity.

Efforts to maximize the development of oil and gas resources has led to a wave of downstream developments in Africa’s biggest producing markets. In July, Nigeria’s Dangote Refinery began talks with the governments of Angola and Libya to secure a stable supply of crude oil for its 650,000-bpd processing plant. Situated near Lagos, the $20 billion refinery is the largest in Africa and aims to remove Nigeria’s dependence on imported fuel.

Meanwhile, in an effort to drive South Sudan’s downstream capabilities, the country’s national oil company Nilepet is calling on investors to secure funding for the completion of an oil refinery in Block 5A. The project has amassed a total investment of $29 million, with the refinery’s estimated initial costs currently standing at $3 billion. Completion of the proposed refinery is expected to double the country’s oil production to 350,000 bpd while catering heavy fuel oil to potential markets in Kenya, Uganda and the Republic of the Congo.

Amid this growth, CITAC’s AOG 2024 pre-conference technical session will showcase how major refining projects such as those in Angola are radically changing the outlook for the sector and the trading environment on the continent. Attendees will gain insight into how strong population and economic growth will rapidly increase energy demand in Africa in the coming years and how this demand will need to be met by multiple energy sources – with oil and gas at the forefront.

The workshop is of strategic value to government and private sector stakeholders, state-owned energy regulators, downstream oil market players and finance institutions, investment banks, lenders and projects developers.

Don’t miss the opportunity to gain strategic insight from industry experts.

To register for the workshop and the AOG conference, visit https://apo-opa.co/4drkSJB or contact us at sales@energycapitalpower.com. Access the preconference technical program here (https://apo-opa.co/3WJEIdz).

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Energy Capital&Power.

IHG Hotels&Resorts (www.IHG.com), one of the world’s leading hotel companies, is proud to announce a new multi-year partnership with global NGO Action Against Hunger (http://apo-opa.co/4dmuW7j) in support of its invaluable work to combat food insecurity and hunger for millions of people around the world. 

It’s estimated that one in three people globally are uncertain where their next meal is coming from, due to poverty, conflict, inefficient food systems and climate change. Through thousands of hotels in communities across more than 100 countries, IHG has long supported efforts to improve food security, alongside supporting disaster relief efforts and providing skills training, as part of a pledge to improve the lives of 30 million people in its Journey to Tomorrow responsible business plan.   

For decades, Action Against Hunger has been preventing, detecting and treating hunger, with its world-renowned screen, treat and sustain programme providing help across East Africa, Central Africa, West Africa, Asia, the Americas, Middle East and Europe. IHG will help support and fund Action Against Hunger’s nutrition programmes, with a specific focus on screening initiatives designed to spot early signs of malnutrition in children and provide potentially lifesaving treatment through local community outreach programmes. IHG will also seek to grow awareness of this critical issue with millions of guests around the world and give them the opportunity to donate IHG One Rewards points to the cause (https://apo-opa.co/3yd9z9b), starting today. For example, every 10,000 points donated is enough to screen approximately 124 children for malnutrition, an essential first step toward the care they need and on average, 7,500 points can support a malnourished child with nutritious food for six weeks and help bring them back to health.

Elie Maalouf, CEO, IHG Hotels&Resorts, said “Food sits at the heart of our hotels and hospitality, nourishing people and communities, and yet sadly we know it remains in desperately short supply for millions of people, despite enough being produced to feed everyone on the planet.  

This is a problem the world can solve if societies, organisations and businesses work together. IHG Hotels&Resorts is proud to partner with Action Against Hunger on their life saving work, in addition to the many other long-standing partnerships we have with incredible charities in local markets. Collectively we want to help create lasting change in a world where people are nourished, always welcome, and always respected.”

Ashwini Kakkar, Chair, Action Against Hunger International Network, said, “While hunger is a widespread challenge, for the first time in human history, we have the ability to end chronic hunger for everyone, for good. Realising that vision will take bold action and we are grateful for IHG’s will, wisdom and leadership in advancing this vital cause. Hunger makes it harder for hundreds of millions of people around the world to learn, work, dream and realise their full potential. IHG’s generous support will help advance our work to create a world where every life is well nourished.”    

As part of IHG’s purpose to provide True Hospitality for Good, this work will complement existing partnerships IHG and its hotels have in many local markets that together aim to strengthen the food system in a community – from providing training and tools to reduce food waste, to diverting surplus food to those in need. Existing partnerships focused on food security for IHG include local foodbanks, No Kid Hungry in the US, OzHarvest in Australia and Too Good To Go in Europe.   

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of IHG Hotels&Resorts.

For further information please contact:
Ankita Chopra
Senior Manager
Corporate Affairs
IMEA
IHG Hotels&Resorts 
ankita.chopra@ihg.com

About IHG®:
 IHG Hotels&Resorts (http://apo-opa.co/3SuAzYE) [LON:IHG, NYSE:IHG (ADRs)] is a global hospitality company, with a purpose to provide True Hospitality for Good. 

With a family of 19 hotel brands and IHG One Rewards (http://apo-opa.co/4fm3doq), one of the world’s largest hotel loyalty programmes, IHG has over 6,300 open hotels in more than 100 countries, and a development pipeline of over 2,000 properties. 

Luxury&Lifestyle: Six Senses (http://apo-opa.co/3ynnx8l), Regent Hotels&Resorts (http://apo-opa.co/4d7VcSr), InterContinental Hotels&Resorts (http://apo-opa.co/4fv9XQX), Vignette Collection (http://apo-opa.co/3Szvled), Kimpton Hotels&Restaurants (http://apo-opa.co/4da7wBY), Hotel Indigo (http://apo-opa.co/3AbKmfN) 

Premium: voco hotels (http://apo-opa.co/4dcfkD5), HUALUXE Hotels&Resorts (http://apo-opa.co/4fq6fbf), Crowne Plaza Hotels&Resorts (http://apo-opa.co/4fv9Y7t), EVEN Hotels (http://apo-opa.co/4d5Y829)

Essentials: Holiday Inn Express (http://apo-opa.co/3AbKmwj), Holiday Inn Hotels&Resorts (http://apo-opa.co/3SAhYdH), Garner hotels (http://apo-opa.co/4da7wSu), avid hotels (http://apo-opa.co/4frejIX)

Suites: Atwell Suites (http://apo-opa.co/3St3WKz), Staybridge Suites (http://apo-opa.co/3LQQ9tE), Holiday Inn Club Vacations (http://apo-opa.co/3yqzRES), Candlewood Suites (http://apo-opa.co/3A6jbD4)

Exclusive Partners: Iberostar Beachfront Resorts (http://apo-opa.co/4dmuZjv)

InterContinental Hotels Group PLC is the Group’s holding company and is incorporated and registered in England and Wales. Approximately 375,000 people work across IHG’s hotels and corporate offices globally. 

Visit us online for more about our hotels and reservations (http://apo-opa.co/4dmv0UB) and IHG One Rewards (http://apo-opa.co/4d6KxHE). To download the IHG One Rewards app, visit the Apple App (http://apo-opa.co/4cXOSNr) or Google Play (http://apo-opa.co/3LPncys)stores. 

For our latest news, visit our Newsroom (https://apo-opa.co/3Sy1L8E) and follow us on LinkedIn (http://apo-opa.co/4dpNvqH). 

About Action Against Hunger:
Action Against Hunger is a nonprofit leader in the global fight to end hunger for everyone, for good. With a 45-year track record of innovation, it has shaped how the world addresses malnutrition and stops life-threatening hunger in its tracks. Action Against Hunger collaborates with local communities and governments to promote food security and livelihoods; strengthen health systems and ensure quality nutrition; enable access to clean water and sanitation; respond to emergencies and advocate for lasting change.  

A trusted partner to the UN, governments, and companies around the world, Action Against Hunger is effective and efficient, earning 4-star Charity Navigator rating for 17 years in a row. With unbeatable knowledge and unstoppable determination, Action Against Hunger’s dedicated staff go where others don’t, operating in 59 countries – including the world’s hunger hotspots – and reaching millions of people each year. To learn more, visit www.ActionAgainstHunger.org.  

England and Wales charity number: 1047501