In Zangba, in the Central African Republic (CAR), a series of crises led to the closure of several schools during the 2023/24 academic year. In collaboration with local education authorities, the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) supported the resumption of classes in three affected schools.

The school year was first interrupted in November 2023, when serious flooding prevented children from getting to school. Since March 2024, military operations linked to the conflict have also had an impact on learning. In April, insecurity forced over 800 families to move, and more children stopped attending school.

“For the pupils, it was the risk of a missed year,” says Jean-Michel Mawando, a parent whose child attends the Ouambé Croisement school. “Parents lived in anguish because of the insecurity, but also because their children’s academic future was compromised by the closure of the school.”

Without access to school, children are forced to stay at home. As well as the effect this has on their learning, they are exposed to increased protection risks, such as recruitment by armed groups, child labour, sexual violence and forced marriages.

A rapid response

Faced with this critical situation, the Zangba school sector appealed to NRC for help. With support from the European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations, we worked with the Lower Kotto school authorities to put in place a rapid response.

This enabled classes to resume, thus avoiding a missed year of learning. It also improved children’s wellbeing by introducing psychosocial support activities designed to help them overcome the stress of the traumatic events they had experienced.

The response included:

the distribution of learning materials and recreational kits
training teachers on how to better to respond to the mental health needs of children
the setting up of a referral system

As a result, 938 children were able to return to school on 10 June 2024.

Almost 10,000 students are acutely vulnerable

However, despite these encouraging results, education needs in Zangba remain acute. Of the 50 schools in the area, which has 10,401 students and 121 teachers in total, 10 schools were closed following the crisis. Of the 10 schools, only three have benefitted from this emergency education assistance, leaving 9,463 children out of school and in a situation of acute vulnerability.

It is imperative to expand this programme to all schools in the region, to ensure that every child has access to safe, quality education. More resources and partners must be mobilised to ensure that all children can benefit from their fundamental right to education, and thus, build a better and safer future.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Norwegian Refugee Council.

Dr. Omar Farouk Ibrahim, Secretary General of the African Petroleum Producers’ Organization (APPO), has urged African oil-producing member countries to contribute their $83 million subscription fees to facilitate the establishment of the $5 billion Africa Energy Bank (AEB), set to launch in Nigeria in September 2024. Dr. Ibrahim will also be a key speaker at the MSGBC Oil, Gas&Power 2024 conference and exhibition in Dakar, which is scheduled for December 3-4.

APPO in collaboration with the African Export-Import Bank, established the Africa Energy Bank (AEB) to provide private sector financing for oil, gas, and energy development projects across Africa. The AEB aims to partner with over 700 African banks to create a profitable pathway for the continent’s energy sector.

Explore opportunities, foster partnerships and stay at the forefront of the MSGBC region’s oil, gas and power sector. Visit www.MSGBCOilGasandPower.com to secure your participation at the MSGBC Oil, Gas&Power 2024 conference. To sponsor or participate as a delegate, please contact sales@energycapitalpower.com.

At the MSGBC Oil, Gas&Power 2024 event, Dr Ibrahim will discuss how the AEB can ensure high returns on investment while boosting economic growth through increased energy access in West Africa. Traditionally, African energy projects rely on development finance institutions and multilateral development banks, which have recently restricted fossil fuel financing due to climate change concerns. By channeling pension funds into African projects rather than relying on international banks, the AEB can leverage the region’s natural resources, including oil, gas, and green hydrogen projects.

Dr. Ibrahim will share his expertise on the latest energy advancements in the region and strategies to advance ongoing projects. In July 2024, Woodside’s Sangomar project achieved its first oil production in Senegal, with plans to increase output to 100,000 barrels per day. On the gas front, Senegal and Mauritania’s Grande Tortue Ahmeyim project, developed by bp and Kosmos Energy, is expected to produce its first gas by the end of 2024. Looking ahead to 2035, Mauritania aims to produce 12.5 million tons of green hydrogen, supported by large-scale projects such as CWP’s 35 MW Aman and Chariot and TotalEnergies’ 10 MW Project Nour.

“APPO has always been at the forefront of championing energy initiatives in Africa by ensuring access to necessary financing and providing its business expertise. Dr. Ibrahim’s presence reaffirms the organization’s commitment to making the MSGBC region the new frontier for oil and gas developments,” said Sandra Jeque, Event and Project Director at Energy Capital&Power.

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

WHO is appalled by the increasing attacks on health care in Sudan, with 22 such attacks verified in the last 8 weeks alone. Attacks on health care are deplorable and a violation of international humanitarian law. Access to health care is already severely constrained in Sudan due to the war that has been raging for over a year.

Since the war erupted in April 2023, WHO has verified 88 attacks on health care – including on health facilities, ambulances and transport, assets, patients and health workers – resulting in 55 deaths and 104 injuries. Among these, the 22 attacks on health care verified since 1 June 2024 led to the deaths of 16 health workers and patients, including children, and injuries to 56 people.

Hospitals, health facilities, ambulances and other health assets are a lifeline to Sudan’s people, who endure relentless fighting and frequent displacement due to the ongoing war. Sudan’s health workers continue to provide life-saving care – working in incredibly difficult conditions – driven by their commitment to serve the millions of people in need of urgent care. Yet their tenacity and dedication are rewarded with bombardment, harassment, intimidation, injury and death.

Health workers should not have to risk loss of life or limb as they strive to save others. Patients should not risk death in the course of seeking medical care.

Sudan’s health system is already hanging by a thread. It has been devastated by the effects of war, displacement, disease outbreaks, severe shortages of medical supplies, and a shortage of cash to run operations and pay salaries. The health system remains functional through the support of health partners and the dedication of health workers who risk their lives daily to help others.

Less than 25% of health facilities are functional in the Sudanese states hardest hit by the war and only 45% such facilities are fully functional in other states. Sudan’s people are already struggling to access the life-saving care they need. Half of the population – 24.8 million people – need humanitarian assistance and nearly 15 million people require urgent health assistance for their survival. Attacks on health care are taking away critical life-saving care from these people, over 10.6 million of whom are displaced within the country.

Under international humanitarian law, health care, health assets, health workers and patients must be protected even in war. We call for all health workers, patients and facilities to be protected at all times.

Ultimately, peace is a prerequisite to ensure the health of Sudan’s people and to rebuild the country’s health system.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of World Health Organization – Regional Office for the Eastern Mediterranean.

Following the extreme rainfall between 28 June – 1 July 2024 and the resulting flooding in Montserrado, Bong, and Grand Cape Mount counties, the European Union has allocated emergency humanitarian funding of EUR 130,000 [141.028,55 United States dollars], to help alleviate the plight of those affected by the floods.

With the rains expected to continue until September, immediate action is needed to support the affected population and prepare for future similar events. The emergency funding provided by the EU will support the Liberia National Red Cross (LNRC) in providing the most vulnerable with shelters and multi-purpose cash grants intended to cover non-food items as well as their livelihood, water, hygiene and sanitation needs. The LNRC action is expected to last four months, i.e. until the end of November 2024.

The Liberia Meteorological Department has predicted continuous rains between May and September 2024 across six counties: Montserrado, Bomi, Cape Mount, Margibi, Grand Bassa, and Maryland (coastal). The affected populations have lost valuable household items and are exposed to risks of disease outbreaks, loss of shelter, loss of livelihood mechanisms, and water source pollution. About 68% of the affected people are women, children, and other vulnerable groups, including the physically challenged and single mothers, who are seeking shelter in temporary facilities (public and private buildings) and with neighbors and relatives.

Background

The European Union together with its Member States is the world’s leading donor of humanitarian aid. Relief assistance is an expression of European solidarity towards people in need around the world. It aims to save lives, prevent and alleviate human suffering, and safeguard the integrity and human dignity of populations affected by natural disasters and human-made crises.

Through its European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid operations  department, the European Union helps millions of victims of conflicts and disasters every year. Headquartered in Brussels and with a global network of field offices, the EU assists the most vulnerable people, based on humanitarian needs.

The European Commission has signed a €8 million humanitarian contribution agreement with the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) to support the Federation’s Disaster Response Emergency Fund (DREF). Funds from the DREF are mainly allocated to “small-scale” disasters – those that do not give rise to a formal international appeal.

The Disaster Response Emergency Fund was established in 1979 and is supported by contributions from donors. Each time a National Red Cross or Red Crescent Society needs immediate financial support to respond to a disaster, it can request funds from the DREF. For small-scale disasters, the IFRC allocates grants from the Fund, which can then be replenished by the donors. The contribution agreement between the IFRC and ECHO enables the latter to replenish the DREF for agreed operations (that fit in with its humanitarian mandate) up to a total of €8 million.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Delegation of the European Union to Liberia.