Africa: Brics Working On Own Payment

[ad_1] Moscow. — The BRICS countries are working to create their own international payments system as platforms which operate using Western infrastructure are becoming increasingly politicised, Russian Finance Minister Mr Anton Siluanov said yesterday. The unprecedented sanctions campaign against Moscow spearheaded by the US has forced Russia and other members of the economic group to look for ways to pursue trade despite the restrictions. The new cross-border payment infrastructure will be based on new technologies and will enable faster and […]

October 11, 2024

Africa

Africa: AMR in Focus At Africa’s First One Health Congress

[ad_1] Cape Town hosted the first World One Health Congress in Africa, where Africa CDC led a well-attended side event on antimicrobial resistance (AMR), a rapidly growing health threat across the continent. AMR occurs when microorganisms--bacteria, viruses, fungi, and parasites--resist treatment. In many African countries, the unchecked sale and misuse of antibiotics for viral infections and livestock worsens the problem. Poor hygiene, inadequate infection control, and improper waste disposal further accelerate the spread of resistant microorganisms. At the Cape Town […]

October 11, 2024

Africa

Africa: Promising Progress On Eye Health in African Region, but Challenges Remain

[ad_1] Brazzaville — Despite important progress towards integrating eye health into primary health care services in African countries, a dire shortage of financial resources, combined with the concentration of scarce human resources in urban areas and low community awareness, continues to threaten the gains. One in every six blind people globally live in Africa, along with 26 million others grappling with some degree of visual impairment. Yet statistics show that despite the onerous burden, only 14% of people who need […]

October 11, 2024

Africa

Africa: AU Takes Aim At Africa’s New Brand of Mercenaries, but Strong Oversight, Clear Reporting Lines Are Needed

[ad_1] A draft convention against mercenarism is an important milestone in the AU's effort to tackle mercenarism, but success will depend on a strong oversight committee and clear reporting lines. Listen to this article 6 min Listen to this article 6 min The often shadowy nature of mercenary activity makes exact numbers difficult to verify, but there has certainly been a resurgence in Africa's use of hired soldiers in the past decade. Countries are increasingly drawing on them to help […]

October 11, 2024

Africa

Africa: Sierra Leone Should Adopt Fiscal Consolidation Measures to Ensure a Sustainable Economic Environment

[ad_1] Freetown — Sierra Leone's economy grew by 5.7% in 2023, exceeding expectations, driven by strong performance in the mining sector. However, growth is projected to slow to 4.3% in 2024 due to declining iron ore prices, according to the new World Bank Sierra Leone Economic Update launched today. The report notes a slightly optimistic medium-term outlook, with growth expected to recover to its long-term average of 4.6%, supported by a resurgence in the service sector, improved agricultural productivity, robust […]

October 10, 2024

Africa

Africa: Time to Embrace HIV Prevention Tools While We Wait For The Cure

[ad_1] Lima, Peru — allAfrica's Sethi Ncube is in Lima, Peru, for the 5th HIV Research for Prevention Conference, HIVR4P 2024, reporting from the only global scientific conference focused on the challenging and fast-growing field of HIV prevention research. Here Ncube shares her thoughts on HIV cure vs prevention... The global fight against the HIV epidemic has witnessed great progress over the past decades. However, there’s one harsh truth scientists are reminding us of at the 5th HIV Research for Prevention Conference (HIVR4P […]

October 10, 2024

Africa

Africa: UN Calls for Safer Migration From Horn of Africa to Gulf Countries

[ad_1] Addis Ababa, Ethiopia — The head of the U.N. International Organization for Migration, or IOM, is calling for safe migration to and from the Gulf countries as the dangerous eastern Horn of Africa route claims more lives. The so-called eastern route runs from the Horn of Africa to Saudi Arabia and the Persian Gulf by way of Ethiopia, Djibouti, Somalia and Yemen. Migrant workers, mainly from Ethiopia but also from other East African countries, travel over the route in […]

October 10, 2024

Africa

Africa Must Champion HIV Response to Secure Success

[ad_1] Africa must take ownership of its HIV response, write Izukanji Sikazwe and Magda Robalo, co-chairs of the African-led HIV Control Working Group. The sense of urgency around HIV has waned as it competes with other global crises for attention and funding, leading to a dangerous setback in the HIV response. Twenty-three years after it first featured in the global agenda at the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), leading HIV experts in Sub-Saharan Africa reflect on the diminished priority of […]

October 9, 2024

Africa

Africa: Maimouna Ba Awarded 2024 UNHCR Nansen Refugee Award for Africa

[ad_1] Dakar — Maimouna Ba, a tireless advocate for forcibly displaced women and children in Burkina Faso, has been named the 2024 UNHCR Nansen Refugee Award's Regional Winner for Africa. The Nansen Refugee Award recognizes individuals and organizations that have shown outstanding dedication in protecting refugees, forcibly displaced, and stateless people. Maimouna's work, which has empowered over 400 forcibly displaced women to achieve financial independence and enabled more than 100 forcibly displaced children to return to school, exemplifies resilience and […]

October 9, 2024

International Organizations and Africa