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Hakainde Hichilema is 

re-elected President 

of Zambia

Lusaka, August 18, 1:15pm 

(Prensa Latina) 

 

The Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) today 

declared Hakainde Hichilema as re-elected 

president in the 2026 general elections.

 

According to the published data, Hichilema obtained 

about 60% of the votes cast in a race for the 

presidency, in which more than a dozen 

candidates faced each other.

 

In last Thursday's votes, some five million votes were cast, 

of which Hichilema obtained 2,965,326 ballots in his 

favour, and his closest rival, Brian Mundubile, of 

the National Reconciliation Party for Unity 

& Prosperity, received 1,856,217 votes.

 

In these elections, deputies to the National Assembly 

and the regional and local authorities, were elected.

 

The national electoral process was overshadowed by the 

halt of the counting of ballots after violent incidents 

involving several voting centres, the ECZ said.

 

Under Zambia's electoral law, the candidate who obtains 

more than 50 percent of the valid votes is declared the 

winner in the first round.

 

 

____________________________________________

 

 

 

Cuba highlights --- words 

of Namibian president 

on Fidel's centenary

Havana, August 18, 11:16am 

(Prensa Latina) 

 

Cuban President Miguel-Diaz-Canel today highlighted the words

 spoken by the president of Namibia, Netumbo Nandi, on the 

occasion of the celebrations for the centenary of 

Fidel Castro in that African nation.

 

"The firm words of the sister president of Namibia, Netumbo Nandi, 

on the occasion of the Centennial of Commander in Chief Fidel 

Castro Ruz, accompanied by his people and other main 

leaders of his nation, are moving and comforting to 

#Cuba," Diaz-Canel wrote on his official profile 

in X.

 

The Cuban president added that "We will never fail the legacy 

of #Fidel and the love that he sowed in us for Africa."

 

On the same digital platform, Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno 

Rodríguez thanked Netumbo Nandi for his statement, 

while highlighting the brotherhood, solidarity and 

cooperation between the two countries.

 

"The brotherhood, solidarity and cooperation between the two 

peoples were forged in the just struggle against apartheid in 

southern Africa and for the independence of the beloved 

Namibian people," said Rodríguez.

 

The Namibian president paid tribute --- to the historic leader of the 

Cuban Revolution at the island's diplomatic mission in Windhoek, 

where she stressed ...that Fidel sowed seeds of generosity and 

internationalism, and described him as a dear friend of Africa 

and one of the most important leaders of the 20th century.

 

The president said that the history of Namibia's independence 

cannot be told without the participation of Fidel Castro and

 the Cuban people.

 

He also recalled Cuban support against apartheid and demanded 

an end to the U.S. blockade against the Caribbean nation, a 

policy that he described as inhumane and contrary to 

the principles of the United Nations (UN).

 

The Namibian leader also urged the new generations to defend 

freedom and human dignity through sacrifice, courage and 

collective unity.

 

 

____________________________________________________

 

 

 

Ethiopia outlines actions 

to prevent child wasting

Addis Ababa, August 18, 9:01am 

(Prensa Latina) 

 

Ethiopia - is intensifying its efforts to prevent child wasting through 

government leadership, greater investment, strengthening health 

systems and community participation, an official source 

said today.

 

The chief of staff of the Ministry of Health, Mebratu Massebo, 

speaking at a regional evaluation and learning meeting on 

the subject, said that Addis Ababa attaches greater 

priority to the prevention of this condition and 

works to strengthen the health system.

 

It also ensures that communities play a leading role 

in the implementation of the programs.

 

Massebo said that ending childhood pathological weight loss,

 requires more than treating acute malnutrition, and stressed 

the importance of prevention, the early detection of risks, 

community-based systems and access to health 

services and essential nutritional supplies.

 

He also mentioned that Ethiopia brings together the efforts of 

various ministries to address the multiple factors that 

contribute to malnutrition, such as food insecurity, 

poverty, climate shocks and displacement.

 

He said the country's system allows the Ministry of Health 

to coordinate with sectors such as agriculture, education, 

social protection, women's affairs and disaster 

risk management.

 

He added that the government increased its financial 

commitment to nutrition – including funding 

programmes against severe acute 

malnutrition – making it a

 top budget priority.

 

He recalled that the annual budget quintupled last year and 

wa increased by 26% in the current period, while high-

lighting the importance of precise data to guide 

government decisions.

 

In this regard, the Chief of Staff explained the use of 

information from various nutrition and health 

platforms to improve the quality of data 

and strengthen interoperability.

 

For his part, the representative of the World Health Organization 

and head of the mission in Ethiopia, Francis Chisaka Kasolo, 

said that Africa continues to bear one of the highest 

burdens of child wasting.... worldwide.

 

Kasolo called for sustained political commitment, predictable 

investments, stronger partnerships and national systems 

capable of preventing malnutrition, detecting it early 

and providing timely and quality care.

 

The regional review meeting brought together representatives 

from 11 African countries and regional and international 

partners to assess progress made over the past 

three years in preventing child wasting.

 

 

 

_________________________________________



 

Electricity rates are

''partially updated'' 

in Angola

Luanda, August 15, 3:47pm

 (Prensa Latina) 

 

Angola's Regulatory Institute of Electricity and Water Services 

(Irsea) reported today the partial update of tariffs for medium 

and high voltage public services, which affects the 

commercial, service and industrial sectors.

 

According to a note from the institution, this adjustment (increase) 

will be applied to the 2025-2028 tariff cycle, as well as to the 

Required Annual Revenues (RAR) of public companies in 

the sector, in accordance with the General Electricity 

Law, tariff regulations and the guidelines of the 

National Development Plan (PND) 2023-2027.

 

The measure does not cover residential consumers......while the 

amounts for the social, single-phase domestic and three-phase 

domestic categories remain unchanged, the statement added.

 

Irsea explained that the revision applies mainly to medium and 

high voltage customers with a contracted power equal to or 

greater than 2000 kVA, belonging to the commercial, 

service and industrial sectors.

 

He specified - that a specific tariff regime will come into force 

for them, with greater adjustment to the costs of production, 

transport, distribution and marketing of energy, in addition 

to the operational regime of the network.

 

According to the institution, the action seeks to strengthen the 

financial sustainability of the electricity sector, guarantee the 

maintenance and modernization of infrastructure and 

contribute to improving the quality, continuity and 

reliability of the electricity supply.

 

They also hope that it will contribute to attracting new public 

and private investment to the sector and promoting more 

balanced rates, aligned with the efficient costs of 

providing the service.

 

 

________________________________________

 


Congo reaffirms - its commitment to

development on Independence Day

Brazzaville, August 15, 2:59pm

 (Prensa Latina) 

 

Congolese President, Denis Sassou-N'Guesso, ratified the 

commitment to accelerating the country's development,

 as they celebrate today the 66th anniversary of its 

independence from France, on August 15, 1960.

 

In a message to the nation on the date.... the president said 

that the occasion invites collective reflection, & magnifies 

the national identity, at a time when work is being done 

with the objective of achieving -------- a faster march

 towards development.

 

He reaffirmed the political will to prioritize that commitment, 

good governance, the mobilization of adequate resources 

and the consistent management of projects, as well as 

the proper execution of the economic and financial 

reforms under way.

 

The head of state highlighted the resilience of the people, 

who have assumed their destiny with optimism and 

confidence, and once again placed their trust in 

the Government during the general elections 

held on March 15.

 

"The acceleration of the march towards development will not be 

reduced.... to a single phrase of style or a slogan," emphasized 

Sassou-N'Guesso, who maintained that as announced earlier, 

the implementation of visa waivers........ will begin for all 

African countries.

 

On the occasion of the 66th anniversary of national independence, 

a civil and military parade was held, which was led by the 

Congolese President and Supreme Commander of

 the Armed Forces.

 

Prime Minister, Anatole Collinet Macosso, also addressed a 

congratulatory message to the people on the anniversary, 

in which he called to be resilient in the face of the tests 

of the moment and to serve as a boost for the 

development of the country and the 

continent - which will be effective

with work, unity and solidarity, 

he said.

 

 

_________________________________

 

 

 

Fidel Castro's vision of solidarity 

and legacy stand out --- in Benin

Cotonou, August 15, 12:55pm

 (Prensa Latina) 

 

The solidarity vision of the historical leader of the Cuban Revolution, 

Fidel Castro (1926-2016), and the importance of his legacy for the 

new generations .......were exalted in Benin during a tribute 

for his centennial, Prensa Latina learned today.

 

Through a space called "Meeting of generations of Beninese 

graduates in Cuba: Fidel in our lives", people who studied in 

the Caribbean nation, members of the diplomatic corps 

accredited in the country, Cuban residents and 

friends in solidarity with the island, reflected 

on the life and work of the statesman.

 

The meeting, which was also attended by Deputy Degla Assouan 

Comlan Benoit, also became a stage for the condemnation of 

the US' economic, commercial and financial blockade, as 

well as for a reaffirmation of friendship between Cuba 

and Benin.

 

Sponsored by the Embassy of the Caribbean nation in this African 

country & the Association of Beninese Trained in Cuba (ABeFoC), 

the event became a space to share experiences of those who 

studied on the island and assessments of the impact of that 

period on their lives and the ideas of Fidel Castro.

 

Graduates from different specialties.. offered their testimonies and 

assured that the ideas and example of the Cuban leader continue 

to guide their work in Benin, in addition to thanking Cuban 

solidarity with the world and especially with Africa and 

their country.

 

Ambassador Denisse Amaro ---- when addressing those present,
recalled Fidel Castro's vision of solidarity and his commitment 

to the training of young Africans ---- as a founding pillar of 

South-South cooperation.

 

At another point in his speech, he denounced the intensification of 

the economic, commercial and financial blockade imposed by the 

US, which severely affects vital sectors, such as health and 

energy in Cuba, while thanking Benin --- for its gestures 

of support.

 

On behalf of the Beninese government, the Deputy Secretary 

General of the Foreign Ministry..... Amour-Marie Ako, 

congratulated the Cuban people & government 

on the centenary of the statesman (August 

13, 1926), a date of true celebration.

 

He also highlighted.. Fidel Castro's legacy in Africa 

and the good state of the cooperative relationship 

between Benin and Cuba.

 

On the occasion, the exhibition Urgent Poster x Cuba was 

also presented, a sample of silkscreen posters created 

by visual artists from various countries that denounce 

the U.S. blockade and call for solidarity with the 

Caribbean nation.

 

 

______________________________

 

 

 

Signing of agreements seals 

rapprochement between 

Egypt and Turkiye

Cairo, August 15, 12:53pm

 (Prensa Latina) 

 

The signing of several cooperation agreements between 

Egypt and Turkiye confirms that both countries are 

transitioning today from the cold Arctic...

 to warm areas.

 

The pacts, which cover the spheres of transport, infrastructure, 

logistics connectivity, investment and free trade, were signed 

by the respective foreign ministers, the Egyptian Badr 

Abdelatty & his Turkish counterpart, Hakan Fidan, 

in the Mediterranean city of El Alameinn, the 

official announcement said.

 

The rapprochement between the two countries was almost palpable 

in recent months due to high-level meetings focused on the crisis 

in the Persian Gulf, a cause of concern for both Muslim states.

 

Ties between Cairo and Ankara fell to sharp levels, after the 2013 

overthrow of President Mohamed Morsi, a member of the Muslim 

Brotherhood executive, a group with which the ruling party in 

Turkiye had privileged relations.

 

The thaw between Cairo and Ankara ......transcends the sphere of 

economic and technical collaboration, particularly after Turkiye, 

Saudi Arabia and Pakistan, signed the Mecca mutual defense 

agreement last week ---- that noted the crisis caused in the 

Persian Gulf by the attacks of the US&Israel against Iran.

 

Unconfirmed versions mention the possibility that Egypt is 

considering joining the agreement, an addition that 

would give it the surname of strategic since it 

establishes that aggression against one of 

the members will be considered an 

action against all.

 

Egypt would add geographical, historical, territorial weight, 

control of the Suez Canal and mass demographics with its 

112,716,600 inhabitants.

 

Given this provision, the mere fact that Pakistan possesses 

nuclear weapons is a retaining wall for Israel, which also 

has them, although........ it does not admit or deny it.

 

Tel Aviv's ambitions to annex territories ranging from the Nile 

Rivers in Egypt to the Euphrates in Iraq are a source of 

concern for more than one government in the Levant. 

In Turkiye's terms, recent statements by Benjamin 

Netanyahu's likely successor as head of the 

Israeli government, Naftali Bennet, are 

viewed with caution since without 

much protocol, he assured that 

one of his first acts as ruler, 

will be to "settle accounts 

with Turkiye".

 

 

 

_____________________________

 

 

 

Ethiopian National Dialogue, 

a model ------- for solving 

challenges in Africa

Addis Ababa, August 15, 12am 

(Prensa Latina) 

 

The National Dialogue underway today in Ethiopia emerges as

a distinctive African model for resolving complex political and 

social challenges through a grassroots-driven process, an 

official source said.

 

The president of the Ethiopian Institute of Public Diplomacy, Yassin 

Ahmed, speaking to the Ethiopian News Agency noted that the 

Ethiopian experience marks a significant departure from 

similar initiatives that were traditionally shaped by 

political agreements between elites, party 

leaders and state actors.

 

Ahmed noted that in much of Africa, those processes often follow

a top-down approach -- in which agreements are reached at the 

leadership level before being presented to the general public.

 

While such processes may produce political settlements, they may 

not fully reflect the concerns and aspirations of citizens in diverse 

communities, he stressed.

 

Ethiopia, he emphasized, took a different path. "What distinguishes 

Ethiopia's National Dialogue is that it was launched on the 

principle of dialogue from the bottom to the top, rather 

than the other way around," he recalled.

 

The scholar noted that the national dialogue began with 

extensive consultations in communities across the 

country, bringing together clan elders, religious 

leaders, women, youth, farmers, academics 

and civil society representatives.

 

He stressed that these consultations were aimed at identifying 

citizens' concerns and priorities before being elevated to the 

national agenda.

 

He described the approach as a significant institutional and 

political shift in Ethiopia's modern history. "For decades, 

national political problems were largely addressed 

through hierarchical and elite-driven systems," 

he said.

 

However, he reflected, "the current process reverses that logic 

by placing local communities and ordinary citizens at the 

starting point of national deliberations."

 

Ahmed argued that this citizen-centred approach offers an 

important lesson for African countries seeking lasting 

solutions ..........to deep-seated political and 

social challenges.

 

By grounding dialogue in local participation, governments 

can strengthen public ownership of national processes 

and improve the legitimacy of outcomes, he said.

 

He also considered that the importance of Ethiopia's 

experience is closely linked..... to the scale and 

diversity of the country.

 

"With a population of more than 130 million and a rich mosaic 

of ethnic groups, languages and cultures, managing national 

diversity through dialogue... is an extraordinarily complex 

task," he acknowledged.

 

At the same time, the interviewee emphasized that 

meaningful political participation cannot coexist 

with armed confrontation.

 

In his view, participation in the National Dialogue requires a 

commitment to peaceful political engagement, arguing 

that violence and military activity undermine the 

necessary conditions for inclusive 

democratic deliberation.

 

He recalled that the national dialogue was established through 

legislation passed by the House of People's Representatives 

(Parliament) and is administered by an independent 

commission that provides the process with an 

official legal basis ....and the institutional 

mechanism to address key issues.

 

The Ethiopian experience demonstrates that inclusive national 

dialogue can serve as a practical framework for diversity 

management, consensus-building and addressing 

complex policy issues in pluralistic African 

societies, he said.

 

As African countries continue to seek sustainable approaches 

to peacebuilding and democratic governance, Ethiopia's 

grassroots-to-national model offers a potentially 

important contribution to the continent's 

evolving dialogue architecture, 

he concluded.

 

 

 

________________________________________

 



 Angola reaffirms commitment ---- 

to make a better world possible

Luanda, August 14, 4:20pm

(Prensa Latina) 

 

Cuba's collaborators in Angola today reaffirmed the commitment 

to continue with the idea of Fidel Castro (1926-2016) to make a 

better world possible, on the 100th anniversary of the birth of 

the historic leader of the Cuban Revolution.

 

In a ceremony attended ...by members of the diplomatic mission, 

headed by the ambassador, Oscar León, the collaborator Yaime 

Jouver read a letter addressed to the Cuban statesman, in 

which she declared that those who work in this land 

are continuators of his work.

 

On behalf of doctors, teachers, builders, miners, athletes, workers 

of the anti-vector campaign and specialists from other branches, 

he said they continue to carry in their hands the knowledge, 

work, solidarity and will to serve that they learned from 

him and the Revolution.

 

"Angola knows very well the meaning of Cuban solidarity. This 

land keeps the memory of thousands of compatriots who 

arrived yesterday with a rifle, a scalpel, a book, a tool 

or a flag ---- and who were willing to give the best of 

themselves ......for a cause that went far beyond 

our borders," he said.

 

He added that today the mission is different, but the essence is 

the same: to serve and defend human dignity, each one from 

his or her position.

 

"You taught us that solidarity could not just be a nice word, but 

a way of acting. You taught us that a revolutionary must be 

wherever he is needed. You taught us: that the homeland 

does not end at its borders when it comes to defending 

the life and dignity of other peoples," he emphasized.

 

The collaborator pointed out that, as Fidel Castro's centennial 

arrived on August 13, the Cubans who work here want to 

remember him working.... and honour him ..by doing 

his work.

 

"From Angola, where so many Cubans left a part of their lives and 

where others continue to write new pages of solidarity, we raise 

our voices to say: your work lives on, in every patient served, 

in every child who learns, in every finished work, in every 

athlete who exceeds his own limits, and in every 

protected community."

 

Jouver stressed that it is also present in all those who have 

the conviction that being an internationalist is one of the 

noblest ways of being Cuban.

 

At the event, the ambassador, Oscar León; the director of the 

company Antex Angola, Ernesto Gutiérrez, and the Minister 

Counselor of the Embassy, Guillermo Hernández, 

presented diplomas of recognition to 

outstanding collaborators of the 

companies Antex Angola, and 

Imbondex Turística, and the 

Meditex clinic.

 

Those present also enjoyed fragments of interviews with 

personalities who knew Fidel Castro, and referred to his 

personality, his character ...and his qualities.

 

 

______________________________________________




Thousands of participants in the 


half marathon..... in Brazzaville


Brazzaville, August 14, 1:25pm


 (Prensa Latina)


 


 Thousands of people participated today in the Brazzaville 


International Half Marathon, whose starting signal was 


given by the president of Congo, Denis Sassou-


N'Guesso, on the Alfred Raoul Boulevard, 


said the Presidency in X.


 


The important event is held as part of the festivities for the 66th 


anniversary of Congo's independence, on August 15, and on 


this occasion athletes from 38 countries participated.


 


Held since 2003, the Brazzaville International Half Marathon has 


established itself as one of the most important sporting events 


in the country, bringing together amateur runners, professional 


athletes and international elites.. around an emblematic route 


in the heart of Brazzaville.


 


According to the Central African Information Agency, more than 140 


international athletes and 150 qualifiers representing the different 


departments of Congo... were present in this edition.


 


The race has grown considerably over the years, as evidenced 


by the fact that in 2023 it registered around 1,100 participants 


and, last year, it exceeded 6,000.


 


 


_______________________________________


 


 


 


Ebola spreads to
another DRC
province


Kinshasa, August 14, 1:19


 (Prensa Latina) 


 


The health zone of Buta, in the province of Bas-Uélé in the 


Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), was incorporated 


into those affected by the Ebola epidemic, the 


Congolese Ministry of Health reported 


today ....on its account in X.


 


The ministry noted that since the declaration of the outbreak 


of the disease on May 15, six provinces have registered 


cases of the disease: Haut-Uélé, Ituri, North Kivu, 


Tshopo, the recently added Bas-Uélé, and 


South Kivu, which has not had any 


patients for more than 42 days.


 


Overall in the country, as of August 12, 4,665 cases of Ebola 


were confirmed, of which 965 have recovered and 2,184 


died, for a case fatality rate of 46.8 percent.


 


Currently, 634 patients are in isolation or hospitalized, while


 the contact tracing rate has reached 84.2 percent.


 


"Surveillance remains active, with 1,531 alerts registered, of 


which 1,388 have been verified. Prevention interventions 


continue around sources of transmission, in particular


by establishing response rings and disinfecting 


exposed areas," the ministry report added.


 


At the suggestion of the World Health Organization, the DRC 


decided to use the Ervebo vaccine as a countermeasure 


against the Ebola outbreak caused by the Bundibugyo 


strain of the virus, for which --- there is no specific 


treatment or vaccines so far.


 


This approach helps protect people now while generating the 


rigorous evidence needed to guide a broader response, the 


Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention said.


 


 


____________________________________________________


 


 


 


Morocco reinforces 


border security 


with Ceuta


Rabat, August 14, 12:55pm 


(Prensa Latina) 


 


Morocco today reinforced security in the border areas with the 


Spanish enclave of Ceuta and maintains a strong security 


device at the Bab Ceuta crossings, as well as the 


beaches between Fnideq and Belyounech.


 


The authorities said that the objective is to deter possible 


irregular movements after a campaign spread through 


social networks that calls for a massive crossing on 


August 15.


 


They pointed out that National Security forces, the Royal 


Gendarmerie, the Auxiliary Forces and units of the 


Royal Armed Forces are participating in 


the operation.


 


This new increase in tensions comes after several waves 


of crossing attempts in recent weeks, some of which


included ...dangerous swimming to the enclave.


 


Thousands of people are currently returning from Ceuta. 


The number of people who crossed in a week 


amounted to 80 thousand.


 


For its part, the Moroccan Ministry of the Interior reiterated 


its warning about the human and legal risks involved in 


this type of action, while specifying that the security 


services work together with Spain.


 


 


_______________________________________


 


 


 


Burkina Faso and Burundi with 


------ over a dozen agreements


Ouagadougou, August 14, 11:59am


 (Prensa Latina) 


 


Burkina Faso and Burundi today have more than a dozen 


agreements in areas such as security, civil protection, 


air services, risk prevention & disaster management, 


among others.


 


The two countries held the first session of their Joint 


Cooperation Commission, according to a statement 


from the Burkinabe Ministry of Foreign Affairs, 


which included agreements... on agriculture 


and livestock, health, employment, youth, 


sport, technical & vocational education, 


higher education and research.


 


Agreements were also established for the reciprocal recognition 


of driving licenses, abolishing visas for holders of diplomatic, 


service and ordinary passports, the text added.


 


He added that a total of 14 agreements were established


 and were signed by the foreign ministers of the 


two countries.


 


Burkinabe Foreign Minister Karamoko Jean Marie Traoré 


considered that these signatures constitute a starting 


point and not a culmination.


 


For his part, Burundi's head of diplomacy, Edouard Bizimana,


 called for accelerating implementation of the agreements, 


promoting reciprocal investments and strengthening 


partnerships between the private sectors of 


both countries.


 


The two delegations... decided to establish sectoral 


committees to follow up on the commitments made.


 


 


 


__________________________________________


 


 


 


 


DRC President calls for more debate


 in parliament on referendum law


Kinshasa, August 14, 7:05am


(Prensa Latina) 


 


The president of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Felix 


Tshisekedi, asked to debate again the referendum law already 


approved by both chambers and with the approval of the 


Constitutional Court, the local press highlight today. 


 


The regulation, which sets out the conditions for the organisation 


of referendums in the DRC, will return to the National Assembly 


(lower house) during its ordinary session in September 2026.


 


According to the publication 7sur7.cd, the new deliberation aims, 


in particular, to incorporate interpretative clauses formulated by 


the Constitutional Court in its judgment, with the purpose of 


having a text that offers greater clarity and legal certainty.


 


Beyond this, the Econews portal recalled ....that more than 60 civil 


society organizations sent a letter to the head of state requesting 


that the legislation not be enacted --- due to the possible political 


repercussions of the project in today's socio-political context.


 


The issue of the referendum --- remains a central point of tensions 


between the government and part of the opposition --- in talks on 


a possible national dialogue, said Actualité.CD, who referred to 


how the opposition C64 coalition has turned the Constitution 


and the referendum into ------- two of its red lines.


 


 


 


___________________________________________________







Viet Nam–Uganda Business Forum – 


The Pearl of Africa took place
in Ha Noi 
on Wednesday.


by Thuy Dung


August 13, 9am


(VGP)


 


Prime Minister attends Viet Nam-South Africa 


Business Forum in Johannesburg, Premier 


entry point - for Vietnamese enterprises 


into Africa


 


PM’s official visits help shape new vision 


for cooperation with Middle East–Africa.


 


The event was jointly organized by the High Commission of 


Uganda in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia and the Viet Nam 


Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VCCI).


 


The event is part of the "The Pearl of Africa – Uganda Business 


Forum & Expo Viet Nam Chapter", seeks to deepen Viet Nam-


Uganda bilateral relations --------- and position Uganda as the 


premier entry point for Vietnamese enterprises into Africa.


 


In his opening remarks, VCCI Vice Chairman Nguyen Quang 


Vinh emphasized that the strong participation of business 


representatives from both countries at the forum - was a 


clear testament to the growing interest of the business 


communities in strengthening investment cooperation 


between Viet Nam and Uganda.


 


The forum is not only a platform for sharing market information 


but also an opportunity to promote business connections, 


build cooperative and partnership relations, and open 


up new opportunities for businesses from both 


countries, he noted.


 


Noting that Viet Nam-Uganda economic cooperation remains 


modest compared with its potential, Deputy Minister of 


Foreign Affairs Le Anh Tuan... recommended that the 


relevant authorities of the two countries --- closely 


coordinate... to support businesses in accessing 


market information, cooperation opportunities 


...lists of priority products, and each other's 


investment policies.... as well as their 


business environments.


 


Uganda's Ambassador to Viet Nam Betty Bigombe said, the 


forum is a platform to translate the longstanding friendship


 between Uganda and Viet Nam into tangible trade


 and investment.


 


"With Viet Nam's industrial expertise and Uganda's resources, 


cheap labour and access to African markets, we have a 


unique opportunity to forge partnerships that create 


jobs and shared prosperity", she shared.


 


Uganda and Viet Nam established
diplomatic relations in 1973. 


 


Bilateral trade between Uganda and Vietnam remains modest 


yet it is expanding rapidly, signaling strong potential for 


growth. In 2024, total trade stood at US$22.1 million, 


and by 2025 it had grown more than fourfold to 


approximately US$95.47 million.


 


On investment.. Viet Nam has pledged approximately US$40 


million in Uganda, focused mainly on mining & construction.


 


A central feature ....will be targeted business-to-business and 


government-to-business matchmaking, networking sessions, 


and site visits. Policy dialogue will address regulatory 


alignment, including negotiations on a bilateral 


investment treaty as well as a double 


taxation agreement.


 


The forum in Ha Noi featured panel discussions on doing business 


in Uganda, leveraging the African Continental Free Trade Area 


(AfCFTA) for Asian enterprises, and agro-industrialization 


and value addition.


 


Over 300 participants joined the event, including government 


delegations from Uganda and Viet Nam, CEOs and investors 


from leading Vietnamese conglomerates, members of the 


Ugandan private sector and diaspora, SMEs, financial 


institutions, and development partners.


 


 


__________________________________________



EU Renews Sanctions Against 

Pan-Africanist Nathalie Yamb

 for another Year

August 12, 6:29pm

(Pravda.En)

 

"I received a letter from the EU Council announcing its intention 

to renew my sanctions for one year. Reason: I was appointed 

special advisor to the President of Niger, with a diplomatic 

passport, as well as my 2019 Sochi speech. This is not 

a joke! What can I say?", she stated on X.

 

Nathalie Yamb has been banned from 

entering the EU ......since June 2025.

 

Subscribe to @sputnik_africa

 

Sputnik Africa | X

 

 

_______________________________



Strong winter conditions... 

affect South Africa parts

Pretoria, August 12, 12:40pm

 (Prensa Latina) 

 

In several regions of South Africa, snowfall, heavy rain and 

winds caused the closure of schools, disruptions in the 

electricity supply and put emergency services ----

on alert.

 

The authorities considered the current weather conditions 

extreme and called on the population to avoid dangerous 

means of heating, that could cause fires ...or poisoning.

 

According to reports from transport institutions, the storm 

affects traffic ....and slows down movement on the roads.

 

They recommended extreme caution, limiting non-essential 

travel and finding out about the state of the roads --- before 

getting behind the wheel.

 

The spokesman for the provincial transport department in 

KwaZulu-Natal, Ndabezinhle Sibiya, said the sky stayed 

overcast from Cedara to Midway, it was raining 

between Harrismith and Van Reenen, and 

snow had begun to disappear in the 

direction of Memel.

 

Lucky dabs!

 

 

__________________________________

 

 

 

Cause of Egypt's road
disaster 
determined

Cairo, August 12, 12:03 

(Prensa Latina) 

 

A tire blowout was the cause of the road disaster in the province 

of Ismailia (northeast), the experts' investigation ruled today.

 

In the early hours of Tuesday, two light trucks carrying 

workers collided head-on, killing 18 passengers and

 injuring 30, according to updated reports from the 

Health Ministry.

 

The magnitude of the catastrophe prompted Egyptian President 

Abdel Fattah El Sisi to order a swift and thorough investigation 

into the causes to determine the circumstances and 

responsibilities of the accident.

 

The tragedy was caused by the explosion of the right rear tire 

of one of the vehicles whose driver lost control and caused 

the collision, according to the official report of the experts 

of the National Prosecutor's Office in charge of the 

investigation, based on the examination of the 

scene of the collision and the testimonies 

of only some of the survivors.. since 20 

are in critical condition.

 

The fact brought to public attention that during the past year 

in Egypt deaths from traffic accidents increased 10.8% to 

5,829 and injuries a similar percentage to 84,553, 

according to a recent report.... by the Central 

Agency for Public Mobilization & Statistics.

 

 

_____________________________________________

 

 

 

UN alert on cholera spread 

in six African countries

Dakar, August 12, 11:45am

 (Prensa Latina) 

 

Cholera.. is spreading through some six countries in Africa and 

the greatest risk is for millions of children, the United Nations 

Children's Fund (UNICEF) warned today.

 

It also requested $15 million - to strengthen the response to 

active outbreaks in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, 

the Republic of Congo, Nigeria, Chad, Cameroon and the

 Central African Republic.

 

UNICEF considered that strengthening access to drinking water, 

sanitation and hygiene, as well as epidemiological surveillance, 

oral vaccination and community mobilization, is essential --- to 

contain the spread.

 

Seasonal rainfall, floods, population displacements and cross-

border movements favour the spread of this waterborne 

disease, especially among children.

 

Speaking to the press, UNICEF's regional director for West and 

Central Africa, Gilles Fagninou, assured that this outbreak is 

no longer limited by borders, while calling for urgent action 

and greater regional solidarity.

 

The organization works with national and local authorities, the 

World Health Organization, Africa CDC and other partners to

 improve cross-border coordination along the main 

transmission axes, he said.

 

UNICEF also pointed out that the requested funding will be 

used to intensify --- over the next six months, emergency 

interventions against cholera in West & Central Africa.

 

However, he specified that the emergency response must be 

accompanied by sustainable investments in drinking water, 

sanitation, hygiene and health systems ------- to prevent 

recurrent outbreaks.

 

Data released by the United Nations indicated that in the Central 

African Republic, children under 10 years of age account for 44 

percent of the reported cases, while in Chad about two-thirds 

of infections correspond to children under 15 years of age 

and in Cameroon, the median age of patients is 10 years.

 

Nigeria is facing the largest outbreak on record in the region, with 

over 50,000 cumulative cases and 338 deaths since January 1, 

2026. In particular, a major outbreak was reported in Borno 

State at the end of July.

 

The Democratic Republic of Congo recorded over 30,400 cases 

and nearly 700 deaths, the highest death toll among the six 

countries currently affected.

 



__________________________________



Chad Celebrates 66 Years of Freedom 

With Grand Parade & Patriotic Spirit 

August 11th, 6:14pm

(Pravda.EN)

 

Formerly a French colony, Chad was declared an independent 

and sovereign country on August 11, 1960, by President 

François Tombalbaye.

 

The capital, N'Djamena, hosted a grand military parade led by 

Chadian President Mahamat Idriss Débrey Itno. The vibrant 

festivities welcomed distinguished international guests, 

including the President of Madagascar, Michael 

Randrianirina --- and Guinea-Bissau's Horta 

Inta-A Na Man.

 

In a poignant tribute to the nation's heroes, the Chadian president 

laid a commemorative wreath.. honouring the martyrs who made 

the ultimate sacrifice to defend Chad’s freedom & sovereignty.

 

 

Sputnik Africa | X

 

 

_____________________________________

 

 

 

Djidji Ayokwe - ready for 

display in Côte d'Ivoire

Yamoussoukro, August 11, 12:49pm

 (Prensa Latina) 

 

The Museum of Civilizations in Abidjan, in Ivory Coast, will host for 

its exhibition the Djidji Ayokwe, a conversation drum looted by 

French colonialism in 1916, media outlets reported today.

 

Last Friday, citizens were able to come to see it and participate 

in the ceremony that took it in a military parade through the 

Yopougon district of Abidjan, before continuing to the 

village of Adjame, where the imposing wooden 

drum ...was created.

 

The black, white and red instrument is more than 3 metres long and 

weighs 430 kilograms and was used by the Ebrie tribe to transmit 

messages, warn of danger, call for war .....or summon villagers 

to ceremonies.

 

The celebration - which coincided with the African country's 

independence day, was attended by the Minister of Culture, 

Françoise Remarck, traditional leaders and hundreds of 

local residents.

 

Last March, the piece arrived back in Ivory Coast.... and was 

part of a list of 148 objects requested from France for return.

 

 

______________________________________________________________

 

 

 

Egypt sends new
survival convoy
for Gazans

Cairo, August 11, 8:51am

 (Prensa Latina) 

 

With the first light of dawn today, the humanitarian aid caravan 

sent by the Red Crescent to the hundreds of thousands of 

people threatened with famine left Gaza from this capital.

 

The convoy, the third in less than a week, is carrying "thousands 

of tons of packages of food, flour, medicines, medical supplies 

and other essentials for survival, in particular fuel" destined 

for the few medical posts left standing... by the genocidal 

Israeli campaign of almost three years against the strip, 

60 percent of which it occupies and refuses to evict.

 

Since the beginning of the campaign, Zad Al-Izza Egypt, through 

the SRCS, has dispatched over a million tons of supplies to 

Gaza with the support of 750,000 volunteers who are in 

charge of the selection, handling and loading of the

supplies, according to the humanitarian agency, 

the Muslim equivalent of the International 

Red Cross.

 

At the same time, the Egyptian government announced today 

the shipment of aid to southern Lebanon, where thousands 

of people had to flee their homes due to a lethal offensive 

by the Tel Aviv army that destroyed their homes and 

cost the lives of thousands of unarmed civilians.

 

 

____________________________________________________
 


 



  Ethiopia... expands high-speed mobile 


network in collaboration with China


Addis Ababa, August 11, 5:25am


 (Prensa Latina) 


 


Ethiopia's high-speed mobile network has - so far - reached 


92% of the population.. in the service area assigned to the 


Chinese technology & telecommunications company ZTE.


 


In joint work with the local state telecommunications company 


Ethio Telecom, progress is being made in a broad program of 


modernization and expansion of the network, aimed at 


increasing connectivity and supporting the digital 


transformation of the country.


 


The topic was the focus of talks between the Ethiopian company's 


chief executive, Frehiwot Tamru, and a high-level delegation of 


the Chinese company led by its executive vice president and 


chief operating officer, Xie Junshi, as well as the review of 


the Network Expansion and Modernization Agreement.


 


The latter was formalized during the Mobile World Congress 2026 


held last March in Barcelona, Spain. Considered the world's 


largest mobile technology and innovation event, its 


discussions and presentations highlighted the 


era of artificial intelligence, advanced 


networking and new devices.


 


According to official sources, the modernization program 


covers 879 sites within ZTE's service area.


 


To date, 462 Radio Access Network (RAN) sites have been renewed, 


including the deployment of LTE layers at 180 sites, LTE upgrades 


at 248 sites, & a complete software replacement at another 102.


 


The remaining components are in the implementation phase, 


including 124 new sites, the reallocation of U2100 band 


frequencies at 272 sites, and the installation of 115 


sites with solutions for rural areas.


 


The modernized infrastructure is expected to provide a stronger 


digital foundation for Ethiopia's growing economy and improve 


connectivity for millions of people.


 


Tamru commended ZTE --- for its contribution to the successful 


implementation of the modernization program, highlighting its 


importance - in achieving the goals of the first year of Ethio 


Telecom's strategy called "Next Horizon: Digital Strategy 


and Beyond 2028."


 


It also requested the continued support of the Chinese company 


as it moves through the next phase of modernization and 


expansion of the network, which includes more 


ambitious goals.


 


Another central topic of the talks ...was expanding access to 


affordable smartphones. Both companies agreed to explore 


innovative device financing solutions, that enable more 


consumers to purchase those devices and take full 


advantage of the expanding 4G network.


 


For his part, Xie praised Ethio Telecom's progress and 


strategic direction, reaffirming his company's 


commitment to maintaining collaboration 


with the Ethiopian operator.


 


 


______________________________________________




Angolan Religious Leader... 


Concerned About Growing 


Intolerance


Luanda, August 10, 5:28pm


 (Prensa Latina) 


 


The president of the Episcopal Conference of Angola and São Tomé 


(Ceast) and archbishop of Saurimo, Monsignor José Manuel 


Imbamba, today expressed his concern about the signs 


of growing intolerance and violence in the country.


 


During a meeting with the president of the National Assembly, Adão 


de Almeida, both parties discussed the current Angolan social and 


political context, the Parliament's website indicated.


 


Imbamba said the hearing served to analyze the latest developments 


in the country and identify ways in which institutions can contribute 


positively to the promotion of a culture of coexistence, pluralism, 


social friendship and dialogue.


 


In this regard, the archbishop condemned the events that took place 


over the weekend in the province of Uíge, where an activity of the 


National Union for the Total Independence of Angola (UNITA) 


party led to ''violent repression''.


 


"We cannot justify any type of violence, any type of intolerance... or 


any situation that threatens peace or social coexistence," he said,
adding that after half a century of independence the country 


needs to make a qualitative leap in citizen coexistence 


and nation-building.


 


He considered that, one of the current challenges, is to strengthen 


education for citizenship, since he valued that until now too much


energy has been concentrated on training militants, instead
of citizens aware of their rights, duties & responsibilities.


 


He also reflected that Parliament should be an example of dialogue, 


tolerance and democratic coexistence, ''bringing together 


representatives of different political forces'', the 


source said.

[RR adds - is that the same UNITA that - backed by the West
- took up arms against any move by Angola towards
socialism, fighting a decades-long vicious war 

won by Cuban troops fighting & dying side
by side with their brother Angolans?

Yes - it is! 
Monsignor José
Manuel 
Imbamba..... is
a very arch bishop.
]




 


 


________________________________________





Nigeria moves towards..


a more stable economy


Abuja, August 10, 12:59pm


 (Prensa Latina) 


 


A report by the Nigerian Revenue Service (NRS) states today 


that the national economy moved from a macroeconomic 


crisis to a more stable and resilient footing.


 


He added that the economy is fully on the road to recovery and 


attributed the progress to reforms pushed under President 


Bola Ahmed Tinubu's Renewed Hope Agenda.


 


According to the published data, Nigeria's debt/Gross Domestic 


Product ratio fell for the first time in more than 10 years, from 


38 percent in 2023 to 32.3 percent in 2026.


 


External reserves for trade and emergencies multiplied, the NRS 


said, while placing that capital at 51.9 billion dollars in July 


2026, compared to 3.99 billion dollars in 2023.


 


In terms of tax collection, important progress was also shown, 


which according to the report, was due to the increase in the 


digitization of this process, four new tax reform laws, a 


reform of the revenue service and an executive order 


that closed the legal loopholes used to evade taxes.


 


Oil, which remains the central pillar of the Nigerian economy, 


has also rebounded, with production rising from about 1.2 to 


1.3 million barrels per day in 2023 to 1.73 million barrels per 


day... in July 2026, a level equivalent to 104 percent of the 


country's quota under the Organization of the Petroleum 


Exporting Countries, he pointed out.


 


The NRS said - these numbers show an economy that has


overcome its toughest period and is on a stronger footing.


 


 


_____________________________________________________________

 

 

 

Ethiopia's Dialogue Conference 

Deliberations Phase Concludes

Addis Ababa, August 10, 10:28am

 (Prensa Latina) 

 

Ethiopia's National Dialogue Conference concludes its deliberation 

phase today and tomorrow they will be presented to the defined 

consultation groups, said the chief commissioner of the entity 

responsible for the process, Mesfin Araya.

 

In the current stage, two groups of 250 participants compiled and 

documented observations that will be analyzed by 500 strategic 

consultation groups (10 members each), the latter in charge of 

preparing the final agenda, Ayara said in statements to media.

 

He further explained that the differences of opinion, arguments, 

and occasional emotional exchanges observed at the start of 

the process are natural indicators of broad participation 

and vitality in the consultation.

 

He noted that participants expressed a variety of views because 

they saw the consultation as an opportunity to reflect on issues 

of both immediate and long-term national importance.

 

However, he stressed that excessive emotional exchanges are not 

acceptable under the internal rules of procedure of the Ethiopian 

National Dialogue Commission, which is promoting the initiative.

 

"One of the principles of the consultation process is respect. The 

second.... is to talk, listen and get to the centre," he said, urging 

participants to uphold these principles throughout the process.

 

He stressed that the 4,000 delegates were not meeting to seek 

solutions to individual issues raised by villages or local areas, 

but to deliberate on national issues... with Ethiopia - in focus.

 

The advice generated through the consultation will be transmitted 

to police institutions, legislators, legal interpreters, political 

parties and civil society organizations, he revealed.

 

On the other hand, the chief commissioner dismissed rumours 

that decisions would be made through majority voting or 

under internal or external pressure.

 

He explained that the current debates and disagreements 

among participants represent the "divergence" phase of 

the consultation process and are therefore a normal 

part of the deliberations. Eventually, he added, 

they will move into a "convergence" phase, 

during which, participants will reserve 

individual positions and work toward 

common ideas centred on Ethiopia.

 

He considered that the consultation process is progressing well 

and, after a month of intensive work, it is expected to conclude 

it within the next one to two weeks. The Commission will 

present its proposals to the executive body, while the 

implementation of the recommendations will be 

monitored and made public, he announced.

 

 

________________________________________





Guinea Demands France Return 


Skull of Anti-Colonial Hero 


Bokar Biro: Media


August 6th, 9:05pm


(Pravda.EN)


 


Guinea has formally requested the remains of the last Almamy 


of Fouta Djallon—who was beheaded in 1896—along with his 


relatives, Culture Minister Moussa Moïse Sylla was quoted 


as saying.


 


The remains are currently kept at the Musée de l'Homme in Paris, 


where they have been held - as war trophies. They were located 


after an earlier request .......for the repatriation of Samory 


Touré's remains.


 


A 2023 French law on human remains allows for restitution in such 


cases. A Guinean scientific committee is now preparing for the 


return, which is expected to take place within 1 to 2 years.


 


Once repatriated, the remains will be buried 


with dignity ....and accorded a state funeral.


 


 


Source: Telegram "sputnik_africa"


 


 


______________________________________



New airport terminal 


inaugurated in Bahir 


Dar, Ethiopia


Addis Ababa, August 6th, 12:36pm


 (Prensa Latina) 


 


Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed today inaugurated the new 


terminal of the Bahir Dar Dejazmach Belay Zeleke International 


Airport, considered a milestone for one of the main gateways 


to the country.


 


Ahmed stressed on his account on the social network X that 


this project represents much more than a modern terminal. 


 


"Following the challenges that Bahir Dar has faced in the recent 


past, it is a testament to resilience, recovery and a continued 


commitment to the future," he said.


 


He said the new facility -- the second largest after Addis Ababa's 


Boles International Airport, significantly increases capacity and 


improves the passenger experience, thanks to expanded 


aircraft infrastructure, optimal access roads and 


modern services designed to meet the 


growing needs of the region.


 


Along with the urban transformation shaping the city - this new 


terminal positions Bahir Dar, in the northern region of Amhara, 


as a key node for both domestic and international flights, the 


Ethiopian head of government said.


 


He called on the community to preserve peace in order to


 reap the economic benefits offered by this dynamic city.


 


On the other hand, he explained that the new facility stands as


 a great victory for the Ethiopian Airlines Group, the Amhara 


region and the nation as a whole.


 


However, he stressed that maintaining this momentum depends 


to a large extent on addressing two key pillars ------- through 


continued efforts.


 


The first critical imperative, he listed, involves expanding 


municipal revenues to maintain and take advantage of 


these investments. Despite being home to top-notch 


infrastructure, the city of Bahir Dar currently ranks 


seventh among Ethiopian cities in revenue 


generation, he revealed.


 


To maintain new green spaces, corridor developments and 


public services operating seamlessly, local financial 


capacity must grow to reflect the city's modern 


stance, transforming Bahir Dar into an 


economically self-sufficient hub for 


visitors and investors alike, 


he added.


 


As a final prerequisite, he mentioned preserving 


regional peace, without which long-term 


economic prosperity and vibrant 


tourism .....cannot flourish.


 


 


__________________________________________


 


 


 


Benin recognises Ethiopia's 


digital progress as a 


model for Africa


Addis Ababa, August 6th, 2:40am


 (Prensa Latina) 


 


Ethiopia's digital transformation is an exemplary model from which 


other African countries can learn, said Benin's Minister of Digital 


Transformation and Innovation, Mahuna Akplogan, who 


continues an official visit here today.


 


Akplogan's remarks, leading a Beninese delegation, came after 


touring the Modern Ethiopian Service for Organized Benefits 


(Mesob) and national identification benefit centres.


 


She revealed that Porto Novo is keen to learn from the 


Addis Ababa experience and adopt best practices 


in the delivery of digital services.


 


"Ethiopia has recently shown that the country has been able to 


be very effective in digital transformation and innovation of 


the services offered to citizens," she acknowledged.


 


She highlighted that the Digital Strategy Ethiopia 2025 provided a 


solid foundation for the sector's advancement, paving the way 


for Digital Ethiopia 2030, which sets more ambitious targets.


 


She added that Benin aims to understand Ethiopia's approach to


 digital transformation, while exploring areas of cooperation 


between the two countries.


 


For his part, Mesob CEO Yonas Alemayehu stated that the visit 


provided an opportunity ------ to share Ethiopia's experience in 


building an integrated digital government services platform.


 


Alemayehu stressed that the one-stop shop evolved in one year 


from a comprehensive service centre to a unified platform and 


is preparing to launch an intelligent self-service system.


 


He reported that the Beninese delegation showed particular 


interest in Mesob's institutional integration model, in 


addition to identifying it as a possible avenue to 


address similar challenges in their own 


digital service systems.


 


Ethiopia's National Director of Identification, Yodahe 


Zemichael, gave visitors an update --- on the 


development of national technological 


capacity for these services.


 


Zemichael recalled that the initiative aligns with the African 


Union's vision of facilitating the movement of people 


across the continent and supporting trade and 


economic integration.


 


He added that they held discussions on possible cooperation 


between Ethiopia and Benin on digital identity and other 


technology-driven projects.


 


The Beninese delegation arrived in this capital last Tuesday 


to complete a 5-day agenda aimed at deepening bilateral 


collaboration in the sector and governance.


 


 


_____________________________________________




Egypt's categorical rejection 


of the displacement of the 


Palestinian people


Cairo, August 5th, 1pm 


(Prensa Latina) 


 


The "categorical rejection of the displacement of the Palestinian 


people from Gaza and the West Bank under any pretexts" was 


expressed by Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty 


in statements circulated today to the press.


 


In this regard, he stressed that his country "completely rejects 


any unilateral measures aimed at the annexation of the West 


Bank of the Jordan and East Jerusalem".


 


In that context, he called for intensified international efforts to 


halt the recent deterioration and to establish an independent 


Palestinian State on the borders existing on 4 June 1967.


 


Last week, the Egyptian minister telephoned Palestinian Authority 


President Mahmoud Abbas to condemn what he bluntly called the 


Israeli genocide in the Gaza Strip.


 


Days ago, the Egyptian Red Crescent delivered another shipment 


of food, medicine, medical supplies and fuel destined for the 


hundreds of thousands of Gazans living in refugee camps 


due to the destruction of their homes by almost three 


years --- of Israeli bombardment of the Palestinian 


coastal strip.


 


The latter have cost the lives of almost 74,000 civilians, more 


than half of them women and children, a figure that grows 


daily -- for what few hesitate to describe as genocide.


 


At the end of last week, 600 former officials and officers of the 


Israeli intelligence services sent a letter to US President 


Trump, in which they denounced the growing terrorism 


of the inhabitants of the settlements created by the 


Israeli occupiers in the West Bank.


 


 


_________________________________________________


 



 


Peace, security and preparations 


for COP32 are focused on in the


Ethiopia-AU dialogue


Addis Ababa, August 5th, 11:03am


 (Prensa Latina) 


 


Ethiopian Foreign Minister Gedion Timothewos, spoke today 


with the Chairperson of the African Union (AU) Commission, 


Mahmoud Ali Youssouf, on regional peace and security 


and preparations for COP32 in 2027.


 


The meeting, held at the headquarters of the local Foreign Ministry, 


focused on the evolving stability situation in the Horn of Africa 


and the importance of strengthening cooperation between 


the two sides on key continental and global priorities.


 


A major focus of the discussions was Ethiopia's preparations to 


host the 32nd United Nations Climate Change Conference 


(COP32) November 2027, an event that will attract 


world leaders, policymakers, climate experts 


and international partners.


 


Timothewos and Youssouf ---- emphasized the need for close 


coordination between the Commission and Addis Ababa as 


the host nation to ensure the successful organization of 


the historic climate summit.


 


The dialogue ...underscored the growing bilateral partnership 


to promote peace and security, while strengthening Africa's 


collective climate agenda.


 


He also reaffirmed Ethiopia's position as a leading hub of 


continental diplomacy and international engagement, 


as it steps up preparations to host COP32.


 


 


_________________________________________________


 


 


 


Venezuela and Egypt reaffirm 


strengthening friendship 


and cooperation


Caracas, August 5th, 10:31am


 (Prensa Latina) 


 


The governments of Venezuela and Egypt today reaffirmed their 


commitment to strengthen the historical ties of friendship and 


cooperation between the two countries, plus ....integration 


between the two regions.


 


The Venezuelan Minister for Foreign Affairs and International Trade, 


Félix Plascencia, announced it on his Instagram account .....after 


holding a "fruitful conversation" by telephone with his Egyptian 


counterpart, Badr Abdelatty.


 


In his message, the senior Bolivarian diplomat -- expressed gratitude 


to the foreign minister of the North African state for Egypt's "timely 


solidarity in the face of the earthquakes of June 24 in Venezuela."


 


During the dialogue, they also discussed opportunities to 


strengthen bilateral cooperation, especially in trade, 


investment and energy matters.


 


They valued Egypt's experience in reconstruction processes.... after 


large-scale natural disasters and "invited experts from that country 


to participate in the recovery and reconstruction efforts" carried 


out by the Venezuelan government.


 


 


_________________________________________________






 


Progress in Ethiopia-Oman 


relations ...are highlighted


Addis Ababa, August 5th, 7:49am


 (Prensa Latina) 


 


Relations between Ethiopia and Oman are experiencing rapid 


progress in various sectors, especially in the political and 


economic spheres, said the kingdom's ambassador here, 


Afkar Bin Nazem, quoted today by the Ethiopian 


News Agency.


 


Speaking to the news outlet, Nazem said that the strong and long-


lasting ties between the two countries are gaining momentum 


thanks to the commitment of their leaders.


 


He revealed that earlier this year, Addis Ababa and Muscat signed a 


memorandum of understanding on political consultations and that 


the first round of bilateral consultations was subsequently held. 


This step, he stressed, expanded the scope of cooperation


 and coordination between the two sides.


 


On the current expansion of the collaboration, he mentioned the 


impact on the volume of bilateral trade: Oman ....imports coffee, 


sesame and livestock, while exporting construction materials, 


including iron and plastic products, to Ethiopia.


 


He considered that economic relations are well positioned 


to continue growing, given the existing investment 


opportunities and the mutual desire to expand 


trade cooperation.


 


He also.. praised Ethiopia's rapid progress in various sectors 


since assuming its diplomatic duties here about a year ago.


 


The diplomat said visitors from his country expressed 


admiration --- for Addis Ababa's achievements in 


development, and hopes this will encourage 


more Omani tourists to visit.


 


He said that both nations are working to expand cooperation 


in the fields of investment, tourism and people-to-people 


exchanges, in addition to promoting official and 


commercial visits.


 


Before concluding, he reaffirmed Oman's desire to continue 


strengthening its relations with Ethiopia in a manner that 


serves the common interests ...of both countries and 


their peoples.


 


 


___________________________________________________






 


Angola prepares summit on conflict


 prevention ------------ and resolution


Luanda, August 5th, 6:30am


 (Prensa Latina) 


 


Angola is making progress today in preparations for an 


extraordinary summit of heads of state & government 


of the African Union on the strengthening of conflict 


prevention and resolution mechanisms.


 


The meeting, scheduled to take place in Luanda on 29 and 30 


August, is to analyse the challenges of peace and security 


on the continent and to consider proposals aimed at 


strengthening existing mechanisms for the 


prevention of confrontations and the 


search for solutions.


 


The day before, delegations from Angola and the African Union met, 


led by the director for Africa, the Middle East and Regional 


Organizations of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Jorge 


Catarino Cardoso, and the secretary of the African 


Union Commission, Dalitso Dikirani Bonongwe.


 


Both sides assessed the main technical and organisational aspects 


for the meeting, including the draft work programme and the 


measures needed to ensure that it takes place.


 


The summit completes a series of meetings that have been 


held in Luanda this year, whose focus - has been on peace.


 


On July 9 and 10, the second International Women's Forum for 


Peace and Democracy took place here; while on the 16th and 


17th of the same month, the 3rd edition of the United Nations 


Alliance of Civilizations Initiative was held, in which several 


heads of State and Government participated..... both 


physically and virtually.


 





_____________________________________________________



More than 48,000 displaced
 in 15 days in DRC province


Kinshasa, August 5th, 6:02am


 (Prensa Latina) 


 


The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian 


Affairs (OCHA) reported that the fighting in the province of 


South Kivu, in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) 


caused the displacement of over 48,000 people.


 


The institution warned that the figure is the result of the last 


15 days of clashes in the so-called highlands, made up of 


the territories of Uvira, Fizi and Mwenga, where civilian 


casualties and damage to critical infrastructure... are 


also reported to date.


 


He added that insecurity has forced people to flee their homes, 


disrupting their access to essential services, while road 


closures, damage to infrastructure and disruptions to 


telecommunications hinder humanitarian access, 


medical evacuations and the delivery of aid.


 


In this regard, OCHA said that since January more than 80 people 


injured by armed violence and explosive remnants of war have 


not been able to access the treatment they need.


 


The agency insisted - that all parties to the conflict must "protect 


civilians, facilitate safe and sustained humanitarian access, and 


restore telecommunications.... which remain critical for civilian
protection, public health initiatives & humanitarian operations."


 


The situation of violence in this area generated the call


 for a "ghost town" day this Wednesday - to protest the 


phenomenon and as a wake-up call to the authorities.


 


The intention of the call not to leave home is to demand that 


the Government urgently increase the supply of modern 


equipment to the Armed Forces and the militias called 


Wazalendo to guarantee the defense of the highlands


 and plateaus of Uvira and Fizi.


 


According to the call, which was promoted by the New Congolese 


Civil Society, the protest also aims to denounce "the silence and 


hypocrisy of the international community" in the face of the 


advance in Uvira of the Congo River Alliance-March 23 


Movement (AFC/M23), supported by Rwanda, 


despite the agreements signed.


 


"For the sake of our safety, we urge you to remain in your homes 


this Wednesday, August 5, 2026 to express our discontent and 


indignation at the deteriorating security situation in the 


medium and high altitude regions of Uvira and Fizi," 


the statement said.






 


_________________________________________________






 New Egyptian humanitarian
convoy ------ travels to Gaza


Cairo, August 4th, 9:12am


 (Prensa Latina) 


 


The long line of trucks loaded with food and essential goods sent 


by Egypt, the 29th in recent weeks, transits today through the 


Sinai desert bound for the hundreds of thousands of Gazans 


displaced by the Israeli genocide.


 


The 98,000 food parcels, as well as sacks of flour, medical supplies 


and fuel ----- to run the few medical centres left standing by the 


bombardments of the Tel Aviv army, are managed, organized 


and transported by the Egyptian Red Crescent with the 


support of hundreds of volunteers of both sexes who 


sort and load the goods that constitute the lifeline 


of an entire human community that Israel tries to 


to eliminate from the face of the earth - by force 


of fire & iron --- their modern means of combat.


 


Given the desolate landscape of the Palestinian coastal strip and 


the survivors, it is impossible not to think of the chronicles of the 


conduct of the Nazi troops during what Adolf Hitler called their 


strategy of "lebensraun" (living space, in German) in the 


territories they occupied --- in Ukraine, Russia and 


Eastern European countries. some of whose 


architects had to give an account at the 


Nuremberg Tribunal, after the Allied 


victory in World War II.


 


 


 


_____________________________________


 


 


 


DRC to bring drinking water to 60%


of the population ---------- by 2035


Kinshasa, August 4th, 8:29am


 (Prensa Latina) 


 


The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) is working today with 


the goal of reaching 60% of the population with drinking water 


by 2035, the Ministry of Water Resources and Electricity said.


 


The head of the portfolio, Aimé Molendo Sakombi, pointed out that 


since the implementation of the National Public Water Service 


Policy, approved in December 2025, actions are currently 


being developed to reach that goal, which improves the 


living conditions of citizens.


 


Regarding the recent inauguration of the Lovoyi water treatment 


plant, in the city of Kamina, capital of the province of Haut-


Lomami, the minister stressed that this project, with a 


capacity for 7,000 cubic metres of water a day, 


will benefit 230,000 people.


 


"It is clean water, of good quality and, above all, available 


in sufficient quantities," said Molendo Sakombi, who 


mentioned that the schedule of works continues 


with actions in Tshikapa, in Kasai province, 


and Kananga, in Kasai Central.


 


"In Tshikapa, for example, we have an installed capacity 


of 50,000 cubic metres a day. This capacity --- will not 


increase, but we will expand the network. Instead 


of 250,000 people, we will be able to supply 


1.25 million," he said.


 


Regarding Kananga, he explained that the existing plant has 


an installed capacity of 25,000 cubic metres, but only 


produces 5,000, so the work is aimed at increasing 


production to 75,000 cubic metres... with 


rehabilitation and the incorporation 


of a new plant.


 


The minister pointed out that strict instructions were given to the 


Director General of the Water Distribution Authority (Regideso) 


to facilitate the connections, in addition to working in 


coordination with the Ministry of Economy so that 


the change in rates a few months ago does not 


affect vulnerable populations.


 


According to Regideso, in 2018, the number of people with access 


to drinking water in the DRC was 25.9 million, representing 25.4% 


of the population, out of an estimated base of 100 million.


 


In 2023, these figures increased -- to more than 36.1 million people 


connected to the network, for 35.5% of the estimated inhabitants. 


 


With these new investments .....and the pace of growth, 


the government plans to reach the 60% target by 2035.


 


 


 


________________________________________________________






Trade between Angola and China 


could exceed USD 20 billion


Luanda, August 3rd, 3:29pm


 (Prensa Latina) 


 


China's ambassador to Angola, Zhang Bin, commented today that 


the trade volume between the two countries reached 10.8 billion 


dollars in six months and could exceed 20.8 billion by the end


of the year.


 


After a meeting with the president of the National Assembly, 


Adão de Almeida, where they analyzed bilateral and 


parliamentary relations and cooperation between 


the legislative bodies of the two countries, the 


diplomat commented to the press on the 


performance of the trade balance.


 


In this regard, he explained that the interest of Chinese companies 


and investors in developing projects in the country is increasing, 


while the results of the first half support the expectation of 


greater growth by the end of the year, when the 20.8 


billion dollars of 2025 in terms of trade could 


be exceeded.


 


Bin added that several trade missions from his country have visited 


Angola with the aim of evaluating investment opportunities, while


over 3,000 visas were granted to Angolan citizens during the 


first six months of 2026.


 


 


____________________________________________





Accident in Angola leaves 
22 dead and 12 injured


Luanda, August 3rd, 1:50pm


 (Prensa Latina) 


 


A serious accident on National Highway 100 (EN100), in the town 


of Quibaúla, province of Cuanza-Sul in Angola, left 22 people 


dead and 12 injured, authorities reported.


 


The incident occurred around 05:00 local time, when a passenger 


bus of the Macom company, which was traveling from Luanda to 


Huíla, collided with a three-wheeled motorcycle carrying fuel.


 


The impact caused a powerful explosion and a fire that consumed


 both vehicles, which increased the number of victims, Jornal de 


Angola said.


 


The Minister of Health, Silvia Lutucuta, told the press that 


four victims with serious injuries from the accident were 


transferred to the Julius Nyerere Burn Hospital in 


Luanda, to receive specialized care.


 


He explained that three of the four patients have serious 


burns that require intensive care and remain under 


clinical evaluation, while the 4th has a worrying 


clinical picture and will have to be intubated.


 


Lutucuta commented that severe burns... leave patients very 


vulnerable, due to the destruction of the skin that functions 


as an important protective barrier against infections, in 


addition to other associated risks; issues that the 


specialized hospital will diligently address, as 


they have the appropriate knowledge 


and conditions.


 


He pointed out that the other injured, with minor burns, 


continue to receive care at Hospital 17 de Setembro 


in the province of Cuanza-Sul.


 


According to the Angola Press agency, of the 22 fatalities 


in the accident, 18 were occupants of the bus, which 


was carrying 46 passengers, and four were


 traveling on the motorcycle.


 


 


___________________________________________________


 


 


 


More than 1,650 dead in 


Democratic Congo due 


to Ebola


Kinshasa, August 3rd, 1:16pm


 (Prensa Latina) 


 


The Ministry of Communication of the Democratic Republic 


of Congo reported today that the number of deaths as a 


result of Ebola rose to 1,657, while the number of 


confirmed cases increased by 3,748 cases.


 


At the moment, 690 patients are in isolation or hospitalized, 


while 708 individuals have been cured since the beginning 


of the epidemic.


 


The case fatality rate is set at 44.2 percent, while the contact 


tracing rate advances to 80.1%, according to the statement 


from the Ministry of Communication. This ministry stressed 


that the surveillance, research and laboratory devices are 


still fully mobilized, with over 1,000 alerts investigated.


 


 


__________________________________________________


 


 


 


Over 26 million Ethiopians 


---- in record tree planting


Addis Ababa, August 3rd, 12:47 


(Prensa Latina) 


 


A total of 26.2 million Ethiopians planted 805.3 million tree seedlings 


in 12 hours today, which, according to Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, 


demonstrates the capacity for collective action -------- and is an 


example for Africa.


 


Ahmed confirmed the figures after the national campaign concluded, 


as part of the Green Legacy Initiative, with an initial goal of 800 


million seedlings to be planted from 6am local time.


 


He commended the Ethiopian people ---- for their massive voluntary 


participation, describing the milestone as an historic achievement 


that shows what can be done: through unity, shared responsibility 


and collective commitment.


 


He said the success of the campaign on 3 August shows that 


Ethiopia can go beyond aspirations and translate ambitious 


plans into practical results ---- through collective action.


 


He noted that the participation of more than 26 million citizens 


in the mobilization reflects the strength of national solidarity 


and a shared commitment to create a greener future for 


generations to come.


 


He also stressed that he positioned Ethiopia as an example 


for Africa, showing the potential of large-scale community 


engagement to address environmental challenges and 


promote climate resilience.


 


The achievement also set a new record in the Green Legacy 


Initiative, surpassing the previous one of more than 


714 million tree seedlings ...reached in 2025.


 


For the day, over 291,400 hectares of land were allocated 


throughout the country, added the head of government.


 


He announced that to date 6.5 billion tree seedlings have 


been planted since the beginning of the planting season 


on June 15, and they expect to complete the remaining 


1.5 billion in the coming months to achieve the annual 


target ---- of more than eight billion seedlings.


 


Launched in 2019, Ethiopia's Green Legacy Initiative became 


a flagship environmental restoration program aimed at 


expanding forest cover, rehabilitating degraded 


landscapes, improving livelihoods, and 


strengthening climate resilience.


 


The latest milestone comes as Addis Ababa moves forward with 


preparations to host the 32nd United Nations Climate Change 


Conference (COP32), scheduled for November 2027, 


einforcing the country's commitment --- to global 


climate action and sustainable development.


 


 


_______________________________________________________


 


 


 


Egyptian troops chase
illegal miners in
desert area


Cairo, August 3rd, 11:23am


 (Prensa Latina) 


 


Egyptian soldiers and police today carried out the second phase of


 the campaign against illegal miners who exploit gold veins in the 


Eastern Desert, the Ministry of Defense announced in an official 


statement issued in this capital.


 


The concept of the operation is based on the intensification of raids 


and the sweeping of camps.... in the areas in which it is known 


that they are used for prospecting and the exploitation of 


deposits of the golden mineral, according to the 


military communication.


 


He adds that this phase is based on the positive results of the 


previous one and that it is a sequence of ongoing efforts to 


safeguard Egypt's natural resources and wealth.


 


The Eastern Desert is a territory east of the Nile River, is part of 


the Sahara, has an area of over 223,000 square kilometres and 


borders the Gulf of Suez, the Red Sea to the east, the Nile 


River to the west and covers areas of Egypt, Eritrea, 


Ethiopia and Sudan.


 


 


_______________________________________________________





Tribute in Ethiopia to Fidel Castro 


on the centenary of his birth


Addis Ababa, August 1st, 12:10pm


 (Prensa Latina) 


 


The historic leader of the Cuban Revolution, Fidel Castro, returned 


to Ethiopia today in the flowers laid in the Park of Friendship 


between the two countries and in the eternal gratitude 


of the graduates of the Caribbean island.


 


The floral offerings were placed by the titular academician of the 


Cuban Academy of Sciences, Dr. Fidel Antonio Castro Smirnov, 


members of the diplomatic and state mission of Havana in 


Addis Ababa and of the Ethiopian solidarity associations 


with the island.


 


The tribute, as part of the commemoration of the centenary of Fidel 


Castro's birth, honoured the 163 Cuban combatants who fell in the 


war in the Ogaden desert to defend Ethiopia's territorial integrity 


against external expansionist attempts.


 


Castro Smirnov, on his account on the social network X, expressed
"Love challenges long distances. In the Cuba-Ethiopia Friendship


 Park, flowers and a plaque for #FidelPorSiempre. We honour the 


163 fallen Cuban internationalists. Africa, a sister of dignity and 


resistance, gave us her embrace. To her, our eternal gratitude."


 


Later, at the Cuban diplomatic headquarters in this capital, the 


academic exchanged with Ethiopian graduates trained on the 


island (Ethiopian-Cubans) about the legacy of Fidel Castro 


and the importance he gave to science.... under the 


principle of "Doctors, not bombs".


 


He mentioned the development of vaccines in Cuba and innovative 


medicines such as Heberprot-P and HeberSaVax, thanks to that 


vision, as well as the training of over 32,000 doctors, from 122 


countries, at the Latin American School of Medicine.


 


Likewise, the creation of the scientific pole in Havana during 


the special period in the 90s, whose main objective was to 


promote the development of biotechnology, the medical-


pharmaceutical industry and advanced technologies 


to face health problems, with food, among others.


 


The Ethiopian Cubans, for their part, reiterated their gratitude for


 the professional education received, for the values that formed 


them as men and women, and their unwavering support for the 


Cuban Revolution.


 


 


________________________________


 



 


Hospital inaugurated in Luanda


 opens new services in Angola


Luanda, August 1st, 8:16am


 (Prensa Latina) 


 


The presidents of Angola, João Lourenço, and Tanzania, Samia 


Suluhu Hassan, today inaugurated the Julius Nyerere General 


Hospital for Burns, a centre that includes the first hyperbaric 


chambers in the country and opens other health services.


 


The facility, located in the central town of Kilamba, in the province 


of Luanda, is a third-level hospital unit with a capacity for 252 


beds, of which approximately 60 are intended for the


 Intensive Care Unit (ICU).


 


The heads of state toured the facilities after the ceremony, 


accompanied by the Minister of Health, Sílvia Lutucuta, 


and other guests.


 


The centre, which bears the name of the former president of 


Tanzania and one of the Pan-Africanists of the 20th century, 


is part of the former Neves Bendinha Hospital and has an 


approximate area of 48,000 square metres, within which 


are specialized surgical services, laboratories and 


diagnostic areas.


 


It also includes spaces........ for physiotherapy and rehabilitation, 


outpatient consultations, hospitalization services for adults &


children.. units dedicated to reconstructive & reconstructive 


surgery, plus long-term care for patients with severe burns.


 


The availability of the first hyperbaric chambers in Luanda


stands out in the infrastructure, & they are used in the 


treatment of serious burns, complex wounds and 


certain respiratory pathologies, and...... should 


contribute to...... providing better specialized 


care and reducing the need for trips abroad.


 


The main building of the facility has four floors and complementary 


structures for clinical, technical and administrative support; while 


one of the purposes of the hospital centre - is the training and 


specialization of health professionals in the areas of burn


 treatment, reconstructive surgery and intensive care.


 


 


___________________________________________________


 



 


Irregulars return to Morocco from 


Ceuta ...with a toll of 67 deaths


Madrid, August 1st, 7:04am


 (Prensa Latina) 


 


More than 50,000 people who entered Ceuta, Spain, irregularly last 


Thursday, are already back in Morocco, the Ministry of the Interior 


confirmed today.


 


The source also indicated that the death toll in the violent actions 


to cross the entrance gate to Ceuta cost the lives of 67 people, 


a partial balance that also applies to the return of immigrants 


to the Maghreb country.


 


The issue transcended international politics and more and more 


analysts in Spain are pointing to the United States and Israel, 


with the implementation by Morocco, to try to destabilise 


the Iberian country.


 


In fact, U.S. President Donald Trump mocked the case, indicating 


that if the Democrats assume power, in three years the northern 


giant will be just like Spain, "invaded by tens of thousands 


of immigrants."


 


The reaction of Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, was not 


long in coming..... he pointed to Pedro Sánchez's government for its 


support for "terrorists" in the Middle East, particularly in Palestine 


and Lebanon.


 


Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, like Denmark, called for the 


closure of the Schengen zone for Spain, in the face of which,


 Sánchez demanded respect and ethics.


 


The head of the Spanish executive also urgently asked the
EU Commission for a meeting of interior ministers, which 


would presumably take place next Monday in Brussels.


 


Sánchez condemned the migratory invasion in Ceuta from Morocco 


and in a public appearance considered the mass arrival of people 


irregularly, as an attack and "a violation of the territorial 


integrity of Spain (sic)".


 


For his part, the federal coordinator of the United Left (IU), Antonio 


Maíllo, lamented that the Moroccan regime "does not give a damn 


about the lives" of its own citizens and recalls that it is "a faithful 


ally of the United States and Israel".


 


"It should alert us to what are the intentions that transcend 


Morocco itself and that have a lot to do with the position 


that Spain has had in the different conflicts of recent 


months," Maíllo argued.


 


Spain was also forced to close the borders with Melilla, the 


adjoining autonomous city, where according to different 


versions, some 500 people arrived for the same 


migratory purposes. They have already been


re-opened after the mass return to Morocco.


 


The conservative People's Party (PP) and the far-right Vox, 


with allies from France's National Rally, lambasted 


Sánchez's government for "encouraging" illegal 


immigration to Spain.


 


Morocco repeated a similar action to that of 2021. Then, in 


the face of Spain's decision to provide clinical treatment 


in Logroño to Brahim Ghali, leader of the Polisario Front, 


Rabat opened its controls to allow 10,000 people to 


overflow the territorial boundaries with Ceuta.


 


As a backdrop now, according to experts, may be Sánchez's 


recent visit to Algeria, a country with which Morocco has 


a permanent rivalry.


 


According to the Spanish perspective, Ceuta and Melilla have 


been autonomous cities belonging to the Iberian country for 


more than 500 years. However, Rabat is claiming them for 


geostrategic, economic and nationalist reasons.


 


Morocco sees them as stolen colonial relics.


 


 


_____________________________________


 


 


 


China sends more medical experts 


to support the fight against Ebola


Beijing, August 1st, 12:34am 


(Prensa Latina) 


 


China today sent a third group of medical experts to the 


Democratic Republic of the Congo to support the 


prevention and control of Ebola, in continuity 


with the assistance provided by the two 


previous missions.


 


According to the National Health Commission, the team 


will ..follow up on the work carried out by the previous 


brigades to strengthen the response to the outbreak.


 


The mission is composed of specialists from the National 


Health Commission, the General Administration of 


Customs, the First Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang 


University School of Medicine, and the Chinese 


Centre for Disease Control and Prevention.


 


The experts cover areas such as epidemiology, sanitary 


quarantine, clinical care and laboratory diagnosis of 


pathogens, and have experience in dealing 


with epidemics.


 


An official of the National Health Commission said that the 


group will continue technical assistance in grassroots 


communities, share experiences in prevention and 


control, improve outbreak response procedures 


and contribute to strengthening local 


capacity to face the disease.


 


The source added that the specialists will work together with 


the Chinese medical mission in the Democratic Republic of 


Congo and strengthen cooperation with the country's 


health authorities and international organizations.


 


China has long maintained health cooperation programs with 


African countries and has sent technical assistance and 


medical equipment to respond to various public health 


emergencies, including the Ebola outbreaks in the 


Democratic Republic of Congo.


 


That nation -- has registered more than 3,500 cases of 


Ebola in a few months, according to the latest reports.


 


The focus of the epidemic is in Ituri, a province in the 


northeast bordering South Sudan and Uganda, which 


concentrates about 90 percent of cases, according 


to the World Health Organization (WHO).


 


 


_____________________________________________________


 


 


 


AU's Executive Council Regular 


Session Marks Ethiopia's Week


Addis Ababa, August 1st, 12:03am


 (Prensa Latina) 


 


The 49th Ordinary Session of the Executive Council of the African 


Union (AU), focused on water and sanitation, and the high-level 


meetings within the framework of the meeting marked the 


week that ends today in Ethiopia.


 


Under the theme: "Ensuring sustainable water availability, and safe 


sanitation systems to achieve the 2063 Agenda", the session took 


place on July 28 and 29 at the headquarters of the continental 


organization with the participation of the ministers of Foreign 


Affairs and senior government officials of the member states.


 


Discussions examined a wide range of strategic, institutional 


and policy issues aimed at promoting continental integration, 


strengthening AU institutions and accelerating the 


implementation of Agenda 2063.


 


In camera.. the Executive Board considered the report of the 52nd 


ordinary session of the Committee of Permanent Representatives 


.....and discussed issues related to the financial, budgetary and 


administrative management of the African Union, multilateral 


cooperation, economic and trade affairs, among others.


 


They considered the outcomes of the continental organization's 


Retreat on G20 Participations and the progress report on the 


implementation of the Roadmap for the Year 2026 Theme, 


"Ensuring Sustainable Water Availability and Safe 


Sanitation Systems to Achieve the Goals of 


Agenda 2063."


 


Also, the progress reports of the African Centres for Disease Control 


and Prevention (Africa CDC) and the African Medicines Agency.


 


Another issue discussed was the draft working documents and the 


declaration of the 8th Mid-Year Coordination Meeting between the 


African Union, the Regional Economic Communities and the 


Regional Mechanisms, scheduled for 4 October in El 


Alamein, Egypt.


 


In closing the session, the Chairpersons of the Executive Board, 


Édouard Nduwimana, and of the AU Commission, Mahmoud Ali 


Youssouf, congratulated Member States for their constructive 


engagement and the spirit of consensus that characterized 


the session.


 


They reaffirmed the commitment of this continental body 


to promote the Union's integration agenda and fulfil 


the aspirations of Agenda 2063.


 


They also acknowledged the diligent work of the Committee of 


Permanent Representatives, whose preparatory deliberations 


laid a solid foundation for the successful outcome of the 


Executive Board.


 


Nduwimana and Youssouf congratulated Burundi for its 


commitment to implement the 0.2 per cent tax, while 


commending Angola, Ethiopia and Kenya for joining 


the African Union's tier one contributors.


 


They described these decisions as significant milestones in 


advancing the AU Reform Agenda and strengthening the 


organization's financial sustainability and self-reliance.


 


The Executive Council --- reaffirmed the importance of 


strengthening the institutions of the African Union, 


improving coordination among member States 


and promoting collective action to address 


the continent's development priorities.


 


The discussions also underlined... the need to strengthen 


Africa's common positions on regional and global issues.


 


The 49th Ordinary Session of the Executive Board was also 


a space to renew the continent's call -- for fair, permanent 


representation on the United Nations Security Council.


 


Nduwimana said that Africa's progress on the international 


stage should be accompanied by reforms that guarantee 


a fair and permanent representation of the continent 


in global decision-making structures.


 


He highlighted Africa's membership in the G20 ----- as an historic 


milestone demonstrating the important role of its role in global 


economic governance, while emphasizing --------- the need to 


continue advocating for the reform of the United Nations 


Security Council.


 


 


_________________________________________________




President inaugurates social works

 in southern DRC provinces

Kinshasa, July 31st, 3:40pm

 (Prensa Latina) 

 

The president of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), 

Felix Tshisekedi, arrived today in Lubumbashi, capital of 

the province of Haut-Katanga, as part of his tour of the 

Greater Katanga region in the south of the country.

 

The president will inaugurate the new Palace of Justice there, in a 

ceremony scheduled for tomorrow, and which completes a tour 

where the head of state has participated in the 

implementation of several social works.

 

This was the case in the province of Haut-Lomami, where this Friday

 it witnessed the entry into operation of a drinking water treatment 

and collection plant in Kamina, in addition to launching several 

infrastructure projects in the agro-industrial hub of 

Kaniama-Kasese.

 

At this site, Tshisekedi assessed the impact of the investments 

made for national food self-sufficiency, in particular through 

maize storage facilities, livestock units & the construction 

of future industrial silos with a capacity of 30,000 tonnes.

 

The day before, the president inaugurated the Maman Denise 

Nyakeru Hospital Centre, which - after being abandoned -

became an institution of medical care, training... and 

development, the Congolese Presidency in X said.

 

The health infrastructure, equipped with modern technology, offers 

consultation, emergency, resuscitation, surgery, gynecology.. and 

obstetrics, internal medicine, pediatrics and laboratory services, 

as well as a technical diagnostic imaging platform that includes 

ultrasound, X-rays and computed tomography.

 

 

_________________________________________________



Angola & Tanzania discuss 

bilateral cooperation

Luanda, July 31st, 2:17pm

 (Prensa Latina) 

 

Angolan President João Lourenço today received his Tanzanian 

counterpart, Samia Hassan Suluhu, with whom he discussed 

bilateral cooperation and the prospects for enlargement 

in various areas, as well as issues of regional interest.

 

The Tanzanian head of state arrived in Luanda on Friday afternoon 

for a 48-hour working visit, which includes her presence at the 

inauguration, tomorrow, Saturday, of the Burn Hospital...... 

named after former Tanzanian President Julius Nyerere.

 

The day before, delegations from both countries held the third 

session of the Permanent Cooperation Commission, whose 

ministerial session --- was co-chaired by Angolan Foreign 

Minister Téte António and Tanzanian Foreign Minister 

Mahmoud Thabit Kombo.

 

At the meeting, Angola advocated a realistic and ambitious analysis 

of the progress made in sectors such as defense, health, oil and 

gas, trade and investment, while recognizing the existence of 

pending issues that require joint attention, the Foreign 

Ministry said.

 

Both sides expressed confidence that dialogue and goodwill will 

continue to overcome challenges, as well as reaffirm their 

friendship and agreement on key regional, continental 

and global issues.

 

Delegations welcomed the signing of a Memorandum 

of Understanding on Security and Public Order, an 

instrument that strengthens the legal framework 

for cooperation between the two countries in

 this area.

 

They also agreed to expand cooperation to various strategic 

sectors, including political and diplomatic consultations, 

defense, justice, economic development, finance, 

agriculture, mineral resources, oil and gas, 

infrastructure and transportation, 

telecommunications and 

information technology, 

and tourism, etc.

 

Of particular interest to both nations is the strengthening of 

the rail link between the Lobito Corridor and the Tazara 

Railway, as well as the holding of an Angola-Tanzania 

Business Forum.

 

 

___________________________________________________



 38 thousand people return 

to Morocco ....from Ceuta

Madrid, July 31st, 11:45am 

(Prensa Latina) 

 

Sources from the Spanish Ministry of the Interior said today that 

almost 38,000 people were returned to Morocco, of the 50,000 

who entered Ceuta irregularly yesterday.

 

The Spanish autonomous city remains closed in the labour and 

commercial sectors, while thousands of irregular Moroccan 

immigrants still roam the streets of the city of 

83,000 inhabitants.

 

Although the situation led to alarm from Denmark, which asked 

to provisionally close the Schengen area with Spain, the EU 

Commission ruled out the measure and the Iberian 

country received support from other nations 

such as Germany and the UK.

 

The criticism came from the right, the most incisive of US 

President Donald Trump, who said that in three years his 

country will be like Ceuta if the Democrats win 

the elections.

 

Spain closed the borders with Melilla, the adjoining autonomous 

city, where according to different versions, some 500 people 

arrived for the same migratory purposes.

 

The President of the Government, Pedro Sánchez, condemned 

the migratory invasion in Ceuta from Morocco and in a public 

appearance considered the massive arrival of people 

irregularly, as an attack and "a violation of the 

territorial integrity of Spain".

 

He also stated --- that the Executive uses all the resources
and resources of the State to guarantee the security of
the people 
of Ceuta and coexistence in the city.

 

He said that what happened marks a self-serving reading by the 

mafias of the Supreme Court ruling ------- and that the traffic in 

human beings was prevented by the hot return of people 

who arrived by swimming.

 

For his part, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, José Manuel Albares, is 

in "permanent contact" with his Moroccan counterpart, Nasser 

Bourita, to strengthen "the coordination of the return" of all 

the people who are already returning to Morocco.

 

The conservative People's Party (PP) and the far-right Vox, with 

allies from France's National Rally, lambasted Sánchez's 

government for "encouraging" illegal immigration 

to Spain.

 

They referred to the process of regularization of migrants (more 

than one million of the 500 thousand promised), which, 

however, according to the Executive, has nothing to 

do with what happened in Ceuta.

 

Different observers point to a move of diplomatic pressure by 

Morocco, based on three scenarios that would counter the 

Rabat regime.

 

With a preliminary toll of 43 deaths in the attempt to access Ceuta 

from Morocco, the situation forced the Spanish government to 

deploy army troops in the face of the avalanche of people.

 

In a way.... Morocco repeats a similar action from 2021. Then, in the 

face of Spain's decision to provide clinical treatment in Logrono, to 

Brahim Ghali, leader of the Polisario Front and the Sahrawi people

----- Rabat opened its controls to allow 10,000 people to overflow 

the territorial limits with Ceuta.

 

As a backdrop now, according to experts, may be Sánchez's 

recent visit to Algeria, a country with which Morocco has a 

permanent rivalry.

 

According to the Spanish perspective, Ceuta and Melilla have been 

autonomous cities belonging to the Iberian country for more than 

500 years. However, Rabat is claiming them for geostrategic, 

economic and nationalist reasons.

 

The Moroccan state considers them to be 

"occupied prisons" .....or colonial relics.

 

 

__________________________________________


 

 

Egypt investigates origin of 

attack on gas facilities

Cairo, July 31st, 9:43am

(Prensa Latina) 

 

Egyptian experts ..are investigating the origin of the drone 

that caused the fire of a tank and a reserve ship of liquid 

petroleum gas last Wednesday, in the northern port of 

Damietta. The announcement was made by Egyptian 

President Abdel Fattah El Sisi, to Spanish Prime 

Minister Pedro Sánchez, who telephoned him 

to express his solidarity, according to the 

note issued by the spokesman of the 

first magistracy in this capital.

 

The attack, which has not been claimed, only caused material 

losses, according to the details provided by official sources.

 

However, official Iranian media and the Yemeni 

armed movement Ansar Allah ---- denied any 

involvement in the event.

 

The incident reflects the growing dangers of regional escalation, 

the Egyptian leader told his interlocutor after urging "to 

develop coordinated international efforts to prevent 

the conflict from spreading".

 

He also informed Sánchez -------- that the Egyptian authorities are 

continuing their investigations to determine the circumstances 

surrounding the attack while emphasizing "the seriousness 

of the current situation of regional escalation and the 

need ....for Egypt, Spain, Europe and most of the 

international community to work together, 

to contain tensions."

 

 

____________________________________________________

 

 

 

Iran highlights ties with Egypt and 

warns of ---- Israeli conspiracies

Tehran, July 31st, 7:14am

 (Prensa Latina) 

 

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi today described Egypt as an 

important friend and partner of his country and called for vigilance 

against alleged Israeli conspiracies and false flag operations.

 

In a post on the US social network X, the head of Iranian diplomacy 

said that Egypt's security is of fundamental importance to Tehran.

 

"Egypt is an important friend and partner in the region, and its 

security is of utmost importance to us," Araqchi said.

 

The foreign minister added that countries in the area must remain 

vigilant against "Israeli conspiracies and false flag operations 

that seek to undermine regional peace."

 

The remarks were the first official Iranian reaction to unconfirmed 

allegations that sought to link Tehran to the attack on two ships 

in the Egyptian port of Damietta, located in the Nile Delta and 

about 200 kilometres north of Cairo.

 

The Iranian mission in the Egyptian capital reproduced Araqchi's 

message on its Facebook page and released two statements in 

which it rejected any involvement of the Islamic Republic in 

the incident.

 

An official source at the Iranian Ministry of Foreign Affairs denied 

reports published by some media ...about an alleged attack on a 

floating natural gas storage and regasification unit in Damietta.

 

"Iran did not carry out this operation at all, nor does it intend to 

do so," the source stressed, stressing the strength of relations 

between the two countries, based, he said, on mutual respect 

and shared interests.

 

For his part, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Ismail Baghaei 

said that the drone attack on facilities in Egypt has nothing to 

do with Iran - and blamed the United States for the increase 

in regional insecurity.

 

The Egyptian government said on Thursday that two ships were 

set on fire in the port of Damietta as a result of a drone attack, 

although it did not identify those responsible.

 

Egypt's Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly said the authorities had 

recovered remains of the aircraft used in the action and that 

they remain under analysis by security agencies.

 

A day earlier, the Egyptian Ministry of Oil had reported the 

occurrence of fires on two gas tankers, without 

specifying the causes at the time.

 

International media later quoted the British maritime security 

company Ambrey, according to which a floating liquefied 

natural gas storage facility, owned and operated by the 

United States and flagged by the Marshall Islands, 

had been attacked by drones in Damietta.

 

Asked about the incident and possible Iranian involvement, 

US President Donald Trump said he had been informed 

and threatened to respond forcefully against Tehran.

 

Egypt and Iran broke off diplomatic relations in 1979, following

 the signing of the peace treaty between Cairo and Israel and 

the decision of then-Egyptian President, Anwar Sadat, to 

grant asylum to the deposed Shah....... Mohammad 

Reza Pahlavi.

 

The links were re-established 11 years later, although only 

at the level of chargés d'affaires and without an 

exchange of ambassadors.

 

 

______________________________________________________




More than a hundred people... 

cross from Morocco to Ceuta

Morocco, July 30th, 1:49pm

 (Prensa Latina) 

 

Hundreds of Moroccans crossed into Spanish territory of Ceuta 

through the beach and breakwater of El Tarajal, and with this 

arrival the number of migrants rises today to about 2,000.

 

Videos show crowds of people walking along the breakwater and 

swimming along the beach, while a large group of people wait 

for them on the other side of the border.

 

Forces of the Spanish Civil Guard and the Moroccan Gendarmerie 

are deployed on both sides of the border area to stop the flow of 

entries, although sources in the city say that they are unable to 

contain it.

 

After the start of the current migration crisis, the governments 

of Spain and Morocco agreed to implement measures for the 

delivery of migrants who entered Ceuta irregularly in 

recent days, and especially this Thursday.

 

Morocco blamed criminal organisations for the massive entry of 

migrants at the border with Ceuta and the authorities stressed 

that collaboration with Spain on migration is exemplary.

 

For their part, Ceuta asked the government in Madrid to declare a 

national emergency and requested the intervention of the army.

 

 

__________________________________________________________________

 

 

 

African Development Entity 

to Open Office in Sudan

Khartoum, July 30th, 11:57am

 (Prensa Latina) 

 

The Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) of Africa 

will open a headquarters in this capital soon, it was learned here 

today from official sources.

 

The opening of an IGAD representation in Khartoum -- would give 

institutional recognition by that entity to the so-called Sovereign 

Transitional Council, led by General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, 

political observers highlighted here on Thursday.

 

The institution's executive secretary, Workneh Gebeyehu, visited 

Sudan during the day --------- with the stated aim of addressing the 

prospects for peace - amid the advances of the Sudanese army 

on several fronts, & starting a process of sustainable recovery.

 

During his stay in Khartoum, Gebeyehu was received by 

the Sudanese Prime Minister, Kamel Idris, to whom he 

expressed IGAD's commitment to maintain constant 

collaboration with the Government of Sudan.

 

IGAD is part - together with the United Nations and other 

regional organizations - of a mechanism established to 

reach a final solution to the war in Sudan.

 

Since mid-April 2023, Sudan has been suffering from a war, after 

power disputes between the head of the army, Abdel Fattah al-

Burhan, and the leader of the ''paramilitary;; Rapid Support 

Forces, Mohamed Hamdan Daglo ---- have been fuelled by

the secret services of Abu Dhabi, London & Washington.

 

The fighting has been destroying countless livelihoods 

plungingthe country into a complex spiral of hunger 

and death, but now the army is gaining control....

 

 

____________________________________________________

 

 

Houthis - deny attack on ship 

in Egyptian port of Damietta

Sana'a, July 30th, 11:41am

 (Prensa Latina)

 

 Yemen's Houthi movement today denied any involvement in 

the attack on a ship in the Egyptian port of Damietta and 

assured that navigation in the Red Sea remains safe.

 

A source in the Houthi-controlled Foreign Ministry, quoted by the 

Saba agency linked to the group, described as false, reports of 

an alleged attack launched from Yemen on a boat on 

Egyptian territory.

 

The source, whose identity was not revealed, said that the 

movement's position is directed against Saudi Arabia, 

which is maintaining a blockade and aggression 

against the Yemeni people.

 

He also maintained that there are no reasons for concern 

about the safety of navigation in the Red Sea.

 

 

________________________________________________

 

 

Angola: Some services restored in 

15 provinces ..after cyberattack

Luanda, July 30th, 8:41am

 (Prensa Latina) 

 

Angola's largest telecommunications company, Unitel, reported 

today the partial restoration of services in 15 of the country's 

21 provinces, after the cyberattack suffered on July 28 in 

the early morning.

 

According to a statement released on Thursday, "the incident is 

under control and Unitel has mobilized all available human and 

technical resources to fully restore services.... asap."

 

The note specified that the resumption began gradually from 11:45 

a.m. yesterday, and on the morning of July 30, voice, data (except 

SMS) and mobile internet services, had been partially restored in 

Luanda, Bengo, Benguela, Bié, Cuando, Cubango, Cuanza-Norte, 

Cuanza-Sul, Cunene, Huambo, Huíla, Icolo e Bengo, Malanje, 

Luanda-Norte and Namibe.

 

Throughout the day.... partial restoration is 

expected in the other provinces, he added.

 

Unitel said that the timing of the incident, with 

the eve of the start of the company's shares 

being sold in the market ------ is striking.

 

In this regard, he indicated that "he does not rule out, among the 

hypotheses that are being evaluated, the possibility.. that it is a 

deliberate and directed attack, with the possible intention --- of 

interrupting the process of admission to trading of the shares."

 

He insisted, that the company had never faced an incident of this 

nature and magnitude, as it has solid cybersecurity systems and 

infrastructure aligned with the best international practices in 

the sector.

 

He explained that in this area they have a security operations 

centre, business continuity and disaster recovery plans, and 

continuous threat monitoring.

 

The cyberattack was identified on July 28, 2026 at 02:20 a.m. and 

affected voice, data and mobile internet services throughout the 

national territory, including private customers and companies.

 

Fixed telecommunications services through fibre optic and 

microwave networks, which guarantee communication 

between various public institutions and companies, 

were not affected and remain operational.

 

The technical and cybersecurity teams immediately activated the 

internal response and containment protocols, which were joined 

by international partners and other foreign experts summoned, 

according to the president of Unitel's board of directors.

 

Despite what happened, yesterday the official launch of the 

company's listing on the stock exchange..... took place.

 

 

________________________________________________

 


 

 Egypt --- expresses solidarity with 

Algeria in the face of forest fires

Cairo, July 30th, 8:40am

 (Prensa Latina) 

 

Egypt's full solidarity with Algeria in the face of the devastating 

forest fires ravaging that country was expressed by President 

Abdel Fattah El Sisi, official media announced today.

 

The Egyptian leader telephoned his Algerian counterpart, 

Abdelmadjid Tebboune, the day before and conveyed his 

readiness to "provide any necessary assistance during 

these difficult times, offered his sincere condolences 

to the families of the victims of the accidents and 

wished a speedy recovery to the injured," the 

presidential statement said. 

 

Tabboune thanked him for the call and expressed appreciation for 

Egypt's solidarity with the leadership and people of his country, 

according to the review.

 

Both leaders reviewed the efforts of the Algerian authorities 

to deal with the consequences of the fires and protect 

lives and property, the note said.

 

In broader terms, El Sisi highlighted the deep historical ties 

between Egypt and Algeria and "welcomed the growing 

momentum in bilateral relations (and) stressed the 

importance of building on that foundation with 

the implementation of the understanding and 

agreements reached by the two sides, in 

particular the outcomes of the Joint 

High Committee held in Cairo in 

November 2025".

 

 

__________________________________________________

 

 

 

President of Djibouti - recognized 

the work of Cuba's collaborators

Djibouti, July 30th, 7:45am

 (Prensa Latina) 

 

The President of Djibouti, Ismail Omar Guelleh, today valued the 

good state of political relations and cooperation with Cuba, 

and recognized the excellent work carried out by Cuban

collaborators in the country, mainly in health.

 

This was expressed by Guelleh during a farewell meeting with the 

Cuban ambassador here, Marcelo Caballero Torres, to whom he 

wished a happy return to the island and success in his future 

missions, according to Prensa Latina.

 

During the dialogue, the Djiboutian president was interested in the 

current situation in Havana and, in this regard, expressed his full 

solidarity with the people and the authorities who stoically face 

what he described as a greater injustice, only for ---- being an 

example for the countries of the region and the world.

 

He highly valued Cuba's firmness and heroism, in enduring with 

dignity pressures and sanctions imposed by the United States 

Government, and intensified - by the administration of Trump.

 

On July 21, Prime Minister Abdoulkader Kamil Mohamed and 

the Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation 

Abdoulkader Houssein Omar, received the Cuban diplomat 

for the end of his mission in the African country.

 

During the dialogue with Mohamed, a positive assessment was 

made of bilateral cooperation, characterized by strong 

collaboration in the fields of health, agriculture, 

sports and education.

 

Both parties discussed future ties that include the upcoming 

signing of a collaboration agreement between the postal 

services of Djibouti and Cuba, as well as the 

development of an agreement between 

the Ministries of Justice.

 

The Djiboutian head of government then praised Caballero Torres' 

personal commitment to the development of bilateral relations, 

while wishing him much success in future missions.

 

On the other hand, in the meeting with Houssein Omar, the work 

carried out by Caballero Torres in the last five years as head of 

the diplomatic mission of Havana in Djibouti was addressed.

 

The progress of bilateral ties was described by both as effective 

and successful, noting that there is potential to further 

strengthen diplomatic interaction and cooperation

 in all possible areas.

 

The Djiboutian foreign minister asked to convey to the Cuban 

authorities his full solidarity and understanding of the real 

causes of the current difficult situation that the Cuban 

people are going through due to the intensification of 

the economic, commercial and financial blockade 

imposed by the United States Government.

 

 

_______________________________________





15 elephants die of unknown 


causes...... in Kenyan park


Nairobi, July 29th, 11:49am 


(Prensa Latina) 


 


Kenyan authorities have launched an investigation into the


 death of 15 elephants belonging to a national park in 


that country, it was learned here today.


 


According to the Kenya Wildlife Service, the pachyderms died


 in the one-month period between June 24 and July 24 in 


Amboseli National Park, Kimana Sanctuary, and the 


Kuku Ranch area.


 


Several of the affected animals had similar clinical signs, 


such as partial paralysis that left them unable to feed 


before they died.


 


Preliminary results of the investigations detected a 


toxic substance in several of the mortal remains.


 


Experts on the subject recall this Wednesday that the Amboseli 


National Park is famous for its herds of elephants and its 


savannah landscapes, toured by tourists and also by 


specialists interested in African flora and fauna. 


 


 


 


______________________________________


 


 


 


Five Kenyan officers killed 


by roadside bomb


Nairobi, July 29th, 11:12am


(Prensa Latina) 


 


Five Kenyan security officers were killed - when their vehicle 


collided with a roadside bomb near the border with Somalia, 


military sources reported here today.


 


The deceased servicemen included four members of Kenya's 


elite Special Operations Group as well as a police officer, 


who were on a routine patrol the day before, in 


Mandera county.


 


Kenyan authorities added that after the explosion there was a 


''shootout'' between the attackers and the rest of the convoy 


but the armed group managed to escape towards the 


Somali border.


 


Although no group claimed responsibility for the attack, the 


Kenyan military believes... they were alleged members 


of Al-Shabab, an Islamist movement that operates 


in Somalia, where it fought the West - and was


subjected to a criminal UN operated food 


seige - that killed thousands.


 


Western-backed troops mainly operated from the capital


and were often attacked even there. The West pretends


their ''intervention'' was a ''civil war'' but brought only


poverty to young Somalis, who left their homeland...


in droves. Al Shabab still fights on and will never


give up - Islam is their civilisation - and was


only disrupted by Italy's colonisation and


the EU's later attempts to stop Islam...


to steal their wealth in the name of... 


what? A so-called democracy that


wages wars of extermination no


matter who is in government?


 


Kenyan officials recently said that special troops 


killed 11 suspected fighters belonging to this 


al-Shabab group.


 


According to a police report, the operation was also carried out


in Mandera County, located on the common border, against a 


group allegedly planning an attack in northern Kenya.


 


Al Shabab is an Islamist movement that aims to establish 


a revolutionary Islamic state in Somalia. Its name


means 'Youth'.


 


The group operates mainly in the rural areas of central and 


southern Somalia.... where it has mass popular support


but also carries out daring operations in the capital, 


Mogadishu -- and uses Kenya's border to evade 


being attacked.


 


 


 


______________________________________





Algerian president --- slams regional 'micro-state'


 over its destabilizing activities: in an apparent 


reference to ---- the UAE


July 29th, 8:58am


 (PressTV)


 


Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune has sharply criticized 


an unnamed regional "micro-state," widely understood to be 


the United Arab Emirates (UAE), over its destabilizing role 


across the Arab world and in West Africa’s Sahel region, 


warning that Algeria will firmly defend its sovereignty. 


 


Speaking in a televised interview on Wednesday, Tebboune said 


the state's activities had fueled instability across the region, 


describing its involvement as a recurring source of 


conflict and violence.


 


"Wherever they set foot, blood flows," the Algerian president said, 


adding that Algeria possesses evidence to support its claims 


and is not making unfounded accusations.


 


"This is serious, and we have proof. We are not speaking in a void," 


he said, adding that the matter could be referred to the United 


Nations or another international body ---- for examination.


 


Although Tebboune did not explicitly name the UAE, his references 


to Abu Dhabi left little doubt about the country he was addressing.


 


The Algerian leader went on to say that his government had 


exercised restraint by maintaining diplomatic relations 


despite repeated interference in regional affairs.


 


"There is much division in the Arab world, and we do not want to 


worsen the situation," he said. "Otherwise, we would have 


broken off relations with this micro-state long ago, from 


which only humiliation and discord emanate."  


 


Israeli-Emirati power play across the 


Horn of Africa and Jeffrey Epstein's 


covert role


 


The so-called “Greater Israel” envisions expansive Zionist control 


from the Nile to Euphrates, with UAE-Zionist collaboration 


extending influence through military bases and 


resource exploitation across Africa 


and West Asia.


 


Tebboune further contrasted Algeria's ties with the unnamed state 


with the country's close relations with Saudi Arabia, Qatar, 


Kuwait and Egypt, saying Algeria enjoys strong political 


and strategic cooperation, with those countries.


 


The president also issued a strong warning regarding Tunisia, 


declaring that any attack or effort to destabilize the 


neighbouring country ---- would be viewed as 


an attack on Algeria itself.


 


"An attack on Tunisia is an attack on us," Tebboune said, 


noting that certain actors are seeking to undermine 


Tunisia ---- because of its close relationship...


 with Algeria.


 


Using a colloquial Algerian expression, he warned that 


anyone attempting to bring terrorism to Tunisia 


would face a decisive response.


 


"Whoever brings terrorism to Tunisia or near Tunisia,


 we will leave him ....in his parents' tent," he said.


 


The remarks come amid rising tensions between Algeria and 


the UAE. According to Algerian media reports, Algiers has 


begun procedures to revoke the bilateral air services 


agreement signed in 2013, a move... that could 


eventually suspend direct flights between 


the two countries. 


 


Reports have also suggested that Algeria's authorities are 


considering severing diplomatic relations with the UAE, 


although no official decision has been announced.


 


Tebboune's comments, follow a series of earlier statements 


in which he said Abu Dhabi had played a destabilizing role


 in the conflicts in Mali, Libya and Sudan.


 


Concluding the interview, the Algerian president reaffirmed 


that Algeria remains committed to regional peace and 


stability, stressing that his country's policies are 


defensive, rather than confrontational.


 


Invoking an Arab proverb, Tebboune said, "When the danger grows, 


the door through which the wind enters, we close it," describing 


the approach as a reflection of Algeria's determination to 


safeguard its sovereignty and national interests ----


against external interference.


 


 


__________________________________







Ethiopian airline's fiscal year revenue


--------- marks growth milestone


Addis Ababa, July 29th, 8:47am


(Prensa Latina) 


 


The Ethiopian Airlines Group, Ethiopia's flag carrier and leader


 in Africa, today announced revenues of 9,100 million dollars 


during the 2025-2026 fiscal year, marking a significant 


milestone in the company's continued growth.


 


During the reporting period, it carried a total of 20.7 million 


passengers, an increase of 8% compared to the previous 


fiscal year.


 


Ethiopian Airlines Group CEO Mesfin Tasew ...reported at a press 


conference that the airline also recorded a 10% increase in 


passenger kms compared to 2024-2025.... achieving 99%


of its planned target, while cargo capacity grew by 8%.


 


Tasew revealed the transportation of 897,000 tons of cargo, 


marking an increase of 16% compared to the previous year 


and reflecting the continued growth of that business.


 


To expand its network, the airline launched services to four new 


international destinations, bringing the total number to 150, and 


also serves domestic routes, he continued, unnecessarily.


 


In addition, it reinforced its fleet with nine new aircraft 


and purchased 8 pilot training aircraft to improve 


aviation capability.


 


Tasew acknowledged that the company's financial performance 


was affected by flight cancellations caused by conflicts in the 


Gulf region, the suspension of services to some destinations 


due to U.S. travel restrictions and..... the cessation of 


operations to the Democratic Republic of Congo.


 


Despite these challenges, he said, the airline maintained 


its strong operating performance.... throughout the year.


 


Ethiopian Airlines continued with the expansion of its facilities 


at Bole International Airport in this capital, including the 


domestic and cargo terminal, the VIP passenger 


lounges, and the data centre.


 


Tasew said that the construction of the new Bishoftu airport 


is progressing as planned and is expected to be completed 


in January next year. He added..... that the relocation of 


residents affected by the project has already ended.


 


He announced that the construction of new domestic airports 


continues and they also plan to finish them in 2027, further 


strengthening Ethiopia's aviation infrastructure.


 


 


________________________________________


 


 


 


DRC announces -------- signing of 


disarmament protocol by FDLR


Kinshasa, July 29th, 7:17am 


(Prensa Latina) 


 


The government of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) 


announced the signing of a disarmament, demobilization 


and quartering protocol by the Democratic Forces for 


the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR), the local press 


reported today.


 


The demobilisation of the armed group is an essential part of the 


peace agreements, in particular the one signed with Rwanda 


under the mediation of the United States, so this signature 


is considered a significant step towards fulfilling the 


commitments made by the Congolese side.


 


The Minister of Regional Integration, Floribert Anzuluni, who has 


visited several countries in recent days as a special envoy of 


the president, Félix Tshisekedi, announced details of the 


protocol at a press conference held the day before.


 


He noted that the agreement is a first phase of a process of 


demilitarization, demobilization and quartering, but this is 


subject to conditions requested by FDLR, such as the 


provision of sufficiently secure camps to house


 demobilized combatants.


 


The leaders of the armed group stressed the need to have these 


sites in viable conditions to avoid the difficulties encountered 


during previous disarmament attempts.


 


They also insisted on the voluntary nature of 


the return of their members to Rwanda.


 


According to Anzuluni, the FDLR has committed, in a 


second phase, to definitively dissolve its movement.


 


The special envoy of the President of the DRC has made a tour of 


countries in Europe and Africa in recent days, during which... he 


conveyed messages from the Congolese leader, to the various 


partners of the DRC on the situation in eastern Congo and 


the signing of the protocol.


 


Taking into account... that the neutralization of the FDLR was a 


condition for the departure of Rwandan forces from Congolese 


territory, after the step represented by the signing of an 


agreement by the armed group, Kinshasa is seeking 


support from the international community 


to put pressure on Kigali.


 


The signing of the protocol and its implementation would deprive 


Rwanda of the various pretexts used... to justify its aggression 


and its presence on Congolese territory, the minister himself 


said at the press conference.


 


"We believe, and I insist, that this matter is being manipulated,"


he said, quoted by Actualité.CD, adding that, despite this 


consideration, the government is committed to 


taking all necessary measures ---- to 


neutralize the FDLR.


 


 


_________________________________________


 


 


 


Ethiopian Prime Minister Receives 


Azerbaijani Parliamentary Leader


Addis Ababa, July 29th, 5:57am


 (Prensa Latina) 


 


Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed today received the president 


of the Milli Majlis of Azerbaijan (parliament), Sahiba Gafarova, 


who is on an official visit to strengthen bilateral relations 


and cooperation.


 


"We held productive talks on strengthening our bilateral relations, 


building on a shared commitment to a deeper strategic 


partnership and mutual growth," Ahmed wrote on 


his X social network account.


 


Earlier, Gafarova and her accompanying delegation met with the 


Speaker of the Ethiopian House of People's Representatives 


(parliament), Tagesse Chafo, in which they reaffirmed their 


commitment to continue strengthening cooperation in 


various sectors.


 


Chafo noted that the official visit of the Azerbaijani parliamentary 


leader, which began the day before, would contribute to further 


consolidating the historical and diplomatic relations between 


the two countries.


 


He highlighted Addis Ababa's continued efforts to modernize work 


systems, improve service delivery and create a more investment-


friendly environment .......through policies designed to support 


investors with foreign capital.


 


He stressed that the African nation has significant investment 


potential in sectors such as agriculture, mining and 


manufacturing, and highlighted the successful 


holding of the Seventh General Elections on 


June 1, as well as the efforts to resolve 


differences..... through the ongoing 


National Dialogue Conference.


 


Gafarova, for her part, noted that visits by senior Ethiopian 


officials to Baku, made on different occasions, played an 


important role in strengthening bilateral relations.


 


He expressed his country's interest in further strengthening 


cooperation with Ethiopia in areas such as education, 


capacity building and agriculture.


 


He also stressed the importance of strengthening ties 


between peoples, believing that closer relations 


would further consolidate their friendship 


and bilateral cooperation.


 


 


 


___________________________________________





Egypt - formalizes integration 

through Gulf crisis mediation

Cairo, July 28th, 12:45pm

 (Prensa Latina) 

 

Egypt announced today that it is participating in an integrated 

mediation quartet to quell the crisis in the Persian Gulf.

 

Qatar, Pakistan and Egypt are taking part in Oman-led mediation 

to revive U.S.-Iranian diplomacy after President Donald Trump 

announced Monday that he is suspending planned attacks 

on Iran, adding that "military action remains an option if 

negotiations fail."

 

Informal reports assured that the eventual negotiations would be 

focused on the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz to maritime 

transit and reviving a comprehensive nuclear agreement.

 

Strictly speaking, such a pact was negotiated by Tehran and the five 

permanent members of the UN Security Council: the United States, 

Russia, China, the UK, France, plus Germany, which is not a 

member of the body, but was destroyed by Trump himself 

as soon as he assumed the presidency in his first term 

(2017-2021).

 

The good intentions of the pacifist quartet, however, hangs the 

shadow of the outcome of the meeting scheduled for today 

between the US prime minister and Israeli Prime Minister 

Benjamin Netanyahu in Washington.

 

The Israeli chief of staff, is a staunch supporter of the continuation 

of Washington's war against Iran and is not satisfied with anything 

less than the destruction of the Islamic Republic ------- at any cost.

 

The paradox of this situation is that Israel possesses between 80 

and 200 atomic bombs built with the complicit acquiescence of 

the US and the cooperation of France, which supplied the 

uranium, and apartheid South Africa, which allowed it to 

be tested on its territory in exchange for Tel Aviv's 

promise to share its resources and create a 

nuclear device to threaten the other 

states of the continent.

 

As soon as he became president of South Africa after elections 

that for the first time allowed the vote of the black majority, 

President Nelson Mandela renounced the use of 

atomic energy.

 

 

_______________________________________________________

 

 

 

Angola: Cyberattack on 

telecommunications 

company affected 

services

Luanda, July 28th, 12:40pm

 (Prensa Latina) 

 

Angola's telecommunications company Unitel today registered 

a cyberattack against its technological infrastructure, which 

affected voice, mobile data and internet access services 

throughout the national territory.

 

According to a statement from the entity, the event occurred.... from 

02:20, local time, which led to the rapid activation of response and

 containment mechanisms, plus the mobilization of technical and 

cybersecurity teams.

 

According to the note, work was still being done to mitigate the 

effects of the incident and ensure the complete restoration of 

services, as a part of them remained... affected.

 

"All necessary actions are being carried out to fully stabilize and 

normalize the network," the company stated, adding -- that they 

continue to monitor the situation with the highest priority and 

will provide all relevant information on the evolution through 

official channels.

 

"We regret any inconvenience caused and thank our customers 

for their understanding and trust," the statement added.

 

Unitel, which was the subject of an Initial Public Offering (IPO) - of 

15% of its total value, currently has about 20.8 million customers, 

according to data from the company itself, one of the largest 

and most valuable in the country.

 

In the face of the current incident, concern has been raised about 

how it could affect its value in the market, but according to a 

statement from the Angolan Debt and Securities Exchange 

(Bodiva), referenced by Novo Jornal, the schedule for the 

company's IPO remains unchanged.

 

"Tomorrow (July 29), at 9:00 a.m., the admission session to trading 

on the Unitel Stock Exchange will take place. The event will be 

broadcast on Bodiva's YouTube channel," the institution said.

 

 

_______________________________________________________

 

 

 

Opposition welcomes report of

 DRC human rights commission

Kinshasa, July 28th, 12:12pm

 (Prensa Latina) 

 

The Article 64 Coalition for the Defense of the Constitutional Order 

(C64) today celebrated the report of the National Human Rights 

Commission on the repression of the June 12 sit-in in the 

Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).

 

Through a statement signed by Martin Fayulu, Jean-Marc Kabund, 

Augustin Matata, Delly Sesanga and Moïse Katumbi, leaders of 

that group, they expressed their agreement --- with the 

recognition --- of what they consider serious human 

rights violations committed in the mobilization 

against the referendum law and the 

constitutional amendment.

 

They mentioned the occurrence of arbitrary arrests and detentions, 

attacks on physical integrity, cruel, inhuman and degrading 

treatment, extortion and looting, which in the report are 

attributed to members of the Congolese National 

Police and individuals presented as members 

of the Force of Progress.

 

The C64 coalition considered this recognition ......as an "important 

step", but still insufficient to meet "the demands for truth, justice, 

reparation and non-repetition, to which the victims are entitled".

 

 

_________________________________________________________

 

 

Sudanese paramilitaries acknowledge 

Govt advances in North Kordofan

Khartoum, July 28th, 11:48am

 (Prensa Latina) 

 

The Sudanese paramilitary leadership today recognized the 

advances of the Army in North Kordofan and called for 

an urgent change of military strategy.

 

According to the Sudan Tribune newspaper, the head of the 

so-called Rapid Support Forces (RSF), Mohamed Hamdan 

Dagalo, said there would be no rest and called for 

changes in the combat tactics of his troops in 

the face of what he described as a matter 

of life and death.

 

The Sudanese army took important towns in the state of North 

Kordofan this weekend, including a strategic road linking its 

capital, El Obeid, with the country's main city, Khartoum, 

political observers said on Tuesday.

 

Since mid-April 2023, this African nation has been mired in an 

internal war, after power disputes between army chief Abdel 

Fattah al-Burhan and the leader of the paramilitary RSF, 

Mohamed Hamdan Daglo, have been fuelled by outside

forces, and subsequently funded and armed by a UAE

regime, the Ukraine regime and the secret services

of Israel and US/UK.

 

The conflict keeps more than 11 million Sudanese out 

of their homes, in what experts consider the world's 

largest displacement crisis.

 

The fighting also destroyed countless livelihoods, 

plunging the country into a complex spiral of 

hunger and death.

 

All this, after Egypt had Sudan torn from its

territory and S. Sudan was set up as a

separate ''Christian'' ethnic regime -

to take control of Sudan's oil. 

 

 

_______________________________________________

 

 

 

Chad confirms withdrawal from 

International Criminal Court

N'Djamena, July 28th, 11:17am

 (Prensa Latina) 

 

Chad officially notified its departure from the International Criminal 

Court (ICC) while describing it as a limited and unequal court that 

harms African states, it was learned here today.

 

With this decision, officially confirmed the day before, the Chadian 

government joins its counterparts from Burkina Faso, Mali and 

Niger in leaving that judicial entity of the Rome Statute.

 

The Chadian authorities consider that the Tribunal does not meet 

the expectations expected of it after its establishment, as it 

concentrates its judicial activity on the African continent.

 

The Government of Chad also urges the member states of the 

African Union to reflect on a system that it described as 

biased --- and to accelerate the implementation of a 

judicial system with African mechanisms.

 

 

____________________________________________________________

 


 

Ethiopian Foreign Minister Receives 

Counterparts from Burundi,

 Zimbabwe and Benin

Addis Ababa, July 28th, 9:50am

 (Prensa Latina) 

 

Ethiopian Foreign Minister Gedion Timothewos spoke today with

his counterparts from Burundi, Zimbabwe and Benin on an 

issue of common interest on the sidelines of the 49th 

Ordinary Session of the Executive Council of the 

African Union.

 

Timothewos and Burundian Foreign Minister Édouard Bizimana, 

president of that continental body, stressed in particular that 

the effectiveness of the African organization depends on its 

ability ...to secure sustainable and predictable sources of 

financing for the Commission's budgetary requirements.

 

The two sides also discussed bilateral relations between Addis 

Ababa and Bujumbura and agreed on the importance of further 

strengthening cooperation via the effective implementation of 

existing draft agreements.

 

Timothewos and his Zimbabwean counterpart, Amon Murwira,
reaffirmed long-standing and cordial bilateral relations plus 

common positions on issues related to the African Union,

 Pan-Africanism ------ and other international issues of 

mutual interest.

 

They underscored the importance of further strengthening bilateral

 cooperation and agreed to convene a Joint Ministerial Commission 

to facilitate the effective implementation of previously concluded 

collaboration agreements in various sectors.

 

Finally, talks with the head of Beninese diplomacy, Corinne Amori, 

focused on practical ways to further improve bilateral relations 

and expand cooperation in areas of mutual interest.

 

Both sides exchanged views on mechanisms to implement the 

agreements previously signed between Ethiopia and Benin.

 

Amori.... also expressed Porto Novo's interest in learning from 

Addis Ababa's experience in the field of artificial intelligence
.....acknowledging the country's growing experience in this.

 

 

__________________________________________________

 

 

Leader of Azerbaijani parliament

 in Ethiopia ------- for official visit

Addis Ababa, July 28th, 9:30am

 (Prensa Latina) 

 

The president of the Milli Majlis (parliament) of Azerbaijan, 

Sahiba Gafarova, arrived in Ethiopia today for an official 

visit aimed at strengthening the growing partnership 

between the two countries.

 

Upon her arrival at Bole International Airport, Gafarova was 

greeted by the Deputy Speaker of the Ethiopian House of 

People's Representatives (parliament), Lomi Bedo, and 

the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, 

Berhanu Tsegaye.

 

On his account on the social network X, Tsegaye said that this 

official visit -- marks a significant milestone that highlights the 

constantly growing strategic relationship between Ethiopia 

and Azerbaijan.

 

"High-level visits and collaboration platforms like this are critical 

to deepening our comprehensive ties and building a lasting and 

sustainable friendship between our nations. 

Welcome to Ethiopia!" he said.

 

During her stay in Addis Ababa, the distinguished visitor is expected 

to hold talks with senior Ethiopian government officials - on ways to 

further strengthen bilateral cooperation and deepen parliamentary 

diplomacy between the two countries.

 

Discussions will focus on expanding collaboration in areas of mutual 

interest, fostering greater political and institutional interaction and 

exploring new avenues of partnership that contribute to shared 

development aspirations.

 

The visit underscores the growing momentum in relations between

 Ethiopia and Azerbaijan and highlights the commitment of both 

nations to expand cooperation through sustained political 

dialogue, greater parliamentary interaction and closer 

diplomatic collaboration.

 

 

_______________________________________________________

 

 

 

Stronger African Union
needed now

July 28th, 9:29am

Prensa Latina)

 

Timotewos --- speaking at the 49th 

Ordinary Session of the Executive 

Council of the African Union, said 

that the foundations of the world 

order are undergoing a profound

transformation --------- hence the 

imperative for the continent to 

seize the moment & actively 

shape the contours of the 

emerging global reality.

 

He said the continent is coming together - at a decisive moment in 

international affairs such as geopolitical changes, technological 

upheavals, climate pressures and competition over strategic 

resources that are reshaping the world order.

 

"We need to seize the moment to actively shape the contours of 

the new reality," he emphasized, while mentioning the need to 

strengthen capacity to provide African solutions to global 

challenges --- through a stronger --- and more effective 

African Union.

 

"The African Union has a central role to play in this endeavour. 

Our Union must serve as the institution through which Africa 

articulates its priorities and promotes its interests. The 

Union should emerge .....as a credible and authentic 

voice of Africa," he stressed.

 

Despite the complex global environment, in the opinion of the head 

of Ethiopian diplomacy, Africa's trajectory, remains promising. He 

noted that eight of the world's ten fastest-growing economies in 

2026 are African, adding that the continent is poised to become 

the engine of global economic development during the second 

half of the 21st century.

 

He reaffirmed Ethiopia's commitment to the African Union, 

describing it as the indispensable mechanism for 

continental solidarity, collective action and a 

shared future.

 

Calling for bold institutional transformation, Timothewos said reform

 efforts should extend beyond technical adjustments to encompass 

a profound political and strategic recalibration --- more capable of 

responding to today's rapidly evolving global realities.

 

He also stressed the urgency of ensuring the financial sustainability 

and independence of the African Union, noting that a continental 

organization seeking to shape world affairs must possess 

adequate and predictable resources to implement 

its decisions.

 

On the management of Africa's vast natural resources, he urged 

Member States to continue cooperation, equitable utilization 

and continent-led governance frameworks.

 

He considered that these sources should become bridges for 

cooperation, regional integration and shared prosperity.

 

 

_________________________________________________________

 

 


UN agencies -- support 

Ebola response in DRC

Kinshasa, July 28th, 9:27am

 (Prensa Latina) 

 

The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian 

Affairs (OCHA) referred to the work carried out today by 

several UN agencies in response to the Ebola 

epidemic in the Democratic Republic of 

Congo (DRC).

 

The United Nations and its partners continue to support authorities 

in surveillance, contact tracing, laboratory testing and patient 

care, a report from the agency said.

 

The report said the World Food Programme provided more than 

140,000 hot meals and food to more than 23,000 patients, 

contacts and vulnerable people affected by the 

outbreak in Ituri, North Kivu and South 

Kivu provinces.

 

Meanwhile, the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) and its 

partners --- made more than 27,000 home visits to support the 

identification and follow-up of suspected cases in the

affected communities.

 

OCHA said that another element they are working on 

is the preparation of personnel and communities 

beyond the provinces where Ebola is 

currently present.

 

In this regard, he explained that the World Health Organization 

started a training program for hygiene specialists at the 

General Reference Hospital in the province of 

Bas-Uele, in order to reduce the risk of 

further spread.

 

"The United Nations and its partners remain committed 

to supporting the authorities' response. Continued 

international support is critical to expanding 

treatment capacity, sustaining response 

operations, and containing the 

outbreak," the report said.

 

On May 15, the 17th outbreak of Ebola was declared in the DRC, 

which as of July 26 reaches 5 provinces and 48 health zones, 

with 3,262 confirmed cases, including 723 patients in

 isolation or hospitalization.

 

The recovered people reach the figure of 583 

and the deceased are one thousand 437, for 

a fatality rate of 44.1 percent.

 

 

_________________________________________

 

 

 

Water and sanitation to be at the heart 

of the African Union Executive Council

Addis Ababa, July 28th, 12:11am

 (Prensa Latina) 

 

The XLIX ordinary session of the Executive Council of the African 

Union will meet today, after postponement of the 8th ministerial 

round of Mid-Year Coordination, focused on water and safe 

sanitation systems.

 

Under the theme "Ensuring sustainable water availability and safe 

sanitation systems to achieve the 2063 Agenda", the two-day 

meeting at the headquarters of the continental organization 

brings together foreign ministers and high-level officials 

from member states.

 

Tuesday's agenda will include, among other activities, statements 

by the Chair of the AU Commission, Mahmoud Ali Youssouf, the 

Foreign Ministers of Ethiopia, Gedion Timothewos, and 

Burundi and President of the Executive Board, 

Édouard Bizimana.

 

The programme provides for deliberations on the reports 

of the Programme 2063 Implementation Committee.

 

It also provides for the Committee's meeting on accelerating the 

ratification and implementation of the organization's treaties -- 

and the 2026 theme "Ensuring sustainable water availability 

and safe sanitation systems to achieve the goals of the 

2063 Agenda".

 

The high-level meeting comes at a critical time for Africa, where 

population growth, rapid urbanization, climate change and 

growing water scarcity are putting unprecedented 

pressure on the continent's water and 

sanitation systems.

 

For millions of Africans, access to those services remains a daily 

challenge, and the consequences extend beyond public health 

to food security, economic development, climate resilience 

and social stability.

 

The Executive Board will examine how stronger cooperation, 

sustainable water governance and coordinated investment 

can help address these challenges and advance the goals 

of Agenda 2063, the African Union's long-term vision for 

an integrated, prosperous and peaceful continent.

 

Discussions will emphasize the need for collective action to 

build resilient systems capable of meeting the needs of a

fast-growing and increasingly urbanized population.

 

 

___________________________________________________________




Angola mulls proposal 


to evacuate citizens 


in South Africa


Luanda, July 27th, 12:37pm 


(Prensa Latina) 


 


The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Angola today evaluated the 


proposed strategy for the evacuation of Angolan citizens 


residing in South Africa, in the face of the xenophobic 


attacks and aggressions that have occurred in 


that country.


 


According to a note from the Foreign Ministry, a meeting was held 


on Monday in which representatives of different sectors that 


could be involved in the action participated, and during 


which the situation of citizens living in the southern 


nation... was analyzed.


 


The working meeting was chaired by the Secretary of State for 


Administration, Finance and Heritage, Osvaldo dos Santos 


Varela, and was attended by other Secretaries of State 


from the portfolios of Defence, the Interior, Transport 


and Public Health.


 


Also present were the national directors of the Ministries of 


Foreign Affairs; Interior; Administration and Territory; 


Social Action, Promotion of the Family and Women, 


and the Foreign Intelligence Service.


 


The Foreign Ministry's note did not mention how many Angolan 


citizens have requested voluntary repatriation, or when this 


movement could occur.


 


Other countries in the region have also resorted to this formula, 


in the face of incidents of xenophobic violence in South Africa.


 


 


________________________________________________________


 


 


 


Egyptian humanitarian 


convoy arrives in Gaza


Cairo, July 27th, 10:50am


 (Prensa Latina) 


 


The 242nd convoy of Egyptian humanitarian aid for Gazans, 


arrived in the tormented Palestinian strip with goods that 


will allow them to survive the Israeli military occupation 


- according to reports circulated in this capital today.


 


On this occasion, the convoy of trucks, supervised by the 


Egyptian Red Crescent Society (LRCS) like the previous 


ones, has to cross the Sinai desert to reach the Rafah 


checkpoint where it sometimes faces obstacles from 


Israeli ''controllers'' in carrying out its mission.


 


The aid is made up of food packages, flour, materials to 


alleviate the conditions imposed by the occupying 


forces in Tel Aviv, part of their genocidal war 


against the indigenous Palestinian 


population, which is in its 


third year.


 


A vital component of the ERCS's aid is the fuel that will enable 


the functioning of hospitals and services, for the hundreds of 


thousands displaced by the Tel Aviv army's bombing of their 


homes in its scorched-earth strategy...... to force Gazans to 


migrate to save the only thing they have left: their lives.


 


Since the beginning of the campaign of ethnic cleansing and 


forced eviction of the population of the coastal strip, some 


73,200 civilians, over half of them women and children, 


have been killed by the indiscriminate shelling of the 


occupying forces and more than 173,000 have been 


injured, many of whom were treated in Egyptian 


hospitals. according to statistics released in 


this capital by authoritative sources.


 


 


_____________________________________


 


 


 


DRC plane crash - leaves 


one dead, two survivors


Kinshasa, July 27th, 9:12am 


(Prensa Latina) 


 


A plane crash in the east of the Democratic Republic of Congo 


(DRC) today left a provisional toll of one dead and 2 survivors, 


according to local authorities and military sources.


 


An aircraft flying between Beni in North Kivu province and Lulingu 


in South Kivu province crashed on July 24 near Kamaninge in the 


Baruko area of the Kisimba group in Walikale territory, North 


Kivu province, Actualité.CD said.


 


The plane was carrying three people at the time of the incident, 


which according to military sources occurred due to an engine 


failure in mid-flight, which forced the pilot to attempt an 


emergency landing, but in the maneuver he smashed 


into the trees in the area before crashing.


 


The authorities' report states that the force of the impact caused 


the plane to break in two, but it did not catch fire, although the 


exact circumstances of the accident ......remain under 


investigation, Actualité.CD reported.


 


 


_________________________________________


 



 Twelve years after Quds Day massacre in Nigeria: 


The innocent blood ------- still cries out for justice


July 27th, 8:21am


by Prof. Abdullahi Danladi


 


Twelve years have passed since the tragedy of July 25, 2014, when 


members of the Islamic Movement in Nigeria and other people of 


conscience gathered to commemorate the International Quds


 Day - in solidarity with the oppressed people of Palestine.


 


Twelve long years have come and gone, governments have changed, 


powerful men have risen and fallen, yet the wounds of that day 


remain fresh, raw and unhealed.


 


How does time.. erase the memory of 34 innocent souls gunned down 


in broad daylight? How does one forget the sight of grieving mothers 


clutching the bloodstained garments of their slain children? How 


can parents ever silence the echoes of voices that once filled 


their homes with laughter? Some crimes are too monstrous 


to be buried beneath the sands of time.


 


Among the martyrs of that black Friday --- were three young 


undergraduate sons of Sheikh Ibraheem Zakzaky: Ahmad, 


Hamid and Mahmood. Their youth, their dreams and 


their futures were extinguished in a hail of bullets. 


Their crime was neither theft nor violence.


 


They had joined millions around the world.. in observing the 


International Quds Day, an annual event instituted by Imam 


Ruhollah Khomeini ---- so that humanity would never forget 


the suffering of the Palestinian people whose land has 


been usurped and whose children continue to perish 


under occupation and genocide.


 


Year after year, the procession had passed peacefully through the 


streets of Zaria. For more than three decades, there had been no 


complaint from the public. Yet, on that fateful day, the peaceful 


procession was met with indiscriminate gunfire, and voices


 raised in solidarity ----------- were drowned by the thunder 


of weapons.


 


Even now... the heart trembles at the memory of Julius Anyanwu, the


Christian gentleman who became one of the noblest symbols of that


tragedy. Unable to endure the sight before him, he courageously 


confronted the soldiers. He reminded them that the procession 


had been taking place for decades in front of his shop and 


workshop without incident.


 


He asked the simple but profound question that still hangs 


unanswered over Nigeria: “Why are you shooting?” For 


daring to speak the language of conscience, he too 


was silenced by bullets.


 


The blood of Anyuwu testified that injustice knows no religion 


and no tribe. It showed that in moments of great moral 


testing, humanity transcends every artificial division. 


His sacrifice remains an enduring lesson, that truth 


often demands courage, and courage sometimes 


demands the ultimate price.


 


On July 25, 2014, the Nigerian army killed at least 35 Shia Muslims 


— including three sons of Sheikh Ibrahim Zakzaky, leader of the 


Islamic Movement in Nigeria — during peaceful Quds Day


 rallies in Zaria.


 


Follow: https://t.co/LWoNSpkc2J pic.twitter.com/qDhpVLzoke


 


— Press TV 🔻 (@PressTV) July 25, 2026


 


Twelve years later, many painful questions remain. What became of 


the committee of inquiry set up by the government in the aftermath 


of the gory massacre? What became of the promises that justice 


would be done? Where are the findings? Where are the 


prosecutions? Where is the closure promised 


to the bereaved families?


 


Silence has been the answer.


 


The committee has faded into obscurity, its reports ....swallowed by 


the machinery of power. Those who commanded - and supervised - 


the killings have departed the stage. Lieutenant Colonel S. Okwu, 


the officer who led the operation, has since been buried in his 


village. President Goodluck Jonathan is no longer in office. 


Governments have changed hands. Political slogans 


have come and gone.


 


But there is One before whom, neither rank nor power shall avail. 


Allah, the Almighty and the Just, remains and is watching. He is 


waiting for the Day on which humanity shall be assembled, 


when the oppressed and the oppressor shall stand side 


by side with no soldiers to protect the powerful, no 


office to shield the influential and no committee 


to conceal the truth.


 


On that Day, every drop of innocent blood will testify. 


Every cry suppressed on earth will be heard in the 


heavens. Every injustice, however carefully 


hidden, will be brought into the light.


 


As we mark this painful anniversary, we extend our deepest 


condolences to all those who lost their loved ones in that 


tragedy. We especially convey our sympathies to our 


revered leader, Sheikh Ibraheem Zakzaky (H), and 


his noble wife, Malama Zeenah, who endured the 


unbearable pain of losing three beloved sons in 


a single day. Few parents are ever tested in 


such a manner, and fewer still bear their 


suffering with such patience 


and steadfastness.


 


Our condolences also go to the mothers who buried their children, 


the fathers who lost their heirs, the siblings deprived of their 


companions and the countless families whose lives 


were forever altered by the events of that day.


 


Twelve years may have passed, but memory has not faded. The 


blood of the martyrs still cries out. The tears of the bereaved 


have not dried. The questions remain unanswered.


 


History may delay justice, governments may ignore it and men may 


attempt to bury it, but divine justice neither sleeps nor forgets.


 


Indeed, there shall come a day when truth will prevail 


and every soul shall know what it sent forth.


 


Professor Abdullahi Danladi is a member 


of the Islamic Movement in Nigeria.


 


(The views expressed in this article ---- do 


not necessarily reflect those of Press TV)


 


 


______________________________________________





US Tariffs .....Reach Egypt


Cairo, July 25th, 8:47am


 (Prensa Latina) 


 


Like a ray of sunshine, the decision of U.S. President Donald Trump 


to tax Egyptian imports to his market with between 10 and 12.5 


percent resounded here today.


 


Official sources refrain from responding to the measure, with an 


eloquent silence at the time of writing this article, unlike Brazil


--- another of those included in the list of 60 states.


 


Brasilia, through the voice of its president, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, 


considered the relationship an attempt to favour the candidacy of 


his closest opponent in the next presidential elections, Flavio 


Bolsonaro, of a far-right tendency and who frequently visits


Washington ---------- to request punitive measures against 


his country.


 


During the current year the main exports of Egypt to the US 


were Woven Clothing Accessories, 820 million USD; non-


woven clothing, 508 million and fertilizers, 213 million, 


according to available official statistics.


 


The move comes.... at an unfavourable juncture for Egypt, as in fiscal 


year 2024 ----- its external debt rose and, in more mundane terms, the 


currency, the pound, has been depreciating for 3 consecutive weeks.


 


To complete the tribulations ....on this vast country, the sword of 


Damocles hangs over an eventual closure of the Bab el Mandeb 


Strait to traffic, which would have a negative impact on the 


transit of the Suez Canal, one of the main inflows of hard 


currency into the Egyptian coffers.... in tolls.


 


The fact that there is no peaceful solution to the conflict between 


the US & Israel on the one hand and Iran on the other, looms over 


that scenario.... like an approaching storm.


 


 


_________________________________


 



 


New health centre in Huíla 


reinforces Angola-Cuba 


cooperation


Luanda, July 25th, 7:11am


 (Prensa Latina) 


 


The opening of a new health centre in the city of Lubango, 


province of Huíla, today reinforces cooperation between 


Cuba and Angola ....for the benefit of the population.


 


The institution, inaugurated the day before with the presence of


 the ambassador of the Caribbean nation, Oscar León, and the 


provincial deputy governor for technical services and 


infrastructure, Hélio Delize Neto de Almeida, has a 


staff made up of 80 percent Angolans together 


with Cuban health specialists.


 


At the opening ceremony, which also served as a remembrance 


for the Day of National Rebellion in Cuba (July 26), the deputy 


governor praised the medical centre and highlighted the 


historic cooperation between the two countries in 


health, the Cuban Embassy said, on its 


social networks.


 


Neto de Almeida noted that the Angolan population has benefited 


over the years from this relationship, and underlined the priority 


that the Government attaches to the health sector, while 


wishing success in the work of the clinic.


 


The director of the center, Dr. Mario A. Enamorado, highlighted the 


value it will bring to the health of the people of the city and its 


surroundings, by joining the network of healthcare services, 


as well as the contribution in terms of new jobs and 


professional training.


 


The ambassador of the Caribbean nation, in his words during the 


inauguration, recalled the feat of July 26, 1953, which promoted 


the Cuban revolutionary process; and the 50th anniversary of 


the visit of President Dr. António Agostinho Neto to Isla, 


which began on July 22, 1976.


 


He also highlighted the opening of this medical centre in the 


proximity of the centenary of the birth of the historic leader 


of the Cuban Revolution, Fidel Castro Ruz (1926-2016), 


architect of the friendship between the two countries 


and whose 100 years.... will be commemorated on 


August 13.


 


According to the Cuban Embassy, at the conclusion of the official 


ceremony, the island's delegation visited the simple monument 


that remembers the fall in combat of the first lieutenant of the


 Revolutionary Armed Forces Roberto Hernández, a pilot 


from the Caribbean nation who died on July 24, 1983 


in an action as part of Cuban military cooperation


 in Angola (1975-1991).


 


On Friday, the delegation also held a meeting with former Angolan 


students in Cuba, who ratified their support for the country that 


provided them with education and trained them as 


professionals, not only for them, but tens of 


thousands of young Africans.


 


They also met with Cuban collaborators 


who teach in the territory.


 


The ambassador and the officials who accompany him on this trip 


to Huíla were received on Thursday by the provincial governor, 


Nuno Bernabé Mahapi Dala, with whom they discussed 


matters of common interest and their intention to 


consolidate and expand cooperative ties in 


different areas.


 


 


________________________________________________________





 

Call for ethical and inclusive use of 

emerging technologies in Africa

Addis Ababa, July 24th, 5:33pm

 (Prensa Latina) 

 

The president of the Network of Impact Evaluators in Africa, Amos 

Njuguna, stressed that emerging technologies must be applied 

ethically and inclusively for social welfare, while speaking at 

an event that concludes here today.

 

Njuguna, during the XIV Summit on Evidence in Africa that takes 

place on July 23 and 24, pointed out that the mission of the 

organization transcends the mere conduct of research 

and seeks to ensure that evidence reaches decision-

makers, influences public policies and generates 

tangible benefits for citizens.

 

For his part, the Director General of the Institute for Policy Studies, 

Fekadu Tsega, addressed the need to strengthen collaboration 

between researchers and policymakers, so that evidence 

contributes to practical development solutions.

 

Tsega explained that the institute seeks to bridge the gap between 

research and policymaking ........through multidisciplinary studies, 

participation in the field of guidelines, and capacity building, all 

aligned with Ethiopia's national development priorities.

 

He considered .....that research should transcend academia and 

specialized publications to actively inform public policy 

processes ---- and address real-world challenges, 

stressing the importance of close cooperation 

between researchers and professionals in 

the sector.

 

He added that researchers bring scientific evidence, analytical 

tools and new perspectives, while policymakers contribute 

practical knowledge, institutional experience and an 

understanding of implementation challenges.

 

Under the theme "Driving Policy with Innovative, Inclusive and 

Transparent Data", the XIV Africa Evidence Summit brings 

together more than 400 policymakers, researchers, 

innovators and development partners to explore 

how evidence and technology - can strengthen 

decision-making across the African continent.

 

 

_________________________________________________




Cuba congratulates Egypt -- on the


anniversary of its 1952 Revolution


Havana, July 23rd, 10:26am


 (Prensa Latina) 


 


Cuba today congratulated the people and government of the 


Arab Republic of Egypt on the 74th anniversary of the 


July 23 Revolution in the nation located mostly in 


northeastern Africa.


 


In a message through X, the island's Foreign Ministry also 


expressed the desire of its government, "that the 


occasion serves to reaffirm our willingness
to 
strengthen the ties of friendship and 


cooperation between our nations."


 


The birth of the modern, democratic and sovereign state of Egypt 


is recognized from the Revolution led by the young officer Gamal 


Abdel Nasser who overthrew the monarchy of King Farouk 


on July 23, 1952.


 


Egypt is a transcontinental country with most of its territory 


in northeastern Africa .....and the Sinai Peninsula in Asia.


 


 


_______________________________________________


 


 


 


Persian Gulf conflict -------


troubles Egyptian pound


Cairo, July 23rd, 10:20am


 (Prensa Latina) 


 


The Egyptian currency, the pound, experienced its third 


consecutive decline of the current month at the close 


of this Wednesday, the eve of today's holiday.


 


July 23 was declared a national holiday to commemorate 


the revolution that toppled former President Mohamed 


Morsi in 2013 amid nationwide protests demanding 


his resignation.


 


The Egyptian currency traded at more than 51 to the dollar, 


the highest level after a run of gains, interrupted by the 


worsening crisis caused by U.S. attacks on Iran and 


Tehran's retaliation against U.S. military bases in 


Arab countries bordering the Persian Gulf 


and Jordan.


 


The euro and other currencies followed suit, as did gold, 


according to the report issued at the end of trading, 


issued by authoritative sources.


 


 


______________________________________






Africa's blue economy demands

 political leadership and 

sound science

Luanda, July 22nd, 1:27pm

 (Prensa Latina) 

 

The development of a sustainable blue economy must be built 

on pillars such as strong political leadership, solid science 

and reliable ocean data, and sustainable financing, an 

official source said today in Angola.

 

Harsen Nyambe, Director of Sustainable Environment and Blue 

Economy at the African Union's Department of Agriculture, 

Rural Development, Blue Economy and Sustainable 

Environment ------- also mentioned regional 

cooperation and inclusive participation
- to ensure 
no one is left behind.

 

Nyambe, speaking at the technical segment of the Third Africa 

Blue Economy Week, scheduled for July 22-25 in Angola, said 

that without these pillars the continent cannot fully take 

advantage of the opportunities offered by its oceans, 

seas, rivers and lakes.

 

He emphasized decisive action in the implementation of the 

African Blue Economy Strategy ....in line with Agenda 2063.

 

Under the theme "Political Leadership for the Transformation of 

the Blue Economy in Africa", the event reserves two days for 

technical discussions and one day of high-level meetings, 

with the participation of African leaders, experts, 

representatives of international organizations 

and private sector managers.

 

Fisheries and aquaculture; coastal and inland tourism; maritime 

transport and logistics; energy and mineral resources; ocean 

digital infrastructure; Marine climate science and ocean 

governance are among the topics that will be 

addressed in the working sessions 

until the close on Saturday.

 

 

________________________________

 

 

 

Ethiopia highlighted resources for 

a strong health system in Africa

Accra, July 22nd, 1:14pm

 (Prensa Latina) 

 

Africa has the knowledge, institutions and experience necessary 

to build a solid and self-driven health system, it just needs 

political will to translate it into concrete actions, an

 official source said today.

 

This was expressed by the Deputy Prime Minister of Ethiopia, 

Temesgen Tiruneh ---- when speaking at the Extraordinary 

Summit on Health of the African Union that met for two 

days in this capital, considering that it is an historic 

moment to strengthen the continent's health 

systems, based on its financial capacity.

 

He recognized that while declining foreign aid poses challenges,

 it also creates an important opportunity ------- to develop a 

self-sufficient, resilient and sustainable sector.

 

"The summit marks a critical milestone where we will develop a 

continental roadmap to eliminate HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and 

malaria as public health threats by 2030, end preventable 

maternal and child deaths, and strengthen our domestic 

financing capacity," he said.

 

He also revealed that he shared Ethiopia's experiences, 

based on the principle of self-reliance, to contribute 

to our shared continental goals.

 

He reiterated --- that they will continue to strengthen their 

collaboration with the African Union, the African Centres 

for Disease Control and Prevention, and member states, 

to build a healthier and more prosperous continent.

 

The conclave brought together African leaders and key partners to 

advance collective action towards ending AIDS and TB, improving 

maternal and child health, strengthening resilient health systems, 

and accelerating Universal Health Coverage across the continent.

 

Its theme was "Advancing Justice, Equity and Universal Health 

Coverage: Ending AIDS and Tuberculosis, Improving Maternal 

Health and Addressing Endemic Noncommunicable 

Diseases and Neglected Tropical Diseases 

in Africa".

 

 

__________________________________

 

 

 

Five dead in gold mine collapse

--------- in southwestern Kenya

Nairobi, July 22nd, 1:13pm

 (Prensa Latina) 

 

Mining accidents continue to claim lives in Kenya, after a collapse 

occurred in a gold vein in the southwest of the country, which 

left five dead so far, official sources reported here today

 

According to local authorities, many people are still trapped under 

the rubble after a tunnel collapsed at the Kilima Pesa gold mine, 

located in the Lolgorian region of southwestern Kenya.

 

Stephen Odeke, deputy commissioner of the Transmara South sub-

county, confirmed that the rescue work is continuing although it 

still requires specialized machinery to be able to safely access 

the underground galleries.

 

The decriminalization of irregular mining by the Kenyan government 

increased the occurrence of this type of accident due to the lack 

of safety measures, in a task that has already left a sad sequel 

of fatalities in this African country.

 

 

___________________________________

 

 

 

Sudanese paramilitaries - bomb 

water supplies in North Darfur

Khartoum, July 22nd, 12:50pm

 (Prensa Latina) 

 

A drone attack by Sudanese paramilitaries against a 

water supply source in North Darfur left at least 21 

civilians dead, it was learned here today.

 

A statement from militias allied to the army in this region stressed 

that the bombing of a town in the Bir Andur area, in Al Tina, also 

injured 30 others.

 

The information highlights that the attacked place constitutes 

a vital source of water where pastoralists and residents 

obtain the vital liquid.

 

The note also points out that the onslaught is part of a series of 

repeated assaults against populated civilian areas and service 

facilities, in flagrant violation of international humanitarian law.

 

In recent times, the so-called Rapid Support Forces (RSF) 

have launched continuous ground attacks in that region 

to take control of the area.

 

Since mid-April 2023, Sudan has been mired in a war, after 

power disputes between army chief Abdel Fattah 

al-Burhan and the leader of the paramilitary 

Rapid Support Forces, Mohamed Hamdan 

Daglo -- have been stoked by outsiders.

 

The fighting has destroyed countless livelihoods 

to plunge the country into a complex spiral of 

hunger and death, while those countries

financing this, include Mossad, the 

CIA and MI6, plus Ukraine and
one 
member of the UAE.

 

 

___________________________________





AU calls for decisive changes - to 


advance Africa's health agenda


Accra, July 22nd, 12:32pm


 (Prensa Latina) 


 


The president of the African Union (AU) Commission, Mahmoud 


Ali Youssouf, called here today for a decisive shift -------- from 


commitments -------- to implementation, in order to advance 


Africa's health agenda.


 


Youssouf, speaking at the AU Extraordinary Health Summit that 


met for two days in this capital, stressed that the continental 


organization's Roadmap to 2030 and Beyond is Africa's 


implementation compact, designed to end AIDS 


and eliminate preventable maternal and 


child deaths.


 


Likewise, to combat communicable and non-communicable 


diseases, strengthen resilient systems and advance 


Universal Health Coverage.


 


He emphasized - that sovereignty in the sector depends on 


stronger domestic financing, the local manufacturing of 


medicines and vaccines, robust regulatory systems, 


research and innovation, and ------- sustained 


political leadership.


 


In this regard, he urged Member States --- to translate the Accra 


Declaration and national commitments into measurable action.


 


"Future generations will remember this Summit not for our 


speeches, but for whether we change the trajectory 


of health in Africa," he said.


 


The conclave brought together African leaders and key partners to 


advance collective action towards ending AIDS and TB, improving 


maternal and child health, strengthening resilient health systems, 


and accelerating Universal Health Coverage across the continent.


 


Its theme was "Advancing Justice, Equity and Universal Health 


Coverage: Ending AIDS and Tuberculosis, Improving Maternal 


Health & Addressing Endemic Noncommunicable Diseases 


and Neglected Tropical Diseases in Africa".


 


 


__________________________________________


 


 


 


Egyptian food industry brand 


hits an all-time record


Cairo, July 22nd, 11:46am


 (Prensa Latina) 


 


The exports of the Egyptian food industry marked in the fiscal year 


the record increase of 12 percent annual increase, expressed at 


86,600 million dollars, official sources here revealed today.


 


The statistic means a net increase of 71 million dollars compared 


to 2024 and constitutes the largest ever achieved by the sector, 


according to the Ministry of Investment and Foreign Trade 


circulated to the press.


 


The largest share of that increase, 51 percent, was for Arab 


countries, with Europeans, 19 percent, in second place, 


according to the summary.


 


Non-Muslim African states occupied the next step 


with eight percent and the United States.. six.


 


From the times of the Empire, Egyptian wheat exports 


occupied an important place in the supply to Rome 


of cereals that allowed them to provide bread 


and circuses to calm the spirits of the 


lumpen proletariat... in times 


of turbulence.


 


 


___________________________________________


 


 


 


Macron: France without 


quantified visa target 


for Algeria


Paris, July 22nd, 11:45am


 (Prensa Latina) 


 


France has not set itself any kind of "quantified target" on


the number of visas for Algerian citizens and does not 


show any laxity in that regard, French President 


Emmanuel Macron clarified today.


 


During a meeting of the Council of Ministers this day, Macron 


denied having set any numerical target for visas for Algeria, 


with no signs of permissiveness in that regard, which 


contradicted recent statements by the French 


ambassador.... to Algeria.


 


"The President of the Republic wanted to correct the statements 


of our ambassador to Algeria, which were widely disseminated 


in recent days, especially on the number of visas," explained 


French presidential spokeswoman, Ms Maud Bregeon.


 


The controversy surrounding the visa figures arose after statements 


made by the head of the French diplomatic mission in Algiers, 


Stéphane Ramatet, who referred to an alleged increase


 in the number of visas granted to Algerians.


 


Ramatet seemed to imply that it would probably be possible to 


return to the pre-crisis visa level in the links between Paris 


and Algiers, when it reached up to 250,000 per year.


 


But the diplomat's statements were the target of strong criticism 


from sectors seeking a tougher position with Algeria, such as 


the president of the far-right National Alliance, Jordan 


Bardella, or the leader of The Republicans, 


Bruno Retailleau.


 


After several months in France waiting for an easing of the crisis 


in the ties between France and Algeria, Ramatet returned to the 


now fiercely independent former French colony at the start of 


May, to try to thaw relations between the two cold nations.


 


The crisis between the two states, which already had a precedent 


with the issue of the issuance of visas, worsened after Macron 


sent a letter to Morocco's King Mohammed VI in June 2024.


 


The letter recognised that the present and future of Western Sahara 


lies within the legal framework of Moroccan sovereignty,
which ruled out the rights of the Saharawis to
their own territory.


 


Such a decision, was a serious blow to Algerian diplomacy, which, at 


all times --- advocates for the independence of the Saharawi people, 


which is why it recalled its ambassador in Paris for ''consultations''.
So France.... recalled its ambassador, from Algiers.


 


 


____________________________________________






‘King of self-unloading ships’ delivered in 


Jiangsu, China, to serve the Simandou 


Iron Ore Project in West Africa


by Guo Yuandan in 


Yangzhou and 


Li Xuanmin,


July 21st, 11:06am


 (Global Times)


 


China has delivered the world's first 41,800-ton bidirectional 


sailing self-discharging ship - named "WONTANARA" in East 


China's Jiangsu Province on Tuesday, Global Times learned. 


 


The ship is independently designed and built by a Chinese 


shipbuilder, and the delivery marks a breakthrough for 


China in the high-end self-unloading and cargo 


transfer vessel sector, transitioning from the 


stage of "following others" to "taking the 


global lead," industry insiders said.  


 


The delivery of the "king of self-unloading ship" ....embodies the 


prowess of China's independent innovation and comprehensive 


whole-chain capabilities in high-end shipbuilding and marine


 engineering equipment. 


 


This milestone arrives as China - the world's largest shipbuilder - 


continues to maintain its global lead -- and attract global orders 


for large vessels and high-end ship types, despite intensifying 


competition from South Korean and other players, industry 


insiders said. It also reflects the broader transformation 


and upgrading of China's manufacturing industry... 


toward high-end, intelligent, green development.


 


As Global Times reporters approached the "steel behemoth" docked 


at a Yangzhou port in East China's Jiangsu Province on Tuesday, its 


towering hull loomed impressively against the skyline. Once aboard


---- visitors are struck by the labyrinth of pipelines and the vessel's 


complex, meticulously engineered interior. Although enormous in 


scale, the ship features a highly advanced self-unloading 


conveyor system that delivers exceptional speed 


and operational efficiency.


 


The vessel has set three new world records - in one go. It is the 


world's largest deadweight shallow-water transshipment self-


unloading ship, the world's fastest self-unloading ship in 


terms of discharge speed among specialized vessels, 


and the world's first self-unloading transshipment 


ship in its tonnage class with bidirectional 


sailing capability, the Global Times 


learned from the shipbuilder. 


 


The vessel was built by a subsidiary of China State Shipbuilding


Corporation (CSSC), CSSC Chengxi Shipyard Co, for the multi-


national mining company - Rio Tinto Group. Rio Tinto --- has 


placed five orders for the vessel, and Tuesday's delivery 


marks the first one, while the second and third vessels 


were launched on May 6 and June 30, respectively, 


and are expected to be delivered during the first 


half of next year.


 


The vessels will be deployed in the waters off Guinea in West Africa 


to serve the Simandou Iron Ore Project, providing critical support 


for the stable production and transshipment of iron ore, Zhang 


Xinlong, general manager of CSSC Chengxi Shipyard Co, 


told the Global Times.


 


Rio Tinto said in a post on its WeChat account that "WONTANARA" 


means "we are together" in the Susu language, one of the major 


languages in West Africa. It added that the specialized vessel 


can transfer more than 40,000 tons of iron ore per trip from 


the port to oceangoing bulk carriers anchored offshore, 


"providing strong support for the project to gradually 


increase production and achieve full capacity."


 


The Simandou Iron Ore project, is a key project in economic and 


trade cooperation between China and Guinea, and a significant 


achievement of the joint construction of the Belt and Road 


Initiative. Once fully operational, the project will supply 


massive volumes of high-grade iron ore to the global 


market, each year, Zhang said. 


 


Setting the record


 


The vessel has an overall length of 215 metres, a molded breadth 


of 42 metres, a molded depth of 14.5 metres, a design draught of 


7.5 metres, & a deadweight tonnage of 41,800 tons. It features 


a large cargo hold that is approximately 135 metres in length, 


with a capacity of 29,000 cubic metres.


 


Industry insiders compared the self-discharging ship.. to a "super 


cargo handler" in sea transportation. These ships, installed with 


built-in cargo discharge systems... that allow them to unload 


independently without port equipment, operate like floating 


shuttle buses and are capable of efficiently ferrying cargo 


between shallow-water docks, & deep-water anchorages. 


 


"It is particularly suitable for regions and countries with relatively 


shallow waters or inadequate port facilities..... where large ships 


cannot berth or utilize port machinery for loading and unloading 


cargo," Zhang said. 


 


One of the prominent features is that the ship achieves a world-


record discharge rate of 12,000 tons per hour, a 71 percent 


increase in efficiency over the previous record of 7,000 


tons per hour. That earlier benchmark was set by a 


Supramax bulk carrier, which was also retrofitted 


and delivered by CSSC Chengxi in May 2025, the 


Global Times learned. This marks a significant 


eap forward for China's shipbuilding industry 


in the core system integration technology 


of self-unloading vessels, analysts said. 


 


"Imagine loading 41,800 tons of iron ore into standard train cars, 


which would require nearly 700 carriages.... lined up end-to-end, 


stretching over 7 kilometres, [while taking a prolonged period 


to unload]. Yet the new self-unloading ship can unload this 


amount of iron ore at sea ---- in less than 3.5 hours," 


Zhang said. 


 


Once five vessels of this type operate in coordination, they will be 


able to fully transfer and load an entire 200,000-ton oceangoing 


bulk carrier within 24 hours. This --- dramatically shortens the 


waiting time for giant ships at anchor, and also significantly 


boosts the mine's shipment volume and economic returns, 


according to Zhang. 


 


According to the shipbuilder, this remarkable efficiency... is also 


achieved due to a number of innovative, brand-new, and first-of-


their-kind designs, including the adoption of a wide-body 


shallow-draft design and a dual self-unloading system, 


which significantly enhances, both cargo capacity, 


and discharge efficiency ----- compared to existing 


shallow-water self-unloading transshipment ships. 


 


Also, the ship features bidirectional sailing technology and is 


equipped with two full navigation bridges, one at each end - 


similar to China's high-speed trains which are designed 


with driver cabs at both ends. This also represents a 


world-first application.


 


Considering that in major overseas mining projects - particularly 


at African ports handling bulk commodities such as iron ore 


and coal - shallow water depths and inadequate port 


facilities pose challenges, these designs effectively 


address the long-standing bottleneck in short-


distance transshipment from shallow-water 


terminals to deep-water anchorages 


.....while enabling the vessel to 


achieve excellent operation 


economy, the Global 


Times learned.


 


The delivery of this new vessel highlights a period when China's 


shipbuilding industry is showcasing its growing strength in high


-end maritime equipment. It also reflects the broader 


transformation - and upgrading - of China's 


manufacturing sector..... where strategic 


emerging industries such as humanoid 


robots and new energy vehicles are 


rapidly gaining momentum, 


analysts pointed out. 


 


In the first quarter of 2026, China's shipbuilding industry 


maintained its global lead across all major indicators, 


with shipbuilding completion volume accounting for 


57.3 percent of the global share during the period, 


according to data from the Ministry of Industry 


and Information Technology.


 


In line with this trend, CSSC Chengxi's orders have already been 


scheduled through 2030. And as of now, the company holds 


more than 120 vessels in the order book - covering a wide 


range of ship types including container ships, oil tankers, 


and specialized vessels, according to Zhang.


 


"China has developed the capability to fully assemble and build 


a complete spectrum of marine products - from ultra-large LNG 


carriers to polar icebreaking research vessels & large cruise 


ships, some of which achieve global firsts. This -- has laid a 


solid foundation for Chinese players to seize opportunities 


in the global shipping industry's green transformation & 


the new upcycle in the shipbuilding market," Zheng 


Ping, chief analyst with industry news portal 


chineseport.cn, told the Global Times 


on Tuesday. 


 


Analysts added that Chinese shipbuilders innovate in line 


with evolving market demands, which further enhances 


their global competitiveness.


 


For example, as the global shipping industry places greater 


emphasis on green and environmental protection, Chinese 


enterprises are accelerating the development and 


deployment of new energy vessels, including 


electric ships, methanol-fueled ships, and 


biofuel-powered ships.


 


According to Zheng, while South Korea had maintained a lead


 in high-end shipbuilding in the past, China has already 


outpaced it in many aspects - backed by complete 


industry chains, a stable industrial environment, 


affordable prices and a short delivery cycle. 


 


 


____________________________________________





Ethiopian National Dialogue


Conference has entered 


deliberation phase


Addis Ababa, July 20th, 10:27am


 (Prensa Latina) 


 


The National Dialogue Conference in Ethiopia entered its central 


deliberation phase today with the participants substantially 


addressing the eight points of the agenda identified by


the Governing Commission.


 


The great event inaugurated on July 15th, with a duration of three 


weeks, has more than 4,000 attendees from all over the country 


and the diaspora to analyze long-standing political, ethnic and 


historic divisions and build a broader national consensus. 


 


During a press briefing, Ethiopia's National Dialogue Commission 


(ENDC) commissioner Mahmoud Drir said the meeting entered 


the central stage of the process and delegates began 


substantive discussions on the issues assigned


 to their respective groups.


 


Drir explained that they organized in separate groups to facilitate 


structured discussions on the 8 points of the national agenda 


identified by the ENDC, which include state-building, 


identity, and history; the structure of government,


 including federalism; and power-sharing.


 


Likewise, the situation of federal cities, including Addis Ababa; 


religious affairs; institution-building with a focus on the rule of 


law and human rights; socio-economic development and 


resource management; the fight against corruption; 


and peacebuilding and national reconciliation.


 


The commissioner recalled the deployment of a group of 


160 experts to guide the discussions and ensure their 


effectiveness. The eight major groups were divided 


into 80 specialized subgroups, each composed 


of 50 participants, he added.


 


He stated that this provision seeks to promote broad 


participation and constructive dialogue, while 


ensuring that diverse opinions are heard.


 


He stressed that subgroup analyses are the cornerstone of 


national dialogue, as they provide participants with an 


opportunity to express their views openly, foster 


mutual understanding..... and promote 


constructive exchanges.


 


In addition, 256 rapporteurs were appointed to 


document the minutes and ensure that the 


deliberations are accurately recorded, 


he concluded.


 


Participants attended introductory orientation and 


briefing sessions, to familiarize themselves with 


the procedures, operational framework and 


working methods of the dialogue.


 


 


____________________________________


 


 


 


Western-funded terror group 


continues expansion in DRC


Kinshasa, July 20th, 7:48am


 (Prensa Latina) 


 


The Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) continue their expansion in 


the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) today, in search of 


new territories and fleeing from the joint operations of 


the Congolese and Ugandan armies.


 


According to the latest report from the Kivu Security Barometer, 


referenced by Actualité.CD, the armed group affiliated with the 


Islamic State has extended its actions beyond the territory of 


Beni, in the province of North Kivu, and is already present in 


the Watsa and Wamba territories, in Haut-Uélé province.


 


He added that while the number of civilians killed in June 


decreased compared to the previous month, this does 


not reflect a weakening of the threat.


 


According to the report, at least 62 civilians were killed and 


another 57 kidnapped by the ADF in June; lower than the 


190+ civilians killed in 36 documented attacks in May.


 


However, the deadly attacks in the territory of Beni, especially 


in Mbau, Matiba and Mayangose, among other actions in new 


areas, are for the authors of the report an indicator that the 


armed group is expanding to new areas, not weakening.


 


 


 


_________________________________________________


 


 


 


Precarious working conditions 


cause accidents in DRC mines


Kinshasa, July 20th, 7:26am


(Prensa Latina) 


 


Precarious working conditions in the mining area of the 


eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) continue 


to cause accidents and loss of life, either due to 


landslides or explosions.


 


The administrative secretary of the Utida group, Shemwiso 


Bitashimwa, reported the death of an artisan miner in the 


enclave of Angoa, belonging to the territory of Walikale, 


North Kivu province.


 


According to Actualité.CD, the victim was inside a well the day 


before when a large mass of earth fell in, burying him under


 the rubble; his companions managed to recover the body.


 


The local authorities announced the temporary suspension 


of mining operations at the site, while they evaluate the 


circumstances of the accident and take measures 


to prevent future, similar events.


 


However, the incident occurred just two weeks after another 


such event in the same mining group of Utunda, where a 


young man also lost his life in a landslide, showing the 


precarious conditions in which excavators work -- in 


unsafe pits without adequate protective equipment.


 


Meanwhile, on Saturday, three artisanal miners died and 


about ten were injured in an accident that occurred at 


the Kalingi Tuliona mine, in Kalingi district, Mobale 


commune, Kamituga, in the province of South Kivu.


 


Witnesses told Actualité.CD that the accident occurred 


during an explosion -- intended to extract rocks from a 


tunnel, which caused the collapse of a mining waste 


deposit and caused the death of at least three 


people, and a dozen injured.


 


At the site, rescue teams continue the search to find the 


victims who are still buried under the rubble, said local 


civil society, which specified that this is the 6th fatal 


mining accident recorded in Kamituga.... since the 


start of the year.


 


 


 


_____________________________________________


 


 


 


Gabonese President with Trade and


 Defence Agenda on Visit to France


Paris, July 20th, 6:55am


 (Prensa Latina) 


 


The President of Gabon, Brice Oligui Nguemma, begins today 


a 3-day visit to this country with trade, technology transfer 


and defense cooperation on his work agenda.


 


After the formation of the Sahel Association (Burkina Faso, 


Mali and Niger), Paris finds in Gabon a closer and more 


necessary partner, with whom.... it also seeks to 


strengthen ''commercial ties'', comments the


 France 24 television channel.


 


Nguemma plans to address here with his French counterpart, 


Emmanuel Macron, issues such as the local transformation 


of manganese, a strategic raw material, of which, Gabon 


is among the world's main producers.


 


Another crucial issue in the talks at the Elysée Palace will be 


the future of De Gaulle camp - the French base in Libreville, 


the capital of Gabon, which is one of the last strongholds 


of the French military presence in Africa, after its 


''departure'' ....from the Sahel.


 


"It will be an opportunity for both heads of state to follow up on 


the agreements signed in Libreville last November," president 


spokesman Théophane Nzame-Nze Biyoghe said last Friday, 


referring to Macron's visit to Gabon.


 


Although Nguema came to power after a coup d'état in 2023, 


he avoided following the same line as the three states of 


the Sahel Association and preferred to maintain 


relation' with France, AFP highlights.


 


However, "as of January 1, 2029, Gabonese manganese will no 


longer leave Gabon without having been locally transformed 


and without having generated employment in our country," 


Nguemma's spokesman said last Friday, quoted by 


French television.


 


The condition is related to a provision by the Gabonese president 


taken in 2025 to ban the export of raw manganese from 2029 


and develop a national processing industry.


 


The issue of military cooperation  --- also has striking nuances, 


because although Gabon allows the French military presence 


on its territory, the military personnel at the Libreville base 


should be barely a hundred, from the current 1,200.


 


In addition, Libreville... "hopes that the title to the land where 


the base is located will be transferred to the Gabonese side," 


the spokesman said.


 


Once that is achieved, the current name of the De Gaulle camp 


could be replaced by another of a general from the African 


country, the official of the Central African country said.


 






_______________________________________________




 


DRC repatriates 121 citizens in the face 


of xenophobic violence in South Africa


Kinshasa, July 18th, 2:58pm


 (Prensa Latina) 


 


The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Democratic Republic of Congo 


(DRC) reported today on the voluntary repatriation of 121 citizens 


from S. Africa, in the face of the wave of xenophobic violence 


that broke out in that country at the beginning of May.


 


Through a statement, the ministry said that this is the first flight 


organized for this purpose, and it carried women, children and 


other citizens who requested to return to the DRC after the 


violent incidents of May 5 and 6, which affected several 


foreign communities, including the Congolese.


 


According to the note, after the reinforcement of consular services 


at its embassy in Pretoria, indicated since the beginning of the 


crisis, 260 requests for repatriation were accepted, of which 


these first 121 returnees are part.


 


Permanent monitoring operations, emergency telephone lines and 


diplomatic efforts with the South African authorities to guarantee 


the protection and assistance of Congolese citizens continue 


and, according to the statement, every effort will be made


 to guarantee it.


 


The Foreign Ministry also thanked the South African authorities 


for their cooperation in the execution of this operation, and 


indicated that after their arrival in the national territory, 


a support and assistance program has been launched


 to facilitate the reintegration of returnees.


 


 


_______________________________________________




DRC Religious..... Seek Opposition 

Commitment to National Dialogue

Kinshasa, July 18th, 2:43pm

 (Prensa Latina) 

 

Representatives of the National Episcopal Conference of Congo 

(Cenco) and the Congolese Church of Congo (ECC) met today 

with members of the opposition to ensure their commitment 

to dialogue in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).

 

Pastor Eric Senga, spokesman for the ECC, told the press that 

the meeting was also intended to obtain the postponement 

of the march scheduled for July 22, taking into account 

that the government communicated the decision to 

convene the inclusive national dialogue ---- the 

day before.

 

"Since the process has already begun, we have an obligation 

to obtain the commitment of all parties," said Senga, who 

commented that the opposition raised two central 

concerns, reported Actualité.CD, a digital portal.

 

The first refers to the concrete modalities to guarantee inclusion in 

the future dialogue and the second is the constitutional question, 

taking into account - that the opposition parties have articulated

 themselves against a Constitutional modification that could 

allow a third term for the president, Félix Tshisekedi.

 

The spokesman insisted that this Saturday's rapprochement is 

due to a pastoral initiative, consistent with the objective of 

reconciliation of the Congolese people in an environment 

of peace that has been defended by the religious 

denominations, who are promoters of the 

dialogue process.

 

According to Actualité.CD, as of 1:00 p.m. local time, there 

was no formal agreement by the opposition on the 

postponement of its July 22 mobilization.

 

Immediately after the announcement of the inclusive national 

dialogue, held the day before after a meeting with the 

Congolese head of state, religious representatives 

called on all actors to embrace this meeting.....

 to build peace.

 

Government spokesman Patrick Muyaya said that the details

and procedures for the organization of this process, will be 

established ''by decree''.

 

He stressed that the president will be in charge of all its elements, 

"including consulting with religious leaders to determine the best 

way to build this cohesion by bringing together Congolese men 

and women from all over the country ''who, like us'', are driven 

by the desire to end the aggression," he said.

 

 

_____________________________________

 

 

Cuba celebrates over half a century 

of diplomatic ties ......with Ethiopia

Havana, July 18th, 12:31pm

 (Prensa Latina) 

 

Cuba today ratified its interest in continuing to strengthen ties 

with the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia on the 

occasion of the 51st anniversary of diplomatic 

relations between the two governments.

 

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Minrex), of the Caribbean nation on 

the social network X, shared the celebration of more than half a 

century of ties "together with the people and government of 

the sister" African nation.

 

"We ratify the will ------ to continue strengthening the historic and 

fraternal ties of friendship, solidarity and cooperation that unite 

us," the Cuban Foreign Ministry said, in the publication.

 

Cuba and Ethiopia... have maintained uninterrupted diplomatic 

relations since July 18, 1975, marked by a deep brotherhood 

----- forged in the most transcendental moments of the 

contemporary history of both peoples, highlights 

the digital site of the Foreign Ministry of Cuba. 

 

These ties are described as an example of South-South 

cooperation, and an expression of internationalist 

olidarity, mutual commitment and the defense of 

fundamental principles.... such as the self-

determination of peoples, sovereignty 

and social justice.

 

Ethiopia has expressed firm support for Cuba in its permanent 

accompaniment in condemning the blockade imposed by the 

US. At the same time, it recognizes the selfless and deeply 

supportive nature of the support provided by Cuba, even

 in the most difficult moments.

 

Last June, President Miguel Díaz-Canel congratulated Prime 

Minister Abiy Ahmed Ali and the Prosperity Party for their 

victory at the polls. In a publication on social networks, 

the Cuban head of state ratified "the determination to 

continue strengthening the historic relations of 

brotherhood and cooperation --- that unite our 

peoples and governments."

 

 

____________________________________

 

 

 

National dialogue ------- highlights 

space for consensus in Ethiopia

Addis Ababa, July 18th, 11:30am

 (Prensa Latina) 

 

Ethiopia's National Dialogue Conference created an historic 

platform that allows all parties to reach a consensus, said 

the chief commissioner of the Governing Commission of 

the ongoing process, Mesfin Araya.

 

At a press conference, Araya said that, unlike conventional 

political debates ---- determined by a majority vote, the

 initiative is aimed at achieving a mutual agreement.

 

He noted that they provided extensive guidance and information 

on the principles of dialogue & decision-making methodologies 

to the 4,000 representatives at the 3-week conference.

 

He said the national dialogue focuses on determining a shared 

destiny, rather than identifying winners and losers, as well as 

being a foundation on which Ethiopians collectively build a 

better future for the country.

 

Convened since July 15 by Ethiopia's National Dialogue 

Commission (ENDC), the meeting is considered an

 inclusive space for participants to exchange 

views, overcome differences and explore 

common ground.. on issues central to 

the future.

 

The agenda of debates has eight main pillars derived from the 

national consultation process that includes the construction 

of the state, identity & history; the structure of government 

-- including federalism and power-sharing -- the situation in 

federal cities, including Addis Ababa; & religious affairs.

 

Likewise, institutional construction with a focus on the rule of law 

and human rights; socio-economic development and resource 

management; the fight against corruption; & peacebuilding 

and national reconciliation.

 

Established by the House of People's Representatives (Parliament) 

under Proclamation No. 1265/2022, the ENDC is an independent 

institution with a mandate to conduct an inclusive process 

aimed at harmonising ideas and needs in the country.

 

 

__________________________________________________________




Nigeria repatriates 1,000+ 


nationals from S. Africa


Abuja, July 17th, 11:33am


 (Prensa Latina) 


 


The Government of Nigeria confirmed that the voluntary repatriation 


of its citizens from South Africa has been completed, in the face of 


the wave of xenophobia unleashed in that country of the southern 


African cone, it was learned here today.


 


The Nigerian Ministry of Foreign Affairs reported the day before, the 


arrival of a fifth flight from Johannesburg to Lagos with 305 people, 


bringing the total number of Nigerian citizens repatriated since 


June 10 to 1,490.


 


During the last few weeks.. a strong anti-immigrant movement has 


been unleashed in South Africa, which triggered the departure of 


thousands of people from different countries of the continent 


back to their nations, due to attacks on people and 


companies by demonstrators and vandals.


 


Violent South African groups gave African irregular immigrants 


a deadline of Tuesday, June 30, to leave the country, blaming 


them for the economic problems suffered by the southern 


country's society and the high crime rates.


 


Meanwhile, countries such as Zimbabwe, Ghana, Uganda and 


Malawi have already repatriated hundreds of their citizens, 


while Kenya and Lesotho issued security alerts.


 


For its part, the Pretoria government condemned in a statement all 


forms of intimidation, harassment and violence directed against 


anyone, regardless of nationality or immigration status.


 


 


___________________________________________________________


 


 


 


School bus crash kills 20 in Uganda


Kampala, July 17th, 11:01am


 (Prensa Latina) 


 


A Ugandan school bus with primary school students suffered 


an accident that left 20 children and an adult dead, police


 sources announced here today.


 


According to authorities, the students were returning on the eve 


of an excursion to Sipi Falls in Kapchorwa district in eastern 


Uganda when the vehicle went off the road and overturned.


 


It was also said that another 19 children were injured and remain 


hospitalized, of which nine are in critical condition, so the 


number of fatalities may increase.


 


Eyewitnesses said that residents of nearby areas went to the 


scene of the accident and acted as emergency personnel 


and participated in the transfer of the injured.


 


The bus.. belonged to King David Junior School, an 


elementary school located in Kampala, police said.


 


 


_____________________________________________________


 


 


 


Ethiopia joins Global Organization for 


Cooperation in Artificial Intelligence


Addis Ababa, July 17th, 8:36am 


(Prensa Latina) 


 


Ethiopia today joined 29 countries in the establishment
of the World Organization for Cooperation in Artificial
Intelligence (Waico) aimed at promoting international
cooperation and global governance.... in artificial
intelligence (AI), Fana Media Corp highlighted.


 


The Ethiopian Minister of Innovation & Technology, Belete Molla, 


signed the Agreement on the establishment of Waico, at a 


ceremony held in Shanghai, China --- the city that hosts 


the World Conference on Artificial Intelligence 2026 


from July 17 to 20.


 


Addis Ababa's participation highlights its growing focus on AI and 


digital transformation efforts. The country is advancing sector 


development initiatives, including the Digital Ethiopia 2025 


agenda and the establishment of a national artificial


 intelligence institute.


 


Earlier this year, Belete reaffirmed the commitment to strengthen 


international cooperation in data resources, technological 


innovation and digital development, the source recalled.


 


Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi signed the agreement on behalf 


of the Asian giant, while UN Secretary-General António Guterres 


was among the representatives attending the ceremony for the 


establishment of the intergovernmental organization.


 


Headquartered in Shanghai, Waico will operate in line with the 


principles of the UN Charter and promote international 


cooperation in artificial intelligence through 


consultations, joint contributions and 


shared benefits, according to 


the agreement.


 


It aims to support the development of AI in a safe, inclusive,


 and equitable way by advancing global collaboration and 


governance frameworks that ensure that artificial 


intelligence benefits humanity.


 


The proposal for its establishment was put forward by China in July 


2025 as a multilateral platform aimed at closing the global AI gap 


and ensuring that its benefits reach developing countries, 


particularly those in the Global South.


 


 


 


_________________________________________


 


 


 


Ethiopian Immigration Service -


Reveals Progress in Fiscal Year


Addis Ababa, July 17th, 7:17am


 (Prensa Latina) 


 


The Ethiopian Immigration and Citizenship Service (ICS) issued 


approximately one million 633 thousand 104 passports during 


the fiscal year 2025-2026; A milestone that strengthened 


tourism and the country's international connectivity, 


was announced today.


 


ICS Director General Selamawit Dawit said at a press conference 


that this achievement reflects the institution's ongoing efforts 


for digital transformation and the modernization of services, 


which has significantly improved efficiency, security 


and accessibility.


 


Dawit revealed that they generated revenues of more than 


$264,248 in the period indicated, including more than 


$33,417 of benefits to Ethiopians living abroad, 


demonstrating the growing contribution of 


digital platforms to the activity.


 


He noted that the full implementation of the country's e-passport 


system, along with other advanced digital technologies, 


transformed immigration and citizenship services, 


making them faster, safer and more accessible.


 


He said that the digital reforms carried out at the ICS headquarters, 


regional offices.... and Ethiopian diplomatic missions around the 


world, allowed citizens to access assistance more efficiently.


 


The directive added that the number of passport service centres 


nationwide increased from 12 to 23, which greatly improved 


citizens' access and reduced bottlenecks.


 


Beyond passport services, the civil registration systems of Addis 


Ababa and Dire Dawa were fully digitized, marking another 


important step in Ethiopia's broad digital transformation 


agenda, he added.


 


He reiterated that the reforms are designed to improve the 


delivery of public services while supporting national 


development priorities, such as tourism promotion, 


digital governance, and greater engagement at 


the international level.


 


 


__________________________________________


 


 


 


Partnership with China to 


.....accelerate Ethiopia's 


digital transformation


Addis Ababa, July 17th, 6:49am


(Prensa Latina) 


 


The state-owned telecommunications company Ethio Telecom 


and the Chinese company Inspur Software Technology - today 


explored a strategic alliance to accelerate the transformation 


of Ethiopia's digital infrastructure.


 


The topic was the focus of talks between the Ethiopian company's 


chief executive, Frehiwot Tamru, and a high-level delegation from 


the Asian company led by board chairman Lin Shuai.


 


The visiting delegation was joined by the deputy general manager 


of Shandong International High-Speed Road & Bridge Engineering 


Group, Gao Xinjie, who expressed a shared commitment to foster 


a comprehensive partnership that combines advanced digital 


technologies with the development of state-of-the-


art infrastructure.


 


In line with Ethio Telecom's "Next Horizon: Digital and
Beyond 2028" strategy, the discussions addressed
establishing a strategic 
alliance that integrates
state-of-the-art digital technologies..... 
with
modern infrastructure -- to strengthen the
country's 
digital economy. By combining
cutting-edge 
computing capabilities &
robust physical 
infrastructure, this
collaboration... seeks to 
create a
resilient, intelligent, and future-


proof digital ecosystem that
drives 
inclusive economic
growth and 
national
development.


 


As part of the proposed collaboration, the Chinese company will 


contribute its expertise - in advanced digital infrastructure, 


supporting the design & deployment of high-performance 


computing solutions, artificial intelligence (AI)-ready 


data centres, and cloud computing platforms.


 


The dialogue also explored.... opportunities to co-develop digital 


applications tailored to the local context and sectoral solutions 


specific to Ethiopia's market, with the aim of ....accelerating 


digital adoption in key sectors of the economy.


 


Shuai and Xinjie highly praised Ethio Telecom's visionary leadership, 


remarkable transformation process, and outstanding achievements 


in evolving from a traditional telecom operator --- to one of Africa's 


leading digital services and technology companies.


 


Reaffirming their confidence in the future of the local state-owned 


enterprise, they expressed their strong interest in establishing a 


long-term strategic partnership that transcends Ethiopia's 


borders, in order to jointly seize opportunities across


 the African market.


 


Tamru, for his part, instructed the respective technical teams to 


expedite the development of a comprehensive cooperation 


framework and a roadmap for its implementation.


 


This preparatory work will pave the way for further executive-level 


engagement, to formalize the partnership and launch high-impact 


strategic initiatives that will contribute to Ethiopia's and Africa's 


digital future.


 


 


_________________________________________


 


 



Ethiopia unveils lines of work 


for OCAPS presidency


Addis Ababa, July 17th, 6:47am 


(Prensa Latina) 


 


Ethiopia will focus its Presidency of the Organization of African, 


Caribbean and Pacific States (ACPO) on expanding economic 


opportunities, mobilizing sustainable financing and 


strengthening partnerships, the local Ministry 


of Finance said today.


 


Addis Aababa took over the post, during the Meeting of the Council 


of Ministers of the ACCPS, held on July 15 and 16 in Brussels with 


the participation of senior government officials from the 79 


member states to discuss key policy, institutional and 


strategic priorities, the source recalled.


 


After the official handover, the Ethiopian Minister of State for 


Finance, Semereta Sewasew, revealed the lines of work 


that will focus the Presidency and which also includes 


the delivery of tangible benefits to citizens in all of


the member countries of the Organization.


 


Sewasew - reaffirmed Ethiopia's commitment to strengthening


the OHCPS as a dynamic platform for economic cooperation, 


sustainable development and coordinated engagement on 


global issues.


 


During the talks with outgoing President Moussa Saleh Batraki, 


they discussed Ethiopian priorities to lead the Organization, 


measures to improve its effectiveness and visibility -- and


ways to deepen cooperation with international partners.


 


They also pledged to work closely throughout Ethiopia's 


mandate to advance the OHCPS' strategic objectives.


 


The assumption of the presidency of the Organization of 


African, Caribbean & Pacific States marks a significant 


milestone in the international commitment of Addis 


Ababa and provides an opportunity to strengthen 


cooperation among developing countries, while 


promoting a more inclusive and effective 


multilateral system.


 


 


_________________________________________









The Russian Foreign Ministry has stated that


 the Ukrainian Armed Forces are trying to 


create a "second front" in Africa


July 16th, 11:56pm


(RT.ru)


 


The Ukrainian military has deployed in several African 


countries... in an attempt to open a second front 


against Russia.


 


Georgy Borisenko, Deputy Foreign Minister 


of Russia, told TASS about this.


 


He confirmed the activation of Ukrainians... and 


provided specific examples of their involvement.


 


According to Borisenko -- there are Ukrainian instructors in 


Mali, who are training the Islamist militants ------ including
how 
to use drones. He also revealed the circumstances 


surrounding the attack on the Russian tanker 


Arctic Metagaz on March 3, which left the 


ship drifting in the Mediterranean Sea.


 


"Ukrainian instructors who are allegedly training local military 


personnel to use UAVs have used unmanned boats against


 a Russian tanker," Borisenko said.


 


In addition, the Deputy Minister reported on the presence of 


Ukrainian mercenaries in Sudan, where they participated in 


the capture of the city of El Fasher as part of the rebel 


Rapid Response Forces, resulting in the deaths of
significant number of civilians.


 


Earlier, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said 


that Ukrainian mercenaries... were involved in 


terrorist attacks in Africa.


 


 


________________________________________________






Ethiopia doubled fish production in 


lake associated with Grand Dam


Addis Ababa, July 16th, 10:36am 


(Prensa Latina) 


 


Fish production in Lake Nigat, reservoir of the Great Ethiopian 


Renaissance Dam (GERD), more than doubled during the 


2025-2026 fiscal year, the Benishangul-Gumuz 


Regional Office of Agriculture (northwest) 


reported today.


 


According to the source, the fish catch in the reservoir 


reached 10,799 tons during the aforementioned period, 


which is a notable increase from the previous year &


....reflects the project's growing contribution to the 


national economy, beyond electricity generation.


 


Beyond supplying hydropower, the reservoir - dubbed 


Lake Nigat by Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed - is 


emerging as an engine for fishing, tourism 


and employment, the report said.


 


This artificial lake, which is home to more than 70 islands, 


is also expected to facilitate river transportation and 


contribute to the ecological balance of the area.


 


Berhanu Itcha, the deputy director of the Bureau's livestock and 


fisheries development sector, noted that there are currently 46 


small-scale cooperatives.. engaged in fishing activities there.


 


Itcha revealed that they will create new partnerships as the 


regional government seeks to expand the sector and 


generate more employment opportunities, 


especially for young people.


 


 


______________________________________________


 


 



Five projects, from 


Latin America and 


Africa - approved


Madrid, July 16th, 7:07am


 (Prensa Latina) 


 


Five projects involving 23 institutions from Africa and Latin 


America were selected in the II Call of the Triangular 


Cooperation Fund, it was reported today in Madrid.


 


The Ibero-American General Secretariat (SEGIB), which manages 


the funds, indicated from its headquarters in Madrid, that the 


amount offered, is financed by the Government of Portugal 


through Camões, Instituto da Cooperação e da Língua, I.P.


 


It has the participation of several Latin American countries,


 such as Brazil, Peru, Mexico, Colombia, Argentina 


and Paraguay.


 


The winning projects of the Fund, endowed with 1 million euros, 


address 6 priority areas of the bi-regional cooperation agenda: 


education, health, climate change, food security, digital 


transformation and economic development, with 


special attention to the creation of youth 


employment and vocational training.


 


The SEGIB detailed the five selected projects, which were:


 


"TILANUTRI", a sustainable aquaculture initiative for food 


and nutrition security in northern Mozambique involving 


institutions from Peru, Portugal, Brazil and Colombia


 


"Atlântico SARG", an environmental monitoring system 


promoted by organizations from Portugal, Mexico 


and Cape Verde


 


"TriDigital Cooperation", an initiative that assesses the digital 


maturity of administrative modernization in Portuguese-


speaking African countries (PALOP), with the 


participation of institutions from Portugal, 


Argentina, Mozambique, Angola, 


Guinea-Bissau, Sao Tomé 


and Príncipe.


 


"Cultivating the future", triangular cooperation for food security


 and territorial development between the Government of the 


Province of Buenos Aires, the Government Namibe (Angola) 


and Portugal.


 


"Diagnostic optimization of hematological tumors in Mozambique", 


an idea that seeks to improve the diagnostic capacity of the local 


population and in which institutions from Brazil, Mozambique and 


Paraguay participate.


 


In the call, 230 proposals were submitted, with the participation of 


24 countries and 1,082 institutions from Africa and Latin America.


 


 


_______________________________________________


 


 


 


 Alliance of Civilizations in Angola 


seeks to .....sow seeds of peace


Luanda, July 16th, 6:33am


 (Prensa Latina) 


 


The third edition of the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations 


(UNAOC) Initiative, to begin today in Angola, aims to sow the 


seed of peace .......so that the 21st century will be the last 


where there are wars.


 


The high representative of Unaoc, Miguel Ángel Moratinos, who 


is in Luanda to participate in the forum that is being held until 


tomorrow, remarked that peace is not only built by politicians


--- but that it has to be a mission of the whole society and 


has to be global.


 


"Wars must end. It is not a utopia. It will be a reality because 


utopias become reality when human beings decide to make 


them a reality. Here we will send, through the Luanda 


declaration when the conference concludes, that 


message -------- of permanent commitment," 


he told the press.


 


He specified that Unaoc must ensure that the peace lobby 


defeats the war lobby ------- despite the latter's power.


 


He mentioned as an example of the interests that must be fought, 


that during the first part of the recent conflict in Iran, military 


spending amounted to 40 billion dollars, of which 22 billion 


dollars corresponded to the US and of which five billion 


were to repair the damage caused to its military bases.


 


"What are military bases for, to protect or to become military 


targets? Who is the war lobby for? For the people who earn 


from the increase in military budgets and increase their 


wealth," he emphasized.


 


He said that, in the face of this, the peace lobby has 


to mobilize: citizens, companies that need peace to 


generate wealth, and all like organizations...


 


He said that this is the message that the third edition of the 


initiative intends to pass and, as of the conclusion of the 


conference in Luanda, to turn that cry for peace, the 


end of wars and respect for international law, into 


action ---- to build a better world.


 


"The only battle worth fighting is that of peace," Moratinos said, 


adding - that there is no legitimate war, and neither political
nor democratic debate in confrontations, as recent events
....
have shown.


 


There is only destruction, suffering, and that is why we all have to 


be soldiers of peace, committed ---- so that in the future the new 


generations can say ..that we have achieved the end of wars.


 


The third edition of the Unaoc Initiative -- should bring together 


personalities from different countries this Thursday in Luanda 


and, on this day, approach the history of the armed conflict 


in Angola and the achievement of peace in the country.


 


As part of the agenda, a tribute to the unknown soldier and 


a tour of the Museum of Military History ....are planned.


 


The opening ceremony is scheduled at the Presidential Protocol 


Pavilion, with the intervention of Angolan President João 


Lourenço, in his capacity as host and Champion of the 


African Union for Peace and Reconciliation in Africa.


 


 


________________________________________________


 


 


 


Ethiopia and the EU discuss....... 


expanding strategic partnership


Addis Ababa, July 16th, 5:52am


 (Prensa Latina) 


 


Representatives of Ethiopia and the EU discussed today the 


expansion of the strategic partnership, focusing on trade, 


investment, financing for development and sustainable 


economic transformation.


 


Ethiopian Minister of State for Finance -- Semereta Sewasew, 


speaking to EU Commissioner for International Partnerships 


Jozef Síkela, expressed the African country's appreciation 


for the recent EU budget support agreement, describing 


it as a strong vote of confidence in the local 


reform agenda.


 


Sewasew also acknowledged the commitment to support 


macroeconomic stability, sustainable growth and 


improved development outcomes.


 


He highlighted Addis Ababa's continued efforts ------ to strengthen 


economic governance and public financial management through 


reforms aimed at improving budget credibility, transparency, 


accountability and public investment management, while 


creating a more predictable environment ------- for 


development partners and investors.


 


He agreed with Sikela that bilateral relations are evolving towards 


a broader strategic partnership ....driven by strong economic
cooperation, increased trade, investment promotion and 


private sector engagement.


 


He stressed that Ethiopia is working to attract more European 


investment in priority sectors, including renewable energy, 


manufacturing, agro-processing, logistics, digital 


transformation and industrial development.


 


The Ethiopian Minister of State highlighted the strategic importance 


of the Bishoftu International Airport project, describing it ...as a 


transformative investment that will strengthen regional 


connectivity, aviation capacity and the national 


logistics network, as well as reinforce the 


country's role as a gateway for trade 


and investment in Africa.


 


In this sense, he invited.. to increase the participation of 


European companies, investors and technical partners


 in the implementation and operation of the project.


 


On the other hand, referring to the EU's Deforestation 


Regulation, he stressed the importance of continued 


cooperation to ensure that sustainability 


requirements support, rather than 


hinder, Ethiopia's coffee sector.


 


He also informed Síkela ....about Ethiopia's assumption of the 


Presidency of the Organization of African, Caribbean and 


Pacific States, noting that it presents an opportunity to 


promote stronger cooperation between Africa and the 


EU on trade, investment, climate action, sustainable 


development and innovative finance.


 


He also updated on Ethiopia's preparations to host the 32nd 


United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP32) in 


November 2027 and invited the EU to strengthen 


cooperation on climate finance, green 


investment and climate-resilient 


development initiatives.


 


 




All Africa music winners

Image: Sudan's Wazza instrument

will africa solve hunger by 2030?

Image: bust of queen Nefertiti

ONE UNION

Two weeks before Brexit, the African Union

 announced a new single African passport
that permits holders to enter any of the
 54 AU member states without a visa –
an interesting turn in African history
which NO-ONE in the West knows
or cares about !  What a stunning
reflection of how far our mindset
and media are, from the 'world
community' we say we love.

__________________________________




The above is one reason why Rhondda Records
is devoting this page to Africa - and there
are so many other reasons!

Here are two - one bad - one good.

I was stunned, when I read a year or so
ago, that 40% of Africa has no regular
electricity supply! How could this be?

And, second, Africa is not only the
Mother of the human species...
it is, now, becoming the hope
of the new multipolar world.

Rise up, Africa!





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