logo
African Union Commission (AUC) Chairperson convened & presided over a session of the African Union (AU) Peace Fund Executive Management Committee

African Union Commission (AUC) Chairperson convened & presided over a session of the African Union (AU) Peace Fund Executive Management Committee

Zawya16-06-2025
This morning, the Chairperson of the AU Commission, H.E. Mahmoud Ali Youssouf convened&presided over a session of the AU Peace Fund Executive Management Committee. He received a comprehensive briefing from H.E. @dagmawit_moges, Director-General of the @AUPeaceFund,&H.E. @Bankole_Adeoye, Commissioner of @AUC_PAPS, on the strategic and progressive utilisation of the Fund.
The Chairperson underscored the Fund's pivotal role in advancing African-led peace&security initiatives&emphasised the imperative of timely&efficient disbursement of resources in support of stabilisation&conflict prevention efforts across the continent.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of African Union (AU).
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Rising crime poses challenge for Syrian authorities as stability remains elusive
Rising crime poses challenge for Syrian authorities as stability remains elusive

The National

time2 hours ago

  • The National

Rising crime poses challenge for Syrian authorities as stability remains elusive

Every August, Syrian architect Fayyad Salem escapes the heat in Damascus by heading to the mountain town of Marmarita, in the west of the country. When he embarked on the two-hour drive this week, his brother-in-law insisted on going with him. 'He thought it would be safer because of the highway robberies and kidnapping,' Mr Salem said. 'We are both unarmed and his presence would not help.' When the two men reached Marmarita, it was empty. Thousands of tourists and people who owned second homes in the town continued to travel there during the civil war, when security personnel at regime roadblocks extorted passengers, but the road was considered relatively safe. 'Marmarita is dead. No one goes there any more. They are afraid to be on that road,' Mr Salem said. Nine months after former president Bashar Al Assad was deposed, rising crime has posed a challenge to a drive by the new government to portray Syria as ready for investment and encourage the return of the country's diaspora. Since the start of this year, 254 people have been killed for apparently non-political reasons across the country, according to the UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. Clashes this year have also led to the deaths of Alawites, Druze and Bedouins. Displacement and a lack of full-year data makes it difficult to compare the statistics to previous levels. The observatory said the 254 reported killed this year included 40 women and 14 children. The largest proportion of the deaths occurred in the southern province of Deraa, where 52 lost their lives. It found that 41 were killed in Damascus and the surrounding areas, while 18 died in northern Aleppo province. Seventeen people were killed in the coastal province of Latakia, 28 died in Hama and 18 were killed in Homs. During the civil war, the Assad regime carried out indiscriminate bombing campaigns on rebel cities and towns, and tortured and killed its opponents. Passing through its security roadblocks involved paying bribes, while protection rackets in big cities were often formed from within the system. Amid persistent instability in Syria, cases of armed robbery, kidnappings and car theft have become common, business owners said. "A Beretta with an 18-round magazine is on me all the time," said an Aleppo merchant who has been making regular trips to Damascus to expand his retail businesses. In Maliki, the most affluent district of the capital, actress Diala Al Wadi was found dead in her apartment on Sunday. Residents said her apartment had been burgled. Within 24 hours, security forces arrested a man suspected of killing her, as well as detaining her housekeeper in connection with the crime. Justice Minister Mazhar Al Wais said the state would punish those involved 'as a warning to anyone who dares violate innocent lives". A similar case in Maliki last month has not yet been solved. Amal Al Bustani, a doctor living in the area, was killed in her home, along with her housemaid. 'Going into homes and killing their owners and robbing them used to be unheard of in Maliki,' said Ramez Alaas, a contractor who lives in the neighbourhood. Under the former regime, secret police were posted in Maliki because Mr Al Assad lived there, as had his father, Hafez. A commander in the Damascus police force acknowledged that crime 'is a problem' but said authorities planned to install security cameras and had already sent more officers to catch 'everything from traffic violations to public safety threats'. He said the size of the force had been increased, having faced a severe shortfall when the former regime fell and members of its security forces fled. In Aleppo, the country's business capital, the authorities have been installing cameras after a wave of kidnappings in which workers and managers of factories on the edge of the city were held for ransom. Aleppo remains a close-knit society and more criminals appear to be apprehended there than in Damascus, but economic malaise and an influx of migrants from neighbouring Idlib has kept lawlessness rife, according to a textile factory owner in Aleppo. 'It is understandable that it will take time to establish law and order, but people are becoming fed up,' the industrialist said. 'A replica of the old system is developing – gangs close to the regime who are untouchable."

South Africa gets closer to full membership of biggest African trade bank
South Africa gets closer to full membership of biggest African trade bank

Zawya

time2 hours ago

  • Zawya

South Africa gets closer to full membership of biggest African trade bank

South Africa moved closer to becoming a full sovereign member of the Africa Export-Import Bank, the continent's leading provider of trade finance, after the cabinet gave its approval to the plan, the government said on Thursday. Membership of Afreximbank, as the lender with a balance sheet of $35 billion is known, would give Africa's most advanced economy access to new trade investment products when its tariff row with the United States has increased its need for new export markets. Afreximbank has, however, in recent months been in a dispute over whether its loans to African nations should be restructured in the event of defaults. The government said it would get a class A shareholding, meaning it would have an increased role in Afreximbank's governance. That would include "influence over its strategic direction, structure and leadership appointments," it said in a statement containing cabinet decisions. The government did not give a timeframe on when South Africa's membership would be finalised. South Africa was not able to fully join Afreximbank as a state member when it was created in 1993 as the country was still under apartheid rule. It took up an unspecified amount of shareholding in 2017 without acceding to the treaty founding the bank. Afreximbank has four shareholder categories including class A, which is made up of African governments that hold more than 50% of shares spread among 53 member states, and regional multilateral financial institutions including the African Development Bank. The rest of the shares are held by commercial banks and private funds, overseas investors and general investors through depositary receipts listed on the Stock Exchange of Mauritius. The Cairo-based Afreximbank did not respond immediately to a request for comment on South Africa's cabinet approval. (Writing by Duncan Miriri; Editing by Barbara Lewis)

The Chairperson of the African Union Commission Message on the occasion of the Independence Day of the Republic of Côte d'Ivoire
The Chairperson of the African Union Commission Message on the occasion of the Independence Day of the Republic of Côte d'Ivoire

Zawya

time4 hours ago

  • Zawya

The Chairperson of the African Union Commission Message on the occasion of the Independence Day of the Republic of Côte d'Ivoire

The Chairperson of the African Union Commission, H.E. Mahmoud Ali Youssouf, extends his heartfelt congratulations to the Government and the people of the Republic of Côte d'Ivoire on the celebration of their Independence Day. This important occasion is a proud reflection of the resilience, unity, and aspirations of the Ivorian people. It marks not only the commemoration of national sovereignty but also the ongoing journey of Côte d'Ivoire as a pillar of economic dynamism and regional leadership within the African continent. Côte d'Ivoire's unwavering commitment to peacebuilding, democratic governance, and continental integration continues to serve as a source of inspiration for the African Union and its Member States. As an influential voice in both regional and global affairs, the Republic of Côte d'Ivoire remains a key partner in advancing Africa's Agenda 2063. The African Union reaffirms its full solidarity and support to the people and leadership of Côte d'Ivoire as they pursue a future marked by stability, prosperity, and social inclusion. Happy Independence Day! Distributed by APO Group on behalf of African Union (AU).

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store