AGP Executive Report

Climate Finance & Farming: AGRA’s Alice Ruhweza highlights how regenerative agriculture payments in Kenya reached 2,226 farmers directly via mobile money, showing what climate funding can look like when it actually reaches smallholders. Education & Child Protection: Zambia’s Education Above All Foundation says its EVE project in Namwala District supported 10,193 vulnerable children to stay in school, with SAFE Clubs and re-enrolment of out-of-school learners. Peace Process (DR Congo): Qatar-backed talks in Switzerland produced a roadmap to implement the Doha Framework and accelerate the DRC government–AFC/M23 peace agreement. Water & Security: Ethiopia reiterates its sovereign right to develop the Abay (Nile) amid regional diplomacy and strategic partnerships. Waste & Recycling: Cycling Africa’s 5th Lagos webinar will bring stakeholders together to tackle Nigeria’s recycling capacity and waste-to-value opportunities. Disaster Risk: Guinea’s Conakry landfill collapse killed at least 18 after heavy rains. Health & Outbreaks: India’s ICMR says Delhi’s swine flu surge is driven by a known H1N1 strain and urges calm as numbers begin to drop.

Climate & Food Security: Zimbabwe is bracing for a potentially severe El Niño, with officials pushing climate-smart agriculture, water harvesting and soil conservation to protect maize and household food security. Biodiversity & Illegal Trade: South Africa’s Succulent Karoo is under pressure as authorities seized about 2.5m illegally harvested succulents since 2018, with poaching surging since 2019 and plants trafficked to overseas markets. Water & Energy Infrastructure: Eswatini’s EEC has opened a tender to add a 10MW unit at Maguga Hydropower Station, aiming to close a financing gap that delayed expansion. Agriculture & Mechanisation: Zimbabwe highlights Belarus support for farm mechanisation, while Delta State (Nigeria) pledges infrastructure and power upgrades to back farmers and investors. Mining & Environment: Fortuna Mining will pay US$200m to acquire Senegal’s Bambadji gold project, consolidating exploration near its Diamba Sud asset. Governance & Security: A West Africa security retreat argues lasting peace depends on accountable institutions and trusted governance, not just firepower.

Hydropower & Water Security: Tanzania’s President Samia Suluhu Hassan has launched the 2,115MW Julius Nyerere Hydropower Project in Rufiji, arguing it will end claims it was a “white elephant” and deliver real power benefits. Public Health & Climate: A Nigeria-based health expert warns that insecticide resistance and climate change are eroding gains against mosquito-borne diseases, with Africa carrying the bulk of malaria cases and deaths. Extreme Weather Watch: The UK Met Office forecasts a “biggest” El Niño in over a century, raising fears of record heat and more storms that could ripple into African weather and food systems. Wildfire Fallout: Europe’s wildfires are exposing buried WWI/WWII bombs and mines, with heat and climate-driven fire conditions unearthing lethal remnants. Water Stress: In Turkey, extreme heat has cut flow in the Tundzha River, drying parts used for rice irrigation—an early warning of climate-linked water strain. Regional Resilience: Zimbabwe and South Africa are urged to treat the North–South Rail Corridor as an economic security tool to strengthen trade, food security and AfCFTA delivery.

Climate Refugees & Law: A new argument says the most durable protection for climate refugees is to recognize them under the 1951 UN Refugee Convention, pushing for stronger legal status for people displaced by climate impacts. Wildfire Hazards: Europe’s wildfire season is also unearthing buried WWI/WWII bombs and mines, showing how climate-driven fires can trigger deadly secondary dangers. Namibia Gas Strategy: Namibia’s leaders say petroleum must build local jobs, skills and industry—not just export revenue—raising the question of where gas goes and who benefits. El Niño Watch: The UK Met Office warns a “strongest in living memory” El Niño could drive record heat and disrupt monsoons, with knock-on risks for southern Africa and food prices. South Africa Data Centres: Civil society warns the AI/data-centre boom could strain water, electricity and land, with human rights concerns now before the SA Human Rights Commission. Wild Coast Coal Fight: South Africa’s coal expansion plan faces fresh legal pressure as courts weigh environmental impacts on children and future generations. Central African Republic Mine Collapse: More than 100 miners have died in a gold mine collapse, renewing focus on safety in extractives. Ebola Funding Worry: Reports say Ebola relief funds could be lost to corruption, threatening outbreak readiness.

El Niño Watch: Scientists warn an “unprecedented” El Niño is building, with Britain and parts of southern Africa facing wetter, stormier conditions while drought risk rises in the tropics—raising concerns for floods, crop yields and food prices. Climate Extremes in Africa: A new study maps Angola’s Angolan Highlands Water Tower as a bigger peatland carbon sink than thought, but warns slash-and-burn farming and peat extraction are releasing CO2. Water & Trade Disruption: Reuters reports the Panama Canal is again bracing for El Niño-driven reservoir shrinkage, with some ships already detouring via Africa. Pollution & Health: A Durban sewage spill into a wetland is described as one of the worst environmental disasters, spotlighting weak wastewater controls. Governance & Resilience: An opinion piece argues citizens often “adapt” to bad governance, normalizing unaccountable power even when they publicly criticize it. Energy Reliability: Uganda’s MMP Industrial Park expansion is slowed by unreliable electricity, delayed tax exemptions and poor access roads. Green Finance: Moody’s gives Centum Re’s green bond framework a top sustainability score, boosting investor confidence for Kenya and Uganda property projects.

UNCCD COP17 Diplomacy: Mongolia’s COP17 president met South Africa’s forestry, fisheries and environment deputy minister, stressing consensus-led action to tackle land degradation, desertification and drought. Food Systems Investment: Africa’s food resilience push is shifting toward healthier soils and climate-smart seed systems, but experts warn that finance, markets and enabling policy must match farm-level technology. Climate Extremes Watch: The UK Met Office warns an “unprecedented” El Niño could drive storms and rain in autumn and winter, while raising drought risk in parts of southern Africa. Land Restoration Progress (and gaps): A new assessment says global restoration pledges cover 1.2 billion hectares, yet current implementation rates may fall short of 2030 targets. Critical Minerals Partnerships: Experts say China could be a key minerals partner if deals link resource access to local processing, training and procurement. Illegal Marine Trade Crackdown: South Africa’s DFFE and police arrested three men in a multi-million rand abalone bust, citing breaches of marine resource laws. Agriculture Inputs & Soil Health: Calls for scaling proven restoration models and seed/soil investments echo across UNCCD and Africa Food Systems Forum discussions.

Climate & Food Security: El Niño talk is heating up as a “super El Niño” could intensify extreme weather and push up global food prices, with wheat and fertiliser pressures already in play. Health & Environment: AMMREN marks World Mosquito Day by warning that malaria gains are under threat from insecticide resistance, shifting climates and invasive mosquito species. Water & Weather: South Africa’s forecast points to foggy, fine and warm conditions across many provinces, with coastal winds turning fresh to strong. Energy & Development: Tanzania’s President Samia Suluhu Hassan met the World Bank to deepen investment in rail, transport, energy connectivity and climate-resilient agriculture. Digital Inclusion: A GSMA report says about 80% of Malawians remain offline despite mobile coverage, while targeted digital reforms could unlock major economic value. Biodiversity & Land Use: A nature-logging mobile app aims to make wildlife tracking more fun, while a golf club in the US earned Audubon sanctuary status for habitat and water protection. Governance & Public Health: Ghana’s Health Ministry urges regulatory innovation and stronger collaboration to speed up safer public health systems.

Land Restoration & Desertification: At COP17 on desertification, China is pushing its “implementation” playbook—like straw grids that help hold dunes—arguing proven restoration models can be scaled fast. Climate & Wildlife: A new review warns climate change is driving steep declines in migratory birds along the African-Eurasian flyway, with extreme weather hitting survival across the journey. Mining & Disaster Risk: A gold mine landslide in CAR near Cameroon killed over 100 workers, underscoring weak safety around underground tunnels. Fisheries Governance: Ghana earned international recognition for fisheries transparency reforms, boosting access to marine data and stakeholder participation. Energy Transition & Industry: Ghana’s government says it’s ready to move nuclear power beyond aspiration, while South Africa’s green hydrogen-ammonia project is progressing. Regional Infrastructure: Botswana’s Trans-Kalahari Railway has entered procurement after feasibility work, aiming to connect mineral corridors to Walvis Bay. Afrophobia: Nigeria urged action after reporting about 90 Nigerians killed in xenophobic violence in South Africa since 2022. Circular Economy & Skills: Women in Mining Africa is working with Liberia’s education ministry to build a future minerals workforce through early STEM and leadership programs.

Critical Minerals & U.S. Strategy: The U.S. is backing Madagascar’s Ampasindava rare-earths project, aiming to diversify supply chains long dominated by China and to fund pilot work plus environmental programmes. Water Security: Kenya’s Nairobi water utility warns that Tata Chemicals Magadi’s shutdown could force emergency chemical changes and tighter monitoring, since it supplies hundreds of tonnes of soda ash monthly. Climate Risk & Forecasting: Sea turtles fitted with sensors could help track ocean cooling during cyclones, improving real-time tropical storm forecasting. Toxic Waste Accountability: Côte d’Ivoire revisits the 2006 Akouédo disaster, where dumped toxic waste killed people and sparked long-running disputes over compensation and cleanup. Entrepreneurship-to-Jobs Push: Kenya’s University of Nairobi programme urges more practical entrepreneurship training, linking graduates to mentorship, financing and industry networks. Weather Watch (SA): Fine and warm conditions dominate many provinces, with fog in parts of Limpopo and hot spots in Mpumalanga’s Lowveld.

Water & Sanitation Financing: Officials in Kigali urged Africa to shift from building water infrastructure to making services work, calling for stronger institutions, accountable leadership and sustainable financing to improve WASH delivery. Marine Research & Blue Economy: Zanzibar and China launched a 14-day training push to strengthen marine data collection, aiming to protect coastal ecosystems while supporting fisheries, aquaculture and tourism. Climate Risk & Food Security: A report warns the UK’s heavy reliance on imported fruit and vegetables leaves it exposed to climate shocks hitting North Africa and other vulnerable regions. Marine Heatwaves: New research links carbon pollution to a major expansion of marine heatwaves in Europe, with some waters far hotter than historical norms—raising risks for corals, fish and coastal ecosystems. Biodiversity Under Pressure: CapeNature and partners reported soaring succulent poaching in South Africa’s Succulent Karoo, with hundreds of thousands seized in recent months. Energy Transition Governance: Kenya’s Senate Energy Committee backed a proposed nuclear plant in Bondo but demanded safeguards on compensation, public participation and nuclear waste concerns before any move forward. Nature-Positive Finance: Ecobank highlighted how banks can steer outcomes through lending, launching a nature-focused sustainable agriculture and natural capital bond.

Climate & Disaster Risk: Ghana’s flood managers are being urged to adopt a more integrated, risk-based approach that links national and district systems, with attention to evacuation and victims’ mental health as El Niño-linked extremes loom. Legal & Environmental Governance: South Africa’s top court permanently blocks Shell’s Wild Coast offshore exploration, citing flawed decision-making and inadequate community consultation, in a landmark climate and environmental justice ruling. Water & Sanitation: Ghana’s Concerned Hearts Foundation handed over WASH facilities to Mafi Afleavenu D.A. Primary School, adding rainwater harvesting tanks and toilets to improve safe water and sanitation for pupils. Food Security: FAO flags that hunger is improving but remains fragile, with new crises across Africa threatening gains. Health & Water Access: WHO/UNICEF research says nearly 1 billion people rely on healthcare facilities without clean water, sanitation, or basic hygiene—raising risks for patients and staff. Climate Signals: Experts warn El Niño and Indian Ocean patterns could raise the odds of record heat, with knock-on risks for drought, floods, and heat stress. Elections & Social Stability: Nigeria’s parties sign a National Peace Accord for 2027, pledging issue-based campaigns and rejecting hate speech and violence as misinformation could deepen ethnic tensions. Migration Pressure: U.S. courts clear the way to end Ethiopia’s Temporary Protected Status, adding uncertainty for thousands of Ethiopians already living in the country.

SADC Summit & Critical Minerals: South Africa’s Ramaphosa took over the SADC chair and pushed for faster regional integration, trade, and industrialisation, with a clear call to stop exporting critical minerals raw and instead build value-adding industries. Zambia Food & Climate Risk: Zambia recorded its largest maize harvest at about 4.9 million tonnes, driven by expanded planting and above-average rainfall, but farmers are already watching El Niño-linked weather risks for the next season. Zambia Election & Copper-Led Growth: Hakainde Hichilema won a second term, setting up continuity for an investment-led plan focused on sharply expanding copper output after debt restructuring. DRC Health Emergency: Ebola in the DRC has reached record levels for the country, with WHO warning it could eclipse the 2014–2016 West Africa outbreak if it keeps accelerating. Youth, Peace & Climate Justice: The African Union launched a Pan-African Youth Framework linking youth participation to peace and climate justice, urging young people into decision-making. Public Health & Mercury: A New York study found mercury in nearly a third of tested skin-lightening and skincare products, raising serious toxic exposure concerns. Water Safety: Authorities in South Africa’s Vaal River region launched a crocodile capture-and-relocation plan, urging residents to avoid water activities until the animal is moved.

Ebola Crisis in DRC: The UN warns “Ebola is winning” as cases in the Democratic Republic of Congo hit 4,945 with 2,325 deaths, driven by the rare Bundibugyo strain and hampered by conflict and mistrust. Cholera Response: The EU released €2.3m emergency funding for Nigeria and three other countries to curb cholera spread, including extra response teams, kits, and water, sanitation and hygiene support. Desertification & Pastoralism: COP17 of the UNCCD opens in Mongolia with a focus on sustainable rangeland management for pastoralists, as the International Year of Rangelands and Pastoralists gathers momentum. Illegal Fishing: New research flags illegal, unreported fishing as a systemic feature of the global seafood economy, with West Africa among the main value sources. Climate Risk Watch: El Niño is forecast to strengthen later in 2026, raising concerns for rainfall swings and crop impacts across parts of Africa. Land & Heritage Under Threat: Sudan’s Meroë pyramids face deterioration as civil war disrupts preservation efforts. Governance & Environment: Namibia’s Bwabwata National Park traditional jurisdiction dispute intensifies, with authorities seeking written historical claims. Weather Alerts: South Africa faces fine, warm conditions in many areas, with rain expected in parts of KwaZulu-Natal and the Western Cape.

Wild Coast Legal Win: South Africa’s top court permanently blocks Shell’s offshore exploration off the Wild Coast, after years of community consultation disputes and environmental concerns for whales and coastal livelihoods. Water & Climate Pressure: Dam levels are below last year’s figures as a strong El Niño threatens South Africa’s water supply, raising the odds of restrictions and higher food costs. Marine Health Alarm: Lab sequencing finds pilchard herpesvirus genetic material in sardines during West Coast mass-mortality investigations, but officials warn the virus may not be the only driver as stressors like algal blooms and low oxygen are probed. Border Control: South Africa intercepted 4,229 undocumented people at borders between April and July, with tens of thousands repatriated—highlighting ongoing gaps in illegal entry management. Health Tech: Kenya pilots faster malaria testing with automated analysers that can detect parasites and run blood counts in about a minute. Conservation & Wildlife: A North West owl rescue centre in Bokfontein is using a large farm-based sanctuary to rehabilitate owls and counter superstition-driven persecution. Energy Transition Watch: South Africa’s Eskom reform debate continues, with critics saying slow-walking transmission changes risks jobs and growth.

Tailings Disaster in South Africa: A dam wall at Samancor Dikwena’s tailings facility collapsed near Brits, spilling mining sludge toward Northam Platinum’s Eland Mine and disrupting access and power in nearby areas, raising contamination fears. Marine Health Watch: South Africa’s fisheries authorities confirmed pilchard herpesvirus genetic material in sardines linked to a mass die-off along the Western Cape, though they’re still determining whether the virus alone caused the deaths. Water Crisis Accountability: South Africans in Mpumalanga told lawmakers that leaking pipes, broken pumps, tanker shortages and weak enforcement keep undermining water and sanitation services, as the Water Services Amendment Bill aims to tighten management and personal accountability. Climate-Linked Migration Governance: IOM Cameroon and COMIFAC signed an MoU to better manage human mobility amid climate shocks and forest degradation, pushing environmental protection into migration policy. Uganda Mining Skills Gap: Uganda’s mining growth target faces a shortage of metallurgists, mining engineers and economists, with industry urging faster training to reduce reliance on foreign expertise. Zimbabwe Drought Resilience: Solar-powered community gardens in eastern Zimbabwe are helping farmers keep producing through dry spells, supporting food security and incomes.

State policing reform in Nigeria’s Oghara Kingdom: The Oghara Study Group and palace stakeholders are pushing for people-centred, accountable policing, warning that decentralising policing without safeguards could fuel political interference and impunity. South Africa crime crackdown debate: Despite troop deployments to curb gang violence and illegal mining, reports highlight continued killings and questions over whether military support can fix deeper policing and intelligence capacity gaps. Limpopo audit “gag” controversy: Six Limpopo departments reportedly received clean audits, but the provincial government has reportedly imposed a moratorium on announcing results—sparking claims the premier wants to control the narrative ahead of elections. Conservation + youth tech in Zimbabwe: In Gwayi Valley, conservationists are tackling threats to endangered African painted dogs by pairing protection with a solar-powered digital learning hub that helps youths swap snares for coding and new livelihoods. E-waste jobs in Zambia: Zambia, Japan and the ILO launched a sustainable e-waste management project aimed at green enterprise and youth employment while reducing environmental harm. SADC integration pressure: Zimbabwe urges SADC to turn integration promises into tangible citizen benefits as South Africa prepares to host the bloc’s summit focused on industrialisation, agriculture and critical minerals. El Niño and dry impacts on wildlife: A nature column warns that dry, hot conditions are reducing nectar and wildlife numbers, with butterfly activity dropping after earlier spring abundance. Ceuta public health + environmental controls: Spain’s Ceuta rolled out stronger TB surveillance, coastal and drinking-water monitoring, and sanitation after a migrant influx, including added waste-removal workers.