Mozambique’s President Nyusi Joins Namibian, Ugandan, Senegalese Presidents, Nigerian Former President at African Energy Week (AEW) 2023 to Discuss Africa’s Sustainable Future

 

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Mozambique’s President Nyusi Joins Namibian, Ugandan, Senegalese Presidents, Nigerian Former President at African Energy Week (AEW) 2023 to Discuss Africa’s Sustainable Future

Marking his return to the African Energy Week conference in Cape Town, Mozambique’s President Filipe Nyusi will once again address delegates at the important gathering, engaging with the respective Presidents of Namibia, Uganda and Senegal and the former President of Nigeria as they chart a pathway towards a sustainable energy future

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JOHANNESBURG, South Africa, October 8, 2023/ -- Mozambique’s President Filipe Nyusi has been at the forefront of a series of industry-advancing developments in the country. Under his leadership, the country has seen noteworthy success across its energy sector, with a strong slate of foreign companies driving several large-scale projects in close collaboration with the National Oil Company Empresa Nacional de Hidrocarbonetos (ENH). Under efforts to drive the southern African region into a new era of security, President Nyusi continues to showcase resilience and a commitment to a just and inclusive energy transition in Africa. In line with the event mandate to make energy poverty history by 2030, the African Energy Chamber (AEC) is proud to announce that President Nyusi will once again address delegates at the African Energy Week (AEW) conference in Cape Town. Taking place from October 16-20, President Nyusi’s address marks his return to this highly important event. President Nyusi joins regional Presidents in Cape Town to discuss the pathway towards a sustainable and secure energy future in Africa, including Senegalese President Macky Sall; Namibian President Hage Geingob; Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni; and Nigeria’s former President Olusegun Obasanjo. Mozambique stands at the intersection of Africa’s energy security and transition agenda, serving as a strong example of how natural gas can accelerate both accessibility and sustainability goals. The country already represents a major green energy producer, with projects such as the 2,075 MW Cabora Bassa Hydropower project providing power to the regional community. In tandem with renewable expansion plans – the country is targeting a wave of solar, hydro and power investments – Mozambique is advancing its oil and gas developments with the aim of electrifying and growing the southern African economy. The country has been monetizing onshore gas from the Pande and Temane fields for several years, with South Africa’s Sasol importing via the ROMPCO pipeline. Offshore, major projects are making headway, all of which are poised to transform the country. These include the $20 billion TotalEnergies-led Mozambique Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG), with a capacity of 43 million tons per annum (mtpa); the ExxonMobil-led Rovuma Area 4 LNG Trains 1 & 2, with a capacity of 18 mtpa; and the Eni-led Coral Sul Floating LNG project, with a capacity of 3.4 mtpa. Coral Sul achieved first LNG export in late 2022, marking a major milestone for the country. These billion-dollar initiatives have showcased the potential for large-scale offshore investments, and with most of the country’s resources largely untapped, opportunities for E&P players remain prevalent. Mozambique’s proven natural gas resources are measured at 100 trillion cubic feet (tcf), with proven plays across both onshore and offshore acreage. Other energy companies such as Galp, Shell, Kogas and more are active in the country, but opportunities continue to grow for both regional and international firms. On the oil side, the untapped oil-rich basins of Angoche and Zambezi have enticed the participation of players such as Eni, Sasol, Delonex Energy and ExxonMobil, and yet further opportunities lie awaiting investment. Strategically located in close proximity to high-demand regional markets as well as international consumers, the country’s gas resources will remain of central value for years to come. President Nyusi believes that Mozambican energy will be instrumental for making energy poverty history in southern Africa. Speaking during last year’s edition of the conference, President Nyusi stated that, “the suffocation that Africa is facing is not due to a lack of resources. Africa is home to 850 tcf of gas in addition to other resources which can play an important role in addressing energy poverty. It is critical to continue reforming the regulatory environment in order to attract more investment.” “President Nyusi has been at the helm of some of Africa’s biggest natural gas developments,” stated NJ Ayuk, Executive Chairman of the AEC. “While faced with challenges regarding project developments, President Nyusi has shown dedication to engaging with both foreign companies and local communities under efforts to advance energy projects and unlock the full potential of Mozambique’s offshore gas resources. As Africa moves to advance a just and inclusive energy transition, Mozambique’s resources and leaders such as President Nyusi will be of strategic importance.” AEW 2023 features the most comprehensive lineup of African energy and petroleum ministers as well as Presidents, all of whom have joined the conference with the objective of alleviating energy poverty and industrializing the continent. Centered on signing deals and advancing dialogue around Africa’s position in global energy affairs, AEW 2023 serves as a form of prelude to COP28 discussions about Africa’s energy transition. Leading this dialogue will be President Nyusi among other regional government heads. Join the AEW 2023 conference and take part in the discussions about Africa’s energy renaissance.  Distributed by APO Group on behalf of African Energy Chamber.   About Africa Energy Week: AEW is the AEC’s annual conference, exhibition and networking event. AEW 2023 will unite African energy policymakers and stakeholders with global investors to discuss and maximize opportunities within the continent’s entire energy industry. For more information about AEW 2023, visit www.AECWeek.com.  SOURCE African Energy Chamber

Girl, Six Starts School After Life Changing Surgery in Senegal

 Mercy Ships

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Girl, Six, Starts School After Life-Changing Surgery in Senegal

Six-year-old Mariama from Sedhiou in Senegal, West Africa, was just four when her legs began to bend outwards.

DAKAR, Senegal, March 20, 2023/ -- A mother who feared her daughter could never go to school and thought her bowed legs were incurable is calling her transformation by a surgical charity ‘a miracle’.

Six-year-old Mariama from Sedhiou in Senegal, West Africa, was just four when her legs began to bend outwards.

Her mother, Sifaye, said: “When I noticed her legs like that, I was really worried. I wasn't able to sleep enough. I was so scared.”

Mariama’s condition worsened as she grew, and her mother was concerned she would face more and more isolation. She could not run and jump like her friends and became self-conscious.

“Her friends laughed at her because she couldn’t walk fast or run, she was always behind,” Sifaye added.

Her parents made the difficult decision to keep her out of school.

Sifaye, a mother of four, said: “The school is so far, that is why I didn't send her there. Because she can't walk a long distance without complaining that she was tired. If she went to school, she wouldn’t be able to walk back home.”

The family sought hard for a cure for the next year but found nothing.

Her mother said: “During that period, we tried every type of medicine, but nothing changed. When we took her to the hospital, they told us that they can’t cure her.”

They were told that her legs would likely continue to curve for the rest of her life.

A year later, in a village two hours away, Sifaye’s brother Mane heard about Mercy Ships, an international charity with two hospital ships that deliver free surgeries to those with little access to safe medical care. He met a member of the charity’s patient selection team assessing potential surgical patients.

Mane said, “He told me they would offer free surgeries for patients. He showed me photos of people they had already treated. The pictures of the previous patients convinced me. I wished the same for my niece.”

He immediately told his sister.

Despite the fact that Sifaye was full of fear and had never travelled more than two hours from her home village, she travelled two days with her daughter to get to the port of Dakar, where the hospital ship the Africa Mercy was docked.

Sifaye said, “I was absolutely afraid of taking her [Mariama] to the ship.”

She said the first few days were constant bouts of homesickness, but the team on board quickly made them feel at home. For the first time, they also met children with conditions like Mariama’s.

“I was happy to meet other mothers who knew what I was going through, and it was good for Mariama to see she was not alone,” Sifaye said.

Volunteer orthopedic surgeon Dr. Stan Kinsch from Luxembourg, who treated Mariama, says that bowed legs can occur due to malnutrition.

Unfortunately, due to inadequate medical access in some African countries, the condition is more prevalent on the continent compared to other parts of the world.

“In developed countries, these conditions are treated early so they don’t require surgery. But here they are recognized late, and appropriate treatment isn’t available, so they develop into extreme forms,” said Dr. Kinsch.

After surgery and three months of physiotherapy, Sifaye and Mariama were ready to go home.

When Sifaye saw her daughter’s straight legs for the first time, she was overwhelmed with joy.

She exclaimed, “I was so surprised; I thought her legs would always be bent for the rest of her life. Seeing them like that today was wonderful. We were never going to afford to get her surgery, so this is a miracle for us.”

Mariama has now successfully started school.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Mercy Ships.

Notes to editors:

Mercy Ships operates hospital ships that deliver free surgeries and other healthcare services to those with little access to safe medical care. An international faith-based organization, Mercy Ships has focused entirely on partnering with African nations for the past three decades. Working with in-country partners, Mercy Ships also provides training to local healthcare professionals and supports the construction of in-country medical infrastructure to leave a lasting impact. 

Each year, more than 3,000 volunteer professionals from over 60 countries serve on board the world’s two largest non-governmental hospital ships, the Africa Mercy® and the Global Mercy™. Professionals such as surgeons, dentists, nurses, health trainers, cooks, and engineers dedicate their time and skills to accelerate access to safe surgical, obstetric and anesthetic care. Mercy Ships was founded in 1978 and has offices in 16 countries as well as an Africa Service Center in Dakar, Senegal. For more information, visit www.MercyShips.org and follow @MercyShips on social media.

For More Information Contact:

Saran Kaba WAGUÉ

APO Group

saran.kaba-wague@apo-opa.com

SOURCE

Mercy Ships

Girl Starts School with Confident Smile after Surgery

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Girl Starts School with Confident Smile after Surgery

Aissatou from Louga, in northwestern Senegal, was born with a cleft lip and palate, and the stigma around the condition in her home village left her trapped at home

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DAKAR, Senegal, December 5, 2022/ -- A little girl has been able to start school with her new confident smile after receiving surgery from a medical charity to treat a birth defect. Aissatou from Louga, in northwestern Senegal, was born with a cleft lip and palate, and the stigma around the condition in her home village left her trapped at home, isolated and withdrawn. Due to the unkind reaction she received, and the difficulties the condition brought, her father Ousmane and mother Khadija did their best to protect Aissatou. They felt the need to cover her head in public and felt forced into a decision to keep her out of school. Left untreated, a cleft lip and palate can lead to difficulties eating, drinking, speaking, and hearing loss. Farmer Ousmane used the proceeds from his harvest every year to try and find someone to repair his infant daughter’s cleft lip and palate. But every year, he was disappointed. Ousmane said: “I love my daughter so much, I would never stop looking for her healing.” In 2019, when Aissatou was just a toddler, Ousmane heard that a hospital ship from international aid charity Mercy Ships was coming to the port of Dakar to provide free surgeries and medical training. He made the journey to the port with Aissatou, and they were thrilled to receive a surgery appointment. But the joy was short-lived as the operation had to be delayed due to COVID-19. Ousmane and Aissatou had to return home and wait for the ship to return. He said: “In my heart I knew that these people would help my daughter. I just kept praying and hoping that the ship would return.” Aissatou was four years old when she boarded the Africa Mercy hospital ship in 2022 for surgery.  Despite being a curious little girl full of life she only played alone and not with other children on board. Ousmane came with Aissatou as a caregiver, while her mother Khadija waited anxiously at home, “I couldn't eat or drink,” she said. Aissatou’s father, Ousmane was also nervous, “during the surgery I was afraid,” he said as he recalled the difficult hours of waiting. “I don't know anything about surgery, and I had no idea what was happening. It took a long time before she came back, but when she came back, I was so happy!” Once the bandages were off, Ousmane and his daughter could both see the transformation. Where before Aissatou’s cleft had been, there was smooth skin. Aissatou stared at herself in the mirror, looking fascinated. Senegalese translator Boubacar Diallo who worked on the ship during Aissatou’s stay on board her joy was contagious. He said, “The first thing I see changing on her is the smile. After the surgery she was smiling all the time. “After surgery she was free. Playing and running everywhere, playing with other kids. She was dancing a lot.” Her father said: “Her life will change so much now. She will be able to speak properly and go to school.” When Aissatou returned home, some of those changes were evident immediately. She was embraced by her village and no longer hid her face. She started school, began playing with the other children and helped her father on the farm. One of the village elders shared: “We had lost all hope. We thought she was going to die like this. Nobody believed that she would be healed.” Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Mercy Ships.   About Mercy Ships: Global health for the last two decades has focused on individual diseases, while surgical care in low-resource countries has not received the attention it needs. Lack of surgical care resulted in almost 17 million deaths annually. Mercy Ships is an international faith-based organization that operates hospital ships to deliver free, world-class healthcare services, medical capacity building, and health system strengthening to those with little access to safe surgical care. Since 1978, Mercy Ships has worked in more than 55 countries, with the last three decades focused entirely on partnering with African nations. Each year, volunteer professionals from over 60 countries serve on board the world’s two largest non-governmental hospital ships, the Africa Mercy® and the Global Mercy™. Professionals such as surgeons, dentists, nurses, health trainers, cooks, and engineers dedicate their time and skills to the cause. Mercy Ships has offices in 16 countries and an Africa Bureau. For more information, visit www.Mercyships.org and follow us @MercyShips on social media. SOURCE Mercy Ships

Tall As the Boabab: The Story of An African Girl

 Tall As the Boabab

In a rural Senegalese village poised at the outer edge of the modern world, a teenage girl hatches a secret plan to rescue her 11-year-old sister from an arranged marriage.

A powerful voice from Africa's young generation, Tall as the Baobab Tree poignantly depicts a family struggling to find its footing at the outer edge of the modern world… where questions of right and wrong are not always black and white.

Coumba and her little sister Debo are the first to leave their family's remote African village, where meals are prepared over open fires and water is drawn from wells, to attend school in the bustling city. But when an accident suddenly threatens their family's survival, their father decides to sell 11-year-old Debo into an arranged marriage. Torn between loyalty to her elders and her dreams for the future, Coumba hatches a secret plan to rescue her young sister from a fate she did not choose.

On the edge of the modern world in rural Africa, Coumba hatches a secret plan to help her 11-year-old sister escape a forced marriage.

Gand Comme Le Baobab poignantly tells the story of a family conflict on the edge of the modern world ... where questions of wrong or reason are not always as simple as black and white.

Coumba and her younger sister Debo are the first to leave their remote African village - where meals are prepared over wood fires, water drawn from wells, and baobab trees dominate the landscape - to go to school in the big city . When an accident occurs that threatens the survival of the family, their father considers forcing Debo into a forced marriage. Torn between the deep-rooted traditions of her village and the dream of a better future, Coumba imagines a secret plan to save her sister from the fate imposed on her.

Inspired by real events, the first feature film in the Pulaar language, Grand Comme Le Baobab is the first feature film by Jeremy Teicher, finalist of the 38th Annual Student Competition of the Academy of Films of Art and Sciences.