ICT Minister commissions 10 community information centres in Harare

In a clear sign of commitment to upscaling digital penetration and inclusion, Harare Province has been blessed with 10 community information centres (CICs) commissioned today. The initiative is in sync with the  National Development Strategy (NDS1) that emphasises the Digital Economy as one of the fourteen national priorities for the period 2021 – 2025. This…

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AU20 Residency Programme: 10 African writers and visual artists selected

Ten (10)African writers and visual artists who will contribute their creative ideas to the African Union’s 20-year celebrations have been selected as part of the AU20 Artists & Writers Residency Programme. Following an Africa-wide call, 10 successful applicants were selected for the AU20 Artists & Writers Residency Programme which received close to 1000 submissions in…

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Early warning systems save vulnerable communities from climate disasters

The availability of early warning systems saves vulnerable communities from climate disasters, Mr. Antonio Guterres, the Secretary-General of the United Nations has said. He delivered the remarks at the launch of the Early Warnings for All Executive Action Plan Sharm El-Sheikh in Egypt. As it stands, he said vulnerable communities in climate hotspots are being…

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UN Secretary-General warns against putting climate change on the back burner

As Planet Earth is fast approaching tipping points that will make climate chaos irreversible, United Nations Secretary-General, Antonio Guterres has warned stakeholders including world leaders against putting the phenomenon on the back burner. He made the remarks today at the high-level opening of the COP27 Climate Implementation Summit in Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt. The Secretary-General said…

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Government urged to involve communities affected by human-wildlife conflicts

By Nhau Mangirazi The government has been challenged to consult widely communities most affected by human-wildlife conflicts (HWC) before the endorsement of funding compensation announced by the cabinet last week. Members of Parliament whose constituencies are affected called for community input before endorsement of the funding. Mbire Member of Parliament Douglas Karoro said his constituency…

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PAP working to strengthen protection of rights of migrants

The Pan African Parliament (PAP) is working on legislation to strengthen the protection of the rights of all migrants as an essential element that is at the heart of migration governance. Today, a report on the joint seminar between the Pan-African Parliament (APAP) and the African Union Labour Migration Advisory Committee (AU-LMAC) is being presented…

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State of the Global Climate Report: UN Secretary-General reveals gloomy picture

In his message for the launch of the World Meteorological Organization provisional State of the Global Climate Report 2022, United Nations Secretary-General, Antonio Guterres on 6 November said as COP27 gets underway, the planet is sending a distress signal. “The latest State of the Global Climate report is a chronicle of climate chaos. As the…

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COP27 in Sharm el-Sheikh to Focus on Delivering on the Promises of Paris

Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt, 6 November 2022 – The United Nations Climate Change Conference COP27 opened today with the key aim of ensuring full implementation of the Paris Agreement. Discussions at COP27 begin near the end of a year that has seen devastating floods and unprecedented heat waves, severe droughts and formidable storms, all unequivocal signs of the…

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Mithika Mwenda among 100 Most Influential People in Climate for 2022/23

Dr. Mithika Mwenda, the Executive Director of the Pan African Climate Justice Alliance (PACJA) has been named among the 100 most influential people in climate advocacy for the 2022-2023 period. In this installment, Spiked Online Media focuses on the Top 20 as well as International Non-Governmental Organisations. The climate crisis is here. Emissions are still too…

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PAP, church partnership promotes regional integration and stimulates development

The Pan African Parliament (PAP) recognises the important role that the church plays in addressing conflicts in pursuit of promoting peace and development. Addressing a gathering of thousands of Zion Christian Church (ZCC) members led by Bishop Dr. Nehemiah Mutendi in Rayton, Pretoria in South Africa today, Hon Chief Fortune Charumbira, the President of the…

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PAP Conference: Women demand set parameters for their empowerment

Despite significant progress in terms of gender equality in Africa, more needs to be done to truly empower the continent’s young women. This was one of the key messages on the second day of the 13th Pan-African Parliament’s (PAP) Conference on Women’s Rights held in Midrand, South Africa held under the theme: “Women empowerment and…

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Turkiye Diyanet Foundation awards scholarships to four bright high school students

By Hillary Munedzi The Turkiye Diyanet Foundation has awarded scholarships to four bright high school students from the Muslim community in Zimbabwe to study in Turkiye up to the university level. The students were urged to bring their skills back home after finishing their studies. The Turkiye Diyanet Foundation was established on 13 March 1975….

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Botswana to host high-level roundtable and luncheon at COP27

By Baboloki Semele President of Botswana, Dr Mokgweetsi Eric Keabetswe Masisi is scheduled to host a high-level roundtable and luncheon during COP 27 at Sharm El Sheikh Convention Centre, Blue Zone, Africa Pavilion on 7th November 2022. Scheduled for 13:15 hrs, the luncheon will serve to reshape the conversation about climate diplomacy and empowerment in…

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Address twin challenges of women oppression and poverty: SA Parly Speaker

Speaker of the National Assembly of South Africa, Ms. Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula has called on stakeholders to collaborate to ensure the challenges faced by the continent’s women and girls who have suffered the twin obstacles of oppression and poverty are addressed. She made the remarks today at the Pan-African Parliament (PAP) Women’s Conference on women’s rights…

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Gonarezhou the Movie takes wildlife conservation issues to the global stage

The critical issue of wildlife conservation issues has been brought to the fore on the international scene through the exhilarating yet educative Gonerezhou the Movie. The Minister of Environment, Climate, Tourism, and Hospitality Industry Hon Nqobizitha Mangaliso Ndhlovu officiated at the premiere of the screening of Gonarezhou the Movie yesterday in Nairobi, Kenya. In his…

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History in the making: PAP amends Rules of Procedure

History was made when a motion on the amendments to the Pan African Parliament’s (PAP) Rules of Procedure was moved, seconded, and adopted in the First Ordinary Session of the Sixth Parliament of the Pan African Parliament (PAP) held in Midrand. The long-awaited process effectively addresses loopholes and legal ambiguities contained in the Rules of…

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13th PAP Women’s Conference: NEPAD pledges support for gender mainstreaming

The African Union Development Agency (AUDA-NEPAD) has pledged to give its support to the Pan-African Parliament (PAP) in advocating women’s empowerment and gender equity and equality. In a statement delivered on her behalf by Mrs. Estherine Fotabong, the Director of Programme Innovation and Planning, Madam Nardos Bekele-Thomas, the Chief Executive Officer of NEPAD during the…

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Making the schools’ sanitary wear budget work for girls

By Theresa Nyava-Machadu In 2020 there was a landmark development in the menstrual health management space, following the signing of the Education Amendment Act into law by President Mnangagwa. We celebrated Section 4(1a) of the Act which requires the State to “ensure the provision of sanitary wear and other menstrual health facilities to girls in…

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Karoi Council pushing for water kiosks

By Nhau Mangirazi Karoi Town Council is pushing for an ‘ambitious project’ aimed at easing the precious liquid affecting residents through water kiosks. Town acting finance director, Fred Mumiriki, told stakeholders recently that the council is looking forward to drilling solar-powered boreholes at strategic points in some wards. ‘‘Part of short-term plans from our next…

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UNESCO calls for renewed commitment to protecting journalists

As this year marks the 10th anniversary of the United Nations Plan of Action on the Safety of Journalists and the Issue of Impunity, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) is calling for a renewal of commitment to protecting journalists everywhere. This was revealed by Ms. Audrey Azoulay, Director-General of UNESCO in…

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United Nations thanks Zimbabwe for its contribution to peacekeeping

Under-Secretary-General for Peace Operations Jean-Pierre Lacroix thanked Zimbabwe for its strong support to United Nations Peacekeeping and for the service and sacrifice of its military and police personnel deployed in missions around the world. Zimbabwe is a longtime contributor of peacekeepers to the United Nations. It currently provides 72 military and police personnel, including 41…

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COP27: ICIEC, CIB on Bankability of Climate Adaptation Projects Focused on Food Security

The Islamic Corporation for the Insurance of Investment and Export Credit (ICIEC) (https://ICIEC.IsDB.org/), the insurance arm of the Islamic Development Bank (IsDB) Group, in cooperation with Commercial International Bank (CIB), Egypt’s largest and leading private sector bank, is organising an important Panel Discussion on 9 November 2022 in Sharm El Sheikh during COP27. Two important…

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COP27: Ensuring transition minerals don’t undermine just, equitable energy transition

The world needs to stop burning fossil fuels. Climate change is already happening and to prevent the worst impacts we must accelerate the just transition to cleaner, safer energy. In moving to renewable energy technologies, the world will be swapping reliance on one set of natural resources for another. An estimated sixfold increase in the production…

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Participation of children in climate change, green initiatives pertinent

By Elvis Dumba Harare – Stakeholders are calling for greater involvement of children and young people in strategies and actions meant to counter climate change-induced challenges. Various stakeholders from the government, environmental organisations, and UN agencies met yesterday during a high-level dialogue on climate change ahead of the 27th Conference of the Parties of the…

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Hon Stars Mathe has confidence in the PAP to deliver on its mandate

Hon Stars Mathe-Thebe, the Member of the National Assembly for Nkayi South Constituency in Zimbabwe has expressed confidence in the power of the Pan African Parliament (PAP) to deliver on its mandate. She revealed this to Spiked Online Media on the sidelines of the ongoing First Session of the Sixth Parliament of the PAP. “We…

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Pfumvudza inputs inadequate: Banket peri-urban farmers

By Elvis Dumba Banket – Smallholder farmers practising peri-urban agriculture who receive free inputs under the Presidential Climate Smart Agriculture Inputs Scheme commonly known as Pfumvudza/Intwasa, are crying foul after the government reduced the number of inputs being distributed. Peri-urban farmers are being offered 2kg of maize seed per farmer whilst three people share a…

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The unknown side of food processing and value addition in African countries

By Charles Dhewa There is no shortage of abandoned small to medium-scale food processing plants in many African countries. After getting into a community and seeing abundant tomatoes, mangoes, pineapples, and many other types of fruits, some development agencies and government departments have been compelled to mobilize resources for setting up a processing plant. However,…

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Unsung community heroines at the centre of COVID-19 response

Community-based organisations and individuals living among the public played a critical role in ameliorating the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. In this installment, Spiked Online Media casts a spotlight on these champions. Kumbirai Mahaso, an activist in the HIV sector She carries the Batanai HIV Aids Support Organisation, (BHASO)  legacy. Born in Masvingo, Mahaso is…

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Nature-based solutions: another way to obstruct food system transformation?

By IPES Food   With international climate negotiations in Egypt fast approaching (COP27), and food systems high on the agenda for the first time, the International Panel of Experts on Sustainable Food Systems (IPES-Food) is warning that a growing number of green buzzwords are being used to obstruct food system transformation.  Our new briefing, ‘Smoke…

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African Lead Negotiators map out strategy for approaching COP27

The African Lead Negotiators are currently meeting in Sharm El Sheikh to map out a strategy to approach the negotiations at COP 27 focusing on the need to accelerate action for climate adaptation and mitigation solutions. Mr. Washington Zhakata who is the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) focal person for Zimbabwe and…

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Celebrating COVID-19 response’s media unsung heroines in Zimbabwe

By Catherine Murombedzi The Zimbabwe Covid-19 response would be incomplete without mentioning the media, an integral part of the correct communication channel and the bridge for the information divide. With myths and misconceptions rife, set to derail the Covid-19 response, the media rose to the occasion by dispelling infodemics. Misinformation became a pandemic that required…

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Zimbabwean youths issue statement on climate change in lead-up to COP27

BY ZIMBABWE YOUTHS FOR CLIMATE CHANGE Appreciating the support from the Government of Zimbabwe Ministry of Environment Climate Tourism and Hospitality Industry (MECTHI), ACT alliance, United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF), United Nations Development Program (UNDP), and Zimbabwe Youth Environmental organizations for organizing the first Local Conference Of Children and Youth in Zimbabwe. Acknowledging…

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Campaigners call on Zimbabwe to adopt landmark disability law

Zimbabwe is on the cusp of becoming the first Southern African country to ratify the African Disability Protocol (ADP) but action is needed to push it across the finish line. This is why today (October 29), Sightsavers’ Equal World Campaign, in partnership with the African Union and the African Disability Forum, is urging governments and…

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Pan African Parliament working on Model Law on Nationality

The Pan-African Parliament’s (PAP) Committee on Cooperation, International Relations and Conflict is gathering further important information and data in preparation for their presentation of the Model Law on Nationality before the Plenary on 1 November 2022. The sixth parliament of PAP is sitting for its first ordinary session in Midrand South Africa from 24 October…

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Chinese investors have created over 100,000 jobs in Zimbabwe: Spokesperson

Chinese investors have created over 100,000 jobs in Zimbabwe, a spokesperson for the Asian nation has said following what he termed groundless accusations in a press release by the Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU) on October 25. “The Chinese Embassy in Zimbabwe has noted the press release by the Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions…

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Celebrating COVID-19 response unsung heroines: Part 2

By Catherine Murombedzi The COVID-19 response was quite immense and as we continue to celebrate unsung heroines, we spotlight healthcare workers whose contributions made a positive impact. Dr Harunavamwe N Chifamba, Specialist Anaesthetist Intensivist and Clinical Epidemiologist “For some must watch, while others must sleep,” that’s Dr Harunavamwe’s space in Sally Mugabe Central Hospital. She…

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Zimbabwe, Malawi exchange notes on curbing child marriages

By Nhau Mangirazi A Zimbabwe delegation was in Malawi this week exchanging notes on curbing child marriages in a move aimed at empowering female politicians and women in general. The tour was held in Zomba, a five-hour drive from Lilongwe where they conducted a transformative feminist leadership learning and exchange visit in Malawi from 23-…

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Leveraging just transitions for a climate-resilient Africa: challenges and opportunities

By Dr. Claude Kabemba (Executive Director of the Southern Africa Resource Watch) Africa finds itself at a crossroads in the climate change discourse. On the one hand, Africa has polluted less than any other continent and it is most vulnerable to the impacts of climate change; on the other hand, it lacks the finances and…

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African Ambassadors affirm commitment to working with the PAP

Hon Chief Fortune Charumbira, the President of the Pan African Parliament has commended the African Ambassadors based in South Africa for affirming their commitment to working with the continental lawmaking body. In his address during the meeting with the African Ambassadors at the PAP Headquarters in Midrand, Johannesburg today, Hon Charumbira said the collaboration will…

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PAP joins progressive forces denouncing sanctions against Zimbabwe

The Pan-African Parliament (PAP) is among the progressive forces denouncing the illegal sanctions imposed on the Republic of Zimbabwe by some western countries. The 25th of October is now known as the Southern African Development Community (SADC) Anti-Sanctions Day. In a speech read on his behalf today by Vice President Constantino Chiwenga, President Mnangagwa paid…

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