South West Governor welcomes Elite One champions, Victoria United


The Limbe based elite one outfit, Victoria United arrived the premises of the governor’s office with a crowd of supporters.

The team which two 2 years ago were promoted into the elite one was described as the pride of the sea side city of Limbe and the rest of the South West by various speakers who took turns to speak.

The president of Victoria United, Nkwain Valentine who took over the club in 2019 had promised that the team will play the CAF championship.

With a dream come through, he lauded the support of the South West Governor and other stakeholders who believed and stood by the team.

The Victoria United president said it wasn’t an easy journey to the top. However, they are determined not only to win but to use football and disarm separatist fighters in the bushes.

‘I’m very sure we are going to go far in the African Championship. I’m sure we can bring the cup to South West,’ he affirmed.

Ndazeh Valerie Nchiakeh, president of the South West bearuea of the Federation of Cameroon Football (FECAFOOT)
said a lot had changed for South West football in just few years. He explained that prior to the emergence of their leadership, the region was barely heard in football despite the infrastructure it boost off.

Mr. Ndazeh then informed the governor that the victory is clear indication that the sporting endowment in the region are being effectively used and the trophy is going to inspire most youths in the region.

With joy, the South West Governor received the trophy which stands as first of it’s kind in the administrative unit.

He noted that the win was a show that hardwork pays off and ‘the South West region is standing tall. The South West region is doing well.’

Highlighting the significance of the win, the senior administrator said it was testament of the living together in the South West. ‘We are the South West region, the historical laboratory of living together,’ he remarked.

Through the elected representatives present, the South West boss called on the population of the region to mobilize and provid
e the necessary support to the team.

He concluded by calling on the team to remian vigilant and ensure healthy collaboration at all levels. Upgrade their performances and remain discipline to attain more victories.

The South West Governor handed a cash envelope to the team. Senator Mbella Moki, in same manner gifted the team 1 million francs. Victoria United will be competing in the CAF championship.

Source: Cameroon News Agency

Samuel Eto’o participates in charity match with French President, other world figures


The President of the Cameroon Football Federation, Samuel Eto’o, has participated in a gala match in Lyon France, aimed at raising funds to improve the daily lives of children and teenagers in hospital.

The game played at the Bernard Giroux stadium, featured two teams; Variétés Club de France in which French President, Emmanuel Macron played alongside media personalities and former football players, and the team of caregivers whom Eto’o played with.

The initiative led by the Pieces Jaunes foundation, was watched by several high-profile personalities including the French first lady Brigitte Macron, who is the president of the charity organization.

Other world personalities present included the coach of the France national team, Didier Deschamps, world renowned coach Arsene Wenger, Didier Drogba, and Eden Hazard among others.

The 2024 event marked 35 years since the initiative was founded.

Source: Cameroon News Agency

Samuel Eto’o participates in charity match with French President, other world figures


The President of the Cameroon Football Federation, Samuel Eto’o, has participated in a gala match in Lyon France, aimed at raising funds to improve the daily lives of children and teenagers in hospital.

The game played at the Bernard Giroux stadium, featured two teams; Variétés Club de France in which French President, Emmanuel Macron played alongside media personalities and former football players, and the team of caregivers whom Eto’o played with.

The initiative led by the Pieces Jaunes foundation, was watched by several high-profile personalities including the French first lady Brigitte Macron, who is the president of the charity organization.

Other world personalities present included the coach of the France national team, Didier Deschamps, world renowned coach Arsene Wenger, Didier Drogba, and Eden Hazard among others.

The 2024 event marked 35 years since the initiative was founded.

Source: Cameroon News Agency

Robber chanties vs Khaibasen PST bet game to be played behind closed doors


Robber Chanties versus Khaibasen PST Bet preliminary round match will be completed behind closed doors on Wednesday, Kunene Football League officials have confirmed.

League administrator, Bola Nangombe, stated in a statement on Wednesday that the game will determine the region’s champion, to face African Stars in the round 32 of the PST Bet Namibia Football Association (NFA) cup.

Two weeks earlier, Robber Chanties were leading 1-0 at the Etoshapoort stadium in Outjo on a Sunday evening when the game was abandoned in the 68th minute after fans of dissatisfied Khaibasen came onto the pitch in retaliation for the referees’ alleged refereeing errors, bringing the game to an end.

Some of the players were reportedly involved in a fist fight, resulting in the league ‘s administration abandoning the game.

According to Nangombe, the match will now be conducted under severe security conditions, with no fans allowed at the stadium.

‘No fans will be allowed in the stadium. That means the match will be played under t
his strict regulation and supporters are only allowed to be in the radius of 500 meters outside the stadium due to security reasons,’ noted Nangombe.

He also urged the management of both teams to maintain discipline and follow security guidelines in order to prevent embarrassment and bring the names of PST Bet, NFA, and KFL into disrepute.

Source: The Namibia Press Agency

Ethiopia Implements Homegrown Initiatives to Ensure Food Security, Mitigate Impacts of Climate Change


Addis Ababa: The government of Ethiopia has been implementing various homegrown initiatives with a view to mitigate the impacts of climate change and ensure food security of the people, Minister of Agriculture Girma Amente remarked.

The minister made the remark at the opening of High-Level Side Event on the margins of the 14th Session of the African Risk Capacity Conference of Parties in Addis Ababa.

The High-Level Panel aims to convene a diverse array of stakeholders, including policymakers, executives and representatives and experts of continental institutions to share lessons, build on existing strengths, and address the multifaceted challenges that the African food system faces.

The meeting will also addresses the interlinkages between climate change and food systems for food security, and resilience in Africa by fostering dialogue and knowledge exchange on climate-smart agricultural practices, technologies, and policies as well as resilience building efforts that enhance food security while mitigating
climate change impacts.

Attempting to identify Africa’s major opportunities and challenges in implementing climate-smart solutions and resilience building efforts at national, regional, and continental levels is also the other objetive.

Ethiopia’s Agriculture Minister Girma Amente said on the occasion that despite Africa is endowed with immense resources vital to ensuring food security; the continent has still been suffering from the harsh impacts of natural and manmade disasters.

However, he said Ethiopia is exerting efforts in order to alleviate the negative impacts of climate change and ensure food security in the country by implementing various homegrown development initiatives.

The minister mentioned the ongoing Green Legacy Initiative which has so far enabled the nation plant more than 32.5 billion tree seedlings stating that the objective is to reach 50 billion at the end of 2026.

The initiative is playing critical role in increasing the forest coverage of the country, he added.

The Minister has
also shared Ethiopia’s success registered in wheat development program that was initiated by Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed pointing out the national wheat irrigation development currently underway on 3 million hectares of land across the country.

Girma said Ethiopia is sharing its success being registered in wheat development to other African countries.

Ethiopia has also been implementing National Food System Roadmap with view to successfully achieve efforts being carried out to ensure food security, the minister stated.

He called on African nations to strengthen cooperation in order to fight the impacts of climate change and food insecurity.

Source: Ethiopian News Agency

SDGs’ Current Pace of Progress Insufficient to Achieve set Targets by 2030


Addis Ababa: Africa is making progress in 12 of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), but the current pace of progress is insufficient to achieve the goals by 2030, according to an experts report on the progress on Africa Sustainable Development.

The report launched ahead of the 10th Session of the Africa Regional Forum on Sustainable Development in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia indicates that progress on the SDG agendas varies across sub-regions.

The report was produced by a team of experts convened by the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (ECA), in collaboration with African Union Commission, the United Nations Development Programme Regional Bureau for Africa (UNDP-RBA), and the African Development Bank (AfDB).

On the occasion, the Deputy Executive Secretary for Programme Support at the ECA, Antonio Pedro underlined the lack of robust data as a major hurdle in tracking progress accurately. Improving data systems to effectively monitor and achieve the SDGs is essential, he stressed.

‘Addressin
g wide-ranging challenges-including social, political, environmental, and economic-is essential; specific focus areas like women’s empowerment, peacebuilding, and security need targeted attention,’ said Pedro, stressing the need to take advantage of technological advances, including artificial intelligence, to target interventions and achieve the SDGs with greater efficiency.

He said there is need to foster domestic resource mobilization through evolving a better and innovative tax system. Countries need to improve institutional governance, strengthen data collection, analysis and reporting and devise better strategies for debt restructuring.

Africa still accounts for over half (54.8 Percent) of global poverty. Particular attention therefore needs to be paid to addressing child poverty – the number of children living in extremely poor households, as about 7 out of 10 poor children live in Africa. In addition, lack of access to clean water, sanitation, energy, health, and education services coupled with ineq
uality, infrastructure gaps, climate change, ethnic conflicts and limited employment opportunities are among the key drivers of poverty in Africa.

On climate financing, the progress report shows the high climate financing gap in Africa. A large chunk of these resources emanates from public sector compared to private sector climate financing.

‘Issues of policies on carbon market, debt for climate swaps, and carbon tax on natural resources, as well as the establishment of national sustainable financial framework for climate change should be addressed,’ says the report.

The surge in debt across African countries is impeding Africa’s development, as debt servicing costs crowd out resources for social spending.

There has also been limited donor support for capacity building; on average, African countries spend a trivial 0.5 percent of GDP on science, technology, and innovation.

To bridge the gap and ensure that the continent achieves the SDG goals by 2030, the report recommends investing in data and capacity,
integrating different data sources, developing new and alternate indicators, identifying new partners with tools and solutions such as the private sector, NGOs/CSO and academia.

Source: Ethiopian News Agency

Omaheke United, Extreme Tutorials NC triumph at Opuwo Mayoral Cup


OPUWO: Omaheke United and Opuwo-based Extreme Tutorials netball club clinched the football and netball categories of the second edition of the Opuwo Mayoral Cup on Sunday.

The tournament featured 24 football and seven netball teams, with four in the tag-of-war category and six in the Legends football division.

Speaking after the final game on Sunday, Kunene regional governor Maruis Sheya commended the tournament organisers for putting on an exceptional showpiece that went off without a hitch. Such events, he noted are important as they keep the youth together and from engaging in illegal activities while growing grassroots sports.

‘The efforts of the mayor are seen, including the impact on sports is felt on the ground, therefore let’s grow this collectively,’ he noted.

The spectators were treated to an exciting final in the netball category, with two teams from the same unit competing in the final game, where Extreme Tutorials reigned supreme after edging their counterparts Opuwo Extreme Dreamers and walk
ing away with N.dollars 10,000. The runner-up pocketed N.dollars N.dollars 5 000, Opuwo Rebels and NamWater received N.dollars 2 500 each for their efforts as semi-final losers.

The host, Opuwo Town Council (OTC) B-team, won the tag-of-war category, defeating NamWater’s B-team and went away with N.dollars 2 500, while Namwater-B received N.dollars 1000.

The semi-finalists, NamWater A and OTC A, both settled for N.dollars 800.

Ruacana Legends won the legends football category by defeating Onjose Jongua 1-0 in the final, collecting N.dollars 5000; Onjose Jongua Legends got N.dollars 2500; while Opuwo Legends and OTC equally shared N.dollars 2500 as semi-final losers.

The football category witnessed some delightful encounters in the semi-final round, notably the game between Omaheke United and Kunene Namibian Police (NamPol), in which Omaheke won 4-0 on penalties after a goalless draw in normal time.

Opuwo United failed to capitalise on their home advantage, losing to Power Boys in a 4-3 penalty shootout af
ter a 1-1 draw in regulation time.

The final saw the boys from Omaheke dominate play and put the game away in the 70th minute with a magnificent free kick to win the trophy and N.dollars 30 000. Power Boys won N.dollars 15 000 as the runner-up, while Opuwo United and Kunene NamPol lost in the semi-finals to home N.dollars 5 000.

Source: The Namibia Press Agency