Latest news with #Sahel
Arab Times
3 hours ago
- Business
- Arab Times
Kuwait Expats Can Now Apply for Exit Permits in English via Sahel App
KUWAIT CITY, June 28: Kuwait has officially introduced the English-language version of its digital exit permit service on the Sahel mobile application, as part of ongoing efforts to streamline labor mobility and enhance government oversight. Starting July 1, 2025, all expatriate employees working in the private sector must obtain an employer-approved exit permit through the Sahel app before leaving the country. The new system applies to holders of Article 18 visas. To initiate the process, users must log in to the Sahel app, navigate to the Services section, and select the Public Authority of Manpower (PAM). Within this section, a link to ' Expatriate Workers Services ' is provided, choose Exit Permit allowing users to input their intended departure and return dates, and submit the request. Once the employer (sponsor) approves the application, a notification will appear in the app. A downloadable and printable version of the approved permit will then be made available to the employee.
Arab Times
4 hours ago
- Business
- Arab Times
Expats Can Now Apply for Exit Permits in English via Sahel App
KUWAIT CITY, June 28: Kuwait has officially introduced the English-language version of its digital exit permit service on the Sahel mobile application, as part of ongoing efforts to streamline labor mobility and enhance government oversight. Starting July 1, 2025, all expatriate employees working in the private sector must obtain an employer-approved exit permit through the Sahel app before leaving the country. The new system applies to holders of Article 18 visas. To initiate the process, users must log in to the Sahel app, navigate to the Services section, and select the Public Authority of Manpower (PAM). Within this section, a link to ' Expatriate Workers Services ' is provided, choose Exit Permit allowing users to input their intended departure and return dates, and submit the request. Kindly note exit permits have to be applied between 7 days to 24 hrs. Once the employer (sponsor) approves the application, a notification will appear in the app. A downloadable and printable version of the approved permit will then be made available to the employee.
Zawya
a day ago
- General
- Zawya
"West Africa has the potential to sustainably transform its food systems," says Ms. Bintia Stephen-Tchicaya, Acting Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) Subregional Coordinator for West Africa
The 2025 Regional Report on Food and Nutrition Security in the Sahel and West Africa, reveals that nearly 52 million people in the region are affected by food insecurity. In an interview with the African Press Agency (APA news), Ms. Bintia Stephen-Tchicaya, Acting Subregional Coordinator of the FAO Office for West Africa said that despite the alarming figures reported, "the region has all it takes to sustainably transform its food systems," said. Recently appointed to head the office overseeing 15 West African country programs, she focuses on innovation, resilience, and inclusion to address the structural and cyclical challenges facing West African agriculture. During the interview, Ms. Tchicaya presented the priorities of her mandate. She outlined her vision and ambition for the subregion to "build more inclusive, sustainable, competitive, and nutrition-sensitive food systems, based on the "Four Betters" strategy promoted by the FAO: better production, better nutrition, a better environment, and a better life." She also emphasized that despite the combined effects of conflict, climate change, and economic volatility, viable solutions can be found. These include participatory approaches such as Farmer Field Schools (FFS), support for nutrition-sensitive agricultural policies, and the implementation of green hubs as part of the Great Green Wall initiative. "In Senegal, for example, we contributed to updating the agro-sylvo-pastoral orientation law, which now includes the fisheries sector, food systems and the climate change dimension," she explained. "On the operational front, FAO has developed participatory approaches such as Farmer Field Schools and Dimitra clubs, which after years of implementation, have proven effective in driving behavior change and strong community engagement. These approaches are now being scaled up by the government and civil society organizations', she said, adding 'On the environmental front, the FAO supports the Senegalese government in implementing the Reforestation Agency and the Great Green Wall program, a bold initiative aiming to establish seventy resilient green hubs across arid and semi-arid areas between 2023 and 2032.' Faced with the decline in traditional funding, Ms. Stephen-Tchicaya calls for increased and diversified resource mobilization, focusing on: "Public-Private Partnerships, a multi-donor approach, climate and green financing, strengthened engagement with non-traditional donors (emerging countries, philanthropic foundations, regional financial institutions), increased inter-agency cooperation, community and civil society involvement, as well as South-South and triangular cooperation." Ms. Stephen-Tchicaya also emphasized FAO's strategic role in strengthening early warning systems, supporting agricultural governance, and using digital technologies and artificial intelligence to increase productivity, improve livestock traceability, and combat livestock theft, a phenomenon that is on the rise in the region. "FAO actively contributes to surveillance and early warning, particularly in the area of food security, through its participation in the regional system for the prevention and management of food crises (PREGEC), coordinated by the CILSS. FAO also has tools such as the Global Information and Early Warning System (GIEWS), which enables precise monitoring of the agricultural season and provides harvest forecasts. FAO will continue this support while investing more in disaster risk prevention and reduction, particularly through anticipatory actions implemented before crises worsen. FAO's true added value in the region lies in this connection between early warning and rapid response.' Furthermore, Ms. Tchicaya emphasized the importance of digital solutions for securing pastoral livelihoods: "We are convinced that the digitalization of the livestock sector constitutes an innovative and essential solution to protect pastoralists in the face of this unprecedented phenomenon in West Africa," she argued. In her closing remarks, Ms. Tchicaya issued a strong call for collective mobilization. "We must act together—governments, technical and financial partners, the private sector, and civil society—to build resilient and sustainable food systems that meet the aspirations of West African populations," she pleaded. Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO): Regional Office for Africa.
The Herald
2 days ago
- The Herald
Armed men on motorbikes kill 34 Niger soldiers, says ministry
Several hundred armed men, many on motorbikes, attacked a Niger army base near the border with Mali, leaving at least 34 soldiers dead and 14 wounded, the defence ministry said. The attackers — described as "mercenaries" by the ministry — used eight vehicles and more than 200 motorbikes in the raid on the base in Bani-bangou on Thursday, according to the statement read out on state TV. Islamic State claimed responsibility for the attack on the army base in a statement on its Telegram channel on Friday. Niger, like other countries in West Africa's Sahel region, is battling Islamist militants linked to al Qaeda and Islamic State. Troops carried out aerial and ground search operations to secure the area after the attack, the ministry said without going into more detail on the assault. Reuters
Arab Times
2 days ago
- Arab Times
Power Disconnected from 17 Homes Hosting Unauthorized Bachelors
KUWAIT CITY, June 26: Kuwaiti authorities have disconnected electricity to 17 residential properties in Al-Quddous after inspections revealed they were illegally housing expat bachelors and unauthorized tenants. The joint operation, involving Kuwait Municipality, the Ministry of Electricity, Water and Renewable Energy, and the Ministry of Interior, followed public complaints about violations of housing standards. Inspectors confirmed that several homes in family-only zones were being used for bachelor accommodations, breaching zoning laws and raising safety concerns. Some property owners complied after receiving warnings, but others did not, leading to power cuts for non-compliant homes. Officials highlighted that overcrowded, unauthorized housing strains the electrical grid and increases fire risks. Power will only be restored once violations are resolved, unauthorized tenants are removed, and fines are paid. Repeat offenders may face further legal action. Authorities urge residents to report similar violations through the "Sahel" app or municipal offices, as part of ongoing efforts to maintain residential safety and urban planning standards.
