Xinhua News: U.N. forum reviews implementation of 2030 agenda in Africa
“The 5th session of the Africa Regional Forum on Sustainable Development (ARFSD) kicked off Wednesday in the Moroccan city of Marrakech to review the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals of the 2030 Agenda. The two-day forum is meant to provide a multi-stakeholder platform for follow-up and review of implementation progress and challenges, strengthening learning, and advocating effective policy measures and actions to achieve the goals of the 2030 agenda as well as the goals set out in Africa’s Agenda 2063…” (4/18).

Xinhua News: African health ministers pledge action on HIV/AIDS
“Health ministers from Africa’s Great Lakes Region on Wednesday vowed to revitalize efforts to eradicate HIV/AIDS that affects an estimated 4.3 percent of the population. The health ministers from six Great Lakes countries including Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda, Burundi, and Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) said they will ramp up funding towards HIV/AIDS prevention and case management. … Kenya hosted the 15th ordinary session of the Great Lakes Initiative on AIDS (GLIA) council of ministers to review progress in the fight against the epidemic that remains a public health challenge in the east and central African regions…” (4/17).

Xinhua News: East African states unite to eradicate female genital cut
“Countries from East Africa on Wednesday signed a declaration to eliminate female genital mutilation (FGM) and in particular the one that has cross-border dimensions. Senior officials from Ethiopia, Somalia, Tanzania, Uganda, and Kenya signed the declaration at the end of a three-day meeting held in Kenya’s resort city of Mombasa…” (4/18).