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Merck Foundation Chief Executive Officer (CEO) shares the partnership journey with Ghana First Lady 2018 to 2023

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Merck Foundation

Together with Ghana First Lady, Merck Foundation has provided 125 scholarships to local doctors in Ghana in many critical and underserved specialties

ACCRA, Ghana, June 23, 2023/APO Group/ — 

Merck Foundation (Merck-Foundation.com) CEO and Ghana First Lady met other 12 African First Ladies during 9th Edition of Merck Foundation Africa Asia Luminary 2022 to discuss their strategy and announce their impact report and call for action to build healthcare capacity and empower women & girls in education in the country. ; Merck Foundation is transforming the Patient care landscape in public sector with Ghana First Lady and other partners in Africa, Asia, and beyond. Watch the partnership journey: https://apo-opa.info/44jpIEp; Watch the overview of the 2-day Hybrid 9th Edition of the Merck Foundation Africa Asia Luminary 2022 here: https://apo-opa.info/3YHgHSf

Merck Foundation, the philanthropic arm of Merck KGaA Germany, recently conducted their annual conference, the 9th Edition of “Merck Foundation Africa Asia Luminary”. The conference was inaugurated by Prof. Dr. Frank Stangenberg-Haverkamp, Chairman of Merck Foundation Board of Trustees, and Senator, Dr. Rasha Kelej, CEO of Merck Foundation and Chairperson of Merck Foundation Africa Asia Luminary, and H.E. Mrs. REBECCA AKUFO-ADDO, The First Lady of the Republic of Ghana & Ambassador of Merck Foundation “More Than a Mother” along with African First Ladies of Botswana, Burundi, Democratic Republic of Congo, The Gambia, Liberia, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Sierra Leone, Zambia, Angola and Central Africa.

Senator, Dr. Rasha Kelej emphasized, “Our long-term partnership with my dear sister, H.E. Mrs. REBECCA AKUFO-ADDO, The First Lady of the Republic of Ghana & Ambassador of Merck Foundation “More Than a Mother” started in 2018 and we have achieved a lot in a very short time since then.

We had a long meeting during 9th edition of our Luminary to discuss our joint programs and strategy and report its impact. Together we have transformed the patientcare landscape of Ghana by providing more than 125 scholarships to young Ghanian doctors in the fields of Cancer, Diabetes, Cardiology, Endocrinology, Respiratory, Acute Medicine, Sexual and Reproductive medicine, Embryology, Respiratory, Critical care, Psychiatry, General Surgery, Dermatology, Emergency and Resuscitation Medicine, Gastroenterology, Neuroimaging for Research, Pain Management, Rheumatology, and Neonatal Medicine .,this a huge milestone and revolution in patient care across Ghana.”

H.E. Mrs. REBECCA AKUFO-ADDO, The First Lady of the Republic of Ghana & Ambassador of Merck Foundation “More Than a Mother” said, “I truly appreciate and value our partnership with Merck Foundation and I am proud of our achievements together.

As the Ambassador of “More Than a Mother”, I have been working closely with Merck Foundation to empower women in general and infertile women in specific, not only through creating a culture shift but by also making the fertility, sexual and reproductive care available for them and their husbands whenever they need it, nationwide through the graduates of fertility speciality, embryology training and sexual and reproductive care one year diploma and two year master degree. I am also happy that together we have been able to provide more than 125 scholarships of to our young Ghanian doctors in many fields that are very critical to our country which I consider a great milestone”.

Watch partnership journey of Merck Foundation with Ghana First Lady: https://apo-opa.info/44jpIEp

Watch the video of The First Lady of Ghana & Ambassador of Merck Foundation “More Than a Mother” during the Merck Foundation Africa Asia Luminary 2022 here: https://apo-opa.info/3PoGm15  

On day 2 of the Luminary, Merck Foundation First Ladies Initiative- MFFLI committee meeting was also conducted between The First Ladies and Merck Foundation Chairman and CEO. During the MFFLI committee meeting, a reading session of Children’s storybooks created by Merck Foundation, ‘Jackline’s Rescue’ – to focus on the importance of Girl Education and highlight the immoral practices of society including child marriage & dowry system; and ‘A Ride Into The Future’ – to emphasize on the importance of empowering girls through education, was also held.

Watch the video of MFFLI committee meeting: https://apo-opa.info/3T9pRph  

During the Luminary, a meeting between The First Lady of Ghana and Merck Foundation CEO, Senator, Dr. Rasha Kelej was also held to discuss the impact of on-going programs and define strategies to further build healthcare and media capacity in Ghana to improve patient care and raise awareness about wide range of social and health issues in the country.

Watch video of the meeting between Merck Foundation CEO, Senator, Dr. Rasha Kelej and Ghana First Lady, H.E. Mrs. REBECCA AKUFO-ADDO: https://apo-opa.info/44c7lkw  

Watch the video of Merck Foundation CEO, Senator, Dr. Rasha Kelej receiving H.E. Mrs. REBECCA AKUFO-ADDO, The First Lady of the Republic of Ghana & Ambassador of Merck Foundation “More Than a Mother”: https://apo-opa.info/44izzKD

Together with Ghana First Lady, Merck Foundation has provided 125 scholarships to local doctors in Ghana in many critical and underserved specialties.

Our vision is that everyone can lead healthy and happy life

  • Out of which 59 scholarships have been provided to doctors for Diabetes, Endocrinology, Preventive Cardiovascular Medicine, Obesity and Weight Management courses, as a part of their Nationwide Diabetes Blue Points Program.
  • Moreover, 6 scholarships have been provided for the Oncology Fellowship and Master Program.
  • Merck Foundation has also provided 30 scholarships for Fertility Embryology, Sexual and Reproductive Medicine and Women’s Health. This is a huge number that will advance women’s health in the country.
  • 30 more scholarships have been provided for various critical and underserved specialties like Acute Medicine, Respiratory, Critical care, Dermatology, Psychiatry, Gastroenterology, Pain Management and many more.

“Our vision is that everyone can lead healthy and happy life. For 10 years this has been true in our mission to build healthcare capacity, transform patient care landscape, break infertility stigma, empower women, and support girl education. Through our partnership with First Lady of Ghana, we can impact the lives of people in the most disadvantaged communities in Ghana and beyond, leading them to a better future”, said Senator, Dr. Rasha Kelej.

Merck Foundation also announced the Call for applications for their 8 important awards in partnership with The First Lady of Ghana for Media, Musicians, Fashion Designers, Filmmakers, students, and new potential talents in these fields.

Moreover, in partnership with The First Lady of Ghana, Merck Foundation has also launched seven children’s storybooks, “Kofi’s story”, ‘Educating Aku”, “Make the Right Choice”, “Jackline’s Rescue”, “Not Who You Are”, “Ride into the Future” and “Sugar free Jude”. 30,000 copies of the storybooks have been distributed to school students of Ghana; 20,000 more copies will also be distributed soon. The storybooks address various social and health issues like breaking infertility stigma, supporting girl education, coronavirus awareness, stopping GBV and diabetes awareness.

Merck Foundation in partnership with Ghana First Lady had also conducted their online Health Media Training to emphasize on the critical role of media to create a culture shift, to break the silence, and be the voice of the voiceless to raise awareness on sensitive social and health issues. This important training session was attended by many of over 100 Ghanaian journalists.

The 9th Edition of Merck Foundation Africa Asia Luminary 2022 was streamed live on the social media handles of Merck Foundation (https://apo-opa.info/3Ykd3hH) and Senator, Dr. Rasha Kelej (https://apo-opa.info/3SfA0AF).

Link to the Facebook live steam of Inaugural Session of Merck Foundation Africa Asia Luminary & African First Ladies High Level Panel: https://apo-opa.info/3J96Kay

Merck Foundation is transforming the Patient care landscape and making history together with its partners in Africa, Asia, and beyond, through:

• 1580 + Scholarships provided by Merck Foundation for doctors from 50 Countries in 39 critical and underserved medical specialties.  

Merck Foundation is also creating a culture shift and breaking the silence about a wide range of social and health issues in Africa and underserved communities through:

• 2200 + Media Persons from more than 50 countries trained to better raise Awareness about different social and health issues

• 8 Different Awards Launched annually for best media coverage, fashion designers, films, and songs

• Around 30 songs to address health and social issues by local singers across Africa

• 8 Children’s Storybooks in three languages – English, French, and Portuguese

• Pan African TV Program “Our Africa by Merck Foundation” addressing Social and Health Issues in Africa through “Fashion and ART with Purpose” Community

• 1000+ Girls from 15 African countries supported through scholarships or school items, annually.

• 9 Social Media Channels with more than 5 Million Followers.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Merck Foundation.

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Africa Launches the First Pan-African Pact for Insurance Inclusion

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June 23, 2026

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400 decision-makers gathered in Cotonou to accelerate access to insurance and contribute to doubling insurance penetration by 2040

DAKAR, Senegal, June 23, 2026/APO Group/ –Faced with a major paradox representing nearly 19% of the world’s population while accounting for less than 1% of global insurance premiums African insurance stakeholders are mobilizing.

 

From July 6 to 8, 2026, the Federation of African National Insurance Companies (FANAF) will organize the General Assembly on Insurance for All at the Sofitel Hotel in Cotonou, Benin, a major pan-African gathering dedicated to inclusive insurance.

The event will bring together nearly 400 African decision-makers from governments, regulatory and supervisory authorities, insurance and reinsurance companies, financial institutions, development banks, technical and financial partners, as well as professional organizations from across the continent.

The ambition is clear: to foster a shared vision and concrete commitments aimed at accelerating access to insurance for African populations while strengthening the sector’s contribution to the continent’s economic and social development priorities.

The discussions will culminate in the adoption of the Pan-African Pact for Insurance Inclusion and a 2026–2030 Strategic Action Plan, designed to structure collective action around an ambitious objective: contributing to the doubling of insurance penetration across the FANAF region by 2040.

An Economic, Social and Development Imperative

Within the CIMA zone, insurance penetration remains below 1% of GDP, compared to more than 6% globally.

As a result, millions of households, farmers, entrepreneurs, SMEs and informal sector actors remain deprived of essential protection mechanisms against health, climate, economic and social risks.

For FANAF, this reality now constitutes a major development challenge.

Africa cannot build sustainable growth without strengthening protection mechanisms for its populations, businesses and investments

“Africa cannot build sustainable growth without strengthening protection mechanisms for its populations, businesses and investments. The Cotonou General Assembly must mark the starting point of a new continental ambition for African insurance and its role in the continent’s economic transformation,” said Mamadou Koné, President of FANAF.

Beyond Insurance: A Driver of Continental Transformation

For FANAF, insurance is no longer merely a risk coverage mechanism. It is also a strategic lever for economic resilience, savings mobilization, investment security, SME financing, support for climate transitions and the strengthening of financial inclusion.

Through this General Assembly, FANAF seeks to reposition insurance as a key stakeholder in Africa’s economic, social and financial transformation.

A Pact to Accelerate Action

The conclusions of the General Assembly will lead to the adoption of the Pan-African Pact for Insurance Inclusion, a reference framework intended to mobilize governments, regulators, market players, financial institutions and development partners around shared objectives.

The Pact will be accompanied by a 2026–2030 Strategic Action Plan defining priority intervention areas, coordination mechanisms and monitoring arrangements for the commitments undertaken.

A broad mobilization of public, private and financial partners will support its implementation in order to translate commitments into tangible results for African populations and economies.

Cotonou 2026: Building a Shared Vision

Beyond the insurance sector, the General Assembly aims to create an unprecedented platform for dialogue between governments, regulators, investors, financial institutions, technical partners and market actors in order to identify the levers needed to accelerate insurance inclusion across the continent.

Holding this event in Benin reflects the country’s broader economic and financial transformation momentum and illustrates the collective determination of African stakeholders to develop solutions tailored to the continent’s realities.

Through this initiative, FANAF intends to make Cotonou 2026 a defining moment for the future of African insurance and the starting point of a lasting continental mobilization in favor of insurance inclusion.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Fédération des Sociétés d’Assurances de Droit National Africaines (FANAF).

 

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Flat6Labs and International Finance Corporation (IFC) Launch StartAlgeria, a Capacity-Building Program Designed to Empower the Organizations Progressing Algeria’s Startup Ecosystem

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June 23, 2026

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StartAlgeria comes at a key moment for Algeria’s entrepreneurship landscape, shifting the focus toward improving how the ESOs operate by providing them with international best practices

ALGIERS, Algeria, June 23, 2026/APO Group/ –Flat6Labs (www.Flat6Labs.com) and IFC in collaboration with the Ministry of Knowledge Economy, Startups and Micro-Enterprises are launching StartAlgeria, a capacity-building program that puts Entrepreneur Support Organizations (ESOs) at the forefront of Algeria’s ecosystem future. The program is designed to equip Algerian ESOs reinforcing pre-seed and seed-stage startups with the expertise, frameworks, and networks needed to contribute to a stronger, more competitive entrepreneurship ecosystem in Algeria and expand into global markets.

 

StartAlgeria comes at a key moment for Algeria’s entrepreneurship landscape, shifting the focus toward improving how the ESOs operate by providing them with international best practices adapted to each organization’s needs, a community-driven approach that focuses on peer learning, and facilitating connections with investors, policymakers, and key stakeholders.

Algeria’s entrepreneurial community is among the most dynamic and vibrant in the region, and the potential is not just real, it is ready to scale

StartAlgeria will pilot a first cohort focusing on incubators in the capital, Algiers. Following a call for application, the selected ESOs will go through a structured program comprising workshops and masterclasses covering key areas such as startup selection, program design and delivery, and investment readiness. In addition to the core program, participating ESOs will benefit from 6months of post-program mentorship, focusing on areas such as fundraising strategy, partnership development, financial sustainability, and program improvement. This sustained engagement’s goal is to provide a lasting impact in how Algerian ESOs operate and what they’re able to offer the startups they champion.

Yehia Houry, CEO of Flat6Labs, shares “Algeria’s startup ecosystem is demonstrating remarkable potential and a rapidly growing level of maturity, driven by an ambitious new generation of founders, increasing institutional support, and a strong national commitment to innovation and entrepreneurship. The opportunity today lies in further empowering entrepreneurship support organizations to match this momentum by strengthening their ability to identify and nurture high-potential startups, deliver impactful and results-driven programs, and create stronger connections between entrepreneurs and sources of capital. With the right support structures in place, Algeria is well positioned to become one of the leading innovation hubs in the region.”

“Algeria’s entrepreneurial community is among the most dynamic and vibrant in the region, and the potential is not just real, it is ready to scale. Through StartAlgeria, we are committed to ensuring that the organizations standing behind founders are equipped with the tools, frameworks, and expertise to take them from early ideas to investment-ready ventures. This program is a direct expression of IFC’s long-term confidence in Algeria’s private sector and in the ecosystem’s capacity to produce the next generation of high-impact companies.” underscored Cemile Hacibeyoglu Ceren, WBG Resident Representative in Algeria.

“The launch of StartAlgeria marks an important step in reinforcing Algeria’s startup support ecosystem. By strengthening the capabilities of Entrepreneur Support Organizations, we are investing in the long-term growth, resilience, and international competitiveness of Algerian startups. This initiative reflects our shared ambition to build a dynamic innovation-driven economy and create new opportunities for entrepreneurs across the country,” said H.E Mr. Noureddine Ouadah, Minister of Knowledge Economy, Startups and Micro-Enterprises.

This IFC program is implemented in partnership with the Government of the Netherlands.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Flat6Labs.

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Hong Kong unlocks new opportunities with Central Asia

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June 23, 2026

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HONG KONG SAR – Media OutReach Newswire – 23 June 2026 – Led by Chief Executive of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR), John Lee, a high-level delegation visit to Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan (May 31 – June 5) is already paying dividends, forging fresh opportunities to deepen ties between Central Asia, Hong Kong and the Chinese Mainland.

The business delegation comprised over 70 representatives from Hong Kong and Mainland enterprises of various sectors.

During the visit, 96 bilateral memoranda of understanding and agreements were reached, including a total of 15 co-operation documents at the government level between Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan respectively.

“The examples of agreements and co-operation are just so abundant that they range from the service sector to heavy industries such as mining and infrastructure development,” Mr Lee said. “I think the sky is the limit.”

The multiple outcomes achieved during the trip demonstrate Hong Kong’s role as a functional platform for the Belt and Road (B&R) Initiative, as the city actively plays its roles as a “super connector” and “super value-adder” to promote broader and deeper co-operation between the two places and establish a hub-to-hub co-operation model.

“Kazakhstan is an important commercial and logistics hub connecting China and Europe. It is also the place where the Belt and Road Initiative was first proposed, and is Hong Kong’s largest trading partner in Central Asia. There are broad prospects for further co-operation,” Mr Lee said, adding that a lot of B&R projects are also being pursued in Uzbekistan.

“For example, Uzbekistan sits in the heart of the corridor of Asia and Europe, so logistical development, railway development, and also how we can complement and supplement each other in cargo handling will be an area for a very wide range of co-operation.”

The Chief Executive also encouraged companies in Central Asia to leverage Hong Kong’s advantages under the “one country, two systems” principle.

“Under this unique principle, Hong Kong has its own economic, social, legal, legislative and judicial systems. We are the only common law jurisdiction in China. We have our own currency, with no capital or foreign exchange controls. We are, as well, a separate customs territory,” Mr Lee said.

Building on the positive outcomes from the delegation’s mission to Central Asia, Mr Lee welcomed the Deputy Prime Minister of Kazakhstan, Kanat Bozumbayev, to Hong Kong (June 10) and they both attended the Alatau City Investment Round Table (June 11).

Speaking at the event, Mr Lee said Hong Kong could contribute to the future success of Kazakhstan’s innovative, high-tech Alatau City in three concrete ways: as a gateway to global capital; a gateway to the Chinese Mainland and the Greater Bay Area; and as a partner in talent and technology.

“We share a development vision with Alatau City and Kazakhstan,” Mr Lee said, “Today, right here, right now, is a golden opportunity to bring our two economies closer together.”

He looked forward to Hong Kong and Kazakhstan achieving complementary advantages and co-ordinated development across different sectors and welcomed enterprises in Kazakhstan to make good use of Hong Kong’s premier financial and innovation and technology platforms, as well as its world-leading professional services, to explore more business opportunities.

 

 

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