Zambian President Hakainde Hichilema called on mining companies to prioritise jobs, skills training and contracts for local businesses over traditional corporate social responsibility projects, saying these would deliver greater benefits to communities.

Angola's President João Lourenço has called for African diamond-producing countries to establish common mechanisms to protect the continent's diamond industry from growing competition from synthetic diamonds.

Namibia's Permanent Representative to the United Nations (UN), Penda Naanda, reiterated the role of the AU model for the Security Council Reform in a quest for equitable representation within the UN system. 

Naanda said this during a plenary meeting of the UN General Assembly at the UN Headquarters.

The Zambezi Region has recorded 33,944 cases of malaria since January.

Muyako, Choi and Sesheke Clinics are the major hotspots, accounting for 49% of the 706 cases reported recently over a five-week period.

A call for greater compassion and an end to stigma against people experiencing mental health challenges was made at Ongwediva in the Oshana Region during the commemoration of World Mental Health Day and suicide prevention.