The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) announced today that Khufu, the winning film of the first edition of the “Eish” Short Film Competition in Egypt, has been selected for the Pardi di Domani International Competition at the 79th Locarno Film Festival, taking place from 5 to 15 August 2026 in Switzerland. The selection brings a locally rooted story on food security to one of the world’s leading stages for independent cinema.
Directed by Mahmoud Assi and produced by Zest and Fig Leaf Studios, Khufu was developed with support from WFP through the Eish Short Film Competition, an initiative launched in 2024 in collaboration with Zest and the El Gouna Film Festival to amplify emerging voices and stories on food security across Egypt and the Arab region.

Founded in 1946, the Locarno Film Festival is widely recognized for championing innovative storytelling and independent cinema. “The selection of Khufu at Locarno is a remarkable achievement and a testament to the power of storytelling in bringing important social issues to global audiences,” said Rawad Halabi, WFP Country Director in Egypt. “Through Eish, WFP supports creative voices that spark meaningful conversations around food security and resilience, and this recognition shows how local stories can resonate far beyond borders.”

The Arabic word “Eish” (عيش) means both bread and life, reflecting the connection between food, dignity and survival. Through the competition, WFP and its partners use cinema as a platform to raise awareness of food security challenges and encourage dialogue around sustainable solutions.

“Eish began as an idea about what happens when you hand emerging filmmakers a subject as fundamental as food and ask them to make cinema out of it. Khufu reaching Locarno proves the model works, and that’s a credit to the jury who saw the film’s potential from the very first pitch, and to the Zest team that supported this competition and carried the film all the way through production alongside our partners.” said Mohamed Hany, CEO and Co-Founder, Zest.

Set in Nazlet El-Semman, in the shadow of the Giza Pyramids, Khufu follows Sayed, a 14-year-old boy navigating the pressures of family expectations while confronting the fragile economic reality tied to his family’s only source of income. As their livelihood depends on an ailing camel, the story explores the difficult choices faced by communities living on the edge of economic vulnerability.

“Khufu was born from a desire to tell a deeply human story about dignity, family and survival in a community that exists alongside one of the world’s most famous landmarks, yet faces persistent economic challenges,” said Mahmoud Assi, director of the film. “Being selected for Locarno is an honour and a recognition of the importance of these stories.”

From its first edition, the Eish Short Film Competition has positioned itself as a platform for emerging filmmakers to engage with one of the most pressing challenges facing communities in Egypt and the region. The competition continues to grow as a space for storytelling that connects audiences to the realities of food insecurity while highlighting resilience and creativity.

“At El Gouna Film Festival, we are committed to discovering and supporting the next generation of filmmakers from Egypt and the Arab world,” said Amr Mansi, Executive Director and Co-Founder of El Gouna Film Festival. “Our collaboration with WFP reflects shared values in using cinema as a force for awareness and social impact.”

Now in its third edition, the Eish Short Film Competition continues to expand its reach, supporting emerging filmmakers and fostering compelling narratives that bring the issue of food security to wider audiences in the Arab region.

The World Bank Group has approved US$225 million in financing for the Integrated Urban Development and Resilience Project for Jobs (PRODUIRE2) to strengthen climate resilience, improve infrastructure, and create more and better jobs in Greater Antananarivo and Greater Toamasina.

Madagascar’s rapidly growing cities face mounting challenges. In early 2026, cyclones Fytia and Gezani caused damages estimated at the equivalent to 3.4 percent of the country’s GDP. In Greater Antananarivo, extreme urban poverty has more than doubled over the past decade, despite the capital generating close to 44 percent of GDP. Recurrent flooding, inadequate infrastructure, and insecure land tenure deter private investment, limit economic opportunities, and keep the city’s most vulnerable residents locked in poverty.

Building on the World Bank-supported urban resilience program in Antananarivo, PRODUIRE2 will deepen investments in flood protection, drainage, solid waste management, neighborhood upgrading, and land administration in Greater Antananarivo. In Greater Toamasina, where cyclone Gezani damaged 70 percent of the housing stock, the project will focus on rebuilding resilient housing and rehabilitating critical public infrastructure such as schools and health facilities. By 2032, the project aims to bring climate-resilient infrastructure to 1.5 million people, reconstruct 20,000 homes to resilient standards, issue land documentation for 50,000 parcels, and generate approximately 17,000 jobs — laying the groundwork for sustained private investment, jobs, and economic growth.

“When cities work better, people live better. With the support of this new World Bank Group-financed project, families will benefit from safer neighborhoods, better infrastructure, improved access to land services, and greater economic opportunities. This investment will help create jobs, support local businesses, and give more people the chance to build a brighter future for their families,” said Dr Herinjatovo Ramiarison, Minister of Economy and Finance of Madagascar.

The project will also address insecure land tenure – nearly half of the land in Antanarivo lacks formal titles, a key barrier to urban development and investment. PRODUIRE2 will support land regularization and digital land services to help residents obtain legally recognized documentation and streamline transactions. At least 40 percent of new land documents issued will include women as sole or joint rights holders.

“Cyclone Gezani damaged nearly 70 percent of homes in Toamasina and disrupted the lives of thousands of families. Through PRODUIRE2, families will be supported to rebuild stronger homes, while critical public infrastructure and services will be restored and strengthened. The University of Barikadimy, which suffered extensive damage, will be fully rebuilt to higher standards so it can continue serving students for generations to come. In Greater Antananarivo, investments in flood protection, drainage infrastructure, including the Canal C3 ter and Canal C3 bis, solid waste management, and land administration will help reduce flooding and give families greater peace of mind during the rainy season. At its heart, this project is about helping people live more safely, creating better economic opportunities, and enabling families to focus on what matters most: their children’s future, their work, and their well-being.”, said Atou Seck, World Bank Group Country Manager for Madagascar.

PRODUIRE2 reflects a long-term partnership between the Government of Madagascar and the World Bank Group It will support Antananarivo and Toamasina to become more resilient, inclusive, and dynamic engines of growth.

PRODUIRE2 is supported by the Global Facility for Disaster Reduction and Recovery (GFDRR) and by the Quality Infrastructure Investment (QII) Partnership financed by the Government of Japan, which provide technical and analytical assistance to strengthen Madagascar’s framework for disaster risk management, urban resilience, and infrastructure quality.

A global protest has erupted online to condemn the Ghanaian Parliament’s passage of the draconian “Human Sexual Rights and Family Values Bill.” In response, a coalition of diaspora members and international allies has launched the “One Star Protest,” a digital campaign to hold the government accountable for its assault on human rights.

The bill, now awaiting presidential assent, institutes a system of state-sponsored persecution. It mandates a prison sentence of up to three years for anyone identifying as LGBTQ+ and up to five years for individuals or organizations that advocate for or provide support to the queer community.

The legislation has put Ghana on a collision course with the global community, threatening a multi-pronged economic catastrophe. A Ghana Ministry of Finance brief reveals the country now risks losing 3.8 billion in World Bank financing and is jeopardizing a crucial 3 billion IMF bailout package. Furthermore, the bill threatens to decimate Ghana’s tourism industry. In Uganda, the passage of a nearly identical law contributed to a catastrophic economic fallout estimated at up to $1.6 billion in the first year alone, as international tourists and business conferences shifted to neighboring countries (Source: Open for Business economic report).

“President Mahama’s government is making a historic mistake that will stain Ghana’s reputation and isolate it from the world,” said Olive Okoro, founder of Queer Motherland and a spokesperson for the One Star Protest. “The Black Star is a symbol of freedom, not persecution. We will not stand by while that legacy is dismantled. This is not a plea; it is a demand for basic human rights.”

The “One Star Protest” targets Ghana’s iconic national symbols – the Independence Arch and Black Star Square – with one-star reviews to signify that the light of freedom has been extinguished. As reviews are suppressed, the campaign has moved to Instagram, directly tagging the President to ensure the global outcry is seen and heard.

For more information, to view protest messages, or to join the campaign, please visit:

• Campaign Launch Post: https://www.instagram.com/reel/DZfotsNi69j/
• Petition: https://campaigns.allout.org/ghana-reject-the-anti-lgbt-bill

The Secretary-General of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) Secretariat, Wamkele Mene, has been honoured with the All Africa Intellectual Property Leadership and Continental Integration Award in recognition of his outstanding leadership and contribution to advancing Africa’s trade, industrialisation, and continental integration agenda.

African Newspage is the official media partner of the All Africa Intellectual Property Summit (AAIPS). The award was formally presented during a courtesy visit by the leadership of AAIPS to the AfCFTA Secretariat on the sidelines of the 18th Meeting of the AfCFTA Council of Ministers Responsible for Trade, held in Abuja, Nigeria.

Led by its Chairman, Sand Mba Kalu, the AAIPS delegation commended Mene’s stewardship of the AfCFTA Secretariat and his role in driving implementation of the continental trade agreement.

The engagement also reaffirmed both institutions’ commitment to leveraging intellectual property to drive Africa’s trade, industrial and creative economy transformation, while exploring stronger collaboration ahead of the 7th All Africa Intellectual Property Summit in Nairobi in November 2026 and advancing implementation of the AfCFTA Intellectual Property Rights Protocol.

Presenting the award, Kalu described Mene as a visionary leader whose stewardship has transformed the AfCFTA from a landmark agreement into a practical platform for trade, industrial development and economic opportunity across Africa.

“Under your leadership, the AfCFTA has continued to move from aspiration to implementation, from political commitment to practical economic opportunity, and from continental vision to an operational framework capable of reshaping Africa’s trade future,” Kalu said.

He noted that the recognition acknowledged Mene’s enduring contribution to connecting African markets, empowering businesses, and advancing trade as a vehicle for shared prosperity.

Kalu also called for a stronger institutional partnership between the AfCFTA Secretariat and AAIPS to support the implementation of the AfCFTA Intellectual Property Rights Protocol. “The time has now come to move from goodwill to structure, from participation to partnership, and from occasional engagement to a formal continental collaboration.”

Responding, Mene welcomed the call for closer collaboration, describing the relationship between the AfCFTA Secretariat and AAIPS as critical to advancing Africa’s industrial and innovation agenda.

“The Protocol on Intellectual Property Rights is not just a legal instrument. It is an opportunity for us as a continent to leverage intellectual property to advance industrial development, strengthen public health through local pharmaceutical production, and reduce over-reliance on imports,” Mene said.

The AfCFTA Secretary-General further noted that all AfCFTA protocols had now been concluded and that the focus had shifted fully to implementation. “We have to accelerate implementation and deepen collaboration with the private sector because it is the private sector that will ensure that we see the benefits of this Agreement.”

The award reflects the growing convergence between Africa’s trade and intellectual property agendas and reaffirms the commitment of both institutions to deepen collaboration in promoting innovation, industrialisation and the effective implementation of the AfCFTA Intellectual Property Rights Protocol as key drivers of Africa’s economic transformation.

For more information contact: Maluchukwu Mbamalu Esq., Head of the Secretariat, All Africa Intellectual Property Summit 2026

Email: [email protected] Whatsapp: +234 818 038 1825 Website: www.africaipsummit.com