Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal (7th District of Washington)
WASHINGTON — Today, Congresswoman Jan Schakowsky (IL-09), U.S. Senator Edward J. Markey (D-MA), Congressman Dr. Raul Ruiz (CA-25), and Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal (WA-07) introduced the Dr. Paul Farmer Memorial Resolution, to honor Dr. Farmer’s staggering life and legacy and lay out his extraordinary vision for realizing global health equity. This resolution lays out a 21st century global health strategy that proposes spending $125 billion annually on global health aid, reforming aid to focus on building national health systems, and putting an end to the exploitation of impoverished countries to increase their domestic tax base and health spending. This resolution seeks to save over 100 million lives per decade by increasing the flow of money in the global economy.
“Dr. Paul Farmer is responsible for transforming the lives of millions and millions of poor and marginalized people around the world, bringing them health care, dignity, and justice. A true visionary, Paul insisted that all people have a right to excellent health care, and he developed the systems to deliver it in places people had written off. Gleaming world class hospitals and locally trained doctors, nurses, and community workers now exist in places like Haiti and Rwanda. Paul was not only a world-renowned leader in global health, but also a precious friend and a tireless organizer, inspiring thousands of people to actively participate in his work. All of us owe him a debt that can only be paid by carrying on his mission and legacy,” said Congresswoman Jan Schakowsky. “That is why I am introducing the Dr. Paul Farmer Memorial Resolution alongside my colleagues Senator Markey and Representatives Ruiz and Jayapal. This resolution lays out a 21st Century Global Health Strategy that enshrines Paul’s vision to achieve global universal health care and end unnecessary and preventable deaths. We are the richest country in the world at the richest time in the world. As the Trump Administration rips away lifesaving aid from millions of people, it is more important than ever for those of us who care about global health and justice to rededicate ourselves to building and fully funding a robust global health strategy. Paul called on us to understand global health inequity as an injustice—a result of centuries of violence and exploitation inflicted on the global poor. We can make the choice to end global health inequity, and with Paul’s vision guiding us, we will.”
“Dr. Paul Farmer was a health care visionary and revolutionary who understood compassion and care went hand in hand. At a time when global health and well-being are strained, I am proud to introduce this resolution honoring Dr. Farmer and the transformational work he did to deliver health care to people and communities around the world. Health is the first wealth, and we must do everything in our power to ensure that people around the world are healthy, safe, and have access to the resources they need to live and thrive,” said Senator Edward Markey.
“Dr. Paul Farmer was more than a global health leader, he was my mentor, professor, and dear friend,” said Congressman Dr. Raul Ruiz. “From my early years at Harvard Medical School to our work together in Boston, Chiapas, Guatemala, and post-earthquake Haiti, he showed me what it means to fight for underserved communities with unwavering dedication. I am honored to help reintroduce this resolution in his memory, as a testament to his extraordinary impact on humanity.”
“Dr. Paul Farmer changed global health for the better with his work in impoverished countries, treating infectious diseases and providing high quality care to those who needed it most. He also fundamentally altered the way we think about international aid, and his organizing and movement building has led to millions of people worldwide living healthier and longer lives. As a lifelong organizer and someone who worked in global health for years before coming to Congress, I know the importance of this work and know how devastating Trump and Republicans’ cuts to USAID and other international aid programs are. This resolution outlines a vision for a world in which we tackle the injustice of global health inequities and treat health care as a true human right. It also recognizes that to achieve these goals, we need to democratize the global financial system, including cancelling predatory debt that has often crushed low- and middle-income countries. I’m proud to co-lead it with Representatives Schakowsky and Ruiz,” saidCongresswoman Pramila Jayapal.
The proposals in the resolution are as follows:
Increase global health aid to $125 billion per year
Close the essential universal health care financing gap for low-income countries
Allow the U.S. to meet the U.N. aid target of 0.7% GNI for the first time ever
Reform global health aid
Focus on building national health systems and direct funding to local partners, not the development industry
Develop new medical technologies for diseases of poverty and ensure their availability as global public goods
Make the global economy more fair, just, and democratic
Democratizing the IMF, World Bank, and World Trade Organization, so that poor countries have greater say over decisions that affect their economies and their ability to finance health systems
Global debt cancelation for all developing countries that need it
Ending harmful licit and illicit financial flows from poor countries—ending global tax havens and illegal practices like trade misinvoicing
Supporting global labor rights, such as a global minimum wage
“In this moment of crisis, we need Paul’s vision for global health justice more than ever. Thankfully, that vision is captured in this resolution. It provides us with a much-needed roadmap for global cooperation based on solidarity and justice by getting to the root causes of unnecessary suffering and death, or what Paul called ‘structural violence’. This includes greatly improving development assistance for health, but also going well beyond aid to address ongoing extractive colonial arrangements, which preclude local investments in health systems,” said Sheila Davis, CEO of Partners in Health.
As an infectious disease physician, Dr. Farmer earned accolades for treating patients in impoverished countries with high quality care, including those suffering from HIV and cancer. As a medical anthropologist, he was known for popularizing and deepening understandings of “structural violence,” the idea that social systems are designed to impoverish, sicken, and sideline select groups. As chief strategist of Partners in Health, he garnered plaudits for pioneering community-based treatment strategies, building teaching hospitals, and more. Dr. Farmer called on us to understand global health inequity as an injustice—an effect of centuries of violence and exploitation inflicted on the global poor. This resolution embodies that and will serve as a North Star that will guide the movement for global health equity for years to come.
In addition to Reps. Schakowsky, Ruiz, and Jayapal, this resolution is cosponsored in the House of Representatives by Reps. Raja Krishnamoorthi (IL-08), Betty McCollum (MN-04), Jim McGovern (MA-02), Seth Moulton (MA-06), Ayanna Pressley (MA-07), Delia Ramirez (IL-03), Juan Vargas (CA-52).
In addition to Sen. Markey, this resolution is cosponsored in the Senate by Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA).
Issues: Foreign Affairs & National Security, Health Care
After working in South Africa for nearly 18 years and putting her studies on hold when her daughter became seriously ill, Chantel Delport is now halfway through a Bachelor of Accounting at EIT.
The 36-year-old mother of three moved to New Zealand with her husband Quentin and their children in 2019, following a difficult period that saw her prioritise family over formal study.
“I did begin my studies back home in South Africa, but due to a serious family health scare involving my daughter, I wasn’t able to sit my exams,” Chantel says.
“At that time, my children became my top priority, and I put my studies on hold.”
While settling into a new life in Hawke’s Bay, Chantel continued with some online learning and worked in accounts and admin. She had already been a bookkeeper since 2007, something she says she loved from the beginning, but she was ready to take her skills further.
“Over the years I completed various online courses, but none were NZQA-approved. I really wanted to take my skills to the next level.”
Chantel says she chose EIT because she wanted to study in a real classroom environment where she could engage directly with lecturers. Although she was nervous at first about returning to study, she quickly found she was not alone.
“I thought I’d be the oldest student on campus, but I was pleasantly surprised to find many people my age also pursuing education and self-improvement.”
She says smaller class sizes at EIT have allowed her to ask more questions and form meaningful connections with both classmates and lecturers.
“My lecturers have been incredibly understanding and supportive, especially as I juggle life as a mum of three, one of whom has ongoing health challenges.”
Chantel still works part-time in accounts and admin while studying. She says finding balance has not always been easy, but it has been worth it.
“There have been plenty of exhausting days where I questioned whether I could keep going, but the personal satisfaction and sense of achievement have kept me moving forward.”
Her long-term goal is to become a Chartered Accountant and potentially explore forensic accounting in future.
To others considering a return to study later in life, she has a simple message: “Don’t let age stop you.”
“It’s never too late to pursue the education you’ve always dreamed of or to aim for the career and pay you deserve. You are absolutely worth it.”
Gareth Allison, EIT’s Head of the School of Business, said: “Chantel’s journey is a powerful reminder that perseverance can overcome even the toughest challenges”.
“We are proud to support students like her who balance family, work, and study. At EIT, we believe education is a lifelong pursuit, and Chantel’s success is an inspiration to all who aspire to reach their goals.”
class=”has-text-align-left”>By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, including the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (50 U.S.C. 1701 et seq.) (IEEPA), the National Emergencies Act (50 U.S.C. 1601 et seq.), section 604 of the Trade Act of 1974, as amended (19 U.S.C. 2483), and section 301 of title 3, United States Code, I hereby determine and order:
Section 1. Background. In Executive Order 14257 of April 2, 2025 (Regulating Imports With a Reciprocal Tariff To Rectify Trade Practices That Contribute to Large and Persistent Annual United States Goods Trade Deficits), I found that conditions reflected in large and persistent annual U.S. goods trade deficits constitute an unusual and extraordinary threat to the national security and economy of the United States that has its source in whole or substantial part outside the United States. I declared a national emergency with respect to that threat, and to deal with that threat, I imposed additional ad valorem duties that I deemed necessary and appropriate.
I have received additional information and recommendations from various senior officials on, among other things, the continued lack of reciprocity in our bilateral trade relationships and the impact of foreign trading partners’ disparate tariff rates and non-tariff barriers on U.S. exports, the domestic manufacturing base, critical supply chains, and the defense industrial base. I also have received additional information and recommendations on foreign relations, economic, and national security matters, including the status of trade negotiations, efforts to retaliate against the United States for its actions to address the emergency declared in Executive Order 14257, and efforts to align with the United States on economic and national security matters.
For example, some trading partners have agreed to, or are on the verge of agreeing to, meaningful trade and security commitments with the United States, thus signaling their sincere intentions to permanently remedy the trade barriers that have contributed to the national emergency declared in Executive Order 14257, and to align with the United States on economic and national security matters. Other trading partners, despite having engaged in negotiations, have offered terms that, in my judgment, do not sufficiently address imbalances in our trading relationship or have failed to align sufficiently with the United States on economic and national-security matters. There are also some trading partners that have failed to engage in negotiations with the United States or to take adequate steps to align sufficiently with the United States on economic and national security matters.
After considering the information and recommendations that I have recently received, among other things, I have determined that it is necessary and appropriate to deal with the national emergency declared in Executive Order 14257 by imposing additional ad valorem duties on goods of certain trading partners at the rates set forth in Annex I to this order, subject to all applicable exceptions set forth in Executive Order 14257, as amended, in lieu of the additional ad valorem duties previously imposed on goods of such trading partners in Executive Order 14257, as amended.
Sec. 2. Tariff Modifications. (a) The Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States (HTSUS) shall be modified as provided in Annex II to this order. These modifications shall be effective with respect to goods entered for consumption, or withdrawn from warehouse for consumption, on or after 12:01 a.m. eastern daylight time 7 days after the date of this order, except that goods loaded onto a vessel at the port of loading and in transit on the final mode of transit before 12:01 a.m. eastern daylight time 7 days after the date of this order, and entered for consumption, or withdrawn from warehouse for consumption, before 12:01 a.m. eastern daylight time on October 5, 2025, shall not be subject to such additional duty and shall instead remain subject to the additional ad valorem duties previously imposed in Executive Order 14257, as amended.
(b) Certain foreign trading partners identified in Annex I to this order have agreed to, or are on the verge of concluding, meaningful trade and security agreements with the United States. Goods of those trading partners will remain subject to the additional ad valorem duties provided in Annex I to this order until such time as those agreements are concluded, and I issue subsequent orders memorializing the terms of those agreements.
(c) As provided in Annex I to this order, the additional ad valorem rate of duty applicable to any good of the European Union is determined by the good’s current ad valorem (or ad valorem equivalent) rate of duty under column 1 (General) of the HTSUS (“Column 1 Duty Rate”). For a good of the European Union with a Column 1 Duty Rate that is less than 15 percent, the sum of its Column 1 Duty Rate and the additional ad valorem rate of duty pursuant to this order shall be 15 percent. For a good of the European Union with a Column 1 Duty Rate that is at least 15 percent, the additional ad valorem rate of duty pursuant to this order shall be zero.
(d) Goods of any foreign trading partner that is not listed in Annex I to this order will be subject to an additional ad valorem rate of duty of 10 percent pursuant to the terms of Executive Order 14257, as amended, unless otherwise expressly provided. This rate shall be effective with respect to goods entered for consumption, or withdrawn from warehouse for consumption, on or after 12:01 a.m. eastern daylight time 7 days after the date of this order.
(e) The HTSUS shall also be modified by continuing to suspend headings 9903.01.43 through 9903.01.62 and 9903.01.64 through 9903.01.76, and subdivisions (v)(xiii)(1)–(9) and (11)‑(57) of U.S. note 2 to subchapter III of chapter 99 of the HTSUS, until the effective date of the modifications provided in Annex II to this order. Upon the effective date of the modifications provided in Annex II to this order, to facilitate implementation of the rates of duty provided in Annex I to this order, headings 9903.01.43 through 9903.01.62 and 9903.01.64 through 9903.01.76, which are organized by rate of duty, and subdivisions (v)(xiii) (1)-(9) and (11)-(57) of U.S. note 2 to subchapter III of chapter 99 of the HTSUS shall be terminated as to future entries and replaced by the new trading partner-specific headings provided in Annex II to this order.
(f) Excluding the changes set forth in subsections (a) through (d) of this section, the terms of Executive Order 14257, as amended, shall continue to apply.
(g) Nothing in this order shall be construed to alter or otherwise affect Executive Order 14298 of May 12, 2025 (Modifying Reciprocal Tariff Rates To Reflect Discussions With the People’s Republic of China).
(h) The Secretary of Commerce and the United States Trade Representative, in consultation with the Secretary of Homeland Security, acting through the Commissioner of U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), and the Chair of the United States International Trade Commission, shall determine whether any additional modifications to the HTSUS are necessary to effectuate this order and may make such modifications through notice in the Federal Register.
Sec. 3. Transshipment. (a) An article determined by CBP to have been transshipped to evade applicable duties under section 2 of this order shall be subject to (i) an additional ad valorem rate of duty of 40 percent, in lieu of the additional ad valorem rate of duty applicable under section 2 of this order to goods of the country of origin, (ii) any other applicable or appropriate fine or penalty, including those assessed under 19 U.S.C. 1592, and (iii) any other United States duties, fees, taxes, exactions, or charges applicable to goods of the country of origin. CBP shall not allow, consistent with applicable law, for mitigation or remission of the penalties assessed on imports found to be transshipped to evade applicable duties.
(b) The Secretary of Commerce and the Secretary of Homeland Security, acting through the Commissioner of CBP, in consultation with the United States Trade Representative, shall publish every 6 months a list of countries and specific facilities used in circumvention schemes, to inform public procurement, national security reviews, and commercial due diligence.
Sec. 4. Implementation. The Secretary of Commerce, the Secretary of Homeland Security, and the United States Trade Representative, as applicable, in consultation with the Secretary of State, the Secretary of the Treasury, the Assistant to the President for Economic Policy, the Assistant to the President and Senior Counselor for Trade and Manufacturing, the Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs, and the Chair of the International Trade Commission, are directed and authorized to take all necessary actions to implement and effectuate this order, consistent with applicable law, including through temporary suspension or amendment of regulations or notices in the Federal Register and by adopting rules, regulations, or guidance, and to employ all powers granted to the President by IEEPA, as may be necessary to implement this order. Each executive department and agency shall take all appropriate measures within its authority to implement this order.
Sec. 5. Monitoring and Recommendations. (a) The Secretary of Commerce and the United States Trade Representative shall monitor the circumstances involving the emergency declared in Executive Order 14257 and shall regularly consult on such circumstances with any senior official they deem appropriate. The Secretary of Commerce and the United States Trade Representative shall inform me of any circumstance that, in their opinion, might indicate the need for further action by the President. The Secretary of Commerce and the United States Trade Representative shall also inform me of any circumstance that, in their opinion, might indicate that a foreign trading partner has taken adequate steps to address the emergency declared in Executive Order 14257.
(b) The Secretary of Commerce and the United States Trade Representative, in consultation with any senior official they deem appropriate, shall recommend to me any necessary additional action if this action is not effective in resolving the emergency declared in Executive Order 14257.
(c) The Secretary of Commerce and the United States Trade Representative, in coordination with the appropriate senior officials, shall recommend additional action, if necessary, should a foreign trading partner fail to take adequate steps to address the emergency declared in Executive Order 14257 or should a foreign trading partner retaliate against the United States in response to the actions taken to address the emergency declared in Executive Order 14257 or any subsequent order issued to address that emergency.
Sec. 6. Severability. If any provision of this order, or the application of any provision of this order to any individual or circumstance, is held to be invalid, the remainder of this order and the application of its provisions to any other individuals or circumstances shall not be affected.
Sec. 7. General Provisions. (a) Nothing in this order shall be construed to impair or otherwise affect:
(i) the authority granted by law to an executive department or agency, or the head thereof; or
(ii) the functions of the Director of the Office of Management and Budget relating to budgetary, administrative, or legislative proposals.
(b) This order shall be implemented consistent with applicable law and subject to the availability of appropriations.
(c) This order is not intended to, and does not, create any right or benefit, substantive or procedural, enforceable at law or in equity by any party against the United States, its departments, agencies, or entities, its officers, employees, or agents, or any other person.
(d) The costs for publication of this order shall be borne by the Office of the United States Trade Representative.
DONALD J. TRUMP
THE WHITE HOUSE,
July 31, 2025.
ANNEX I
Countries and Territories
Reciprocal Tariff, Adjusted
Afghanistan
15%
Algeria
30%
Angola
15%
Bangladesh
20%
Bolivia
15%
Bosnia and Herzegovina
30%
Botswana
15%
Brazil
10%
Brunei
25%
Cambodia
19%
Cameroon
15%
Chad
15%
Costa Rica
15%
Côte d`Ivoire
15%
Democratic Republic of the Congo
15%
Ecuador
15%
Equatorial Guinea
15%
European Union: Goods with Column 1 Duty Rate[1] > 15%
0%
European Union: Goods with Column 1 Duty Rate < 15%
15% minus Column 1 Duty Rate
Falkland Islands
10%
Fiji
15%
Ghana
15%
Guyana
15%
Iceland
15%
India
25%
Indonesia
19%
Iraq
35%
Israel
15%
Japan
15%
Jordan
15%
Kazakhstan
25%
Laos
40%
Lesotho
15%
Libya
30%
Liechtenstein
15%
Madagascar
15%
Malawi
15%
Malaysia
19%
Mauritius
15%
Moldova
25%
Mozambique
15%
Myanmar (Burma)
40%
Namibia
15%
Nauru
15%
New Zealand
15%
Nicaragua
18%
Nigeria
15%
North Macedonia
15%
Norway
15%
Pakistan
19%
Papua New Guinea
15%
Philippines
19%
Serbia
35%
South Africa
30%
South Korea
15%
Sri Lanka
20%
Switzerland
39%
Syria
41%
Taiwan
20%
Thailand
19%
Trinidad and Tobago
15%
Tunisia
25%
Turkey
15%
Uganda
15%
United Kingdom
10%
Vanuatu
15%
Venezuela
15%
Vietnam
20%
Zambia
15%
Zimbabwe
15%
[1] For purposes of this Executive Order and its Annexes, “Column 1 Duty Rate” means the ad valorem (or ad valorem equivalent) rate of duty under column 1-General of the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States (HTSUS).
ANNEX II
Effective with respect to goods entered for consumption, or withdrawn from warehouse for consumption, on or after 12:01 a.m. eastern daylight time 7 days after the date of the executive order, excluding the day the executive order is signed, subchapter III of chapter 99 of the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States (HTSUS) is modified as follows:
Heading 9903.01.25 of the HTSUS shall be amended by deleting the article description and by inserting “Articles the product of any country, except for products described in headings 9903.01.26–9903.01.33, 9903.02.02–9903.02.71, and 9903.96.01, and except as provided for in headings 9903.01.34 and 9903.02.01, as provided for in subdivision (v) of U.S. note 2 to this subchapter . . . . . . .” in lieu thereof; and
Headings 9903.01.43–9903.01.62 and 9903.01.64–9903.01.76 and corresponding subdivisions (v)(xiii)(1)–(9) and (11)–(57) of U.S. note 2 to subchapter III of chapter 99 of the HTSUS are hereby terminated as to any future entries.
Subdivision (v) of U.S. note 2 to subchapter III of chapter 99 of the HTSUS shall be amended by:
Deleting “and 9903.01.43–9903.01.76” each place that it appears and inserting “9903.01.63, and 9903.02.01–9903.02.71” in lieu thereof;
Inserting the following new subdivision in numerical sequence at the end of subdivision (v) of U.S. note 2:
“As provided in headings 9903.02.19 and 9903.02.20, for any good of the European Union subject to a specific or compound rate of duty under column 1-General, the ad valorem equivalent rate of duty of such good shall be determined by dividing the amount of duty payable under column 1-General by the customs value of the good. For example, if a good were subject to a specific duty of 50 cents per kilogram, and one kilogram of the good were entered with a customs value of $10, then the ad valorem equivalent rate of duty would be obtained by dividing 50 cents by $10, yielding 5 percent.”
The following new headings shall be inserted in numerical sequence, with the material in the new heading inserted in the columns of the HTSUS labeled “Heading/Subheading”, “Article Description”, “Rates of Duty 1-General”, “Rates of Duty 1-Special”, and “Rates of Duty 2”, respectively:
Nairobi, Kenya – [31 July 2025] – Shelter Afrique Development Bank (ShafDB) has announced the signing of a strategic agreement with the Arab Bank for Economic Development in Africa (BADEA) to support its transformative capital increase initiative.
Effectively, BADEA has approved a landmark USD 120 million to support the capitalization program of Shelter Afrique Development Bank, the leading Pan-African institution focused on affordable housing and urban development. The concessional financing facility will help eligible member states settle and increase their capital subscriptions to ShafDB.
This initiative, developed in partnership with the Arab Bank for Economic Development in Africa (BADEA), introduces an innovative financing mechanism through which eligible member states can access on-lending at competitive terms. The BADEA-supported facility, totaling USD 120 million, will be used to settle and boost member states’ capital subscriptions to Shelter Afrique Development Bank (ShafDB).
“This agreement with BADEA marks a critical step in strengthening our capital base and advancing our mission of financing affordable housing and sustainable urban infrastructure across Africa,” said Thierno Habib-Hann, Managing Director of Shelter Afrique Development Bank. “We are grateful to BADEA for its strong partnership and unwavering support in this pivotal phase of our institutional evolution.”
The new capital increase program includes an initial equal allocation to all member states, followed by a phased reallocation, first on a pro-rata basis, and then on a first-come, first-served basis. This approach aims to encourage active participation by member states and to strengthen ShafDB’s capital adequacy in a balanced and transparent manner.
Commenting on the program, the president of BADEA H.E. Abdullah KH ALMUSAIBEEH, “We see this capital program as a strategic milestone in Shelter Afrique Development Bank’s evolution. BADEA is proud to back this initiative and we remain committed to our shared mission of enabling access to decent housing and inclusive urban development across Africa.”
The need to enhance equity capital has become critical following the institution’s transformation into a Development Bank, a milestone formally approved by Shelter Afrique’s shareholders during the Extraordinary General Meeting (EGM) held in Algiers, Algeria, in October 2023.
Building on this transformation, a significant achievement was realized during the Annual General Meeting in June 2024 in Kigali, Rwanda, where shareholders demonstrated strong leadership by endorsing a transformative capital increase program, and the board approved in December 2024 a capital increase of over a USD 200 million.
“Expanding capital base will enable the Bank to scale up financing along the housing value chain, access more competitive funding from international and African capital markets, and reinforce its role in addressing the housing deficit and driving inclusive urban development across its 44 member states,” Mr. Hann said.
Increased leverage
The capital increase program has been designed to significantly strengthen ShafDB’s balance sheet over the medium-term, expand its shareholder capital base, and to significantly mobilize debts. The capital raised will also support the Bank’s plans to attain investment-grade credit ratings, attract new institutional investors, and expand its lending and technical assistance programs in member countries.
About Shelter Afrique Development Bank:
Established in 1981 in Lusaka, Zambia, Shelter Afrique Development Bank (ShafDB) is a Pan-African Multilateral Development Bank (MDB) dedicated to promoting and financing sustainable green housing, urban development and related infrastructure. It operates through a shareholding of 44 African governments and two institutional shareholders: African Development Bank (AfDB) and African Reinsurance Corporation (Africa-Re). https://shelterafrique.org/en/about/membership
The institution is involved in financing housing and related infrastructure across the value chain, both on the demand and supply sides, through its four (4) business lines: Financial Institutions Group (FIG), the Project Finance Group (PFG), the Sovereign and Public-Private partnerships (PPP) Group, and the Fund Management Group (FMG).
About the Arab Bank for Economic Development in Africa (BADEA):
The Arab Bank for Economic Development in Africa (BADEA) is a multilateral financial institution established in 1974 by the Arab League. BADEA aims to strengthen economic, financial, and technical cooperation between Arab and African regions by financing development projects and supporting capacity building. https://www.badea.org/
The money is easy to trace. Scroll back through tech entrepreneur Peter Thiel’s political donations and you’ll soon hit US$15 million worth of transfers sent to Protect Ohio Values, JD Vance’s campaign fund. The donations, made in 2022, are a staggering contribution to an individual senate race, and helped put Vance (Thiel’s former employee at tech fund Mithril Capital) on a winning trajectory.
But if money matters, so do ideas. Scroll back through Vance’s speeches, and you’ll hear echoes of Thiel’s voice. The decline of US elites (and by extension, the nation) is supposedly a result of technological stagnation: declining innovation, trivial distractions, broken infrastructure. To make the nation great again, Thiel believes, tech should come first, corporates should be unshackled, and the state should resemble the startup. For Vance, who has now risen to the office of US vice-president, a Thiel talk on these topics at Yale Law was “the most significant moment” of his time there.
Thiel’s influence on politics is at once financial, technical and ideological. In the New York Times, he was recently described as the “most influential right-wing intellectual of the last 20 years”. And his potent cocktail of networks, money, strategy and support exerts a rightward force on the political landscape. It establishes a powerful pattern for up-and-coming figures to follow.
To “hedge fund investor” and “tech entrepreneur”, Thiel has recently added a new label: Republican kingmaker.
Who is Peter Thiel?
Thiel was born in Germany but grew up in the United States, with a childhood sojourn in apartheid South Africa. Max Chafkin’s critical but balanced biography, The Contrarian, claims Thiel was bullied growing up and protected himself by becoming resolutely “disdainful”. He studied philosophy and then law at Stanford, where he founded The Stanford Review, a libertarian–conservative student paper that signalled his early interest in controversial politics and culture wars.
While difficult to pin down precisely, Thiel’s Christianity shapes his belief in a declining or even apocalyptic world that can only be countered with unapologetic interventions and technological innovations. God helps those who help themselves – but could always use additional help from ambitious tech elites.
In 1998, Thiel cofounded his first tech company, Confinity, which launched its flagship product PayPal in 1999 and merged with Elon Musk’s X.com in 2000. In 2002, eBay bought PayPal for $1.5 billion and Thiel became a multimillionaire. He invested in several startups, including Facebook, and established his hedge fund, Clarium, and his venture capital firm, Founders Fund.
In their own ways, each of these developments is a response to Thiel’s thesis that the world is stuck. In his 2011 essay The End of the Future, he decries the “soft totalitarianism of political correctness in media and academia” and the “sordid world” of entertainment. The result is “50 years of stagnation” that has transformed humanity “into this more docile kind of a species”.
Thiel’s answer is more risk, more tech and more ambition. It’s exemplified most clearly by Palantir Technologies, the data analytics firm he cofounded in 2004.
Palantir has worked closely with US armed forces and intelligence agencies for 14 years. It is currently working closely with the Trump administration to create a “super-database” of combined data from all federal agencies, and building a platform for Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) “to track migrant movements in real time”.
Investing in right-wing politics
Thiel’s political interventions have ramped up over time. Libertarianism generally takes an arms-length approach to politics in favour of individual freedom and market determination. But even in “purely” financial spaces, politics creeps in.
Clarium’s macroeconomic approach meant the political landscape had to be factored in: “high-conviction, directional investments based on key drivers of the global economy and fundamental themes underappreciated by the marketplace”.
If politics, like technology, had stagnated – into a non-choice between similar parties – how could it be “disrupted”? Thiel began making political donations in December 2011, with contributions totalling at least $2.6 million, to the third presidential campaign of Ron Paul, a longstanding conservative congressman in Texas.
While Paul would ultimately be unsuccessful, Thiel recognised something others had missed. Voters had not been attracted to some idealistic libertarian, as the media portrayed him, but to the old Ron Paul, a neoconservative whose newsletters published in his name in the 1980s and ‘90s suggested 95% of Black men in Washington DC were criminals. (He denied writing them in 2011, calling the statements “terrible”.) His appeal was never “merely” about economic freedom, but about race and class, fear and grievance.
Donald Trump took this dark undercurrent, a strain that has always underpinned parts of US politics, and ran with it. Dog-whistles were dispensed with in favour of overt claims that most illegal immigrants were rapists, certain Latin American countries were shitholes, women were bitches, and white supremacists were “very fine people”. Trump, noted one article, was “weaponizing the conservative id”.
In these visions, multiculturalism and progressivism are not just cultural threats, but economic ones. They undermine the ability of company founders to exploit labour, blow past regulations, and obey the brutal logic of the market.
“A world safe for capitalism is presumably one of monopoly companies and patriarchal networks,” note media scholars Ben Little and Alison Winch in their profile of Thiel. It’s a world “where ‘the multiculture’ has been transformed into racialised domination”.
Thiel has certainly contributed to the rise of Trump and the new breed of right-wing politicians through his vast wealth. In 2016, Thiel contributed $1.25 million to Trump’s campaign, thinking “he had a 50-50 chance of winning”. This earned him a speaking slot at the Republican convention. But his influence extends beyond mere money.
Thiel’s endorsement of Trump at the 2016 Republican convention was hugely significant for garnering support. So was his famous declaration there that he was proud to be gay, Republican and American. After Trump won his first term, Thiel continued to be involved. He joined the transition team and recommended aligned individuals for key positions, such as Michael Kratsios, who would become chief technology officer.
So, Thiel’s support of Trump should be understood as an investment, just like his early investments in PayPal and Facebook. As Chafkin notes, Thiel’s bet on Trump is a wager with high upsides and low risk. Thiel’s outspoken views in favour of “seasteading” (floating independent city-states) and against immigration and women’s emancipation had already alienated the more progressive sectors of Silicon Valley.
If the bet paid off, Thiel and his empire could benefit handsomely. And this is exactly what has played out. Since Trump has taken office in his second term, Palantir has already netted more than $113 million in federal government spending.
Palantir: from information to domination
Palantir’s origin story reflects its blend of technical expertise and political ambition. To combat rising fraud, members of PayPal developed a software tool that could mine vast amounts of transactions and find the connections between them, homing in on a handful of culprits in a deluge of data.
Thiel was prescient in spinning this core idea from finance to intelligence, where analysts were searching for patterns and anomalies amid the noise – a needle in a haystack. Palantir commercialised and expanded this concept, bringing a leaner, data-driven Silicon Valley approach to a sector dominated by established Washington incumbents.
Thiel and Palantir chief executive Alex Karp believe Silicon Valley has lost its way, frittering away its vast talents and ingenuity on trivial pursuits: advertising, gaming, social media. For them, the era of ambitious scientific projects and unapologetic military industrial collaborations – the Manhattan Project, the Moon landing — needs to be revived.
In his book, the Technological Republic, Karp calls for a state that looks more like a startup – lean, technology-driven, and led authoritatively by a founder-like figure who is not afraid to “move fast and break stuff” (the Silicon Valley motto), especially when it comes to dominating enemies and ensuring the safety of a nation’s citizens.
Palantir, of course, answers this call. It combines machine learning with military spending, data-driven “intelligence” with naked violence. This is most clear in its longstanding collaboration with ICE, which is now carrying out notorious immigration raids at the behest of the Trump administration. “On the factory floor, in the operating room, on the battlefield,” states a recent Palantir recruitment ad placed across US college campuses, “we build to dominate.”
Palantir’s blueprint has been emulated by a growing array of others. Anduril, Skydio and Shield AI are all founded on developing information technologies for military and intelligence use. Last week, Rune Technologies closed a $24 million Series A round of funding to move warfare logistics away from the “Excel era” and towards AI-augmented tools.
Answering Karp’s call, these startups are unapologetic in leveraging engineering expertise for more substantial, authoritarian and historically controversial areas.
Playing the scapegoat
One of the clearest outlines of Thiel’s political philosophy is laid out in the Straussian Moment, a 30-page essay he published in 2007.
For Thiel, the spectacular violence of the September 11 terrorist attacks was a wake-up call, rousing the citizenry from that “very long and profitable period of intellectual slumber and amnesia that is so misleadingly called the Enlightenment”.
In Thiel’s view, the Enlightenment project – to advance knowledge, cultivate tolerance, and elevate humanity as a whole – rested on a naive understanding of human nature. Like Curtis Yarvin and other influential Silicon Valley political thinkers, he asserts that humanity is brutal and a shift from Enlightenment optimism to Dark Enlightenment pessimism is required.
It is unsurprising, then, that Thiel looks to René Girard (once called “the new Darwin of the human sciences”) for inspiration; he even organised a symposium at Stanford with Girard in attendance. Girard begins from a bleak view of human nature, a Hobbesian world where life is nasty, brutish and short. For Girard, mimesis or imitation is at the heart of the human. This mirroring quality means violence is always threatening to escalate, to constantly ramp up with no inherent limit.
To corral this violence, ancient cultures created the scapegoat, a sacrificial system where all-against-all was replaced by all-against-one. Yet the scapegoat is no longer viable – the revelation of Christ is that the scapegoat is an innocent victim.
Thiel takes Girard’s insights and twists them to his own ends. First, Thiel asserts that even if violence begets more violence, nonviolence is not an option. Enemies must not be allowed to prevail. In the face of uncompromising adversaries, such as the 9/11 attackers, who threaten to dismantle some idealised way of life, preemptively responding to violence is “urgently demanded”.
Second, Thiel takes the concept of the scapegoat and flips it. In this judo-like manoeuvre, the real victims are not the marginalised or the minority, but the hegemonic class (whites, males, liberals, conservatives), who are being pressured by cancel culture, political correctness, diversity initiatives and so on.
Shortly after graduating, Thiel coauthored a book, The Diversity Myth, about alleged political intolerance at Stanford. In it, he rails against a rampant multiculturalism that he claims stifles freedom of speech and derails education and entrepreneurialism. Here, scapegoating is weaponised. It’s mobilised toward a conservative advance in the ongoing cultural wars, which are always also political wars.
Contradiction or evolution?
Thiel is a walking paradox. He bemoans cancel culture and political correctness, while waging a highly expensive and clearly personal war to bankrupt a media outlet that offended him. (After Gawker printed the “open secret” of Thiel’s gay status in 2007, Thiel funded lawsuits against them until they were shut down.)
He calls himself a libertarian, but has founded a company that derives millions in contracts from the bloated budgets of the many military agencies (the National Security Agency, the FBI, the US Army) that now comprise the sprawling state.
He celebrates capitalism and the free hand of the market, but always stresses that the path to business success rests on establishing monopolies with no real competition. He is a German-born immigrant who actively supports technologies (Palantir) and candidates (Trump) that establish xenophobic environments and seek to deport those deemed “other”. And, most personally, he is both a conservative Republican and an openly gay man.
At a purely logical level, these elements are incompatible. There is a perceived gap between Thiel’s words and actions, a gulf between his ideologies and his activities. For staunch libertarians at Thiel’s companies, his manoeuvrings at the state level make no sense. For queer scholars, Thiel’s exclusionary rather than liberatory politics mean he is a man who has sex with other men, rather than being gay.
For these critics, both things cannot be true; therefore, some labels, identities and activities are fake, marginal or impossible. Yet one of Thiel’s many lessons is that contradiction is a strength rather than a weakness.
Thiel’s philosophy, which journalists have called techno-fascism, recalls philosopher Umberto Eco, who described fascism as a “beehive of contradictions” and “a collage of different philosophical and political ideas”. The radical right, in particular, has no problem mashing together many views that at face value should not fit: scavenger ideologies that are opportunistic in grabbing elements that work for them.
Instead of contradictions, these hybrid forms need to be understood as evolutions. They are tensions, held within the body and the mind of the subject, that push monolithic frameworks like conservatism beyond their existing limits. Thiel’s power – and his political blueprint for others – is insisting you can be a philosophical entrepreneur, an illiberal patriot, and a queer conservative.
Luke Munn does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
Backed by the new Awaza Programme of Action, the Third UN Conference on Landlocked Developing Countries or LLDC3 will push for freer transit, smarter trade corridors, stronger economic resilience and fresh financing to lift development prospects for the 570 million people living in those countries.
For landlocked nations, geography has long dictated destiny.
Trade costs are up to 74 per cent higher than the global average and it can take twice as long to move goods across borders compared to coastal countries. As a result, landlocked nations are left with just 1.2 per cent of world trade.
UN Video | What to expect from LLDC3 in Awaza, Turkmenistan
And amid global economic shifts, these countries face the huge risk of being left behind.
“LLDC3 is a pivotal opportunity to reverse this trajectory,” said Rabab Fatima, UN High Representative for Landlocked Developing Countries.
“At its heart, this conference is about people – it is about the millions of children who lack internet or digital tools, the farmers who cannot get their goods to market because of poor roads, and the entrepreneurs whose dreams are held back by border delays and limited access to funding.”
Broad engagement
The four-day event, from 5 to 8, August will feature plenary sessions, five high-level roundtables, and a Private Sector Forum focused on building partnerships and boosting investment.
Dedicated forums with parliamentarians, women leaders, civil society and youth will bring voices from across society into the heart of the discussions.
Many landlocked countries, such as Botswana (pictured) are also on the frontlines of the impact of climate change, highlighting their vulnerability.
The Awaza Programme of Action
Central to the conference is the Awaza Programme of Action for 2024-2034, adopted by the UN General Assembly in December.
It lays out five priority areas – structural transformation, infrastructure and connectivity, trade facilitation, regional integration, and resilience building – supported by five flagship initiatives.
These include:
A global infrastructure investment facility to close financing gaps.
Regional agricultural research hubs to boost food security.
A high-level UN panel on freedom of transit, ensuring smoother cross-border flows.
Digital connectivity initiatives to bridge the digital divide.
A dedicated landlocked developing countries trade work programme at the WTO.
Women shop at a vegetable market in Ashgabat, the capital of Turkmenistan. Boosting food security is one of the priority areas of the Awaza Programme of Action.
Turkmenistan
For Turkmenistan, hosting LLDC3 is both a diplomatic milestone and a statement of intent.
“We are proud to host it on the Caspian Sea coast in Turkmenistan,” said Aksoltan Ataeva, Ambassador and Permanent Representative to the UN.
“We look forward to welcoming [everyone] to Awaza for a transformative, action-oriented conference that puts landlocked countries at the heart of global partnerships.”
Organizers promise state-of-the-art facilities, cultural showcases and networking spaces designed to spur collaboration. Delegates will also experience Turkmen heritage firsthand, from local art to Caspian cuisine.
UN Photo/Jawad Jalali
Cross-border infrastructure, such as these power lines, are crucial connections linking LLDCs with the regional and global electric grids.
The bigger picture
For the landlocked developing countries, the stakes are existential.
These countries are among the most climate-vulnerable, least connected and furthest from global value chains. Without bold action, progress on the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development will remain out of reach.
“The destiny of humanity is inseparably linked to the destiny of these countries,” said Diego Pacheco, Ambassador of Bolivia, who currently chairs the LLDC Group at the UN.
“Together, we can unlock the potential of landlocked developing countries – not just for the benefit of our nations, but for the shared future of all humanity and the Mother Earth.”
As the countdown to Awaza begins, expectations are high – not about whether geography matters (it does), but whether global solidarity can transcend its limits.
LLDC3 aims to prove that it can.
There are 32 landlocked developing countries, of which 16 are also least developed.
Source: United States Navy (Logistics Group Western Pacific)
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LAE, Papua New Guinea (July 30, 2025) Republic of Korea navy (ROKN) Seabees assigned to Naval Mobile Construction Battalion 2 make measurements for a pergola at the Lae Dental Clinic during Pacific Partnership 2025 in Lae, Papua New Guinea, July 30, 2025. Now in its 21st iteration, the Pacific Partnership series is the largest annual multinational humanitarian assistance and disaster management preparedness mission conducted in the Indo-Pacific. Pacific Partnership works collaboratively with host and partner nations to enhance regional interoperability and disaster response capabilities, increase security and stability in the region, and foster new and enduring friendships in the Indo-Pacific. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Kyle Carlstrom)
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LAE, Papua New Guinea (July 30, 2025) U.S. Navy Builder 2nd Class Bryce Garcia, left, assigned to Amphibious Construction Battalion 1, attaches a wood beam for a pergola as a Republic of Korea navy Seabee assigned to Navy Mobile Construction Battalion 2, watches at the Lae Dental Clinic during Pacific Partnership 2025 in Lae, Papua New Guinea, July 30, 2025. Now in its 21st iteration, the Pacific Partnership series is the largest annual multinational humanitarian assistance and disaster management preparedness mission conducted in the Indo-Pacific. Pacific Partnership works collaboratively with host and partner nations to enhance regional interoperability and disaster response capabilities, increase security and stability in the region, and foster new and enduring friendships in the Indo-Pacific. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Kyle Carlstrom)
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Other worst of the worst criminals arrested yesterday include child pedophiles, rapists, and drug traffickers
WASHINGTON — U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) arrested Yehia Elham Badawi, a 48-year-old criminal illegal alien from Egypt with an extensive rap sheet including robbery, aggravated assault, and multiple violent felonies stemming from a 1994 shootout that left a Philadelphia police officer seriously wounded. This criminal illegal alien was featured on America’s Most Wanted in 1996.
According to reports, Badawi was wanted in connection with a violent armed robbery at a Philadelphia supermarket where he and an accomplice, both armed with rifles and wearing masks, fled the scene on bicycles, triggering a chase. During the pursuit, a police officer was shot and seriously injured. One assailant was shot and captured at the scene. Badawi fled the state and was later arrested in Salt Lake City, Utah.
On July 30, 2025, Badawi was taken into custody by ICE Philadelphia. Badawi’s extensive list of convictions includes:
Criminal attempt
Criminal conspiracy
Possession of an instrument with criminal intent
Simple assault
Aggravated assault
Recklessly endangering another person
Robbery
Theft by unlawful taking
Receiving stolen property
“Thanks to the brave men and women of ICE, under the leadership of President Trump and Secretary Noem, one of America’s Most Wanted is finally off American streets,” saidAssistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin. “DHS is unapologetically cracking down on criminal illegal aliens who think they can hide. They can’t. We WILL find them. America is no longer a safe haven for the world’s criminals.”
Other Notable Arrests:
Juan Ocana-Sanchez, a criminal illegal alien from Mexico, convicted of lewd acts with a child under 14 in Vista, CA.
Ivan Perez-Puac, a criminal illegal alien from Guatemala, convicted of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon in Austin, TX.
Tamio Domnick, a criminal illegal alien from the Marshall Islands, convicted of sexual assault in Washington County, AR.
Fernando Aranda-Esparza, a criminal illegal alien from Mexico, convicted of sale of cocaine in Greenville County, SC.
Join ICE law enforcement today to help DHS remove murderers, pedophiles, gang members, and other violent criminal illegal aliens. For more information or to apply, visit: www.ice.gov/careers
The Roman baths at Sabratha, Libya, were damaged in the earthquake and tsunami of 365 ADReza / Getty Images
The Greek poet Crinagoras of Mytilene (1st century BC–1st century AD) once addressed a little poem to an earthquake. He asked the quake not to destroy his house:
Earthquake, most dread of all shocks … spare my new-built house, for I do not know of any terror equal to the quivering of the earth.
Like us, ancient people had many things to say about natural disasters. So, what information did they leave behind for us, and what can we learn from them?
The story of Nicomedia
One of the most vivid ancient accounts of an earthquake is found in the writings of the Roman historian Ammianus Marcellinus (c. 330–395 AD).
On August 24 358 AD, there was a huge earthquake at Nicomedia, a city in Asia Minor.
A terrific earthquake completely overturned the city and its suburbs … since most of the houses were carried down the slopes of the hill, they fell one upon another, while everything resounded with the vast roar of their destruction.
The human effect was devastating.
The palace of the emperor Diocletian at Nicomedia was damaged in the quake of 358 AD. G. Berggren / Getty Images
Most people were “killed at one blow”, says Ammianus. Others, he tells us, were “imprisoned unhurt within slanting house roofs, to be consumed by the agony of starvation”.
Hidden in the rubble “with fractured skulls or amputated arms or legs”, injured survivors “hovered between life and death”, but most could not be recovered, “despite their pleas and protestations” resounding from beneath the rubble, according to Ammianus.
Famous natural disasters in the ancient world
A number of natural disasters involving earthquakes and tsunamis were especially famous in ancient Greek and Roman times.
In 464 BC, in Sparta, there was a huge earthquake. People at the time said it was greater than any earthquake that had ever occurred beforehand.
According to the Greek writer Plutarch (c. 46–119 AD), the earthquake “tore the land of the Lacedaemonians into many chasms”, collapsed the peaks of the surrounding mountains, and “demolished the entire city with the exception of five houses”.
In 373–372 BC, the Greek coastal cities of Helice and Buris were destroyed by tsunamis. They were permanently submerged beneath the waves.
An anonymous Greek poet evocatively wrote that the walls of these cities, which had once been thriving with many people, were now silent under the waves, “clad with thick sea-moss”.
But arguably the most famous ancient tsunami occurred on July 21 365 AD on the northern coast of Africa, at that time controlled by the Romans.
Again according to Ammianus, early in the morning there was a huge earthquake. Then, not long after, the water retreated from the shore:
the sea with its rolling waves was driven back and withdrew from the land, so that in the abyss of the deep thus revealed people saw many kinds of sea-creatures stuck fast in the slime … and vast mountains and deep valleys, which nature had hidden in the unplumbed depths.
Then, suddenly, the sea returned with a vengeance. As Ammianus tells us, it smashed over the land destroying everything in its path:
The great mass of waters killed many thousands of people by drowning … the lifeless bodies of shipwrecked persons lay floating on their backs or on their faces … great ships, driven by the mad blasts, landed on the tops of buildings, and some were driven almost two miles inland.
Earthquakes were famous for their sound. The Roman scholar Pliny the Elder (23–79 AD) explained that earthquakes have a “terrible sound” – like “the bellowing of cattle or the shouts of human beings or the clash of weapons struck together”.
Ancient ideas about what causes earthquakes and tsunamis
Like today, ancient people wanted to know what caused these phenomena. There were various different theories.
Some people thought Poseidon, god of the sea, earthquakes and horses, was responsible.
As the Greek writer Plutarch (c. 46–119 AD) comments, “men sacrifice to Poseidon when they wish to put a stop to earthquakes”.
An ancient statue of Poseidon, god of the sea and earthquakes, from the island of Milos. Sepia Times / Getty Images
However, other people looked beyond divine explanations.
One interesting theory held by the philosopher Anaximenes (6th century BC) was that the earth itself was the cause of earthquakes.
According to Anaximenes, huge parts of the earth beneath the ground can move, collapse, detach or tear away, thus causing shaking.
“Huge waves”, said Anaximenes, are “produced by the weight [of falling earth] crashing down into the [waters] from above”.
Ancient people knew nothing of tectonic plates and continental drift. These were discovered much later, mainly through the pioneering work of Alfred Wegener (1880–1930).
Preparing for natural disasters
Ancient Greeks and Romans had little way of predicting or preparing for earthquakes and tsunamis.
Pherecydes of Samos (6th century BC) was said to have predicted an earthquake “from the appearance of some water drawn from a well”, according to the Roman statesman Cicero (106–43 BC).
For the most part, though, ancient people had to live at the mercy of these occurrences.
As the anonymous author of a treatise titled On the Cosmos once wrote, natural disasters are part of life on earth:
Violent earthquakes before now have torn up many parts of the earth; monstrous storms of rain have burst out and overwhelmed it; incursions and withdrawals of the waves have often made seas of dry land and dry land of seas…
While our understanding of these events (and our ability to prepare for them, and recover afterward) has improved immeasurably since ancient times, earthquakes and tsunamis are things we will always have to deal with.
Konstantine Panegyres does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
The Roman baths at Sabratha, Libya, were damaged in the earthquake and tsunami of 365 ADReza / Getty Images
The Greek poet Crinagoras of Mytilene (1st century BC–1st century AD) once addressed a little poem to an earthquake. He asked the quake not to destroy his house:
Earthquake, most dread of all shocks … spare my new-built house, for I do not know of any terror equal to the quivering of the earth.
Like us, ancient people had many things to say about natural disasters. So, what information did they leave behind for us, and what can we learn from them?
The story of Nicomedia
One of the most vivid ancient accounts of an earthquake is found in the writings of the Roman historian Ammianus Marcellinus (c. 330–395 AD).
On August 24 358 AD, there was a huge earthquake at Nicomedia, a city in Asia Minor.
A terrific earthquake completely overturned the city and its suburbs … since most of the houses were carried down the slopes of the hill, they fell one upon another, while everything resounded with the vast roar of their destruction.
The human effect was devastating.
The palace of the emperor Diocletian at Nicomedia was damaged in the quake of 358 AD. G. Berggren / Getty Images
Most people were “killed at one blow”, says Ammianus. Others, he tells us, were “imprisoned unhurt within slanting house roofs, to be consumed by the agony of starvation”.
Hidden in the rubble “with fractured skulls or amputated arms or legs”, injured survivors “hovered between life and death”, but most could not be recovered, “despite their pleas and protestations” resounding from beneath the rubble, according to Ammianus.
Famous natural disasters in the ancient world
A number of natural disasters involving earthquakes and tsunamis were especially famous in ancient Greek and Roman times.
In 464 BC, in Sparta, there was a huge earthquake. People at the time said it was greater than any earthquake that had ever occurred beforehand.
According to the Greek writer Plutarch (c. 46–119 AD), the earthquake “tore the land of the Lacedaemonians into many chasms”, collapsed the peaks of the surrounding mountains, and “demolished the entire city with the exception of five houses”.
In 373–372 BC, the Greek coastal cities of Helice and Buris were destroyed by tsunamis. They were permanently submerged beneath the waves.
An anonymous Greek poet evocatively wrote that the walls of these cities, which had once been thriving with many people, were now silent under the waves, “clad with thick sea-moss”.
But arguably the most famous ancient tsunami occurred on July 21 365 AD on the northern coast of Africa, at that time controlled by the Romans.
Again according to Ammianus, early in the morning there was a huge earthquake. Then, not long after, the water retreated from the shore:
the sea with its rolling waves was driven back and withdrew from the land, so that in the abyss of the deep thus revealed people saw many kinds of sea-creatures stuck fast in the slime … and vast mountains and deep valleys, which nature had hidden in the unplumbed depths.
Then, suddenly, the sea returned with a vengeance. As Ammianus tells us, it smashed over the land destroying everything in its path:
The great mass of waters killed many thousands of people by drowning … the lifeless bodies of shipwrecked persons lay floating on their backs or on their faces … great ships, driven by the mad blasts, landed on the tops of buildings, and some were driven almost two miles inland.
Earthquakes were famous for their sound. The Roman scholar Pliny the Elder (23–79 AD) explained that earthquakes have a “terrible sound” – like “the bellowing of cattle or the shouts of human beings or the clash of weapons struck together”.
Ancient ideas about what causes earthquakes and tsunamis
Like today, ancient people wanted to know what caused these phenomena. There were various different theories.
Some people thought Poseidon, god of the sea, earthquakes and horses, was responsible.
As the Greek writer Plutarch (c. 46–119 AD) comments, “men sacrifice to Poseidon when they wish to put a stop to earthquakes”.
An ancient statue of Poseidon, god of the sea and earthquakes, from the island of Milos. Sepia Times / Getty Images
However, other people looked beyond divine explanations.
One interesting theory held by the philosopher Anaximenes (6th century BC) was that the earth itself was the cause of earthquakes.
According to Anaximenes, huge parts of the earth beneath the ground can move, collapse, detach or tear away, thus causing shaking.
“Huge waves”, said Anaximenes, are “produced by the weight [of falling earth] crashing down into the [waters] from above”.
Ancient people knew nothing of tectonic plates and continental drift. These were discovered much later, mainly through the pioneering work of Alfred Wegener (1880–1930).
Preparing for natural disasters
Ancient Greeks and Romans had little way of predicting or preparing for earthquakes and tsunamis.
Pherecydes of Samos (6th century BC) was said to have predicted an earthquake “from the appearance of some water drawn from a well”, according to the Roman statesman Cicero (106–43 BC).
For the most part, though, ancient people had to live at the mercy of these occurrences.
As the anonymous author of a treatise titled On the Cosmos once wrote, natural disasters are part of life on earth:
Violent earthquakes before now have torn up many parts of the earth; monstrous storms of rain have burst out and overwhelmed it; incursions and withdrawals of the waves have often made seas of dry land and dry land of seas…
While our understanding of these events (and our ability to prepare for them, and recover afterward) has improved immeasurably since ancient times, earthquakes and tsunamis are things we will always have to deal with.
Konstantine Panegyres does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
Thriving under pressure: Chinese companies build resilience, boost innovation amid headwinds
Merchant Sun Lijuan (R) introduces products to an Indian merchant inside her shop at the Yiwu International Trade Mart in Yiwu, east China’s Zhejiang Province, May 20, 2025. (Xinhua/Han Chuanhao)
“It’s hot and wet today,” chirped a doll in a clear, childlike voice, dressed in a pink floral blouse and a rainbow tulle skirt. The doll was on display at a toy stall in Yiwu City, a bustling trade hub in east China often dubbed the “world’s supermarket.”
The question — “What’s the weather like today?” — came from stall owner Sun Lijuan, who has worked in the doll business in Yiwu for over a decade.
Her latest model, now powered by AI, marks a major shift from the talking toys of the past. “It’s no longer just a doll that sings, tells stories, or answers basic questions,” Sun said. “Now it can respond to almost anything. For kids, it’s more like a companion — a friend.”
Sun is currently developing Spanish-language versions and has asked long-time clients to take the new AI dolls’ smart modules to South America to test server connectivity.
Amid global tariff headwinds, innovation is unfolding daily in Yiwu across a wide range of industries and products. Local businesses are steadily strengthening both resilience and innovation capacity, driving a 24.5 percent year-on-year increase in the city’s exports in the first half of the year.
Visits by foreign buyers in Yiwu jumped 18.6 percent from a year earlier in the first five months, underscoring growing interest in the city’s expanding and evolving product lines.
The resilience of the “world’s supermarket” echoed a robust 5.3 percent year-on-year growth in China’s GDP in the first half of the year. Behind this hard-won result against the global backdrop of economic and trade headwinds, businesses like Sun’s tell inspiring stories of agility and enterprise.
Merchants participate in a language learning session at the Yiwu International Trade Market in Yiwu, east China’s Zhejiang Province, May 16, 2025. (Xinhua/Chen Shuo)
WEATHERING GLOBAL UNCERTAINTIES
The rapid rollout of new products, Sun said, owes much to China’s strengths in innovation and talent. “Since the rapid ascent of DeepSeek earlier this year, we’ve been approached by many integrated circuit chip developers eager to collaborate on next-generation dolls,” she said. “I’ve never had so much contact with PhDs from top universities and tech firms.”
This year has also been one of personal growth for Sun. After DeepSeek gained attention, the Yiwu International Trade Market began offering free AI training and she managed to pick up several software skills.
In March, a long-time client from Mexico visited her shop and requested adjustments to the doll’s facial features and clothing. Sun made the edits on her computer within minutes, impressing the client and securing an order on the spot.
“Many people have asked me whether external uncertainties have hit my factory hard, and I always say the impact has been limited,” Sun said, noting her factory has, over the years, developed talking dolls in multiple languages, including Spanish, English, Arabic and Russian, for more than 50 markets such as Mexico, Russia, Saudi Arabia and Egypt.
“Entrepreneurs in Yiwu who’ve made it this far have been tested by the market repeatedly. Without foresight, they would’ve been pushed out of the market long ago,” she added.
The new AI-powered dolls cost three to four times as much to produce as older talking models, but they also bring higher profit margins, according to Sun.
Sun Lijuan said the production cost of the new AI-powered dolls is three to four times that of traditional talking models — but the added technology also brings higher profit margins.
Sun’s toy business offers a glimpse into a broader trend. Across China, companies are drawing on the country’s institutional strengths, vast market potential, resilient supply chains, a deep talent pool, and growing innovation and openness to sharpen their resilience and adaptability in an increasingly complex global landscape.
SHARPENING INNOVATION
On the vast Gobi Desert in northwest China’s Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, towering high-voltage power lines form a striking “forest of steel.” Between the power lines, drones flit in and out of view like birds patrolling their territory, detecting minor faults or unusual objects on the towers and cables.
This photo taken on Aug. 13, 2024 shows a 750-kilovolt (kV) power transmission line under construction in northwest China’s Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. (Photo by Ma Yuan/Xinhua)
This is a fully autonomous drone inspection system developed by technology company I-KINGTEC in north China’s Tianjin Municipality. A young tech firm founded just eight years ago is helping to solve one of the toughest challenges of power line inspections in uninhabited regions.
Its “Orca” drone can autonomously take off, fly missions and collect data. Serving as its all-weather base, the “Tiger Den” station can automatically replace the drone’s battery pod — a task that once depended almost entirely on manual labor.
“How to make drones truly unmanned throughout the entire workflow has been the question we sought to answer from the very beginning,” said Zhu Shengli, co-founder of the company. He noted that the firm’s technological breakthroughs have been made possible by China’s supportive policies for the low-altitude economy and a strong talent pool.
At Zhu’s company, the average age of employees is just 27, and R&D staff make up 70 percent of the workforce. The company has filed more than 600 IP applications to date.
It posted over 200 million yuan (28 million U.S. dollars) in revenue last year, and its first-quarter earnings this year have already exceeded the full-year total for 2024.
China’s tech firms like Zhu’s have seen strong momentum this year. In the first half of 2025, the country’s high-tech sectors posted rapid gains, with value-added industrial output in high-tech manufacturing rising 9.5 percent, 3.1 percentage points higher than the overall industrial growth during the same period.
Sheng Laiyun, deputy head of the National Bureau of Statistics, described the “accumulation of new growth momentum” as a key feature of China’s economic performance. He noted an accelerating integration of technological and industrial innovation, which is high on policymakers’ agendas.
To boost innovation, China has introduced a series of policy measures this year, including setting up a national venture capital guidance fund expected to mobilize 1 trillion yuan, expanding re-lending for tech innovation and upgrades from 500 billion to 800 billion yuan, and launching a dedicated “sci-tech board” in the bond market. The measures aim to channel more financial resources into early-stage, small-scale, long-term, and hard-tech ventures.
TAPPING VAST DOMESTIC MARKET
At a time when global demand is uneven, China’s vast domestic market of over 1.4 billion people continues to serve as a powerful anchor. Consumer demand is evolving rapidly, driving the emergence of new business models and product innovations.
Despite pressures on the broader food service sector, Xibei, a leading Chinese catering chain brand with nearly 400 outlets and around 17,000 employees, is charting a different course by upgrading its children’s meals and offering higher-quality options to attract family diners, a strategy that has helped lift overall sales.
The chain now offers four kids’ meal set options. One standout is a 69-yuan set featuring a whole yellow croaker, organic vegetables, corn soup, shrimp and egg custard, mousse, and hand-rolled oat noodles. To ensure it’s safe for children to eat, each fish goes through three rounds of machine inspection followed by manual deboning.
“Kids’ meals are emerging as a powerful driver of family dining. Parents are willing to invest in quality for their children,” said Song Xuan, vice president of Xibei.
Sales of Xibei’s children’s meals rose 7.4 percent year on year last year. Families dining with children now make up about 50 percent of total tables across its outlets on average.
Despite skepticism over China’s consumer momentum and concerns about weak market demand, Xibei offers a snapshot of the country’s evolving spending power.
China’s consumer market continued to gain momentum in the first half of the year, with retail sales of consumer goods rising 5 percent year on year, 0.4 percentage points faster than in the first quarter. Consumption contributed 52 percent to GDP growth during the period, making it the main driver of the economy.
The vast Chinese market is also a shared market for the world, with consumer goods imports totaling 7.4 trillion yuan between 2021 and 2024, according to the Ministry of Commerce. In terms of actual purchasing power, China’s retail sales of consumer goods surpassed those of the United States last year, reaching 1.6 times the U.S. level, based on World Bank data and calculations.
Xiong Yi, China Chief Economist at Deutsche Bank, noted strong potential for further growth in services consumption. “China has likely reached a development stage where its population will have increasing demand for higher-quality services,” he said.
To better meet differentiated demand and tap deeper into China’s growing dining market, Xibei plans to roll out lightly salted meal sets for toddlers as young as one or two years old.
“We are confident in the long-term prospects of China’s catering industry, given its vast growth potential. To stay competitive in such a rapidly evolving market, we must continue to transform and upgrade,” said Jia Guolong, chairman and founder of Xibei.
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
Amid growing global attention to wetland conservation, China’s efforts and achievements in this field are particularly eye-catching at the 15th Meeting of the Conference of the Contracting Parties to the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands (COP15), due to conclude in Victoria Falls on Thursday.
From building the world’s largest number of international wetland cities to achieving legislative breakthroughs and forging capacity-building partnerships with other countries, China has embraced a comprehensive approach to wetland protection, deeply rooted in ecological civilization and its unwavering support for global efforts.
An aerial drone photo taken on June 5, 2025 shows volunteers taking a boat to inspect the breeding habitat of migrant birds at a wetland on the estuary of the Baisha River in Qingdao City, east China’s Shandong Province. (Photo by Wang Haibin/Xinhua)
SIGNIFICANT PROGRESS
At the height of summer, deep within the East Dongting Lake National Nature Reserve in central China’s Yueyang city, Hunan province, schools of fish swim freely in the lake, deer bound through the forests, and birds sing joyfully among the trees.
“We are proud to say that the wetlands are now the ecological calling cards of Yueyang,” said Yu Ge, a representative of the city who attended COP15 in the resort city of Victoria Falls in the Matabeleland North Province of Zimbabwe.
The COP15, themed “Protecting Wetlands for Our Common Future,” brought together government representatives to strengthen international commitments to wetland conservation and to highlight the vital role of wetlands in sustaining ecological health, biodiversity and climate resilience.
Yu actively promoted Yueyang at every event during his short stay in Zimbabwe, warmly inviting participants from different countries to explore the city. With approximately 285,200 hectares of wetlands, Yueyang has stepped up its conservation efforts in recent years and was officially recognized as an international wetland city at this year’s COP15.
A total of nine Chinese cities won the prestigious title during the meeting, bringing the total number of such cities in China to 22, the highest in the world, showcasing the country’s significant achievements in wetland conservation.
According to China’s National Forestry and Grassland Administration, China currently boasts 56.35 million hectares of wetlands, ranking fourth in the world. It is also home to 82 Wetlands of International Importance and five national parks.
Yan Zhen, deputy head of China’s National Forestry and Grassland Administration, said during the meeting that in recent years, China has continuously improved its legal and institutional framework for wetland conservation, comprehensively protected wetland ecosystems, and actively engaged in international cooperation, continuously contributing to global wetland protection efforts.
“Over the last 20 years, China has made significant progress in wetland conservation, marking a turning point that has led to a more balanced and sustainable relationship between humans and nature,” Yan said.
SHINING EXAMPLE
China became a party to the Ramsar Convention in 1992 and hosted COP14 in 2022, during which it was elected as chair of the standing committee to lead the convention process for the following three years.
This photo taken on July 22, 2025 shows a herd of yaks in a wetland near Mapam Yumco Lake in Burang County of Ngari Prefecture, southwest China’s Xizang Autonomous Region. (Xinhua/Tenzing Nima Qadhup)
In an exclusive interview with Xinhua during COP15, Musonda Mumba, secretary general of the Convention on Wetlands, said she assumed the role six weeks before the opening of COP14 and felt “very fortunate” to start the journey with China. “China has provided leadership in making sure that all the draft resolutions made at COP14 were dealt with and delivered in a timely manner.”
China’s Wetland Protection Law, effective since June 2022, is the country’s first dedicated legislation on wetlands, providing a comprehensive legal framework for wetland conservation, restoration, management and sustainable use.
Hailing the law as a “shining example” to the world, Mumba said, “China is one of the very few countries that actually have a wetland law. And that for me is also incredibly impressive, because not only does the law talk about having inventory, having the right data, managing these wetland systems, it also talks about the role of cities and why these cities matter.”
The success in wetland conservation has not only benefited China’s biodiversity, but also contributed to the health of cross-border ecosystems by integrating wetland protection with other environmental goals, such as migratory bird conservation, she noted.
Moreover, China’s efforts to raise awareness have sparked a significant increase in global interest in wetland conservation over the past years, she added.
“Indeed, if you look across the world, China has taken a leadership position in doing the right thing for wetlands,” Coenraad Krijger, CEO of Wetlands International, a global not-for-profit organisation, told Xinhua on the sidelines of COP15.
He applauded China for its leading role in the global wetland preservation agenda, noting that China’s status as a major investment partner in the world makes it a key player in safeguarding the health of wetland ecosystems.
“Through the trade relations that China has, and the investments that China has all over the world, (China) is also connected to (other) very important wetlands worldwide,” Krijger said.
While development is welcome, there is a need to maintain a balance between development and the health of wetlands, he said, adding that he is eager to visit Chinese wetland cities in the future to learn how they achieve urban development while reaping the benefits of preserving the wetlands.
UNWAVERING COMMITMENT
In many rapidly developing regions of Africa, urban expansion has taken a toll on wetlands, a growing issue that communities and policymakers are striving to address.
This photo taken on Nov. 27, 2023 shows little swans resting at a wetland in Yueyang City, central China’s Hunan Province. (Photo by Cao Zhengping/Xinhua)
According to Wetlands International’s Director for East Africa Julie Mulonga, many African countries have policies in place to protect wetlands, but there is a lack of investment in implementation measures.
Local communities and indigenous knowledge play a crucial role in effectively driving wetland conservation efforts, she said, adding that China’s wetland management experience could provide a valuable reference and its advanced technology could go a long way in helping the continent achieve green development.
Over the years, China has been actively supporting many African countries in wetland governance through legislative exchanges, technical training and talent development, helping enhance their ability to restore and preserve wetlands.
Wetlands are crucial for ecological resilience, and their future hinges on unwavering international cooperation, said Xia Jun, director general of the International Cooperation Department at China’s National Forestry and Grassland Administration. “This profound understanding underpins China’s unwavering commitment to its conservation.”
In 2024, China launched the International Mangrove Center (IMC) in the southern city of Shenzhen to promote global mangrove conservation, sustainable use and international cooperation.
Xia described the IMC as a landmark initiative that reflects the spirit of global cooperation.
With the support of the IMC, the Mangrove Conservation Foundation, a private foundation based in China, has been carrying out programs in African countries such as Madagascar and Kenya to help preserve mangroves, which are vital coastal ecosystems along the continent’s shorelines, Sun Lili, co-founder and executive board chair of the foundation, told Xinhua.
Christine Colvin, Freshwater Policy Lead, WWF International, said: “This COP is really important in terms of setting goals for the next period, for the next decade, and the strategic plan for the contracting parties to Ramsar, and it prioritises international cooperation.”
Colvin said that China is demonstrating to municipalities and local governments around the world how to bring nature back into cities and design new urban areas that are more permeable, allowing the natural water cycle to function.
Commending China for leading the way in this field, the WWF official said they are looking forward to continuing cooperation with China to boost global efforts to preserve wetlands and build more permeable sponge cities.
Extensive search efforts, coordinated by the NT Police Force’s Search and Rescue Section (SRS), have now entered their fourth day. The operation continues to be centred around an area approximately 21km west of Alice Springs and involves more than 50 personnel from NT Police, NT Emergency Services, NT Fire and Rescue Service, and Parks and Wildlife NT.
Ground teams, ATVs, drones, the Dog Operations Unit, and a Jet Ranger helicopter have now covered more than 500km² of rugged terrain since the search commenced on Tuesday.
Gach is described as being of Sudanese appearance, with dark skin, a slim build, short curly hair, and approximately 6 feet tall. He was last seen wearing cream tracksuit pants, a black t-shirt, a red/orange puffer jacket, and dark-coloured shoes.
Police are maintaining close contact with Gach’s family and urge anyone with information to contact police on 131 444.
In particular, police urge anyone who may have seen Gach in the vicinity of Larapinta Drive, Standley Chasm, or Simpsons Gap on the evening of Monday 28 July is encouraged to reach out.
Indian equity markets opened lower on Friday, tracking weak global cues following the announcement of new tariffs by former U.S. President Donald Trump. The pharmaceutical sector bore the brunt, with the Nifty Pharma index falling 2.75 per cent.
At 9:25 AM, the Nifty 50 was down 51 points or 0.21 per cent at 24,716, while the BSE Sensex had declined 179 points or 0.22 per cent, trading at 81,005.
In the broader market, both the BSE MidCap and BSE SmallCap indices posted marginal gains of 0.05 per cent.
Among sectoral indices, Nifty FMCG stood out as the sole gainer, rising 1.46 per cent. Meanwhile, Nifty IT slipped 0.80 per cent and Nifty Metal declined 0.99 per cent, in addition to sharp selling in pharma stocks.
Within the Nifty 50 pack, Hindustan Unilever (HUL) was the top gainer, rising 4.45 per cent, followed by Tata Consumer Products, Hero MotoCorp, Maruti Suzuki, and Trent. On the losing side, Dr. Reddy’s Laboratories led with a 1.41 per cent decline, followed by Cipla, ONGC, Larsen & Toubro, and Tata Steel.
“Despite Nifty’s bounce yesterday, the index remains vulnerable unless it sustains a move above the 24,800 mark. A close above this level could potentially open the path toward 25,000. On the downside, immediate support lies at 24,600, followed by 24,500,” said Hardik Matalia, Derivatives Analyst at Choice Equity Broking.
“As elevated volatility and conflicting technical signals prevail, traders are advised to follow a cautious ‘sell-on-rise’ approach, especially when using leverage. Book partial profits during rallies and maintain tight trailing stop-losses. Fresh long positions should only be considered if the Nifty sustains above 25,000,” he added.
On July 31, former U.S. President Donald Trump signed an executive order imposing revised “reciprocal” tariffs on several countries including Syria, Laos, South Africa, and Myanmar. The new tariff rates, ranging from 10 per cent to 41 per cent, are set to take effect from August 7.
Strong earnings from U.S. tech giants Microsoft and Meta Platforms failed to lift Wall Street. The S&P 500 fell 0.37 per cent, marking its third straight day of losses. The Dow Jones Industrial Average declined 0.74 per cent, while the Nasdaq Composite remained flat with a marginal dip of 0.03 per cent.
“In the near term, markets will be influenced by tariff-related developments. Since the implementation date is August 7, affected countries still have time to negotiate for revisions. Yesterday’s market behavior indicates that investors view the 25 per cent tariff as a short-term issue,” said Dr. V.K. Vijayakumar, Chief Investment Strategist at Geojit Financial Services.
Asian markets also opened weak. South Korea’s Kospi led the regional decline with a 2.94 per cent fall, followed by Japan’s Nikkei 225, which dropped 0.38 per cent. Shanghai Composite shed 0.10 per cent, while Hong Kong’s Hang Seng Index edged up 0.13 per cent.
On the institutional front, foreign institutional investors (FIIs) extended their selling streak for a ninth consecutive session, offloading equities worth ₹5,588 crore on July 31. In contrast, domestic institutional investors (DIIs) remained net buyers for the 19th straight session, investing ₹6,372 crore.
BW Energy delivered strong operational performance in the first half of 2025, driven by high production uptime, competitive cost levels, and a solid safety record with zero lost time incidents. The Company’s project portfolio continues to advance, with final investment decisions taken on both the Maromba development and the Golfinho Boost project. In addition, a substantial oil discovery was made at the Bourdon prospect in the Dussafu area, further expanding BW Energy’s resource base. Backed by strong cash generation and a resilient financial structure, BW Energy is well placed to drive growth and create long-term shareholder value.
HIGHLIGHTS
Strong operational performance
H1 2025 net production of 6.2 (4.6) million barrels, equal to 34.2 (25.4) kbopd
Operating cost1 of USD 18.3 (26.2) per barrel and zero lost time incidents
Assumed operatorship of the BW Adolo FPSO
Successfully developing and increasing the resource base
Final investment decision made on Maromba and Golfinho Boost projects
Substantial oil discovery of 25 mmbbls in the Bourdon prospect
Robust financial results
H1 2025 EBITDA of USD 281.1 (185.8) million and net profit of USD 109.7 (61.9) million
Q2 2025 EBITDA of USD 99.0 million and net profit of USD 26.7 million
Operating cash flow of USD 162.0 (85.1) million
Cash position of USD 192.9 (244.2) million at 30 June
New and upsized RBL facility up to USD 500 million
2025 guidance unchanged
Production: 11-12 mmbbls (30-32 kbopd)
Operating cost1: USD 18-22 per barrel
CAPEX: USD 650-700 million
G&A: USD 19-22 million
(Numbers in parenthesis refer to H1 2024)
1) Operating costs exclude royalties, tariffs, workovers, crude oil purchases for domestic market obligations, production sharing costs in Gabon, and incorporates the impact of IFRS 16 adjustments
Comment from the CEO of BW Energy, Carl Arnet:
“BW Energy delivered a strong first half of 2025, with production above the upper end of our guidance range and operating costs at significantly more competitive levels than in 2024. This reflects continued focus on safe, efficient operations and disciplined cost management across the portfolio.
During the period, we moved key development projects into execution, marking an important step forward in our growth strategy. The Maromba development in Brazil is now underway and will be transformative for BW Energy, increasing production to more than 90,000 barrels per day in 2028.
Furthermore, we strengthened our portfolio, confirming new resources at the Bourdon prospect in the Dussafu licence. These are highly profitable barrels that highlight our strategy of leveraging existing infrastructure and pursuing fast‑track developments to accelerate value creation.
Our financial foundation remains robust, with low leverage and strong underlying cash generation. This gives us the resilience to navigate market volatility while continuing to deliver growth and long‑term value for our shareholders.”
Please find attached the report for the first half of 2025 and the second quarter presentation.
The report, presentation, excel data book and webcast will be available on:
Please note, that if you follow the webcast via the above URL, you will experience a 30 second delay compared to the main conference call. The web page works best in an updated browser – Chrome is recommended.
Conference call information:
To dial in to the conference call where the second quarter results and Q&A will be hosted, please dial in to one of the following numbers:
BW Energy is a growth E&P company with a differentiated strategy targeting proven offshore oil and gas reservoirs through low risk phased developments. The Company has access to existing production facilities to reduce time to first oil and cashflow with lower investments than traditional offshore developments. The Company’s assets are 73.5% of the producing Dussafu Marine licence offshore Gabon, 100% interest in the Golfinho and Camarupim fields, a 76.5% interest in the BM-ES-23 block, a 95% interest in the Maromba field in Brazil, a 95% interest in the Kudu field in Namibia, all operated by BW Energy. In addition, BW Energy holds approximately 7% of the common shares in Reconnaissance Energy Africa Ltd. and a 20% non-operating interest in the onshore Petroleum Exploration License 73 (“PEL 73”) in Namibia. Total net 2P+2C reserves and resources were 599 million barrels of oil equivalent at the start of 2025.
This information is subject to the disclosure requirements pursuant to section 5-12 of the Norwegian Securities Trading Act.
Secretary-General of ASEAN, Dr. Kao Kim Hourn, today met with Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of Somalia, H.E. Abdisalam Abdi Ali, at the ASEAN Headquarters/ASEAN Secretariat. They discussed ways to promote relations between ASEAN and Somalia, and exchanged views on regional and global developments.
The post Secretary-General of ASEAN meets with the Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of the Federal Republic of Somalia appeared first on ASEAN Main Portal.
The Ministry of Education branch in the Anseba Region, in collaboration with partners, has provided training to heads of education regional office and supervisors, school directors, heads of sub-zonal education offices, and other officials.
The training, conducted from 22 to 28 July in Keren, covered administration and leadership, student-centered teaching methodology, conflict resolution, reporting and statistics, as well as other topics related to the teaching-learning process.
Mr. Kiflai Andemicael, head of the education office in the region, stated that the objective of the training was to identify strengths and challenges, and to enhance the capacity and competitiveness of students.
Ambassador Abdella Musa, Governor of the region, emphasized the significance of the training in ensuring quality education and called for its sustainability.
In the same vein, Brig. Gen. Eyob Fesehaye (Halibai), Commander of the Western Command of the Eritrean Defense Forces, conducted a seminar for the training participants under the theme “The Compensation of a Committed Teacher is the Satisfaction of Conscience.”
Noting that teachers and teaching are key pillars of resilience, Brig. Gen. Eyob underscored that education is the only path to development and called on teachers to properly discharge the heavy responsibility bestowed upon them.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Ministry of Information, Eritrea.
The Ministry of Employment and Social Affairs, through its Employment Department, hosted a special commemorative ceremony on Thursday afternoon at the Eden Bleu Hotel to mark the 10th anniversary of the My First Job (MFJ) Scheme—an initiative that has played a vital role in empowering and integrating young Seychellois into the workforce.
The event was graced by the presence of the President of the Republic of Seychelles, Mr. Wavel Ramkalawan, who delivered the keynote address as Guest of Honour. In his remarks, the President commended the Ministry and its partners for the tangible impact the scheme has had over the past decade, highlighting the government’s continued commitment to youth empowerment and the promotion of inclusive employment opportunities.
The ceremony, which was also attended by First Lady Mrs. Linda Ramkalawan, Vice-President Mr. Ahmed Afif, and various distinguished guests, featured a captivating video montage retracing the decade-long journey of the MFJ Scheme. Delivering the official keynote address on behalf of the Ministry, Minister for Employment and Social Affairs, Mrs. Patricia Francourt, reflected on the programme’s vision, key milestones, and inspiring success stories that have shaped its impact over the years.
The programme included heartfelt testimonies from MFJ participants, musical performances, and a series of award presentations – among them the Loyalty Award and the Excellence Award – honouring outstanding contributions by both employers and beneficiaries who have played a pivotal role in the success of the scheme.
A highlight of the ceremony was the unveiling of the new My First Job Scheme logo, symbolising the scheme’s evolution and future aspirations.
The event concluded with a commemorative group photo and a light cocktail, bringing together government officials, employers, programme alumni, and stakeholders in a spirit of reflection, pride, and continued collaboration.
The My First Job Scheme, launched in 2015, remains a cornerstone of the government’s employment strategy – bridging the gap between education and the workforce while fostering a culture of professionalism and responsibility among young workers.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of State House Seychelles.
At the end of their two-day consultative meeting under the auspices of the United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL), the 6+6 Committee and the Advisory Committee agreed on the necessity of amending Libya’s constitutional and legal framework to facilitate presidential and parliamentary elections with broadly accepted results.
Members of the 6+6 Committee praised the Advisory Committee’s recommendations published on 5 May and committed to integrating them into efforts to make the electoral laws more implementable.
Both committees acknowledged that a comprehensive political settlement is crucial for paving the way for elections. This settlement requires amending the Constitutional Declaration, revising electoral laws to ensure the integrity of election outcomes, establishing a unified government with a clear, time-bound electoral mandate, and adopting both domestic and international guarantees to rebuild trust among stakeholders, particularly between the Libyan people and political institutions.
Stengthen local governance, ensure election security, advance national reconciliation, and enhance spending transparency while combating corruption.
This meeting came as part of UNSMIL’s ongoing consultations with Libyan stakeholders, ahead of the anticipated announcement of a political roadmap during the upcoming Security Council briefing.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL).
What began as protests against fuel price hikes in Angola have escalated into deadly unrest across the country, with at least 22 people killed and more than 1,000 detained, prompting calls from the UN for restraint and urgent investigations into possible rights violations by security forces.
The Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) on Thursday urged Angolan authorities to conduct prompt, thorough and independent investigations into the deaths as well as the reported use of excessive force during the demonstrations.
“Unverified footage suggests that security forces used live ammunition and tear gas to disperse protesters, which points to an unnecessary and disproportionate use of force,” OHCHR spokesperson Thameen Al-Kheetan said.
He added that while some demonstrators resorted to violence and looting, any force used by authorities must comply with international human rights standards.
“Any individuals who may have been arbitrarily detained must be immediately released.”
Rapid escalation in situation
The protests began on Monday as a strike by minibus taxi drivers over a one-third rise in diesel prices, part of a government effort to reduce fuel subsidies. According to media reports, the demonstrations quickly spread, becoming one of Angola’s most disruptive protest waves in recent years.
Government officials reported that at least one police officer was among those killed. Nearly 200 people are said to have been injured and shops and vehicles reportedly vandalised, mostly in the capital, Luanda.
Sporadic gunfire was also reported in parts of the city earlier in the week, and emergency services were overwhelmed. Many businesses remained shuttered Thursday, and hospitals reportedly struggled to cope with the number of casualties.
Ensure rights protection
OHCHR emphasised that while authorities have a responsibility to maintain public order, they must do so in a way that protects human rights.
“All protesters taking to the streets to express their opinions should do so peacefully,” said Mr. Al-Kheetan. “All human rights violations must be investigated and those responsible held accountable.”
The UN rights office also reiterated the importance of safeguarding fundamental freedoms, including the rights to life, expression and peaceful assembly, in any law enforcement response.
Marlene Le Roux has lived with the effects of disability since she was three months old. Now 57, she has spent decades confronting physical, structural, and social barriers.
Resilience is part of her everyday reality, as she manages pain, stays engaged, and keeps going even when her body resists.
Ms Le Roux had spent the day before speaking and dancing to mark South Africa’s Freedom Day in Cape Town. By morning, her legs gave in. She was at the physio, acupuncture needles in her thigh to ease the pain.
That pain, she says, is part of the “gift”– a lived experience that gave her the lens to understand the marginalization millions face every day.
“I have a job, that’s why I could pay for treatment,” she said. “Others with polio? They suffer. They die in their beds.”
Her story begins with polio and builds into a fight fueled by loss, sustained by purpose, and anchored in a refusal to accept exclusion.
She’s lived the weight of exclusion twice over. First, as a child disabled by apartheid-era neglect, contracting polio at just three months old, after clinics denied the remaining vaccines to non-white children. And later, as a mother to her son Adam, who had profound cerebral palsy and required constant care. Adam later passed away, a loss that deepened her resolve.
That urgency is also reflected in efforts across the United Nations system. In 2019, the UN launched the Disability Inclusion Strategy (UNDIS) to promote accessibility, participation, and accountability in its operations.
By 2023, more than 60 UN entities had adopted action plans under the strategy, and over $77 million had been mobilized to support more than 100 initiatives in 93 countries. Yet implementation remains uneven, with many persons with disabilities still facing barriers even within institutions that champion inclusion.
At the Artscape Theatre Centre in Cape Town, where Ms Le Roux is the CEO, accessibility is built into the structure: automated doors, wheelchair seating, level entryways, tactile carpeting, comfort rooms. Staff receive training on both visible and non-apparent disabilities. Every feature is intentional, designed in consultation with those who use them.
“Life here at Artscape is very easy for people with disabilities,” said vocalist Nikita Scott, a wheelchair user. “It feels like a second home. You just feel freer because there are no challenges you have to face as a disabled person.”
Families raising children with disabilities find refuge at Artscape. “They can attend performances and relax in a space that doesn’t treat them as an afterthought,” Ms Le Roux said. “Here, no one stares.”
Artscape also supports grassroots groups, including Lief en Leed (Love and Sorrow), a community initiative in Mamre. Its founder, Michael September, who has speech and mobility impairments, said people still assume disability means incapacity.
“Artscape is one of the few places that sees our dignity first,” he said.
Ms Le Roux’s leadership style is grounded in presence and humility. It’s not uncommon to see her joking with staff or sitting down for tea with the cleaning crew. “No one should be invisible,” she said. “Everyone here matters.”
She helped launch the ArtsAbility Festival, an annual celebration that features performers with disabilities and challenges public perceptions through art and movement. The Unmute Dance Company, a regular participant, blends wheelchairs, crutches, and movement to challenge perceptions.
“Artscape focuses on what people can do, not what they lack,” she said. “When they perform, you see ability. Not disability.”
She sees these lessons as central to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), especially the pledge to “leave no one behind.”
“We can’t just have things on paper and expect it to work. It has to be in the fiscal budget, in the mindset, in the leadership.”
To her, inclusion isn’t a checklist but a cultural shift. She meets regularly with an advisory group of people with disabilities to keep the work grounded in lived experience.
In 2024, she launched Warrior Woman, a petition and art installation to protest gender-based violence. She plans an annual march to parliament with the statue in hand. “We’ve had enough of talking,” she said.
“Artscape is more than a theatre,” she said, adding that it’s a platform to open doors and influence lives.
“I can look glamorous now because I have a job. I can pay for treatment; I can walk into the best orthopaedic surgeon. But what happens to others? They suffer. They die. My job is to open doors for them.”
And she’ll keep pressing forward, legs willing or not, until systems do too.
Jointly organized by UN Tourism, the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), and the Government of Angola, the high-level event drew more than 300 international delegates around the theme “Accelerating Synergies for Resilient and Sustainable Growth”. The three-day conference, focused on strengthening the alignment between two of Africa’s fastest-growing sectors: tourism and air transport. Both are critical enablers for job creation, innovation, and greater regional mobility.
In his opening remarks, UN Tourism Secretary-General Zurab Pololikashvili said: “Tourism and air transport are not just engines of growth, they are pathways to empowerment, opportunity, and transformation, through strategic leadership and innovation, Africa’s potential can become its reality.” He urged decisive policy action to remove the barriers holding African tourism back.
H.E Daniel Marcio, Angola’s Minister of Tourism said “Angola is proud to host such a landmark event, which positions Angola as a regional hub for dialogue and action. Tourism is a key pillar of our national strategy for inclusive development, job creation, and cultural promotion.”
In his intervention, H.E Mr. Ricardo de Abreu, Angola’s Minister of Transport, emphasized the importance of infrastructure and regulatory reform: “We must build air transport systems that are not only modern and efficient but also accessible and responsive to the needs of our people. Connectivity within Africa is essential to realizing the continent’s economic potential.” ICAO Council President Salvatore Sciacchitano commended the initiative’s collaborative spirit: “Tourism and aviation must grow hand in hand. Through shared vision and policy coherence, we can drive sustainable development, enhance safety and security, and ensure no country is left behind.”
Connectivity, Policy Reform, Investment
The Luanda Conference placed a strong emphasis on advancing Africa’s tourism and air transport sectors through enhanced connectivity, regulatory reform, and cross-sector collaboration. Delegates agreed that aligning aviation and tourism policies is vital to unlocking the continent’s potential, particularly through open skies agreements, cohesive infrastructure planning, and public-private investment. A central focus was also placed on simplifying visa processes, promoting joint destination marketing, and removing travel barriers to stimulate intra-African tourism.
The Conference began with an expert-led workshop featuring technical sessions on innovation, connectivity, investment, and regional integration. Participants explored how technologies like AI and digital platforms can improve service delivery, while also identifying new funding models to expand infrastructure. In-depth discussions addressed how frameworks such as the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) and the Single African Air Transport Market (SAATM) can support harmonized policies and boost regional mobility.
Ministerial Discussions and Commitments
Over two days of ministerial sessions, high-level officials focused on aligning policy frameworks, driving innovation for inclusive growth, ensuring equitable access to travel, and building resilient transport and tourism systems. The Conference concluded with the formal adoption of the Luanda Ministerial Statement—an affirmation of Africa’s collective commitment to developing a seamless, sustainable, and integrated travel ecosystem.
Luanda Ministerial Statement
Ministers, leaders of delegations and delegates present pledged to:
Modernize tourism and aviation infrastructure with support from both public and private investment.
Deepen partnerships with key institutions including ICAO, UN Tourism, IATA, AFRAA, AFCAC, and others.
Advance mobility reforms through simplified and more affordable visa regimes, fast-track procedures, and longer-validity multi-entry visas.
Promote intra-African tourism, including joint destination marketing and greater collaboration with the private sector.
Empower youth and women through skills training, entrepreneurship support, and educational initiatives focused on the tourism and aviation sectors.
This 2nd conference came at a time of record momentum for African tourism. The continent welcomed 74 million international arrivals in 2024, a 7% increase over 2019 and 12% more than in 2023, signalling strong recovery and renewed global interest in African destinations.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of World Tourism Organization (UN Tourism).
On July 31, 2025, representatives from the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and the Republic of Rwanda (Rwanda), along with observers from the United States, the State of Qatar, the Republic of Togo (as the African Union facilitator), and the African Union Commission held the first meeting of the Joint Oversight Committee for the Peace Agreement Between the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Republic of Rwanda that was signed in Washington, D.C. on June 27, 2025.
The Joint Oversight Committee is charged with serving as a forum for implementation and dispute resolution of the peace agreement. The Committee is responsible for receiving complaints about violations of the agreement, taking appropriate measures to address violations, and amicably settling disputes. During the first meeting, the parties selected their Chairpersons for the Committee, adopted terms of reference to govern future meetings of the Committee, discussed progress on implementing the Agreement, and prepared for the first meeting of the Joint Security Coordination Mechanism.
The African Union, State of Qatar, and the United States participated in these discussions to ensure complementarity and alignment between implementation efforts and on-going initiatives aimed at dialogue and durable peace in the region. Both the DRC and Rwanda expressed their appreciation for the invaluable contributions and joint efforts of the African Union, United States, and Qatar as partners in advancing a peaceful resolution.
As South Africa marks the beginning of Women’s Month this August, WomenIN proudly launches a dedicated, multi-sectoral campaign designed to spotlight the everyday advocacy required to shift the narrative around women’s empowerment. While Women’s Month may be a moment of national focus, WomenIN champions the belief that true empowerment is not confined to a single month — it’s a daily, ongoing commitment to advocacy, collaboration, and change.
This campaign is more than a celebration — it’s a call to action, uniting voices across energy, mobility, mining, retail, customer experience, tech, green economy, and beyond. It sets the stage for the highly anticipated WomenIN Festival 2025, taking place in Cape Town on the 13th and 14th of November, under the theme:
LIMITLESS: NO LABELS. NO LIMITS. NO APOLOGIES.
She’s not fitting in — she’s standing out, showing up, and shaking the world. A celebration of authenticity, boldness, and multidimensional brilliance.
Throughout August and into the months that follow, WomenIN will roll out collaborative activations, workshops, dialogues, and digital campaigns in partnership with leading organizations, changemakers, and grassroots initiatives that are tackling the toughest issues facing women today — from economic inequality to gender-based violence.
“This work is personal. It’s not just a campaign, it’s our calling,” says Naz Fredericks-Maharaj, Director of the WomenIN Portfolio. “We know that real impact is not created by ticking boxes in August, but by showing up every single day. And yet, during this symbolic month, we rise even higher, because the challenges facing women demand nothing less.”
The WomenIN team, led by a collective of women who themselves have broken barriers across industries, is working tirelessly — often behind the scenes and often against the odds — to bring this movement to life.
“While this journey is often challenging, it’s our purpose and passion that fuels us,” adds Naz Fredericks-Maharaj, Director of the WomenIN Portfolio , “Every day, we are connecting with organizations, finalizing partnerships, and laying the groundwork for something truly transformative. Our WomenIN Festival will be the heartbeat of this mission — but the build-up is where the real change begins.”
Already, strategic partnerships are being launched and announced. Many of these partners are NPOs and impact-driven organizations actively addressing systemic challenges and building tangible solutions for women across South Africa and the continent. These alliances underscore WomenIN’s deep commitment to cross-sectoral collaboration, accountability, and long-term sustainability.
With the stage set for a powerful Women’s Month, WomenIN invites all women, male allies, and stakeholders to join the movement — to rise, to speak, to collaborate, and to break through the barriers that remain.
Stay connected, stay inspired, and get ready to stand with us at the WomenIN Festival this November.
Because empowerment isn’t a moment. It’s a movement.
Whether you’ve followed us from the beginning or you’re only just discovering our work, this is your invitation to join a growing network of changemakers who are louder together, braver together — and better together.
Visit www.WeAreWomenIN.com to get your ticket, sponsor someone else’s, or explore partnership opportunities.
About WomenIN (WiN): Empowering Women, Breaking Barriers, Creating Impact: WomenIN is a powerful cross-sector movement that connects, inspires, and uplifts women across Africa through collaboration, leadership, and sustainable development. From energy and mobility to retail, gaming, and the green economy, WiN is driving real change by building inclusive ecosystems where women can thrive.
Through a range of in-person gatherings, digital content, workshops, and sector-specific initiatives, WomenIN provides a trusted platform for female professionals, entrepreneurs, changemakers, and allies to grow together, break silos, and co-create solutions for Africa’s future. With a strong focus on capacity building, leadership development, and market access for female-owned businesses, WomenIN is building a legacy of impact for generations to come.
Whether you’re a corporate, NPO, SMME, or individual changemaker, there is space for you at the table—because we win when we WiN together.
About VUKA Group: VUKA Group brings people and organisations together to connect with information and each other in meaningful conversations that drive growth and transformation across Africa’s industries. With 20+ years of experience on the continent, the group delivers sector-leading platforms across Energy, Mining, Smart Mobility, Transport, Retail, and Women Empowerment.
The WomenIN (WiN) portfolio is a flagship initiative of VUKA Group, championing gender inclusivity and creating opportunities for women to lead, influence, and innovate across sectors. With a proudly African team and a commitment to sustainable development, VUKA is creating a future where everyone has the opportunity to rise.
The Board of Directors of the African Development Bank Group (www.AfDB.org) has approved a $46 million loan to finance the Sokoto State Health Infrastructure Project, a transformative initiative designed to enhance healthcare access and quality in Nigeria’s Sokoto State.
The project addresses critical health system gaps in Sokoto, where key indicators reflect a critical need for intervention. Only one in 20 children is fully vaccinated, while infant mortality stands at 104 deaths per 1,000 live births, nearly double Nigeria’s national average of 63. Less than 14 percent of health facilities in the state have functional infrastructure, and there is just one doctor for every 8,285 people — far below the World Health Organization’s recommended ratio of 1:1,000.
The Bank’s financing will support the delivery of climate-smart health infrastructure across three levels of care. These include the construction and equipping of a 1,000-bed teaching hospital complex; three zonal hospitals with a combined capacity of 450 beds; and six primary healthcare canters strategically located to serve rural communities.
The project also includes the rehabilitation of health training institutions and the development of a modern medical warehouse to strengthen pharmaceutical supply chains.
“This investment illustrates our commitment to continue working with the Government to fill critical infrastructure gaps in Nigeria’s health system while building resilient, climate-adapted healthcare facilities,” said Abdul Kamara, Director General of the African Development Bank’s Nigeria Office. “By strengthening healthcare infrastructure in Sokoto State, we are building hope and creating pathways to better health outcomes for millions of Nigerians.”
Aligned with Nigeria’s National Development Plan (2021-2025) and the Health Sector Renewal Investment Initiative, the project is expected to generate approximately 2,500 jobs, with 60 percent of opportunities targeting youth and 30 percent women. In addition, the project will integrate electronic health infrastructure and renewable energy systems, ensuring sustainable, energy-efficient operations while reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Expanded capacity in local the medical and nursing schools will create 700 new training slots annually, helping to address the region’s acute shortage of skilled health professionals.
The initiative builds on the Bank’s successful track record in Nigeria’s health sector, where it has financed four health infrastructure projects totaling $117.68 million. It will leverage strategic partnerships with the United Nations Children’s Fund, the World Health Organization, USAID, and other development actors to maximize impact and ensure comprehensive health system strengthening.
The African Development Bank Group remains committed to enhancing the quality of life for Africa’s people through targeted investments in resilient health infrastructure that drive inclusive growth and sustainable development across the continent.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of African Development Bank Group (AfDB).
Media Contact: Natalie Nkembuh, Communication and Media Relations Department media@afdb.org
Maseru– The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) today welcomed a contribution of JPY 200 million (approximately US$1.36 million) from the Government of Japan to support the national school feeding programme in Lesotho. Over the next year, this funding will provide nutritious meals to 50,000 pre-primary learners across the country.
The contribution will ensureuninterrupted access to hot, nutritious school meals, boosting attendance and learning outcomes. It will also expand the home-grown school meals programme, linking smallholder farmers to schools and strengthening Lesotho’s local food systems.
“We highly appreciate Japan’s continued support to Lesotho,” said Mr Elliot Vhurumuku, WFP Representative and Country Director in Lesotho. “Over the past five years, their contribution has enabled WFP to sustain the Government’s national school feeding programme while strengthening climate resilient food systems and sustainable livelihoods in Lesotho.”
Lesotho is currently recovering from the impact of a devastating drought, while grappling with economic shocks. With a high unemployment rate, rising food costs and declining household purchasing power, urgent action is needed to prevent even greater numbers of people from sliding into food insecurity.
“Given Lesotho’s socio-economic challenges, driven by multiple, complexed factors including drought, Japan is glad to be able to assist in developing Lesotho’s food security, which will help meet the dietary needs of those affected, households,” said H.E. Shimizu Fumio, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Japan to the Kingdom of Lesotho.” We hope that this food assistance will help meet the dietary needs of those affected, households, thus improve the nutritional status of children.”
The Government of Japan is a long-standing partner of WFP in Lesotho, being a leading supporter of WFP’s school feeding programme, providing vital funding over the past 10 years to sustain WFP’s initiatives of supporting the national school feeding programme.
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The United Nations World Food Programme is the world’s largest humanitarian organization saving lives in emergencies and using food assistance to build a pathway to peace, stability and prosperity for people recovering from conflict, disasters, and the impact of climate change.
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Mandela Month ended on a high note when communities and learners in the North West province receives blankets and school shoes from the Deputy Minister in the Presidency, Kenny Morolong.
The action-packed day for Morolong and his entourage started in Tlapeng Ward 19, near Taung, where 200 elderly women received the blankets from the Deputy Minister.
During the handovoer on Thursday, Morolong said former President Nelson Mandela was a global man, whose spirit of ubuntu was celebrated throughout the world.
“Nelson Mandela taught us that education is the only weapon we can use to fight poverty.
“Today, as we are wrapping up Nelson Mandela Month. The United Nations General Assembly resolved that 18 July will be celebrated as International Nelson Mandela Day. We are here to celebrate the life of an icon, a global icon, the only man referred to as the father of the nation,” Morolong said.
Nelson Mandela, the Deputy Minister said, made significant strides in the struggle against apartheid.
“We are celebrating the life of Mandela by spending time with those that he loved most — the elderly and the kids.”
Morolong said Nelson Mandela encouraged people to take care of those who are less privileged.
“We are proud today that we are tempting to follow in his big footsteps and we are proud that we are upholding to his values and teachings.”
Morolong encouraged the community to take care of children and the elderly.
One of those who received a blanket, Mme Bettina Seloko from Tlapeng, spoke toSAnews.
“It is very cold. One cannot sleep well because it’s cold. With the blanket I have received today, I am going to sleep well, as I will be feeling warm.
“Government must continue to provide for the poor and those who are unemployed.”
From Tlapeng village, the Deputy Minister proceeded to Anvonster informal settlement, where he handed over school shoes to learners. From there, he proceeded to Mmabana Cultural Centre, where he also handed over school shoes to learners from different schools.
Morolong said giving learners shoes was a way of encouraging them to attend school.
“Our former President Nelson Mandela has taught us that we should look after each other,” Morolong said.
The Deputy Minister also visited Kamogelo Primary School, where he also handed over school shoes.
This year’s Nelson Mandela International Day on 18 July was celebrated under the theme: ‘It’s still in our hands to combat poverty and inequity’.
During the month of July, government encourages citizens to donate their time to make a difference in their communities.
Earlier this year, Morolong received 470 pairs of school shoes from Capital Centric, on behalf of the Government Communication and Information System (GCIS), which were donated to learners.
Nelson Mandela International Day has enjoyed years of global support and solidarity since it was launched in 2009. – SAnews.gov.za
The Financial Action Task Force (FATF) Africa Joint Group has concluded an on-site assessment visit to South Africa, which was aimed at verifying the implementation of reforms to address money laundering and the financing of terrorism.
The on-site assessment took place on Tuesday and Wednesday in Pretoria, completing the last step before the October 2025 FATF Plenary can consider whether to remove South Africa from its greylist.
The FATF Joint Group held meetings with South African government officials and representatives of financial institutions and Designated Non-Bank Financial Institutions.
“At the conclusion of the meetings, the FATF Africa Joint Group held a meeting with Deputy Minister of Finance, Dr David Masondo and Deputy Minister of Justice and Constitutional Development, Andries Nel, who both assured the FATF of the South African government’s political commitment to continue to sustainably improve the country’s Anti-Money Laundering and the Combating of the Financing of Terrorism (AML/CFT) system,” National Treasury said on Thursday.
The on-site visit followed the announcement by the June 2025 FATF Plenary that South Africa had substantially completed all the 22 action items that were contained in the Action Plan that was adopted when South Africa was greylisted in February 2023.
Following the completion of the 22 action items in the Action Plan, the June 2025 FATF Plenary noted that South Africa’s progress warranted an on-site assessment to verify that critical AML/CFT reforms have been implemented, and that the necessary political commitment remains in place to sustain progress.
“After the conclusion of the onsite visit, the FATF Africa Joint Group will submit a report to the October 2025 FATF Plenary, which will consider any recommendations from the report on whether South Africa can be delisted from the FATF greylist.
“Deputy Ministers Masondo and Nel thanked the FATF Africa Joint Group for its collegial working relationship with the South African government delegation since the country’s greylisting in February 2023, and further assured the FATF Africa Joint Group that the South African government will continue actively partnering with the FATF Global network in preserving and advancing the integrity of the South African and global financial systems,” National Treasury said.
Treasury will not be issuing further media statements or conducting interviews until the FATF Plenary concludes its next Plenary Meeting on 24 October 2025 and issues its post-plenary outcomes media statement. – SAnews.gov.za
The Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment, Dr Dion George, has applauded the launch of a research project investigating how private renewable energy investments in South Africa contribute to equitable social development.
“Projects like Communities and the Private Renewable Energy Sector: Distributing Social Development Benefits in South Africa (COM-PRES),which support South Africa’s Renewable Energy Independent Power Producer Procurement Programme (REIPPPP), are not only welcome, but are encouraged as the knowledge that will be generated will contribute to driving innovation and investment that bolsters South Africa’s renewable energy capacity,” George said on Friday.
COM-PRES is a four-and-a-half-year research project, which was launched on 31 July 2025, led by Danish-based social researcher, Dr Marianne S. Ulriksen from the University of Southern Denmark.
It will be implemented locally, in partnership with the Centre for Social Development in Africa, at the University of Johannesburg and the Centre for Social Science Research at the University of Cape Town.
The South African government strongly focuses on integrating renewable energy projects with social development initiatives, particularly through the REIPPPP, which is also part of the country’s ambitious just energy transition agenda.
“COM-PRES aims to understand how private-sector renewable energy projects can address inequality in affected and surrounding South African communities through novel mandatory community trusts and social development interventions,” Ulriksen said.
According to Ulriksen, the knowledge and ideas generated at the community level – working collaboratively with community members, local stakeholders and independent power producers – will feed back to national stakeholders, with the aim of providing practical recommendations for designing and managing renewable energy investments to enhance socio-economic outcomes and relations between communities, the industry and government.
“South Africa can develop a resilient, inclusive, and environmentally sustainable energy sector that also supports our efforts to drive sustainable economic growth, job creation and poverty reduction,” the Minister said. – SAnews.gov.za
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