NewzIntel.com

Category: Africa

  • MIL-OSI Security: Tren de Aragua Leader Added to FBI’s Ten Most Wanted Fugitives

    Source: US FBI

    FBI Houston Field Office Special Agent in Charge (SAC) Douglas Williams announced the addition of Giovanni Vicente Mosquera Serrano to the FBI’s Ten Most Wanted Fugitives list. Mosquera Serrano, 37, is the first Tren de Aragua (TdA) member featured on the notorious list. SAC Williams was joined by U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Texas Nicholas Ganjei, who provided remarks on the federal charges Mosquera Serrano faces.

    Fugitive Giovanni Vicente Mosquera Serrano, an alleged senior leader of Tren de Aragua, is wanted for numerous federal charges. He is the 536th addition to the FBI’s list of notorious fugitives and the first TdA member to appear on the list. TdA is a violent transnational gang and designated foreign terrorist organization that originated in Venezuela and now operates throughout Latin America and the United States. Tren de Aragua is allegedly responsible for sending gang members to the U.S. who engage in drug trafficking, human trafficking, weapons trafficking, and violent crime. Mosquera Serrano should be considered armed and dangerous.

    “Giovanni Vicente Mosquera Serrano’s leadership fuels an organization that thrives on brutal murders, forced prostitution, kidnappings, and the destruction of lives across continents,” said Douglas Williams, special agent in charge of FBI Houston. “Today’s announcement makes it clear: No border will shield him from justice. With the public’s help, we will eradicate TdA and end their transnational campaign of terror and crime.”

    A federal arrest warrant was issued for Mosquera Serrano in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas after he was charged with conspiring to provide and providing material support to a foreign terrorist organization, as well as conspiracy and distribution of cocaine in Colombia intended for distribution in the U.S. This case is being investigated as part of Joint Task Force Vulcan, a national task force created in 2019 to eradicate MS-13 that now also targets TdA.

    If you have any information about Mosquera Serrano’s location, please contact the FBI via WhatsApp or Telegram (neither government-operated nor government-controlled platforms) at 281-787-9939. You may also contact your local FBI office or the nearest U.S. Embassy or Consulate. You can also submit a tip online at tips.fbi.gov.

    The U.S. Department of State’s Transnational Organized Crime Rewards Program is offering a reward of up to $3 million for information leading to the arrest and/or conviction of Giovanni Vicente Mosquera Serrano. Investigators believe that Mosquera Serrano may be in Venezuela or Colombia. Giovanni Vicente Mosquera Serrano’s description can be found at fbi.gov/wanted/topten/giovanni-vicente-mosquera-serrano.

    Giovanni Vicente Mosquera Serrano is FBI Houston’s third Top Ten fugitive currently on the list. The two others are Wilver Villegas-Palomino, a ranking member of the Colombian National Liberation Army (ELN); and Yulan Adonay Archaga Carias, the alleged leader of MS-13 for Honduras.

    The FBI’s Ten Most Wanted Fugitives list was established in March 1950. Since its inception, 536 fugitives have been placed on the list, 497 of whom were apprehended or located; 163 were a direct result of citizen cooperation. You can visit our Ten Most Wanted Fugitives list FAQ page to learn more about the list.

    SAC Williams and U.S. Attorney Ganjei made the announcement alongside SAC Joseph Burnette of the Diplomatic Security Service’s Houston Field Office; Acting SAC William Kimbell of the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Houston Division; SAC Chad Plantz of Homeland Security Investigations’ Houston Office; Acting ASAC Derrick McCullar of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives’ Houston Field Division; Regional Director Gerald Brown of the Texas Department of Public Safety; Chief Deputy Tommy Diaz of the Harris County Sheriff’s Office; and Executive Assistant Chief Keith Seafous of the Houston Police Department.

    FBI Houston would like to thank our partners assisting with this investigation, especially the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Texas; the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Houston Division and Bogotá Office; the U.S. Department of State; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives; the U.S. Marshals Service; the Texas Department of Public Safety; the Houston Police Department; the Harris County Sheriff’s Office; the Colombian National Police; the Colombian Attorney General’s Office; and the FBI’s legal attaché office in Bogotá.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Video: Iran, Israel, Qatar & other topics – Daily Press Briefing (24 June 2025) | United Nations

    Source: United Nations (video statements)

    Noon Briefing by Stéphane Dujarric, Spokesperson for the Secretary-General.

    ———————————

    Highlights:

    Iran/Israel
    Iran/Qatar
    UN Charter
    Security Council
    Security Council/Non-Proliferation
    Occupied Palestinian Territory
    UNIFIL
    Ukraine
    Sudan
    Democratic Republic Of The Congo
    Chad
    Refugees
    Panel On Chemicals
    Internet Governance Forum
    Women In Diplomacy
    Guests Tomorrow

    __________________________________________

    IRAN/ISRAEL
    The Secretary-General welcomes US President Trump’s announcement of a cease-fire between Israel and Iran. He urges the two countries to respect it fully. The fighting must stop, the people of the two countries have already suffered too much, he said.
    The Secretary-General hopes that this ceasefire can be replicated in the other conflicts in the region.

    IRAN/QATAR
    In a statement yesterday, the Secretary-General expressed his deep alarm at the further escalation of the conflict in the Middle East.
    On social media, he strongly condemned the attack yesterday by Iran on Qatar, a country that has been active for peace in the region and further afield. 
    The Secretary-General urges all Member States to uphold their obligations under the UN Charter and other rules of international law.

    UN CHARTER
    Yesterday evening, the Secretary-General delivered remarks at a ceremony that took place here at the UN headquarters to welcome home the original UN Charter, 80 years after it was written. Eighty years is a blink of an eye in history, and yet, the Secretary-General said, until the United Nations, humanity never had a single place where every government and all peoples could unite to fix the world and build something better.

    SECURITY COUNCIL
    Hannah Tetteh, the Secretary-General’s Special Representative for Libya, briefed the Security Council this morning by VTC and said that the UN Mission in Libya, UNSMIL, has helped to support the preservation of the fragile truce that had been reached on 14 May, develop mechanisms to facilitate a de-escalation of tensions in order to prevent further clashes, and ensure the protection of civilians.
    She warned that there are reports of continued build-up and fears among many Libyans that armed clashes will resume. UNSMIL urges all political and security actors to refrain from provocative rhetoric and actions that would only serve to deepen the lack of trust and undermine all the de-escalation efforts being made to sustain the fragile truce.
    Ms. Tetteh noted the calls from many Libyans for UNSMIL to act swiftly to facilitate a Libyan led and owned political process that leads to credible elections and unified institutions. She said that UNSMIL will intensify its engagement in the coming weeks, building on the momentum generated by the Berlin meeting earlier this month.

    SECURITY COUNCIL/NON-PROLIFERATION
    At 3 p.m., Security Council members will meet for an open briefing on the Secretary-General’s report as requested by resolution 2231 that refers to the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action otherwise known as JCPOA.
    Rosemary DiCarlo, the Under-Secretary-General for Political and Peacebuilding Affairs, is expected to brief.

    Full Highlights:
    https://www.un.org/sg/en/content/ossg/noon-briefing-highlight?date%5Bvalue%5D%5Bdate%5D=24%20June%202025&_gl=1%2A10sej4q%2A_ga%2AMTc3MDMwNDcyOS4xNzMzMDUxOTcy%2A_ga_TK9BQL5X7Z%2AczE3NTA3ODk2MzEkbzgwJGcxJHQxNzUwNzkyOTI0JGo2MCRsMCRoMA..

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dRouSrj3JE4

    MIL OSI Video –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs: Attack on Al-Udeid Base Unacceptable, Qatar Adheres to Policy of Good Neighborliness

    Source: Government of Qatar

    Doha, June 24

    HE Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al-Thani reiterated the State of Qatar’s strongest condemnation of the attack on Al-Udeid Air Base by the Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Monday, stressing that it is an unacceptable act that violates Qatar’s policy of good neighborliness.

    In a joint press conference with HE Prime Minister of the sisterly Republic of Lebanon Dr. Nawaf Salam, His Excellency said that Qatar condemns in the strongest terms the attack that occurred Monday on the Al-Udeid Air Base by the Iranian Revolutionary Guard, and Qatar denounces such behavior by a neighboring country with which Qatar has relied on a policy of good neighborliness and transparency, and with which it continues to adhere and maintain a policy of good neighborliness.

    His Excellency pointed out that the State of Qatar condemned the Israeli attacks on the territory of the Islamic Republic of Iran from the first day. The Iranian people are a neighboring people, and Qatar does not wish them harm. Qatar wants them to rise and develop. However, the act of attacking the State of Qatar is unacceptable.

    His Excellency added that Qatar has been making significant diplomatic efforts with its regional and international partners to calm the situation, but unfortunately, Qatar was surprised by such an attack on a base in a fraternal country to Iran.

    In his remarks, HE the Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs praised the role played by Qatar’s Armed Forces, under the leadership of HH the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani, in confronting the attack. He said that HH the Amir was constantly informed and closely monitoring the situation from the time intelligence information was received about the anticipated attack on bases hosting US forces in the region, until the attack was repelled.

    His Excellency added that he would like to point out in particular that Qatar’s Armed Forces performed a heroic act in repelling these attacks, as was explained Monday at the press conference, as Qatari air defenses intercepted all missiles except for one that fell in an open area.

    HE the Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs also expressed the State of Qatar’s deep gratitude to its sisterly and friendly countries for their solidarity with Qatar and their rejection of the attack, especially the brothers in the GCC countries, who were quick to express their support for Qatar and stand with it.

    His Excellency said that Doha will host, at the request of the fraternal State of Kuwait, the current chair of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), the 49th extraordinary meeting of the GCC Ministerial Council to discuss this dangerous development in the region.

    HE the Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs stressed the need to view the events taking place in the region with the utmost responsibility and wisdom, adding that the blatant Israeli attacks witnessed against several countries in the region, including the Islamic Republic of Iran (despite the attacks against Qatar), are clear evidence that random and irresponsible actions only generate instability in the region and may lead the region to an even more difficult situation.

    His Excellency noted that after the attack on Al-Udeid Air Base, the armed forces, under the directives of the Supreme Commander, HH the Amir, studied the scenarios through which such an attack could be responded to. However, Qatar prefers diplomacy and wisdom and prioritizes the public interest of the region above all else.

    He added that the message Qatar is trying to deliver first is that the State of Qatar, with the capabilities available to its armed forces, has been able to prove to everyone that it can defend itself, its citizens, and its residents. Everyone here is one people and has stood together.

    HE Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al-Thani emphasized that the precautionary measures taken by Qatar on Monday were sound and helped spare the country any losses or casualties. He urged everyone not to be swayed by rumors and false news and to obtain their information from official sources.

    HE the Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs noted that HH the Amir received numerous calls following the attack on Al-Udeid Air Base, including one from US President Donald Trump. He noted that the conversation between the two leaders was extensive and focused on the events, their repercussions, and how to deal with them.

    His Excellency also referred to the US President’s announcement of a complete ceasefire on all fronts, saying that the United States asked the State of Qatar to communicate with the Iranian side to determine their readiness for a ceasefire, and that Qatar made the necessary contacts that resulted in the announcement made by the US President.

    HE the Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs expressed the State of Qatar’s welcome of this announcement, “despite the violations seen today of the ceasefire.” Qatar hopes the ceasefire will continue and that the matter will return to its diplomatic track, and Qatar urges the parties to adhere to what was agreed upon.

    His Excellency also urged the American and Iranian sides to return immediately to the negotiating table to resume nuclear talks and reach a diplomatic solution, which Qatar has long called for and sought to achieve.

    His Excellency added that Qatar wants a safe zone free of nuclear weapons, and wants this to be based on an agreement that guarantees the security and interests of all, as well as the interests of Iran, which is, after all, Qatar’s neighbor.

    His Excellency also noted that HH the Amir received a phone call on Tuesday from the Iranian President, who expressed his regret that the target that was attacked on Monday was in Qatar.

    His Excellency said that Qatar made it clear to the Iranian President that the State of Qatar is, after all, a neighboring country and has always relied on good neighborliness in its relations with Iran and did not expect such an action.

    His Excellency stressed that despite all attempts to inflame this situation, the State of Qatar will always handle matters wisely, while affirming that the violation of its sovereignty is unacceptable, and that all diplomatic and legal measures will be taken in this regard.

    His Excellency also expressed hope that the issue will be contained as quickly as possible and that this chapter will be in the past. He added that it must not be forgotten at this point that everything happening in the region is an expansion of the conflict and aggression against Gaza.

    HE Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al-Thani said that the State of Qatar has sought from day one to prevent the escalation of this conflict and to stop the bombing of the people of Gaza. He stressed that these efforts are continuing, in partnership with the Arab Republic of Egypt and the United States, to achieve a ceasefire as soon as possible.

    His Excellency added that Qatar is engaged in ongoing negotiations that have not ceased, even under the difficult circumstances the region has been experiencing. Qatar’s goal is to reach a ceasefire and lift the injustice suffered by the people of the Gaza Strip. Qatar believes it is time for the world to stand together and put an end to Israel’s irresponsible actions in the region, to halt this aggression against the Strip, and to stop the use of humanitarian aid as a tool for political blackmail.

    His Excellency also said that Monday’s attack on Al-Udeid Air Base was a shock not only to the government but to the people of Qatar, and Qatar considers it a violation of the good-neighbor policy that Qatar has adopted from the beginning.

    HE the Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs affirmed Qatar’s ability to defend itself and deter anyone who attempts to undermine its security, while maintaining peaceful relations with neighboring countries based on friendship, mutual interest, and benefit, and striving to avoid disputes.

    His Excellency stressed that the State of Qatar does not adopt an escalatory policy and always calls for and resorts to diplomacy. He added that what happened Monday will have an impact on the relationship with Iran, but with time, Qatar hopes everyone will learn the lesson, and that relations between neighboring countries must not be violated.

    HE Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al-Thani also affirmed that the attack on Al-Udeid Air Base will have no impact on relations with the United States, noting that the two countries have enjoyed a close alliance and partnership for decades, and that events have proven that this partnership is beneficial to both countries, as well as to security and stability in the region.

    HE added that Qatar’s Armed Forces demonstrated Monday their ability to defend and ensure the protection of everyone, including Americans and others. He said that he does not believe that the attack will affect relations between Qatar and the United States, except that the partnership between the two countries will grow.

    His Excellency voiced his hope that good-neighborly relations with Iran would return to normal as soon as possible, and that no hostile operations will be witnessed in the future.

    His Excellency stressed that the State of Qatar always seeks peaceful good neighborliness, and that the Gulf states are a center of stability in the region, and that challenges and threats are shared. He noted that the opportunity is ripe for a better future for everyone in the Gulf region. He said that Qatar would like to see Iran share this vision and enter into partnerships with Qatar and the Gulf states based on the principle of good neighborliness and partnership for the prosperity of all.

    In response to a question about the legal and diplomatic measures Qatar will take regarding Monday’s attack, His Excellency indicated that Qatar is still studying them. Qatar submitted a briefing to the Security Council Monday night about what happened, and today, the emergency meeting of the GCC Ministerial Council will be held. He reiterated that the State of Qatar does not seek to escalate its stance, but rather seeks sustainable diplomatic solutions and always seeks to end any crisis through dialogue, and will not be a spearhead in escalating any stance.

    He added that as he said, geography imposes this on Qatar. Iran is a neighboring country, and the Iranian people are fraternal. Ultimately, Qatar wants good neighborly relations with them. Qatar would like there to be a very clear understanding that any attack on Qatar or infringement on the sovereignty of any Gulf state is completely rejected and condemned, and that everyone will stand together.

    HE the Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs also called for a clear mechanism for dealing with neighboring countries in the future, and for a unified regional security system to prevent any party from attacking another.

    Regarding Gaza, His Excellency indicated that Qatar, following the calls between HH the Amir and both the US President on Monday and the Iranian President today, sought to ensure a continuation of the ceasefire, but ultimately, the matter depends on the parties involved.

    His Excellency said that today, the situation remains murky, and no party wants to be the one to receive or end the final blow. However, what Qatar hopes for is a serious stance, for all parties to deal responsibly with the security of the region, just as the State of Qatar dealt responsibly with the attack launched against it on Monday, and for there to be a complete ceasefire between Iran and Israel.

    His Excellency also called for full pressure on Israel to immediately cease fire in Gaza, noting that discussions on this issue are ongoing in cooperation with the Arab Republic of Egypt, and that communication is ongoing with the Israeli side and Hamas to try to find a compromise formula and common ground based on the American paper.

    His Excellency stressed that various achievements had been made in recent weeks, adding that unfortunately, the Israeli escalation and aggression against Iran disrupted and hindered these efforts for a period.

    His Excellency added that Qatar is continuing its efforts and is looking for an opportunity within the next two days to hold indirect negotiations between the two parties (Israel and Hamas) to reach an agreement.

    His Excellency urged the Israeli side not to exploit the ceasefire with Iran to continue bombing Gaza. He also called on the international community to pressure Israel to implement a ceasefire and for Hamas to accept a deal that ends the war and releases all hostages and prisoners.

    Regarding the discussions with HE Prime Minister of the sisterly Republic of Lebanon Dr. Nawaf Salam, His Excellency indicated that the discussions focused on bilateral relations and cooperation between the two countries.

    His Excellency also said that the two sides discussed ways to support Lebanon and enhance its stability, noting that the energy issue and how to work together to develop and restore the energy infrastructure was one of the most important issues discussed. In this context, he referred to the discussions held between the energy ministers of the two countries, saying that these discussions will be followed by an action plan, as Qatar promised HE the Prime Minister, in the coming months.

    In a related context, His Excellency noted that the discussions addressed the urgent need to provide energy to the brothers in Lebanon during the summer, indicating that this issue will be discussed with the Qatar Fund for Development and QatarEnergy to ensure that whatever is available is provided.

    HE the Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs also noted that the discussions with HE Dr. Nawaf Salam addressed support and cooperation in the transportation and air navigation sectors, as well as possible efforts for reconstruction, particularly in areas destroyed by the Israeli occupation forces.

    His Excellency said that the meeting was an opportunity to discuss regional developments, expressing in this context the State of Qatar’s full condemnation of Israel’s violations of the ceasefire agreement and its continued violation of the sovereignty of Lebanon.

    His Excellency added that this is clearly and explicitly unacceptable and condemned, and Qatar looks forward to the Security Council fulfilling its role and working to halt these irresponsible Israeli actions in the region.

    His Excellency indicated that the discussions also covered developments in Lebanese-Syrian relations, wishing them a better future. He said that Qatar understands HE Dr. Nawaf Salam’s utmost keenness to develop relations with Arab countries, especially neighboring countries, including Syria, and the State of Qatar fully supports these paths.

    HE Prime Minister of the Republic of Lebanon, Dr. Nawaf Salam renewed his country’s gratitude to the State of Qatar and to HH the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani, for the continued support and assistance extended to Lebanon – particularly through the Quintet Committee for political support, which remained active for over two years.

    Speaking during the press conference following his official talks in Doha on Tuesday, HE Dr. Salam expressed appreciation for Qatar’s backing across several fields, most notably its support for the Lebanese army and various development projects. He noted that both sides agreed to continue discussions aimed at reaching an executive framework for Qatari support in key sectors, including energy and the supply of gas to Lebanon.

    HE Prime Minister shared that during his visit, he briefed HH the Amir and HE Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs on the Lebanese government’s recent reform achievements. These include a legislative focus on transparency, competitiveness, and the restructuring of public administration, in addition to efforts to ensure judicial independence – all aimed at creating a more attractive climate for investment.

    HE Dr. Salam also reiterated Lebanon’s strong condemnation of the attack that targeted Qatar on Monday, calling it a violation of Qatari sovereignty and international law. He expressed hope for regional de-escalation and praised Qatar’s efforts in halting military operations, voicing his wish for a renewed path of diplomatic engagement.

    Furthermore, he condemned the Israeli aggression against Iran, describing it as a breach of Iran’s sovereignty and international law – a stance that Lebanon has upheld from the outset.

    The Lebanese Prime Minister stressed that the government is committed to asserting full state authority across all Lebanese territory, using its own national resources and in line with Taif Agreement. He emphasized the need for Israel to withdraw from five remaining occupied points along the southern border and to cease its near-daily violations of Lebanese sovereignty.

    He affirmed that Lebanon is actively working to rally political and diplomatic support – from Arab states to permanent members of the UN Security Council, including the United States – to compel Israel to end its aggression and occupation. He stated that there can be no real security in Lebanon, as long as Israel continues to occupy Lebanese territory, urging the international community to exert pressure on Israel to achieve this goal. 

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI Video: Iran, Israel, Qatar & other topics – Daily Press Briefing (23June 2025)

    Source: United Nations (video statements)

    Noon Briefing by Stéphane Dujarric, Spokesperson for the Secretary-General.

    ———————————

    Highlights:

    Iran/Israel
    Iran/Qatar
    UN Charter
    Security Council
    Security Council/Non-Proliferation
    Occupied Palestinian Territory
    UNIFIL
    Ukraine
    Sudan
    Democratic Republic Of The Congo
    Chad
    Refugees
    Panel On Chemicals
    Internet Governance Forum
    Women In Diplomacy
    Guests Tomorrow

    __________________________________________

    IRAN/ISRAEL
    The Secretary-General welcomes US President Trump’s announcement of a cease-fire between Israel and Iran. He urges the two countries to respect it fully. The fighting must stop, the people of the two countries have already suffered too much, he said.
    The Secretary-General hopes that this ceasefire can be replicated in the other conflicts in the region.

    IRAN/QATAR
    In a statement yesterday, the Secretary-General expressed his deep alarm at the further escalation of the conflict in the Middle East.
    On social media, he strongly condemned the attack yesterday by Iran on Qatar, a country that has been active for peace in the region and further afield. 
    The Secretary-General urges all Member States to uphold their obligations under the UN Charter and other rules of international law.

    UN CHARTER
    Yesterday evening, the Secretary-General delivered remarks at a ceremony that took place here at the UN headquarters to welcome home the original UN Charter, 80 years after it was written. Eighty years is a blink of an eye in history, and yet, the Secretary-General said, until the United Nations, humanity never had a single place where every government and all peoples could unite to fix the world and build something better.

    SECURITY COUNCIL
    Hannah Tetteh, the Secretary-General’s Special Representative for Libya, briefed the Security Council this morning by VTC and said that the UN Mission in Libya, UNSMIL, has helped to support the preservation of the fragile truce that had been reached on 14 May, develop mechanisms to facilitate a de-escalation of tensions in order to prevent further clashes, and ensure the protection of civilians.
    She warned that there are reports of continued build-up and fears among many Libyans that armed clashes will resume. UNSMIL urges all political and security actors to refrain from provocative rhetoric and actions that would only serve to deepen the lack of trust and undermine all the de-escalation efforts being made to sustain the fragile truce.
    Ms. Tetteh noted the calls from many Libyans for UNSMIL to act swiftly to facilitate a Libyan led and owned political process that leads to credible elections and unified institutions. She said that UNSMIL will intensify its engagement in the coming weeks, building on the momentum generated by the Berlin meeting earlier this month.

    SECURITY COUNCIL/NON-PROLIFERATION
    At 3 p.m., Security Council members will meet for an open briefing on the Secretary-General’s report as requested by resolution 2231 that refers to the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action otherwise known as JCPOA.
    Rosemary DiCarlo, the Under-Secretary-General for Political and Peacebuilding Affairs, is expected to brief.

    Full Highlights:
    https://www.un.org/sg/en/content/ossg/noon-briefing-highlight?date%5Bvalue%5D%5Bdate%5D=24%20June%202025&_gl=1%2A10sej4q%2A_ga%2AMTc3MDMwNDcyOS4xNzMzMDUxOTcy%2A_ga_TK9BQL5X7Z%2AczE3NTA3ODk2MzEkbzgwJGcxJHQxNzUwNzkyOTI0JGo2MCRsMCRoMA..

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dRouSrj3JE4

    MIL OSI Video –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: IMF Executive Board Completes the Fourth Review Under the Extended Credit Facility Arrangement with the Union of the Comoros

    Source: IMF – News in Russian

    June 24, 2025

    • The IMF Executive Board completed today the fourth review under the Extended Credit Facility Arrangement with the Union of the Comoros. Approval of the fourth review enables an immediate disbursement of SDR 3.56 million (about US$ 4.87 million).
    • Program performance remains broadly on track despite setbacks in 2024 linked to a lengthy political transition and external shocks. The authorities have reaffirmed their commitment to the ECF-supported reform agenda and are determined to demonstrate stronger program ownership in the period ahead.
    • Economic conditions remain broadly stable, supported by adequate external buffers and continued program engagement, despite persistent inflationary pressures. Implementation of the ECF-supported program is helping to safeguard macroeconomic stability, advance critical structural reforms, and mobilize concessional financing to address Comoros’s significant development and financing needs.

    Washington, DC: The Executive Board of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) completed today the fourth review under the Union of the Comoros’ Extended Credit Facility (ECF) arrangement. The Executive Board’s decision allows for an immediate disbursement of SDR 3.56 million (about US$ 4.87 million), bringing the total disbursements so far under the arrangement to about $23.7 million. The 4-year ECF arrangement was approved on June 1, 2023 (See Press Release No. 23/194) with an access of SDR 32.04 million (about US$ 43 million).  

    In completing the review, the Executive Board also approved the authorities’ requests for (i) waivers of nonobservance of the quantitative performance criteria (QPCs) on tax revenue and the domestic primary balance at end of 2024 and the continuous QPC on the non-accumulation of external arrears and (ii) modifications to the end of December 2025 QPCs on tax revenue and domestic primary balance to reflect corrective actions for missing these QPCs at end-2024.

    While there is considerable progress towards the achievement of program objectives, significant and continued effort is required to maintain the reform momentum. The authorities have reiterated their strong commitment to the ECF-supported program and despite recent setbacks. Two of five QPCs were met as of end of December 2024 and 8 of the 11 structural benchmarks (SBs) expected between end of November 2024 and end of May 2025 were also met. 

    Comoros’ economic reform program supported by the ECF arrangement seeks to reduce fragility and increase economic resilience by building fiscal buffers, reducing debt vulnerabilities, strengthening the financial sector, and enhancing governance. Key policy priorities for the program remain unchanged and include: (i) mobilizing domestic revenue through reforms to strengthen tax and customs administration and streamline tax exemptions; (ii) stabilizing the financial sector including through the restructuring of the state-owned postal bank SNPSF and enhancing the Central Bank’s banking supervision and resolution capacities; and (iii) strengthening governance through PFM and anti-corruption reforms.

    Economic conditions remain broadly stable, though risks persist. Growth is estimated at 3.3 percent in 2024 and projected to rise to 3.8 percent in 2025, supported by public investment and recovering private sector credit. Inflation averaged 5 percent in 2024 and reached 7.3 percent (y/y) in March 2025, driven by food price pressures linked to cyclone-related supply disruptions and strong seasonal demand. As a result, average inflation for 2025 has been revised upward from 1.8 to 3.8 percent. Fiscal consolidation was weaker than expected in 2024 largely due to revenue shortfalls, but a stronger adjustment is planned for 2025, supported by corrective measures. The external position remains stable, with the current account deficit estimated at 2.2 percent of GDP and international reserves covering 7.4 months of imports in 2024. Reserves are projected to exceed 8.5 months over the program period.

    Following the Executive Board’s discussion, Mr. Nigel Clarke, Deputy Managing Director, and Acting Chair, issued the following statement:

    “The Comorian authorities remain committed to their reform agenda under the Extended Credit Facility-supported program, despite setbacks in 2024 linked to a lengthy political transition and external shocks. While the external position remains stable—supported by continued reserve accumulation—economic momentum softened amid elevated food inflation and cyclone-related supply shocks. These challenges highlight Comoros’s structural vulnerabilities as a small, fragile island state with limited fiscal space, weak diversification, and exposure to external and climate risks.

    “Fiscal policy continues to focus on a medium-term consolidation agenda to safeguard debt sustainability. Although 2024 fiscal outturns were weaker than expected driven largely by underperformance in tax revenue, the authorities are addressing the revenue shortfalls through corrective measures aimed at strengthening customs enforcement, improving taxpayer compliance, and recovering tax arrears.

    “Monetary policy remains focused on preserving external stability through the euro peg, alongside gradual improvements in liquidity management. While inflation remains elevated, the BCC stands ready to tighten its stance if inflation or reserve pressures persist. The central bank has expanded liquidity absorption capacity and begun publishing its operations calendar, with further reforms planned. Progress in financial supervision, resolution planning, and recapitalization—and sound operationalization of the new postal bank (BPC)—will be key to reinforcing financial sector resilience.

    “Governance and institutional reforms are progressing, though unevenly. Key achievements include operationalizing the Anti-Corruption Chamber, enhancing fiscal transparency, and adopting budget management regulations. Nonetheless, challenges persist in liquidity forecasting and cash management, accuracy in budget execution reporting, and reform implementation capacity. Strengthening the Treasury Committee, improving SOE oversight, and sustaining the PFM reform strategy remain essential to bolstering fiscal credibility.

    “Program implementation has regained momentum following a slowdown in late 2024. Continued engagement with the IMF and donor partners will be essential to safeguard macroeconomic stability, advance reforms, catalyze grants and concessional financing, and address capacity gaps.”

    Comoros Selected Economic Indicators (2024-28)
     

    Population (2018, thousands): 856

    Main products and exports: Cloves, ylang-ylang, vanilla

    Key export markets: Asia, European Union

    2024

    2025

    2026

    2027

    2028

    Est.

    proj.

    proj.

    proj.

    proj.

    Output

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

    Real GDP growth (%)

    3.3

    3.8

    4.3

    4.5

    4.3

    Employment

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

    Unemployment (%)

    n.a.

    n.a.

    n.a.

    n.a.

    n.a.

    Prices

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

    Inflation, period average (%)

    5.0

    3.8

    1.7

    2.1

    2.1

    Central government finances

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

    Revenue and grants (% GDP)

    16.2

    17.8

    17.2

    16.8

    16.7

    Expenditure (% GDP)

    19.2

    19.6

    18.9

    18.7

    18.8

    Fiscal balance (% GDP)

    -3.6

    -1.9

    -1.7

    -1.9

    -2.1

    Public debt (% GDP)

    33.7

    36.3

    37.7

    37.9

    39.3

    Money and Credit

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

    Broad Money (% change)

    5.1

    6.0

    5.5

    7.0

    5.0

    Credit to private sector (% change)

    1.6

    8.7

    5.2

    5.7

    5.5

    Balance of Payments

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

    Current account (% GDP)

    -2.2

    -3.1

    -4.1

    -3.6

    -3.0

    FDI (% GDP)

    0.4

    0.6

    0.6

    0.6

    0.6

    Reserves (months imports)

    7.4

    7.7

    8.4

    7.8

    9.5

    External debt (% GDP)

    30.0

    31.3

    33.8

    34.7

    36.5

    Exchange rate

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

      KMF/US$ (period average)

    449.7

    …

    …

    …

    …

    Sources: country authorities; and IMF staff’s estimates.
    IMF Communications Department
    MEDIA RELATIONS

    PRESS OFFICER: Pavis Devahasadin

    Phone: +1 202 623-7100Email: MEDIA@IMF.org

    https://www.imf.org/en/News/Articles/2025/06/24/pr25215-comoros-imf-completes-the-fourth-review-under-the-extended-credit-facility-arrangement

    MIL OSI

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Answer to a written question – Detailed breakdown of EU funding for nature conservation in Tanzania from 2014 to the present – E-001130/2025(ASW)

    Source: European Parliament

    The EU continues to follow closely the developments concerning the Maasai communities living in the Ngorongoro Conservation Area and in the Loliondo Game Controlled Area.

    As regards the protection of nature and biodiversity, the EU has provided a significant amount of funding for these sectors in Tanzania from 2014 to the present.

    The Commission is sending directly to the Honourable Member a table which includes the currently available information on bilateral programmes relating to nature conservation in Tanzania.

    The table indicates the information relating to each project including titles, adoption year, recipients, objectives, amount of EU contribution, and duration.

    The total amount of EU bilateral funding for nature conservation in Tanzania from 2014 to the present amounts to EUR 95.38 million.

    As regards projects adopted under the 2021-2027 multiannual-indicative programme for Tanzania, detailed documents can be found on the Commission website[1].

    See annex : Annex

    • [1] https://international-partnerships.ec.europa.eu/countries/tanzania_en.
    Last updated: 24 June 2025

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Answer to a written question – Commission President’s participation at the WEF – E-000243/2025(ASW)

    Source: European Parliament

    1. On 20, 21 and 23 January 2025, the President of the Commission participated in the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos, Switzerland. At the WEF 2025, the President of the Commission met with Her Excellency Karin Keller-Sutter, President of the Helvetic Confederation, and the President of the United States National Academy of Medicine.

    The President participated in the following events:

    — Opening remarks and question and answer (Q&A) session at ‘Deutsche Meets Davos’ Event;

    — Opening remarks and Q&A session ‘Europe‘s Competitiveness Compass: A Conversation with Ursula von der Leyen and International Business Council’;

    — Opening remarks at the launch of the Energy Transition Forum ‘All Hands on Deck for the Energy Transition’, together with the President of Peru;

    — Opening remarks and Q&A session at Financial Times lunch;

    — Remarks at the ‘Scaling Up Renewables in Africa’ high-level event, organised by Global Citizen as a follow up to the campaign launched with South Africa in November 2024.

    3. The President’s mission costs will be published on a dedicated website[1].

    2. At the WEF 2025, the President of the Commission delivered a keynote speech, where she addressed topics like competitiveness, simplification, decarbonization, energy supplies and the relations with China and the United States[2]. Following her address, she provided more details by replying to questions by Klaus Schwab, Founder and Chairman of the World Economic Forum. The keynote address and the exchange can be watched online[3].

    • [1] https://ec.europa.eu/transparencyinitiative/meetings/mission.do?host=a2c7c963-a9ad-4c47-aa73-4bb46b06dd5d.
    • [2] https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/SPEECH_25_285.
    • [3] https://audiovisual.ec.europa.eu/en/video/I-265956.

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI: Mountain America Foundation and Snow College Announce Winners of First-Generation Student Scholarship

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    Five rural Utah students awarded scholarships to support academic journey and student success

    A Media Snippet accompanying this announcement is available in this link.

    EPHRAIM, Utah, June 24, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Mountain America Credit Union, through the Mountain America Foundation and Snow College, have announced the five recipients of the Mountain America First-Generation College Student Scholarship for the 2025–2026 academic year. Each winner will receive a $1,000 scholarship to support their higher education goals at Snow College.

    This newly established program reflects a joint commitment to improving educational access for first-generation college students. The scholarship is awarded to students who are the first in their families to attend college and who demonstrate strong academic potential, leadership qualities, and dedication to their communities.

    “These five students reflect the impressive characteristics we hoped to highlight through this partnership,” said Suzanne Oliver, executive director of the Mountain America Foundation. “Their stories and aspirations embody the spirit of this scholarship—resilience, ambition, and a commitment to building brighter futures not only for themselves, but for their families and communities.”

    The five scholarship winners for the 2025–2026 academic year are:

    • Malia Anderson, Snow College
    • Jeily Aquino, Piute High School
    • Kamron A. Byrd, Snow College
    • Adam Fitch, Manti High School
    • Iliana Rojas Vega, Snow College

    Sharlene Wells, senior vice president of public relations and organizational communications at Mountain America, presented certificates to recipients on June 12 to celebrate and highlight this achievement. Representatives from Snow College were also in attendance, including Brittany Cornelsen, director of student connection center and head of first year experience; Fernando Montaño, multicultural education and recruitment coordinator; and Cameron Brooks, executive director of advancement and government relations.

    This year’s announcement marks the successful launch of the Mountain America First-Generation College Student Scholarship program. With shared values of service, education, and community uplift, the Mountain America Foundation and Snow College are proud to support underrepresented students in reaching their educational goals.

    To learn more about Mountain America’s community involvement, visit macu.com/newsroom.

    About Mountain America Credit Union
    With more than 1 million members and $20 billion in assets, Mountain America Credit Union helps its members define and achieve their financial dreams. Mountain America provides consumers and businesses with a variety of convenient, flexible products and services, as well as sound, timely advice. Members enjoy access to secure, cutting-edge mobile banking technology, over 100 branches across multiple states, and more than 50,000 surcharge-free ATMs. Mountain America—guiding you forward. Learn more at macu.com.

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Hearings – Public hearing on the human rights dimension of the EU Memoranda of Understanding – 25-06-2025 – Subcommittee on Human Rights

    Source: European Parliament

    On 25 June 2025, DROI Subcommittee is organising a public hearing on “The Human Rights dimension of the EU memoranda of Understanding in its Southern Neighbourhood (Mauritania, Tunisia, Egypt, Jordan, with a focus on the use of EU funds)”. It will allow to reflect upon the EU cooperation policy in the region from a human rights perspective and discuss solutions for the monitoring of the informal agreements and related funding and improving the human rights conditionality in the EU policy tools.

    Civil society voices will share testimonies and analysis of situations on the ground after the conclusion of those informal agreements, which include but are not limited to migration and asylum-related measures. Representatives of the EU Commission, the European External Action Service and the European Court of Accounts will explain EU action in the field, also against the background of the upcoming EU Pact for the Mediterranean. Each panel will be followed by a Q&A session with MEPs.

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Brazil’s dangerous flirtation with counterterrorism

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By James Fitzgerald, Associate Professor of Terrorism Studies, Dublin City University

    American pop star Lady Gaga delivered a free concert to over 2.1 million revellers on Copacabana beach in the Brazilian city of Rio de Janeiro in May. Those attuned to security concerns saw a policing and public safety nightmare.

    And shortly after the concert, Rio de Janeiro’s civil police secretary, Felipe Curi, announced that the worst realisation of this nightmare had almost come to pass. An improvised bomb attack targeting fans had been thwarted thanks to police intelligence.

    A loose group of conspirators from across Brazil, gelled across chat apps and other social media by anti-LGBTQ+ sentiments, planned to murder civilians. The intention was to send a political message about resisting what they see as “indecency” and “social decadence”.

    Given the setting, volume of media coverage and possibility of a panicked stampede, Brazil had surely avoided the worst terrorist attack in its history.

    For an attack to qualify as “terrorism”, it must be carried out for explicitly political purposes – motives akin to reshaping society violently or agitating for self-determination through force.

    Yet, a month after the thwarted Copacabana attack, the main conversation about terrorism in Brazil is focused on mistaken efforts to label criminal groups as terrorists.

    In late May, Brazil’s Congress fast tracked a bill that would broaden the definition of terrorism to include the actions of criminal organisations and militias. This is on the basis that their routine practices of “imposing territorial control” are designed to spread “social or widespread terror”. The bill is overly vague and extremely dangerous.

    Brazilian organised crime

    Equating organised crime and the violence it produces with “terrorism” is somewhat understandable. Organised gangs in Brazil, such as Comando Vermelho (CV) and Primeiro Comando da Capital (PCC), control vast expanses of territory, and civilians ultimately pay the price.

    However, as endemic as organised crime is in Brazil, these groups strive for self-enrichment. Their violence is used solely to either protect or enhance this goal. Neither CV nor PCC have any political motive that would qualify their actions as terrorism.

    The government already has legal ways to deal with criminal groups, but it has been hard to achieve lasting, positive results using these methods.

    Should the actions of criminal organisations be reclassified as terrorism, a new suite of measures will become available to the state’s repressive apparatus. This will be true for the current government and future administrations.

    New measures to fight terrorism are practically guaranteed to erode democratic and procedural norms. Armed with a remit to eradicate terrorism, states have repeatedly shown that they exacerbate the very cycles of violence they aim to erase.

    Get your news from actual experts, straight to your inbox. Sign up to our daily newsletter to receive all The Conversation UK’s latest coverage of news and research, from politics and business to the arts and sciences.

    French-Algerian philosopher Jacques Derrida identified the essence of this dilemma in 2003. In an interview reflecting on the 9/11 attacks on the US, Derrida said that the primary threat of terrorism was not just in the violence itself, but in how societies respond to it.

    The US’s disastrous “war on terror”, for example, led to a consequential wave of violence worldwide. It is estimated to have killed over 500,000 civilians in Iraq, Afghanistan and Pakistan. And western countries that joined the fray have suffered jihadist attacks in return.

    Governments also adopted new measures to deal with security issues inside their own countries. Potential terrorists were apprehended through surveillance, with the new goal of counterterrorism being to intervene before violence is able to occur.

    States of emergency, which significantly curtail civil liberties, were routinely imposed in the aftermath of high-profile terrorist attacks. This included a state of emergency after the November 2015 attacks in Paris that gave the authorities power to search any premises without judicial oversight.

    The implementation of this logic continues today. At the time of writing, denunciations of Israel’s assault on Gaza continue to be spuriously tied to support for “terrorism”.

    Hamas is a terrorist organisation. But that should not see Palestinian civilians – nor supporters of their rights – labelled as potential terrorists. Yet student protesters in the US have been threatened with deportation, financial ruin and even imprisonment.

    The term “terrorism” contains within it a power to dress state repression as a proportionate response to emergency. In El Salvador, we have seen how counterterrorism is being applied as an emergency means to solve the country’s organised crime problem.

    Nayib Bukele’s government has sent countless criminals to the Terrorism Confinement Centre mega-prison in Tecoluca. It has also condemned many innocent civilians to a parallel fate, with little-to-no chance of redress or due process.

    The tragic consequences of state crackdowns against those spuriously labelled as “terrorists” lingers in the historical memory of Brazil. This new bill moves to the Senate at a time of renewed culturing reckoning with the consequences of Brazil’s repressive campaigns under the military dictatorship of 1964 to 1985.

    Brazil should recognise its fortune in never having truly adopted the discourse of the war on terror. Now, it should not adopt an evolved discourse of counterterrorism to address the very serious – but very separate – problem of organised crime.

    In the name of order and progress, and with an eye towards civilians who would ultimately pay the price, this bill cannot be allowed to become law.

    James Fitzgerald 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.

    – ref. Brazil’s dangerous flirtation with counterterrorism – https://theconversation.com/brazils-dangerous-flirtation-with-counterterrorism-258347

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Secretary General Expresses Unwavering Support to the Respect of Morocco’s Sovereignty, Territorial Integrity


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    The Secretary General of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), Kao Kim Hourn, expressed his unwavering support for Morocco’s sovereignty and territorial integrity in Rabat on Tuesday.

    This position was expressed in the joint summary made public at the end of the meeting between the Minister of Foreign Affairs, African Cooperation and Moroccan Expatriates, Mr. Nasser Bourita, and Kao, who is on a working visit to Morocco from June 24 to 26.

    In this joint summary, the two sides have stressed “their unwavering support to the principles of the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in Southeast Asia (TAC), including respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity of UN Member States, which include ASEAN Member States and Morocco, as well as the non-interference in internal affairs and the peaceful settlement of disputes.”

    The meeting between the two senior officials also provided an opportunity to underline the excellent ties between the Kingdom of Morocco and ASEAN, which comprises the 10 countries of Southeast Asia (Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, the Philippines, Brunei-Darussalam, Vietnam, Laos, Myanmar and Cambodia), and to discuss actions to be taken to strengthen relations between the Kingdom and this regional grouping, both in terms of substance and scope.

    Kao, on his first visit to the Kingdom and to Africa, expressed his high appreciation of Morocco’s actions and commitment to strengthening cooperation with ASEAN and its member states.

    In this respect, “he welcomed Morocco’s presence and commitment to various structures in the ASEAN regions, such as the Mekong River Commission (MRC), the ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Assembly (AIPA), and the Southeast Asian Ministers of Education Organization (SEAMEO).”

    In addition, the ASEAN Secretary-General noted with satisfaction Morocco’s active participation in various ASEAN events, including seminars and workshops on human rights, economic cooperation, transport, social welfare and development, connectivity and smart city development, among others.

    For his part, MFA Bourita stressed that the strengthening of relations between Morocco and ASEAN is in line with the strategic vision of His Majesty King Mohammed VI to diversify the Kingdom’s partners and promote strong, mutually supportive South-South cooperation.

    He reiterated Morocco’s readiness to support and collaborate with ASEAN in many sectors, in a win-win approach, both with the Organization and with all its member states.

    The Minister expressed his thanks to Kao, and through him to ASEAN member states, for their support in Morocco’s bid to become an ASEAN Sectoral Dialogue Partner in September 2023.

    The two sides also welcomed the holding of the second meeting of the ASEAN-Morocco Joint Sectoral Cooperation Committee (AM-JSCC) in Jakarta on November 27, 2024, while the 3rd session is scheduled for November 2025.

    The two officials underlined the importance of the training programs offered by the Moroccan Institute of Training, Research and Diplomatic Studies (IMFRED) to diplomats from ASEAN member states and the ASEAN Secretariat.

    They also welcomed the fruitful cooperation programs existing between ASEAN member states and Morocco, through the Moroccan Agency for International Cooperation (AMCI), for ASEAN member states and African countries.

    Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Kingdom of Morocco – Ministry of Foreign Affairs, African Cooperation and Moroccan Expatriates.

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: Business Working Groups of the United States-Nigeria Commercial and Investment Partnership Deepen Commercial Cooperation and Expand Opportunities for Mutual Prosperity


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    Senior representatives of the United States and Nigerian governments, along with business leaders from both countries’ private sectors, convened in Abuja to officially launch the working group meetings of the United States–Nigeria Commercial and Investment Partnership (CIP). This landmark Partnership, established under a five-year Memorandum of Understanding signed  in July 2024 by U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo and Nigeria’s former Minister of Industry, Trade, and Investment, aims to deepen bilateral commercial cooperation and expand economic opportunities in both nations.

    Four senior U.S. and Nigerian officials led the dialogue: Ambassador Richard Mills, U.S. Ambassador to Nigeria, U.S. Department of State; Julie LeBlanc, Senior Commercial Officer, U.S. Department of Commerce; Dr. Jumoke Oduwole, Honorable Minister of Nigeria’s Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade, and Investment; and Ambassador Nura Rimi, Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade, and Investment.

    U.S. Ambassador Richard M. Mills, Jr., remarked during the inaugural session, “The Commercial and Investment Partnership, or CIP, is one of the top priorities of my tenure as U.S. Ambassador to Nigeria, so it gives me immense pleasure to see the launch of the working groups come to fruition.  The CIP underscores the United States’ strong commitment to further enhancing our bilateral commercial and investment ties, fostering economic growth, and creating opportunities that benefit people across both our great nations.”

    The inaugural discussions focused on three working groups: agriculture, the digital economy, and infrastructure.  The working groups – comprised of U.S. and Nigerian private sector participants – began their work by nominating group leads and identifying non-tariff barriers to trade and investment.  Their goal is to foster job creation, encourage private sector engagement, and recommend solutions to policymakers to address key challenges in these critical sectors.

    U.S. Deputy Assistant Secretary for Middle East and Africa, Thomas Bruns stated that, “The U.S.-Nigeria Commercial and Investment Partnership reflects our shared commitment to deepening economic ties, fostering innovation, and expanding opportunities for businesses in both nations. The Commerce Department’s International Trade Administration is proud of its work to foster international commerce and, as the U.S. Government’s voice for the U.S. private sector, we are thrilled to launch these working groups with our Nigerian counterparts. By strengthening collaboration in sectors that are engines of growth for both our nations—including infrastructure, agriculture, and the digital economy—we can advance prosperity, create jobs, and build a foundation for sustainable economic growth that benefits our people and lasts for the long-term.”

    The four senior U.S. and Nigerian principals agreed to review progress on a biannual basis and to identify future areas of cooperation.  The next formal meeting of the CIP will take place in Fall 2025.

    Distributed by APO Group on behalf of U.S. Embassy and Consulate in Nigeria.

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Secretary General Praises His Majesty King Mohammed VI’s Leadership in Advancing Socioeconomic Development in Morocco


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    The Secretary General of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), Mr. Kao Kim Hourn, praised His Majesty King Mohammed VI’s leadership in advancing social and economic development in Morocco, expressing his appreciation for the Royal initiatives for Africa.

    This position was expressed in the Joint Summary of Meeting between the Minister of Foreign Affairs, African Cooperation and Moroccan Expatriates, Mr. Nasser Bourita, and ASEAN Secretary-General.

    In this document, Kao, who is on his first visit to Morocco and Africa, praised “His Majesty King Mohammed VI’s leadership in advancing social and economic developments towards ensuring continued stability, prosperity and development in the country.”

    He also commended “the major socio-economic and infrastructure developments and the successful reforms achieved in Morocco.”

    Kao also praised His Majesty King Mohammed VI’s enlightened vision for the African continent through the Strategic Royal Initiatives.

    In this regard, he noted with appreciation the Atlantic Initiatives launched by His Majesty King Mohammed VI, namely the Initiative to enable Atlantic Ocean Access for Sahel states, the Africa-Atlantic Gas pipeline (AAGP) and the Atlantic African States Initiatives.

    The ASEAN Secretary-General underlined that Morocco’s “numerous assets make it an attractive platform for trade and investments for ASEAN governments and business communities.”

    He added that the “partnership between both sides will facilitate the access of ASEAN to the African space and the opportunities offered under the Atlantic Initiatives in the region.”

    Mr. Bourita and Kao agreed that Morocco offers an important gateway for ASEAN Member States to Africa. In the same vein, ASEAN represents a real opportunity for Morocco to develop and open up for more economic cooperation with the region in particular and with Asia as a whole.

    ASEAN Secretary-General Kao Kim Hourn is paying a working visit to Morocco from June 24 to 26 at the invitation of Mr. Bourita.

    This regional grouping includes the 10 countries of Southeast Asia: Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, the Philippines, Brunei Darussalam, Vietnam, Laos, Myanmar, and Cambodia.

    Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Kingdom of Morocco – Ministry of Foreign Affairs, African Cooperation and Moroccan Expatriates.

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI Global: US attack on Iran lacks legal justification and could lead to more nuclear proliferation

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By David Hastings Dunn, Professor of International Politics in the Department of Political Science and International Studies, University of Birmingham

    After a stern warning from Donald Trump, Israel and Iran appear finally to be observing a US-brokered ceasefire announced by Donald Trump overnight on June 23. But just as it remains unclear what the state of the conflict is, many other uncertainties remain when it comes to the US strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities.

    We still don’t know the extent to which Iran’s stock of enriched uranium and the capability to use it have been destroyed. But leaving aside such practical considerations, the US bombing raid also constituted an attack on the prevailing international legal order.

    In some ways, the US actions echo the 1981 Israeli strike on Osirak when the Israeli Air Force attacked and partially destroyed Iraq’s Osirak nuclear reactor, killing ten Iraqi soldiers and one French technician.

    However, the US attack can be seen as more serious because it has been launched in a far more fragile and geopolitical environment. Moreover, the state violating the legal rules is the erstwhile guardian of the legal order –– the USA.

    Get your news from actual experts, straight to your inbox. Sign up to our daily newsletter to receive all The Conversation UK’s latest coverage of news and research, from politics and business to the arts and sciences.

    The attacks appear to be the logical follow through of Trump’s withdrawal from the joint comprehensive plan of action (JCPOA) in 2018. This was the Obama-era agreement that significantly limited Iran’s enrichment of nuclear material. For Trump, that negotiated deal was imperfect, as it relied on ongoing Iranian restraint. His decision to unleash US bombers was designed to end the nascent Iranian nuclear threat once and for all.

    But such unilateral actions rarely result in such black and white results. And this situation shows every indication of being no different. It is for this reason that negotiated solutions and agreed legal frameworks are generally regarded as better long-term solutions than military force.

    A significant inhibition on the use of force to remove nuclear threats has been its lack of justification under international law. When the administration of George W Bush decided to launch its invasion of Iraq in 2003, the US, UK and Australian governments that spearheaded the invasion relied on the express legal justification that Iraq was already in breach of existing UN security council resolutions that required it to be disarmed of all weapons of mass destruction (WMD).

    For his part, Trump relied on the argument that Iran’s nuclear facilities already posed an imminent threat to US security. This argument had been undermined by none other than Trump’s director of national intelligence, Tulsi Gabbard, just weeks previously.

    Gabbard testified before Congress in March that the US “continues to assess that Iran is not building a nuclear weapon and Supreme Leader Khamenei has not authorised the nuclear weapons programme he suspended in 2003”.

    Tulsi Gabbard delivers the annual threat assessment in March 2025.

    Trump, who has a habit of ignoring his intelligence community, dismissed Gabbard’s assessment saying, “I don’t care what she said. I think they’re very close to having it”.

    No legal justification

    One thing that is striking about the June 22 US bombing campaign is the cursory attention given to any substantive legal justification. It’s a distinct contrast to Bush’s attempts – however much this strained the law to breaking point – to justify his 2003 use of force.

    The US ambassador to the United Nations, Dorothy Camille Shea, made only the most limited of references to the legality of the action in her speech to the UN security council a day after the US strikes.

    George W Bush’s ‘Mission accomplished’ speech.

    In our book Drones, Force, and Law we demonstrate how the defining mark of an international society is that states recognise the need to give an account of their behaviour in terms of the accepted legal rules.

    Even when policymakers know that they are breaking established interpretations of the law, they rarely admit this publicly. They seek to offer a legal justification – however strained and implausible – that is in conformity with the rules.

    If a state openly admitted that it was violating the law, giving a justification for its conduct only in terms of that state’s values and beliefs, then it would be treating others with contempt. It would, to quote the respected Australian international relations theorist, Hedley Bull, “place in jeopardy all the settled expectations that states have about one another’s behaviour”.

    This is exactly what Trump is doing by not seeking to expressly justify the US’ use of force in legal terms. This invites others to mount a broader assault on international law itself as something that is both fragile and hypocritical in the hands of the powerful.

    Unintended consequences

    The US has justified its attack as aimed at preventing Iran from developing a nuclear weapon. But a perverse consequence of the attack is that it is likely to further erode the norm against proliferation. There are two key arguments here.

    The first is that all three Iranian facilities attacked were, before Israel initially attacked Iran on June 12, under International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) safeguards. So, by attacking these installations, the US – like Israel four decades ago with its attack against Osirak – was signalling that it had no confidence in the multilateral mechanisms of non-proliferation. It was essentially saying that it has to rely on unilateral action.

    The second consequence is that a strike aimed at preventing Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons may instead push it – and others – to accelerate weaponisation efforts. These US attacks may confirm for many the earlier lessons from Iraq, as well as subsequently in Libya and Ukraine. States without nuclear weapons are vulnerable to regime change or military action.

    If this is the lesson that is drawn by those who live in dangerous neighbourhoods and who are increasingly worried about their security, then the US action could serve as a further spur to nuclear proliferation.

    Trump has shown a worrying propensity to ignore legal constraints on his power both domestically and internationally. This action, less than six months into his administration, is an alarming harbinger of his contempt for the internationally agreed legal rules restricting the use of force.

    David Hastings Dunn has previously received funding from the ESRC, the Gerda Henkel Foundation, the Open Democracy Foundation and has previously been both a NATO and a Fulbright Fellow.

    Nicholas Wheeler has formally received funding from the Economic and Social Research Council and the Open Society Foundations.

    – ref. US attack on Iran lacks legal justification and could lead to more nuclear proliferation – https://theconversation.com/us-attack-on-iran-lacks-legal-justification-and-could-lead-to-more-nuclear-proliferation-259638

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Banking: Stay secure with Windows 11, Copilot+ PCs and Windows 365 before support ends for Windows 10

    Source: Microsoft

    Headline: Stay secure with Windows 11, Copilot+ PCs and Windows 365 before support ends for Windows 10

    When we launched Windows in 1985, we set out to revolutionize computing—guided by the belief that technology should be accessible, intuitive and powerful for everyone. Nearly 40 years later, that same vision continues to drive us forward. Today, Windows is the most widely used operating system, powering over a billion monthly active devices through an open and flexible platform that connects people, ideas and innovations on the Windows PCs they use every day around the world.

    Looking ahead, 2025 marks an important milestone for Windows. We saw the spirit of innovation on full display at CES in January, as the Windows ecosystem came together to unveil breakthrough technologies and introduce new Windows 11 and Copilot+ PCs. And that momentum is only growing, as new silicon technology, thoughtful hardware designs and on-device AI experiences give people more of a reason to upgrade their Windows PC. With AI becoming a more natural and helpful part of everyday life, 2025 continues to emerge as the year of the Windows 11 PC refresh.

    From enhanced productivity and streamlined IT workflows to AI-driven innovation, these advancements are redefining what people expect from their devices—not just for today, but for the future. Whether you’re using a Copilot+ PC or Windows 365 in the cloud, we want you to experience the best of Windows 11, starting with security at the core. We also recognize that transitions to new PCs take careful planning. With Windows 10 support coming to an end in October, we’re here to provide information and resources to help you choose the path that works best for you—whether that’s exploring the next generation of Windows, staying on your current PC with the Extended Security Program (ESU) or moving to a cloud-based solution.

    Support for Windows 10 ends in October—Here’s what you need to know

    As technology evolves, phasing out older operating systems and upgrading to newer versions is a natural part of the lifecycle—one that helps ensure you have the latest security features and innovations. Windows 10 launched in July 2015, and after nearly a decade, support will end on Oct. 14, 2025.

    Here’s what that means:

    • Microsoft will no longer provide security and feature updates and technical support for Windows 10 PCs. While these devices will continue to function, they will no longer receive regular security updates, making them more vulnerable to cyber threats, such as malware and viruses.
    • Companies and organizations that operate Windows 10 may find it challenging to maintain regulatory compliance with unsupported software.
    • Applications running on Windows 10 may no longer be supported, as the platform is no longer receiving feature updates. As a result, some apps may experience decreased functionality.
    • Microsoft 365 Appsi running on personal and commercial Windows 10 PCs will continue receiving security updates until Oct. 10, 2028, and feature updates through August 2026.ii These updates are intended to help ease customers’ transition to Windows 11 and will be delivered through standard update channels. These updates do not include technical support.
    • Microsoft will continue to provide Security Intelligence Updates for Microsoft Defender Antivirus on Windows 10 through October 2028.

    If you’re using Windows 10 today, checking if your PC can upgrade to Windows 11 is simple. Just click the Start button, then go to Settings > Update & Security > Windows Update. You can also use the PC Health Check app to see if your device meets the Windows 11 system requirements, or check with your organization’s IT team for support.

    We understand that your PC holds what’s important to you, from years of valuable files to cherished photos, and the personal settings that make it yours. To help make your move to a Windows 11 PC as simple and secure as possible, we recommend using Windows Backup—built right into Windows 10. It’s an easy way to help you safely and securely transfer your data, personal files, and most settings and applications, so everything’s ready for you the moment you sign in.

    Explore what’s next with Windows 11

    Security is at the heart of Windows 11. As part of Microsoft’s Secure Future Initiative (SFI), we’re constantly improving Windows security to help keep you protected—whether you’re using a personal laptop or managing a fleet of devices at work. Windows 11 is secure by design and by default, with layers of defense enabled on day one to enhance your protection without the need to first configure settings.

    Windows 11 builds on the familiar Windows experience you know and trust, while also offering a more modern and secure computing experience. It delivers faster performance, simpler navigation and the latest features and experiences. It’s not just a device designed for today, it’s built for tomorrow.

    • Security first. Windows 11 is the most secure operating system we’ve ever built, and offers advanced security like TPM 2.0, virtualization-based security and Smart App Control—all enabled by default. New Windows 11 PCs have seen a reported 62% drop in security incidents and a 3x reported reduction in firmware attacksiii.
    • Faster and more efficient. Windows 11 continues to improve Windows update fundamentals, delivering faster monthly updates and smaller feature update downloads. This results in quicker response time when in sleep mode, faster web browsing and overall improved performance. In fact, Windows 11 PCs are up to 2.3x faster than Windows 10 PCsiv.
    • Familiar yet modern user experience. Windows 11 maintains familiar user experiences from Windows 10 but introduces a more modern and streamlined UI design with better multitasking features, like Snap Layouts and multiple desktops. Key elements like the Start menu and taskbar offer a cleaner look on Windows 11, while keeping navigation intuitive and user-friendly.
    • Built-in accessibility features. Windows 11 has new and improved accessibility features, building on the tools from Windows 10. New to Windows 11, Focus Sessions help users needing fewer distractions stay focused, live captions can transcribe audio from any app or in-person conversations through the mic, and Voice Access lets you control your device and dictate text using your voice—compared to basic speech recognition on Windows 10. Windows 11 also has improved contrast themes, better screen magnification and more natural Narrator voices.
    • Copilot on Windows 11. As Copilot becomes more optimized for Windows, it stands out as your go-to AI companion—ready when you need it. With Copilot Vision on Windowsv, Copilot acts as a second set of eyes, analyzing content on your screen in real time, and talking to you about it. And with the new Highlights feature, Copilot doesn’t just tell you what to do, it can show you.
    • Exclusive AI experiences at your fingertips. Windows 11 Copilot+ PCs unlock exclusive AI-powered experiences. Features such as Recall (preview), Click to Do (preview) and improved Windows search, help you be more efficient and find information effortlessly, while enhanced experiences such as Cocreator in Paint and Restyle in Photos help you tap into new creative possibilities with built-in securityvi.
    • Designed for any work environment and every employee. Windows 11 offers features that enhance multitasking and enable an estimated 50% faster workflows compared to Windows 10. Employees benefit from AI at their fingertips, faster performance and security enabled by default – with an estimated 250% return on investmentvii.
    • More choice, more flexibility, more performance. Whether for personal use, frontline workers or everyone in between, an extensive portfolio of Windows 11 and Copilot+ PCs from partners—like Acer, ASUS, Dell, HP, Lenovo, Samsung and Surface—is designed to fit your needs.

    Windows 10 Extended Security Updates: A bridge to your Windows 11 experience 

    We understand that moving to a new PC can take time, and we’re here to support you every step of the way. The Windows 10 Extended Security Updates (ESU) program is designed to help keep your Windows 10 PC protected after support ends on Oct. 14, 2025. ESU delivers monthly critical and important security updates to help you stay secure during the transition. However, it’s not meant to be a long-term solution—it doesn’t include new features, non-security updates, design change requests or technical support.

    As we shared last October, for the first time ever, you can enroll your personal Windows 10 PC in the ESU program and receive critical and important monthly security updates for one year after support ends in October. Today, we’re introducing additional free enrollment options and the simple steps to get started.

    Extended Security Updates for Windows 10:

    • For individuals: An enrollment wizard will be available through notifications and in Settings, making it easy to enroll in ESU directly from your personal Windows 10 PC. Through the enrollment wizard, you’ll be able to choose from three options:
      • Use Windows Backup to sync your settings to the cloud—at no additional cost..
      • Redeem 1,000 Microsoft Rewards points—at no additional cost..
      • Pay $30 USD (local pricing may vary).

    Once you select an option and follow the on-screen steps, your PC will automatically be enrolled. ESU coverage for personal devices runs from Oct. 15, 2025, through Oct. 13, 2026. Starting today, the enrollment wizard is available in the Windows Insider Program and will begin rolling out as an option to Windows 10 customers in July, with broad availability expected by mid-Augustxiii.

    • For commercial organizations: Organizations can subscribe to ESU for $61 USD per device to receive monthly critical and important security updates for one year. The subscription can be renewed annually for up to three years, with the cost increasing each yearix. Enrollment is available today through the Microsoft Volume Licensing Program and will be offered by Cloud Service Providers starting Sept. 1.
    • For cloud and virtual environments: Windows 10 devices accessing Windows 11 Cloud PCs through Windows 365 or Virtual Machines are entitled to ESU at no additional cost and will automatically receive security updates with no extra steps required.

    Learn more here: Extended Security Updates (ESU) program for Windows 10 | Microsoft Learn.

    Move to Windows 11 in the cloud with Windows 365

    Windows 365 gives organizations another way to move to Windows 11 without needing to replace every device right away. It’s a cost-effective and more sustainable alternative, while still providing enhanced security and operational efficiency. This cloud-based solution delivers a secure Windows 11 experience to any device through a Cloud PC, so your team can work from almost anywhere.

    To help make the transition easier, new customers can get 20% off on any Windows 365 plan for the first 12 months. Visit Windows 365 today to learn about this offerx.

    Windows ecosystem: A choice for everyone

    Every person and organization has different needs, whether that’s a portable device to stay connected on the go or a more powerful PC built for productivity and different workloads. Working closely with our trusted partners, there are a range of choices to support how you live, work and create.

    Here are a few Copilot+ PCs and Windows 11 devices from trusted partners like Acer, ASUS, Dell, HP, Lenovo, Samsung and Surface—with options designed for mobility, performance, security and AI-powered experiences.

    • Acer: Stay connected everywhere with the TravelMate P6 14 AI, a Copilot+ PC and high-performance business laptop built for mobile work and life.
    • ASUS: The ASUS Zenbook A14 Copilot+ PC delivers exclusive AI experiences and multi-working-day battery life in a sleek, minimalist design, while the ASUS ExpertBook P5 is an AI powerhouse in an aluminum body and sleek design for modern and mobile professionals.
    • Dell: Unleash your creativity with the Dell 16 Plus Laptop, featuring a large screen and Intel Arc graphics—ideal for students and creators. Or tackle work from anywhere on the Dell Pro 14 Premium, the lightest and quietest 14″ Copilot+ PC in the Dell Pro family.
    • HP: The HP OmniBook X Flip 16 inch 2-in-1 Laptop combines speed and performance for creative work and entertainment, while the HP EliteBook 8 G1i 14 inch delivers enterprise-grade security, AI-powered experiences and a portable design—perfect for IT professionals.
    • Lenovo: Create without limits with the super thin and light Yoga Slim 7i Aura Edition, offering exclusive Copilot+ PC experiences, or boost productivity with Lenovo’s new portfolio of 14ʺ and 15ʺ ThinkPad X9 Series laptops, designed for the tech-savvy professionals.
    • Samsung: The Galaxy Book5 Pro, a Copilot+ PC, is a powerful Windows 11 laptop built for multitasking, creative work and running your favorite apps—perfect for work and play. The Galaxy Book4 Edge is an ultra-thin, Copilot+ PC made for life on the go, with a brilliant display and long-lasting battery.
    • Surface Copilot+ PCs combine powerful performance, all-day battery life and breakthrough AI experiences in sleek designs with the all-new 13-inch Surface Laptop and the 12-inch Surface Pro with a flexible 2-in-1 design and a built-in kickstand. For organizations, Surface for Business Copilot+ PCs offer added efficiency with the latest Intel Core Ultra processors (Series 2).

    This summer is a good time to explore your options. Retailers like Microsoft Store, Amazon, Best Buy, Costco and more are offering deals now through September.

    When you’re ready to purchase, trade-in and recycling programs are available through our many trusted partners, including Acer, ASUS, Dell, HP, Lenovo, Samsung and global retailers like Best Buy, Boulanger, Costco, Currys, Elkjøp, Fnac, Harvey Norman, JB Hi-Fi, MediaMarkt & SATURN, officeworks, Sharaf DG and Walmart.

    For business customers, similar programs are offered through resellers like Bechtle, CDW, ComputaCenter, Connection, SHI and more. You can also explore Microsoft Store’s online trade-in program or find a convenient local recycling option near you.

    Moving forward to Windows 11—Together 

    Windows is a part of your everyday life, and we want to help keep that experience smooth, secure and up to date.

    If you’re unsure where to start, the first step is to check if your Windows 10 PC is eligible for a free upgrade to Windows 11. If it is, you can follow a few simple steps to install the upgrade—don’t forget to use Windows Backup to easily save your files and settings before making the switch.

    If your PC isn’t eligible or if you need more time—there are options. No matter where you are in your journey—whether it’s staying on your current PC with ESU, upgrading to Windows 11 or moving to Windows 365—we’re here to support you every step of the way.

    Learn more about how to get ahead of Windows 10 end of support and take the next steps: How to prepare for Windows 10 end of support by moving to Windows 11 today | Windows Experience Blog

    Endnotes

    i This includes Microsoft 365 Apps for enterprise, Microsoft 365 Apps for business, and the Microsoft 365 desktop apps included in other commercial and consumer suites such as Microsoft 365 E3, Microsoft 365 Business Standard, and Microsoft 365 Family.

     ii The final feature update will ship in August 2026 for customers on Current Channel, including all consumer customers. Customers on the Monthly and Semi-Annual Enterprise Channels will receive their final feature updates later – in October 2026 and January 2027, respectively. 

    iii Windows 11 Survey Report. Techaisle LLC, September 2024. Commissioned by Microsoft. Windows 11 results are in comparison with Windows 10 devices.

    iv Based on Geekbench 6 Multi-Core benchmark. See aka.ms/w11claims. 

    v Available in the US and coming to more non-European countries soon. 

    vi Copilot+ PC experiences vary by device and market and may require updates continuing to roll out through 2025; timing varies. See aka.ms/copilotpluspcs  

    vii Microsoft-commissioned study delivered by Forrester Consulting: “The Total Economic Impact of Windows 11 Pro Devices”, December 2022. Note, quantified benefits reflect results over three years combined into a single composite organization that generates $1 billion in annual revenue, has 2,000 employees, refreshes hardware on a four-year cycle and migrates the entirety of its workforce to Windows 11 devices. 

    viii Retail availability starts with the July 2025 non-security preview update via controlled feature rollout. To be among the first to experience new features, navigate to Settings > Windows Update, and turn on “Get the latest updates as soon as they’re available”.  

    ix Markets do not include Russia, Belarus, Cuba, Iran, Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, Sudan, and Syria. 

    x This offer runs from May 1 to Oct. 31, 2025, and is for customers not currently subscribing to Windows 365. Transactions must be processed through Microsoft’s operations center before 11:00 PM Pacific Time on October 31, 2025. This offer is non-transferable and cannot be combined with any other offer or discount on Windows 365. This offer is available only once per customer. The discount price will be in effect for the duration of the purchase commitment. Purchases made prior to the effective date of the offer are not eligible. Taxes, if any, are the sole responsibility of the recipient. Microsoft reserves the right to discontinue this promotion, and to modify these policies and the promotion’s terms and conditions at any time.  

    MIL OSI Global Banks –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Chinese doctor Zhang Junqiao’s heroic act demonstrates deep friendship between China and Africa – Chinese Foreign Ministry

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian – People’s Republic of China in Russian –

    Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News

    BEIJING, June 24 (Xinhua) — The heroic act of Chinese doctor Zhang Junqiao demonstrates the deep friendship between China and Africa and the extraordinary devotion, dedication, love and fighting spirit of Chinese medical teams, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun said on Tuesday.

    The head of the 27th Chinese medical team in Tanzania, anesthesiologist Zhang Junqiao, died on June 15 while rescuing a drowning woman off the coast of Dar es Salaam.

    “We express our sincere condolences to Zhang Junqiao’s family and mourn the loss of an outstanding member of China’s medical teams providing aid to Africa,” the diplomat said.

    Guo Jiakun noted that it has been 62 years since China sent its first medical team to Africa in 1963, and nearly 57 years since China began sending medical teams to Tanzania.

    The kind and highly skilled members of the Chinese medical teams have treated and saved many local residents and trained local teams, Guo Jiakun said, adding that the work of the Chinese medical teams has made a great contribution to strengthening the friendship between China and African countries.

    “The people of China and Africa will never forget this. History will not forget this either,” the official representative of the Chinese Foreign Ministry summed up. –0–

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • PM Modi invites Mauritius PM to India, reaffirms commitment to Neighbourhood First Policy

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    Prime Minister Narendra Modi held a telephone conversation with the Prime Minister of the Republic of Mauritius, Dr. Navinchandra Ramgoolam, on Tuesday, reaffirming the deep-rooted and unique ties between the two nations.

    During the conversation, the two leaders reviewed the ongoing cooperation between India and Mauritius across a wide spectrum of areas, including development partnership, capacity building, defence, maritime security, digital infrastructure, and people-to-people relations.

    PM Modi appreciated Ramgoolam’s whole-hearted participation in the 11th International Day of Yoga celebrations, noting it as a reflection of the shared cultural and spiritual values that bind the two countries.

    Reiterating India’s continued support for Mauritius’ development priorities, PM Modi underlined the alignment with Vision MAHASAGAR and India’s Neighbourhood First policy — a framework that places special emphasis on partnerships with neighbouring and Indian Ocean region countries.

    PM Modi also extended an invitation to Prime Minister Ramgoolam for an early visit to India. Both leaders agreed to remain in close contact and work together to further deepen the Enhanced Strategic Partnership.

  • MIL-OSI Africa: Twenty years of service and still counting: Patrick Wokorach’s journey with World Health Organization (WHO)

    Source: Africa Press Organisation – English (2) – Report:

    Download logo

    In 2005, a young man from northern Uganda walked into the offices of the World Health Organization (WHO) with a heart full of hope and a 60-day contract in hand. Today, 20 years later, Patrick Wokorach is still walking through those doors—now as a seasoned shipping assistant, a veteran of public health emergencies, and a living testament to resilience, dedication, and purpose.

    At just 27, Wokorach joined WHO as a Program Assistant under the Northern Uganda Recovery Program, a role that aligned perfectly with his personal mission: to help rebuild his then war-torn homeland. “My greatest motivation to join WHO was to have a direct involvement in supporting the people of northern Uganda where I come from,” he recalls. “At the time, there was an ongoing civil war with our people living in camps, facing many health challenges.”

    Since then, Wokorach has worn many hats—supporting the functions of procurement, fleet management, travels and protocol, logistics, and now shipping. But his core mission has remained unchanged: to serve. Whether responding to cholera outbreaks, Ebola epidemics, Marburg, natural disasters like floods or providing operational support, Wokorach has been on the frontlines, often sacrificing personal milestones for the greater good. 

    “One time in 2017, three weeks to my wedding, I had to go and respond to the Ebola disease outbreak in Bundibugyo district,” he says with a smile. “I only returned about four days to the wedding!”

    His journey is not just one of professional growth but also personal transformation. “I joined WHO as a single young man. I got married and had all my children while here. My eldest child is 18 years old. By all standards, this is no mean achievement,” he emphasizes.

    Wokorach’s story is also a lesson in adaptability and lifelong learning. “Twenty years in one organization provides a lot of learning,” he says. “I have come to appreciate that our vision might stay the same, but the situations, dynamism, approaches or even the environment keeps changing but you one must remain resilient, focused and hopeful.”

    Despite the high-pressure environment of emergency responses, Wokorach thrives. His calm demeanor and strong work ethic have helped him navigate even the most challenging situations, including the insecurity in northern Uganda during his early days at WHO.

    Balancing such a demanding career with family life is no small feat, but Wokorach credits open communication and intentional quality time for keeping his family bonds strong. “They understand the kind of work I do and what it requires of me,” he says. “So, I make sure whatever little free time I have is quality family time.”

    To his colleagues, Wokorach offers a simple but powerful message: “WHO is a great organization to work in. I encourage colleagues to enjoy their work, support one another, and have a positive mindset. All will be well.”

    As he marks two decades of service, Patrick Wokorach stands as a quiet hero in the world of public health—a man whose journey from a 60-day contract to 20 years of unwavering service is nothing short of inspiring.

    – on behalf of World Health Organization – Uganda.

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: Seychelles: Finnish Ambassador Bids Farewell

    Source: Africa Press Organisation – English (2) – Report:

    Download logo

    His Excellency Mr. Pirkka Tapiola, Ambassador of Finland to Seychelles, paid a farewell courtesy call on President Wavel Ramkalawan at State House this morning, marking the conclusion of his diplomatic mission of just over three years.

    During the cordial meeting, President Ramkalawan expressed profound gratitude for Ambassador Tapiola’s commitment to strengthening bilateral relations between Seychelles and Finland. The Head of State commended the Ambassador’s pivotal role in fostering strong diplomatic ties and extended his best wishes for success in his upcoming posting.

    The substantive discussions encompassed Seychelles’ economic development and social transformation. Ambassador Tapiola commended the nation’s exemplary democratic governance, recognizing Seychelles as a beacon of democratic leadership across the African continent.  The dialogue addressed contemporary global challenges, including maritime security and sustainability initiatives, and strengthening collaboration through EU channels.

    President Ramkalawan conveyed appreciation for the enduring friendship between the two nations, which established bilateral ties on March 27, 1987. He extended best wishes for Ambassador Tapiola’s continued diplomatic endeavors.

    The meeting was attended by Principal Secretary Ambassador Vivianne Fock-Tave, Director General for Bilateral Affairs Ms. Lindy Ernesta, and Desk Officer for Finland Mr. James Carpin. 

    – on behalf of State House Seychelles.

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TİKA) Launches Fresh Feed Project to Support Livestock Farming in Libya

    Source: Africa Press Organisation – English (2) – Report:

    Download logo

    The Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TİKA) has launched the “365 Days of Fresh Feed” project in the Tajoura district of Tripoli, the capital of Libya, to support the development of the livestock sector and contribute to sustainable feed production.

    The “Hasılmatik: 365 Days of Fresh Feed” project was implemented by TİKA in cooperation with the Municipality of Tajoura. The project, introduced for the first time in Libya, is expected to significantly improve feed production efficiency.

    TİKA’s Tripoli Coordinator, Ali Suha Bacanakgil, stated that the project would have a transformative impact on the livestock sector and emphasized the goal of expanding it across the country. “In this project, wheat and barley seeds turn into fresh fodder within 7 to 10 days. The feed produced by Hasılmatik is much more efficient than dry feed. Animals can consume it entirely, including its sprouts and roots, with 100% digestibility,” he explained.

    Bacanakgil underlined that the project was carried out with a spirit of social solidarity and noted their intention to increase the number of local stakeholders and expand cooperation with municipalities and agricultural cooperatives.

    Tajoura Deputy Mayor Ayman Al-Salim highlighted the issue of groundwater scarcity in the region, stating that the project offered a significant solution to this problem in terms of livestock production. “A simple system, low water usage, and high productivity—this project will revitalize animal husbandry. We thank TİKA,” he said.

    Mahmoud Marwan, one of the local farmers benefiting from the project, emphasized that the “365 Days of Fresh Feed” system saves both land and time and noted that the resulting product is suitable for cattle, sheep, goats, and poultry.

    Supported by TİKA, this project stands out as a model initiative promoting sustainable agriculture and livestock farming in Libya.

    – on behalf of Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TIKA).

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Foreign National Sentenced to Prison for Conducting Cyber Scams That Victimized U.S. Citizens and Businesses

    Source: US FBI

    CHICAGO — A foreign national has been sentenced to three and a half years in federal prison for conducting a variety of cyber fraud schemes that victimized U.S. citizens and businesses.

    RIDWAN ADELEKE ADEPOJU and co-schemers operated multiple fraud schemes from Nigeria, including phishing scams, romance scams, and the submission of fraudulent tax returns.  The scams involved multiple spoofed email addresses, fictional social media personas, and unwitting money mules.  Adepoju’s schemes victimized numerous U.S. citizens and businesses, including individuals and companies in the Chicago area.

    Adepoju, 33, of Lagos, Nigeria, was arrested last year in the United Kingdom and extradited to the United States.  He pleaded guilty in March to federal wire fraud and aggravated identity theft charges.  On Tuesday, U.S. District Judge Matthew F. Kennelly imposed a 43-month prison sentence.

    The sentence was announced by Andrew S. Boutros, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, Ramsey E. Covington, Special Agent-in-Charge of IRS Criminal Investigation in Chicago, and Douglas S. DePodesta, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Office of the FBI.

    “Defendant’s offense involved a years-long, complex scheme, involving several types of scams and many victims,” Assistant U.S. Attorney Ann Marie E. Ursini argued in the government’s sentencing memorandum.  “Defendant chose to be a willing participant in the scheme over and over again.”

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Video: Climate, Peace and Security Group on Libya – Security Council Media Stakeout | United Nations

    Source: United Nations (video statements)

    Joint stakeout by Climate, Peace and Security Group on Libya, led by Ambassador Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett, Permanent Representative of Guyana to the United Nations, and accompanied by Security Council Members including Denmark, Ecuador, France, Greece, Guyana, Malta, Panama, the Republic of Korea, Sierra Leone, Slovenia, the United Kingdom.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F0ug_evEa6c

    MIL OSI Video –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: China Acts as a “Peace Broker” in the Ukrainian Crisis – Chinese Ambassador to Russia Zhang Hanhui

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian – People’s Republic of China in Russian –

    Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News

    Moscow, June 24 (Xinhua) — China is acting as a “peace broker” in the Ukrainian crisis and is making efforts to facilitate peace talks, Chinese Ambassador to Russia Zhang Hanhui said in a written interview with the Russian newspaper Izvestia on Monday.

    “Since the comprehensive escalation of the Ukrainian crisis, China has been acting as a ‘peace broker’ and has been making consistent efforts to end the fighting and facilitate peace talks,” he said.

    The Chinese ambassador stressed that China’s position on the Ukrainian issue is consistent and clear: the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all states must be respected, the purposes and principles of the UN Charter must be observed, reasonable security concerns of all countries must be taken seriously, and all efforts for a peaceful settlement deserve support. “This is the authoritative position and fundamental principle of the Chinese side on the Ukrainian issue,” the ambassador explained, adding that China welcomes and supports all efforts aimed at achieving peace, and will continue to take an objective and fair position, promote consensus building and create conditions for resolving the crisis.

    According to Zhang Hanhui, Li Hui, the special representative of the PRC government for Eurasian affairs, has already conducted four rounds of “shuttle diplomacy,” covering four continents – Asia, Africa, Europe and Latin America. He visited both the parties to the conflict – Russia and Ukraine – and key European countries, including France and Germany. In addition, deep exchanges of views were held with countries of the Global South, such as Turkey, Saudi Arabia, Brazil, Indonesia and South Africa. “These efforts have received wide approval and high praise from the international community, including Russia,” the diplomat noted.

    In addition, in 2024, China and Brazil jointly established the Friends of Peace platform through the UN to seek ways to peacefully resolve the Ukrainian crisis, and several meetings have already been held. According to the ambassador, this group has become an important mechanism through which the countries of the Global South express their position on the Ukrainian issue and which reflects the common desire of the international community for a ceasefire and peace. “In its work, the group invariably adheres to an impartial, objective and open position, and is always ready to listen to the views and positions of all parties to the conflict, including Russia. The group adheres to the principle of consensus and focuses on promoting all actions that contribute to a political settlement and the restoration of peace,” the ambassador added.

    At the same time, Zhang Hanhui confirmed that China did not participate in the discussions on sending peacekeeping forces to the conflict zone. “The Chinese side believes that three basic principles must be observed when sending peacekeeping forces: consent of the parties to the conflict, impartiality, and non-use of force except in self-defense. At present, there are serious disagreements between the parties concerned on the issue of post-war peacekeeping, there is no sign of an end to hostilities, and the number of casualties continues to rise,” the diplomat noted, adding that China calls on all parties to continue efforts to reduce tensions, create favorable conditions for dialogue, and open a “window” of opportunity for peace.

    The Chinese ambassador acknowledged that the causes of the Ukrainian crisis are complex. He recalled the Chinese proverb that “a meter-thick layer of ice does not form in a day,” so “melting” it also takes time. “The end point of any conflict is the negotiating table. The Chinese side welcomes the holding of direct talks between Russia and Ukraine in Istanbul and hopes that all parties can reach a fair, sustainable, binding and mutually acceptable peace agreement through dialogue and negotiations,” he said.

    Zhang Hanhui pointed out that following the direct talks in Istanbul, Russia and Ukraine reached agreements on issues such as prisoner exchange, which created favorable conditions for establishing peace and was an important step forward. As the Chinese ambassador emphasized, China calls on the parties to the conflict to demonstrate a desire for negotiations, and also hopes that the parties concerned can provide favorable external conditions for the negotiation process, jointly support the trend towards peaceful negotiations, and ultimately come to a political settlement.

    According to the diplomat, China hopes that peace and stability will be restored on the European continent as soon as possible, and is ready to continue to make constructive contributions to this. “Regardless of how the situation develops, China will always stand on the side of peace, on the side of dialogue, and on the right side of history. We will continue to make efforts to resolve the crisis and end the fighting, maintain contact with all parties, and contribute Chinese wisdom and strength to promoting a political settlement of the Ukrainian crisis,” Zhang Hanhui assured. –0–

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Turkey is stepping up its influence in west Africa – what’s behind its bid for soft power

    Source: The Conversation – Africa – By Issouf Binaté, enseignant-chercheur, Université Alassane Ouattara de Bouaké

    Turkey is stepping up its influence in west Africa as the geopolitical and economic landscape in the region shifts. In Senegal, the state-owned Turkish Petroleum Corporation has entered a key partnership in the oil and gas sector. Meanwhile, Karpowership, a company providing electricity via floating power plants, now supplies energy to eight African countries. But Turkey’s not stopping there. As part of its soft power strategy, it is also winning hearts and minds through education and culture while deepening trade and security ties.

    Historian Issouf Binaté, who has studied Turkey’s growing presence in west Africa, breaks down how Ankara is positioning itself as an alternative to both former colonial powers and newer global players competing for influence on the continent.

    What drives Turkey’s growing influence in west Africa?

    Turkey’s foreign policy in west Africa leans on two main pillars.

    One is institutional power, driven by state-backed agencies (embassies, the religious affairs directorate Diyanet, and the economic cooperation agency (TIKA) .

    The other is more grassroots, led by non-state actors such as religious foundations and NGOs.

    These groups laid the groundwork for Turkey’s African expansion long before Ankara officially stepped in.

    A key player in Turkey’s earlier outreach was the Gülen movement, named after preacher Fethullah Gülen (1941–2024). The Gülen movement pioneered Turkey’s soft power approach with “Turkish schools”, starting with the Yavuz Sultan Selim and Yavuz Selim-Bosphore high schools in Dakar in 1997.

    Also at the end of the 1990s a network composed of Turkish business leaders and social activists under the Turkish Confederation of Businessmen and Industrialists, which claimed over 100,000 member companies, expanded Turkey’s influence across Africa. At that time, Turkey had only three diplomatic representations for the whole of sub-Saharan Africa.

    The more recent contact with Africa comes at a time when western hegemony faces growing criticism from a new generation of Africans engaged in decolonial movements. Gülen-affiliated institutions now number 113, alongside religious and secular schools run by other groups like Mahmud Hudayi Vakfi and Hayrat Vakfi. Since the 2016 political rift between Gülen and President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, these schools were gradually transferred to Maarif Foundation, Turkey’s state-run overseas education arm.

    Back in 2003, Turkey had only 12 diplomatic missions across Africa. Today, that number has grown to 44, bolstered by Turkish religious foundations (like Mahmud Hudayi Vakfi and Hayrat Vakfi), NGOs, and entrepreneurs who have filled the gap left by the Gülen movement.

    Another powerful player in Turkey’s Africa strategy is Turkish Airlines, now one of the top carriers on the continent. It is now flying to 62 airports in 41 African countries.

    What role do west African students trained in Turkey play?

    By investing in education, Turkey didn’t just open its doors to African students. It also planted the seeds for a long-term influence strategy. These students, and more broadly young African migrants trained in Turkey, are now among the key messengers of “Turkishness” back home.

    In doing so, Ankara is following a familiar path once used by colonial powers. They used student mobility as a powerful tool for their diplomacy.

    This policy of openness took several forms. As early as 1960, it welcomed students from non-self-governing territories in accordance with UN General Assembly resolutions.

    Then, in the 1990s, Turkey continued this effort through a scholarship programme for African students, supported by the Islamic Development Bank. During this period, Turkey launched the Büyük Öğrenci Projesi (Great Student Project), which provided scholarships to international students.

    Starting in 2012, this programme was re-branded as YTB (Yurtdışı Türkler ve Akraba Topluluklar Başkanlığı, or Directorate for Turks Abroad and Related Communities). It introduced reforms, including a digital application process for scholarships via an app on the YTB website. This shift caused a dramatic spike in interest. Applications soared from 10,000 to 155,000 between 2012 and 2020.

    For non-scholarship students, Turkey simplified visa processes, reduced tuition fees, and offered other incentives. These measures contributed to a significant increase in the number of applicants to study in Turkey. As the number of universities in Turkey jumped from 76 to 193 between 2003 and 2015, the country became increasingly attractive.

    By 2017, Turkey had become the 13th most popular destination for students from sub-Saharan Africa, according to Campus France (a platform that supports international students studying in France). By 2019, there were an estimated 61,000 African students studying in Turkey.

    Now, nearly three decades into this strategy, many of these former students are stepping into new roles. They are taking over from Turkish entrepreneurs in fostering socioeconomic ties with Africa. They also act as bridges, promoting Turkish universities and supporting visitors in areas like medical and industrial tourism.

    In Istanbul, some run cargo companies – some of them informal – that ship goods to Africa. Others are working to formalise these ventures and build long-term economic bridges. Groups like Bizim Afrika, a network of African Turkish-speakers, and the Federation of African Students in Turkey (founded in 2019), are playing key roles in shaping this next chapter of Turkey–Africa relations.

    How is Turkey’s strategy in west Africa different from that of China or France?

    In substance, Turkey’s strategy isn’t so different from that of France or China. It also carries traces of colonial thinking, even though its approach leans more on religious soft power like building mosques across Africa. Unlike France, which used force in its colonial past, Turkey is trying to gain influence through other means. It uses familiar tools: embassies, schools, cinema, security services, and development agencies.

    However, Turkey has learned from the criticism faced by western powers at a pivotal moment in Africa’s global relations.

    While access to Europe, the US and Canada has become more difficult due to stricter visa rules, Turkey has opened its doors. It eased visa procedures for African business people, expanded its universities, and promoted medical tourism.

    Turkey has become a hub for several sectors. It’s a major centre for nose surgery (rhinoplasty), hair transplants, and textiles. Its textile industry now supplies traders at Makola Market in Accra, Adjamé’s Forum in Côte d’Ivoire, and the Grand Marché in Bamako.

    Turkey has also capitalised on the security crisis in the Sahel, where France’s military presence has become controversial. It stepped in by selling Bayraktar TB2 drones and offering private security services to some governments.

    Is this Turkish presence set to last?

    Turkey’s presence in Africa is now visible in several symbolic ways. You can see it in Maarif schools, murals at Abidjan airport, the “Le Istanbul” restaurant in Niamey’s government district, or the National Mosque in Accra, modelled after Istanbul’s Blue Mosque.

    Turkey’s engagement is a work in progress. But its outreach to Africa is already yielding results. Trade volume reached US$40.7 billion in 2022. The return of the first waves of African students trained in Turkey has shifted the dynamic. Cooperation no longer relies solely on Turkish business people and social entrepreneurs.

    Even though African elites often speak English, French or Arabic, new voices are emerging. Young people trained in Turkey are beginning to find their place. Many work in import-export, construction, and even Islamic religious leadership. This trend points to promising prospects for long-term ties.

    For Turkey, Africa represents a continent with major economic opportunities. Becoming a trusted partner is now a key goal. On the diplomatic level, Turkey gained observer status at the African Union in 2005 and has hosted Turkey-Africa summits in Istanbul since 2008.

    This growing involvement suggests that Turkey’s role in Africa is likely to last. It will depend on the continent’s market needs, especially at a time when many African countries are rethinking their relationships with traditional western powers and international institutions.

    Issouf Binaté 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.

    – ref. Turkey is stepping up its influence in west Africa – what’s behind its bid for soft power – https://theconversation.com/turkey-is-stepping-up-its-influence-in-west-africa-whats-behind-its-bid-for-soft-power-256929

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Turkey is stepping up its influence in west Africa – what’s behind its bid for soft power

    Source: The Conversation – Africa – By Issouf Binaté, enseignant-chercheur, Université Alassane Ouattara de Bouaké

    Turkey is stepping up its influence in west Africa as the geopolitical and economic landscape in the region shifts. In Senegal, the state-owned Turkish Petroleum Corporation has entered a key partnership in the oil and gas sector. Meanwhile, Karpowership, a company providing electricity via floating power plants, now supplies energy to eight African countries. But Turkey’s not stopping there. As part of its soft power strategy, it is also winning hearts and minds through education and culture while deepening trade and security ties.

    Historian Issouf Binaté, who has studied Turkey’s growing presence in west Africa, breaks down how Ankara is positioning itself as an alternative to both former colonial powers and newer global players competing for influence on the continent.

    What drives Turkey’s growing influence in west Africa?

    Turkey’s foreign policy in west Africa leans on two main pillars.

    One is institutional power, driven by state-backed agencies (embassies, the religious affairs directorate Diyanet, and the economic cooperation agency (TIKA) .

    The other is more grassroots, led by non-state actors such as religious foundations and NGOs.

    These groups laid the groundwork for Turkey’s African expansion long before Ankara officially stepped in.

    A key player in Turkey’s earlier outreach was the Gülen movement, named after preacher Fethullah Gülen (1941–2024). The Gülen movement pioneered Turkey’s soft power approach with “Turkish schools”, starting with the Yavuz Sultan Selim and Yavuz Selim-Bosphore high schools in Dakar in 1997.

    Also at the end of the 1990s a network composed of Turkish business leaders and social activists under the Turkish Confederation of Businessmen and Industrialists, which claimed over 100,000 member companies, expanded Turkey’s influence across Africa. At that time, Turkey had only three diplomatic representations for the whole of sub-Saharan Africa.

    The more recent contact with Africa comes at a time when western hegemony faces growing criticism from a new generation of Africans engaged in decolonial movements. Gülen-affiliated institutions now number 113, alongside religious and secular schools run by other groups like Mahmud Hudayi Vakfi and Hayrat Vakfi. Since the 2016 political rift between Gülen and President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, these schools were gradually transferred to Maarif Foundation, Turkey’s state-run overseas education arm.

    Back in 2003, Turkey had only 12 diplomatic missions across Africa. Today, that number has grown to 44, bolstered by Turkish religious foundations (like Mahmud Hudayi Vakfi and Hayrat Vakfi), NGOs, and entrepreneurs who have filled the gap left by the Gülen movement.

    Another powerful player in Turkey’s Africa strategy is Turkish Airlines, now one of the top carriers on the continent. It is now flying to 62 airports in 41 African countries.

    What role do west African students trained in Turkey play?

    By investing in education, Turkey didn’t just open its doors to African students. It also planted the seeds for a long-term influence strategy. These students, and more broadly young African migrants trained in Turkey, are now among the key messengers of “Turkishness” back home.

    In doing so, Ankara is following a familiar path once used by colonial powers. They used student mobility as a powerful tool for their diplomacy.

    This policy of openness took several forms. As early as 1960, it welcomed students from non-self-governing territories in accordance with UN General Assembly resolutions.

    Then, in the 1990s, Turkey continued this effort through a scholarship programme for African students, supported by the Islamic Development Bank. During this period, Turkey launched the Büyük Öğrenci Projesi (Great Student Project), which provided scholarships to international students.

    Starting in 2012, this programme was re-branded as YTB (Yurtdışı Türkler ve Akraba Topluluklar Başkanlığı, or Directorate for Turks Abroad and Related Communities). It introduced reforms, including a digital application process for scholarships via an app on the YTB website. This shift caused a dramatic spike in interest. Applications soared from 10,000 to 155,000 between 2012 and 2020.

    For non-scholarship students, Turkey simplified visa processes, reduced tuition fees, and offered other incentives. These measures contributed to a significant increase in the number of applicants to study in Turkey. As the number of universities in Turkey jumped from 76 to 193 between 2003 and 2015, the country became increasingly attractive.

    By 2017, Turkey had become the 13th most popular destination for students from sub-Saharan Africa, according to Campus France (a platform that supports international students studying in France). By 2019, there were an estimated 61,000 African students studying in Turkey.

    Now, nearly three decades into this strategy, many of these former students are stepping into new roles. They are taking over from Turkish entrepreneurs in fostering socioeconomic ties with Africa. They also act as bridges, promoting Turkish universities and supporting visitors in areas like medical and industrial tourism.

    In Istanbul, some run cargo companies – some of them informal – that ship goods to Africa. Others are working to formalise these ventures and build long-term economic bridges. Groups like Bizim Afrika, a network of African Turkish-speakers, and the Federation of African Students in Turkey (founded in 2019), are playing key roles in shaping this next chapter of Turkey–Africa relations.

    How is Turkey’s strategy in west Africa different from that of China or France?

    In substance, Turkey’s strategy isn’t so different from that of France or China. It also carries traces of colonial thinking, even though its approach leans more on religious soft power like building mosques across Africa. Unlike France, which used force in its colonial past, Turkey is trying to gain influence through other means. It uses familiar tools: embassies, schools, cinema, security services, and development agencies.

    However, Turkey has learned from the criticism faced by western powers at a pivotal moment in Africa’s global relations.

    While access to Europe, the US and Canada has become more difficult due to stricter visa rules, Turkey has opened its doors. It eased visa procedures for African business people, expanded its universities, and promoted medical tourism.

    Turkey has become a hub for several sectors. It’s a major centre for nose surgery (rhinoplasty), hair transplants, and textiles. Its textile industry now supplies traders at Makola Market in Accra, Adjamé’s Forum in Côte d’Ivoire, and the Grand Marché in Bamako.

    Turkey has also capitalised on the security crisis in the Sahel, where France’s military presence has become controversial. It stepped in by selling Bayraktar TB2 drones and offering private security services to some governments.

    Is this Turkish presence set to last?

    Turkey’s presence in Africa is now visible in several symbolic ways. You can see it in Maarif schools, murals at Abidjan airport, the “Le Istanbul” restaurant in Niamey’s government district, or the National Mosque in Accra, modelled after Istanbul’s Blue Mosque.

    Turkey’s engagement is a work in progress. But its outreach to Africa is already yielding results. Trade volume reached US$40.7 billion in 2022. The return of the first waves of African students trained in Turkey has shifted the dynamic. Cooperation no longer relies solely on Turkish business people and social entrepreneurs.

    Even though African elites often speak English, French or Arabic, new voices are emerging. Young people trained in Turkey are beginning to find their place. Many work in import-export, construction, and even Islamic religious leadership. This trend points to promising prospects for long-term ties.

    For Turkey, Africa represents a continent with major economic opportunities. Becoming a trusted partner is now a key goal. On the diplomatic level, Turkey gained observer status at the African Union in 2005 and has hosted Turkey-Africa summits in Istanbul since 2008.

    This growing involvement suggests that Turkey’s role in Africa is likely to last. It will depend on the continent’s market needs, especially at a time when many African countries are rethinking their relationships with traditional western powers and international institutions.

    Issouf Binaté 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.

    – ref. Turkey is stepping up its influence in west Africa – what’s behind its bid for soft power – https://theconversation.com/turkey-is-stepping-up-its-influence-in-west-africa-whats-behind-its-bid-for-soft-power-256929

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Kenya police brutality – it will take more than laws and public anger to change behaviour

    Source: The Conversation – Africa – By Oscar Gakuo Mwangi, Adjunct Associate Professor, Departnent of Social Sciences, Pwani University

    Kenya has once again been reminded of brutality within its police force. Two events in mid-June 2025 pointed to the grave challenge that Kenya must confront to reform the service.

    The first was the death in police custody of a teacher and blogger. A few days later a bystander at the scene of a protest in Nairobi was shot and severely injured by police.

    The use of excessive force to disperse and arrest peaceful demonstrators has got worse since the nationwide protests by young Kenyans in June 2024. Police have also been behind disappearances and extrajudicial killings.

    Excesses by the National Police Service have prompted action in the past. Repressive laws have been repealed and mechanisms are in place to identify, report and punish police excesses.

    Wide-ranging policing reforms mandated by the 2010 constitution have also been carried out since 2013. As part of these reforms, the Independent Police Oversight Authority was set up to investigate police wrong-doing. The conviction and dismissal rates are low, however, because of defective prosecutions, poor investigations, witnesses fearing retribution or victimisation, lack of evidence, and lengthy court trials.

    I am a political scientist with a focus on Kenya’s security sector. It is my view that the quest to change police behaviour in Kenya must go beyond the rule book, recriminations and repeated political proclamations of police reform.

    In my view real change will come about only if the state, firstly, puts funds into the recurrent and development expenditures of the police. The aim should be to ensure these institutions are able to enforce compliance and accountability. Secondly, the state needs to strengthen its partnership with local-level civil society organisations affected by policy brutality. And lastly, it must set up digital channels that people can confidently use to lodge their complaints.

    Funding gaps

    The National Police Service is underfunded. This has constrained its ability to maintain law and order. It has:

    • inadequate and poorly maintained equipment and gear

    • insufficient monthly fuel allocations for patrols and other critical functions

    • poor training and operational physical facilities.

    Added to these constraints are dehumanising working conditions and deplorable living conditions. This undermines their morale and ability to deliver quality services.

    Another blow to police morale is the entrenched culture of corruption. Corrupt practices skew recruitment, transfers, deployments, promotions and procurement.

    At the same time, the police service is expected to deal with a host of domestic and global security challenges. These include cybercrimes, cross-border security, violent extremism and terrorism.

    Money needs to be allocated to improve facilities, equipment and gear. This should also enhance its logistical and technological capabilities, and provide affordable and decent housing and medical cover for its officers.

    Providing adequate resources can also counter the culture of corruption, which is often driven by poor renumeration and working conditions.

    Budget allocations should sustain police reforms. This should include:

    Partnerships with communities

    Community policing in Kenya makes a significant contribution to local-level security. This form of policing is citizen-centred with an emphasis on addressing crime risk factors by encouraging citizen participation.

    Also known by its Kiswahili name, Nyumba Kumi, meaning “Ten Households”, the key strategy is anchoring community policing at the household level. Despite several problems associated with formulation and implementation, community policing in Kenya has improved local-level police-community relations in some areas of the country.

    The community policing strategy is aimed at addressing emerging security needs such as infiltration by terrorist groups. It serves the whole of Kenya in terms of local-level security and is viewed as one of the key areas of police reform and a shift to democratic policing.

    Community involvement can address the lack of trust between citizens and police officers due to police bias or brutality. But this is a gradual process that happens through daily interactions between communities and the police.

    Public participation channels

    Public participation is enshrined in Kenya’s constitution as one of the principles and values of good governance. By establishing a complaints and redress mechanism, public participation can become an integral component of promoting effective handling of complaints.

    The constitution has created different institutions to address public complaints. These include the Commission on Administrative Justice (Office of the Ombudsman), Kenya National Commission on Human Rights, and the Independent Police Oversight Authority. Some of these have digital public complaints systems, which provide more confidentiality and better access for people.

    Other channels of handling complaints include civil society actors and the media. Civil society organisations provide civic education and mobilise citizens to take part in monitoring and evaluation government’s performance.

    Making these channels more effective could help absorb public anger that could turn into violence.

    Conclusion

    Police brutality in Kenya has arisen through historical, social, economic and political factors. Mitigating it therefore requires a long-term, combined top-down and bottom-up approach.

    Genuine political support from the country’s political leaders is essential to instil positive attitudes about Kenya’s political and security institutions. It also requires genuine support from local-level or grassroots communities. This, in turn, entails communities trusting each other and building social cohesion.

    Oscar Gakuo Mwangi 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.

    – ref. Kenya police brutality – it will take more than laws and public anger to change behaviour – https://theconversation.com/kenya-police-brutality-it-will-take-more-than-laws-and-public-anger-to-change-behaviour-259327

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Kenya police brutality – it will take more than laws and public anger to change behaviour

    Source: The Conversation – Africa – By Oscar Gakuo Mwangi, Adjunct Associate Professor, Departnent of Social Sciences, Pwani University

    Kenya has once again been reminded of brutality within its police force. Two events in mid-June 2025 pointed to the grave challenge that Kenya must confront to reform the service.

    The first was the death in police custody of a teacher and blogger. A few days later a bystander at the scene of a protest in Nairobi was shot and severely injured by police.

    The use of excessive force to disperse and arrest peaceful demonstrators has got worse since the nationwide protests by young Kenyans in June 2024. Police have also been behind disappearances and extrajudicial killings.

    Excesses by the National Police Service have prompted action in the past. Repressive laws have been repealed and mechanisms are in place to identify, report and punish police excesses.

    Wide-ranging policing reforms mandated by the 2010 constitution have also been carried out since 2013. As part of these reforms, the Independent Police Oversight Authority was set up to investigate police wrong-doing. The conviction and dismissal rates are low, however, because of defective prosecutions, poor investigations, witnesses fearing retribution or victimisation, lack of evidence, and lengthy court trials.

    I am a political scientist with a focus on Kenya’s security sector. It is my view that the quest to change police behaviour in Kenya must go beyond the rule book, recriminations and repeated political proclamations of police reform.

    In my view real change will come about only if the state, firstly, puts funds into the recurrent and development expenditures of the police. The aim should be to ensure these institutions are able to enforce compliance and accountability. Secondly, the state needs to strengthen its partnership with local-level civil society organisations affected by policy brutality. And lastly, it must set up digital channels that people can confidently use to lodge their complaints.

    Funding gaps

    The National Police Service is underfunded. This has constrained its ability to maintain law and order. It has:

    • inadequate and poorly maintained equipment and gear

    • insufficient monthly fuel allocations for patrols and other critical functions

    • poor training and operational physical facilities.

    Added to these constraints are dehumanising working conditions and deplorable living conditions. This undermines their morale and ability to deliver quality services.

    Another blow to police morale is the entrenched culture of corruption. Corrupt practices skew recruitment, transfers, deployments, promotions and procurement.

    At the same time, the police service is expected to deal with a host of domestic and global security challenges. These include cybercrimes, cross-border security, violent extremism and terrorism.

    Money needs to be allocated to improve facilities, equipment and gear. This should also enhance its logistical and technological capabilities, and provide affordable and decent housing and medical cover for its officers.

    Providing adequate resources can also counter the culture of corruption, which is often driven by poor renumeration and working conditions.

    Budget allocations should sustain police reforms. This should include:

    Partnerships with communities

    Community policing in Kenya makes a significant contribution to local-level security. This form of policing is citizen-centred with an emphasis on addressing crime risk factors by encouraging citizen participation.

    Also known by its Kiswahili name, Nyumba Kumi, meaning “Ten Households”, the key strategy is anchoring community policing at the household level. Despite several problems associated with formulation and implementation, community policing in Kenya has improved local-level police-community relations in some areas of the country.

    The community policing strategy is aimed at addressing emerging security needs such as infiltration by terrorist groups. It serves the whole of Kenya in terms of local-level security and is viewed as one of the key areas of police reform and a shift to democratic policing.

    Community involvement can address the lack of trust between citizens and police officers due to police bias or brutality. But this is a gradual process that happens through daily interactions between communities and the police.

    Public participation channels

    Public participation is enshrined in Kenya’s constitution as one of the principles and values of good governance. By establishing a complaints and redress mechanism, public participation can become an integral component of promoting effective handling of complaints.

    The constitution has created different institutions to address public complaints. These include the Commission on Administrative Justice (Office of the Ombudsman), Kenya National Commission on Human Rights, and the Independent Police Oversight Authority. Some of these have digital public complaints systems, which provide more confidentiality and better access for people.

    Other channels of handling complaints include civil society actors and the media. Civil society organisations provide civic education and mobilise citizens to take part in monitoring and evaluation government’s performance.

    Making these channels more effective could help absorb public anger that could turn into violence.

    Conclusion

    Police brutality in Kenya has arisen through historical, social, economic and political factors. Mitigating it therefore requires a long-term, combined top-down and bottom-up approach.

    Genuine political support from the country’s political leaders is essential to instil positive attitudes about Kenya’s political and security institutions. It also requires genuine support from local-level or grassroots communities. This, in turn, entails communities trusting each other and building social cohesion.

    Oscar Gakuo Mwangi 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.

    – ref. Kenya police brutality – it will take more than laws and public anger to change behaviour – https://theconversation.com/kenya-police-brutality-it-will-take-more-than-laws-and-public-anger-to-change-behaviour-259327

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: National Football League (NFL) Hosts Women’s Flag Football Coaching Clinic in Egypt

    Source: Africa Press Organisation – English (2) – Report:

    Download logo

    The National Football League (www.NFL.com) hosted a women’s flag football coach education clinic in Cairo, Egypt as part of an ongoing strategy to accelerate the development and growth of the game across Africa.

    36 participants from Egypt, Nigeria and Morocco received both classroom and on-field learning, as the clinic looked to improve the skills of new and experienced coaches – helping to promote and enable further long-term flag football engagement and participation on the continent.

    Expert coaches delivering the sessions included:

    • Ameena Soliman – Philadelphia Eagles’ Director of Football Operations and Pro Scout
    • Afia Law – NFL Flag international development lead
    • Elisa De Santis – French national flag team captain and IFAF and NFL Global Flag Ambassador
    • Kris Durham – Head of Development at the NFL Academy Europe-Africa
    • Jordan Mabin – Football Development Manager at the NFL and former NFL player

    Fast-paced and accessible for all, flag football is spearheading extraordinary participation growth worldwide with more than 20 million players in 100 countries and women and girls driving some of the largest growth in participation.

    The women’s flag football coach education clinic in Cairo follows one held in Ghana in April 2025, which saw 50 coaches and officials from Cameroon, Egypt, Ghana, Ivory Coast, Kenya, Morocco, Nigeria, South Africa, Tunisia, and Uganda attend the event as football development efforts continue to focus on engaging and upskilling more flag football coaches across the region.

    The NFL also hosted a series of wraparound activities in Cairo including:

    Led by two-time Super Bowl Champion and NFL Africa Lead Osi Umenyiora, the NFL hosted a football talent identification event with prospects from 5 different African countries, including Egypt, Nigeria, Cameroon, Kenya and South Africa. Athletes showcased their skills and abilities with the potential to advance to the NFL Academy Europe-Africa program in Loughborough, U.K. or the International Player Pathway (IPP) program — two core pillars of the NFL’s global football development initiatives.

    In collaboration with the International Federation of American Football (IFAF) and the Egyptian Federation of American Football (EFAF), U13 teams of boys and girls from Africa competed in an NFL Flag Continental Championship. The tournament saw Egypt claim the title to become the first ever African youth continental champions.

    Earlier in the week, 11 teams from eight nations, spanning the African continent, participated in Africa Flag – the first of IFAF’s continental championships series for 2025, with Nigeria crowned champions across both the men’s and women’s event. The tournament is the starting point for what will be the biggest and most important competition cycle in flag football history, culminating in the Olympic Games LA28.

    – on behalf of National Football League (NFL).

    Multimedia links: 
    Youth flag tournament – This is the one Egypt won – https://apo-opa.co/44ff9Ul
    Talent ID and Women’s coaching clinic – https://apo-opa.co/4ehf3A5

    For more information on IFAF:
    Visit: www.AmericanFootball.sport

    For more information on NFL Flag, the official flag football program of the NFL:
    Visit www.NFLFlag.com

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: Breaking New Ground: SLB Field Engineer Oluchi Nwagboso’s Journey in Energy and Innovation

    Source: Africa Press Organisation – English (2) – Report:

    Oluchi Nwagboso, a Field Engineer at SLB, is part of a new generation of talent driving innovation and sustainability in Africa’s energy sector, her story is one of curiosity, determination and a deep commitment to making a lasting impact both on the field and in the lives of others.  

    Oluchi’s passion for energy was sparked at a young age. “It began with a high school project powering a lightbulb with a battery,” she recalls. That simple experiment ignited a desire to understand how the world is powered, setting her on the path to engineering. As she advanced in her studies, Oluchi became increasingly aware of the energy challenges faced by communities across Africa, which inspired her to join the sector with the goal of contributing to a future where energy is reliable, sustainable and affordable for all. 

    In her role at SLB, Oluchi has worked on a range of impactful projects that have shaped both her technical expertise and sense of purpose. A standout achievement was introducing a new drilling fluids technology – the Rheoprofiler 200 – to SLB’s clients in Namibia. As the first engineer, and notably the first female engineer, to represent SLB in Namibia since it launched operations there in 2022, Oluchi played a pivotal role in demonstrating how innovation can drive efficiency, reduce waste and support responsible energy development. 

    Beyond the technical arena, Oluchi has dedicated herself to mentoring young minds. While still a student, she tutored and guided 15 high school students initially in South Africa, and more recently in Namibia, encouraging especially young women to explore science and engineering. “Impact isn’t only measured in technical achievements – it’s also in the lives we uplift and the futures we help shape,” she says. 

    Oluchi credits SLB’s culture of continuous learning and support for helping her grow from a trainee to a confident field engineer. Through technical schools in the UAE and the U.S., day-to-day mentorship and hands-on experience, she has developed the skills needed to thrive in high-stakes environments. This growth aligns closely with her long-term goal: contributing to the development of a sustainable energy sector in Namibia that fuels economic growth and provides access for all. 

    A defining moment in her career came during her first offshore rotation as a field engineer. Faced with logistical inefficiencies, Oluchi proposed and implemented a new delivery schedule for essential components, improving both timelines and costs. The experience reinforced her belief in taking initiative, advocating for change, and trusting her judgment – even early in her career. 

    To young women aspiring to enter the energy industry, Oluchi offers this advice: “Embrace and own your personal narrative. Your background, experiences and unique perspective are what make you stand out. Be confident, stay curious and never stop learning. The energy industry needs more voices like yours – bold, authentic and driven to make a difference.” 

    Oluchi’s journey is a testament to the power of curiosity, resilience, and the support of an empowering environment and learning communities. Her achievements reflect the impact that driven individuals can make when given the opportunity to grow and lead. While her story is uniquely her own, it resonates with the broader vision shared by many across the continent, including networks like the African Energy Chamber’s AWBEN, that believes in empowering women to innovate, lead, and shape Africa’s energy future. By celebrating stories like Oluchi’s, we highlight the importance of creating inclusive spaces where talent, regardless of background, can thrive and drive meaningful change. 

    – on behalf of African Energy Chamber.

    Media files

    Download logo

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: Kenya police brutality – it will take more than laws and public anger to change behaviour

    Source: The Conversation – Africa – By Oscar Gakuo Mwangi, Adjunct Associate Professor, Departnent of Social Sciences, Pwani University

    Kenya has once again been reminded of brutality within its police force. Two events in mid-June 2025 pointed to the grave challenge that Kenya must confront to reform the service.

    The first was the death in police custody of a teacher and blogger. A few days later a bystander at the scene of a protest in Nairobi was shot and severely injured by police.

    The use of excessive force to disperse and arrest peaceful demonstrators has got worse since the nationwide protests by young Kenyans in June 2024. Police have also been behind disappearances and extrajudicial killings.

    Excesses by the National Police Service have prompted action in the past. Repressive laws have been repealed and mechanisms are in place to identify, report and punish police excesses.

    Wide-ranging policing reforms mandated by the 2010 constitution have also been carried out since 2013. As part of these reforms, the Independent Police Oversight Authority was set up to investigate police wrong-doing. The conviction and dismissal rates are low, however, because of defective prosecutions, poor investigations, witnesses fearing retribution or victimisation, lack of evidence, and lengthy court trials.

    I am a political scientist with a focus on Kenya’s security sector. It is my view that the quest to change police behaviour in Kenya must go beyond the rule book, recriminations and repeated political proclamations of police reform.

    In my view real change will come about only if the state, firstly, puts funds into the recurrent and development expenditures of the police. The aim should be to ensure these institutions are able to enforce compliance and accountability. Secondly, the state needs to strengthen its partnership with local-level civil society organisations affected by policy brutality. And lastly, it must set up digital channels that people can confidently use to lodge their complaints.

    Funding gaps

    The National Police Service is underfunded. This has constrained its ability to maintain law and order. It has:

    • inadequate and poorly maintained equipment and gear

    • insufficient monthly fuel allocations for patrols and other critical functions

    • poor training and operational physical facilities.

    Added to these constraints are dehumanising working conditions and deplorable living conditions. This undermines their morale and ability to deliver quality services.

    Another blow to police morale is the entrenched culture of corruption. Corrupt practices skew recruitment, transfers, deployments, promotions and procurement.

    At the same time, the police service is expected to deal with a host of domestic and global security challenges. These include cybercrimes, cross-border security, violent extremism and terrorism.

    Money needs to be allocated to improve facilities, equipment and gear. This should also enhance its logistical and technological capabilities, and provide affordable and decent housing and medical cover for its officers.

    Providing adequate resources can also counter the culture of corruption, which is often driven by poor renumeration and working conditions.

    Budget allocations should sustain police reforms. This should include:

    Partnerships with communities

    Community policing in Kenya makes a significant contribution to local-level security. This form of policing is citizen-centred with an emphasis on addressing crime risk factors by encouraging citizen participation.

    Also known by its Kiswahili name, Nyumba Kumi, meaning “Ten Households”, the key strategy is anchoring community policing at the household level. Despite several problems associated with formulation and implementation, community policing in Kenya has improved local-level police-community relations in some areas of the country.

    The community policing strategy is aimed at addressing emerging security needs such as infiltration by terrorist groups. It serves the whole of Kenya in terms of local-level security and is viewed as one of the key areas of police reform and a shift to democratic policing.

    Community involvement can address the lack of trust between citizens and police officers due to police bias or brutality. But this is a gradual process that happens through daily interactions between communities and the police.

    Public participation channels

    Public participation is enshrined in Kenya’s constitution as one of the principles and values of good governance. By establishing a complaints and redress mechanism, public participation can become an integral component of promoting effective handling of complaints.

    The constitution has created different institutions to address public complaints. These include the Commission on Administrative Justice (Office of the Ombudsman), Kenya National Commission on Human Rights, and the Independent Police Oversight Authority. Some of these have digital public complaints systems, which provide more confidentiality and better access for people.

    Other channels of handling complaints include civil society actors and the media. Civil society organisations provide civic education and mobilise citizens to take part in monitoring and evaluation government’s performance.

    Making these channels more effective could help absorb public anger that could turn into violence.

    Conclusion

    Police brutality in Kenya has arisen through historical, social, economic and political factors. Mitigating it therefore requires a long-term, combined top-down and bottom-up approach.

    Genuine political support from the country’s political leaders is essential to instil positive attitudes about Kenya’s political and security institutions. It also requires genuine support from local-level or grassroots communities. This, in turn, entails communities trusting each other and building social cohesion.

    – Kenya police brutality – it will take more than laws and public anger to change behaviour
    – https://theconversation.com/kenya-police-brutality-it-will-take-more-than-laws-and-public-anger-to-change-behaviour-259327

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