Category: Africa

MIL-OSI: BW Energy: 2025 Annual General Meeting – Notice
Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

2025 Annual General Meeting – Notice

Notice is hereby given that the 2025 Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the Members of BW Energy Limited will be held at 18 Rebecca Road, Southampton, SN04, Bermuda, on 26 May 2025 at 09:30 a.m. (Bermuda time).

Please see the attached documents in relation to the Annual General Meeting:
1. Notice of the 2025 AGM
1. Form of Proxy
1. Chairman’s Letter
1. Recommendation from the Nomination Committee
For further information, please contact:

Brice Morlot, CFO BW Energy

+33.7.81.11.41.16

ir@bwenergy.com

About BW Energy: 

BW Energy is a growth E&P company with a differentiated strategy targeting proven offshore oil and gas reservoirs through low risk phased developments. The Company has access to existing production facilities to reduce time to first oil and cashflow with lower investments than traditional offshore developments. The Company’s assets are 73.5% of the producing Dussafu Marine licence offshore Gabon, 100% interest in the Golfinho and Camarupim fields, a 76.5% interest in the BM-ES-23 block, a 95% interest in the Maromba field in Brazil, a 95% interest in the Kudu field in Namibia, all operated by BW Energy. In addition, BW Energy holds approximately 6.6% of the common shares in Reconnaissance Energy Africa Ltd. and a 20% non-operating interest in the onshore Petroleum Exploration License 73 (“PEL 73”) in Namibia. Total net 2P+2C reserves and resources were 599 million barrels of oil equivalent at the start of 2025.  

This information is published in accordance with the disclosure requirements in Regulation EU 596/2014 (MAR) article 19, section 5-12 of the Norwegian Securities Trading Act, and the Oslo Rule Book II, as well as in accordance with Section 4-2 of the Norwegian Securities Trading Act.

Attachments

The MIL Network –
May 2, 2025

MIL-OSI: Shell Plc 1st Quarter 2025 Unaudited Results

Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

SHELL PLC
1st QUARTER 2025 UNAUDITED RESULTS



SUMMARY OF UNAUDITED RESULTS
Quarters				$ million
Q1 2025	Q4 2024	Q1 2024	%¹		Reference
4,780	928	7,358	+415	Income/(loss) attributable to Shell plc shareholders
5,577	3,661	7,734	+52	Adjusted Earnings	A
15,250	14,281	18,711	+7	Adjusted EBITDA	A
9,281	13,162	13,330	-29	Cash flow from operating activities
(3,959)	(4,431)	(3,528)		Cash flow from investing activities
5,322	8,731	9,802		Free cash flow	G
4,175	6,924	4,493		Cash capital expenditure	C
8,575	9,401	8,997	-9	Operating expenses	F
8,453	9,138	9,054	-7	Underlying operating expenses	F
10.4%	11.3%	12.0%		ROACE	D
76,511	77,078	79,931		Total debt	E
41,521	38,809	40,513		Net debt	E
18.7%	17.7%	17.7%		Gearing	E
2,838	2,815	2,911	+1	Oil and gas production available for sale (thousand boe/d)
0.79	0.15	1.14	+427	Basic earnings per share ($)
0.92	0.60	1.20	+53	Adjusted Earnings per share ($)	B
0.3580	0.3580	0.3440	—	Dividend per share ($)

1.Q1 on Q4 change

Quarter Analysis1

Income attributable to Shell plc shareholders, compared with the fourth quarter 2024, reflected lower exploration well write-offs, lower operating expenses and higher Products margins.

First quarter 2025 income attributable to Shell plc shareholders also included a charge of $0.5 billion related to the UK Energy Profits Levy and impairment charges. These items are included in identified items amounting to a net loss of $0.8 billion in the quarter. This compares with identified items in the fourth quarter 2024 which amounted to a net loss of $2.8 billion.

Adjusted Earnings and Adjusted EBITDA2 were driven by the same factors as income attributable to Shell plc shareholders and adjusted for the above identified items.

Cash flow from operating activities for the first quarter 2025 was $9.3 billion and primarily driven by Adjusted EBITDA, partly offset by tax payments of $2.9 billion and working capital outflows of $2.7 billion. The working capital outflows mainly reflected accounts receivable and payable movements.

Cash flow from investing activities for the first quarter 2025 was an outflow of $4.0 billion, and included cash capital expenditure of $4.2 billion, and net other investing cash outflows of $0.9 billion which included the drawdowns on loan facilities provided at completion of the sale of The Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria Limited (SPDC) in Nigeria, partly offset by divestment proceeds of $0.6 billion.

Net debt and Gearing: At the end of the first quarter 2025, net debt was $41.5 billion, compared with $38.8 billion at the end of the fourth quarter 2024. This reflects free cash flow of $5.3 billion, which included working capital outflows of $2.7 billion, more than offset by share buybacks of $3.3 billion, cash dividends paid to Shell plc shareholders of $2.2 billion, lease additions of $1.3 billion including those related to the Pavilion Energy Pte. Ltd. acquisition and interest payments of $0.8 billion. Gearing was 18.7% at the end of the first quarter 2025, compared with 17.7% at the end of the fourth quarter 2024, mainly driven by higher net debt.

SHELL PLC
1st QUARTER 2025 UNAUDITED RESULTS

Shareholder distributions

Total shareholder distributions in the quarter amounted to $5.5 billion comprising repurchases of shares of $3.3 billion and cash dividends paid to Shell plc shareholders of $2.2 billion. Dividends declared to Shell plc shareholders for the first quarter 2025 amount to $0.3580 per share. Shell has now completed $3.5 billion of share buybacks announced in the fourth quarter 2024 results announcement. Today, Shell announces a share buyback programme of $3.5 billion which is expected to be completed by the second quarter 2025 results announcement.

This Unaudited Condensed Interim Financial Report, together with supplementary financial and operational disclosure for this quarter, is available at www.shell.com/investors 3.

1.All earnings amounts are shown post-tax, unless stated otherwise.

2.Adjusted EBITDA is without interest, taxation, exploration well write-offs and depreciation, depletion and amortisation (DD&A) expenses.

3.Not incorporated by reference.

PORTFOLIO DEVELOPMENTS

Integrated Gas

In March 2025, we completed the previously announced acquisition of 100% of the shares in Pavilion Energy Pte. Ltd. (Pavilion Energy). Pavilion Energy, headquartered in Singapore, operates a global LNG trading business with contracted supply volume of approximately 6.5 million tonnes per annum (mtpa).

Upstream

In January 2025, we announced the start of production at the Shell-operated Whale floating production facility in the Gulf of America. The Whale development is owned by Shell (60%, operator) and Chevron U.S.A. Inc. (40%).

In February 2025, we announced production restart at the Penguins field in the UK North Sea with a modern floating, production, storage and offloading (FPSO) facility (Shell 50%, operator; NEO Energy 50%). The previous export route for this field was via the Brent Charlie platform, which ceased production in 2021 and is being decommissioned.

In February 2025, we signed an agreement to acquire a 15.96% working interest from ConocoPhillips Company in the Shell-operated Ursa platform in the Gulf of America. The transaction completed on May 1, 2025 which increases Shell’s working interest in the Ursa platform from 45.3884% to 61.3484%.

In March 2025, we completed the sale of SPDC to Renaissance, as announced in January 2024.

In March 2025, we announced the Final Investment Decision (FID) for Gato do Mato, a deep-water project in the pre-salt area of the Santos Basin, offshore Brazil. The Gato do Mato Consortium includes Shell (operator, 50%), Ecopetrol (30%), TotalEnergies (20%) and Pré-Sal Petróleo S.A. (PPSA) acting as the manager of the production sharing contract (PSC).

Chemicals and Products

In January 2025, CNOOC and Shell Petrochemicals Company Limited (CSPC), a 50:50 joint venture between Shell and CNOOC Petrochemicals Investment Ltd, took an FID to expand its petrochemical complex in Daya Bay, Huizhou, south China.

In April 2025, we completed the previously announced sale of our Energy and Chemicals Park in Singapore to CAPGC Pte. Ltd. (CAPGC), a joint venture between Chandra Asri Capital Pte. Ltd. and Glencore Asian Holdings Pte. Ltd.

In April 2025, we agreed to sell our 16.125% interest in Colonial Enterprises, Inc. (“Colonial”) to Colossus AcquireCo LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Brookfield Infrastructure Partners L.P. and its institutional partners (collectively, “Brookfield”), for $1.45 billion. The transaction is subject to regulatory approvals and is expected to close in the fourth quarter of 2025.

Renewables and Energy Solutions

In January 2025, we completed the previously announced acquisition of a 100% equity stake in RISEC Holdings, LLC, which owns a 609-megawatt (MW) two-unit combined-cycle gas turbine power plant in Rhode Island, USA.

Page 2

SHELL PLC
1st QUARTER 2025 UNAUDITED RESULTS

PERFORMANCE BY SEGMENT



INTEGRATED GAS
Quarters				$ million
Q1 2025	Q4 2024	Q1 2024	%¹		Reference
2,789	1,744	2,761	+60	Income/(loss) for the period
306	(421)	(919)		Of which: Identified items	A
2,483	2,165	3,680	+15	Adjusted Earnings	A
4,735	4,568	6,136	+4	Adjusted EBITDA	A
3,463	4,391	4,712	-21	Cash flow from operating activities	A
1,116	1,337	1,041		Cash capital expenditure	C
126	116	137	+9	Liquids production available for sale (thousand b/d)
4,644	4,574	4,954	+2	Natural gas production available for sale (million scf/d)
927	905	992	+2	Total production available for sale (thousand boe/d)
6.60	7.06	7.58	-6	LNG liquefaction volumes (million tonnes)
16.49	15.50	16.87	+6	LNG sales volumes (million tonnes)

1.Q1 on Q4 change

Integrated Gas includes liquefied natural gas (LNG), conversion of natural gas into gas-to-liquids (GTL) fuels and other products. It includes natural gas and liquids exploration and extraction, and the operation of the upstream and midstream infrastructure necessary to deliver these to market. Integrated Gas also includes the marketing, trading and optimisation of LNG.

Quarter Analysis1

Income/(loss) for the period was driven by the same factors as Adjusted Earnings and includes identified items.

Adjusted Earnings, compared with the fourth quarter 2024, reflected lower exploration well write-offs ($277 million), partly offset by lower LNG liquefaction volumes (decrease of $68 million). The net effect of contributions from trading and optimisation and realised prices was in line with the fourth quarter 2024 despite higher unfavourable (non-cash) impact of expiring hedging contracts.

Identified items in the first quarter 2025 included favourable movements of $362 million due to the fair value accounting of commodity derivatives, that as part of Shell’s normal business are entered into as hedges for mitigation of economic exposures on future purchases, sales and inventory. These favourable movements compare with the fourth quarter 2024 which included impairment charges of $339 million and a loss of $96 million related to sale of assets, partly offset by favourable movements of $109 million due to the fair value accounting of commodity derivatives.

Adjusted EBITDA2 was driven by the same factors as Adjusted Earnings.

Cash flow from operating activities for the quarter was primarily driven by Adjusted EBITDA, and net cash inflows related to derivatives of $542 million, partly offset by tax payments of $773 million and working capital outflows of $687 million.

Total oil and gas production, compared with the fourth quarter 2024, increased by 2% mainly due to lower planned maintenance in Pearl GTL (Qatar), partly offset by unplanned maintenance and weather constraints in Australia. LNG liquefaction volumes decreased by 6% mainly due to unplanned maintenance and weather constraints in Australia.

1.All earnings amounts are shown post-tax, unless stated otherwise.

2.Adjusted EBITDA is without interest, taxation, exploration well write-offs and DD&A expenses.

Page 3

SHELL PLC
1st QUARTER 2025 UNAUDITED RESULTS



UPSTREAM
Quarters				$ million
Q1 2025	Q4 2024	Q1 2024	%¹		Reference
2,080	1,031	2,272	+102	Income/(loss) for the period
(257)	(651)	339		Of which: Identified items	A
2,337	1,682	1,933	+39	Adjusted Earnings	A
7,387	7,676	7,888	-4	Adjusted EBITDA	A
3,945	4,509	5,727	-13	Cash flow from operating activities	A
1,923	2,076	2,010		Cash capital expenditure	C
1,335	1,332	1,331	—	Liquids production available for sale (thousand b/d)
3,020	3,056	3,136	-1	Natural gas production available for sale (million scf/d)
1,855	1,859	1,872	—	Total production available for sale (thousand boe/d)

1.Q1 on Q4 change

The Upstream segment includes exploration and extraction of crude oil, natural gas and natural gas liquids. It also markets and transports oil and gas, and operates the infrastructure necessary to deliver them to the market.

Quarter Analysis1

Income/(loss) for the period was driven by the same factors as Adjusted Earnings and includes identified items.

Adjusted Earnings, compared with the fourth quarter 2024, reflected lower exploration well write-offs ($346 million), lower depreciation, depletion and amortisation expenses (decrease of $330 million), lower operating expenses ($194 million) and comparative favourable tax movements ($179 million), partly offset by lower volumes (decrease of $359 million).

Identified items in the first quarter 2025 included a charge of $509 million related to the UK Energy Profits Levy, partly offset by gains of $159 million from disposal of assets and gains of $95 million related to the impact of the strengthening Brazilian real on a deferred tax position. These charges and favourable movements compare with the fourth quarter 2024 which included a loss of $161 million related to the impact of the weakening Brazilian real on a deferred tax position, and impairment charges of $152 million.

Adjusted EBITDA2 was driven by the same factors as Adjusted Earnings.

Cash flow from operating activities for the first quarter 2025 was primarily driven by Adjusted EBITDA, partly offset by tax payments of $1,999 million and working capital outflows of $913 million.

Total production, compared with the fourth quarter 2024, decreased mainly due to the SPDC divestment, largely offset by new oil production.

1.All earnings amounts are shown post-tax, unless stated otherwise.

2.Adjusted EBITDA is without interest, taxation, exploration well write-offs and DD&A expenses.

Page 4

SHELL PLC
1st QUARTER 2025 UNAUDITED RESULTS



MARKETING
Quarters				$ million
Q1 2025	Q4 2024	Q1 2024	%¹		Reference
814	103	896	+688	Income/(loss) for the period
(49)	(736)	(7)		Of which: Identified items	A
900	839	781	+7	Adjusted Earnings	A
1,869	1,709	1,686	+9	Adjusted EBITDA	A
1,907	1,363	1,319	+40	Cash flow from operating activities	A
256	811	465		Cash capital expenditure	C
2,674	2,795	2,763	-4	Marketing sales volumes (thousand b/d)

1.Q1 on Q4 change

The Marketing segment comprises the Mobility, Lubricants, and Sectors and Decarbonisation businesses. The Mobility business operates Shell’s retail network including electric vehicle charging services and the Wholesale commercial fuels business which provides fuels for transport, industry and heating. The Lubricants business produces, markets and sells lubricants for road transport, and machinery used in manufacturing, mining, power generation, agriculture and construction. The Sectors and Decarbonisation business sells fuels, speciality products and services including low-carbon energy solutions to a broad range of commercial customers including the aviation, marine, and agricultural sectors.

Quarter Analysis1

Income/(loss) for the period was driven by the same factors as Adjusted Earnings and includes identified items.

Adjusted Earnings, compared with the fourth quarter 2024, reflected lower operating expenses (decrease of $69 million), and higher Marketing margins (increase of $54 million) mainly due to higher Lubricants unit margins and seasonal impact of higher volumes partly offset by lower Mobility margins due to seasonal impact of lower volumes and lower Sectors and Decarbonisation margins. These net gains were partly offset by unfavourable tax movements ($109 million).

Identified items in the first quarter 2025 included net losses of $61 million related to sale of assets. These losses compare with the fourth quarter 2024 which included impairment charges of $458 million, and net losses of $247 million related to sale of assets.

Adjusted EBITDA2 was driven by the same factors as Adjusted Earnings.

Cash flow from operating activities for the first quarter 2025 was primarily driven by Adjusted EBITDA, inflows relating to the timing impact of payments related to emission certificates and biofuel programmes of $540 million, and dividends (net of profits) from joint ventures and associates of $203 million. These inflows were partly offset by working capital outflows of $344 million and tax payments of $174 million.

Marketing sales volumes (comprising hydrocarbon sales), compared with the fourth quarter 2024, decreased mainly due to seasonality.

1.All earnings amounts are shown post-tax, unless stated otherwise.

2.Adjusted EBITDA is without interest, taxation, exploration well write-offs and DD&A expenses.

Page 5

SHELL PLC
1st QUARTER 2025 UNAUDITED RESULTS



CHEMICALS AND PRODUCTS
Quarters				$ million
Q1 2025	Q4 2024	Q1 2024	%¹		Reference
(77)	(276)	1,311	+72	Income/(loss) for the period
(581)	(99)	(458)		Of which: Identified items	A
449	(229)	1,615	+296	Adjusted Earnings	A
1,410	475	2,826	+197	Adjusted EBITDA	A
130	2,032	(349)	-94	Cash flow from operating activities	A
458	1,392	500		Cash capital expenditure	C
1,362	1,215	1,430	+12	Refinery processing intake (thousand b/d)
2,813	2,926	2,883	-4	Chemicals sales volumes (thousand tonnes)

1.Q1 on Q4 change

The Chemicals and Products segment includes chemicals manufacturing plants with their own marketing network, and refineries which turn crude oil and other feedstocks into a range of oil products which are moved and marketed around the world for domestic, industrial and transport use. The segment also includes the pipeline business, trading and optimisation of crude oil, oil products and petrochemicals, and Oil Sands activities (the extraction of bitumen from mined oil sands and its conversion into synthetic crude oil).

Quarter Analysis1

Income/(loss) for the period was driven by the same factors as Adjusted Earnings and includes identified items.

Adjusted Earnings, compared with the fourth quarter 2024, reflected higher Products margins (increase of $546 million) mainly driven by higher margins from trading and optimisation and higher refining margins. Adjusted Earnings also reflected higher Chemicals margins (increase of $115 million). In addition, the first quarter 2025 reflected lower operating expenses (decrease of $134 million). These net gains were partly offset by comparative unfavourable tax movements ($96 million).

In the first quarter 2025, Chemicals had negative Adjusted Earnings of $137 million and Products had positive Adjusted Earnings of $586 million.

Identified items in the first quarter 2025 included impairment charges of $277 million, and unfavourable movements of $202 million due to the fair value accounting of commodity derivatives, that as part of Shell’s normal business are entered into as hedges for mitigation of economic exposures on future purchases, sales and inventory. These charges and unfavourable movements compare with the fourth quarter 2024 which included impairment charges of $224 million, partly offset by favourable deferred tax movements of $114 million..

Adjusted EBITDA2 was driven by the same factors as Adjusted Earnings.

Cash flow from operating activities for the first quarter 2025 was primarily driven by Adjusted EBITDA, and inflows relating to the timing impact of payments relating to emission certificates and biofuel programmes of $125 million. These inflows were partly offset by working capital outflows of $1,081 million, and net cash outflows relating to commodity derivatives of $508 million.

Chemicals manufacturing plant utilisation was 81% compared with 75% in the fourth quarter 2024, mainly due to lower planned and unplanned maintenance.

Refinery utilisation was 85% compared with 76% in the fourth quarter 2024, mainly due to lower planned maintenance.

1.All earnings amounts are shown post-tax, unless stated otherwise.

2.Adjusted EBITDA is without interest, taxation, exploration well write-offs and DD&A expenses.

Page 6

SHELL PLC
1st QUARTER 2025 UNAUDITED RESULTS



RENEWABLES AND ENERGY SOLUTIONS
Quarters				$ million
Q1 2025	Q4 2024	Q1 2024	%¹		Reference
(247)	(1,226)	553	+80	Income/(loss) for the period
(205)	(914)	390		Of which: Identified items	A
(42)	(311)	163	+87	Adjusted Earnings	A
111	(123)	267	+190	Adjusted EBITDA	A
367	850	2,466	-57	Cash flow from operating activities	A
403	1,277	438		Cash capital expenditure	C
76	76	77	+1	External power sales (terawatt hours)2
184	165	190	+12	Sales of pipeline gas to end-use customers (terawatt hours)3

1.Q1 on Q4 change

2.Physical power sales to third parties; excluding financial trades and physical trade with brokers, investors, financial institutions, trading platforms, and wholesale traders.

3.Physical natural gas sales to third parties; excluding financial trades and physical trade with brokers, investors, financial institutions, trading platforms, and wholesale traders. Excluding sales of natural gas by other segments and LNG sales.

Renewables and Energy Solutions includes activities such as renewable power generation, the marketing and trading and optimisation of power and pipeline gas, as well as carbon credits, and digitally enabled customer solutions. It also includes the production and marketing of hydrogen, development of commercial carbon capture and storage hubs, investment in nature-based projects that avoid or reduce carbon emissions, and Shell Ventures, which invests in companies that work to accelerate the energy and mobility transformation.

Quarter Analysis1

Income/(loss) for the period was driven by the same factors as Adjusted Earnings and includes identified items.

Adjusted Earnings, compared with the fourth quarter 2024, reflected higher margins (increase of $99 million) mainly due to higher trading and optimisation in the Americas as a result of higher seasonal demand and volatility, lower operating expenses (decrease of $90 million) and comparative favourable tax movements ($89 million). Most Renewables and Energy Solutions activities were loss-making in the first quarter 2025, which was partly offset by positive Adjusted Earnings from trading and optimisation.

Identified items in the first quarter 2025 included a charge of $143 million related to the disposal of assets. These charges compare with the fourth quarter 2024 which included impairment charges of $996 million mainly relating to renewable generation assets in North America, partly offset by favourable movements of $50 million due to the fair value accounting of commodity derivatives, that as part of Shell’s normal business are entered into as hedges for mitigation of economic exposures on future purchases, sales and inventory.

Adjusted EBITDA2 was driven by the same factors as Adjusted Earnings.

Cash flow from operating activities for the first quarter 2025 was primarily driven by net cash inflows relating to working capital of $380 million and Adjusted EBITDA, partially offset by outflows related to derivatives of $169 million.

1.All earnings amounts are shown post-tax, unless stated otherwise.

2.Adjusted EBITDA is without interest, taxation, exploration well write-offs and DD&A expenses.

Additional Growth Measures


Quarters
Q1 2025	Q4 2024	Q1 2024	%¹
				Renewable power generation capacity (gigawatt):
3.5	3.4	3.2	+4	– In operation2
4.0	4.0	3.5	-1	– Under construction and/or committed for sale3

1.Q1 on Q4 change

2.Shell’s equity share of renewable generation capacity post commercial operation date. It excludes Shell’s equity share of associates where information cannot be obtained.

3.Shell’s equity share of renewable generation capacity under construction and/or committed for sale under long-term offtake agreements (PPA). It excludes Shell’s equity share of associates where information cannot be obtained.

Page 7

SHELL PLC
1st QUARTER 2025 UNAUDITED RESULTS



CORPORATE
Quarters			$ million
Q1 2025	Q4 2024	Q1 2024		Reference
(483)	(335)	(354)	Income/(loss) for the period
(26)	45	14	Of which: Identified items	A
(457)	(380)	(368)	Adjusted Earnings	A
(261)	(24)	(92)	Adjusted EBITDA	A
(531)	16	(545)	Cash flow from operating activities	A

The Corporate segment covers the non-operating activities supporting Shell. It comprises Shell’s holdings and treasury organisation, headquarters and central functions, self-insurance activities and centrally managed longer-term innovation portfolio. All finance expense, income and related taxes are included in Corporate Adjusted Earnings rather than in the earnings of business segments.

Quarter Analysis1

Income/(loss) for the period was driven by the same factors as Adjusted Earnings and includes identified items.

Adjusted Earnings, compared with the fourth quarter 2024, reflected unfavourable currency exchange rate effects, partly offset by lower operating expenses.

Adjusted EBITDA2 was driven by the same factors as Adjusted Earnings.

1.All earnings amounts are shown post-tax, unless stated otherwise.

2.Adjusted EBITDA is without interest, taxation, exploration well write-offs and DD&A expenses.

Page 8

SHELL PLC
1st QUARTER 2025 UNAUDITED RESULTS

OUTLOOK FOR THE SECOND QUARTER 2025

Full year 2024 cash capital expenditure was $21 billion. Our cash capital expenditure range for the full year 2025 is expected to be within $20 – $22 billion.

Integrated Gas production is expected to be approximately 890 – 950 thousand boe/d. LNG liquefaction volumes are expected to be approximately 6.3 – 6.9 million tonnes. Second quarter 2025 outlook reflects scheduled maintenance across the portfolio.

Upstream production is expected to be approximately 1,560 – 1,760 thousand boe/d. Production outlook reflects the SPDC divestment in March 2025 and the scheduled maintenance across the portfolio.

Marketing sales volumes are expected to be approximately 2,600 – 3,100 thousand b/d.

Refinery utilisation is expected to be approximately 87% – 95%. Chemicals manufacturing plant utilisation is expected to be approximately 74% – 82%. Second quarter 2025 utilisation outlook reflects the sale of the Energy and Chemicals Park in Singapore which was completed in April 2025.

Corporate Adjusted Earnings1 were a net expense of $457 million for the first quarter 2025. Corporate Adjusted Earnings are expected to be a net expense of approximately $400 – $600 million in the second quarter 2025.

1.For the definition of Adjusted Earnings and the most comparable GAAP measure see reference A.

FORTHCOMING EVENTS



Date			Event
May 20, 2025			Annual General Meeting
July 31, 2025			Second quarter 2025 results and dividends
October 30, 2025			Third quarter 2025 results and dividends

Page 9

SHELL PLC
1st QUARTER 2025 UNAUDITED RESULTS

UNAUDITED CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED INTERIM FINANCIAL STATEMENTS



CONSOLIDATED STATEMENT OF INCOME
Quarters			$ million
Q1 2025	Q4 2024	Q1 2024
69,234	66,281	72,478	Revenue1
615	(156)	1,318	Share of profit/(loss) of joint ventures and associates
302	683	907	Interest and other income/(expenses)2
70,152	66,807	74,703	Total revenue and other income/(expenses)
45,849	43,610	46,867	Purchases
5,549	5,839	5,810	Production and manufacturing expenses
2,840	3,231	2,975	Selling, distribution and administrative expenses
185	331	212	Research and development
210	861	750	Exploration
5,441	7,520	5,881	Depreciation, depletion and amortisation2
1,120	1,213	1,164	Interest expense
61,194	62,605	63,659	Total expenditure
8,959	4,205	11,044	Income/(loss) before taxation
4,083	3,164	3,604	Taxation charge/(credit)2
4,875	1,041	7,439	Income/(loss) for the period
95	113	82	Income/(loss) attributable to non-controlling interest
4,780	928	7,358	Income/(loss) attributable to Shell plc shareholders
0.79	0.15	1.14	Basic earnings per share ($)3
0.79	0.15	1.13	Diluted earnings per share ($)3

1.See Note 2 “Segment information”.

2.See Note 7 “Other notes to the unaudited Condensed Consolidated Interim Financial Statements”.

3.See Note 3 “Earnings per share”.



CONSOLIDATED STATEMENT OF COMPREHENSIVE INCOME
Quarters			$ million
Q1 2025	Q4 2024	Q1 2024
4,875	1,041	7,439	Income/(loss) for the period
			Other comprehensive income/(loss) net of tax:
			Items that may be reclassified to income in later periods:
1,711	(4,899)	(1,995)	– Currency translation differences1
6	(11)	(6)	– Debt instruments remeasurements
(25)	224	53	– Cash flow hedging gains/(losses)
(42)	(50)	(14)	– Deferred cost of hedging
74	(91)	(12)	– Share of other comprehensive income/(loss) of joint ventures and associates
1,723	(4,827)	(1,974)	Total
			Items that are not reclassified to income in later periods:
306	239	439	– Retirement benefits remeasurements
(16)	(50)	78	– Equity instruments remeasurements
(36)	46	10	– Share of other comprehensive income/(loss) of joint ventures and associates
254	235	528	Total
1,977	(4,592)	(1,445)	Other comprehensive income/(loss) for the period
6,852	(3,552)	5,994	Comprehensive income/(loss) for the period
105	50	56	Comprehensive income/(loss) attributable to non-controlling interest
6,748	(3,602)	5,937	Comprehensive income/(loss) attributable to Shell plc shareholders

1.See Note 7 “Other notes to the unaudited Condensed Consolidated Interim Financial Statements”.

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SHELL PLC
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CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEET
$ million
	March 31, 2025	December 31, 2024
Assets
Non-current assets
Goodwill	16,072	16,032
Other intangible assets1	11,365	9,480
Property, plant and equipment	183,712	185,219
Joint ventures and associates	24,236	23,445
Investments in securities	2,284	2,255
Deferred tax	6,989	6,857
Retirement benefits	10,266	10,003
Trade and other receivables	7,269	6,018
Derivative financial instruments²	400	374
	262,593	259,683
Current assets
Inventories	22,984	23,426
Trade and other receivables	48,247	45,860
Derivative financial instruments²	8,941	9,673
Cash and cash equivalents	35,601	39,110
	115,773	118,069
Assets classified as held for sale1	10,881	9,857
	126,654	127,926
Total assets	389,248	387,609
Liabilities
Non-current liabilities
Debt	65,120	65,448
Trade and other payables	5,487	3,290
Derivative financial instruments²	1,565	2,185
Deferred tax	13,257	13,505
Retirement benefits	6,756	6,752
Decommissioning and other provisions	20,313	21,227
	112,498	112,407
Current liabilities
Debt	11,391	11,630
Trade and other payables	60,870	60,693
Derivative financial instruments²	6,371	7,391
Income taxes payable	4,343	4,648
Decommissioning and other provisions	5,104	4,469
	88,079	88,831
Liabilities directly associated with assets classified as held for sale1	8,001	6,203
	96,080	95,034
Total liabilities	208,578	207,441
Equity attributable to Shell plc shareholders	178,813	178,307
Non-controlling interest	1,856	1,861
Total equity	180,670	180,168
Total liabilities and equity	389,248	387,609

1. See Note 7 “Other notes to the unaudited Condensed Consolidated Interim Financial Statements”.

2. See Note 6 “Derivative financial instruments and debt excluding lease liabilities”.

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CONSOLIDATED STATEMENT OF CHANGES IN EQUITY
	Equity attributable to Shell plc shareholders
$ million	Share capital1	Shares held in trust	Other reserves²	Retained earnings	Total	Non-controlling interest	Total equity
At January 1, 2025	510	(803)	19,766	158,834	178,307	1,861	180,168
Comprehensive income/(loss) for the period	—	—	1,967	4,780	6,748	105	6,852
Transfer from other comprehensive income	—	—	11	(11)	—	—	—
Dividends³	—	—	—	(2,179)	(2,179)	(86)	(2,265)
Repurchases of shares4	(8)	—	8	(3,513)	(3,513)	—	(3,513)
Share-based compensation	—	500	(663)	(405)	(567)	—	(567)
Other changes	—	—	—	23	22	(24)	(2)
At March 31, 2025	502	(304)	21,090	157,527	178,813	1,856	180,670
At January 1, 2024	544	(997)	21,145	165,915	186,607	1,755	188,362
Comprehensive income/(loss) for the period	—	—	(1,420)	7,358	5,937	56	5,994
Transfer from other comprehensive income	—	—	138	(138)	—	—	—
Dividends3	—	—	—	(2,210)	(2,210)	(68)	(2,278)
Repurchases of shares4	(7)	—	7	(3,502)	(3,502)	—	(3,502)
Share-based compensation	—	543	(426)	(392)	(275)	—	(275)
Other changes	—	—	—	8	8	(4)	4
At March 31, 2024	537	(455)	19,445	167,038	186,565	1,739	188,304

1. See Note 4 “Share capital”.

2. See Note 5 “Other reserves”.

3. The amount charged to retained earnings is based on prevailing exchange rates on payment date.

4. Includes shares committed to repurchase under an irrevocable contract and repurchases subject to settlement at the end of the quarter.

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CONSOLIDATED STATEMENT OF CASH FLOWS
Quarters			$ million
Q1 2025	Q4 2024	Q1 2024
8,959	4,205	11,044	Income before taxation for the period
			Adjustment for:
636	665	576	– Interest expense (net)
5,441	7,520	5,881	– Depreciation, depletion and amortisation1
28	649	554	– Exploration well write-offs
127	288	(10)	– Net (gains)/losses on sale and revaluation of non-current assets and businesses
(615)	156	(1,318)	– Share of (profit)/loss of joint ventures and associates
523	1,241	738	– Dividends received from joint ventures and associates
854	131	(608)	– (Increase)/decrease in inventories
(2,610)	751	(195)	– (Increase)/decrease in current receivables
(907)	1,524	(1,949)	– Increase/(decrease) in current payables
(244)	111	1,386	– Derivative financial instruments
(100)	(58)	(61)	– Retirement benefits
(480)	(256)	(600)	– Decommissioning and other provisions
570	(856)	509	– Other1
(2,900)	(2,910)	(2,616)	Tax paid
9,281	13,162	13,330	Cash flow from operating activities
(3,748)	(6,486)	(3,980)	Capital expenditure
(413)	(421)	(500)	Investments in joint ventures and associates
(15)	(17)	(13)	Investments in equity securities
(4,175)	(6,924)	(4,493)	Cash capital expenditure
559	493	323	Proceeds from sale of property, plant and equipment and businesses
33	305	133	Proceeds from joint ventures and associates from sale, capital reduction and repayment of long-term loans
5	6	569	Proceeds from sale of equity securities
508	581	577	Interest received
506	1,762	857	Other investing cash inflows
(1,394)	(655)	(1,494)	Other investing cash outflows1
(3,959)	(4,431)	(3,528)	Cash flow from investing activities
80	65	(107)	Net increase/(decrease) in debt with maturity period within three months
			Other debt:
139	(13)	167	– New borrowings
(2,514)	(2,664)	(1,532)	– Repayments
(846)	(1,379)	(911)	Interest paid
326	(833)	(297)	Derivative financial instruments
(25)	(10)	(4)	Change in non-controlling interest
			Cash dividends paid to:
(2,179)	(2,114)	(2,210)	– Shell plc shareholders
(86)	(53)	(68)	– Non-controlling interest
(3,311)	(3,579)	(2,824)	Repurchases of shares
(768)	(309)	(462)	Shares held in trust: net sales/(purchases) and dividends received
(9,183)	(10,889)	(8,248)	Cash flow from financing activities
353	(985)	(379)	Effects of exchange rate changes on cash and cash equivalents
(3,509)	(3,142)	1,175	Increase/(decrease) in cash and cash equivalents
39,110	42,252	38,774	Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period
35,601	39,110	39,949	Cash and cash equivalents at end of period

1.See Note 7 “Other notes to the unaudited Condensed Consolidated Interim Financial Statements”.

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NOTES TO THE UNAUDITED CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED INTERIM FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

1. Basis of preparation

These unaudited Condensed Consolidated Interim Financial Statements of Shell plc (“the Company”) and its subsidiaries (collectively referred to as “Shell”) have been prepared in accordance with IAS 34 Interim Financial Reporting as issued by the International Accounting Standards Board (“IASB”) and adopted by the UK, and on the basis of the same accounting principles as those used in the Company’s Annual Report and Accounts (pages 240 to 312) for the year ended December 31, 2024, as filed with the Registrar of Companies for England and Wales and as filed with the Autoriteit Financiële Markten (the Netherlands) and Form 20-F (pages 223 to 296) for the year ended December 31, 2024, as filed with the US Securities and Exchange Commission, and should be read in conjunction with these filings.

The financial information presented in the unaudited Condensed Consolidated Interim Financial Statements does not constitute statutory accounts within the meaning of section 434(3) of the Companies Act 2006 (“the Act”). Statutory accounts for the year ended December 31, 2024, were published in Shell’s Annual Report and Accounts, a copy of which was delivered to the Registrar of Companies for England and Wales. The auditor’s report on those accounts was unqualified, did not include a reference to any matters to which the auditor drew attention by way of emphasis without qualifying the report and did not contain a statement under sections 498(2) or 498(3) of the Act.

Key accounting considerations, significant judgements and estimates

Future commodity price assumptions and management’s view on the future development of refining and chemicals margins represent a significant estimate and were subject to change in 2024. These assumptions continue to apply for impairment testing purposes in the first quarter 2025. As per the normal process outlined in the 2024 Annual Report and Accounts and Form 20-F, these assumptions are subject to review later this year.

The discount rates applied for impairment testing and the discount rate applied to provisions are reviewed on a regular basis. Both discount rates applied in the first quarter 2025 remain unchanged compared with 2024.

2. Segment information

With effect from January 1, 2025, segment earnings are presented on an Adjusted Earnings basis (Adjusted Earnings), which is the earnings measure used by the Chief Executive Officer, who serves as the Chief Operating Decision Maker, for the purposes of making decisions about allocating resources and assessing performance. This aligns with Shell’s focus on performance, discipline and simplification.

The Adjusted Earnings measure is presented on a current cost of supplies (CCS) basis and aims to facilitate a comparative understanding of Shell’s financial performance from period to period by removing the effects of oil price changes on inventory carrying amounts and removing the effects of identified items. Identified items are in some cases driven by external factors and may, either individually or collectively, hinder the comparative understanding of Shell’s financial results from period to period.

The segment earnings measure used until December 31, 2024 was CCS earnings. The difference between CCS earnings and Adjusted Earnings are the identified items. Comparative periods are presented below on an Adjusted Earnings basis.

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REVENUE AND ADJUSTED EARNINGS BY SEGMENT
Quarters			$ million
Q1 2025	Q4 2024	Q1 2024
			Third-party revenue
9,602	9,294	9,195	Integrated Gas
1,510	1,652	1,759	Upstream
27,083	27,524	30,041	Marketing
21,610	19,992	23,735	Chemicals and Products
9,417	7,808	7,737	Renewables and Energy Solutions
12	10	11	Corporate
69,234	66,281	72,478	Total third-party revenue1
			Inter-segment revenue
2,675	2,024	2,404	Integrated Gas
9,854	9,931	10,287	Upstream
1,849	984	1,355	Marketing
8,255	8,656	10,312	Chemicals and Products
1,164	1,879	1,005	Renewables and Energy Solutions
—	—	—	Corporate
			Adjusted Earnings
2,483	2,165	3,680	Integrated Gas
2,337	1,682	1,933	Upstream
900	839	781	Marketing
449	(229)	1,615	Chemicals and Products
(42)	(311)	163	Renewables and Energy Solutions
(457)	(380)	(368)	Corporate
5,670	3,766	7,804	Total Adjusted Earnings2
5,577	3,661	7,734	Adjusted Earnings attributable to Shell plc shareholders
94	106	70	Adjusted Earnings attributable to non-controlling interest

1.Includes revenue from sources other than from contracts with customers, which mainly comprises the impact of fair value accounting of commodity derivatives.

2.See Reconciliation of income for the period to Adjusted Earnings below.

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Cash capital expenditure is a measure used by the Chief Executive Officer for the purposes of making decisions about allocating resources and assessing performance.



CASH CAPITAL EXPENDITURE BY SEGMENT
Quarters			$ million
Q1 2025	Q4 2024	Q1 2024
			Capital expenditure
943	1,123	858	Integrated Gas
1,727	2,205	1,766	Upstream
252	798	427	Marketing
451	1,121	474	Chemicals and Products
358	1,214	421	Renewables and Energy Solutions
17	25	34	Corporate
3,748	6,486	3,980	Total capital expenditure
			Add: Investments in joint ventures and associates
174	214	184	Integrated Gas
197	(117)	244	Upstream
4	13	38	Marketing
7	271	26	Chemicals and Products
30	36	8	Renewables and Energy Solutions
1	4	—	Corporate
413	421	500	Total investments in joint ventures and associates
			Add: Investments in equity securities
—	—	—	Integrated Gas
—	(11)	—	Upstream
—	—	—	Marketing
—	—	—	Chemicals and Products
14	28	10	Renewables and Energy Solutions
—	—	3	Corporate
15	17	13	Total investments in equity securities
			Cash capital expenditure
1,116	1,337	1,041	Integrated Gas
1,923	2,076	2,010	Upstream
256	811	465	Marketing
458	1,392	500	Chemicals and Products
403	1,277	438	Renewables and Energy Solutions
19	30	37	Corporate
4,175	6,924	4,493	Total Cash capital expenditure

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RECONCILIATION OF INCOME FOR THE PERIOD TO ADJUSTED EARNINGS
Quarters			$ million
Q1 2025	Q4 2024	Q1 2024
4,780	928	7,358	Income/(loss) attributable to Shell plc shareholders
95	113	82	Income/(loss) attributable to non-controlling interest
4,875	1,041	7,439	Income/(loss) for the period
(15)	(75)	(360)	Add: Current cost of supplies adjustment before taxation
(2)	23	84	Add: Tax on current cost of supplies adjustment
(510)	(3,008)	(1,244)	Less: Identified items adjustment before taxation
301	(230)	(604)	Add: Tax on identified items adjustment
5,670	3,766	7,804	Adjusted Earnings
5,577	3,661	7,734	Adjusted Earnings attributable to Shell plc shareholders
94	106	70	Adjusted Earnings attributable to non-controlling interest

Identified items

The objective of identified items is to remove material impacts on net income/loss arising from transactions which are generally uncontrollable and unusual (infrequent or non-recurring) in nature or giving rise to a mismatch between accounting and economic results, or certain transactions that are generally excluded from underlying results in the industry.

Identified items comprise: divestment gains and losses, impairments and impairment reversals, redundancy and restructuring, fair value accounting of commodity derivatives and certain gas contracts that gives rise to a mismatch between accounting and economic results, the impact of exchange rate movements and inflationary adjustments on certain deferred tax balances, and other items.



Q1 2025	$ million
	Total	Integrated Gas	Upstream	Marketing	Chemicals and Products	Renewables and Energy Solutions	Corporate
Identified items included in Income/(loss) before taxation
Divestment gains/(losses)	(106)	(1)	154	(57)	(15)	(187)	—
Impairment reversals/(impairments)	(341)	—	(21)	10	(293)	(38)	—
Redundancy and restructuring	(44)	(1)	(15)	(9)	(13)	(9)	4
Fair value accounting of commodity derivatives and certain gas contracts1	194	420	(1)	12	(258)	20	—
Other2	(212)	(70)	4	—	(101)	(46)	—
Total identified items included in Income/(loss) before taxation	(510)	348	121	(44)	(679)	(260)	4
Less: Total identified items included in Taxation charge/(credit)	301	43	378	4	(99)	(54)	29
Identified items included in Income/(loss) for the period
Divestment gains/(losses)	(208)	—	8	(61)	(12)	(143)	—
Impairment reversals/(impairments)	(317)	—	(15)	6	(277)	(31)	—
Redundancy and restructuring	(24)	(1)	(5)	(1)	(12)	(7)	2
Fair value accounting of commodity derivatives and certain gas contracts1	187	362	—	7	(202)	20	—
Impact of exchange rate movements and inflationary adjustments on tax balances3	108	4	132	—	—	—	(28)
Other2	(558)	(59)	(377)	—	(77)	(45)	—
Impact on Adjusted Earnings	(811)	306	(257)	(49)	(581)	(205)	(26)
Impact on Adjusted Earnings attributable to non-controlling interest	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
Impact on Adjusted Earnings attributable to Shell plc shareholders	(811)	306	(257)	(49)	(581)	(205)	(26)

1.Fair value accounting of commodity derivatives and certain gas contracts: In the ordinary course of business, Shell enters into contracts to supply or purchase oil and gas products, as well as power and environmental products. Shell also enters into contracts for tolling, pipeline and storage capacity. Derivative contracts are entered into for mitigation of resulting economic exposures (generally price exposure) and these derivative contracts are carried at period-end

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market price (fair value), with movements in fair value recognised in income for the period. Supply and purchase contracts entered into for operational purposes, as well as contracts for tolling, pipeline and storage capacity, are, by contrast, recognised when the transaction occurs; furthermore, inventory is carried at historical cost or net realisable value, whichever is lower. As a consequence, accounting mismatches occur because: (a) the supply or purchase transaction is recognised in a different period; or (b) the inventory is measured on a different basis. In addition, certain contracts are, due to pricing or delivery conditions, deemed to contain embedded derivatives or written options and are also required to be carried at fair value even though they are entered into for operational purposes. The accounting impacts are reported as identified items.

2.Other identified items represent other credits or charges that based on Shell management’s assessment hinder the comparative understanding of Shell’s financial results from period to period.

3.Impact of exchange rate movements and inflationary adjustments on tax balances represents the impact on tax balances of exchange rate movements and inflationary adjustments arising on: (a) the conversion to dollars of the local currency tax base of non-monetary assets and liabilities, as well as recognised tax losses (this primarily impacts the Integrated Gas and Upstream segments); and (b) the conversion of dollar-denominated inter-segment loans to local currency, leading to taxable exchange rate gains or losses (this primarily impacts the Corporate segment).



Q4 2024	$ million
	Total	Integrated Gas	Upstream	Marketing	Chemicals and Products	Renewables and Energy Solutions	Corporate
Identified items included in Income/(loss) before taxation
Divestment gains/(losses)	(288)	(99)	(66)	(216)	42	51	—
Impairment reversals/(impairments)	(2,554)	(523)	(183)	(493)	(288)	(1,065)	(1)
Redundancy and restructuring	(175)	(27)	(62)	(70)	(5)	(11)	(1)
Fair value accounting of commodity derivatives and certain gas contracts1	209	136	(14)	58	(38)	67	—
Other1	(200)	—	(165)	(33)	(2)	—	—
Total identified items included in Income/(loss) before taxation	(3,008)	(514)	(491)	(753)	(291)	(958)	(2)
Less: Total identified items included in Taxation charge/(credit)	(230)	(92)	160	(17)	(191)	(43)	(47)
Identified items included in Income/(loss) for the period
Divestment gains/(losses)	(321)	(96)	(51)	(247)	33	40	—
Impairment reversals/(impairments)	(2,170)	(339)	(152)	(458)	(224)	(996)	(1)
Redundancy and restructuring	(115)	(16)	(34)	(52)	(3)	(8)	(1)
Fair value accounting of commodity derivatives and certain gas contracts1	184	109	(4)	46	(17)	50	—
Impact of exchange rate movements and inflationary adjustments on tax balances1	(210)	(57)	(199)	—	—	—	46
Other1	(147)	(22)	(212)	(25)	113	—	—
Impact on Adjusted Earnings	(2,778)	(421)	(651)	(736)	(99)	(914)	45
Impact on Adjusted Earnings attributable to non-controlling interest	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
Impact on Adjusted Earnings attributable to Shell plc shareholders	(2,778)	(421)	(651)	(736)	(99)	(914)	45

1.For a detailed description, see the corresponding footnotes to the Q1 2025 identified items table above.

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Q1 2024	$ million
	Total	Integrated Gas	Upstream	Marketing	Chemicals and Products	Renewables and Energy Solutions	Corporate
Identified items included in Income/(loss) before taxation
Divestment gains/(losses)	10	(3)	27	(15)	(9)	10	—
Impairment reversals/(impairments)	(227)	(8)	(96)	(4)	(178)	59	—
Redundancy and restructuring	(74)	(1)	(13)	(20)	(18)	(15)	(6)
Fair value accounting of commodity derivatives and certain gas contracts1	(1,079)	(1,068)	(2)	6	(416)	400	—
Other1	126	4	38	23	45	16	—
Total identified items included in Income/(loss) before taxation	(1,244)	(1,075)	(46)	(11)	(575)	469	(6)
Less: Total identified items included in Taxation charge/(credit)	(604)	(157)	(385)	(4)	(118)	80	(20)
Identified items included in Income/(loss) for the period
Divestment gains/(losses)	(4)	(2)	10	(11)	(7)	6	—
Impairment reversals/(impairments)	(186)	(5)	(102)	(3)	(152)	77	—
Redundancy and restructuring	(53)	(1)	(9)	(15)	(14)	(11)	(4)
Fair value accounting of commodity derivatives and certain gas contracts1	(896)	(887)	—	5	(319)	306	—
Impact of exchange rate movements and inflationary adjustments on tax balances1	403	(27)	412	—	—	—	18
Other1	95	3	28	17	34	12	—
Impact on Adjusted Earnings	(641)	(919)	339	(7)	(458)	390	14
Impact on Adjusted Earnings attributable to non-controlling interest	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
Impact on Adjusted Earnings attributable to Shell plc shareholders	(641)	(919)	339	(7)	(458)	390	14

1.For a detailed description, see the corresponding footnotes to the Q1 2025 identified items table above.

The identified items categories above may include after-tax impacts of identified items of joint ventures and associates which are fully reported within “Share of profit/(loss) of joint ventures and associates” in the Consolidated Statement of Income, and fully reported as identified items included in Income/(loss) before taxation in the table above. Identified items related to subsidiaries are consolidated and reported across appropriate lines of the Consolidated Statement of Income.

3. Earnings per share



EARNINGS PER SHARE
Quarters
Q1 2025	Q4 2024	Q1 2024
4,780	928	7,358	Income/(loss) attributable to Shell plc shareholders ($ million)

			Weighted average number of shares used as the basis for determining:
6,033.5	6,148.4	6,440.1	Basic earnings per share (million)
6,087.8	6,213.9	6,504.3	Diluted earnings per share (million)

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4. Share capital

ISSUED AND FULLY PAID ORDINARY SHARES OF €0.07 EACH

Number of shares

Nominal value
($ million)

At January 1, 2025

6,115,031,158

510

Repurchases of shares

(98,948,766)

(8)

At March 31, 2025

6,016,082,392

502

At January 1, 2024

6,524,109,049

544

Repurchases of shares

(88,893,999)

(7)

At March 31, 2024

6,435,215,050

537

At Shell plc’s Annual General Meeting on May 21, 2024, the Board was authorised to allot ordinary shares in Shell plc, and to grant rights to subscribe for, or to convert, any security into ordinary shares in Shell plc, up to an aggregate nominal amount of approximately €150 million (representing approximately 2,147 million ordinary shares of €0.07 each), and to list such shares or rights on any stock exchange. This authority expires at the earlier of the close of business on August 20, 2025, or the end of the Annual General Meeting to be held in 2025, unless previously renewed, revoked or varied by Shell plc in a general meeting.

5. Other reserves



OTHER RESERVES
$ million	Merger reserve	Share premium reserve	Capital redemption reserve	Share plan reserve	Accumulated other comprehensive income	Total
At January 1, 2025	37,298	154	270	1,417	(19,373)	19,766
Other comprehensive income/(loss) attributable to Shell plc shareholders	—	—	—	—	1,967	1,967
Transfer from other comprehensive income	—	—	—	—	11	11
Repurchases of shares	—	—	8	—	—	8
Share-based compensation	—	—	—	(663)	—	(663)
At March 31, 2025	37,298	154	279	754	(17,394)	21,090
At January 1, 2024	37,298	154	236	1,308	(17,851)	21,145
Other comprehensive income/(loss) attributable to Shell plc shareholders	—	—	—	—	(1,420)	(1,420)
Transfer from other comprehensive income	—	—	—	—	138	138
Repurchases of shares	—	—	7	—	—	7
Share-based compensation	—	—	—	(426)	—	(426)
At March 31, 2024	37,298	154	244	882	(19,132)	19,445

The merger reserve and share premium reserve were established as a consequence of Shell plc (formerly Royal Dutch Shell plc) becoming the single parent company of Royal Dutch Petroleum Company and The “Shell” Transport and Trading Company, p.l.c., now The Shell Transport and Trading Company Limited, in 2005. The merger reserve increased in 2016 following the issuance of shares for the acquisition of BG Group plc. The capital redemption reserve was established in connection with repurchases of shares of Shell plc. The share plan reserve is in respect of equity-settled share-based compensation plans.

6. Derivative financial instruments and debt excluding lease liabilities

As disclosed in the Consolidated Financial Statements for the year ended December 31, 2024, presented in the Annual Report and Accounts and Form 20-F for that year, Shell is exposed to the risks of changes in fair value of its financial assets and liabilities. The fair values of the financial assets and liabilities are defined as the price that would be received to sell an asset or paid to transfer a liability in an orderly transaction between market participants at the measurement date. Methods and assumptions used to estimate the fair values at March 31, 2025, are consistent with those used in the year ended December 31, 2024, though the carrying amounts of derivative financial instruments have changed since that date.

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The movement of the derivative financial instruments between December 31, 2024 and March 31, 2025 is a decrease of $732 million for the current assets and a decrease of $1,020 million for the current liabilities.

The table below provides the comparison of the fair value with the carrying amount of debt excluding lease liabilities, disclosed in accordance with IFRS 7 Financial Instruments: Disclosures.



DEBT EXCLUDING LEASE LIABILITIES
$ million	March 31, 2025	December 31, 2024
Carrying amount1	48,023	48,376
Fair value2	44,240	44,119

1. Shell issued no debt under the US shelf or under the Euro medium-term note programmes during the first quarter 2025.

2. Mainly determined from the prices quoted for these securities.

7. Other notes to the unaudited Condensed Consolidated Interim Financial Statements

Consolidated Statement of Income

Interest and other income



Quarters			$ million
Q1 2025	Q4 2024	Q1 2024
302	683	907	Interest and other income/(expenses)
			Of which:
481	548	588	Interest income
1	25	23	Dividend income (from investments in equity securities)
(127)	(288)	10	Net gains/(losses) on sales and revaluation of non-current assets and businesses
(137)	267	66	Net foreign exchange gains/(losses) on financing activities
85	131	219	Other

Depreciation, depletion and amortisation



Quarters			$ million
Q1 2025	Q4 2024	Q1 2024
5,441	7,520	5,881	Depreciation, depletion and amortisation
			Of which:
5,130	5,829	5,654	Depreciation
311	1,797	382	Impairments
(1)	(106)	(154)	Impairment reversals

Impairments recognised in the first quarter 2025 of $311 million pre-tax ($287 million post-tax) principally relate to Chemicals and Products.

Impairments recognised in the fourth quarter 2024 of $2,659 million pre-tax ($2,245 million post-tax), of which $1,797 million recognised in depreciation, depletion and amortisation and $863 million recognised in share of profit of joint ventures and associates, mainly relate to Renewables and Energy Solutions ($1,068 million pre-tax; $1,000 million post-tax), Integrated Gas ($532 million pre-tax; $345 million post-tax), Marketing ($495 million pre-tax; $459 million post-tax), Chemicals and Products ($315 million pre-tax; $247 million post-tax) and Upstream ($248 million pre-tax; $194 million post-tax).

Impairments recognised in the first quarter 2024 of $382 million pre-tax ($332 million post-tax) include smaller

impairments in various segments.

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1st QUARTER 2025 UNAUDITED RESULTS

Taxation charge/credit

Quarters

$ million

Q1 2025

Q4 2024

Q1 2024

4,083

3,164

3,604

Taxation charge/(credit)

Of which:

4,024

3,125

3,525

Income tax excluding Pillar Two income tax

Income tax related to Pillar Two income tax

As required by IAS 12 Income Taxes, Shell has applied the exception to recognising and disclosing information about deferred tax assets and liabilities related to Pillar Two income taxes.

Consolidated Statement of Comprehensive Income

Currency translation differences

Quarters

$ million

Q1 2025

Q4 2024

Q1 2024

1,711

(4,899)

(1,995)

Currency translation differences

Of which:

1,618

(5,028)

(1,983)

Recognised in Other comprehensive income

129

(12)

(Gain)/loss reclassified to profit or loss

Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheet

Other intangible assets



$ million
	March 31, 2025	December 31, 2024
Other intangible assets	11,365	9,480

The increase in other intangible assets as at March 31, 2025 compared with December 31, 2024 is mainly related to initial recognition at fair value of favourable LNG, gas offtake and sales contracts. These were recognised following completion of the acquisition of Pavilion Energy Pte. Ltd. during the first quarter 2025. The fair value of unfavourable LNG, gas offtake and sales contracts acquired was recognised under trade and other payables.

Assets classified as held for sale



$ million
	March 31, 2025	December 31, 2024
Assets classified as held for sale	10,881	9,857
Liabilities directly associated with assets classified as held for sale	8,001	6,203

Assets classified as held for sale and associated liabilities at March 31, 2025 principally relate to Shell’s UK offshore oil and gas assets in Upstream, mining interests in Canada and an energy and chemicals park in Singapore, both in Chemicals and Products. Upon completion of the sale, Shell’s UK offshore assets will be derecognised in exchange for a 50% interest in a newly formed joint venture.

The major classes of assets and liabilities classified as held for sale at March 31, 2025, are Property, plant and equipment ($8,866 million; December 31, 2024: $8,283 million), Inventories ($1,003 million; December 31, 2024: $1,180 million), Decommissioning and other provisions ($3,228 million; December 31, 2024: $3,053 million), deferred tax liabilities ($2,823 million; December 31, 2024: $2,042 million), Trade and other payables ($1,000 million; December 31, 2024: $484 million) and Debt ($839 million; December 31, 2024: $624 million).

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SHELL PLC
1st QUARTER 2025 UNAUDITED RESULTS

Consolidated Statement of Cash Flows

Cash flow from operating activities – Other

Quarters

$ million

Q1 2025

Q4 2024

Q1 2024

570

(856)

509

Other

‘Cash flow from operating activities – Other’ for the first quarter 2025 includes $652 million of net inflows (fourth quarter 2024: $1,447 million net outflows; first quarter 2024: $188 million net inflows) due to the timing of payments relating to emission certificates and biofuel programmes in Europe and North America and $255 million in relation to reversal of currency exchange gains on Cash and cash equivalents (fourth quarter 2024: $672 million losses; first quarter 2024: $253 million losses).

Cash flow from investing activities – Other investing cash outflows

Quarters

$ million

Q1 2025

Q4 2024

Q1 2024

(1,394)

(655)

(1,494)

Other investing cash outflows

‘Cash flow from investing activities – Other investing cash outflows’ for the first quarter 2025 includes $818 million secured term loans provided to The Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria Limited (SPDC) upon completion of the sale of SPDC. The first quarter 2024 includes $645 million of debt securities acquired in the Corporate segment.

8. Reconciliation of Operating expenses and Total Debt



RECONCILIATION OF OPERATING EXPENSES
Quarters			$ million
Q1 2025	Q4 2024	Q1 2024
5,549	5,839	5,810	Production and manufacturing expenses
2,840	3,231	2,975	Selling, distribution and administrative expenses
185	331	212	Research and development
8,575	9,401	8,997	Operating expenses

RECONCILIATION OF TOTAL DEBT

March 31, 2025

December 31, 2024

March 31, 2024

$ million

11,391

11,630

11,046

Current debt

65,120

65,448

68,886

Non-current debt

76,511

77,078

79,931

Total debt

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SHELL PLC
1st QUARTER 2025 UNAUDITED RESULTS

ALTERNATIVE PERFORMANCE (NON-GAAP) MEASURES

A.Adjusted Earnings, Adjusted earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortisation (“Adjusted EBITDA”) and Cash flow from operating activities

The “Adjusted Earnings” measure aims to facilitate a comparative understanding of Shell’s financial performance from period to period by removing the effects of oil price changes on inventory carrying amounts and removing the effects of identified items. These items are in some cases driven by external factors and may, either individually or collectively, hinder the comparative understanding of Shell’s financial results from period to period. This measure excludes earnings attributable to non-controlling interest when presenting the total Shell Group result but includes these items when presenting individual segment Adjusted Earnings as set out in the table below.

We define “Adjusted EBITDA” as “Income/(loss) for the period” adjusted for current cost of supplies; identified items; tax charge/(credit); depreciation, amortisation and depletion; exploration well write-offs and net interest expense. All items include the non-controlling interest component. Management uses this measure to evaluate Shell’s performance in the period and over time.



Q1 2025	$ million
	Total	Integrated Gas	Upstream	Marketing	Chemicals and Products	Renewables and Energy Solutions	Corporate
Income/(loss) for the period	4,875	2,789	2,080	814	(77)	(247)	(483)
Add: Current cost of supplies adjustment before taxation	(15)			52	(67)
Add: Tax on current cost of supplies adjustment	(2)			(14)	12
Less: Identified items	(811)	306	(257)	(49)	(581)	(205)	(26)
Less: Income/(loss) attributable to non-controlling interest	95
Less: Current cost of supplies adjustment attributable to non-controlling interest	(1)
Add: Identified items attributable to non-controlling interest	—
Adjusted Earnings	5,577
Add: Non-controlling interest	94
Adjusted Earnings plus non-controlling interest	5,670	2,483	2,337	900	449	(42)	(457)
Add: Taxation charge/(credit) excluding tax impact of identified items	3,784	803	2,619	391	99	63	(191)
Add: Depreciation, depletion and amortisation excluding impairments	5,130	1,404	2,213	566	852	90	6
Add: Exploration well write-offs	28	—	29
Add: Interest expense excluding identified items	1,119	51	200	12	14	2	841
Less: Interest income	481	4	11	—	4	2	461
Adjusted EBITDA	15,250	4,735	7,387	1,869	1,410	111	(261)
Less: Current cost of supplies adjustment before taxation	(15)			52	(67)
Joint ventures and associates (dividends received less profit)	(178)	(286)	(159)	203	54	10	—
Derivative financial instruments	(38)	542	14	10	(508)	(169)	73
Taxation paid	(2,900)	(773)	(1,999)	(174)	63	52	(68)
Other	(206)	(68)	(386)	396	125	(17)	(257)
(Increase)/decrease in working capital	(2,663)	(687)	(913)	(344)	(1,081)	380	(19)
Cash flow from operating activities	9,281	3,463	3,945	1,907	130	367	(531)

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SHELL PLC
1st QUARTER 2025 UNAUDITED RESULTS



Q4 2024	$ million
	Total	Integrated Gas	Upstream	Marketing	Chemicals and Products	Renewables and Energy Solutions	Corporate
Income/(loss) for the period	1,041	1,744	1,031	103	(276)	(1,226)	(335)
Add: Current cost of supplies adjustment before taxation	(75)			(2)	(73)
Add: Tax on current cost of supplies adjustment	23			2	21
Less: Identified items	(2,778)	(421)	(651)	(736)	(99)	(914)	45
Less: Income/(loss) attributable to non-controlling interest	113
Less: Current cost of supplies adjustment attributable to non-controlling interest	(7)
Add: Identified items attributable to non-controlling interest	—
Adjusted Earnings	3,661
Add: Non-controlling interest	106
Adjusted Earnings plus non-controlling interest	3,766	2,165	1,682	839	(229)	(311)	(380)
Add: Taxation charge/(credit) excluding tax impact of identified items	3,371	635	2,618	266	(198)	97	(46)
Add: Depreciation, depletion and amortisation excluding impairments	5,829	1,440	2,803	587	896	96	8
Add: Exploration well write-offs	649	277	372	—	—	—	—
Add: Interest expense excluding identified items	1,213	54	201	17	16	2	923
Less: Interest income	548	3	—	—	10	7	529
Adjusted EBITDA	14,281	4,568	7,676	1,709	475	(123)	(24)
Less: Current cost of supplies adjustment before taxation	(75)			(2)	(73)
Joint ventures and associates (dividends received less profit)	451	110	(22)	172	139	51	—
Derivative financial instruments	319	120	(28)	(8)	230	533	(527)
Taxation paid	(2,910)	(635)	(2,019)	(130)	36	(41)	(120)
Other	(1,461)	114	(486)	(1,227)	(313)	77	375
(Increase)/decrease in working capital	2,407	114	(611)	845	1,394	353	312
Cash flow from operating activities	13,162	4,391	4,509	1,363	2,032	850	16



Q1 2024	$ million
	Total	Integrated Gas	Upstream	Marketing	Chemicals and Products	Renewables and Energy Solutions	Corporate
Income/(loss) for the period	7,439	2,761	2,272	896	1,311	553	(354)
Add: Current cost of supplies adjustment before taxation	(360)			(153)	(207)
Add: Tax on current cost of supplies adjustment	84			30	54
Less: Identified items	(641)	(919)	339	(7)	(458)	390	14
Less: Income/(loss) attributable to non-controlling interest	82
Less: Current cost of supplies adjustment attributable to non-controlling interest	(12)
Add: Identified items attributable to non-controlling interest	—
Adjusted Earnings	7,734
Add: Non-controlling interest	70
Adjusted Earnings plus non-controlling interest	7,804	3,680	1,933	781	1,615	163	(368)
Add: Taxation charge/(credit) excluding tax impact of identified items	4,124	996	2,522	358	338	—	(91)
Add: Depreciation, depletion and amortisation excluding impairments	5,654	1,410	2,727	535	870	106	6
Add: Exploration well write-offs	554	8	546	—	—	—	—
Add: Interest expense excluding identified items	1,163	42	169	12	17	1	922
Less: Interest income	588	—	10	—	14	4	560
Adjusted EBITDA	18,711	6,136	7,888	1,686	2,826	267	(92)
Less: Current cost of supplies adjustment before taxation	(360)			(153)	(207)
Joint ventures and associates (dividends received less profit)	(582)	(197)	(546)	93	56	13	—
Derivative financial instruments	306	(1,080)	(3)	(39)	(402)	1,978	(149)
Taxation paid	(2,616)	(467)	(1,802)	(175)	(19)	(244)	91
Other	(97)	45	(231)	393	(378)	(30)	104
(Increase)/decrease in working capital	(2,752)	275	421	(792)	(2,639)	481	(499)
Cash flow from operating activities	13,330	4,712	5,727	1,319	(349)	2,466	(545)

Identified items

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SHELL PLC
1st QUARTER 2025 UNAUDITED RESULTS

See Note 2 “Segment information” for details.

B. Adjusted Earnings per share

Adjusted Earnings per share is calculated as Adjusted Earnings (see Reference A), divided by the weighted average number of shares used as the basis for basic earnings per share (see Note 3).

C. Cash capital expenditure

Cash capital expenditure represents cash spent on maintaining and developing assets as well as on investments in the period. Management regularly monitors this measure as a key lever to delivering sustainable cash flows. Cash capital expenditure is the sum of the following lines from the Consolidated Statement of Cash Flows: Capital expenditure, Investments in joint ventures and associates and Investments in equity securities.

See Note 2 “Segment information” for the reconciliation of cash capital expenditure.

D. Capital employed and Return on average capital employed

Return on average capital employed (“ROACE”) measures the efficiency of Shell’s utilisation of the capital that it employs.

The measure refers to Capital employed which consists of total equity, current debt, and non-current debt reduced by cash and cash equivalents.

In this calculation, the sum of Adjusted Earnings (see Reference A) plus non-controlling interest (NCI) excluding identified items for the current and previous three quarters, adjusted for after-tax interest expense and after-tax interest income, is expressed as a percentage of the average capital employed excluding cash and cash equivalents for the same period.



$ million	Quarters
	Q1 2025	Q4 2024	Q1 2024
Current debt	11,046	9,931	9,044
Non-current debt	68,886	71,610	76,098
Total equity	188,304	188,362	195,530
Less: Cash and cash equivalents	(39,949)	(38,774)	(42,074)
Capital employed – opening	228,286	231,128	238,598
Current debt	11,391	11,630	11,046
Non-current debt	65,120	65,448	68,886
Total equity	180,670	180,168	188,304
Less: Cash and cash equivalents	(35,601)	(39,110)	(39,949)
Capital employed – closing	221,580	218,134	228,286
Capital employed – average	224,933	224,630	233,442

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1st QUARTER 2025 UNAUDITED RESULTS



$ million	Quarters
	Q1 2025	Q4 2024	Q1 2024
Adjusted Earnings – current and previous three quarters (Reference A)	21,558	23,716	26,338
Add: Income/(loss) attributable to NCI – current and previous three quarters	441	427	295
Add: Current cost of supplies adjustment attributable to NCI – current and previous three quarters	25	14	(24)
Less: Identified items attributable to NCI (Reference A) – current and previous three quarters	18	18	(11)
Adjusted Earnings plus NCI excluding identified items – current and previous three quarters	22,005	24,139	26,620
Add: Interest expense after tax – current and previous three quarters	2,639	2,701	2,718
Less: Interest income after tax on cash and cash equivalents – current and previous three quarters	1,329	1,389	1,368
Adjusted Earnings plus NCI excluding identified items before interest expense and interest income – current and previous three quarters	23,315	25,452	27,971
Capital employed – average	224,933	224,630	233,442
ROACE on an Adjusted Earnings plus NCI basis	10.4%	11.3%	12.0%

E. Net debt and gearing

Net debt is defined as the sum of current and non-current debt, less cash and cash equivalents, adjusted for the fair value of derivative financial instruments used to hedge foreign exchange and interest rate risk relating to debt, and associated collateral balances. Management considers this adjustment useful because it reduces the volatility of net debt caused by fluctuations in foreign exchange and interest rates, and eliminates the potential impact of related collateral payments or receipts. Debt-related derivative financial instruments are a subset of the derivative financial instrument assets and liabilities presented on the balance sheet. Collateral balances are reported under “Trade and other receivables” or “Trade and other payables” as appropriate.

Gearing is a measure of Shell’s capital structure and is defined as net debt (total debt less cash and cash equivalents) as a percentage of total capital (net debt plus total equity).



$ million
	March 31, 2025		December 31, 2024		March 31, 2024
Current debt	11,391		11,630		11,046
Non-current debt	65,120		65,448		68,886
Total debt	76,511		77,078		79,931
Of which: Lease liabilities	28,488		28,702		26,885
Add: Debt-related derivative financial instruments: net liability/(asset)	1,905		2,469		1,888
Add: Collateral on debt-related derivatives: net liability/(asset)	(1,295)		(1,628)		(1,357)
Less: Cash and cash equivalents	(35,601)		(39,110)		(39,949)
Net debt	41,521		38,809		40,513
Total equity	180,670		180,168		188,304
Total capital	222,190		218,974		228,817
Gearing	18.7	%	17.7	%	17.7	%

F. Operating expenses and Underlying operating expenses

Operating expenses

Operating expenses is a measure of Shell’s cost management performance, comprising the following items from the Consolidated Statement of Income: production and manufacturing expenses; selling, distribution and administrative expenses; and research and development expenses.

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Q1 2025	$ million
	Total	Integrated Gas	Upstream	Marketing	Chemicals and Products	Renewables and Energy Solutions	Corporate
Production and manufacturing expenses	5,549	947	2,139	349	1,621	486	8
Selling, distribution and administrative expenses	2,840	38	42	2,053	442	153	111
Research and development	185	22	32	42	25	21	43
Operating expenses	8,575	1,006	2,213	2,444	2,088	661	162



Q4 2024	$ million
	Total	Integrated Gas	Upstream	Marketing	Chemicals and Products	Renewables and Energy Solutions	Corporate
Production and manufacturing expenses	5,839	982	2,470	270	1,632	480	5
Selling, distribution and administrative expenses	3,231	39	96	2,258	471	241	126
Research and development	331	40	69	73	46	37	66
Operating expenses	9,401	1,061	2,635	2,602	2,149	757	196



Q1 2024	$ million
	Total	Integrated Gas	Upstream	Marketing	Chemicals and Products	Renewables and Energy Solutions	Corporate
Production and manufacturing expenses	5,810	956	2,269	366	1,634	579	5
Selling, distribution and administrative expenses	2,975	62	58	2,188	420	158	89
Research and development	212	26	58	34	34	12	49
Operating expenses	8,997	1,044	2,385	2,587	2,088	749	144

Underlying operating expenses

Underlying operating expenses is a measure aimed at facilitating a comparative understanding of performance from period to period by removing the effects of identified items, which, either individually or collectively, can cause volatility, in some cases driven by external factors.

Quarters

$ million

Q1 2025

Q4 2024

Q1 2024

8,575

9,401

8,997

Operating expenses

(44)

(174)

(73)

Redundancy and restructuring (charges)/reversal

(101)

(88)

—

(Provisions)/reversal

—

130

Other

(121)

(262)

Total identified items

8,453

9,138

9,054

Underlying operating expenses

G. Free cash flow and Organic free cash flow

Free cash flow is used to evaluate cash available for financing activities, including dividend payments and debt servicing, after investment in maintaining and growing the business. It is defined as the sum of “Cash flow from operating activities” and “Cash flow from investing activities”.

Cash flows from acquisition and divestment activities are removed from Free cash flow to arrive at the Organic free cash flow, a measure used by management to evaluate the generation of free cash flow without these activities.

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Quarters			$ million
Q1 2025	Q4 2024	Q1 2024
9,281	13,162	13,330	Cash flow from operating activities
(3,959)	(4,431)	(3,528)	Cash flow from investing activities
5,322	8,731	9,802	Free cash flow
597	805	1,025	Less: Divestment proceeds (Reference I)
45	1	—	Add: Tax paid on divestments (reported under “Other investing cash outflows”)
130	525	62	Add: Cash outflows related to inorganic capital expenditure1
4,899	8,453	8,839	Organic free cash flow2

1.Cash outflows related to inorganic capital expenditure includes portfolio actions which expand Shell’s activities through acquisitions and restructuring activities as reported in capital expenditure lines in the Consolidated Statement of Cash Flows.

2.Free cash flow less divestment proceeds, adding back outflows related to inorganic expenditure.

H. Cash flow from operating activities excluding working capital movements

Working capital movements are defined as the sum of the following items in the Consolidated Statement of Cash Flows: (i) (increase)/decrease in inventories, (ii) (increase)/decrease in current receivables, and (iii) increase/(decrease) in current payables.

Cash flow from operating activities excluding working capital movements is a measure used by Shell to analyse its operating cash generation over time excluding the timing effects of changes in inventories and operating receivables and payables from period to period.

Quarters

$ million

Q1 2025

Q4 2024

Q1 2024

9,281

13,162

13,330

Cash flow from operating activities

854

131

(608)

(Increase)/decrease in inventories

(2,610)

751

(195)

(Increase)/decrease in current receivables

(907)

1,524

(1,949)

Increase/(decrease) in current payables

(2,663)

2,407

(2,752)

(Increase)/decrease in working capital

11,944

10,755

16,082

Cash flow from operating activities excluding working capital movements

I. Divestment proceeds

Divestment proceeds represent cash received from divestment activities in the period. Management regularly monitors this measure as a key lever to deliver free cash flow.



Quarters			$ million
Q1 2025	Q4 2024	Q1 2024
559	493	323	Proceeds from sale of property, plant and equipment and businesses
33	305	133	Proceeds from joint ventures and associates from sale, capital reduction and repayment of long-term loans
5	6	569	Proceeds from sale of equity securities
597	805	1,025	Divestment proceeds

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1st QUARTER 2025 UNAUDITED RESULTS

CAUTIONARY STATEMENT

All amounts shown throughout this Unaudited Condensed Interim Financial Report are unaudited. All peak production figures in Portfolio Developments are quoted at 100% expected production. The numbers presented throughout this Unaudited Condensed Interim Financial Report may not sum precisely to the totals provided and percentages may not precisely reflect the absolute figures, due to rounding.

The companies in which Shell plc directly and indirectly owns investments are separate legal entities. In this Unaudited Condensed Interim Financial Report, “Shell”, “Shell Group” and “Group” are sometimes used for convenience to reference Shell plc and its subsidiaries in general. Likewise, the words “we”, “us” and “our” are also used to refer to Shell plc and its subsidiaries in general or to those who work for them. These terms are also used where no useful purpose is served by identifying the particular entity or entities. ‘‘Subsidiaries’’, “Shell subsidiaries” and “Shell companies” as used in this Unaudited Condensed Interim Financial Report, refer to entities over which Shell plc either directly or indirectly has control. The terms “joint venture”, “joint operations”, “joint arrangements”, and “associates” may also be used to refer to a commercial arrangement in which Shell has a direct or indirect ownership interest with one or more parties. The term “Shell interest” is used for convenience to indicate the direct and/or indirect ownership interest held by Shell in an entity or unincorporated joint arrangement, after exclusion of all third-party interest.

Forward-Looking statements

This Unaudited Condensed Interim Financial Report contains forward-looking statements (within the meaning of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995) concerning the financial condition, results of operations and businesses of Shell. All statements other than statements of historical fact are, or may be deemed to be, forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are statements of future expectations that are based on management’s current expectations and assumptions and involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results, performance or events to differ materially from those expressed or implied in these statements. Forward-looking statements include, among other things, statements concerning the potential exposure of Shell to market risks and statements expressing management’s expectations, beliefs, estimates, forecasts, projections and assumptions. These forward-looking statements are identified by their use of terms and phrases such as “aim”; “ambition”; ‘‘anticipate’’; “aspire”, “aspiration”, ‘‘believe’’; “commit”; “commitment”; ‘‘could’’; “desire”; ‘‘estimate’’; ‘‘expect’’; ‘‘goals’’; ‘‘intend’’; ‘‘may’’; “milestones”; ‘‘objectives’’; ‘‘outlook’’; ‘‘plan’’; ‘‘probably’’; ‘‘project’’; ‘‘risks’’; “schedule”; ‘‘seek’’; ‘‘should’’; ‘‘target’’; “vision”; ‘‘will’’; “would” and similar terms and phrases. There are a number of factors that could affect the future operations of Shell and could cause those results to differ materially from those expressed in the forward-looking statements included in this Unaudited Condensed Interim Financial Report, including (without limitation): (a) price fluctuations in crude oil and natural gas; (b) changes in demand for Shell’s products; (c) currency fluctuations; (d) drilling and production results; (e) reserves estimates; (f) loss of market share and industry competition; (g) environmental and physical risks, including climate change; (h) risks associated with the identification of suitable potential acquisition properties and targets, and successful negotiation and completion of such transactions; (i) the risk of doing business in developing countries and countries subject to international sanctions; (j) legislative, judicial, fiscal and regulatory developments including tariffs and regulatory measures addressing climate change; (k) economic and financial market conditions in various countries and regions; (l) political risks, including the risks of expropriation and renegotiation of the terms of contracts with governmental entities, delays or advancements in the approval of projects and delays in the reimbursement for shared costs; (m) risks associated with the impact of pandemics, regional conflicts, such as the Russia-Ukraine war and the conflict in the Middle East, and a significant cyber security, data privacy or IT incident; (n) the pace of the energy transition; and (o) changes in trading conditions. No assurance is provided that future dividend payments will match or exceed previous dividend payments. All forward-looking statements contained in this Unaudited Condensed Interim Financial Report are expressly qualified in their entirety by the cautionary statements contained or referred to in this section. Readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. Additional risk factors that may affect future results are contained in Shell plc’s Form 20-F for the year ended December 31, 2024 (available at www.shell.com/investors/news-and-filings/sec-filings.html and www.sec.gov). These risk factors also expressly qualify all forward-looking statements contained in this Unaudited Condensed Interim Financial Report and should be considered by the reader. Each forward-looking statement speaks only as of the date of this Unaudited Condensed Interim Financial Report, May 2, 2025. Neither Shell plc nor any of its subsidiaries undertake any obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statement as a result of new information, future events or other information. In light of these risks, results could differ materially from those stated, implied or inferred from the forward-looking statements contained in this Unaudited Condensed Interim Financial Report.

Shell’s net carbon intensity

Also, in this Unaudited Condensed Interim Financial Report we may refer to Shell’s “net carbon intensity” (NCI), which includes Shell’s carbon emissions from the production of our energy products, our suppliers’ carbon emissions in supplying energy for that production and our customers’ carbon emissions associated with their use of the energy products we sell. Shell’s NCI also includes the emissions associated with the production and use of energy products produced by others which Shell purchases for resale. Shell only controls its own emissions. The use of the terms Shell’s “net carbon intensity” or NCI is for convenience only and not intended to suggest these emissions are those of Shell plc or its subsidiaries.

Shell’s net-zero emissions target

Shell’s operating plan and outlook are forecasted for a three-year period and ten-year period, respectively, and are updated every year. They reflect the current economic environment and what we can reasonably expect to see over the next three and ten years. Accordingly, the outlook reflects our Scope 1, Scope 2 and NCI targets over the next ten years. However, Shell’s operating plan and outlook cannot reflect our 2050 net-zero emissions target, as this target is outside our planning period. Such future operating plans and outlooks could include changes to our portfolio, efficiency improvements and the use of carbon capture and storage and carbon credits. In the future, as society moves towards net-zero emissions, we expect Shell’s operating plans and outlooks to reflect this movement. However, if society is not net zero in 2050, as of today, there would be significant risk that Shell may not meet this target.

Forward-Looking non-GAAP measures

This Unaudited Condensed Interim Financial Report may contain certain forward-looking non-GAAP measures such as cash capital expenditure and Adjusted Earnings. We are unable to provide a reconciliation of these forward-looking non-GAAP measures to the most comparable GAAP financial measures because certain information needed to reconcile those non-GAAP measures to the most comparable GAAP financial measures is dependent on future events some of which are outside the control of Shell, such as oil and gas prices, interest rates and exchange rates. Moreover, estimating such GAAP measures with the required precision necessary to provide a meaningful reconciliation is extremely difficult and could not be accomplished without unreasonable effort. Non-GAAP measures in respect of future periods which cannot be reconciled to the most comparable GAAP financial measure are calculated in a manner which is consistent with the accounting policies applied in Shell plc’s consolidated financial statements.

The contents of websites referred to in this Unaudited Condensed Interim Financial Report do not form part of this Unaudited Condensed Interim Financial Report.

We may have used certain terms, such as resources, in this Unaudited Condensed Interim Financial Report that the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) strictly prohibits us from including in our filings with the SEC. Investors are urged to consider closely the disclosure in our Form 20-F, File No 1-32575, available on the SEC website www.sec.gov.

Page 30

SHELL PLC
1st QUARTER 2025 UNAUDITED RESULTS

This announcement contains inside information.

May 2, 2025


The information in this Unaudited Condensed Interim Financial Report reflects the unaudited consolidated financial position and results of Shell plc. Company No. 4366849, Registered Office: Shell Centre, London, SE1 7NA, England, UK.

Contacts:

– Sean Ashley, Company Secretary

– Media: International +44 (0) 207 934 5550; U.S. and Canada: https://www.shell.us/about-us/news-and-insights/media/submit-an-inquiry.html

LEI number of Shell plc: 21380068P1DRHMJ8KU70

Classification: Inside Information

Page 31

The MIL Network –

May 2, 2025

MIL-OSI: Shell plc publishes first quarter 2025 press release

Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

London, May 2, 2025

“Shell delivered another solid set of results in the first quarter of 2025. We further strengthened our leading LNG business by completing the acquisition of Pavilion Energy, and high-graded our portfolio with the completion of the Nigeria onshore and the Singapore Energy and Chemicals Park divestments.

Our strong performance and resilient balance sheet give us the confidence to commence another $3.5 billion of buybacks for the next three months, consistent with the strategic direction we set out at our Capital Markets Day in March.”

Shell plc Chief Executive Officer, Wael Sawan

SOLID RESULTS; RESILIENT BALANCE SHEET; CONSISTENT DISTRIBUTIONS

Q1 2025 Adjusted Earnings¹ of $5.6 billion reflect strong performance across the business. CFFO excluding working capital was $11.9 billion for the quarter. Working capital outflow was $2.7 billion in Q1 2025.
Strengthened LNG trading and optimisation capabilities with the Pavilion Energy acquisition and high-graded the portfolio with the completion of the divestments of the Singapore Energy and Chemicals Park², and SPDC³ in Nigeria.
Disciplined capital allocation, with 2025 cash capex outlook of $20 – 22 billion.
Commencing another $3.5 billion share buyback programme for the next 3 months, making this the 14^th consecutive quarter of at least $3 billion in buybacks. Total shareholder distributions paid over the last 4 quarters were 45% of CFFO, consistent with the 40 – 50% of CFFO through the cycle distribution target announced at Capital Markets Day 2025.
Resilient balance sheet with gearing (including leases) of 19%.

$ million¹		Adj. Earnings	Adj. EBITDA	CFFO	Cash capex
Integrated Gas		2,483	4,735	3,463	1,116
Upstream		2,337	7,387	3,945	1,923
Marketing		900	1,869	1,907	256
Chemicals & Products⁴		449	1,410	130	458
Renewables & Energy Solutions		(42)	111	367	403
Corporate		(457)	(261)	(531)	19
Less: Non-controlling interest (NCI)		94
Shell	Q1 2025	5,577	15,250	9,281	4,175
Shell	Q4 2024	3,661	14,281	13,162	6,924

¹Income/(loss) attributable to shareholders for Q1 2025 is $4.8 billion. Reconciliation of non-GAAP measures can be found in the unaudited results, available at www.shell.com/investors.
² Completed on April 1, 2025.
³The Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria Limited.
⁴Chemicals & Products Adjusted Earnings at a subsegment level are as follows: Chemicals $(0.1) billion and Products $0.6 billion.

CFFO excluding working capital is $11.9 billion in Q1 2025 and reflects tax payments of $2.9 billion. Working capital outflow is $2.7 billion, consistent with outflows as we have seen in the first quarters of recent years.
Net debt of $41.5 billion includes the lease additions related to the Pavilion Energy acquisition as well as a drawdown on the loan facilities provided at the completion of the sale of SPDC in Nigeria.

$ billion¹	Q1 2024	Q2 2024	Q3 2024	Q4 2024	Q1 2025
Working capital	(2.8)	(0.3)	2.7	2.4	(2.7)
Divestment proceeds	1.0	0.8	0.2	0.8	0.6
Free cash flow	9.8	10.2	10.8	8.7	5.3
Net debt	40.5	38.3	35.2	38.8	41.5

¹ Reconciliation of non-GAAP measures can be found in the unaudited results, available at www.shell.com/investors.

Q1 2025 FINANCIAL PERFORMANCE DRIVERS

INTEGRATED GAS

Key data	Q4 2024	Q1 2025	Q2 2025 outlook
Realised liquids price ($/bbl)	63	64	—
Realised gas price ($/thousand scf)	8.1	7.4	—
Production (kboe/d)	905	927	890 – 950
LNG liquefaction volumes (MT)	7.1	6.6	6.3 – 6.9
LNG sales volumes (MT)	15.5	16.5	—

Adjusted Earnings were higher than in Q4 2024, reflecting lower exploration well write-offs. Trading and optimisation results were in line with Q4 2024, despite higher unfavourable (non-cash) impact from expiring hedging contracts.
Q2 2025 production and liquefaction outlook reflects higher scheduled maintenance across the portfolio.

UPSTREAM

Key data	Q4 2024	Q1 2025	Q2 2025 outlook
Realised liquids price ($/bbl)	71	71	—
Realised gas price ($/thousand scf)	7.0	7.4	—
Liquids production (kboe/d)	1,332	1,335	—
Gas production (million scf/d)	3,056	3,020	—
Total production (kboe/d)	1,859	1,855	1,560 – 1,760

Adjusted Earnings were higher than in Q4 2024, reflecting lower depreciation following year-end reserves updates and lower well write-offs, partially offset by lower sales volumes.
Q2 2025 production outlook reflects scheduled maintenance and the completed sale of SPDC in March 2025.

MARKETING

Key data	Q4 2024	Q1 2025	Q2 2025 outlook
Marketing sales volumes (kb/d)	2,795	2,674	2,600 – 3,100
Mobility (kb/d)	2,041	1,964	—
Lubricants (kb/d)	77	87	—
Sectors & Decarbonisation (kb/d)	678	623	—

Adjusted Earnings were higher than in Q4 2024, supported by seasonally stronger margins in Lubricants.

CHEMICALS & PRODUCTS

Key data	Q4 2024	Q1 2025	Q2 2025 outlook¹
Refinery processing intake (kb/d)	1,215	1,362	—
Chemicals sales volumes (kT)	2,926	2,813	—
Refinery utilisation (%)	76	85	87 – 95
Chemicals manufacturing plant utilisation (%)	75	81	74 – 82
Global indicative refining margin ($/bbl)	5.5	6.2	—
Global indicative chemical margin ($/t)	138	126	—

¹Following the Singapore Energy and Chemicals Park divestment, IRM, ICM and associated sensitivities have been updated for Q2 2025; see the guidance tab of the Quarterly Databook, available at www.shell.com/investors.

Trading and optimisation results were significantly higher than in Q4 2024 and in line with contributions in Q2 and Q3 of 2024, while the Chemicals results continued to be impacted by a weak margin environment.
Q2 2025 outlook reflects the completed sale of the Energy and Chemicals Park in Singapore.

RENEWABLES & ENERGY SOLUTIONS

Key data	Q4 2024	Q1 2025
External power sales (TWh)	76	76
Sales of pipeline gas to end-use customers (TWh)	165	184
Renewables power generation capacity (GW)*	7.4	7.5
in operation (GW)	3.4	3.5
under construction and/or committed for sale (GW)	4.0	4.0

*Excludes Shell’s equity share of associates where information cannot be obtained.

Adjusted Earnings were higher than in Q4 2024, with higher seasonal demand and volatility driving higher trading and optimisation, particularly in the Americas.

CORPORATE

Key data	Q4 2024	Q1 2025	Q2 2025 outlook
Adjusted Earnings ($ billion)	(0.4)	(0.5)	(0.6) – (0.4)

UPCOMING INVESTOR EVENTS

May 20, 2025	Annual General Meeting
July 31, 2025	Second quarter 2025 results and dividends
October 30, 2025	Third quarter 2025 results and dividends

USEFUL LINKS

Results materials Q 1 202 5
Quarterly Databook Q 1 20 25
Webcast registration Q 1 20 25
Dividend announcement Q 1 20 25
C apital Mar kets Day 2025 materials

ALTERNATIVE PERFORMANCE (NON-GAAP) MEASURES
This announcement includes certain measures that are calculated and presented on the basis of methodologies other than in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP) such as IFRS, including Adjusted Earnings, Adjusted EBITDA, CFFO excluding working capital movements, free cash flow, Divestment proceeds and Net debt. This information, along with comparable GAAP measures, is useful to investors because it provides a basis for measuring Shell plc’s operating performance and ability to retire debt and invest in new business opportunities. Shell plc’s management uses these financial measures, along with the most directly comparable GAAP financial measures, in evaluating the business performance.

This announcement may contain certain forward-looking non-GAAP measures such as Adjusted Earnings and divestments. We are unable to provide a reconciliation of these forward-looking non-GAAP measures to the most comparable GAAP financial measures because certain information needed to reconcile the non-GAAP measures to the most comparable GAAP financial measures is dependent on future events some of which are outside the control of the company, such as oil and gas prices, interest rates and exchange rates. Moreover, estimating such GAAP measures with the required precision necessary to provide a meaningful reconciliation is extremely difficult and could not be accomplished without unreasonable effort. Non-GAAP measures in respect of future periods which cannot be reconciled to the most comparable GAAP financial measure are estimated in a manner which is consistent with the accounting policies applied in Shell plc’s consolidated financial statements.

CAUTIONARY STATEMENT
The companies in which Shell plc directly and indirectly owns investments are separate legal entities. In this announcement, “Shell”, “Shell Group” and “Group” are sometimes used for convenience to reference Shell plc and its subsidiaries in general. Likewise, the words “we”, “us” and “our” are also used to refer to Shell plc and its subsidiaries in general or to those who work for them. These terms are also used where no useful purpose is served by identifying the particular entity or entities. “Subsidiaries”, “Shell subsidiaries” and “Shell companies” as used in this announcement refer to entities over which Shell plc either directly or indirectly has control. The terms “joint venture”, “joint operations”, “joint arrangements”, and “associates” may also be used to refer to a commercial arrangement in which Shell has a direct or indirect ownership interest with one or more parties. The term “Shell interest” is used for convenience to indicate the direct and/or indirect ownership interest held by Shell in an entity or unincorporated joint arrangement, after exclusion of all third-party interest.

This announcement contains forward-looking statements (within the meaning of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995) concerning the financial condition, results of operations and businesses of Shell. All statements other than statements of historical fact are, or may be deemed to be, forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are statements of future expectations that are based on management’s current expectations and assumptions and involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results, performance or events to differ materially from those expressed or implied in these statements. Forward-looking statements include, among other things, statements concerning the potential exposure of Shell to market risks and statements expressing management’s expectations, beliefs, estimates, forecasts, projections and assumptions. These forward-looking statements are identified by their use of terms and phrases such as “aim”; “ambition”; “anticipate”; “aspire”; “aspiration”; ‘‘believe’’; “commit”; “commitment”; ‘‘could’’; “desire”; ‘‘estimate’’; ‘‘expect’’; ‘‘goals’’; ‘‘intend’’; ‘‘may’’; “milestones”; ‘‘objectives’’; ‘‘outlook’’; ‘‘plan’’; ‘‘probably’’; ‘‘project’’; ‘‘risks’’; “schedule”; ‘‘seek’’; ‘‘should’’; ‘‘target’’; “vision”; ‘‘will’’; “would” and similar terms and phrases. There are a number of factors that could affect the future operations of Shell and could cause those results to differ materially from those expressed in the forward-looking statements included in this announcement, including (without limitation): (a) price fluctuations in crude oil and natural gas; (b) changes in demand for Shell’s products; (c) currency fluctuations; (d) drilling and production results; (e) reserves estimates; (f) loss of market share and industry competition; (g) environmental and physical risks, including climate change; (h) risks associated with the identification of suitable potential acquisition properties and targets, and successful negotiation and completion of such transactions; (i) the risk of doing business in developing countries and countries subject to international sanctions; (j) legislative, judicial, fiscal and regulatory developments including tariffs and regulatory measures addressing climate change; (k) economic and financial market conditions in various countries and regions; (l) political risks, including the risks of expropriation and renegotiation of the terms of contracts with governmental entities, delays or advancements in the approval of projects and delays in the reimbursement for shared costs; (m) risks associated with the impact of pandemics, regional conflicts, such as the Russia-Ukraine war and the conflict in the Middle East, and a significant cyber security, data privacy or IT incident; (n) the pace of the energy transition; and (o) changes in trading conditions. No assurance is provided that future dividend payments will match or exceed previous dividend payments. All forward-looking statements contained in this announcement are expressly qualified in their entirety by the cautionary statements contained or referred to in this section. Readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. Additional risk factors that may affect future results are contained in Shell plc’s Form 20-F for the year ended December 31, 2024 (available at www.shell.com/investors/news-and-filings/sec-filings.html and www.sec.gov). These risk factors also expressly qualify all forward-looking statements contained in this announcement and should be considered by the reader. Each forward-looking statement speaks only as of the date of this announcement, May 2, 2025. Neither Shell plc nor any of its subsidiaries undertake any obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statement as a result of new information, future events or other information. In light of these risks, results could differ materially from those stated, implied or inferred from the forward-looking statements contained in this announcement.
All amounts shown throughout this announcement are unaudited. The numbers presented throughout this announcement may not sum precisely to the totals provided and percentages may not precisely reflect the absolute figures, due to rounding.
Shell’s Net Carbon Intensity
Also, in this announcement, we may refer to Shell’s “net carbon intensity” (NCI), which includes Shell’s carbon emissions from the production of our energy products, our suppliers’ carbon emissions in supplying energy for that production and our customers’ carbon emissions associated with their use of the energy products we sell. Shell’s NCI also includes the emissions associated with the production and use of energy products produced by others which Shell purchases for resale. Shell only controls its own emissions. The use of the terms Shell’s “net carbon intensity” or NCI is for convenience only and not intended to suggest these emissions are those of Shell plc or its subsidiaries.

Shell’s Net-Zero Emissions Target
Shell’s operating plan and outlook are forecasted for a three-year period and ten-year period, respectively, and are updated every year. They reflect the current economic environment and what we can reasonably expect to see over the next three and ten years. Accordingly, the outlook reflects our Scope 1, Scope 2 and NCI targets over the next ten years. However, Shell’s operating plan and outlook cannot reflect our 2050 net-zero emissions target, as this target is outside our planning period. Such future operating plans and outlooks could include changes to our portfolio, efficiency improvements and the use of carbon capture and storage and carbon credits. In the future, as society moves towards net-zero emissions, we expect Shell’s operating plans and outlooks to reflect this movement. However, if society is not net zero in 2050, as of today, there would be significant risk that Shell may not meet this target.

The content of websites referred to in this announcement does not form part of this announcement.

We may have used certain terms, such as resources, in this announcement that the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) strictly prohibits us from including in our filings with the SEC. Investors are urged to consider closely the disclosure in our Form 20-F, File No 1-32575, available on the SEC website www.sec.gov.

The financial information presented in this announcement does not constitute statutory accounts within the meaning of section 434(3) of the Companies Act 2006 (“the Act”). Statutory accounts for the year ended December 31, 2024 were published in Shell’s Annual Report and Accounts, a copy of which was delivered to the Registrar of Companies for England and Wales. The auditor’s report on those accounts was unqualified, did not include a reference to any matters to which the auditor drew attention by way of emphasis without qualifying the report and did not contain a statement under sections 498(2) or 498(3) of the Act.

The information in this announcement does not constitute the unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements which are contained in Shell’s first quarter 2025 unaudited results available on www.shell.com/investors.

CONTACTS

Media: International +44 207 934 5550; U.S. and Canada: C ontact form

The MIL Network –

May 2, 2025

MIL-OSI Australia: Papua New Guinea

Source:

We continue to advise exercise a high degree of caution in Papua New Guinea due to high levels of crime, tribal violence and civil unrest. Higher levels apply in some areas.

Local level elections will take place across the country between May and August 2025. Be alert to the possibility of tensions and violence during elections.

Local communities can block the Kokoda Track at short notice. Check with your trekking company for the latest information (see ‘Travel’).

Ongoing fuel shortages can disrupt domestic travel, including air travel, with little or no notice. Protests, civil disorder and tribal violence can escalate quickly. Avoid areas where violence occurs and be alert to personal safety risks. Monitor local media for updates (see ‘Safety’).

MIL OSI News –

May 2, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Murray, Daines Introduce Bill to Cut Red Tape, Create Simplified Pathway for Ecosystem Restoration in Regulated Floodplains

US Senate News:

Source: United States Senator for Washington State Patty Murray
Washington, D.C. — Today, U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), Vice Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, introduced the Floodplain Enhancement and Recovery Act with Senator Steve Daines (R-MT). This bipartisan legislation would create a new pathway for ecosystem restoration projects in floodplains that meet specific low-risk criteria and would simplify approval for important restoration work while still upholding flood safety standards.
Under the current Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) policy, any proposed development in a regulated floodway, whether it’s a shopping mall or salmon habitat, must prove that it will not increase the base flood elevation (BFE) of the area. This requirement is commonly referred to as the “No Rise” rule. While important for protecting communities from increased flood risks, it has had major unintended consequences on important environmental restoration in Washington state and around the country.
“Here in Washington state ensuring our waterways stay healthy is critical for not just environmental conservation efforts, but important for our communities and economy as well. This legislation will simplify approval of ecosystem restoration projects in floodplains, which is critical for many projects in Washington state where many communities are in a regulated floodway,” said Senator Murray. “Government should be making it easier to protect our environment, not harder. I am proud to be a partner to the many Tribes and advocates in Washington state that have been pushing for the Floodplain Enhancement and Recovery Act, and I will continue to fight for commonsense solutions to protect and restore our ecosystems.”
In Washington state, many salmon habitat restoration projects involve placing woody debris in a waterway to slow water and make safe spaces for juvenile salmon to develop. These projects, and many others, often fail the “No Rise” rule. Currently, the only way around the rule is to first update FEMA’s flood maps with the projected BFE impacts. This requires extensive and very expensive hydrologic and hydraulic analyses, often performed by a third-party engineer. FEMA then reviews the analyses, replicates them, and approves them internally before giving the okay to move forward, which has taken up to three years to complete. While this process often makes sense in an urbanized, flood-prone community, it is an unnecessary exercise for restoration in remote areas.
“Critical ecosystem restoration projects across Montana have been abandoned due to FEMA’s onerous and costly ‘No Rise’ rule. This commonsense, bipartisan bill will reduce unnecessary burdens on important conservation and restoration work, while continuing to keep our communities safe from flooding,” said Senator Daines.
Many communities in Washington have avoided doing restoration work in regulated floodways—which makes up much of the state—to avoid the associated costs. This bill would allow for a more efficient process for ecosystem restoration in a regulated floodplain and addresses the issue of “No Rise,” which has been a priority concern for a number of Tribal communities and salmon advocates in Washington state for the last few years.
“Ecosystem restoration projects reduce flood risk and restore the natural functions of floodplains,” said Ed Johnstone, Chairman of Northwest Indian Fisheries Commission. “This proposed legislation is a strong step toward removing an undue burden for these essential habitat restoration and nature-based solution projects. Treaty tribes support legislation that keeps communities safe while restoring salmon habitat and protecting treaty rights in the Pacific Northwest.”
“Restoring healthy floodplains is just one of many nature-based solutions that must be integrated into our national efforts to make communities safer and rivers healthier in the face of increasingly extreme weather,” said Eileen Shader, Senior Advisor for American Rivers Action Fund and a floodplains expert. “Making sure that these cost-efficient and common-sense restoration projects are not limited by inefficiencies in the regulatory framework is an important step in ensuring lives and property are protected.”
“The Association of State Floodplain Managers supports this legislation because it is a practical solution balancing the need to identify any relevant impacts of floodplain restoration projects with time, effort and resources to do so,” said Chad Berginnis, Executive Director of The Association of State Floodplain Managers. “The land use and development standards of the NFIP need to be sensibly applied in a way to protect and enhance the natural and beneficial functions of our nation’s floodplains.”
“We appreciate Senator Murray’s leadership and partnership in developing this important legislation. It’s a common-sense approach that reduces costs and delays for watershed restoration while maintaining flood safety,” said Casey Sixkiller, Director of the Washington State Department of Ecology. “By giving our federal partners more flexibility in their review processes, this bill will help move critical ecosystem and salmon recovery projects forward without unnecessary regulatory hurdles or added costs.”
“There are many benefits to having intact natural floodplains. One of them is that they lower the risks associated with flooding. That is one of the main reasons why The Nature Conservancy supports policies, like this one from Senators Murray and Daines, that help scale up work to restore floodplains,” said Cameron Adams, Policy Advisor for The Nature Conservancy. “This bipartisan legislation would give communities the flexibility they want and need to do science-backed ecosystem restoration projects in flood zones. These types of projects don’t just benefit people, but also plants and animals that thrive in healthy landscapes.”
“Ecosystem restoration projects are a vital tool to address landscape recovery and habitat restoration, especially after major weather events. This amendment would make it easier for local communities to develop effective and necessary restoration projects by streamlining the approval process for ecosystem restoration projects,” said Jeremy Peters, CEO of National Association of Conservation Districts. “NACD appreciates the clarity and flexibility provided in this amendment and looks forward to seeing how local conservation districts will have an even greater impact in areas in need of restoration.”
Senator Murray has been a champion for protecting and strengthening critical salmon and fish populations throughout her time in the Senate. Senator Murray secured a historic $2.85 billion investment in salmon and ecosystem restoration programs—including $400 million for a new community-based restoration program focused on removing fish passage barriers in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law—and in the Inflation Reduction Act, Murray secured hundreds of millions for Washington state priorities including $15 million for the Pacific Coastal Salmon Recovery Fund, $3 million to support facilities at the Olympic Coast National Marine Sanctuary, $27 million for Pacific salmon research, and more.
Last Congress, as then-Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, Murray protected critical funding for salmon recovery and fishery projects in the Fiscal Year 2024 government spending bills she negotiated and passed into law, including securing: $50 million in the construction of the Howard Hanson Dam Fish Passage facility; $75 million for the Pacific Salmon account at the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), $65 million for the Pacific Coastal Salmon Recovery Fund, $54 million for the EPA’s Puget Sound Geographic Program, and more.

MIL OSI USA News –

May 2, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Pfluger Leads Push to Mitigate Cybersecurity Risks Associated with Unsecured Networks

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman August Pfluger (TX-11)

WASHINGTON, DC — This week, Congressman August Pfluger (TX-11) led a letter with several colleagues commending Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Chairman Brendan Carr on his decision to establish the new Council for National Security within the FCC, and urging him to use the council to mitigate cybersecurity risks associated with unsecured routers.

In part, the members wrote, “The recent proliferation of cybersecurity incidents underscores the need for the entire federal government to work together to address and deter cyber threats. We write to you today because we believe there is more the FCC can do to reduce the likelihood of such incidents. As the backbone of the Internet, routers play a critical role in securing communications for consumers and businesses. When these devices are insecure, they can serve as gateways for cyberattacks. For example, weak, default, or easily predicted passwords make routers vulnerable to exploitation. Malicious actors can exploit these vulnerabilities in routers to disrupt service, steal sensitive data, or even launch attacks against critical infrastructure…”

“We are increasingly concerned about the prevalence of these devices and that unsecured routers may allow the CCP to surveil American data or disrupt our networks. Although the Department of Commerce is reviewing whether or not to ban routers made by Chinese-owned companies in the future, many of these devices remain on our networks, which nefarious actors could still leverage.”

The letter outlines several examples of how the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) has repeatedly tried to leverage private companies and create backdoors in our critical infrastructure technology. The letter also highlights that under Chairman Carr’s leadership, the Council for National Security can take action against the CCP by leveraging equipment authorization to require routers to allow only uniquely identifiable devices known to the household and securely authenticated by the network owner.

See the full letter HERE or read the full text below.

Dear Chairman Carr,

Firstly, we write to commend your decision to establish the new Council for National Security within the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), a crucial step in safeguarding America’s telecommunications infrastructure. Congress stands ready to work with you on this initiative to reduce America’s dependence on foreign adversaries, mitigate cyberattack vulnerabilities, and ensure U.S. supremacy in critical technologies.

As you know, the House Energy and Commerce Committee has worked diligently to combat the People’s Republic of China’s (PRC) efforts to leverage private companies to create backdoors in our telecommunications infrastructure. For example, the House of Representatives just recently passed H.R. 866, the ROUTERS Act, to safeguard Americans’ communications networks from foreign-adversary controlled technology, including routers, modems, or devices that combine both. Additionally, in the 118th Congress, the House passed H.R. 7521, the Protecting Americans from the Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act, which prevents foreign adversary-controlled applications from targeting, surveilling, and manipulating Americans through online applications like TikTok. Congress also worked to ensure that the Secure and Trusted Communications Networks Reimbursement Program, or the “Rip and Replace” program, received proper funding to remove untrusted equipment such as Huawei and ZTE from our networks.

Last year, the House Committee on Homeland Security and the Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party released their Joint Investigation report into Shanghai Zhenhua Heavy Industries Company (ZPMC), a PRC-owned and operated company. The investigation yielded that ZPMC, or a third-party company contracted with ZPMC, installed cellular modems onto STS cranes currently operational at U.S. ports. These installations fall outside the scope of any contract between the affected U.S. ports and ZPMC. The modems created an obscure method to collect information and bypass firewalls in a manner that could potentially disrupt port operations.

Even more recently, the U.S. Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) reported that the Chinese-made Contec CMS8000 patient monitors contained a hard-coded IP address linked to an unidentified third party, allowing for reverse backdoor functionality. This vulnerability allows for remote access of the medical device and may allow for potential manipulation, risking patient safety and compromising sensitive health data.

These are just a few examples of how the CCP will use every tool at its disposal to undermine U.S. economic and national security interests to further its agenda. The recent proliferation of cybersecurity incidents underscores the need for the entire federal government to work together to address and deter cyber threats. We write to you today because we believe there is more the FCC can do to reduce the likelihood of such incidents.

As the backbone of the Internet, routers play a critical role in securing communications for consumers and businesses. When these devices are insecure, they can serve as gateways for cyberattacks. For example, weak, default, or easily predicted passwords make routers vulnerable to exploitation. Malicious actors can exploit these vulnerabilities in routers to disrupt service, steal sensitive data, or even launch attacks against critical infrastructure.

It has been reported that TP-Link, a Chinese company, owns roughly 65% of the routers used in U.S. homes and small businesses. Additionally, the Department of Defense and other federal government agencies have used TP-Link Routers before. Multiple TP-Link routers have been added to the National Institute of Science (NIST) National Vulnerability Database for containing a directory traversal vulnerability, allowing unauthenticated remote attackers to access sensitive files by sending specially crafted requests.

We are increasingly concerned about the prevalence of these devices and that unsecured routers may allow the CCP to surveil American data or disrupt our networks. Although the Department of Commerce is reviewing whether or not to ban routers made by Chinese-owned companies in the future, many of these devices remain on our networks, which nefarious actors could still leverage.

With the new Council for National Security, the FCC can take various actions to mitigate cybersecurity risks associated with unsecured routers. The FCC could leverage equipment authorization through the Telecommunications Certification Body to require routers to allow only uniquely identifiable devices known to the household and securely authenticated by the network owner onto a customer’s network. These steps represent broadly accepted minimum security practices under NIST guidance and are necessary first steps toward protecting our nation’s consumers and networks from cyber risks. Other immediate-term options, such as prohibiting any new sales of TP-Link routers, or requiring ISPs to block new TP-Link routers from being added to home networks, would stop the influx of these devices on networks. Additionally, as we think beyond TP-Link routers, ISP authentication will strengthen U.S. networks’ ability to defend themselves against future untrusted Internet of Things (IoT) devices joining their networks.

We are confident that, under your leadership, we can advance national cybersecurity initiatives

and create robust strategies to strengthen U.S. networks against cybersecurity threats. Together,

we can foster a secure digital environment that instills trust and confidence among users

nationwide.

Sincerely,

MIL OSI USA News –

May 2, 2025
MIL-OSI United Nations: Experts of the Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination Commend Gabon on Special Contingent Composed of Indigenous Persons, Ask Questions on Treatment of Hausa Gabonese Population and Human Trafficking

Source: United Nations – Geneva

The Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination today concluded its consideration of the tenth periodic report of Gabon, with Committee Experts commending the State on the establishment of a special contingent in the National Guard made up of indigenous persons, while asking questions on the treatment of the Hausa Gabonese population and steps taken to combat human trafficking.

Régine Esseneme, Committee Expert and Country Rapporteur, said the Committee was informed that the President of the Transition, the current Head of State, had set up a special contingent in the National Guard composed of members of the indigenous peoples’ communities, with a view to protecting the environment, which was a commendable action.

Ms. Esseneme asked about the situation of the Hausa Gabonese since their naturalisation as Gabonese citizens in 2015, in terms of facilitating their national integration? What measures were being taken to ensure effective access to birth registration for members of ethnic minorities and indigenous peoples and to ensure the issuance of official identity documents and passports, especially in remote areas?

Bakri Sidiki Diaby, Committee Expert and Country Co-Rapporteur, asked what was the proportion of Gabonese nationals who were victims of trafficking? What were the main forms of trafficking found in Gabon? What was the profile of the perpetrators of human trafficking, their gender and their nationality? What were the measures for reparation and rehabilitation of victims of trafficking? What was being done by the State to prevent and combat trafficking in persons, including for the purpose of labour exploitation, sexual exploitation and domestic servitude, including of non-citizens, especially children?

The delegation said the Hausa Gabonese benefitted the same as any other citizen who held Gabonese nationality. A naturalisation decree had been implemented which granted Gabonese nationality to all Hausa people living in the country at the time; this was around 1,000 people. Some people had tried to fall through the cracks and benefit from this decree without actually meeting the requirements, which had a negative impact on the administrative situation. The Ministry of Justice was currently verifying the validity of these documents.

The delegation said in 2023, Gabon completed the procedure required for the State to be in a position to proactively identify cases of human trafficking by identifying irregular movements. The country was also collecting data in this regard, to identify trends and receive up to date information on this phenomenon in Gabon. Underground networks operated the trafficking of women and children, and irregular migration was the driving force behind this phenomenon. Gabon was working with Benin to find a solution to this issue. The State was fully committed to rolling out the project to have practical solutions to these issues, including police investigations into these cases.

Introducing the report, Paul-Marie Gondjout, Minister of Justice, Keeper of the Seals of Gabon and head of the delegation, apologised for the late submission of the report, which should have been submitted more than 20 years ago. Since the “ coup of liberation” of 30 August 2023, the country had been engaged in a democratic transition process under the aegis of the President of the Transition. Structured around profound institutional reforms, this inclusive process had laid the foundations for more transparent and democratic governance. A new Constitution was adopted in December 2024, which brought substantial innovations in governance; and the Electoral Code adopted in January 2025 introduced greater involvement of electoral observers, two seats of deputies for the Gabonese diaspora, and the guarantee of the right to vote for incarcerated citizens.

In concluding remarks, Ms. Esseneme congratulated Gabon for the multi-sectoral approach taken to the dialogue, which had been productive and fruitful. Gabon was urged to do its utmost to implement the recommendations contained in the concluding observations, to ensure ongoing collaboration with the Committee.

Mr. Gondjout, in his concluding remarks, thanked the Committee for the constructive and respectful exchange which had taken place. Gabon would continue engaging with the Committee and looked forward to the concluding observations and follow-up. It would respond within the timeframes indicated.

The delegation of Gabon consisted of representatives of the Transitional National Assembly; Ministry of the Interior; Ministry of Health; Ministry of Energy and Water Resources; Ministry of Women and Child Protection; Ministry of National Education; Directorate of Human Rights Protection; Directorate of Criminal Affairs; Directorate of Equal Opportunities; Labour Inspectorate; Central Directorate of Financial Affairs; Directorate of Documentation and Immigration; Immigration Task Force; and the Permanent Mission of Gabon to the United Nations Office at Geneva.

The Committee will issue its concluding observations on the report of Gabon after the conclusion of its one hundred and fifteenth session on 9 May. The programme of work and other documents related to the session can be found here . Summaries of the public meetings of the Committee can be found here , while webcasts of the public meetings can be found here .

The Committee will next meet in public on Thursday, 1 May at 3 p.m. to consider the combined eleventh and twelfth periodic reports of Kyrgyzstan (CERD/C/KGZ/11-12).

Report

The Committee has before it the tenth periodic report of Gabon (CERD/C/GAB/10).

Presentation of Report

PAUL-MARIE GONDJOUT, Minister of Justice, Keeper of the Seals of Gabon and head of the delegation , apologised for the late submission of the report, which should have been submitted more than 20 years ago. It covered the period from 1999 to 2021 and was drafted in an inclusive, participatory process. Since gaining sovereignty, Gabon had promoted equal dignity among all citizens by prohibiting any distinction of race, origin or religion. The country had made the fight against all forms of discrimination one of the priorities in its resolute commitment to building a State governed by the rule of law that respected and protected human rights and guaranteed access to rights for all.

Since the “ coup of liberation” of 30 August 2023, the country had been engaged in a democratic transition process under the aegis of the President of the Transition. Structured around profound institutional reforms, this inclusive process had laid the foundations for more transparent and democratic governance. A new Constitution was adopted in December 2024, which brought substantial innovations in governance; and the Electoral Code adopted in January 2025 introduced greater involvement of electoral observers, two seats of deputies for the Gabonese diaspora, and the guarantee of the right to vote for incarcerated citizens. The presidential election was held on 12 April, which would be followed on 3 May by the inauguration of the President of the Republic, thus putting an end to the transition. Transitional authorities had taken determined action to periodically update the legislative arsenal to bring it into line with ratified international treaties.

Statistical data was a major challenge for Gabon. To address this, the Directorate General of Statistics had set up a technical body to carry out the seventh national census, which would provide data on age, gender, ethnicity, nationality and language spoken for the total population, indigenous peoples, ethnic minorities and migrants, as well as information on employment, income level and social protection. The project for the harmonisation and improvement of statistics in West and Central Africa was providing financing of statistical activities between 2025 and 2029, ensuring the production of reliable and regularly updated statistics.

The Convention was directly applicable in Gabon and took precedence over national laws. To raise awareness of the Convention, several initiatives were implemented during the reporting period, from capacity-building workshops to the dissemination of multilingual communications. In various training schools, the Convention was presented in the module on human rights.

No Gabonese text defined racial discrimination in the same terms as those in article one of the Convention. However, the Constitutions of 1991 and 2024 had adopted and enshrined the main principles of article one, targeting discrimination based on race, colour, national or ethnic origin and covering several sectors of the population. The Constitution also enshrined the equality of citizens before the law and the courts and the presumption of innocence for accused persons. The Government envisaged developing a national plan of action to combat racial discrimination and related intolerance in the coming year. Training sessions on the issue had been organised and a committee had been set up to develop a draft.

A law on the reorganisation of the National Human Rights Commission was promulgated in November 2024. The process of re-establishing the institution would be completed in the coming weeks after the selection of the commissioners by the Bureau of the National Assembly. Premises for the Commission were made available in 2014, and it had recruited staff since 2012. Its budget has increased from 12,000,000 CFA francs in 2016 to 592,000,000 in 2025.

During the period under review, measures were taken to ensure that the Criminal Code and other legislation complied with the Convention. State laws prohibited and penalised acts of racial, religious and ethnic discrimination and regionalist propaganda; secular or religious associations that provoked hatred between ethnic groups; and the dissemination, including online, of racist hate speech, which constituted an aggravating circumstance.

The High Authority for Communication had imposed sanctions on media outlets on several occasions, but no decision condemning hate speech had been handed down by courts to date. A digital campaign entitled “Gabon against hate” was launched in December 2023 to educate citizens on the dangers of hate speech and disinformation, and in December 2024, the Government organised a workshop on the Central African strategy and action plan for the prevention and response to hate speech and incitement to violence, which led to the drafting of a national action plan.

The new Constitution recognised civil society organizations as a part of pluralist and participatory democracy. A bill was also submitted in September 2024 on the protection of human rights defenders. Civil society organizations, including the network of human rights defenders, were strongly involved in the transition process, both in the Government and in Parliament.

To align legislation on migrants with international standards, Gabon prepared a draft law establishing rules governing the admission and residence of foreigners in the Republic. The Government planned to integrate the issue of migrants into the curricula of training schools, particularly at the National School of the Judiciary and the National Police Academy, which also had a module on trafficking in persons.

Gabon had made commitments at international, regional and national levels to combat trafficking in persons through local initiatives and partnerships with international actors. In 2023, the State party created a commission that was mandated to strengthen the capacities of actors addressing trafficking and establish coordinated mechanisms for the identification, care and protection of victims in each province. In addition, a proposed strategy and action plan on trafficking for the period 2025-2029 would implement actions to prevent the phenomenon, protect victims and prosecute perpetrators.

Questions by Committee Experts

RÉGINE ESSENEME, Committee Expert and Country Rapporteur , extended warm congratulations to the elected President of the Republic, Brice Oligui Nguema. She said the Committee had considered Gabon’s last report in 1998 in the absence of a delegation. The State submitted its next report 26 years late in 2024. The report did not provide sufficient information on the implementation of the Committee’s previous concluding observations. However, Ms. Esseneme congratulated the State party on significant developments that had been made in the legal and institutional framework, particularly the prohibition of hate speech.

Gabon’s new Constitution of 2024 did not contain all the grounds of discrimination provided for in article one of the Convention, including skin colour, national origin and ancestry. Was this Constitution currently in effect? By what mechanism could the Convention be invoked before national courts? Could the delegation give examples of court cases in which Convention provisions had been applied? Were there plans to adopt comprehensive anti-discrimination legislation in line with the Convention? Gabon’s Common Core Document dated from 1998 and did not contain precise information on equality and non-discrimination. Were there plans to update it?

Was there any legislation in the State party explicitly prohibiting racial profiling by police? Gabonese police reportedly carried out racial profiling checks and extorted foreigners staying in Gabon, demanding sums of money from them that varied depending on whether they held a residence permit. What measures were envisaged to prevent, prohibit and expressly punish racial profiling?

Was the Government drafting a new Criminal Code that incorporated all the provisions of article four of the Convention? Since the events of 30 August 2023, there had reportedly been a rise in racist hate speech against Gabonese of foreign origin, including the Hausa Gabonese group, and foreigners. What measures had the State party taken to counter this hate speech? Had the Prosecutor’s Office received cases of discriminatory acts against Hausa Gabonese?

The situation seemed to have deteriorated since the presidential election. Some 500 vehicles belonging to non-nationals employed in a private scheme for disadvantaged people had been seized and impounded. Could the State party provide an update on this case, which appeared to amount to racially motivated violence?

Did Gabon’s law hold persons from a dominant group to account when they destroyed the property of or committed violence against a member of a minority group? What measures were in place to improve the reporting and monitoring of racist hate crimes and hate speech? What progress had been made through the “Gabon against hate” campaign?

BAKRI SIDIKI DIABY, Committee Expert and Country Co-Rapporteur, called for data on the demographic composition of the population based on self-identification, disaggregated by ethnic origin; data on migrants, refugees, asylum seekers and stateless people; and disaggregated economic and social indicators on the different groups living in the territory, in particular minority groups? The Committee was concerned about the State’s general lack of disaggregated data, including on ethnicity, needed to monitor progress on human rights and inform policymaking. How was the State addressing this? Did it plan to establish a comprehensive data collection and reporting system that would provide insight into racial discrimination, socio-economic inequalities and implementation of the Convention?

Responses by the Delegation

The delegation apologised for Gabon’s lateness in submitting the report. The State party was fully committed to working with the Committee. The transitional authorities sought to fulfil the country’s international obligations.

The Constitution reflected the principles of the Convention, even though it did not reproduce its provisions word for word. There had been no complaints submitted to courts on racial discrimination. The President would take office in three days’ time, when the new Constitution would enter into force.

The Convention had supremacy over all domestic laws, and when there were Convention provisions that were contrary to the Constitution, the Constitutional Court could recommend amendments to the Constitution. The Criminal Code was last revised in 2020 and Gabon was engaging in work to further revise the Code to formalise within it all elements of article one of the Convention.

Police officers apprehended persons based on the acts that they conducted. They did not consider persons’ racial or ethnic identity; State law prohibited racial profiling. The Government worked to promote unity between different ethnic groups and ensure that hate speech did not gain ground.

Data on ethnic origin was not collected in the previous census of 2013, though data on nationality was. The next census would collect data on age, gender, ethnic origin and languages spoken. The Government had undertaken a project to reform the national statistics system, which aimed to provide more resources to the national statistics institute and to establish officers on statistics in each ministerial department, who would collect data on the implementation of the Convention.

Last year, a leader of a political party made a statement against an ethnic group; investigations into this incident were ongoing. The State party embraced the Hausa Gabonese and other populations of foreign origin, promoting their integration into society. It sought to resolve institutional friction to ensure such integration. It was not aware of reports of seizing of non-nationals’ vehicles.

Follow-Up Questions by Committee Experts

RÉGINE ESSENEME, Committee Expert and Country Rapporteur, asked whether the President would need to approve legislation to bring the new Constitution into force. What happened when constitutional or domestic legal provisions ran counter to international norms? Did victims need to lodge complaints related to hate speech for criminal investigations to start? Did the law on the protection of personal data include measures to prevent racial profiling?

A Committee Expert said the Committee was very pleased to see the delegation of Gabon after nearly a quarter-century and looked forward to continued dialogue with the State. In 2011, a law was implemented that addressed ritualistic crimes against children. What measures had the State party taken to protect children from these crimes? How many children were affected by such crimes?

Responses by the Delegation

The delegation said the new Constitution was in force, but its content on ceasing the transitional process was not applicable immediately. The Constitutional Court assessed new laws to ensure that they were aligned with the Convention and the Constitution. It informed the Government when laws contained provisions that did not align with the Convention and called for their revision.

The Higher Authority on Communication could suggest administrative sanctions against media agencies that disseminated hate speech.

There were no legal provisions that specifically referred to “ritualistic crimes”, but there were provisions punishing related acts, such as murder and removal of vital organs, as aggravated crimes.

Questions by Committee Experts

RÉGINE ESSENEME, Committee Expert and Country Rapporteur, said Gabon had not adopted a plan of action to combat racial discrimination. What measures had the State party taken to develop such a plan and implement the Durban Programme of Action, and what results had it obtained?

The National Human Rights Commission was reorganised in November 2024. Had the State party applied for accreditation from the Global Alliance of National Human Rights Institutions? The Commission received and examined complaints from individuals and victims. What was the procedure for this, and how many complaints had it examined, including related to racial discrimination? How was the Commission raising awareness about human rights protections? The Commission’s financial resources had been significantly increased; the Committee hoped that this would strengthen the Commission’s ability to combat racial discrimination.

The registration procedure for non-governmental organizations was reportedly very expensive and inconsistent, which discouraged organizations from carrying out their activities. The Committee had not received any alternative report from civil society. How was the State party encouraging this? What progress had been made in establishing a consultation framework between the State and civil society, and in developing a law on human rights defenders? Human and environmental rights defenders in the country were highly vulnerable to abuses and reprisals, including women, farmers and indigenous peoples fighting against deforestation. What measures were being taken to ensure the protection of human rights defenders who fought against racial discrimination and defended indigenous peoples and migrants?

The Committee welcomed that the State automatically appointed a lawyer to accused persons who could not afford one, and that such persons benefitted from the presumption of innocence. How many persons had benefitted from legal aid in the last two years, including persons from ethnic minorities?

What continuous training or awareness raising activities were being carried out for the judiciary, law enforcement officials and the public on human rights, international human rights treaties, non-discrimination and minority rights? Did training on human rights for security and defence forces address the Convention? What measures had been implemented to support the filing of complaints and claims for redress in cases of racial discrimination, particularly for ethnic minorities, indigenous peoples and non-citizens? Victims often struggled to prove that they had been discriminated against when perpetrators held positions of authority. Did the State party intend to introduce a reversal of the burden of proof in favour of victims of discrimination? How would the State bring the administration of justice closer to rural areas inhabited by indigenous peoples, and remove obstacles related to linguistic diversity?

What progress had been made on introducing human rights education into school curricula and higher education? Did curricula address the Convention, combatting racial discrimination, and the history, culture and traditions of the different ethnic groups and indigenous peoples? What difficulties did the State party encounter in promoting education on national languages? Were there any community radio stations in the State party where information was disseminated in local languages and indigenous languages such as Baka? What programmes were in place to promote ethnic cultures and traditions and social cohesion?

BAKRI SIDIKI DIABY, Committee Expert and Country Co-Rapporteur, said the new Constitution stipulated that citizens’ gatherings, demonstrations or parades in public spaces needed to be authorised under the conditions provided for by law. This seemed to restrict freedom of assembly and contradict 2017 legislation calling only for a declaration of planned gatherings. Why had this regressive change been made? How would the State party bring its rules on freedom of assembly in line with international standards? Were remedies available for persons whose demonstrations had been banned?

In February 2021, tear gas and grenades were used in Libreville and Port Gentil to disperse a crowd demonstrating in opposition to the restrictions imposed during the COVID-19 pandemic. What justified this use of public force? Had investigations been carried out to establish responsibility? Could legislation on assembly be used to restrict private meetings? What measures had the State party adopted to ensure that indigenous peoples, ethnic minorities and non-citizens could exercise their right to freedom of assembly without discrimination, including at demonstrations in opposition to infrastructure projects or calling for protection of the environment and natural resources?

FAITH DIKELEDI PANSY TLAKULA, Committee Expert and Follow-Up Rapporteur , said she was encouraged by the State’s desire to strengthen its institutions. How were the members of the National Human Rights Commission appointed and to whom were they accountable? The State party had not ratified the African Charter on Democracy, Elections and Governance. Did it plan to do so?

Responses by the Delegation

The delegation said that the National Human Rights Commission would apply for accreditation with the Global Alliance of National Human Rights Institutions. Funding for the Commission had increased exponentially. Legislation on the re-establishment of the Commission was in line with the Paris Principles; it had been developed with the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights. There had not been any complaints of racial discrimination submitted to the Commission yet. The State party would work to raise awareness of the Commission’s complaints mechanism.

The Commission and civil society were involved in drafting the State party’s reports to treaty bodies. Civil society had submitted alternative reports to the Human Rights Committee, and training had been provided to civil society on preparing such reports. Reports that the procedure for creating non-governmental organizations was onerous were false. There were no costs associated with creating such organizations in Gabon.

Gabon sought to rebuild its institutions based on justice. It had set up a legal aid office, which provided legal aid to vulnerable persons, and sought to strengthen this system and make it accessible throughout the country. There was no discrimination in the provision of legal aid. All plaintiffs appearing before a criminal court needed to be represented by a lawyer. The State party would consider revising the Criminal Code to reverse the burden of proof for cases involving racial discrimination.

The new Constitution enshrined the principles of freedom of expression and assembly for all citizens. Legislation set up a system of declaration for public demonstrations; there was no authorisation system. Individuals who had been banned from holding demonstrations could file administrative appeals and appeals with the courts. There were no barriers to the freedom of expression in Gabon.

Human rights education was part of the Gabonese civic education programme from primary level onwards. There had been an initiative to bolster this programme and to provide human rights education in vocational training institutions. Teaching on national languages was provided in religious establishments, and there were plans to include national language education in the general primary and secondary curricula.

The new members of the National Human Rights Commission would be appointed by an ad-hoc committee within the National Assembly through a transparent process that ensured appropriate geographic balance. These members would be standing, independent members. Members’ reports would be sent to relevant institutions for follow-up.

Initial training for members of the magistracy included a module on human rights, and ongoing training was provided on certain issues, for example concerning migrants and trafficking.

Questions by a Committee Expert

RÉGINE ESSENEME, Committee Expert and Country Rapporteur, asked which groups in Gabon self-determined as national minorities, even though the State declared it did not grant them legal status? What was the situation of the Hausa Gabonese since their naturalisation as Gabonese citizens in 2015, in terms of facilitating their national integration? According to information received by the Committee, the State was struggling to issue birth certificates and national identity cards to ethnic and indigenous minorities. What measures were being taken to ensure effective access to birth registration for members of ethnic minorities and indigenous peoples and to ensure the issuance of official identity documents and passports, especially in remote areas?

It was reported that in 2022, people returning from holidays, whose surnames sounded foreign, had had their passports taken away by border police officers, and they had to go and collect them and justify their Gabonese nationality. What was at the origin of this search for the original “Gabonness” that seemed to be coming back in force since the events of August 2023? What was the State party doing to ensure social cohesion in these circumstances?

How many members of the indigenous peoples’ communities held positions of responsibility in the central and local State administration? What measures were being taken to strengthen the political and administrative capacities of the members of these communities for better representation? What was the proportion of women, and particularly women from indigenous peoples and the Hausa Gabonese minority, in elective and decision-making positions in the civil service? Did it mean the State would prefer to appoint a less qualified man to a senior job in the State rather than a highly qualified woman, if the 30 per cent quota for women was reached? What measures had the State party taken to prevent and combat racial discrimination in the workplace, as well as abusive practices and labour exploitation, in particular against indigenous peoples and other minorities?

From the report, it appeared the State party was made up of the Baka, Babongo, Bakoya, Baghame, Barimba, Akoula and Akwoa ethnic groups that were settled in different regions of Gabonese territory. What were the legal and institutional frameworks, as well as policies and programmes established for the promotion and protection of the specific rights of these indigenous peoples? What measures had been taken to enable indigenous peoples to enjoy genuine equality of opportunity and treatment with other members of the population? How many indigenous peoples were there in Gabon?

What mechanism had been implemented to conduct prior consultations to obtain the free and informed consent of the indigenous peoples concerned by projects, including the deployment of fibre optics, and to involve them in their implementation? Was there a permanent framework for cooperation with community leaders or associations that represented these populations? Who were the ethnic groups of the indigenous inhabitants of the 26 villages concerned by the development project, being conducted with the United Nations Children’s Fund?

The Committee was informed that the President of the Transition, the current Head of State, had set up a special contingent in the National Guard composed of members of the indigenous peoples’ communities, with a view to protecting the environment, which was a commendable action. It was hoped this would not be an isolated act.

According to available information, entire villages populated by indigenous communities had been displaced without prior consent for mining projects in Bakoumba, and had been relocated to undesirable and polluted areas, with no action taken by the authorities to follow up on the complaints of those affected by the pollution. Could information on this situation be provided? What measures were being taken to ensure the right of indigenous peoples to own, develop, control and use the lands, resources and community territories that they traditionally occupied or used? What tools did the Government use to promote equal opportunities in education and training? How were the specific needs of indigenous peoples taken into account? Did pre-primary and primary education include the teaching of mother tongue languages?

The Gabonese Government had adopted a commendable housing policy with the home savings plan put in place since March 2019. However, a World Bank report from 2020 revealed that more than one in two households did not have access to decent housing. What was the real situation in terms of housing? Could information be provided on the poverty rate among indigenous peoples and other minorities and their access to basic services?

The education system had specialised facilities for children with hearing impairments, including those belonging to indigenous peoples and other minorities. What was the situation of the education of other children with special needs, such as autistic children, considered in some societies to be evil or sorcerous children? Given that some 50 national languages were spoken in Gabon, what languages were used within the media and what methodology was used to choose these languages? Were there programmes in the Baka and Koya languages that were spoken by indigenous peoples? What measures had been taken to promote the dissemination of and respect for the traditions and culture of the different ethnic groups in Gabon, and to protect indigenous languages, such as Baka and Koya?

Responses by the Delegation

Regarding the Hausa whose passports were removed if their names sounded foreign, the delegation said there were people who had not been careful to keep up with the administrative situation in the country in which they lived. They may not see the importance of having birth and identity documents. This meant today, when the State was focused on restoring its institutions, these matters came to the surface. There had been some confusing situations which arose because many people had held fake documents for a long time before. The Government was looking into this issue as a matter of national security.

Members of the Hausa population benefitted the same as any other citizen who held Gabonese nationality. A naturalisation decree had been implemented which granted Gabonese nationality to all Hausa people living in the country at the time; this was around 1,000 people. Some people had tried to fall through the cracks and benefit from this decree without actually meeting the requirements, which had a negative impact on the administrative situation. The Ministry of Justice was currently verifying the validity of these documents.

It was true that there were more women than men in Gabon. However, when it came to elections, not many women wanted to participate in political life, and the State wanted to change this. This was why legislation had been developed which established quotas; this aimed to be positive discrimination for women. The quotas intended to encourage more women to become involved in political life at the local and national level. The 30 per cent minimum quota was in place for all political parties, with the requirement that 30 per cent of all candidates should be women. The State also aimed to encourage more young people and persons with disabilities to become involved in political life.

Indigenous peoples were included in Gabon’s social protection coverage. They were covered by the social protection system and received unemployment and health benefits. The 26 villages covered by the support programme were villages with people from Baka, Bango and other groups. Work was done with pregnant women to ensure neonatal services were provided, especially in remote parts of the country where many indigenous groups lived. The State had set up a centre for autistic children and aimed to roll this out to other parts of the country.

In 2016, a programme was launched to combat all forms of discrimination in employment, healthcare and education, and other areas of public life. The State sought to support all levels of society in Gabon through this programme, which covered indigenous peoples, women and other vulnerable groups. All programmes were intended to promote equality of opportunity for all. Indigenous peoples, regardless of where they were located in the country, could benefit from State programmes.

In Gabon, there was an observatory which focused on the issue of equality and undertook various studies, including a recent one on the equality of opportunity for indigenous peoples in Gabon. On the basis of this study, an action plan had been developed, with policies to be rolled out to address the situation of indigenous peoples in the country. The most recent census had enabled the State to identify 15,000 persons with disabilities who needed additional support, and actions relating to education and health were carried out in this regard. Gabon was on the right track in terms of indigenous peoples, as the State was pursuing inclusive policies, taking into account all persons on the territory of the country.

Questions by Committee Experts

RÉGINE ESSENEME, Committee Expert and Country Rapporteur, said several questions had not been answered, namely on the languages used in the media; the use of land by indigenous peoples; and the medicinal practices of indigenous peoples. There had been a case where indigenous peoples were forcibly removed from their village and transported to polluted areas; could this be addressed? Was it correct that the 30 per cent quota was a minimum? If there was a list of candidates which did not reach the minimum threshold, was it then rejected? Was the State considering an individualised approach to the Hausa Gabonese?

A Committee Expert asked if the State looked at issues which might be particularly harmful to indigenous peoples, and then adopted policies and programmes to address these issues?

Another Committee Expert asked what members of the delegation meant when they said they did not recognise minorities as a legal concept? Did this mean these minorities did not qualify for legal protection?

An Expert asked if the State had investigated what held women back from applying for election posts?

A Committee Expert said Gabon had last reviewed the Constitution in 2011. How had Gabon addressed the issues of discrimination in education?

Responses by the Delegation

The delegation clarified that Gabon had a brand-new Constitution. The law on data protection stated that it was prohibited to collect or process any data which revealed the racial or ethnic background of an individual, their political or religious views, and data related to their sex life or health, among other points. The profiling of children was strictly prohibited, except when strictly necessary. Personal data could be accessed on the grounds of State security defence. When the police were carrying out controls or checks, they treated all passengers in stopped vehicles the same; everyone was asked to show their identity documents.

When the 30 per cent quotas were not achieved, steps were taken to encourage favourable treatment for women, by ensuring a male and female alternance for candidates in electoral lists, to achieve the 30 per cent representation. This was a “carrot rather than stick” approach. Women were being encouraged to overcome cultural blocks and stand for leadership roles. A workshop had been held last week which sought to address the grassroot social issues, including that women were typically viewed as homemakers and housewives. The quota law aimed to break these traditional mindsets.

Gabon had enacted specific measures, including the law on persons with disabilities, which mandated that education was compulsory for all children with disabilities. Education was compulsory by law for all children between ages three and 16 in Gabon. A forum was organised in 2019 on the implementation of inclusive education. New schools being built were required to meet accessibility standards, to ensure free and easy access for children with motor disabilities.

The relocation of individuals in certain areas had been required, but the fact that they were relocated to polluted areas was refuted. Some people had to accustom themselves to living in a new location, but it was the sovereign right of the State to ensure they could tap their resources for the overall benefit of the country. More information about the claims would be appreciated. There were community radio stations which broadcast programmes in local indigenous languages.

Questions by Committee Experts

RÉGINE ESSENEME, Committee Expert and Country Rapporteur, said there had been no shadow report received from Gabonese civil society. The information regarding the relocation of indigenous peoples had been received by the Committee members which was why they asked the question. State sovereignty should not be used against the population, but rather for their wellbeing.

What measures had been adopted, including special measures or affirmative action measures, with a view to combatting inequalities and multiple forms of discrimination, including racial discrimination, with regard to ethnic minorities and indigenous peoples, such as the Baka, Babongo, Bakoya, Baghame, Barimba, Akoula and Akwoa? To what extent did the 2018 national strategy to combat gender-based violence and the law on the elimination of violence against women take into account the specific needs of indigenous girls and women? What other measures had been adopted to address the multiple and intersecting forms of discrimination faced by women belonging to ethnic minorities, indigenous peoples, and other vulnerable groups?

BAKRI SIDIKI DIABY, Committee Expert and Country Co-Rapporteur, said law no. 5/86, establishing the regime for the admission and residence of foreigners in the Gabonese Republic, provided for severe fines and imprisonment for foreigners in an irregular situation, which considerably reduced the scope of protection for persons who arrived in Gabon irregularly or those already in Gabon in need of international protection. What measures had been taken by the State party to harmonise its national legislation, including this law, with international obligations, in particular to decriminalise irregular migration? What measures had been adopted to prevent and combat racial discrimination and xenophobia against migrants, asylum seekers, refugees and stateless persons, and to facilitate the integration of non-citizens?

What measures had been adopted by the State party to ensure that the practical application of the policy of “Gabonisation” of employment did not lead to cases of discrimination in hiring and dismissal on the basis of race, colour, descent or national or ethnic origin? According to a provision within the refugee act, the majority of refugees in Gabon lived with families. What was the profile of these families? How was the legal integration of refugees carried out? What were the socio-demographic, spatial and legal-administrative characteristics of the descendants of refugees in Libreville? Clear procedures were needed to ensure the prompt identification of persons seeking international protection at land borders and arrivals by sea; what measures were being taken in this regard? What had been done to strengthen the National Commission for Refugees?

The Committee had been told that asylum seekers remained excluded from the national medical insurance scheme and did not have access to medical services pending a decision on their refugee status. What steps had been taken to extend primary health care to asylum seekers who were awaiting a final decision on their refugee status? What efforts had the Gabonese Government made to develop and implement a statelessness determination procedure? The Committee had been informed that many foreigners were forced by the administrative services to add so-called “Gabonese” surnames to their surnames, which discouraged some parents of children born in Gabon from finalising the procedures for obtaining Gabonese nationality or identity documents; what measures had been taken to address these situations?

What was the proportion of Gabonese nationals who were victims of trafficking? What were the main forms of trafficking found in Gabon? Did forced labour include domestic servitude, commercial exploitation and sexual exploitation? What was the profile of the perpetrators of human trafficking, their gender, and their nationality? How many cases had been prosecuted and convicted? What were the measures for reparation and rehabilitation of victims of trafficking? What was being done by the State to prevent and combat trafficking in persons, including for the purpose of labour exploitation, sexual exploitation and domestic servitude, including of non-citizens, especially children? Had appropriate resources been allocated to the National Commission for the Prevention and Combatting of Trafficking in Persons to enable it to carry out its mandate?

Responses by the Delegation

The delegation said a guide had been produced to inform people on how to tackle different forms of violence, including sexual violence, and how to support victims. A specific programme had been developed for indigenous children with nomadic lifestyles. Gabon provided support to refugees and asylum seekers as required. The right to health was recognised as a universal human right. Those in an irregular situation received healthcare regardless of their status.

There was a small number of cases of irregular migration in Gabon today. In recent years, it was ensured that migrants in an irregular situation had been provided with documents and put into a regular situation.

In 2023, Gabon completed the procedure required for the State to be in a position to proactively identify cases of human trafficking by identifying irregular movements. The country was also collecting data in this regard, to identify trends and receive up to date information on this phenomenon in Gabon. Transnational networks existed, operating by both land and sea. Underground networks operated trafficking of women and children, and irregular migration was the driving force behind this phenomenon. Gabon was working with Benin to find a solution to this issue. The State was fully committed to rolling out the project to have practical solutions to these issues, including police investigations into these cases. Trafficking was a transnational problem, and it was important to go back to the country of origin.

Everyone in Gabon enjoyed the right to freedom of assembly. Indigenous peoples were dealt with on an equal footing, the same way as other citizens in Gabon. They were appropriately supported if they wished to establish associations. If the laws on equal treatment were not respected, appropriate penalties would be handed down.

Legislation established the National Commission for the Prevention of Human Trafficking in Gabon. The Commission spearheaded a national strategy to counter trafficking. Gabon was a party to the 1951 Geneva Convention on Refugees. An appeals mechanism existed for those who were not satisfied with their asylum decision. There were no refugee camps in Gabon; refugees and asylum seekers shared the same schools and hospitals as Gabonese citizens. A refugee held the same rights as a Gabonese citizen. A refugee card was issued and gave access to many of the same rights as an identity card.

BAKRI SIDIKI DIABY, Committee Expert and Country Co-Rapporteur, congratulated Gabon on the mechanism adopted to tackle human trafficking. Could statistics on the number of stateless people be provided?

A Committee Expert asked what steps had been taken by the Gabonese Government to push back against hate speech and xenophobia? Would Gabon ratify the Convention on the Rights of Migrants and Members of their Families?

Another Expert asked if history education was compulsory in the State party at all levels of the education system? Given the colonial legacy of the State party, to what extent did the educational curricula cover this issue? Was Gabon supportive of the concept of reparations for colonial wrongs?

A Committee Expert asked if any measures had been taken to eradicate malaria, particularly among migrants and asylum seekers?

Another Expert asked how refugees were cared for in Gabon, including accommodation needs, in light of the fact that there were no camps?

An Expert said Gabon had made good progress in regard to the education of children with disabilities. Had Gabon ratified the Convention on the Protection of Persons with Disabilities, and instruments on displaced persons.

One Expert paid tribute to the father of the Gabonese nation.

Responses by the Delegation

The delegation said in history classes in public schools, there was no political link with colonialism. The curriculum was based on the programme drafted by a national pedological institution.

Closing Remarks

FAITH DIKELEDI PANSY TLAKULA, Committee Expert and Follow-up Rapporteur , said it would be the first time that Gabon would receive recommendations with a follow-up. Several recommendations would be highlighted for follow-up within one year.

RÉGINE ESSENEME, Committee Expert and Country Rapporteur, congratulated Gabon for the multi-sectoral approach taken to the dialogue, which had been productive and fruitful. Ms. Esseneme thanked all those who had made the dialogue possible, especially in the hybrid format. Gabon was urged to do its utmost to implement the recommendations contained in the concluding observations, to ensure ongoing collaboration with the Committee.

PAUL-MARIE GONDJOUT, Minister of Justice, Keeper of the Seals of Gabon and head of the delegation , thanked the Committee for the constructive and respectful exchange which had taken place. The Committee’s questions had provided an opportunity to share more information about the situation in Gabon. Gabon would continue engaging with the Committee and looked forward to the concluding observations and follow-up. Gabon would respond within the timeframes indicated. Gabon would take steps to ensure the optimal implementation of the provisions enshrined within the Convention, working with all stakeholders involved in human rights.

_______________

CERD25.007E

Produced by the United Nations Information Service in Geneva for use of the media;
not an official record. English and French versions of our releases are different as they are the product of two separate coverage teams that work independently.

MIL OSI United Nations News –

May 2, 2025
MIL-OSI Economics: Steering Committee of Partenariat pour le Coton addresses priorities for cotton sector

Source: WTO

Headline: Steering Committee of Partenariat pour le Coton addresses priorities for cotton sector

Participants focused on translating identified needs into actionable investment opportunities and presented findings from national and regional consultations. They also validated the terms of reference of the Partenariat, including its membership framework, geographical scope and core functions.
In his opening remarks, WTO Deputy Director-General Jean-Marie Paugam emphasized the importance of strengthening the cotton–textile–garment value chains in the C-4+ countries through increased value addition, expanded trade opportunities and sustainable development outcomes. He noted that the objective of the meeting was threefold: to present the national and regional reports emerging from the consultations; to highlight national priorities and investment needs; and to explore the technical assistance and financing options proposed by financial institutions in response to these findings. His full remarks (in French) are here.
Ms Kanayo Awani, Afreximbank’s Executive Vice President for Intra-African and Export Development, underscored the need to address issues relating to low yields and processing capacity, climate change, climate variability, market fluctuations, global cotton prices, and limited infrastructure and technology, which hinder productivity and efficiency. To be able to upgrade and integrate into the global cotton value chain, the C-4+ countries need these issues to be tackled, she said.
Over the two-day gathering, the Steering Committee engaged in thematic sessions on sustainable practices in cotton production and on financing mechanisms for value chain development aligned with the outcomes of the national consultations. A high-level panel explored strategies to unlock investment for cotton industrialization and local transformation in the C-4+ region.
The meeting concluded with forward-looking discussions on supporting C-4+ priorities, including the establishment of a dedicated C-4+ Partenariat Support Fund to facilitate participation in capacity-building activities and key international meetings. Participants also discussed preparations for the upcoming World Cotton Day, to be hosted in October 2025 by Chad in collaboration with the International Trade Centre (ITC).
Attendees included representatives from the WTO, United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO),the International Labour Organization (ILO), Better Cotton (BC), the African Development Bank (AfDB), FIFA, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and the International Cotton Advisory Committee (ICAC). Also present were representatives of the International Finance Corporation (IFC), the International Trade Centre (ITC), the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), and development partners such as China and the European Union, as well as representatives of the C-4+ countries.
The next opportunity to carry forward these discussions will be the Director-General’s Consultative Framework Mechanism on Cotton meeting scheduled for 14 May in Geneva.

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MIL OSI Economics –

May 2, 2025
MIL-OSI Economics: Déclaration d’ouverture du Président de la réunion du Comité directeur du Partenariat pour le coton

Source: WTO

Headline: Opening statement by the Chair of the meeting of the Steering Committee of the Partnership for Cotton

S.E. Professeur Oramah, Président d’Afreximbank,S.E. Mme Alimatou Shadiya ASSOUMAN, Ministre du Commerce et de l’Industrie, BéninCher Eric Trachtenberg, Directeur exécutif du Comité consultatif international du coton,Cher Gunther Berger, Directeur général, ONUDIChère Mme Kanayo Awani, Vice-présidente exécutive, Commerce intra-africain et Développement des exportations, AfreximbankExcellences, distingués collègues, partenaires et parties prenantes,Mesdames et Messieurs
Au nom de la Directrice générale de L’Organisation mondiale du commerce, Ngozi et en mon nom personnel, je vous souhaite la bienvenue à cette réunion du Comité de pilotage du Partenariat pour le Coton.
Je vous présente toutes mes excuses de ne pouvoir être présent physiquement avec vous au Caire comme c’était initialement prévu.
Je reste pleinement engagé dans le travail important que nous menons ensemble dans le cadre du Partenariat, et je me réjouis à l’avance des résultats de vos échanges.
Permettez-moi de remercier chaleureusement les autorités égyptiennes et l’Afreximbank pour leur accueil et l’organisation de cette réunion importante.
Mes remerciements s’adressent bien sur également à nos partenaires de l’ONUDI, pour leur rôle moteur dans notre partenariat, ainsi qu’à l’ensemble de ceux qui y participent — gouvernements, organisations internationales, institutions financières, et acteurs du secteur privé — au premier rang desquels nous reconnaissons tous les pays du C4, qui en sont les inspirateurs et portent la cause de l’économie du coton depuis près d’un quart de siècle à l’OMC.
Pour nos discussions des deux prochains jours, notre objectif est clair : trouver les moyens de renforcer les chaînes de valeur du secteur coton–textile–habillement dans les pays du C4 «+»: le Bénin, le Burkina Faso, le Tchad, le Mali et la Côte d’Ivoire, en créant davantage de valeur ajoutée, en élargissant les opportunités commerciales, et en assurant des résultats de développement durables.
Concrètement, il s’agira de :
Présenter les rapports nationaux et celui régional issus des différentes consultations dans les pays du C4+ ;
Identifier les priorités nationales ainsi que les besoins en matière d’assistance technique et de financement des investissements ;
Échanger sur les mesures de soutien et les options de financement proposées par les institutions financières, sur la base des rapports issus des consultations nationales.
Cette réunion du Comité de pilotage se tient à un moment charnière, au terme d’un travail collectif considérable de mise à jour de l’état des lieux de la filière coton et des enjeux de notre Partenariat. En juin 2024, le Comité de pilotage a validé les conclusions d’une étude de référence menée par l’ONUDI, avec l’appui du Centre du Commerce International. En septembre 2024, des consultations nationales se sont tenues sur cette base dans les cinq pays du C-4+. Ces consultations ont permis d’identifier les priorités du secteur coton-textile-habillement, sur lesquelles des présentations vous seront faites dans un instant.
L’enthousiasme autour du Partenariat, la diversité des parties prenantes et institutions représentées ici aujourd’hui, les perspectives prometteuses que laissent espérer les études nationales ainsi, la mobilisation des institutions financières, montrent une dynamique tournée vers l’action.
C’est cette dynamique que nous voulons nourrir, avec déjà, en ligne de mire, l’échéance de la prochaine conférence ministérielle de l’OMC, au printemps 2026, qui se tiendra en terre africaine, à Yaoundé, et pourrait représenter une nouvelle étape pour notre mobilisation.
C’est en nous plaçant dans cette perspective optimiste que j’ouvre la réunion de notre comité de pilotage. Je forme le vœu que nos échanges au cours de ces deux journées soient porteurs de résultats concrets pour l’industrialisation et la transformation locale du coton dans les pays partenaires.
Nous pourrons rapporter ces résultats aux membres de l’OMC lors de notre prochaine discussion sur le coton, prévue le 14 mai à l’OMC, qui abordera toutes les problématiques auxquelles fait face l’industrie cotonnière dans les pays du C4 et les autres pays en développement.
Je vous remercie de votre attention et cède à présent la parole à Son Excellence Madame Kanayo Awani, Vice-Présidente exécutive du Commerce intra-africain et du Développement des exportations à Afreximbank.
A très bientôt à Genève.

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MIL OSI Economics –

May 2, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: NASA’s Chandra Diagnoses Cause of Fracture in Galactic “Bone”

Source: NASA

Astronomers have discovered a likely explanation for a fracture in a huge cosmic “bone” in the Milky Way galaxy, using NASA’s Chandra X-ray Observatory and radio telescopes.
The bone appears to have been struck by a fast-moving, rapidly spinning neutron star, or pulsar. Neutron stars are the densest known stars and form from the collapse and explosion of massive stars. They often receive a powerful kick from these explosions, sending them away from the explosion’s location at high speeds.
Enormous structures resembling bones or snakes are found near the center of the galaxy. These elongated formations are seen in radio waves and are threaded by magnetic fields running parallel to them. The radio waves are caused by energized particles spiraling along the magnetic fields.

This new image shows one of these cosmic “bones” called G359.13142-0.20005 (G359.13 for short), with X-ray data from Chandra (colored blue) and radio data from the MeerKAT radio array in South Africa (colored gray). Researchers also refer to G359.13 as the Snake.
Examining this image closely reveals the presence of a break, or fracture, in the otherwise continuous length of G359.13 seen in the image. The combined X-ray and radio data provides clues to the cause of this fracture.
Astronomers have now discovered an X-ray and radio source at the location of the fracture, using the data from Chandra and MeerKAT and the National Science Foundation’s Very Large Array. A likely pulsar responsible for these radio and X-ray signals is labeled. A possible extra source of X-rays located near the pulsar may come from electrons and positrons (the anti-matter counterparts to electrons) that have been accelerated to high energies.
The researchers think the pulsar likely caused the fracture by smashing into G359.13 at a speed between one million and two million miles per hour. This collision distorted the magnetic field in the bone, causing the radio signal to also become warped.
At about 230 light-years long, G359.13 is one of the longest and brightest of these structures in the Milky Way. To put this into context, there are more than 800 stars within that distance from Earth. G359.13 is located about 26,000 light-years from Earth, near the center of the Milky Way.
A paper describing these results appeared in the May 2024 issue of the Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society and is available here. The authors of the study are Farhad Yusuf-Zadeh (Northwestern University), Jun-Hui Zhao (Center for Astrophysics | Harvard & Smithsonian), Rick Arendt (University of Maryland, Baltimore County), Mark Wardle (Macquarie University, Australia), Craig Heinke (University of Alberta), Marc Royster (College of the Sequoias, California), Cornelia Lang (University of Iowa), and Joseph Michail (Northwestern).
NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama, manages the Chandra program. The Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory’s Chandra X-ray Center controls science operations from Cambridge, Massachusetts, and flight operations from Burlington, Massachusetts.

Read more from NASA’s Chandra X-ray Observatory.
Learn more about the Chandra X-ray Observatory and its mission here:

chandra

https://chandra.si.edu

This release features two composite images of a long, thin, cosmic structure. With the structure’s vertical orientation, seemingly fragile dimensions, and pale grey color against the blackness of space, the images resemble medical X-rays of a long, thin, bone. The main image shows the structure in its entirety. The inset image is an annotated close-up highlighting an apparent fracture in the bone-like structure.
The structure, called G359.13, or “The Snake”, is a Galactic Center Filament. These filament formations are threaded by parallel magnetic fields, and spiraling, energized particles. The particles cause radio waves, which can be detected by radio arrays, in this case by the MeerKAT array in South Africa.
In the first composite image, the largely straight filament stretches from the top to the bottom of the vertical frame. At each end of the grey filament is a hazy grey cloud. The only color in the image is neon blue, found in a few specks which dot the blackness surrounding the structure. The blue represents X-rays seen by NASA’s Chandra X-ray Observatory.
In the annotated close-up, one such speck appears to be interacting with the structure itself. This is a fast-moving, rapidly spinning neutron star, otherwise known as a pulsar. Astronomers believe that this pulsar has struck the filament halfway down its length, distorting the magnetic field and radio signal.
In both images, this distortion resembles a small break, or spur, in the bone-like filament.

Megan WatzkeChandra X-ray CenterCambridge, Mass.617-496-7998mwatzke@cfa.harvard.edu
Lane FigueroaMarshall Space Flight Center, Huntsville, Alabama256-544-0034lane.e.figueroa@nasa.gov

MIL OSI USA News –

May 2, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Amateur Radio Scientists Shine at the 2025 HamSCI Workshop

Source: NASA

Love Ham Radio? The HamSCI project fosters collaboration between amateur radio operators and professional researchers. Its goals are to advance scientific research and understanding through amateur radio activities, encourage the development of modern technologies to support this research, and provide educational opportunities for the amateur community and the public.
HamSCI held its annual Workshop, ‘HamSCI’s Big Year’, at the New Jersey Institute of Technology in late March. Over 100 members of the HamSCI community attended: researchers, students (secondary through graduate level), and citizen scientist volunteers. Over the two-day event, in-person and virtual participants experienced twenty-five talks on topics ranging from analysis of HamSCI’s 2023/24 Festivals of Eclipse Ionospheric Science events to space weather observations made during the May 10, 2024 geomagnetic superstorm.
The Workshop hosted a variety of Keynote and Invited Tutorial speakers, including distinguished scientists and leaders in the Amateur (ham) Radio community. The Workshop concluded with a poster session, featuring current research, ongoing educational activities, and concepts for future events involving Sun-space-Earth science topics. Posters were submitted from the US, Brazil, Egypt, the United Kingdom, and Turkey.
Explore the workshop presentations and posters. Videos of conference presentations will be available at the HamSCI website in a few months.
HamSCI is supported by NASA, the National Science Foundation, and the Amateur Radio Digital Communications (ARDC) foundation.

MIL OSI USA News –

May 2, 2025
MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Council and Sport Scotland meet Skye Community Reps

Source: Scotland – Highland Council

Back L to R – Rory Flyn, South Skye Community Campus; Forbes Dunlop, CEO Sport Scotland; Graham Lyndsay, Sport Scotland; Norma Morrison, South Skye Community Campus; Derek Brown, CEX of The Highland Council. Front L to R – Shirley Grant, South Skye Community Campus, Steve Walsh CEX of HLH; Cllr John Finlayson

Councillor John Finlayson was delighted to welcome Forbes Dunlop, the CEO of Sport Scotland to Skye this week to meet with community groups in Broadford and Dunvegan who are looking to develop sports pitches close to the sites of the new schools that are planned within their communities. Graham Lyndsay from Sport Scotland, Steve Walsh CEX of HLH and Derek Brown the CEX of The Highland Council also accompanied Forbes on his trip.

Cllr Finlayson said he was delighted to welcome all the visitors to meet with key stakeholders in both communities and he felt it was important for Forbes and others to hear about the aspirations they have and the good work that has already taken place. He also added that Forbes was keen to see where the recent award from Sport Scotland of £150k to the South Skye Community Campus group was going to be spent in Broadford and hear from Dunvegan Community Trust about their ambitions for a sports pitch close to the new school that the Highland Council is building as part of the Highland Investment Plan.

He thanked school staff and community members for meeting with the visitors and for the partnership work they continue to develop with the council and other agencies to provide facilities in rural areas like Skye which support health and wellbeing for people of all ages.

L to R – Highland Council CEX Derek Brown; Mali Maclennan Dunvegan Community Trust; Forbes Dunlop, CEO Sport Scotland; Calum Campbell; Graham Lyndsay, Sport Scotland; Cllr John Finlayson; John Laing, Dunvegan Community Council

1 May 2025

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MIL OSI United Kingdom –

May 2, 2025
MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: UK, Japan and Russia to Join Global Media Dialogue Along with Delegates from Over 60 Countries at WAVES 2025

Source: Government of India

UK, Japan and Russia to Join Global Media Dialogue Along with Delegates from Over 60 Countries at WAVES 2025

WAVES Declaration to be made as part of the Global Media Dialogue

Global Media Dialogue Set to Be Centerpiece of WAVES 2025 with Global Ministerial Participation

Posted On: 01 MAY 2025 7:02PM by PIB Mumbai

Mumbai, 1 May 2025

India is set to host the Global Media Dialogue (GMD) for the first time as part of WAVES tomorrow in Mumbai, marking a significant milestone in the country’s engagement with the global media and entertainment landscape. The Dialogue is being organized by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, with support from the Ministry of External Affairs, Government of India.

Over 60 countries are expected to participate in the event, with delegations from across Asia, Europe, Africa, and the Americas. Nations such as Russia, Japan, UK, Egypt, Saudi Arabia and several others will be represented at the ministerial and senior official levels. The Dialogue aims to encourage international collaboration, promote best practices, and explore avenues for policy alignment, talent exchange, and capacity building in the global media space.

The outcome of the Dialogue is expected to be a ‘WAVES Declaration’ by participating countries reaffirming the importance of international cooperation in the media and entertainment sector and laying the groundwork for future engagements and partnerships. India, with its vibrant media ecosystem and rapidly growing entertainment industry, is uniquely positioned to host such a dialogue. The GMD marks a pivotal moment in placing India at the center of global conversations on media’s role in shaping the world.

The Global Media Dialogue will bring together key stakeholders from around the world to discuss the evolving role of media and entertainment in shaping societies, economies, and international cooperation. The Dialogue will offer a platform for open conversations on the evolving landscape of the media and entertainment sector. With rapid technological changes, shifting content trends, and growing global interconnectedness, the Dialogue aims to encourage the exchange of ideas, experiences, and perspectives on the role of media in shaping societies, fostering innovation, and promoting international cooperation.

On the sidelines of WAVES, India is also holding bilateral meetings with more than 10 countries, including the United Kingdom, Russia, Indonesia, Kenya, Bhutan, and Egypt, as well as international organizations like the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO). These engagements reflect India’s commitment to strengthening global cooperation and fostering partnerships across key areas of mutual interest.

The event will be graced by senior Indian leadership, including the Hon’ble Minister of External Affairs Dr. S Jaishankar, the Hon’ble Minister of Railways, Information and Broadcasting and Electronics and Information Technology, Shri Ashwini Vaishnaw and the Minister of State for I&B and Parliamentary Affairs Dr. L Murugan. The presence of high level dignitaries will underscore India’s commitment to fostering a robust, inclusive, and forward-looking global media environment.

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MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

May 2, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: 2025 IAM Scholarship Winners

Source: US GOIAM Union

The IAM is pleased to announce the 2025 Scholarship winners. An impartial committee of educators selected 16 recipients for this year’s awards. We congratulate the winners and thank all those who participated in the competition.

Kendall Alexander Jackson, Local 2198Beatrice Richer, Member, Local 712Matthew Morgani, Local 2323Carson Poe, Local 1943Skylar Wiley, Local 804Cynthia Benzel, Local 1947Alexander Urban, Local 701Makena Blalock, Local 709Jaycee Williams, Local 2003MilesJacob Wood (Vo-Tech), Local 2003Steven Sergenti (Member), Local 2766Boni Jo Boser (Member), Local 463Noah Jimenez – ROMAN MAYFIELD WINNER, Local 1930Kaylee Henry, Local 289Conner Wilson, Local T491Honorable Mentions

Kendall Alexander Jackson
College: Sam Houston State University
Major: Criminal Justice/Forensic Science
Parent: Stacey Jackson
Lodge: 2198 Company: United Airlines
Territory: Air Transport

Beatrice Richer
College: McGill University
Major: Physics/Mathematics
Parent: Frederic Richer
Lodge: 712 Company: Bombardier
Territory: Canada

Matthew Morgani
Parent: Francesco Morgani
College: University of Toronto
Major: Engineering
Lodge: 2323 Company: Air Canada
Territory: Canada

Carson Poe
Parent: William Poe
College: The Ohio State University
Major: Biomedical Engineering
Lodge: 1943 Company: Cleveland Cliffs
Territory: Eastern

Skylar Wiley
College: University of Louisville
Major: Biomedical Sciences/Pre-Med
Parent: Jason Wiley
Lodge: 804 Company: UPS
Territory: Eastern

Cynthia Benzel
College: Moraine Park Technical College
Major: Registered Nurse
Parent: Benjamin Benzel
Lodge: 1947 Company: Mercury Marine
Territory: Midwest

Alexander Urban
College: Marquette University
Major: Finance/Economics
Parent: Russell Urban
Lodge: 701 Company: Arnie Bauer Buick Cadillac HMC
Territory: Midwest

Makena Blalock
College: University of Georgia
Major: Agriculture Communications
Parent: Chris Blalock
Lodge: 709 Company: Lockheed Martin
Territory: Southern

Jaycee Williams
College: Troy University
Major: Exercise Physiology Pre-Health
Parent: Chad Williams
Lodge: 2003 Company: M1 Support Services
Territory: Southern

Miles Bailess (Vo-Tech)
College: Hallmark University
Certificate: Aircraft Mechanic
Parent: Katie Gamez
Lodge: 2916 Company: Amentum
Territory: Southern

Jacob Wood (Vo-Tech)
Parent: Thomas Wood
College: Alabama Aviation College
Certificate: Airframe and Powerplant Certification
Lodge: 2003 Company: M1 Support Services
Territory: Southern

Steven Sergenti (Member)
Lodge: 2766 Company: Boeing
College: University of Alabama – Huntsville
Major: Aerospace Engineering
Territory: Southern

Boni Jo Boser (Member)
Lodge: 463 Company: Nova Technologies
Trade School: Nutritional Therapy Association
Major: Nutritional Therapy Practitioner
Territory: Southern

Noah Jimenez – ROMAN MAYFIELD WINNER
College: University of Oregon
Major: Political Science/Latino Studies
Parent : Ana Jimenez
Lodge: 1930 Company: City of Long Beach
Territory: Western

Kaylee Henry
College: Graceland University-Lamoni
Major: Forensic Psychology
Parent: Nathan Henry
Lodge: 289 Company: SSA Terminals
Territory: Western

Conner Wilson
College: Alfred State
Major: Welding Technology
Parent: Scott Wilson
Lodge: T491 Company: CSX Intermodal
Territory: Rail Division

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CategoriesEmployment Issues, MIL-OSI, Scholarships, US GOIAM Union, US Unions

MIL OSI USA News –

May 2, 2025
MIL-OSI Global: Some ‘Star Wars’ stories have already become reality

Source: The Conversation – USA – By Daniel B. Oerther, Professor of Environmental Health Engineering, Missouri University of Science and Technology

Tatooine’s moisture farming equipment stands in the desert of Tunisia, where parts of the ‘Star Wars’ movie series were filmed. Véronique Debord-Lazaro via Flickr, CC BY-SA

Just 48 short years ago, movie director George Lucas used the phrase “A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away” as the opening to the first “Star Wars” movie, later labeled “Episode IV: A New Hope.” But at least four important aspects of the “Star Wars” saga are much closer – both in time and space – than Lucas was letting on.

One, the ability to add blue food coloring to milk, was possible even at the time the first film came out. But in 2024, “Star Wars”-themed blue milk became periodically available in grocery stores.

And we, an environmental health engineer and a civil engineer, know there are at least three more elements of these ancient, distant Lucas stories that might seem like science fiction but are, in fact, science reality.

Moisture farming

In that first movie, “Episode IV,” Luke Skywalker’s Uncle Owen was a farmer on the planet of Tatooine. He farmed water from air in the middle of a desert.

It might sound impossible, but it’s exactly what experts discussed at the second International Atmospheric Water Harvesting Summit hosted by Arizona State University in March 2025.

Each day, a human needs to consume about the equivalent of 0.8 gallons of water (3 liters). With more than 8 billion people living on the planet, that means engineers need to produce nearly 2.6 trillion gallons (10 trillion liters) of clean drinking water every year. Taken globally, rainfall would be enough, but it’s distributed very unevenly – including landing in the oceans, where it immediately becomes too salty to drink safely.

Deserts, which cover about one-fifth of the Earth’s land area, are home to about 1 billion people.

Researchers at places such as Berkeley have developed solar-powered systems that can produce clean drinking water from thin air. In general, they use a material that traps water molecules from the air within its structure and then use sunlight to condense that water out of the material and into drinkable liquid. But there is still a ways to go before they are ready for commercial distribution and available to help large numbers of people.

Researchers can harvest water from air in the desert, in a process powered only by the Sun.

Space debris

When the second Death Star was destroyed in “Return of the Jedi,” it made a huge mess, as you would expect when blowing to smithereens an object at least 87 miles across (140 kilometers). But the movie’s mythology helpfully explains a hyperspace wormhole briefly opened, scattering much of the falling debris across the galaxy.

As best as anyone can tell, a hyperspace wormhole has never appeared near Earth. And even if such a thing existed or happened, humans might not have the technology to chuck all our trash in there anyway. So we’re left with a whole lot of stuff all around us, including in space.

According to the website Orbiting Now, in late April 2025 there were just over 12,000 active satellites orbiting the planet. All in all, the United States and other space-faring nations are trying to keep track of nearly 50,000 objects orbiting Earth. And there are millions of fragments of space debris too small to be observed or tracked.

Just as on Earth’s roads, space vehicles crash into each other if traffic gets too congested. But unlike the debris that falls to the road after an Earth crash, all the bits and pieces that break off in a space crash fly away at speeds of several thousand miles per hour (10,000 to 30,000 kph) and can then hit other satellites or spacecraft that cross their paths.

This accumulation of space debris is creating an increasing problem. With more satellites and spacecraft heading to orbit, and more stuff up there moving around that might hit them, space travel is becoming more like flying the Millennium Falcon through an asteroid field every day.

Engineers at NASA, the European Space Agency and other space programs are exploring a variety of technologies – including a net, a harpoon and a laser – to remove the more dangerous pieces of space junk and clean up the space environment.

Dodging obstacles in space is no picnic.

The Force itself

To most Earth audiences, the Force was a mysterious energy field created by life that binds the galaxy together. That is until 1999, when “Episode I: The Phantom Menace” revealed that the Force came from midi-chlorians, a microscopic, sentient life form that lives within every living cell.

To biologists, midi-chlorians sound suspiciously similar to mitochondria, the powerhouse of our cells.
The current working hypothesis is that mitochondria emerged from bacteria that lived within cells of other living things. And mitochondria can communicate with other life forms, including bacteria.

There are many different kinds of mitochondria, and medical professionals are learning how to transplant mitochondria from one cell to another just like they transplant organs from one person’s body to another. Maybe one day a transplant procedure could help people find the light side of the Force and turn away from the dark side.

May the Fourth – and the Force – be with you.

Daniel B. Oerther is affiliated with the American Academy of Environmental Engineers and Scientists.

William Schonberg occasionally receives funding from NASA.

– ref. Some ‘Star Wars’ stories have already become reality – https://theconversation.com/some-star-wars-stories-have-already-become-reality-255563

MIL OSI – Global Reports –

May 2, 2025
MIL-OSI Global: Ukraine minerals deal: the idea that natural resource extraction can build peace has been around for decades

Source: The Conversation – UK – By Bridget Storrie, Teaching Fellow, Institute for Global Prosperity, UCL

Ukraine has finally signed its minerals agreement with the US. The deal states that Washington will eventually receive a share of the profits from the sale of Ukrainian natural resources, providing an economic incentive to continue investing in Ukraine’s defence and reconstruction.

The US treasury secretary, Scott Bessant, says the deal demonstrates the Donald Trump administration’s commitment to peace in Ukraine.

On the surface, there is nothing surprising about the deal. The idea that natural resource extraction can play a role in building peace has been around for a decade or two, and has been promoted by the World Bank, the UN and the mining industry itself.

But what is surprising is how the conversation about mining and peace has changed. It used to be about increasing prosperity in war-torn countries, rather than the “who gets what” that has been associated with this deal.

Read more:
US-Ukraine minerals deal looks better for Kyiv than expected – but Trump is an unpredictable partner

The idea that mining can contribute to peace emerged somewhat paradoxically from the demonstrated capacity of natural resources to drive conflict in places like Afghanistan, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Sierra Leone. The theory is that mining can also lead to development – and therefore peace – if it is managed properly.

If local communities are consulted, revenues are shared fairly, harms are minimised, and if there is transparency and accountability, a mine can play a role in lifting countries out of the economic, environmental and social mess war brings.

In reality, things are more complicated. The idea that mining can bring about positive change suffers from the same top-down and externally led approach to building peace as the wider peacebuilding model in which it sits. It doesn’t necessarily take local realities and aspirations into account.

But over the past two decades, natural resources in conflict-affected areas have attracted an enormous amount of attention from UN agencies. The United Nations Environmental Programme (Unep), for example, established an initiative in 2008 aimed at understanding the risks and opportunities presented by high-value natural resources.

It developed policies and practices related to mining intended to be part of the UN’s peace and security architecture. These included guidance for UN staff working in post-conflict countries that are rich in resources.

In Sierra Leone, Unep identified the inability of the Environmental Protection Agency to monitor environmental performance and force compliance as a significant risk to the sustainable development of the mining industry. The agency had become overwhelmed by the number of environmental impact assessments submitted for review as the sector expanded after the end of the civil war in 2002.

A dedicated project to build capacity in Sierra Leone was set up by the UN to remedy this. The project team report that the environmental impact assessment process itself provided an opportunity for dialogue and trust-building between those involved.

Around the same time, a raft of initiatives were was developed for the extractive sector itself to encourage responsible mining. These included the Kimberley Process, a UN-mandated certification scheme designed to eliminate the trade in conflict diamonds. Sierra Leone has been a member since it was launched in 2003.

The Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI), an Oslo-based organisation of government, industry and civil society representatives was also established in 2003. Its aim is to promote the good governance of oil, gas and mineral extraction through the reporting of revenues and payments.

The concept of good governance has been expanded to include promoting the participation of women, as well as the disclosure of information relating to the environmental impact of a mine. Over 50 countries now implement the EITI Standard.

All these initiatives and processes can be criticised. But the point is that natural resources in conflict zones have, to a degree at least, been understood as sites for negotiation and dialogue for some time.

Lowering the bar

The natural resources beneath Ukraine have become sites for something else – a conflict-riven back-and-forth over their control. And it’s not just in Ukraine. The US is reportedly considering a minerals-for-security deal in the DRC, where Rwandan-backed rebels are currently seizing resource-rich territory in the east.

The bar appears to have dropped substantially where mining and peacebuilding is concerned. In the heyday of the liberal peacebuilding project, metal and mineral deposits in war-torn countries, like the copper beneath Afghanistan, promised a more positive future, albeit with caution. That optimism now seems misplaced.

In Afghanistan, this is because the country has fallen back under the control of the Taliban. Mines are quickly being developed to take advantage of the country’s mineral wealth. But the technical, financial and environmental checks associated with mining are reportedly being bypassed. There are concerns that any revenues won’t benefit the population in the way they should.

In Ukraine, it’s something different. The mineral deposits there are being used to prop up geopolitical ambitions that reflect the dangerous, transactional and increasingly extractive world we now seem to live in. Specifically, the Ukrainian mineral deposits are bringing an authoritarian, Trumpian version of peace to life.

It is a peace that comes through the geopolitical expression of power by the operation of mines, the acquisition of territory, the expulsion of citizens from certain places, and the top-down transformation of other people’s space.

This has already expressed itself in Trump’s vision for the US to take over the Gaza Strip, which prompted the UN’s secretary-general, António Guterres, to warn against ethnic cleansing.

An opencast manganese ore mine in Ukraine.
Romeo Rum / Shutterstock

I have written about the problem of natural resource-related peacebuilding before. Whether liberal or illiberal, this problem is the same: geological resources are non-renewable.

There is a profound paradox here. Whatever we want these resources to do for us, they can’t do it indefinitely. And we are heading for even more trouble if we think they can.

Expecting a voracious Trump administration or a beleagured Ukrainian one to think about this is expecting too much. But therein lies the tragedy of current peacebuilding endeavours.

They are fixated on the here-and-now, in the hope that the social, environmental, ecological and geological future will take care of itself. Unfortunately, it won’t.

Bridget Storrie 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. Ukraine minerals deal: the idea that natural resource extraction can build peace has been around for decades – https://theconversation.com/ukraine-minerals-deal-the-idea-that-natural-resource-extraction-can-build-peace-has-been-around-for-decades-252090

MIL OSI – Global Reports –

May 2, 2025
MIL-OSI Canada: Bank of Canada announces 2024–25 scholarship recipients
Source: Bank of Canada

The Bank of Canada is pleased to announce this year’s recipients of its scholarship awards for students with disabilities, Indigenous students, LGBTQ2S+ students, francophones and students who identify as a woman or as a member of a racialized group. We know that the inclusion of diverse identities and ideas fosters innovative thinking and better policy outcomes for Canadians. It’s core to our success as a leading central bank. That is why our scholarships are designed to encourage Canadians from diverse backgrounds to further their education and consider employment in fields related to the work of the Bank.

The 2024-25 award recipients are as follows:
- Abigail Meloche, pursuing a Bachelor of Economics at Carleton University
- Allison Tsypin, pursuing a Bachelor of Mathematics at McGill University
- Andy Duan, pursuing a Bachelor of Arts in Economics at Princeton University
- April Quill, pursuing a Bachelor of Science with major in Statistics at University of Manitoba
- Wendy Liao, pursuing a bachelor’s degree in computer science and business at Western University
- Elliot Thordarson, pursuing a Bachelor of Commerce at I.H. Asper School of Business (University of Manitoba)
- Katherine Brennan, completed a bachelor’s degree in economics and statistics at University of Toronto, with plans to pursue a master’s degree in economics
- Katherine Karapetrovic, pursuing a Bachelor of International Economics at University of British Columbia
- Laila Virani, pursing a bachelor’s degree in business at University of British Columbia
- Linda Nidale-Sadeck, pursuing a Bachelor of Economics at Carleton University
- Manahil Malik, completed a bachelor’s degree in economics at University of Toronto, with plans to pursue a master’s degree in economics
- Manuel Fernandez, pursuing a Bachelor of Commerce, Management, Economics and Finance at University of Guelph
- Melody Johnson, pursuing a college diploma in Protection, Security and Investigation at Conestoga College
- Rand Al-Nauimi, pursuing a Bachelor of Commerce with option in Business Technology Management at Telfer School of Management (University of Ottawa)
- Rosana Gao, pursuing a Bachelor of Applied Science in Engineering Science at University of Toronto
- Simeon Muepu, pursuing a Bachelor of Finance at Université de Montreal
- Xavier Desroches Borelly, pursuing a Bachelor of Science degree in Computer Science at Western University
- Yeo Eun Chi, completed a bachelor’s degree in business administration with specialization in finance at University of Toronto, with plans to pursue a master’s degree in economics
The 2024–25 recipients of the Bank’s Scholarship Award for Post-Secondary Students receive Can$8,000. The award is intended to assist the following students with tuition at an accredited academic institution:
- students with disabilities
- Indigenous students
- LGBTQ2S+ students
- francophones
- students who identify as a woman
- students who identify as a member of a racialized group
Successful candidates may be offered a work opportunity at the Bank, with mentorship by a Bank employee.

Recipients of the Master’s Scholarship Award for Women in Economics and Finance must have completed or be in the final two years of an undergraduate degree at a Canadian university and self-identify as a woman. In addition to the award of Can$10,000, successful candidates may be offered a work opportunity at the Bank, with mentorship by a Bank employee.

For more information on all opportunities for students, please visit our webpage.

MIL OSI Canada News –
May 2, 2025
MIL-OSI Global: Why Donald Trump’s trade tariffs are a threat to global food security

Source: The Conversation – UK – By Lotanna Emediegwu, Senior Lecturer in Economics, Manchester Metropolitan University

Billion Photos/Shutterstock

Donald Trump’s tariffs will make many things more expensive for his fellow US citizens. The price of imported cars, building materials and some tech will go up – and so will the cost of the food on American dining tables.

The US currently imports around 16% of its food supply, with a large proportion of its fruit and vegetables coming from countries now hit by tariffs.

Mexico stands out. It supplies over half the fresh fruit and nearly 70% of the fresh vegetables consumed in the US.

And even when it comes to home grown produce, the US still depends on imported fertiliser for its crops, with Canada providing up to 85% of its neighbour’s supply.

So grocery bills for American families, especially for fresh produce (and processed foods dependent on foreign ingredients) will get higher. But there will also be a noticeable effect on food prices outside the US.

The consequences could be particularly serious for developing economies that rely on stable international prices to secure affordable food imports. The prices of many global staples including maize, wheat and soybeans are benchmarked against US markets so when disruptions occur, they reverberate globally.

Research I conducted with a colleague found that when international prices are disturbed, local food prices, especially in developing countries, go up.

Take global maize prices, which this year rose by 7% between April 2 (Trump’s “liberation day”) and April 11. Our study suggests this will immediately lead to a similar increase in local maize prices in places like sub-Saharan Africa.

This is where many of the world’s poorest people live, with hundreds of millions in households earning below the World Bank’s poverty line of US$2.15 (£1.61) per day. When much of that income is spent on food, a 7% increase in the price of maize could be devastating.

Growth market

According to another study, tariffs on agricultural products such as fertiliser will increase global production costs, potentially lowering crop yields and worsening food insecurity.

While the US has reduced tariffs on Canadian potash from 25% to 10%, other fertiliser producers face steeper levels (up to 28% for another major exporter, Tunisia, before Trump’s reciprocal tariffs were paused).

This is especially worrying for agriculture in countries like Brazil, India and Nigeria, which are still reeling from fertiliser shortages caused by the war between Russia and Ukraine. As with food costs, US tariffs are likely to drive up prices in the global fertiliser market, making it more expensive for everyone, everywhere.

And when the cost of farming rises, crop production can suffer. This could significantly weaken food production in developing countries that are already battling climate change and volatile markets.

Another study I conducted found that countries such as the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Somalia – already struggling with food insecurity – are among the most vulnerable to local food price shocks. These economies depend heavily on food imports and face high exposure to currency fluctuations and transport costs.

A banana field in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
giulio napolitano/Shutterstock

If the trade war escalates, farmers in these regions may be forced to abandon staple crops for cash commodities such as cocoa or coffee, deepening their reliance on volatile global markets and reducing their food self-sufficiency. Global inequality will worsen unless things change.

One option would be to protect essential agricultural imports, especially fertilizers and staple foods, from punitive tariffs. This would stabilise prices and protect vulnerable economies. The recently announced 90-day pause for negotiations offers a glimmer of hope, but it must be used wisely to build a more equitable trading system.

In the long term, developing countries need to bolster the resilience of their food systems. My research recommends investing heavily in mechanised agriculture which is resilient to climate change, incentivising farmers with government support, and strengthening regional trade.

The global food system is heavily interconnected. Decisions made in Washington can quickly affect food prices in Lagos, Cairo and New Delhi. And if tariffs go unchecked, they may unleash a silent and subtle crisis – one measured not in GDP, but in millions of empty stomachs.

Lotanna Emediegwu 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. Why Donald Trump’s trade tariffs are a threat to global food security – https://theconversation.com/why-donald-trumps-trade-tariffs-are-a-threat-to-global-food-security-255064

MIL OSI – Global Reports –

May 2, 2025
MIL-OSI: On Mother’s Day, Celebrate Mom with $0-Fee BOSS Money Transfers
Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

Newark, NJ, May 01, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — BOSS Money, the remittance and payments brand of IDT Corporation (NYSE: IDT), today announced promotional $0-fee international money transfers for new and existing customers on Mother’s Day.

“BOSS Money has removed money transfer fees for Mother’s Day to make celebrating Moms everywhere easy and economical,” said Michelle Rendo, VP Marketing for BOSS Money. “Mother’s Day is a celebration of connection, love, and appreciation that transcends borders. A transfer on Mother’s Day is a wonderful way to say, ‘Thank you, Mom!’”

New BOSS Money customers can take advantage of $0-fee money transfers on Mother’s Day and every day of the year when using the BOSS Money app with:
- $0-fee on the first two (2) transfers to all BOSS Money destination countries;
- $0-fee on the first five (5) transfers to Mexico;
- $0-fee for unlimited transfers to Cameroon, Ghana, Nigeria, Kenya, Uganda, Senegal, and Venezuela.
Mother’s Day is on Sunday, May 11^th in the USA, but on different days in some other nations. To reflect this variation, BOSS Money is offering current BOSS Money customers two (2) $0-fee money transfers to destinations around the world when using the BOSS Money app on the following schedule^*:
- May 5 to May 11^th — to all BOSS Money country-destinations with promo code “MOM”;
- May 21 to May 25^th — to the Dominican Republic, Bolivia, Haiti, Burkina Faso, Ivory Coast, and Madagascar with promo code “MOMMY”;
- May 26 to May 30^th — to Nicaragua with promo code “MAMA”.
To begin a BOSS Money $0-fee transfer and to see details of BOSS Money’s Mother’s Day promotions, use the free BOSS Money app available from the iOS App and Google Play Stores.

To learn more about our low fees, competitive exchange rates and exclusive promotions visit bossmoney.com.

ABOUT BOSS MONEY

BOSS Money’s rapidly expanding international remittance service provides fast, secure and reliable money transfers for residents of the U.S. and Canada to popular destination countries in Latin America, the Caribbean, Africa, and South Asia. BOSS Money offers a robust menu of payout options including cash pick-up, mobile money, in-country bank account, and debit card direct deposit. Customers can remit funds through the highly rated BOSS Money and BOSS Revolution apps or through licensed Boss Money retailers.

ABOUT IDT CORPORATION

IDT Corporation (NYSE: IDT) is a global provider of fintech and communications solutions through a portfolio of synergistic businesses: National Retail Solutions (NRS), through its point-of-sale (POS) platform, enables independent retailers to operate more effectively while providing advertisers and marketers with unprecedented reach into underserved consumer markets; BOSS Money facilitates innovative international remittances and fintech payments solutions; net2phone provides enterprises and organizations with intelligently integrated cloud communications and contact center services across channels and devices; IDT Digital Payments and the BOSS Revolution calling service make sharing prepaid products and services and speaking with friends and family around the world convenient and reliable; and, IDT Global and IDT Express enable communications services to provision and manage international voice and SMS messaging.

^*Exclusions may apply

All statements above that are not purely about historical facts, including, but not limited to, those in which we use the words “believe,” “anticipate,” “expect,” “plan,” “intend,” “estimate,” “target” and similar expressions, are forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. While these forward-looking statements represent our current judgment of what may happen in the future, actual results may differ materially from the results expressed or implied by these statements due to numerous important factors. Our filings with the SEC provide detailed information on such statements and risks and should be consulted along with this release. To the extent permitted under applicable law, IDT assumes no obligation to update any forward-looking statements.

CONTACT

IDT Corporation Investor Relations
Bill Ulrey
william.ulrey@idt.net

# # #

The MIL Network –
May 2, 2025
MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Universal Periodic Review 49: UK Statement on Kenya
Source: United Kingdom – Government Statements

Speech

Universal Periodic Review 49: UK Statement on Kenya

Statement by the UK’s Ambassador for Human Rights to the UN, Eleanor Sanders, at Kenya’s Universal Periodic Review at the Human Rights Council in Geneva.
Thank you.

We thank the Kenyan delegation and congratulate Kenya on its election to the Human Rights Council.

We welcome important reforms made since Kenya’s last review, including the commuting of all death sentences imposed before November 2022.

We commend the launch of the Strategic Framework for Police Reforms and the establishment of specialised courts for sexual and gender-based violence cases.

Following widespread protests in 2024, we continue to encourage the authorities to protect civic space and media freedom, and the right to peaceful protest, as enshrined in Kenya’s Constitution.

We recommend that Kenya:

Fully implements the National Coroners Service Act 2017.

Strengthens anti-corruption and counter-illicit finance laws and practices, including by protecting whistle blowers, and passing and implementing the Conflict-of-Interest bill.

Implement the two-thirds gender principle in all elective or appointive bodies, with particular focus on the 2027 elections.

Thank you.

Updates to this page

Published 1 May 2025
MIL OSI United Kingdom –
May 2, 2025
MIL-OSI United Nations: IOM Deputy Chief: Escalating Displacement Crisis in DRC Demands Urgent Collective Solutions

Source: International Organization for Migration (IOM)

Geneva/ Kinshasa, 1 May 2025 – During a visit to the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), International Organization for Migration (IOM) Deputy Director General for Management and Reform SungAh Lee called for urgent and sustained action to alleviate the suffering of millions already displaced by conflict in the country, along with greater efforts to address the root causes of the crisis.

“The massive scale of displacement in the DRC demands renewed global attention and coordinated action,” said Deputy Director General Lee. “This is a pivotal moment to act in solidarity with the Congolese people and help forge a path toward sustainable peace and recovery.”

During her visit, the Deputy Director General met with development partners, government officials including ministries leading efforts in human rights, foreign affairs, anti-trafficking, and disarmament, demobilization and reintegration, with an aim of strengthening institutional partnerships and stakeholder engagement towards developing lasting solutions.

“Over the past days, I have witnessed both the extraordinary resilience of Congolese communities and the urgent needs that remain unmet,” said DDG Lee. “IOM will continue to stand alongside the DRC, working to expand lifesaving support, strengthen institutions, and invest in solutions that empower communities to recover and thrive.”

The DRC faces one of the world’s most urgent and complex displacement crises, with nearly seven million people uprooted by ongoing conflict, instability, and climate shocks. The scale of the humanitarian needs has reached a tipping point, requiring collective action from national and international actors.

The situation in eastern DRC is particularly dire. Since January 2025, over 660,000 people have been re-displaced in the Goma region alone, many without access to critical services including safe shelter, health care, or protection assistance. Women, children, and people with disabilities are among the hardest hit, facing increased risks in overcrowded and under-resourced displacement sites.

Critical gaps persist in health, protection, and access to basic services. IOM continues to scale up its efforts to ensure lifesaving aid reaches those in need, while also supporting institutional reforms that can strengthen resilience over the long term.

In collaboration with national authorities and UN partners, IOM is working to address immediate needs while also laying the groundwork for durable solutions—including safe, voluntary returns, local integration, and resettlement—aligned with national priorities, the UN Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework and community aspirations.

Deputy Director General Lee’s visit underscores IOM’s commitment to listening, learning, and advocating for the sustained support that displaced communities urgently need.

For more information, please contact IOM Media Centre

MIL OSI United Nations News –

May 2, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: ICE investigation leads to indictment of Maryland man for supporting armed separatist groups in Cameroon

Source: US Immigration and Customs Enforcement

BALTIMORE – An investigation conducted by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, along with the FBI and the Diplomatic Security Service led to the federal indictment of Cameroonian national, Eric Tano Tataw, 38, of Gaithersburg, Maryland. Tataw, also known as “the Garri Master,” is charged with conspiring to provide material support to armed separatist groups in Cameroon and making threatening communications to injure or kidnap Cameroonian civilians.

“The indictment of Eric Tataw reflects the unwavering commitment of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations to combat transnational crime and pursue justice for victims around the world,” said ICE HSI Baltimore Special Agent in Charge Michael McCarthy. “Although residing in Maryland, Tataw is alleged to have played a significant role in promoting violence and human rights violations in Cameroon by supporting a separatist movement. These groups have been linked to heinous crimes against civilians, and this case highlights how such atrocities can be financed and directed from afar. HSI will continue to pursue those who facilitate violence—no matter where they are located—and I commend the dedicated agents, analysts, and prosecutors who worked tirelessly on this case. Together, we continue to uphold the rule of law — at home and abroad.”

According to court documents, multiple armed and violent secessionist groups in the Northwest and Southwest regions of Cameroon are fighting to form a new country called “Ambazonia.” The armed separatist groups sought to achieve secession by not only attacking the Cameroonian military, but also intentionally attacking the civilian population in Cameroon to coerce and intimidate the Cameroonian government into allowing these regions to secede. These separatist fighters are frequently referred to as “Amba Boys.”

As alleged in the indictment, Tataw was a citizen of Cameroon living in Maryland and was a member of the Cameroonian diaspora with a large social media following. Beginning no later than April 2018, Tataw conspired to provide material support and resources — including money, weapons, and personnel — to Amba Boys in Cameroon, and called for the murder, kidnapping, and maiming of Cameroonian civilians. Tataw and his co-conspirators directed the maiming of Cameroonian civilians by severing their limbs, a practice Tataw called “Garriing.” Tataw used the phrase “small Garri” to refer to removing fingers or other small appendages and the phrase “large Garri” to refer to removing large limbs or killing people. Additionally, Tataw referred to himself as the “Garri Master,” or master of mutilation.

Tataw and his co-conspirators targeted those believed to be working for or collaborating with the government, including municipal officials, traditional chiefs, and employees of the Cameroon Development Corporation, a government-owned company that grew, processed, and sold bananas, palm oil, and rubber. As alleged, Tataw personally wrote hundreds of social media posts on Facebook, YouTube, and Twitter calling for attacks against Cameroonian civilians, seeking to raise funds to arm Amba Boys, and threatening those he viewed as cooperating with the Cameroonian government. These social media posts were regularly viewed by tens of thousands of people, including Amba Boys and their leaders, and were often further disseminated by third parties allegedly acting at Tataw’s direction or encouragement.

Tataw and his co-conspirators solicited and raised funds to supply Amba Boys with firearms, ammunition, explosive materials, and other equipment for enforcing lockdown or “ghost-town” orders and carrying out violent attacks. A fundraising campaign, known as the “National AK Campaign,” was designed to arm each Amba Boy in Cameroon with an AK-47 rifle. From September 2018 through December 2020, Tataw and his co-conspirators raised more than $110,000. Tataw and co-conspirators transferred portions of these funds — either directly or through intermediaries — to Amba Boys located in Cameroon and neighboring Nigeria. Additionally, Tataw communicated directly with Amba Boy leaders on the ground in Cameroon. Tataw also, on multiple occasions, personally took credit for Amba Boys murdering, kidnapping, and maiming civilians in connection with the separatists’ cause.

McCarthy announced the indictment with Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, Matthew R. Galeotti, Head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, Sue J. Bai, Head of the Justice Department’s National Security Division.

Members of the public with information about criminal activity in your community are encouraged to contact the ICE Tip Line at 866-DHS-2-ICE.

Learn more about HSI Baltimore’s mission to increase public safety in our Maryland communities on X at @HSIBaltimore.

MIL OSI USA News –

May 2, 2025
MIL-OSI United Kingdom: UK-Nigeria partnership to detect, disrupt and deter fraud
Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

News story

UK-Nigeria partnership to detect, disrupt and deter fraud

An agreement between the UK and Nigeria will help to better protect UK citizens from fraud as law enforcement collaboration is stepped up.
The public will be better protected from fraud as law enforcement collaboration between the UK and Nigeria is stepped up under a new joint fraud action plan agreed between the 2 countries today.

The partnership will provide increased protection for victims by focusing on earlier detection of threats, faster law enforcement intervention, and the disruption of cross-border criminal networks before they can cause harm. It will also support stronger systems to help prevent people from falling victim to fraud in the first place.

Key elements of the joint action plan include:

information sharing and operational coordination, including the potential for joint law enforcement operations involving the UK’s National Crime Agency (NCA) and Nigeria’s Office of the National Security Adviser

development and strengthening of national fraud strategies through the exchange of best practice, frameworks, and lessons learned, along with potential joint public awareness campaigns to deter fraudsters

exploration of collaboration between financial, online, and telecoms regulators and industry bodies in both countries to help close loopholes exploited by criminals

sharing insights on the misuse of financial systems, with the potential for joint studies and research into emerging threats

identifying training needs and delivering capacity-building initiatives, starting with targeted training for Nigerian prosecutors by the UK’s Serious Fraud Office, with further programmes planned, subject to funding

70% of fraud cases involve an international element. Today’s agreement forms part of a wider effort to build a unified international response to fraud – an issue continuing to harm individuals, undermine economies, and threaten national security.

The UK’s Minister for Fraud, Lord Hanson, has been in Abuja this week for meetings with Nigerian counterparts and other strategic partners. Lord Hanson, Nigeria’s Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Chief Lateef Olasunkanmi Fagbemi, and National Security Adviser Nuhu Ribadu, signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) and agreed the action plan today, formalising a commitment to deeper collaboration.

Minister for Fraud, Lord Hanson, said:

Fraud ruins lives. It strips people of their savings, their confidence, and their sense of security. The fact so many of these crimes now originate overseas makes our international partnerships more important than ever.

Our new agreement with Nigeria will help us better identify and stop fraud before it happens, crack down on criminals who exploit our systems, and ultimately protect the public from the devastating impact of fraud.

My meetings in Abuja have been hugely constructive, giving us the opportunity to align our efforts and take meaningful action to prevent further harm. I’m proud to have signed this agreement, which sets both our nations firmly on the path to a safer and more resilient future.

As one of the world’s largest and fastest growing economies, the UK and Nigeria recognise the shared threat fraud poses to their prosperity and long-term stability.

According to the Crime Survey for England and Wales, fraud is the most commonly-experienced crime in the UK, with more than 1 in 15 adults affected each year. In the year ending December 2024, an estimated 4.1 million incidents were recorded – almost 43% of all incidents recorded by the survey. The societal harm is also severe, with fraud against individuals in England and Wales alone estimated to cost £6.8 billion annually in 2019 to 2020.

Beyond the financial damage, the emotional and psychological toll on victims is devastating. Many report lasting emotional harm, while increasingly sophisticated criminals are using emerging technologies, including artificial intelligence, to design realistic scams difficult to detect.

Financially motivated sexual extortion (FMSE) is a particularly cruel form of exploitation, with many victims tragically taking their own lives due to these scams. The NCA is committed to raising awareness, providing targeted support to victims, and improving the investigation and prosecution of offenders, both in the UK and internationally.

National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, said:

Building on the foundation of the past successes, we must confront crime with greater seriousness, deepen collaboration across all fronts; addressing enablers, supporting victims, and pursuing perpetrators, and sustain an unyielding commitment to protect our societies.

Deputy Director of Fraud at the NCA, Nick Sharpe, said:

Over 70% of fraud impacting the UK is estimated to originate overseas or have overseas links.

However, those same fraudsters often also target victims in their own country.

This memorandum of understanding with the Federal Republic of Nigeria underscores our shared commitment to tackling a threat that causes significant harm to citizens of both nations.

By sharing vital intelligence, conducting joint operations, and working to identify and address vulnerabilities, we will strengthen our collective response – ensuring that criminals are brought to justice, wherever they are.

In November 2024, the UK-Nigeria Fraud Dialogue was launched to further strengthen the 2 nations’ shared commitment to combating fraud. The dialogue serves as a forum for regular exchanges of views and ideas, bringing together representatives from cybersecurity, law enforcement, and policy institutions, and provides a platform to review progress under the MoU.

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Published 1 May 2025
MIL OSI United Kingdom –
May 2, 2025
MIL-OSI NGOs: Enforced disappearances as a means of repression by military authorities in West Africa

Source: Amnesty International –

The military regimes in Mali, Guinea, Burkina Faso and Niger are working to silence any criticism of the authorities in power. To suppress dissenting voices, the defence and security forces regularly resort to enforced disappearances and unlawful detentions, as confirmed by Amnesty International’s latest Annual Report.

Since 9 July 2024, two Guinean activists from the National Front for the Defense of the Constitution (Front national pour la défense de la Constitution, FNDC), a movement calling for a return to constitutional order, have been victims of enforced disappearances. Mamadou Billo Bah and Oumar Sylla, also known as ‘Foniké Menguè,’ were abducted from the latter’s home on the eve of a day of protests against the high cost of living and advocating for a return to civilian rule. According to the testimony of Mohamed Cissé, another activist arrested with them and released two days later with serious injuries, they were taken into detention to a location somewhere on the archipelago of the Îles de Los, off the coast of Conakry by elements of the defence and security forces. The authorities deny detaining Mamadou Billo Bah and Oumar Sylla, and their fate remains unknown to this day.

The worst can happen to victims during this out-of-control journey.

MIL OSI NGO –

May 1, 2025
MIL-OSI United Nations: G20 Working Group advances its 2025 agenda and with Africa at the forefront

Source: UNISDR Disaster Risk Reduction

The second meeting of the Group of Twenty (G20) Disaster Risk Reduction Working Group put the issues facing Africa in focus as it made progress on its agenda for the year in the lead-up to the Ministerial meeting in October.

Held under South Africa’s G20 Presidency, with the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR) serving as Secretariat, the Working Group met for two informal days (8 and 9 April) and two formal days of discussions (10 and 11 April) in eThekwini, South Africa.

The centrality of disaster risk reduction to development and prosperity was reaffirmed by the Chair of the meeting, Mr. Mbulelo Tshangana, Director-General of South Africa’s Department of Cooperative Governance, who said at the opening:

“Disaster risk reduction is not merely a technical agenda. It is a development imperative, it speaks to equity, justice, and sustainability. And it requires our unwavering commitment, political will, and solidarity.”

This was echoed by Dr. Abhilash Panda, Deputy Chief of the Intergovernmental, Interagency Cooperation and Partnerships Branch at UNDRR, who emphasized the important role of the G20 in driving cooperation around disaster risk reduction:

“Disasters have far-reaching impacts on growth, stability, and development gains. By embedding DRR into the G20’s economic agenda, we have the opportunity to drive smarter investments, protect livelihoods, and build more resilient economies for the future.”

The meeting highlighted for the first time Africa’s unique challenges and innovations in disaster risk reduction —through site visits, side events on early warning and extreme heat, and examples of locally led solutions from across the continent.

The Working Group also made progress in advancing the priorities and deliverables that were presented at the first meeting, especially around financing. In this regard, UNDRR presented to the group an initial draft of the “high-level principles for financing in DRR” for the group’s consideration, and Norway briefed the group on the outcomes of the Oslo Policy Forum on DRR Financing that it hosted with UNDRR in March.

Looking ahead, the third meeting of the Working Group will be held in Johannesburg from 7 to 10 July, which will set the stage for the Ministerial-level meeting in October 2025.

MIL OSI United Nations News –

May 1, 2025
MIL-OSI United Nations: Experts of the Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination Commend Mauritius on Intercontinental Slavery Museum, Raise Questions on Mandatory HIV Testing for Migrant Workers and the Treatment of the Chagossian People

Source: United Nations – Geneva

The Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination today concluded its consideration of the combined twenty-fourth and twenty-fifth periodic reports of Mauritius, with Committee Experts commending the State on the Intercontinental Slavery Museum, while raising questions on mandatory HIV testing for migrant workers, and the treatment of the Chagossian people.

Pela Boker Wilson, Committee Expert and Country Rapporteur, said the Committee commended the State party for the 20 October 2020 official launch of the Intercontinental Slavery Museum under the theme “breaking the silence”, to remember the suffering, resilience and struggle for freedom of the forefathers, and to honour interculturality and promote remembrance and reconciliation.

Chrispine Gwalawala Sibande, Committee Expert and Country Co-Rapporteur, said Mauritius still applied HIV related restrictions on the entry, stay and residence of non-nationals, with migrant workers being required to provide evidence of their negative HIV status to qualify for work and residence permits. Would the delegation clarify reports that Mauritius required HIV testing for any residency permit longer than 90 days, and applicants were denied on the basis of HIV status? What had the Government done to make sure it did not violate the rights of people, especially migrants, on the basis of HIV status? What were the plans to reform the HIV/AIDS and immigration laws in Mauritius?

Ms. Boker Wilson also asked what steps the State party had taken to ensure the rights of the Chagossian people in negotiations with the United Kingdom’s Government? Another Committee Expert said the Chagossian people had suffered a harm that had been significant. They were due reparations and restitutions and needed to be involved in these negotiations. Those who were descendants of a system of enslavement enforced on people in Mauritius were victims of a harm which needed to be repaired. It was important to look at best practice examples from other countries. Had there been restitutions for the Chagossian people who had been disadvantaged?

Introducing the report, Gavin Patrick Cyril Glover S.C, Attorney General of Mauritius and head of the delegation, said the Government Programme 2025–2029 announced the setting up of a Constitutional Review Commission to make recommendations on constitutional and electoral reforms. The work of the Commission would also address several issues of direct relevance to the Committee’s concerns, including the future of the Best Loser System, the use of Kreol as a parliamentary language, and broader questions of equality and representation in Mauritian institutions. He concluded by stating that Mauritius reaffirmed its deep commitment to the Convention and looked forward to a constructive exchange.

Mr. Glover, responding to questions, said all migrant workers had to comply with the law and present a HIV negative test result before being granted access to the country. If a test was positive, they were not allowed to work and had to leave the country. For those who contracted the disease in the country, they received the same treatment as nationals, regardless of their origin. There were currently 60 foreign workers receiving treatment for HIV/AIDS. There was no discrimination when this test was applied; it was applied across the board, wherever you came from. It was implemented as a public health policy by the Government, due to Mauritius’ small size. Unfortunately for the time being, this would stay in place.

Mr. Glover said since 1999, the Chagossians welfare fund act was established. Dedicated educational support, including scholarships, and healthcare programmes were also provided, and the State conducted regular visits to the communities. The Government remained firmly committed to the resettlement of the Chagossians in the Chagos Archipelago and ensuring the full human rights of this group. Mauritius was in the process of finalising with Great Britain the return of the Chagos Archipelago. It was expected that the terms would result in a positive outcome.

In concluding remarks, Ms. Boker Wilson extended sincere thanks and appreciation to the delegation for the interactive dialogue. The delegation had delivered on its pledge to ensure openness and accountability, and the State party’s commitment to continuity was appreciated.

Mr. Glover, in his concluding remarks, extended thanks for the dialogue which had taken place. Mauritius viewed this exchange as an opportunity to reflect openly and recommit the State to the principles of the Convention. History left long shadows, but Mauritius believed that progress was possible. The State was committed to achieving unity, dignity and justice for all.

The delegation of Mauritius consisted of representatives of the Attorney General’s Office; the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Regional Integration and International Trade; and the Permanent Mission of Mauritius to the United Nations Office at Geneva.

The Committee will issue its concluding observations on the report of Mauritius after the conclusion of its one hundred and fifteenth session on 9 May 2025. The programme of work and other documents related to the session can be found here. Summaries of the public meetings of the Committee can be found here, while webcasts of the public meetings can be found here.

The Committee will next meet in public on Tuesday, 29 April at 3.p.m to review the combined twentieth to twenty-second periodic reports of the Republic of Korea (CERD/C/KOR/20-22).

Report

The Committee has before it the combined twenty-fourth and twenty-fifth periodic reports of Mauritius (CERD/C/MUS/24-25).

Presentation of Report

BRIAN NEIL JOSEPH GLOVER, Permanent Representative of Mauritius to the United Nations Office at Geneva, expressed appreciation to the Committee for allowing the dialogue to take place in a hybrid format. He then introduced the delegation of Mauritius.

GAVIN PATRICK CYRIL GLOVER S.C, Attorney General of Mauritius and head of the delegation, said that since the combined report was submitted in July 2021, several developments had affected the application of the Convention in Mauritius. In retrospect, Mauritius recognised that paragraphs 4 and 5 of the report should have engaged more meaningfully with the concerns of the Committee; this approach had been reassessed and today the State was committed to more openness and accountability. In November 2024, a new government was elected with a vision which included a renewed commitment to human rights. During the dialogue, the State would aim neither to disown the past nor engage in political blame, but would reaffirm Mauritius’ enduring commitment to the Convention.

Some of the issues relating to disaggregated data, ethnic identification, and racial disparities were deeply complex and sensitive in Mauritius. It was a proudly diverse society, but also one shaped by a painful history of division. Against this backdrop, classifying individuals along ethnic lines remained politically sensitive and socially divisive. However, the State accepted that the absence of such data must not become an excuse for blindness to discrimination. Mauritius welcomed the guidance of the Committee to chart a path forward that was principled and mindful of the national context. To mark the sixtieth anniversary of the Convention, it was being translated by the Government into Kreol Morisien for public dissemination.

The Government Programme 2025–2029 announced the setting up of a Constitutional Review Commission to make recommendations on constitutional and electoral reforms. The work of the Commission would also address several issues of direct relevance to the Committee’s concerns, including the future of the Best Loser System, the use of Kreol as a parliamentary language, and broader questions of equality and representation in Mauritian institutions. Since the submission of the report, Mauritius had enacted several important legislative reforms, including the private recruitment agencies act 2023; the combatting of trafficking in persons (amendment) act 2023; the immigration act 2022; the protection and promotion of the rights of persons with disabilities act 2024; and a gender equality commission bill.

The Best Loser System continued to operate within Mauritius’ electoral framework.

Following the 2024 general elections, and with the operation of the Best Loser System, the National Assembly now comprised of 36 members from the Hindu community, nine members from the Muslim community, two members from the Sino-Mauritian community, 19 members from the general population, and one non-elected member. Many civil society groups had called for the abolition of community-based classifications, while others urged updating the census, believing that the Best Loser System could still offer an important safeguard for minorities.

Navigating this dilemma would be one of the challenges that the Constitutional Review Commission would be called to address.

The Government of Mauritius remained strongly committed to implementing a resettlement plan in the Chagos Archipelago and supported the aspirations of Chagossians, as Mauritian citizens, to be able to resettle in the Chagos Archipelago if they wished. An amount of Rs 50 million had been earmarked for 2024-2025 for visits to be undertaken to the Chagos Archipelago as groundwork for a proper resettlement. In Mauritius, out of a population of 1,233,097, Kreol was the language habitually spoken by 968,952 persons. Regarding the use of Kreol in Parliament, meetings were being organised with a view to looking into the practical hurdles that needed to be cleared before introducing the Kreol Morisien language in the National Assembly.

A new public website would shortly offer free access to updated legislation and all international treaties binding Mauritius, including the Convention. The State’s legislation criminalised hate speech and incitement to racial or religious hatred. Human rights education remained a national priority, and the National Human Rights Commission conducted workshops and collaborated with civil society to promote equality. Sensitisation campaigns targeted both youth and the wider public, including the distribution of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights in Kreol Morisien. Mr. Glover concluded by stating that Mauritius reaffirmed its deep commitment to the Convention and looked forward to a constructive exchange.

MICHAL BALCERZAK, Committee Chair thanked the delegation for the invaluable contribution of Committee Expert Yeung Sik Yuen Yeung Kam John, from Mauritius.

Questions by a Committee Expert

PELA BOKER WILSON, Committee Expert and Country Rapporteur, said

regrettably, the Committee noted the State party’s persistent position that the collection of data disaggregated by ethnicity ran contrary to national unity and the fostering of a rainbow nation. The Committee recognised the State’s priorities in promoting national unity. The State party was encouraged to meet its obligation of collecting and publishing data disaggregated by grounds of discrimination, recognised in international human rights law. Notwithstanding this position, could the State party share how the rights guaranteed under the Convention were being enjoyed by the various ethnic groups, including the Creoles, Chagossians and Ilois? What steps had Mauritius taken to collect and evaluate socio-economic indicators across various ethnic minorities to develop evidence-based socio-economic policies? Could information be provided on the composition of the population in respect of non-nationals such as migrants, refugees, asylum seekers and stateless persons disaggregated by residence status, sex and age?

Had the State party taken any action, in the form of training or awareness raising, on anti-discrimination for magistrates, judges, prosecutors and police to further the application of the Convention by domestic courts? Had there been any steps by the State party to enact comprehensive anti-discrimination legislation as a means of ensuring that victims had access remedies for discrimination? Could examples be provided of cases in which the Convention had been directly applied by judges, or invoked before the courts?

The Committee had requested the State party to hold countrywide consultations to bring about a change of the existing classification of groups, including in the Constitution, giving due account to the principle of self-identification and the Committee’s general recommendation no. 8 (1990) concerning the interpretation and application of article 1 (1) and (4) of the Convention. Had such consultations been held?

Could information be provided regarding awareness-raising campaigns and educational programmes aimed at showcasing the contribution of each ethnic group to the development of the State party’s society? Did the State party have updated information on the preparation of a human rights action plan for the period 2024-2030? What measures had the State party undertaken to implement a comprehensive strategy and national action plan to combat racism, racial discrimination, intolerance, and any manifestation of racial or caste-based superiority?

The Committee encouraged the State party to give due consideration to revising the equal opportunities act, with a view to include language among the prohibited grounds of discrimination, and to introduce a legal provision on special measures aimed at accelerating the full and equal enjoyment of rights by disadvantaged groups. Could the State party provide information on the overall implementation of the act? What claims had been filed under it and what effects had it had?

Had the State party undertaken efforts at ensuring its recommendation regarding the jurisdiction of the Equal Opportunities Commission to investigate complaints against civil servants, and the handing down of sanctions commensurate with the gravity of the offences? How was the development of the land division dealing with land dispossession and ownership claims? What impact had the recent changes to the law against human trafficking had on the fight against human trafficking in Mauritius?

What efforts had been undertaken to ensure that the Criminal Code and other relevant legislation prohibited and punished racist hate speech, as well as organizations that promoted and incited racial discrimination? Were there updated statistics on complaints registered with the courts or any other national institution for acts of racial discrimination, racist hate speech and racist hate crimes, including over the Internet and through the media?

The Committee commended the State party for the 20 October 2020 official launch of the Intercontinental Slavery Museum under the theme “breaking the silence”, to remember the suffering, resilience and struggle for freedom of the forefathers, and to honour interculturality and promote remembrance and reconciliation. Could information be provided on the implementation of other recommendations of the Truth and Justice Commission relating to land dispossession and ownership claims? What had the Truth and Justice Commission done to investigate and respond to the lingering effects of colonialism and the slave trade in Mauritius? What other measures was the State party considering that could address the racial disparities and legacies of colonialism and the slave trade?

Responses by the Delegation

GAVIN PATRICK CYRIL GLOVER S.C, Attorney General of Mauritius and head of the delegation, said it was regretful that the Equal Opportunities Commission had not been a model of what it could be. The State took the suggestion of the inclusion of language as a possible segment of discrimination very seriously. Primary and secondary education was free in Mauritius and all students were taught English and French, whatever their economic and social background. No one was left behind, but it was recognised that those falling out of the system needed to be helped. It was possible that an amendment could be introduced to cater to those who slipped through the net.

Based on a population census in 2020, there were more than 1.2 million people living in the Republic of Mauritius, with the majority being of Mauritian nationality. Around 40 per cent of those had reported their religion as Hindu; 32 per cent had reported their religion as Christian, 18 per cent had reported their religion as Muslim; and the remaining identified as “other” or did not supply the religion. Some 79 per cent of the population spoke Kreol at home.

Statistics regarding the prison population were difficult to pinpoint, given the movement of people within the prison system. Information on ethnic origin was not collected, but information on religion and citizenship was provided. As of April 2025, the Mauritian prison system housed 2,858 detainees, with 60 per cent being Roman Catholic. Foreign nationals represented 9.7 per cent of the prison population. As of January 2025, there were more than 48,000 migrant workers in Mauritius with valid work permits, working across various sectors, including manufacturing, retail and trade, among others. There were no reported cases of stateless persons in Mauritius.

Questions by Committee Experts

PELA BOKER WILSON, Committee Expert and Country Rapporteur, asked what the delegation meant about the movement of the detained persons; could this be clarified?

The attention of the Committee was drawn to the vagrancy act of 1867, which criminalised individuals who lacked a fixed residence, means of subsistence, or regular employment. There had been reports that the history of the law was related to colonialist and racist efforts that controlled the movement of Indian labourers, referencing a historical event where thousands of Indians were reportedly imprisoned under brutal conditions. Did the State party have plans to repeal this act?

There had also been reports that the morality clauses in article 6 of the immigration act were rooted in colonial-era mentalities, and could have a disproportionate and discriminatory impact on minorities. Had Mauritius investigated this? Article 5 of the immigration act banned individuals with infectious, contagious, or communicable diseases. This could encompass HIV/AIDS, which disproportionately affected marginalised groups. Had Mauritius investigated this?

A Committee Expert asked if the racial tensions in the country had disappeared? What had caused more harmonious relations?

Another Expert asked what percentage of descendants of slavery were a part of the Mauritian population today?

A Committee Expert said the Truth and Justice Commission addressed the issue of land confiscation; what results had been achieved by the court set up to address these cases? Was the State certain that when it revoked the citizenship of a person, they would not become stateless?

An Expert said Mauritius had unfortunately experienced the effects of British colonisation, and English people were still present within the country. The people were waiting for Mauritius to be liberated from the British presence. Mauritius had the resources to help Africa to emerge from the long colonial night of slavery.

Responses by the Delegation

GAVIN PATRICK CYRIL GLOVER S.C, Attorney General of Mauritius and head of the delegation, said Mauritius was fully committed to complete the decolonisation process of Africa, for those in the Chagos Archipelago, and it was hoped that this would become a reality in the coming weeks. In 1995, a law was passed, and all Mauritians who came of age after this date were automatically granted Mauritian nationality. There was a willingness and necessity for the piece of legislation to be changed today, so everyone could be on the same level.

There was no prosecution in Mauritius for being a vagrant, but there had been prosecutions under the offence of being a “rogue or vagabond” which was a different matter. There were more than 800 of these cases prosecuted in 2024. This was a matter which would be taken up in the reform of the criminal justice system. The State was aware of the discrepancies of the immigration act regarding communicable diseases, and acknowledged there was a need to review this legislation. There had previously been an abominable piece of legislation, the Hoffman law, which enabled a citizenship provided to a non-citizen to be revoked. This would also be reviewed.

There was a latent possibility of tensions rising and the State had to be careful not to stoke any of these factors. There were instances, such as in the last election, where the whole nation came together and showed that the multicultural society could work.

Questions by Committee Expert

CHRISPINE GWALAWALA SIBANDE, Committee Expert and Country Co-Rapporteur, asked what steps Mauritius had taken to ratify the International Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of their Families?

The Committee would still like an update regarding disaggregated data by ethnicity? What were the unique challenges that people of African descent faced in Mauritius? Would the delegation update the Committee on steps being taken to ratify and accept the individual communication article under the Convention? According to the State report, there were currently three distinct cases against the State in court by lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex persons. Could an update on the human rights issues being raised in these three cases be provided?

Mauritius had not signed the 1951 Convention relating to the status of refugees and its 1967 Protocol Convention. Would the delegation update the Committee on the plans being developed to have a legislative and policy framework in place to ensure refugees were well protected under the law? What were the plans to ratify the 1951 Convention relating to the status of refugees and its 1967 Protocol Convention? What measures was Mauritius taking to address matters of statelessness and compile data on stateless persons? Could the delegation update the Committee on birth registration and citizenship laws available?

What were the legislative, policy and effective action points being taken to make sure that all ethnic groups were treated equally in Mauritius? How was the Government handling the allegations that certain ethnic groups were getting preferential treatment?

What legislative, policy and enforcement action points had been put in place to address discrimination on issues of wages affecting Creoles and Muslims of Indian origin communities? Would the delegation update the Committee on measures being taken to address underpayment for overtime in the textile and apparel industries, including issues on differences in legislation and calculation of overtime hours? What were the legislative and policy reform steps being taken to address matters concerning the informal sector that accounted for 10 per cent of all workers?

The garment sector of Mauritius was a significant destination for migrant workers from Bangladesh. Some reports found that Bangladesh nationals incurred significant debt to pay recruitment fees; were unable to review their contracts prior to signing or departing for Mauritius; and had a limited understanding of their salaries, among other issues. Had Mauritius reviewed the recruitment procedures of foreigners and migrant workers, especially the recruitments that involved agents? What measures had the Republic of Mauritius taken to address the concerns of persons belonging to certain nationalities, including Bangladesh citizens?

What measures had the State taken to minimise these challenges and make sure that all international labour instruments by the International Labour Organization on the treatment of migrant workers were compiled and enforced? When would Mauritius sign and ratify several International Labour Organization Conventions?

Responses by the Delegation

GAVIN PATRICK CYRIL GLOVER S.C, Attorney General of Mauritius and head of the delegation, said the three cases referred to were determined by the Supreme Court in 2023. The Supreme Court decided that criminalising consensual same-sex relations between males was unconstitutional.

It was estimated that around one third of Mauritians descended from slaves. Mauritius would update its citizenship laws regarding refugees and asylum seekers. The current laws did not address statelessness and this would be addressed.

Migrant workers should typically enjoy the same benefits and laws as any Mauritians. However, there were cases where migrant workers had been lured to come to Mauritius and became enslaved by certain employers. The Government was taking a strong stand on this issue and had recently publicised a well-published case in this regard, where they worked to bring the perpetrators who had abused the migrant workers to justice. Large companies with clientele in Europe and America were strict in their adherence to the law, and dealt with all processes relating to migrant workers correctly. Mauritius was firmly committed to enforcing its immigration laws while ensuring the rights of migrant workers were upheld. In cases where unscrupulous employers had not declared workers or where they did not renew their visas on time, these migrant workers were considered to be victims.

Questions by Committee Expert

CHRISPINE GWALAWALA SIBANDE, Committee Expert and Country Co-Rapporteur, asked for more data on domestic workers? Mauritius still applied HIV related restrictions on the entry, stay and residence of non-nationals, with migrant workers being required to provide evidence of their negative HIV status to qualify for work and residence permits. Would the delegation clarify reports that Mauritius required HIV testing for any residency permit longer than 90 days, and applicants were denied on the basis of HIV status? What had the Government done to make sure it did not violate the rights of people, especially migrants, on the basis of HIV status? What were the plans to reform the HIV/AIDS and immigration laws in Mauritius?

The Government of Mauritius had demonstrated overall increasing efforts compared with the previous years on issues of combatting human trafficking and had therefore been upgraded to tier 2. However, the Government did not meet the minimum standards to combat human trafficking in some key areas, including not convicting any traffickers in court for the second consecutive year in a row. Would the delegation update the Committee on the data available on cases prosecuted? What concrete measures was Mauritius taking to combat human trafficking, including perpetrators of human trafficking prosecuted under the combatting of trafficking in persons act? What had the Government of Mauritius done to make sure that the courts dealt with the backlog of cases? What programmes were being initiated and rolled out, whether through legislation, policy or action points, to make sure citizens were encouraged to report cases of human trafficking and sex trafficking?

A Committee Expert asked why the Human Rights Commission was not present before the Committee and if it was influenced by the Prime Minister’s office?

Responses by the Delegation

GAVIN PATRICK CYRIL GLOVER S.C, Attorney General of Mauritius and head of the delegation, said from June 2021 to March 2025, there were 41 cases of trafficking reported, and six were prosecuted. The backlog of cases was a systemic problem in the criminal justice system. A police and criminal justice bill was being prepared to set up the parameters in which the judicial processes would be carried out, to ensure diligent hearings and adjudication of various cases.

All migrant workers had to comply with the law and present a HIV negative test result before being granted access to the country. If a test was positive, they were not allowed to work and had to leave the country. For those who contracted the disease in the country, they received the same treatment as nationals, regardless of their origin. There were currently 60 foreign workers receiving treatment for HIV/AIDS. Article 5 of the immigration act was a precautionary measure and was a new provision on the application for working in Mauritius. There was no discrimination when this test was applied; it was applied across the board, wherever you came from. It was implemented as a public health policy by the Government, due to Mauritius’ small size. Unfortunately for the time being, this would stay in place.

There were no restrictions on civil society to protest, provided they stayed within the parameters of the law. The State had just received the report of the Human Rights Commission for 2024, and this would be shared with the Committee.

Questions by Committee Expert

CHRISPINE GWALAWALA SIBANDE, Committee Expert and Country Co-Rapporteur, asked what was being done to ensure that civil society participated in the review of Mauritius?

Another Expert said the mandatory HIV test was not compliant with the Convention. It was ineffective as a public health policy and cast a negative stigma on migrant workers.

PELA BOKER WILSON, Committee Expert and Country Rapporteur, asked how the different ethnic groups in Mauritius enjoyed their rights under the Convention?

Another Committee Expert said it was understood that civil society had not suffered intimidation, but was it consulted prior to the dialogue? Why did the Human Rights Commission not report directly to parliament or the public?

Responses by the Delegation

GAVIN PATRICK CYRIL GLOVER S.C, Attorney General of Mauritius and head of the delegation, said he took on board the views that the mandatory HIV law was ineffective and discriminatory and would act as an advocate in this regard. All domestic workers had to obtain a resident and work permit to work in Mauritius.

The Chairperson of the National Human Rights Commission was appointed on the recommendation of the Prime Minister, and could be seen to not be totally independent. The Commission had carried out its work well, and a new Chairperson would be appointed in the coming days. It was expected that the Constitutional Review Commission would now have a say in the processes of the appointments of these kinds of positions.

Questions by a Committee Expert

PELA BOKER WILSON, Committee Expert and Country Rapporteur, said during the previous dialogue, the Committee urged the State party to adopt and implement a well-resourced strategy to address the deep-rooted discrimination faced by the Creoles, including those living on Agaléga and Rodrigues Islands. What steps had been undertaken to implement this strategy? What measures were in place to ensure ethnic minorities had equal enjoyment of economic, social and cultural rights? Had measures relating to adequate housing, health-care service and quality inclusive education been designed in close collaboration with the communities concerned and relevant civil society organizations? What measures had the State party undertaken to ensure effective participation and representation of ethnic minorities in public and political life? What measures were envisaged to grant national language status to Creole?

Could information be provided on the impact of climate change, tourism and development projects on marginalised communities, particularly ethnic minorities? What was the State party’s national plan on business and human rights? The Committee would appreciate updated information from the State party regarding the assessment of current measures, including the Best Loser System, and the process of electoral reform? What steps had the State party taken to ensure the rights of the Chagossian people in negotiations with the United Kingdom’s Government?

Responses by the Delegation

GAVIN PATRICK CYRIL GLOVER S.C, Attorney General of Mauritius and head of the delegation, said the Government was adamant that all races, communities and religious groups were treated on an equal footing and guaranteed full enjoyment of economic, social and cultural rights. The first of February was a holiday in Mauritius, marking the abolition of slavery in the country. Pieces of legislation had been passed to ensure the Creoles were not left behind, as well as the Chagossians. Since 1999, the Chagossian welfare fund act was established. Dedicated educational support, including scholarships, and healthcare programmes were also provided, and the State conducted regular visits to the communities. The Government remained firmly committed to the resettlement of the Chagossians in the Chagos Archipelago and ensuring the full human rights of this group.

The Best Loser System was implemented to ensure that underrepresented communities received representation. The State recognised it was not the best system and was outdated; two levels of amendments would be introduced in this regard. The Judicial and Legal Commission had been established for the appointment of judicial officers, and consisted of the Chief Justice and the President of the Public Service Commission. This Commission had the exclusivity of appointing all judicial and legal officers.

In the National Assembly, people addressed the chamber in English and French. Members were also able to address a few lines in Creole when appropriate. Recently, one member wanted to make a whole address in Creole and she was ruled out by the speaker. Following this, the speaker raised the issue of introducing Creole in the Assembly, which they expected would be supported by most members.

A student behaviour policy was introduced in schools to reinforce tolerance and diversity in schools. There had been a decline in bullying cases, and an anti-bullying policy was being drafted within the Ministry of Education.

Questions by Committee Experts

PELA BOKER WILSON, Committee Expert and Country Rapporteur, asked if strategies concerning Creoles were developed with their participation? Were the welfare programmes based in law or were they policies which could change depending on the Government? What kind of scholarships were provided? Who were the target beneficiaries?

A Committee Expert said welfare systems did not reconcile with the past. Had there been restitutions for the Chagossian people who had been disadvantaged?

Another Expert asked if all groups embraced the celebrations of the first of February? Could more information be provided on the Creole group of Mauritius?

Responses by the Delegation

GAVIN PATRICK CYRIL GLOVER S.C, Attorney General of Mauritius and head of the delegation, said there were national celebrations on the first of February, but ethnic lines were well demarcated when it came to attendees. Creole referred to a certain category of people with a mixed descent. A programme entitled “bridge to the future” had been produced, which was an overhaul of the election and judicial system in the country, concentrated in the hands of the Constitutional Reform Commission which would likely begin its work next month.

The previous Government had opened negotiations with Great Britain to find a solution for the Chagos Archipelago. The United Kingdom recognised Mauritius’ sovereignty over the territory and negotiations were currently underway. The Best Loser System was outdated and was based on the census of 1972 with no relevance today. The changes made would be implemented within the Constitution and removed the need to declare a candidate’s race or community when standing for parliament.

Questions by Committee Experts

A Committee Expert said the Chagossian people had suffered a harm that had been significant. They were due reparations and restitutions and they needed to be involved in these negotiations. Those who were descendants of a system of enslavement enforced on people in Mauritius were victims of a harm which needed to be repaired. It was important to look at best practice examples from other countries.

Another Expert asked how the First Decade of People of African Descent was marked and what programmes were undertaken? Had Mauritius started to think about the Second Decade? Would the State think about establishing more sites of memory for people of chattel enslavement in the Second Decade?

FAITH DIKELEDI PANSY TLAKULA, Committee Expert and Follow-up Rapporteur, said the Committee had made a mistake in the follow-up paragraphs for the last dialogue and appreciated that Mauritius had accommodated their mistake. It was appreciated that the national mechanism for reporting and follow-up had been established. It was noted that information had been provided on the roadmap for teaching Creole and on the use of Creole in parliament. Could an update on the use of Creole in the administration and in the judiciary be provided? Had the State considered developing a roadmap for the Chagossian people?

An Expert said Great Britain was being allowed to continue to dominate Mauritius, and still had sway over the country and its people. Mauritius had suffered too much to return to the past. It was hoped Mauritius could come together as one country.

Responses by the Delegation

GAVIN PATRICK CYRIL GLOVER S.C, Attorney General of Mauritius and head of the delegation, said Mauritius did not focus on division, but rather on unity. Recently there had been no complaints registered for acts of racial discrimination and racist hate speech. There had been a case of stirring racial hatred where the perpetrator was sentenced to two years in prison in 2022.

The political agreement reached in October for the Chagossian people did not set out the various elements of the treaty. Mauritius was trying to move away from the divisions imposed by colonial masters. All communities were aware that whichever Government was in power ensured the equality of all segments of the population. Mauritius had no definite plans yet for the Second Decade of People of African Descent.

While English was the primary language in courts, French and Creole were also accepted. Around 90 per cent of people in Mauritius understood the Creole language and it was used in the courts. Government documents were in English. There was a dedicated channel for Parliament and Mauritius was looking into setting up a second channel which carried a simultaneous translation of proceedings in Parliament into Creole.

Mauritius was in the process of finalising with Great Britain the return of the Chagos Archipelago. The United Kingdom had to have the support of the United States before coming to terms with Mauritius. It was expected that the terms would result in a positive outcome.

Questions by Committee Experts

CHRISPINE GWALAWALA SIBANDE, Committee Expert and Country Co-Rapporteur, said the Committee discussed the topic of different ethnic groups in Mauritius, solely to ensure that some were not receiving preferential treatment. Could data be provided on migrant workers and how they were being taken care of? What measures had Mauritius taken in terms of training, education, culture, information and awareness about the Convention, the human rights provisions in the Constitution of Mauritius, and other laws in Mauritius? Were issues of human rights covered in the curriculum at primary, secondary and tertiary level? How was Mauritius combatting racial discrimination through school curricula, university programmes and teacher training?

Could more information be provided on judicial authorities, jurisprudence and judgments on matters of racial discrimination, including the principles of the Convention? What human rights training was offered to law enforcement agencies? What measures would be taken to ensure that non-governmental organizations and the national human rights institution fully participated in human rights education and awareness?

Reports indicated that the Government had decreased funding for protection and assistance services to victims of human trafficking, including sex trafficking. What measures had been taken to make sure there was adequate funding to combat trafficking, including providing protection and assistance services to victims? What programmes had the State rolled out for providing education to combat human trafficking? There had been difficulties reported in accessing healthcare for irregular migrants, stateless persons and asylum seekers, who might not have access to the National Health Insurance Card. What programmes had been implemented to provide human rights awareness on matters of healthcare?

Responses by the Delegation

GAVIN PATRICK CYRIL GLOVER S.C, Attorney General of Mauritius and head of the delegation, said reports relating to discrimination of migrant workers regarding healthcare were unfounded as everyone in Mauritius was afforded free public healthcare, whether they were a migrant or not. Mauritius had not hidden from the prejudices within its society. Human rights principles were embedded in formal school curricula. In 2024, the National Human Rights Commission conducted public campaigns reaching over 100,000 individuals, including parents, students and teachers, and had also produced materials, including the translation of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights into Creole. Non-governmental organizations had provided input into important State documents, including the national human rights plan, as well as in preparation for the Universal Periodic Review.

Questions by Committee Experts

CHRISPINE GWALAWALA SIBANDE, Committee Expert and Country Co-Rapporteur, said the law in Mauritius prevented internet users from posting anything that could cause “annoyance, humiliation, inconvenience, distress or anxiety to any person” on social media. Anyone found guilty faced up to 10 years’ imprisonment. There were reports that police arrested two people on allegations of drug trafficking because they made critical comments against the Government or police. What was the outcome of these cases? What measures was the State taking to ensure citizens were not punished merely for criticising the State through expressing freedom opinion? Had the cases of three journalists from the Defi Media group who filed complaints of harassment been addressed? How was it ensured that journalists could operate freely in Mauritius? It was reported that many buildings in Mauritius remained inaccessible to persons with disabilities; what was the Government doing to overcome this?

A Committee Expert applauded the efforts of the State party to create a harmonious society out of the calamity of colonialism.

Responses by the Delegation

GAVIN PATRICK CYRIL GLOVER S.C, Attorney General of Mauritius and head of the delegation, said the two cases of those arrested in relation to drug charges were high profile cases in Mauritius and were ongoing. The accused had been extremely critical of the previous regime. There had been no prosecutions of alleged drug offences so far. The journalists arrested were also extremely critical of the previous regime, and due to the usual process adopted by that regime, they were attacked. The inquiry had not yet been completed, and if there was enough evidence to convict the persons behind the cowardly attacks on these journalists, appropriate actions would be taken.

Questions by a Committee Expert

CHRISPINE GWALAWALA SIBANDE, Committee Expert and Country Co-Rapporteur, said French and English were considered de facto languages of Mauritius. What measures was the Government taking to ensure all languages were recognised in Mauritius? Was there recognition of the various groups, including Chagossians in the country?

Responses by the Delegation

GAVIN PATRICK CYRIL GLOVER S.C, Attorney General of Mauritius and head of the delegation, said all courtrooms in Mauritius provided adequate access for persons with disabilities. Irrespective of the descent of any Mauritian, more than 90 per cent of the population understood and spoke Creole. The State had begun translating the Convention against Torture into Creole and would eventually work to translate all other Conventions into Creole.

Closing Remarks

FAITH DIKELEDI PANSY TLAKULA, Committee Expert and Follow-up Rapporteur, said the Committee would send concluding observations which contained a follow-up for recommendations which needed to be implemented within one year.

PELA BOKER WILSON, Committee Expert and Country Rapporteur, extended sincere thanks and appreciation to the delegation for the interactive dialogue. The Government of Mauritius should be commended on its reassessed approach to the review which contributed to the quality of the exchange. The delegation had delivered on its pledge to ensure openness and accountability, and the State party’s commitment to continuity was appreciated.

CHRISPINE GWALAWALA SIBANDE, Committee Expert and Country Co-Rapporteur, thanked everyone who had been involved in the dialogue.

GAVIN PATRICK CYRIL GLOVER S.C, Attorney General of Mauritius and head of the delegation, extended thanks for the dialogue which had taken place. Mauritius viewed this exchange as an opportunity to reflect openly and recommit the State to the principles of the Convention. The contribution of Committee member Yeung Sik Yuen Yeung Kam John was very much appreciated. Mauritius had celebrated the richness of its cultural heritage and honoured the memory of historical injustices. The establishment of a Constitutional Review Commission marked an important step forward. History left long shadows, but Mauritius believed that progress was possible. The State was committed to achieving unity, dignity and justice for all.

MICHAL BALCERZAK, Committee Chair, thanked all for the dialogue. During these turbulent times, it was important to celebrate 60 years of the Convention, and the Committee looked to Mauritius to join them in these celebrations. It would be a good opportunity for Mauritius to consider accepting article 14 of the Convention on individual communications.

Produced by the United Nations Information Service in Geneva for use of the media;
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MIL OSI United Nations News –

May 1, 2025
MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: WAVES 2025 Opens with discussion on “Legends & Legacies: The Stories That Shaped India’s Soul”

Source: Government of India

WAVES 2025 Opens with discussion on “Legends & Legacies: The Stories That Shaped India’s Soul”

“WAVES is a beautiful initiative by the Government of India. I’m glad to be part of it:” Hema Malini

“I don’t differentiate between art and commercial cinema – it’s storytelling that moves people:” Mohanlal

“Acting has been my first love since childhood:” Chiranjeevi

Posted On: 01 MAY 2025 4:32PM by PIB Mumbai

Mumbai, 1 May 2025

The first-ever World Audio Visual & Entertainment Summit (WAVES) commenced in grand style at the iconic Jio World Centre, Mumbai, with a power-packed panel discussion titled “Legends & Legacies: The Stories That Shaped India’s Soul.” The session brought together some of India’s most revered cinematic icons in a captivating discussion on storytelling, creativity, and cultural legacy.

The inaugural panel featured acclaimed luminaries – Hema Malini, Mohanlal, and Chiranjeevi, and was moderated by superstar Akshay Kumar.

Speaking on the occasion, dream girl, Hema Malini expressed heartfelt admiration for the initiative, stating, “it’s a beautiful initiative by the Government of India. I’m glad to be part of it. Thanks to Prime Minister Modi – his vision and leadership have made WAVES a remarkable platform for creators and innovators.”

Celebrated Malayalam Actor Mohanlal shared insights on the evolving nature of cinema. He said that the line is very thin between art cinema and entertainment cinema as art films have also entertainment value. “I don’t differentiate between art and commercial cinema – it’s storytelling that moves people”, flagged the ace actor.

Veteran actor Chiranjeevi shared a heartfelt reflection on his cinematic journey, marked by unwavering passion and relentless pursuit of excellence. Recounting his early aspirations, he said, “Acting has been my first love since childhood. I was always driven by the desire to hit the bull’s eye. I constantly asked myself—what unique element can I bring to become a better actor?”

Emphasizing his commitment to authenticity, Chiranjeevi expressed a deep desire to stay grounded and relatable. “I’ve always wanted audiences to see me as the boy next door. That’s why I strive to keep my performances as natural and genuine as possible,” he affirmed. He also paid tribute to the legends who shaped his craft, acknowledging the profound influence of cinematic icons like Mithun Chakraborty, Amitabh Bachchan, and Kamal Haasan on his evolution as an artist.

The discussion was a poignant blend of personal reflections and shared legacies, offering the audience a rare glimpse into the minds and hearts of India’s cinematic greats.

* * *

PIB TEAM WAVES 2025 | Rajith/ Swadhin/ Lekshmipriya/ Darshana | 124

सोशल मिडियावर आम्हाला फॉलो करा: @PIBMumbai /PIBMumbai /pibmumbai pibmumbai[at]gmail[dot]com /PIBMumbai /pibmumbai

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MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

May 1, 2025
MIL-OSI: Orezone Provides Update on RCF Block Trade to Australian Funds

Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

VANCOUVER, British Columbia, May 01, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Orezone Gold Corporation (TSX: ORE, OTCQX: ORZCF) (the “Company” or “Orezone”) is pleased to report that the recent block trade of 40 million common shares at a price of C$1.15 per share by Resource Capital Fund VII L.P. (“RCF”) was placed into institutional funds based in Australia.

This sale of shares aligns with the Company’s intention to complete a secondary listing on the Australian Securities Exchange (“ASX”) to expand the Company’s market profile and trading liquidity through access to an incremental pool of retail and institutional investors including specialist mining focused funds.

Currently, 14% of the Company’s share registry is held by Australian based institutional funds, which is expected to increase after the proposed secondary listing on the ASX is completed by the end of June 2025.

RCF became a strategic shareholder of Orezone in April 2018 during the early-stage development of the Bomboré Gold Mine and also participated in the subsequent debt financing of the Phase I oxide construction. RCF remains a strong supporter and significant shareholder of Orezone for the Phase II hard rock expansion currently underway at the Bomboré Gold Mine.

Immediately following the disclosed sale, RCF holds 32.4 million Orezone common shares and a US$25 million convertible debenture maturing on October 15, 2026.

About Orezone Gold Corporation

Orezone Gold Corporation (TSX: ORE OTCQX: ORZCF) is a West African gold producer engaged in mining, developing, and exploring its flagship Bomboré Gold Mine in Burkina Faso. The Bomboré mine achieved commercial production on its oxide operations on December 1, 2022, and is now focused on its staged hard rock expansion that is expected to materially increase annual and life-of-mine gold production from the processing of hard rock mineral reserves. Orezone is led by an experienced team focused on social responsibility and sustainability with a proven track record in project construction and operations, financings, capital markets and M&A.

The technical report entitled Bomboré Phase II Expansion, Definitive Feasibility Study is available on SEDAR+ and the Company’s website.

Contact Information

Patrick Downey
President and Chief Executive Officer

Kevin MacKenzie
Vice President, Corporate Development and Investor Relations

Tel: 1 778 945 8977 / Toll Free: 1 888 673 0663
info@orezone.com / www.orezone.com

For further information please contact Orezone at +1 (778) 945-8977 or visit the Company’s website at www.orezone.com.

The Toronto Stock Exchange neither approves nor disapproves the information contained in this news release.

Qualified Persons

The scientific and technical information in this news release was reviewed and approved by Mr. Rob Henderson, P. Eng, Vice-President of Technical Services and Mr. Dale Tweed, P. Eng., Vice-President of Engineering, both of whom are Qualified Persons as defined under NI 43-101 – Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects.

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains certain information that may constitute “forward-looking information” within the meaning of applicable Canadian Securities laws and “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of applicable U.S. securities laws (together, “forward-looking statements”). Forward-looking statements are frequently characterized by words such as “plan”, “expect”, “project”, “intend”, “believe”, “anticipate”, “estimate”, “potential”, “possible” and other similar words, or statements that certain events or conditions “may”, “will”, “could”, or “should” occur. Forward-looking statements in this press release include, but are not limited to, statements with respect to the Company’s intention to list on the ASX by the end of June 2025.

All such forward-looking statements are based on certain assumptions and analyses made by management in light of their experience and perception of historical trends, current conditions and expected future developments, as well as other factors management and the qualified persons believe are appropriate in the circumstances.

All forward-looking statements are subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual events or results to differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements including, but not limited to, delays caused by pandemics, terrorist or other violent attacks (including cyber security attacks), the failure of parties to contracts to honour contractual commitments, unexpected changes in laws, rules or regulations, or their enforcement by applicable authorities; social or labour unrest; changes in commodity prices; unexpected failure or inadequacy of infrastructure, the possibility of unanticipated costs and expenses, accidents and equipment breakdowns, political risk, unanticipated changes in key management personnel and general economic, market or business conditions, the failure of exploration programs, including drilling programs, to deliver anticipated results and the failure of ongoing and uncertainties relating to the availability and costs of financing needed in the future, and other factors described in the Company’s most recent annual information form and management discussion and analysis filed on SEDAR+. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements.

Although the forward-looking statements contained in this press release are based upon what management of the Company believes are reasonable assumptions, the Company cannot assure investors that actual results will be consistent with these forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are made as of the date of this press release and are expressly qualified in their entirety by this cautionary statement. Subject to applicable securities laws, the Company does not assume any obligation to update or revise the forward-looking statements contained herein to reflect events or circumstances occurring after the date of this press release.

The MIL Network –

May 1, 2025
MIL-OSI Economics: WTO accession: Supporting the economic reforms of Ethiopia and Uzbekistan

Source: WTO

Headline: WTO accession: Supporting the economic reforms of Ethiopia and Uzbekistan

Excellencies,ladies, and gentlemen,
I am delighted to participate in this meeting in support of the accessions of Ethiopia and Uzbekistan to the WTO. I am also very pleased to be joined by the Chief Negotiators and representatives of Ethiopia and Uzbekistan as well as our development partners. I would in particular like to thank the Vice-President for Europe and Central Asia, Ms Antonella Bassani and the Acting Vice-President for East Africa Mr Amit Dar from the World Bank and the Deputy Director, Strategy and Policy Review Mr Ken Kang, from the IMF for their presence today.
Ethiopia and Uzbekistan have been negotiating their accessions for several years and have made good progress towards their goal to join the WTO by 2026. There are a number of similarities between the two economies. Both are the most populous nations in their respective regions, notably with a significant young population which will be entering the job market. Both have a legacy of strong State presence which they are gradually reducing through market-based economic and legislative reforms. They are also very ably led by excellent negotiating teams which have made it possible to move accession negotiations forward rapidly and I acknowledge with thanks the presence today of their Chief Negotiators.
Completing the long and often complex road to WTO accession requires strong political will, a technically strong and coherent negotiating team led by a competent Chief Negotiator, and support from development partners, both bilateral and multilateral. In the case of Ethiopia and Uzbekistan, I believe we have all these ingredients.
Strong political will is key to any reform process. Ethiopia’s economic reforms have been pursued since 2018 under Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed Ali’s leadership, through the “Home-Grown Economic Reform Programme” which aims at structural transformation and private sector led growth. The bold steps taken in recent years including foreign exchange reforms, liberalization of key services, and reduced restrictions on foreign direct investment, have served Ethiopia well, resulting in strong economic growth, averaging over 6% annually since 2022. The reforms have also created an enabling environment for Ethiopia to benefit from its membership of the AfCFTA (which it ratified in 2019) once it starts to trade under its provisions. WTO Membership will further lock in these reforms and moreover provide a support structure to sustain economic reforms and growth. Ethiopia’s Government has indicated its strong commitment to finalizing accession by the Ministerial Conference and I look forward to the completion of negotiations during the course of 2025.
In Uzbekistan continued support by President Mirziyoyev has underpinned reform in recent years. This includes key Presidential Decrees in 2024 and 2025 addressing issues of concern to WTO Members on WTO consistency such as the reduction of State dominance in the economy through the removal of exclusive rights in several sectors, the import ban on ethyl alcohol and export subsidies. Most recently a Presidential Decree in March replaced export restrictions with export duties thereby making the export regime more predictable and transparent. Continuing legislative reform has aimed at bringing domestic legislation into line with the WTO Agreements. Uzbekistan is also well on the way to completing all its remaining ten bilateral market access negotiations in 2025.
While reform is necessary and often difficult to ensure consistency with WTO rules, acceding governments also face daunting challenges in building institutional capacity and bringing their officials up to speed in areas such as trade remedies, technical regulations and SPS measures. I am grateful to our development partners, both Members and multilateral agencies for their consistent efforts to step up and provide their expertise when and where it is needed. Your assistance has been invaluable and will remain so to help both countries meet their accession and post-accession challenges.
Excellencies, a few weeks ago the WTO celebrated its 30th anniversary with a gathering of eminent persons to reflect on our achievements and the way forward. The keynote speaker, the former Prime Minister of Portugal and EC President, José Manuel Barroso noted that although we are passing through a great deal of turbulence, the WTO is probably even more necessary today than it was when it was established in 1995. Indeed, the fact that large economies such as Ethiopia and Uzbekistan wish to join the WTO is a testament to the continued importance of the multilateral trading system and the stability and transparency it offers. Time is of the essence if we are to meet their accession goals. I very much hope that the efforts of Ethiopia and Uzbekistan to become Members becomes reality in the very near future.

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MIL OSI Economics –

May 1, 2025
MIL-OSI Economics: DG joins high-level meeting to support the accessions of Ethiopia and Uzbekistan

Source: WTO

Headline: DG joins high-level meeting to support the accessions of Ethiopia and Uzbekistan

The Director-General stressed that pursuing lasting economic reforms and accession to the WTO required strong political commitment. She highlighted Ethiopia’s economic reforms under Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed Ali’s “Home-Grown Economic Reform Programme” which aimed at structural transformation of the economy and private sector growth. She noted moreover that the reforms have also created an enabling environment for Ethiopia to benefit from its membership in the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
Continued support by President Mirziyoyev of Uzbekistan had also underpinned Uzbekistan’s reform programme, DG Okonjo-Iweala said. Key presidential decrees had aimed to reduce exclusive rights in several sectors and address other issues of concern to WTO members, while a Presidential Decree in March replaced export restrictions with export duties. This makes the export regime more predictable and transparent, the Director-General noted.
She also took the opportunity to thank both WTO members and multilateral institutions such as the IMF and World Bank for their assistance in helping build institutional capacity and provide training to acceding governments. The fact that large economies like Ethiopia and Uzbekistan wish to join the WTO reaffirmed the continued importance of the organization and the stability and predictability provided by the multilateral trading system. The Director-General’s comments are available here.
World Bank and IMF representatives lent their support to domestic reforms being undertaken by Ethiopia and Uzbekistan and looked forward to their accession to the WTO.
Antonella Bassani, World Bank Vice President for Europe and Central Asia, noted that Uzbekistan had emerged as one of the top reformers worldwide, having completed over 200 domestic legal reforms since 2020. There was an expectation that Uzbekistan was in the final stretch of its WTO membership negotiations. Ms Bassani said WTO accession remained critical for emerging and developing economies and the World Bank was ready to support the process.
Amit Dar, World Bank Acting Vice President for the Eastern and Southern Africa Region, highlighted the reforms undertaken by Ethiopia. He acknowledged that challenges remain, particularly in the areas of state-owned enterprises, competition, intellectual property rights, trade facilitation and subsidies. He emphasized that the World Bank remains fully committed to supporting Ethiopia through providing technical assistance and resources to help Ethiopia achieve its WTO membership goals and deepen its integration into world markets.
Kenneth Kang, Deputy Director, Strategy, Policy and Review Department of the IMF, stressed the importance of structural reforms for generating a predictable and stable trade policy environment and the need for careful macroeconomic management and commended both countries on their progress. He noted that economic reforms during the accession process had a positive impact on economic growth. This has been demonstrated in a recent joint study by IMF and WTO staff that showed economies that made deeper commitments during their accession processes grew on average 1.5 percentage points faster than they otherwise would have done.
Highlighting the economic and legislative reforms undertaken by their respective countries, representatives from Ethiopia and Uzbekistan reaffirmed their countries’ commitment to conclude accession negotiations by MC14, to be held in Cameroon in March 2026.
Ethiopia’s State Minister for Finance Eyob Tekalgn said that WTO accession was important for further accelerating economic reforms. Ethiopia’s membership of the AfCFTA had also anchored its reform programme. He also pointed to the need for financial support to build capacity, notably for negotiations and implementation of reforms and to bring legislation into conformity with WTO rules. He added that Ethiopia was working actively to complete bilateral market access negotiations and hoped to conclude these shortly.
Uzbekistan’s Chief Negotiator Azizbek Urunov noted key steps taken recently, including bringing its food and product safety rules in line with the WTO agreements. To date, nearly 120 legal acts had been harmonized with WTO agreements, he said, with various other draft laws expected to become law soon. Regarding privatization, Mr Urunov noted that Uzbekistan is on course to meet its goal of increasing the share of the private sector in the economy to 85 per cent by 2030.
Both representatives indicated they were ready to take all the remaining necessary steps to complete their respective reform programmes and become WTO members.
WTO accessions of Ethiopia and Uzbekistan
Ethiopia held its 5th Working Party meeting on 19 March 2025. More information on Ethiopia’s accession is available here.
Uzbekistan held its 9th Working Party meeting on 5 and 6 December 2024. More information on Uzbekistan’s accession is available here.

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MIL OSI Economics –

May 1, 2025

Category: Africa

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