NewzIntel.com

Category: Africa

  • MIL-OSI Africa: Easter road safety: Transport operators warned to comply with regulations

    Source: South Africa News Agency

    As the Easter peak travel period fast approaches, the Road Traffic Management Corporation (RTMC) and traffic authorities have reminded public transport operators to ensure that their vehicles and drivers are fit to be on the road and comply with all regulations.

    “Public transport operators are advised to ensure that they have appropriate permits that allow them to transport passengers on particular routes. They are also urged to use trailers to load goods and avoid mixing them with passengers,” the RTMC said on Tuesday.

    Illegal operators are also cautioned to desist from taking advantage of the increased demand for transportation as law enforcement authorities will be out in full force to ensure compliance with all road regulations.

    “Authorities will not hesitate to impound vehicles operating contrary to the provisions of the National Transport Act. A total of 1 155 vehicles have been impounded since the start of the Easter campaign on 20 March 2025. This has compelled owners to pay thousands of rands to release the vehicles from the pounds and passengers were greatly inconvenienced.

    “The highest number of vehicles were impounded in Mpumalanga where a total of 792 vehicles were taken off the road. This was followed by Limpopo with 88 vehicles impounded, Western Cape 87, Gauteng 78, North West 39, KwaZulu Natal 37, Free State 31 and Eastern Cape 3. No vehicle has yet been impounded in the Northern Cape,” the RTMC said.

    Meanwhile, traffic volumes are expected to increase substantially on Thursday afternoon and Friday morning as travellers head to various places of worship and holiday destinations. 

    Monday is also expected to be busy on the roads.

    The following routes are expected to be busier than usual during this period, and motorists are advised to plan their trips carefully to avoid delays: the N1 Gauteng to Limpopo, N1 Gauteng to Free State, N2 in KwaZulu Natal to Eastern Cape, the N3 Gauteng to KwaZulu, N4 Gauteng to Mpumalanga, the N4 Gauteng to North West, R61 Western Cape to Eastern Cape as well as the N2 Western Cape to Eastern Cape.

    Rest stops will be operating at Sasol filling stations along the routes to allow drivers to take a break from long distance driving to avoid fatigue.

    “Motorists are advised to check the weather forecast and avoid driving through storms and heavy rains when visibility is not clear. Vehicles must be fitted with properly functioning wipers to assist with visibility. Safety critical components such as brakes, tyres and lights must also be in a good working order before trips are undertaken,” the RTMC said.

    Pedestrians are called to play their part and avoid crossing busy roads. – SAnews.gov.za

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: SA condemns bombing of hospitals in Gaza, massacres of humanitarian workers and journalists

    Source: South Africa News Agency

    The Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO) of South Africa has condemned the ongoing bombing of civilian targets in Gaza. 

    The latest incident involved a missile strike by Israeli forces on the al-Ahli Arab hospital in Gaza on Sunday. 

    The attack led to the evacuation of many wounded individuals, leaving Gaza critically short of emergency medical care.

    “South Africa joins the global condemnation of the bombing, which is a flagrant violation of international humanitarian law,” the statement read. 

    According to the department, Israel has bombed, burned and destroyed at least 35 hospitals in Gaza since the start of the war in October 2023. 

    “Attacks on health facilities, medical personnel and patients are considered a war crime under the IV Geneva Convention of 1949,” the department explained. 

    The attack on the Al Ahli Arab Hospital comes in the wake of the killing of 15 humanitarian personnel in Gaza. 

    This includes eight health workers from the Palestinian Red Crescent Society, one staff member from the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA), and six members of the Palestinian Civil Defense.

    “These individuals were on a rescue mission on the morning of March 23rd when they were deliberately fired upon by Israeli military forces.

    “Deliberate attacks on medics and humanitarian workers are prohibited by international law and constitute war crimes. First responders, like civilians and other non-combatants, are never legitimate targets.“

    The department said it was concerned that Israel has halted the entry of all aid into Gaza since last month. 

    “This is in defiance of the binding provisional orders of the International Court of Justice, which ordered Israel to ensure unhindered access of humanitarian aid in Gaza. The international community must hold Israel accountable through effective countermeasures, as the impunity enjoyed by Israel has emboldened its genocidal actions in Palestine.“ – SAnews.gov.za

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: President wishes the nation a happy, safe Easter

    Source: South Africa News Agency

    Thursday, April 17, 2025

    President Cyril Ramaphosa has wished South Africans a happy and safe Easter.

    He said, however, that a safe Easter period depends on citizens conducting themselves with tolerance, patience and respect for everyone with whom they come into contact.

    In a statement on Thursday, President Ramaphosa offered his best wishes for the Easter break to South Africa’s diverse Christian denominations as well as compatriots for whom this will purely be a period of rest and social connection.

    “Easter is a special period for devoted Christians to celebrate their faith and the triumph of life over death, and it is an opportunity for South Africans of all backgrounds enjoy rest and reconnection with family and friends.”

    President Ramaphosa urges citizens to take care of themselves and others on the roads and in social situations.

    “As we move around our beautiful country, let us reduce speed, buckle up, rest up and leave our phones alone while we’re driving. Let’s make sure vehicles are well maintained and that we avoid the need to rush by leaving home or our workplaces early enough.

    “This will allow us be patient with other road users and to enjoy the beauty of our landscapes. This should also be a period of care and peace in our homes and communities.

    “May this be a time of celebration and rejuvenation for the year ahead,” said the President. – SAnews.gov.za

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: Travel safe this Easter

    Source: South Africa News Agency

    Thursday, April 17, 2025

    As holidaymakers and motorists head off to various destinations for the Easter long weekend, the South African National Roads Agency Limited (Sanral) has shared tips on how to get there safely.

    Motorists have been urged to be responsible on the road and ensure they and their loved ones arrive alive.

    Before any journey ensure you:
    •    Check your vehicle and make sure it is roadworthy.
    •    Carry a valid driver’s license.
    •    Check your tyres thoroughly.
    •    Have a spare wheel (make sure you have a wheel spanner).
    •    Get your battery tested before heading out.
    •    Have your shocks checked.
    •    Have your lights checked.
    •    Have your wipers checked.
    •    Make sure your public driving permit is in order if you need one.
    •    Maintain focus and avoid distractions like cellphones.
    •    Be sure to pay special attention to your blind spots.
    •    Do not engage in secondary activities while driving. 
    •    Wear your seatbelt, even for short journeys.

    If you are a pedestrian this Easter weekend, make smart choices and:
    •    Only cross the road at a marked intersection or pedestrian crossing.
    •    Avoid jaywalking.
    •    Wear bright clothing at night.
    •    Walk on the pavement rather than on the road.
    •    Avoid wearing earphones or texting while you’re walking.

    As commuters:
    •    When disembarking make sure it is safe to do so, and only once the vehicle has come to a complete stop. 
    •    Always pass behind the vehicle instead of the front where your view of oncoming traffic is obstructed.
    •    Make use of marked pick-up and drop-off points.
    •    Don’t distract the driver.

    As a motorcyclist:
    •    Wear a properly fitted helmet and proper gear for your ride.
    •    Focus on the road ahead to anticipate obstacles such as potholes, speed bumps, stationary cars or vehicles that brake suddenly.
    •    Increase your visibility by wearing a brightly coloured vest and be vigilant of vehicles that may not be able to see you in their mirrors.
    •    Avoid wearing earphones, as you need your ears on full alert.
    •    Obey the rules of the road, like adhering to speed limits.  

    The Easter and Festive Season period is a critical period for road traffic management authorities in South Africa.

    Road traffic fatalities are among the main causes of death in South Africa. This results in serious social and economic costs for the country. These consequences include the loss of family members, bread winners and leave behind traumatised families. – SAnews.gov.za
     

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: Law enforcement to monitor major routes this  Easter weekend

    Source: South Africa News Agency

    Law enforcement authorities will be out in their numbers this Easter Weekend to ensure that motorists drive safely and comply with traffic regulations.

    Major corridors are expected to reach peak levels as travellers embark on various religious and holiday destinations, from Friday, 18 April to Monday, 21 April 2025. 

    “We are ready for the high volumes of traffic that we will experience throughout the country over the Easter Weekend. We encourage drivers to behave more responsibly on the roads and to ensure that the human factor is removed in road accidents. 

    “Driver and pedestrian behaviour is responsible for 87% of road accidents and fatalities in our country. And so, reducing road fatalities and accidents is the responsibility of each one of us,” Minister of Transport Barbara Creecy said.

    The Department of Transport has identified the most critical routes across the country requiring additional resources and more focused monitoring over this period.

    These include, among others, the following:
    •    The N4 Nelspruit
    •    Mankweng (R71)
    •    Libode on the N2, Mthatha’s R61
    •    Parys (Free State), R54
    •    Harrismith and the N3
    •    KwaDukuza, N2 in KwaZulu-Natal
    •    N4 Middleburg in Mpumalanga
    •    Nongoma, R66 in KwaZulu-Natal

    The National Traffic Police, South African Police Services provincial traffic departments, Cross Border Road Traffic Agency, Border Management Agency, the Metros and local authorities will work together to patrol routes leading to Limpopo, KwaZulu Natal, Mpumalanga, Free State, Eastern Cape and the Western Cape. 

    High visibility will also be maintained in Gauteng.

    Last month, government launched the 2025 Easter Season Road Safety Arrive Alive campaign, which started on 20 March and runs until 2 May 2025, under the theme: “It begins with Me.”

    “The campaign is aimed at reducing road fatalities during the high-traffic holiday period through integrated law enforcement and public education,” Creecy said. –SAnews.gov.za

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: Government pays out R45.6 billion in RAF claims

    Source: South Africa News Agency

    The Road Accident Fund (RAF) has encouraged road users to be responsible on the roads this Easter weekend, while highlighting the significant costs that road accidents have on government spending and society.

    In the 2023-2024 financial year, the RAF settled claims to the value of R45.6 billion

    The amount included R47 million for funeral claims, R21.6 billion for loss of earnings, R12.7 billion for general damages, R2.6 billion for loss of support and R1.7 billion for medical compensation.

    “The RAF pleads with South African road users to make this Easter fatality free by using the roads responsibly. Road fatalities and trauma result in devastating emotional, social and economic costs to the victims, their families and the country.

     “This calls for an immediate change of attitude by all road users. Easter 2024 recorded the highest Easter weekend fatalities since 2019 with 335 deaths. This was a sharp increase from 252 deaths in 2023,” RAF said on Wednesday.

    Human error, vehicle failure, and environmental factors all significantly contributed to the 1 325 fatalities recorded from 2019 to 2024 Easter weekend car crashes. 

    Major human factor contributors were speeding, jaywalking, and hit-and-run. 

    Vehicle related factors that resulted in the highest accidents were tyre bursts, brake failures, and smooth tyres. Environmental factors such as poor visibility, sharp bends, stray animals, and road surface defects also jeopardise peoples’ road safety and require caution. 

    RAF Chief Executive Officer Collins Letsoalo said: “Reckless driving, pedestrian negligence, and poor vehicle maintenance remain major contributors to road crashes. These are all factors that we can do something about as individual road users. 

    “Arrivals at unintended destinations should never happen. We encourage all road users to pledge to themselves or whoever is precious to them to drive responsibly and make this Easter weekend fatality free.”

    In the first quarter of 2025, the RAF participated in a road safety awareness campaign through partnerships with radio stations, soccer events, school activations, scholar patrol uniform distribution, cyclist safety awareness, Defensive Driver Workshops, spraying of livestock with reflective sprays, adult assisted crossing for learners, and removing vegetation from sidewalks in areas with high accidents. 

    In the event of being involved in a motor vehicle accident, the RAF can be reached on 087 820 1 111 from Monday to Friday, 07h45 to 16h00. 

    Claimants may also contact the RAF’s Contact Centre on the WhatsApp number 071 605 4707, via SMS on 44930, or by email on contactcentre@raf.co.za. 

    In addition, the RAF is reachable through its offices countrywide, details of which are available on its website on www.raf.co.za. –SAnews.gov.za

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI Global: ‘Heavy metals’ contaminate 17% of the world’s croplands, say scientists

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Jagannath Biswakarma, Senior Research Associate, School of Earth Sciences and Cabot Institute for the Environment, University of Bristol

    Nearly 17% of the world’s croplands are contaminated with “heavy metals”, according to a new study in Science. These contaminants – arsenic, cadmium, lead, and others – may be invisible to the eye, but they threaten food safety and human health.

    Heavy metals and metalloids are elements that originate from either natural or human-made sources. They’re called “heavy” because they’re physically dense and their weight is high at an atomic scale.

    Heavy metals do not break down. They remain in soils for decades, where crops can absorb them and enter the food chain. Over time, they accumulate in the body, causing chronic diseases that may take years to appear. This is not a problem for the distant future; it’s already affecting food grown today.

    Some heavy metals, such as zinc and copper, are essential micronutrients in trace amounts. Others – including arsenic, cadmium, mercury, and lead – are toxic even at low concentrations.

    Some are left behind by natural geology, others by decades of industrial and agricultural activities. They settle into soils through mining, factory emissions, fertilisers or contaminated water.

    When crops grow, they draw nutrients from the soil and water – and sometimes, these contaminants too. Rice, for instance, is known for taking up arsenic from flooded paddies. Leafy greens can accumulate cadmium. These metals do not change the taste or colour of food. But they change what it does inside the body.

    The quiet health crisis beneath our crops

    Long-term exposure to arsenic, cadmium, or lead has been linked to cancer, kidney damage, osteoporosis, and developmental disorders in children. In regions where local diets rely heavily on a single staple crop like rice or wheat, the risks multiply.

    The Science study, led by Chinese scientist Deyi Hou and his colleagues, is one of the most comprehensive mapping efforts. By combining recent advances in machine learning with an expansive dataset of 796,084 soil concentrations from 1,493 studies, the authors systematically assessed global soil pollution for seven toxic metals: arsenic, cadmium, cobalt, chromium, copper, nickel, and lead.

    The study found that cadmium in agricultural soil frequently exceeded the threshold, particularly in the areas shaded in red in this map:

    A map of the aggregate distribution of seven heavy metals reveals lots of hotspots around the world.
    Hou et al / Science

    The authors also describe a “metal-enriched corridor” stretching from southern Europe through the Middle East and into south Asia. These are areas where agricultural productivity overlaps with a history of mining, industrial activity and limited regulation.

    How science is reading the soil’s story

    Heavy metal contamination in cropland varies by region, often shaped by geology, land use history, and water management. Across central and south-east Asia, rice fields are irrigated with groundwater that naturally contains arsenic. That water deposits arsenic into the soil, where it is taken up by the rice.

    Fortunately, nature often provides defence. Recent research showed that certain types of iron minerals in the soil can convert arsenite – a toxic, mobile form of arsenic – into arsenate, a less harmful species that binds more tightly to iron minerals. This invisible soil chemistry represents a safety net.

    In parts of west Africa, such as Burkina Faso, arsenic contamination in drinking and irrigation water has also affected croplands. To address this, colleagues and I developed a simple filtration system using zerovalent iron – essentially, iron nails. These low-cost, locally sourced filters have shown promising results in removing arsenic from groundwater.

    In parts of South America, croplands near small-scale mines face additional risks. In the Amazon basin, deforestation and informal gold mining contribute to mercury releases. Forests act as natural mercury sinks, storing atmospheric mercury in biomass and soil. When cleared, this stored mercury is released into the environment, raising atmospheric levels and potentially affecting nearby water bodies and croplands.

    Cropland near legacy mining sites often suffers long-term contamination but with the appropriate technologies, these sites can be remediated and even transformed into circular economy opportunities.

    Evidence-based solutions

    Soil contamination is not just a scientific issue. It’s a question of environmental justice. The communities most affected are often the least responsible for the pollution. They may farm on marginal lands near industry, irrigate with unsafe water, or lack access to testing and treatment. They face a double burden: food and water insecurity, and toxic exposure.

    There is no single fix. We’ll need reliable assessment of contaminated soils and groundwater, especially in vulnerable and smallholder farming systems. Reducing exposure requires cleaner agricultural inputs, improved irrigation, and better regulation of legacy industrial sites. Equally critical is empowering communities with access to information and tools that enable them to farm safely.

    Soils carry memory. They record every pollutant, every neglected regulation, every decision to cut corners. But soils also hold the potential to heal – if given the proper support.

    This is not about panic. It’s about responsibility. The Science study provides a stark but timely reminder that food safety begins not in the kitchen or market but in the ground beneath our feet. No country should unknowingly export toxicity in its grain, nor should any farmer be left without the tools to grow food safely.

    Jagannath Biswakarma 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. ‘Heavy metals’ contaminate 17% of the world’s croplands, say scientists – https://theconversation.com/heavy-metals-contaminate-17-of-the-worlds-croplands-say-scientists-254783

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Tariffs don’t just affect the global economy, but create political instability as well

    Source: The Conversation – Canada – By James Horncastle, Assistant Professor and Edward and Emily McWhinney Professor in International Relations, Simon Fraser University

    United States President Donald Trump’s tariff policies have created economic chaos in their aftermath. The stock markets are off to their worst start to a presidential term in modern history.

    The economic implications of Trump’s actions are well-documented. Furthermore, despite Trump’s temporary halt to the tariffs, their impact will resonate well into the future.

    But it’s important to understand that the economy is not detached from broader society. Trump’s disruption of the global economy could also lead to an increase in global conflict.

    Economic prosperity and war

    Economic prosperity does not automatically equate with political stability. Europe prior to the First World War was both prosperous and integrated. Nevertheless, while scholars and activists at the time argued these favourable conditions made war impractical, one of the worst conflicts in human history came to pass.

    Domestic economic prosperity can bind societies together. But tensions that otherwise might not be brought into focus, such as regionalism, emerge in times of economic hardship and transition. Reform Party founder Preston Manning’s recent stoking of separatist sentiments in Canada’s West is a case in point.

    Trump’s tariffs, if fully implemented, will result in economic recession for dozens of countries throughout the world. They will first impact the world’s most vulnerable countries, many of which have institutions that are either unstable or lack the fiscal backing needed to weather the storm.

    An example of such a development in recent history was the emergence of the Arab Spring in 2011. The 2008 financial crisis and ongoing agricultural failure created political strain for authoritarian states in the Middle East. They could not absorb the increased cost of grain to stabilize their societies.

    Governments, cognizant of this fact, will look for any means of retaining their power. Redirecting local disappointment abroad can be one such measure, much as Saudi Arabia did by blaming Iran during the Arab Spring.

    Look outwards, point fingers

    Governments have, historically, used foreign affairs as a means of distracting their populations from domestic problems. This feature occurs regardless of a state’s ideology. The banality of its occurrence in international relations is such that Hollywood made a satirical film, Wag the Dog, on the subject.

    Authoritarian states, however, are more susceptible to this phenomenon. Their governments’ lack of popular legitimacy means that an economic downturn weakens one of the levers they use to buy acquiescence from its citizens.

    Furthermore, economic uncertainty undermines authoritarian governments’ patronage networks. Not only do such governments lose the support of a majority of citizens to the economic uncertainty, but they also lose the important minority groups they use to maintain their rule.

    As such, authoritarian governments in the face of economic uncertainty will look outwards to build their legitimacy. But these governments need an ideology that will motivate their societies. For contemporary governments, one of the most effective mechanisms is nationalism.



    Read more:
    Argentina’s Javier Milei is playing the democratic game, but using authoritarian tactics

    The power of nationalism

    Nationalism’s utility for authoritarian states is twofold. First, nationalism emphasizes the collective over the individual. States, by stressing the importance of the nation, can encourage individuals to overlook the personal struggles they face in times of economic uncertainty.

    Second, nationalism by its nature creates an “in group” and an “out group.” Governments can use the out group as a rallying cry for its local population. While there are several instances where such developments are possible, China’s increasingly antagonistic stance towards Taiwan is an example.

    Governments, by rallying nationalist sentiment, will either indirectly or actively stoke the potential for conflict.

    Extending conflict

    Economic downturns, furthermore, force governments to make difficult decisions on what programs to cut. Some of the first programs governments chop in uncertain times are those focused on international aid. This phenomenon was already occurring, but tariffs will exasperate it.

    These cuts pose a problem for several reasons. Right-wing politicians have alleged in recent months that international aid is ineffective. But that’s not accurate — international aid benefits the countries that provide it; it’s not just a moral imperative. Specifically, it facilitates trade as well as accruing political advantages to the giving state.

    The more immediate concern, however, is that many states were dependent upon foreign aid for political stability. The loss of international aid will increase internal instability in vulnerable countries. Just look to the current instability in South Sudan as declining aid weakens South Sudanese social and government institutions.

    Not only is this development bad for the societies in question, but it will invariably increase the number of refugees seeking aid and safety beyond their borders.

    Individual choice

    It’s not just state responses to the tariffs that will create instability. The unilateral application of tariffs, and resulting economic and political fallout, will significantly increase the number of people seeking a better life.

    Economic migration is not a new phenomenon. While conflict-centred migration remains the focus of international law, economic migration continues to occur unabated.

    The lost economic opportunities in various states affected by tariffs will cause their populations to seek economic prosperity, at first internally and then abroad. This is not to suggest that migration itself creates instability. Instead, large-scale and unplanned migration will create strain both in countries that people leave and in the nations receiving them.

    Economic affairs rarely stay within the realm of business. Instead, Trump’s tariffs will create greater instability in international affairs for the foreseeable future.

    James Horncastle 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. Tariffs don’t just affect the global economy, but create political instability as well – https://theconversation.com/tariffs-dont-just-affect-the-global-economy-but-create-political-instability-as-well-254045

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: Libya Energy & Economic Summit Returns to Tripoli for 2026 Edition

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

    TRIPOLI, Libya, April 17, 2025/APO Group/ —

    Now in its fourth year, the Libya Energy & Economic Summit has established itself as the premier international platform for driving investment, technical innovation and private sector engagement in Libya’s energy sector. Building on three years of unprecedented growth, the 2026 edition will take place in Tripoli on January 24-26 – marking the first time the event will span three full days in response to growing international interest.  

    As Libya aims to increase oil production to two million barrels per day within the next two to three years, LEES 2026 will provide crucial insights into the country’s ambitious energy agenda, with a central focus on the role of private sector actors, both Libyan and international, in driving this growth. Natural gas development and associated infrastructure are also key priorities for Libya’s energy sector, as the country seeks to boost gas output to meet domestic energy needs and ensure reliable fuel supplies for critical downstream industries.  

    Importantly, LEES 2026 will be the first major industry gathering to take place after the close of Libya’s licensing round at the end of 2025, making it the definitive forum for understanding the new exploration landscape and identifying high-value opportunities. Libya recently launched its 2025 licensing round — the first in 17 years — offering 22 onshore and offshore exploration blocks. With 167 active contractual blocks and an exploration success rate of 33%, the country is well-positioned to attract new investors and encourage existing operators to expand their acreage, thereby further advancing drilling and discovery efforts. 

    As Libya continues to scale up its oil and gas production, the 2026 summit will feature an expanded technical agenda, building on the success of the in-depth technical sessions introduced in 2025. The upcoming edition will offer even more programming focused on engineering, exploration, digitalization and field development, in response to strong demand for technical expertise from upstream and midstream professionals.  

    International participation is also set to grow in 2026, with LEES continuing to partner closely with leading industry associations from top investor countries including the U.S., the U.K. and Italy, among other strategic partners. The upcoming edition is expected to feature an expanded number of international pavilions, reflecting heightened global interest in Libya’s energy sector. Recent changes to U.K. travel guidance and other foreign policy shifts are paving the way for broader international involvement — signaling that Libya is opening up and re-engaging with the private sector on a larger scale. 

    Building on previous endorsements from the Ministry of Oil and Gas and the National Oil Corporation (NOC), the summit unites global energy leaders, policymakers and investors to forge strategic partnerships and drive the ongoing revitalization of Libya’s energy sector. LEES 2026 is poised to continue this momentum, serving as a vital catalyst for private sector investment and global partnerships. The upcoming edition will bring together a diverse range of stakeholders — including NOC subsidiaries, international oil companies, financial institutions, energy organizations and leading technology providers — with a shared focus on driving investment and highlighting high-impact opportunities to realize Libya’s energy ambitions. 

    The Libya Energy & Economic Summit unites regional and global industry stakeholders to unlock Libya’s energy potential. Now entering its fourth year, the summit returns to Tripoli on January 24–26, 2026 to serve as a gateway to investment, collaboration and innovation in Africa’s leading oil and gas market. Visit www.LibyaSummit.com for more information. To sponsor or attend as a delegate, contact sales@energycapitalpower.com 

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: Why Kinshasa keeps flooding – and why it’s not just about the rain

    Source: The Conversation – Africa – By Gode Bola, Lecturer in Hydrology, University of Kinshasa

    The April 2025 flooding disaster in Kinshasa, the capital of the Democratic Republic of Congo, wasn’t just about intense rainfall. It was a symptom of recent land use change which has occurred rapidly in the city, turning it into a sprawling urban settlement without the necessary drainage infrastructure.

    Local rains combined with runoff from torrential rains coming from neighbouring Congo Central Province quickly overwhelmed the city’s small urban tributaries. The Ndjili River and its tributary (Lukaya), which run through the city, overflowed and flooded homes on either side.

    This led to the deaths of at least 70 people, 150 injured and the temporary displacement of more than 21,000 people. Floods affected the running of 73 healthcare facilities. Access to water and transport services were disrupted in large parts of the city. People could only move around by dugout canoe or by swimming in flooded avenues.

    Floods have become recurrent in the DRC. The last quarter of 2023 and the beginning of 2024 saw the most devastating floods there and in neighbouring countries since the 1960s.

    According to UN World Urbanisation Prospects (2025), the reason the floods have become this devastating is the growth of Kinshasa. The city is the most densely populated city in the DRC, the most populous city and third-largest metropolitan area in Africa.

    Kinshasa’s 2025 population is estimated at 17,778,500. Back in 1950, it was 201,905. In the past year alone, the city’s population has grown by 746,200, a 4.38% annual change. At least 2% of the population live in areas prone to flooding. Urban infrastructure, especially flood-related, is non-existent or inadequate. Where it exists, drainage systems are blocked by solid waste, itself another sign of the city whose public services such as waste collection have become dysfunctional.

    We have been studying the characteristics of flooding and the prediction of risk linked to it in the Congo Basin for five years as part of our work at the Congo Basin Water Resources Research Center in Kinshasa. We study the movement of water in natural and modified environments and its interactions with infrastructure over a range of geographical scales. We argue in this article that understanding why Kinshasa floods means recognising two very different water systems at play – and how urban growth has made the city more vulnerable to both.

    Kinshasa faces two distinct flood hazards: first, flooding from the Congo River, which typically peaks around December and January; and, second, urban flood events driven by local rainfall and runoff from the hills south of the city around April and December.

    Most of Kinshasa’s flood disasters have come from the second type. And as Kinshasa has urbanised, expanding into the floodplains, but without the necessary urban infrastructure, the impact of urban flood events has become worse.

    With more sealed surfaces – because of more urban settlements – and less natural water absorption, more rainwater runs off, and faster. This overwhelms the city’s small urban tributaries and the Ndjili river.

    Growth of Kinshasa and flood

    As the city has expanded, so has its flood exposure. The city’s tributaries drain steep, densely populated urban slopes and are highly responsive to rainfall.

    Of Kinshasa’s two flood risks, the impact of Congo River flooding can be observed in large cities located along major rivers, and typically peaks around January. These are seasonal floods driven by rainfall across the whole Congo Basin.

    Research at Congo Basin Water Resources Research Center shows that while Congo River high water levels can cause “backwater effects” – the upstream rise in water level caused by reduced flow downstream – most damaging floods result from intense local rainfall overwhelming the city’s small river catchments. The flood risk analysis indicates that 38 territories are the hotspot of flooding in the Congo basin. Kinshasa is a hotspot due to its double risk sources and extensive urbanisation.

    Read more: Kenya’s devastating floods expose decades of poor urban planning and bad land management

    The urban flood events are more challenging. They can happen with less rainfall and cause major destruction. They are driven by local rainfall and rapid growth of informal settlements.

    Other cities face similar risks. In 2024, Nairobi suffered deadly floods after prolonged rain overwhelmed informal neighbourhoods and infrastructure.

    Across Africa, cities are growing faster than their infrastructure can keep up with. Kinshasa has unique exposure, but also strong local research capacity.

    A flooded street (left) and submerged homes in Kinshasa’s April 2025 floods/Photos by Gode Bola.

    The Congo River’s seasonal peaks are relatively well understood and monitored. But urban tributaries are harder to predict.

    DRC’s meteorological agency Mettelsat and its partners are building capacity for real-time monitoring. But the April 2025 floods showed that community-level warning systems did not work.

    Climate change is expected to intensify extreme rainfall in central Africa. While annual totals may not increase, short, intense storms could become more frequent.

    This increases pressure on cities already struggling with today’s rains. In Kinshasa, the case for climate-resilient planning and infrastructure is urgent.

    Read more: Local knowledge adds value to mapping flood risk in South Africa’s informal settlements

    What needs to change?

    Forecasting rainfall is not enough. Government agencies in collaboration with universities must also forecast flood impact – and ensure people can act on the warnings. There is a need to put in place systems to achieve this under a catchment integrated flood management plan.

    The main elements of such a plan include:

    • Improved early warning systems: Use advanced technologies (such as satellites) to gather real-time data on environmental conditions.

    • Upgraded drainage infrastructure: Identify weaknesses and areas prone to flooding, to manage storm water better.

    • Enforcement of land use planning: Establish clear regulations that define flood-prone areas; outline permissible land uses.

    • Define safety perimeters around areas at risk of flooding: Use historical data, flood maps, and hydrological studies to pinpoint areas that are at risk. Regulate development and activities there.

    • Local engagement in flood preparedness: Educate residents about flood risks, preparedness measures, and emergency response.

    Read more: Nigeria and Ghana are prone to devastating floods – they could achieve a lot by working together

    Institutions such as the Congo Basin Water Resources Research Center play a critical role, not just in research but in turning knowledge into action. Rainfall may trigger the flood, but urban systems decide whether it becomes a disaster. And those systems can change.

    – Why Kinshasa keeps flooding – and why it’s not just about the rain
    – https://theconversation.com/why-kinshasa-keeps-flooding-and-why-its-not-just-about-the-rain-254411

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Why Kinshasa keeps flooding – and why it’s not just about the rain

    Source: The Conversation – Africa – By Gode Bola, Lecturer in Hydrology, University of Kinshasa

    The April 2025 flooding disaster in Kinshasa, the capital of the Democratic Republic of Congo, wasn’t just about intense rainfall. It was a symptom of recent land use change which has occurred rapidly in the city, turning it into a sprawling urban settlement without the necessary drainage infrastructure.

    Local rains combined with runoff from torrential rains coming from neighbouring Congo Central Province quickly overwhelmed the city’s small urban tributaries. The Ndjili River and its tributary (Lukaya), which run through the city, overflowed and flooded homes on either side.

    This led to the deaths of at least 70 people, 150 injured and the temporary displacement of more than 21,000 people. Floods affected the running of 73 healthcare facilities. Access to water and transport services were disrupted in large parts of the city. People could only move around by dugout canoe or by swimming in flooded avenues.

    Floods have become recurrent in the DRC. The last quarter of 2023 and the beginning of 2024 saw the most devastating floods there and in neighbouring countries since the 1960s.

    According to UN World Urbanisation Prospects (2025), the reason the floods have become this devastating is the growth of Kinshasa. The city is the most densely populated city in the DRC, the most populous city and third-largest metropolitan area in Africa.

    Kinshasa’s 2025 population is estimated at 17,778,500. Back in 1950, it was 201,905. In the past year alone, the city’s population has grown by 746,200, a 4.38% annual change. At least 2% of the population live in areas prone to flooding. Urban infrastructure, especially flood-related, is non-existent or inadequate. Where it exists, drainage systems are blocked by solid waste, itself another sign of the city whose public services such as waste collection have become dysfunctional.

    We have been studying the characteristics of flooding and the prediction of risk linked to it in the Congo Basin for five years as part of our work at the Congo Basin Water Resources Research Center in Kinshasa. We study the movement of water in natural and modified environments and its interactions with infrastructure over a range of geographical scales. We argue in this article that understanding why Kinshasa floods means recognising two very different water systems at play – and how urban growth has made the city more vulnerable to both.

    Kinshasa faces two distinct flood hazards: first, flooding from the Congo River, which typically peaks around December and January; and, second, urban flood events driven by local rainfall and runoff from the hills south of the city around April and December.

    Most of Kinshasa’s flood disasters have come from the second type. And as Kinshasa has urbanised, expanding into the floodplains, but without the necessary urban infrastructure, the impact of urban flood events has become worse.

    With more sealed surfaces – because of more urban settlements – and less natural water absorption, more rainwater runs off, and faster. This overwhelms the city’s small urban tributaries and the Ndjili river.

    Growth of Kinshasa and flood

    As the city has expanded, so has its flood exposure. The city’s tributaries drain steep, densely populated urban slopes and are highly responsive to rainfall.

    Of Kinshasa’s two flood risks, the impact of Congo River flooding can be observed in large cities located along major rivers, and typically peaks around January. These are seasonal floods driven by rainfall across the whole Congo Basin.

    Research at Congo Basin Water Resources Research Center shows that while Congo River high water levels can cause “backwater effects” – the upstream rise in water level caused by reduced flow downstream – most damaging floods result from intense local rainfall overwhelming the city’s small river catchments. The flood risk analysis indicates that 38 territories are the hotspot of flooding in the Congo basin. Kinshasa is a hotspot due to its double risk sources and extensive urbanisation.



    Read more:
    Kenya’s devastating floods expose decades of poor urban planning and bad land management

    The urban flood events are more challenging. They can happen with less rainfall and cause major destruction. They are driven by local rainfall and rapid growth of informal settlements.

    Other cities face similar risks. In 2024, Nairobi suffered deadly floods after prolonged rain overwhelmed informal neighbourhoods and infrastructure.

    Across Africa, cities are growing faster than their infrastructure can keep up with. Kinshasa has unique exposure, but also strong local research capacity.

    The Congo River’s seasonal peaks are relatively well understood and monitored. But urban tributaries are harder to predict.

    DRC’s meteorological agency Mettelsat and its partners are building capacity for real-time monitoring. But the April 2025 floods showed that community-level warning systems did not work.

    Climate change is expected to intensify extreme rainfall in central Africa. While annual totals may not increase, short, intense storms could become more frequent.

    This increases pressure on cities already struggling with today’s rains. In Kinshasa, the case for climate-resilient planning and infrastructure is urgent.



    Read more:
    Local knowledge adds value to mapping flood risk in South Africa’s informal settlements

    What needs to change?

    Forecasting rainfall is not enough. Government agencies in collaboration with universities must also forecast flood impact – and ensure people can act on the warnings. There is a need to put in place systems to achieve this under a catchment integrated flood management plan.

    The main elements of such a plan include:

    • Improved early warning systems: Use advanced technologies (such as satellites) to gather real-time data on environmental conditions.

    • Upgraded drainage infrastructure: Identify weaknesses and areas prone to flooding, to manage storm water better.

    • Enforcement of land use planning: Establish clear regulations that define flood-prone areas; outline permissible land uses.

    • Define safety perimeters around areas at risk of flooding: Use historical data, flood maps, and hydrological studies to pinpoint areas that are at risk. Regulate development and activities there.

    • Local engagement in flood preparedness: Educate residents about flood risks, preparedness measures, and emergency response.



    Read more:
    Nigeria and Ghana are prone to devastating floods – they could achieve a lot by working together

    Institutions such as the Congo Basin Water Resources Research Center play a critical role, not just in research but in turning knowledge into action. Rainfall may trigger the flood, but urban systems decide whether it becomes a disaster. And those systems can change.

    Gode Bola receives funding support from the Congo River User Hydraulics and Morphology (CRuHM) project (2016-2021), which was entirely funded by The Royal Society-DFID Africa Capacity Building (RS-DFID) under grant number “AQ150005.” He is affiliated with the Regional School of Water (ERE) and the Congo Basin Water Research Center (CRREBaC) of the University of Kinshasa, as well as the Regional Center for Nuclear Studies of Kinshasa.

    Mark Trigg received funding support from the Congo River user Hydraulics and Morphology (CRuHM) project (2016-2021), which was wholly funded by The Royal Society-DFID Africa Capacity Building (RS-DFID) under the grant number “AQ150005”. Mark Trigg is affiliated with water@leeds at the University of Leeds and the Global Flood Partnership.

    Raphaël Tshimanga receives funding from he Congo River user Hydraulics and Morphology (CRuHM) project (2016-2021), which was wholly funded by The Royal Society-DFID Africa Capacity Building (RS-DFID) under the grant number “AQ150005”. He is affiliated with the Congo Basin Water Resources Research Center and the Regional School of Water of the University of Kinshasa.

    – ref. Why Kinshasa keeps flooding – and why it’s not just about the rain – https://theconversation.com/why-kinshasa-keeps-flooding-and-why-its-not-just-about-the-rain-254411

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Deputy Secretary-General’s remarks at the Opening of the 4th Partnering for Green Growth and the Global Goals (P4G) Summit [as delivered]

    Source: United Nations secretary general

    Your Excellency To Lam, General Secretary of the Communist Party of Viet Nam,
    Your Excellency Pham Minh Chinh, Prime Minister of the Socialist Republic of Viet Nam,
    Your Excellency Abiy Ahmed, Prime Minister of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia,
    Your Excellency Hun Sen, Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Cambodia,
    Excellencies,
    Distinguished guests,

    On behalf of the Secretary-General, António Guterres, I thank the Government of Viet Nam and the co-chairs H.E. Mr. Abiy Ahmed, Prime Minister of Ethiopia, and the Prime Minister of Denmark for organizing this year’s P4G Summit.

    This year marks a crucial inflection point: the tenth anniversary of both the Sustainable Development Goals and the Paris Agreement.

    A decade has passed, and much progress has been made.

    But let’s state what we all know to be true: we are nowhere near where we need to be.

    As I speak, there are 750 million people who do not have access to electricity.

    2 billion people have no clean cooking solutions to cook their dinner tonight.

    Children across the world are breathing air increasingly filled with fossil fuel emissions affecting their health.

    Not only are we not where we need to be, but  intensifying climate shocks and geopolitical turmoil threaten to push back some of the progress and development wins of the past decade.

    These statistics, and the picture I have painted is enough to make some give up. But as the late Archbishop Desmond Tutu said, ‘Hope is being able to see that there is light despite all of the darkness’.

    Excellencies, three things give me hope today.

    First, what I see in this room today – leaders, representatives of governments, businesses, investors, and civil society from around the world. By showing up, you are showing your commitment to building societies that are more sustainable, more resilient, more inclusive, and more prosperous. You are not giving up.

    Second, the relentless human endeavor for genuine collaboration gives me hope. The Just Energy Transition Partnerships and the P4G’s public-private partnership are just two examples.  By working together for a common purpose, we can help emerging and developing economies transform their energy, water, and food systems to become zero-carbon and more resilient, inclusive, and sustainable.

    Third, the economic imperatives of taking climate action have never been stronger and more urgent.

    Last year, climate disasters caused 320 billion dollars worth of damage worldwide.

    The climate crisis is draining our pockets of resources that we desperately need for development.

    Yet experts estimate that every dollar invested in climate adaptation generates a return of up to 10 times.

    Meanwhile, the costs of wind, solar, and battery storage have plummeted so much that they have become the cheapest source of new electricity across most markets.

     Last year, renewables accounted for 92.5% of all new power capacity added globally, and clean power surpassed 40% of global electricity generation for the first time.

    This is not just an opportunity for tomorrow – the clean energy sector is already driving development and boosting jobs, accelerating digitalization and granting energy access to a wider range of people .

    1.5 million jobs and 10 per cent of GDP growth globally were added in 2023 across the sector.

    And crucially, most economies are now breaking the link between GDP growth and rising emissions.

    Viet Nam is setting the pace on clean energy. Its bold shift from coal isn’t just fighting climate change, it’s fuelling a fairer, more equal future for all.

    Excellencies,

    We have a rare opportunity in our hands.
     
    A new economic era is about to begin — and we’re right at the cusp of setting a concrete pathway to green growth.

    One that can ensure energy access, affordability, and security, and one that can create zero-carbon, disaster-resilient, and sustainable societies while protecting people and planet. At the UN, we have translated that vision and what it means for the multilateral system, under the Pact for the Future.

    Yet time is a luxury we do not have.

    The climate crisis is setting the pace and scale. It’s our responsibility to keep up.

    Investment is critical.

    To keep 1.5 degrees in reach and deliver on the SDGs, experts estimate that 2.4 trillion dollars per year will need to flow to emerging and developing economies outside China by 2030.

    That means around 1.6 trillion dollars of that going to the clean energy transition.

    And it means around 250 billion dollars to strengthen adaptation and resilience.

    And so, I urge every government leader here today to use the tools at your disposal.

    Accelerate the readily available, cost-effective solutions.

    And drive change with smart policies and reforms at every level – locally, nationally, and globally.

    The next round of national climate plans — or Nationally Determined Contributions — due well before COP 30 present a unique opportunity in this mission. As does meeting the Baku Road Map to deliver 1.3 trillion in Belém.

    They are the key to syncing energy and development plans, building energy efficient infrastructure that aligns with a country’s climate goals, developing industries of the future in green energy, as Vietnam has demonstrated, and creating clear, consistent policies that draw big investments.

    This means aligning national energy and development strategies, including regulatory framework to attract Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) with sustainable agricultural systems, digitalization, job creation, and clean energy access – fostering policy coherence and predictability to attract investments at scale.

    Viet Nam is demonstrating that attracting investments, even in challenging times, is not only possible but achievable. With FDI reaching impressive new levels of $2-3 billion every month, Vietnam stands as a powerful example for others to follow. 

    To the corporate, financial, and civil society leaders in the room, I urge you to keep up the pressure. Keep innovating and collaborating and shifting obstacles into business opportunities.

    And keep creating new models and partnerships that can mobilize finance at scale to drive commitments on climate and sustainable development into real investments in peoples’ lives.

    Finally, let us commit to deliver on the promise of the SDGs and the Paris Agreement to our people today and for future generations.

    Thank you.                                                    
    ***
     

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI Video: Vuk Talks Season 2 Episode 36 with Mr Junior Lechaba, Gibela Rail.

    Source: Republic of South Africa (video statements-2)

    Vuk Talks Season 2 Episode 36 with Mr Junior Lechaba, Gibela Rail.

    X:
    @RailGibela

    Facebook:
    @Gibela

    Instagram:
    @Gibelrail

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TQXyOK5KSlo

    MIL OSI Video –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Barr, Deepfakes and the AI Arms Race in Bank Cybersecurity

    Source: US State of New York Federal Reserve

    Thank you for the opportunity to speak to you today about artificial intelligence (AI) and cybersecurity.1 In the past, a skilled forger could pass a bad check by replicating a person’s signature. Now, advances in AI can do much more damage by replicating a person’s entire identity. This technology—known as deepfakes—has the potential to supercharge identity fraud. I’ve recently spoken about the importance of recognizing both the benefits and the risks of generative AI (Gen AI).2 Today, I’d like to focus more on the darker side of the technology—specifically how Gen AI has the potential to enable deepfake technology, and what we should be doing now to defend against this risk in finance.
    Escalating Threat of Gen-AI Facilitated CybercrimeCybercrime is on the rise, and cybercriminals are increasingly turning to Gen AI to facilitate their crimes. Criminal tactics are becoming more sophisticated and available to a broader range of criminals. Estimates of direct and indirect costs of cyber incidents range from 1 to 10 percent of global GDP.3 Deepfake attacks have seen a twentyfold increase over the last three years.4
    Cybercrime with deepfakes involves the same cat and mouse game common to sophisticated criminal activity. Both cybercriminals and financial institutions are constantly trying to outdo each other. Criminals develop new attack methods, and companies respond with better defenses. Here, the same technological innovations that enable the bad actors can also help those fighting cybercrime. However, there is an asymmetry—the fraudsters can cast a wide net of approaches and target a wide number of victims, and they only need a small number to be successful. Their marginal cost is generally low, and individual failures matter little. Conversely, companies must undergo a rigorous review and testing process to mount effective cyber defenses and will thus be slower in developing their defenses. A single failure is very costly. As we consider this issue from a policy perspective, we need to take steps to make attacks less likely by raising the cost of the attack to the cybercriminals and lowering the costs of defense to financial institutions and law enforcement.
    Anatomy of a DeepfakeDeepfake attacks are those in which an attacker uses Gen AI to create a doppelganger with a person’s voice or image and uses this doppelganger to interact with individuals or institutions to commit fraud. Deepfake technology is a particularly pernicious vehicle for cybercrime.5 The process begins with voice synthesis, where Gen AI models can synthesize the speech of their victim not only in words, but also in phrase patterns, tone, and inflection. With just a short sample audio, for example, criminals assisted by Gen AI can impersonate a close relative in a crisis situation or a high-value bank client, seeking to complete a transaction at their bank.6
    Criminals can also use Gen AI-generated videos to create believable depictions of individuals. For videos, Generative Adversarial Networks (GANs) are the core technology behind most deepfake systems.7 GANs consist of two competing models, the generator and the discriminator, which compete with and improve each other. This competition results in increasingly realistic, indistinguishable fake images and videos.8
    Deepfake technology can also be augmented by other AI tools; for instance, criminals can use AI to extract and organize extensive multimodal personal data to facilitate identity verification. Attackers can also turn to “dark web” tools, such as jailbroken versions of popular large language models, where the guardrails have been removed, to learn the deepfake trade and improve their attacks.9
    Deepfakes in ActionI expect that many of you can recall examples of how deepfakes of politicians and prominent business executives have fooled the public and spread disinformation. Deepfakes are also being used to commit payment fraud. In one case in 2024, a sophisticated deepfake of the chief financial officer for British engineering and architectural firm Arup was reportedly deployed in a video meeting and convinced an Arup financial employee to transfer $25 million to thieves.10
    In another case, an attacker attempted to undertake a highly convincing audio deepfake of the chief executive of Ferrari, down to mimicking his southern Italian accent.11 The recipient of the attack—another Ferrari executive—tested the caller with a personal question only the chief executive would know, which thankfully exposed the fraud.
    And these institutions and individuals are not alone—a 2024 survey finds that over 10 percent of companies reported experiencing deepfake fraud attempts, and few steps have been taken to mitigate the risks.12
    Particularly since COVID, we conduct much of our professional and personal lives over video. When we see realistic and interactive video images of a loved one in trouble, we are disposed to trust them and do what we can to help. Identity verification standards at banks often use voice detection, which may become vulnerable to Gen AI tools. If this technology becomes cheaper and more broadly available to criminals—and fraud detection technology does not keep pace—we are all vulnerable to a deepfake attack. These attacks can have significant financial costs to the victims of the crime and can also pose costs to society, eroding trust in communications and in institutions.
    Defending Against DeepfakesSo what should we do? As I mentioned above, we should take steps to lessen the impact of attacks by making successful breaches less likely, while making each attack more resource-intensive for the attacker.
    Let me start with ways to make successful breaches less likely. A key step is to recognize the importance of strong, resilient financial institutions in preventing attacks. Banks are frontline defenders against deepfake-enabled fraud due to their direct involvement with financial transactions and customer data. To verify payors, banks maintain identity verification processes, including multi-factor authentication and account monitoring practices. To the extent deepfakes increase, bank identity verification processes should evolve in kind to include AI-powered advances such as facial recognition, voice analysis, and behavioral biometrics to detect potential deepfakes. Other techniques focus on assessing the probability that AI has been used in audio or video based on underlying metadata and then flagging the identity or transaction for further review using other verification. These technical solutions can detect subtle inconsistencies in video and audio that human observers may miss.
    Banks have two points of control over the transaction—confirming not only the sender’s identity, but also the legitimacy of the recipient address. They can scrutinize the recipients of large or unusual transactions, employing advanced analytics to flag suspicious patterns that could indicate fraudulent activities, and perform additional reviews before authorizing a payment to a recipient that raises flags. Banks also invest in their human controls by maintaining up-to-date training for staff on the emerging risks and incorporating the necessary security measures to mitigate the damages from breaches when they occur. And they are engaging with other financial institutions to help define the threat and identify appropriate controls and mitigants.13
    Customers should do their part, enabling multi-factor authentication on their accounts and verifying unusual requests through a separate channel, even if the person making the request seems genuine. They should seek out education for themselves and their loved ones to help them detect and prevent fraud before it occurs.14 And customers should value strong security practices at their financial institutions, including those which may add some friction to the user experience. The customers that may be the highest-value targets for criminals are often those with the largest digital presence, and thus most susceptible to deepfakes. They are also the customers who may prefer the most frictionless user experience, making detecting deepfakes more difficult. When it comes to protecting our money, we ought to expect and appreciate a little friction.
    Regulators can help to reinforce the importance of cyber defenses in safe and sound banking through appropriate updates to guidance and regulation. As with all rules, we should be mindful of the impacts on smaller institutions and help ensure that rules are right-sized for the risk. In addition, we can work with core providers to understand the extent to which they are incorporating AI advancements in their products and services to help smaller banks defend against deepfakes and other emerging risks from the technology. Last, we can also highlight research and development for cybersecurity startups and research into tools to combat deepfakes and Gen AI-based fraud.
    Regulators should consider how we could leverage AI technologies ourselves, including to enhance our ability to monitor and detect patterns of fraudulent activity at regulated institutions in real time. This could help provide early warnings to affected institutions and broader industry participants, as well as to protect our own systems.
    In addition to preventing attacks, we should also explore ways of making attacks more costly. These may include coordination with domestic and global law enforcement, internationally consistent laws against cybercrime, and continued improvement on sharing threat intelligence and insights in real-time. The official sector and banks should continue efforts to improve fraud data sharing within the financial sector and help institutions respond more quickly to emerging Gen AI-driven threats. This will make it far harder for fraudsters to operate undetected, increasing the complexity and cost of their activities. But the sharing is only as good as the data, and banks must do their part. We should help ensure that banks and other regulated institutions meet their duties to report cyber incidents in a timely way, and regulators should too.15
    Another way to disrupt the economics of cybercrime is by increasing penalties for attempting to use Gen AI to commit fraud and increasing investment in cybercrime enforcement. This includes targeting the upstream organizations that benefit from illegal action and strengthening anti-money-laundering laws to disrupt illicit fund flows and freeze assets related to cybercrime. The fear of severe legal consequences could help to deter bad actors from pursuing AI-driven fraud schemes in the first place.
    ConclusionDeepfakes are only one of many new techniques to facilitate cyberattacks, but they feel particularly salient because they are so personal. And they are on the rise.
    We will need financial institutions to adapt, collaborate, and innovate in the face of these emerging threats.
    Thank you.

    1. The views expressed here are my own and are not necessarily those of my colleagues on the Federal Reserve Board or the Federal Open Market Committee. Return to text
    2. Michael S. Barr, “Artificial Intelligence: Hypothetical Scenarios for the Future” (speech at the Council on Foreign Relations, New York, NY, February 18, 2025); Michael S. Barr, “AI, Fintechs, and Banks” (speech at the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, April 4, 2025). Return to text
    3. International Monetary Fund, Global Financial Stability Report, chapter 3 (October 2024), See also, World Economic Forum, Why We Need Global Rules to Crack Down on Cybercrime (January 2023). Return to text
    4. “Fraud attempts with deepfakes have increased by 2137% over the last three years,” Signicat, February 20, 2025, https://www.signicat.com/press-releases/fraud-attempts-with-deepfakes-have-increased-by-2137-over-the-last-three-year#:~:text=Evolving20AI2Dbased20techniques20pose,AI2DDriven20Identity20Fraud20report. Return to text
    5. Federal Bureau of Investigation, “Criminals Use Generative Artificial Intelligence to Facilitate Financial Fraud,” public service announcement, December 3, 2024. Return to text
    6. See note 5. Return to text
    7. Tianxiang Shen, Ruixian Liu, Ju Bai, and Zheng Li, “Deep Fakes” Using Generative Adversarial Networks (GAN) (PDF). McAfee, Beware the Artificial Impostor (May 2023), https://www.mcafee.com/content/dam/consumer/en-us/resources/cybersecurity/artificial-intelligence/rp-beware-the-artificial-impostor-report.pdf. Return to text
    8. “What is a GAN?” AWS, https://aws.amazon.com/what-is/gan/#:~:text=A20generative20adversarial20network20(GAN,from20a20database20of20songs. Return to text
    9. KELA, The State of Cybercrime 2025 Report (February 2025), https://www.kelacyber.com/resources/research/state-of-cybercrime-2025/. Return to text
    10. Kathleen Magramo, “British Engineering Giant Arup Revealed as $25 Million Deepfake Scam Victim,” CNN Business, May 17, 2024, https://www.cnn.com/2024/05/16/tech/arup-deepfake-scam-loss-hong-kong-intl-hnk/index.html. Return to text
    11. Sandra Galletti and Massimo Pani, “How Ferrari Hit the Brakes on a Deepfake CEO,” MIT Sloan Management Review, January 27, 2025. Return to text
    12. Chad Brooks, “1 in 10 Executives Say Their Companies Have Already Faced Deepfake Threats,” business.com, June 28, 2024, https://www.business.com/articles/deepfake-threats-study/. Return to text
    13. See, for instance, FS-ISAC’s report on deepfake threats and risk management at https://www.fsisac.com/hubfs/Knowledge/AI/DeepfakesInTheFinancialSector-UnderstandingTheThreatsManagingTheRisks.pdf. Return to text
    14. There are a variety of public and private resources that can help. See, for example, the National Security Agency/Central Security Service at https://www.nsa.gov/Press-Room/Press-Releases-Statements/Press-Release-View/Article/3523329/nsa-us-federal-agencies-advise-on-deepfake-threats/; and the National Cybersecurity Alliance at https://www.staysafeonline.org/articles/why-your-family-and-coworkers-need-a-safe-word-in-the-age-of-ai. Return to text
    15. “Computer-Security Incident Notification Requirements for Banking Organizations and Their Bank Service Providers,” 86 Fed. Reg. 66,424 (November 23, 2021). Return to text

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Why Kinshasa keeps flooding – and why it’s not just about the rain

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Gode Bola, Lecturer in Hydrology, University of Kinshasa

    The April 2025 flooding disaster in Kinshasa, the capital of the Democratic Republic of Congo, wasn’t just about intense rainfall. It was a symptom of recent land use change which has occurred rapidly in the city, turning it into a sprawling urban settlement without the necessary drainage infrastructure.

    Local rains combined with runoff from torrential rains coming from neighbouring Congo Central Province quickly overwhelmed the city’s small urban tributaries. The Ndjili River and its tributary (Lukaya), which run through the city, overflowed and flooded homes on either side.

    This led to the deaths of at least 70 people, 150 injured and the temporary displacement of more than 21,000 people. Floods affected the running of 73 healthcare facilities. Access to water and transport services were disrupted in large parts of the city. People could only move around by dugout canoe or by swimming in flooded avenues.

    Floods have become recurrent in the DRC. The last quarter of 2023 and the beginning of 2024 saw the most devastating floods there and in neighbouring countries since the 1960s.

    According to UN World Urbanisation Prospects (2025), the reason the floods have become this devastating is the growth of Kinshasa. The city is the most densely populated city in the DRC, the most populous city and third-largest metropolitan area in Africa.

    Kinshasa’s 2025 population is estimated at 17,778,500. Back in 1950, it was 201,905. In the past year alone, the city’s population has grown by 746,200, a 4.38% annual change. At least 2% of the population live in areas prone to flooding. Urban infrastructure, especially flood-related, is non-existent or inadequate. Where it exists, drainage systems are blocked by solid waste, itself another sign of the city whose public services such as waste collection have become dysfunctional.

    We have been studying the characteristics of flooding and the prediction of risk linked to it in the Congo Basin for five years as part of our work at the Congo Basin Water Resources Research Center in Kinshasa. We study the movement of water in natural and modified environments and its interactions with infrastructure over a range of geographical scales. We argue in this article that understanding why Kinshasa floods means recognising two very different water systems at play – and how urban growth has made the city more vulnerable to both.

    Kinshasa faces two distinct flood hazards: first, flooding from the Congo River, which typically peaks around December and January; and, second, urban flood events driven by local rainfall and runoff from the hills south of the city around April and December.

    Most of Kinshasa’s flood disasters have come from the second type. And as Kinshasa has urbanised, expanding into the floodplains, but without the necessary urban infrastructure, the impact of urban flood events has become worse.

    With more sealed surfaces – because of more urban settlements – and less natural water absorption, more rainwater runs off, and faster. This overwhelms the city’s small urban tributaries and the Ndjili river.

    Growth of Kinshasa and flood

    As the city has expanded, so has its flood exposure. The city’s tributaries drain steep, densely populated urban slopes and are highly responsive to rainfall.

    Of Kinshasa’s two flood risks, the impact of Congo River flooding can be observed in large cities located along major rivers, and typically peaks around January. These are seasonal floods driven by rainfall across the whole Congo Basin.

    Research at Congo Basin Water Resources Research Center shows that while Congo River high water levels can cause “backwater effects” – the upstream rise in water level caused by reduced flow downstream – most damaging floods result from intense local rainfall overwhelming the city’s small river catchments. The flood risk analysis indicates that 38 territories are the hotspot of flooding in the Congo basin. Kinshasa is a hotspot due to its double risk sources and extensive urbanisation.



    Read more:
    Kenya’s devastating floods expose decades of poor urban planning and bad land management

    The urban flood events are more challenging. They can happen with less rainfall and cause major destruction. They are driven by local rainfall and rapid growth of informal settlements.

    Other cities face similar risks. In 2024, Nairobi suffered deadly floods after prolonged rain overwhelmed informal neighbourhoods and infrastructure.

    Across Africa, cities are growing faster than their infrastructure can keep up with. Kinshasa has unique exposure, but also strong local research capacity.

    The Congo River’s seasonal peaks are relatively well understood and monitored. But urban tributaries are harder to predict.

    DRC’s meteorological agency Mettelsat and its partners are building capacity for real-time monitoring. But the April 2025 floods showed that community-level warning systems did not work.

    Climate change is expected to intensify extreme rainfall in central Africa. While annual totals may not increase, short, intense storms could become more frequent.

    This increases pressure on cities already struggling with today’s rains. In Kinshasa, the case for climate-resilient planning and infrastructure is urgent.



    Read more:
    Local knowledge adds value to mapping flood risk in South Africa’s informal settlements

    What needs to change?

    Forecasting rainfall is not enough. Government agencies in collaboration with universities must also forecast flood impact – and ensure people can act on the warnings. There is a need to put in place systems to achieve this under a catchment integrated flood management plan.

    The main elements of such a plan include:

    • Improved early warning systems: Use advanced technologies (such as satellites) to gather real-time data on environmental conditions.

    • Upgraded drainage infrastructure: Identify weaknesses and areas prone to flooding, to manage storm water better.

    • Enforcement of land use planning: Establish clear regulations that define flood-prone areas; outline permissible land uses.

    • Define safety perimeters around areas at risk of flooding: Use historical data, flood maps, and hydrological studies to pinpoint areas that are at risk. Regulate development and activities there.

    • Local engagement in flood preparedness: Educate residents about flood risks, preparedness measures, and emergency response.



    Read more:
    Nigeria and Ghana are prone to devastating floods – they could achieve a lot by working together

    Institutions such as the Congo Basin Water Resources Research Center play a critical role, not just in research but in turning knowledge into action. Rainfall may trigger the flood, but urban systems decide whether it becomes a disaster. And those systems can change.

    Gode Bola receives funding support from the Congo River User Hydraulics and Morphology (CRuHM) project (2016-2021), which was entirely funded by The Royal Society-DFID Africa Capacity Building (RS-DFID) under grant number “AQ150005.” He is affiliated with the Regional School of Water (ERE) and the Congo Basin Water Research Center (CRREBaC) of the University of Kinshasa, as well as the Regional Center for Nuclear Studies of Kinshasa.

    Mark Trigg received funding support from the Congo River user Hydraulics and Morphology (CRuHM) project (2016-2021), which was wholly funded by The Royal Society-DFID Africa Capacity Building (RS-DFID) under the grant number “AQ150005”. Mark Trigg is affiliated with water@leeds at the University of Leeds and the Global Flood Partnership.

    Raphaël Tshimanga receives funding from he Congo River user Hydraulics and Morphology (CRuHM) project (2016-2021), which was wholly funded by The Royal Society-DFID Africa Capacity Building (RS-DFID) under the grant number “AQ150005”. He is affiliated with the Congo Basin Water Resources Research Center and the Regional School of Water of the University of Kinshasa.

    – ref. Why Kinshasa keeps flooding – and why it’s not just about the rain – https://theconversation.com/why-kinshasa-keeps-flooding-and-why-its-not-just-about-the-rain-254411

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: 17 April 2025 Joint News Release Africa CDC and WHO update mpox strategy as outbreaks persist

    Source: World Health Organisation

    Mpox is a viral illness that spreads between people, mainly through close contact. It causes painful skin and mucosal lesions, often accompanied by fever, headache, muscle aches, back pain, fatigue, and swollen lymph nodes. The disease can be debilitating and disfiguring. 

    Historically a zoonotic disease transmitted from infected animals, mpox has increasingly shown a tendency to spread between people. In 2022, a variant of the virus, clade IIb, began spreading globally through sexual contact. Since late 2023, yet another viral strain, clade Ib, began spreading through sexual networks and within households and through close contact. This prompted Africa CDC to declare a Public Health Emergency of Continental Security and the WHO Director-General to declare a Public Health Emergency of International Concern in August 2024. 

    By August 2024, the virus had begun spreading from the Democratic Republic of the Congo to 4 neighbouring countries. Since then, 28 countries around the world have reported cases of mpox due to clade Ib. Outside Africa, cases remain largely travel-related. However, within Africa, in addition to transmission in Burundi, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Kenya, Rwanda and Uganda, local transmission has now been documented in additional countries including the Republic of the Congo, South Africa, South Sudan, the United Republic of Tanzania and Zambia. 

    Since the declaration of the emergency, both regional and global support has increased, particularly for the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the epicentre of the outbreak. The Africa CDC and WHO Joint Continental Mpox Plan has guided these efforts, focusing on ten key pillars: coordination, risk communication and community engagement, disease surveillance, laboratory capacity, clinical management, infection prevention and control, vaccination, research, logistics, and maintaining essential health services. 

    Vaccination efforts are underway, with more than 650 000 doses administered in 6 countries, 90% of which have been administered in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Overall, over a million doses have been delivered to 10 countries, with efforts ongoing to secure additional vaccine supplies. 

    Diagnostic testing capacity in the Democratic Republic of the Congo has grown significantly, driven by the expansion of laboratory infrastructure – from 2 laboratories in late 2023 to 23 laboratories in 12 provinces today. With new, near-point-of-care tests currently being rolled out in the country, capacity is expected to increase even further. 

    Despite this progress, major challenges remain. Ongoing conflict and insecurity in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, where the incidence of mpox remains high, as well as humanitarian aid cuts, continue to limit the public health response and restrict access to essential services. Across countries and partners, over US$ 220 million is needed to fill funding gaps for the mpox response.  

    The updated Continental Response Plan calls for intensified efforts to bring outbreaks under control, while also taking concrete actions to integrate mpox into routine health services.  

    Along with the Continental Response Plan for Africa, WHO has updated the global strategic plan to curb – and where feasible, to stop – human-to-human transmission of mpox. In the first two months of 2025, 60 countries reported mpox, with the majority of cases and deaths reported from the African continent.  The joint Continental Response Plan is aligned with the global strategy. 

    Africa CDC and WHO continue to work closely with national governments, local communities, and partners to curb transmission, control the outbreak, and build longer-term resilience within public health systems. 

    “,”datePublished”:”2025-04-17T15:00:00.0000000+00:00″,”image”:”https://cdn.who.int/media/images/default-source/emergencies-and-disasters/2024—mpox-outbreak/mpox-patient-drc-august-2024.jpg?sfvrsn=66105f23_14″,”publisher”:{“@type”:”Organization”,”name”:”World Health Organization: WHO”,”logo”:{“@type”:”ImageObject”,”url”:”https://www.who.int/Images/SchemaOrg/schemaOrgLogo.jpg”,”width”:250,”height”:60}},”dateModified”:”2025-04-17T15:00:00.0000000+00:00″,”mainEntityOfPage”:”https://www.who.int/news/item/17-04-2025-africa-cdc-and-who-update-mpox-strategy-as-outbreaks-persist”,”@context”:”http://schema.org”,”@type”:”NewsArticle”};
    ]]>

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: The UK is deeply concerned by the destabilising activities of Libyan security actors and armed groups: UK statement at the UN Security Council

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Speech

    The UK is deeply concerned by the destabilising activities of Libyan security actors and armed groups: UK statement at the UN Security Council

    Statement by Ambassador Barbara Woodward, UK Permanent Representative to the UN, at the UN Security Council meeting on Libya.

    President I would like to make three points.

    First, Libya’s economic trajectory is alarming. 

    With no unified budget and, as SRSG Tetteh said, no oversight, present levels of public spending by Libyan authorities risk rapidly diminishing the nation’s wealth.

    Competition for state resources is putting Libya’s institutions under grave pressure, and risks fuelling renewed conflict.

    Libya has the resources to build a prosperous future. But to achieve it, Libya’s leaders must put aside narrow interests and agree on a unified economic framework in the national interest. 

    We welcome the return of the World Bank to Tripoli to support this work.

    Second, the UK is deeply concerned by the destabilising activities of Libyan security actors and armed groups. 

    This includes reports of unlawful and arbitrary detentions, kidnappings, imprisonment without due process and assassination attempts. 

    There needs to be accountability for such acts, to support civic space and trust in Libya’s law enforcement.

    The recent closure of humanitarian organisations’ offices and detention of their employees is particularly troubling. 

    We urge Libyan authorities to work with international NGOs and resolve differences through dialogue. 

    Humanitarian organisations are an indispensable part of our collective efforts to support Libya, including to help address the Libyan authority’s concerns about illegal migration.

    Third, Libya’s economic and security challenges underscore the urgent need for progress on the political track. 

    Libya needs a comprehensive, inclusive political process which will provide the foundation for sound economic governance, rule of law and accountability, and help tackle corruption.

    The UK strongly supports UNSMIL’s efforts and commends SRSG Tetteh for her leadership. 

    A revitalised political process, flowing from the Advisory Committee’s deliberations, presents a real opportunity to chart a path towards the peace, stability and prosperity that the Libyan people deserve and yearn for, as I heard during my own visit to Libya and in more recent exchanges with young Libyans. 

    So we urge all Libyan actors to engage constructively with the UN’s efforts and the Advisory Committee’s recommendations.

    Updates to this page

    Published 17 April 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: Congo Energy & Investment Forum Returns to Brazzaville in March 2026

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

    BRAZZAVILLE, Republic of the Congo, April 17, 2025/APO Group/ —

    The Republic of Congo will host the second edition of the Congo Energy & Investment Forum (CEIF) from March 10-12, 2026. As the country gears up for a significant increase in its oil output over the next three years and plans to strengthen its position in the natural gas sector, CEIF – under the theme Invest. Build. Empower: Transforming Congo’s Energy Landscape – underscores Congo’s growing role in the global energy landscape.

    The 2025-2026 period promises to be an exciting time for Congo’s energy sector. Set to begin operations by December 2025, Phase 2 of the Congo LNG project will enable energy major Eni to increase gas production from 0.6 million tons per annum (mtpa) to 3 mtpa. Meanwhile, the Fouta refinery construction project is expected to start up by the end of the year and is set to produce 2.5 million tons of petroleum products per year – including diesel and gasoline – upon commissioning. These developments highlight the commitment of major operators to position Congo as a global oil and gas producer, with upcoming regulation and investments further supporting this goal.

    In the gas sector, the country is targeting 3 million tons of LNG per year by this year from Eni’s Marine XII development – featuring the Congo LNG project. This target comes on the heels of Congo’s February 2024 milestone where the country exported its first LNG cargo from the Tango FLNG facility. The Republic of Congo boasts over 10 trillion cubic feet of proven natural gas resources and is set to unveil its Gas Master Plan, launch a National Gas Company and release a new Gas Code this year.

    Driven by a series of landmark projects spearheaded by industry giants including TotalEnergies, Trident Energy and Perenco, Congo aims to nearly double oil output from the current 280,000 barrels per day (bpd) to 500,000 bpd by 2027. With aims to harness untapped reserves and maximize the potential of existing assets, this strategy will focus on expanding production in both new and mature fields. To support this goal, the country is set to launch a new international oil and gas licensing round this year. This initiative is expected to usher in a new wave of investment in sub-Saharan Africa’s third-largest oil producing market. The licensing round is designed to attract international oil companies with technical expertise and financial capacity to develop deepwater resources, as well as local and independent companies to exploit marginal fields.

    At CEIF 2025, Congo unveiled plans to double its power generation capacity to 1,500 MW by 2030, with a strong focus on renewable energy projects. The country holds an estimated hydropower potential of 27,000 MW, though only 1% of this resource has been developed. As such, the government has identified several key projects, including water diversion and storage techniques, to maximize hydropower output.

    Through a series of dedicated panel sessions, technical workshops and presentations at CEIF 2026, the event will provide an in-depth look at Congo’s investment landscape. The conference will highlight crucial developments across the country’s energy sector as well as the broader strategic importance of Congo’s energy ambitions.

    “CEIF 2026 serves as a vital platform to showcase Congo’s dynamic energy transformation. As the country scales up oil and gas production and prioritizes renewables, the conference fosters meaningful dialogue, attracts investment and strengthens partnerships essential to unlocking the full potential of Congo’s evolving energy and investment landscape,” states Sandra Jeque, Events and Project Director at Energy Capital & Power.

    Supported by the Ministry of Hydrocarbons and national oil company Société nationale des pétroles du Congo, CEIF 2026 will bring together local, regional and international delegates to explore new partnership opportunities across the energy and investments sectors. This highly anticipated event builds on the success of the inaugural edition, which convened government officials, top investors, IOCs, NOCs, independents and industry experts who shared vital insights into Congo’s oil, gas and energy landscape – paving the way for expanded collaboration and professional networking in 2026.

    For more information and to register your interest for CEIF 2026, please visit www.CongoEnergyInvestment.com

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Babbidge Library Exhibit Offers Powerful Images of War, and Hope, Created by Ukrainian Children

    Source: US State of Connecticut

    In the drawing, two little children hold hands, the taller figure with shoulder-length hair.

    The shorter figure has hair cropped short, and holds a teddy bear in their other hand, one of the toy’s eyes missing and portrayed as an X.

    Between the two is an umbrella, seemingly their only protection from what’s falling from the sky above them – a cluster of ominous black bombs.

    ‘With faith in victory,’ an original drawing by Anastasiia B., a 14-year-old from Ukraine, from the ‘Children Draw War, Not Flowers’ exhibit, on display at the Babbidge Library until August 1, 2025. (Contributed image)

    The umbrella is striped – yellow, blue, yellow – in the colors of the flag of the artist’s home country: Ukraine.

    It’s a simple drawing, but poignant, and made ever more so by the fact that the artist who created the work, entitled “With faith in victory,” was only 14 years old when they drew it in September 2022, seven months after Russia launched a military invasion of Ukraine.

    This drawing, and many others like it – created by Ukrainian children during the ongoing Russo-Ukraine War – are on display at the UConn Library’s Homer Babbidge Library as part of the “Children Draw War, Not Flowers” exhibit, which opened on April 8.

    In the fall of 2022, the Cherkasy Regional Universal Scientific Library, funded by the School of Information at San Jose State University in California, held a drawing competition in 40 public regional libraries in communities where over 220,000 displaced Ukrainians resided.

    Children from the ages of 6 to 18 created more than 450 drawings documenting their experiences of war, trauma, and hope. Those drawings are now part of “Children Draw War, Not Flowers,” which has traveled to a number of institutions but will reside at UConn Storrs until later this summer.

    Its stop at UConn was made possible by a collaboration with Ulia Gosart from San Jose State University, an assistant professor, scholar, writer, and human rights activist who received her bachelor’s degree from Kiev University of Arts in Ukraine and her master’s in library and information science from Southern Connecticut State University, according to Jean Cardinale ’04 MS, head of communication and marketing for the UConn Library.

    “Since the invasion of Ukraine in 2022, Gosart has been supporting Ukrainian libraries by raising awareness and fundraising through programming, including curating this traveling exhibit,” says Cardinale. “She supports her community engaged in war through the power of libraries, and the UConn Library was honored to be asked to take part in her important work.”

    The “Children Draw War, Not Flowers” exhibit includes 70 drawings depicting weapons, loss, soldiers, and destroyed buildings and artifacts. But the drawings also show symbols of hope and pride. The blue and yellow colors of the Ukrainian flag are abundant. Angels hover over Ukrainian soldiers. Sunflowers and storks, images of national solidarity, hang over depictions of war.

    The exhibit’s goal, explains Cardinale, is to help visitors gain greater understanding of the realities Ukrainian people – and especially Ukrainian children – face in the midst of war.

    “Thankfully, living through war is something most of us have not had to experience, and we are geographically so far away that it’s easy to disassociate from what is happening,” Cardinale says. “When you see these pieces where children have drawn themselves amid bombings, fires, and saying goodbye to their homes and their families, you see the trauma that effects children of war.”

    The exhibit at the Babbidge Library also includes drawings from the Mia Farrow Collection, donated to the UConn Library’s Archives & Special Collections in 2009, that were made by refugee children escaping war and ethnic cleansing at the Djabal Refugee Camp in Eastern Chad in 2002.

    “Our Archives & Special Collections has many collections that focus on documenting human rights violations and struggles for social justice in the United States and internationally,” says Cardinale. “Their guiding principles are to enable us to understand the past to inspire our future. Displaying these two collections of drawings together shows parallels in how children have used art to express their feelings during war.”

    For children who may not yet know who to talk with about their feelings, art encourages them to explore their emotions and perceptions through their creativity, Cardinale notes. The images these children have created during two different conflicts, occurring decades apart, show the similarities of their struggles in a powerful and visual way.

    ‘Ukraine will win!’ an original drawing by Yana Kh., an 8-year-old from Ukraine, from the ‘Children Draw War, Not Flowers’ exhibit, on display at the Babbidge Library until August 1, 2025. (Contributed image)

    The exhibit also serves as a reminder that Ukrainian and Ukrainian American students at UConn continue to feel the ongoing impact of the war that may not always be clearly visible to the community at large.

    “We have had the opportunity to connect with the Ukrainian Students Association here at UConn, and at the exhibit’s opening reception, they brought their personal experiences of family members directly affected by the war,” she says. “So, it also serves as a reminder that our students may be experiencing many different challenges that we don’t see and deserve some grace during this stressful time of the semester.”

    “Children Draw War, Not Flowers” will be on display at the Gallery on the Plaza at the Homer Babbidge Library in Storrs through August 1, 2025.

    To view drawings from the “Children Draw War, Not Flowers” collection online, please visit Ukrainian Cultural Heritage Online at gallery.sucho.org/collections.

    For more information about this and other exhibits at the UConn Library, as well as collections maintained by the library’s Archives & Special Collections, visit lib.uconn.edu.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Two men have been jailed for murdering a man in Croydon

    Source: United Kingdom London Metropolitan Police

    Two men have been jailed for a combined total of more than 50 years for the murder of a man in Croydon as detectives continue appeal for the public’s help to locate an outstanding suspect.

    David Walcott, 35 (18.08.89) of Turle Road, Norbury and Rammon Mali, 33 (08.12.91) of Valley Road, Croydon, were each sentenced on Thursday, 17 April at the Old Bailey to 27 years’ imprisonment for the murder of Rijkaard Siafa.

    They were convicted of his murder on Wednesday, 26 February at the same court, following a five-week trial.

    A murder investigation was launched after police were called to reports of a man stabbed in Fellmongers Yard, Croydon on Friday, 12 April 2024.

    A number of members of the public attempted to provide first aid, before police, London Ambulance Service and London’s Air Ambulance arrived at the scene. Sadly, despite their efforts, Rijkaard died at the scene only 30 minutes later.

    In court, Walcott and Mali claimed that they were present, but were not the ones who stabbed Rijkaard. However, they were unanimously found guilty of murder by the jury.

    Hassanatu Bah, Rijkaard mother, said:

    “Anyone who knew Rijkaard would tell you how truly special he was. He had a soul so gentle and a heart so kind that his love and care touched everyone around him. His dreams were big, his zest for life unmatched. He was driven by hope and ambition, and his future was filled with endless possibilities – dreams that were cruelly stolen from him.

    “But let me assure you, Rijkaard’s story doesn’t end here. I will carry his torch for as long as I live. Everything he dreamed of, everything he wanted to accomplish, I would do my best to see it through. His name will not be forgotten.”

    The court heard that on the day of the murder Rijkaard had been at a friend’s flat near Fellmongers Yard, before leaving to meet his partner. Only a few minutes after leaving the flat, he had been stabbed 13 times.

    After the attack, Walcott and Mali immediately fled the scene. They then went to a pub on nearby Katharine Street, where they ordered three pints of beer.

    As part of the investigation, officers viewed more than 100 hours of CCTV and were subsequently able to identify both Walcott and Mali.

    A fast-paced manhunt was launched and a few days’ later officers were able to track Walcott to an address on Lewin Road, SW16. He was arrested on Friday, 19 April 2024 and charged the following day.

    Mali fled the country on Tuesday, 16 April 2024. He was arrested at Gatwick Airport upon his return on Sunday, 5 May 2024 and charged the following day.

    Detective Chief Inspector Samantha Townsend, from the Met’s Specialist Crime Command, said:

    “Our thoughts very much remain with Rijkaard’s family and friends, who had to re-live the last traumatic moments of his young life during the trial after the defendants failed to take responsibility for their actions.

    “The defendants acted together, as a team. They had been looking for Rijkaard during the afternoon of Friday, 12 April and when they found him, they viciously attacked him.

    “It’s clear Walcott and Mali are dangerous and unpredictable individuals and I am relieved they will remain behind bars for a significant period of time.

    “I am extremely grateful to those who have come forward so far, however Jordan Vincent remains wanted for the murder of Rijkaard Siafa and my team remains determined to bring all of those responsible to justice.

    “I am appealing to people to dig deep into their consciences and assist us with the whereabouts of Jordan Vincent. There is a £10,000 reward available for information which leads to his arrest and conviction. If you have any information, no matter how insignificant you may think it is – please get in contact, it could be crucial.”

    Information, images or footage can be provided at Public Portal – https://mipp.police.uk/operation/01MPS24W40-PO1

    Alternatively, anyone who has information or footage can call 0208 721 4961 referencing Op Biscot. To remain 100 per cent anonymous call the independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 or visit Crimestoppers-uk.org.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: Samsung Celebrates Galaxy A Series with “Awesome Intelligence” and Introduces Samsung SOS+ Powered by Aura

    Source: Samsung

    Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. celebrated the launch of its latest Galaxy A series – the Galaxy A56 5G, Galaxy A36 5G, and Galaxy A26 5G – at an exciting event in Johannesburg. Marking a bold new chapter for Samsung’s most popular smartphone line, the latest Galaxy A series comes with Awesome Intelligence, Galaxy’s first-ever comprehensive mobile AI tailored specifically for this range of devices.
     
    For the first time, Galaxy A series users can enjoy fan-favourite Galaxy AI features, previously exclusive to flagship devices, now reimagined for a wider audience. Awesome Intelligence brings powerful, fun, and easy-to-use tools that transform how users create, connect, and explore.
     

     
    “With Awesome Intelligence, we’re delivering an experience that’s smarter, more creative, and more personal to user and fans of the ever-popular Galaxy A series,” said Justin Hume, Vice President of Mobile Experience at Samsung South Africa. “These new devices bring flagship-level AI features and robust security to more people than ever before, while also debuting Samsung SOS+ – a true game-changer for personal safety in South Africa.”
     
    Unlocking Creativity with Awesome Intelligence
    Powered by One UI 7, Awesome Intelligence delivers cutting-edge AI innovations, including Circle to Search, which has taken searching on your phone to the next level. Featuring Awesome Intelligence enhancements, it’s now not just for images; it can now also recognise music playing in videos, helping users identify songs by tapping a button. With it, you can instantly identify songs playing nearby or from memory, thanks to advanced audio recognition.
     
    The Galaxy A series also takes the camera experience to a new level with creator-focused tools, starting with a powerful triple-camera system featuring a 50MP main lens on all devices. AI enhancements ensure every photo and video looks sharp, vibrant, and perfectly lit, thanks to the improved camera set-up. Editing features like Object Eraser let users remove unwanted elements from images, while Filters offer personalised colour and style extraction for a unique visual flair. The result? Effortless creativity with every tap.
     

     
    All three models feature a robust 5,000mAh battery[i], with Super-Fast Charging 2.0 (45W) support on the Galaxy A56 5G and A36 5G for all-day performance. The entire line-up is built to endure life’s surprises with IP67-rated dust and water resistance[ii] – now included even on the Galaxy A26 5G for the first time.
     
    Introducing Samsung SOS+: Real-Time Emergency Assistance
    Samsung also unveiled Samsung SOS+, a personal emergency service developed in partnership with AURA, the country’s leading emergency response platform. Samsung SOS+ connects users to a nationwide network of vetted medical and armed responders.
     

     
    In an emergency, users dial the dedicated SOS+ number, which instantly shares their live location with AURA’s secure system. Help is then dispatched immediately, with a call-back from the SOS+ control centre to confirm assistance is en route. The service is free for the first 12 months with the purchase of any qualifying device, including the new Galaxy A56, A36, and A26. The Subscription service will be available from 01 May 2025.
     
    [i] *** Actual battery life varies by network environment, features and apps used, frequency of calls and messages, the number of times charged, and many other factors. Estimated against the average usage profile compiled by UX Connect Research. Independently assessed by UX Connect Research between 2025.01.16-2025.01.27 in UK with pre-release versions of SM-A266 5G under default setting using LTE and 5G Sub6 networks. NOT tested under 5G mm Wave Network.
    [ii] *Galaxy A56 5G is rated as IP67. Based on lab test conditions for submersion in up to 1 meter of freshwater for up to 30 minutes. Not advised for beach or pool use. Water and dust resistance of the device is not permanent and may diminish over time due to normal wear and tear.

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Building capacity to combat illicit cultural heritage trafficking with the EuroMed Justice Project

    Source: Eurojust

    The TAF activity, which was organised upon request from Egyptian and Cypriot authorities, brought together 35 participants from Algeria, Belgium, Cyprus, Egypt, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Libya, Morocco, Palestine*, Switzerland and the United Kingdom to share strategies and best practices in combating the illicit trade. The activity was officially opened and attended by the Ambassador of Cyprus to Egypt, the Deputy Head of the European Delegation in Cairo and high level representatives from Egypt. The Country representatives shared case studies and success stories, highlighting the challenges and triumphs of their efforts to protect cultural heritage.

    The illicit trafficking of cultural goods has become a lucrative business for organised crime. It can be used for money laundering, sanctions evasion, and terrorism financing, and comes with a devastating cost. To combat this, the TAF activity facilitated cooperation and knowledge-sharing among stakeholders.

    In addition to the sharing of case studies and success stories, the participants also gained insights from presentations delivered by the representative of the Eurojust Anti-Trafficking Team, as well as several international organizations (Council of Europe, UNICRI, and UNODC). Bilateral meetings were also arranged alongside the main activity.

    By sharing knowledge and expertise, the gathering has set the stage for enhanced cooperation and collaboration to combat illicit cultural heritage trafficking.

    The EuroMed Justice project aims to develop sustainable cooperation mechanisms for cross-border judicial cooperation in criminal matters between Member States of the European Union and the South Partner Countries. It organises TAF activities upon request of participating authorities in order to provide tailored support to activities and actions.

    *This designation shall not be construed as recognition of a State of Palestine and is without prejudice to the individual positions of the Member States on this issue.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: India to emerge as a developed nation and number one military power in the world: Raksha Mantri

    Source: Government of India

    India to emerge as a developed nation and number one military power in the world: Raksha Mantri

    “India’s defence sector is moving ahead on the path of self-reliance, it is also ready to play a very important role in making global supply chains resilient”

    Our Defence capabilities are like a credible deterrence, to maintain peace & tranquillity. Peace is possible only when we remain strong: RM

    Posted On: 17 APR 2025 2:04PM by PIB Delhi

    Raksha Mantri Shri Rajnath Singh laid out a compelling vision for a self-reliant and future-ready India at a Defence Conclave in New Delhi today on April 17, 2025. With a clear focus on indigenisation, innovation, and global leadership, he declared that India is not only securing its borders but also positioning itself as a key player in the international defence ecosystem. “The day is not far when India will not only emerge as a developed country, but our Military Power will also emerge as the number one in the world,” he bolstered.

    Raksha Mantri reiterated that under the leadership of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, the revival and strengthening of the defence sector is one of the biggest priorities for the government. He further stated that the government’s first and foremost challenge was to change the mindset that India would simply import to meet its defence needs. “India will reduce its dependency on imports and create a defence industrial complex that will not only meet India’s needs but will also strengthen the potential of defence exports,” he emphasised.

     “Today, while India’s defence sector is moving ahead on the path of self-reliance, it is also ready to play a very important role in making global supply chains resilient,” Raksha Mantri emphasised. He added that the Make in India program is not only strengthening the country’s defence production but also has the capability to make the global defence supply chain resilient and flexible. He further stated that while India’s defence manufacturing capabilities are aimed at national security and strategic autonomy, they are also insulating manufacturing from global supply shocks.

    Shri Rajnath Singh underlined that India’s growing defence capability is not meant to provoke conflict. “Our defence capabilities are like a credible deterrence, to maintain peace and tranquillity. Peace is possible only when we remain strong,” he added.

    On the evolving nature of warfare, Shri Rajnath Singh underscored that in the coming days, conflicts & wars will be more violent and unpredictable. The Cyber & Space Domains are rapidly emerging as new battlefields and along with this, a war of narrative & perception is also being fought all over the world. To address these challenges, he mentioned that the focus is on holistic capacity building and continuous reforms. Raksha Mantri also announced that the Ministry of Defence had declared 2025 as the ‘Year of Reforms’.

    Reflecting on reforms, Shri Rajnath Singh highlighted that corporatising the over 200-year-old Ordnance Factories was a bold but necessary step. “Today Ordnance Factories are performing very well in their new form and have become profit making units. I believe that changing a structure that is more than two hundred years old is a very big reform of this century” he added.

    Raksha Mantri also outlined the government’s indigenisation drive, noting the release of five positive indigenization lists by the Armed Forces and five by Defence Public Sector Undertakings (DPSUs). “The total number of defence equipment, weapon systems and platforms included in the list of the Services is 509. These will now be produced in India. Similarly, the total number of items included in the DPSU lists is 5,012 including strategically-important Line Replacement Units, sub-systems, spares and components,” he said.

    Shri Rajnath Singh also underlined the fact that the government has reserved 75 per cent of the defence budget for procurement from domestic companies. He pointed out that defence production in India has risen from Rs 40,000 crore in 2014 to over Rs 1.27 lakh crore today. “This year, defence production should cross Rs 1.60 lakh crore, while our target is to produce defence equipment worth Rs 3 lakh crore by the year 2029,” he added.

    On defence exports, Raksha Mantri underscored that the figures had surged from Rs 686 crore in 2013–14 to Rs 23,622 crore in 2024–25. “Defence products made in our country are being exported to about 100 countries. “our defence exports should reach Rs 30,000 crore this year and Rs 50,000 crore by the year 2029,” he announced.

    Shri Rajnath Singh underlined the government’s commitment to fostering innovation, particularly among the youth and start-ups. He stated that to encourage cutting-edge technology in the defence sector, iDEX was launched, which offers financial support of up to Rs 1.5 crore to selected start-ups. Building on its success, iDEX Prime was introduced, enhancing this support to Rs 10 crore. Further, the newly launched ADITI scheme provides assistance of up to Rs 25 crore to help scale breakthrough innovations. “The target is to strengthen the hands of our start-ups and MSMEs and for this, the Ministry of Defence has approved purchases worth more than Rs 2,400 crore from start-ups/MSMEs, and projects worth more than Rs 1,500 crore have been approved for development of new technology,” he added.

    Highlighting India’s growing strategic capabilities, Raksha Mantri mentioned that the country now stands shoulder to shoulder with developed nations in critical areas such as missile technology (Agni, BrahMos), submarines (INS Arihant), aircraft carriers (INS Vikrant), artificial intelligence, drones, cyber defence and hypersonic systems. “Aero engine manufacturing remains a challenge,” he said, while also pointing to significant progress under the Kaveri engine project and ongoing discussions with global players like Safran, GE and Rolls Royce to build domestic capabilities.

    With emphasis on India’s success in shipbuilding, Shri Rajnath Singh stated that more than 97% of the war ships of Indian Navy and Indian Coast Guard are now built in Indian shipyards. Ships built by India are also being exported to friendly countries like Mauritius, Sri Lanka, Vietnam and Maldives.

    Senior officials, experts and dignitaries including former Chief of Army Staff General Manoj Pande, former Chief of Naval Staff Admiral Sunil Lanba, former Chief of the Air Staff Air Chief Marshal VR Chaudhari, Secretary (Defence Production) Shri Sanjeev Kumar, Secretary, Department of Defence R&D and Chairman DRDO Dr Samir V Kamat and former Defence Secretary Shri Sanjay Mitra also attended the conclave.

     

    VK/SR/KB

    (Release ID: 2122381) Visitor Counter : 139

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Curtain Raiser: India Steel 2025

    Source: Government of India

    Curtain Raiser: India Steel 2025

    “India set to host the largest international steel event in Mumbai from April 24–26, 2025”

    Hon’ble Prime Minister to inaugurate the flagship event of Steel Industry

    Posted On: 17 APR 2025 3:14PM by PIB Delhi

    The India Steel 2025 is set to take place from *24 April to 26 April, 2025*, at the Bombay Exhibition Centre in Mumbai. This 6th edition of the biennial international exhibition and conference will bring together leading stakeholders from across the global steel value chain to discuss the future trajectory of the sector, with a sharp focus on growth, sustainability, resilience, and innovation.

    India is on a trajectory to achieve a production capacity of 300 million tonnes and a per capita consumption of 160 kg by 2030, in line with the National Steel Policy.  Keeping in view this  ambitious growth in the steel sector, the conference is being organised to unlock new opportunities for inter-state and international collaboration, facilitate knowledge exchange, and showcase India’s policy reforms and infrastructure initiatives aimed at enhancing the ease of doing business across the steel value chain.

    The Hon’ble Prime Minister of India will address  the premier Steel Industry event of the country  on 24th April 2025 through Video conferencing , in the esteemed presence of dignitaries including  Hon’ble Minister of Steel and Heavy Industries Shri H. D. Kumaraswamy, Hon’ble Minister of State for Steel and Heavy Industries Shri Bhupathi Raju Srinivasa Varma, Hon’ble Chief Minister of Maharashtra Shri Devendra Phadnavis  and Hon’ble Chief Minister of Chattisgarh Shri Vishu Deo Sai. 

    The conference will see presence of high-level participation from various Central Ministries and States including Chief Ministers and Union Ministers indicating the critical importance of Steel as an important clog in the wheel of Atmanirbhar Bharat.  Among those who will grace the program with their presence include Union Ministers, Hon’ble Minister of Steel and Heavy Industries Shri H. D. Kumaraswamy, Minister of Commerce and Industry Shri Piyush Goyal, Hon’ble Minister of Railways Shri. Ashwini Vaishnaw, Hon’ble Minister of New & Renewable Energy and Consumer Affairs Shri Pralhad Venkatesh Joshi, Hon’ble Minister of Mines Shri G. Kishan Reddy , Hon’ble Minister of State for Steel and Heavy Industries Shri Bhupathi Raju Srinivasa Varma,  Hon’ble Chief Minister of Maharashtra, Shri Devendra Fadnavis, Hon’ble Chief Minister of Chhattisgarh, Shri Vishnu Deo Sai  and Hon’ble Chief Minister of Odisha, Shri Mohan Charan Majhi.  They  will preside over key sessions of the conference, reflecting the multi-sectoral relevance of steel in India’s economic and industrial strategy.

    Senior officials of the Government of India, including Secretary, Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), Secretary, Ministry of Steel and Secretary, Ministry of Coal will also chair key sessions during the event.

     The event will also have a presence of global Industry leaders and senior Foreign dignitaries leading  high-level  delegations, including the Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade of the Russian Federation, Ambassadors of Australia, Mozambique, and Mongolia, reflecting the deepening international engagement and strategic cooperation in the steel sector.

    Key highlights of the International Conference-cum-Exhibition includes:

    – Exhibition and Innovation Showcase: Displaying cutting-edge technologies and advancements in the steel industry.

    – Roundtable Conferences: Discussions on sector-specific topics, international collaboration, and emerging trends including CEOs roundtable and Sectoral roundtables.

    – Reverse Buyer-Seller Meet (RBSM): Facilitating trade opportunities and fostering new business engagements.

    – International Engagement: Country specific sessions involving key steel-producing nations, including the South Korea, Sweden, Australia, and Mongolia. These discussions will explore joint research, technology transfer, and resilient supply chains to de-risk India’s steel production and drive global competitiveness.

    The event will also focus on themes like augmenting domestic consumption, showcasing futuristic steel applications, and fostering global partnerships

    With more than 12,000 business visitors, 250 exhibitors, and 1,200 conference delegates representing various sectors, Government departments, State Governments, country delegations, and domestic and international buyers from India and abroad, the conference would be one of the biggest Steel event globally.

    *********

    TPJ/NJ

    (Release ID: 2122393) Visitor Counter : 36

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Video: Pandemic Agreement, Sudan & other topics – Daily Press Briefing | United Nations

    Source: United Nations (Video News)

    Noon briefing by Stephanie Tremblay, Associate Spokesperson for the Secretary-General.

    Highlights:
    – Deputy Secretary-General
    – Security Council
    – Pandemic Agreement
    – Sudan
    – Occupied Palestinian Territory
    – Democratic Republic of the Congo
    – Iraq
    – Global Economy
    – Briefings tomorrow
    – Financial Contribution

    **Deputy Secretary-General
    The Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed is in Hanoi, Viet Nam today, to participate in the Partnership for Growth Summit and to chair the annual retreat of UN Resident Coordinators from Asia and the Pacific.
    In her remarks at the opening session of the Summit, Ms. Mohammed underlined the need to strengthen partnerships and to scale up investments in climate solutions as a key entry point to advance countries’ Sustainable Development Goals transitions.
    Ms. Mohammed also met with the Minister of Agriculture and Environment Mr. Đỗ Đức Duy. They discussed Viet Nam’s transition to a low-carbon energy system and progress on its food system pathways.
    On the margins of the Summit, she also met with Abiy Ahmed, Prime Minister of Ethiopia.
    And at the Green One UN House in Hanoi, Ms. Mohammed met the UN Country Team to discuss how to further strengthen the UN’s impact in Viet Nam and to sustain momentum on the SDGs. She also met with youth.

    ** Security Council
    This morning, the Security Council members met for a briefing on South Sudan. The Head of the UN Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS), Nicholas Haysom, told the Council members that the Revitalized Peace Agreement remains the only viable framework to break the cycle of violence in South Sudan.
    He added that UNMISS is engaged in intensive diplomatic efforts to broker a peaceful solution to the current crisis alongside many stakeholders, including the African Union and the Security Council itself.
    For her part, the Director of Operations and Advocacy at OCHA, Edem Wosornu, focused on the rapidly escalating violence and its impact on men, women and children. She added that this year, 9.3 million South Sudanese – that’s three-quarters of the population – require some form of humanitarian assistance, adding that children make up half of this total.
    For South Sudan, this year’s Humanitarian Needs and Response Plan requires $1.7 billion to support close to 5.4 million people. Their full remarks were shared with you.
    The Security Council will reconvene at 3:00 pm this afternoon for a session on the Great Lakes region. The Special Envoy for the Great Lakes region, Huang Xia, as well as UNICEF’s Executive Director, Catherine Russell, are scheduled to brief. We will share their remarks as soon as we get them.

    **Pandemic Agreement
    And we wanted to welcome the consensus on a draft pandemic agreement reached in Geneva after more than three years of intensive negotiations. Member States of the World Health Organization took a major step forward in efforts to make the world safer from pandemics, by forging the draft agreement for consideration at the upcoming World Health Assembly in May. The proposal aims to strengthen global collaboration on prevention, preparedness and response to future pandemic threats.

    Full Highlights: https://www.un.org/sg/en/content/noon-briefing-highlight?date%5Bvalue%5D%5Bdate%5D=16%20April%202025

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=27HxZBjcrDY

    MIL OSI Video –

  • MIL-OSI Video: Climate, Peace, and Security in the Great Lakes Region – Joint Security Council Media Stakeout

    Source: United Nations (Video News)

    Joint media stakeout by the Security Council members that have joined the Joint Pledges on Climate, Peace and Security (Denmark, France, Greece, Guyana, Panama, the Republic of Korea, Sierra Leone, Slovenia, and the United Kingdom) on Climate, Peace, and Security in the Great Lakes Region.

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

    MIL OSI Video –

  • MIL-OSI Video: DRC: Violence created one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises – UNICEF | United Nations

    Source: United Nations (Video News)

    Briefing by Catherine Russell, UNICEF Executive Director, on the humanitarian situation in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
    —
    The significant escalation of conflict in the eastern region of the DRC has reached levels not seen in the last three decades. The intensifying violence has created one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises, leaving millions of children at risk.

    Since January, more than one million people – including an estimated 400,000 children – have been displaced by violence in the provinces of Ituri, North Kivu and South Kivu. This new wave of displacement comes in addition to the more than 5 million people in the region who were already living in displacement camps … where crowded and unsanitary conditions make the spread of diseases like mpox, cholera and measles much more likely.
    —
    Excellencies … the most defining, and horrifying, feature of this conflict is the rampant violence being committed against children and women.

    Scores have been killed or injured. There has been a 100 per cent increase in verified grave violations in the first quarter of this year, as compared to the first quarter of 2024. These include indiscriminate attacks, large-scale recruitment and use of children, collective abductions of children, as well as widespread sexual violence.

    The rate of sexual violence against children has reached shockingly high levels. Reports from child protection partners show that children make up more than 40 per cent of the nearly 10,000 cases of rape and sexual violence reported in January and February alone. UNICEF estimates that during the most intense phase of this year’s conflict in eastern DRC, a child was raped every half an hour.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2JSMU2sZiEE

    MIL OSI Video –

  • MIL-OSI Video: South Sudan: Deterioration in political and security situation – UNMISS Briefing | United Nations

    Source: United Nations (Video News)

    Briefing by Nicholas Haysom, Special Representative of the Secretary-General and Head of United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS), on the situation in South Sudan.

    ————————–
    The Head of the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS), Nicholas Haysom, said, “there has been a sharp deterioration in the political and security situation,” in the country, “which threatens to unravel the peace gains made in recent years.”

    Presenting the Report of the Secretary-General on South Sudan to the Security Council, Haysom said, “all our efforts are now focused on preventing a relapse into widespread conflict and refocusing attention on the implementation of the Revitalized Peace Agreement.”

    He told the Council that there are reports “of further mobilisation, respectively, of the White Army and SSPDF in Upper Nile, allegedly including the forced recruitment of children into the respective ranks of the armed formations.”

    The deployment of Ugandan foreign forces at the request of the South Sudanese government, Haysom pointed out, “has further stoked public anxiety.”

    The UNMISS Chief said, “South Sudan faces one of the worst humanitarian outlooks since independence – driven by escalating subnational violence, the spillover from the Sudan conflict, deepening economic collapse, extreme weather and a sharp decline in international aid.”

    He said, “round 9.3 million people – three quarters of the population – need assistance and 7.7 million are suffering

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

    MIL OSI Video –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Global health – Conclusion of negotiations on an agreement to strengthen pandemic prevention, preparedness and response (16 Apr. 2025)

    Source: Republic of France in English
    The Republic of France has issued the following statement:

    France applauds the conclusion of negotiations on an agreement to strengthen pandemic prevention, preparedness and response.

    These negotiations, which began three years ago under the leadership of France and the EU, were brought to a conclusion on Wednesday, April 16, 2025. France did its utmost to ensure their success and, since the summer of 2024, has co-chaired the Intergovernmental Negotiating Body of the World Health Organization (WHO) alongside South Africa.

    This new “pandemic accord” will better prepare countries for future health crises and will strengthen our collective security in the face of pandemics, in keeping with the EU’s commitments and the French Global Health Strategy for 2023-2027.

    Five years after the Covid-19 crisis, this accord reaffirms these countries’ determination to provide a coordinated, solidarity-based, equitable international response to crises that is based on cooperation, transparency, and science. This accord likewise reaffirms the international community’s trust in and support for the WHO, whose role at the center of the international health architecture is irreplaceable.

    This accord is the first legally binding international text to establish clear obligations for strengthening prevention in every country by taking into account the One Health approach. It reaffirms the dual principle of equity and solidarity in the fight against future pandemics and, to this end, provides for mechanisms to facilitate fast access to vaccines, medications and diagnostic tools. Lastly, it proposes major advances for the health industry, especially with regard to developing R&D, strengthening scientific cooperation on emerging pathogens, and supporting the local production of medical countermeasures.

    This accord will be proposed for adoption at the upcoming World Health Assembly in May 2025.

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Change of British High Commissioner to Ghana

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Press release

    Change of British High Commissioner to Ghana

    Mr Christian Rogg has been appointed British High Commissioner to the Republic of Ghana.

    Mr Christian Rogg has been appointed British High Commissioner to the Republic of Ghana in succession to Ms Harriet Thompson who will be transferring to another Diplomatic Service appointment.  Mr Rogg will take up his appointment during July 2025.

    Curriculum vitae           

    Full name: Christian Stefan Rogg                                               

    Year Role
    2023 to present FCDO, Director for Development and Open Societies
    2021 to 2023  FCDO, Director for Development, Parliament, Coordination and Capability
    2017 to 2021 Addis Ababa, Development Director
    2015 to 2017  Kinshasa, Head of DFID
    2012 to 2015  Abuja, Acting/Deputy Head of DFID
    2009 to 2012  Hanoi, Acting/Deputy Head of DFID
    2006 to 2009 Accra, Head of Governance and Growth Team, DFID
    2003 to 2006  DFID, Head of Growth Team, Policy Division
    2000 to 2003  DFID, Economic Adviser/Acting Team Leader, Private Sector Policy Department
    2001 University of Oxford, Instructor, Department of Economics
    1999 to 2000 DFID, Assistant Adviser, Business Partnerships Department
    1999 University of Oxford, Researcher, Development Studies Centre
    1998  Inter-American Development Bank, Washington, Assistant, Private Sector Department
    1995 to 1997  PricewaterhouseCoopers, Washington, Consultant, Economics and Finance Division
    1995 Senator Joe Lieberman’s Office, United States Senate, Legislative Intern
    1994 SmithKline Beecham, Assistant to Director for Business Planning and Analysis
    1993  Merrill Lynch, Frankfurt, Assistant to Financial Consultants
    1990 to 1992  DG Bank, Frankfurt, Trainee

    Media enquiries

    Email newsdesk@fcdo.gov.uk

    Telephone 020 7008 3100

    Contact the FCDO Communication Team via email (monitored 24 hours a day) in the first instance, and we will respond as soon as possible.

    Updates to this page

    Published 17 April 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –