NewzIntel.com

Category: Africa

  • MIL-OSI NGOs: Sudan: Two years of war and shameful international neglect

    Source: Amnesty International –

    On the two-year anniversary of the outbreak of Sudan’s civil war, Amnesty International’s Senior Director for Research, Advocacy, Policy and Campaigns, Erika Guevara Rosas, said: 

    “Today is a day of shame. Shame on the perpetrators on both sides of this terrible conflict who have inflicted unimaginable suffering on civilians. Shame on the world for turning away while Sudan burns. Shame on the countries that continue to add fuel to the fire. 

    “Over the last two years, the Sudan Armed Forces, Rapid Support Forces and their allies have committed atrocity crimes, including sexual violence against women and girls, tortured and starved civilians, rounded people up and killed them, and bombed markets, displaced persons camps and hospitals. These atrocities amount to war crimes.  

    “Last week, Amnesty International released a new investigation finding the Rapid Support Forces committed widespread sexual violence, including rape, gang rape and sexual slavery, amounting to possible crimes against humanity. 

    “Despite these atrocities, the world has largely chosen to remain passive. Alarmingly, the UN Security Council has failed to implement a comprehensive arms embargo on Sudan to halt the constant flow of weapons fuelling these heinous crimes. 

    “While the world has failed to support the victims of the war in Sudan – many of whom are facing famine or have been forced to flee their homes – it has contributed a paltry 6.6% of the funds needed to address the country’s humanitarian catastrophe. President Trump’s drastic cuts to USAID are the latest cruel twist of the knife against Sudanese civilians who, through no fault of their own, are experiencing their greatest time of need. 

    “The people of Sudan urgently need support and solidarity. The UN Security Council must institute an arms embargo on all of Sudan, while countries around the world must steeply increase their humanitarian assistance. Sudan’s partners must also exert real pressure on the parties to the conflict to stop targeting civilians and to bring the perpetrators of international humanitarian and human rights law violations to justice.  

    “The world must stop ignoring Sudan.” 

    MIL OSI NGO –

  • MIL-OSI Video: President Cyril Ramaphosa on a guided tour of the operations at the Port of Nqgura in Eastern Cape.

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

    President Cyril Ramaphosa on a guided tour of the operations at the Port of Nqgura in Eastern Cape.

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

    MIL OSI Video –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Committee on Rights of Migrant Workers Launches General Comment on the Convergence of the Migrant Workers’ Convention and the Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration

    Source: United Nations – Geneva

    The Committee on Migrant Workers today held an event to launch its general comment six on the convergent protection of the rights of migrant workers and members of their families through the International Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of Their Families and the Global Compact for safe, orderly and regular migration.

    Fatimata Diallo, Committee Chair, in opening remarks, said migrants, especially those in an irregular situation, were disproportionately exposed to abuses and human rights violations, and often did not have access to due process or remedies.  More than 8,900 people died on migration routes in 2024.  Yet, the human rights dimensions of migration remained largely neglected, and inflammatory and xenophobic rhetoric against migrants helped politicians win votes.

    Ms. Diallo said the Convention and the Global Compact were unique, complementary and mutually reinforcing to advance migration governance and promote and protect the rights of all migrants. General comment six offered avenues for the coordination of the convergent measures for protection of the rights of migrant workers and members of their families in the Convention and the Global Compact.

    Peggy Hicks, Director, Thematic Engagement, Special Procedures and Right to Development Division, Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, said in opening remarks that general comment six was a milestone in international efforts to ensure that States aligned migration governance with international human rights obligations. Ms. Hicks called on all States, including those that had endorsed the Global Compact but had not yet ratified the Convention, to engage in dialogue on ratifying this important human rights instrument.

    Introducing the general comment, Mohammed Charef, Committee Expert and Chair of the Committee’s Working Group on the Convention and the Global Compact, said the Convention and the Global Compact both called for the protection of migrants from human rights violations, measures to promote decent work and access to social security, and efforts to help migrants reach their potential.  The general comment sought to help States parties to implement their commitments under these instruments and promote effective, tangible respect for the rights of migrants.

    The Committee heard statements marking the launch of the general comment by panellists from Permanent Missions and United Nations agencies, before holding a general discussion on how the Convention and the Global Compact could be implemented in synergy.

    In the discussion, speakers welcomed the adoption of general comment six, which they said assisted States in implementing their commitments under the Convention and the Global Compact and in managing migration with a human rights lens.

    Speakers welcomed that the general comment promoted non-criminalisation of migration.  States needed to adopt measures to combat the intolerance of migrants, particularly vulnerable persons, and to further facilitate regular migration, they said.

    Speaking as panellists were Carlos D. Sorreta, Permanent Representative of the Philippines to the United Nations Office and Other International Organizations in Geneva; Fernando Espinosa Olivera, Deputy Permanent Representative of Mexico to the United Nations Office and Other International Organizations in Geneva; Abdellah Boutadghart, Deputy Permanent Representative of the Kingdom of Morocco to the United Nations Office and Other International Organizations in Geneva; Catalina Devandas, Senior Director, Office of Partnerships, Advocacy and Communications, International Organization for Migration; Gladys Cisneros, Chief of Branch, Labour Migration Unit, International Labour Organization; Patrick Eba, Deputy Director, Department of International Protection, United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees; Tasha Gill, Global Lead on Migration and Displacement, United Nations Children’s Fund Regional Office for Europe and Central Asia; Jonathan Prentice, Head of the Secretariat, United Nations Network on Migration; Patrick Taran, President, Global Migration Policy Associates; Alan Desmond, Editor, Journal of Immigration, Asylum and Nationality Law, University of Leicester, United Kingdom; and Ariel Cejas Meliare, Procurador Penitenciario de la Nación [Procurator’s Office of the Nation of Argentina].

    Bangladesh, Honduras and Burkina Faso took the floor in the discussion.

    The Committee on Migrant Worker’s fortieth session is being held from 7 to 17 April.  All the documents relating to the Committee’s work, including reports submitted by States parties, can be found on the session’s webpage.  Meeting summary releases can be found here.  The webcast of the Committee’s public meetings can be accessed via the UN Web TV webpage.

    The Committee will next meet in public at 5:30 p.m. on Thursday, 17 April, to close its fortieth session.

    Opening Remarks

    FATIMATA DIALLO, Committee Chair, said currently, some 281 million people lived and worked in countries that were not their own. Migration was the symptom and effect of profound social, economic, and environmental pressures and changes around the world.  Migrants, especially those in an irregular situation, were disproportionately exposed to abuses and human rights violations, and often did not have access to due process or remedies.  As border controls had become stricter and regular pathways of entry and stay had narrowed, migrants’ journeys had become longer, more fragmented and more dangerous. More than 40,000 women, men and children between 2014 and 2021 had been declared dead or missing en route, and countless other disappearances had never been reported.  More than 8,900 people died on migration routes in 2024.

    Yet, the human rights dimensions of migration remained largely neglected.  The issue of migration was usually approached from the perspective of economic development or border security and control.  Inflammatory and xenophobic rhetoric against migrants helped politicians win votes, and in times of crisis, the migrant was a convenient scapegoat to blame for social and economic hardship.

    The Convention – a global legally binding instrument on migration – and the Global Compact – a non-binding instrument – were important international mechanisms in the context of migration.  They were unique, complementary and mutually reinforcing to advance migration governance and promote and protect the rights of all migrants, regardless of their migration status. 

    The Global Compact was first and foremost a strategic policy instrument for guidance, which was nevertheless anchored in the norms and standards of international law.  It was the most comprehensive migration governance instrument in the history of international migration, contributing to the protection of the various human rights of migrants and helping to operationalise the provisions of the Convention.  It laid the groundwork for Member States to create a strategy that protected all migrants in vulnerable situations through a range of mechanisms, including the provision of regular access pathways.

    The Convention, conversely, provided a comprehensive international legal framework for the promotion of the human rights of migrant workers and their family members, and remained the best strategy to prevent abuses and address the vulnerabilities that many migrants faced. It established minimum human rights standards, which were legally binding on States parties and applied to migrant workers and members of their families. 

    General comment six offered avenues for complementary coordination for the convergent protection of the rights of migrant workers and members of their families through the Convention and the Global Compact.

    The ratification of treaties could have a transformative effect.  Governments had used treaty provisions and treaty body recommendations to advance complex societal changes that faced resistance at the national level, such as adopting comprehensive non-discrimination legislation. Regrettably, none of the 27 European Union Member States had signed or ratified the Convention.  Convincing these States to ratify was important, not only because the European Union was an important migrant destination, but also because they had robust democratic institutions and vibrant civil society activity, and could meaningfully implement and comply with the Convention. Ratification by European Union Member States would send a strong message of support for this core human rights instrument.  It was time for the European Union and the Committee to engage in dialogue on the ratification of the Convention.

    The Convention did not create new rights, besides a few exceptions, but incorporated the fundamental human rights set out in the main international human rights instruments, applying them to a vast and specific category of the world’s population, namely migrant workers and members of their families.  Ms. Diallo called on States to support the Committee’s ratification campaign.

    PEGGY HICKS, Director, Thematic Engagement, Special Procedures and Right to Development Division, Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, said migration was the history of humanity. The worrying trend of dehumanising anti-migrant narratives, and securitised and punitive migration policies, limited access to safe migration pathways, while the criminalisation of solidarity was placing migrants and communities at heightened human rights risks. It was time to re-centre migration governance on human rights protection and strengthen international cooperation grounded in the dignity and rights of all people, regardless of migration status.

    General comment six was a milestone in international efforts to ensure that States aligned migration governance with international human rights obligations.  It illustrated the complementarity between the Convention and the Global Compact – each reinforcing and completing the other and constituting a bridge between soft law and treaty law, providing interpretative guidance for States to implement the Global Compact commitments consistently with international human rights standards.

    The Global Compact was the first inter-governmentally negotiated agreement which covered all dimensions of international migration in a holistic and comprehensive manner.  It respected States’ sovereign right to determine who entered and stayed in their territory and demonstrated commitment to international cooperation on migration.  It presented a significant opportunity to improve governance of migration, to address the challenges associated with today’s migration, and to strengthen the contribution of migrants and migration to sustainable development.  It also explicitly reinforced the importance of human rights and international law through its guiding principle on human rights and its commitment to the principles of non-regression and non-discrimination.

    The Convention offered detailed and binding provisions that complemented and strengthened the Compact’s more aspirational commitments.  On regularisation, for example, it provided concrete and binding guidance, requiring States parties to “take appropriate measures to ensure that [an irregular] situation did not persist” when migrant workers and members of their families were in an irregular situation within their territory, and stressed that States parties should consider adopting policies to prevent migrant workers and members of their families from falling into irregularity.

    The Convention was currently the least ratified of the core international human rights treaties, with only 60 States parties. Increasing the number of ratifications of the Convention remained a top priority for the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights.  At the same time, many countries had accepted many of the standards enshrined in the Convention via the ratification of other human rights treaties, the provisions of which mirrored the core rights codified in the Convention.

    Some of the recent work of the Committee highlighted the relevance of the Convention and the Committee’s work even to non-States parties, such as the joint general comments with the Committee on the Rights of the Child, which provided authoritative guidance that was equally applicable to all 196 States parties to the Convention on the Rights of the Child. Ms. Hicks also applauded the Committee for elaborating two joint general comments with the Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination on principles and guidelines for eradicating xenophobia towards migrants.  The two draft general comments were already at an advanced stage and would be discussed at the current session.

    As the international community worked towards the implementation of the Global Compact, there was now also momentum for States parties, with the support of the Committee and its partners, to increase the number of States parties to the Convention.  The Convention had a unique role as the only binding global treaty focused on the rights of migrant workers and their families, with its principles echoed throughout the Global Compact. 

    Ms. Hicks encouraged the recognition that soft law and treaty law were not at odds, but rather mutually reinforcing.  This general comment helped bridge the two and offered useful guidance to all States, regardless of the ratification status. She invited States to consider Convention obligations in future implementation and review processes, such as the International Migration Reviews, and called on all States, including those that had endorsed the Global Compact but had not yet ratified the Convention, to engage in a dialogue with the Committee and the Office of the High Commissioner to discuss the benefits of ratifying this important human rights instrument.

    Statements Introducing the General Comment

    MOHAMMED CHAREF, Committee Expert and Chair of the Committee’s Working Group on the Convention and the Global Compact, called on all parties to carefully read the general comment, disseminate it and support its implementation.  In many countries, there were reports of serious and repeated violations of the rights of migrant workers, which had direct consequences on the most vulnerable among them.  Despite the alarmist discourse that was often used regarding migrant workers, there were many success stories associated with migration in the business, sport, music and science fields.  Human rights needed to be put at the heart of discussions concerning migrant workers.

    States needed to commit to their international obligations.  The Convention and the Global Compact had convergent goals, though only the former was binding.  Both instruments were rooted in values such as State sovereignty and respect for human rights.  They called for the protection of migrants from human rights violations such as trafficking and measures to promote decent work and access to social security.  Both instruments called for efforts to help migrants reach their potential.

    The general comment was based on broad-ranging consultations with civil society and stakeholders in Geneva and around the world. It sought to help States parties to implement their commitments under the Global Compact and to strengthen migration governance.  The general comment sought to promote effective and tangible respect for the rights of migrants.  Mr. Charef praised the efforts of champion countries of the Convention and called on States that had not yet ratified it to do so.  Ratification issues were more of a political nature than a legal one. The Committee would continue to encourage actors to promote the ratification of the Convention.

    The Global Compact and the Convention were two essential instruments for promoting the rights of migrant workers.  The Committee would promote their implementation and help build a brighter future for migrants around the world.

    EDGAR CORZO SOSA, Committee Expert and Member of the Committee’s Working Group on the Convention and the Global Compact, said the general comment juxtaposed two different instruments that needed to complement each other, rather than be put against each other.  One of its main goals was to provide authoritative guidance on how States could meet their obligations under these two instruments.  The general comment did not water down the human rights standards developed by the Committee, but rather built on them.  Safe, orderly and regular migration was a goal that could not be reached if human rights were left behind.  In the general comment, the Committee identified 14 common points between the two instruments, relating to topics such as decent work, returns, remittances, childhood, family, gender, protection, defence and trafficking in persons.

    The general comment provided a vision of migration governance that fully respected human rights.  The Committee would do its part in periodic reviews to promote its implementation.  It would hold a meeting with States in future to assess the impact that the general comment was having on human rights, and was calling on civil society to help disseminate it.

    Panel Statements

    CARLOS D. SORRETA, Permanent Representative of the Philippines to the United Nations Office and Other International Organizations in Geneva, thanked the Committee for its work on general comment six.  There were over 10 million Filipinos working in almost all regions of the world.  The Philippines promoted effective and fair governance of migration.  The State party aimed to safeguard the rights of all migrant workers and establish legal pathways to migration.  It had instituted a stringent anti-human trafficking law and had established gender-responsive mechanisms for migrants in distress in host countries.

    During the COVID-19 pandemic, the Philippines facilitated the return of over a million Filipinos.  It had passed laws allowing for dual citizenship and absentee voting, and developed a programme for enticing entrepreneurs and professionals to return to the State.  Most countries with which the Philippines negotiated with to protect its migrants were not parties to the Convention or the Global Compact. However, there were normative baselines that these States needed to uphold.  Over the years, protections for migrants had increased, influenced by these two instruments.

    FERNANDO ESPINOSA OLIVERA, Deputy Permanent Representative of Mexico to the United Nations Office and Other International Organizations in Geneva, said there was back-peddling on human rights and discriminatory discourse against migrants worldwide.  In this context, international agreements concerning migrants were very important. Mexico had led the creation of international frameworks, including the Global Compact, that guaranteed the respect of migrants and promoted secure, orderly, regular and humane migration. Mexico welcomed general comment six, which was the product of broad consultations.  It would help to bring greater consistency in efforts to protect migrants. 

    There were several commonalities between the Convention and the Global Compact.  Mexico had developed State agencies and policies for caring for migrants abroad and supporting their reintegration, as well as tools for collecting data on migrants.  The governance of migration was only possible when it respected human rights.  All States needed to adopt constructive approaches and respect their obligations in the field of human rights and international law.

    ABDELLAH BOUTADGHART, Deputy Permanent Representative of the Kingdom of Morocco to the United Nations Office and Other International Organizations in Geneva, said the general comment was the product of a long and transparent process. Morocco hailed the Committee’s efforts to seek inputs from States on the general comment.  Currently, migrants around the work were facing xenophobia and violations of their rights.  The general comment would support efforts to protect their rights. 

    Morocco had developed a strategy to promote the rights of migrants on its territory.  It had regularised the status of many irregular migrants and supported their access to State services.  The Government sought to ensure that migrants could enjoy their rights. It had helped over 8,000 citizens of African countries seeking to return to their home countries to do so. Morocco shouldered its responsibilities in terms of border management and combatting trafficking in persons. States were obliged to ensure that the general comment was a success, and to develop policies on migration that were based on facts rather than disinformation.

    CATALINA DEVANDAS, Senior Director, Office of Partnerships, Advocacy and Communications, International Organization for Migration, said around 60 per cent of migrants were migrant workers.  Migrant workers constituted 4.7 per cent of the global workforce.  Over 650 billion United States dollars were sent in remittances to low and middle-income countries in 2024.  Remittances were key to development and reducing poverty. 

    The general comment promoted the benefits of safe and orderly migration and equal treatment in employment for migrant workers.  It called for key actors, including migrants themselves, to be included in conversations on migration policies and for migrants to be direct beneficiaries of these policies.  Despite the ongoing challenges, the past few decades had seen immense progress in the protection of the rights of migrants and the promotion of the benefits of migration for all.  The Convention and the Global Compact were two examples of this progress, and the general comment was an important tool for breathing new life into these instruments.

    GLADYS CISNEROS, Chief of Branch, Labour Migration Unit, International Labour Organization, said migrant workers were three times more likely to be in situations of forced labour.  Exploitation of migrant workers generated some 30 billion dollars in profits each year. In many countries, migrant workers faced legal and practical barriers to freedom of association.  These examples highlighted the urgent need for the protection of migrant workers’ rights. 

    Many International Labour Organization Conventions supplemented the rights guaranteed by the Global Compact and the Convention.  The International Labour Organization hoped to continue its collaboration with the Committee, and the Global Compact provided a crucial framework for this collaboration.  It guided States parties in the implementation of the Global Compact and the Convention.  States and civil society needed to closely study the general comment and make use of it to ensure the implementation of the Global Compact and the Convention.

    TASHA GILL, Global Lead on Migration and Displacement, United Nations Children’s Fund Regional Office for Europe and Central Asia, said the general comment emphasised protecting children from statelessness by ensuring that all births were registered.  It promoted family reunification for migrant workers and their families and the protection of children’s rights at borders.  Further, the general comment called for the establishment of safeguards to ensure that migrant children could attend school, highlighting the risks of child labour.  Many children were left behind when their parents left their countries to work. The general comment called for policies to support these children.

    JONATHAN PRENTICE, Head of the Secretariat, United Nations Network on Migration, said the Global Compact outlined the ways in which safe and orderly migration could be achieved and recognised the need to review progress in its implementation on a periodic basis.  The Committee needed to exert further efforts to promote the implementation of the Global Compact and the general comment.  The Global Compact had a long way to go before it was fully realised, but its existence and potential were not to be underestimated.

    PATRICK TARAN, President, Global Migration Policy Associates, saluted the sixtieth ratification of the Convention by Zimbabwe.  This was a milestone achievement.  In addition to the 60 States parties, there were also 11 States that had signed the Convention but had yet to ratify it.  Demand for skilled labour was growing worldwide.  Migrants and migration were worth nine trillion dollars to the global economy.  However, pushbacks against the rights of migrants continued.  The Convention and the Global Compact were complementary only when States had ratified both.  No country could be a champion of migrant workers’ rights until they had ratified the Convention. 

    The death rate for migrant workers at work was at least three times the rate for migrants in transit.  Foreign workers were at least twice as likely as nationals to die at work in European Union Member States.  These deaths were a result of the lack of implementation of the standards of the Convention.  There needed to be a joint general comment on the complementarity of the Convention and the two International Labour Organization Conventions that addressed migrant workers.  The global campaign for ratification of the Convention needed to be rejuvenated. With more resources, the Committee could achieve at least 100 ratifications by 2030.

    United Nations Women said the general comment provided clarity on States’ obligations under the Global Compact and the Convention. At every stage of migration, women’s rights were non-negotiable.  Harmful narratives needed to be combatted, and migration pathways needed to be made safe for women.  Migrant women regularly faced human rights violations and threats en route. States needed to promote the participation of migrant women in policy development, strengthen protections for migrant women, and promote their access to work.  United Nations Women would help States to convert their commitments into transformative action for migrants.

    ALAN DESMOND, Editor, Journal of Immigration, Asylum and Nationality Law, University of Leicester, United Kingdom, said the general comment would be of great use in ensuring that States that had ratified the Global Compact and the Convention implemented their obligations, and in raising awareness of the Convention. The two instruments were not identical, and it was important for States to fully implement both.  Remittances were a vital source of income for migrant families and they helped to promote economic development.  Migrants often had to pay disproportionate transaction fees, sometimes as much as 10 per cent.  International commitments had been developed to reduce remittance costs. The Convention and the Global Compact conferred on migrant workers the right to send remittances and on States the obligation to facilitate such remittances.  The holistic implementation of the two instruments would help to support migrants’ ability to send remittances, among other rights.

    Poor sound quality prevented interpretation of the statement made by ARIEL CEJAS MELIARE, Procurador Penitenciario de la Nación [Procurator’s Office of the Nation of Argentina].

    Discussion

    In the ensuing discussion, speakers welcomed the adoption of general comment six, which assisted States in implementing their commitments under the Convention and the Global Compact and would help States to manage migration with a human rights lens.  Migration governance called for a coherent vision.  Speakers welcomed that the general comment promoted non-criminalisation of migration.  States needed to adopt measures to combat the intolerance of migrants, particularly vulnerable persons, and to further facilitate regular migration, they said.

    Speakers presented policies to promote orderly migration, naturalise irregular migrants, and combat trafficking in persons and statelessness.  They also congratulated the Committee on its efforts to promote the rights of migrant workers.

    Concluding Remarks

    CARLOS D. SORRETA, Permanent Representative of the Philippines to the United Nations Office and Other International Organizations in Geneva, said the Philippines was developing an initiative to strengthen social stability and access to medical services for migrants.  This would help improve the situation of migrants abroad and when they returned home.  The State was calling on receiving countries to join the Convention.  Migrants had a transformative effect on the countries in which they worked.  Countries that had in the past criminalised Filipino migrant workers whose rights were violated by employers were now holding such employers to account.  This trend needed to continue.

    ABDELLAH BOUTADGHART, Deputy Permanent Representative of the Kingdom of Morocco to the United Nations Office and Other International Organizations in Geneva, said that there was a need to ground migration policy in evidence, away from xenophobic discourse.  It was welcome to hear the strong support for this approach from all speakers.

    MOHAMMED CHAREF, Committee Expert and Chair of the Committee’s Working Group on the Convention and the Global Compact, said he was moved by the support expressed for the general comment by participants.  During these challenging times, there needed to be collaboration between all parties to address migrant workers’ complex situation and support them.

    EDGAR CORZO SOSA, Committee Expert and Member of the Committee’s Working Group on the Convention and the Global Compact, said the Committee would spare no effort to promote the implementation of the general comment, and ensure that the good standards and practices established in the Convention and the Global Compact were implemented around the world.

    FATIMATA DIALLO, Committee Chair, said the Committee hoped that the general comment would be a roadmap for States parties to improve protections for migrants and migrant workers.  It would take into consideration all comments made by participants and work to disseminate the general comment through its outreach activities.  It hoped that the general comment would contribute to promoting the protection of migrant workers across the world.

    ___________

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

     

    CMW25.005E

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Minister highlights key foreign policy milestones and sets future direction

    Source: France-Diplomatie – Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Development

    Statements by M. Jean-Noël Barrot, Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs, at his hearing before the National Assembly Foreign Affairs Committee (excerpts) (April 2, 2025)

    (…)

    Thank you for giving me the opportunity to outline the diplomatic track record of the first 100 days of François Bayrou’s government.

    UKRAINE

    The first point, unsurprisingly, relates to Europe’s strategic reawakening and Ukraine’s security. Just over a month ago we entered the fourth year of Russia’s war of aggression in Ukraine, which was a huge jolt for European nations. In recent weeks, as you’ve seen, we’ve made considerable progress towards what could be the resolution of this crisis and, more broadly, a European security architecture capable of deterring the threat for good.

    The Franco-British proposal for a one-month ceasefire in the air, at sea and on energy infrastructure was taken up by the Ukrainian President during his discussions with the United States, which, for its part, insisted on an immediate, complete and unconditional 30-day ceasefire. The Ukrainians, for whom this is a significant compromise, accepted it. (…)

    The Russians rejected the proposal, after suggesting they would abide by it. The situation is now clear: Russia is engaging in delaying tactics and wants to gain time. It hasn’t given up its territorial ambitions, it’s proceeding with further strikes on energy infrastructure, is continuing its war crimes and has even just launched the biggest conscription drive for 14 years – 160,000 young people expected to leave for the front. At this stage, it seems to me that Russia owes the United States, which is striving to lead the mediation, a clear response: yes or no.

    LEBANON

    The second point in our track record is support for Lebanon on the road to reconstruction. Although Lebanon was on the edge of the abyss, we managed to negotiate with our US partners a ceasefire that restored the country’s security and stability. It’s holding, despite the tensions, including the most recent ones. Israeli troops have withdrawn from 99% of the territories they had occupied.

    We’ve helped bring an end to a two-and-a-half-year vacancy for the head of State’s role. President Joseph Aoun was elected in January; he met President Macron in Paris on Friday 28 March. Prime Minister Nawaf Salam is working to give shape to the new hope for that country so close to France’s heart.

    We’ll continue to support its economic recovery and the restoration of a sovereign State by organizing an international conference dedicated to Lebanon’s reconstruction, in Paris this autumn. Between now and then, we’re advising Israel to enter into talks with Lebanon with a view to a definitive withdrawal from the five points it still occupies and the resolution of border disputes.

    SYRIA

    The third point in our record is our clear-sighted and conditional engagement with Syria following the fall of Bashar al-Assad’s criminal regime. We’ve chosen a demanding engagement with the new Syrian authorities, whose past we are aware of, with two goals: to foster a peaceful and inclusive political transition in keeping with Syria’s pluralism, guaranteeing respect for the rights of women and all communities; and to ensure that our security interests, particularly the fight against Islamist terrorism, the destruction of chemical weapons and an end to drug trafficking, are taken into account.

    This explains my visit to Damascus on 3 January and the organization of an international conference on Syria in Paris on 13 February. More recently, we encouraged the signing of an agreement on 10 March between the Damascus authorities and our Kurdish partners in the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), which have spearheaded the fight against Daesh in recent years, so that their rights and interests are taken into account in the Syrian transition and we can continue the fight against terrorism. We also ensured that the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) can be deployed in Syria to destroy the regime’s stockpile of illegal chemical weapons.

    Our engagement is clear-sighted, demanding, conditional and reversible. We strongly condemned the massacres of Alawite civilians and let the Damascus authorities know that, in the absence of a fight against impunity, we shall not proceed with a lifting of sanctions.

    AFRICA

    The fourth point in the record is the renewal of our partnerships in Africa. At the end of November, the President of Nigeria was welcomed to Paris to strengthen our ties with the continent’s leading demographic power. It was the first state visit to France by an African head of State since 2017. In mid-January we hosted a state visit by the President of Angola, which took over the presidency of the African Union (AU) a month later.

    I personally have made several visits to sub-Saharan Africa: to the Sudanese border, to demonstrate our unfailing mobilization in the face of the world’s biggest humanitarian crisis; to Addis Ababa, headquarters of the AU, to revitalize, five years after the last session, our strategic dialogue with this new G20 member – because the AU has been admitted as a fully-fledged member; to Thiaroye in Senegal, to speak the truth about our shared history; to Johannesburg, to make France’s voice heard at the G20, whose presidency South Africa holds this year; and to Kinshasa and Kigali, to call on the Congolese and Rwandan heads of State to prioritize diplomacy rather than weapons.

    CHINA/TRADE

    Fifth point in the record: progress on trade negotiations in China. My visit last weekend was a first step towards resolving our dispute on Cognac and Armagnac. Before my visit to Beijing, the industry was under threat of an immediate imposition of definitive tariffs ranging from 34% to 39% on Cognac and Armagnac and the definitive closure of access to duty-free shops.

    The demanding dialogue we’ve been conducting has enabled us to maintain this access for goods that have already arrived in China and delay by three months any imposition of definitive tariffs. This significant reprieve allows us to continue this demanding dialogue with China in order to put this dispute behind us. Next step: high-level dialogue between the Economy and Finance Minister and his Chinese counterpart on 15 May.

    ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE

    The sixth point in the record is the success of the Artificial Intelligence (AI) Action Summit, held in Paris in January with more than 100 countries. Co-chaired by France and India, whose prime minister paid an official visit to France on the occasion, it concluded with a statement tackling, for the first time, the challenges of AI in their entirety – environmental, social and democratic. We also managed to secure an announcement of private investment in France to the tune of €109 billion, to benefit our businesses and fellow citizens, which will be followed up with a €50-billion investment by the European Commission, testifying to France’s attractiveness when it comes to this promising technology.

    IRAN/FRENCH HOSTAGES

    The seventh point in the record is the release of several French hostages. On 17 March, after months of active efforts and four conversations with my counterpart, we secured the release of Olivier Grondeau. It was an especially moving moment, shared by the nation’s elected representatives during a tribute paid on 25 March to him and our two other compatriots, Jacques Paris and Cécile Kohler, who are still being held after more than 1,000 days.

    To free them, we’ll be stepping up the pressure on the Iranian regime. First of all, in the coming days, probably during the European Foreign Affairs Council on 14 April, we’ll be adopting additional European sanctions against those Iranians responsible for the state hostages policy. Secondly, given the unacceptable violations of our two compatriots’ right to consular protection, which are sadly just one aspect of their harsh conditions of detention, we’ll be lodging a complaint against Iran with the International Court of Justice, for violating the right to consular protection. (…)

    What makes our diplomacy strong is precisely that it has a more extensive arsenal than others, ranging from dialogue to sanctions, and that it uses it wisely, having learnt from decades and even centuries of French diplomatic successes.

    It’s this strength that I’ll be harnessing in the next 100 days to defend and promote French interests.

    GAZA

    The first area on which we’re focusing efforts is the search for a lasting political solution in Gaza. We’re working for a permanent ceasefire enabling the release of all the hostages and the massive delivery of humanitarian aid, blocked for several weeks, to the civilian population, who are in a tragic situation. We’re convinced that there’s no military solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. In particular, annexation, the forced displacement of people, and settlement activity are a dead end and a threat to the security of Israel itself.

    We’ll continue to work to find the path to a lasting political solution. In Gaza, we support the Arab plan, which proposes a reconstruction framework and credible security guarantees. It aims to establish a new Palestinian governance, in which Hamas must in no way take part. Outside Gaza, we’ll continue working with our Saudi partners, co-chairing an international conference at the United Nations headquarters in New York in the summer, aimed at restoring the prospect of a two-State solution, which alone guarantees peace and security to the Israelis and Palestinians.

    SUDAN

    The second area we’re focusing on concerns the crisis in Sudan, the world’s biggest humanitarian crisis in terms of its scale – 26 million children, women and men in a situation of absolute humanitarian distress. 15 April will mark the second anniversary of the conflict.

    In 2024 we hosted a major international conference on support for Sudan and the neighbouring countries, which raised more than €2 billion in humanitarian commitments. On 15 April I’ll be visiting London for the second conference, co-organized with the United Kingdom, Germany, the European Union and the AU. We’ll review the commitments made last year and call on those involved to shoulder their responsibilities, to ensure that the conflict does not see a third anniversary.

    DRC/RWANDA

    The third area of work concerns diplomatic and humanitarian support in the Great Lakes region. We’re making active efforts to find a diplomatic solution to the crisis tearing apart the eastern DRC, where Rwandan troops are deployed supporting the rebel group M23, in breach of Congolese sovereignty.

    We’re pursuing this goal at several levels: bilaterally, President Macron is in close contact with his two counterparts and the region’s leaders; at the level of the European Union, which recently adopted new individual measures against military leaders from Rwanda and the M23 rebel group; and at the UN, where we played a key role and got the Security Council to adopt a historic resolution at the end of February, unanimously condemning the presence of Rwandan troops in the eastern DRC.

    We’re also in contact with African mediators, who are working on the front line to secure a political resolution to the crisis – i.e. in practical terms, a lasting and mutually-agreed ceasefire and a resumption of negotiations. It’s a matter of urgency. The whole region’s stability is at stake, and the conflict has already led to the displacement of nearly a million people since the beginning of the year, and several thousand deaths. It’s the world’s second most serious humanitarian crisis. So I’ve decided, regardless of the budgetary constraints, to increase our humanitarian support package by €5.5 million.

    IRAN/NUCLEAR PROGRAMME

    Our fourth area of work concerns the search for a binding agreement on Iran’s nuclear programme. Despite the setbacks it has suffered in recent months – the heavy defeat of Hezbollah in Lebanon, the fall of Bashar al-Assad’s regime, Israel’s aerial attack on its territory, a disastrous economic situation – Iran is continuing an agenda of destabilization, raising the stakes in its nuclear programme, which is reaching unprecedented levels, continuing its support for groups that destabilize the region such as the Houthis, supporting Russia’s war in Ukraine by delivering drones and missiles, and a policy of state hostages.

    Ten years after the conclusion of the Joint Plan of Action (JPoA), we remain convinced that Iran must never obtain a nuclear weapon. Our priority is to achieve an agreement that restricts its nuclear programme in a lasting and verifiable way. The window of opportunity is narrow: we have only a few months before the expiry of the JPoA, secured in particular thanks to French negotiators, to whom I pay tribute. In the event of failure, a military confrontation would become all but inevitable. Its cost would be very high, in that it would very badly destabilize the region. We’ve been doing everything to prevent that, for the past 10 years.

    ALGERIA

    Fifthly, we’re focusing our efforts on opening up diplomatic space with Algeria. The tensions between us, which we didn’t cause, serve neither its interests nor ours. We must reduce them rigorously and with honesty, without weakness. That was the approach behind the Prime Minister’s convening of an interministerial meeting on immigration control providing for a re-examination of the agreements reached between the two countries.

    The telephone conversation between President Macron and his Algerian counterpart reopened a diplomatic space allowing the crisis to be resolved. We intend to take advantage of it to achieve results, in the interests of French people, as regards cooperation on migration, justice, security, the economy and remembrance. The two heads of State decided on some principles. They must now find a way to implement them. On Sunday I’ll be visiting Algiers for this. Other ministerial, and no doubt parliamentary, visits will follow.

    WESTERN BALKANS

    Sixth area where we’re focusing our efforts: the Western Balkans. Exactly 30 years ago, the region was in the grip of a very high-intensity war, right at the heart of the European continent, less than 2,000 kilometres from France. In Serbia, the authorities are facing unprecedented public unrest. The negotiations conducted for several months between President Vucic and the demonstrators have made it possible to announce the formation of a new government in the next few weeks, which is a first step towards calming down the situation. Last Saturday, during a conversation, President Macron had the opportunity to encourage him to move further along that path.

    In Bosnia and Herzegovina, since an arrest warrant was issued against him, the President of Republika Srpska, Milorad Dodik, is stepping up his secessionist initiatives, which we have systematically condemned. We gave our consent to a strengthening of the European ALTHEA force, which is under French command, by some 600 additional personnel, so that it could be in a position to calm down the situation if it became toxic. (…)

    We’re focusing on the European Political Community summit being held in Tirana on 16 May, providing President Macron with the opportunity to hold meetings with the authorities in the countries of the region – both the ones gripped by the crisis and those which, on the contrary, are making good progress on their pathway to the European Union, particularly Albania and Montenegro.

    ARMENIA/AZERBAIJAN

    The seventh area on which we’re focusing efforts is the Caucasus, particularly with our support for Armenia. We welcomed the conclusion of negotiations on the peace treaty between Armenia and Azerbaijan. Nothing stands now in the way of it being signed, which I hope will take place as soon as possible. France will continue to unfailingly support Armenia’s resilience and sovereignty. The determination of Nikol Pashinyan’s government to stay on the path of independence, democracy and peace is remarkable, especially as Russia is not hiding its hostility.

    In this context, we are closely following the trial of the Armenians of Nagorno-Karabakh, which began on 17 January at the Baku Military Court. We are being very vigilant as regards the concerns expressed by human rights organizations about the fairness of trials and the treatment of defendants. We call for the release of all prisoners held arbitrarily in Azerbaijan and would like the normalization process between the two countries to allow the issue of prisoners and detainees to be resolved.

    UN OCEAN CONFERENCE

    Our eighth area of work concerns the organization of the third United Nations Ocean Conference (UNOC) in Nice in June. A highlight of our international calendar, 10 years after the conclusion of the Paris climate agreement, it’s set to be its equivalent for the oceans. We’re aiming at several outcomes – one of them is being debated in the Chamber at this very moment – including the entry into force of the international treaty for the protection of the high seas and marine biodiversity, which requires it to be ratified by 60 signatory States. We’ve got to about 20. We’re making active efforts at every level, including that of your committee through Éléonore Caroit, whom I thank. We’ll be opening a ratification office in Nice during UNOC, to encourage countries that are delaying to submit their ratification instruments.

    Allow me to say a word about the two main projects to transform the Ministry.

    INFORMATION WAR

    The first concerns rearmament in the face of the information war. In 2024 France was the European Union country most targeted by foreign interference, with 152 of the 505 cases detected in Europe between November 2023 and November 2024. That year, 2024, saw a great deal of evidence that operations of influence, particularly Russian ones, were being conducted against our civilian population. France has assets to defeat this, but must invest more in informing French people. More broadly, it must not only beef itself up to defend itself but also reinvent itself to make its voice heard, at a time when the information space has become fragmented.

    FOREIGN MINISTRY AND THE PUBLIC

    The second transformation project consists in focusing the Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs more on French people and creating through this key State ministry – which is probably one of those least known by our compatriots – a link between diplomacy and nation such as that between the army and the nation. What happens beyond our borders has probably never had so much impact on our compatriots’ daily lives, and both you and I saw during scrutiny of the budget an insufficient understanding of the work we do in parliamentary and ministerial diplomacy to serve our compatriots.

    This transformation project is very far-reaching and affects every dimension of our action. It’s about better assessing and developing the response the Ministry provides to French people’s concerns, for example in terms of employment, the ecological transition, health and immigration. It’s about activating links with French people by supporting economic diplomacy and decentralized cooperation – local authorities are the Ministry’s chief partner. It’s about taking resolute action, with elected representatives of the regions, departments and cross-border communities, to finally remove the many irritants facing the millions of our compatriots who have daily experience of the border. It’s about increasing the number of visits by the Minister within France, which is not customary but seems important in the period we are going through, because our compatriots are worried about what is happening abroad and need to be given some control. Finally, it’s about opening the Quai d’Orsay right up and increasing the number of visits there so that people can properly understand the professions of the diplomatic service, how it can change our compatriots’ lives and why it’s so useful on a daily basis. (…)./.

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: Where Policy Meets Investment: African Ministers to Showcase Mineral Refining Opportunities at African Mining Week (AMW) 2025

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

    CAPE TOWN, South Africa, April 15, 2025/APO Group/ —

    African Mining Week (AMW) – Africa’s premier gathering for mining stakeholders, taking place from October 1-3 in Cape Town – will feature a high-level Ministerial Forum dedicated to advancing local mineral beneficiation across the continent.

    The session – From Extraction to Transformation: African Governments Driving Beneficiation and Value Addition – will spotlight national strategies and regulatory reforms aimed at boosting midstream and downstream infrastructure, enhancing local content, supporting community development and maximizing national value capture from resource exploitation.

    Across the continent, mineral-rich countries are enacting policies and investment incentives – including export restrictions on raw minerals – to spur industrialization and local processing. In the Democratic Republic of Congo, the world’s top cobalt producer, authorities imposed a four-month suspension on cobalt and copper exports in February 2025 to prevent market oversupply and stabilize prices. The decision came in response to a steep price drop from $82,000 per metric ton in April 2022 to just $21,550 in February 2025, aiming to resume exports once more favorable market conditions return. These proactive measures are expected to enhance the long-term sustainability of the sector and attract new investments in processing and refining infrastructure.

    In Zimbabwe, a 2023 ban on raw lithium exports has attracted billions in downstream investment and created new jobs. In August 2024, Zimbabwe secured $310 million from Chinese and British investors to construct a three-million-ton-per-annum lithium processing facility at Sandawana Mine. Guinea-Conakry, which holds 23% of global bauxite reserves and is the second-largest producer worldwide, is reducing its reliance on raw exports by advancing several alumina refinery projects. Key developments include partnerships with Emirates Global Aluminium and Alteo Refinery to strengthen local industrial capacity. These strategic moves are positioning both countries as key players in the global mineral refining market, with significant potential for long-term economic growth and job creation.

    Meanwhile, South Africa, the world’s leading producer of platinum group metals (PGMs), is making major strides in beneficiation. Projects include the $4.5 billion KwaZulu-Natal Titanium Beneficiation Complex by Nyanza Light Metals; a titanium pigment plant at the Richards Bay Industrial Development Zone; a PGM treatment facility at the Steelpoortdrift Vanadium Project by Vanadium Resources Limited; and a new treatment plant at Ivanhoe Mines’ Platreef PGM Nickel Project. These initiatives are expected to significantly boost South Africa’s beneficiation capacity, create thousands of jobs and further cement the country’s position as a global leader in mineral processing and industrialization.

    The Ministerial Forum at AMW will provide a strategic platform for African leaders to showcase progress, present investment-ready opportunities and foster collaboration across the mining value chain. It will also serve to align policy priorities and attract long-term capital for the development of sustainable, value-driven mineral economies.

    African Mining Week serves as a premier platform for exploring the full spectrum of mining opportunities across Africa. The event is held alongside the African Energy Week: Invest in African Energies 2025 conference from October 1-3 in Cape Town. Sponsors, exhibitors and delegates can learn more by contacting sales@energycapitalpower.com.

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI Video: Sudan, Yemen & other topics – Daily Press Briefing (15 April 2025) | United Nations

    Source: United Nations (Video News)

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

    Highlights:
    Sudan
    Sudan/Humanitarian
    Security Council
    Occupied Palestinian Territory
    Myanmar
    Democratic Republic of the Congo
    South Sudan
    Briefing Tomorrow

    SUDAN
    Today mark the second anniversary of the horrific war going on in Sudan, which has created the world’s biggest humanitarian and displacement crisis. Over 12 million people have fled their homes and more than 3.8 million of those have crossed into neighbouring countries.
    More than 30 million people require humanitarian support. Half of the population of Sudan – some 25 million people – are acutely hungry. And as you well know, famine has been identified in at least five locations in the country and is projected to spread further.
    In a statement to mark this grim milestone, the Secretary-General said that the only way to ensure the protection of civilians is to end this senseless conflict, adding that the external support and flow of weapons must end and those with greatest influence on the parties must use that influence to better the lives of people in Sudan, and they should not use that influence to perpetuate this disaster. The Secretary-General will continue to engage with regional leaders on means to enhance our collective efforts for peace. His Personal Envoy, Ramtane Lamamra, today is at the London Conference on Sudan and he told participants that he intends to intensify his interactions with interlocutors in Sudan and the broader region.
    Mr. Lamamra added that urgent political engagement is needed to forestall Sudan’s permanent fragmentation, which would have obviously, grave consequences for the region and beyond. He reaffirmed our commitment to continue to back all efforts that seek to launch an inclusive and credible political process.

    SUDAN/HUMANITARIAN
    In a statement issued today, the Humanitarian and Resident Coordinator for Sudan, Clementine Nkweta-Salami, described the conflict as a crisis of humanity, emphasizing that millions of lives are hanging in the balance. She called for the protection of civilians and aid workers, full respect for international humanitarian law and of course, an immediate end to the violence.
    Like other conflicts and wars, this one in Sudan has a huge toll that is mainly felt by women and children.
    The UN Women today said that there is a 288 per cent increase in demand for lifesaving support following rape and sexual violence, with sexual violence and rape being systematically used as a weapon of war in Sudan.
    The UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) warns that the number of children in need of humanitarian assistance has doubled from 7.8 million in 2023 to more than 15 million today.
    Meanwhile, the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) remains deeply concerned by ongoing reports of mass displacement, mounting civilian deaths and continued access restrictions in North Darfur.
    The International Organization for Migration (IOM) reports that up to 400,000 people have fled Zamzam camp in recent days, which is obviously due to the escalating insecurity in the camp. Most remain displaced within the locality of El Fasher, while others have sought refuge in the towns of Tawila and Dar As Salam.
    As of today, Zamzam camp is inaccessible, and a communication blackout continues to hinder independent verification. Local sources are telling us that armed groups have taken control of the camp and are restricting the movement of those remaining, especially young people.
    It is difficult unfortunately to verify the number of casualties due to the insecurities in North Darfur, but I can tell you that in the past three days alone, more than 400 people, including 12 humanitarian workers, have reported been killed in Zamzam and Um Kadadah in North Darfur, according to local NGOs. Among the casualties was the manager of a children’s centre in Zamzam, who died after being injured in shelling.
    Eleven others were killed in an attack on a health facility operated by Relief International.
    The UN urges all parties, yet again, to allow for safe, unhindered access for aid workers and to meet their obligations under international humanitarian law.

    SECURITY COUNCIL
    This morning, Security Council members met in closed consultations on Yemen. They heard from our Special Envoy Hans Grundberg and the Director of Operations and Advocacy at OCHA, Ms. Edem Wosornu.
    This afternoon at 3:00 pm, they will reconvene in close consultations to hear about the situation in Sudan. Ms. Wosornu will brief again.

    Full Highlights: https://www.un.org/sg/en/content/noon-briefing-highlight?date%5Bvalue%5D%5Bdate%5D=15%20April%202025

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q5fDkxAL-4s

    MIL OSI Video –

  • MIL-OSI Video: Sudan: Massive violation of Human Rights – Press Conference | United Nations

    Source: United Nations (Video News)

    A UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) official said that one in three Sudanese are displaced, and one in six internally displaced persons globally come from Sudan.

    UNHCR’s Regional Director for East and Horn of Africa and Great Lakes Mamadou Dian Balde spoke to reporters today (14 Apr) via video link, on the humanitarian needs inside Sudan and in neighboring countries, as one of the largest displacement crises globally with nearly 13 million people forcibly displaced.

    Balde said, “Countries have been hosting refugees. Regional countries, neighboring countries have not closed their borders. They’ve been receiving the refugees.”

    “Communities that don’t have enough have shared what they have. And that’s really the true spirit of solidarity. And this is what we see happening in the region,” he highlighted

    The UNHCR official also said, “as we speak today, over 70,000 have reached Uganda. Uganda has problem of its own, and Uganda has thankfully opened and kept these borders open despite receiving 1.8 million refugees as we speak, they have added to that 70,000 Sudanese refugees and, Libya over 200,000.”

    Balde also stressed that only 10 percent of the Regional Refugee Response plan is currently funded.

    He called for the support for the 111 partners who are part of the Plan.

    The UNHCR official thanked the various partners who have contributed, stressing that however with only 10 per cent of the plan funded reaching the fifth month of the year, “the level of support to have food, to have water, to have protection services, education, shelter, housing, this level of support is going to be extremely, extremely low.”

    Balde explained that request of the Regional Refugee Response plan is 1.8 billion US dollars to be able to serve 4.9 million refugees and immediate hosts in neighboring countries.

    He added that the 111 partners that are coordinate aid, a third of them are national partners, “people who are closer to the realities, in addition to international NGOs as well as national NGOs and the UN organizations,” the UNHCR official said.

    Balde reiterated the need for ceasefire stressing that us that the Sudanese refugees want “a normalcy so that they can return home and take care of themselves.”

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oPAQ8yRx9Z0

    MIL OSI Video –

  • MIL-OSI Video: Sudan – Two Years of War | United Nations

    Source: United Nations (Video News)

    This Tuesday marks two years of war in Sudan — a brutal conflict that’s triggered the world’s largest displacement crisis and humanitarian crisis. Millions have fled, famine looms, and neighbouring countries are overwhelmed. The UN and its partners have been on the ground responding and continue to call for peace in the region.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wXY6Ff_sOC8

    MIL OSI Video –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Statement by UNFPA Executive Director Dr. Natalia Kanem on two years of conflict in Sudan

    Source: United Nations Population Fund

    Two years into the conflict in Sudan, civilians continue to bear the brunt of this crisis.

    The latest attack on Zamzam camp saw approximately 100 people killed, including aid workers who were running one of the camp’s last remaining health facilities. 

    Sexual violence has scarred women and girls from the start of this crisis. A staggering 12 million people are at risk of gender-based violence – an 80 per cent increase since last year – while only one in four facilities set up to provide the clinical management of rape is functional. 

    Over the past two years, attacks on hospitals and other health facilities have decimated the already struggling health system. Only 1 in 5 health facilities in areas that have experienced heavy fighting remain open, making childbirth life threatening for the estimated 1,000 displaced women who give birth every day. Malnutrition is also increasing the odds of pregnancy-related complications, particularly for those teetering on the brink of famine.

    Since the beginning of the war in April 2023, UNFPA has worked with women-led organizations and other local partners to provide reproductive health and protection services to over 750,000 people, including through 71 mobile health teams and 64 women’s and girls’ safe spaces. This is despite tremendous logistical challenges.

    Yet, recent funding cuts are jeopardizing progress, posing a catastrophic blow to an already underfunded humanitarian response operation. Funding cuts to UNFPA in Sudan will leave 475,000 women in Sudan and neighbouring countries without maternal health or gender-based violence services. UNFPA is appealing for $119.6 million to provide life-saving reproductive health and protection services this year in Sudan. Last year, our humanitarian response in the country was only 60 percent funded.

    UNFPA calls for an end to this brutal war. In line with international humanitarian law, civilians and the infrastructure they rely on must be protected. Violence against women and girls must stop. Survivors must have access to medical and psychosocial support services, and those responsible must be held to account. Unhindered humanitarian aid must flow freely into and across Sudan by every route possible. 

    The world must not turn its back on the women and girls of Sudan. 

    UNFPA has strong local partnerships and is on the ground and ready to deliver. What we urgently need is global action, commitment and funding for the women and girls of Sudan. 

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: CCI approves proposed transaction involving Aster DM Healthcare, BCP Asia, Centella and Quality Care India Limited

    Source: Government of India

    Posted On: 15 APR 2025 8:06PM by PIB Delhi

    The Competition Commission of India has approved the proposed transaction involving Aster DM Healthcare, BCP Asia, Centella and Quality Care India Limited.

    The proposed transaction includes the proposed merger of Quality Care India Limited (QCIL) into Aster DM Healthcare Limited (Aster) by way of scheme of amalgamation, post which Aster will be renamed as Aster DM Quality Care Limited. Prior to the merger, Aster shall purchase 5.0% stake in QCIL from BCP Asia II TopCo IV Pte. Ltd. (BCP Asia) and Centella Mauritius Holdings Limited (Centella) in consideration of a primary share issuance by Aster. The existing shareholders of QCIL i.e., Centella, BCP and certain minority shareholders are proposed to hold certain stake in the merged entity with Centella holding less than 10% stake, without any control rights.

    Aster is a healthcare service provider operating in India through 19 hospitals with 4867 beds, 13 clinics, 215 pharmacies, and 232 labs and patient experience centers across 6 states in India. It is a part of the Aster Group.

    BCP is owned by funds advised and / or managed by affiliates of Blackstone Inc.

    Centella is owned and controlled by an entity, which is advised by the affiliates of TPG Inc. (TPG), the ultimate holding company of the TPG group. TPG, including its subsidiaries and affiliates, are together referred to as ‘TPG Group’.

    QCIL, is an unlisted public limited company, owned and controlled by Centella, and BCP. It operates a network of multi-specialty hospitals under the brand name CARE Hospitals, KIMS Health and Evercare across various cities in India. It has a network of 26 healthcare centers operating over 5,150+ beds across 14 cities offer over 30 medical specialties with a team of 2,500+ doctors.

    Detailed order of the Commission will follow.​​​​​​​

    ******

    NB/AD

    (Release ID: 2121949) Visitor Counter : 59

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: INSV TARINI FLAGGED OFF FROM CAPE TOWN FOR THE FINAL LEG OF THE NAVIKA SAGAR PARIKRAMA II EXPEDITION

    Source: Government of India

    Posted On: 15 APR 2025 5:28PM by PIB Delhi

    INSV Tarini was ceremonially flagged off from the Royal Cape Yacht Club for the final leg of her journey to Goa on 15 Apr 25, at 1030 hours local time (1400 hrs IST). The send-off was graced by the presence of the Officiating Consul General of India in Cape Town, the Defence Attaché of India to South Africa, members of the RCYC Governing Council, and representatives of the Indian community in Cape Town.

    The circumnavigation is a significant endeavour aimed at promoting ocean sailing in India, showcasing the strength and resilience of Indian women in uniform, and highlighting India’s indigenous shipbuilding capabilities.

    As part of the ongoing Navika Sagar Parikrama II, INSV Tarini, proudly crewed by Lieutenant Commander Dilna K and Lieutenant Commander Roopa A, made a scheduled stopover at Cape Town, South Africa.

    https://pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=2117120

    During her port call at Cape Town, INSV Tarini served as a hub for numerous outreach and diplomatic engagements. The vessel played host to several esteemed guests including:

    •        Shri Prabhat Kumar, Hon’ble High Commissioner of India to South Africa.

    •        Mr Reagan Allen, Deputy Speaker of the Western Cape.

    •        Mr Johnathan Rhodes, former international cricketer and a friend of India.

    •        Ms Kirsten Neuschäfer, winner of the prestigious Golden Globe Race 2022–23 and a noted solo circumnavigator.

    •        Smt Ruby Jaspreet, Counsel General of India at Cape Town.

    •        Members of the Indian diaspora and local dignitaries.

    This visit also provided an opportunity for cultural exchange and highlighted the growing maritime cooperation between India and South Africa.

    In addition to hosting high-profile guests, the crew of INSV Tarini engaged in a series of interactive events aimed at promoting gender equality, women’s empowerment, and India’s capability in indigenous boat building. These included:

    •        A special interaction with students from the Indian diaspora.

    •        Experience sharing with prominent citizens, and members of the diplomatic community at RCYC, Cape Town, where the officers shared insights into their journey, the challenges of ocean sailing, and the vision behind Navika Sagar Parikrama.

    •        A formal session with faculty and Select students at the University of the Western Cape.

    •        Engagement with Naval Cadets at the Naval College, inspiring the next generation of naval officers.

    •        Interaction with young aspiring sailors of the Royal Cape Yacht Club(RCYC) Sailing Academy, promoting maritime spirit and camaraderie.

    The crew also utilized the stop to undertake routine and essential maintenance of INSV Tarini, ensuring the vessel remains in peak operational condition for the final stretch of the voyage.

    INSV Tarini is expected to reach Goa by end May 2025, marking the successful completion of yet another proud chapter in India’s maritime history. The Navika Sagar Parikrama II continues to be a beacon of women empowerment, maritime excellence, and national pride.

    _____________________________________________________________

    VM/SKS                                                                                                        88/25

     

     

    (Release ID: 2121885) Visitor Counter : 58

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Answer to a written question – Making financial aid conditional on Algeria’s cooperation on migration – E-000289/2025(ASW)

    Source: European Parliament

    The EU’s relationship with Algeria is multifaceted. The EU remains Algeria’s largest trade partner. Algeria is the EU’s third-largest gas supplier, and its vast renewable energy potential makes it a key partner in the green transition. Both also share a strategic interest in stabilising the Sahel.

    Algeria is a country of origin, transit and destination for migration. While many Algerians migrate legally to Europe, Algeria has also become a hub for sub-Saharan migrants — some settling, others transiting.

    It seeks closer cooperation with the EU on the voluntary return of sub-Saharan migrants, facilitated through the International Organisation for Migration. EU efforts to engage Algeria on the readmission of its nationals illegally staying in the EU remain challenging for several Member States.

    EU financial support is primarily channelled through international partners rather than the Algerian government. No financing instruments used for Algeria directly link funding to specific policy measures. As a result, political dialogue remains the primary tool for advancing cooperation on migration and security.

    EU development cooperation supports Algeria’s economic diversification, critical given its high hydrocarbon dependency and youth unemployment.

    Funds are allocated through pillar-assessed partners (e.g. United Nations agencies, Member State development agencies) to ensure effective implementation.

    Last updated: 15 April 2025

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: Ministry of Health and KAOUN International launch GITEX FUTURE HEALTH AFRICA in Morocco, the foremost healthcare tech event to accelerate digitisation of the region’s healthcare industry

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

    MARRAKECH, Morocco, April 15, 2025/APO Group/ —

    During the third annual edition of GITEX AFRICA Morocco (www.GITEXAfrica.com), the continent’s largest tech and startup show, His Excellency Mr. Amine Tehraoui, Morocco’s Minister of Health and Social Protection announced the launch of GITEX FUTURE HEALTH AFRICA/Morocco – in partnership with KAOUN International, organiser of GITEX in Africa and globally.

    The much anticipated and pivotal event for the healthcare economy was officially launched with the signing of the partnership agreement, and will be held under the authority of Morocco’s Minister of Health and Social Protection, hosted in partnership with Mohammed VI Foundation for Sciences and Health (FM6SS), and organised by KOAUN International, the organiser of GITEX in Africa and globally.

    To be hosted in Casablanca from 21-23 April 2026, GITEX FUTURE HEALTH AFRICA/Morocco, featuring GITEX DIGI_HEALTH, is set to lead the transformation impetus of Morocco and Africa to combat challenges in healthcare information, delivery, access and efficiency, capitalising on the emergence of AI and digital technologies.

    H.E. Mr. Amine Tehraoui, Minister of Health and Social Protection, stated: “GITEX FUTURE HEALTH AFRICA/Morocco embodies the Kingdom’s unwavering commitment to health as a fundamental and universal human right, enshrined in our national vision for health system reform. As digital innovation, data intelligence, and health tech increasingly shape the future of care delivery across Africa, this platform reinforces Morocco’s position as a regional hub for collaboration, talent, and investment. Through international partnerships, strategic innovation, and shared expertise, we have a unique opportunity to co-build inclusive, resilient, and people-centered healthcare systems for the continent and beyond.”

    For its part, the Mohammed VI Foundation for Sciences and Health emphasized its strategic vision: “As a major player in the fields of health, training, and scientific research, the Mohammed VI Foundation for Sciences and Health is committed, alongside the Ministry of Health and Social Protection and KAOUN International, to making Morocco a continental hub for healthtech. By contributing its medical and academic expertise through the development of digital health and medical technologies in Morocco and Africa, we aim to help shape the healthcare ecosystem of tomorrow.”

    Morocco has emerged as a pioneer in digital health initiatives and advancing expeditiously towards an integrated health information system, fostering the adoption of innovative medical technologies to build a resilient healthcare infrastructure and system. The African healthcare market is estimated to be worth US$259 billion and expected to become the second biggest market after the US by 2030.

    Trixie LohMirmand, CEO of KAOUN International, organiser of GITEX globally, commented: “There is urgency from governments and healthcare institutions worldwide – and especially in Africa – to modernise and digitise their healthcare services to increase reach, reduce healthcare costs and deliver better patient outcomes. GITEX FUTURE HEALTH AFRICA/Morocco will highlight the role and growing influence of AI and new digital solutions to improve data-driven decision making and reduce health inequities. The event will prioritise public-private partnerships which are particularly instrumental in this digital mission to advance the industry productively and efficiently.”

    The three-day event will open with an agenda shaping leadership summit tackling powerful themes – accelerating cutting-edge solutions set to transform access, outcomes and health equity. Targeting decision-making executives from hospitals and healthcare institutions, health ministers and government leaders, CIOs, CTOs, innovators and disruptors, and public health policymakers – topics during the summit will explore health infrastructure, expanded access to healthcare, investment and research, data security and national records integration, health and data analytics, and AI-powered diagnostics.

    An exhibition will bring together top researchers, practitioners, innovators, and experts from the global healthcare industry – representing Africa’s most important gathering of medical & lab equipment, imaging & diagnostics, IT systems & solutions, healthcare infrastructure, healthcare transformation, smart hospitals, healthcare management, and digital health management systems in Africa.

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: 15 April 2025

    Source: Bank of Botswana

    The Monetary Policy Rate (MoPR) was unchanged at 1.9 percent of the previous week, for a paper maturing on 23 April 2025. The summarised results of the auction held on 15 April 2025, are attached below:

    BOBC Results 15 April 2025.pdf

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: AFRICA/SUDAN – The Sudanese conflict enters its third year

    Source: Agenzia Fides – MIL OSI

    Tuesday, 15 April 2025 war  

    Khartoum (Agenzia Fides) – With tens of thousands of dead, 14 million internally displaced people, and more than three and a half million refugees in neighboring countries, Sudan is entering the third year of a devastating civil war that shows no signs on the horizon. This is the toll of two years of civil war in Sudan which broke out on April 15, 2023, between the Sudan Armed Forces (SAF), led by General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, against the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), led by Mohamed Hamdan “Hemeti” Dagalo (see Fides, 17/4/2023).As the fighting continues, the country is experiencing one of the worst humanitarian crises in the world. Millions of Sudanese have lost their sources of income and remain trapped in displacement camps or in their homes, under constant threat of bombing and fighting. In the areas recently reconquered by the army, the situation remains critical: looting is frequent and basic infrastructure—such as water and electricity distribution—is practically destroyed. The military strategy adopted by the RSF, based on the intensive use of drones to bomb power and telecommunications plants, has left much of the country in darkness and without communications for long periods of the conflict. While the SAF has regained control of Khartoum, the capital where a third of the population resides, the fiercest fighting is now concentrated in Darfur, a stronghold of the RSF. The situation is particularly alarming in El Fasher, the capital of North Darfur, which has been under siege for almost a year. There, thousands of civilians face extreme shortages of food and water, exacerbated by the blockade of supplies. In recent days, the RSF has intensified its attacks in the region. After bombing the Zamzam displaced persons camp, located about 12 kilometers from El Fasher, for three consecutive days, they took control of the site, causing at least 500 deaths, according to local sources (see Fides, 14/4/2025). In two years, the economic impact of the conflict is equally catastrophic. Sudan is estimated to have lost nearly $33 billion of its gross domestic product. The industrial sector, which before the conflict represented 17% of Sudan’s GDP, has been severely affected: the Ministry of Industry reported that more than 40% of factories – 2,655 out of a total of 6,660 – have closed their doors. (L.M.) (Agenzia Fides, 15/4/2025)
    Share:

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Global: I was a child soldier – here’s what it’ll take to protect young lives in conflict zones

    Source: The Conversation – Africa – By Charles Wratto, Associate Professor of Peace, Politics, and Conflict Studies, Babes Bolyai University

    The use of child soldiers is a profound human tragedy that continues to scar generations across the world.

    According to the United Nations, over the years, thousands of children, some as young as six years old, have been manipulated, indoctrinated and coerced into joining armed groups.

    Many of these children have fought against peacekeeping troops in Liberia, Rwanda, Sierra Leone, the Democratic Republic of Congo and US-led coalition soldiers in Afghanistan, Iraq and Somalia.

    The devastating effect of this grave, yet persistent, tragedy extends beyond the individual child. It tears communities and families apart and leaves generations scarred with the trauma of war long after the guns fall silent.

    International agreements like the Optional protocol on the involvement of children in armed conflict, the Paris principles and commitments, the Rome statute and the Cape Town principles have condemned the practice. They provided legal and practical pathways to stop the use of child soldiers.

    Intervention campaigns like Child Soldiers International, the Children, Not Soldiers campaign, and the Kony 2012 campaign were launched to combat unlawful recruitment. They also raise awareness to protect child combatants in conflict regions.



    Read more:
    Why some rebel groups force kids to fight: it depends on how they are funded

    The International Criminal Court has held trials and convicted warlords responsible for the abduction and arming of children.

    The United Nations has published a list to “shame” governments and non-state actors that enlist minors in their armies.

    Despite these efforts, the problem persists as governments and insurgent groups recruit minors in various regions of the world.

    One of the reasons may be that children’s presence on the battlefield throws the training and ethics of professional soldiers off balance. Children are widely considered innocent, harmless, and deserving of care and protection. Harming them can cause severe emotional and psychological distress that conventional soldiers are ill-equipped to handle. Armed groups who use children can get a strategic advantage if they make adult soldiers feel guilt, terror, shame and cowardism.

    As a researcher in peace, politics and conflict studies and a former child soldier in the Liberian civil war, I have centred my studies on children in armed conflict and how states respond to crises and conflict.

    I am passionate about protecting children in conflict zones because I know what it means to experience violence at a very young age.

    I also understand, from my own experience, what it means to return to a society that saw me as a dangerous and irredeemable person and to find purpose in a world that labelled people like me as a “lost generation”.

    Based on my personal experiences and interaction with child soldiers, I identify six ways society can help protect children in conflict zones. They are: cutting off arms sales to conflict regions; providing continuous education during conflict; providing life-saving essentials; working with local communities; listening to children’s voices; and involving child soldiers in the implementation of disarmament and reintegration programmes.



    Read more:
    The old ways of reintegrating young veterans need to be abandoned

    Six ways to protect children in conflict zones

    Cut arm sales to conflict regions

    Armed groups often rely on the constant flow of small arms and light weapons to maintain their operations.

    The availability of these weapons enables groups to enlarge their forces, often using vulnerable children. Stopping weapons sales would undermine the effectiveness of these groups.

    If there are fewer arms, warlords will find it harder to lure children with false promises of protection and power. Warlords might have to create pathways for peace talks, and children could be demobilised.

    Under Charles Taylor, Liberia was a regional hub for illicit weapons trade and child soldier recruitment. The UN arms embargo in 2001 limited Taylor’s ability to resupply his troops, leading to his eventual exile and an end to the war in 2003. While an effective arms embargo may not end a war or child recruitment immediately, it can erode armed groups’ combat ability, pressuring them to negotiate, collapse, or lose their grip over vulnerable children.

    Provide life-saving essentials

    In war-torn places, poverty and starvation sometimes push families to hand over their children to armed groups in exchange for food.

    Given life-saving essentials such as food, shelter and medical care, families can be shielded from poverty. This will reduce voluntary enlistment.

    Microfinance initiatives that support small businesses, and provision of vocational training programmes, can also lift families from poverty.

    Continuous education during conflict

    Governments and multilateral institutions must provide emergency education
    and train teachers and caregivers in camps for internally displaced people.

    Being able to carry on with schooling in a safe environment can curb child recruitment and empower young people for the post-war reconstruction of their nations. Such sanctuaries should also include mobile counselling and trauma therapy centres where children can process their grief and experiences to rebuild trust.



    Read more:
    Adolescent girls in five African conflict zones share stories about their lives

    Work with local communities and leaders

    Governments, NGOs and policymakers must address existing grievances and empower local communities to assist in reintegrating former child soldiers. Reintegration involves not only children returning home but also ensuring communities are better prepared and equipped to welcome them.

    Partnering with local communities can also strengthen awareness about the dangers of child (re) recruitment.

    Ex-child soldiers as part of disarmament and reintegration

    Governments and humanitarian agencies must include former child soldiers in the design and implementation of disarmament, demobilisation, and reintegration programmes.

    Their firsthand knowledge of the conscription process, combat realities, fears, nightmares and reintegration struggle offers unique insights. They can help create programmes that meet real needs.

    Although the current disarmament, demobilisation and reintegration guidelines emphasise children’s rights to disarm, they do not mention children’s inclusion in the development of effective life changing programmes.

    Listen to children’s voices

    Educational institutions, governments and peacebuilding agencies must take children’s contributions to peacebuilding seriously.

    Children bear the wounds of war. They have seen the destruction firsthand and have experienced various forms of loss and pain. This makes them not only observers of violence but also powerful advocates for peace.



    Read more:
    War affects girls and boys differently: what we found in our study of children in the DRC

    Why the world must act

    My experiences have taught me that no child is beyond redemption, particularly when given the right support and care they need.

    Child soldiers, though shaped by unfortunate circumstances, are not inherently violent. They should not be feared or stigmatised. They are victims who deserve healing, love and education.

    I was not given a gun because I was strong. I was handed one because I was weak, because children, stripped of alternatives, can be manipulated and turned into weapons of war.

    I survived not because I was better than others, I survived because someone, a Nigerian, refused to reduce me to the war I was forced into. This is why I believe everyone can play a role to protect children in conflict zones. Those who can, but refuse to, are no different from the warlords who enlisted the children.

    Charles Wratto is affiliated with the Center for Peace and Violence Prevention.

    – ref. I was a child soldier – here’s what it’ll take to protect young lives in conflict zones – https://theconversation.com/i-was-a-child-soldier-heres-what-itll-take-to-protect-young-lives-in-conflict-zones-245517

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: Nigeria’s Cross River State second to commence construction of its Special Agro-Industrial Processing Zone

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

    CALABAR, Nigeria, April 15, 2025/APO Group/ —

    Nigeria’s Cross River State became the second to mark construction of a Special Agro-Industrial Processing Zone after the country’s Vice President Kashim Shettima and African Development Bank (www.AfDB.org) President Dr. Akinwumi Adesina broke ground at the project site on Thursday 10 April.

    The SAPZ aims to tackle food insecurity, enhance local production, and position Nigeria as a food export leader by leveraging Cross River’s ports and research assets to boost global trade, reduce food imports, and drive prosperity through the agro-industrialization of crops like cocoa and cassava.

    The groundbreaking in Cross River follows that of Kaduna (http://apo-opa.co/42Mquvu) which took place few days earlier. Six other states – Kano, Kwara, Imo, Ogun, Oyo, and the Federal Capital Territory – are included in Phase 1 of the $538 million SAPZ program, with plans to expand to the remaining 28 states this year pending the African Development Bank’s Executive Board approval for Phase 2 funding.

    Shettima emphasized the project’s priority and need for national collaboration: “The SAPZ program has been recognized as a national priority for food security in Nigeria.” He noted, “There is no better time than now for the federal and state governments, development partners, the private sector, and our communities to work hand in hand to ensure the success of the SAPZ project.”

    Adesina celebrated the milestone, saying, “Today is a big day for Nigeria,” and added, “The Special Agro-Industrial Processing Zones is bringing good news to Nigeria, State Governments and Local Governments. Good news to farmers, agribusinesses, and all rural areas of Nigeria. Good news of jobs, wealth, and prosperity with agriculture as a business.

    “With the abundant arable land, cheap labor and vast agro-ecological areas, Nigeria should not be importing food,” said Adesina who was accompanied by his wife Grace Yemisi Adesina.

    The Bank Group president highlighted Cross River’s export potential: “Bakasi deep seaport will turn the state into a logistics hub in Nigeria and the Gulf of Guinea, enabling trade with Cameroon, Equatorial Guinea, and Guinea Bissau.”

    The 130-hectare Agro-Industrial Hub in Adiabo will leverage the Calabar Sea Port, Bakassi Deep Sea Port, a 23 kVA power plant in Tinapa, and a 630 kVA Calabar Power Plant. Its Agricultural Transformation Centre, supported by the Cocoa Research Institute of Nigeria and the University of Calabar, lies less than 45 minutes from Ikom, Etung, and Boki, boosting cocoa production for global markets.

    Governor Bassey Otu outlined the state’s vision, saying, “For us in Cross River State, the establishment of clusters of smallholder farmers focused on staple and cash crops such as rice, cassava, millet, cocoa, and oil palm is a vital step toward agro-industrialization.”

    “These initiatives are aimed at strengthening food security, diversifying our state’s economy toward export-oriented agriculture, and boosting our GDP,” added Governor Otu, saying the state should expect to see a big difference in two years. 

    The African Development Bank Group is investing $210 million, including $50 million from its Africa Growing Together Fund. The Islamic Development Bank is contributing $150 million, the International Fund for Agricultural Development is contributing $100 million, the Green Climate Fund is contributing $60 million, and the government is contributing $18 million.

    Speaking during the occasion, the International Fund for Agricultural Development’s Country Director, Dede Ekoue, noted that the SAPZ will build on the Livelihood Improvement Family Enterprises in the Niger Delta (LIFE-ND) project which has empowered 26,000 youth and women agripreneurs in the Niger Delta, including 4,000 in Cross River, with plans to scale to 100,000 by 2028.

    The Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Abubakar Kyari, said, “The SAPZ program is a powerful catalyst for economic growth and import substitution. By investing in agro-processing development, we are investing in the future of our communities.”

    The African Development Bank Group has committed $934 million to SAPZs in 11 African countries. The 2024 Africa Investment Forum (http://apo-opa.co/42eqx33), held in Morocco, recorded $2.2 billion in investor interest for 28 Nigerian states, which make up the second phase of the project.

    Adesina explained that with the Special Agro-Industrial Processing Zones, Nigeria will reduce food imports, conserve foreign exchange, expand local production and processing of food and agricultural commodities, strengthen the Naira, and attract significant private investment into the development of agricultural value chains.

    The Special Agro-Industrial Processing Zones will also revive and transform rural economies and create millions of jobs.

    Adesina was accompanied by the African Development Bank Vice President for Agriculture, Human and Social Development Dr Beth Dunford, the Director General for Nigeria Dr Abdul Kamara, Prof Oyebanji Oyelaran-Oyeyinka, Senior Special Adviser on Industrialisation, Director Richard Ofori-Mante, Director of the Agricultural Finance and Rural Development Department, and Dr Yusuf Kabir, National Coordinator for SAPZ, Nigeria.

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: Critical Minerals Africa Group (CMAG) Appoints APO Group Founder, Nicolas Pompigne-Mognard, to Advisory Board

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

    JOHANNESBURG, South Africa, April 15, 2025/APO Group/ —

    APO Group (www.APO-opa.com), the award-winning pan-African communications consultancy and leading press release distribution service, is pleased to announce that its Founder and Chairman, Nicolas Pompigne-Mognard (www.Pompigne-Mognard.com), has been appointed to the newly formed Advisory Board of the Critical Minerals Africa Group (CMAG).

    With its mission being to position Africa as a leader in critical minerals, CMAG (www.CMAGAfrica.com) is dedicated to advancing responsible sourcing and sustainable development of Africa’s critical mineral resources, while ensuring that local economies benefit from the continent’s mineral wealth. With approximately 40% of the world’s essential minerals reserves estimated to be held in Sub-Saharan Africa alone, the region plays a key role in the global energy transition and advanced technologies.

    Pompigne-Mognard’s appointment to the Advisory Board follows the announcement of a strategic partnership between APO Group and CMAG aimed at raising the global prominence of Africa’s critical minerals sector. The partnership leverages APO Group’s public relations and strategic communications expertise and CMAG’s industry leadership. Complementing this, Pompigne-Mognard’s ability to connect clients with key stakeholders from governments, private companies, and organisations of all sizes will be invaluable in showcasing Africa’s role in the global essential resources supply chain and elevating the profile of Africa’s critical minerals sector.

    Nicolas Pompigne-Mognard brings a wealth of experience and expertise to the CMAG Advisory Board. His vast network across industries, governments, and institutions, his deep understanding of Africa’s media and technology landscapes, and his extensive business experience will equip him to work alongside fellow Advisory Board members to shape positive perceptions of Africa’s critical minerals sector amongst global stakeholders and audiences.

    A Franco-Gabonese entrepreneur named among the 100 Most Influential Africans in 2023 and 2024, Nicolas Pompigne-Mognard serves on multiple high-profile advisory boards and international committees. These include the Senior Advisory Board of the Canada-Africa Chamber of Business and the Leadership Council of the Africa Tech Festival, as well as the Advisory Boards of the African Energy Chamber, World Football Summit, Africa Hotel Investment Forum (AHIF), Bloomberg New Economy Gateway Africa, Sports Africa Investment Summit, EurAfrican Forum, and All Africa Music Awards (AFRIMA). He is also a strategic advisor to the Chief Executive Officer of the Royal African Society of the United Kingdom, a strategic advisor to the EU-Africa Chamber of Commerce, and a special advisor to the President of Rugby Africa, the governing body of rugby in Africa.

    Nicolas’ wholly-owned company, APO Group, is the premier award-winning Pan-African communications consultancy and press release distribution service. It serves more than 300 clients, including global giants such as Canon, Nestlé, Western Union, UNDP, Network International, the African Energy Chamber, Mercy Ships, Marriott, Africa’s Business Heroes, and Liquid Intelligent Technologies.

    “Being appointed to the Critical Minerals Africa Group Advisory Board is an immense honour. CMAG is vital in safeguarding Africa’s critical minerals for future generations. In my advisory role, I look forward to supporting all initiatives as CMAG showcases Africa’s critical minerals potential in a responsible and sustainable manner,” said Nicolas Pompigne-Mognard, Founder and Chairman of APO Group.

    Other members of the Advisory Board include Natznet Tesfay, Executive Director, Head of Insights and Analytics, S&P Global, and Richard Morgan, Former Head of Government Relations, Anglo-American PLC.

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: I was a child soldier – here’s what it’ll take to protect young lives in conflict zones

    Source: The Conversation – Africa – By Charles Wratto, Associate Professor of Peace, Politics, and Conflict Studies, Babes Bolyai University

    The use of child soldiers is a profound human tragedy that continues to scar generations across the world.

    According to the United Nations, over the years, thousands of children, some as young as six years old, have been manipulated, indoctrinated and coerced into joining armed groups.

    Many of these children have fought against peacekeeping troops in Liberia, Rwanda, Sierra Leone, the Democratic Republic of Congo and US-led coalition soldiers in Afghanistan, Iraq and Somalia.

    The devastating effect of this grave, yet persistent, tragedy extends beyond the individual child. It tears communities and families apart and leaves generations scarred with the trauma of war long after the guns fall silent.

    International agreements like the Optional protocol on the involvement of children in armed conflict, the Paris principles and commitments, the Rome statute and the Cape Town principles have condemned the practice. They provided legal and practical pathways to stop the use of child soldiers.

    Intervention campaigns like Child Soldiers International, the Children, Not Soldiers campaign, and the Kony 2012 campaign were launched to combat unlawful recruitment. They also raise awareness to protect child combatants in conflict regions.

    Read more: Why some rebel groups force kids to fight: it depends on how they are funded

    The International Criminal Court has held trials and convicted warlords responsible for the abduction and arming of children.

    The United Nations has published a list to “shame” governments and non-state actors that enlist minors in their armies.

    Despite these efforts, the problem persists as governments and insurgent groups recruit minors in various regions of the world.

    One of the reasons may be that children’s presence on the battlefield throws the training and ethics of professional soldiers off balance. Children are widely considered innocent, harmless, and deserving of care and protection. Harming them can cause severe emotional and psychological distress that conventional soldiers are ill-equipped to handle. Armed groups who use children can get a strategic advantage if they make adult soldiers feel guilt, terror, shame and cowardism.

    As a researcher in peace, politics and conflict studies and a former child soldier in the Liberian civil war, I have centred my studies on children in armed conflict and how states respond to crises and conflict.

    I am passionate about protecting children in conflict zones because I know what it means to experience violence at a very young age.

    I also understand, from my own experience, what it means to return to a society that saw me as a dangerous and irredeemable person and to find purpose in a world that labelled people like me as a “lost generation”.

    Based on my personal experiences and interaction with child soldiers, I identify six ways society can help protect children in conflict zones. They are: cutting off arms sales to conflict regions; providing continuous education during conflict; providing life-saving essentials; working with local communities; listening to children’s voices; and involving child soldiers in the implementation of disarmament and reintegration programmes.

    Read more: The old ways of reintegrating young veterans need to be abandoned

    Six ways to protect children in conflict zones

    Cut arm sales to conflict regions

    Armed groups often rely on the constant flow of small arms and light weapons to maintain their operations.

    The availability of these weapons enables groups to enlarge their forces, often using vulnerable children. Stopping weapons sales would undermine the effectiveness of these groups.

    If there are fewer arms, warlords will find it harder to lure children with false promises of protection and power. Warlords might have to create pathways for peace talks, and children could be demobilised.

    Under Charles Taylor, Liberia was a regional hub for illicit weapons trade and child soldier recruitment. The UN arms embargo in 2001 limited Taylor’s ability to resupply his troops, leading to his eventual exile and an end to the war in 2003. While an effective arms embargo may not end a war or child recruitment immediately, it can erode armed groups’ combat ability, pressuring them to negotiate, collapse, or lose their grip over vulnerable children.

    Provide life-saving essentials

    In war-torn places, poverty and starvation sometimes push families to hand over their children to armed groups in exchange for food.

    Given life-saving essentials such as food, shelter and medical care, families can be shielded from poverty. This will reduce voluntary enlistment.

    Microfinance initiatives that support small businesses, and provision of vocational training programmes, can also lift families from poverty.

    Continuous education during conflict

    Governments and multilateral institutions must provide emergency education and train teachers and caregivers in camps for internally displaced people.

    Being able to carry on with schooling in a safe environment can curb child recruitment and empower young people for the post-war reconstruction of their nations. Such sanctuaries should also include mobile counselling and trauma therapy centres where children can process their grief and experiences to rebuild trust.

    Read more: Adolescent girls in five African conflict zones share stories about their lives

    Work with local communities and leaders

    Governments, NGOs and policymakers must address existing grievances and empower local communities to assist in reintegrating former child soldiers. Reintegration involves not only children returning home but also ensuring communities are better prepared and equipped to welcome them.

    Partnering with local communities can also strengthen awareness about the dangers of child (re) recruitment.

    Ex-child soldiers as part of disarmament and reintegration

    Governments and humanitarian agencies must include former child soldiers in the design and implementation of disarmament, demobilisation, and reintegration programmes.

    Their firsthand knowledge of the conscription process, combat realities, fears, nightmares and reintegration struggle offers unique insights. They can help create programmes that meet real needs.

    Although the current disarmament, demobilisation and reintegration guidelines emphasise children’s rights to disarm, they do not mention children’s inclusion in the development of effective life changing programmes.

    Listen to children’s voices

    Educational institutions, governments and peacebuilding agencies must take children’s contributions to peacebuilding seriously.

    Children bear the wounds of war. They have seen the destruction firsthand and have experienced various forms of loss and pain. This makes them not only observers of violence but also powerful advocates for peace.

    Read more: War affects girls and boys differently: what we found in our study of children in the DRC

    Why the world must act

    My experiences have taught me that no child is beyond redemption, particularly when given the right support and care they need.

    Child soldiers, though shaped by unfortunate circumstances, are not inherently violent. They should not be feared or stigmatised. They are victims who deserve healing, love and education.

    I was not given a gun because I was strong. I was handed one because I was weak, because children, stripped of alternatives, can be manipulated and turned into weapons of war.

    I survived not because I was better than others, I survived because someone, a Nigerian, refused to reduce me to the war I was forced into. This is why I believe everyone can play a role to protect children in conflict zones. Those who can, but refuse to, are no different from the warlords who enlisted the children.

    – I was a child soldier – here’s what it’ll take to protect young lives in conflict zones
    – https://theconversation.com/i-was-a-child-soldier-heres-what-itll-take-to-protect-young-lives-in-conflict-zones-245517

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: BMA Commissioner to monitor movements at Lebombo ahead of Easter weekend

    Source: South Africa News Agency

    Tuesday, April 15, 2025

    The Commissioner of the Border Management Authority (BMA), Dr Michael Masiapato, will be on the ground to monitor the accelerated security control measures at the Lebombo port of entry before the Easter holidays. 

    As the third law enforcement service in the Republic, the BMA has also deployed drones and body-worn cameras for additional technological support. 

    Masiapato will monitor deployments and traveller movements. 

    Most of the ports not operating for 24 hours have adjusted their service hours for the Easter holidays. 

    “Commissioner Masiapato will be in Lebombo from 15 to 18 April 2025, while most travellers are exiting the country before the Easter holidays. Deputy Commissioner Jane Thupana will be in Beitbridge from 16 to 17 April 2025,” said the BMA in a statement.

    For the return leg when most travellers return from the Easter holidays, the BMA Commissioner will be at the Beitbridge port of entry from 20 to 22 April 2025.  – SAnews.gov.za

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: Lamola arrives in Russia for working visit

    Source: South Africa News Agency

    Tuesday, April 15, 2025

    Minister of International Relations and Cooperation, Ronald Lamola, arrived in Moscow, Russia, on Monday for a two-day working visit. 

    During his trip, Lamola will preside over the 18th Inter-Governmental Committee on Trade and Economic Cooperation, a structured mechanism for coordinating economic and trade relations between South Africa and Russia.

    In addition, he is scheduled to hold political consultations with his counterpart, Minister Sergey Lavrov.

    According to the Ministry of International Relations and Cooperation, the Minister is also expected to visit the memorial centres dedicated to South Africa’s liberation heroes, John Beaver (JB) Marks and Moses Kotane. – SAnews.gov.za

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: Fugitive rhino poacher sentenced to 110 years’ imprisonment

    Source: South Africa News Agency

    In a major breakthrough in the fight against rhino poaching and wildlife-related crimes, a 54-year-old Zimbabwean national and wanted fugitive, Thomas Chauke, also known as Sazu Nkambuya, has been convicted and sentenced to 110 years’ imprisonment by the Makhanda High Court.

    This follows an extensive and meticulous investigation by detectives from the South African Police Service (SAPS) Head Office, Stock Theft and Endangered Species (STES) Unit. 

    Chauke was found guilty on six counts related to rhino poaching and wildlife related crimes, as well as three counts of escaping from lawful custody.

    “The accused was a fugitive, wanted for multiple charges on rhino poaching and wildlife related cases in the Eastern Cape, Gauteng, KwaZulu Natal and North West. He was also linked to several cases, including armed robbery, rape and kidnapping,” the South African Police Service (SAPS) said in a statement.

    The SAPS said Chauke had previously been incarcerated at Kgosi Mampuru Correctional Services, where he was serving five life sentences for violent crimes, including rape, armed, robbery and kidnapping. He escaped from custody on 9 December 2020, prompting further investigation and search efforts by STES.

    Following his arrest in 2024, the STES team coordinated the centralisation of multiple dockets from various provinces and liaised with the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA), to ensure effective coordination and successful prosecution of the accused.

    On 28 February 2025, Chauke pleaded guilty to all rhino poaching and wild life related cases, including three counts of escaping from lawful custody, and was sentenced to 110 years imprisonment by the Makhanda High Court.

    “The STES team remains dedicated to safeguarding both wildlife and the community from individuals engaged in criminal activities and ensuring that those responsible are brought to book and held accountable,” the SAPS said. – SAnews.gov.za

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: SAPS rescues kidnapped businessmen

    Source: South Africa News Agency

    Tuesday, April 15, 2025

    The South African Police Service (SAPS) has assured the nation that it has the necessary expertise to rescue victims of kidnappings. This, as it rescued two businessmen hours after they were hijacked and kidnapped in Gauteng.

    In a statement on Tuesday, the SAPS said the two were rescued by an Anti-Kidnapping Task Team on Monday after their hijacking and kidnapping in Midrand.

    The men were hijacked by a group of criminals driving a silver/grey Hyundai i10 on the premises of a car rental company. They were then taken to a bush along the R21 where they were forced to hand over their bank cards and pins.

    The kidnappers then began withdrawing large sums of money from their bank accounts. 

    “A multidisciplinary team led by the SAPS Anti-Kidnapping Task Team were alerted and immediately mobilised.  The two male victims were found in dense bushes and rescued. Their hijacked SUV Range Rover was later recovered in Tembisa. 

    “The SAPS would like to assure the nation that it has the necessary expertise to rescue victims of kidnappings and urge friends, family and bystanders to immediately alert the SAPS when they become aware of any crime, including an active kidnapping,” said the SAPS on Tuesday.

    The police also encouraged “citizens to be more vigilant and alert of their surroundings and report any suspicious activities.”

    “The SAPS applauds the teams involved in this operation which include the National Crime Intelligence Counter and Security Team, Police Emergency Services, SAPS Flying Squad, Gauteng Traffic Police Airwing and Vision Tactical Security Company.”

    A manhunt has been launched for the kidnappers who evaded arrest and are said to be utilising the Hyundai i10 to commit their crimes. 

    Citizens are urged to be alert and those who have information are encouraged to come forward to assist police investigations. – SAnews.gov.za

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  • MIL-OSI Africa: Eskom issues tender to accelerate renewable energy deployment

    Source: South Africa News Agency

    Eskom has issued a call for proposals from experienced companies to establish renewable energy businesses to expedite the deployment of renewable energy solutions.

    According to the statement released on Tuesday, Eskom will evaluate applicants based on several criteria, including a demonstrated history of successfully establishing a renewable energy company and the number of public-private partnerships (PPPs) and special purpose vehicles (SPVs) that have created tangible projects. 

    The evaluation will also look at expertise in the independent power producer (IPP) business model and financial structuring, technical capabilities, and knowledge of the sector. 

    This evaluation process aims to select firms that can effectively contribute to Eskom’s renewable energy initiatives.

    The State utility announced that the new subsidiary aims to operate independently from the main Eskom entity, enabling better governance, improved market competitiveness, and enhanced PPPs.

    “Agility and efficiency are at the heart of preparing for a competitive marketplace and ensuring we serve our current and future customers with the electricity supply solutions they require,“ said Eskom’s Group Chief Executive, Dan Marokane. 

    Marokane stated that Eskom is now one year into its turnaround strategy. 

    This strategy aims to not only end load shedding but also transform the utility into a sustainable and competitive company while ensuring a secure supply of electricity.

    “To make a meaningful impact in the renewables space, we recognised that the most cost-effective way to do this is to bring in at the start some new skills, thinking and expertise to set our Eskom teams up for success in the business, so through knowledge transfer we can execute strategic initiatives in a competitive market faster and more efficiently. The creation of our renewable energy business also forms part of Eskom’s focus both in this country and internationally to identify the latest developments and strategies to reduce carbon emissions and other air pollutants,” he explained. 

    Eskom said it was committed to maintaining a balanced and diversified energy mix. 

    This includes utilising existing coal and nuclear power, introducing gas for baseload power, and incorporating renewable energy sources. 

    In addition, Eskom aims to implement energy storage systems, such as battery energy storage systems (BESS) and pumped hydro, to ensure overall security of supply and sustainably meet the growing electricity demand in South Africa.

    The utility said it has an executable initial pipeline of at least 2GW of clean energy projects by 2026 and has developed a pipeline of more than 20GW of clean energy projects to diversify its energy mix.

    Eskom will update the marketplace on the progress of the development of its renewable energy business throughout 2025.

    The opportunity to respond to the tender closes on 7 May 2025 at 10 am, and application forms can be found on the Eskom website. The support will be required over 12 months. – SAnews.gov.za

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  • MIL-OSI Africa: G20 Finance Ministers set to meet in US

    Source: South Africa News Agency

    The Group of Twenty (G20) Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors are set to convene a two-day meeting on the sidelines of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and World Bank Spring Meetings, taking place in the United States, later this month.

    The G20 is an international forum of both developing and developed countries, which seeks to find solutions to global economic and financial issues. 

    This meeting is part of the Finance Track under South Africa’s G20 Presidency, which will gather Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors of G20 member countries, invited countries, and international organisations to discuss global economic challenges, financial stability, and policies aimed at fostering economic growth. 

    South Africa’s G20 Presidency commenced on 1 December 2024 and will run until 30 November 2025. It is taking place under the theme: “Solidarity, Equality, and Sustainability.”

    The Finance Track is co-chaired by Finance Minister, Enoch Godongwana, and South African Reserve Bank Governor, Lesetja Kganyago. 

    G20 members include the world’s major economies, representing 85% of global GDP, 75% of international trade, and two-thirds of the world’s population.

    The G20 comprises 19 countries (including Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Republic of Korea, Mexico, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Türkiye, the United Kingdom, and the United States), the European Union, and since 2023, the African Union.

    The two-day meeting will take place from 23-24 April 2025, in Washington, D.C.

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  • MIL-OSI Africa: Eskom, Exxaro sign agreement to reduce carbon emissions

    Source: South Africa News Agency

    Exxaro Resources and Eskom have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to collaborate on strategic initiatives, research, and projects aimed at reducing carbon emissions, improving air quality and facilitating the Just Transition.

    According to a joint statement, this move is consistent with South Africa’s commitment to achieving the goals of the Paris Agreement, international environmental standards, and national regulatory frameworks.

    “The agreement focuses on jointly measuring, managing, and reducing Scope 1, 2, and 3 emissions and potentially investing in innovative technologies to drive decarbonisation. 

    “It also emphasises inclusive and focused transition initiatives such as skills development, job creation in green sectors, and stakeholder engagement to ensure climate resilience,” the statement read. 

    In addition, the MoU, which was signed on Monday, includes provisions for data sharing and transparent reporting to track progress and ensure accountability.

    Exxaro Resources CEO, Ben Magara, believes that this collaboration marks a significant step forward in the company’s commitment to enabling a Just Transition and building a climate-resilient and low-carbon future. 

    “By leveraging our deep experience in the diversified mining and energy solutions sectors, we aim to drive innovation that not only decarbonises and reduces air pollution in our operations but also delivers meaningful socio-economic benefits for the communities we serve.

    “The collaboration with Eskom is important as we work to accelerate practical and scalable solutions that support South Africa’s energy security and environmental ambitions as part of our purpose of Powering Better lives in Africa and beyond,” Magara said. 

    Exxaro is a South Africa-based diversified resources company with a coal business and acquisitive growth prospects in minerals and energy. 

    The company stated that the initial focus of the collaboration will be to identify the necessary investments and stakeholders required to develop technology-based solutions for the challenges associated with the transition to a low-carbon economy. 
    This effort will align with the country’s Integrated Resource Plan (IRP).

    Eskom Group Chief Executive Dan Marokane said both organisations are committed to driving the transition to a more sustainable energy future while ensuring the country’s electricity supply remains secure. 

    “This initiative forms part of Eskom’s focus both in this country and internationally to identify the latest developments and strategies to reduce carbon emissions and other air pollutants,” Marokane added. 

    Meanwhile, Exxaro stated that it remains steadfast in advancing its Sustainable Growth and Impact strategy by embedding key Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) priorities into its operations. 

    The company is of the view that through partnerships such as this one, it is well-positioned to become carbon-neutral by 2050.
    Meanwhile, Eskom’s Research, Testing & Development (RT&D) business unit will lead this partnership. 

    The RT&D is dedicated to finding technology solutions that can be applied primarily within the company to embrace innovation, enhance efficiency and improve operations, improvements related to emissions management, and greenhouse gas (GHG) abatement.

    “Eskom remains focused on a balanced and diversified energy mix based on existing coal and nuclear and introducing gas for baseload power, as well as renewables, energy storage systems including battery energy storage systems and pumped hydro, to achieve overall security of supply and to meet South Africa’s growing electricity demand sustainably,” said the power utility. – SAnews.gov.za
     

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  • MIL-OSI Africa: Call for stricter bail measures for crimes against wildlife

    Source: South Africa News Agency

    The Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment, Dr Dion George, has called for stricter bail measures for repeat offenders and foreign nationals with no fixed address who are accused of crimes against wildlife.

    The Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment is actively engaging with the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) and South African Police Service (SAPS) through platforms like the National Biodiversity Investigators Forum (NBIF) to enhance opposition to bail, particularly for repeat offenders and foreign nationals with no fixed address. 

    “These discussions focus on improving the quality of affidavits drafted by investigating officers to present stronger cases in court. The department is also sharing best-practice affidavits with investigators to ensure more effective bail opposition and is exploring options to secure funding for dedicated support to SAPS in these applications. 

    “Additionally, at the upcoming Environmental Management Inspectors (EMI) executive training in April 2025, the NPA will address bail-related issues, allowing for direct engagement with the Minister and other stakeholders,” the department said on Tuesday.

    In February, Thomas Chauke, a 54-year-old Zimbabwean national, was convicted and sentenced in the Makhanda High Court to 110 years’ imprisonment for rhino poaching and wildlife-related crimes.

    The Minister commended the SAPS, particularly the Stock Theft and Endangered Species (STES) Unit, for their meticulous investigation and dedication in securing this victory against rhino poaching and wildlife-related crimes.

    “Chauke’s conviction on six counts of rhino poaching and wildlife-related offences, alongside three counts of escaping lawful custody, underscores the government’s unwavering commitment to combatting environmental crime. 

    “This landmark sentencing, coupled with these strategic interventions, sends a powerful message to those involved in illegal wildlife trafficking and environmental destruction,” the Minister said.

    He applauded the collaborative efforts between the SAPS and the NPA, which ensured effective coordination and prosecution across multiple provinces, including the Eastern Cape, Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal, and North West.

    George reiterated his support for ongoing efforts to protect South Africa’s precious biodiversity and natural heritage, ensuring that perpetrators face the full might of the law. –SAnews.gov.za

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  • MIL-OSI Africa: Majodina commits to accelerate bulk water infrastructure implementation

    Source: South Africa News Agency

    Water and Sanitation Minister Pemmy Majodina has reaffirmed government’s commitment to fast-track the rollout of bulk water infrastructure projects across the country.

    Majodina made the commitment during the official handover of the Kirkwood Bulk Water Project to the Sundays River Valley Local Municipality, on Monday.

    Funded through the Department of Water and Sanitation’s Regional Bulk Infrastructure Grant (RBIG), the R35 million project represents a transformative investment in water security for the Kirkwood community and the wider Eastern Cape province.

    The project, implemented by Amatola Water, includes the construction of a new 14 million-litre raw water storage dam, which boosts the total storage capacity from 20.2 million litres to 34.2 million litres.

    The expansion ensures an uninterrupted water supply, even during the annual maintenance shutdown of the Orange-Fish Water Scheme, which previously left the communities exposed to water shortages.

    In addition to the dam, the project delivered two new 3.0-megalitre reservoirs in Kirkwood Town and Bontrug (Moses Mabida), as well as critical pipework upgrades to improve water distribution efficiency and reduce losses.

    The project will also bring tangible benefits to communities, including reliable water access for 3,963 households and an estimated population of 16 778.

    The improved infrastructure will also bring reliable water access to the communities, including 3,963 households, benefiting an estimated 16 778 population.

    The project is also expected to bolster the local citrus industry, a key economic driver in the region, by enhancing water reliability for agricultural operations – thereby safeguarding jobs and export revenues.

    Addressing the community during a handover ceremony, Majodina said the completion of Kirkwood Bulk Water Project, is more than just infrastructure, but “a clear demonstration of this government’s urgent and unwavering commitment to water security for all.”

    “We are now entering a phase where we must – and will – fast-track the rollout of bulk water projects across the country with speed, focus, and accountability. Water is not a luxury, it is a basic right and a driver of economic growth, health, and dignity.

    “Communities like Kirkwood deserve nothing less, and we will not rest until every household, farm, and business has reliable access to water,” Majodina said.

    The Minister also urged the public to actively safeguard water infrastructure, take pride in the assets, and to work with the government to protect them.

    “We call on all South Africans to avoid, prevent, and report any acts of vandalism, or theft that threaten our water systems. These projects belong to the people [and] when infrastructure is destroyed, it is our communities, our families, and our children who suffer,” Majodina said.

    The project, which started in July 2023 and completed in March 2025, has brought inclusive economic benefits during its construction phase, generating 41 jobs for local community members and engaging 10 local small businesses, furthering the department’s goals for empowerment and local economic development.

    The project components included:

    •    A 14-million-litre raw water lay dam at the Kirkwood Water Treatment Works;
    •    All associated infrastructure such as inlet chambers, interconnecting pipework, and security fencing;
    •    A 3.0-million-litre steel reservoir in Kirkwood serving Aqua Park, Bergsig, and surrounds;
    •    A second 3.0-million-litre reservoir in Bontrug, supplying Moses Mabida, Msengeni, and nearby settlements; and 
    •    Interlinking pipework to enable zoning and efficient water distribution across the municipal network.

    Majodina was joined by the Sarah Baartman District Municipality Mayor, Deon de Vos, and Sundays River Valley Local Municipality Mayor, Solethu Lucas. – SAnews.gov.za

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  • MIL-OSI Africa: Government marks Indigenous Tree Day 

    Source: South Africa News Agency

    Tuesday, April 15, 2025

    Government and its partners planted indigenous trees at various sites across the country on Tuesday to commemorate Indigenous Tree Day.

    Tree planting activities took place at all 11 National Botanical Gardens, two National Zoological Gardens, three Municipality Botanical Gardens and one Zoological Garden. 

    The Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment (DFFE) in partnership with the South African National Biodiversity Institute (SANBI), Johannesburg City Parks and Zoo (JCPZ), International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), the Association of Parks and Recreation Africa (APRA) and private sector stakeholders took part in these activities.

    “The Indigenous Tree Day aim to educate society about the value of indigenous trees, build national capacity to grow indigenous trees by increasing efforts into finding seeds of a large number of species naturally and sharing propagation protocols and best practices. 

    “The day also aims to engage, inspire, and educate society – especially the youth – to conserve biodiversity by developing community-led efforts to restore ecosystems. This date encourages individuals to consider their efforts in tree planting and the impact it will make towards the environment,” Deputy Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment Bernice Swarts said.

    The Indigenous Tree Day (ITD) also serves as a build-up to the One Million Tree Planting Campaign that will take place on 24 September 2025.

    This nationwide initiative seeks to mobilise the public to collectively plant one million trees in a single day. 

    “The One Million Trees Campaign is a key milestone within the Revamped National Greening Programme which aims to plant at least Ten Million Trees over a period of five years. This will be achieved through the planting of two million trees annually. Through the Revamped Programme there is a realisation that government efforts alone will not achieve this ideal and there is a call for all South Africans from all walks of life to participate in the initiative,” the department said. – SAnews.gov.za

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  • MIL-OSI Africa: Ritual murder of children: study in Ghana and Kenya explores who’s doing it and why

    Source: The Conversation – Africa – By Emmanuel Sarpong Owusu, Doctoral Researcher and Lecturer, Aberystwyth University

    Superstition, an irrational belief in paranormal influences or a false attribution of events, is an age-old phenomenon found in probably all human societies or cultures. It encompasses a wide range of beliefs, practices and behaviours. Some of these have harmful or even deadly consequences.

    In many African communities, there are widespread beliefs relating to the use of human body parts for traditional healing rituals. Human body parts and blood are said to enhance the potency of traditional medicines and rituals that supposedly guarantee wealth, business success, fertility, protection and longevity, among others.

    Ritual killings, including those of children, are reported regularly around Africa. A case in point is the targeting of children with albinism for ritual purposes in Tanzania. One research report says one in five people in Mozambique and one in four people in South Africa believe that rituals and traditional medicines made with human body parts are more potent and effective than those using nonhuman objects.

    Children are particularly targeted for killing because they can’t repel attacks, and because of beliefs about the potency of their body parts. The victims in more than half of all the ritual murders reported in Ghana and Kenya in 2022 were children.

    I am a legal scholar with years of research on superstition-driven crimes against vulnerable groups in African settings and the criminal justice response to such crimes. In a recent study I explored the magnitude, characteristics and motivations, as well as the socio-cultural and economic contexts, of ritual child murder in Ghana and Kenya. My study was carried out through in-depth analysis of news reports of ritual murders for a period of 10 years, coupled with semi-structured interviews with academics and other experts.

    I found that the major factors contributing to the persistence of ritual child murders were superstition, economic hardship, illiteracy and inefficient criminal justice systems. A new consumerist ethos also plays a role: wanting a life of luxury and the admiration that comes with it.

    The study seeks to enhance awareness of the ritual child murder phenomenon and encourage support for the enforcement of child rights protection laws. When policymakers know more about the scale and circumstances of ritual child murders, they are better equipped to act on it.

    Ritual murders in Ghana and Kenya

    Belief in juju is widespread in Ghana and Kenya. This is the belief that people can mystically control events by using incantations (“magic words”) and, sometimes, objects.

    My study analysed data drawn from online news reports in eight media outlets in Ghana and Kenya. I used media content because the countries don’t have national data sets on ritual homicide, and empirical research is limited. Secondly, I interviewed 28 experts in criminology and criminal justice, sociology, African religions, and child and family welfare and social protection. These participants were selected using the purposeful sampling technique.

    In Ghana, the media reported at least 160 ritual murders between 2012 and 2021. Of this number, 94 (about 58.8%) were children. This suggests that an average of 9.4 children fall victim to ritual murder each year in the country. Of the 102 ritual murders in Kenya in the study period, 66 (64.7%) were children. This represents an annual average of 6.6 in the country.

    In both countries, most victims (over 80%) tend to be drawn from families of low socio-economic backgrounds in rural and semi-rural communities. In Kenya, children with albinism are also targeted.

    The overwhelming majority of offenders are males. There are three main categories of perpetrators of ritual child murders:

    • the juju practitioner or traditional healer who usually prescribes the required body parts and effects the medicine or ritual

    • the client who consults traditional healers and stands to benefit directly from the ritual or medicine

    • the (hired) ritual murderer, who abducts the victim and extracts the required body parts.

    Data from media reports show that most of the perpetrators apprehended are those directly involved in the killing. They are usually aged between 20 and 39 years and of low socio-economic status in rural communities. However, some interviewees insisted that some rich and prominent persons are also involved.

    In Ghana, uncles, fathers and stepfathers were the dominant perpetrators in cases where victims and perpetrators were known to be related. Unlike other types of homicide, ritual child murder generally involves strangers nearly as often as it involves family members and acquaintances.

    Motivations and responses

    The dominant motivation for ritual murder is financial gain. This conclusion is drawn from the media accounts and the interviews. Perpetrators are promised money in exchange for specific human body parts. Others kill to use the body parts for rituals that are supposed to ensure a long life, fertility, business growth, or protection against evil. In Kenya, some perpetrators kill in fulfilment of their obligations as members of occult sects.

    Other factors that sustain the practice – based on media reports and interviews – are superstition, unemployment and economic hardship. Adding to these are illiteracy, which fosters unfounded beliefs, and an inefficient criminal justice system, which enables these crimes to thrive.

    Poor parental supervision is an important risk factor for ritual child murder. In both countries, over 70% of the ritual murder victims were under 10 years old. They were abducted or murdered while going to or returning home from school. Others were abducted while running errands such as fetching water from a stream unaccompanied. Some may have been playing outside their homes unsupervised, or running errands by themselves for relatives.

    In both countries, the criminal justice system’s response is evidently ineffective. In Kenya, over 90% of perpetrators are not apprehended. Of 68 suspects arrested in Ghana, only four convictions were reported. Crime scenes are poorly managed and preserved by police officers and detectives in both countries.

    Crime scene videos show the victims’ remains being removed by authorities and conveyed to the morgue without diligent forensic examination of the body and the crime scene for evidence.

    What governments can do

    The belief in the power of juju and associated rituals and medicines cannot be wished away. It can only be combated in various ways:

    • bringing the activities of traditional healers and occult-related sects under closer scrutiny

    • promoting education and awareness, emphasising the need for supervision of children

    • stronger criminal justice systems.

    – Ritual murder of children: study in Ghana and Kenya explores who’s doing it and why
    – https://theconversation.com/ritual-murder-of-children-study-in-ghana-and-kenya-explores-whos-doing-it-and-why-249173

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