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Category: Africa

  • MIL-OSI Africa: Review of White Paper on Local Government published for discussion

    Source: South Africa News Agency

    The Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (CoGTA), Velenkosini Hlabisa, has officially published a discussion document on the Review of the 1998 White Paper on Local Government. 

    According to the department, this represents a significant and necessary step towards creating a reimagined and results-oriented local government system in South Africa.

    This document, published under Notice No. 6118 (Gazette: 52498) on Thursday, initiates a national discussion aimed at producing a revised White Paper on Local Government by March 2026.

    According to the department, the review aims to incite fresh thinking, honest reflection, and decisive action toward building a fit-for-purpose local government system that truly serves the people of South Africa.

    “This process is not about tweaking the symptoms. It is about confronting the root causes of dysfunction in local governance. We need to ask the hard questions, and more importantly, we need to answer them with the courage to act,” Hlabisa explained. 

    He noted that the discussion document emphasises the interconnectedness and indivisibility of the four essential components of an effective local government system.

    These include governance, institutional arrangements, service delivery and infrastructure, and financial arrangements.

    In addition, the document aims to assess and revise outdated assumptions of the1998 White Paper on Local Government and strengthen cooperative governance among the three spheres of government. 

    The initiative aims to align reforms with related efforts, including amendments to the Municipal Finance Management Act (MFMA), the Municipal Structures Act, and the Spatial Planning and Land Use Management Act (SPLUMA). 

    It also seeks to enhance integration with traditional leadership, improve community participation, and address systemic challenges, such as municipal financial sustainability, over-politicisation, climate risk, and spatial inequality.

    The Minister invites all South Africans, including civic organisations, academics, municipalities, and other arms of government, to participate in the consultation process.

    The public participation is open until 30 June 2025. 

    Submissions must be made in writing and can be emailed to WPLG26@cogta.gov.za; RichardP@cogta.gov.za and MaphutiL@cogta.gov.za  

    Alternatively, comments may be submitted by post: 
    Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs
    Attention: Mr. Thabiso Richard Plank (WPLG26 Policy Review)
    Private Bag X802, Pretoria, 0001

    Physical Address:
    87 Hamilton Street, Arcadia, Pretoria  

    For access to the full discussion document and more information, visit: https://www.cogta.gov.za/index.php/docs/white-paper-on-local-government-1998-review-of-the-white-paper-on-local-government/. – SAnews.gov.za
     
     

    MIL OSI Africa –

    April 12, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Africa: Media industry called to transform ownership patterns

    Source: South Africa News Agency

    With the media industry fighting for its survival amidst the rise of digital media, Deputy Minister in The Presidency, Kenny Morolong, has called on the industry to make deliberate efforts to transform the sector’s ownership patterns.

    “Government remains committed to working alongside industry stakeholders to ensure that South Africa’s media landscape is inclusive, competitive, and representative of the country’s diversity,” Morolong said.

    The Deputy Minister was addressing the members of the Print and Digital Media Transformation and Revitalization Steering Committee in Rosebank, Johannesburg, on Friday.

    The committee was established to develop a Print and Digital Media Transformation and Revitalisation Report to advise government and the private sector on wide-ranging proposals aimed at transforming and revitalising the sector.  

    The Minister painted a sobering picture of the industry’s current state, noting a dramatic decline in print newspaper (both commercial and local) circulation  – from approximately 45 million copies annually to dwindled numbers that were never imagined before, which is “very worrisome for government.”

    “The current challenges of operating in the digital environment; excess print, distribution and transport cost; reduction in newspaper subscribers; dwindling circulation figures coupled with reduced advertising budgets, both from corporate and government, have forced publishers to close down, while others have become loss-making or liability enterprises. In the mist of all these things, we should not despair, we are a nation that works together to find common solutions,” Morolong said.

    The Deputy Minister emphasised the critical role played by the media in society and reaffirmed government’s commitment to revitalise the industry.

    “We have a responsibility to save an industry that is ailing and to do so, there needs to be government investment. You can’t put government in a position where it must support an industry that does not want to transform. 

    “You are running a business, but you are also running an institution which has got a moral obligation to keep society informed. We want to support you because of your role in education and informing society. We have a responsibility to support you and empower you as business,” he said.

    The Print and Digital Media Transformation and Revitalization Steering Committee comprises various media executives of print and digital media companies, industry bodies such as the Association of Independent Publishers, Media Development and Diversity Agency and the Press Council. –SAnews.gov.za

    MIL OSI Africa –

    April 12, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Africa: Plans afoot to revitalise Durban’s inner-city precinct

    Source: South Africa News Agency

    The eThekwini Municipality has rolled out an ambitious project to revitalise the inner-city precinct.

    This as the city increased capacity to achieve its ambitious plan to rejuvenate the inner-city precinct and deliver a safer, cleaner, and greener Durban.

    Plans for the rejuvenation are moving swiftly, and the programme involves a comprehensive range of services designed to revitalise the heart of the city. These include the deployment of professional security teams, armed patrol units, and rapid-response squads.

    Complementing these efforts is a team of dedicated street ambassadors that will be introduced to monitor and maintain cleanliness in designated areas, while acting as community liaisons, by reporting suspicious activities directly to a local command centre.

    City Manager, Musa Mbhele, said the introduction of street ambassadors will bring a visible and welcoming presence to the streets of Durban, while the enhanced security measures, will provide peace of mind to residents and businesses operating in the area.
    The enhanced security measures include armed patrols and a coordinated command centre.

    Mbhele said the landmark initiative marks a significant step forward in enhancing the quality of residents’ lives, including businesses, and visitors, while boosting the local economy through the creation of over 100 new jobs.

    “This project is a game-changer for eThekwini. By combining enhanced security measures with proactive facilities management, we are not only addressing immediate safety and cleanliness concerns, but also laying the foundation for a vibrant and sustainable inner-city precinct that residents can take pride in.

    “We are confident that these efforts will have a profound impact on the revitalisation of the Durban inner city, contributing to its transformation into a more attractive, secure, and economically vibrant area,” Mbhele said of the KwaZulu-Natal municipality.

    The initiative aligns with the city’s broader vision to regenerate urban spaces, stimulate economic growth, and improve public safety.

    He highlighted that with over 100 jobs created through this initiative, the project represents a significant investment in the local workforce, empowering communities and fostering economic resilience.

    “[The] eThekwini Municipality is committed to working closely with its partners to ensure the successful implementation of this project, which is expected to serve as a model for urban renewal efforts across the region.” – SAnews.gov.za
     

    MIL OSI Africa –

    April 12, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Africa: Hlabisa urges communities to protect children 

    Source: South Africa News Agency

    The Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (CoGTA), Velenkosini Hlabisa, has urged communities to be vigilant and proactive in protecting the health and well-being of children.

    The Minister was speaking at the Chris Hani Baragwanath Hospital in Soweto, Johannesburg, where he was visiting an eight-year-old boy. It was reported that the boy was hospitalised after he fell ill after consuming contaminated snacks purchased from a spaza shop in Mapetla, Soweto.

    According to reports, the eight-year-old boy was taken to a nearby clinic after complaining of persistent pain.
    After his condition deteriorated, he was transferred to the hospital over the weekend.

    “Government plays a crucial role, but we also urge communities to take shared responsibility,” Hlabisa said on Friday. 

    He urged communities to protect all children and work together with government to create safer and healthier environments.
    In November 2024, President Cyril Ramaphosa issued a directive requiring all spaza shops and food-handling facilities to register with their respective municipalities. 

    This action was prompted by incidents involving foodborne illnesses that resulted in over 890 cases and nearly 30 deaths since September 2024.

    In October last year, six primary school children from Naledi, Soweto, died after allegedly eating snacks from a foreign-owned local spaza shop.

    Some of the children were confirmed to have died of poisoning linked to the agricultural pesticide terbufos.

    According to the Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (CoGTA), spaza shops are crucial in local communities, often serving as the primary source of essential goods in underserved areas.

    “We are here on humanitarian grounds to stand in solidarity with this young boy and his family during this difficult time,” said Hlabisa. 

    “It was our sincere hope that such incidents of poisoning would never happen again.”

    READ | Hlabisa to visit child who consumed alleged contaminated snacks

    The Minister believes that tragedies of this nature demand a united front and reaffirmed government’s commitment to working collaboratively to protect vulnerable communities. 

    “We are here in the spirit of the District Development Model because incidents like these require the combined efforts of all of government and all of society,” he said.

    The District Development Model aims to improve the coherence and impact of government service delivery with focus on 44 Districts and 8 Metros around the country as development spaces that can be used as centres of service delivery and economic development, including job creation.  – SAnews.gov.za
     

    MIL OSI Africa –

    April 12, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Africa: Minister reaffirms commitment to efficient policing

    Source: South Africa News Agency

    Police Minister Senzo Mchunu has reaffirmed the South African Police Service’s (SAPS) commitment to realising an efficient, effective, and responsible police service.

    “… I want to reaffirm our commitment. We are committed to realising an efficient, effective, and responsible police service; one that reflects the values and aspirations of our democracy. This is non-negotiable,” the Minister said.

    Mchunu was addressing a media briefing on the outcomes of the recently held three-day National Policing Summit. 

    “The people of South Africa demand policing that is efficient, effective, and accountable. The people of South Africa demand a police service that is worthy of their trust, and most importantly, the people of South Africa demand that we act.”

    WATCH | 

    At Friday’s briefing in Pretoria, the Minister said that the priorities of the police are to reduce murder, remove unnecessary firearms from communities, remove drugs, fight gender-based violence and femicide (GBVF) and organised crime.

    The police are also aware of the increases in crimes such as kidnappings, extortion, cash-in-transit heists and stock theft.

    Additionally, police have classified the provinces of Gauteng, KwaZulu Natal, the Eastern Cape and Western Cape as hotspots.

    “As a means of effectively reducing crime, we have identified several key enablers, inclusive of using and improving our technology, strengthening our crime intelligence, capacitating and upskilling our detective services, improving and expanding our forensic services and improving the general environment under which police officers work.

    “We have made mention of the budgetary constraints, but we have also committed to maximising the budget allocated and the resources at our disposal. 

    “Business has also come on board and through that partnership, there are projects aimed at capacitating, particularly our detective services, improving our technology and increasing our laboratories,” he explained.

    Operations Room

    Meanwhile, National Police Commissioner Fannie Masemola said that the summit engaged with seasoned researchers, academic leaders, the business sector, subject matter experts and community structures. The engagements were focused on how to turn the the tide, recalibrate and reposition the SAPS for the future.

    “During the summit deliberations, we assessed the current state and performance of the SAPS, focussed on operational inefficiencies. We identified pragmatic strategies that will improve and advance maximum effectiveness in policing while strategically repositioning the SAPS to ensure long-term relevance, heightened professionalism and the restoration of public trust.

    “The SAPS will establish a National Policing Summit Operations Room. This facility will house a permanent scoreboard that will track and trace progress on the resolutions of the summit periodically for the next five years. 

    “We believe that this significant move will hold the management of the SAPS accountable to the nation, as we commit to turnaround the policing direction of this country,” Masemola explained.

    Visibility 

    The Commissioner added that the summit’s focus was not on theoretical discussion alone, but rather on diagnosing real operational challenges, understanding community perceptions and analysing systemic shortcomings.

    “The summit placed special emphasis on rethinking how SAPS can maximise its impact within existing constraints while repositioning itself for long-term relevance, professionalism, and enhancing public trust in policing.

    “The first day of the summit interrogated the difference between being seen and being felt in communities. While the SAPS often reports on patrols and deployments, the quality and impact of these efforts on safety perceptions was central to the conversation.”
    Masemola explained that the discussions reflected a disconnect between visible policing efforts and actual community safety outcomes, prompting a call for a more intentional, impact-focused presence.

    Masemola also hinted that the Summit touched on technology as a transformative tool in the modernisation of policing.
    “Summit discussions addressed real-time crime tracking, GIS [ geographic information system] mapping, AI-driven analytics, and predictive policing. Participants discussed how these technologies can help SAPS anticipate criminal activity and deploy resources more efficiently.

    “Emphasis was placed on data quality, interoperability of systems and the critical need for digital literacy within SAPS,” said the Commissioner.

    President Cyril Ramaphosa officially opened the summit that was held at Emperors Palace Convention Centre in Gauteng on Tuesday.

    READ | President calls for holistic overhaul of policing

    The Summit, among other things, addressed the high levels of crime in South Africa by reflecting on current policing approaches and developing more effective methods for the South African Police Service. – SAnews.gov.za

    MIL OSI Africa –

    April 12, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Global: To eradicate polio once and for all, we need a new vaccine – that’s what we’re working on

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Lee Sherry, Postdoctoral Research Associate, School of Infection and Immunity, University of Glasgow

    Gorodenkoff/Shutterstock

    Aside from recent outbreaks of polio in war-torn regions of the world, the deadly virus is close to being eradicated, thanks to vaccines.

    All vaccines work by training our immune systems to recognise a harmless piece of a virus or bacteria so that when the real thing is encountered later, the immune system is prepared to defeat it.

    There are two types of polio vaccine in use. One is the inactivated poliovirus vaccine (IPV), and the other the live-attenuated oral poliovirus vaccine (OPV).

    The IPV is made by “killing” large quantities of poliovirus with a chemical called formalin, making it unable to replicate. The immune system is then “trained” to recognise the poliovirus – which is thankfully rendered safe by formalin.

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

    The OPV vaccine contains a weakened (or “attenuated”) version of the virus. These changes in the virus’s genetic code stop it from causing disease. However, as the OPV vaccine is still capable of replicating, it can revert to a form that can cause disease, with the potential to cause paralysis in unvaccinated people.

    Because of these risks, scientists are now looking for safer ways to create vaccines – methods that don’t require growing large amounts of the live virus in high-security labs, as is done for IPV.

    Our research team has taken an important step towards producing a safer and more affordable polio vaccine. This new vaccine candidate uses virus-like particles (VLPs). These particles mimic the outer protein shell of poliovirus, but are empty inside. This means there is no risk of infection, but the VLP is still recognised by the immune system, which then protects against the disease.

    This vaccine candidate uses technology that’s already being used in hepatitis B and human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccines. Thanks to VLPs, since 2008, there have been no cervical cancer cases in women in Scotland who were fully vaccinated against HPV. Over the past ten years, our research group has worked to apply this successful technology in the fight to eradicate polio.

    Vaccine success

    Throughout the 19th and 20th centuries, polio was a major global childhood health concern. However, the development of IPV (licensed in 1955) and of OPV (licensed in 1963), almost eliminated polio-derived paralysis. Due to the success of the Global Polio Eradication Initiative, introduced in 1988, most cases of paralytic polio are now caused by the vaccine.

    Despite the success of these vaccines, they both have safety concerns that could threaten to compromise eradication of the disease.

    IPV, for instance, is expensive to make because it needs stringent safety measures to prevent the accidental release of live poliovirus and so is mostly used in wealthy countries. OPV is five times cheaper than IPV, and due to its lower cost and ease of use, it is used almost exclusively in developing countries.

    OPV has been instrumental in the near eradication of “wild polioviruses” (the naturally occurring form) around the world. But in areas where vaccination rates are low and enough people are susceptible to infection, the weakened virus (OPV) can replicate.

    Unfortunately, each round of replication increases the potential for the virus to revert to a form of polio that causes illness and paralysis. This is already evident in new vaccine-derived outbreaks across several countries in Africa, Asia and the Middle East, which now accounts for most paralytic polio cases worldwide. So, once all remaining strains of wild poliovirus have been successfully eradicated, OPV use will have to stop.

    Safer vaccine

    The next generation of polio vaccinations is likely to be produced in yeast or insect cells. Our research shows that VLPs produced in both yeast and insect cells can perform equally or better than the current IPV.

    These non-infectious VLPs are also easier to produce than IPVs. They would not need to be handled under such stringent laboratory conditions as IPVs, and they are more temperature stable, thanks to genetic alteration of the outer shell. The new vaccines, then, will be less expensive to produce than IPVs, helping to improve fair and equal access to vaccination – ensuring that once polio is eradicated, it will stay eradicated.

    As we move closer to wiping out polio worldwide, these next-generation vaccines could be the final tool we need – safe, affordable and accessible to all.

    Lee Sherry worked as a post-doc on a WHO-funded research grant for the production of poliovirus virus-like particles

    Nicola Stonehouse is a member of the WHO VLP vaccine Consortium and receives funding from The World Health Organisation – Generation of virus-free polio vaccine.

    – ref. To eradicate polio once and for all, we need a new vaccine – that’s what we’re working on – https://theconversation.com/to-eradicate-polio-once-and-for-all-we-need-a-new-vaccine-thats-what-were-working-on-252086

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

    April 12, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Sciences Po hosts the Paris Dialogue on the Future of Higher Education

    Source: Universities – Science Po in English

    Luis Vassy (Sciences Po), Shalini Randeria (CEU), Cornelia Woll (Hertie School), Daniel Jutras (University of Montreal), Paris Dialogue on the Future of Higher Education, 10 April 2025. (credits: Clara Dufour / Sciences Po)

    At a time of rapidly evolving political and geopolitical context, coupled with structural transformations related to new technologies and ecological transition, higher education is at a crossroads.

    We are in a historically significant moment for education, a moment to reflect and engage on the role of universities. Over the past year, following 7 October 2023 and the conflict in Gaza, a question has been critical for universities : should we take positions ? How can we protect freedom of expression for our communities (students, professors, researchers) and our core mission of science and knowledge transmission at once ?

    Jeremy Perelman, Vice-President for International Affairs, Sciences Po

    In response, many leading academic institutions around the world are faced with the need to:

    •  re-emphasise their foundational role in and value for democratic societies,
    • clarify the core principles of academic freedom and freedom of speech within universities,
    • defend their economic and institutional models.

    To explore these pressing challenges, Sciences Po hosted the first Paris Dialogue on the Future of Higher Education on 10 April.

    Following the recent publication of a report and the adoption by Sciences Po of its doctrine on institutional positioning, this first edition closed with a public roundtable on the protection of academic freedoms as a key challenge for the future of higher education, involving presidents and provosts of 5 leading international academic institutions.

    (credits: Clara Dufour / Sciences Po)

    I am very grateful for Sciences Po to have initiated this dialogue, because our common mission of producing and disseminating new knowledge relies heavily on collaboration. In recent months, we have faced similar challenges, which makes this discussion particularly valuable. At my own university, our faculty senate adopted a position that prevents the institution from making official statements on political or social issues. My view is that generating new knowledge requires a wide diversity of perspectives, rather than adherence to any form of institutional orthodoxy. Ideas that eventually prove to be true often appear unorthodox – even heretical – at first. This is precisely why it is essential to allow all viewpoints to be expressed. Suppressing ideas hinders scientific progress and the advancement of knowledge.

    Jennifer Martinez, Provost, Stanford University

    Over the past year, all universities have reached roughly the same conclusion, and I feel quite confident that it is the right position, even though it can be difficult to uphold. At its heart, this position is about preserving everyone’s freedom – the freedom to teach, to learn, to exchange ideas, to express oneself, and to conduct research. If the university, as an institution, adopts an official stance, our scholars and students who hold differing views may find their ability to express those opinions constrained. Universities are a special kind of institution with a unique role in society, and this role must be protected by ensuring the conditions in which our communities can freely exchange ideas and perspectives.

    Larry Kramer, President, London School of Economics

    In this panel of universities, we find that many of our challenges are shared. We have an educational mission, and we firmly believe that there is nothing more important than this: the task of reinventing leadership – leadership that is responsible and accountable. If you, as students, want to bring about change in the world, if you want to make a real difference, you must be able to share your ideas. Our role – our mission of supreme interest – is to create the processes and conditions that allow you to express your views and share your knowledge. What we produce as universities holds huge value. And the only way to defend that value is to start fighting for our universities with the same urgency and determination we would show in defending any vital asset – one that can be lost or destroyed. We must prevent the destruction of the most precious thing we create: knowledge.

    Cornelia Woll, President, Hertie School of Governance

    Universities’ involvement in public affairs should be limited to defending academic freedom and upholding the university’s core mission. This creates space within the institution for all viewpoints to be expressed and for all conversations to take place – something that is vital to the health of our academic communities. Academic freedom stands on two pillars: institutional restraint and the protection of free expression for individuals. These two principles go hand in hand, enabling our communities of scholars and students to teach, learn, and conduct research freely.

    Daniel Jutras, Rector, University of Montreal

    Historically, our university was forced to relocate twice due to autocratic regimes that did not respect academic freedom. We therefore understand the need to protect ourselves from political agendas within our own countries. I think we also need to think about academic freedom internationally : it is our responsibility to safeguard our students and researchers when they are abroad. Academic freedom includes ensuring that our academic communities are free to study and conduct research across borders. One of our students was recently imprisoned in Egypt for social media posts critical of the regime. The university intervened and secured his release, but I fear that in the years ahead, we will see more such cases. We must begin to think and act collectively to develop stronger legal protections for academic freedom on an international scale.

    Shalini Randeria, Rector, Central European University 

    A university is a marketplace of ideas. Ideas must be able to express themselves and circulate freely, to challenge the prevailing consensus and go towards progress. Any stance taken by the institution may have the unintended effect of altering the freedom of expression of those whose opinions diverge from the official line. Protecting academic freedom is essential not only to protect academics or academic institutions but also to guarantee the quality of research, its open, critical inquisitiveness – even when it’s uncomfortable –  and the many benefits it brings to society. 

    Luis Vassy, President, Sciences Po

    MIL OSI Europe News –

    April 12, 2025

  • MIL-OSI USA: Sen. Kenya Wicks Finishes First Legislative Session

    Source: US State of Georgia

    ATLANTA (April 11, 2025) — Sen. Kenya Wicks (D–Fayette), who represents Georgia’s 34th Senate District, spoke about her first legislative session under the Gold Dome. As a freshman senator, Wicks described the 2025 Legislative Session as “an incredible experience” and expressed her deep gratitude for the mentorship and support from Democratic leadership and colleagues.

    “This session, I introduced Senate Bills 190, 236, and 273 and co-authored SB 26 and SB 85. I also was proud to introduce Senate Resolution 141, which dedicated a road for former Senator Valencia Seay. I would not have been unable to do this without my team and the incredible mentorship and support I received from Democratic leadership and my colleagues. Together, we passed a state budget including $19.5 million for student mental health support and additional funding to expand access to the HOPE Scholarship.”

    Sen. Wicks continued by speaking on her plans for the interim and thanking her constituents. “Constituent services remain at the forefront of my priorities—alongside veterans’ affairs, seniors’ rights, workforce development, education and economic growth. I’m committed to continuing the fight for the people of District 34 and all Georgians. To my constituents, thank you for trusting me to be your voice. I came to the Gold Dome ready to work, and I’m just getting started.”

    ####

    Sen. Kenya Wicks represents the 34th Senate District, which includes portions of Clayton and Fayette Counties. She may be reached by email at Kenya.Wicks@senate.ga.gov.

    For all media inquiries, please reach out to SenatePressInquiries@senate.ga.gov.

    MIL OSI USA News –

    April 12, 2025

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Sudan war has created suffering of ‘industrial proportions’, aid agencies warn

    Source: United Nations 4

    11 April 2025 Peace and Security

    Two years since Sudan’s brutal conflict began, UN agencies warned that famine is spreading and civilians of all ages continue to suffer shocking abuse, including rape and gang rape.

    “With no viable peace in sight, the Sudanese are trapped in a humanitarian crisis of industrial proportions,” said Jens Laerke, spokesperson for the UN aid coordination office, OCHA.

    “Two out of three people need aid, that’s 30 million people…This, of course, demands a massive ramp-up of international support; what we see instead is donors pulling back funding across the world.”

    The war between rival militaries – the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) – began on 15 April 2023 after a breakdown in transition to civilian rule, following the overthrow of long-time President Omar al-Bashir. Heavy fighting has levelled towns and cities and claimed tens of thousands of lives.

    At least 12.4 million people have been uprooted from their homes, including more than 3.3 million refugees.

    Rape as a weapon of war

    Since the outset, relief workers and others including the UN human rights office, OHCHR, have repeatedly warned that sexual violence remains pervasive across Sudan.

    “One survivor recounted that she was told, ‘We are your men now,’ before RSF fighters raped her in front of her children,” said Li Fung, OHCHR Representative in Sudan, speaking to journalists in Geneva via video link from Nairobi.

    Meanwhile, the UN World Food Programme (WFP) reiterated deep concerns about the 25 million Sudanese facing famine. “Two years of war has turned Sudan into the world’s largest hunger catastrophe and famine is spreading,” said Leni Kinzli, WFP Communications Officer for Sudan, also speaking from the Kenyan capital.

    Invaluable support

    In an appeal for funding to support the UN agency’s work, she testified to the value of food assistance for internally displaced people (IDPs): “It means that a father who has been torn from his home in Khartoum can feed his family of four; it means that a mother in an IDP camp in Kassala can cook a simple meal for her young daughters and so that they don’t fall into malnutrition.”

    Amid reports that the paramilitary RSF paramilitary had taken the key Darfur town of Um Kadadah from the SAF, the UN World Health Organization (WHO) warned that attacks on healthcare personnel and facilities “are on the rise”.

    The past two years have seen 156 confirmed attacks on health “causing more than 300 deaths and over 270 injuries among either patients or healthcare workers”, said

    Dr Shible Sahbani, WHO Representative in Sudan, speaking via video link from Cairo.

    Funding cuts dilemma

    Echoing those concerns, UN Women reported that 80 per cent of hospitals in conflict areas are no longer functioning, with maternal deaths rising “alarmingly”.

    A full eight in 10 displaced women and girls in Sudan now lack access to clean water, said Sofia Calltorp, UN Women Director in Geneva, highlighting the impact of deep cuts to funding for humanitarian work globally.

    “The latest global cuts in humanitarian funding have put critical programmes at risk, with teams forced to make unreasonable choices and refugees being left to resort to harmful strategies to meet their basic needs,” said UN refugee agency (UNHCR) spokesperson Olga Sarrado.

    “Inside Sudan, reduced funding will cut access to clean water for at least half a million displaced people, significantly increasing risks of cholera and other waterborne diseases,” she added.

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

    April 12, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Security: Pictou — Police charge two people with drug trafficking and weapons offences

    Source: Royal Canadian Mounted Police

    Police have charged two people with drug trafficking and weapons offences after executing a search warrant in Pictou.

    On April 3, 2025, the Pictou County Integrated Street Crime Enforcement Unit (PCISCEU) executed a search warrant at a residence on Welsford St. as part of an ongoing drug trafficking investigation. A man and a woman were safely arrested inside the home.

    Officers searched the residence and seized a quantity of cocaine, methamphetamine, cash, a firearm, a machete, mobile devices and tools, which are believed to have been stolen

    Jennifer Anne Stevenson, 40, and Chad Andrew Thomson, 34, both of Pictou are each charged with:

    • Possession for the Purpose of Trafficking (cocaine)
    • Possession for the Purpose of Trafficking (methamphetamine)
    • Careless Use of Firearm
    • Unauthorized Possession of a Firearm
    • Possession of a Firearm Knowing its Possession is Unauthorized
    • Possession of a Weapon for a Dangerous Purpose (2 counts)
    • Possession of Property Obtained by Crime (2 counts)

    Stevenson and Thomson were released on conditions and are scheduled to appear in Pictou Provincial Court on July 7.

    The investigation is ongoing and is being led by PCISCEU with assistance of Pictou County District RCMP, Antigonish/Guysborough Street Crime Enforcement Unit and RCMP Police Dog Services.

    Nova Scotians are encouraged to contact their nearest RCMP detachment or local police to report crime, including the illegal sale of drugs, in their communities. Anonymous tips can be made by calling Nova Scotia Crime Stoppers, toll-free, at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477), submitting a secure web tip at www.crimestoppers.ns.ca, or using the P3 Tips app.

    Note: The PCISCEU is made up of police officers from Pictou County District RCMP, Westville Police Service, and Stellarton Police Service.

    File #2025-347322

    MIL Security OSI –

    April 12, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Global: China’s new underwater tool cuts deep, exposing vulnerability of vital network of subsea cables

    Source: The Conversation – Global Perspectives – By John Calabrese, Assistant Professor, School of Public Affairs and Non-Resident Senior Fellow, Middle East Institute, American University

    Laying an undersea fiber-optic cable at Arrietara beach near the Spanish village of Sopelana. Ander Gillenea/AFP via Getty Images

    Chinese researchers have unveiled a new deep-sea tool capable of cutting through the world’s most secure subsea cables − and it has many in the West feeling a little jittery.

    The development, first revealed in February 2025 in the Chinese-language journal Mechanical Engineering, was touted as a tool for civilian salvage and seabed mining. But the ability to sever communications lines 13,000 feet (4,000 meters) below the sea’s surface − far beyond the operational range of most existing infrastructure − means that the tool can be used for other purposes with far-reaching implications for global communications and security.

    That is because undersea cables sustain the world’s international internet traffic, financial transactions and diplomatic exchanges. Recent incidents of cable damage near Taiwan and in northern Europe have already raised concerns of these systems’ vulnerabilities − and suspicions about the role of state-linked actors.

    The growing sophistication and openness of underwater technology evidenced by the latest news from China suggest that undersea infrastructure may play a larger role in future strategic competition. Indeed, this development adds a new layer to the broader challenge of securing critical infrastructure amid expanding technological reach and the rise of so called “gray zone” tactics – antagonisms that take place between direct war and peace.

    The backbone of global communication

    Despite their unassuming appearance, undersea cables form the backbone of modern communication systems. Stretching around 870,000 miles (over 1.4 million kilometers) across every ocean, these cables transmit almost 100% of global internet communication.

    Underwater cables unite the world.
    TeleGeography/submarinecablemap.com, CC BY-SA

    These information superhighways are a major engine for the modern economy and are indispensable for things such as almost instantaneous financial transactions and real-time diplomatic and military communications.

    If all these cables were suddenly severed, only a sliver of U.S. communication traffic could be restored using every satellite in orbit.

    The entire system is built, owned, operated and maintained by the private sector. Indeed, approximately 98% of these cables are installed by a handful of firms. As of 2021, the U.S. company SubCom, French firm Alcatel Submarine Networks and Japanese firm Nippon Electric Company collectively held an 87% market share. China’s HMN Tech holds another 11%.

    Tech giants including Amazon, Google, Meta and Microsoft now own or lease roughly half of the undersea bandwidth worldwide, according to analysis by the U.S.-based telecommunications research group TeleGeography.

    Vulnerabilities and sabotage

    The very characteristics that make undersea cables effective also render them highly vulnerable. Built to be lightweight and efficient, they are exposed to a variety of natural hazards, including underwater volcanic eruptions, typhoons and floods.

    But human activity is still the primary cause of cable damage, whether it’s from accidental anchor drags or inadvertent entanglement with trawler nets.

    Now, security experts are increasingly concerned that future human disruptions might be intentional, with nations launching coordinated attacks on undersea cables as part of a hybrid war strategy.

    Such assaults could disrupt not only civilian communications but also critical military networks.

    An adversary, for example, could cut off a nation’s command structures from intelligence feeds, sensor data and communication with deployed forces. The ramifications extend even to nuclear deterrence: Without reliable communication, a nuclear-armed state might lose the ability to control or monitor its strategic weapons.

    The loss of communications, even for a few minutes, could be catastrophic. It could mean the difference between a successful defense and a crippling first strike.

    A technician explains the undersea damage to cables around Taiwan following a 2006 earthquake.
    Sam Yeh/AFP via Getty Images

    Geopolitical threats

    In recent years, Western policymakers have become particularly concerned about the capabilities of Russia and China to exploit the vulnerabilities of undersea cables.

    One particularly illustrative incident occurred in 2023 when Taiwanese authorities accused two Chinese vessels of cutting the only two subsea cables supplying internet to Taiwan’s Matsu Islands.

    The resulting digital isolation of 14,000 residents for six weeks was not an one-off episode. Taiwan’s ruling Democratic Progressive Party has pointed to a pattern, noting that Chinese vessels have disrupted cable operations on 27 occasions since 2018.

    In January 2025, Taiwan’s coast guard blamed a Cameroon- and Tanzania-flagged vessel crewed by seven Chinese nationals and operated by a Hong Kong-based company when an undersea cable was severed off the island’s northeastern coast.

    Such incidents, often described as gray-zone aggression, are designed to wear down an adversary’s resilience and test the limits of response.

    China’s recent push to enhance its cable-cutting capabilities coincides with a surge in its military drills around Taiwan, including a number of recent exercises.

    Similar cable disruptions have occurred in the Baltic Sea. In October 2023, a telecom cable connecting Sweden and Estonia was damaged along with a gas pipeline. In January 2025, a cable linking Latvia and Sweden was breached, triggering NATO patrols and a Swedish seizure of a vessel suspected of sabotage tied to Russian activities.

    Dmitry Medvedev, deputy chairman of Russia’s Security Council, even hinted at the possibility of targeting undersea communication cables as retaliation for actions such as the Nord Stream pipeline explosions in 2023.

    The involvement of state-linked vessels in incidents operating under flags of convenience − that is, registered to another country − further complicates efforts to attribute and deter such attacks.

    It isn’t just security and defense at risk. The modern financial system is predicated on the assumption of continuous, high-speed connectivity; any interruption, however brief, could disrupt markets, halt trading and lead to significant monetary losses.

    The undersea battlefield

    Given the strategic importance of undersea cables and the multifaceted risks they face, Western governments intent on preventing further conflict would be wise to find a comprehensive and internationally coordinated way to secure the infrastructure against threats.

    One clear option would be to bolster repair and maintenance capacities. Currently, a significant vulnerability stems from the overreliance on Chinese repair ships. China’s robust maritime industry and state-supported investments in global telecommunications has contributed to the Asian nation taking a prominent position when it comes to cable repair ships.

    The protection of undersea cables should not, I believe, be viewed as the responsibility of any single nation but as a collective priority for all nations reliant on this infrastructure. As such, international frameworks and agreements could facilitate information sharing, standardize security protocols and establish rapid response mechanisms in the event of a cable breach.

    But such international efforts would be fighting against the tide. The incidents in Taiwan, the Baltic Sea and elsewhere come as great power competition intensifies between the U.S. and China.

    China, in developing deep-water cable-cutting technology, may be sending a message of intent. Meanwhile, the Trump administration’s “America First” approach signals a shift that could complicate efforts to foster partnerships for the general global good.

    The defense of undersea cables reflects the challenges of our hyperconnected world, requiring a balance of innovation, strategy and cooperation. But as nations including China and Russia seemingly test and probe this vital global infrastructure, it appears the systems underpinning the West’s prosperity and security could become one of its greatest vulnerabilities.

    John Calabrese does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

    – ref. China’s new underwater tool cuts deep, exposing vulnerability of vital network of subsea cables – https://theconversation.com/chinas-new-underwater-tool-cuts-deep-exposing-vulnerability-of-vital-network-of-subsea-cables-251877

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

    April 12, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Global: Will Africa’s young voters continue to punish incumbents at the ballot box in 2025? We are about to find out

    Source: The Conversation – Global Perspectives – By Richard Aidoo, Professor of Political Science, Coastal Carolina University

    Supporters of opposition candidate and former President John Dramani Mahama celebrate his victory in Accra, Ghana, on Dec. 8, 2024. AP Photo/Jerome Delay

    Voters in Gabon head to the ballot box on April 12, 2025, in a vote that marks the first election in the Central African nation since a 2023 coup ended the 56-year rule of the Bongo family.

    It is also the first presidential vote to take place in Africa in 2025, to be followed by contests later this year in Ivory Coast, Malawi, Guinea, Central African Republic, Guinea-Bissau, Tanzania, Seychelles and Cameroon.

    Of particular interest is whether these elections will continue the trend of last year’s votes. As the continent with the youngest population, Africa’s youth was crucial throughout 2024 to a series of seismic political shifts – not least the removal of incumbents and changes in the governing status quo in Ghana, Senegal and South Africa.

    Indeed, analysis of the 2024 African Youth Survey – one of the most comprehensive continent-wide polls of people age 18 to 24 – and election results of that year show a clear lack of optimism among the youth.

    Unemployment, the rising cost of living and corruption are primary factors driving youth dissatisfaction on the continent. For example, 59% of South African youth considered their country to be heading the wrong direction – and that’s not hard to imagine given that the country’s youth unemployment rate reached 45.5% in 2024. Not surprisingly, unemployment was a key factor in the election results. Meanwhile, widespread protests in Kenya and Uganda in the summer of 2024 were youth-led and sparked, respectively, by concerns over tax increases and corruption.

    As a professor of political science and an expert in African politics, I believe that a failure to address such concerns could have potentially serious implications for political leaders in the upcoming elections. It also makes it more difficult for countries to consolidate or protect already-fragile democracies on the continent.

    Unemployment fueling instability

    While African political campaigns often make note of persistently high rates of youth unemployment, the policy priorities of governments across the continent have seemingly failed to fix this intractable problem.

    In a 2023 Afrobarometer survey, unemployment topped the list of policy priorities for African youth between the ages of 18 and 35.

    Supporters of the UMkhonto weSizwe party, which helped unseat the long-time African National Congress, attend an election meeting near Durban, South Africa, ahead of the May 2024 general elections.
    AP Photo/Emilio Morenatti

    But for a multitude of reasons – including the lack of investment in training youth and other priorities – African governments have been unable or unwilling to tackle youth unemployment.

    Many governments, faced with the ongoing economic aftereffects of the COVID-19 pandemic and supply-chain issues – which exacerbated rising living costs, high inflation and external debt issues – pursued unpopular revenue collection policies

    Take Ghana, where in 2022 the government introduced an e-levy – a tax on electronic cash transfers. The move proved deeply unpopular and was dropped by the new government in 2024.

    The violent anti-tax protests in Kenya also provide an example of desperate unemployed youth tapping into a sense of deep popular resentment over fiscal policies.

    The combination of deep dissatisfaction with government policies and high youth joblessness can be a destabilizing influence. A 2023 United Nations Development Program study focusing on Ghana pointed to a problem that is common elsewhere on the continent. It concluded that in regions with higher-than-average youth unemployment, that factor was the most common cause for violent extremism and radicalization.

    The U.N. study underscored the importance of addressing the social and economic challenges that foster marginalization and anger among youth across sub-Saharan Africa.

    The issue of youth unemployment in Africa is exacerbated by the cumulative growth in the youth labor force – estimated to grow by 72.6 million between 2023 and 2050, according to a 2024 report by the International Labor Organization.

    The role that unemployment played in Africa’s 2024 elections does not bode well for some of those governments heading to the polls this year. In Gabon, youth unemployment has hovered above 35% in recent years.

    A corrupting influence

    Corruption remains a persistent social and political issue in much of Africa and continues to impede the efforts of youth to seek meaningful opportunities. So it is unsurprising that the issue was front and center during a number of 2024 elections, including in Senegal, South Africa and Ghana.

    The concerns in those countries mirror grievances registered around the continent more broadly, with reducing government corruption listed as a top priority by respondents in the African Youth Survey.

    Similar to unemployment, high levels of corruption correlated to some of the political shifts of 2024.

    An Afrobarometer survey of attitudes in 2024 showed that 74% of Ghanaians believed corruption had increased over the previous year.

    In Kenya, 77% of people view their government’s efforts in fighting corruption as ineffectual.

    Of particular concern to many African youth is the belief that security forces and government officials are often considered the most corrupt and that incidents of regularized corruption are underreported.

    And it is youth that bear the brunt of much of this corruption. According to a 2022 U.N. Office on Drugs and Crime report, people between the ages 18 and 34 are among the most vulnerable to having to pay bribes to public officials in Ghana.

    Supporters of soldiers who launched a coup against the government demonstrate in Niamey, Niger, on July 27, 2023.
    AP Photo/Fatahoulaye Hassane Midou

    Again, youth attitudes toward corruption don’t bode well for many of the governments in this year’s elections. Gabon, Cameroon, Central African Republic and Guinea-Bissau all score poorly on Transparency International’s Corruption Perception Index.

    The fragility of democracy

    There is an ongoing debate on the extent of slowdown of democratic progress in Africa, a trend that is underscored by a number of African military coups in recent years, including in Mali, Burkina Faso, Guinea and Niger.

    Democracy is at its strongest when it empowers governments to deliver on the needs of their populations, particularly the youth.

    But the experience of incumbent governments in 2024 elections suggests that too many may have disregarded young people’s needs, which in turn has led to anger resulting in destabilizing protests and regime change – both through democratic and undemocratic means.

    It also makes it harder to instill democratic sentiment among younger voters.

    Over half of Africa’s 18- to 35-year-olds surveyed in the 2023 Afrobarometer agreed that the military can intervene when leaders abuse power – a pertinent caution about their willingness to support political change, even if it interrupts the democratic process.

    While a majority of youth in Africa still retain an apparent preference for democracy to other forms of governance, a growing proportion would embrace nondemocratic governance under some circumstances, according to the 2024 African Youth Survey. The top scores in this particular response came from Gabon, Ivory Coast and Tanzania – all of which have upcoming elections in 2025.

    Richard Aidoo does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

    – ref. Will Africa’s young voters continue to punish incumbents at the ballot box in 2025? We are about to find out – https://theconversation.com/will-africas-young-voters-continue-to-punish-incumbents-at-the-ballot-box-in-2025-we-are-about-to-find-out-251413

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

    April 12, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Global: Do Inuit languages really have many words for snow? The most interesting finds from our study of 616 languages

    Source: The Conversation – Global Perspectives – By Charles Kemp, Professor, School of Psychological Sciences, The University of Melbourne

    Shutterstock

    Languages are windows into the worlds of the people who speak them – reflecting what they value and experience daily.

    So perhaps it’s no surprise different languages highlight different areas of vocabulary. Scholars have noted that Mongolian has many horse-related words, that Maori has many words for ferns, and Japanese has many words related to taste.

    Some links are unsurprising, such as German having many words related to beer, or Fijian having many words for fish. The linguist Paul Zinsli wrote an entire book on Swiss-German words related to mountains.

    In our recently-published study we took a broad approach towards understanding the links between different languages and concepts.

    Using computational methods, we identified areas of vocabulary that are characteristic of specific languages, to provide insight into linguistic and cultural variation.

    Our work adds to a growing understanding of language, culture, and the way they both relate.

    Japanese has many words related to taste. One of these is umami, which is often used to describe the rich taste of matcha green tea.
    Shutterstock

    Our method

    We tested 163 links between languages and concepts, drawn from the literature.

    We compiled a digital dataset of 1574 bilingual dictionaries that translate between English and 616 different languages. Since many of these dictionaries were still under copyright, we only had access to counts of how often a particular word appeared in each dictionary.

    One example of a concept we looked at was “horse”, for which the top-scoring languages included French, German, Kazakh and Mongolian. This means dictionaries in these languages had a relatively high number of

    1. words for horses. For instance, Mongolian аргамаг means “a good racing or riding horse”
    2. words related to horses. For instance, Mongolian чөдөрлөх means “to hobble a horse”.

    However, it is also possible the counts were influenced by “horse” appearing in example sentences for unrelated terms.

    Not a hoax after all?

    Our findings support most links previously highlighted by researchers, including that Hindi has many words related to love and Japanese has many words related to obligation and duty.

    ‘Silk’ was one of the most popular concepts for Mandarin Chinese.
    Shutterstock

    We were especially interested in testing the idea that Inuit languages have many words for snow. This notorious claim has long been distorted and exaggerated. It has even been dismissed as the “great Eskimo vocabulary hoax”, with some experts saying it simply isn’t true.

    But our results suggest the Inuit snow vocabulary is indeed exceptional. Out of 616 languages, the language with the top score for “snow” was Eastern Canadian Inuktitut. The other two Inuit languages in our data set (Western Canadian Inuktitut and North Alaskan Inupiatun) also achieved high scores for “snow”.

    The Eastern Canadian Inuktitut dictionary in our dataset includes terms such as kikalukpok, which means “noisy walking on hard snow”, and apingaut, which means “first snow fall”.

    The top 20 languages for “snow” included several other languages of Alaska, such as Ahtena, Dena’ina and Central Alaskan Yupik, as well as Japanese and Scots.

    Scots includes terms such as doon-lay, meaning “a heavy fall of snow”, feughter meaning “a sudden, slight fall of snow”, and fuddum, meaning “snow drifting at intervals”.

    You can explore our findings using the tool we developed, which allows you to identify the top languages for any given concept, and the top concepts for a particular language.

    Language and environment

    Although the languages with top scores for “snow” are all spoken in snowy regions, the top-ranked languages for “rain” were not always from the rainiest parts of the world.

    For instance, South Africa has a medium level of rainfall, but languages from this region, such as Nyanja, East Taa and Shona, have many rain-related words. This is probably because, unlike snow, rain is important for human survival – which means people still talk about it in its absence.

    For speakers of East Taa, rain is both relatively rare and desirable. This is reflected in terms such as lábe ||núu-bâ, an “honorific form of address to thunder to bring rain” and |qába, which refers to the “ritual sprinkling of water or urine to bring rain”.

    Our tool can also be used to explore various concepts related to perception (“smell”), emotion (“love”) and cultural beliefs (“ghost”).

    The top-scoring languages for “smell” include a cluster of Oceanic languages such as Marshallese, which has terms such as jatbo meaning “smell of damp clothing”, meļļā meaning “smell of blood”, and aelel meaning “smell of fish, lingering on hands, body, or utensils”.

    Prior to our research, the smell terms of the Pacific Islands had received little attention.

    Some caveats

    Although our analysis reveals many interesting links between languages and concepts, the results aren’t always reliable – and should be checked against original dictionaries where possible.

    For example, the top concepts for Plautdietsch (Mennonite Low German) include von (“of”), den (“the”) and und (“and”) – all of which are unrevealing. We excluded similar words from other languages using Wiktionary, but our method did not filter out these common words for Plautdietsch.

    Also, the word counts reflect both dictionary definitions and other elements, such as example sentences. While our analysis excluded words that are especially likely to appear in example sentences (such as “woman” and “father”), such words could have still influenced our results to some extent.

    Most importantly, our results run the risk of perpetuating potentially harmful stereotypes if taken at face value. So we urge caution and respect while using the tool. The concepts it lists for any given language provide, at best, a crude reflection of the cultures associated with that language.

    Charles Kemp was supported by a Future Fellowship (FT190100200) awarded by the Australian Research Council.

    Temuulen Khishigsuren was supported by a Future Fellowship (FT190100200) awarded by the Australian Research Council.

    Ekaterina Vylomova and Terry Regier do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

    – ref. Do Inuit languages really have many words for snow? The most interesting finds from our study of 616 languages – https://theconversation.com/do-inuit-languages-really-have-many-words-for-snow-the-most-interesting-finds-from-our-study-of-616-languages-252522

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

    April 12, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Africa: International Monetary Fund (IMF) and Seychelles Reach Staff-Level Agreement on the Fourth Reviews Under the Extended Fund Facility (EFF) and Resilience and Sustainability Facility (RSF) Arrangements

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

    WASHINGTON D.C., United States of America, April 11, 2025/APO Group/ —

    • IMF staff and the Seychellois authorities have reached a staff-level agreement on the fourth reviews under the Extended Fund Facility (EFF) and the Resilience and Sustainability Facility (RSF) arrangements. Approval of the reviews by the IMF’s Executive Board would release financing of SDR 10 million, equivalent to $13.4 million.
    • The government has made strong progress in implementing policies under the EFF and RSF programs. All quantitative targets for the fourth reviews have been met. Good progress has been made on a range of macro-structural issues.
    • Seychelles’ economic outlook is generally stable, but downside risks have increased. Given vulnerability to changes in tourist spending, international commodity prices, and transport costs, continued fiscal prudence and close monitoring of economic and financial indicators is recommended.

    An International Monetary Fund (IMF) mission, led by Mr. Todd Schneider, conducted discussions with the Seychellois authorities in Victoria from March 31 to April 11, 2025, and reached a staff-level agreement on the fourth reviews under the Extended Fund Facility (EFF) and the Resilience and Sustainability Facility (RSF) arrangements. This agreement is subject to approval by the IMF’s Executive Board. Approval would release financing of SDR 10 million, equivalent to $13.4 million.

    At the end of the mission, Mr. Schneider issued the following statement:

    “The authorities continue to make progress in implementing the EFF-supported program. All end-December 2024 quantitative performance criteria under the program were met. Structural reforms related to improving the transparency of tax policy, enhancing monetary policy operations, and strengthening the effectiveness of the anti-money laundering and combatting the financing of terrorism (AML/CFT) regime were completed.

    “Real GDP growth for 2024 is estimated at 2.9 percent. Total tourist arrivals increased by only 0.5 percent, and tourist earnings declined by 6.9 percent. Growth in other sectors of the economy was generally moderate, apart from agriculture, information and communication, and financial services. Real GDP growth is expected to reach 3.2 percent in 2025 but is subject to downside risks given recent global economic developments.

    “Fiscal performance in 2024 was tighter than budgeted. The government’s primary fiscal surplus rose from 1.7 percent of GDP in 2023 to 3.2 percent in 2024. Tax and other revenues were slightly lower than earlier forecasts, but government expenditures were substantially lower than expected. The underspend was spread across budget lines but was highest with respect to capital projects, reflecting diversion of government planning resources to emergency reconstruction in the first part of the year and delays in several projects due to design and procurement issues. For 2025, the government is expected to achieve a primary fiscal surplus of 1.2 percent of GDP as budget execution improves.

    “The 2024 external current account position was stronger than expected due largely to lower than expected imports as some foreign financed projects did not materialize. The Central Bank of Seychelles (CBS) was able to increase gross foreign exchange reserves to $774 million, equivalent to 3.8 months of imports of goods and services. Looking ahead, a modest deterioration of the external account is expected in 2025. Tourist arrivals and earnings are projected to cool in the second half of the year but will be partially offset by lower international oil prices. On balance, this should allow the CBS to maintain central bank foreign exchange reserves over $800 million in 2025, raising import cover to the equivalent of 3.9 months.

    “The CBS has maintained a broadly accommodative monetary policy, facilitating a steady increase in the growth of private credit. Inflation remains low and is projected to remain below 2 percent in 2025. The CBS will need to monitor developments closely in coming months and be ready to adjust policy rates if needed. CBS will also continue to strengthen Seychelles’ monetary policy framework and bolster financial sector supervision.

    “The authorities are committed to bolstering governance. The Public Enterprise Monitoring Commission—through an independent audit firm—will complete governance and performance assessments of six key public enterprises by end-year. The 2025 budget contained an estimate of foregone revenue from tax expenditures (such as exemptions, deductions, and reduced rates). The government also continues to improve the transparency of the beneficial ownership database and ensure the accuracy of collected information.

    “With respect to climate change mitigation and adaptation, the authorities are advancing reform measures agreed under the RSF. Measures related to the current review focused on assessing and reporting on climate related risks in the banking sector, adopting a disaster risk financing strategy, and steps to facilitate the scaling up of renewable energy.

    “The team thanks the Seychellois authorities for the open dialogue and close collaboration. Meetings were held with President Ramkalawan, Vice President Afif, Governor of the Central Bank of Seychelles Abel, and other senior government officials as well as representatives of the private sector.”

    MIL OSI Africa –

    April 12, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Russia: SPbPU Educational Tour to Morocco

    Translartion. Region: Russians Fedetion –

    Source: Peter the Great St Petersburg Polytechnic University – Peter the Great St Petersburg Polytechnic University –

    Peter the Great St. Petersburg Polytechnic University is actively promoting Russian engineering education in Morocco. An important step was opening of the SPbPU Information Center and the Russian-African Network University (RANU) consortium in December 2024 in partnership with the Russian-Moroccan Alliance (RMA). In a few months, the center has become a key platform for career guidance for applicants and presentations of the university’s educational programs. Polytechnic in Morocco was represented by Deputy Head of the International Education Department Tatyana Sytnikova and Project Office Specialist Alexandra Le Gall, and President Said Zuhir was present at the exhibition from the RMA.

    The educational initiative gained momentum in April 2025. A delegation from SPbPU joined a large-scale exhibition at the Russian Cultural Center in Rabat, organized with the support of Rossotrudnichestvo. The event brought together more than 400 participants: schoolchildren, their parents, and journalists. The guests studied in detail the undergraduate and graduate programs in engineering, as well as the conditions for receiving scholarships, including quotas from the Government of the Russian Federation. The head of the Russian House in Rabat, Alexander Sen, noted at the opening that interest in the Russian language in Morocco has grown significantly.

    It is interesting that the children want to learn Russian in Russia, although we also offer courses in Morocco. As parents and teachers explain, the key factor is immersion in the cultural environment. St. Petersburg with its unique atmosphere is becoming an ideal choice for them, emphasized Tatyana Sytnikova.

    The next stage of the tour was a visit to Casablanca, where the SPbPU delegation held a series of meetings in three Moroccan international schools and a lyceum. More than 800 students learned about promising areas of training: biomedical technologies, artificial intelligence, civil engineering and international trade.

    On April 10, at the largest educational exhibition in Morocco — the International Student Forum in Casablanca, SPbPU presented a unique pre-university training program in French. The course includes not only intensive study of the Russian language, but also training in mathematics, physics, and the basics of engineering. This will allow students to smoothly integrate into the Russian academic environment. Already in the first days of the exhibition, more than 600 applicants and their parents visited the Polytechnic University stand. Special emphasis was placed on working with parents: university representatives spoke in detail about the safety, infrastructure of the SPbPU international campus, and the cultural adaptation program. Visitors were especially interested in internship opportunities in partner companies.

    The Casablanca Student Forum will continue until Sunday. Organizers note that by the second day, the exhibition had already been visited by several thousand guests: not only schoolchildren and parents, but also university graduates, students from Europe and Asia, and representatives of recruiting agencies. The latter are actively seeking sustainable educational partnerships for African applicants, noting the growing demand for Russian programs in IT, energy, and bioengineering.

    North Africa today is one of the most open regions for educational export. SPbPU as a flagship of engineering education is becoming a key “hub” for such collaborations, explained Tatyana Sytnikova.

    Please note: This information is raw content directly from the source of the information. It is exactly what the source states and does not reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

    MIL OSI Russia News –

    April 12, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Africa: African Development Bank Group Annual Meetings 2025 to focus on harnessing Africa’s capital for continent’s development

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

    ABIDJAN, Ivory Coast, April 11, 2025/APO Group/ —

    The African Development Bank Group’s (www.AfDB.org) 2025 Annual Meetings next month will take a deep dive into how Africa can better harness its wealth of capital and address current issues such as heavy debt burdens, climate change and rising tariffs in a complex geopolitical landscape, the institution’s Secretary General and Chief Economist said on Wednesday.

    Prof. Vincent Nmehielle, Secretary General of the African Development Bank Group and Prof. Kevin Urama, Chief Economist and Vice President for Economic Governance addressed journalists at the traditional press briefing which takes place ahead of the institution’s annual meetings.

    The hybrid meeting took place at the Bank’s headquarters in Abidjan and online, with the participation of over 100 representatives of news organisations worldwide.

    Nmehielle, speaking in his capacity as Secretary to the respective Boards of Governors of the Bank and the African Development Fund as well as the Boards of Directors, said the meetings would take place from the 26th to the 30th of May 2025, at the Sofitel Abidjan Hotel Ivoire in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire.

    The Secretary General ran through the objectives and the agenda of the annual meetings and noted that a key session would be the election of the next president of the Bank, following the end of the 10-year term of current president, Dr Akinwumi Adesina.

    The new president would be selected out of five candidates from five African countries, by the Bank Group’s 81 governors through a double majority—50 plus one percent of the vote of all the 81 shareholders and 50 plus 1 percent of the regional member countries. The new president would be sworn in on 1st September, Nmehielle said.

    Harnessing Africa’s capital for its development needs

    Speaking on the theme of this year’s annual meetings: “Making the Most of Africa’s Capital to Foster Its Development,” Urama said the focus was clear—harnessing better what Africa has already to drive development in Africa, through its rich fiscal, human capital, natural and business capital.

    Discussion with heads of state, ministers, civil society, experts and the bank’s development partners during the four major knowledge events, as well as a presidential dialogue, would ensure a thorough dissection of the theme of this year’s meetings and concrete proposals to address the how of what needs to be done, Urama said.

    The African Development Bank’s 2025 African Economic Outlook report to be released during the annual meetings would address the changing global economic landscape, debt burdens and resource mobilisation to assist African countries to build effective institutions, he added.

    Journalists asked questions on topics ranging from ongoing trade tariffs imposed by the United States, the loss of USAID financing and procedural questions on the election of a new president for the African Development Bank.

    Urama noted that a point raised about trade wars aligned well with the overall theme of this year’s conference—making Africa’s capital work better for Africa’s development—and that discussions would look at business capital, including issues around tariffs.

    “The impact of trade tariffs on economies are well known, but also it depends on how countries respond to the domestic policies of those with whom they trade,” Urama said, adding that this subject would be dealt with in the report as he extended an invitation to journalists to attend.

    Nmehielle said dwindling aid and higher tariffs should encourage Africans to look inward for their solutions.

    “Africa’s capital should work for Africa, tell our leaders that they have to look inward and let our capital work for Africa,” he told the journalists.

    Media partners can help tell Africa’s development story

    Both leaders urged journalists to tell the continent’s development story in a clear and unbiased manner with a focus on facts and not just the negatives. “Narratives matter and you are the best people to create positive narratives… Africa has enough… let’s not bemoan the decline in aid… let’s focus our narrative on what Africa can do,” Urama said.

    “You as journalists are a part and parcel of making our institution’s work. The whole essence of your work is also about accountability,” Nmehielle said urging journalists to call out institutions for not working. “You can help exposing inefficient institutions … it’s the responsibility of everyone,” Nmehielle said.

    African Development Bank president Adesina has been highly critical of the “Africa premium” that countries pay when accessing capital markets, despite data showing that Africa’s default rates are lower than those of other regions. He has made repeated calls for an end to this risk perception, which he said leads to higher borrowing costs for African nations.

    During the Annual Meetings of the African Development Bank Group, its Boards of Governors, as the highest decision-making and oversight organs of the Bank and the Fund, review the annual report on the finances, operations and other activities of the Bank and the Fund during the preceding financial year.

    Watch the recording of the press conference here (https://apo-opa.co/42syjVR) for anything you missed.

    More information about the 2025 Annual Meetings is available here https://apo-opa.co/3GidCV1.

    MIL OSI Africa –

    April 12, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Africa: Sudan’s war isn’t nearly over – armed civilian groups are rising

    Source: The Conversation – Africa – By Mohamed Saad, Researcher, Charles University

    Sudan’s war, now entering its third year, has taken another unexpected turn. In March 2025, the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), also known as the Janjaweed, withdrew from Khartoum, abandoning the presidential palace and airport.

    This retreat marks a significant contrast to the paramilitary group’s earlier victory when troops stormed the capital in April 2023.

    The fall of Khartoum is a turning point. But, based on my research into Sudan’s political turmoil over the past three decades, I don’t believe recent developments mark the war’s final chapter.

    What began as a power struggle between two military factions is now transforming into a much wider conflict, marked by deepening fragmentation and the rise of armed civilian groups. Across the country, new militias are emerging, many formed by civilians who once had no part in the war.

    The army encouraged civilians to fight, but now it faces a growing number of independent armed groups. In cities and rural areas alike, civilians have taken up arms.

    Some are fighting alongside the army, answering calls from the military leadership, including army chief Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, to defend their neighbourhoods and families. Others have formed self-defence units to protect against looting and violence. Some have joined breakaway militias that have their own agendas.

    These groups don’t share a single goal. Some fight for self-defence, others for political power. Some for revenue and wealth. Others are seeking ethnic control – Sudan’s population has 56 ethnic groups and 595 sub-ethnic groups. This is what makes Sudan’s war even more dangerous: fragmentation is creating multiple mini-wars within the larger conflict.

    How the Rapid Support Forces lost Khartoum

    Several key factors forced the RSF to retreat from Khartoum after it claimed control of the Sudanese capital city two years earlier.

    • Internal fractures: The RSF, built on tribal loyalty, struggled to hold together as the war dragged on. Many factions felt sidelined by its leader, Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, known as Hemedti.

    • Civilian resistance: The RSF’s reliance on brutality backfired, alienating even those who might have supported them. Instead of consolidating control, they turned civilians into enemies. The RSF relied on terror – looting, mass killings and sexual violence. Instead of gaining control, they provoked fierce resistance. Armed civilians, originally taking up arms in self-defence, have become an informal militia network working against the RSF.

    • Foreign intervention: Reports suggest Egyptian airstrikes and tactical support helped the army take Khartoum. Additionally, Turkish-made Bayraktar drones weakened RSF positions. With supply lines cut, the RSF had no choice but to retreat.

    Khartoum was not just a battlefield defeat for the RSF. It was a turning point in how the war is fought – it’s no longer a military struggle but a battle involving armed civilians across Sudan.

    Based on reports from humanitarian organisations, conflict monitors and local testimonies, a clearer picture has emerged of a growing number of armed groups operating across Sudan. These groups have formed in response to the escalating conflict.

    Recent analyses highlight that arms trafficking and intensified community mobilisation have accelerated within the past two years.

    Read more: Omar al-Bashir brutalised Sudan – how his 30-year legacy is playing out today

    Neighbourhood defence units have emerged in urban areas like El-Gezira in central Sudan, El-Fasher in North Darfur, Al-Dalang in South Kordofan, El-Obeid in North Kordofan, Babanusa in West Kordofan and Khartoum. They were initially formed to protect residential zones from the RSF but have since expanded their roles and increasingly operate outside the oversight of the army.

    Tribal and regional militias have also become more prominent, particularly in Darfur and Kordofan. In these regions, entrenched ethnic and political rivalries have intertwined with the current war. Some of these militia groups have aligned with the army. Others remain independent, pursuing their own agendas, which include securing territory.

    In Darfur, growing anger at Hemedti’s favouritism towards his own tribe (Rizeigat) led to defections. Internal divisions within the RSF have played a major role in its recent losses. Some former RSF fighters have formed their own militias. The RSF was never a unified force, but a tribal alliance dominated by the Dagalo family and Rizeigat elites. Initially, gold revenues secured loyalty, but as the war has dragged on, internal fractures have deepened.

    Another ethnic-linked group is the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement-North. It has expanded its control in Kordofan and Blue Nile, two resource-rich regions in southern Sudan. The group allied with the RSF to push its own agenda, which includes securing greater autonomy for these regions and promoting a secular political framework that challenges Khartoum’s Islamist-leaning governance. Other ethnic militias also operate in eastern Sudan, supported by neighbouring countries such as Eritrea, further escalating the situation.

    Islamist-linked militias are also on the rise. The main example of these groups is El Baraa Ibn Malik Brigade, which emerged as a key player supporting the army against the RSF. Reports link the group to remnants of the Omar al-Bashir regime (1993-2019) – the dissolved Popular Defence Forces. This was a paramilitary group established in the mid-1980s to defend Arab tribes and support the military. It flourished under the al-Bashir regime.

    What next?

    While the RSF’s retreat from Khartoum is a major victory for the Sudanese army, it doesn’t mean stability is returning. Instead, Sudan is now facing a dangerous new reality: the rise of civilian militarisation.

    If not reined in, these groups could evolve and establish de facto warlord-run territories where local commanders wield unchecked power. This would undermine any prospects for centralised governance in Sudan.

    Read more: Sudan is burning and foreign powers are benefiting – what’s in it for the UAE

    With militias multiplying and no clear political solution, Sudan risks becoming a battlefield of warring factions.

    Meanwhile, international mediators are struggling to find a solution while foreign interference continues. The United Arab Emirates, a major RSF backer, still supports Hemedti financially, ensuring he remains active in Sudan’s gold trade.

    – Sudan’s war isn’t nearly over – armed civilian groups are rising
    – https://theconversation.com/sudans-war-isnt-nearly-over-armed-civilian-groups-are-rising-254100

    MIL OSI Africa –

    April 12, 2025

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: The Truth About Porton Down

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    News story

    The Truth About Porton Down

    Answering the myths and misconceptions.

    Porton Down carries out research to ensure that the UK’s military and wider public benefit from the latest technical and scientific developments. In the interests of national security much of this work is secret. Inevitably this has led to many myths and misconceptions springing up about Porton Down and the wider work carried out by the Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (Dstl).

    The Truth

    Chemical and Biological Weapons

    The UK’s chemical and biological weapons programme was closed down in the 1950s. Since then Porton Down has been active in developing effective countermeasures to the constantly evolving threat posed by chemical and biological weapons. To help develop effective medical countermeasures and to test systems, we produce very small quantities of chemical and biological agents. They are stored securely and disposed of safely when they are no longer required.

    Animal Testing

    Safe and effective protective measures for the UK and its Armed Forces could not, currently, be achieved without the use of animals. Examples include:

    • Nerve Agent Pretreatment Set (NAPS) Tablets. These provide protection against exposure to nerve agents such as Sarin and VX.
    • ComboPen containing atropine, P2S and avizafone. This is used when individuals are showing signs of exposure to nerve agent poisoning.
    • Doxycycline and Ciprofloxacin are antibiotics that are given as both a pretreatment and a treatment in the event of exposure to high threat biological agents such as plague and anthrax.

    All of these countermeasures are available for use by both the UK’s military and wider civilian population.

    It is also notable that several products and procedures developed by Dstl are now used in the NHS. Dstl research, for example, provided evidence that giving specific blood products before casualties reach hospital could help save lives as it improves the ability to form blood-clots.

    Dstl is committed to reducing the number of animal experiments. The “three Rs” of ‘reduce’ (the number of animals used), ‘refine’ (animal procedures) and ‘replace’ (animal tests with non-animal tests) are integral to our testing programme. We only apply for licenses if the research cannot be obtained without the use of animals. Dstl Porton Down currently uses less than half of one per cent of the total number of animals used in experimentation in the UK. All research involving animals is licensed by the Home Office, in accordance with relevant legislation, who carry out both announced and unannounced visits several times a year and can access the laboratories at any time.

    Human Volunteers

    Since 1916 over 20,000 volunteers have taken part in studies at Porton Down. Without their involvement we could not have developed the highly effective protective clothing and medical countermeasures that our armed forces rely on.

    The Volunteer Programme has always been operated to the highest ethical standards of the day.

    We still carry out trials with human volunteers to make the protective equipment easier to wear and to develop better training procedures. These trials comply with all nationally and internationally accepted ethical standards. All of the trials are approved by the Ministry of Defence Research Ethics Committees (MODREC) process.

    If any ex Porton Down Volunteer has any concerns about the trials in which they participated or any subsequent effects on their health they should contact the Porton Down Volunteers Helpline on 0800 7832521.

    The Death of Leading Aircraftsman Maddison

    The death of Aircraftsman Ronald Maddison in 1953 was a tragic and regrettable incident. He died following participation in a trial in which a number of small drops of the nerve agent sarin were applied to the forearm through two layers of cloth. An inquest returned a verdict of unlawful killing in 2004. He is the only member of the UK Armed Forces to have died as the direct result of participation in experimental tests carried out at Porton Down on behalf of the Ministry of Defence.

    Porton Down has always been open about the fact that Aircraftsman Maddison died at the site. The Wiltshire coroner held the original inquest in secret, on the grounds of national security, recording a verdict of misadventure. The pathologist’s report stated that he had died from asphyxia. The subsequent inquest into his death overturned the coroner’s original findings, recording a verdict of unlawful killing.

    Aerial Release Trials

    During the cold war period between 1953 and 1976, a number of aerial release trials were carried out to help the government understand how a biological attack might spread across the UK. Given the international situation at the time these trials were conducted in secret. The information obtained from these trials has been and still is vital to the defence of the UK from this type of attack. Two separate and independent reviews of the trials have both concluded that the trials did not have any adverse health effects on the UK population.

    Ebola

    Dstl has an active research programme on Ebola and played an important role in the UK’s support to Sierra Leone during the recent outbreak. Dstl’s scientists provided advice on the biological and physical aspects of the virus, as well as deploying highly skilled research scientists to the diagnostic laboratory at the Kerry Town Ebola Treatment Unit.

    Gruinard Island

    During the Second World War, Porton Down scientists developed a biological weapon using anthrax spores. Trials were held on Gruinard Island off the coast of Scotland. Anthrax spores can remain active for decades and Gruinard was finally decontaminated in 1986.

    Destruction of Chemical Weapons

    Each year small quantities of old chemical weapons are found in the UK. Dstl possesses the only licensed UK facility for the receipt, storage, breakdown and safe disposal of old chemical weapons. We currently have around 1,000 munitions that are in the process of being safely disposed of.

    The Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) makes annual inspections at Dstl to assess compliance with the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC) by confirming it is making accurate returns on munition types and numbers and is undertaking control and disposal of the UK’s old chemical weapons. We share our world leading expertise on the disposal of legacy weapons with other nations. As part of this we host an annual conference in support of the OPCW.

    Alien Bodies

    No aliens, either alive or dead have ever been taken to Porton Down or any other Dstl site.

    Cannabis Cultivation

    Dstl and its predecessors do not and have never grown cannabis at Porton Down.

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    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

    April 12, 2025

  • MIL-OSI: MEXC Among Top 3 CEXs with $1.79B Monthly Inflows, Driven by Innovative Strategies

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    VICTORIA, Seychelles, April 11, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — MEXC has achieved a net inflow of $77.5 million over the past 7 days, positioning itself as one of the few major centralized exchanges (CEXs) to demonstrate positive momentum during a widespread market decline, according to DeFiLlama. The exchange’s total monthly net inflow reached $1.79 billion, a 12.4% rise from the previous month, highlighting its resilience and consistent growth amid cautious user behavior across the broader market.

    DeFiLlama data also ranks MEXC among the top 3 exchanges for monthly inflows, with $84.25 million recorded in April alone and a total value locked (TVL) of $2.8 billion as of April 9, 2025. This performance reflects MEXC’s growing credibility and ability to attract liquidity despite ongoing market volatility.

    Exchange 7-Day Net Inflow 30-Day Net Inflow
    Binance +$888 million +$3.7 billion
    Bybit +$564.9 million +$3.2 billion
    MEXC +$77.5 million +$1.79 billion
    Kucoin −$40 million −$893.5 million
    HTX +$402.1 million +$464.9 million

    Net Inflow Trends Across Major CEXs (Source: https://defillama.com/cexs)
    MEXC’s standout performance over the past month can be attributed to its strategic focus on trading initiatives and ecosystem development. The key drivers behind this success include the following:

    1. Strategic Initiatives: Through its “Zero Trading Fee” campaign, MEXC significantly boosted trading volume and user engagement.
    2. BNB Chain Ecosystem Focus: MEXC’s targeted approach to CZ/BNB-Chain concept tokens, coupled with high returns and trading volumes of popular tokens, further drove user fund inflows.
    3. Capturing High-Potential Tokens: As the first platform to list CZ/BNB-Chain concept tokens like MUBARAK, MEXC created opportunities for low-cost entry and high returns, drawing significant user capital.
    4. Launch of DEX+: The launch of DEX+, a hybrid centralized-decentralized trading platform, lowered the barriers to on-chain trading, enhancing MEXC’s appeal to users and boosting fund inflows.

    1. Zero Trading Fee Strategy Significantly Boosts Trading Activity

    During its March Zero Trading Fee campaign, MEXC introduced trading pairs such as SOL/USDT, HYPE/USDT, and S/USDT, resulting in a 17.8% month-over-month increase in the number of traders and a remarkable 170.2% surge in trading volume. Notably, SOL/USDT saw a 185.62% increase in trading volume, with its average daily trading volume accounting for 19.0% of MEXC’s total futures trading volume – a growth rate of 189.69%—making it the standout pair of the quarter. ADA/USDT recorded the highest growth, with a 369.44% increase in trading volume and a 393.05% rise in its share of MEXC’s daily futures trading volume. Additionally, DOGE/USDT and SUI/USDT saw trading volume increases of 82.87% and 70.84%, respectively.

    0 Trading Fee strategy also significantly enhanced MEXC’s market share. Trading pairs such as AIXBT/USDT, DOGE/USDT, and SOL/USDT led market share growth with increases of 331%, 283%, and 209%, respectively. DOGE/USDT and SOL/USDT achieved market shares of 30.5% and 30.3%, respectively, ranking first among the same pairs on CoinMarketCap (CMC), while ADA/USDT secured the second spot with a 20.6% market share. These figures demonstrate that the 0 Trading Fee campaign effectively ignited user trading enthusiasm, driving substantial fund inflows to the platform.

    2. Strategic Focus on BNB Chain Ecosystem Fuels Hot Token Trading

    The BNB Chain ecosystem has emerged as a new hotspot for on-chain assets over the past month, and MEXC’s strategic focus on this ecosystem has paid off. In March, BNB Chain ecosystem tokens accounted for 50.8% of new token spot trading users, a 30.1% month-over-month increase, while their trading volume share soared to 56.6%, reflecting a 63.5% month-over-month growth. This made the BNB Chain ecosystem a core driver of March’s trading surge.

    The top five BNB Chain ecosystem tokens delivered an average return of 3,760%, creating significant profit opportunities for users while fueling a trading frenzy. Star tokens like MUBARAK, BUBB, and TUT led the charge with gains of 10,900%, 4,168%, and 2,000%, respectively, contributing 17%, 4%, and 7% to new token trading volume. MUBARAKAH and BMT also performed strongly, contributing 4% and 3% to trading volume, respectively. The robust trading activity of BNB Chain ecosystem tokens further attracted user fund inflows, injecting fresh momentum into MEXC’s growth.

    3. First-Mover Advantage in Token Launches Makes MEXC a Go-To Platform for Low-Cost Entry

    MEXC demonstrated industry-leading prowess in launching CZ-concept tokens. On March 14, 2025, at 12:35:00 (UTC+8), MEXC became the first exchange to list MUBARAK, outpacing all other platforms. Within 24 hours of its launch, MUBARAK surged by 1,377.5%, reaching a peak price of $0.22—a staggering 10,900% increase from its listing price. By the close of March 18, MUBARAK’s average daily trading volume had grown by 197% compared to March 15–16, with the number of traders rising by 76% month-over-month, reflecting sustained user enthusiasm.

    4. DEX+ Launch Enhances User Experience and Fund Attraction Through Innovation

    In March, MEXC introduced DEX+, a hybrid centralized-decentralized trading platform that allows users to engage in decentralized trading without leaving the MEXC app or website, providing access to a wide range of on-chain assets. Currently, DEX+ supports over 15,000 tokens across the Solana and BNB Chain ecosystems, covering a broad spectrum of on-chain assets. This innovative model not only enhances trading convenience but also strengthens MEXC’s appeal to on-chain trading users, further driving fund inflows.

    Conclusion

    With $1.79 billion in fund inflows over the past month and a 63.9% fund inflow efficiency, MEXC has demonstrated its competitive strength among global cryptocurrency exchanges. Whether through its 0 Trading Fee campaign to boost trading activity, its strategic focus on the BNB Chain ecosystem, its first-mover advantage in launching high-potential tokens, or the innovative launch of DEX+, MEXC has leveraged innovation to drive rapid fund inflows. Looking ahead, as the crypto market continues to evolve, MEXC is well-positioned to attract more global users and solidify its market standing by further enhancing user experience and expanding its market presence.

    About MEXC
    Founded in 2018, MEXC is committed to being “Your Easiest Way to Crypto.” Serving over 36 million users across 170+ countries, MEXC is known for its broad selection of trending tokens, everyday airdrop opportunities, and low trading fees. Our user-friendly platform is designed to support both new traders and experienced investors, offering secure and efficient access to digital assets. MEXC prioritizes simplicity and innovation, making crypto trading more accessible and rewarding.
    MEXC Official Website｜ X ｜ Telegram ｜How to Sign Up on MEXC

    Source

    Contact:
    Lucia Hu
    lucia.hu@mexc.com

    Disclaimer: This press release is provided by MEXC. The statements, views, and opinions expressed in this content are solely those of the content provider and do not necessarily reflect the views of this media platform or its publisher. We do not endorse, verify, or guarantee the accuracy, completeness, or reliability of any information presented. We do not guarantee any claims, statements, or promises made in this article. This content is for informational purposes only and should not be considered financial, investment, or trading advice.
    Investing in crypto and mining-related opportunities involves significant risks, including the potential loss of capital. It is possible to lose all your capital. These products may not be suitable for everyone, and you should ensure that you understand the risks involved. Seek independent advice if necessary. Speculate only with funds that you can afford to lose. Readers are strongly encouraged to conduct their own research and consult with a qualified financial advisor before making any investment decisions. However, due to the inherently speculative nature of the blockchain sector—including cryptocurrency, NFTs, and mining—complete accuracy cannot always be guaranteed.
    Neither the media platform nor the publisher shall be held responsible for any fraudulent activities, misrepresentations, or financial losses arising from the content of this press release. In the event of any legal claims or charges against this article, we accept no liability or responsibility.

    Legal Disclaimer: This media platform provides the content of this article on an “as-is” basis, without any warranties or representations of any kind, express or implied. We do not assume any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information presented herein. Any concerns, complaints, or copyright issues related to this article should be directed to the content provider mentioned above.

    A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/4d12447d-9018-4bc9-93c6-970fbbc000fc

    The MIL Network –

    April 12, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Global: Sudan’s war isn’t nearly over – armed civilian groups are rising

    Source: The Conversation – Africa – By Mohamed Saad, Researcher, Charles University

    Sudan’s war, now entering its third year, has taken another unexpected turn. In March 2025, the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), also known as the Janjaweed, withdrew from Khartoum, abandoning the presidential palace and airport.

    This retreat marks a significant contrast to the paramilitary group’s earlier victory when troops stormed the capital in April 2023.

    The fall of Khartoum is a turning point. But, based on my research into Sudan’s political turmoil over the past three decades, I don’t believe recent developments mark the war’s final chapter.

    What began as a power struggle between two military factions is now transforming into a much wider conflict, marked by deepening fragmentation and the rise of armed civilian groups. Across the country, new militias are emerging, many formed by civilians who once had no part in the war.

    The army encouraged civilians to fight, but now it faces a growing number of independent armed groups. In cities and rural areas alike, civilians have taken up arms.

    Some are fighting alongside the army, answering calls from the military leadership, including army chief Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, to defend their neighbourhoods and families. Others have formed self-defence units to protect against looting and violence. Some have joined breakaway militias that have their own agendas.

    These groups don’t share a single goal. Some fight for self-defence, others for political power. Some for revenue and wealth. Others are seeking ethnic control – Sudan’s population has 56 ethnic groups and 595 sub-ethnic groups. This is what makes Sudan’s war even more dangerous: fragmentation is creating multiple mini-wars within the larger conflict.

    How the Rapid Support Forces lost Khartoum

    Several key factors forced the RSF to retreat from Khartoum after it claimed control of the Sudanese capital city two years earlier.

    • Internal fractures: The RSF, built on tribal loyalty, struggled to hold together as the war dragged on. Many factions felt sidelined by its leader, Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, known as Hemedti.

    • Civilian resistance: The RSF’s reliance on brutality backfired, alienating even those who might have supported them. Instead of consolidating control, they turned civilians into enemies. The RSF relied on terror – looting, mass killings and sexual violence. Instead of gaining control, they provoked fierce resistance. Armed civilians, originally taking up arms in self-defence, have become an informal militia network working against the RSF.

    • Foreign intervention: Reports suggest Egyptian airstrikes and tactical support helped the army take Khartoum. Additionally, Turkish-made Bayraktar drones weakened RSF positions. With supply lines cut, the RSF had no choice but to retreat.

    Khartoum was not just a battlefield defeat for the RSF. It was a turning point in how the war is fought – it’s no longer a military struggle but a battle involving armed civilians across Sudan.

    Based on reports from humanitarian organisations, conflict monitors and local testimonies, a clearer picture has emerged of a growing number of armed groups operating across Sudan. These groups have formed in response to the escalating conflict.

    Recent analyses highlight that arms trafficking and intensified community mobilisation have accelerated within the past two years.



    Read more:
    Omar al-Bashir brutalised Sudan – how his 30-year legacy is playing out today

    Neighbourhood defence units have emerged in urban areas like El-Gezira in central Sudan, El-Fasher in North Darfur, Al-Dalang in South Kordofan, El-Obeid in North Kordofan, Babanusa in West Kordofan and Khartoum. They were initially formed to protect residential zones from the RSF but have since expanded their roles and increasingly operate outside the oversight of the army.

    Tribal and regional militias have also become more prominent, particularly in Darfur and Kordofan. In these regions, entrenched ethnic and political rivalries have intertwined with the current war. Some of these militia groups have aligned with the army. Others remain independent, pursuing their own agendas, which include securing territory.

    In Darfur, growing anger at Hemedti’s favouritism towards his own tribe (Rizeigat) led to defections. Internal divisions within the RSF have played a major role in its recent losses. Some former RSF fighters have formed their own militias. The RSF was never a unified force, but a tribal alliance dominated by the Dagalo family and Rizeigat elites. Initially, gold revenues secured loyalty, but as the war has dragged on, internal fractures have deepened.

    Another ethnic-linked group is the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement-North. It has expanded its control in Kordofan and Blue Nile, two resource-rich regions in southern Sudan. The group allied with the RSF to push its own agenda, which includes securing greater autonomy for these regions and promoting a secular political framework that challenges Khartoum’s Islamist-leaning governance. Other ethnic militias also operate in eastern Sudan, supported by neighbouring countries such as Eritrea, further escalating the situation.

    Islamist-linked militias are also on the rise. The main example of these groups is El Baraa Ibn Malik Brigade, which emerged as a key player supporting the army against the RSF. Reports link the group to remnants of the Omar al-Bashir regime (1993-2019) – the dissolved Popular Defence Forces. This was a paramilitary group established in the mid-1980s to defend Arab tribes and support the military. It flourished under the al-Bashir regime.

    What next?

    While the RSF’s retreat from Khartoum is a major victory for the Sudanese army, it doesn’t mean stability is returning. Instead, Sudan is now facing a dangerous new reality: the rise of civilian militarisation.

    If not reined in, these groups could evolve and establish de facto warlord-run territories where local commanders wield unchecked power. This would undermine any prospects for centralised governance in Sudan.



    Read more:
    Sudan is burning and foreign powers are benefiting – what’s in it for the UAE

    With militias multiplying and no clear political solution, Sudan risks becoming a battlefield of warring factions.

    Meanwhile, international mediators are struggling to find a solution while foreign interference continues. The United Arab Emirates, a major RSF backer, still supports Hemedti financially, ensuring he remains active in Sudan’s gold trade.

    Mohamed Saad does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

    – ref. Sudan’s war isn’t nearly over – armed civilian groups are rising – https://theconversation.com/sudans-war-isnt-nearly-over-armed-civilian-groups-are-rising-254100

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

    April 12, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Africa: Afreximbank commissions first-of-its-kind African Trade Centre in Abuja, Nigeria – marking a new era for Intra-African trade

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

    ABUJA, Nigeria, April 11, 2025/APO Group/ —

    Multilateral Bank African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) (www.Afreximbank.com) has officially commissioned its first Afreximbank African Trade Centre (AATC) today in Abuja, Nigeria, ushering in a transformative era for trade and investment in Africa.

    During the grand commissioning ceremony, speakers, including Hon. Dr. George Akume, Secretary to the Government of Federation, Nigeria representing H. E. Bola Ahmed Tinubu GCFR, President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, The Federal Republic of Nigeria, highlighted the AATC’s strategic importance, its pivotal role in shaping Africa’s economic future and the significant impact it is poised to make on Africa’s trade and investment landscape.

    Speaking at the Ceremony, Dr. Akume stated, “Afreximbank African Trade Centre (AATC) is a landmark project that embodies our shared commitment to advancing Intra-African Trade, fostering economic integration and unlocking a vast potential of our continent. This occasion is a realisation of a bold vision for Africa’s economic future. AATC stands as a testament to the power of collaboration, resilience and forward-thinking leadership. It is more than a physical structure; it is the beginning of innovation, a hub for entrepreneurship and a catalyst for sustainable development.

    He added, “This centre will serve as a critical platform for trade facilitation, capacity building and investment promotion – key pillars of Africa’s economic transformation. Afreximbank’s role in shaping Africa’s trade landscape cannot be overstated because the institution has consistently demonstrated its commitment to breaking down barriers, bridging financing gaps and empowering African businesses to be competitive. All these have been accomplished through flagship projects such as the AfCFTA adjustment fund that is managed by Afreximbank’s subsidiary, Fund for Export Development in Africa (FEDA), PAPSS and other Trade Finance Programmes. The AATC located in Abuja represents yet another milestone in this journey and this aligns perfectly with Nigeria’s strategic priorities under the Federal Government’s eight-point agenda, particularly in the areas of job creation, economic diversification, and regional integration. As we commission this remarkable edifice today, let us renew our resolve to be the stronger, more interconnected and prosperous Africa.”

    Prof. Benedict Oramah, President and Chairman of the Board of Directors of Afreximbank, echoed this sentiment, remarking, “The Abuja AATC is the first of several AATCs being developed across Africa and the Caribbean. Some would be Afreximbank owned while others would be supported through a franchise-scheme. With these, we expect to create a sizeable network of AATCs that will act as the lighthouses to guide the interconnections and flow of trade and investments within continental Africa and between Africa and Caribbean regions. This AATC Abuja has been a 41-month journey, one built on hope and determination. Like the other AATCs, the Abuja AATC would serve a multi-purpose goal; it will serve as a platform for fostering deeper regional and continental integration and house Afreximbank’s permanent regional office, bringing a three-decade-old aspiration to fruition. This AATC will also offer a technology incubation hub, an SME incubation facility, a Digital Africa Trade Gateway, a conference and exhibition facility and a business hotel.”

    Prof. Orama thanked the Federal Government of Nigeria for its support noting that the relationship between the Bank and Nigeria has been truly mutually beneficial and most cordial. “Over the last three decades, successive governments have accorded unflinching support to Afreximbank, responding most positively to capital calls, creating a congenial environment for its smooth operations while providing the Bank significant domestic policy support that helped to execute many of the development programmes in Nigeria.” He said.

    With the opening of the Abuja AATC, Afreximbank continues its mission to promote intra-African trade and investment opportunities, laying the groundwork for a more prosperous and integrated African economy.

    Over 500 distinguished guests attended the commissioning ceremony, notably, Hon. William F. Duguid, J.P. Senior Minister, Prime Minister’s Office, Republic of Barbados, Hon. Sylvester Grisby, Minister of State for Presidential Affairs, Liberia, Hon. Adebayo Olawale Edun, Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Nigeria and his counterpart, Hon. Dr. Jumoke Oduwole MFR, Minister of Trade and Investment, Federal Ministry of Trade and Investment, Nigeria as well as Nigeria’s former Vice President Hon. Namadi Sambo. Hon. Bockaire Kalokoh, Deputy Minister of Finance of Sierra Leone and Hon. Sheilla Chikomo, Deputy Minister Foreign Affairs and International Trade, Zimbabwe represented their respective countries. The event was also well attended by business leaders led by billionaire entrepreneur Mr. Aliko Dangote, Founder and Chief Executive of the Dangote Group, Mr Tony Elumelu, Chairman of Transcorp Group, policymakers, pan-African CEOs, and entrepreneurs.

    Their presence showcased a shared vision and determination to enhance trade across Africa, as they pledged to work together to leverage the AATC for the continent’s economic transformation.

    The Abuja AATC comprises two interconnected nine-storey towers. One tower features world-class commercial A-grade office spaces, a trade and exhibition centre, a conference centre, a technology and SME incubator, a Digital Trade Gateway and a trade information services hub. The adjoining tower boasts a 148-room business hotel, seminar and meeting rooms, a wellness centre, a restaurant and other ancillary facilities. These features are designed to provide a comprehensive ecosystem for trade and business activities, catering to the diverse needs of African businesses. It will also host office spaces for local and international financial institutions and policy organisations, ensuring a complete support system for trade and business activities.

    The AATC building is expected to achieve gold – and potentially platinum – Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification by the United States Green Building Council (USGBC), a globally recognised standard for sustainable building design and construction. This certification will make the Abuja AATC one of the few certified buildings in Nigeria and West Africa, underscoring its commitment to environmental sustainability.

    The global architect Messrs SVA International developed a multifaceted global design, drawing inspiration from the concept of a bazaar, which reflects the vibrant feature of daily life in many African cities. Construction of the USD120 million project commenced in November 2021 on a prime piece of land measuring 5,856 square meters and achieved completion in 41 months.

    The Abuja Afreximbank African Trade Centre (Abuja AATC) is the first of seven planned AATCs across Africa, including Kampala, Uganda, Harare, Zimbabwe, Cairo, Egypt, Yaoundé, Cameroon, Tunis, Tunisia, and Kigali, Rwanda. In addition, Afreximbank recently broke ground in Bridgetown, Barbados, to construct the first AATC outside of Africa. Through franchising and licensing arrangements, the Bank intends to partner with relevant institutions and economic development organizations to establish non-Bank owned ATCs in the rest of Global Africa. These AATCs will serve to link buyers, sellers, suppliers, service providers, enterprises, governments, chambers of commerce, financial institutions, economic development organisations and the general African and global trade and investment community.

    MIL OSI Africa –

    April 11, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Africa: South Africa’s coalition government is crumbling: why collapse would carry a heavy cost

    Source: The Conversation – Africa – By Vinothan Naidoo, Associate Professor of Public Policy and Administration, University of Cape Town

    South Africa’s multi-party government of national unity (GNU), which emerged in the wake of the May 2024 elections, marked a turning point in the country’s political history. It took South Africans back to the 1990s, when the country showed that political opponents could find common cause.

    The formation of the government of national unity expressed the hope that the country could do it again.

    But just nine months into its term, the good will and pragmatism which marked its formation have worn thin. A major budget impasse between the two major actors, the African National Congress (ANC) and the Democratic Alliance (DA), threatens the coalition.

    South Africans have long been accustomed to viewing the world of politics, governance and bureaucracy through the lens of a top-down “strong” state – a vicious apartheid state, an East Asia style developmental state, or a collusive “predatory state”.

    But as recent analyses we co-authored with others have detailed, the vision of a top-down politically cohesive state no longer fits South Africa’s realities.

    The government of national unity promised the hope that the country was embracing an approach that is key to success for almost all inclusive constitutional democracies. That is – abandon “all or nothing” confrontation, and instead pursue pragmatic bargains to achieve mutually agreeable policy outcomes.

    At the most basic level, the government of national unity achieved this, at least for a while. The sharing of cabinet ministries between multiple parties created a diverse platform for executive power-sharing that was not dictated by a single dominant party, and which prevented the risks of parties building institutional fiefdoms.

    In our view, failure to overcome deeply ingrained political differences could set off a downward spiral in the country.

    Achievements on the governance front

    On governance, the government of national unity created the space to pursue two sets of gains.

    The first comprises the potential benefit of bringing together unlikely bedfellows.

    The former opposition parties brought into a power-sharing arrangement were bound to be performance-driven, given the country’s long deteriorating government performance and ethical integrity. They had made “good governance” and criticism of the ANC central to their political brands.

    New “outsider” eyes brought into formerly cloistered and factionalised ANC-run departments created the possibility of a new urgency to perform.

    It’s too soon to tell whether this is happening, but anecdotal evidence suggests there are some green shoots.

    The second governance gain comprises the crucial task of building a capable and professional state bureaucracy. The challenges include being able to pay the public sector wage bill, fostering a culture of delivery, and consolidating the bloated network of government departments.

    Based on their party manifestos and public utterances, members of the government all aim to professionalise the public service.

    Detailed technical work is already happening on issues such as training and competency assessment, transferring powers of appointment from politicians to senior public servants, and instituting checks in the recruitment and selection process. The National Assembly’s recent adoption of the Public Service Commission Bill forms part of this agenda.

    But a prolonged legal dispute between the DA and ANC over the latter’s policy of “deploying” party members into state employment risks scuppering progress. It also leaves a key question unanswered: what role, if any, should political parties have in the recruitment and selection of public servants?

    Policy

    The government of national unity has struggled to create effective mechanisms to translate agreement on a broad agenda of policy priorities into specific outcomes. This came at a higher cost than expected.

    Still, it has made gains in challenging policy areas. These gains have repeatedly been undermined by the perverse determination of sections within both the ANC and the DA to engage in brinkmanship.

    On health, both parties agree on the principle of universalising access. They differ on how to achieve this. But at least one seemingly intractable sticking point has been resolved. Both sides agree that private medical aid schemes need to be retained as part of a broader strategy of pursuing health system reform.

    On basic education, the public spat over the Basic Education Laws Amendment Bill overshadows the potential to agree on balancing the autonomy of school governing bodies with the oversight role of provincial departments.

    Read more: South Africa has a new education law: some love it, some hate it – education expert explains why

    On land expropriation, the emotive rhetoric which followed the signing of the Expropriation Bill and the unwelcome and toxic intervention of international actors has overshadowed technical concerns which can be resolved.

    On pro-growth policies: Operation Vulindlela, a joint Presidency and National Treasury initiative to unblock constraints in targeted economic sectors, has made significant strides. It has laid the groundwork for new rounds of growth-supporting infrastructural reforms and has the potential to build cohesion in the government of national unity. However, the DA’s attempt to lobby for a greater role in the strategic oversight of Operation Vulindlela in exchange for supporting the budget risks souring relations with the ANC.

    What now?

    A thriving inclusive society depends on powerful actors visibly committed to co-operation.

    For all of the challenges confronting the government of national unity, it was built on a foundation of pragmatism. For the sake of South Africa’s future, it remains vital to build on this foundation. Obsolete top-down governing approaches must go. Pathways to performance must be lifted above political grandstanding. Constructive solutions should supersede ideological rigidity. South Africa has done it before. It can do it again.

    – South Africa’s coalition government is crumbling: why collapse would carry a heavy cost
    – https://theconversation.com/south-africas-coalition-government-is-crumbling-why-collapse-would-carry-a-heavy-cost-254302

    MIL OSI Africa –

    April 11, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Africa: Secretary-General’s video message for the Opening of the G7+ Ministerial Meeting

    Source: United Nations – English

    strong>Download the video:
    https://s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/downloads2.unmultimedia.org/public/video/evergreen/MSG+SG+/SG+26+Mar+25/3355319_MSG+SG+G7+MINISTERIAL+MTG+26+MAR+25.mp4

    Excellencies,

    I am pleased to convey my heartfelt greetings to the g7+ Ministerial meeting as you mark your 15th anniversary in Dili – where your inspiring journey began.

    This city, like many of your countries, symbolizes both the wounds of conflict and the strength and resolve it takes to overcome them – and I was deeply moved by your wonderful hospitality as we marked the 25th anniversary of the independence referendum last year.

    Your people understand better than most the heavy cost of fragility – and the daily work of rebuilding lives with dignity and hope.

    Your organization was born from that spirit of resilience and purpose – and the shared recognition that lasting peace is the foundation of progress. 

    Over the years, you have championed cooperation, solidarity, and country-led solutions.

    You have also made a difference at the global level – including through your leadership in helping to secure Sustainable Development Goal 16 – on peace, justice, and strong institutions.

    Yet, fragilities are deepening around the world.

    Protracted conflicts, widening inequalities, and a raging climate crisis are fueling displacement and instability – with your nations often bearing the heaviest burden, despite contributing least to these crises.

    These plights cannot be ignored.

    The world cannot let your calls go unanswered.

    We need solidarity for solutions – and that is the spirit of the Pact for the Future that you helped shape.

    The Pact charts a course to reform peace and security cooperation – prioritizing conflict prevention, mediation, and peacebuilding.

    It seeks to strengthen coordination, including South-South cooperation, to develop innovative approaches, and expand opportunities for women and young people.

    The Pact also calls for reform of the global financial architecture through:

    Bigger and bolder Multilateral Development Banks;

    Effective debt relief for fragile economies;

    An annual SDG Stimulus of $500 billion;

    And better access to concessional finance – recognizing vulnerabilities through the Multidimensional Vulnerability Index.

    We must push the world to deliver on those commitments – including at the Fourth Financing for Development Conference in June.

    And we must push for climate justice.

    Many of you are on the frontlines – watching as rising seas and extreme weather threaten lives and livelihoods.

    As we prepare for COP30, we need to see countries turn promises into action.

    Developed countries must scale-up adaptation finance. We need meaningful contributions to the Fund for loss and damage. And we need confidence the $1.3 trillion will be delivered.

    Excellencies,

    Your journey over the past fifteen years shows us that solidarity is a common responsibility.

    As we work to tackle global challenges and implement the Pact for the Future, your voices will be vital – to strengthen multilateralism, prevent conflict, and forge a future of dignity and sustainable development for all.

    Thank you.
     

    MIL OSI Africa –

    April 11, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Africa: 14% increase in spyware attacks on businesses in Africa: Kaspersky presents a cyberthreat report at GITEX Africa

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

    JOHANNESBURG, South Africa, April 11, 2025/APO Group/ —

    Reference:

    [1] Data sent to Kaspersky is anonymized and protected, even in transit, in accordance with stringent industry standards including encryption, digital certificates, segregated storage and strict data access policies. Learn more about KSN here: www.Kaspersky.com/KSN

    MIL OSI Africa –

    April 11, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Europe: EU Fact Sheets – Outermost regions (ORs) – 10-04-2025

    Source: European Parliament

    The European Union supports the development of its most remote regions, known as the outermost regions: Guadeloupe, French Guiana, Réunion, Martinique, Mayotte and Saint-Martin (France), the Azores and Madeira (Portugal), and the Canary Islands (Spain). The purpose of this support is to compensate for the constraints arising from the geographical remoteness of these regions.

    MIL OSI Europe News –

    April 11, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Video: Syria, Occupied Palestinian Territory & other topics – Daily Press Briefing | United Nations

    Source: United Nations (Video News)

    Noon briefing by Farhan Haq, Deputy Spokesperson for the Secretary-General.

    ———————

    Highlights:

    – Syria
    – Occupied Palestinian Territory
    – Lebanon
    – Democratic Republic of the Congo
    – Sudan/Chad
    – Myanmar
    – Afghanistan
    – Amara Essy
    – Guest

    SYRIA
    Assistant Secretary-General Khaled Khiari told the Security Council this morning that there have been hundreds of reported Israeli airstrikes across Syria since 8 December of last year. He added that at dawn on 3 April, there were reports that Israel carried out multiple airstrikes across Syria, including in Damascus, the Hama Military Airport, and the T4 military airport in Homs.
    Mr. Khiari recalled the Security Council’s 14 March presidential statement on Syria and said that Syria’s opportunity to stabilize after 14 years of conflict must be supported and protected, for Syrians and for Israelis.
    Under-Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Jean-Pierre Lacroix also briefed the Security Council, telling them that the Israel Defence Force (IDF) currently occupies 12 positions that they established on the Bravo side – 10 in the area of separation and two in the area of limitation in the vicinity of the Bravo line. They also continue to construct counter-mobility obstacles along the ceasefire line, and have flown, on several occasions, aircraft across the ceasefire line and helicopters into the area of separation, he said.
    Mr. Lacroix emphasized that it remains critical that all parties uphold their obligations under the 1974 Disengagement of Forces Agreement, including by ending all unauthorized presence in the areas of separation and limitation, as well as refraining from any action that would undermine the ceasefire and stability on the Syrian Golan.

    OCCUPIED PALESTINIAN TERRITORY
    In Gaza, the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs warns that hostilities across the Strip are taking a horrifying toll on civilians – depriving people of safety and the means for their survival. There have been daily reports of Israeli strikes killing and injuring many Palestinian civilians.
    Just yesterday in Gaza City, there were reports of dozens of people killed – including at least eight children – after an Israeli strike hit a residential building. Many are still missing under the rubble. OCHA stresses that civilians must be protected under international law and should never be a target.
    For its part, the World Health Organization has been able to support some medical evacuations from Gaza. Yesterday, 18 patients and nearly 30 companions were allowed to exit to seek specialized treatment abroad. However, with some 12,500 patients in Gaza still in need of medical evacuation outside the Strip, WHO calls for them to be able to do so through all available border crossings and corridors.
    As supplies inside the Strip near exhaustion and the situation becomes increasingly dire, we have seen an increase in looting over the past few days. Earlier this week, several such incidents were reported in Rafah, and Deir al Balah, and Al Zawaida.
    Once again, OCHA reiterates the urgency of reopening the crossings to allow critical supplies to enter.
    More than 60,000 children are reportedly suffering from malnutrition, at a time when community kitchens are rapidly running out of fuel and supplies.  
    Across Gaza, partners are also warning of acute water shortages in shelters hosting displaced people. The loss of water – together with the lack of cleaning supplies and cohabitation with livestock – are having a dire public health impact. In March, more than one third of households in Gaza experienced lice infestations.
    Meanwhile, our humanitarian partners in Gaza have identified more than a dozen unaccompanied and separated children this week. They are doing everything possible to reunite these children with their families. 

    Full Highlights: https://www.un.org/sg/en/content/ossg/noon-briefing-highlight?date%5Bvalue%5D%5Bdate%5D=10+April+2025

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Z7CIoidD-A

    MIL OSI Video –

    April 11, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Video: Minister of Police briefs the media on the outcomes of the three day National Policing Summit

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

    Minister of Police briefs the media on the outcomes of the three day National Policing Summit

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H9JrvbeUq9w

    MIL OSI Video –

    April 11, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Economics: New Development Bank and National Bank for Financing Infrastructure and Development Sign MoU to accelerate Infrastructure and Sustainable Development Projects in India

    Source: New Development Bank

    On April 8, 2025, the New Development Bank (NDB) and the National Bank for Financing Infrastructure and Development (NaBFID), one of India’s premier development financial institutions (DFI), signed in Mumbai a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU)   to establish a strategic framework for cooperation in areas of mutual interest, including infrastructure and sustainable development projects.

    This collaboration will facilitate joint infrastructure investments in India and create a framework for the exchange of technical knowledge.

    NaBFID aims to work with NDB on clean energy and transportation projects, including renewable energy initiatives and sustainable water and sewage management, among others. The MoU also lays the foundation for both organisations to participate in infrastructure projects through thematic-level collaborations within their respective mandates.

    Additionally, NDB and NaBFID will partner in research and capacity-building initiatives, including seminars and workshops, to promote knowledge sharing and enhance institutional capabilities.

    NDB has approved nearly USD 10 billion in loans for 28 major infrastructure projects in India, including the Chennai, Indore, and Mumbai metro systems, the Delhi-Ghaziabad-Meerut Regional Rapid Transit System, and the Namo Bharat high-speed trains. Additionally, this funding supports the development of urban and rural roads, bridges and highways; water and sanitation; clean energy and USD 2 billion for COVID-19 emergency aid and economic recovery.

    Mr. Vladimir Kazbekov, Vice President and Chief Operating Officer, NDB, said, “We are delighted to partner with NaBFID to drive India’s infrastructure and social sector development. We are proud of the activities we have undertaken in our founding member country generating a robust USD 10 billion portfolio in a short time span. This MoU reflects our shared vision of fostering economic growth while promoting sustainable and inclusive development.”

    Commenting on the partnership, Mr. Rajkiran Rai G., Managing Director, NaBFID, said, “This collaboration with NDB marks a significant step in our commitment to nation-building and sustainable development. This MoU will help NaBFID accelerate infrastructure financing in clean energy and social impact projects, creating long-term value for all stakeholders.”

    About NDB 

    The New Development Bank (NDB) is a multilateral development bank established by Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa (BRICS) with the purpose of mobilising resources for infrastructure and sustainable development projects in emerging markets and developing countries (EMDCs). In 2021, NDB welcomed its first non-founding members and continues to expand, positioning itself as a platform for wider collaboration amongst EMDCs.  Since 2015, NDB has committed USD 35.6 billion in financing for 108 projects across sectors such as clean energy, transport, water and sanitation, environmental protection, social and digital infrastructure.

    About NaBFID

    National Bank for Financing Infrastructure Development (NaBFID) is a Development Financial Institution (DFI) established in April 2021. NaBFID is dedicated to accelerating the development of India’s infrastructure ecosystem by addressing the long-term financing needs of the sector. NaBFID plays a pivotal role in driving the nation’s economic growth and fostering sustainable development.

    NaBFID is committed towards its vision of becoming a strong provider of impact investment, catalysing infrastructure funding for transformative growth of India.

    NaBFID aims to be a key partner in helping India achieve its ambitious infrastructure development objectives – responsibly and sustainably. Additionally, NaBFID will work towards developing a deep and liquid market for bonds, loans, and derivatives for infrastructure financing.

    MIL OSI Economics –

    April 11, 2025

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: WFP calls for urgent access to preposition food in Sudan as rainy season risks cutting off roads to starving

    Source: World Food Programme

    Photo: WFP/Abubakar Garelnabei. WFP distributes emergency assistance to people who are seeking refuge in Osma Degna School in Port Sudan after conflict spilled over into Gezira State.

    Photo credit

    PORT SUDAN, Sudan – The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) is urgently calling for unimpeded access to immediately preposition food assistance across key locations in Sudan, as deliberate obstruction by parties on the ground and the approaching rainy season threaten to render vast areas of the country inaccessible by road. Without swift action, WFP warns that millions of vulnerable people could be cut off from life-saving aid, placing fragile humanitarian gains at serious risk.

    Below is an update on the food security and WFP operations in Sudan. 

    Food SecuritySituation

    • Two years of war has turned Sudan into the world’s largest hunger catastrophe and famine is spreading. 
    • Nearly half the population – 24.6 million people – faces acute hunger. Some 638,000 people face catastrophic hunger (IPC5) – the highest number globally. 
    • Famine is confirmed in 10 locations – eight in North Darfur (including Zamzam Camp) and two in the Western Nuba Mountains. It was first confirmed in Zamzam camp in August 2024. 
    • Another 17 areas – including areas of North, South and East Darfur, the Nuba Mountains, Khartoum, and Gezira – are at risk of famine.
    • In the hardest-hit areas, one in three children are acutely malnourished, surpassing famine thresholds.

    WFP Operations

    • WFP is providing food and nutrition assistance to over three million people each month and is pushing to expand this to seven million people per month by mid-year.
    • The organization managed to deliver food assistance in recent months to previously cut-off areas including in greater Khartoum, Gezira State, Darfur and the Kordofan regions, some of which had not received any food since the start of the war.
    • WFP assistance helped to reduce the risk of famine in six areas in Central Darfur and two areas in West Darfur – where nearly 1 million people have received regular WFP food or cash aid since June 2024.
    • Over 30,000 metric tons of food assistance were transported into Darfur via the reopened Adre border crossing since August 2024, but families are still facing emergency levels of hunger. 
    • WFP is working to pre-position food supplies, which requires more storage capacity in key locations across Darfur to reach famine or famine-risk communities faster. 

    Access Challenges 

    • Access remains the biggest challenge to humanitarian operations which are being deliberately obstructed by parties to the conflict.
    • WFP is urgently calling for access to be able to preposition food assistance in locations across the country, particularly in Darfur. Many routes will become impassable during the rainy season and communities will be cut off.
    • Ongoing fighting in and around El Fasher is restricting access and endangering humanitarians. In February, WFP was forced to suspend operations in Zamzam IDP Camp due to more violence. We are working with partners to resume as soon as possible.
    • Bureaucratic delays, extortion, and the denial of movement for humanitarian staff continue to cripple the response.

    Regional Impact

    • Over a million people have fled to South Sudan since the Sudan war began. WFP provides new arrivals in South Sudan fortified biscuits or hot meals, a one-time food or cash ration, and nutrition support for children and mothers at border areas. 
    • Chad hosts almost one million refugees and returnees from Sudan since the start of fighting two years ago and WFP has assisted 1 million refugees, returnees, and hosts since the civil conflict in Sudan began.

    Funding: 

    • WFP urgently needs $650 million to continue operations in Sudan for the next six months.
    • The organization is asking for flexible funding, which is extremely critical in a complex and ever-changing operational environment like Sudan, so that WFP can quickly adapt to changing dynamics on the ground. 

    Package of photos available here.

    #                 #                   #

    The United Nations World Food Programme is the world’s largest humanitarian organization saving lives in emergencies and using food assistance to build a pathway to peace, stability and prosperity for people recovering from conflict, disasters and the impact of climate change.

    Follow us on Twitter @wfp_media @wfp_africa @wfp_sudan

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

    April 11, 2025

  • MIL-OSI: Meana Raptor Announces Presale with Real-World Utility, NFT Integration, and Anti-Whale Protections

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    WASHINGTON, April 11, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Meana Raptor has announced the launch of its private presale for $MRT. Blending innovative tokenomics, NFT-driven rewards, real-world utility, and a golf-meets-blockchain narrative, Meana Raptor aims to redefine what a truly community-centric crypto project can achieve.

    The Meana Raptor Ecosystem
    Meana Raptor transcends the typical meme coin or token label. It stands as a decentralized entertainment and real-world integration brand with a multi-layered ecosystem that includes:

    1. NFT Integration
      • Golf Perks & Events: Exclusive NFTs that grant holders access to golf club perks, tournaments, and brand-sponsored events.
      • Future VR Park Access: Fusing virtual reality with on-ground access, each NFT becomes a key to Meana Raptor’s expanding VR and park ecosystem.
    2. Native Token ($MRT)
      • Anti-Whale Protections: Smart contract features that limit large-scale market manipulation and ensure a fair token distribution.
      • Cooldown Mechanisms: Preventing rapid buy-sell cycles, safeguarding both new and existing investors.
    3. Storytelling & Entertainment
      • YouTube Shorts & Animated Episodes: Bringing Meana Raptor’s lore to life through engaging stories and characters.
      • Narrative Layer: Transforming holders into characters within the Meana universe — fostering identity and belonging that goes beyond token ownership.
    4. Future DAO Governance
      • Token + NFT Gated Access: Token and NFT holders will have a say in guiding project decisions, ensuring the community’s voice remains central to the project’s evolution.

    Security & Transparency
    From its inception, Meana Raptor has prioritized ethical leadership and technical security:

    • Doxxed Leadership Team: Founder and key team members are publicly known, fostering trust among participants.
    • Anti-Bot / Anti-Dump Architecture: Robust smart contract code designed to protect token holders from pump-and-dump scenarios.
    • Team & Dev Fund Vesting: Hardcoded vesting ensures the team’s interests align with the community’s long-term success.
    • Audit in Progress: A thorough audit by SolidProof is underway, reflecting Meana Raptor’s unwavering commitment to accountability and investor protection.

    About the Founder
    Meana Raptor was founded by Roberto Brown, a Vietnamese-American entrepreneur who entered the crypto arena determined to create an honest, transparent, and utility-focused project. His firsthand experiences with failed projects and rug pulls motivated him to build something genuinely sustainable. Brown’s background in business strategy — combined with a personal commitment to investor protection and transparency — sets the foundation for Meana Raptor’s bold vision. His primary belief: blockchain should create long-term value, not just fleeting hype.

    The Team
    Behind Meana Raptor stands a fully doxxed, global team of experts dedicated to security, user engagement, and community-driven growth:

    • Smart Contract Engineers: From the U.S. and Asia, ensuring robust anti-whale features, anti-bot mechanisms, and security-first protocols.
    • Marketing Specialists: Including members from the U.K. and Nigeria, strategizing brand storytelling, investor education, and real-time campaign engagement.
    • Community Builders: Focused on fortifying the Raptor community, offering top-tier support, and fostering organic growth across different regions and social channels.

    United by a shared vision of investor-first development, this diverse team operates under strict guidelines of trust and accountability.

    Join the Raptor Movement
    Meana Raptor isn’t just launching; it’s awakening a movement that merges immersive storytelling, blockchain rewards, and real-world access perks. Early adopters have an unprecedented chance to mint NFTs, participate in the presale, and shape the direction of a brand poised to innovate in both virtual and physical realms.

    “This project is about more than crypto,” says founder Roberto Brown. “It’s about building a community that stands for trust, creativity, and tangible value. We’re here to reshape the conversation around what a token — and its holders — can achieve together.”

    Join Meana Raptor in pioneering a decentralized future that values trust, community input, and tangible utility. Welcome to a realm where the fairway meets the blockchain, and every participant holds a stake in the story.

    For more information, connect at:
    Website: www.meanaraptor.com

    For press inquiries, contact:
    Info@meanaraptor.com
    felipe@meanaraptor.com
    michael@meanaraptor.com
    robin@meanaraptor.com

    Media Contact
    Company Name: Meana Raptor
    Contact Person: Roberto Brown
    Email: info@meanaraptor.com
    Website: meanaraptor.com

    Disclaimer: This press release is provided by the Meana Raptor. The statements, views, and opinions expressed in this content are solely those of the content provider and do not necessarily reflect the views of this media platform or its publisher. We do not endorse, verify, or guarantee the accuracy, completeness, or reliability of any information presented. We do not guarantee any claims, statements, or promises made in this article. This content is for informational purposes only and should not be considered financial, investment, or trading advice.

    Investing in crypto and mining-related opportunities involves significant risks, including the potential loss of capital. It is possible to lose all your capital. These products may not be suitable for everyone, and you should ensure that you understand the risks involved. Seek independent advice if necessary. Speculate only with funds that you can afford to lose. Readers are strongly encouraged to conduct their own research and consult with a qualified financial advisor before making any investment decisions. However, due to the inherently speculative nature of the blockchain sector—including cryptocurrency, NFTs, and mining—complete accuracy cannot always be guaranteed.

    Neither the media platform nor the publisher shall be held responsible for any fraudulent activities, misrepresentations, or financial losses arising from the content of this press release. In the event of any legal claims or charges against this article, we accept no liability or responsibility.

    Legal Disclaimer: This media platform provides the content of this article on an “as-is” basis, without any warranties or representations of any kind, express or implied. We assume no responsibility for any inaccuracies, errors, or omissions. We do not assume any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information presented herein. Any concerns, complaints, or copyright issues related to this article should be directed to the content provider mentioned above.

    A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/88029e88-66f8-4b3c-ab8d-24d55574daa1

    The MIL Network –

    April 11, 2025
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