NewzIntel.com

Category: Africa

  • MIL-OSI Economics: ICC announces new editorial board for Dispute Resolution Bulletin

    Source: International Chamber of Commerce

    Headline: ICC announces new editorial board for Dispute Resolution Bulletin

    The International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) has appointed new co-editors-in-chief and editorial board members of the ICC Dispute Resolution Bulletin. The Bulletin is ICC’s flagship, triannual journal focused on arbitration and other methods of dispute resolution. Editorial board members are highly-regarded dispute resolution practitioners from around the world, with diverse backgrounds. With their involvement, the Bulletin will remain one of the most essential go-to resources on dispute prevention and resolution.

    Since the first edition in 1990, the Bulletin has been at the forefront of providing up-to-date developments in international arbitration and commentaries on ICC dispute resolution and arbitral awards. The Bulletin offers legal updates, expert insights and studies, best practices and analysis of ICC awards. It also reports on ICC events and trainings, and features book reviews for dispute resolution practitioners.

    Claudia Salomon, President of the ICC International Court of Arbitration, said:

    “In line with the ICC Court pledge to drive thought leadership, the new co-editors in chief and editorial board members will ensure that the Bulletin continues to generate innovative ideas, and build capacity, offering readers a greater understanding of the arbitration and ADR process.”

    Alexander G. Fessas, Director of ICC Dispute Resolution Services and Secretary General of the ICC Court, said:

    “As the leading institution in dispute resolution, ICC plays a critical role in promoting access to justice and the rule of law. The Bulletin serves as a vital platform for analysis and debate, fostering the safeguard of the legitimacy of arbitration and ADR, and maximising the potential of all in the legal and business communities. We are confident that, with the new editorial board, the Bulletin’s relevance and reach will continue to grow exponentially.”

    The Bulletin’s gender-balanced editorial board comprises 20 members based in Africa, Asia and the Pacific, Europe, Latin America, the Middle East and the United States.

    The Bulletin is led by two co-editors-in-chief: Rafael Rincón, a partner at Rincón Castro Abogados in Colombia, and Sara Nadeau Seguin, a partner at Teynier Pic in France. Both were members of the board during the previous mandate. They succeed Julien Fouret and Yasmine Lahlou, who were appointed as members of the ICC Court in July 2024.

    The 2025-2027 ICC Bulletin editorial board members are:

    • Sara Nadeau Seguin, Co-Editor in Chief, Partner, Teynier Pic, France
    • Rafael Rincón, Co-Editor in Chief, Partner, Rincón Castro Abogados, Colombia
    • Aysha Abdulla Mutaywea, Partner, MENA Chambers, Bahrain
    • Marie-Isabelle Delleur, Counsel, Clifford Chance, Brazil
    • *Farouk El-Hosseny, Senior Associate, Three Crowns, United Kingdom
    • *Ahmed Habib, Senior Associate, DWF, Qatar
    • *Imad Khan, Partner, Winston & Strawn, United States of America (Houston)
    • Monserrat Manzano, Partner, Von Wobeser, Mexico
    • Alexandre Mazuranic, Partner, BMG Avocats, Switzerland
    • *Damien Nyer, Partner, White & Case, United States of America (New York)
    • *Olena Perepelynska, Partner and Head of International Arbitration, Integrites, Ukraine
    • *Sulabh Rewari, Partner, Keystone, India
    • *Michele Sabatini, Partner, Arblit, Italy
    • Mikaël Schinazi, Associate, Jones Day, France
    • Anna Secomb, Arbitrator, Singapore
    • *Leyou Tameru, Founder, I-Arb Africa, Ethiopia
    • Mireille Taok, International Arbitrator, Lawyer, and University Lecturer, United Arab Emirates
    • Monty Taylor, Barrister, Tenth Floor Chambers, Australia
    • Sylvia Tee, Partner, Ashurst, China
    • *Angeline Welsh, Barrister, Essex Chambers, United Kingdom

    * Member during the previous mandate, which is renewable once.

    The Bulletin is published three times a year with the next edition due in March 2025. The latest edition of the ICC Dispute Resolution Bulletin is freely available for download in the ICC Dispute Resolution Library.

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Benin: An African Pioneer

    Source: IMF – News in Russian

    Benin: An African Pioneer

    January 31, 2025

    Innovation and a strong reform drive have strengthened Benin’s resilience to regional and global challenges and supported progress toward meeting the Sustainable Development Goals.

    Benin faced a number of negative spillovers in 2022: a deteriorating regional security situation at its northern border, the lingering scars of COVID-19, and higher living costs amid the war in Ukraine. To help counter those headwinds, the country tapped IMF support, including a $650 million blended Extended Fund Facility (EFF) and Extended Credit Facility (ECF) arrangement, complemented by a $200 million Resilience and Sustainability Facility (RSF) in 2023. Development partners’ confidence in the country’s reform program has been reflected in budget support consistently exceeding expectations. Moreover, Benin was among the first countries to re-access the international capital market last year, following a two-year hiatus, with several sovereign credit rating upgrades in recent years.  

    Despite challenges, there are promising signs of economic transformation. Among other achievements, growth has been strong, fiscal adjustment is proceeding while allowing for a significant increase in social spending, and efforts to strengthen governance are gaining ground.

    Following the combined Fifth Review of the ongoing EFF/ECF arrangement and Second Review of the RSF, IMF Country Focus discussed the country’s economic performance with Romuald Wadagni, Senior Minister of State of Economy and Finance for Benin, and Constant Lonkeng, IMF Mission Chief for Benin.

    How is the current reform program affecting the daily lives of Beninese people?

    Finance Minister Wadagni: First and foremost, our ongoing reform program has allowed us to navigate an episode of severe and repeated shocks, with technical and financial support from our development partners. As a result, our economy has shown remarkable resilience, with growth averaging more than 6.5 percent in recent years.

    Economic resilience is helping harness the potential of Benin’s people. A key focus of our reform program is enhancing human capital, as articulated under our people-centric Government Action Program (PAG 2021–26).

    Our Integrated School Feeding Program currently provides free meals to students in 95 percent of elementary schools in rural areas (more than 1.3 million children), with full coverage targeted this year. Lower education is now tuition-free for girls across all of Benin’s 77 communes (estimated 2 million girls), with an ongoing pilot to extend to upper secondary school. We are also putting emphasis on technical education and vocational training to prepare our large youth population to seize job opportunities in high value-added activities.  

    More broadly, our flagship Insurance for Human Capital Enhancement (ARCH) seeks to foster social resilience through various programs including micro-credits, access to healthcare, and pensions. The social registry—established early on under the EFF/ECF with World Bank technical support—is an essential tool for targeting our support to the most vulnerable.  

    How has IMF engagement supported the authorities’ policy agenda?

    IMF Mission Chief Lonkeng: One key design consideration of Benin’s IMF-supported program was balancing financing and fiscal adjustment in a shock-prone environment. Considering Benin’s established track record in macroeconomic management, we opted for a flexible design—a vote of confidence from the IMF.  

    Frontloaded financing supported the country’s appropriately strong counter-cyclical policy response to severe shocks—the IMF disbursed more than 40 percent of the total financing envelope of about 400 percent of Benin’s quota in the first 6 months of the 42-month program to smooth out fiscal adjustment. The EFF/ECF was subsequently complemented by an RSF (120 percent of Benin’s quota) to help enhance the country’s overall socio-economic resilience.  

    The authorities have since been re-building policy space, with domestic revenue mobilization being a key part of this effort and, more broadly, the cornerstone of the authorities’ reform program. A frontloaded tax policy reform under the program complemented efforts to digitalize the tax system to boost revenue collection. As the chart shows, Benin’s tax-to-GDP ratio increased by more than 2 percentage points during 2022–24, far exceeding the average improvement of other countries in this timeframe. 

    There are promising signs of economic transformation. How are you achieving this and what lessons did you learn along the way?

    Finance Minister Wadagni: We first conducted an in-depth diagnostic of our economic and financial situation about a decade ago. We then embarked on a first wave of reforms to lay the foundations for structural transformation, cognizant of the fact that sound public finances, reliable energy, and infrastructure—including digital—are key prerequisites for sustained economic expansion.  

    The ongoing second wave of reforms seek to consolidate our initial achievements and climb up value chains by processing commodities locally. The Glo-Djigbé Industrial Zone—which is dedicated to the local transformation of agricultural products including cotton, cashews, and soybeans—plays a strategic role in this regard. We intend to further develop the zone and, more broadly, pursue the structural transformation of our economy, including through continued modernization and enhanced resilience of agriculture. We will also step up investment in unlocking Benin’s tourism potential and modernizing the Port of Cotonou.

    In doing all of the above, we will expand the social safety nets to reach as many vulnerable people as possible. A key lesson from our experience so far is that sound governance is critical in economic transformation.  

    Benin innovated with the issuance of the first Social Development Goal (SDG) bond in the region – and is now extending this framework to catalyze private climate finance. Can you elaborate?

    Finance Minister Wadagni: We developed an SDG bond framework around the country’s social and climate priorities as an integral part of our development finance strategy. The framework was initially used to issue a €500 million SDG bond in 2021, a first in the region. It has since facilitated the financing of key social and energy transition projects. We intend to leverage the SDG bond framework to catalyze financing for climate change adaptation, resilient agriculture, sustainable ecosystem management, and the energy transition.

    Relatedly, we secured climate financing pledges from our partners during the recent COP29, following the climate finance roundtable that we co-convened in Cotonou with the IMF and the World Bank.

    What has been the key to program engagement in your view, and what do you see as the main challenges ahead?   

    IMF Mission Chief Lonkeng: First and foremost, program ownership has been key. Benin has an established tradition of public consultation around the country’s reform agenda—under the National Development Plan and the Government Action Program. The Fund-supported program therefore had a solid homegrown foundation to build on.  

    Going forward, continued expansion of the tax base, drawing on the country’s recently developed medium-term revenue strategy, would help fund Benin’s large development needs (the country’s median age is 18), and improve the country’s capacity to carry debt and preserve debt sustainability.  

    On the structural front, a continued move away from the traditional transit-centered growth model—supported by a balanced social contract—would foster private sector job creation in higher value-added activities for the large youth population. Enhancing resilience to climate change and maintaining the digitalization drive would also support overall socio-economic resilience in the long-term. All of this would help raise the living standards of the Beninese in a sustained and inclusive manner.

    https://www.imf.org/en/News/Articles/2025/01/31/cf-benin-an-african-pioneer

    MIL OSI

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: Benin: An African Pioneer 

    Source: International Monetary Fund

    Benin: An African Pioneer

    January 31, 2025

    Innovation and a strong reform drive have strengthened Benin’s resilience to regional and global challenges and supported progress toward meeting the Sustainable Development Goals.

    Benin faced a number of negative spillovers in 2022: a deteriorating regional security situation at its northern border, the lingering scars of COVID-19, and higher living costs amid the war in Ukraine. To help counter those headwinds, the country tapped IMF support, including a $650 million blended Extended Fund Facility (EFF) and Extended Credit Facility (ECF) arrangement, complemented by a $200 million Resilience and Sustainability Facility (RSF) in 2023. Development partners’ confidence in the country’s reform program has been reflected in budget support consistently exceeding expectations. Moreover, Benin was among the first countries to re-access the international capital market last year, following a two-year hiatus, with several sovereign credit rating upgrades in recent years.  

    Despite challenges, there are promising signs of economic transformation. Among other achievements, growth has been strong, fiscal adjustment is proceeding while allowing for a significant increase in social spending, and efforts to strengthen governance are gaining ground.

    Following the combined Fifth Review of the ongoing EFF/ECF arrangement and Second Review of the RSF, IMF Country Focus discussed the country’s economic performance with Romuald Wadagni, Senior Minister of State of Economy and Finance for Benin, and Constant Lonkeng, IMF Mission Chief for Benin.

    How is the current reform program affecting the daily lives of Beninese people?

    Finance Minister Wadagni: First and foremost, our ongoing reform program has allowed us to navigate an episode of severe and repeated shocks, with technical and financial support from our development partners. As a result, our economy has shown remarkable resilience, with growth averaging more than 6.5 percent in recent years.

    Economic resilience is helping harness the potential of Benin’s people. A key focus of our reform program is enhancing human capital, as articulated under our people-centric Government Action Program (PAG 2021–26).

    Our Integrated School Feeding Program currently provides free meals to students in 95 percent of elementary schools in rural areas (more than 1.3 million children), with full coverage targeted this year. Lower education is now tuition-free for girls across all of Benin’s 77 communes (estimated 2 million girls), with an ongoing pilot to extend to upper secondary school. We are also putting emphasis on technical education and vocational training to prepare our large youth population to seize job opportunities in high value-added activities.  

    More broadly, our flagship Insurance for Human Capital Enhancement (ARCH) seeks to foster social resilience through various programs including micro-credits, access to healthcare, and pensions. The social registry—established early on under the EFF/ECF with World Bank technical support—is an essential tool for targeting our support to the most vulnerable.  

    How has IMF engagement supported the authorities’ policy agenda?

    IMF Mission Chief Lonkeng: One key design consideration of Benin’s IMF-supported program was balancing financing and fiscal adjustment in a shock-prone environment. Considering Benin’s established track record in macroeconomic management, we opted for a flexible design—a vote of confidence from the IMF.  

    Frontloaded financing supported the country’s appropriately strong counter-cyclical policy response to severe shocks—the IMF disbursed more than 40 percent of the total financing envelope of about 400 percent of Benin’s quota in the first 6 months of the 42-month program to smooth out fiscal adjustment. The EFF/ECF was subsequently complemented by an RSF (120 percent of Benin’s quota) to help enhance the country’s overall socio-economic resilience.  

    The authorities have since been re-building policy space, with domestic revenue mobilization being a key part of this effort and, more broadly, the cornerstone of the authorities’ reform program. A frontloaded tax policy reform under the program complemented efforts to digitalize the tax system to boost revenue collection. As the chart shows, Benin’s tax-to-GDP ratio increased by more than 2 percentage points during 2022–24, far exceeding the average improvement of other countries in this timeframe. 

    There are promising signs of economic transformation. How are you achieving this and what lessons did you learn along the way?

    Finance Minister Wadagni: We first conducted an in-depth diagnostic of our economic and financial situation about a decade ago. We then embarked on a first wave of reforms to lay the foundations for structural transformation, cognizant of the fact that sound public finances, reliable energy, and infrastructure—including digital—are key prerequisites for sustained economic expansion.  

    The ongoing second wave of reforms seek to consolidate our initial achievements and climb up value chains by processing commodities locally. The Glo-Djigbé Industrial Zone—which is dedicated to the local transformation of agricultural products including cotton, cashews, and soybeans—plays a strategic role in this regard. We intend to further develop the zone and, more broadly, pursue the structural transformation of our economy, including through continued modernization and enhanced resilience of agriculture. We will also step up investment in unlocking Benin’s tourism potential and modernizing the Port of Cotonou.

    In doing all of the above, we will expand the social safety nets to reach as many vulnerable people as possible. A key lesson from our experience so far is that sound governance is critical in economic transformation.  

    Benin innovated with the issuance of the first Social Development Goal (SDG) bond in the region – and is now extending this framework to catalyze private climate finance. Can you elaborate?

    Finance Minister Wadagni: We developed an SDG bond framework around the country’s social and climate priorities as an integral part of our development finance strategy. The framework was initially used to issue a €500 million SDG bond in 2021, a first in the region. It has since facilitated the financing of key social and energy transition projects. We intend to leverage the SDG bond framework to catalyze financing for climate change adaptation, resilient agriculture, sustainable ecosystem management, and the energy transition.

    Relatedly, we secured climate financing pledges from our partners during the recent COP29, following the climate finance roundtable that we co-convened in Cotonou with the IMF and the World Bank.

    What has been the key to program engagement in your view, and what do you see as the main challenges ahead?   

    IMF Mission Chief Lonkeng: First and foremost, program ownership has been key. Benin has an established tradition of public consultation around the country’s reform agenda—under the National Development Plan and the Government Action Program. The Fund-supported program therefore had a solid homegrown foundation to build on.  

    Going forward, continued expansion of the tax base, drawing on the country’s recently developed medium-term revenue strategy, would help fund Benin’s large development needs (the country’s median age is 18), and improve the country’s capacity to carry debt and preserve debt sustainability.  

    On the structural front, a continued move away from the traditional transit-centered growth model—supported by a balanced social contract—would foster private sector job creation in higher value-added activities for the large youth population. Enhancing resilience to climate change and maintaining the digitalization drive would also support overall socio-economic resilience in the long-term. All of this would help raise the living standards of the Beninese in a sustained and inclusive manner.

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-OSI Global: How Trump’s suggestion to ‘clean out’ Gaza sent shockwaves through the Middle East

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Sam Phelps, Commissioning Editor, International Affairs

    This article was first published as World Affairs Briefing from The Conversation UK. Click here to receive this newsletter every Thursday, direct to your inbox.

    Hundreds of thousands of civilians returned to the northern Gaza Strip this week after checkpoints were reopened in line with the ceasefire agreement. Many will have found their homes destroyed after months of heavy fighting and bombardment – something the new US president, Donald Trump, has pointed out.

    In an exchange with reporters last weekend, Trump said: “I’m looking at the whole Gaza Strip right now and it’s a mess, it’s a real mess.” He then went on to suggest Palestinians there should be “evacuated” to Egypt and Jordan where “they could maybe live in peace for a change”. “You’re talking about a million and a half people … we just clean out that whole thing,” he continued.

    Trump is seemingly no stranger to airing whatever thoughts come into his head. At his inauguration he claimed – without providing evidence – that “China is operating the Panama canal”. And he has since called Vladimir Putin’s war in Ukraine “ridiculous”. But even by these standards, his suggestion to evict Gazans from their land is brash to say the least.

    Sign up to receive our weekly World Affairs Briefing newsletter from The Conversation UK. Every Thursday we’ll bring you expert analysis of the big stories in international relations.

    As Karin Aggestam of Lund University reports, Trump’s proposal has been met with disbelief across the Middle East. It has been widely criticised throughout the region as a potential “second Nakba” – referring to the displacement of Palestinians after Israel’s unilateral declaration of statehood in 1948.



    Read more:
    Donald Trump’s suggestion of ‘clearing out’ Gaza adds another risk to an already fragile ceasefire

    The proposal has also been rejected outright by Egypt and Jordan. Egypt’s ministry of foreign affairs released a statement on Sunday objecting to any forced displacement of Palestinians. And Jordan’s minister of foreign affairs, Ayman Safadi, said his country was committed to “ensuring that Palestinians remain on their land”. The Arab League regional bloc has accused Trump of advocating ethnic cleansing.

    Aggestam says it’s not yet certain if moving Palestinians out of Gaza will become an official US policy position, or whether it is yet another example of Trump speaking his mind. But, in her view, Trump’s latest pronouncement will further complicate the already fragile ceasefire.

    The idea of relocating Palestinians to other countries has thrilled Israel’s extreme ultra-nationalist parties. The Israeli finance minister and leader of the Religious Zionist party, Bezalel Smotrich, and the former national security minister, Itamar Ben-Gvir, have both previously encouraged the return of Israeli settlers to the Gaza Strip.

    Ben Gvir, who recently resigned from his ministerial position in protest at the Gaza ceasefire, asserted in October that “encouraging emigration” of Palestinian residents of Gaza would be the “most ethical” solution to the conflict.

    According to Leonie Fleischmann of City, University of London, the pair share an anti-Arab ideology and a messianic belief in the Jewish people’s right to what they call “Greater Israel”. This refers to a Jewish state that would also include the West Bank, which they referred to as “Judea and Samaria”, as well as Gaza and part of Jordan, Lebanon, Egypt, Syria, Iraq and Saudi Arabia.

    As Fleischmann explains, the West Bank and the Gaza Strip were the sites of many key events in biblical times and were the home of a number of Israelite kingdoms. In the Bible, God even promises this land to the descendants of Abraham – the Jewish people. This, Fleischmann writes, is the reason behind Smotrich and Ben Gvir’s belief that the Jewish people have the God-given right to settle the whole of Greater Israel.



    Read more:
    The growing influence of Israel’s ultranationalist settler movement

    This is not a position held by the majority of Israelis. But Israel’s ultra-nationalists wield considerable political power, with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government dependent on their support to remain in power. Indeed, days after Trump suggested clearing out Gaza, Smotrich spoke of turning it into an actionable policy.

    Speaking with reporters on Monday, he said: “There is nothing to be excited about the weak opposition of Egypt and Jordan to the plan. We saw yesterday how Trump [imposed his will on] Colombia to deport immigrants despite its opposition. When he wants it, it happens.”

    The events Smotrich was referring to in Colombia were certainly extraordinary. Outraged at the repatriation of Colombian migrants in military planes, Colombian president Gustavo Petro refused to allow the flights to land.

    Trump immediately vowed tariffs on Colombian goods and sanctions on government officials, which drew a furious social media response out of Petro and the start of a (very brief) trade war. But within a few hours, Petro had backed down and Colombia announced it would start receiving migrants, including on US military aircraft.

    The White House hailed the agreement as a victory for Trump’s hardline immigration strategy. However, according to Amalendu Misra of Lancaster University, Trump’s punishing tariff threats and foul rhetoric toward illegal immigrants may only damage the power and position of the US in the region.

    His willingness to wage a trade war with countries in Latin America could encourage others to speed up their search for alternative trade partners. And, worse still, he may even push them towards closer relations with governments and ideologies that are inimical to US interests, writes Misra.



    Read more:
    Trump’s method for repatriating migrants risks undermining US interests in Latin America

    Choppy waters ahead

    Back in the Middle East, the ceasefire in Gaza has offered the region a break from war. This has included a pledge by Houthi militants in Yemen not to attack commercial ships travelling through the Red Sea.

    These attacks have halved the number of ships passing through the Suez Canal, a crucial route for goods moving between Asia and Europe, with many diverting around the southern tip of Africa.

    This route adds thousands of miles to the journey, so supply chains have had to deal with higher shipping costs, product delivery delays and increased carbon emissions. In the view of Gokcay Balci, a logistics expert at Leeds University, this disruption is likely to continue.

    The situation in the Red Sea remains unpredictable, he writes. The leader of the Houthis, Abdul-Malik al-Houthi, said on Monday that the group was “ready to return to escalation again alongside our brothers, the fighters in Palestine”, and warned: “We have our finger on the trigger.” Shipping companies have, unsurprisingly, announced that they will continue to prioritise alternative routes.

    The Houthis seem unconvinced that the ceasefire in Gaza will hold. But, at least for now, it is providing civilians with some much-needed respite after more than a year of relentless violence.



    Read more:
    Red Sea crisis: supply chain issues set to continue despite Gaza ceasefire

    World Affairs Briefing from The Conversation UK is available as a weekly email newsletter. Click here to get our updates directly in your inbox.

    – ref. How Trump’s suggestion to ‘clean out’ Gaza sent shockwaves through the Middle East – https://theconversation.com/how-trumps-suggestion-to-clean-out-gaza-sent-shockwaves-through-the-middle-east-248461

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: South Africa’s debt has skyrocketed – new rules are needed to manage it

    Source: The Conversation – Africa – By Robert Botha, Research Fellow at the Impumelelo Economic Growth Lab. The Impumelelo Economic Growth Lab is a unit of the Bureau for Economic Research (BER), Stellenbosch University

    South Africa’s fiscal trajectory paints a concerning picture. Public expenditure exceeds revenue. As a result sovereign debt is building up and interest on this debt is increasing.

    This raises concerns over the South African government’s financial sustainability. The debt-to-GDP ratio has skyrocketed from 23.6% in 2008/09 to a projected 74.7% in 2024/25. The International Monetary Fund has recommended that, over the long term, South Africa should reduce its debt-to-GDP ratio to 60% of GDP, in line with that of peers.

    Arguably more important than the debt level is how quickly debt has accumulated. Debt servicing costs, which consist of the interest on government debt and other costs directly associated with borrowing, have been the fastest-growing line item in the national budget. Rising interest payments have been crowding out critical expenditures on services such as health, education and infrastructure.

    As I argue in a recently published report titled “A fiscal anchor for South Africa: Avoiding the mistakes of the past”, establishing a credible fiscal anchor (or fiscal rule) could be step towards avoiding a debt spiral and regaining fiscal sustainability and credibility.

    Fiscal rules are constraints on fiscal policy, designed to impose numerical limits. For example, a limit on the allowable debt-to-GDP ratio, or the allowable balance after accounting for government expenditure and revenue. Fiscal rules are widely used – 105 countries have adopted them so far.

    Failing to address the country’s fiscal challenges risks plunging South Africa into a debt trap. This happens when a country finds it difficult to escape a cycle of debt and has to borrow more to pay off old debt. If debt-servicing costs continue to rise, essential public services will come under even greater strain.

    Several emerging markets have experienced the severe consequences of unchecked debt accumulation and debt servicing costs. Argentina is one example. Without a credible plan to stabilise and reduce debt and debt servicing costs, the risk of economic stagnation and financial instability grows quickly.

    Fiscal erosion and credibility concerns

    The roots of South Africa’s current predicament lie in years of mistakes. These include:

    • spending beyond its means

    • questionable political decisions like bailing out state-owned entities

    • poor governance and oversight at municipal and local government level, which led to inefficient public spending.

    These factors were underpinned by an underperforming economy, unrealised forecasts and arguably weak institutional checks.

    For the last 15 years South Africa’s National Treasury has undertaken to stabilise the country’s debt-to-GDP ratio. This would have required keeping the ratio constant. But these commitments have consistently been deferred. Debt stabilisation targets have been revised upwards 13 times, from 40% in 2015/16 to the current 75.5%. The stabilisation year has been pushed back 10 times, from the initial year of 2015/16 to the current target of 2025/26. This has created a perception of inconsistent policy.

    Over-optimistic macroeconomic forecasting has undermined credibility. Over the last ten years, GDP growth projections have routinely overshot actual performance by an average of 0.5 percentage points in the first year of forecasts and even more in subsequent years. In defence of the National Treasury, the South African economy has performed worse than more forecasters expected in recent years.

    Adding to the fiscal strain are rising social expenditures, the public sector wage bill and repeated bailouts of state-owned enterprises. This spending relieves short-term political and social pressures, but undermines the country’s long-term fiscal health.

    Without credible mechanisms to constrain spending, South Africa’s fiscal framework lacks the discipline needed to ensure sustainability, and to restore credibility.

    Why fiscal rules matter

    Fiscal rules are there to promote discipline, ensure that debt can be paid and enhance credibility. The experience in the 105 countries that have adopted them suggests that strong, well-designed rules can signal a government’s commitment to fiscal prudence.

    It’s difficult to establish whether there is a causal relationship between fiscal rules and fiscal performance. But there’s at least a correlation. As a practical example of enforcing fiscal rules, in November 2023, the German constitutional court overruled a budget that was passed in the Bundestag but breached Germany’s fiscal rules.

    However, fiscal rules are not a panacea. Poorly designed or inadequately enforced rules can make the problems worse. For South Africa, this risk is acute.

    Political commitment and strong institutional frameworks are needed too. Also, a shift in how fiscal policy is conceived and implemented.

    Designing new rules

    Drawing lessons from global best practices, South Africa’s fiscal rules must be enforceable, flexible and simple. A well-designed rule should:

    • stabilise and eventually reduce the debt-to-GDP ratio

    • target government spending as a share of GDP, emphasising consumption spending like salaries and goods and services, rather than capital expenditure

    • have political buy-in

    • be overseen independently

    • be legally binding and enforceable.

    Context

    South Africa’s low economic growth rate is a complication. Average interest rates on government debt are higher than the nominal GDP growth rate. But reining in spending too much could stifle growth, creating a vicious cycle.

    That’s why stabilising debt first would make more sense than aiming to reduce debt too rapidly.

    South Africa’s fiscal rules must also have some flexibility. For instance, they could allow for shocks such as natural disasters or global economic crises.

    Fiscal rules could follow a phased approach to initially focus on stabilising debt, and then to move towards reducing debt. Both of these phases would entail expenditure rules to guide annual budget processes and to place limits on spending.

    The benefits

    Credible fiscal rules could have a number of benefits.

    Firstly, they could improve South Africa’s credibility by signalling to markets and international institutions that South Africa is committed to fiscal discipline.

    Secondly, fiscal credibility is associated with reduced sovereign risk premiums, which translates into lower debt-servicing costs. In turn this would free up resources for critical development priorities.

    Third, they can foster a more stable economic environment for investment and growth.

    Fourth, they would help coordinate policies. South Africa enjoys rule-based monetary policy in the form of inflation targeting but lacks the same for fiscal policy. This can lead to sub-optimal outcomes. For example, the central bank can keep interest rates too high, not necessarily because it thinks the treasury’s policies are inflationary, but because it cannot predict the treasury’s actions.

    The way forward

    Adopting fiscal rules in South Africa comes with risks. Weak institutional capacity, especially in oversight bodies like the Parliamentary Budget Office, could undermine rule enforcement.

    To shield against these risks, South Africa should have stronger institutions. It could create an independent statutory fiscal council, possibly falling under Parliament, the National Treasury or as an independent constitutional advisory body.

    Oversight bodies would also need to build their capacity.

    – South Africa’s debt has skyrocketed – new rules are needed to manage it
    – https://theconversation.com/south-africas-debt-has-skyrocketed-new-rules-are-needed-to-manage-it-248355

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Innovations for public utilities discussed at SPbGASU

    Translartion. Region: Russians Fedetion –

    Source: Saint Petersburg State University of Architecture and Civil Engineering – Saint Petersburg State University of Architecture and Civil Engineering – Participants of the meeting

    On January 29, a meeting of the scientific and technical council of the Housing Committee of the Government of St. Petersburg was held at SPbGASU. The presidium of the meeting included Vice-Governor of St. Petersburg Evgeny Razumishkin, Chairman of the Scientific and Technical Council of the Housing Committee, Head of the Department of Construction Economics and Housing and Utilities of SPbGASU Veronika Asaul, Chairman of the Housing Committee Denis Udod, Deputy Chairman of the Committee for the Improvement of St. Petersburg Sergey Malinin. More than one hundred specialists in the housing and utilities sector took part in the meeting.

    Chief Engineer of the St. Petersburg State Budgetary Institution “Central Administration of Regional Roads and Improvement” Igor Mishustin spoke about the use of new models of municipal equipment for road cleaning. He reviewed the universal municipal machines used in the Northern capital, emphasized their positive characteristics and voiced proposals to manufacturers for technical improvement. “Interaction between road agencies and factories-manufacturers of municipal cleaning equipment continues on an ongoing basis,” the specialist noted.

    The head of the investment and technology center “Vympel” Yuri Murzin spoke about the results of testing an innovative electric loader in snowfall conditions. The speaker noted that the loader is distinguished by a high level of localization of production.

    Elena Aleksandrova, Head of the Educational and Methodological Department of SPbGASU, reported on how our university is training personnel for the housing and utilities sector. “Since the 2024/2025 academic year, SPbGASU, together with the self-regulatory organization “Association of Builders of St. Petersburg” as part of the work of the Consortium of the Construction Industry of the Northwestern Federal District, continues to work in school construction classes,” she said in particular.

    Elena Aleksandrova focused on the proposals of SPbGASU for the implementation of the Concept of training personnel for the construction industry and housing and utilities until 2025, approved by the Russian government. The university has introduced new educational programs for the industry, modules for developing competencies in the field of information modeling technologies, and increased the share of practical classes. Practitioners, including future employers of graduates, are widely involved in the educational process. The programs have been brought into line with the current needs of the industry. “Industrial partners play a significant role in our educational process,” she noted.

    Director of OOO ECOTERMIX SPB Konstantin Baranov reported on the results of the implementation of an innovative building material based on polyurethane. It has a wide range of applications both in new construction and in the improvement of already built facilities requiring routine and major repairs.

    At the end of the meeting, those gathered agreed on further cooperation between all participants in the housing and utilities sector of St. Petersburg in scientific research, the introduction of new technology and personnel training.

    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 –

  • MIL-Evening Report: As Donald Trump plays God in Gaza, Israel acts like spoiled brat

    The Gaza ceasefire deal proves that Israeli politics can only survive if it’s engaged in perpetual war.

    US President Donald Trump has unsettled Arab leaders with his obscene suggestion that Egypt and Jordan absorb Palestinians from Gaza.

    Both Egypt and Jordan have stated that this is a non-starter and will not happen.

    Israeli extremists have welcomed Trump’s comments with the hope that the forced expulsion of Palestinians would pave the way for Jewish settlements in Gaza.

    But the truth is that Israeli leaders likely feel deceived by Trump more than anything else. Benjamin Netanyahu and most of Israeli society were once clamouring for Donald Trump.

    All that has changed since President Trump sent his top Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff to Israel in which Witkoff reportedly lambasted Benjamin Netanyahu and forced him to accept a ceasefire agreement.

    Since then, Israeli leaders and Israeli society, are seemingly taken aback by Trump’s more restrained approach toward the Middle East and desire for a ceasefire.

    While the current ceasefire in place is a precarious endeavour at best, Israeli reactions to the cessation of hostilities highlight a profound point: not only did Netanyahu misread Trump’s intentions, but the entire Israeli political system itself seemingly only thrives during conflict in which the US provides it with unfettered military and diplomatic support.

    Geostrategic calculus
    Firstly, Israel believed that Trump’s second term would likely be a continuation of his first — where the US based its geostrategic calculus in the Middle East around Israel’s interests. This gave Israeli leaders the impression that Trump would give them the green light to attack Iran, resettle and starve Gaza, and formally annex the West Bank.

    However, Benjamin Netanyahu and his extremist ilk failed to take into consideration that Trump likely views blanket Israeli interests as liabilities to both the United States and Trump’s vision for the Middle East.

    Trump blessing an Israel-Iran showdown seems to be off the table. Trump himself stated this and is backing up his words by appointing Washington-based analyst Mike DiMino as a top Department of Defence advisor.

    DiMino, a former fellow at the non-interventionist think tank Defense Priorities, is against war with Iran and has been highly critical of US involvement in the Middle East. Steve Witkoff will also be leading negotiations with Iran.

    The appointment of DiMino and Witkoff has enraged the Washington neoconservative establishment and is a signal to Tel Aviv that Trump will not capitulate to Israel’s hawkish ambitions.

    The Trump effect
     As it pertains to his vision for the Middle East, Trump has been adamant about expanding the Abraham Accords, deepening US military ties with Saudi Arabia, and possibly pioneering Saudi-Israeli “normalisation”.

    The Saudi government has condemned Israel’s actions in Gaza, calling it a genocide and also made it clear that they will not normalise relations with Israel without the creation of a Palestinian state.

    While there is an explicit pro-Israel angle to all these components, none of Trump’s objectives for the Middle East would be feasible if the genocide in Gaza continued or if the US allowed Israel to formally annex the occupied West Bank, something Trump stopped during his first term.

    It is unlikely that a Palestinian state will arise under Trump’s administration; however, Trump has been in contact with Palestinian Authority (PA) President Mahmoud Abbas.

    Trump’s Middle East Adviser Massad Boulos has also facilitated talks between Abbas and Trump. Steve Witkoff has also met with PA official Hussein al-Sheikh in Saudi Arabia to discuss where the PA fits into a post-October 7 Gaza and a possible pathway to a Palestinian state.

    Witkoff’s willingness to meet with PA, along with the quiet yet growing relationship between Trump and Abbas, was likely something Netanyahu did not anticipate and may have also factored into Netanyahu’s acquiescence in Gaza.

    Of equal importance, the Gaza ceasefire deal proves that Israeli politics can only survive if it’s engaged in perpetual war.

    Brutal occupation
    This is evidenced by its brutal occupation of the Palestinians, destroying Gaza, and attacking its neighbours in Syria and Lebanon. Now that Israel is forced to stop its genocide in Gaza, at least for the time being, fissures within the Israeli government are already growing.

    Jewish extremist Itamar Ben Gvir resigned from Netanyahu’s coalition due to the ceasefire after serving as Israel’s national security minister. Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich also threatened to leave if a ceasefire was enacted.

    Such dynamics within the Israeli government and its necessity for conflict are only possible because the US allows it to happen.

    In providing Israel with unfettered military and diplomatic support, the US allows Israel to torment the Palestinian people. Now that Israel cannot punish Gaza, it has shifted their focus to the West Bank.

    Since the ceasefire’s implementation, the Israeli army has engaged in deadly raids in the Jenin refugee camp which had displaced over 2000 Palestinians. The Israeli army has also imposed a complete siege on the West Bank, shutting down checkpoints to severely restrict the movement of Palestinians.

    All of Israel’s genocidal practices are a direct result of the impunity granted to them by the Biden administration; who willingly refused to impose any consequences for Israel’s blatant violation of US law.

    Joe Biden could have enforced either the Leahy Law or Section 620 I of the Foreign Assistance Act at any time, which would ban weapons from flowing to Israel due to their impediment of humanitarian aid into Gaza and use of US weapons to facilitate grave human rights abuses in Gaza.

    Instead, he chose to undermine US laws to ensure that Israel had everything it facilitate their mass slaughter of Palestinians in Gaza.

    The United States has always held all the cards when it comes to Israel’s hawkish political composition. Israel was simply the executioner of the US’s devastating policies towards Gaza and the broader Palestinian national movement.

    Abdelhalim Abdelrahman is a freelance Palestinian journalist. His work has appeared in The New Arab, The Hill, MSN, and La Razon. Tis article was first published by The New Arab and is republished under Creative Commons.

    Article by AsiaPacificReport.nz

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: AFRICA/DR CONGO – Without electricity and water: Catholic parish in Goma welcomes 2000 displaced people

    Source: Agenzia Fides – MIL OSI

    Kinshasa (Agenzia Fides) – “The greatest danger for the population of Goma is the so-called ‘Wazalendo’ militiamen,” local church observers told Fides about the situation in the capital of the Congolese province of North Kivu, which has fallen into the hands of the M23 rebel movement supported by the Rwandan army.The so-called “Wazalendo” are members of pro-government militias who are fighting alongside the regular army against the advance of the M23. While most of the regular soldiers surrendered after the capture of Goma or turned themselves over to the MONUSCO Blue Helmets, the “Wazalendo” militiamen went into hiding.”The Wazalendo are breaking into the homes of ordinary people in search of food, which is a problem for everyone given the shortage of supplies. If they do not find anything to loot, they threaten to take their children away. And it is easy to imagine what they can do to women and girls,” the observers report. “M23 members and Rwandans are trying to restore order. At the moment, there are reports of occasional shootings near the airport.””The humanitarian situation in Goma remains difficult because there is no electricity and no water pumped and filtered from Lake Kivu. Without electricity, the pumps and sewage treatment plants do not work. The most difficult conditions are for the displaced people (an estimated one million internally displaced people live in Goma). In the parish of Saint Francis Xavier in Ndosho, a suburb on the outskirts of the city, around 2,000 displaced people live without water and in precarious conditions; in addition, there are around 1,600 people housed in the nearby school,” the observers report. Meanwhile, the rebels are slowly advancing towards Bukavu, the capital of South Kivu province. “The M23 units are 115 km from the city, but are advancing slowly as they still suffer heavy losses,” the sources said. “In recent days, ambulances have been travelling between Goma and Rwanda to bring the remains of the soldiers who fell on the streets of the city to their families and to ensure a dignified burial, as otherwise they would have ended up in mass graves that are currently being dug.In addition, it is slowly getting hot in Goma and this is another reason why it is urgent to bury the bodies lying on the streets.” “In Bukavu, the situation remains calm for the moment after the withdrawal of foreign aid workers (see Fides, 30/1/2025), but people live in uncertainty,” the observers concluded. Meanwhile, Burundian soldiers have also been sent by the government in Bujumbura to support the Congolese forces. On the political level, yesterday, January 30, Corneille Nangaa, leader of the Congo River Alliance, held a press conference in Goma, where he reiterated his will to march to Kinshasa to overthrow President Félix Tshisekedi. The British Embassy in Kinshasa, meanwhile, issued a communiqué in English and French condemning the occupation of Goma by the M23 rebel movement and the Rwandan army, and threatening a possible cessation of UK support to Rwanda if hostilities do not cease. (L.M.) (Agenzia Fides, 31/1/2025)
    Share:

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Global: South Africa’s debt has skyrocketed – new rules are needed to manage it

    Source: The Conversation – Africa – By Robert Botha, Research Fellow at the Impumelelo Economic Growth Lab. The Impumelelo Economic Growth Lab is a unit of the Bureau for Economic Research (BER), Stellenbosch University

    South Africa’s fiscal trajectory paints a concerning picture. Public expenditure exceeds revenue. As a result sovereign debt is building up and interest on this debt is increasing.

    This raises concerns over the South African government’s financial sustainability. The debt-to-GDP ratio has skyrocketed from 23.6% in 2008/09 to a projected 74.7% in 2024/25. The International Monetary Fund has recommended that, over the long term, South Africa should reduce its debt-to-GDP ratio to 60% of GDP, in line with that of peers.

    Arguably more important than the debt level is how quickly debt has accumulated. Debt servicing costs, which consist of the interest on government debt and other costs directly associated with borrowing, have been the fastest-growing line item in the national budget. Rising interest payments have been crowding out critical expenditures on services such as health, education and infrastructure.

    As I argue in a recently published report titled “A fiscal anchor for South Africa: Avoiding the mistakes of the past”, establishing a credible fiscal anchor (or fiscal rule) could be step towards avoiding a debt spiral and regaining fiscal sustainability and credibility.

    Fiscal rules are constraints on fiscal policy, designed to impose numerical limits. For example, a limit on the allowable debt-to-GDP ratio, or the allowable balance after accounting for government expenditure and revenue. Fiscal rules are widely used – 105 countries have adopted them so far.

    Failing to address the country’s fiscal challenges risks plunging South Africa into a debt trap. This happens when a country finds it difficult to escape a cycle of debt and has to borrow more to pay off old debt. If debt-servicing costs continue to rise, essential public services will come under even greater strain.

    Several emerging markets have experienced the severe consequences of unchecked debt accumulation and debt servicing costs. Argentina is one example. Without a credible plan to stabilise and reduce debt and debt servicing costs, the risk of economic stagnation and financial instability grows quickly.

    Fiscal erosion and credibility concerns

    The roots of South Africa’s current predicament lie in years of mistakes. These include:

    • spending beyond its means

    • questionable political decisions like bailing out state-owned entities

    • poor governance and oversight at municipal and local government level, which led to inefficient public spending.

    These factors were underpinned by an underperforming economy, unrealised forecasts and arguably weak institutional checks.

    For the last 15 years South Africa’s National Treasury has undertaken to stabilise the country’s debt-to-GDP ratio. This would have required keeping the ratio constant. But these commitments have consistently been deferred. Debt stabilisation targets have been revised upwards 13 times, from 40% in 2015/16 to the current 75.5%. The stabilisation year has been pushed back 10 times, from the initial year of 2015/16 to the current target of 2025/26. This has created a perception of inconsistent policy.

    Over-optimistic macroeconomic forecasting has undermined credibility. Over the last ten years, GDP growth projections have routinely overshot actual performance by an average of 0.5 percentage points in the first year of forecasts and even more in subsequent years. In defence of the National Treasury, the South African economy has performed worse than more forecasters expected in recent years.

    Adding to the fiscal strain are rising social expenditures, the public sector wage bill and repeated bailouts of state-owned enterprises. This spending relieves short-term political and social pressures, but undermines the country’s long-term fiscal health.

    Without credible mechanisms to constrain spending, South Africa’s fiscal framework lacks the discipline needed to ensure sustainability, and to restore credibility.

    Why fiscal rules matter

    Fiscal rules are there to promote discipline, ensure that debt can be paid and enhance credibility. The experience in the 105 countries that have adopted them suggests that strong, well-designed rules can signal a government’s commitment to fiscal prudence.

    It’s difficult to establish whether there is a causal relationship between fiscal rules and fiscal performance. But there’s at least a correlation. As a practical example of enforcing fiscal rules, in November 2023, the German constitutional court overruled a budget that was passed in the Bundestag but breached Germany’s fiscal rules.

    However, fiscal rules are not a panacea. Poorly designed or inadequately enforced rules can make the problems worse. For South Africa, this risk is acute.

    Political commitment and strong institutional frameworks are needed too. Also, a shift in how fiscal policy is conceived and implemented.

    Designing new rules

    Drawing lessons from global best practices, South Africa’s fiscal rules must be enforceable, flexible and simple. A well-designed rule should:

    • stabilise and eventually reduce the debt-to-GDP ratio

    • target government spending as a share of GDP, emphasising consumption spending like salaries and goods and services, rather than capital expenditure

    • have political buy-in

    • be overseen independently

    • be legally binding and enforceable.

    Context

    South Africa’s low economic growth rate is a complication. Average interest rates on government debt are higher than the nominal GDP growth rate. But reining in spending too much could stifle growth, creating a vicious cycle.

    That’s why stabilising debt first would make more sense than aiming to reduce debt too rapidly.

    South Africa’s fiscal rules must also have some flexibility. For instance, they could allow for shocks such as natural disasters or global economic crises.

    Fiscal rules could follow a phased approach to initially focus on stabilising debt, and then to move towards reducing debt. Both of these phases would entail expenditure rules to guide annual budget processes and to place limits on spending.

    The benefits

    Credible fiscal rules could have a number of benefits.

    Firstly, they could improve South Africa’s credibility by signalling to markets and international institutions that South Africa is committed to fiscal discipline.

    Secondly, fiscal credibility is associated with reduced sovereign risk premiums, which translates into lower debt-servicing costs. In turn this would free up resources for critical development priorities.

    Third, they can foster a more stable economic environment for investment and growth.

    Fourth, they would help coordinate policies. South Africa enjoys rule-based monetary policy in the form of inflation targeting but lacks the same for fiscal policy. This can lead to sub-optimal outcomes. For example, the central bank can keep interest rates too high, not necessarily because it thinks the treasury’s policies are inflationary, but because it cannot predict the treasury’s actions.

    The way forward

    Adopting fiscal rules in South Africa comes with risks. Weak institutional capacity, especially in oversight bodies like the Parliamentary Budget Office, could undermine rule enforcement.

    To shield against these risks, South Africa should have stronger institutions. It could create an independent statutory fiscal council, possibly falling under Parliament, the National Treasury or as an independent constitutional advisory body.

    Oversight bodies would also need to build their capacity.

    Robert Botha is a Research Fellow at the Impumelelo Economic Growth Lab. The Impumelelo Economic Growth Lab is a unit of the Bureau for Economic Research (BER)

    – ref. South Africa’s debt has skyrocketed – new rules are needed to manage it – https://theconversation.com/south-africas-debt-has-skyrocketed-new-rules-are-needed-to-manage-it-248355

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: Mission 300: Significant new donor pledges in support of the Sustainable Energy Fund for Africa announced on margins of the Africa Energy Summit

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

    DAR ES SALAAM, Tanzania, January 31, 2025/APO Group/ —

    Denmark, the United Kingdom, Spain and France have unveiled new or additional contributions to the Sustainable Energy Fund for Africa, demonstrating strong support for the African Development Bank (www.AfDB.org)-managed fund as it expands energy access across Africa, including through the Mission 300 partnership. Another new donor – Japan –joined in December 2024 with a $5 million contribution under AGIA (https://apo-opa.co/3Eju6LT). 

    SEFA is a multi-donor Special Fund that provides catalytic finance to unlock private sector investments in renewable energy and energy efficiency. It aims to contribute to universal access to affordable, reliable, sustainable, and modern energy services for all in Africa in line with the New Deal on Energy for Africa and Mission 300. 

    Mission 300 (https://apo-opa.co/4hDAJqx), an ambitious new partnership of the African Development Bank Group, the World Bank Group and other development partners, aims to provide access to electricity to an additional 300 million Africans by 2030.  

    France, a new donor to SEFA, will provide €10 million. Denmark, the UK and Spain will increase existing contributions by DKK 100 million (€13.4 million), £8.5 million (€10.13) and €3 million, respectively.  

    France’s contribution will bolster the Africa Green Infrastructure Alliance (AGIA) (https://apo-opa.co/4aHQE4M), a platform of the African Development Bank, Africa 50 and other partners that will develop transformative sustainable infrastructure projects for investment.  

     These contributions come as SEFA enjoyed its best year on record in 2024, with $108 million approved for 14 projects. SEFA now boasts a portfolio of over $300 million in highly impactful investments and technical assistance programmes, which is expected to unlock up to $15 billion in investments and deliver approximately 12 million new electricity connections. 

    Denmark’s Acting State Secretary for Development Policy, Ole Thonke, said: “Africa is endowed with enormous untapped potential for renewable energy, which can fuel green industrialisation. The latest Danish financial contribution to SEFA will focus on the newly established Africa-led Accelerated Partnership for Renewables in Africa (APRA), further supporting the continent’s ambitious development and climate goals.” 

    “We are halfway through this decisive decade to achieve the sustainable development goals and get on track to tackle climate change,” said Rachel Kyte, UK Special Representative for Climate, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office. “Achieving our collective goals of reliable, affordable and clean power is a golden thread that links economic growth, greater investment, strengthened resilience and climate ambition. By accelerating the roll-out of clean power, the UK and Mission 300 are putting green and inclusive growth at the heart of our partnerships with Africa. Our announcement of an additional £8.5 million in UK funding for the AfDB’s SEFA will mobilise the much-needed private sector investment so that more Africans can access clean power right across the continent.” 

    Inés Carpio San Román, Alternate Governor of Spain for the African Development Bank, said, “We are pleased that Spain has decided to renew its support for the SEFA fund with a contribution of €3 million. This reaffirms our commitment to the crucial sector of renewable energy, which plays a key role in fostering sustainable development across Africa.” 

    “As a strong supporter of Africa’s green infrastructure investments with financial tools that mobilise private finance, France is proud to contribute €10 million to the AGIA through SEFA,” stated Bertrand Dumont, Director General of the French Treasury and Governor for France at the African Development Bank. “This very first contribution is our first step towards reinforcing Africa’s sustainable development and accelerating the continent’s path to a low-carbon economy. By investing in green infrastructure in Africa, we are investing for the future.”  

    Dr Daniel Schroth, Director of Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency at the African Development Bank, said, “We welcome the new commitments from donors whose support underscores the impactful work of SEFA. These contributions are essential in enabling SEFA to fulfil its role as a key delivery vehicle for Mission 300 at this pivotal moment.” 

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: South African troops are dying in the DRC: why they’re there and what’s going wrong

    Source: The Conversation – Africa – By Lindy Heinecken, Professor of Sociology in the Department of Sociology and Social Anthropology., Stellenbosch University

    The death of South African soldiers on a Southern African Development Community (SADC) mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has sparked fierce debate about the deployment of South African National Defence Force (SANDF) soldiers there. Some, including political parties, have questioned whether the soldiers were adequately trained, equipped and supported. Lindy Heinecken has spent decades researching the South African military in peacekeeping operations and has interviewed hundreds of soldiers about their experiences and the challenges during deployment. We asked her for her insights.

    What is South Africa doing in the DRC?

    The country is part of the Southern African Development Community Mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo (SAMIDRC), which includes troops from Malawi and Tanzania. This deployment followed approval by the Southern African Development Community in May 2023, in response to the deteriorating security situation in eastern DRC. The South African National Defence Force is leading the mission.

    Their mandate is to support the DRC government, a member of the 16-member SADC group, in restoring peace, security and stability. The fact that the mandate states that it is to support the DRC government in combating armed groups that threaten peace and security in the eastern DRC implies that this is not a peacekeeping mission.

    The legal basis for the deployment lies in the SADC Mutual Defence Pact, (2003), which states that

    Any armed attack perpetrated against one of the States Parties shall be considered a threat to regional peace and security and shall be met with immediate collective action.

    The mandate gives them the responsibility to protect civilians, disarm armed groups, and help implement the August 2024 ceasefire agreement between the DRC and Rwanda, brokered by Angola as part of the Luanda Process. This agreement aimed to provide a more secure environment, and protect critical infrastructure to ensure the safe delivery of humanitarian aid. This is in line with the United Nations’ responsibility to protect victims of genocide, war crimes, ethnic cleansing and crimes against humanity.

    Read more: South Africa to lead new military force in the DRC: an expert on what it’s up against

    The M23 rebel group, which is supported by Rwanda, has committed a wide range of atrocities in the eastern DRC which can be traced back to the 1994 genocide.

    The impact on civilians has been devastating. While pinning down an exact number is difficult, it’s clear that the rebel forces operating in the eastern DRC, particularly the M23, pose a significant challenge to the stability of the region, and the safety and security of civilians.

    The rebels are implicated in mass killings of civilians, rape and other forms of sexual violence and attacks on camps for internally displaced persons. The M23’s atrocities have been condemned by the international community. The United Nations and human rights bodies have called for an end to the violence. They also demand accountability for the perpetrators.

    In sum, South African soldiers – alongside Malawians and Tanzanians – are in the DRC to assist the Congolese army in combating the armed groups and to protect civilians from violence and human rights abuses.

    Are the soldiers adequately prepared and equipped?

    Many questions have been asked about whether South African troops on the mission forces are adequately trained and equipped. Critics claim this deployment is suicidal.

    South African soldiers are well-trained and have served in numerous peace operations. Their extensive deployment means that they have accumulated valuable experience. They have been part of the UN Stabilisation Mission in the DR Congo, Monusco, almost since inception in 1999.

    Monusco forces are still present in the DRC, but in the process of withdrawing. Congolese president Félix Tshisekedi requested they leave because of their perceived ineffectiveness.

    Nonetheless, there are some valid concerns about the South Africans’ current level of preparedness for the DRC mission. Not least given the complex political situation. There are over 100 diverse armed groups involved. And the terrain is difficult.

    The combination of budget cuts, resource limitations, and the complex nature of the conflict raises questions about the South African National Defence Force’s ability to effectively achieve its objectives, and ensure the safety of its personnel.

    The force takes its own equipment on missions to ensure it is self-sufficient and can meet its specialised needs. The problem is that this equipment is old, leading to shortages due to maintenance problems. This affects the force’s ability to carry out its duties.

    Budget cuts for defence over the years, to less than 1% of GDP compared to the global average of 2%, have severely affected the military’s ability to maintain equipment, conduct training exercises and modernise its force. This has led to a decline in overall readiness.

    South African troops in the DRC lack essential resources, including adequate air support, attack helicopters and modern equipment. This limits their ability to respond quickly to threats and provide close air support for ground troops.

    Despite having one of the most capable air forces in Africa, it is unable to deploy its Gripen and Rooivalk helicopters because they have not been serviced and lack spare parts.

    The use of older equipment has also been less effective against the well-equipped M23.

    Besides being outgunned, the regional mission is also out-manned.

    The SADC mission in the DRC was authorised to have 5,000 troops from Malawi, South Africa and Tanzania. The actual deployment has fallen far short of this number. As of late January 2025, only about 1,300 troops had been deployed.

    Read more: Rwanda’s role in eastern DRC conflict: why international law is failing to end the fighting

    Where to from here?

    There are concerns in the DRC about the presence of multiple foreign forces, given the relative ineffectiveness of these interventions.

    There are also questions about the legitimacy of the mission. Rwanda has opposed the deployment, saying that the SAMIDRC, and specifically South Africa’s involvement, undermines regional unity and cooperation.

    The best approach to peace and stability in the DRC requires a concerted effort by regional actors – the DRC, Rwanda, Uganda, Burundi, Kenya and the Southern African Development Community – to address the underlying causes of the conflict. This requires political dialogue with the regional actors, the UN, the international community and, most importantly, the Congolese people.

    Read more: DRC conflict risks spreading: African leaders must push for solutions beyond military intervention

    As for South Africa, it is time for some critical reflection on the future roles of its military. The equipment shortages and challenges it faces raise serious concerns about the defence force’s ability to carry out its core mandate of protecting South Africa, its territorial integrity and its people in accordance with the constitution.

    The tragedy in the DRC highlights the dire need for the South African National Defence Force to be redesigned, modernised and funded to become more effective and capable, ready to meet the immediate challenges it faces (like ageing equipment) and ensure the security of South Africa.

    – South African troops are dying in the DRC: why they’re there and what’s going wrong
    – https://theconversation.com/south-african-troops-are-dying-in-the-drc-why-theyre-there-and-whats-going-wrong-248696

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI Global: South African troops are dying in the DRC: why they’re there and what’s going wrong

    Source: The Conversation – Africa – By Lindy Heinecken, Professor of Sociology in the Department of Sociology and Social Anthropology., Stellenbosch University

    The death of South African soldiers on a Southern African Development Community (SADC) mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has sparked fierce debate about the deployment of South African National Defence Force (SANDF) soldiers there. Some, including political parties, have questioned whether the soldiers were adequately trained, equipped and supported. Lindy Heinecken has spent decades researching the South African military in peacekeeping operations and has interviewed hundreds of soldiers about their experiences and the challenges during deployment. We asked her for her insights.

    What is South Africa doing in the DRC?

    The country is part of the Southern African Development Community Mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo (SAMIDRC), which includes troops from Malawi and Tanzania. This deployment followed approval by the Southern African Development Community in May 2023, in response to the deteriorating security situation in eastern DRC. The South African National Defence Force is leading the mission.

    Their mandate is to support the DRC government, a member of the 16-member SADC group, in restoring peace, security and stability. The fact that the mandate states that it is to support the DRC government in combating armed groups that threaten peace and security in the eastern DRC implies that this is not a peacekeeping mission.

    The legal basis for the deployment lies in the SADC Mutual Defence Pact, (2003), which states that

    Any armed attack perpetrated against one of the States Parties shall be considered a threat to regional peace and security and shall be met with immediate collective action.

    The mandate gives them the responsibility to protect civilians, disarm armed groups, and help implement the August 2024 ceasefire agreement between the DRC and Rwanda, brokered by Angola as part of the Luanda Process. This agreement aimed to provide a more secure environment, and protect critical infrastructure to ensure the safe delivery of humanitarian aid. This is in line with the United Nations’ responsibility to protect victims of genocide, war crimes, ethnic cleansing and crimes against humanity.



    Read more:
    South Africa to lead new military force in the DRC: an expert on what it’s up against

    The M23 rebel group, which is supported by Rwanda, has committed a wide range of atrocities in the eastern DRC which can be traced back to the 1994 genocide.

    The impact on civilians has been devastating. While pinning down an exact number is difficult, it’s clear that the rebel forces operating in the eastern DRC, particularly the M23, pose a significant challenge to the stability of the region, and the safety and security of civilians.

    The rebels are implicated in mass killings of civilians, rape and other forms of sexual violence and attacks on camps for internally displaced persons. The M23’s atrocities have been condemned by the international community. The United Nations and human rights bodies have called for an end to the violence. They also demand accountability for the perpetrators.

    In sum, South African soldiers – alongside Malawians and Tanzanians – are in the DRC to assist the Congolese army in combating the armed groups and to protect civilians from violence and human rights abuses.

    Are the soldiers adequately prepared and equipped?

    Many questions have been asked about whether South African troops on the mission forces are adequately trained and equipped.
    Critics claim this deployment is suicidal.

    South African soldiers are well-trained and have served in numerous peace operations. Their extensive deployment means that they have accumulated valuable experience. They have been part of the UN Stabilisation Mission in the DR Congo, Monusco, almost since inception in 1999.

    Monusco forces are still present in the DRC, but in the process of withdrawing. Congolese president Félix Tshisekedi requested they leave because of their perceived ineffectiveness.

    Nonetheless, there are some valid concerns about the South Africans’ current level of preparedness for the DRC mission. Not least given the complex political situation. There are over 100 diverse armed groups involved. And the terrain is difficult.

    The combination of budget cuts, resource limitations, and the complex nature of the conflict raises questions about the South African National Defence Force’s ability to effectively achieve its objectives, and ensure the safety of its personnel.

    The force takes its own equipment on missions to ensure it is self-sufficient and can meet its specialised needs. The problem is that this equipment is old, leading to shortages due to maintenance problems. This affects the force’s ability to carry out its duties.

    Budget cuts for defence over the years, to less than 1% of GDP compared to the global average of 2%, have severely affected the military’s ability to maintain equipment, conduct training exercises and modernise its force. This has led to a decline in overall readiness.

    South African troops in the DRC lack essential resources, including adequate air support, attack helicopters and modern equipment. This limits their ability to respond quickly to threats and provide close air support for ground troops.

    Despite having one of the most capable air forces in Africa, it is unable to deploy its Gripen and Rooivalk helicopters because they have not been serviced and lack spare parts.

    The use of older equipment has also been less effective against the well-equipped M23.

    Besides being outgunned, the regional mission is also out-manned.

    The SADC mission in the DRC was authorised to have 5,000 troops from Malawi, South Africa and Tanzania. The actual deployment has fallen far short of this number. As of late January 2025, only about 1,300 troops had been deployed.



    Read more:
    Rwanda’s role in eastern DRC conflict: why international law is failing to end the fighting

    Where to from here?

    There are concerns in the DRC about the presence of multiple foreign forces, given the relative ineffectiveness of these interventions.

    There are also questions about the legitimacy of the mission. Rwanda has opposed the deployment, saying that the SAMIDRC, and specifically South Africa’s involvement, undermines regional unity and cooperation.

    The best approach to peace and stability in the DRC requires a concerted effort by regional actors – the DRC, Rwanda, Uganda, Burundi, Kenya and the Southern African Development Community – to address the underlying causes of the conflict. This requires political dialogue with the regional actors, the UN, the international community and, most importantly, the Congolese people.



    Read more:
    DRC conflict risks spreading: African leaders must push for solutions beyond military intervention

    As for South Africa, it is time for some critical reflection on the future roles of its military. The equipment shortages and challenges it faces raise serious concerns about the defence force’s ability to carry out its core mandate of protecting South Africa, its territorial integrity and its people in accordance with the constitution.

    The tragedy in the DRC highlights the dire need for the South African National Defence Force to be redesigned, modernised and funded to become more effective and capable, ready to meet the immediate challenges it faces (like ageing equipment) and ensure the security of South Africa.

    Lindy Heinecken 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. South African troops are dying in the DRC: why they’re there and what’s going wrong – https://theconversation.com/south-african-troops-are-dying-in-the-drc-why-theyre-there-and-whats-going-wrong-248696

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Income-generating activities serving local communities of Lopé and Ivindo

    Source: United Nations

    In the framework of the project “Creating a Sustainable Heritage Ecosystem for Socio-Economic Development in Africa”, UNESCO supports local communities around two World Heritage sites in Gabon to develop a sustainable project that highlights heritage and ecotourism.

    Between 11 and 15 December 2024, UNESCO conducted a consultation mission with local communities living in and around Gabon’s two World Heritage properties: the Ecosystem and Relict Cultural Landscape of Lopé-Okanda and Ivindo National Park. This initiative is part of UNESCO’s project titled “Creating a Sustainable Heritage Ecosystem for Socio-Economic Development in Africa,” funded by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The project aims to integrate heritage preservation into sustainable development strategies, focusing on entrepreneurship, ecotourism, and digital technology. 

    As part of its commitment to sustainable socio-economic development, UNESCO has launched several pilot projects to promote entrepreneurship centred on ecotourism and the interpretation of World Heritage. These initiatives primarily target young people and women, addressing themes such as new information and communication technologies (ICT), the heritage economy, income-generating activities (IGAs), and innovation. The two World Heritage sites, known for their Outstanding Universal Value, are central to consultations aimed at developing tailored solutions to meet the needs of local communities.

    Consultations in Libreville : a multisectoral dialogue

    Multi-sectoral consultation in Libreville with key stakeholders in the development of the project © UNESCO /Jean Eude Ngouadono

    Ahead of the community consultations at the two World Heritage sites, a consultative meeting was organised by the Ministry of Culture in Libreville on 10 December 2024 with UNESCO. This event also brought together public and private institutions, including the National Museum, École 241 (a digital and leadership training centre), the National Agency for National Parks (ANPN), Espace PME (a Ministry of Commerce body supporting small and medium enterprises), the Gabon Digital Incubation Society (SING), and representatives from the culture, tourism, crafts, and social economy sectors.

    These discussions explored concrete opportunities around new technologies and the heritage economy, laying the groundwork for effective collaboration.

    A shared goal: leveraging heritage for inclusive development

    Moment de consultation auprès des habitants du Parc national de la Lopé. © UNESCO Libreville / Jean Eude NGOUADONO

    During this consultation mission, the UNESCO delegation, accompanied by the ANPN team, visited several villages surrounding, notably consultations took place in the villages of Ebyeng, Ntiété, and within Lopé-Okanda National Park. The visit highlighted challenges faced by local communities, including abandoned villages and damaged infrastructure. These once-thriving areas reflect the significant difficulties encountered by local populations in the face of recurring issues. The visit underscored the urgency of finding sustainable solutions to address these challenges. These observations will guide the development of projects that consider the complex realities on the ground. Discussions focused on community projects related to sustainable tourism, agriculture, fishing, and craft as means of favoring sustainable livelihoods and socio-economic development.

    Building a sustainable future with local communities, youth, and women as change-makers

    UNESCO places local communities, especially young people and women, at the centre of sustainable solutions. These actors play a key role in heritage preservation and the development of innovative economic initiatives essential for their empowerment and the prosperity of their regions.

    This mission represents a critical stage in designing a project that combines heritage preservation, sustainable development, and social inclusion. It illustrates UNESCO and its partners’ firm commitment to valuing Gabon’s rich natural and cultural heritage while addressing the aspirations and needs of local communities

    The projects will include income-generating activities and aim to strengthen local capacities. The goal is to make heritage a driver of inclusive and sustainable development, where local communities are not just beneficiaries but also initiators and agents of change.

    In this perspective, UNESCO will develop an implementation schedule and roll out a series of activities throughout 2025.

    With the support of

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: World Wetlands Day 2025: Protecting Wetlands for Our Common Future

    Source: United Nations

    Celebrated annually on 2 February, World Wetlands Day aims to raise global awareness of the vital role of wetlands for people, nature and culture. This year’s theme, ‘Protecting Wetlands for Our Common Future’, reminds us of the benefits wetlands provide for biodiversity and human wellbeing.

    Wetlands are among the world’s most productive ecosystems and critical for wildlife preservation. Wetlands help us cope with the impacts of climate change and secure critical freshwater recources. Wetlands have also shaped human cultures over centuries, and inspired our creativity. We need healthy wetlands for our future, and for our well-being.

    Wetlands are protected under many conservation instruments, yet they are among the planet’s most theratened ecosystems. UNESCO supports the work of the Ramsar Convention on conservation and wise use of wetlands. Many wetlands have been recognised not only as Ramsar sites but also as UNESCO World Heritage properties and Biosphere Reserves. International designations can support the protection of wetlands and improve access to resources which are often much needed for securing their values.

    Mont-Saint-Michel and its Bay (France) is one of the dual designations under the Ramsar and World Heritage Conventions. It is a vital coastal wetland that provides essential habitat for migratory birds and supports local fisheries with a unique Gothic-style Benedictine abbey which is a great combination of culture and nature. Conservation efforts have helped maintain the delicate balance between the region’s natural environment and human activities, offering sustainable livelihoods to local communities while preserving cultural heritage.

    Wood Buffalo National Park (Canada) protects one of the world’s largest inland deltas. This wetland plays a critical role in the health of the surrounding ecosystems and provides a source of fresh water for local communities. By conserving the park’s wetlands, indigenous people and local residents benefit from enhanced food security, including access to fish and wildlife.

    Banc d’Arguin National Park (Mauritania) is an important coastal wetland that provides a haven for migratory birds, fish, and other wildlife. Local people benefit from the health of this wetland, which sustains fish stocks and supports their traditional livelihoods.

    Itsukushima Shinto Shrine (Japan) and its surrounding wetlands are crucial for maintaining the natural beauty of the region and has been a holy place of Shintoism. By protecting the wetlands, local communities benefit from the economic boost of tourism, while also preserving the cultural and spiritual significance of the landscape that has shaped their traditions for centuries.

    This year, World Wetlands Day shares the same theme with the 15th Meeting of the Conference of the Contracting Parties to the Convention on Wetlands (COP15), which is scheduled for July 2025 in Mosi-oa-Tunya/Victoria Falls, in Zimbabwe. It is also a UNESCO World Heritage site, shared by Zimbabwe and Zambia, and has one of the most spectacular waterfalls in the world.

    Visit the official World Wetlands Day 2025 website to explore global events, access communication materials and pledge your message for protecting wetlands for our common future.

    Learn more about our efforts to protect wetlands of global importance : here   

     

     

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: IOM Raises Alarm Over Displacement of Hundreds of Thousands in Goma, DRC

    Source: International Organization for Migration (IOM)

    Kinshasa, 31 January 2025 – The International Organization for Migration (IOM), is deeply concerned about the hundreds of thousands of civilians displaced over the last few days in Goma, North Kivu Province, eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).  An upsurge in heavy fighting and violence in recent days has forced people– some already previously displaced – out of their homes. IOM is appealing to the international community to recognize the staggering scale of the crisis, and to support the humanitarian needs of those displaced.   

    “Millions of people were already displaced by years of conflict in eastern DRC, and humanitarian needs were massive. With the current alarming upsurge in fighting, an already dire situation is rapidly becoming very much worse,” said Amy Pope, IOM Director General. “IOM joins the UN Secretary-General’s call for an immediate cessation of hostilities and full humanitarian access, so that we can rapidly scale up our response and ensure that life-saving aid reaches those in need.”   

    On January 23, intense clashes broke out between the M23 armed group and government forces in Goma and nearby Sake, as well as in South Kivu towns such as Minova.  The fighting occurred near densely populated camps sheltering tens of thousands of internally displaced people, including women and children.    

    Several displacement sites, including on the outskirts of Goma, where over 300,000 displaced persons have sought refuge, have been partially or completely emptied as families fled the fighting. Those displaced urgently need shelter, food, clean water, medical assistance, and protection services for women and children. Essential items like blankets, mats and cooking utensils are also in critical demand.   

    IOM has been supporting displaced and host communities in Goma and the surrounding areas by providing emergency shelter, water; sanitation, and hygiene assistance, camp co-ordination and management services, and monitoring population movements through IOM’s Displacement Tracking Matrix.    

    However, the organization and other humanitarian partners are struggling to meet the urgent needs of displaced communities amidst the insecurity and the limited funding.  Escalating violence has forced IOM and other humanitarian organizations to suspend operations in the most affected areas, cutting off lifesaving aid to thousands.   

    Without immediate humanitarian access and additional funding, response efforts will be paralyzed. By the end of 2024, only 51 per cent of the 2024 Humanitarian Response Plan had been funded to respond to the protracted conflict. The current 2025 Humanitarian Needs and Response Plan for DRC appeals for USD 2.5 billion with at least USD 50 million urgently needed as a result of this new wave of displacement, to scale up life-saving humanitarian assistance and prevent further suffering.   

    Given the scale of the crisis, IOM calls for comprehensive response across humanitarian, development, and peace sectors through stronger partnerships and putting communities at the center.   

    IOM’s top strategic objective is to save lives, protect people on the move and find solutions to internally displaced populations by providing urgent essential needs inside their homelands otherwise people will have no choice but to cross borders. In 2024, the organization provided life-saving support to almost 32 million people in 168 countries and expanded programs supporting internally displaced persons in over 20 countries around the world.   

     

    For more information, please contact  

    In Kinshasa: Daco Tambilika, dtambilika@iom.int,    

    In Nairobi: Yvonne Ndege, yndege@iom.int   

    In Geneva: Kennedy Okoth, kokoth@iom.int   

     

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI Video: Government Exhibition Day – Western Cape

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

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

    MIL OSI Video –

  • MIL-OSI Video: Fuelling Morocco’s startup boom

    Source: World Trade Organization – WTO (video statements)

    Expanding a startup isn’t just about innovation—it’s about access to markets, investment, and the right support system. Mohammed VI Polytechnic University (UM6P), located in Ben Guerir, Morocco, provides entrepreneurs with training, incubation, and resources to help them scale beyond local borders. By fostering international partnerships and connecting founders to global networks, the university enables startups to navigate new markets, attract investment and drive economic growth.

    Download this video from the WTO website:
    https://www.wto.org/english/res_e/webcas_e/webcas_e.htm

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YXSSGj9adm8

    MIL OSI Video –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: UK partnership with Tunisia to target root causes of irregular migration

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments 3

    Foreign Secretary announces new funding for programmes in Tunisia to smash the gangs and secure UK borders.

    • UK boosts support for projects in North Africa to tackle drivers of small boats arrivals in Europe and UK.
    • During visit to Tunisia Foreign Secretary announces new multi-million-pound funding for programmes to educate and upskill would-be migrants to become more employable in their home country, and support reintegration for migrants who wish to return.
    • Part of UK Government’s latest efforts to protect UK borders and bring down migration as part of its Plan for Change.

    Efforts to tackle the root causes of migration upstream are being bolstered as the Foreign Secretary announces new funding for programmes in Tunisia to strengthen work with international partners, smash the people smuggling gangs, secure the UK’s borders and support those vulnerable to exploitation by criminals.

    The Foreign Secretary will travel to Tunisia to unveil a new package of up to £5 million to boost UK funded programmes in the region to upskill migrants in-country, making it less likely that they will make dangerous small boats journeys to Europe, including to the UK, and undermine the country’s border security.

    The UK has also announced up to £1 million of funding to the International Organisation for Migration’s Assisted Voluntary Returns & Reintegration (AVRR) Programme, to support transiting migrants who have no legal right to be in Tunisia and to return and reintegrate them to their home country.  

    While in Tunisia, the Foreign Secretary will be accompanied by the recently-appointed Border Security Commander, Martin Hewitt for meetings with their Tunisian counterparts to discuss ways of strengthening cooperation on both countries’ fight against people smuggling and irregular migration. They will meet members of the Tunisian National Guard who are using UK-supplied drones and night vision technology to intercept small boats carrying irregular migrants under cover of darkness. 

    Foreign Secretary David Lammy said: 

    Through working with countries like Tunisia, we are addressing the root causes of irregular migration and delivering on our Plan for Change. 

    By improving people’s living standards in their home country, they are less likely to make a perilous journey to the UK, enrich criminal gangs in the process and exploit our immigration system.

    The support I am announcing today, alongside UK technology such as drones and night vision goggles, will save lives, bring down migration levels, and help us bear down on those responsible for smuggling migrants into the UK.

    Border Security Commander Martin Hewitt said: 

    International partners like Tunisia play a vital role in the UK’s efforts to combat irregular migration, organised immigration crime and the harm both cause to communities at home and abroad. 

    We are committed to doing whatever it takes to tackle this problem at source and will continue to work hand in hand with countries upstream to deter and prevent migrants from making these dangerous journeys in the first place – saving lives and delivering on the government’s promise to secure the UK’s borders.

    This visit also follows the introduction of the Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill to Parliament, which will help to further strengthen our relationships with international partners and empower teams on the ground to go further and act faster when dismantling organised criminality.

    Today’s announcement shows the UK’s strategy to disrupt people smuggling networks, slash migration levels and double down on recent partnerships with European and regional partners to bear down on groups responsible for the evil trade in human lives. This includes a new UK-Iraq border security agreement, as well a new anti-smuggling action plan signed by other G7 nations.  

    The visit also follows the introduction of the Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill to Parliament (January 30). Inspired by powers used to combat terrorism, the Bill will be a turning point for law enforcement, allowing them to take earlier and more effective action against organised immigration crime.

    In January, the UK launched the world’s first standalone sanctions package designed to target people smugglers, clamp down on illegal migration and deliver the foundations for security at home. This follows also the UK successfully removing the highest number of irregular migrants since 2018 last year building on the Government’s commitment to return those who have no legal right to be in the UK.

    Media enquiries

    Email newsdesk@fcdo.gov.uk

    Telephone 020 7008 3100

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

    Updates to this page

    Published 31 January 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: E3 Foreign Ministers’ statement on the implementation of legislation against United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA)

    Source: United Kingdom – Government Statements

    Statement from the Foreign Ministers of the UK, France and Germany on the implementation of legislation against United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East.

    Joint statement on behalf of the Foreign Ministers of the UK, France and Germany:

    We, the Foreign Ministers of the United Kingdom, France and Germany reiterate our grave concern regarding the Government of Israel’s implementation of legislation forbidding any contact between Israeli state entities, officials and the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA); and prohibiting any UNRWA presence within Israel and East Jerusalem.

    We ask the Government of Israel to abide by its international obligations and live up to its responsibility to ensure full, rapid, safe and unhindered humanitarian assistance and the provision of basic services to the civilian population. We urge the Government of Israel to work with international partners, including the UN, to ensure continuity of operations. No other entity or UN Agency currently has the capacity or infrastructure to replace UNRWA’s mandate and experience.

    We reiterate our support for UNRWA’s UN-mandate to provide essential services and humanitarian assistance to Palestine refugees in the Occupied Palestinian Territories.  UNRWA is the primary service provider to Palestinian refugees in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, and is an integral part of the response to the humanitarian crisis in Gaza.

    We condemn in the strongest possible terms the brutal and unjustified terror attacks by Hamas on Israel on October 7, 2023. We call on UNRWA to continue on its path of reform demonstrating its commitment to the principle of neutrality, in line with the independent review of April 2024, led by Ms. Catherine Colonna. All alleged involvement of UNRWA staff in appalling acts in support of 7 October and subsequent events must be thoroughly investigated.

    We reiterate our full endorsement and support for the ceasefire agreement reached between Israel and Hamas. It is vital that we now see the release of all remaining hostages. We welcome the notable increase of humanitarian assistance reaching Gaza since the beginning of the ceasefire and call on all parties to ensure its continuity. We are grateful for the extensive efforts of the US, Egypt and Qatar in mediating the agreement and urge all parties to engage constructively in negotiating the subsequent phases of the deal to help ensure its full implementation and a permanent end to hostilities. 

    We will play our full part in the coming days and weeks to seize the opportunity of this ceasefire and to ensure it leads to a credible pathway towards a two-state solution in which Israelis and Palestinians can live side by side in peace.

    Media enquiries

    Email newsdesk@fcdo.gov.uk

    Telephone 020 7008 3100

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

    Updates to this page

    Published 31 January 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: African Mining Week (AMW) to Showcase Africa’s Rising Investment Potential in the Mining Sector

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

    CAPE TOWN, South Africa, January 31, 2025/APO Group/ —

    International investments in Africa’s mining sector are surging as global demand for both traditional and emerging minerals continues to grow. For example, Australian mining firms saw their asset value in Africa reach $60 billion in 2024, while Canadian firms’ assets climbed to $37 billion. China also launched an ambitious $50 billion, three-year investment strategy targeting increased stakes in Africa’s most lucrative opportunities including in the mining sector.

    The upcoming African Mining Week Summit, scheduled for October 1 – 3 in Cape Town, will highlight profitable opportunities within Africa’s mining industry and reinforce the continent’s attractiveness as an investment destination for global mining financiers.

    Untapped Mineral Deposits

    Africa’s vast, untapped mineral resources present potential for new investments. The continent holds 30% of the world’s critical minerals (https://apo-opa.co/3ClkUGd) essential for the energy transition, including the largest global reserves of cobalt (in the Democratic Republic of Congo) and over 80% of the world’s platinum group metals in South Africa. The continent accounts for more than 44% of global diamond production, while its share of the gold market continues to grow, with markets such as Ghana, Mali and Zimbabwe ramping up production.

    Supportive Policies and Investor-Friendly Terms

    African governments are enhancing the investment climate within the mining industry by enacting new policies and modernizing fiscal terms to streamline processes and reduce delays in project rollouts. Zambia, for instance, introduced a New Mining Tax Regime in 2023, improving transparency and reducing tax evasion, as the country targets a copper production target of three million tons by 2032. Mali has also experienced increased investment flows following its 2023 Mining Code, with global players such as HummingGold, B2Gold and Ganfeng committing to new lithium and gold projects. Malawi has also taken steps to attract investments by launching its Mining Regulatory Authority in October 2024, supported by the Mines and Minerals Act of 2023.

    Improved Mining and Export Infrastructure

    African nations are enhancing cooperation with global partners to improve mining production and mineral transportation infrastructure. For example, investment firm Africa Finance Corporation has announced that the Zambia-Lobito Railway project will commence (https://apo-opa.co/3Q0RcJL) construction in early 2026, to facilitate the efficient and cost-effective transportation of critical minerals from East and Southern Africa to global markets. Upgrades to the Tanzania-Zambia Railway (https://apo-opa.co/3PXFeAE) and South Africa’s modernization of ports through freight operator, Transnet, are further enhancing the region’s mining investment prospects.

    Rich Mining History

    Africa’s established history as a global mining hub has fostered the development of key infrastructure and a skilled workforce that international mining firms rely on to meet global mineral demand. Mining remains a cornerstone of many African economies, attracting both traditional and emerging players keen to expand their operations and leverage the continent’s resources. With its rich deposits and ongoing improvements in policy and infrastructure, Africa maintains its position as a key investment destination for the global mining industry.

    African Mining Week will serve as a premier platform for exploring the full spectrum of mining opportunities across Africa. The event is held alongside the African Energy Week: Invest in African Energy 2025 conference (https://apo-opa.co/4htJMdI) from October 1 -3. in Cape Town. Sponsors, exhibitors and delegates can learn more by contacting sales@energycapitalpower.com

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: African Development Bank Partners with AXIAN Telecom to Accelerate Africa’s Digital Transformation

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

    ABIDJAN, Ivory Coast, January 31, 2025/APO Group/ —

    The African Development Bank (www.AfDB.org) has approved a $160 million senior corporate loan to support AXIAN Telecom to expand digital access and financial inclusion in nine African countries. The loan will accelerate the modernization and expansion of AXIAN Telecom‘s network infrastructure, with a focus on 4G and 5G deployment; while also driving digital innovation in its operations, enabling them to expand to more countries.

    AXIAN Telecom, headquartered in Mauritius, serves 42.9 million mobile subscribers, 11.4 million data users, and 15.2 million mobile financial service users, positioning itself as a leader in Africa’s digital transformation.

    A key focus of the funding is to address gender disparities in access to financial services. Over $10 million will be dedicated to empowering 22,000 women entrepreneurs in Madagascar through AXIAN’s Mvola platform. Additionally, a $2.5 million grant will enhance financial literacy and credit access for 34,000 women businesses across Madagascar, Tanzania, and Senegal, enabling them to grow and transition into the formal economy.

    Highlighting the initiative’s importance, the African Development Bank’s Vice President for Private Sector, Infrastructure and Industrialization, Solomon Quaynor, said: “This investment reflects the African Development Bank’s commitment to driving Africa’s digital transformation and fostering inclusive growth. By supporting AXIAN Telecom’s growth plan, we are bridging the digital divide, creating opportunities for millions across the continent, and fostering innovation.”

    Quaynor described the African Development Bank’s support as part of a partnership to accelerate progress, advance financial inclusion—particularly for women—and drive sustainable development, adding, “Together, we are building the infrastructure and ecosystems that will enable Africa to thrive in the digital age.”

    AXIAN Telecom CEO, Hassan Jaber said, “We are honoured to partner with an organisation that shares our vision of advancing Africa’s digital economy. The funding from the African Development Bank not only underscores the immense digital potential of the continent but also highlights the critical role of collaboration in driving sustainable development.”

    Jabaer emphasized that the support from the African Development Bank will build on the company’s ongoing initiatives, such as expanding affordable internet access and fostering innovative solutions to bridge the digital divide. while aligning seamlessly with the recent transformation of our mobile businesses under the Yas brand (http://apo-opa.co/4hx2sd7).

    « Yas represents our commitment to empowering a young, dynamic, and digitally connected population, embracing every opportunity with a resounding ‘YES.’ Together, this collaboration will help drive meaningful change across Africa’s digital landscape, furthering our shared mission of digital and financial inclusion,” he added.

    The partnership aligns with the African Development Bank’s “Hi-5” development priorities, particularly “Industrialize Africa” and “Integrate Africa”, which enhance connectivity, foster cross-border digital services, and support financial inclusion.

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: World Health Organization (WHO) delivers critical support to Bugna Woreda and surroundings amid humanitarian needs

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

    Download logo

    Bugna woreda, Amhara region, located in Ethiopia’s North Zone, has faced significant challenges due to prolonged conflict, drought, and food insecurity. Home to over 100,000 residents, endured over a year without access to essential commodities, medical supplies, and support, leaving its population in a dire state.  The conflict’s impact was devastating, with farmers unable to access fertilizer for the 2024 farming season, exacerbating food insecurity in an area already grappling with drought.

    Recognizing the urgent need for intervention, WHO mobilized resources and personnel to support Bugna Woreda and provided PED SAM kits, IEHK kits and Trauma kits support from the Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF), the European Union (ECHO) and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). The efforts focused on improving access to essential health and nutrition services, providing critical medical supplies, and supporting vaccination campaigns. WHO worked closely with local health authorities to strengthen the capacity of health centers and health posts, ensuring that they can better serve the community despite the challenging conditions.

     WHO donated medical supplies

    Items

    Sum of Total

    (IEHK 2017, BASIC) MODULE, MALARIA

    36

    (IEHK 2017, BASIC) MODULE, MEDICINES

    36

    (IEHK 2017, BASIC) MODULE, RENEWABLE AND EQUIPMENT

    12

    (IEHK 2017, SUPPLEMENTARY) MODULE, MALARIA

    5

    (IEHK 2017, SUPPLEMENTARY) MODULE, RENEWABLE

    7

    (IEHK 2021, SUPPLEMENTARY) MODULE, PEP, treatments for 50 adults + 10 children

    5

    (Kit PED-SAM 2020) MODULE 2, MEDICINES PED ORAL

    12

    (Kit PED-SAM 2020) MODULE 3, MEDICINES PED INJECTABLES

    12

    (Kit PED-SAM 2020) MODULE 6, RENEWABLES

    6

    (TESK 2019 mod 1A) SET 1A5, DRUGS, DANGEROUS GOODS

    4

    (TESK 2019 mod 1A) SET 1A6, DRUGS, INFUSIONS

    2

    (TESK 2019 mod 1A) SET 1A7, DRUGS, DISINFECTANTS

    6

    (TESK 2019 mod 1B) SET 1B3, RENEWABLES, INJECTION MATERIAL

    6

    Despite operational hardships, healthcare workers remained at their posts, showing immense resilience and dedication to their community.

    WHO’s support was crucial in mitigating the impacts of the access challenge. It provided much-needed medical, allowing health facilities to procure essential items and pay their workers. WHO also advocated for sustained humanitarian access to Bugna Woreda, ensuring that the flow of supplies continued uninterrupted.

    Distributed by APO Group on behalf of World Health Organization (WHO) – Ethiopia.

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI: MEXC Zero-Fee Event for European Traders: 108 Spot Pairs and All EUR Spot Trading Pairs

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    VICTORIA, Seychelles, Jan. 31, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — MEXC, a leading global cryptocurrency exchange, is excited to launch a limited-time Zero-Fee Event for European traders. During this limited-time promotion, all EUR Spot trading pairs, as well as a total of 108 Spot trading pairs, will be offered with zero fees, providing exceptional trading opportunities and cost savings for the European cryptocurrency community.

    Event Details

    The Zero-Fee Event will run from January 23, 2025, to March 31, 2025. During this period, all EUR Spot trading pairs will have 0% maker and taker fees. This promotion is available to all MEXC users.

    In addition to EUR Spot pairs, MEXC is also offering zero fees for other trading pairs in Europe.
    MEXC offers a total of 108 Spot trading pairs, including:

    • 81 pairs with USDC
    • 5 pairs with USDT
    • 22 pairs with EUR

    MEXC will also offer 29 Futures trading pairs as part of the zero-fee event.

    User-Centered Benefits for European Traders

    According to the latest TokenInsight research report, MEXC demonstrated considerable growth and market presence in 2024, securing a spot among the top 6 in Spot trading and the top 5 in derivatives trading.

    The report reveals that MEXC’s market share in the Spot market increased by approximately 9%, reaching 11.6% compared to 2023. In the derivatives market, MEXC also achieved a 10.4% year-over-year growth in market share, the largest increase among major exchanges. This growth is fueled by MEXC’s low fees, exclusive trading events, and flexible token listing strategy.

    As Europe is a key market for MEXC, the platform is offering the Zero-Fee Event as a way to give back to European traders, helping them reduce trading costs and maximize their profit potential.

    Beyond this event, MEXC delivers four key advantages that have earned the trust of over 30 million users across 170+ countries:

    M: Most Trending Tokens
    MEXC has over 3,000 token listings and almost lists new tokens daily, offering users a wide range of options and the ability to stay on top of the latest market trends.

    E: Everyday Airdrops
    MEXC brings users frequent rewards and opportunities. In 2024 alone, the platform completed 2,293 airdrops, distributing over $136 million in rewards.

    X: Xtremely Low Fees
    MEXC offers highly competitive trading fees, allowing users to significantly reduce their costs compared to industry standards.

    C: Comprehensive Liquidity
    With deep market depth and high liquidity, MEXC ensures efficient and seamless execution of every transaction, even in volatile markets.

    MEXC states that it will continue to prioritize innovation and user experience, launching new tools and services that meet the needs of global traders, with the aim of making cryptocurrency trading simpler and more profitable for every trader.

    For more details on the event and its rules, please refer to the Event Announcement.

    About MEXC

    Founded in 2018, MEXC is committed to being “Your Easiest Way to Crypto”. Serving over 30 million users across 170+ countries, MEXC is known for its broad selection of trending tokens, frequent 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

    Risk Disclaimer:
    The information provided in this article about cryptocurrencies does not represent MEXC’s official stance or investment advice. Given the highly volatile nature of the cryptocurrency market, investors are encouraged to carefully evaluate market fluctuations, project fundamentals, and potential financial risks before making any trading decisions.

    Contact:
    Lucia Hu
    PR Manager
    lucia.hu@mexc.com

    Disclaimer: This content is provided by MEXC. The statements, views and opinions expressed in this column are solely those of the content provider. The information provided in this press release is not a solicitation for investment, nor is it intended as investment advice, financial advice, or trading advice. It is strongly recommended you practice due diligence, including consultation with a professional financial advisor, before investing in or trading cryptocurrency and securities. Please conduct your own research and invest at your own risk.

    A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/9886c09c-dd1c-4df2-90f9-f0ebe65f2479

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Video: HAWKS NATIONAL HEAD TO HOLD A MEDIA BRIEFING TO SHARE ACHIEVEMENTS FOR 2024/2025 FINANCIAL YEAR

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

    The National Head for the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation, Lieutenant General (Dr/Adv.) Godfrey Lebeya and his management holds a media briefing to outline progress and take stock of milestones achieved during the third quarter of financial year 2024/2025

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jT_aaxh7bsA

    MIL OSI Video –

  • MIL-OSI: BW Energy: Fourth Quarter Results 2024

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    BW ENERGY FOURTH QUARTER RESULTS 2024

    HIGHLIGHTS

    •          Record Q4 EBITDA of USD 141.6 million, net profit of USD 56.8 million
    •          Full-year revenue of USD 0.8 billion (+57%), EBITDA of USD 457.4 million (+90%) and net profit of USD 165.9 million (+105%)
    •          Operational cash-flow of USD 117.7 million in the quarter
    •          Q4 gross production of 4.0 mmbbls with 3.1 mmbbls net to BW Energy
    •          Highest quarterly production since inception from the Dussafu licence
    •          ESP replacement program completed as planned with 8 producing Hibiscus / Ruche wells from early 2025
    •          Current gross production at Dussafu above 40,000 bbls/day
    •          Maintained a strong balance sheet with cash position of USD 221.8 million

    BW Energy, operator of the Dussafu Marin licence in Gabon and the Golfinho cluster offshore Brazil, reported a record quarterly EBITDA of USD 141.6 million for the fourth quarter of 2024. This was up from USD 130 million in the previous quarter on increased oil sales following all-time-high production in Gabon. The net production was 33,600 bbls/day, including the Tortue, Hibiscus, and Hibiscus South fields in the Dussafu licence (73.5% working interest or “WI”) and the Golfinho field (100% WI).

    Full-year 2024 net production was approximately 10.1 million barrels of oil, up 69% from 2023. EBITDA was USD 457.4 million (USD 241.0 million). The full-year figures are preliminary and unaudited. BW Energy will publish audited 2024 figures on 26 February 2025.

    “BW Energy delivers strong production growth, increased reserves and record financial performance in the fourth quarter and full year 2024 supported by new ESPs, successful appraisal wells and the completion of the Hibiscus / Ruche development,” said Carl K. Arnet, the CEO of BW Energy. “We have a pivotal 2025 ahead, executing on our strategy for growth and long-term value creation. Appraisal of the Bourdon structure in Gabon is ongoing, and we plan to sanction the Maromba development in Brazil in coming weeks. Then, in the second half we will drill the first Kudu appraisal in Namibia, a high impact well which may help unlock secure access to energy in a part of Southern Africa with unstable supply.”

    DUSSAFU
    BW Energy completed three liftings in the fourth quarter at an average realised price of USD 72.5/bbl. Net production was approximately 2.5 mmbbls of oil and the net sold volume, the basis for revenue recognition, was approximately 2.7 mmbbls including 97,500 bbls of DMO deliveries and 311,429 bbls of state profit oil with an under-lift position of 248,700 bbls at period-end.

    Net production from the Dussafu licence averaged ~27,300 bbls/day, an increase of 36% from the previous quarter. Operating cost (excluding royalties) decreased to USD 18.5/bbl from USD 20.5/bbl in the third quarter due to operational efficiencies and increased production. Further cost savings are expected as BW Energy is preparing to take over the operations of the BW Adolo FPSO during the first half of 2025.

    All ESP change outs were completed as planned and on 2 January 2025, Phase 1 of the Hibiscus / Ruche development was completed with eight producing wells, two more than planned at project sanction. 

    GOLFINHO
    Net production from the Golfinho field averaged ~6,400 bbls/day equivalent to a total production of 585,000 bbls in the quarter, up 17% from the previous quarter. A planned shutdown of a Petrobras gas plant restricted gaslift capacity for approximately 40 days, with only ESP wells producing. One lifting was carried out of ~500,000 bbls at a realised price of USD 73.5/bbl. Remaining inventory was approximately 440,500 bbls at the end of the period. Operating cost (excluding royalties) averaged USD 56.4/bbl barrel, down from 63.3/bbl in the third quarter, primarily due to higher production.

    OTHER ITEMS
    At 31 December 2024, BW Energy had a cash balance of USD 221.8 million, compared to USD 209.8 million at end-September. The increase reflects cash flow from operations, debt repayment and investments. The Company had a total drawn debt balance of USD 563 million including the MaBoMo lease, the Dussafu RBL, the Golfinho prepayment facility and bond debt.

    Production guidance for 2025 is between 11 and 12 mmbbls net to BW Energy. Full-year operating cost is expected to be USD 18 to 22/bbl (the basis for calculating unit operating cost has been revised from 2025 onwards to exclude royalties, tariffs, workovers, domestic market obligation purchases, production sharing costs, and incorporates the impact of IFRS 16 adjustments, primarily impacting Gabon operations). Net capital expenditures are expected at USD 260 to 285 million, including the appraisal well in Namibia. The capex guidance is excluding the Maromba development and the Golfinho Boosting project, both awaiting FID. 

    DEVELOPMENT PLANS
    In Gabon, the Bourdon appraisal prospect, targeting potential gross recoverable reserves of ~30 million barrels in Gamba and Dentale formations, was spud earlier this month and results are expected during the first quarter. At end-October, BW Energy (37.5% WI and operator) signed production sharing contracts (PSCs) for the Niosi Marin and Guduma Marin exploration blocks, which are adjacent to the Dussafu licence and significantly expands the resource base for infrastructure-led exploration. Planning for a 3D seismic campaign is ongoing. 

    Work on optimising Golfinho production continued to focus on stabilising FPSO performance and selected future well workovers. BW Energy is preparing to commence the Golfinho Boosting project to replace current gaslift with ESPs in two wells to increase production and production regularity from mid-2026.

    The Maromba development, targeting low-risk barrels in an oil-rich area with multiple producing assets, is progressing towards planned final investment decision (FID) next month based on the sustainable re-use of an FPSO and a jack-up with drilling capacity and dry trees. This enables a cost-efficient development with an investment budget of USD 1.2 billion and short pay-back time. Project financing is close to completion 

    In Namibia, BW Energy has sanctioned the drilling of an appraisal well targeting the Kharas Prospect northwest in the Kudu licence with planned start-up drilling operations in the third quarter. Long-lead items have been secured and the Company is reviewing offers for rig capacity. There is a close dialogue with other operators in the Orange Basin on exploring common use available resources. Development planning and concept selection for the Kudu gas-to-power project also continued with relevant stakeholders.

    REPORTS AND PRESENTATION
    Please find the fourth-quarter earnings presentation attached. The reports are also available at:

    www.bwenergy.no/investors/reports-and-presentations

     BW Energy will today hold a conference call followed by a Q&A hosted by CEO Carl K. Arnet, CFO Brice Morlot and COO Lin G. Espey at 15:00 CET.

    You can follow the presentation via webcast with supporting slides, available on:

    VIEWER REGISTRATION • Q4 2024

    Call-in information:

    Participants dial in numbers:

    DK: +45 7876 8490
    SE: +46 8 1241 0952
    NO: +47 2195 6342
    UK: +44 203 769 6819
    US: +1 646-787-0157
    Singapore: 65-3-1591097
    France: 33-1-81221259

    PIN code: 980877

    Please note, that if you follow the webcast via the above URL, you will experience a 30 second delay compared to the main conference call. The web page works best in an updated browser – Chrome is recommended.

    BW Energy will publish the audited 2024 annual report, the reserves report and the report on payments to governments on 26 February 2025.

    For further information, please contact:
    Brice Morlot, CFO BW Energy, +33.7.81.11.41.16
    ir@bwenergy.no

    About BW Energy:
    BW Energy is a growth E&P company with a differentiated strategy targeting proven offshore oil and gas reservoirs through low risk phased developments. The Company has access to existing production facilities to reduce time to first oil and cashflow with lower investments than traditional offshore developments. The Company’s assets are 73.5% of the producing Dussafu Marine licence offshore Gabon, 100% interest in the Golfinho and Camarupim fields, a 76.5% interest in the BM-ES-23 block, a 95% interest in the Maromba field in Brazil, a 95% interest in the Kudu field in Namibia, all operated by BW Energy. In addition, BW Energy holds approximately 6.6% of the common shares in Reconnaissance Energy Africa Ltd. and a 20% non-operating interest in the onshore Petroleum Exploration License 73 (“PEL 73”) in Namibia. Total net 2P+2C reserves and resources were 580 million barrels of oil equivalent at the start of 2024.

    This information is subject to the disclosure requirements pursuant to section 5-12 of the Norwegian Securities Trading Act.

    Attachments

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: UK Academics receive Prince Mahidol Award 2024

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Two scientists from the UK received Thailand’s Prince Mahidol Awards for 2024 for long and significant contribution in the field of Public Health and Medicine.

    Today (30 January 2025) two scientists from the UK received Thailand’s Prince Mahidol Awards (PMA) for 2024 for their long and significant contribution in the field of Public Health and Medicine. Dr Jonathan Shepherd, a British surgeon and professor at Cardiff University in Wales, and Dr Tony Hunter (dual US-UK national), a professor of Biology at the Salk Institute for Biological Studies, USA have received the award, following on from  Professor David Mabey, who received the award in 2019 for his work to eradicate trachoma, the most common infectious cause of blindness worldwide.

    The Award Presentation Ceremony was held at Thailand’s Royal Palace. Her Royal Highness Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn, as the representative of His Majesty the King, presided over the Presentation Ceremony, in the company of the Privy Council, Bureau of the Royal Household and Cabinet members.

    Dr Shepherd receives the Prince Mahidol Award (PMA) in Public Health for his creation of the ‘Cardiff Model of Violence Prevention’ which is an evidence-based, multisectoral approach to violence prevention which   has been endorsed by the World Health Organisation and integrated into multisectoral approaches to violence prevention from South Africa to Australia. Dr Shepherd’s research and commitment to evidence-based public policy has contributed to the development of ‘What Works Network’. The Network, supported by the UK government, acts as an important interface between research and policymaking, ensuring that policy makers have access to the best evidence.

    Professor Hunter who studied at the University of Cambridge in the UK, receives the Prince Mahidol Award in Medicine for his discovery of tyrosine kinase enzymes and the phosphorylation process, a crucial mechanism that transforms normal cells into cancerous cells. This breakthrough discovery led to the development of targeted cancer treatments and pharmaceutical innovation that can effectively inhibit cancer cells.

    In 2024 the UK and Thailand established a Strategic Partnership, highlighting a shared commitment to advance global health by championing universal access to health care and strengthening partnerships to prevent, detect and respond to global health threats. This includes joint efforts to tackle antimicrobial resistance and infectious disease outbreaks including through the development and application of innovative technology, such as genomics.

    Updates to this page

    Published 31 January 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI China: ‘Ne Zha 2’ designer discusses new characters and creative process

    Source: China State Council Information Office 3

    Shen Wei, the character designer behind China’s top-grossing animated film “Ne Zha,” recently spoke with China.org.cn about his challenging journey in designing characters for “Ne Zha 2,” following the overwhelming success of the original film in 2019.

    Shen Wei, the character designer for the “Ne Zha” series. [Photo courtesy of Coloroom Pictures]

    “Ne Zha 2” joined the highly vibrant Spring Festival film season lineup and debuted on Jan. 29. Building on the remarkable success of its predecessor, this five-year project continues to draw inspiration from the mischievous yet endearing character from the Ming dynasty novel (1368-1644) “The Investiture of the Gods.” It also introduces a “dimensional upgrade” that includes new characters, thrilling battle scenes, more than 1,900 visual effect shots, and enhanced details for IMAX.

    When discussing the challenges of character design amid high audience expectations after a five-year wait, Shen emphasized the importance of two concepts: continuity and innovation.

    “I believe finding the right balance between continuity and innovation is essential,” Shen said. “The audience has already embraced elements of the original, so it’s impossible to completely break away from the established framework. Our approach is to carry forward the essence of the first film into the sequel while innovating and improving on existing techniques.”

    “Ne Zha 2” includes a substantial increase in new characters, tripling the number from the first film. A promotional video reveals that nearly every character has received unique battle designs instead of reusing previous designs. Shen noted that this approach demanded considerable effort and time. His goal was to immerse the audience in a story that feels authentic and engaging, ensuring that each character is fully developed and relatable.

    Designs for several characters from “Ne Zha 2.” [Image courtesy of Coloroom Pictures]

    “I’d like to clarify that while I contributed to many of the characters in the films, such as the soldiers and sea creatures, I did not create them alone. They were created by many team members due to the substantial workload,” Shen explained. “However, we all share the same principle that our character designs must serve the film and its storytelling.”

    One new character that impressed Shen is Ao Shun, a legendary dragon king. His complex armor, made entirely of blades, along with his unique fighting style, presented significant development challenges. Shen worked closely with Yang Yu, the creator of the “Ne Zha” film series, known by his nickname Jiaozi, to explore various iterations of the character’s costume and performance style. Despite these challenges, overcoming obstacles in designing Ao Shun made the creative process particularly memorable for Shen.

    Shen also shared an intriguing behind-the-scenes story about Jiaozi. “There were times when I might not fully grasp the specific points Jiaozi wanted to convey,” Shen said. “In those cases, he often performed the characters in person or via video calls to help me understand them better. Pure textual descriptions could be difficult to fully comprehend. When you incorporated performance elements – such as actions, expressions, and tone, as Jiaozi did – everything changed.”

    In 2019, the first installment grossed over 5 billion yuan ($690 million) in the Chinese market and $726 million worldwide, according to Box Office Mojo. It received a positive response from international audiences. Regarding his expectations for “Ne Zha 2,” Shen expressed hope that the film would convey Eastern culture, aesthetics, and the core spirit of the Chinese nation to global viewers, further promoting cultural heritage worldwide.

    A poster for “Ne Zha 2.” [Image courtesy of Coloroom Pictures]

    Enlight Media’s Coloroom Pictures has announced that “Ne Zha 2” will open in a wide range of global markets, including North America, Australia, Japan, Saudi Arabia, Iraq and South Africa, though specific release dates have yet to be set.

    Looking ahead, Shen expressed a strong interest in exploring projects that involve extraterrestrial and futuristic creatures amid the resurgence of Chinese animation. Such themes, he said, “allow me to explore new ideas and unleash my imagination.” He noted that character design is a creatively rich and rewarding process.

    “As part of the industry, we look forward to a vibrant landscape where diverse types of animation can be presented, enabling various audiences to discover what they enjoy,” added Shen.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Padilla Questions FBI Director Nominee Kash Patel on Lack of Independence, Experience During Nomination Hearing

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.)

    Padilla Questions FBI Director Nominee Kash Patel on Lack of Independence, Experience During Nomination Hearing

    WATCH: Padilla slams Patel for dodging questions on background checks and civilian machine gun ownershipWASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, U.S. Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.) questioned Kash Patel, nominee for Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), during a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing. Padilla raised serious concerns about Patel’s fitness to lead the FBI independently, citing his lack of law enforcement experience, history of spreading falsehoods, and threats to weaponize the Bureau against political opponents.
    Patel has published a political enemies list, threatened to prosecute journalists, and has even said he plans to “shut down the FBI Hoover Building on Day 1 and reopen it the next day as a museum of the “deep state.” Padilla directly challenged Patel on his past public statements that FBI agents and officials are “corrupt gangsters.”
    As FBI Director, Patel would oversee the National Instant Criminal Background Check System and regulate machine gun distribution. Yet Patel repeatedly dodged questions on the constitutionality of universal background checks for firearm purchases and on whether civilian ownership of machine guns should be legal. His nomination has been praised by Gun Owners of America, a group that opposes background checks and claims that machine guns are protected under the Second Amendment — positions far outside the mainstream of law enforcement and public safety policy.
    Padilla also confronted Patel about his role in financially supporting insurrectionists convicted for their roles in the January 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol. He has raised money for the families of convicted January 6th rioters — yet he has not made similar efforts to support the police officers who were beaten, tased, and attacked defending the Capitol that day. Patel’s selective advocacy raises serious concerns about where his loyalties lie and whether he would prioritize law enforcement or political extremists as FBI Director.
    Padilla called out Patel for his reckless actions during a high-stakes national security operation. While serving as Senior Director for Counterterrorism at the National Security Council, Patel provided false information to senior leadership during a SEAL Team hostage rescue mission in Nigeria. According to former Secretary of Defense Mark Esper, Patel falsely claimed that the United States had secured permission to fly over foreign airspace, a misrepresentation that delayed the mission and put American lives at risk. When confronted by Padilla, Patel failed to own up to his serious lapse in judgement in this situation.
    Key Excerpts:
    PADILLA: Mr. Patel, do you believe that background checks for firearm purchases are constitutional?
    PATEL: I don’t know the in-depths of it, but I think that’s what the Supreme Court has said, Senator.
    PADILLA: So the word would be Y-E-S, yes. Can you say yes, are background checks constitutional?
    PATEL: I can say whatever the Constitution and the Supreme Court ruled is the rule of the land.
    PADILLA: And what is the rule, the law of the land at the moment?
    PATEL: I’m not an expert on state-by-state background checks.
    PADILLA: … Let me ask you another question. Do you believe that civilian ownership of machine guns are protected by the Second Amendment?
    PATEL: Universal background checks are different. That’s not–
    PADILLA: I asked you a separate question. Do you believe civilian ownership of machine guns is protected by the Second Amendment?
    PATEL: Whatever the courts rule in regards to the Second Amendment is what is protected by the Second Amendment.
    PADILLA: Yet another telling response, colleagues, on another important issue.
    PADILLA: … Colleagues, we’ve been hearing a lot of partial responses and lack of recollections throughout the day, and I can’t help but identify the pattern of Mr. Patel calling FBI leadership corrupt, labeling agents as gangsters, accusing them of being part of a criminal “Deep State” conspiracy. We’ve heard of his experience with the J6 prison choir, a group of individuals convicted for their roles in the January 6 insurrection. We’ve heard his false claims that the U.S. has secured airspace permissions during a high stakes SEAL team hostage rescue mission in Nigeria. I can go on and on. These positions are inconsistent with the role of FBI director, a position that demands independence, professionalism, and unwavering commitment to the rule of law. Mr. Patel, your loyalty to President Trump and the MAGA movement may score you points in some quarters, but they are certainly not the qualities necessary to serve as director of the FBI.
    Video of Padilla’s first round of questioning is available here. His second round of questioning is available here.
    Yesterday, Senator Padilla joined all Democrats on the Senate Judiciary Committee in requesting urgent access to critical materials directly pertaining to Kash Patel’s nomination.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Victorian Goldfields World Heritage bid celebrates tentative listing

    Source: State of Victoria Local Government 2

    The Victorian Goldfields has been officially included on the UNESCO World Heritage Tentative List, a promising step on the road to the goldfields receiving World Heritage Listing.

    The City of Greater Bendigo, City of Ballarat and 13 other Local Government counterparts involved in the bid are today celebrating the exciting news.

    The Tentative List is controlled by the Australian Government. Inclusion on the Tentative List means the Victorian Goldfields is considered a strong candidate to be submitted to UNESCO for World Heritage Listing, which can only be applied for after 12 months on the Tentative List.

    Six sites across the region have been included in the Tentative List, with three additional places identified as being subject to further investigation and the possibility other sites may also be added.

    Over the next 12 months all possible sites will be assessed in preparation for the Victorian Goldfields bid to be submitted formally to UNESCO in February 2026, with a final outcome likely to be determined after mid-2027.

    Getting the Victorian Goldfields on the Tentative List now was critical, as Australia can only make one nomination to UNESCO per year and there are many other places from around Australia that are being considered.

    Mayor Cr Andrea Metcalf said securing a World Heritage Listing was a long process but today’s Tentative Listing announcement represented a significant milestone.

    “In 2020, international world heritage expert Barry Gamble confirmed the Victorian Goldfields was the best surviving landscape from the 19th century goldrush anywhere in the world. This validation propelled the efforts of the 15 councils involved to continue our push to celebrate and protect this outstanding example of global significance,” Cr Metcalf said.

    “If World Heritage Listing is achieved, it puts the Victorian Goldfields on the same map as the Pyramids of Egypt or the Taj Mahal in India. This would be an incredible achievement for our region, with economic modelling forecasting a Victorian Goldfields World Heritage site could attract 2.5 million new visitors to the region over 10 years, injecting more than $500M into local economies.

    “The sites selected for the Tentative List demonstrate outstanding global heritage significance and celebrate the region’s multi-layered history – from the First Peoples living on Country to the goldrush, and subsequent waves of immigration and the contribution made by people who were chasing riches.”

    The Victorian Goldfields is currently represented in the Tentative List submission by:

    • Castlemaine Goldfields and Historic Townships – pre-eminent alluvial diggings of an early major gold rush in Victoria
    • Creswick and the Deep Lead Landscape – unparalleled example of this rare type of gold mining
    • Bendigo Historic Urban Landscape – one of the world’s most notable gold rush cities 
    • Lalgambuk (Mt Franklin) – an area that evidences Aboriginal connection to Country before, during and after the gold rushes 
    • Great Nuggets Historic Landscape – these diggings yielded the greatest concentration of the largest gold nuggets the world had ever known
    • Walhalla Alpine Mining Landscape –steep topography that guided settlement centred on Victoria’s richest gold mine

    Other places mentioned in the Tentative List submission for inclusion at the World Heritage nomination stage, which will be developed in 2025/2026, include:

    • Ballarat Historic Urban Landscape
    • Beechworth Historic Township and Sluicing Landscape
    • Whroo and the Balaclava Open Cut Mine

    Cr Metcalf said further investigations over the coming 12 months were likely to mean an updated list would make up the final nomination.

    “A working group, led by Heritage Victoria and including Traditional Owners and councils involved in the bid, will lead consultation with the communities where each of the sites are located, including with site owners and nearby residents,” she said.

    “Tentative Listing should be considered a placeholder only. Sites may change and are all subject to consultation, but the focus will be on confirming a list that ensures the best examples of the lasting legacy of the Victorian Goldfields are celebrated and this critical piece of Australia’s history is conserved and shared with future generations.”

    The World Heritage bid is the initiative of a regional partnership made up of 15 councils and the Victorian Goldfields Tourism Executive, led by the City of Greater Bendigo and the City of Ballarat. The Victorian Government announced $2M to progress the Victorian Goldfields World Heritage nomination in 2023.

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: New campaign calls for an end to criminalising Aotearoa’s vulnerable children – Save the Children

    Source: Save the Children

    Save the Children has today launched a new campaign calling on New Zealanders to oppose a new Government bill looking to introduce the use of physical force and re-introduce military style detention camps for the country’s most vulnerable children.
    The ‘Boot the Bill’ campaign and petition asks Kiwis to make a stand against the new Oranga Tamariki (Responding to Serious Youth Offending) Amendment Bill, currently before Select Committee, which, if passed, would reintroduce harmful military-style boot camps and permit the use of physical force against children.
    Save the Children’s Advocacy and Research Director Jacqui Southey says evidence shows that punitive approaches like these fail to address the root causes of youth offending, such as trauma, abuse and systemic inequality, and risk causing further harm to already vulnerable children.
    “This form of coercive youth justice intervention is an outdated methodology, has been tried before in New Zealand, with little to no effect in preventing youth offending and may even increase rates of reoffending,” she says.
    “The inclusion of allowing the use of “reasonable physical force”, which in real terms is the use of physical violence to subdue a child, poses a real risk to children and is absolutely unacceptable, breaching children’s rights to be protected from all forms of violence.
    “It’s time to stop criminalising our most vulnerable children and look towards policies that support positive change and ensure a brighter future for our youth.”
    In addition to the research, testimony provided by survivors of Abuse in State Care as part of the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Abuse in State Care and Faith Based Care clearly shows that children have been violently abused and traumatised in State-funded boot camp style institutions in New Zealand.
    Ms Southey says as recently as 2004, Te Whakapakari Youth Programme (Te Whakapakari) was a fully State-funded boot camp style programme where children were sent as social welfare care and protection or youth justice sentencing options. While it claimed to promote drug abuse rehabilitation, self-esteem and skills development, Māoritanga and confidence building, underpinned by military style discipline, instead children suffered cruel, violent and inhumane treatment including, extreme psychological, physical and sexual abuse.
    “A former Minister of Child, Youth and Family, Hon Ruth Dyson, was quoted as saying, ‘A lot of government money was put into that programme and in the end it resulted in the State funding violence and abuse towards children and young people’” she says. 
    “Most young offenders are victims themselves, having experienced high rates of criminal abuse, neglect, and violence, often from infancy. If New Zealand is to be truly effective in preventing youth crime, we need to be serious about preventing harm to children occurring in the first place. That means investing in programmes and policies to strengthen families, particularly those struggling, to ensure good outcomes for children in both the short and long term.”
    New Zealanders wanting to sign the petition can go to: Boot the Bill – Advocacy Save the Children New Zealand. 
    About Save the Children NZ:
    Save the Children works in 120 countries across the world. The organisation responds to emergencies and works with children and their communities to ensure they survive, learn and are protected.
    Save the Children NZ currently supports international programmes in Fiji, Cambodia, Bangladesh, Laos, Nepal, Vanuatu, Solomon Islands and Papua New Guinea. Areas of work include child protection, education and literacy, disaster risk reduction and climate adaptation, and alleviating child poverty.

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –