Category: Africa

MIL-OSI Africa: Ghana’s informal settlements are not all the same – social networks make a difference in community development

Source: The Conversation – Africa – By Seth Asare Okyere, PhD, Visiting lecturer, University of Pittsburg and Adjunct Associate Professor, Osaka University, University of Pittsburgh

Informal settlements in Africa are diverse. Across regions and even in the same city, socioeconomic and physical conditions vary. One thing is common though: upgrading them is a challenge.

Among the challenges are issues of including people, having enough funding and sustaining improvements. That’s why attention is shifting to community driven development. This concept refers to local interventions that are started or led by community groups with support from the local government, private or civil society organisations.

Community driven development has gained support from international agencies such as the World Bank. The World Bank Group is estimated to have invested about US$30 billion in projects like this across 94 countries.

These initiatives are considered more affordable, efficient and durable. Communities often contribute local resources and labour, and residents can learn skills from service providers which enable them to manage projects in the long term. When residents work together it can also strengthen bonds and build social capital. Social capital generally refers to the ties, bonds, relationships and trust found in a community. It is an important resource in informal settlements.

We are a group of urban and development planners who examined the role of social capital in community driven development in urban Ghana.

We conducted our study in the Abese Quarter (La township) and Old Tulaku communities, in the Greater Accra metropolitan area. These are both informal settlements but have different social characters.

Our findings highlight the need for local governments to tailor development to the social context of informal settlements. Development planning institutions should use the networks already present in communities, as well as providing external help and resources.

The research

Our analysis was based on questionnaire responses from 300 residents of informal settlements in Greater Accra. Abese Quarter is what we call an indigenous settlement. It it composed of residents from the local Ga ethnic group with similar cultural practices. Old Tulaku is a migrant settlement. It includes a mix of residents originally from other regions in Ghana who moved to Accra in search of economic opportunities.

We observed community water and sanitation projects planned and carried out by local residents.

In doing so, we considered the role of two types of social capital: bonding and bridging.

Bonding social capital deals with the personal relationships between individuals based on shared identity. It’s about family, close companionship, culture and ethnicity. Bridging social capital refers to the connection between people and external groups.

In the indigenous settlement, bonding social capital had a positive influence on community driven development. Bridging social capital showed a negative relationship with it. For example, the public toilet in the community was in a deplorable state. This seemed to be explained by an inability to build wider connections outside the community to get the support needed. We reason that socially homogeneous communities tend to generate inward-looking networks that limit access to resources from beyond the group. Overemphasis on social ties can impede long-term community development.

In the migrant informal settlement, our research revealed the opposite. Without shared identities (like ethnicity, language and social norms), migrant residents drew on shared challenges and goals. They organised and built connections to get support from businesses and donors for community projects.

Our research reinforces the argument that the relationship between social capital and community-driven development of informal settlements is not straightforward. The social character of the settlement, be it indigenous or migrant, produces different outcomes.

Bonding and bridging social capital

Informal settlements are often neglected by local government and planning authorities. In such poor conditions, social connections influence the local capacity to carry out improvement projects.

Typically, high levels of bonding social capital are seen to promote collective action in communities that share similar social and cultural norms and practices. However, the long term benefits of such projects may require building partnerships with external support organisations and service providers.

Bridging social capital goes beyond shared identities. It fosters connection between people and external organisations.

Generally, community-driven development success is greatest when both forms of social capital are high and used together. For instance, in the Ubungo Darajani informal settlement in Kinondoni Municipality in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, landholders relied on both to secure land for community development.

What next?

Local government and community-based organisations should harness the different forms of social capital for development.

Policymakers can learn from the creative and innovative ways that informal communities solve problems. This could help improve informal settlements equitably and sustainably.

Beatrice Eyram Afi Ziorklui, a registered valuer and auditor at the Performance and Special Audit Department of the Ghana Audit Service, was part of the research team and contributed to this article.

– Ghana’s informal settlements are not all the same – social networks make a difference in community development
– https://theconversation.com/ghanas-informal-settlements-are-not-all-the-same-social-networks-make-a-difference-in-community-development-239133

MIL OSI Africa –

January 23, 2025
MIL-OSI Global: Kenya’s presidents have a long history of falling out with their deputies – Rigathi Gachagua’s impeachment would be no surprise

Source: The Conversation – Africa – By Gabrielle Lynch, Professor of Comparative Politics, University of Warwick

The process of removing Kenya’s deputy president Rigathi Gachagua is part of a long history, dating back to independence, of fallouts between the president and his deputy. The difference this time around is the process.

Historically, presidents have fired their deputies. But the adoption of a new constitution in 2010, saw the introduction of a process for impeachment – for both the president and the deputy – that’s run by the legislature. This is the first time it’s been used.

On 8 October 2024, members of Kenya’s national assembly voted to impeach Gachagua on grounds that included corruption, insubordination and ethnically divisive politics. The case now moves to the senate where members will hear the charges – and Gachagua’s defence – and vote.

If at least two-thirds of senate accept the charges, and Gachagua’s legal challenges fail, then Gachagua will make history as Kenya’s first deputy leader to be impeached.

So far, President William Ruto has stayed silent on the matter, but the process would not be proceeding without his blessing.

Amid the novelty of the impeachment process, it’s easy to forget that it is the norm for Kenyan presidents to fall out with their deputies. As a political scientist interested in Kenya’s ethnic politics and democratisation, I argue that this is because of how deputies are selected in the first place.

Deputies are initially selected largely on pragmatic grounds as people who bring something useful to a political alliance. This could be resources, a support base or a reputation for being a good technocrat or administrator.

They’re not usually people with whom the president has a strong and continuous personal relationship or someone with whom they share a clear political ideology. Neither are they usually someone who has made their way up through a political party.

This has brought about a long history of tensions and fallout between Kenya’s presidents and their deputies.

History of fallouts

Independent Kenya’s first vice president, Oginga Odinga, saw his ministerial portfolio gradually reduced by President Jomo Kenyatta. Kenyatta then replaced Odinga as vice president of the ruling Kenya African National Union (Kanu) in 1966 further undermining his powers. Soon after, Odinga joined the opposition Kenya’s People’s Union.

His successor, Joseph Murumbi, resigned within months. The official reason given was ill health, but it is widely believed that Murumbi was troubled by corruption and authoritarianism within the Kenyatta regime.

Kenya’s second president, Daniel arap Moi, elected Mwai Kibaki as his first deputy. Kibaki was dropped after a decade. He went on to form an opposition party as soon as Kenya shifted to multi-party politics in 1992.

Moi’s second vice president, Josephat Karanja, resigned after a year to avoid a vote of no confidence for allegedly plotting to overthrow the government.

Moi’s third deputy, George Saitoti was sidelined to pave way for Uhuru Kenyatta’s nomination as the party flagbearer in 2002. Moi’s final deputy, Musalia Mudavadi, fell with the rest of the Kanu government in the 2002 elections.

As Kenya’s third president, Kibaki similarly oversaw a regular change of guard. His first deputy, Michael Wamalwa, died after a few months in office. His second, Moody Awori, lost his seat in the 2007 election.

Kibaki’s third deputy, Kalonzo Musyoka, joined the president during Kenya’s post-election violence of 2007-08. He left at the end of his term in 2013 to run with Raila Odinga in the 2013, 2017 and 2022 presidential elections.

Kenya’s fourth president, Uhuru Kenyatta, was the only leader to have the same deputy, William Ruto, for his full term as president – from 2013 to 2022. However, relations between Kenyatta and Ruto were hardly rosy. The two fell out after the 2017 elections as Kenyatta teamed up with long-standing opposition leader, Raila Odinga. Ruto beat Odinga, Kenyatta’s favoured candidate in the 2022 elections.

Lessons to learn

Because deputies are selected for their practical value, the person who made a good deputy at one point in time can come to be seen as a liability or threat as the political context changes.

For example, at independence, Oginga Odinga made an excellent ally for Jomo Kenyatta. He had some resources and was a proven mobiliser. He brought a support base. However, within a few years, Odinga became a problem for the president as a more radical faction within the ruling party coalesced around him.

Similarly, Ruto made an excellent ally for Uhuru Kenyatta when they both faced charges for crimes against humanity at the International Criminal Court. The two fell out once Kenyatta had won his second and final term, and Kenyatta turned to his succession.

Gachagua was useful to Ruto in 2022. He had personal wealth, was an effective mobiliser and hailed from central Kenya where the election looked to be won or lost. However, once elected, Gachagua’s populist statements and reputation for ethnic bias became more of a liability.

Second, as contexts change, someone else can soon come to be seen as more useful as second in command.

For Jomo Kenyatta, Moi had shown his utility and loyalty during the “little general elections” of 1966, which effectively sidelined the Kenya People’s Union and Oginga Odinga.

Kithure Kindiki, Kenya’s interior cabinet secretary, is the current frontrunner to replace Gachagua. He is seen as better able to negotiate with the international community, especially during a critical economic period for Kenya as it seeks new International Monetary Fund loans.

Third, being the country’s vice or deputy president comes with a lot of opportunities to network. These interactions have often led individuals to be seen as a growing threat, or as actively plotting against the president. They may also be seen as a future challenger.

History has shown that there is no ideal way of dealing with such a potential challenger, leading subsequent presidents to try different approaches.

Current context

Ruto and Gachagua have clearly fallen out. Their differences became apparent soon after the 2022 elections. However, they came into sharp relief in the face of anti-tax protests in June 2024. There were subsequent allegations that Gachagua and some of his allies had helped to finance the protests.

The question, therefore, isn’t why they have fallen out but why Gachagua is being impeached now.

Ultimately the answer to this can only be known by a few individuals. But perhaps an indication of the answer lies in the emotions the fallout has stirred: a desire to distract the public and show that the government is taking action to deal with Kenya’s ongoing economic crisis. There may also be a desire to undercut Gachagua before he can build national networks.

Ruto has the numbers in the senate to see the impeachment process through. But this is a dangerous game. Those sidelined have a habit of coming back to haunt their former allies.

At the moment, most Kenyans are supportive of the impeachment process, but many also feel that Gachagua is being unfairly targeted especially in central Kenya, where a majority oppose the process.

While a successful impeachment might see Gachagua barred from holding public office, this wouldn’t necessarily mean an end to his career as an effective political mobiliser.

The next few months – and the narratives that emerge about why Ruto and Gachagua fell out – will be critical in determining both their futures.

Gabrielle Lynch 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. Kenya’s presidents have a long history of falling out with their deputies – Rigathi Gachagua’s impeachment would be no surprise – https://theconversation.com/kenyas-presidents-have-a-long-history-of-falling-out-with-their-deputies-rigathi-gachaguas-impeachment-would-be-no-surprise-241139

MIL OSI – Global Reports –

January 23, 2025
MIL-OSI Africa: Kenya’s presidents have a long history of falling out with their deputies – Rigathi Gachagua’s impeachment would be no surprise

Source: The Conversation – Africa – By Gabrielle Lynch, Professor of Comparative Politics, University of Warwick

The process of removing Kenya’s deputy president Rigathi Gachagua is part of a long history, dating back to independence, of fallouts between the president and his deputy. The difference this time around is the process.

Historically, presidents have fired their deputies. But the adoption of a new constitution in 2010, saw the introduction of a process for impeachment – for both the president and the deputy – that’s run by the legislature. This is the first time it’s been used.

On 8 October 2024, members of Kenya’s national assembly voted to impeach Gachagua on grounds that included corruption, insubordination and ethnically divisive politics. The case now moves to the senate where members will hear the charges – and Gachagua’s defence – and vote.

If at least two-thirds of senate accept the charges, and Gachagua’s legal challenges fail, then Gachagua will make history as Kenya’s first deputy leader to be impeached.

So far, President William Ruto has stayed silent on the matter, but the process would not be proceeding without his blessing.

Amid the novelty of the impeachment process, it’s easy to forget that it is the norm for Kenyan presidents to fall out with their deputies. As a political scientist interested in Kenya’s ethnic politics and democratisation, I argue that this is because of how deputies are selected in the first place.

Deputies are initially selected largely on pragmatic grounds as people who bring something useful to a political alliance. This could be resources, a support base or a reputation for being a good technocrat or administrator.

They’re not usually people with whom the president has a strong and continuous personal relationship or someone with whom they share a clear political ideology. Neither are they usually someone who has made their way up through a political party.

This has brought about a long history of tensions and fallout between Kenya’s presidents and their deputies.

History of fallouts

Independent Kenya’s first vice president, Oginga Odinga, saw his ministerial portfolio gradually reduced by President Jomo Kenyatta. Kenyatta then replaced Odinga as vice president of the ruling Kenya African National Union (Kanu) in 1966 further undermining his powers. Soon after, Odinga joined the opposition Kenya’s People’s Union.

His successor, Joseph Murumbi, resigned within months. The official reason given was ill health, but it is widely believed that Murumbi was troubled by corruption and authoritarianism within the Kenyatta regime.

Kenya’s second president, Daniel arap Moi, elected Mwai Kibaki as his first deputy. Kibaki was dropped after a decade. He went on to form an opposition party as soon as Kenya shifted to multi-party politics in 1992.

Moi’s second vice president, Josephat Karanja, resigned after a year to avoid a vote of no confidence for allegedly plotting to overthrow the government.

Moi’s third deputy, George Saitoti was sidelined to pave way for Uhuru Kenyatta’s nomination as the party flagbearer in 2002. Moi’s final deputy, Musalia Mudavadi, fell with the rest of the Kanu government in the 2002 elections.

As Kenya’s third president, Kibaki similarly oversaw a regular change of guard. His first deputy, Michael Wamalwa, died after a few months in office. His second, Moody Awori, lost his seat in the 2007 election.

Kibaki’s third deputy, Kalonzo Musyoka, joined the president during Kenya’s post-election violence of 2007-08. He left at the end of his term in 2013 to run with Raila Odinga in the 2013, 2017 and 2022 presidential elections.

Kenya’s fourth president, Uhuru Kenyatta, was the only leader to have the same deputy, William Ruto, for his full term as president – from 2013 to 2022. However, relations between Kenyatta and Ruto were hardly rosy. The two fell out after the 2017 elections as Kenyatta teamed up with long-standing opposition leader, Raila Odinga. Ruto beat Odinga, Kenyatta’s favoured candidate in the 2022 elections.

Lessons to learn

Because deputies are selected for their practical value, the person who made a good deputy at one point in time can come to be seen as a liability or threat as the political context changes.

For example, at independence, Oginga Odinga made an excellent ally for Jomo Kenyatta. He had some resources and was a proven mobiliser. He brought a support base. However, within a few years, Odinga became a problem for the president as a more radical faction within the ruling party coalesced around him.

Similarly, Ruto made an excellent ally for Uhuru Kenyatta when they both faced charges for crimes against humanity at the International Criminal Court. The two fell out once Kenyatta had won his second and final term, and Kenyatta turned to his succession.

Gachagua was useful to Ruto in 2022. He had personal wealth, was an effective mobiliser and hailed from central Kenya where the election looked to be won or lost. However, once elected, Gachagua’s populist statements and reputation for ethnic bias became more of a liability.

Second, as contexts change, someone else can soon come to be seen as more useful as second in command.

For Jomo Kenyatta, Moi had shown his utility and loyalty during the “little general elections” of 1966, which effectively sidelined the Kenya People’s Union and Oginga Odinga.

Kithure Kindiki, Kenya’s interior cabinet secretary, is the current frontrunner to replace Gachagua. He is seen as better able to negotiate with the international community, especially during a critical economic period for Kenya as it seeks new International Monetary Fund loans.

Third, being the country’s vice or deputy president comes with a lot of opportunities to network. These interactions have often led individuals to be seen as a growing threat, or as actively plotting against the president. They may also be seen as a future challenger.

History has shown that there is no ideal way of dealing with such a potential challenger, leading subsequent presidents to try different approaches.

Current context

Ruto and Gachagua have clearly fallen out. Their differences became apparent soon after the 2022 elections. However, they came into sharp relief in the face of anti-tax protests in June 2024. There were subsequent allegations that Gachagua and some of his allies had helped to finance the protests.

The question, therefore, isn’t why they have fallen out but why Gachagua is being impeached now.

Ultimately the answer to this can only be known by a few individuals. But perhaps an indication of the answer lies in the emotions the fallout has stirred: a desire to distract the public and show that the government is taking action to deal with Kenya’s ongoing economic crisis. There may also be a desire to undercut Gachagua before he can build national networks.

Ruto has the numbers in the senate to see the impeachment process through. But this is a dangerous game. Those sidelined have a habit of coming back to haunt their former allies.

At the moment, most Kenyans are supportive of the impeachment process, but many also feel that Gachagua is being unfairly targeted especially in central Kenya, where a majority oppose the process.

While a successful impeachment might see Gachagua barred from holding public office, this wouldn’t necessarily mean an end to his career as an effective political mobiliser.

The next few months – and the narratives that emerge about why Ruto and Gachagua fell out – will be critical in determining both their futures.

– Kenya’s presidents have a long history of falling out with their deputies – Rigathi Gachagua’s impeachment would be no surprise
– https://theconversation.com/kenyas-presidents-have-a-long-history-of-falling-out-with-their-deputies-rigathi-gachaguas-impeachment-would-be-no-surprise-241139

MIL OSI Africa –

January 23, 2025
MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Strengthening Marine Pollution Incident Resilience workshop concludes in Honiara
Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

The 4-day workshop on strengthening marine pollution incident resilience in the Pacific concluded on a high note in Honiara over the weekend.
A group photo with the tabletop exercise map.

The workshop was funded by the UK government’s Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs under the Ocean Country Partnership Programme (OCPP) as part of the Blue Planet Fund.

It was delivered by the UK’s Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science (CEFAS) and the Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP).

The workshop brought together key stakeholders, enhancing local and regional collaboration, communication and strengthening Solomon Islands’ environmental response capabilities for marine pollution emergency incidents.

The workshop strengthened preparedness from any future threats from marine pollution, including oil spills and potentially polluting shipwrecks.

Participants identified the gaps in existing contingency planning to respond to marine incidents and increased their ability to engage, assess and monitor potentially polluting wrecks in the region.

With participants from across Solomon Islands, Papua New Guinea, Vanuatu and the Regional Agencies, the workshop provided a platform for better communication, collaboration and learning about responding to Maritime Pollution in the Pacific.

According to UK Cefas facilitator, Freya Goodsir, the workshop was a fantastic success build capacity, communication and collaboration to respond to any future events. She added:

We found it extremely valuable to understand how passionate colleagues were about protecting our oceans. Together we have improved Solomon Islands ability to respond to any future threats to our marine environment.

Delegates from Solomon Islands, Vanuatu, Fiji, Kiribati, Australia, Samoa and the United States took part in the four-day workshop in Honiara.

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Published 14 October 2024
MIL OSI United Kingdom –
January 23, 2025
MIL-OSI Africa: Hamburg Sustainability Conference spotlights youth entrepreneurship in Africa, African Development Bank Group support for continent’s youth-led small and medium enterprises

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

HAMBURG, Germany, October 14, 2024/APO Group/ —

African youth entrepreneurs supported the by African Development Bank Group (www.AfDB.org) took center stage at the Hamburg Sustainability Conference on Monday.

During a session, titled “Empowering Young Entrepreneurs in Africa,” executives of the African Development Bank and its partner the African Guarantee Fund (http://apo-opa.co/3Y78rMT), as well as young African business leaders showcased innovative approaches to bridging the financing gap for youth entrepreneurs.

The two-day Hamburg Sustainability Conference, which drew global leaders, development institutions and young business founders across the continent, featured high-level discussions on reshaping international financial systems and creating investment environments that promote achievement of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.

The session explored the impact of the Bank’s Affirmative Finance Action for Women in Africa (http://apo-opa.co/3Y3wpZI) initiative. Through AFAWA, the Bank has approved approximately $1.8 billion in lending for Africa’s women entrepreneurs; some $1 billion has already been disbursed to more than 18,000 women-led small and medium enterprises.

Melanie Keita, CEO and co-founder of Melanin Kapital (http://apo-opa.co/48alJNA), a Nairobi-based fintech company that provides digital loans, and a beneficiary of AFAWA, spoke about the need for more accessible financing options for Africa’s youth-led startups. She questioned whether there were plans to digitise the loan process: “Can people access loans from their living room instead of having to travel a lot of time and then go with a lot of paperwork and being denied loans sometimes?”

South Africa’s Minister in the Presidency Responsible for Planning, Monitoring, and Evaluation, Maropene Ramokgopa, told attendees that young African entrepreneurs are “drivers of change.” She urged governments to prioritise entrepreneurship policies and reduce bureaucratic barriers.

“From financial technology, agriculture, renewable energy and creative sector to digital health solutions, young African entrepreneurs are transforming their communities,” Ramokgopa added. “They are also creating jobs and reshaping the economies as well.”

Africa is facing a significant demographic shift: the continent is expected to be home to 1.4 billion people aged under 25 by the year 2063.

Ahmed Attout, Director for Financial Sector Development at the African Development Bank, introduced its Youth Entrepreneurship Investment Banks (YEIB) initiative, designed to de-risk investing in youth entrepreneurs while fostering talent and entrepreneurship across Africa.

“[The Youth Entrepreneurship Investment Banks initiative] is a one-stop shop that can give youth access to finance, employment guarantees, employment technical assistance,” Attout said, adding that the initiative is in the advanced implementation phase in Liberia and Ethiopia.

Jules Ngankam, CEO of the African Guarantee Fund, an implementing partner of AFAWA, announced significant progress in delivering solutions for entrepreneurs. He said the Fund has issued $3 billion in guarantees, enabling commercial banks to lend $5 billion to small and medium-sized enterprises.

The session was followed by a roundtable to stimulate networking between development institutions and African innovators. Joining Keita at the roundtable were two other beneficiaries of the Bank’s support: Chiemela Anosike, founder and CEO of Solaris GreenTech (http://apo-opa.co/48alKkC), and Ebun Feludu, CEO of Kokari Coconuts & Company (http://apo-opa.co/3A6ibiv), both Nigeria-based.

Chiemela Anosike said the struggle for start-up success is real. “Entrepreneurship is hard. Entrepreneurship in Africa is harder…so, it’s difficult. So, we have programs like this…but then you give us another full-time job because you’re into fundraising and then it’s taking six months. You’re developing just one proposal [for financing] and it’s taking one month plus,” Anosike told roundtable participants.

Bank Director for Human Capital, Youth and Skills Development Martha Phiri told the entrepreneurs that the Bank is integrating entrepreneurship skills into its vocational training programs, in recognition that not all graduates will find employment in existing job markets.

Tapera Muzira, the Bank’s Lead Expert for Human Capital, Youth and Skills Development said the Bank’s Innovation and Entrepreneurship Lab (http://apo-opa.co/3YqnotZ), an online platform that connects African entrepreneurs with resources, financing, and business development services, is closing the information gap that limits youth potential to contribute to economies and communities.

Earlier, Norway’s Minister of International Development, Anne Beathe Tvinnereim, noted that her country is committed to supporting African youth entrepreneurship. She referenced the USAID and Norway-led Financing for Agricultural Small-and-Medium Enterprises in Africa program, a multi-donor fund designed to spur investment in Africa’s agricultural growth.

“African youth constitute 60% of the population, which is why youth engagement and involvement is central in Norwegian foreign and development policies. Financing entrepreneurs is not enough. We need to build an entrepreneurial culture that supports solid institutional and regulatory frameworks,” Tvinnereim said.

The Hamburg Sustainability Conference is organized annually by the United Nations Development Program, the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), the Michael Otto Foundation for Sustainability (http://apo-opa.co/48alMJg) and the City of Hamburg.

MIL OSI Africa –

January 23, 2025
MIL-OSI Africa: Nigeria: African Development Bank and partners agree to fast-track implementation of Special Agro Industrial Processing Zones program

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

ABUJA, Nigeria, October 14, 2024/APO Group/ —

The African Development Bank Group (www.AfDB.org) has reached an agreement with participating Nigerian state governments to speed up implementation of a program designed to develop eight new agro-industrial zones in the country. The agreement emerged from a two-day meeting in Abuja, on 7 – 8 October, attended by senior government and bank officials and representatives of financing partners and the private sector.

The Nigeria Special Agro Industrial Processing Zones (SAPZ) program, launched in 2022, aims to create new hubs that integrate the production, processing and distribution of targeted crops and livestock to achieve food security, increase incomes, improve livelihoods, and support economic diversification. By significantly reducing dependence on food imports and boosting exports, SAPZs are expected to boost the country’s foreign exchange reserves.

To implement the first phase of the SAPZ project in seven states and the Federal Capital Territory, the program has mobilized $538m in co-financing from the African Development Bank Group, the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), the Islamic Development Bank (IsDB) and the Federal Government of Nigeria.

Nigeria’s Minister of Finance and the Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Wale Edun who attended the meetings, said, “With inflation coming down, the reserves growing and the exchange rate stabilizing, success is being seen under the macroeconomic stabilization efforts of President Bola Tinubu. That is why the SAPZ program cannot and must not disappoint.”

Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Abubakar Kyari, said, “The need to align all our efforts at the federal and state levels as well as with our development partners is germane, so that the momentum we gain here translates into tangible outcomes for the target beneficiaries, particularly those in rural areas where the SAPZs will have their greatest impact.”

According to the Director General of the African Development Bank’s Nigeria Country Department, Dr. Abdul Kamara, the meetings were aimed at strengthening collaboration among key stakeholders, including the private sector. Participants shared ideas and lessons learned, goals, and agreed on practical next steps to accelerate the implementation of Phase 1 of the program. The next phase of the programme will expand to include other state governments.

Emphasising the urgency of overcoming delays that have dogged program implementation, the Senior Special Adviser to the Bank President on Industrialisation, Prof. Banji Oyelaran-Oyeyinka, said the rapid implementation and take-off of SAPZs provides a solution to the declining contribution of manufacturing and manufacturing exports to Nigeria’s GDP.

The second day of the meeting featured a workshop that brought together officials from the federal and state governments, representatives of partner institutions, and private sector investors to discuss the program’s financial, procurement and operational processes, as well as an accelerated implementation plan. The federal and state governments committed to implementing transparent and competitively driven procurement processes, including the independent selection of vendors.

The sessions, moderated by Dr. Victor Oladokun, Senior Advisor on Communications and Stakeholder Engagement to the president of the African Development Bank, also provided a platform to highlight the complementary roles of stakeholders. While governments and financing institutions are expected to play a catalytic role, the private sector will focus on investing in the construction and operation of the key components of the zones: Agro Industrial Processing Hubs (AIHs) and Agricultural Transformation Centres (ATCs).

The first phase of the Nigeria SAPZ program is expected to unlock about $1 billion in private sector investments, benefiting an estimated 1.5 million households, including private agribusinesses, agro-processors, smallholder farmers, agripreneurs, and agrodealers, and creating a minimum of 400,000 direct jobs and 1.6 million indirect jobs, especially for women and youth.

MIL OSI Africa –

January 23, 2025
MIL-OSI Africa: Multinational: African Development Bank Group approves $34.8 million in grants to build climate resilience in Malawi and Zimbabwe

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

ABIDJAN, Ivory Coast, October 14, 2024/APO Group/ —

The Board of Directors of the African Development Bank Group (www.AfDB.org) has approved grants of $34,796,402.40 to enhance resilience and adaptation to climate disaster risks for vulnerable communities in Malawi and Zimbabwe.

Under the Bank Group’s Africa Disaster Risk Financing (ADRiFi) initiative, the Mitigating Fragility through the Africa Disaster Risk Financing Programme in Southern Africa Project will bolster institutional capacity for climate risk preparedness and management; increase financial protection against climate disaster risks through sovereign climate disaster risk transfer; and promote the adoption of index-based crop insurance to mitigate against drought and other production risks at the micro-level.

Malawi and Zimbabwe face significant climate hazards, such as droughts, tropical cyclones, and flooding, but lack adequate mechanisms for climate risk management and adaptation. Both countries are particularly vulnerable to such climate shocks as drought, flooding and tropical cyclones, which contribute to their fragility. Strengthening disaster risk management, improving early warning systems, and enhancing institutional arrangements are crucial for effective preparedness and resilience in these countries.

Under the project, insurance payouts will provide timely and adequate financial protection to mitigate losses incurred from climate-related disasters, safeguarding households, and businesses from falling into poverty or bankruptcy. Climate risk insurance is expected to lead to behavioural changes among beneficiaries, such as increased investment in climate-resilient livelihoods or savings for future insurance premiums. This project will build on the successes of the ADRiFi program and the valuable contributions from our partners, which have significantly enhanced the financial resilience of both Malawi and Zimbabwe. Notably, during the El Niño-induced drought season of 2024/2025, African Risk Capacity, the Bank’s partner on ADRiFi, disbursed over $45 million to support farmers affected by the drought. This funding has provided crucial food assistance and recovery interventions, helping communities to rebuild and thrive in the face of adversity.

The project is aligned to the Bank’s High 5 Priorities, especially Feed Africa and Improve the Quality of Life of Africans. It also aligns with the Bank’s 10-year strategy (2024-2033) and will contribute to the Bank’s Country Strategy for Malawi which focusses on supporting economic diversification through investments in agriculture infrastructure and value chains.

MIL OSI Africa –

January 23, 2025
MIL-OSI Global: How Mpox anti-vaxx conspiracies target and stigmatise LGBTQ+ people

Source: The Conversation – UK – By Helen McCarthy, Doctoral Researcher in Criminology and Sociology, York St John University

According to some conspiracy theorists posting on alternative, uncensored social media networks, Mpox is another “scamdemic”, created by a powerful elite to cull populations and generate profit for “big pharma”. According to these social media users, anyone who takes the Mpox vaccine inevitably faces heart attack and death.

Other Mpox conspiracies target hate at LGBTQ+ people.

Through my PhD research into anti-vaccination misinformation, I’ve collected thousands of social media posts, videos, images and links from anti-vaccination Telegram channels, Substack newsletters and Gab groups. Gab Social is a social networking site known for hosting right-wing political content. These platforms are unique in their permissive approach to moderation. Users can post virtually anything they want without restraint.

According to 2023 research, platforms like Gab have become the home of many “alt-right” content creators who have been de-platformed from mainstream social media channels like Facebook and Instagram. Mpox misinformation is thriving in these online locations.

Sexuality and stigma

In the early days of the COVID pandemic, a study identified that misinformation on social media platforms like Facebook, X (formerly known as Twitter) and YouTube frequently blamed specific social groups for infection surges. Now, it’s MPox’s turn.

One Substack creator, for example, considers gay and bisexual men engaging in “high-risk sexual behaviour” a threat to the heterosexual population. He argues abstinence is the only solution – but only for men who have sex with men.

As well as accusing gay and bisexual men of having a “perverted lifestyle that goes against nature and God’s laws”, some anti-vaxx content creators stigmatise people with Mpox as a hidden enemy, who could be “teaching in schools and indoctrinating children”.

One common anti-vaxx conspiracy theory is “vaccine shedding”. This is the idea that vaccinated people can harm the unvaccinated through any kind of contact. One online conspiracy states the Mpox vaccine is particularly prone to shedding. Gay and bisexual men, then, are portrayed as dangerous whether they’re vaccinated or not.

Mpox is routinely characterised by conspiracy theorists as a virus for immoral people. As a result, some anti-vaxx perspectives are shockingly callous – one commenter claims they wouldn’t care at all if “the gays and communists” died from the Mpox vaccine.

Misinformation surrounding Mpox and the vaccine is peppered with such homophobic narratives of infection and contamination – and it’s familiar territory. People suffering from HIV and Aids in the 1980s and 1990s were relentlessly stigmatised as a dangerous other.

While online conspiracy theories present those with Mpox as a menace, in reality, there have only been a small number of mild Mpox cases identified in the UK since 2022. Though the majority of confirmed cases of Mpox in the UK have been in gay and bisexual men – and Mpox can be transmitted through close sexual contact – people can also become infected if they’re exposed to coughing and sneezing, or share clothing, bedding and towels with an infected person.

Moderation and misinformation

In August 2024, a new strain of Mpox was identified in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and some neighbouring countries. An estimated 10 million vaccines are needed to meet demand in affected African nations. In September 2024, the UK government ordered 150,000 doses of an Mpox vaccine to be distributed among gay and bisexual men and healthcare and humanitarian workers who may be exposed.

Just as many of us might check a reliable, verified medical source to find out more about Mpox, so alternative social media users look to the sources they trust. This commonly includes doctors blowing the whistle on alleged vaccine injury, conspiracy theory “news” sites and prominent right wing figures like Tucker Carlson. People selling alternative remedies and products promising miraculous detox are never far away to profit from vaccine misinformation.

Users share these sources across Gab groups, comment threads and Telegram channels, layering their own beliefs on top. This generates even more views and shares, which is one of the reasons why social media is such a good incubator for conspiracy theories and misinformation.

Another reason is the lack of content moderation on alternative social media sites. Substack describes itself as “a place for independent writing”. Users are not supposed to share any content which incites violence, contains sex or nudity, or illegal activity. Telegram takes a similar approach. Gab also draws the line at illegal content, but mainly encourages users to hide content they don’t want to see or ignore it.

The arguments for or against unrestrained free speech on the internet are complex. But sites like Gab reveal what an unmoderated internet can look like – hate of every variety can find a home here if that’s what the users choose to post. Mpox is just another topic to generate even more shareable content.

Helen McCarthy 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. How Mpox anti-vaxx conspiracies target and stigmatise LGBTQ+ people – https://theconversation.com/how-mpox-anti-vaxx-conspiracies-target-and-stigmatise-lgbtq-people-239981

MIL OSI – Global Reports –

January 23, 2025
MIL-OSI Europe: AFRICA/SUDAN – Fighting continues in Khartoum: 23 civilians killed in attack on a market

Source: Agenzia Fides – MIL OSI

Monday, 14 October 2024 wars

Khartoum (Agenzia Fides) – Fighting continues in the Sudanese capital Khartoum, where the Sudanese armed forces are trying to expel the militiamen of the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) from their positions. Civilians are particularly affected, affected by bombings such as the one carried out on Sunday 13 October in a market south of Khartoum, which killed at least 23 people and injured 40. The massacre is attributed to a bombing by army aircraft, which, together with the air force, is trying to prevail over the RSF forces entrenched in some well-defended strongholds in the capital. The fact that the army has serious intentions to attack these positions is shown by the photos published by the “Sudan Tribune” of the army’s armored trucks, which are built like veritable mobile mini-fortresses to fight snipers hiding on roofs. The armored vehicles are equipped with 360-degree cameras and are intended to protect the advancing regular soldiers from one of the greatest dangers in urban combat: snipers with a sniper rifle or an anti-tank rocket launcher. The other major danger is mines and homemade booby traps. The forgotten war in Sudan is not a religious war, because most of the fighters share the Muslim faith, but there are incidents in which Christian minorities are involved. This happened in early October, when a group of believers belonging to the “Sudan Christian Curch Al Iziba” were captured by members of the army’s military intelligence service in northern Khartoum. According to Osama Saeed Musa Koudi, chairman of the Sudanese Christian Youth Union, quoted by the online daily Altaghyeer, those arrested were arrested in groups between October 2 and 7, including 16 men, 25 women and 54 children. They all come from the Nuba Mountains and are accused of being supporters of the Rapid Support Forces simply because they stayed in the RSF-occupied areas of Khartoum because they had no way to go elsewhere. (L.M.) (Agenzia Fides, 14/10/2024)
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January 23, 2025
MIL-OSI Europe: ASIA/SOUTH KOREA – “Korea Mission Society” celebrates its 50th anniversary: “A community on the move”

Source: Agenzia Fides – MIL OSI

Monday, 14 October 2024

Korea Mission Society

Seoul (Agenzia Fides) – The spirit is one of going out, of communicating the Gospel “ad gentes”. Fifty years after its foundation, the “Korea Mission Society” (KMS) continues to practice this missionary spirit and reaffirms its commitment to sending missionaries, priests, religious and lay people to countries and particular Churches that need support for the apostolate. Currently, 85 missionaries have been sent outside Korea to nine countries, including Papua New Guinea, Taiwan and Hong Kong, as well as others in Africa and America. “We go where we are needed,” explained Father Choi Kang, Vice President of the Korea Mission Society, describing the activities and reflections that the 50th anniversary of the founding of the missionary community founded in 1975 will bring.The spirit is that of the origins, the spirit of a “community on the move,” explained Father Choi Kang, announcing a symposium to be held on October 19 at the Catholic University of Korea.”We will study, with academic knowledge, the meaning and influence that this missionary impulse has had on the Korean Church over the past 50 years, with reports from each diocese,” he stresses. On February 26, 2025, the exact date of the founding anniversary, a commemorative Mass will be held at Myeongdong Cathedral in Seoul, while seminars and meetings are planned for missionaries, but also for all believers interested in delving into the experience of the first proclamation and the “missio ad gentes.” “In this sense,” the priest stressed, “the agreement signed with Catholic Peace Broadcasting to produce a series of multimedia services and documentaries that can illustrate the history and missionary commitment of Korean Catholics over the past 50 years, but also in the past, will be useful.” Father Doo-young Jeong, President of the KMS, added: “I hope that this anniversary can be an opportunity for the Korean Church to deepen its essence as a ‘sharing Church’ and to extend the mission to the whole world.” An important aspect today are the lay missionaries who are associate members of the Society: their “rich experience” is a great help to the mission of the Korean Church, it is said. The Korea Mission Society (KMS) was founded in 1975 by the Bishop Emeritus of Busan, Bishop John A. Choi Jae-seon, and recognized by the Korean Bishops’ Conference. Founded about 22 years after the end of the Korean War (1953), the KMS has played a key role in making the Korean Church a “giving Church,” it says. The Society currently has 87 members, including missionary priests and lay people, and is now a diocesan Society of Apostolic Life under the responsibility of the Archdiocese of Seoul. The Society also manages a “Mission School” open to all those interested in missionary work in Korea, to prepare the faithful for pastoral work abroad. It is “open to the whole world, wherever there is a need for missionaries,” emphasizes the Korea Mission Society, with a particular focus on Asia. (PA) (Agenzia Fides, 14/10/2024)
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January 23, 2025
MIL-OSI Europe: AFRICA/GHANA – “Environmental Prayer Walk”: peaceful rally against illegal gold mining

Source: Agenzia Fides – MIL OSI

Accra (Agenzia Fides) – On October 11, the Archdiocese of Accra invited people to the “Environmental Prayer Walk”, which took place peacefully and without incidents, with the participation of thousands of people. The rally was primarily intended to denounce the phenomenon of illegal gold mining “galamsey” (see Fides, 9/10/2024).”It is the fight of all of us. Policy makers, those who are involved in the business, our traditional leaders and indeed every Ghanaian,” said Father Micheal Kobina Ackon Quaicoe, Executive Director of the “Governance, Justice and Peace Directorate” of the Ghanaian Bishops’ Conference. The march ended with the reading of a petition in front of the Presidential Palace calling for concrete measures to stop illegal and unregulated mining of gold and other minerals, which causes serious environmental damage and incurs high human costs for the population. In addition to the Catholics, other groups such as “FixTheCountry” and “Democracy Hub” joined the initiative, expressing their support for environmental protection, calling for an end to illegal gold mining and the protection of the country’s water resources. These actions are all the more urgent because illegal gold mining has already caused an environmental disaster. The environmental crisis has given rise to calls for drastic measures, including the imposition of a state of emergency in mining areas and the cancellation of mining licenses. This comes at a time when Ghana, struggling with an economic crisis, is preparing to resume foreign debt repayments in two weeks. (L.M.) (Agenzia Fides, 14/10/2024)
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January 23, 2025
MIL-OSI Russia: GUU at the IX BRICS Legal Forum 2024

MILES AXLE Translation. Region: Russian Federation –

Source: State University of Management – Official website of the State –

A representative of the State University of Management took part in the IX BRICS Legal Forum 2024 “Law on Guard of a Just World”.

Researcher, Associate Professor Anna Churikova presented a report on the topic “Digital Transformation of Local Government in Brazil”. Based on the analysis of foreign law enforcement practice, legislation and scientific literature, the work identified the main problems of legal regulation of the digital transformation of local government in the BRICS countries and proposed ways to solve them.

The report generated interest among scientists and discussions on the topic of digital transformation of local governments.

The research, the results of which were presented in the report, was carried out with the help of the grant of the Russian Science Foundation No. 23-28-01252 “Transformation of the institution of local self-government in the Russian Federation in the context of the development of modern digital technologies: legal aspects” with the organizational support of the State University of Management.

The founders and organizers of the forum are: Brazilian Bar Association, Russian Bar Association, Indian Bar Association, Chinese Law Society, Law Society of South Africa, East China University of Political Science and Law, University of Cape Town.

Subscribe to the TG channel “Our GUU” Date of publication: 10/14/2024

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.

Please note; This information is raw content directly from the information source. It is accurate to what the source is stating and does not reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

GUU at the IX BRICS Legal Forum 2024

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MIL OSI Russia News –

January 23, 2025
MIL-OSI Global: Sudan’s brutal war has become many wars, making peace even harder to reach

Source: The Conversation – UK – By Justin Willis, Professor of History, Durham University

A fire in Omdurman market near Khartoum following fighting between the Sudanese army and the Rapid Support Forces. Abd Almohimen Sayed / Shutterstock

Sudan’s war runs grimly on. The two main protagonists (though there are others involved) are each claiming local victories. The Sudanese army appears to be slowly regaining control of the ruined capital, Khartoum, and has recovered some ground it lost elsewhere in Sudan. And the rival Rapid Support Forces (RSF) continues its brutal siege of the western city of El Fasher.

But, while the army seems to have the upper hand at present, neither they nor the RSF looks likely to win outright. Instead, the two sides keep up a mutual battering with ill-aimed barrages of artillery fire and bombs that destroy markets, wreck hospitals, and each day add to the grim toll of civilian death and misery.

Abdel-Fattah al Burhan, the general who seized power and derailed what was supposed to be a transition to civilian rule after the revolution of 2019, still insists he is the head of Sudan’s legitimate government, and that the army will win the war.

The RSF’s leader, Mohammed Hamdan Dagalo, who is referred to as Hemedti, had initially been willing to play deputy to Burhan, but is now his bitter enemy. He makes a show of being willing to negotiate, but relentlessly pursues a military victory.

It is tempting to point the finger at actors outside Sudan for their part in the spiralling violence. There are multiple credible allegations that the governments of the United Arab Emirates, Egypt, Ethiopia, Saudi Arabia and Russia have all helped arm or finance one side or other in pursuit of regional influence or economic gain. Libya’s eastern – but not internationally recognised – government has also been accused of complicity.

Some would say there are sins of omission as well as commission. The US, EU and others have all called for an end to this war. But they could be doing more to stop the flow of weapons and money that helps keep the fighting going, and to mobilise more concerted action to protect civilians.

The world stands accused of turning its back on Sudan, despite being its biggest hunger and displacement crisis. But external actors did not start the war, and they cannot simply end it.

Despite their common cause in a counter-revolutionary coup in 2021, the war started when Burhan and Hemedti fell out over who would have military and political primacy – and the associated economic benefits – in Sudan.

They’ve already decided the country isn’t big enough for the both of them, so it’s nigh-on impossible to negotiate the usual kind of deal that shares power between foes.

Burhan is intensely sensitive about the fragile sovereignty of his government, and views external mediation as foreign meddling. He has always insisted that the army can win an outright victory, and now he is encouraged by recent gains. Yet he is a long way from regaining control of the whole country.

Hemedti, who craves the status that would come from negotiations, makes grandiloquent offers of ceasefires, coupled with promises to respect human rights – all while the RSF continues to murder, rape and loot. Hubris and hypocrisy make poor bases for negotiation.

A precarious balancing act

This is also not a war simply being waged between two individuals. Neither the army nor the RSF are coherent or well disciplined – the RSF, in particular, is a messy constellation of armed men, mostly from western Sudan (and, allegedly, further afield). They share a distinctive style of camouflage dress and a sense of long-term exclusion, but are not under close or effective control.

The army has more formal structures – too many, perhaps – but these are also fragmented. Strong on generals and air firepower but weak on fighting forces, the army is adapting the government’s old playbook of mobilising local militias.

The war has become several wars, drawing in other armed groups whose alliances with either the army or the RSF are contingent or opportunistic.

Since independence in 1956, Sudan has mostly been a militarised state, where power was won by force. Those who ruled it feared their fellow soldiers and so created alternative forces, hoping these would back them against potential coups. Some of these groups had distinct social bases in particular regions or ethnic groups.

This fragmentation had been happening since the 1970s, but it became endemic during the long reign of Sudan’s former president, Omar al-Bashir. Bashir stayed in power for 30 years by dividing possible rivals within the ruling elite, and used the multiplying, competing arms of the “security forces” to fight rebels on the margins.

What seemed like a powerful, authoritarian system was, in fact, a brutal but precarious balancing act. After Bashir fell in 2019, the transitional government floundered. The soldiers seized power, then the complex rivalries and institutional fragmentation proved unsustainable. The core institutions that held Sudan together have shattered.

So who, if anyone, can put Sudan back together again? Burhan and Hemedti are in no mood, and may anyway lack the control of their followers needed for any deal to stick.

Civilian politicians were discredited by the bickering of the transition, and the most prominent of them seem confused between claiming to be a government-in-exile or trying to build a bigger anti-war coalition.

At present, Sudan faces either the long-term absence of central authority or, more dramatically, an effective division into two or more states, whether or not these are internationally recognised. Some might say we should not mourn this – Sudan was a colonial creation, made by violence and predation. But this is an outcome that may only increase misery and misrule.

However, there is still resistance amid the ruination. Sudan’s post-Bashir transition to democracy, as envisaged by the UN and others, is long dead. But in some vital ways, the popular revolution that toppled Bashir lives on.

Grassroots emergency response rooms organise whatever lifesaving support for desperate communities that they can. And women and youth – the revolution’s vanguard – continue to organise, agitate and debate Sudan’s future among themselves, as well as demand a role in making it. They deserve our solidarity.

Many, both Sudanese and non-Sudanese, refuse to let go of the idea of a better Sudan that has never yet been realised, but just might rise up from these ashes.

Sharath Srinivasan is a Fellow and Trustee of the Rift Valley Institute.

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

– ref. Sudan’s brutal war has become many wars, making peace even harder to reach – https://theconversation.com/sudans-brutal-war-has-become-many-wars-making-peace-even-harder-to-reach-240585

MIL OSI – Global Reports –

January 23, 2025
MIL-OSI Economics: A new Chrome partnership to support underrepresented creatives

Source: Google

Today at the Adobe MAX creativity conference at the Miami Beach Convention Center, we’re sharing details about a new collaboration to help creatives take their work to the next level. Starting today, Chrome is partnering with Adobe and ADCOLOR to support underrepresented artists, marketers and other creative professionals with one-year subscriptions to Adobe Express Premium and Adobe Creative Cloud, at no cost. With Express, there’s no need to download or install software — and you can work right in your browser.

You likely depend on the web for all sorts of professional and personal tasks, but you might not know you can use your browser, like Chrome, to access advanced digital tools to create, edit, collaborate on and share content. Through this partnership, we want to empower a more diverse set of creators to build digital experiences on the web and expand access to Adobe’s best-in-class tools available.

ADCOLOR aims to create a community of diverse professionals to support one another and help ensure innovative ideas receive the recognition they deserve. Throughout 2024 and 2025, the ADCOLOR team will select subscription recipients from underrepresented groups, such as Black, Indigenous, disabled and LGBTQ+ communities, based on the needs of individuals and communities. If you’re chosen, you’ll have access to the collection of Express Premium and Creative Cloud desktop or mobile tools, including Photoshop and Lightroom, for a year after activating your subscription.

Want to learn more? If you’re attending Adobe MAX, you can come by the Chrome booth (booth 902) for more information in person. And stay tuned for more details about the application process coming out of the ADCOLOR conference, which will be happening in Los Angeles, CA from November 14 to 16.

To help showcase how tech tools can boost creative projects, at Adobe MAX we’ll also host an in-person workshop with multidisciplinary artist and graphic designer Temi Coker.

Born in Lagos, Nigeria, Temi initially pursued biomedical engineering, but his passion for visual storytelling led him to digital media, where he discovered the power of merging photography, design and technology. In the workshop, Temi will share his insights about using Photoshop on Chrome, guiding attendees through the top five things he learned while transforming his 2D designs into captivating 3D creations. And if you’re at the event today, be sure to register for the session and drop by our booth for the workshop at 5:15 P.M. ET.

MIL OSI Economics –

January 23, 2025
MIL-OSI United Nations: Civil Society Organizations Brief the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women on the Situation of Women in Chile, Canada, Japan, Cuba and Benin

Source: United Nations – Geneva

The Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women was this afternoon briefed by representatives of civil society organizations on the situation of women’s rights in Chile, Canada, Japan, Cuba and Benin, whose reports will be considered during the second and third weeks of the session.

In relation to Chile, speakers raised concerns regarding gender-based violence, abortion, and the treatment of trans people.

Those speaking on Canada raised topics including the treatment of indigenous women and girls, femicide, and harassment of migrant workers.

On Japan, speakers addressed the selective surname system, Japan’s military sexual slavery, and women’s pensions.

Speakers for Cuba raised issues including legislation on femicide, women in poverty, and the treatment of lesbians.

In relation to Benin, speakers addressed human trafficking, attacks on lesbian, gay, bisexual, intersex, queer and transgender people, and discrimination of sex workers.

The National Rights Institute of Chile and the Children’s Rights Ombudsperson of Chile spoke on Chile, as did the following non-governmental organizations: Corporation of Opportunity and Jointly Action Opcion – OPCION; Federación Luterana Mundial; and CIMUNIDIS – Círculo Emancipados de Mujeres y Niñas con Discapacidad de Chile.

The following non-governmental organizations spoke on Canada: Union of BC Indian Chiefs; South Asian Legal Clinic of Ontario and Colour of Poverty – Colour of Change; Justice for Girls and Just Planet; Cecile Kazatchkine, on behalf of HIV Legal Network, Barbra Schlifer Commemorative Clinic; Bout du monde; Amnesty International Canada; Aysha Khan, on behalf of International Human Rights Program (IHRP) at the University of Toronto Faculty of Law, Global Human Rights Clinic (GHRC) at the University of Chicago Law School, and a coalition of almost 50 organizations; Development Alternatives with Women for a New Era (DAWN); International Physicians for the Prevention of Nuclear War Canada (IPPNWC); and Amnesty International Canada.

The following non-governmental organizations spoke on Japan: Family Association of the Missing Persons Probably Related to the DPRK; Association to Preserve the Family Bond; People’s Alliance for Protection of Imperial Lineage by Paternal Male Succession to the Imperial Throne; Global Alliance for Anti-Discrimination (GAAD); JNNC (Japan NGO Network for CEDAW); JFBA (Japan Federation of Bar Associations); Be the Change Okinawa, and on behalf of Action Okinawa, Ginowan Churamizu Kai (Clean Water Protection Committee), AIPR, and ACSILs; Warriors Japan; Lawyers and DV Thrivers against Violence and Abuse Japan (LVAJ) and Safe Parents Japan (SPJ); Women’s Political Empowerment; Women’s Active Museum on War and Peace (WAM): and Development Alternatives with Women for a New Era (DAWN) and Pacific Network on Globalisation (PANG).

The following non-governmental organizations spoke on Cuba: Red de Juristas por los Derechos Sexuales, Unión Nacional de Juristas de Cuba, Asociación Cubana de las Naciones Unidas, Museo Virtual de la Memoria contra la violencia basada en Género Iniciativa para la Investigación y la Incidencia; Cuido 60; Red de Mujeres Lesbianas y Bisexuales; CUBALEX; Justicia 11J; FMC; Prisoners Defenders; Mesa de Diálogo de la Juventud Cubana; and Observatorio de Género de Alas Tensas y Museo de la Disidencia en Cuba.

The following non-governmental organizations spoke on Benin: Right here Right Now 2 and CFMPDH; Synergie Trans Bénin; Association Solidarité; Changement Social Bénin; and Plurielles.

The Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women’s eighty-ninth session is being held from 7 to 25 October. All documents relating to the Committee’s work, including reports submitted by States parties, can be found on the session’s webpage. Meeting summary releases can be found here. The webcast of the Committee’s public meetings can be accessed via the UN Web TV webpage.

The Committee will next meet in public at 10 a.m. on Tuesday, 15 October, to consider the eighth periodic report of Chile (CEDAW/C/CHL/8).

Opening Remarks by the Committee Chair

ANA PELÁEZ NARVÁEZ, Committee Chairperson, said this was the second opportunity during the session for non-governmental organizations to provide information on States parties that were having their reports reviewed during the second and third weeks of the session, namely Chile, Canada, Japan, Cuba and Benin.

Statements by Non-Governmental Organizations

Chile

Non-governmental organizations speaking on Chile said sexual violations had increased drastically between 2019 and 2023. Protection measures continued to be deficient. It was concerning that violence against girls and adolescents was increasing. As of June 2023, there were 42 pregnant women and 100 children living with their mothers in prison systems. There needed to be a cultural change in the community, whereby gender-based violence was no longer acceptable. There needed to be a comprehensive sexual education law to ensure rights for women and adolescents. The abortion regime based on legal grounds was insufficient and there were barriers to accessing contraceptives in primary health care. Warnings had been issued about six defective contraceptive pills with no steps taken to investigate or provide reparations to those affected. In Chile, around 800,000 migrant women faced violence and hate speech, especially those with irregular migration status. The humanitarian visa for migrants was not implemented well in practice.

Since 2019, there had been a Constitutional Legal Reform Act, establishing the State’s duty to fight gender equality. The State’s anti-discrimination law had been in congress for five years and was in danger of being rejected. Chile had yet to fulfil its obligation to repeal laws discriminating against married women or subordinating them to their husbands. The comprehensive law on violence against women did not include protection measures for women in penitentiary institutions who had suffered violence. Violence against trans-people had increased by 145 per cent, and trans-femicide was not recognised as a crime. The State showed no willingness to address issues faced by trans-people. Women and girls with disabilities in Chile experienced discrimination. A report by the Office of the High Commissioner found that there were 163 suspicious deaths in short-stay mental health facilities. There had been reports of electro-shock therapy on girls with disabilities.

Canada

Speakers on Canada said there were genocidal consequences for indigenous women and girls in the country. These violations were tied to colonial policies. In its 2015 inquiry, the Committee found that indigenous women and girls suffered from the worst socio-economic conditions, as well as systemic racism and violence, which manifested as pervasive poverty, lack of access to housing, high rates of child apprehension, and disproportionate criminalisation. The Committee had found that sex discrimination in Canada’s Indian Act was a root of violence, marginalising women and their descendants, excluding them from their lands, cultures and communities, and disentitling them to full personhood. The 2019 National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls issued 231 Calls for Justice. To-date, only two were complete, and more than half had not been started. Colonialism and the legacy of Residential Schools continued to impact indigenous girls’ access to education. Racialised communities faced oppression in Canada, with Black femicide and forced sterilisations of Black and indigenous women erased due to data gaps and under-reporting.

Canada was failing to take serious action on gender-based violence. Femicides were increasing, with a woman killed every 2.5 days. But this was not taken into account in the national action plan. Survivors of gender-based violence needed stronger protections and support services. Law enforcement and judicial officers must receive proper training on these violence dynamics. Canada needed to ensure survivors were not criminalised for self-defence, and strengthen protections against coercive control and litigation abuse. In Canada, women who used drugs and indigenous women were disproportionately impacted by HIV/AIDS and faced increased risk of violence and barriers to healthcare. Migrant workers and migrant sex workers in Canada faced significant oppression due to restrictive work permits, increasing their vulnerability to workplace abuse, harassment and sexual violence. Canada must remove these restrictions, decriminalise these groups, and establish policies that ensured safe working conditions.

Canada was also implicated in exploitative deep-sea mining, as Canadian companies sought financial gains through predatory partnerships with some Pacific Island States. These companies must be investigated. Pacific women and Canadian indigenous women deeply opposed these projects, as they threatened the ocean and marine life. Canadian resource extraction projects had also increased violence in Ecuador against indigenous women, which would be exacerbated by a proposed free trade agreement.

Japan

Speakers on Japan raised issues including objecting to separate surnames after marriages, which could destroy family unity and have negative impacts on children. The immediate adoption of a selective surname system for married couples was needed. The ruling party’s promotion of expanding the use of maiden names did not address gender discrimination. Half of single-mother households lived in relative poverty, as 70 per cent of them did not receive child support and were unable to escape poverty, due to the significant wage gap between men and women.

The issue of Japan’s military sexual slavery had been raised 30 years ago before the Committee in 1994. Measures taken by the State were not victim-centred, and therefore failed. The Government of Japan was called on to recognise that the “comfort women” issue remained unresolved and to fully implement the previous Committee recommendations. The Status of Forces Agreement between Japan and the United States should be revised to eliminate violence against women linked to United States’ military bases in Okinawa and elsewhere. There had been seven cases of gender-based violence against women and girls by the United States’ military within the past 11 months. Since 1954, over 210,000 crimes and accidents by the military had occurred. There needed to be comprehensive actions taken to end the culture of impunity. Japan needed to accept that the “comfort women” system was one of sexual slavery, and that it had a legal responsibility to provide reparations to all victims.

The ratification of the Optional Protocol should be expedited, and there should be a comprehensive anti-discrimination law. Japan was also urged to create a permanent gender equality committee, to monitor the implementation of the Convention’s concluding observations. There was an urgent need for the establishment of an independent, national human rights institution in line with the Paris Principles. It was crucial to eliminate low wages and pensions for women due to the gender wage gap, non-regular employment, and unpaid work. The Japanese Government was also urged to rescue all abductees from the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea. The Committee was urged to recommend that Japan stop dumping radioactive wastewater in the Pacific Ocean and take immediate steps towards safely disposing the waste on land.

Cuba

Those speaking on Cuba said Cuban women were calling for a robust legislative change of gender-based violence. The State needed to work to coordinate actors on gender issues. The State should systematically assess the impact of legislation and public policies on gender equality. The Committee was urged to pay special attention to the devastating impacts of the embargo which had a detrimental impact on women’s organizations.

There was a comprehensive law against gender-based violence, but the act of femicide should be defined. The rate of femicide was occurring in Cuba more than 10 times that which was occurring in Spain. Cuba had serious deficiencies in the reparation system of gender-based violence. The legislation should be reformed to establish provisional payments which provided immediate support, particularly to women of African descent or those with low income. The State should strengthen mechanisms for the prevention and punishment of gender-based violence, and redouble efforts to deconstruct gender stereotypes.

Poverty in Cuba today had the face of a woman, particularly that of an Afro-descendent, elderly woman. Social rights had been cut by the State and women were further exposed to food insecurity and poverty. The health care system lacked regulations to protect lesbians from phobic treatment. There needed to be training and awareness raising for health professionals to provide care, free of stigma and phobia.

Benin

Organizations speaking on Benin said women were economically and sexually exploited in Benin as part of human trafficking. Legislation on this was vague. Benin was a country of origin, transit and destination of women and children for human trafficking. It was recommended that the definition of procuring be outlined in the Criminal Code.

In Benin, lesbian, gay, bisexual, intersex, queer and transgender people underwent verbal, physical and sexual attacks. Discrimination undergone by these women worsened their economic positioning. No specific healthcare programme took these people into account, despite their vulnerability. Lesbian women were not seen as key members of the population. Religious beliefs and fear of side effects prohibited access to abortion, despite it being decriminalised in 2020. It was recommended that Benin set up mobile clinics all over the country to facilitate access to sexual and reproductive services. Safe abortion should be accessible without the need for authorisation from a third party.

Sex workers continued to be discriminated against in Benin. The only existing instruments were oppressive in nature. The national health development plan excluded the healthcare of sex workers. Today, some services did not cover the medicine for sexually transmitted diseases for sex workers. If a sex worker underwent an act of violence, victims were required to submit a medical certificate which came at a cost that was prohibitive for these women.

Questions by Committee Experts

A Committee Expert said since there had been a reshuffle in the cabinet in Japan, what was the status of the Gender Ministry? Who was heading it? Was there a COVID-19 response plan that covered gender-based violence? On Canada, was female genital mutilation still an issue? What was the gravity of the occurrence of femicide?

Another Expert asked if the Japanese organizations had information around restricted access to abortion, including that permission was required from a spouse or partner? Could information on the lack of sexual reproductive education for young people be provided?

An Expert asked Cuba what services were available for persons deprived of liberty, which were not available to lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex persons? What were the rules related to internal migration in Cuba?

A Committee Expert asked Chile if the benefits of the Judicial Academy, which aimed to avoid bias and victimisation of women, were being reaped?

Another Expert asked Benin about the medical forms for victims of gender-based violence; were these free? What had the Government done to make birth registration free? Was there a law on legal aid? If so, what crimes or rights violations qualified for legal aid? Was there a court to handle family disputes?

An Expert asked Cuba whether the labour law included issues of sexual harassment?

Another Expert asked Canada how many recommendations by the Truth and Reconciliation Commission had been met?

A Committee Expert asked Cuba about the situation of human rights defenders who were women? In Chile, following the 2017 reform, was abortion still practiced illegally? Could more information be provided about the extractive and mining industries and their impact on women and communities?

An Expert asked Cuba for information around issues pertaining to education?

A Committee Expert asked how challenging it was to be a female politician in Benin?

Statements by the National Human Rights Institution of Chile and the Children’s Rights Ombudsman of Chile

CONSUELO CONTRERAS LARGO, National Director, National Human Rights Institute of Chile, began by referring to gender-based violence. According to figures from the National Service for Women and Gender Equity, in the last 10 years, there had been 423 femicides in Chile, with figures per year that fluctuated between 34 and 46 femicides. In 2024, there were already 29 femicides. In the last two years, there had been a sharp increase in attempted femicides. In its 2018 and 2021 Annual Reports, the Institution indicated statistical difficulties in recognising violence that affected women in different contexts, since the State did not disaggregate the information into characterisation variables. Consequently, the treatment of violence against women was addressed in a uniform manner, which homogenised the situation of discrimination and violence, preventing the design of public policies capable of responding to different needs. The State should implement disaggregation of data, particularly for rural women, women with disabilities, and other groups.

The Programme for the Comprehensive Prevention of Violence against Women had a budget which was 2.38 per cent of the budget of the ministerial portfolio, which was limited considering the magnitude of the task. For the 2024 budget, the authorities announced a growth of 5.2 per cent, as part of their programmatic redesign. The institution remained concerned at the main task defined in the programme. The programme did not involve any kind of follow-up and it was not possible to discern if those who received the training continued to develop prevention activities. The programme also did not have a territorial focus without taking into account the different realities of women. It was concerning that the courts did not recognise the identity of trans-women in their sentences, according to current gender identity law.

The regulatory framework for violence against women had been bolstered. On 4 March 2020, law no. 21,212 came into force, which redefined and expanded the concept of femicide in Chile. On 9 May 2023, law 21,565 was published, which established a regime of protection and comprehensive reparation in favour of victims of femicide and their families; and on 14 June, law 21,675 came into force, which established measures to prevent, punish and eradicate violence against women, based on their gender. There were other legal bodies that had been approved and had entered into force in the country. Draft bills were moving slowly through the legislature. Discussions were underway on the bill to reform conjugal partnership and the bill to combat discrimination. In 2019, a bill was presented that sought to establish the mandatory nature of comprehensive sex education in schools. This draft was rejected in October 2020 and archived, with no plans for it to be brough back into legislation.

As of August 2024, the National Human Rights Institution had registered 19 complaints for human trafficking. During a visit to border regions, the Institute was able to verify the low number of resources of the police units destined to combat trafficking in persons. The Institute had established the duty of the executive branch to develop and implement a public policy to combat trafficking in persons. It should also continuously and systematically monitor and evaluate the implementation of new legislation through data collection and analysis and research on internal and cross-border trafficking.

ANUAR QUESILLE VERA, Children’s Rights Ombudsperson of Chile, underscored that sexual violence against children and adolescents continued to be one of the most urgent and complex challenges facing the country. Despite efforts and progress in other areas, the data showed that girls and adolescents continued to be the main victims of this problem. Between January and June 2024, the Public Prosecutor’s Office of Chile reported a total of 25,352 victims entered into its registries for sexual crimes, of which 59.40 per cent were females under 18. The State addressed sexual exploitation in a disconnected way, with gaps in areas of prevention, criminal prosecution, punishment and reparation for victims. It was alarming that, despite the growing incidence of this phenomenon, the State had not prioritised this problem in a systemic manner, which reflected in the limitations faced by the different services and institutions.

The fate of children in the care of the State was concerning. There were also new challenges in relation to the security of digital environments. Online platforms and digital spaces had become fertile grounds for the perpetration of sexual violence and abuse. Comprehensive regulation that protected children and adolescents in these spaces was essential. In view of these challenges, since the beginning of 2024, the Children’s Ombudsman’s Office had urged the Government to adhere to the Council of Europe’s Lanzarote Convention, which was seen as a key tool to protect children and adolescents against sexual exploitation and abuse. Unfortunately, no significant progress had been reported in this regard.

In terms of sexual and reproductive rights, the limited perspective on the progressive autonomy, ownership of rights, and agency of girls and adolescents continued to affect their access to the benefits of the law on abortion. Adolescents were mostly seeking abortion due to being raped. The Committee was called on to prioritise legislative strengthening and intersectoral coordination of State institutions, with a focus on increasing resources and adequate training to respond effectively to the challenges posed.

Questions by Committee Experts

A Committee Expert asked if the Ombudsperson had any specific information on early marriage, which continued to be a problem?

Another Expert asked if light could be shed on the issue of comprehensive sexual education in Chile? What were the obstacles? What should the Committee look at to allow adolescents to access this information?

An Expert asked if there were any statistics on how many women who had suffered rape in Chile had then resorted to abortion, and how often was this denied?

A Committee Expert asked about the pension gap in Chile?

Another Committee Expert asked about the anti-discrimination bill which was presented to amend the Constitution in regard to multiple discrimination? What were the social and political drivers which did not allow this bill to pass?

An Expert asked about global supply chains which were growing in importance in Chile, which was exporting agricultural products to neighbouring countries. Had any gender-based violence been identified in the supply chains?

Responses by the National Human Rights Institution of Chile and the Children’s Rights Ombudsman of Chile

In response, JUAN ENRIQUE PI, International Adviser, said the Anti-Discrimination Act did not reform the Constitution; the Constitution of 1980 still prevailed. There seemed to be no movement to further prohibit discrimination. In 2020, there had been an attempt to bring about an act on comprehensive education, to prevent sexual violence against girls and boys. However, this bill was rejected by a majority and had been shelved. There was currently no bill in Chile to address sex education in schools. There was no initiative under discussion.

ANUAR QUESILLE VERA, Children’s Rights Ombudsperson of Chile, said Chile had raised the age of marriage to 18. However, one of the key problems being faced by the country had to do with informal unions in rural areas. It was difficult to obtain figures on these.

JAVIERA SCHWEITZER GONZÁLEZ, International Affairs Coordinator, said when it came to the law on abortion, there was an information gap. Almost 99 per cent of cases of young girls and adolescents undergoing abortion did have some support. When it came to conscientious objection, this was of particular concern. There was no protocol providing for a lack of equipment and there were no available teams. Civil society said the law enforced did not cover training and guidelines and the rights which should protect medical teams. Furthermore, in the case of rape, few people went to health centres because of revictimisation. Some headway had been made in comprehensive sex education, however, there were restrictions in terms of its effective implementation. There had been a drop in the number of teenage pregnancies, but this was due to a use of contraceptives and not comprehensive sexual education. Teenagers had also identified a gap in comprehensive sexual education.

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

CEDAW24.027E

MIL OSI United Nations News –

January 23, 2025
MIL-OSI Economics: DG Okonjo-Iweala at World Food Forum: Trade is vital for ensuring food security

Source: World Trade Organization

The Director-General recalled the strengthened partnership between the WTO and the FAO in the areas of food and agriculture. She highlighted the WTO’s ongoing efforts to update trade rules, stressing that the multilateral trading system must be complemented by domestic policies that reduce distortions and enhance competition. She pointed to the importance of “policies that provide essential public goods to farmers such as research, pest and disease control, efficient water management, and extension services that are needed to improve productivity and sustainability.”

Her full remarks are below:

Director-General QU Dongyu,
Your royal highnesses,
Excellencies,
Distinguished delegates,
Ladies and gentlemen,

I’m delighted to join you in opening this year’s World Food Forum.

My main message to you is that trade — and the World Trade Organization — are vital parts of an agrifood system that can deliver good food for people now and in the years ahead.

My remarks today will look at three areas: the challenges ahead for farming and food security; how trade can help; and the role of the WTO.

First, the challenges.

The FAO’s latest figures show around 733 million people are facing hunger — most of them in Africa and South Asia [1]. At our current pace, we won’t meet Sustainable Development Goal to end hunger and malnutrition by 2030.

Climate change is a growing threat to food security, affecting every aspect of our food systems, and exacerbating the sector’s problems with water and land management, biodiversity loss, and deforestation. 55% of the world’s food production occurs in areas experiencing drying or unstable trends in total water storage.

Agricultural production and consumption continues to be distorted by trade restrictions and subsidies

In 54 countries analysed by the OECD, support provided to individual producers averaged USD 630 billion per year [2] from 2020 to 2022.* This support often has environmentally harmful effects, encouraging the overuse of fossil fuels, energy and water.

The distance between business as usual and truly sustainable food systems is considerable. The FAO has estimated that our current agri-food systems impose “hidden” health, environmental, and social costs equivalent to at least USD 10 trillion per year. [3]

Turning now to trade, the case for how it can help is straightforward: about one in four calories consumed is traded.

Between 2000 and 2022, agricultural trade grew five-fold, rising across all world regions. [4] The average applied tariff on agricultural goods has fallen [5] from 13 percent in 2005 to just 5.8 percent in 2022, helping make food more affordable and available, while incentivizing exporters to ramp up production in response to international demand.

Trade has contributed to food security and resilience: For example, when the war in Ukraine cut off Ethiopia from its traditional source of wheat imports, the existence of deep and diversified global markets meant it could source from Argentina and the United States instead.

The Global Commission on the Economics of Water, which I co-chair, will issue a report later this week that highlights the role of ‘virtual water trade’ in agriculture, through the water used to grow or make a traded product. It notes that trade can help mitigate water-related pressures, provided water’s price reflects its value and scarcity with targeted subsidies to those who cannot afford to pay, by allowing countries with abundant hydrological resources to specialize in producing water-intensive goods for export to water-scarce nations.

For example, there are export opportunities here for several African countries who have been found to have abundant and shallow under-utilized ground water resources as well as land resources, provided of course these resources are well and innovatively managed. In fact, based on these land and water resources, Africa not only can and should feed itself, using intra Africa food trade to manage supply and demand gaps but can also respond to external world demand.

Beyond trade’s contribution to ensuring that food is available, trade-led growth and income gains have contributed mightily to bringing down hunger in countries including China, Indonesia, the Philippines, Thailand, and Vietnam, to name a few. [6]

Now we need to help others replicate this success, sustainably — including elsewhere in Asia and Africa.

This brings me to the role of the WTO.

The WTO provides a negotiating forum where members could lower trade barriers and reduce trade-distorting support, helping agricultural markets function better and freeing up billions of dollars’ worth of resources that could be put to better use. But the fact is that at a time when a comprehensive update to the global agricultural trade rulebook is long overdue, we have not been so successful in moving forward agricultural trade negotiations at the WTO. But we will never give up trying. Agriculture and a well- functioning agricultural trading system is too important to the world.

This past Thursday, I chaired a meeting of all WTO members, where we looked at how to revitalize the negotiations and set the stage for delivering at least some concrete results by our next Ministerial Conference in Cameroon in early 2026. We have hard work ahead of us and we also need political will. I implore all the Food Security and Agriculture Ministers here to back your Trade ministers and their Geneva based WTO ambassadors to exhibit appropriate flexibility in their negotiating positions so we can move past 2.5 decades of stagnation to a new era of modern agricultural trade rules fit to help feed the 21st century world.

In this regard, cotton, both a food and non food commodity, is of paramount importance to several countries worldwide.

Last week, I was in the Republic of Benin to mark World Cotton Day. And while we are supporting exciting efforts there and in the Cotton Four plus countries in West and Central Africa to add value to their products and tap into global markets for textiles and clothing, particularly in the sports apparel sector, I want to note for all concerned that this does not mean we are paying attention to the issue of trade distorting domestic support that lowers cotton prices and weighs on the livelihoods of millions of farmers in cotton producing countries around the world.

On the bright side, in pursuing agriculture reforms at the WTO, we have some recent accomplishments to build on.

At our 12th Ministerial Conference in 2022, members committed to refrain from imposing export controls on humanitarian purchases by the World Food Programme — a step that the agency has said is helping to source food more quickly, and from more countries.

Our landmark Agreement on Fisheries Subsidies will help ease pressure on the marine fish stocks that millions of people rely on for food and livelihood security. I urge you to help fast-track ratification of this agreement in your countries, and support the rapid conclusion of negotiations on Phase 2 of the Fisheries Subsidies Agreement on some outstanding issues so that the USD 22 billion being spent annually on harmful fisheries subsidies that can be repurposed to more beneficial uses.

I want to take a moment here to highlight the WTO’s appreciation for the work we do with the FAO. In this regard, let me thank DG Qu Dongyu and Chief Economist Maximo Torero Cullen and their team for the excellent collaboration with the WTO. Our joint MoU signed last December ranges from work on fisheries and the associated trust fund, to supporting cotton, the Standards and Trade Development Facility and — last but not least — the Agriculture Market Information System. We look forward to continuing this collaboration whose aim is to assist FAO and WTO members. Collaboration between multilateral organizations brings coherence and congruence to helping members and the people they represent.

In conclusion, Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen. A free, fair, open and predictable MTS and modernized agricultural trade rules are critical to an agrifood system that can deliver good food to the world’s people today and tomorrow. But such a trading system must be complemented by domestic policies that reduce distortions and improve competition. It must be complemented by policies that provide essential public goods to farmers such as research, pest and disease control, efficient water management, and extension services that are needed to improve productivity and sustainability.

I am convinced that we can all work together, Multilateral organizations, Governments, Farmers, Civil Society, Private sector, to enable people around the world to access the food and nutrition they need in a changing climate and a changing and uncertain world.

Thank you.

*(NOTE: “support” is not the same here as “subsidies”, as it includes transfers from consumers to producers that result from border measures such as tariffs, in addition to budgetary outlays.).

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MIL OSI Economics –

January 23, 2025
MIL-OSI Europe: Rwanda: EIB Global Backs Akagera Vaccine Development
Source: European Investment Bank

EIB
- €2 million support unlocks early-stage development of vaccine manufacturing.
- Investment to accelerate development of vaccines against tuberculosis, HIV, Ebola and other diseases
Early-stage vaccine development in Rwanda by Akagera Medicines Africa Limited will be supported by €2 million financing from the European Investment Bank (EIB Global). The new backing will accelerate research and development as well as manufacturing of new vaccines to treat infectious diseases including tuberculosis, HIV, Lassa fever, and Ebola.

The new financing will also be used to strengthen technical skills and expertise of Rwanda based teams to support home-grown discovery, manufacturing, and development of vaccine delivery systems within Rwanda.

The latest health financing from the EIB Global is part of the wider EU Global Gateway initiative for Africa and is designed to unlock crucial investment to improve access to public healthcare. EIB Global supports high impact investment to enhance healthcare and pharmaceutical manufacturing across Africa, strengthen health resilience on the continent, and support equitable access to healthcare in Africa.

Africa bears the highest disease burden globally and more home-grown or continent based solutions need to be supported. Vaccination is a critical activity to ensure and guide investments in universal health and has a crucial role to play in achieving 14 of the 17 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.

Akagera Medicines, Africa was established in Rwanda in July 2022 to develop the pharmaceutical sector in Rwanda and elsewhere in Africa. The company is majority-owned by the Republic of Rwanda through the Rwanda Social Security Board (RSSB).

Speaking at the World Health Summit in Berlin, Germany, where the financing announcement was made, Michael Fairbanks, Chief Executive Officer of Akagera Medicines said: “We are a public private partnership and enjoy the support of Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI) in Norway, the Gates Foundation, and the National Institute of Health in Washington. With the significant support of the European Investment Bank, we are now a clinical company and moving faster to build human capacity and specialized infrastructure in Africa to support vaccine development. “

RSSB CEO, Regis Rugemanshuro said: “European Investment Bank’s financial support to Akagera Medicines represents an important contribution to the realization of Rwanda’s vision to become a biotech hub, and to the vision of Africa becoming self-reliant in vaccine and medicine manufacturing. RSSB is looking forward to deepening partnerships with EIB and other international institutions to build resilient healthcare ecosystems in Rwanda and in Africa.”

EIB Vice President, Thomas Ostros said: “The partnership with Akagera demonstrates the European Investment Bank’s close cooperation with public and private partners to accelerate development of innovative solutions for combating deadly diseases and scaling up healthcare financing and delivery. The EIB is committed to further strengthening our partnership with local and international players, to scale up investment and support innovative technology together.”

EU Ambassador to Rwanda Belen Calvo Uyarra, said: “Through Global Gateway, the EU is focused on advancing equitable access to health products and local manufacturing in Africa. This investment by EIB with Akagera Medicines marks another important milestone on this journey.”

The financing to Akagera complements other EU initiatives in Rwanda and the region under the Global Gateway Flagship – Manufacturing and Access to Vaccines, Medicines and Health Technologies (MAV+), which focus mainly on supporting the necessary ecosystem for vaccine manufacturing.

This is supported by the EU-Africa Infrastructure Trust Fund (EU-AITF), established to increase investment in infrastructure in Sub-Saharan Africa dedicated to projects in Africa with the aim of reducing poverty and fostering economic growth in the region.

Background information

The European Investment Bank (EIB) is the long-term lending institution of the European Union owned by its Member States. It makes long-term finance available for sound investment in order to contribute towards EU policy goals.

EIB Global is the EIB Group’s specialised arm devoted to increasing the impact of international partnerships and development finance, and a key partner in Global Gateway. We aim to support €100 billion of investment by the end of 2027, around one third of the overall target of this EU initiative. With Team Europe, EIB Global fosters strong, focused partnerships, alongside fellow development finance institutions and civil society. EIB Global brings the Group closer to local people, companies and institutions through our offices around the world.

About Akagera:

Akagera Medicines develops novel liposomal formulations of drugs to treat tuberculosis, RSV, influenza, avian flu, and HIV. The clinical stage company was founded in 2018 in Kigali, Rwanda. It is well-funded, majority-owned by the people of Rwanda through the Rwanda Social Security Board (RSSB), registered as a Delaware corporation, and has laboratories in Boston and San Francisco. Akagera registered a 100%-owned subsidiary in Kigali in 2022 to do manufacturing and clinical trials. Founding board members include Ambassador Dr. Albrecht Conze, Dr. Paul Farmer, and Dr. Donald Kaberuka. Dr. Daryl Drummond and Dr. Dimitri Kirpotin are cofounders who translate their successful delivery system from oncology to infectious diseases.

EIB Global Backs Akagera Vaccine Development in Rwanda
EIB Global Backs Akagera Vaccine Development in Rwanda
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EIB Global Backs Akagera Vaccine Development in Rwanda
EIB Global Backs Akagera Vaccine Development in Rwanda
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EIB Global Backs Akagera Vaccine Development in Rwanda
EIB Global Backs Akagera Vaccine Development in Rwanda
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EIB Global Backs Akagera Vaccine Development in Rwanda
EIB Global Backs Akagera Vaccine Development in Rwanda
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MIL OSI Europe News –
January 23, 2025
MIL-OSI Video: Nobel Peace Prize, Lebanon & other topics – Daily Press Briefing | United Nations

Source: United Nations (Video News)

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

Highlights:
– Nobel Peace Prize
– Noon Briefing Guest
– Secretary-General
– Lebanon
– Security Council
– Lebanon/Humanitarian
– Occupied Palestinian Territory
– Ukraine
– South Sudan
– West and Central Africa Floods
– UNHCR
– International Days

Nobel Peace Prize
The Secretary-General warmly congratulated the grassroots Japanese organization Nihon Hidankyo on being awarded the 2024 Nobel Peace Prize. 
The atomic bomb survivors from Hiroshima and Nagasaki, also known as the hibakusha, are selfless, soul-bearing witnesses of the horrific human cost of nuclear weapons. While their numbers grow smaller each year, the relentless work and resilience of the hibakusha are the backbone of the global nuclear disarmament movement.  
In a statement, the Secretary-General said that he will never forget his many meetings with them over the years. Their haunting living testimony reminds the world that the nuclear threat is not confined to history books.  Nuclear weapons remain a clear and present danger to humanity, once again appearing in the daily rhetoric of international relations. 
It is time for world leaders to be as clear-eyed as the hibakusha and see nuclear weapons for what they are: devices of death that offer no safety, protection, or security. The only way to eliminate the threat of nuclear weapons is to eliminate them altogether. 
The United Nations proudly stands with the hibakusha.  They are an inspiration to our shared efforts to build a world free of nuclear weapons.  

Noon Briefing Guest
Izumi Nakamitsu, the High Representative for Disarmament Affairs briefed reporters on the Nobel Peace Prize being awarded to Nihon Hidankyo for its work advocating for a world free of nuclear weapons.

Secretary-General
The Secretary-General this morning addressed the ASEAN-UN Summit in Vientiane. He underscored the importance of the relationship between the two organizations which, he said, is a strategic partnership. In a world with growing geopolitical divides, with dramatic impacts on peace and security and sustainable development, the Association of South-East Asian Nations [ASEAN] is a bridge-builder and a messenger for peace, he said.
He also underscored how much the United Nations is grateful for ASEAN’s important contribution to UN peacekeeping operations. The Secretary-General took the opportunity to express his solidarity with Indonesia, as two of its peacekeepers serving with UNIFIL were wounded yesterday by Israeli fire in south Lebanon. 
The Secretary-General outlined the key areas of the recently adopted Pact for the Future, which offers a strong vision for the time ahead. 
In a press conference, the Secretary-General was asked about the wounding of the two peacekeepers in Lebanon, and he condemned the shooting against the UN premises in which the two peacekeepers were wounded, adding that it was a violation of international humanitarian law. Peacekeepers must be protected by all parties of the conflict, he said.
Prior to the meeting, the Secretary-General also held bilateral meetings with the President of the Lao People’s Democratic Republic, Thongloun Sisoulith, and with the Prime Minister of the Socialist Republic of Viet Nam, Pham Minh Chinh. We have issued readouts of those meetings.

Office of the Spokesperson for the UN Secretary-General Website
https://www.un.org/sg/en/spokesperson/

Full Highlights
https://www.un.org/sg/en/content/noon-briefing-highlight

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P5X_cjKpmog

MIL OSI Video –

January 23, 2025
MIL-OSI NGOs: Gaza: Medical care under fire UPCOMING EVENT Oct 15, 2024

Source: Doctors Without Borders –

Palestinian Territories 2023 © Pierre Fromentin/MSF

UPCOMING EVENT

Palestinian Territories 2023 © Pierre Fromentin/MSF

October 15, 2024

1:00PM-1:45PM ET

Event type: Live online

October 15, 2024 | 1:00PM-1:45PM ET

Gaza: Medical care under fire

We invite you to join us for a live online event on Tuesday, October 15, from 1:00-1:45 pm ET, with Doctors Without Borders/Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) aid workers reflecting on the catastrophic health impacts of the war in Gaza.

MSF teams were already active providing medical care in Gaza when conflict escalated following the horrific attacks by Hamas on Israel on October 7. In response, the Israeli government launched a ferocious military offensive on Gaza. More than 40,000 Palestinians have been killed, tens of thousands more have been injured, and some 1.9 million people have been displaced–often multiple times. Much of the Gaza Strip has been reduced to rubble.

MSF staff are providing urgent medical care even while facing the personal impacts of the war themselves–the deaths of loved ones, destruction of their homes, and constant dangers everywhere. Hospitals and health facilities have repeatedly come under fire or been forced to evacuate. The medical needs are exploding, including the spread of infectious diseases and the risk of starvation.

Join us for a conversation with Dr. Javid Abdelmoneim, emergency physician and former medical team leader in Gaza, and Dr. Amber Alayyan, pediatrician and medical program manager for MSF in Palestine, Afghanistan and Haiti. Dr. Mohammed Abu Mughaisib, MSF deputy medical coordinator in Gaza, will share testimony directly from Khan Younis, and Avril Benoît, MSF USA chief executive officer, will moderate the live discussion. Together they will bear witness to this unfolding emergency and reflect on the medical challenges ahead.

Meet the speakers

Dr. Javid Abdelmoneim

Dr. Javid Abdelmoneim is an emergency physician and was president of MSF UK from 2017-2021. Born and raised in the UK to Sudanese Iranian parents, Javid volunteered with MSF as a medical student, and later joined MSF as an aid worker for his first assignment to Iraq. Since then, he has worked for MSF in conflict zones, crises and disease outbreaks around the world. He has completed assignments in Ukraine, Haiti, Lebanon/Syria, South Sudan, Sierra Leone (for Ebola), and on the Mediterranean Sea on one of MSF’s search and rescue vessels. Most recently, he worked as an emergency medical team leader in Gaza.

Dr. Amber Alayyan

Dr. Amber Alayyan is a pediatrician and international public health consultant with over 20 years of experience in health care in conflict and post-conflict zones particularly in the Middle East, as well as malnutrition and environmental health in conflict settings. She currently works as MSF’s medical program manager for Afghanistan, Palestine, and Haiti and previously managed medical programs for Peru, Syria, Lebanon, Iran, and Iraq. In her current role, she manages the medical operational strategy and activities in the West Bank and Gaza. These activities include burn and trauma surgery and multi-disciplinary pre/post-operative care, pediatric inpatient care, antibiotic resistance management, primary health care, mental health, and sexual and gender-based violence. Her work with MSF over the past 13 years includes assignments in the Central African Republic, Pakistan, Yemen, Iraq, Jordan/Syria, Turkey/Syria, Lebanon, Croatia and Greece.

Dr. Mohammed Abu Mughaisib

Dr. Mohammed (Abu Abed) Abu Mughaisib is the deputy medical coordinator for MSF’s operations in Palestine. He holds degrees in both medicine and mental health and has worked with MSF for nearly 23 years. Last fall, he was forced to flee his home in Gaza City, and was displaced multiple times thereafter. While his wife and children managed to cross the border into Egypt, Abu Abed continues to provide lifesaving care as a critical member of our project team in Palestine.

Avril Benoît

Avril Benoît is the chief executive officer of Doctors Without Borders/Médecins Sans Frontières in the United States (MSF USA). She has worked with the international medical humanitarian organization since 2006 in various operational management and executive leadership roles, most recently as the director of communications and development at MSF’s operational center in Geneva, a position she held from November 2015 until June 2019. Throughout her career with MSF, Avril has contributed to major movement-wide initiatives, including the global mobilization to end attacks on hospitals and health workers. She has worked as a country director and project coordinator for MSF, leading operations to provide aid to refugees, asylum seekers, and migrants in Mauritania, South Sudan, and South Africa. Avril’s strategic analysis and communications assignments have taken her to countries including Democratic Republic of Congo, Eswatini, Haiti, Iraq, Lebanon, Mexico, Mozambique, Nigeria, Sudan, Syria, and Ukraine. From 2006 to 2012, Avril served as director of communications with MSF Canada. Prior to joining MSF, Avril had a distinguished 20-year career as an award-winning journalist and broadcaster in Canada. She was a documentary producer and radio host with the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC), reporting from Kenya, Burundi, India, and Brazil on HIV stigma, rapid urbanization, sexual violence in conflict, and political inclusion of women, among numerous other assignments and topics. Recent articles: Surge of humanity needed for migrants and refugees

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MIL OSI NGO –

January 23, 2025
MIL-OSI NGOs: Human Rights Education toolkits for Write for Rights 2024
Source: Amnesty International –

Amnesty International’s “Write for Rights” campaign takes place annually around 10 December, which is Human Rights Day (marking the day when the Universal Declaration of Human Rights was adopted in 1948). Write for Rights aims to bring about change to the lives of people or communities that have suffered or are at risk of human rights violations.

Some 20 years ago, a small group of activists in Poland ran a 24-hour letter-writing marathon. Over the following years, the idea spread. Today, Write for Rights is the world’s biggest human rights event.

From 2,326 letters in 2001 to more than 6 million letters, tweets, petition signatures and other actions in 2023, people the world over have used the power of their words to unite behind the idea that geography is no barrier to solidarity. In 2023 alone, more than 1.4 million people were engaged through human rights education activities. Together, these individuals have helped transform the lives of more than 100 people over the years, freeing them from torture, harassment or unjust imprisonment.

The human rights education toolkit for this year’s Write for Rights campaign can help educators and participants to gain more understanding and build solidarity, preparing them to take action. These human rights education activities can take place in a variety of settings, such as a school classroom, a community group, a family or an activist group. As a facilitator, you can adapt the activity to best suit the needs and context of the group you are working with. For example, you may want to consider what knowledge the group already has about the issues discussed, the size and age range of your group and how to best organize the activity to allow for active participation, the physical setting of your activity, delivering it in-person or online and any limitations. When participants want to take action on a case, discuss with them whether it is safe for them to do so.

The activities are all based on participatory learning methods in which learners are not merely presented with information, they explore, discuss, analyze and question issues relating to the stories they will work with in each activity. This methodology allows participants to:
- develop key competencies and skills
- form their own opinions, raise questions, and gain a deeper understanding of the issues presented
- take control of their learning, and shapes discussions according to their interests, abilities and concerns
- have the space required for them to engage emotionally and develop their own attitudes
Write for Rights 2024 General Activity

Neth Nahara, Angola

Joel Paredes, Argentina

Maryia Kalesnikava, Belarus

Wet’suwet’en Nation land defenders, Canada

Kyung Seok Park, South Korea

Manahel al-Otaibi, Saudi Arabia

Professor Şebnem Korur Fincancı, Türkiye
MIL OSI NGO –
January 23, 2025
MIL-OSI Global: Tito Mboweni: South African Minister and Reserve Bank governor who drove significant economic reforms

Source: The Conversation – Africa – By Roy Havemann, Research Associate, Stellenbosch University

Tito Mboweni, former South African Reserve Bank Governor, Minister of Finance, and Minister of Labour was arguably one of the country’s most consequential economic policymakers and drove several significant economic
reforms.

Mboweni passed away on 12 October 2024 after a short illness.

Born on 16 March 1959, he received a Bachelor of Arts in Economic and Political Science from the National University of Lesotho in 1985. He had attended the University of the North between 1979 and 1980 but left South Africa to go into exile in his second year of studies. In 1987, he obtained a Master of Arts in Development Economics from the University of East Anglia in the UK.

He began his career in government as Minister of Labour in President Nelson Mandela’s 1994 administration. As the first Minister of Labour in the new democratic South Africa, he took several steps to improve the relationship between business and labour.

Among these were major legislative reforms, including the Basic Conditions of Employment Act, Labour Relations Act, Mines Health Safety Act and the NEDLAC Act, designed to improve cooperation between different “constituencies” – labour, business, and government.

He was appointed as the Eighth Governor of the South African Reserve Bank in
1999. In this role he introduced inflation targeting and presided over the first monetary policy committee meetings. This substantially modernised the Bank’s approach. For instance, Mboweni introduced a monetary policy statement outlining the reasons for the Bank’s decisions. These were televised, bringing new transparency to the conduct of monetary policy. Before this, the bank’s targeted monetary policy aggregates, and its communications, were made through printed documents.

Monetary Policy Forums took monetary policy to many parts of the country, bringing a new openness and engagement between the Bank and ordinary South Africans.

He held the position of Governor until 2009. But his legacy endures. The South African Reserve Bank is highly regarded across the world, with an inflation rate that is firmly within the target range and well-anchored inflation expectations.

As finance minister

Shortly after Cyril Ramaphosa was inaugurated as President of the Republic of South Africa in 2018, the then Finance Minister Nhlanhla Nene resigned. The President appointed Mboweni as Minister of Finance in October 2018.

Mboweni made three consequential decisions in South Africa’s economic policy
trajectory.

The first was the decision, in 2019, to freeze government wages from 2020. He was alarmed by the rapid and unsustainable increase in government wages. Together with slowing economic growth, this led to a fiscal position that was deteriorating at an alarming pace. The wage freeze ultimately started the slow return to the fiscal rectitude that had been the hallmark of the period of government before Jacob Zuma became president in 2009.

The second, also in 2019, was the publication of a paper on economic growth. It was known officially as “Economic transformation, inclusive growth, and competitiveness: Towards an Economic Strategy for South Africa”.

Unofficially it was known as the “Tito Paper”.

This set out a programme of much-needed economic reforms – including steps to lift the restrictions on private power generation. In the six years since the publication of the policy paper (and the subsequent reforms), a total of 6 GW of non-Eskom electricity has been added to the grid, saving South Africa six stages of load-shedding.

Other recommendations of the paper are being followed, including those for rail, telecommunications and ports.

The third was the introduction of a comprehensive response to the COVID-19 pandemic. This included a significant expansion of the grants system, with a Social Relief of Distress grant pegged at R350 per person per month. Research by the NIDS-CRAM initiative, led by Dr Nic Spaull of Stellenbosch University, has highlighted how the grant positively affected millions of people’s lives.

Enduring legacy

It is difficult to think of any other economic policymaker who has left such an enduring legacy.

Stellenbosch University awarded him an honorary doctorate in 2010 and appointed him Professor Extraordinary of Economics from 2002 to 2005 . He was a frequent participant at Bureau for Economic Research conferences. There, his engaging speaking style made him a popular drawcard.

His love of red wine and engaging conversation made him a popular visitor at the university. In 2010, he spent time at the Stellenbosch Institute for Advanced Studies as part of a research group working on the global financial crisis and its consequences for democracy.

This is an edited version of a tribute published by the Bureau for Economic Research, Stellenbosch University.

Roy Havemann is a senior economist at the Bureau for Economic Research where he leads the Impumelelo Economic Growth Lab. He was previously at the National Treasury where, amongst other things, he was Tito Mboweni’s speechwriter.

– ref. Tito Mboweni: South African Minister and Reserve Bank governor who drove significant economic
reforms – https://theconversation.com/tito-mboweni-south-african-minister-and-reserve-bank-governor-who-drove-significant-economic-reforms-241236

MIL OSI – Global Reports –

January 23, 2025
MIL-OSI Global: The remarkable career of Tito Mboweni: from South African freedom fighter to central bank governor and trusted politician

Source: The Conversation – Africa – By Jannie Rossouw, Visiting Professor at the Business School, University of the Witwatersrand

It is sad to write about Tito Mboweni in the past tense.

Tito Titus Mboweni, who was born on 16 March 1959 in Tzaneen, a town in South Africa in what was then the Transvaal, passed away after a short illness in Johannesburg on 12 October 2024.

After the announcement of his death, tributes poured in for this South African leader. Many have been touched by his legacy in politics, business, governance and the economy of South Africa.

While not without some shortcomings, his career from being a freedom fighter to becoming a trusted and popular public figure serves as an enduring example to others in leadership.

A career in service of society

During his lifetime, Mboweni managed to achieve multiple accomplishments. The first period of his career was as member of the African National Congress (ANC) liberation movement in exile, where he served as deputy head of the Department of Economic Policy in the ANC.

Political and public service was a second part of his career.

After the democratic elections of 1994, Mboweni served as minister of labour in the first cabinet of Nelson Mandela. In a surprise announcement in 1998, Mboweni was appointed as an advisor to the then governor of the South African Reserve Bank, Chris Stals. This was to prepare Mboweni for appointment as governor after the retirement of Stals.

Mboweni could not move directly into the position as governor, as section 4(2)(a) of the South African Reserve Bank Act states that the “governor shall be a person of tested banking experience”.

By serving as an advisor to Stals for a little over a year, Mboweni met this legal requirement. He was appointed as the eighth governor of the central bank on 8 August 1999.

At the time there were concerns about his commitment to the continuation of a policy of controlling inflation, ushered in successfully by Stals in the preceding decade. But Mboweni soon showed his commitment to the continued control of inflation.

He replaced the previous structure used for monetary policy decisions by Stals by establishing the Monetary Policy Committee in October 1999. This was in preparation for the adoption of inflation targeting as a policy objective for the bank.

After his retirement from the Reserve Bank, Mboweni commenced with the next stages of his career: a successful stint in business, which was interrupted by his return to politics. He served as minister of finance from 9 October 2018 to 5 August 2021. In this role he made it very clear that South Africa had to adopt a more prudent fiscal policy to avoid a too rapid growth in government debt. But this viewpoint made him unpopular with many cabinet and ANC colleagues, trade unions and others.

Once he left politics, Mboweni resumed his career in business. He also served the South African community in different ways. He held a number of appointments as honorary professor and was also a patron of the arts. He was also well-known for his enthusiasm for cooking, which he often posted about on social media.

Challenges

Mboweni had to withstand political pressure on the issue of the role of the Reserve Bank. He was exemplary in his protection of the autonomy and independence of bank, which is set out in sections 223 to 225 of the South African Constitution.

In this respect, he followed in the footsteps of Stals.

Politicians favour lower interest rates, particularly during election periods. But Mboweni was not afraid of being unpopular. He was steadfast in protecting the autonomy and independence of the South African Reserve Bank. Mboweni also led the central bank during the global financial crisis of 2008 . South Africa was one of the countries that did not suffer a banking crisis or collapse during that period.

Achievements

Mboweni’s single biggest achievement was his successful transition from an ANC freedom fighter in exile to his roles as senior politician, central bank governor and businessman.

His successful adoption of a policy of inflation targeting despite opposition was also a major achievement. Under Mboweni’s leadership the South African Reserve Bank showed critics that South Africa can make a continuous commitment to a low rate of inflation.

Other than establishing the Monetary Policy Committee, Mboweni also played a major role in bringing monetary policy closer to the people. Under his leadership, the bank was one of the first central banks in the world to announce monetary policy decisions about interest rates at a media conference. He also introduced the central bank’s Monetary Policy Forums, where the public can engage the senior leadership of the central bank on monetary policy.

Shortcomings

Mboweni had many successes in business, central banking and politics. He also a few shortcomings. One was that he did not insist on the readoption of the lower inflation target (3%-5%) announced in 2001, that was later abandoned. A lower inflation target some 20 years ago would have anchored South Africa’s inflation rate and inflation expectations on a lower trajectory.

It is difficult to judge whether Mboweni’s somewhat untimely (though not necessarily unexpected) resignation as finance minister can also be regarded as a failure. However, a finance minister can only function optimally with the support of the head of state. Such support was clearly lacking.

Legacy

Mboweni leaves a legacy of a successful transformation from a freedom fighter to a businessman, central banker and politician. If more former freedom fighters made this successful transition, South Africa’s prospects would look considerably better.

Another legacy is honesty and integrity. Mboweni was never embroiled in scandals or questionable business dealings. If other ANC cadres could follow this example, South Africa would also offer a better future for all its citizens.

As an NRF-rated researcher, Jannie Rossouw received research funding from the NRF. He serves as independent non-executive Board member of Finbond Mutual Bank, Noordelike Helpmekaar Study Fund and Satsanga Fintech Holdings.

– ref. The remarkable career of Tito Mboweni: from South African freedom fighter to central bank governor and trusted politician – https://theconversation.com/the-remarkable-career-of-tito-mboweni-from-south-african-freedom-fighter-to-central-bank-governor-and-trusted-politician-241234

MIL OSI – Global Reports –

January 23, 2025
MIL-OSI Africa: Tito Mboweni: South African Minister and Reserve Bank governor who drove significant economic reforms

Source: The Conversation – Africa – By Roy Havemann, Research Associate, Stellenbosch University

Tito Mboweni, former South African Reserve Bank Governor, Minister of Finance, and Minister of Labour was arguably one of the country’s most consequential economic policymakers and drove several significant economic reforms.

Mboweni passed away on 12 October 2024 after a short illness.

Born on 16 March 1959, he received a Bachelor of Arts in Economic and Political Science from the National University of Lesotho in 1985. He had attended the University of the North between 1979 and 1980 but left South Africa to go into exile in his second year of studies. In 1987, he obtained a Master of Arts in Development Economics from the University of East Anglia in the UK.

He began his career in government as Minister of Labour in President Nelson Mandela’s 1994 administration. As the first Minister of Labour in the new democratic South Africa, he took several steps to improve the relationship between business and labour.

Among these were major legislative reforms, including the Basic Conditions of Employment Act, Labour Relations Act, Mines Health Safety Act and the NEDLAC Act, designed to improve cooperation between different “constituencies” – labour, business, and government.

He was appointed as the Eighth Governor of the South African Reserve Bank in 1999. In this role he introduced inflation targeting and presided over the first monetary policy committee meetings. This substantially modernised the Bank’s approach. For instance, Mboweni introduced a monetary policy statement outlining the reasons for the Bank’s decisions. These were televised, bringing new transparency to the conduct of monetary policy. Before this, the bank’s targeted monetary policy aggregates, and its communications, were made through printed documents.

Monetary Policy Forums took monetary policy to many parts of the country, bringing a new openness and engagement between the Bank and ordinary South Africans.

He held the position of Governor until 2009. But his legacy endures. The South African Reserve Bank is highly regarded across the world, with an inflation rate that is firmly within the target range and well-anchored inflation expectations.

As finance minister

Shortly after Cyril Ramaphosa was inaugurated as President of the Republic of South Africa in 2018, the then Finance Minister Nhlanhla Nene resigned. The President appointed Mboweni as Minister of Finance in October 2018.

Mboweni made three consequential decisions in South Africa’s economic policy trajectory.

The first was the decision, in 2019, to freeze government wages from 2020. He was alarmed by the rapid and unsustainable increase in government wages. Together with slowing economic growth, this led to a fiscal position that was deteriorating at an alarming pace. The wage freeze ultimately started the slow return to the fiscal rectitude that had been the hallmark of the period of government before Jacob Zuma became president in 2009.

The second, also in 2019, was the publication of a paper on economic growth. It was known officially as “Economic transformation, inclusive growth, and competitiveness: Towards an Economic Strategy for South Africa”.

Unofficially it was known as the “Tito Paper”.

This set out a programme of much-needed economic reforms – including steps to lift the restrictions on private power generation. In the six years since the publication of the policy paper (and the subsequent reforms), a total of 6 GW of non-Eskom electricity has been added to the grid, saving South Africa six stages of load-shedding.

Other recommendations of the paper are being followed, including those for rail, telecommunications and ports.

The third was the introduction of a comprehensive response to the COVID-19 pandemic. This included a significant expansion of the grants system, with a Social Relief of Distress grant pegged at R350 per person per month. Research by the NIDS-CRAM initiative, led by Dr Nic Spaull of Stellenbosch University, has highlighted how the grant positively affected millions of people’s lives.

Enduring legacy

It is difficult to think of any other economic policymaker who has left such an enduring legacy.

Stellenbosch University awarded him an honorary doctorate in 2010 and appointed him Professor Extraordinary of Economics from 2002 to 2005 . He was a frequent participant at Bureau for Economic Research conferences. There, his engaging speaking style made him a popular drawcard.

His love of red wine and engaging conversation made him a popular visitor at the university. In 2010, he spent time at the Stellenbosch Institute for Advanced Studies as part of a research group working on the global financial crisis and its consequences for democracy.

This is an edited version of a tribute published by the Bureau for Economic Research, Stellenbosch University.

– Tito Mboweni: South African Minister and Reserve Bank governor who drove significant economic
reforms
– https://theconversation.com/tito-mboweni-south-african-minister-and-reserve-bank-governor-who-drove-significant-economic-reforms-241236

MIL OSI Africa –

January 23, 2025
MIL-OSI Africa: The remarkable career of Tito Mboweni: from South African freedom fighter to central bank governor and trusted politician

Source: The Conversation – Africa – By Jannie Rossouw, Visiting Professor at the Business School, University of the Witwatersrand

It is sad to write about Tito Mboweni in the past tense.

Tito Titus Mboweni, who was born on 16 March 1959 in Tzaneen, a town in South Africa in what was then the Transvaal, passed away after a short illness in Johannesburg on 12 October 2024.

After the announcement of his death, tributes poured in for this South African leader. Many have been touched by his legacy in politics, business, governance and the economy of South Africa.

While not without some shortcomings, his career from being a freedom fighter to becoming a trusted and popular public figure serves as an enduring example to others in leadership.

A career in service of society

During his lifetime, Mboweni managed to achieve multiple accomplishments. The first period of his career was as member of the African National Congress (ANC) liberation movement in exile, where he served as deputy head of the Department of Economic Policy in the ANC.

Political and public service was a second part of his career.

After the democratic elections of 1994, Mboweni served as minister of labour in the first cabinet of Nelson Mandela. In a surprise announcement in 1998, Mboweni was appointed as an advisor to the then governor of the South African Reserve Bank, Chris Stals. This was to prepare Mboweni for appointment as governor after the retirement of Stals.

Mboweni could not move directly into the position as governor, as section 4(2)(a) of the South African Reserve Bank Act states that the “governor shall be a person of tested banking experience”.

By serving as an advisor to Stals for a little over a year, Mboweni met this legal requirement. He was appointed as the eighth governor of the central bank on 8 August 1999.

At the time there were concerns about his commitment to the continuation of a policy of controlling inflation, ushered in successfully by Stals in the preceding decade. But Mboweni soon showed his commitment to the continued control of inflation.

He replaced the previous structure used for monetary policy decisions by Stals by establishing the Monetary Policy Committee in October 1999. This was in preparation for the adoption of inflation targeting as a policy objective for the bank.

After his retirement from the Reserve Bank, Mboweni commenced with the next stages of his career: a successful stint in business, which was interrupted by his return to politics. He served as minister of finance from 9 October 2018 to 5 August 2021. In this role he made it very clear that South Africa had to adopt a more prudent fiscal policy to avoid a too rapid growth in government debt. But this viewpoint made him unpopular with many cabinet and ANC colleagues, trade unions and others.

Once he left politics, Mboweni resumed his career in business. He also served the South African community in different ways. He held a number of appointments as honorary professor and was also a patron of the arts. He was also well-known for his enthusiasm for cooking, which he often posted about on social media.

Challenges

Mboweni had to withstand political pressure on the issue of the role of the Reserve Bank. He was exemplary in his protection of the autonomy and independence of bank, which is set out in sections 223 to 225 of the South African Constitution.

In this respect, he followed in the footsteps of Stals.

Politicians favour lower interest rates, particularly during election periods. But Mboweni was not afraid of being unpopular. He was steadfast in protecting the autonomy and independence of the South African Reserve Bank. Mboweni also led the central bank during the global financial crisis of 2008 . South Africa was one of the countries that did not suffer a banking crisis or collapse during that period.

Achievements

Mboweni’s single biggest achievement was his successful transition from an ANC freedom fighter in exile to his roles as senior politician, central bank governor and businessman.

His successful adoption of a policy of inflation targeting despite opposition was also a major achievement. Under Mboweni’s leadership the South African Reserve Bank showed critics that South Africa can make a continuous commitment to a low rate of inflation.

Other than establishing the Monetary Policy Committee, Mboweni also played a major role in bringing monetary policy closer to the people. Under his leadership, the bank was one of the first central banks in the world to announce monetary policy decisions about interest rates at a media conference. He also introduced the central bank’s Monetary Policy Forums, where the public can engage the senior leadership of the central bank on monetary policy.

Shortcomings

Mboweni had many successes in business, central banking and politics. He also a few shortcomings. One was that he did not insist on the readoption of the lower inflation target (3%-5%) announced in 2001, that was later abandoned. A lower inflation target some 20 years ago would have anchored South Africa’s inflation rate and inflation expectations on a lower trajectory.

It is difficult to judge whether Mboweni’s somewhat untimely (though not necessarily unexpected) resignation as finance minister can also be regarded as a failure. However, a finance minister can only function optimally with the support of the head of state. Such support was clearly lacking.

Legacy

Mboweni leaves a legacy of a successful transformation from a freedom fighter to a businessman, central banker and politician. If more former freedom fighters made this successful transition, South Africa’s prospects would look considerably better.

Another legacy is honesty and integrity. Mboweni was never embroiled in scandals or questionable business dealings. If other ANC cadres could follow this example, South Africa would also offer a better future for all its citizens.

– The remarkable career of Tito Mboweni: from South African freedom fighter to central bank governor and trusted politician
– https://theconversation.com/the-remarkable-career-of-tito-mboweni-from-south-african-freedom-fighter-to-central-bank-governor-and-trusted-politician-241234

MIL OSI Africa –

January 23, 2025
MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Union Health Minister Shri JP Nadda inaugurates 19th International Conference of Drug Regulatory Authorities
Source: Government of India (2)

Union Health Minister Shri JP Nadda inaugurates 19th International Conference of Drug Regulatory Authorities

ICDRA is being hosted for the first time in India, bringing together regulatory authorities, policymakers, and health officials from over 194 WHO member states

During the unprecedented COVID 19 pandemic, India emerged not only as a global leader in health resilience and innovation but also reaffirmed its role as the Pharmacy of the World: Shri JP Nadda

“The ICDRA platform provides a space to share knowledge, foster partnerships, and develop regulatory frameworks that ensure the safety, efficacy, and quality of medical products worldwide”

“CDSCO has developed robust systems for approving safe and efficacious drugs and medical devices in the country and for export to more than 200 countries in the world”

“More than 95% regulatory processes currently have been digitized at CDSCO, bringing transparency and increasing trust among stakeholders”

Global cooperation is important in drug regulation, particularly in light of challenges such as antimicrobial resistance, the post-pandemic world, and the safe use of AI in healthcare: Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus

Posted On: 14 OCT 2024 1:48PM by PIB Delhi

Shri Jagat Prakash Nadda, Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare inaugurated the 19th International Conference of Drug Regulatory Authorities (ICDRA), here today. The event which is being hosted for the first time in India, from 14^th – 18^th October by the Central Drugs Standard Control Organization (CDSCO), Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, in collaboration with the World Health Organization (WHO) brought together regulatory authorities, policymakers, and health officials from over 194 WHO member states.

Addressing the occasion, Shri JP Nadda emphasized on the shared commitment for enhancing global healthcare standards and safeguarding public health. He highlighted that during the unprecedented COVID 19 pandemic, India emerged not only as a global leader in health resilience and innovation but also reaffirmed its role as the Pharmacy of the World. “India rapidly expanded its healthcare infrastructure and scaled up vaccine production to meet both domestic and global demands. The successful rollout of the COVID-19 vaccination program, covering over a billion people, is a testament to the robustness of our healthcare system, the dedication of our health workers, and the soundness of our policies”, he said.

The Union Health Minister highlighted that India played a crucial role in ensuring affordable access to essential medicines, vaccines, and medical supplies for nations across the globe. “Guided by the principle of ‘Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam’ – the world is one family, we extended our support to more than 150 countries, providing life-saving drugs and vaccines during the pandemic. This spirit of international solidarity is at the heart of India’s approach to global health. We believe that our progress is inseparable from the progress of the world, and as such, we remain committed to contributing to global health security and sustainability”, he said.

Shri Nadda noted that “the ICDRA platform provides a space to share knowledge, foster partnerships, and develop regulatory frameworks that ensure the safety, efficacy, and quality of medical products worldwide.”

Highlighting the achievements of CDSCO, Shri Nadda said that “it has developed robust systems for approving safe and efficacious drugs and medical devices in the country and for export to more than 200 countries in the world”. Availability of Quality medicine at affordable price is at the core, he said. He also informed that “8 drug testing labs are operational today while 2 more are in pipeline. 8 Mini testing Labs are operational at different ports for quick testing and release of drugs and raw material being imported. In addition, 38 State Drug Regulator’s Testing Labs are operational. Altogether, more than a hundred thousand samples are being tested every year under regulatory surveillance mechanism.”

The Union Minister also stated that “more than 95% regulatory processes currently have been digitized at CDSCO, bringing transparency and increasing trust among stakeholders.” He also stated that, “Considering the importance of medical devices in health care delivery, Medical Device industry in India is also being regulated. Drugs Rules have been amended to make Good Manufacturing Practice Guidelines more comprehensive and at par with the WHO-GMP guidelines.”

It was also pointed out that in order to make drug supply chain robust, it has been made mandatory to provide Bar Code or Quick Response Code (QR Code) on top 300 brands of drug products. Similarly, QR Code is mandatory on all API packs, either being imported or manufactured in India.

The Union Minister concluded his address by underscoring India’s full committed to advancing global health. “We believe in 3 Ss i.e. “Skill, Speed and Scale” and by focusing on these three aspects, we have been able to meet the increasing demand for Pharma products while adhering to global quality standards without any compromise. We are prepared to address pressing challenges, from antimicrobial resistance to ensuring equitable access to life-saving treatments. We are not just participants in this dialogue; we are partners in building a healthier, safer and more resilient world”, he said.

Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General of WHO, in his speech, commended India for hosting this crucial global regulatory forum and highlighted the importance of global cooperation in drug regulation, particularly in light of challenges such as antimicrobial resistance, the post-pandemic world, and the safe use of AI in healthcare.

Dr Saima Wazed, Regional Director, WHO Southeast Asia Region stated that “India is the largest provider of generic medicines while the Indian Pharmaceutical Industry is the third largest in the world. She noted that India provides over 50% of the world’s vaccine demands. She emphasized that a strong regulatory system is crucial to achieving universal health coverage and highlighted the need for strengthened regulatory convergence and information sharing between national regulatory authorities.

Smt. Punya Salila Srivastava, Union Health Secretary stated that “the Indian pharmaceutical industry has recently become the 4^th largest export sector of India, exemplifying the level of our integration into the global pharmaceutical supply chain. India is the third largest producer of pharmaceuticals in the world, and has the largest number of US FDA approved plants outside the USA.” She also highlighted that “India supply 50% of the world’s vaccines, most of them going to UN agencies like WHO, UNICEF and the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) and to organisations like GAVI.

Ms. Malebona Precious Matsoso, Co-Chair, WHO Intergovernmental Negotiation Body, South Africa said that “regulation of medical products is one of the most crucial aspects today. The impact of regulatory decisions is found not only at the national or global level but also in the hospital rooms.” Public health interventions and response can be shortened through efficient regulation and oversight, she said.

Highlighting India as the pharmacy of the world, she said that this tag comes with certain expectations and capacities about India. She concluded her address by emphasising on smart regulation as opposed to under-regulation and over-regulation.

Dr. Rajeev Singh Raghuvanshi, Drugs Controller General of India highlighted India’s achievements in drugs control and medical devices sector, including the approval of India’s first CAR T-cell therapy. “We are continuously upgrading our skills and capacities in our systems and are on a path towards low regulation and high execution”, he said.

As a precursor to the main conference, an exhibition was also held which showcased India’s innovation, capabilities, and leadership in the pharmaceutical, medical devices, and clinical research sectors. Key industry players, including pharmaceutical giants, medical device manufacturers, and healthcare innovators, presented their advancements and breakthroughs to an international audience of regulators and stakeholders. This exhibition served as a testament to India’s standing as the “Pharmacy of the World” and its growing influence in global healthcare.

In addition to the main conference sessions, several side meetings will take place, where representatives from various countries will engage in focused discussions on specific regulatory challenges and opportunities. These meetings will facilitate bilateral and multilateral dialogues on strengthening regulatory systems, promoting innovation, and fostering collaboration to address global health needs.

Key Discussions and Regulatory Challenges

The 5-day conference will feature a series of insightful sessions where regulatory authorities and industry leaders will deliberate on key issues affecting global drug and medical device regulation. Some of the prominent sessions include:
- Plenary Session on Smart Regulation: Discussions will revolve around the evolving landscape of regulatory reliance and the World Listed Authorities (WLA) framework. Global regulators will explore how to enhance cooperation to streamline processes across countries.
- Workshops on Medical Devices: A significant focus will be placed on the regulation of medical devices, including IVDs (In Vitro Diagnostics), where experts will discuss trends in global and regional regulatory frameworks.
- Quality of Pharmaceutical Starting Materials: This workshop will shed light on the need for stringent regulations in ensuring the quality and safety of pharmaceutical products from their very inception.
- Artificial Intelligence in Healthcare: Regulators and industry experts will discuss the role of AI in improving regulatory oversight, pharmaco-vigilance, and clinical trials, while also addressing the challenges related to data privacy and implementation.
- Regulatory Preparedness in Response to the COVID-19 Pandemic: This is a plenary session focused on the lessons learned from the COVID-19 pandemic and the need for continued regulatory innovation to prepare for future public health emergencies.
The 19th ICDRA will emphasize strengthening global regulatory systems through partnerships and collective efforts. Regulatory authorities from various nations will discuss challenges and opportunities in harmonizing regulations for medical products, addressing antimicrobial resistance (AMR), and advancing traditional medicines.

Dr Rajiv Bahl, Secretary, Dept. of Health Research and DG ICMR; Shri Rajiv Wadhawan, Advisor (Cost), Health Ministry; Dr Roderico H. Ofrin, WHO Representative to India and senior officials of the Union Health Ministry were present at the event.

***

MV

HFW/ HFM ICDRA Inaugural /14^th October 2024/1

(Release ID: 2064618) Visitor Counter : 105

MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –
January 23, 2025
MIL-OSI Europe: Written question – Measures and action following the ruling by the CJEU suspending the agreement with Morocco – E-001964/2024
Source: European Parliament
Question for written answer E-001964/2024
to the Commission
Rule 144
Carmen Crespo Díaz (PPE)

The ruling issued by the Court of Justice of the European Union annulling the trade agreements between the European Union and Morocco is creating uncertainty about how the European Commission’s new negotiations with the Kingdom of Morocco will impact European producers.

In view of the above:

1.What will be the terms of the negotiation for the new trade agreements between the EU and Morocco?

2.What measures will the Commission take in response to the CJEU ruling on the agreement with Morocco in order to protect European farmers?

Submitted: 4.10.2024
Last updated: 14 October 2024
MIL OSI Europe News –
January 23, 2025
MIL-OSI Europe: Written question – Spain’s detention of 40 Sahrawis at Madrid airport – E-001808/2024
Source: European Parliament
Question for written answer E-001808/2024/rev.1
to the Commission
Rule 144
Irene Montero (The Left), Isabel Serra Sánchez (The Left)

Forty Sahrawi people are being detained in a holding room at Barajas Airport (Madrid) after applying for asylum on the grounds that their lives will be in danger if they are deported to Morocco. Some 29 of them are on hunger strike. These people are being persecuted in the occupied territories of Western Sahara, for which Spain has a historical and legal responsibility as an administering power under international law.

Their prolonged detention could infringe the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union, the right to human dignity, freedom and security, and the right to seek asylum. It could violate, too, the principle of non-refoulement, which prohibits the return of individuals to countries where they could face torture or inhuman treatment. It may also breach the Asylum Procedure Directive and the Reception Conditions Directive for applicants for international protection.

In view of this:

1.What urgent measures will the Commission take to ensure that Spain complies with the EU rules on asylum and the principle of non-refoulement?

2.What steps could it take to help protect the Sahrawi asylum seekers, given the occupation of Western Sahara and human rights violations in that territory?

Submitted: 24.9.2024
Last updated: 14 October 2024
MIL OSI Europe News –
January 23, 2025
MIL-OSI Russia: Comet C/2023 A3 (Zijinshan–ATLAS) Became Visible at Sunset

MILES AXLE Translation. Region: Russian Federation –

Source: Novosibirsk State University – Novosibirsk State University –

The comet became visible at the time predicted by astronomers in the predicted geometry of the celestial vault. It is observed close to the horizon, where the Sun “sets” and disappears behind the edge of the Earth’s disk.

Comet C/2023 A3 (Tsuchinshan–ATLAS) is a short-period comet. It received a double name because it was discovered simultaneously by two teams of observers: on February 27, 2023, at the 50-cm ATLAS survey telescope in South Africa, and on January 9, a month and a half earlier, by employees of the Chinese Tsuchinshan Asteroid Survey. Its periodicity is about 70 years.

The presented images were taken by the staff of the Educational Astrophysical Automated Complex Faculty of Physics, NSU on Friday, October 11, in the Kolyvansky district of the Novosibirsk region, where the cloud cover was not as dense as in Novosibirsk.

As Alfiya Nesterenko, head of the Educational Astrophysical Automated Complex of the Physics Department of NSU, notes, the bright coma and very long tail make this comet very noticeable and memorable. The distance to the Sun is currently not the closest in trajectory, and the influence of the Sun has not yet “split” the tail into ion (usually bluish-green) and gas (usually white-yellow) components. The comet is currently at its brightest. It will be visible in the Northern Hemisphere for another two to three weeks, but it will gradually rise higher above the horizon and become less bright.

This is not the last memorable astronomical event of this autumn. Recently, on September 27, 2024, another new comet C/2024 S1 (ATLAS) was discovered.

In the Northern Hemisphere, it will only be visible on October 28 for a few hours, in the early evening, when it gets dark. However, only the comet’s tail will be visible, without the coma.

— You can try to see the tail during the day on October 28, looking in the direction of the Sun. But you must use black or gray filters, as during a total solar eclipse, otherwise you can get a retinal burn. The tail will start from the solar disk and cross a significant part of the sky. The speed of the comet is abnormally high, which will allow you to observe the tail of the comet, “twisted” around the Sun. This rare astronomical event can be seen on October 28, 2024, from approximately 07:00 to 15:00, culminating at 11:00 (UTC). The brightness of the comet and its tail can be several times or even tens of times greater than the brightness of the full Moon, — said Alfia Nesterenko.

The publication was prepared based on materials provided by the head of the Educational Astrophysical Automated Complex of the Physics Department of NSU, Alfiya Nesterenko.

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.

Please note; This information is raw content directly from the information source. It is accurate to what the source is stating and does not reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

http://www.nsu.ru/n/media/nevs/science/comet-with-2023-az-zijingshan-atlas-became-visible-at-sunset/

MIL OSI Russia News –

January 23, 2025
MIL-OSI Africa: African Development Bank, Agence Française de Développement cement partnership to support youth entrepreneurship in Africa

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

ABIDJAN, Ivory Coast, October 14, 2024/APO Group/ —

The African Development Bank Group (www.AfDB.org) and Agence Française de Développement (AFD) on Friday announced they would renew their joint efforts to catalyse resources to boost entrepreneurship in Africa as a crucial driver of economic development, tackling unemployment and reducing inequality.

African Development Bank President Dr Akinwumi A. Adesina and Agence Française de Développement Chief Executive Officer Rémy Rioux signed a letter of intent on behalf of their institutions following a meeting in Abidjan, home to the Bank’s headquarters.

Through its Youth Entrepreneurship Investment Bank (YEB) initiative, the African Development Bank is providing an ecosystem and entrepreneurial services, promoting inclusive, private sector-led economic growth, and creating opportunities for young entrepreneurs. The Agence Française de Développement’s Choose Africa 2 program (http://apo-opa.co/3NqMq7a), seeks to deepen its impact by fostering public policy dialogue, supporting governments in creating a conducive ecosystem for entrepreneurship development, and addressing the technical and financial support needs of entrepreneurs.

Together, the organisations through these initiatives and others, will collaborate closely to support and advocate for entrepreneurship in Africa and strengthen entrepreneurial ecosystems.

Noting the challenge of transforming the demographic dividend of Africa’s over 400 million youth into economic dividends, Adesina said he was fully satisfied with the cooperation with AFD “which testifies to our commitment to job creation for the continent of Africa.”

“We will be putting our risk capital to the benefit of youth. The greatest risk is not investing in youth. The future of Africa is in on the continent,” Adesina said.

Remy Rioux said it was imperative to emphasise the economic welfare of African youth to avoid the pitfalls of economic migration. “Every year 20 million youth – the population of Senegal – join the workforce in Africa,” he noted. He commended the work of the African Development Bank, especially the Affirmative Finance Action for Women in Africa (AFAWA) initiative which has made “spectacular achievements by financing women,” he said. Under partnership between Choose Africa 2 and the African Development Bank’s youth investment banks AFD is developing instruments that will benefit and create opportunities for youth in Cote d’Ivoire, Benin and Togo, Rioux said.

Rioux was accompanied by AFD’s Director of Cabinet Tristan Mouline, Lionel Yondo, Regional Director for the Gulf of Guinea, Adrien Haye, director of the Cote d’Ivoire office and Noor Mountassir, Côte d’Ivoire country office head. From the African Development Bank, Dr Adesina was accompanied by members of the senior management team. Jerome Bertrand-Hardy, who has been seconded to the Bank from AFD, also attended.

Africa is home to the youngest population in the world with over 60% of people on the continent below 25 years. The youth population dynamic is fueling the rise of youth-led businesses but, significant hurdles remain. Africa’s finance gap for Small and Medium Enterprises stands at $ 331billion, with over half of the MSMEs unable to access the credit they need for growth and sustainability.

MIL OSI Africa –

January 23, 2025
MIL-OSI Economics: Appointment of Director General for the East Africa Regional Development, Integration and Business Delivery Office, and Country Manager for Kenya Dr…

Source: African Development Bank Group

The African Development Bank Group is pleased to announce the appointment of Dr. Kennedy K. Mbekeani as Director General for the East Africa Regional Development, Integration and Business Delivery Office, and Country Manager for Kenya, effective from 16th October 2024.

Dr. Kennedy K. Mbekeani, a citizen of Malawi brings over 25 years of senior level experience in development finance, project management, policy advisory services, and knowledge generation across country and regional levels. Prior to this appointment, he served as Deputy Director General for the Bank’s Southern Africa Regional Development, Integration and Business Delivery Office.

He holds a Bachelor of Social Science (Economics and Statistics) degree from the University of Malawi, an MPhil in Monetary Economics from the University of Glasgow, and both an MA and PhD in International Economics from the University of California. He has authored numerous publications focusing on trade, regional integration, and infrastructure development in Africa.

In his previous role as Deputy Director General for the Southern Africa Regional Development, Integration and Business Delivery Office, Dr. Mbekeani led the Bank’s business development and delivery for sovereign, non-sovereign investments and provided advisory services to South Africa, Lesotho, Botswana, Eswatini, Namibia and Mauritius. His efforts contributed to the Bank’s reputation as a trusted partner for high impact development projects in the region. He also managed relationships with key government and private sector, positioning the Bank for success.

Dr. Mbekeani joined the Bank in 2009 as Chief Trade and Regional Integration Officer. He has held various senior roles including Lead Regional Economist at the South African Resource Centre, Officer in Charge and Acting Regional Director of the Bank’s South African Resource Centre in South Africa, and Officer in Charge of the Bank’s Ghana Country Office. When he served Country Manager for Uganda, he successfully expanded the Bank’s portfolio to over $2 billion.

Before joining the Bank, Dr. Mbekeani worked for the United Nations Development Programme as a Trade, Debt and Globalisation Advisor for East and Southern Africa. He also served as Senior Research Fellow at the Botswana Institute for Development Policy Analysis, and Senior Economist at the National Institute for Economic Policy in South Africa.

Commenting his appointment, Dr. Mbekeani said: “I am grateful and feel honoured by the confidence President Adesina placed in me through this appointment, as Director General for the East Africa Regional Development, Integration and Business Delivery Office and Country Manager for Kenya. I look forward to working with the President, the Board of Directors, Senior Management, our teams and stakeholders to enhance the Bank’s operational efficiency, effectiveness and drive impactful developmental outcomes across the region”.

Commenting the appointment, the President of the African Development Bank Group, Dr. Akinwumi Adesina said: “I am delighted to appoint Dr. Kennedy Mbekeani as Director General for the East Africa Regional Development, Integration and Business Delivery Office, and Country Manager for Kenya. Kennedy brings extensive experience in managing operations, policy dialogue, coupled with astute diplomacy and well-tested ability to work effectively with countries and development partners. He had previously worked in East Africa as the Country Manager for Uganda, before being promoted to the position of Deputy Director General of the Southern Africa Regional Development, Integration and Business Delivery Office. His knowledge of the Eastern Africa region and well-proven experience in delivering robust operations for the public and private sectors will strongly benefit the work and operations of the African Development Bank Group in East Africa and all countries in the region”.

MIL OSI Economics –

January 23, 2025