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Category: Africa

  • MIL-OSI USA News: Background Press Call on President  Biden’s Engagements at  UNGA

    Source: The White House

    Via Teleconference

    5:33 P.M. EDT

    MODERATOR:  This is Michael Feldman with the NSC press team.  Just as a reminder for today’s call, it is on background and attributable to senior administration officials.  The call is also under embargo until 5:00 a.m. Eastern Standard Time tomorrow morning.

    For awareness and not for attribution, on today’s call we have [senior administration official] and [senior administration official].  I will now turn the call over to [senior administration official] to give some opening remarks.  Over to you.

    SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL:  Excellent.  Thank you.  And good evening, everybody.  We’re very excited for the President’s trip to this year’s U.N. General Assembly, the last one of his presidency. 

    So, at meetings at the U.N. this week, we’re going to get a lot of business done for the American people.  The President, the Secretary of State, other Cabinet officials, and even some members of Congress are here in New York to advocate for our country’s interests and values. 

    At the General Assembly, the President will do what he has done throughout his presidency: rally global action to tackle some of our world’s biggest challenges.  So, for example, he’ll be talking this week about the climate crisis and the environment.  We’ll be talking about the need to strengthen our systems for providing humanitarian assistance; to end brutal wars in Gaza, Ukraine, and Sudan; and we’ll also be talking about the implications of new technologies such as artificial intelligence. 

    When President Biden came to office nearly four years ago, he pledged to restore American leadership on the world stage.  And given that this is the President’s last General Assembly, it’s a chance for him to talk about how this approach has produced results, real achievements for the American people and for the world. 

    The President’s engagements this week reflect his vision for a world where countries come together to solve big problems.  This stands in contrast to some of our competitors, who have a more cynical and transactional worldview, one where countries interpret their self-interest very narrowly and don’t work together for the common good. 

    An overarching theme at this year’s General Assembly will be the need to reform and strengthen our global institutions, including the U.N., to make them more effective and inclusive.  And that’s been a big theme of the U.N. Secretary-General’s Summit for the Future, the marquee event at high-level week this year. 

    Last week, President Biden released a video message ahead of the summit.  I encourage you all watch it.  You can find it on the Web.  In the video, the President spoke about using this moment to reaffirm our commitment to the Charter of the United Nations, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.  And he talked about pushing for a stronger, more effective United Nations and a reformed and expanded Security Council.  And he also talked about our efforts, investing billions in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals and building on the global consensus that we achieved last spring in the United Nations General Assembly on principles for the use of artificial intelligence. 

    We’re going into a General Assembly this year with the world facing many steep challenges, problems so big no one country can solve them on their own, but that’s why the President feels so strongly the world needs strong and effective global institutions, including an adapted United Nations.  This is his vision of countries working together.  It has been a theme of his presidency and an important part of his legacy. 

    Let me just briefly note the President’s key engagements, and then I’ll turn over to my colleague to discuss the major event that he’s hosting on the Global Coalition to Address Synthetic Drug Threats. 

    On Tuesday morning, tomorrow, he will deliver and address to the U.N. General Assembly.  It will have many of the themes that I’ve mentioned here and talk about — again, some of the achievements of his approach to the United Nations and global cooperation. 

    The President will also meet tomorrow with U.N. Secretary-General Guterres to talk about how the United States and the United Nations are working together to advance peace, safeguard human rights, and help countries develop. 

    On Tuesday afternoon, the President will host a summit of the Global Coalition to Address Synthetic Drug Threats, and I’ll turn over to my colleague in a second to talk about that. 

    The President is also giving a major address later that afternoon on the urgent need to combat climate change. 

    On Wednesday, the President will meet with the President of Vietnam, To Lam.  The President of Vietnam just came into office four months ago, and this meeting will be an important opportunity for the two leaders to talk about our shared interest in stability and prosperity in Southeast Asia. 

    The President will also attend, that afternoon, a meeting focused on Ukraine reconstruction with other world leaders. 

    And then on Wednesday evening, at the Met, the President will host world leaders and senior U.N. officials for a reception. 

    This is just a small slice of all the diplomacy and business that we’re doing here at the U.N. General Assembly.  There’ll be high-level meetings on the future of multilateral cooperation, sea level rise, antimicrobial resistance.  Really, every big, major challenge will be addressed here, and we’ll have senior U.S. representatives at all of these main events on issues such as the impact of emerging technology and specific meetings on global crises such as the difficult situation in Haiti, Sudan, Venezuela, Ukraine, Syria, and the Rohingya refugee crisis. 

    Other U.S.-hosted and U.S.-attended side events will focus on climate; scaling clean energy for Africa; a major core group meeting of countries committed to LGBTQ rights that was attended by the First Lady; and partnering for a lead-free future. 

    So, again, this is just a small slice of everything that is going on, plus the countless private sector and civil society events focusing on the great challenges of the 21st century. 

    So, as I mentioned, we’re going to use this high-level week, the President’s last U.N. General Assembly, to get as much done for the American people in the coming days.

    I’d like to now turn over to my colleague who will discuss the President’s summit on the Global Coalition to Address Synthetic Drug Threats.

    SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL:  Great.  Thanks so much, and thanks to all of you for joining this call. 

    I wanted to share with you the exciting news that, on Tuesday, President Biden will, as [senior administration official] already said, host a summit of the Global Coalition to Address Synthetic Drug Threats.  This is a coalition that President Biden launched in June 2023 to mobilize international action to tackle the synthetic drug crisis. 

    In just over one year, this global coalition has grown to include 158 countries and 15 international organizations working together to prevent the illicit manufacture and trafficking of synthetic drugs, to detect emerging drug threats, and to promote effective public health interventions. 

    With the summit as a motivating force, we now have 11 core coalition countries that will be joining the President tomorrow, and they will be announcing new initiatives that will continue to advance the work of the coalition, including work to prevent, detect, and disrupt the supply chain of synthetic drugs. 

    It’s important to emphasize that these international efforts complement intensive work that’s already been done and is being done domestically, including an increased focus on coordinated disruption of drug trafficking networks and concerted efforts to make the opioid overdose reversal medication, naloxone, widely available over the counter. 

    These are just some of a wide array of actions that the Biden-Harris administration has taken to tackle the synthetic drug threats. 

    And as a result of these efforts, we’re starting to see the largest drop in overdose deaths in recorded history.  When President Biden and Vice President Harris came into office, the number of drug overdose deaths was increasing by more than 30 percent year over year.  Now we have the latest provisional data released from the Centers for Disease Control, National Center for Health Statistics, showing an unprecedented decline in overdose deaths of roughly 10 percent from April 2023 to April 2024.

    But there’s a lot more to be done, and the Global Coalition’s work recognizes that we need a global solution to a global problem. 

    We are thrilled that we have so many countries coming together tomorrow to celebrate the work of the coalition, and we also will be announcing a new pledge that all of the core coalition members will be announcing — will be signing on to tomorrow, and we will be working over the coming months to ensure that all coalition members sign on to this pledge. 

    And we truly think that this is a reflection of President Biden’s commitment to work both domestically and globally on the most important challenges that we face, recognizing that we need both domestic action and global action working together. 

    And with that, I’ll turn it back to [senior administration official].

    SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL:  Thanks, Michael.  I’ll turn it back to you. 

    MODERATOR:  All right.  Thank you, [senior administration officials].  All right, with that, we will take some questions. 

    The first question is going to go to Zeke Miller.  You should be able to unmute yourself. 

    Q    Thanks so much for doing this.  You mentioned this is the President’s last U.N. of his presidency.  He’s going to deliver remarks to the General Assembly tomorrow.  Can you give us a preview, potentially, of what his message will be?  And will it be different from his prior remarks, in the sense — you know, obviously, world events have changed, but, you know, with an eye towards his legacy?  Or is there some message he’s trying to give on the world stage before he leaves office in January?  Thank you.

    SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL:  You know, the themes I — thanks, Zeke.  The themes I previewed at the beginning will be really central to the President.  So, again, he came into office four years ago with a vision of America returning to the world stage, having a new way of interacting with other countries, bringing countries together to solve some of these big challenges.  This will be a good opportunity for him to look at the results that have been achieved. 

    We live in a world with many problems, with many divisions, but we have a story to tell about what we’ve done to rally the world to defend Ukraine’s sovereignty, uphold principles of the U.N. Charter; what we’ve done to manage responsibly our competition with other countries including China; and also what we’re doing to deal with the ongoing and serious conflicts in our world in places like Gaza, where the President has worked tirelessly to get a hostage ceasefire deal, and conflicts like Sudan, where you have absolutely unprecedented displacement and a really serious crisis that we think needs to get more attention. 

    So I think that will be the frame, and I’ll leave the details for the President’s speech tomorrow.

    MODERATOR:  Great.  Thank you very much.  Our next question is going to go to Asma Khalid.  You should be able to unmute yourself.

    Q    Yes.  Hi.  Thanks for doing this.  Similarly, sort of on the speech, could I get a sort of broad, I guess, framework or tone that you all are thinking about?  I know you say that the President came into office talking about building international coalitions, wanting to rebuild the United States stature on the world, but this is a really different moment than when the President even gave the speech last year, before October 7th.  He is now leaving office, and there are multiple sort of intractable problems right now in the world.  And can you just kind of give us any sense of tone in how the President is thinking about that and the very limited time he has left to solve them?

    SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL:  Thanks, Asma.  Look, I think it’s a good question.  The world has changed.  The world has gotten more difficult in many ways, as you noted. 

    But, you know, as I said, the President came into office with a vision of how countries need to work together, how they need to work through institutions, how they need to partner to solve big global challenges.  And the fact that we do have these challenges, the fact that we do have Gaza, the fact that we do have Ukraine and Sudan, still serious issues in our world, just underscores the need for that kind of cooperation.  And I think you’ll hear that in his speech. 

    Yes, he’ll talk about the significant accomplishments, achievements of his approach, but also talk about how we need the spirit, we need to continue working together to solve these big challenges, whether it is the wars you mentioned or other challenges such as the climate crisis or managing the implications of some of the new technologies. 

    So I think this will be an important moment to say: Where do we go and what are the principles in which we’re going to solve these problems?  Thanks.

    MODERATOR:  Thank you very much.  Our next question is going to go to Paris Huang.  You should be able to unmute yourself. 

    Q    All right.  Hi.  Thank you, Michael.  Thank you, [senior administration official].  Two-parts question.  So, kind of follow up on the questions from Zeke and Asma.  So, of course, we know China and Russia have been heavily influencing the U.N. for years.  You know, we see all those voting records.  And President Biden have been doing a lot of reform during the four years.  Does he believe that those changes will sustain after he leaves the White House?

    And second question: In last year’s UNGA remarks, President Biden talked about the peace and stability of Taiwan Strait, which was the first time a U.S. president actually talked about Taiwan at the UNGA.  So, will he include Taiwan again in his remarks this year?  Thank you.

    SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL:  Thanks.  And I appreciate the question.  I think it’s a good question in terms of, you know, have we left the United Nations as an institution better off.  I think we do have results, and the President will talk about that.  You know, it’s a time of great divisions, and the U.N. has already been — has always been a reflection of the world as it is. 

    That said, when you look at what we’ve done, including through the United Nations, to, for example, rally the world to defend the U.N. Charter after the Ukrainian invasion, we secured a U.N. General Assembly resolution in which 141 countries stood up and said, “We condemn this, and we stand in favor of the U.N. Charter.”

    You’ve also seen a more progressive and forward-leaning position on institutional reform.  For example, two years ago, the President announced a shift and a more forward-leaning position in reforming and expanding the United Nations Security Council.  And that’s definitely a piece of this well as well. 

    I won’t get into the details on, you know, specifically what he’ll mention on individual issues, but I will say that an important part of the President’s legacy has been thinking about how we responsibly manage our competition with China, and that includes many facets, economic security, and those will be addressed in the speech.

    MODERATOR:  Thank you very much.  Our next question is going to go to Sheryl Gay Stolberg.  You should be able to unmute yourself, Sheryl.

    Q    Hi.  Thank you for doing this call.  You know, this is not a political speech, but it does occur in the context of an election in which one of the candidates has an isolationist vision that is far apart, diametrically opposed to that of the President.  And I’m wondering, to what extent can the President use this speech to ensure that his own vision of global alliances survives?  Is he concerned that that vision will unravel?

    And will this speech be in any way directed to the American people, as much as to world leaders, as a reminder of the importance of America’s place in the world?

    SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL:  Look, as you said, this is not a political speech, but the President, again, he has a vision.  He came into a vision — into office.  That vision has produced results.  And there are many opponents and critics of that vision, not just internationally but at home.  It has been the President’s view that he needs to explain why this vision of working together with countries to solve these big challenges actually produces results, and that’s actually how we’re going to be measured. 

    And when I say “produces results,” that means internationally, in terms of ending war, in terms of tackling challenges like sustainable development, the debt crisis, climate, but it also means that he needs to explain how his vision has produced results for the American people.  And that’s where I think there’s a very strong record, and some of it is very, very tangible. 

    For example, the summit on the coalition on synthetic drugs, that is him bringing together countries, all of whom share a challenge — dealing with synthetic drugs — but convening them here, talking about deliverables, talking about how we’re going to work together.  And this is something that directly affects the situation of the American public, as my colleague briefed earlier, in terms of the overall record on issues like fentanyl. 

    So I think he’ll lay that out tomorrow, and I think it will stand as representing that vision and what it’s achieved.

    MODERATOR:  Thank you very much.  We will go to Danny Kemp.  You should be able to unmute yourself.

    Q    Thanks very much for doing this.  I just wanted to ask about the current situation in the Middle East.  I mean, you know, the speech tomorrow is really going to be a bit overshadowed by the events in Lebanon, where we’ve seen nearly 500 people killed in the space of a day.  How’s he going to address that?  And more particularly, how will the President be seeking to — will he be talking to other leaders about that?  What’s he actually going to be doing at the UNGA more generally to try and get this thing sorted out?  Thanks.

    SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL:  This is one of the advantages of the U.N. General Assembly: You literally have the whole world here.  So when you do have crises of the day, they’ll be addressed.  And I have no doubt that the situation in the Middle East will be an important theme in a lot of the meetings, not just that the President has, but other senior U.S. officials who will be convening to talk about various aspects of the crisis and what we can do to stabilize the situation. 

    He will address the Middle East, especially this very, very difficult year that we have all gone through.  And again, I think it’s an opportunity to talk about what we have achieved and what we still need to do, given a situation that is just heartbreaking where hostages have not been returned, the humanitarian situation in Gaza, and, as you know, just such a sensitive issue, such a delicate and dangerous situation between Israel and Lebanon right now.

    Thanks.

    MODERATOR:  Thank you very much.  And unfortunately, that is all the time we have today.  Thank you all for joining this call.  Thank you to our speakers.  And feel free to follow up with our team at the NSC press team with any questions. 

    And again, this call is under embargo until 5:00 a.m. tomorrow.  Thank you all again, and hope you have a great rest of your evening.

    5:53 P.M. EDT

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: New White Paper on Experience Monetization with Intelligent Core Network

    Source: Huawei

    Headline: New White Paper on Experience Monetization with Intelligent Core Network

    [Dubai, the United Arab Emirates, September 10, 2024] GlobalData, a renowned consulting firm, has just released a thought-provoking white paper titled Intelligent Core Network: Starting a New Chapter in Experience Monetization, in collaboration with Huawei and a global coalition of leading operators including AIS in Thailand, Cell C in South Africa, China Mobile, du in the UAE, the e& group, and Turkcell in Türkiye. This insightful report sheds light on the challenges operators face under traditional traffic monetization models and makes a compelling case for harnessing intelligence technologies to deliver tailored experiences that cater to users’ diverse needs. It can be used as a roadmap for transforming operators’ business models from traffic-based to experience-driven, so as to unlock new avenues for growth.
    White paper release ceremony

    The widespread adoption of traditional traffic-based operation models has led to a homogenization of services, making it harder than ever for operators to stand out in a crowded market. The rise of OTT players has further intensified competition, leading to declining revenue growth for operators and a pressing need for new growth opportunities. However, as mobile networks continue to evolve at a tremendous rate, traditional network architectures are unable to keep up with the diversification of users’ service requirements. This is where the concept of experience monetization comes in. It is a game-changing idea that enables operators to transform their business models and unlock new revenue streams. By providing personalized and differentiated services, operators can take advantage of their network capabilities to meet users’ diverse needs while also offering tailored pricing models. This innovative approach not only elevates the user experience but also creates new opportunities for revenue growth.
    Conventional network operations are often hindered by four key breakpoints: unclear target users and services, inaccurate and untimely experience perception, slow and imprecise strategy optimization, and lack of user awareness of experience assurance. Experience monetization offers a solution to these challenges by leveraging intelligence technologies and the Network Data Analytics Function (NWDAF) to facilitate data analysis and intelligent decision-making. By combining these capabilities, operators can achieve closed-loop management of service awareness, experience optimization, and operations, ultimately leading to better user experiences and improved business outcomes.
    Today, forward-thinking operators are actively exploring new experience monetization models to boost their bottom line and stay ahead of the competition. Delving into the best practices of multiple operators in China, Asia Pacific, and the Middle East, the white paper highlights the success of differentiated experience payment models in areas such as video, live streaming, and gaming. These innovative approaches have yielded significant returns. Yet while the industry is witnessing a growing trend in experience monetization, there remains substantial market potential waiting to be tapped.
    The release of this white paper provides operators with a roadmap for better navigating the intelligent era and driving their growth forward.
    The white paper is available at: https://www.verdict.co.uk/downloads/whitepapers/data/intelligent-5g-core-starting-a-new-chapter-in-experience-monetization/#globaldata-technology

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: New White Paper on Experience Monetization with Intelligent Core Network Sep 24, 2024

    Source: Huawei

    Headline: New White Paper on Experience Monetization with Intelligent Core Network
    Sep 24, 2024

    [Dubai, the United Arab Emirates, September 10, 2024] GlobalData, a renowned consulting firm, has just released a thought-provoking white paper titled Intelligent Core Network: Starting a New Chapter in Experience Monetization, in collaboration with Huawei and a global coalition of leading operators including AIS in Thailand, Cell C in South Africa, China Mobile, du in the UAE, the e& group, and Turkcell in Türkiye. This insightful report sheds light on the challenges operators face under traditional traffic monetization models and makes a compelling case for harnessing intelligence technologies to deliver tailored experiences that cater to users’ diverse needs. It can be used as a roadmap for transforming operators’ business models from traffic-based to experience-driven, so as to unlock new avenues for growth.
    White paper release ceremony

    The widespread adoption of traditional traffic-based operation models has led to a homogenization of services, making it harder than ever for operators to stand out in a crowded market. The rise of OTT players has further intensified competition, leading to declining revenue growth for operators and a pressing need for new growth opportunities. However, as mobile networks continue to evolve at a tremendous rate, traditional network architectures are unable to keep up with the diversification of users’ service requirements. This is where the concept of experience monetization comes in. It is a game-changing idea that enables operators to transform their business models and unlock new revenue streams. By providing personalized and differentiated services, operators can take advantage of their network capabilities to meet users’ diverse needs while also offering tailored pricing models. This innovative approach not only elevates the user experience but also creates new opportunities for revenue growth.
    Conventional network operations are often hindered by four key breakpoints: unclear target users and services, inaccurate and untimely experience perception, slow and imprecise strategy optimization, and lack of user awareness of experience assurance. Experience monetization offers a solution to these challenges by leveraging intelligence technologies and the Network Data Analytics Function (NWDAF) to facilitate data analysis and intelligent decision-making. By combining these capabilities, operators can achieve closed-loop management of service awareness, experience optimization, and operations, ultimately leading to better user experiences and improved business outcomes.
    Today, forward-thinking operators are actively exploring new experience monetization models to boost their bottom line and stay ahead of the competition. Delving into the best practices of multiple operators in China, Asia Pacific, and the Middle East, the white paper highlights the success of differentiated experience payment models in areas such as video, live streaming, and gaming. These innovative approaches have yielded significant returns. Yet while the industry is witnessing a growing trend in experience monetization, there remains substantial market potential waiting to be tapped.
    The release of this white paper provides operators with a roadmap for better navigating the intelligent era and driving their growth forward.
    The white paper is available at: https://www.verdict.co.uk/downloads/whitepapers/data/intelligent-5g-core-starting-a-new-chapter-in-experience-monetization/#globaldata-technology

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: WHO and multilateral development banks kick off US$ 1.5 billion primary health financing platform with new funds and launch of first investment plans in 15 countries

    Source: European Investment Bank

    Execution is starting under the new Health Impact Investment Platform on the first country health investment plans turning original commitment into operational reality. The landmark partnership between Multilateral Development Banks (MDBs), the World Health Organization (WHO) and low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) is addressing the critical need for coordinated efforts to strengthen primary healthcare (PHC) in vulnerable and underserved communities to build resilience against pandemic threats like mpox and the climate crisis.

    At the high-level roundtable meeting in New York on the margins of the UN Summit of the Future in New York today, new funding was signed, and it was agreed that the partners will sit down and start identifying needs and planning health care improvements in 15 countries*.

    The roundtable was attended by the partnership’s three founding MDBs – the African Development Bank (AfDB), the European Investment Bank (EIB), and the Islamic Development Bank (IDB) –,WHO and the heads of state, as well as finance and health ministers from Djibouti, Egypt and Ethiopia. The Asian Development Bank also attended the high-level meeting and announced their intention to join the Health Impact Investment Platform in order to expand the initiative into the regions where it operates.

    The EIB and WHO signed an initial contribution of € 10 million to kick start the implementation of these investment plans. The Islamic Development Bank and the African Development Bank are finalizing their contributions for the same amount that will be signed in the near future.

    The platform is a key part of an effort to unlock € 1.5 billion in concessional loans and grants to expand and improve primary health-care services in low- and middle-income countries, especially in the most vulnerable communities. The investment plans now being developed in these 15 countries, as a phase 1, are expected to make up a significant proportion of that financing effort.

    The platform aims to work in close partnership with governments to develop national health strategies focused on primary health care and on prioritizing investment opportunities that meet national health needs. Today’s kick-off comes one year after the platform was announced during the Summit for a New Global Financing Pact in Paris.

    Dr Ibrahima Sy, Minister of Health, Republic of Senegal said, “it’s important to bring in private sector, local communities and different forms of financing to drive health progress. The involvement of WHO, multilateral development banks and countries is critical to guiding the investments from this Platform to deliver primary health care on the ground and develop local vaccine manufacturing capacity.” 

    Dr Jane Ruth Aceng, Minister of Health of Uganda said, “I congratulate you for coming up with this very important platform. All our issues are actually based at primary health care level, whether it comes to disease outbreaks, whether it comes to health access, everything is at the primary health care level, and our diseases start there and end there.”

    “Primary health care is the most equitable, cost-effective and inclusive way to improve health and well-being, helping to keep people healthy, prevent diseases, and detect outbreaks at their earliest stage,” said Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General. “The Health Impact Investment Platform will be a vital source of new financing to build climate and crisis-resilient primary health care in some of the countries that need it most. WHO thanks the multilateral development banks for their partnership, and we are committed to working closely with the countries to put these funds to work and start making a difference in the communities we serve.”

    Nadia Calviño, President of the European Investment Bank, said: “One year ago, we launched the Health Impact Investment Platform, and today we are taking the next steps with our contribution to help countries develop their tailored investment plans. Supporting primary health-care services is the foundation of strong communities. Working closely with fellow Multilateral Development Banks and partner countries, guided by the expertise of the World Health Organization, we are making a difference.”

    “The health security of the world is only as strong as its weakest part, and the new funds announced today will help countries improve primary healthcare, which is critical to stopping disease outbreaks in their tracks,” said Jutta Urpilainen, European Commissioner for International Partnerships. “In addition to the funds, the Platform will strengthen partnerships between countries and funders to ensure funds are effectively invested.”

    Before the COVID-19 pandemic, WHO estimated that to reach the health-related Sustainable Development Goals, low- and low-middle income countries needed to increase their health spending significantly and require an additional US$ 371 billion annually combined by 2030. This funding would allow populations to access health services, contribute to building new facilities and train and place health workers where they need to be. It has also been estimated that preparing for future pandemics will require investment in the order of US$ 31.1 billion annually. Approximately one third of that total would have to come from international financing.

    The new Platform builds on experience gained through cooperation between countries, multilateral organizations and development banks that proved fruitful during the pandemic. For example, WHO, the EIB and the European Commission supported Angola, Ethiopia and Rwanda in strengthening their health systems. Initially launched as stand-alone programmes or as part of the countries’ response to COVID-19, these interventions mobilized technical assistance, grants and investments with advantageous terms to build up or implement primary health care related interventions.

    *15 countries identified as part of phase one of the Health Impact Investment Platform are:

    • Burundi
    • Central African Republic 
    • Comoros
    • Djibouti
    • Egypt
    • Ethiopia 
    • Gambia
    • Guinea Bissau 
    • Jordan
    • Maldives
    • Morocco
    • Senegal
    • South Sudan 
    • Tunisia 
    • Zambia 

    Background information

    About the World Health Organization

    The World Health Organization (WHO) is the United Nations’ specialized agency for health. It is an inter-governmental organization and works in collaboration with its Member States usually through the Ministries of Health. The World Health Organization is responsible for providing leadership on global health matters, shaping the health research agenda, setting norms and standards, articulating evidence-based policy options, providing technical support to countries and monitoring and assessing health trends.

    Media contact: mediainquiries@who.int  

    About the African Development Bank Group

    The African Development Bank Group (AfDB) is Africa’s premier development finance institution. It comprises three distinct entities: the African Development Bank (AfDB), the African Development Fund (ADF) and the Nigeria Trust Fund (NTF). On the ground in 37 African countries with an external office in Japan, the AfDB contributes to the economic development and the social progress of its 54 regional member states.

    About the European Investment Bank

    The European Investment Bank (EIB) is the long-term lending institution of the European Union owned by its Member States. It finances sound investment contributing to EU policy goals. The EIB’s activities focus on the following priority areas: climate and environment, development, innovation and skills, small and medium-sized businesses, infrastructure, and cohesion. The EIB works closely with other institutions and has provided total financing of more than € 42 billion for healthcare-related projects around the world since it started investing in the sector in 1997.  

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Banking: BoBC Auction Results – 24 September 2024

    Source: Bank of Botswana

    The Monetary Policy Rate (MoPR) was unchanged at 1.9 percent of the previous week, for a paper maturing on 2 October 2024.  The summarised results of the auction held on 24 September 2024, are attached below:

    BOBC Results 24 September 2024.pdf

    MIL OSI Global Banks –

  • MIL-OSI Banking: WTO advanced course on trade in services concludes in Geneva

    Source: WTO

    Headline: WTO advanced course on trade in services concludes in Geneva

    The LDCs participating in the course were Bangladesh, Madagascar, Lao People’s Democratic Republic, Nepal, Tanzania, The Gambia and Zambia. The acceding country was Bhutan. The full list of participating economies is available here.
    Over five days, participants engaged in an intensive curriculum designed to deepen their understanding of the WTO’s General Agreement on Trade in Services (GATS). The course covered the economic importance of services trade, domestic regulation, the impact of digital trade on economies’ trade performance, investment facilitation and environmental services. Participants were also able to analyze and formulate effective trade policies by gaining hands-on experience with analytical tools like the I-TIP database and services trade statistics.
    The programme included a mix of presentations, practical exercises and in-depth discussions on emerging trade in services issues. Participants were particularly engaged in sessions on the latest developments in digital trade and the regulatory challenges associated with services trade. Interactive sessions allowed participants to apply their know-how to real-case scenarios, reinforcing their capacity to navigate complex trade issues.
    Upon completing the course, Mr Hugo Ibarra said: “In my work at the Undersecretariat of Economic Affairs, which reports to Chile’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, I am frequently in contact with the WTO for notifications of trade policies and other issues linked to the fulfilment of Chile’s WTO commitments. I also regularly refer to the GATS in our negotiation process for trade agreements. For these reasons, this type of course plays a very important role in our daily work.”
    Mr Kutubo Jarju, a participant from The Gambia’s Ministry of Trade, Industry, Regional Integration and Employment, said: “As a trade professional engaged in multilateral and regional trade negotiations, my primary expectation from this advanced course was to significantly deepen my expertise in the evolving services trade landscape. The course provided me with an enriched understanding of the current issues, challenges and opportunities of services trade, particularly in the context of global and regional agreements.”
    Ms Lavita Chan from Hong Kong, China’s Trade and Industry Department said: “I highly recommend the Advanced Trade in Services Course for government officials with services negotiation background and experience. Needless to say, the course contents were wide ranging, informative, up-to-date and inspirational. I was particularly impressed by the participants’ enthusiasm in sharing their points of view and domestic experience while the case studies and examples helped enrich our understanding and clarify complicated concepts. The participant-led reviews every morning were a very useful way to consolidate everything we learned and to promote teamwork.”
    The course was organized jointly by the WTO Trade in Services Division and the Institute for Training and Technical Cooperation.
    List of participants
    ARGENTINA
    Ms Estefania Donna
    BAHRAIN
    Ms Meead Alansari
    BANGLADESH
    Mr Saif Uddin Ahammad
    BHUTAN
    Mr Choki Tshewang
    CABO VERDE
    Ms Ludmilde Filomena Celso Silva Fernandes Semedo
    CHILE
    Mr Hugo Ibarra
    CHINA
    Ms Yi WANG
    C�TE D’IVOIRE
    Ms Mariam Deme
    ECUADOR
    Ms Estefania Anais Mejia Ramos
    HONG KONG, CHINA
    Ms Mo Ying Chan
    JORDAN
    Mr Qusai Al-Tarawneh
    KENYA
    Ms Elizabeth Gathoni Miguda-Alila
    LAO PDR
    Mr Nongchith Khambounheuang
    MADAGASCAR
    Mr Fetra Herisoa Ramankirahina
    MOROCCO
    Mr Othmane Maktoum
    NICARAGUA
    Ms Yeseila Baca Cuadra
    PAKISTAN
    Ms Onsia Zafar
    PHILIPPINES
    Mr Anthony Aguirre
    REPUBLIC OF KOREA
    Ms Aeseon Kim
    SEYCHELLES
    Ms Demelza Tanisha Nathalie Valentin
    SRI LANKA
    Mr Premathilake Jayakody Batagolle Gedara
    SURINAME
    Ms Urtha Charlane Hoever
    CHINESE TAIPEI
    Ms Yun-Xuan Lin
    TANZANIA
    Ms Angelina Stephen Bwana
    THE GAMBIA
    Mr Kutubo Jarju
    TUNISIA
    Ms Noura Ben Mohamed
    UKRAINE
    Mr Vitaliy Kunatenko
    ZAMBIA
    Ms Mbewe Chikondi

    Share

    MIL OSI Global Banks –

  • MIL-OSI Submissions: World Health – Parliamentarians call for strengthening health workforce in the Asia Pacific – WHO

    Source: World Health Organisation

    Port Vila, 6 September 2024: The eighth Asia-Pacific Parliamentarian Forum on Global Health concluded today, with parliamentarians from 13 countries in the Asia Pacific region emphasizing the need for a strengthened health workforce, which is essential for achieving health for all.

    The Forum was held from 4 to 6 September 2024 in Port Vila and hosted by the Parliament of Vanuatu, with support from the Vanuatu Ministry of Health and the World Health Organization (WHO). The participants were speakers, members of national parliaments and ministers from Cambodia, Cook Islands, Niue, the Lao People’s Democratic Republic, Malaysia, the Philippines, the Republic of Korea, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Thailand, Tuvalu, Vanuatu and Viet Nam.

    Health workforce for a resilient health system

    The theme of the Forum was the health workforce. As the host, Honourable Simeon Davidson Seoule, Speaker of the National Parliament of Vanuatu, emphasized the crucial role of a strong health workforce in building a resilient health system: “A resilient health system depends on a well-functioning workforce that includes nurses, doctors, community health workers and specialists. To effectively support our communities and provide the care they need throughout their lives, we must ensure that our health workers are well-supported and equipped,” he said.

    He reminded his fellow leaders that, “As parliamentarians, we have a critical role in shaping health policies and ensuring that our health systems are both well funded and well managed. This includes creating and enacting stronger laws and creating support systems that address the needs of our health workers, enabling them to deliver the best possible care to our communities.”

    The meeting presented the latest evidence on health workforce in the region and enabled discussion on strengthening health workforce policy, in line with WHO’s Regional framework to shape a health workforce for the future of the Western Pacific. Participants exchanged country experiences on supporting health workforce policy through various system entry points, shared innovations addressing workforce issues, and forged connections with one another at global, regional, national and local levels.

    Common challenges across the region

    The parliamentarians also had the opportunity to conduct site visits to local health facilities, where they interacted with health workers and discussed the various challenges of providing care across different settings. These highlight the dedication and commitment of health workers and underscore the urgent need for better support and resources for them, especially for those working in rural and underserved areas – issues shared across the Asia Pacific region. A common challenge across all health systems is the need for a robust workforce, without which there can be no functioning health system.

    Addressing the challenges faced by Pacific island countries, Minister of Health of Vanuatu, Honourable John Still Tariqetu, said: “Ensuring that everyone in the Pacific has access to quality health services requires bold, new approaches to building and maintaining a well-trained health workforce. In Vanuatu, we are committed to implementing forward-thinking strategies to ensure we have the skilled workforce we need, so that our communities can receive the care they deserve.”

    Highlighting the importance of having a well-supported health workforce, Dr Saia Ma’u Piukala, WHO Regional Director for the Western Pacific, reiterated: “The success of our health systems relies on having a workforce that is well prepared and supported. It is vital for parliaments to use their functions to advance health workforce development to ensure that our health systems can meet the needs of all people in the region.”

    Notes

    The Asia Pacific Parliamentarian Forum on Global Health is a platform for parliamentarians to exchange ideas, build political will, strengthen capacity and foster collaboration towards sustainable health action. This was the seventh meeting of the Forum, which was themed “Health Workforce”.

    Target 3c of the Sustainable Development Goals urges countries to substantially increase health financing and enhance efforts in recruiting, developing, training and retaining the health workforce, particularly in developing countries, least developed countries and small island developing states. Currently, eight countries from the Western Pacific Region (Kiribati, the Lao People’s Democratic Republic, the Federated States of Micronesia, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tuvalu and Vanuatu) are listed in the WHO Health Workforce Support and Safeguards List 2023. These countries face a low service coverage index (below 55) and have fewer health workforce than the global median of 49 doctors, nurses and midwives per 10 000 people. As such, these countries require prioritized support for health workforce development and health system strengthening, including measures to manage international recruitment effectively.

    Parliamentarians participating in the eighth Asia-Pacific Parliamentarian Forum on Global Health in Vanuatu this week: Hon. Mrs LORK Kheng, Cambodia; H.E. Ms MOM Sandap, Cambodia; Hon. Ms Te-Hani Rose Alexandra BROWN, Cook Islands; Hon. Dr Jiho CHA, Republic of Korea; Hon. Mr Bounelome KEOBOUAHOME, Lao People’s Democratic Republic; Hon. Mr Vongphet OUDOMLITH, Lao People’s Democratic Republic; Hon. Mr Suhaizan bin KAIAT, Malaysia; Hon. Mr Logopati SEUMANU, Niue; Hon. Mrs Florence Maureen VILITAMA, Niue; Hon. Mr Ciriaco B. GATO, Jr., the Philippines; Hon. Mr Foisala Lilo Tuu IOANE, Samoa; Hon. Mr Aiono Tile GAFA, Samoa; Hon. Dr Paul Popora BOSAWAI, Solomon Islands; Hon. Mr Morris TOIRAENA, Solomon Islands; Hon. Mr Tosaporn SERERAK, Thailand; Hon. Mr Iakoba Taeia ITALELI, Tuvalu; Hon. Mr Tuafafa LATASI, Tuvalu; Hon. Mr Seoule Davidson SIMEON, Vanuatu; Hon. Mr Alick TERRY, Vanuatu; Hon. Mr Blaise SUMPTOH, Vanuatu; Hon. Ms Julia Gloria KING, Vanuatu; Hon. Mr Marc MWELSUL, Vanuatu; Hon. Mr Silas BULE, Vanuatu; Hon. Mr Ulrich SUMPTOH, Vanuatu; Hon. Ms NGUYEN Thi Thu Dung, Viet Nam; Hon. Mr LE Van Kham, Viet Nam.

    MIL OSI – Submitted News –

  • MIL-OSI Submissions: Nigeria: One out of every four children in Shinkafi and Zurmi is malnourished – MSF

    Source: Médecins Sans Frontières/Doctors Without Borders (MSF)

    MSF is urging immediate action after screening results reveal a catastrophic malnutrition crisis across Northwest Nigeria.

    Abuja,10 September 2024: One out of every four children under the age of five is malnourished in the Shinkafi and Zurmi areas of Nigeria’s Zamfara state, according to a mass screening conducted in June by Médecins Sans Frontières/Doctors Without Borders (MSF) and the Ministry of Health. 

    Of the 97,149 children screened in 21 different urban and rural locations, 27 percent were found to be suffering from acute malnutrition, with five percent having severe acute malnutrition.

    These concerning figures far exceed the ‘critical level’ threshold established by the World Health Organization (WHO) regarding malnutrition prevalence. MSF urges health authorities, international organisations, and donors to immediately intensify their efforts to tackle the escalating malnutrition crisis in Zamfara state, as well as whole of Northwest Nigeria – a region not yet included in the United Nations Humanitarian Response Plan.

    The mass screening held in June in the Shinkafi and Zurmi areas further revealed that about 22 per cent of children screened are moderately malnourished. Currently, the nutritional supplies essential to treat such children, also known as ready-to-use therapeutic food (RUTF), are unavailable, as UNICEF halted its supplies at the start of the year. This current lack of humanitarian response to treat those who are moderately malnourished in Northwest Nigeria risks the lives of these children who, without immediate care, will progress to severe acute malnutrition that threatens their survival and compromises their long-term health.

    “The screening results from Shinkafi and Zurmi are nothing short of alarming, revealing a catastrophic malnutrition crisis across Northwest Nigeria,” declares Abdullahi Mohammad, an MSF representative in Nigeria. “The response to this overwhelming disaster is grossly insufficient. With malnutrition rates soaring beyond critical levels and no immediate treatment available for moderate acute malnutrition apart from at MSF facilities, we’re effectively letting more children fall into life-threatening conditions. It is crucial we ensure every child receives the medical care they desperately need.”

    MSF currently runs four inpatient and 17 outpatient facilities in Shinkafi, Zurmi, Gummi and Talata Mafara in Zamfara – a state badly affected by malnutrition. Across all four inpatient facilities, MSF teams have treated over 7,000 children from January to July 2024. These figures for admissions are 34 per cent higher than for the same period in 2023. In Shinkafi and Zurmi, where MSF conducted the recent malnutrition screening, the increase in admissions is 50 per cent more than the same period last year. At the medical facility in Gummi, admissions in July 2024 were almost double compared to the same month last year.

     

    Alongside the significant increase in malnutrition admissions, MSF teams are seeing high numbers of children with vaccine preventable diseases such as measles. In Zamfara, they have treated at least 5,700 measles cases so far this year. Infectious diseases like measles, malaria, and acute watery diarrhoea, severely compromise the nutritional status of children. In turn, malnutrition makes them far more susceptible to these illnesses, with a higher risk of death.

     

    “When I first brought my son into the hospital, I didn’t know if he would survive,” says Hafsat Lawal, a mother whose child is being treated for malnutrition at an MSF facility in Zamfara. “Back at home because of the insecurity we don’t have food. The prices of food have more than doubled. If we had money, we would have bought some grains, but we cannot.”

     

    Communities are facing high levels of violence in Zamfara and have told MSF teams that they are scared to move around the state, taking huge risks to reach functioning healthcare facilities. It is estimated by the health authorities that as of 2023, only about 200 out of 700 healthcare centres in Zamfara are accessible, and the rest are non-functional. One of the reasons being that healthcare workers struggle to reach them.

     

    Despite the ongoing humanitarian crisis and facing high levels of insecurity, communities in the Northwest have long been excluded from coordinated humanitarian response. It is essential that health authorities in this area, alongside international organisations and donors, urgently scale up their response. Immediate expansion of health facilities is needed to treat malnourished children to ensure that more hospitals can offer the type of inpatient care desperately needed to save lives. Moreover, UNICEF, as the primary supplier of RUTF, must ensure the consistent and sufficient delivery of these essential therapeutic foods to prevent more children from falling victim to this crisis.

     

    MSF Australia was established in 1995 and is one of 24 international MSF sections committed to delivering medical humanitarian assistance to people in crisis. In 2022, more than 120 project staff from Australia and New Zealand worked with MSF on assignment overseas. MSF delivers medical care based on need alone and operates independently of government, religion or economic influence and irrespective of race, religion or gender. For more information visit msf.org.au  

    MIL OSI – Submitted News –

  • MIL-OSI Submissions: Tech News – Huawei to Support TowerCos’ Energy Quest, Diversification in Africa

    Source: Huawei

     

    Nairobi, Kenya – [September 11, 2024] – Huawei, a global leader in telecommunications and digital solutions, has announced its commitment to support Tower Companies (TowerCos) across Africa in their efforts to diversify energy sources and adopt sustainable practices in powering telecommunications infrastructure.

     

    The initiative aims to help TowerCos reduce their carbon footprint, enhance operational efficiency, and explore new business frontiers.

     

    In his speech titled: “Lighting Up the Road to Multiple Business Future for TowerCos“ delivered at the TowerXchange Meetup Africa 2024 in Nairobi, Li Shaolong, President of Huawei Site Power Facility Domain, said African continent is accelerating the construction of ICT infrastructure, and towercos, which play an important role in this process, are facing new challenges and opportunities.

     

    “As the demand for mobile connectivity continues to rise, TowerCos face increasing pressure to ensure energy reliability and sustainability, particularly in regions with limited access to stable power grids. Tower sites, often located in remote areas, rely heavily on diesel generators, which are costly to operate, environmentally unfriendly, and vulnerable to fuel supply challenges. Huawei’s energy solutions are designed to address these challenges by integrating renewable energy technologies, such as solar power, and advanced energy storage systems,” Mr. Li said.

     

    Mr. Li emphasized Huawei’s long-term vision to help Africa’s TowerCos transition towards greener energy solutions, adding that by integrating digital and power electronics technologies, Huawei Site Power Facility remains committed to providing towercos with end-to-end energy infrastructure and intelligent O&M solutions.

     

    A Path to Diversification

    In addition to energy sustainability, Huawei aims to support TowerCos in their diversification strategies, enabling them to explore new business models and revenue streams.

     

    “This will drive towercos to become energy producers through innovative solutions and business models, thereby achieving diversified business development, revenue growth, and continuous success in energy operations.” Mr. Li said.

     

    Mr. Li noted that by deploying Huawei eMIMO smart power solution, towercos can centrally manage multiple energy inputs (such as grid, PV and energy storage) and multiple outputs (such as 12 V to 220 V electrical devices) through a single power platform.

     

    “In this way, revenue-generating services such as environmental protection and emergency response can be developed in addition to communications services,” he said.

     

    He further noted that the major aims of Huawei Site Power Facility Domain are to support network evolution and increase tenancy ratio, help TowerCos Reduce energy costs and achieve green development, and improve power availability (PAV) and reduce O&M costs for sites.

     

    “Huawei will continue to work with towercos to innovate and promote the iteration of energy infrastructure towards “green, simple, and intelligent”, accelerating the construction of African carrier networks and digital Africa,” Mr. Li said. 

    MIL OSI – Submitted News –

  • MIL-OSI Submissions: MSF calls for quick response and unrestricted access as cholera poses latest peril in Sudan’s war – MSF

    Source: Médecins Sans Frontières/Doctors Without Borders (MSF)

    Port Sudan, 11 September, 2024. A cholera outbreak is gripping central and eastern Sudan bringing more, death and misery to people already suffering under the country’s brutal war. Médecins Sans Frontières/Doctors Without Borders (MSF)’s emergency teams are supporting by treating patients and providing water and sanitation services.

    Ongoing war, floods and now cholera

    In August, Sudanese authorities declared a cholera outbreak, which is currently heavily affecting the states of Kassala, Gedaref and River Nile, Al Jazirah and Khartoum. According to the Ministry of Health, over 5,000 cases of cholera and 191 deaths have been reported. In the second half of August the weekly cases of the disease multiplied by four.

    Cholera cases are not uncommon in Sudan, but this is the second time since the start of the war in April 2023, that the country is faced with outbreaks of the disease. For the past two years, our teams have been actively engaged in emergency responses to mitigate the spread of cholera.

    “The mix of heavy flooding and torrential downpours, combined with the terrible living conditions and inadequate access to drinking water that people, particularly in crowded displaced camps are facing, have created the perfect storm for the spread of this often deadly disease,” says Esperanza Santos, MSF emergency coordinator for Sudan.

    In Kassala, heavy rains and river floods have destroyed water and sanitation infrastructure and left both internally displaced communities and Eritrean and Ethiopian refugees living in even more appalling living conditions.

    “People are dying from cholera right now; and we are pleading on the UN and international organizations to fund and scale up activities, particularly water and sanitation services, which are crucial to stop the lethal spread of cholera,” says Frank Ross Katambula, MSF medical coordinator.

    Cholera adds yet another challenge to the crisis in Sudan and to the decimated health system, already struggling with increasing child malnutrition, high numbers of war wounded and regular cases of preventable diseases. The humanitarian response, frequently obstructed by both warring parties, remains far below what is needed.

    Case management and water and sanitation

    MSF teams in Khartoum, River Nile, Kassala and Gedaref have mobilized to support the Ministry of Health to respond to the situation, by setting up and running cholera treatment centres and units (CTCs and CTUs) and providing support to existing treatment facilities, in some of the most affected areas and hard-to-reach places. Between the end of August and 9 September, MSF teams treated 2,165 patients in our supported facilities.

     Caused by a water-borne intestinal infection, cholera is transmitted through contaminated food , water, or through contact with faecal matter. Cholera can cause severe diarrhea and vomiting, and rapidly proves fatal, within hours, if untreated. But cholera is very simple to treat – rehydration is key.

    “One adult male was unconscious [upon arrival to the facility]. Dehydration causes the body to go into shock. Doctors were resuscitating him, squeezing liters of fluids in his veins for about five minutes,” recalls Angela Giacomazzi, a Human Resource coordinator in Tanedba, about a patient who fortunately survived.

    MSF teams are setting up oral rehydration points, trucking drinking water, constructing handwashing points and latrines, distributing hygiene kits and doing health promotion in the affected communities.In Darfur, where no cases have yet been registered, MSF teams are helping to improve cholera preparedness.

    Unrestricted rapid access for staff and supplies

    After nearly 17 months of challenges and obstructions around the provision of humanitarian assistance in Sudan, MSF calls on the warring parties to allow unhindered access for medical staff and supplies, to all the areas in need across Sudan, to enable a quick and coordinated response and prevent avoidable deaths.

    “There is a risk of running out of essential supplies such as cholera kits in a moment when scaling up the response is urgently needed. We call on the authorities to fast-track and facilitate the delivery of supplies and drugs, as bureaucratic obstacles remain a major challenge,” says Katambula, MSF’s Medical Coordinator.

    MSF Australia was established in 1995 and is one of 24 international MSF sections committed to delivering medical humanitarian assistance to people in crisis. In 2022, more than 120 project staff from Australia and New Zealand worked with MSF on assignment overseas. MSF delivers medical care based on need alone and operates independently of government, religion or economic influence and irrespective of race, religion or gender. For more information visit msf.org.au  

    MIL OSI – Submitted News –

  • MIL-OSI Submissions: Economy – GlobalData raises global economic growth projection for 2024 to 2.52%

    Source: GlobalData

    The global economy is navigating through a complex landscape marked by persistent geopolitical tensions. Nevertheless, easing inflationary pressure, central bank rate cuts (including by the ECB), and stronger consumer spending are mitigating these issues. 

    Against this backdrop, GlobalData, a leading data and analytics company, has revised the global economic growth forecast for 2024 to 2.52% in its Q3 2024 update, marking a slight increase of 0.05 percentage points (pp) from earlier projections in Q2 2024.

    In the “Global Macroeconomic Outlook – Q3 2024 Update,” GlobalData has revised economic growth projections for the Americas and Europe upward. The Americas’ forecast increased by 0.11 pp to 2.16%, driven by strong consumer spending, easing inflation, and rising real incomes. Increased private domestic business investments are also expected to support the region’s economic resilience. 

    Europe’s growth projection rose by 0.21 pp to 1.38%, supported by higher real disposable incomes from stable wage growth and lower inflation, along with the recent ECB rate cuts, which are expected to stimulate the economic activity.

    Conversely, forecasts for the Asia-Pacific (APAC) region and the Middle East & Africa (MEA) were reduced by 0.08 and 0.25 pps, respectively, to 2.59% and 3.57%. In MEA, the ongoing conflicts, oil market volatility, and shipping disruptions hinder the growth. For APAC, China’s economic slowdown, domestic challenges, and geopolitical tensions contributed to the downward revision.

    Arnab Nath, Associate Project Manager, Economic Research Team at GlobalData, comments: “The slight upward revision in the global growth forecasts for 2024 reflects cautious optimism amid persistent geopolitical tensions. The resilience of key economies, including the US, which witnessed economic growth of 3% on an annual basis in Q2 2024 up from 1.4% in Q1, and the Eurozone, which achieved its strongest expansion in over a year at 0.6% in Q2 2024, contributes to this positive outlook.

    “Gradual recoveries in the emerging markets will further bolster the projections. The major central banks, including the ECB, have commenced rate cuts, with the US Federal Reserve anticipated to follow suit, which may stimulate investments. However, central banks must tread carefully to avoid reigniting inflation or creating financial imbalance to ensure a balanced economic recovery.”

    GlobalData forecasts the global inflation rate to decrease from 5.8% in 2023 to 4.5% in 2024, with a further decline to 3.7% anticipated by 2025. In 2024, the inflation rate is expected to decrease in all regions: the Americas, excluding Argentina and Venezuela (dropping to 5% in 2024 from 7.5% in 2023), Asia-Pacific (decreasing to 5% from 6.9%), Europe (declining to 4.3% from 7.8%), and the Middle East and Africa (falling to 22.1% from 27%).

    Easing price pressure boosted the economic sentiment in major economies. According to GlobalData analysis using data from OECD, between January and June 2024, consumer and business confidence have risen considerably compared to the average of the previous six months in major economic groups, including the G20 and G7 countries. The rise in consumer confidence indicates robust consumer spending potential, which could bolster domestic demand and economic resilience.

    Meanwhile, global political shifts indicated by the 2024 election cycle will have economic implications, including changes in trade policies, regulatory frameworks, and market stability. Far-right gains in Europe could result in protectionist measures, affecting international trade.

    In South Korea and the UK, liberal victories may bring reforms that encourage foreign investment and market liberalization. Declining support for ruling parties in India and South Africa suggests potential instability, while voter dissatisfaction in Russia and Bangladesh signals economic uncertainty in these regions. These changes are likely to test global economic resilience.

    Nath concludes: “While global growth is expected to remain stable, varying regional dynamics and persistent risks from geopolitical tensions may significantly shape the economic outlook for 2024 and 2025, necessitating careful observation of policy shifts and market trends.”

    Notes

    Quotes provided by Arnab Nath, Associate Project Manager, Economic Research Team at GlobalData
    The information is based on GlobalData’s latest report: Global Macroeconomic Outlook – Q3 2024 Update (ref. https://www.globaldata.com/store/report/global-pestle-macroeconomic-analysis/?utm_source=cision&utm_medium=press%20release&utm_campaign=gd_press%20release_cision_bf_global%20economy_report )

    About GlobalData

    4,000 of the world’s largest companies, including over 70% of FTSE 100 and 60% of Fortune 100 companies, make more timely and better business decisions thanks to GlobalData’s unique data, expert analysis, and innovative solutions, all in one platform. GlobalData’s mission is to help our clients decode the future to be more successful and innovative across a range of industries, including the healthcare, consumer, retail, financial, technology, and professional services sectors.

    MIL OSI – Submitted News –

  • MIL-OSI Submissions: Universities – New fossil fish species scales up evidence of Earth’s evolutionary march – Flinders

    Source: Flinders University

    Climate change and asteroids are linked with animal origin and extinction – and plate tectonics also seems to play a key evolutionary role, ‘groundbreaking’ new fossil research reveals.
     
    The discovery of an exceptionally well preserved ancient primitive Devonian coelacanth fish in remote Western Australia has been linked to a period of heightened tectonic activity, or movement in the Earth’s crust, according to the new study in Nature Communications. (Open access when published)  
     
    Led by Flinders University and experts from Canada, Australia and Europe, the new fossil from the Gogo Formation in WA, named Ngamugawi wirngarri, also helps to fill in an important transition period in coelacanth history, between the most primitive forms and other more ‘anatomically-modern’ forms.
     
    “We are thrilled to work with people of the Mimbi community to grace this beautiful new fish with the first name taken from the Gooniyandi language,” says first author Dr Alice Clement, an evolutionary biologist and palaeontologist from Flinders University.
     
    “Our analyses found that tectonic plate activity had a profound influence on rates of coelacanth evolution. Namely that new species of coelacanth were more likely to evolve during periods of heightened tectonic activity as new habitats were divided and created,” she says.  
     
    The study confirms the Late Devonian Gogo Formation as one of the richest and best-preserved assemblages of fossil fishes and invertebrates on Earth.
     
    Flinders University Strategic Professor of Palaeontology John Long says the fossil, dating from the Devonian Period (359-419 million years ago), “provides us with some great insight into the early anatomy of this lineage that eventually led to humans”.
     
    “For more than 35 years, we have found several perfectly preserved 3D fish fossils from Gogo sites which have yielded many significant discoveries, including mineralised soft tissues and the origins of complex sexual reproduction in vertebrates,” says Professor Long.
     
    “Our study of this new species led us to analyse the evolutionary history of all known coelacanths.”
     
    Many parts of human anatomy originated in the Early Palaeozoic (540-350 million years ago). This was when jaws, teeth, paired appendages, ossified brain-cases, intromittent genital organs, chambered hearts and paired lungs all appeared in early fishes.
     
    “While now covered in dry rocky outcrops, the Gogo Formation on Gooniyandi Country in the Kimberley region of northern Western Australia was part of an ancient tropical reef teeming with more than 50 species of fish about 380 million years ago.
     
    “We calculated the rates of evolution across their 410 million-year history. This revealed that coelacanth evolution has slowed down drastically since the time of the dinosaurs, but with a few intriguing exceptions.”
     
    Today, the coelacanth is a fascinating deep-sea fish that lives off the coasts of eastern Africa and Indonesia and can reach up to 2m in length. They are “lobe-finned” fish, which means they have robust bones in their fins not too dissimilar to the bones in our own arms, and are thus considered to be more closely related to lungfish and tetrapods (the back-boned animals with arms and legs such as frogs, emus and mice) than most other fishes.
     
    Over the past 410 million years, more than more than 175 species of coelacanths have been discovered across the globe. During the Mesozoic Era, the age of dinosaurs, coelacanths diversified significantly, with some species developing unusual body shapes. However, at the end of the Cretaceous Period, around 66 million years ago, they mysteriously disappeared from the fossil record.
     
    The end Cretaceous extinction, sparked by the impact from a massive asteroid, wiped out approximately 75% of all life on Earth, including all of the non-avian (bird-like) dinosaurs. Thus, it was presumed that the coelacanth fishes had been swept up as a casualty of the same mass extinction event.
     
    But in 1938, people fishing off South Africa pulled up a large mysterious looking fish from the ocean depths, with the ‘lazarus’ fish going on to gain cult status in the world of biological evolution.
     
    Another senior co-author, vertebrate palaeontologist Professor Richard Cloutier, from the University of Quebec in Rimouski (UQAR), says the new Nature Communications study challenges the idea that surviving coelacanths are the oldest ‘living fossils’.
     
    “They first appear in the geological record more than 410 million years ago, with fragmentary fossils known from places like China and Australia. However, most of the early forms remain poorly known, making Ngamugawi wirngarri the best known Devonian coealacanth.
     
    “As we slowly fill in the gaps, we can start to understand how living coelacanth species ofLatimeria, which commonly are considered to be ‘living fossils,’ actually are continuing to evolve and might not deserve such an enigmatic title,” says Professor Cloutier, a previous honorary visiting scholar at Flinders University.
     
    The study’s coauthors have affiliations with Mahasarakham University in Thailand, the South Australian Museum, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology in Germany, University of Bristol, Curtin University in Western Australia and the WA Museum.
     
    The article, ‘A Late Devonian coelacanth reconfigures actinistian phylogeny, disparity, and evolutionary dynamics’ (2024) by Alice M Clement, Richard Cloutier, Michael SY Lee, Benedict King, Olivia Vanhaesebroucke, Corey JA Bradshaw, Hugo Dutel, Kate Trinajstic and John A Long has been published in Nature Communications. DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-51238-4.
     
    https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-024-51238-4

    MIL OSI – Submitted News –

  • MIL-OSI Submissions: African Youth Urged to Embrace Engineering to drive development

    Source: Media Fast

    “Africa’s future depends on its youth embracing engineering, which lies at the core of solving the continent’s most pressing challenges” – Eng. Maureen Mwaniki, Director of Public Affairs and Policy at Huawei Kenya.

    September 13, 2024 – Africa’s youth have been called upon to embrace engineering as a key driver of development and innovation across the continent.

    Speaking at the 10th annual UNESCO Africa Engineering Week – High-Level Workshop held in Nairobi – Kenya on September 12, 2024, Eng. Maureen Mwaniki, Director of Public Affairs and Policy at Huawei Kenya, said the shortage of engineers in Africa, and the rest of the world was a cause for concern.

    “There has been declining interest in the profession from the youth, with the enrolment of young people, especially women in the profession dwindling. The continent is facing a situation where there are a lot of older more experienced engineers, but not enough young candidate engineers entering the profession. Our ability to sustain the profession lies in the number of young people choosing engineering as a career,” Eng. Mwaniki said.

    She noted that Africa’s future depends on its youth embracing Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) education, particularly engineering, which lies at the core of solving the continent’s most pressing challenges.

    “The growing need for infrastructure, clean energy, and climate resilience offers a unique opportunity for engineers to shape Africa’s path toward sustainable growth.  But more efforts need to be put in attracting younger people, especially women, to the profession,” Eng. Mwaniki said.

    “Women, in particular, need to step out of their comfort zones and grab the opportunities that are offered by companies such as Huawei. Programs like Seeds for the future, ICT Competition, Women Collaboration programs with our partners, etc will help expose the Women Engineers to advanced technologies that can enable them to create solutions for their country.”

    The Africa Engineering Week provides a platform for government representatives, industry leaders, and academia to discuss policy frameworks and partnerships that can accelerate engineering education and innovation on the continent.

    Celebrated across the region every year, UNESCO Africa Engineering Week promotes engineering solutions and awareness among students, society and policy-makers. It aims to inspire and educate youth and the public on the vital role of engineers in societies.  

    This year’s edition is hosted by the Ordem dos Engenheiros de Angola in Luanda, Angola, and organised jointly by UNESCO, the World Federation of Engineering Organizations (WFEO) and the Federation of African Engineering Organisations (FAEO).

    It will include the 8th Africa Engineering Conference, the 7th Africa Women Engineers Forum, the Young Engineers Forum and a Business-to-Business (B2B) session. These events will focus on sustainability and innovative infrastructures; engineering and acceleration of African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) implementation; and engineering education and capacity building.

    “This year’s theme, ‘Engineering and for Sustainable Development’, highlights the urgent need for technical solutions to address challenges such as climate change, infrastructure development, and digital transformation,” Eng. Mwaniki said.

    MIL OSI – Submitted News –

  • MIL-OSI Submissions: Sudan – Catastrophic situation in Zamzam camp, Sudan: every effort must be made to finally deliver food, medicines and essential supplies to blockaded and starved communities

    Source: Médecins Sans Frontières / Doctors Without Borders (MSF)

     16 September – As the results of a nutrition screening carried out by the Sudanese health authorities and Médecins Sans Frontières / Doctors Without Borders (MSF) earlier this month in Zamzam camp, North Darfur, indicate a catastrophic nutritional situation that is only getting worse, MSF urges the UN and international stakeholders involved in negotiating broader humanitarian access to consider all options to quickly deliver food and essential supplies in the area, including by airdrops.

    “Not only do the results confirm the disaster that we and other stakeholders have been observing and alerting on for months, they also indicate that every day things are getting worse and we’re running out of time” adds Michel Olivier Lacharité, head of emergency operations for MSF. “We are talking about thousands of children who will die over the next few weeks without access to adequate treatment and urgent solutions to allow humanitarian aid and essential goods to reach Zamzam”.

    Despite announcement that gave hope for positive developments, for instance following the Geneva peace talks, no significant amount of humanitarian relief has reached the population in the Zamzam camp and the nearby, war-stricken city of El-Fasher since the IPC Famine Review Committee concluded that famine conditions were prevalent in the area on 1 August this year. Most supply roads are controlled by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) who have made it all but impossible to bring therapeutic food, medicines and essential supplies into the camp since the intensification of fighting around El Fasher last May.

    There’s no more time to waste if thousands of preventable deaths are to be avoided. Among the more than 29,000 children under five years old screened last week during a vaccination campaign in Zamzam camp, 10.1 percent suffer from severe acute malnutrition (SAM), a life-threatening condition, while 34.8 percent suffer from global acute malnutrition (GAM), which will evolve into more severe form of malnutrition if not treated effectively and in timely fashion.

    “The malnutrition rates found during the screening are massive and likely some of the worst ones in the world currently. It’s even more terrifying as we know from experience the results are often underestimated in the area when we use only the mid-upper arm circumference criteria like we did here instead of combining it with measuring weight and height” explains Claudine Mayer, MSF medical referent.

    An MSF mass screening carried out in March 2024 had revealed an 8.2 percent SAM rate and a 29.4 percent GAM rate, which was already twice as high as the 15 percent alert threshold of the World Health Organisation.

    The only food available is from pre-existing stocks, which is not sufficient for people living in the area, and food prices are at least three times as high as in the rest of Darfur. Fuel prices are soaring as well, making it very difficult to pump water and run clinics that rely on generators for electricity. Our staff on site report that for many, it’s impossible to rely on more than one meal per day.

    “In such a dire situation, we should be scaling up our response: instead, running critically low on supplies, we are reaching breaking point and were recently forced to reduce our activity to focus solely on children in the most severe conditions” says Claudine Mayer. “This means we had to suspend treatment for the less severe forms of malnutrition, who represented an active cohort of 2.700 children, and to put an end to consultations provided to adults and children over five years old, who represented thousands of consultations every month”.

    Zamzam camp is estimated to host between 300.000 and 500.00 people, many of them displaced many times over, who are trying to flee the war that has been tearing up their country since last year. In El Fasher, where many of the displaced used to live, only one hospital remains partially standing after the others were damaged or destroyed in the conflict.

    “Due to these unconscionable blockages on supplies, we feel like we are leaving behind an increasing number of patients who already have very few options for getting lifesaving medical care” adds Michel Olivier Lacharité. “If the roads are not an option for getting massive quantities of urgent supplies into the camp, the United Nations should look at every available option. Delaying these supplies meaning causing more deaths – thousands of them, among the most vulnerable.”

    MSF Australia was established in 1995 and is one of 24 international MSF sections committed to delivering medical humanitarian assistance to people in crisis. In 2022, more than 120 project staff from Australia and New Zealand worked with MSF on assignment overseas. MSF delivers medical care based on need alone and operates independently of government, religion or economic influence and irrespective of race, religion or gender. For more information visit msf.org.au  
     

    MIL OSI – Submitted News –

  • MIL-OSI Submissions: Business and Tech – 25 Disruptive Technology Startups Join Morgan Stanley Inclusive Ventures Lab’s 10th Cohort

    Source: Morgan Stanley

    • Tenth Lab cohort includes 25 disruptive technology and technology-enabled startups from the Americas and EMEA
    • Five-month accelerator program to provide founders with $250,000 (£250,000) investment, as well as mentorship and business-growth resources
    • 117 companies have participated in the Lab to date.

    Morgan Stanley (NYSE: MS) today announced the 2024 global cohort of the Inclusive Ventures Lab, with 25 companies selected from the Americas and Europe, the Middle East and Africa (EMEA). Over the next five months, the companies will participate in an in-house accelerator program designed to further develop and scale technology and technology-enabled startups in the seed to Series A funding round stage.

    Chosen from thousands of applications, the 25 startups represent a range of disruptive technologies across industries such as Climate Tech, Retail, Healthcare, FinTech, SaaS, Enterprise Software, Consumer and Travel – with many incorporating AI and sustainability into their products and services. Cohort companies will receive a $250,000 investment (£250,000 in EMEA) from Morgan Stanley, as well as a variety of mentorship opportunities, a tailored entrepreneurship curriculum and business-growth resources from the firm’s ecosystem of internal and external partners.

    “In today’s challenging venture capital environment, we are proud to welcome our largest cohort of groundbreaking startups to the Inclusive Ventures Lab and are eager to support them as they scale their innovations and work to build a better world,” said Selma Bueno, Global Head of the Morgan Stanley Inclusive Ventures Group. “Each year since the Inclusive Ventures Lab’s launch in 2017, we have expanded our efforts to ensure that more entrepreneurs around the world can succeed – and this year is no different.”

    The companies selected to participate in the 2024 cohort include the following:

    • Agri-Trak digitizes small farm operations with a smart platform for real-time labor, crop yield and cost tracking to optimize productivity, sustainability and profitability (US)
    • Beta Financial provides a transparent and comprehensive small business credit scoring solution, fostering financial inclusion and access to capital through innovative AI-driven technology (US)
    • Blip Energy is building a drop-in distributed energy resource to mitigate surging peak demand, optimize energy costs for users and reduce operating costs for utilities (US)
    • Compare Ethics is an AI-powered sustainability compliance platform that reduces costs by helping retail brands simplify, streamline and scale the way they make accurate green claims (UK)
    • Darent is a vacation rental marketplace platform in Saudi Arabia for travelers to search for properties with a focus on local experiences, a secure payment system and property insurance for hosts (Saudi Arabia)
    • For The Creators is an omni-channel circular fashion marketplace where women can rent and buy high-quality clothing for each stage of motherhood (UK)
    • GroceryList is a marketplace connecting immigrants worldwide with local merchants across Latin America and the Caribbean, enabling them to purchase groceries and essentials for their loved ones back home (US)
    • HANX is a consumer platform bringing together medically designed women’s reproductive health products, prescription treatments and community-focused content (UK)
    • Hire Ground is a B2B software platform that enables enterprise buyers to source and manage third party vendors while optimizing their procurement process (US)
    • Infinite Giving is a fintech platform that enables nonprofits to raise money, manage their cash reserves, and conservatively invest and grow (US)
    • Juniver is a health company leveraging AI technology to provide personalized digital interventions for lasting eating disorder recovery (UK)
    • KSI Vision uses existing AI on store and shopping center security cameras to generate real-time customer data and increase sales conversion (Uruguay)
    • Mavity is an AI-powered operating system for design and marketing teams that connects companies with on-demand creatives to streamline asset creation (US)
    • MyARC is a platform that enables fitness content creators to train their fans at scale (UK)
    • NÜWIEL provides electric mobility solutions for the cities of today and tomorrow (Germany)
    • OVUM is a one-stop shop for fertility wellness, providing educational resources, products and services for improving fertility outcomes (UK)
    • Research Grid is an automation engine for admin-free clinical trials (UK)
    • Revere is reinventing how allocators manage their alternative asset portfolios through AI, workflow automation tools and custom reporting (US)
    • Route is a platform of business management tools for commercial cleaning companies to automate sales, streamline operations, build contractor relationships and connect the entire cleaning industry (US)
    • Sanarai connects the Latino community to mental health professionals in Latin America and the US to offer culturally sensitive, Spanish-language emotional support at accessible prices (US)
    • Soralink leverages AI and smart sensors to assist manufacturers in preventing critical machine failures (Canada)
    • Sortile provides the textile industry with a system that enables the identification, traceability and recycling of textiles (US)
    • SWYE360 Learning is a data analytics company that uses machine learning and AI in education to measure software efficacy and detect students at risk of dropping out (US)
    • Tendo Technologies addresses the challenges faced by aspiring online retail entrepreneurs in Africa by connecting independent resellers to suppliers (Ghana)
    • Zest Equity is digitizing private market transactions, building tools to streamline and ensure greater transparency in how entrepreneurs, funds and investors transact (UAE).

    Programming will culminate in February 2025 with a global Demo Day, when participating companies will present to potential investors, business partners and customers. The investment firms in attendance at the last showcase represented over $40 billion of dry powder and indicated a high level of interest following the event.

    About the Morgan Stanley Inclusive Ventures Lab
    The Morgan Stanley Inclusive Ventures Lab (MSIVL) is an intensive five-month in-house accelerator program designed to help further develop and scale startups, culminating in a showcase presentation and Demo Day to the investor community. Morgan Stanley launched MSIVL, formerly called the Multicultural Innovation Lab, in 2017 in order to address inequities in funding of startup founders, which our research shows equals over four trillion dollars in unrealized returns.

    About Morgan Stanley
    Morgan Stanley (NYSE: MS) is a leading global financial services firm providing a wide range of investment banking, securities, wealth management and investment management services. With offices in 42 countries, the Firm’s employees serve clients worldwide including corporations, governments, institutions and individuals. For further information about Morgan Stanley, please visit www.morganstanley.com.

    MIL OSI – Submitted News –

  • MIL-OSI Submissions: Universities – Early dingoes are related to dogs from New Guinea and East Asia – University of Sydney

    Source: University of Sydney

    Australian dingo has evolved over 3,000 years to become larger and leaner – New archaeological research by the University of Sydney has discovered for the first time clear links between fossils of the iconic Australian dingo, and dogs from East Asia and New Guinea.

    The remarkable findings suggest that the dingo came from East Asia via Melanesia, and challenges previous claims that it derived from pariah dogs of India or Thailand. 

    Previous studies used traditional morphometric analysis – which looks at the size and shape of the animal using callipers – to trace the dingo’s ancestry to South Asia.  

    However, the new study, published in Nature Scientific Reports, uses sophisticated 3D scanning and geometric morphometrics on ancient dingo specimens to show clearly that they are most similar to Japanese dogs, as well as the ‘singing dogs’ of New Guinea and the highland wild dog of Irian Jaya.
     
    Dr Loukas Koungoulos, a research associate in the Discipline of Archaeology at the University of Sydney, said: “The origins of this controversial Australian native animal have been heavily debated for more than a century. Our research has found the elusive first links between fossil material that suggest dingoes have evolved locally from an East Asian dog-like ancestor.”

    Dr Koungoulos added: “The archaeological sites at Lake Mungo and Lake Milkengay hold some of the oldest evidence of dingoes in the whole of Australia. It is incredible to see how these remarkable animals have evolved over thousands of years and gives us a greater understanding of this uniquely Australian species.”  

    The study team – which included Associate Professor Melanie Fillios from the University of New England and Dr Ardern Hulme-Beaman from the University of Liverpool – looked at the remains of ancient dingoes found at Lake Mungo and Lake Milkengay in western NSW.

    Associate Professor Melanie Fillios said: “Our research underscores the antiquity of dingoes, pointing to a common ancestor between dingoes and the more recent canines in Southeast Asia.”

    In collaboration with the Willandra Lakes Region World Heritage Area Traditional Owners, the team used radiocarbon dating to discover that some remains were over 3,000 years old.

    The team also found that modern-day dingoes have evolved to become larger and leaner, standing at an average of 54cm tall compared to between 40-47cm for their ancient ancestors – a size much closer to their contemporary relatives in Southeast Asia and Melanesia.  

    RESEARCH

    Koungoulos, Loukas G. et al ‘Phenotypic diversity in early Australian dingoes revealed by traditional and 3D geometric morphometric analysis’. (Natural Scientific Reports)  

    DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-024-65729-3

    DECLARATION

    Research funding was received from the Australian Government Research Training Partnership, the Carlyle-Greenwell Postgraduate Scholarship and the Ben Sandford Cullen Award.

    MIL OSI – Submitted News –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Powering Africa: new model compares options for off-grid solar in 43 countries

    Source: The Conversation – Africa – By Hamish Beath, Research Associate in Societal Transitions, Imperial College London

    Sub-Saharan Africa, home to 80% of the global population without electricity access, is unlikely to reach the United Nations’ goal of access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all by 2030.

    The region is significantly behind the rest of the world. Globally, access to electricity increased from 79% of the population in 2000 to 90% in 2019. In sub-Saharan Africa, access to electricity rose from 26% to 47%, and most who don’t have access live in rural areas, according to World Bank data.

    The World Bank predicts that, based on current electricity connection and population growth trends, sub-Saharan Africa will have more than 400 million people unconnected to electricity by 2030.

    A lack of access to reliable electricity has a significant negative impact on living standards. For example, it can limit the provision of quality public services such as healthcare, education and water. It also creates a barrier to access to digital services, holding back participation in an increasingly digital global economy.

    Lack of access is not the only challenge for sub-Saharan African countries. Existing connections are unreliable too. About 43% of Africans had access to electricity that worked “most” or “all” of the time in 2022. Reliability issues are typically more common in rural areas.

    Just two sub-Saharan African countries have electricity grids without significant outages: Angola and Botswana. Outages reduce the benefits electricity offers to households and businesses, and create demand for expensive and typically polluting fuel-run generators.

    Studies have proposed off-grid solar generated electricity as one possible solution for economies with poor electricity access. In some locations, they are the lowest-cost option, and can enable electricity access without building electricity grid infrastructure – transmission and distribution networks.

    Some of these studies, however, may have underestimated the potential benefits of off-grid solar power. This is because they don’t consider the cost impacts of poor reliability or of carbon price schemes.

    I was part of a team of scientists using a new approach to assessing the cost of different energy access options. It combines modelling individual energy systems with spatial data covering large areas. Our approach allows us to put a cost to the reliability and the pollution of different sources of electricity. When you account for these, the relative attractiveness of technologies may change.

    Our research explores the role off-grid solar could play in different scenarios in Africa. It covered 43 countries for which data is available, and that are home to more than 99% of the continent’s population without access. Below, we will highlight two countries, Nigeria and Mozambique.

    Cost of carbon and cost of poor reliability

    Using our new approach, we analyse which parts of each country would find solar to be the cheapest technology. We do this at a fine level of detail. Our scenarios include either a carbon price, or a penalty for poor reliability. We can show what policy would make the greatest impact in a given location.

    Electricity access can be arranged into tiers that combine different levels of wattage, hours of availability, number of disruptions, affordability and so on.

    For our medium electricity demand scenario (tier 3), our modelling suggests that off-grid solar would be cheapest for 65 million more people if you applied a carbon price to the calculation. If you applied a reliability penalty, off-grid solar would be cheapest for 80 million more people.

    Carbon markets are financial markets which put a price on emitting greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide. These markets influence the relative cost and shares of different electricity generation technologies. However, the use of carbon credits on the African continent remains limited as they are a relatively new initiative on the continent.

    The reliability of supply is crucial in determining the value of a connection. Poor reliability can lead to reduced security and reduced household income.

    Off-grid solar systems may offer improved reliability when compared to national grid networks.

    To demonstrate our methods and findings more clearly, let’s look at two countries in more detail: Nigeria and Mozambique.

    Nigeria

    Nigeria has an unreliable grid, with service levels worse in rural areas. Our analysis projects that Nigeria will have as many as 55 million households – around 20% of the population – without electricity access in 2030. In our research, we find that off-grid solar would be the cheapest way for connecting between 5% and 60% of these people to electricity.

    But solar’s economic viability versus the traditional grid network depends on the level of demand for electricity. At low electricity usage (tier 2 or 200Wh per day), off-grid solar beats traditional electricity grid networks. It meets the energy needs of a higher proportion of the population (60%) at lower cost.

    The reverse is true when demand for electricity is higher (tier 4 or 3,400Wh per day). Under this scenario, high electricity usage demands traditional electricity grids.

    Poor reliability of national electricity grids is an issue on the continent. When the costs of poor reliability are included in the calculation, solar becomes more competitive. It meets the needs of between 38% and 65% of the 55 million households in Nigeria.

    This finding highlights that to provide reliable access, focusing on off-grid solar may be the best solution. Nigeria is already using subsidies to encourage this.



    Read more:
    Nigeria’s chronic power shortages: mini grids were going to crack the problem for rural people, but they haven’t. Here’s why

    Mozambique

    In Mozambique, we estimate that more than 16 million people (40% of the population) will remain without access to electricity by 2030. As it is for Nigeria, off-grid solar power is cheaper for lower electricity usage levels. Off-grid solar would, by our estimates, be cheapest for between 28% and 88% of the 16 million people, depending on demand levels.

    When carbon pricing is factored in, this increases to 88% from 50%, with the greatest impact seen at higher demand levels. Our research also shows the carbon price levels that are effective at different demand levels, for different parts of the country.

    Due to differences in the costs of different technologies in different places, there is variation in policy effectiveness and thresholds. When considering where carbon credit schemes may be most effective, stakeholders should consider areas highlighted as seeing a shift in technology at the lower price level.



    Read more:
    Mozambique’s unstable and expensive power supply is devastating small businesses – study examines what’s gone wrong

    Targeted policy can boost access and reliability in Africa

    When considering energy policy across a large region, country-specific and localised factors are paramount. We do not pretend to capture all of these in our research. However, our use of spatial data, and country-level demand and supply modelling, tries to move in the right direction.

    Hamish Beath receives funding from UK Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC), UK Natural Environment Research Council (NERC) and Research England GCRF QR Funding, UK.

    – ref. Powering Africa: new model compares options for off-grid solar in 43 countries – https://theconversation.com/powering-africa-new-model-compares-options-for-off-grid-solar-in-43-countries-232192

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Gangs’stories: Marwan, or how to find redemption in Cape Town

    Source: The Conversation – France – By Steffen Bo Jensen, Professor, Department of Politics and Society, Aalborg University

    For the past five years, the GANGS project, a European Research Council-funded project led by Dennis Rodgers, has been studying global gang dynamics in a comparative perspective. When understood in a nuanced manner that goes beyond the usual stereotypes and Manichean representations, gangs and gangsters arguably constitute fundamental lenses through which to think about and understand the world we live in.

    Steffen Jensen recounts the story of Marwan, whose life is in many ways a reflection of the last 75 years of South African history, having had to navigate the violence of apartheid, prison, the Cape Flat drug wars. Central to his narrative are the notions of damnation and redemption.

    I picked up Marwan one cloudy morning in May 2019, from his house in the backstreets of Heideveld, the township Cape Town, South Africa, where I have been conducting fieldwork on gangs on and off for 25 years. While much has changed over the years, the gang scene in Cape Town remains depressingly violent. In one of the other townships where I have been doing fieldwork since 2018, more than 160 have died in the past year. Gangs exist in almost all townships and partly for this reason, Cape Town remains one of the most violent and deadly cities in the world.

    Sixty-year-old Marwan exudes strength as he walks over to my car, and greets me in his light blue Islamic attire. Although not particularly tall, he is well built in a wiry way, and there is an embodied intensity to him that contrasts with his soft-spokenness.

    We are in the middle of Ramadan, and he tells me that he is happy to see me, although he is also very busy, preparing for a wedding with his new, much younger partner, as well as 10 days of prayer in the local mosque.

    We decide to talk in a nearby park, where we begin what will end up being an eight-hour interview. During this time, Marwan leads me through his life in a way that is entirely his own choosing: “It was a Tuesday… I remember it well. I was wearing an orange jacket…”

    A microcosm of South Africa’s recent history

    Marwan’s life is in many ways a microcosm of South Africa’s recent history. It was fundamentally shaped by apartheid, particularly through the introduction of racist laws and policies, which included the displacement of non-white populations from central Cape Town to council housing estates on the outskirts, known as the Cape Flats. It was then also influenced by the instability of the post-apartheid era, characterised by high levels of crime and violence.

    His family was one of the tens of thousands displaced from the Cape Town city centre in the 1960s, leading Marwan to grow up in the difficult environment of the Cape Flats. At the age of 16, in the mid-1970s, he began dealing drugs, quickly acquiring a notorious reputation, allowing him to operate semi-independently of the local gangs.

    Marwan’s story exemplifies how drug dealing has critically impacted local gang structures. Before the mid-1970s, drugs did not play an important role in gang formation. They were mostly self-defence gangs protecting neighbourhoods against the hostile environment of the new housing estates. However, when the Mandrax drug was introduced around 1975, it radically transformed the nature of the gangs and their use of violence.

    Life with the Terrible Joosters

    Marwan joined one of the local gangs in Heideveld, the Terrible Joosters, and began dealing drugs. While the local gang in Heideveld gained in importance, he started making a name for himself as a robie, someone that focuses on robberies and break-ins. He excelled and joined city-wide criminal networks outside Heideveld, located in neighbouring Bridge Town, where the American gang became increasingly dominant. It was the conflict with the Americans that was partly instrumental in sending him to jail. In the interview, he describes a year of madness that began with his shooting a police officer. It then descended into increased drug abuse and gang violence, including shooting a member of the same criminal network, because, he said, the man had sold them out to the Americans. As a result, in 1982, Marwan received a long prison sentence.

    Marwan is no stranger to prisons. He had been in and out of them since his late teens, but this was his longest sentence. Like his involvement with drugs before, his prison trajectory reflected the changing nature of Cape Town’s gang dynamics.

    The relationship between prison gangs and street gangs has been complicated since the emergence of both in the 1940s. Prisons in South Africa are partly controlled by an intricate gang system with its own belief structure, which includes a perceived resistance to apartheid and racist regimes. The system also enforces control through the so-called numbers, referring to the three main gangs, 26, 27 and 28.

    The numbers represent distinct gangs, each with a specific role within the prison hierarchy. This hierarchy is enforced through strict codes and significant violence against each other, guards, and non-gang members. Through his connections with gang-affiliated individuals and drug dealers both inside and outside the prison, Marwan quickly joined the 26 gang and rose through the ranks to become one of its leaders.

    Gangsters often have a sell-by date

    After Marwan left prison in 1998, his life became intertwined with the Cape Flats “gang wars” of the late 1990s and early 2000s. This city-wide war, involving his old enemies in the Americans, was much more brutal than the ones he had fought earlier on. He was horrified.

    He complained about the stupidity of the youngsters: “If they get a name, they are a gang and they will die”, he told me back in 1999. There is a generational dimension to this. Most gangs last about 10 years. The gangs Marwan saw in the late 1990s were descendants – often sons – of the gangsters of Marwan’s generation.

    Many gangsters face an inevitable expiration date, often ending up dead, imprisoned, or suffering from serious health issues due to a life of violence, hardship, and drug abuse. However, some do manage to successfully leave behind the world of gangs and crime.

    In his mid-40s, increasingly burned out, Marwan underwent a religious conversion that allowed him to “leave” his criminal life behind.

    Marwan’s life story is both a violent and strangely moral tale of comradery, solidarity, justice and of outwitting the racist apartheid state under the most arduous circumstances. Though not necessarily representative, it provides a privileged view into the Capetonian underworld and how it animated and was animated by political structures.

    How I became a gang war chronicler

    Our meeting in 2019 reminded me of my first encounter with Marwan, 20 years before, in December 1998.

    He had just been released from prison after serving a 19-year sentence for multiple charges, including robbery, violence, drug dealing, and shooting a police officer. He was the brother-in-law of my best friend and confidante in Cape Town, Shahiedah.

    I was conducting my doctoral fieldwork on gang dynamics, and over the following months, as the ongoing gang wars in the Cape Flats escalated, Marwan assumed a somewhat distant yet pivotal role as a guardian, helping me navigate the violent and unpredictable ganglands of post-apartheid Cape Town.

    I once told Marwan that I planned to interview members of their rival gang, the Americans. Marwan – and nearly all of my other contacts – lived in New Yorker territory. The war between the New Yorkers and the Americans was a local manifestation of a larger conflict over control of the drug market in a city going through a huge turmoil: transitioning from a closed environment due to strict apartheid to opening up post-1994.

    The transition produced a volatile environment in which the transforming state struggled to find its feet, not least because of the wave of crime and violence. Murder rates soared and bombings became the order of the day. Seared in my memory was a Cape Argus newspaper article published on January 2, 1999, which quantified both the violence and the police’s impotence in the previous year: 668 attacks, 118 arrests, 0 convictions.

    This created an atmosphere of fear and unpredictability.

    Marwan had heard about my upcoming interview through the local rumour machine. He looked at me, and said gravely, without any context or explanation: ‘In a conflict like this, you cannot stay neutral. Everybody must choose sides’. ‘You too?’, I asked. ‘Also me. Everyone!’.

    What I understood was that I wouldn’t be able to offer a “neutral” narrative, I had to tell the story from the perspective of one gang. That day, I became a chronicler of the war from the (ultimately losing) side of the New Yorker gang…

    A story of redemption

    Although we chatted regularly in his house, I never managed to formally interview Marwan when I was in Cape Town in 1998-99. He was always on his way somewhere – to the shops, the doctor, his mother or he simply stood me up. I saw him from time to time during subsequent visits in the 2000s and 2010s, but only to greet him and see how he was doing.

    Hence, when I returned to South Africa in 2019 in the context of the GANGS project, I was determined to not let him escape me this time, and get him to open up about his life.

    And what a storyteller he was. But beyond the rich content of his tale and the wider insights it offered about gang dynamics in Cape Town, I was most struck by Marwan’s ability to maintain complete control over his narrative.

    He would often chide me whenever I tried to hurry his story along, especially when he got caught up in small details or when I wanted him to move on to a new event. “I want to tell it right,” he would say. “Wait, I’ll get to that when the time is right.”

    At one point, he described a court case he was involved in, after being accused of shooting a policeman:

    “You can have the best lawyer or the best advocate, but it’s what you say and the answers you give that makes you guilty or not guilty. That’s the main thing. How you tell your story. What I thought, what I was going through in my mind – everything you describe, so the judge can see your picture. A story without a picture is not the truth.”

    What insight, I thought. And in many ways, his constant production of images applied to the entire story that he told me. The way that Marwan told his story was as a narrative of redemption and salvation. The critical turning point in his story was how, a few years after having been released from prison, he had planned a heist with some friends, but suddenly refused to carry it out.

    “They [came by] and wanted to confirm the time we were going. I said, ‘You know what, I’ve changed my mind.’ ‘What do you mean you changed your mind?’ ‘No, I changed my mind. You two can go. But I am not going.’ ‘Why?’ I said, ‘There is no reason, but I just feel I am not going anymore.’ And they left. And I’ve never saw them again.”

    Marwan was convinced that his last-minute change of heart saved his life, as both friends ended up dead over the next couple of months. One was found hanged and the other was found in the trunk of a burnt-out car. For Marwan, even if he did not realise it at the time, felt that he had been “warned by Allah” not to go. This marked Marwan’s turn toward religion. He finally accepted Allah into his heart, and turned his life around, leaving his gang years behind.

    While I learned from interviews with his family that Marwan’s decision to leave behind a life of crime was only partially true – he continued dealing drugs and was involved in some gruesome acts of violence – he presented his moment of religious conversion as the pivotal point in his life, a moment of redemption. From that point on, his narrative focused on his piety and the long hours he spent at the mosque, portraying himself as a growingly accepted, though still somewhat suspicious, member of the Muslim community.

    Strong bones

    Do Marwan’s relapses into crime suggest that his narrative of redemption was false, and that he was merely manipulating me? It’s possible. This is always a consideration in interviews like these, particularly given the ambiguous and controversial nature of many of Marwan’s activities over the years. However, instead of viewing his story as a web of lies and misrepresentations, we might interpret these conflicting incidents as evidence of the co-existence of different moral narratives.

    A key moral concept on the Cape Flats is the notion of “sterk bene” or “strong bones”. According to Elaine Salo, this is the ability to endure humiliations, violence, and the injustices of a racialized society. The term originated in prisons to describe the kind of “hard man” toughness that Marwan projected, even after his religious conversion. This strength is often associated with being a criminal.

    In this context, Marwan’s redemption narrative and his display of “strong bones” can be seen as two culturally intelligible moral frameworks that exist in parallel – and at times in conflict – with one another. Perhaps Marwan would argue that, to survive on the Cape Flats, you need both: redemption and strong bones

    Steffen Bo Jensen is a senior researcher at DIGNITY-Danish Institute Against Torture and a professor at the Department of Politics and Society, Aalborg University in Denmark

    – ref. Gangs’stories: Marwan, or how to find redemption in Cape Town – https://theconversation.com/gangsstories-marwan-or-how-to-find-redemption-in-cape-town-223902

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Mass animal extinctions: our new tool can show why large mammals – like the topi – are in decline

    Source: The Conversation – Africa – By Joseph Ogutu, Senior Researcher and Statistician, University of Hohenheim

    We could be witnessing the sixth mass extinction at an alarming rate worldwide. It’s marked by the rapid loss of species due to human activities like habitat destruction, pollution and climate change. Unlike previous mass extinctions, which were caused by natural events, this one is driven by human impact – like growing populations, pollution, invasive plant species and human-wildlife conflict.

    Large mammals are especially at risk, in Africa as elsewhere. For instance, nearly 60% of wild herbivores – such as elephants and hippos – are already threatened with extinction.

    Effective conservation and recovery strategies are needed. To develop them, you need to know how the population of a certain animal is doing and, if it is in decline, what’s causing it.

    One tool that’s useful here is a model, using biology, maths, statistics and computer software.

    The problem is that there aren’t enough of these realistic, effective models for large mammals. There’s a shortage of appropriate data and the models are complex to build.

    I was part of a team that developed a model to help fill that void. It’s the first to account for how large mammal populations interact with each other and their environment while also incorporating their detailed biology. It draws on valuable existing data and can be adapted for various wildlife species.

    We tested the model on populations of east Africa’s topi (a large antelope). From the results we’re able to deduce that the drivers of the topi’s massive population decline were habitat loss, poaching and killing by predators.

    Knowing what’s driving population declines is extremely valuable. Large mammals play a critical role in ecosystems. Changes to their populations will also affect many other species and could cause the extinction of connected species.

    How the model works

    Our model combines different types of data, like total population size from aerial surveys and ground vehicle counts, with predicted data on population figures. This allows us to estimate and track population trends that can’t be captured by just one data type. It considers factors like animal age, sex, gestation length, weaning period, calves per birth per year, birth rates, survival, and environmental influences like rainfall and temperature.

    Essentially, the model starts with educated guesses, then updates these guesses as it processes more observed data.

    The model can tell what causes a decline in two ways.

    First, it finds out which factors (such as rainfall) have a strong negative impact on things like birth rates, survival or recruitment, and shows exactly how they affect each other.

    Second, it lets us use simulations to see how changing one of these factors, while keeping others unchanged, changes the population by influencing its key characteristics (such as birth rate).

    Testing the model on topi

    We tested our model on the topi population found in Kenya, Tanzania and other African countries. We chose the topi because it’s a large herbivore in decline.

    The topi is an elegant antelope weighing between 91kg and 147kg, with a long face and uniquely twisted horns. One of the largest remaining topi populations in east Africa occurs in the Greater Mara-Serengeti Ecosystem, which straddles the border between Kenya and Tanzania.

    Kenya’s Directorate of Resource Surveys and Remote Sensing has, since 1977, monitored numbers and distribution of topi, and other large wild herbivores and livestock, using aerial surveys in the country’s rangelands, covering 88% of Kenya.

    Based on this data, we can see that topi numbers have declined persistently and strikingly (by 84.5%) in Kenya’s Masai Mara ecosystem between 1977 and 2022, even those in protected conservation areas.

    This decline indicates a high risk of extinction if the trend persists. This is a serious concern, since other antelope species, such as the roan, have gone extinct in the Mara in recent decades.

    But the causes haven’t been fully established.

    We ran the aerial and ground survey data into the model in a computer on a monthly interval. This approach allows the model to capture patterns in trends and dynamics on a monthly scale. It allows us to see the distribution of births per month, the timing of births, the degree to which multiple females in a population give birth around the same time, the proportion of females in a population that give birth, the total number of individuals of each age and sex in each month, and the proportion of young that survive to adulthood.

    The model starts with initial guesses based on existing knowledge, and refines the guesses as it processes more actual data.

    It produces results that match the observed patterns of population decline, seasonality of births and how many animals survive to become juveniles or to adulthood.

    Based on these findings, we see that the decline in the topi population is driven by a combination of low adult female numbers, low newborn survival and low recruitment into the adult class because most young (over 95%) die before they become adults.

    Based on the model, we attribute these changes to impacts from environmental changes, human activities and predation. For instance, since adult animals are the least sensitive to climatic changes, this suggests other factors – such as habitat loss or deterioration, poaching or high predation rates – are likely contributing to the decline.

    The new model enhances our understanding of large herbivore population dynamics besides confirming existing knowledge.

    By combining different kinds of data from different sources, the model helps estimate and track important population details that one type of data alone can’t show. For example, for the first time data is captured that can track the total number of topi of each age and sex in each month, how many adult female topi are ready to conceive and the various stages of pregnancy. This method also estimates changes in the total topi population by age and sex in all four zones of the Mara, even in zones without direct ground age and sex data.

    Refining and enhancing the model

    The team is now extending the model to include more features (like the influence of livestock numbers), make it user friendly, apply it to more wildlife species and assess the effectiveness of ongoing and planned management actions.

    Improving our understanding of the drivers of large mammal losses will ensure that the right conservation actions are taken. It’ll also ensure resources aren’t wasted because solutions could include investing in major infrastructure, changing wildlife conservation and livestock production policies, changing law enforcement and rehabilitation of wildlife habitats – all of which are costly.

    Joseph Ogutu has received funding from the German Research Foundation and the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation program. He is affiliated with the non-profits: One Mara-Research Hub (OMRH) and the Greater Serengeti Conservation Society. This research was partly funded by the World Wide Fund for Nature–East Africa Program and Friends of Conservation.

    – ref. Mass animal extinctions: our new tool can show why large mammals – like the topi – are in decline – https://theconversation.com/mass-animal-extinctions-our-new-tool-can-show-why-large-mammals-like-the-topi-are-in-decline-233882

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: UN Special Envoy for road safety visits Latin America to battle silent pandemic on the roads

    Source: United Nations Economic Commission for Europe

    The United Nations (UN) Secretary-General’s Special Envoy for Road Safety, Jean Todt, will visit Ecuador (20-21 August), Peru (22-24) and Chile (24-28) this week. During the visit, he will meet with key government officials, representatives of the international community, private, and public sectors to promote road safety initiatives and advocate for enhanced measures. This aligns with the Global Plan for the Decade of Action for Road Safety 2021-2030, aiming to halve road fatalities by 2030. This mission takes place a few weeks after the adoption of the new UN resolution for improving road safety ahead the 4th Global Ministerial Conference on Road Safety to be held in Marrakech, Morocco on 18 and 19 February 2025.

    A silent pandemic…

    In the region of Latin America and the Caribbean, 110,000 people die and more than 5 million are injured annually in road crashes (IDB 2024). Road crashes are the leading cause of death for children between the ages of 5 and 14 and the second leading cause for young adults, representing a significant social and economic burden.

    … and an economic and development issue  

    These countries are losing people in their most productive years, which, In addition to the human tragedy, traps countries into a vicious circle of poverty. According to the World Bank, the cost of road crashes represents 2 to 6 % of GDP in the region.  Another reason to rethink mobility and to invest in road safety.

    An efficient and safe road system with good private and public transportation facilities also means a better access to education, health care, food in an equitable way. Such a system also connects all parts of a country and society, contributing to building economic, social and environmental links between urban, peri-urban and rural areas.

    Latin America is one of the most urbanized regions in the world. Road safety should be therefore at the heart of cities’ development strategies, with increased focus on bicycles and pedestrians’ lines and itineraries, particularly around schools, and access to safe and clean public transport for all.

    During his mission, the Special Envoy will also advocate for more investment for road safety, including through the United Nations Road Safety Fund (UNRSF) which is running several projects in the region.

    “In Latin America, investing in road safety is key if we want to achieve our goal to halve the number of victims on the road by 2030. It will also help the region to decongestion cities with streets designed for pedestrians and bicycles and efficient public transport accessible to all” stressed the UNSG’s Special Envoy Jean Todt.

    Solutions exist

    The good news is that solutions exist. Law enforcement, urgent investment in education, better post-crash services, enhancing road infrastructure and vehicles, integrating advanced safety technologies are part of the recipe to stop the carnage on the road. Furthermore, mobilizing political leadership is essential to increase action and funding. Awareness campaigns also contributes to promote responsible behavior among all road users.

    Ecuador faces critical road safety challenges with high fatality rates

    According to the World Health Organization (WHO)’s Global Status Report on Road Safety 2023, Ecuador has seen a concerning rise in road fatalities, with a mortality rate of 23 per 100,000 people, which is more than three times the European average (6,5 per 100,000 people).

    During his visit to the country, the Special Envoy will hold important meetings with high-ranking officials from the Foreign Minister, the Minister of Education, the Mayor of Quito, officials from the Ministry of Economy and Finance, and the United Nations Country Team. Additionally, he will participate in a dialogue with representatives from the Ecuadorian Automotive Companies Association, civil society, and other road safety partners, emphasizing the urgent need for actions on this issue, both nationally and throughout Latin America.

    24.7 million trips per year in Metropolitan Lima

    According to the World Health Organization (WHO)’s Global Status Report on Road Safety 2023, Peru has a road traffic fatality rate of 13 per 100,000 people, which is more that the double of the European average (6,5 per 100,000 people).

    Currently, around 30% of the Peruvian population lives in Metropolitan Lima, the capital, generating 24.7 million trips per year, of which 57% are made by public transport, according to the Urban Transport Authority for Lima and Callao (ATU). The National Road Safety Observatory reports that, according to the National Police, in 2023 there were 87,083 traffic crashes, resulting in 58,000 injuries and 3,316 deaths. According to an unofficial Global Road Safety Facility (GRSF) estimate, the socio-economic costs of road deaths, serious injuries, and disabilities are up to 4.6% of GDP.

    In response to these challenges, the Peruvian government is prioritizing strengthening road safety institutions.

    During his mission in Peru, the Special Envoy will meet with Peruvian authorities and representatives of the private sector and civil society working in the sector.

    Raising awareness of life-saving road safety measures in Chile

    Despite recent improvement, Chile has a road traffic mortality rate of 10 per 100,000 people (World Health Organization (WHO)’s Global Status Report on Road Safety 2023). According to the most recent traffic report from the National Traffic Safety Commission of Chile (CONASET), 78,238 traffic crashes were recorded in 2023, resulting in 1,635 deaths and 45,679 injuries.

    The national authorities and civil society, with the support of the UN, increase efforts in addressing these challenges. In 2021, the United Nations Global Road Safety Week was celebrated with an intervention jointly organised by CONASET and PAHO/WHO that aimed to advocate for the establishment of 30 km/h speed limits on urban roads and to promote local support for such measures.

    Considering the exponential increase in the use of motorbikes in the country in recent years, and the proximity of the Independence Day celebrations in Chile, during his visit the Special Envoy will address the prevention of road crashes, use of helmets compliant with the UN safety regulation and promote road safety and coexistence measures.

    In this framework, he will participate in coordination meetings with government authorities, such as members of the Ministry of Transport, CONASET, Ministry of Health and the Chilean Police, as well as representatives of civil society and the private sector.

    During the visit, the Special Envoy will promote the UN-JCDecaux Global Road Safety Campaign, which aims to raise awareness of life-saving road safety measures. Launched globally in cooperation with JCDecaux Global under the motto #MakeASafetyStatement, it will run through 2025 in over 80 countries in the world, featuring safety statements from 14 global celebrities such as the F1 drivers Charles Leclerc and Mick Schumacher, singer Kylie Minogue, motorcycle race Marc Marquez, or the tennis champion Novak Djokovic. The messages the celebrities focus on mitigating risk factors on the road. Key aspects include wearing a seat belt, driving slowly, wearing a helmet, not texting and driving, not driving under the influence or while tired, and respecting pedestrians.

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: UN Secretary-General’s Special Envoy for Road Safety Jean Todt to launch UN Global Road Safety Campaign in Italy

    Source: United Nations Economic Commission for Europe

    The UN Secretary-General’s Special Envoy for Road Safety, Jean Todt, will be in Milan on 2 September to launch the UN global campaign #MakeASafetyStatement, in partnership with JCDecaux. The launch event will gather Mr. Giuseppe Sala, Mayor of Milan and Mr. Matteo Salvini, Vice-President of the Council of Ministers and Minister of Infrastructure and Transport of Italy.  

    The silent pandemic 

    Every year, the staggering toll of road-related fatalities claims the lives of 1.19 million people, leaving countless others with severe injuries. This silent pandemic overwhelmingly affects developing nations, where over 90% of the road traffic fatalities occur. Furthermore, road crashes are a leading cause of death for children and young adults aged 5–29 years. The campaign aligns with the Global Plan for the Decade of Action for Road Safety 2021-2030, aiming to halve road fatalities by 2030. This launch in Italy takes place a few weeks after the of the adoption of the new UN resolution for improving road safety ahead the 4th Global Ministerial Conference on Road Safety to be held in Marrakech, Morocco on 18 and 19 February 2025. 

    Road safety in Italy  
    Since 2001, the mortality rate in Italy has decreased by 42%, in line with the overall trend in the European Union. According to the European Road safety Observatory, Italy’s road traffic fatality rate stands at 5.2 per 100,000 people in 2023 (4.6 per 100,000 people in the EU). 19% of road fatalities in Italy are women, compared to the EU average of 22%.  

    In 2020, vulnerable road users (pedestrians, cyclists, and riders of powered two-wheelers) accounted for half of the fatalities, slightly higher than the EU average (ERSO 2023). Notably, riders of powered two-wheelers represented more than a quarter of Italy’s road fatalities compared to 18% in the EU (ERSO 2023). Italy has the lowest self-reported frequency in Europe for speeding and the highest for not wearing a seatbelt in the back seat (ERSO 2023).               

    #MakeASafetyStatement 

    The campaign seeks to reduce risk factors, especially in urban areas, enabling people to walk, live, and enjoy their environment safely.  Fourteen global, and dozens of national, celebrities have joined forces to advocate for simple and effective road safety rules in the six official UN languages.  The messages the celebrities focus on mitigate risk factors on the road. Key aspects include wearing a seat belt, driving slowly, wearing a helmet, not texting and driving, not driving under the influence or while tired, and respecting pedestrians.   

    Participating celebrities in the campaign include Football legend Mr. Didier Drogba, F1 Driver Mr. Charles Leclerc, Oscar-winning actress and UNDP Goodwill Ambassador Ms. Michelle Yeoh, Tennis legend Mr. Novak Djokovic, Musician Ms. Kylie Minogue, Motorcycle racer Mr. Marc Marquez, Supermodel Ms. Naomi Campbell, Actor Mr. Patrick Dempsey, Musician and Inspirational leader Mr. Youssou N’Dour, Actress Ms. Julie Gayet, Actor Mr. Michael Fassbender, Football icon Mr. Ousmane Dembélé, Double Olympic Champion Ms. Faith Kipyegon, F1 Driver Mr. Mick Schumacher.  

    Launch events 

    The launch in Milan, following the 2024 F1 Grand Prix in Monza, will comprise three events: 

    • 11:00-12.00 – press conference, moderated by the journalist Ms. Stefania Pinna, with the participation of Mr. Giuseppe Sala, Mayor of Milan; Mr. Matteo Salvini, Vice-President of the Council of Ministers and Minister of Infrastructure and Transport of Italy; Mr. Jean Todt, UN Secretary-General’s Special Envoy for Road Safety and Mr. Fabrizio du Chène de Vère, Amministratore Delegato IGPDecaux. 

    Venue: Palazzo Marino, City Hall 

    Venue: Historical Atm tram Carrelli 1928, Milan 

    • 17:00-18:30 – panel discussion on road safety, hosted by Pirelli (donor to the UN Road Safety Fund), with the participation of Ms. Vicky Piria, Racing Car Driver, TV Host and Motivational Speaker; Mr. Marco Tronchetti Provera, Executive Vice Chairman of Pirelli; Mr. Matteo Salvini, Vice-President of the Council of Ministers and Minister of Infrastructure and Transport of Italy; Mr. Stefano Domenicali, Manager and CEO of Formula One Group; Mr. Jean Todt, United Nations Secretary General’s Special Envoy for Road Safety ); Mr. Andrea Rustioni, Managing Director of IGPDecaux  

    Venue : Pirelli HQ 

    ————– 

    Note to editors 

    Road safety in Milan  

    Milan’s Municipality considers road safety a priority and promotes policies that encourage the use of public transportation, inter-modality of transport means, shared use of public space, the regulation of transit in selected areas, as well as active mobility on less congested and safer streets. The high number of cars in Milan – 49 per 100 inhabitants – makes the implementation of road safety policies particularly challenging. 

    In order to draw from international experiences and to avail of the knowledge of multidisciplinary professionals, in October 2023 Mayor Giuseppe Sala created a Task Force on Road Safety and Active Mobility. Its recommendations, presented in May 2024, included: putting schools and roads around schools at the centre of road safety policies; supporting the growth of safe, active mobility; installing speed bumps and redesigning intersections; widening, protecting and freeing up of space on sidewalks, as well as developing a plan for pedestrians and cyclists. Furthermore, Milan is the first city in Italy to introduce measures to counteract the so-called ‘blind spot on trucks’, effectively anticipating measures that are becoming a standard in the European Union. 

    #MakeASafetyStatement 

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: Temps to start recovering in the next few days, says weather service

    Source: South Africa News Agency

    While warmer weather is expected throughout most of South Africa in the coming days, the south western parts of the country can expect a cold front on Wednesday.

    This after the weekend’s freezing temperatures and snowfall in some parts of the country caused havoc on the roads, causing one fatality.  

    Forecaster at the South African Weather Service (SAWS) Samkelisiwe Thwala said on Monday rain showers are expected this afternoon over the central and western parts of the Western Cape, spreading to other areas this evening.

    “Tomorrow will be mostly partly cloudy for most of the country in the morning. This will clear from the west throughout the day,” Thwala told SAnews.

    She said the weather service expected isolated showers in the extreme parts of the Eastern Cape, Western Cape and Northern Cape. This will move into the Eastern Cape and Free State and southern parts of KwaZulu-Natal.

    Temperatures will start recovering in the next couple of days. “We are expecting temperatures to be warm in most parts of the country, but still relatively cool over Gauteng and Mpumalanga.”

    On Wednesday, however, a cold front will be approaching from the west and showers are expected in the south western parts of South Africa, spreading along the south coast. 

    Meanwhile, all roads affected by the recent snowstorm, including the N3 Toll Route, were reopened to traffic last night. These include key routes in Gauteng, Free State, Mpumalanga, KwaZulu-Natal, and the Eastern Cape. 

    “The extensive backlog of traffic between KwaZulu-Natal and the Free State has been cleared. Motorists are advised to resume their travels on Monday, 23 September 2024. 

    “Although the roads are cleared, road users are urged to drive cautiously as some roads remain slippery, and weather conditions limit visibility.

    “Government thanks all citizens, emergency services, government entities, humanitarian organisations, and stakeholders for their support during this time,” said the Government Communication and Information System (GCIS) on Sunday night. 

    READ | Tips for safer driving on icy roads

    Regrettably, a 39-year-old woman died on Saturday while trapped in the blizzard that engulfed the N3 between Van Reenen’s Pass, connecting KwaZulu-Natal and the Free State. – SAnews.gov.za

     

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Readout of the Secretary-General’s meeting with H.E. Mr. Cyril Ramaphosa, President of the Republic of South Africa

    Source: United Nations secretary general

    The Secretary-General met on Sunday, 22 September 2024 with H.E. Mr. Cyril Ramaphosa, President of the Republic of South Africa.

    The Secretary-General and the President discussed the outcome of the Summit of the Future and the defining role played by African countries in the process.  The Secretary-General and the President also raised other topics of common interest, in particular, in connection with South Africa’s presidency of the G20 in 2025.

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: Secretary-General’s video message to the Leaders Meeting of the Alliance of Small Island States (AOSIS)

    Source: United Nations – English

    strong>Download the video:
    https://s3.amazonaws.com/downloads2.unmultimedia.org/public/video/evergreen/MSG+SG+/SG+20+Sept+24/MSG+SG+AOSIS+Leaders+Meeting.mp4

    Excellencies, friends,

    Small Island States have a big impact in our world.

    You place defining issues for humanity and the planet firmly on the global agenda.

    You show the power of multilateralism through unity, collaboration, and determination.

    And you lead internationally on many fronts — not least with your new Declaration on Sea Level Rise and Statehood.

    But global crises have an outsize impact.

    The climate crisis is pounding your communities and economies – and compounding the effects of years of global economic turmoil.

    In many of your countries, tourism – which is so central to economies and livelihoods – has not fully recovered from COVID-19.  

    The global cost-of living crisis has hit you hard.

    And a number of you are grappling with debt – forcing you to service it instead of investing in your people.

    But I see AOSIS leading the charge for change.

    The United Nations is proud to stand with you and to partner with you to deliver on the recently adopted Antigua and Barbuda Agenda for SIDS.

    Together we must keep pushing for action on climate and on finance.

    We need new national climate plans – or NDCs – from all countries that align with limiting global temperature rise to 1.5 degrees Celsius.

    These new climate plans should double as investment plans, boosting sustainable, resilient development, and targeting inequalities.
     
    The biggest emitters – the G20 – must lead these efforts, including a fair global phase out of fossil fuels.

    I am working with President Lula of Brazil to drive action in the G20.

    But the moral authority and dynamism of AOSIS will be critical.

    You did the least to cause this crisis. You account for just 0.2% of global emissions. But you play an outsized role in holding the biggest emitters to account.

    We must also call for significant contributions to the new Loss and Damage Fund and press developed countries to honour their promises on adaptation finance.

    And all countries must reach an ambitious agreement at COP29 – including on new and innovative finance.

    More broadly, your nations need fundamental action, to scale-up development and climate finance, scale-down the cost of such capital, and tackle the sovereign debt crisis.

    We welcome the SIDS Debt Sustainability Support Service.

    And the Summit of the Future has shown that it is possible to make the international financial system bigger, bolder and more representative of today’s world.

    We must keep pressing for change – including at the Fourth Financing for Development Conference.

    My congratulations on the General Assembly’s recent endorsement of the Multidimensional Vulnerability Index. 

    We must ensure that vulnerable middle-income countries can access concessional funds. 

    Your efforts mean the eligibility and access of these countries to concessional finance can no longer be ignored.

    Let’s keep up the pressure on the Multilateral Development Banks to incorporate structural vulnerability into their lending criteria.

    The United Nations is with you – speaking in harmony, and standing in solidarity.

    Let’s keep working for the change you — and our world — need.

    Thank you.  
     

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Readout of the Secretary-General’s meeting with H.E. Mr. Faure Essozimna Gnassingbé, President of the Republic of Togo

    Source: United Nations secretary general

    The Secretary-General met with H.E. Mr. Faure Essozimna Gnassingbé, President of the Republic of Togo.  The Secretary-General and the President discussed the political and security situation in West Africa and the Sahel.  They also exchanged on the country’s ongoing efforts to further advance the Sustainable Development Goals.  The Secretary-General reiterated the commitment of the United Nations to accompany and support Togo in its efforts to promote peace, security and sustainable development.

    ***

     

    Le Secrétaire général a rencontré S.E. M. Faure Essozimna Gnassingbé, Président de la République du Togo. Le Secrétaire général et le Président ont discuté de la situation politique et sécuritaire en Afrique de l’Ouest et au Sahel. Ils ont également discuté des efforts continus du pays pour faire progresser les objectifs de développement durable. Le Secrétaire général a réitéré l’engagement des Nations Unies à accompagner et à soutenir le Togo dans ses efforts visant à promouvoir la paix, la sécurité et le développement durable.

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Readout of the Secretary-General’s meeting with H.E. Mohamed Ould Cheikh El Ghazouani, President of the Islamic Republic of Mauritania [scroll down for French]

    Source: United Nations MIL-OSI 2

    he Secretary-General met with H.E. Mr. Mohamed Ould Cheikh El Ghazouani, President of the Islamic Republic of Mauritania. The Secretary-General and the President discussed regional peace and security issues, including the Independent High Level Panel on Security and Development in the Sahel. They welcomed the Pact for the Future, including the proposed reforms in the international financial architecture. They further discussed the importance of focusing on youth and ensuring opportunities for young people. 

    ***

    Le Secrétaire général s’est entretenu avec S.E. M. Mohamed Ould Cheikh El Ghazouani, Président de la République islamique de Mauritanie. Le Secrétaire général et le Président ont discuté de questions relatives à la paix et à la sécurité régionales, y compris le Panel indépendant de haut niveau sur la sécurité et le développement au Sahel. Ils ont salué l’adoption du Pacte pour l’avenir, ainsi que les réformes proposées pour l’architecture financière internationale. Ils ont en outre discuté de l’importance de se concentrer sur la jeunesse et d’assurer des opportunités aux jeunes.

    New York, le 22 septembre 2024

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: During Climate Week, Markey, Badum, Merkley, Barragán Lead Over 100 International Lawmakers in Urging Biden Administration to Reject New LNG Exports

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Massachusetts Ed Markey

    Letter Text (PDF)

    Washington (September 23, 2024) – Senator Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), chair of the Environment and Public Works Subcommittee on Clean Air, Climate, and Nuclear Safety, today partnered with Representative Lisa Badum, group coordinator in the German Bundestag’s Climate and Energy Committee and chairwoman of the Subcommittee on International Climate and Energy Policy, Senator Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Representative Nanette Barragán (CA-44), Senate and House colleagues, and leaders from around the world in sending a letter to President Joe Biden and Secretary of Energy Jennifer Granholm, urging the administration to reject new liquefied natural gas (LNG) exports amidst the global climate crisis.

    The United States is already the world’s largest exporter of LNG and is on track to exponentially increase export capacity – a full build-out that could yield hundreds of million metric tons of additional greenhouse gases at home and abroad. Pushing back on arguments that United States’ international allies need the country’s LNG, members of the U.S. Congress and Parliaments around the world are requesting that the administration reject these applications. 

    In their letter to the administration, the lawmakers wrote, “Far from being a clean ‘bridge’ fuel, LNG causes significant environmental harm. In addition to the greenhouse gas released when LNG is burned, the potent greenhouse gas effects of pervasive methane leaks throughout the LNG supply chain — which extends from initial exploration all the way through gas production, pipeline transportation, liquefaction, vessel transportation, regasification, distribution, and end-use consumption — likely eliminate any climate advantage of reduced greenhouse gas emissions.”

    The lawmakers continued, “In addition to the environmental and health benefits, limiting U.S. LNG exports will actually support global energy security, not jeopardize it. In both emerging and developed markets, overinvestment in LNG diverts resources away from cheaper, more stable, and less trade-dependent clean energy investments.”

    In Europe:

    “While Europe’s energy system was strained in the immediate aftermath of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in early 2022, it has since recovered. Europeans united to slash overall gas demand by 20 percent over the past two years. Gas prices are lower than before the start of the war, despite drastically lower supply from Russia.”

    In Asia:

    “China, the world’s largest LNG importer, has emerged as a major re-exporter within the region and globally, cashing in on lucrative price differentials that are facilitated by long-term agreements with the United States. Similarly, Japan, facing declining domestic demand and oversupply, is redirecting LNG trade volumes to emerging markets in South and Southeast Asia, bolstering profitable re-trading ventures.” Additionally, “South Korea, despite existing low terminal utilization and climate commitments, has invested significantly in expanding LNG infrastructure, highlighting a mismatch between capacity expansions and actual demand.”

    In Africa:

    “The expansion of LNG export infrastructure has sparked displacement, conflict, and environmental degradation, with many projects facing the risk of becoming stranded assets amid declining global demand. The African LNG export market parallels the United States in prioritizing foreign market interests over local needs amidst declining demand. U.S. participation in the LNG export market fuels this exploitative industry, undermining claims of leadership in a just global energy transition.”

    In the Americas:

    “Investments in new re-exporting infrastructure in Mexico will soon become stranded assets with poor financial viability, threatening the economic stability of the country for the benefit of short-term U.S. interests. Moreover, the export of U.S. LNG through Mexico also transfers environmental and climate justice burdens associated with LNG infrastructure, expanding the footprint of the industry’s harm to the country’s unique biodiversity and frontline communities in Mexico.”

    Cosigners in the U.S. include Senator Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), and Representatives Jared Huffman (CA-02), Rashida Tlaib (MI-12), Jan Schakowsky (IL-09), Pramila Jayapal (WA-07), and Eleanor Holmes Norton (DC). Cosigners internationally include 30 Members of the Thailand Parliament, 15 Members of the European Parliament, 10 Members of the German Parliament, 3 Members of the United Kingdom Parliament, 2 Members of the Flemish Parliament, 2 Members of the National Assembly of the Gambia, 2 Members of the South Sudan Parliament, 2 Members of the Tanzanian Parliament the Australian Senator for Victoria, Brazilian State Deputy for Para, Canadian Senator for Quebec, the Deputy Prime Minister of Belgium, 1 former Member of the Sierra Leone Parliament, 1 former Member of the Catalan Parliament, 1 former Member of the Flemish Parliament, 1 Member of the Timor-Leste Parliament, Member of Parliament and Special Envoy on Climate Change and Environment from the Republic of Vanuatu, 1 Member of the Sierra Leone Parliament, 1 Member of Tasmania’s Legislative Council, 1 Member of the Australian Parliament, 1 Member of the Austrian Parliament, 1 Member of the Cambodian Parliament, 1 Member of the Cameroon National Assembly, 1 Member of the Colombian Congress, 1 Member of the Gambian Parliament, 1 Member of the Ghanaian Parliament, 1 Member of the Liberian House of Representatives, 1 Member of the Northern Ireland Assembly, 1 Member of the Scottish Parliament, 1 Member of the Swedish Parliament, 1 Member of the Swiss Parliament (National Council), 1 Member of the Tasmanian House of Assembly, 1 Member of the Ugandan Parliament, 1 Member of the UK House of Lords, and 1 Member of the Victorian Parliament in Australia on behalf of the Victorian Greens Members of Parliament.

    In July 2023, Senator Markey and several New England Senators sent a letter to the Department of Energy urging it to consider the disproportionate negative impacts of LNG on New England as the department considers updates to its underlying environmental and economic analyses to improve export authorization decisions for LNG. 

    In May 2024, Senator Markey and Representative Yvette Clarke (NY-09) announced the reintroduction of the Block All New (BAN) Fossil Fuel Exports Act, legislation that would amend the Energy Policy and Conservation Act and ban the export of American crude oil and natural gas abroad to protect frontline communities from dangerous export infrastructure, prioritize U.S. consumers against fossil fuel profiteering, and help ensure the United States meets its climate and clean energy commitments on the world stage.

    In March 2023, Senator Markey and Representatives Ayanna Pressley (MA-07) and Rashida Tlaib (MI-12) reintroduced the Fossil Free Finance Act, legislation that would direct the Federal Reserve to require major banks and other Systemically Important Financial Institutions (SIFIs) to stop financing projects and activities linked to increased greenhouse gas emissions and submit a plan on how they would meet these requirements. In October 2022, Senator Markey reintroduced the OPEC Accountability Act, legislation to require the U.S. President to initiate consultations with the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) and some non-OPEC countries to reduce crude oil production.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Starmer expresses interest in Italy’s migration approach – how different is it from the Rwanda plan?

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Chiara Graziani, Assistant professor, Law, Bocconi University

    One of Keir Starmer’s first actions as UK prime minister was to put an end to the controversial Rwanda asylum scheme. The plan, introduced by his predecessors, aimed to deter small boat crossings by sending those who reached the UK to Rwanda to have their claims assessed.

    So it was surprising to many observers to see Starmer visit Italy for a meeting with Giorgia Meloni about Italy’s handling of asylum seekers through an arrangement with Albania. At first glance, this approach is similar to the Rwanda plan.

    Both are examples of “externalisation” of immigration. This consists of collaborating with other countries to manage migration, often by moving immigrants who arrive on the soil of a certain country to the territory of another country. Forms of externalisation are used by several other countries, such as Australia, Canada and the US.

    The UK pursued this approach through its Rwanda scheme, under which anyone arriving irregularly in the UK to claim asylum would be moved to Rwanda to have their claims processed by Rwandan officials. In exchange, the UK had agreed to give Rwanda nearly £500 million in development funding, plus additional funds for each person moved.

    The policy faced serious political opposition and legal challenges, and ultimately never got off the ground before the general election.

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    Italy’s partnership with Albania is different in some ways. Under a protocol signed by both countries, asylum seekers rescued at sea while trying to reach Italy will be moved to Albania for their applications to be examined. This will take place in processing centres that Italy will finance and build for this purpose.

    In those areas, however, Italian – and not Albanian – law will be applied and Italian authorities will be competent for the implementation of the process. Under the Rwanda scheme, Rwandan officials (and law) would have governed the asylum procedure once seekers were moved there. This was part of why the UK supreme court said it was not a “safe” country and ruled the plan unlawful.

    Additionally, successful applicants will be granted asylum in Italy, while the Rwanda plan would have only allowed them to stay in Rwanda (not come to the UK).



    Read more:
    Is the Rwanda plan acting as a deterrent? Here’s what the evidence says about this approach

    The Albanian programme is not up and running yet, but Starmer has praised Meloni’s “remarkable progress” in reducing irregular arrivals to Italy by 60%.

    In recent years, Italy has enacted other measures to manage migration by paying North African countries to stop illegal migration to Italy. Italy financed the construction of a maritime area where Tunisian boats can intervene and bring migrants to Tunisian soil.

    Similarly, Italy has outsourced search-and-rescue operations in the Mediterranean to the Libyan Coast Guard, in exchange for funding to enhance Libyan migration infrastructure and a commitment to improve conditions of reception centres.

    However, human rights groups, including Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch, have raised serious concerns about these arrangements. In both cases, they say, reception centres amount to fully fledged detention centres, under poor conditions potentially amounting to inhumane and degrading treatment. Meloni has called such accusations “completely groundless”.

    An investigation by The Guardian newspaper, published after Starmer’s visit to Italy, detailed harsh abuse of migrants by Tunisian coast guard and border patrol. Human rights groups have been raising concerns for years about the Libyan Coast Guard’s treatment of migrants in distress at sea, including potentially conducting illegal “pushback” operations, which involve pushing boats back across a border they have crossed.



    Read more:
    The EU’s outsourced migration control is violent, expensive and ineffective

    Potential hurdles

    Starmer has said he is “interested” in Italy’s plan with Albania, and has expressed openness to other forms of externalisation. He also wants the UK to work closer with other European states to cooperate on migration.

    One positive side to the Italian model is undoubtedly that Italy does not waive its legal jurisdiction. Italian law applies in the Albanian processing centres, although conflicts with Albanian law (whose jurisdiction can’t be eliminated totally) may arise. If the UK incorporates this aspect in any future plan, it could mitigate a key weak point of the Rwanda plan.

    The Italian scheme also explicitly guarantees that the UN refugee commissioner oversees the process taking place in Albania, in theory ensuring that international human rights standards are met. However, it is certainly possible that these safeguards might be overlooked in the practical enforcement of the agreement, for example because Italian law will need to be applied by officers of a foreign country.

    It is worth nothing that Italy and the UK currently have very different geopolitical positions. Italy is an EU member state, and bound by European asylum laws and standards. This too could cause future legal issues should any of Italy’s actions in Albania violate EU law.

    Any externalisation policy will always involve balancing several interests. First and foremost, the need to comply with human rights standards, but also the fair handling of migration, and the necessity to avoid some countries taking more people than they can support.

    These pressures will be different for the UK than for Italy, and must be carefully considered. Just as the migration of people is a thorny issue, so too is the migration of policy.

    Chiara Graziani 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. Starmer expresses interest in Italy’s migration approach – how different is it from the Rwanda plan? – https://theconversation.com/starmer-expresses-interest-in-italys-migration-approach-how-different-is-it-from-the-rwanda-plan-223405

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Security: IAEA Board of Governors Elects New Chairperson for 2024-2025

    Source: International Atomic Energy Agency – IAEA

    Ambassador Philbert Abaka Johnson. (Photo: A. Barber-Huescar/IAEA)

    The IAEA Board of Governors elected Ambassador Philbert Abaka Johnson as the Chairperson of the IAEA’s Board of Governors for 2024–2025. His one-year term commences today. He succeeds Ambassador Holger Federico Martinsen of Argentina.

    Ambassador Johnson is the Permanent Representative of Ghana to the Agency, the United Nations Offices and other International Organizations in Vienna. Since his appointment in 2020, he has chaired the 54th Session of the United Nations Commission on International Trade Law (UNCITRAL), Subsidiary Body III of the Tenth Review Conference of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT), the standing open-ended intergovernmental working group on improving the governance and financial situation of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (FINGOV), the Commission on Narcotic Drugs, and the Vienna-based African Group. He is currently serving as Co-Chair for the preparations of the Ministerial Conference on Nuclear Science, Application and Technology and Technical Cooperation in 2024.

    A career diplomat with close to 30 years of experience, Ambassador Johnson’s first diplomatic assignment was in Liberia in 1995. He has since served in multiple Ghana Missions in Switzerland, the Russian Federation, Belgium, Canada and New York and has held numerous positions in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration, including as the first Director of the Diaspora Affairs Bureau in 2014. Before his appointment in Vienna, he was the Director of Africa and Regional Integration Bureau and Head of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) National Office from 2019 to 2020 and contributed towards Ghana’s bid to host the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) Secretariat and the establishment of the ECOWAS Early Warning Centre in Accra.

    Ambassador Johnson holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in History and a Diploma in Education from the University of Cape Coast, as well as two master’s degrees: a Master’s of International Affairs from the Legon Centre for International Affairs & Diplomacy in Ghana, and a Master’s of International Law and Economics from the World Trade Institute in Switzerland. He has participated in various courses on leadership and diplomacy and was the recipient of the Best Ghana Diplomatic Mission Award for 2024.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Readout of the Secretary-General’s meeting with H.E. Mr. Brice Clotaire Oligui Nguema, Transition President and Head of State of the Gabonese Republic [scroll down for French]

    Source: United Nations secretary general

    The Secretary-General met today with H.E. Mr. Brice Clotaire Oligui Nguema, Transition President and Head of State of the Gabonese Republic.  The Secretary-General and the Transition President welcomed the adoption of the Pact for the Future and discussed the ongoing political transition in Gabon.
     
     
    ***
     
    Le Secrétaire général s’est entretenu aujourd’hui avec S.E. Monsieur Brice Clotaire Oligui Nguema, Président de la Transition et Chef de l’État de la République gabonaise. Le Secrétaire général et le Président de la Transition ont salué l’adoption du Pacte pour l’avenir et ont échangé sur la transition politique en cours au Gabon.
     

    MIL OSI United Nations News –