NewzIntel.com

Category: Business

  • MIL-OSI USA News: Fact Sheet: Quad Countries Launch Cancer Moonshot Initiative to Reduce the Burden of Cancer in the  Indo-Pacific

    Source: The White House

    Today, the United States, Australia, India, and Japan are launching a groundbreaking effort to help end cancer as we know it in the Indo-Pacific, starting with cervical cancer, a largely preventable disease that continues to be a major health crisis in the region, and laying the groundwork to address other forms of cancer as well. This initiative is part of a broader set of announcements made at the Quad Leaders Summit.

    The Quad Cancer Moonshot will serve to strengthen the overall cancer care ecosystem in the Indo-Pacific by improving health infrastructure, expanding research collaborations, building data systems, and providing greater support for cancer prevention, detection, treatment, and care.
     
    Cervical cancer, while preventable through vaccination and usually treatable if detected early, remains the third leading cause of cancer deaths among women in the Indo-Pacific region. Fewer than one in 10 women in the Indo-Pacific have completed their human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination series, and fewer than 10% have undergone recent screening. Many countries in the region face challenges related to healthcare access, limited resources, and disparities in vaccination rates. Through this initiative, Quad countries will work to address these gaps by promoting HPV vaccination, increasing access to screenings, and expanding treatment options and care in underserved areas.

    Altogether, our scientific experts assess that the Quad Cancer Moonshot will save hundreds of thousands of lives over the coming decades.
     
    These steps build on the Biden-Harris Administration’s steadfast commitment to ending cancer as we know it. More than two years ago, President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden reignited the Cancer Moonshot with the goals of reducing the cancer death rate in the United States by at least half—preventing more than 4 million cancer deaths—by 2047, and improving the experience of people who are touched by cancer.

    Cancer is a global challenge that requires collective action and cooperation beyond any single nation’s effort. By working together, the Quad aims to implement innovative strategies to prevent, detect, treat and alleviate the impact of cancer on patients and their families.  Quad partners also intend to work, within respective national contexts, to collaborate in advancing research and development in the area of cancer and to increase private sector and non-governmental sector activities in support of reducing the burden of cervical cancer in the region. Today Quad countries are pleased to announce the following ambitious commitments from our governments and non-government contributors:
     
     
    QUAD COUNTRIES

    • Quad countries intend to continue their strong commitments to Gavi including with HPV vaccines in the Indo-Pacific, with the United States making an early pledge of at least $1.58 billion over five years.
    • In addition, Quad countries will work together with United Nations agencies on bulk purchasing of HPV diagnostics to bring down the cost of cervical cancer screening, and work with the International Atomic Energy Agency to improve access to and quality of medical imaging and radiation therapy.

    United States

    • The Department of Defense, through the U.S. Navy, intends to support HPV vaccine expert exchanges with Indo-Pacific partners, starting in 2025. This partnership will enable healthcare professionals from partner nations to receive hands-on training, build capacity, and strengthen healthcare systems across the Indo-Pacific, focusing on preventive health services like HPV vaccination. The initiative aims to bolster regional cooperation on cancer and promote health security in the region.
    • The Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) Oncology Center of Excellence intends to arrange a technical visit to India within the next twelve months to set up collaborations with stakeholders under FDA’s ‘Project Asha’.  Working together with the FDA India Office, leading oncologists, patient advocacy groups, clinical trial sponsors, and government stakeholders, this new partnership will focus on capacity-building efforts, including education on the design, conduct, and management of clinical trials, promoting international standards, helping streamline approval processes, sharing regulatory expertise, and increasing cancer clinical trial access.
    • The U.S. National Cancer Institute (NCI) intends to expand its support as a leading funder of global cancer research and global cancer research training in the Indo-Pacific region. This portfolio currently includes nearly 400 active projects involving investigators and institutions in South Asia, East Asia, and the Pacific, including major investments specifically focused on testing cervical cancer vaccination, screening, and treatment interventions and strategies that can meet the needs of women and girls worldwide. The NCI will also expand its support for global cancer control efforts more broadly through scientific support provided to countries via the International Cancer Control Partnership, International Agency for Research on Cancer, and World Health Organization (WHO) Collaborating Center.
    • The NCI will expand ongoing collaborations with nations in the Indo-Pacific region to provide evidence-based cancer information for health professionals and people affected by cancer to this global audience.  NCI will aim to support the public education needs of the Quad Cancer Moonshot Initiative by providing its expert-curated, comprehensive, and authoritative cancer information to health professionals and patients in the Indo-Pacific. This will include a comprehensive collection of information on cancer topics such as adult and pediatric cancer treatment, screening, prevention, genetics, supportive and palliative care, and integrative, alternative, and complementary therapies, including extensive information related to the screening, prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of cervical cancer. 
    • The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) will support HPV vaccination programs, improve vaccine distribution and strengthen cancer surveillance and prevention systems in the Indo-Pacific region. This will include working with the Philippines Ministry of Health on an HPV vaccination program evaluation, focusing on behavioral and social drivers to inform future vaccine distribution. CDC will also contribute to broader cancer control efforts by supporting cancer control plan development to strengthen the overall cancer care ecosystem in the region.
    • CDC intends to provide technical assistance and disseminate best practices informed by pilot cervical cancer screening studies in the U.S. Pacific territories and freely associated states, as well as continuing to support CDC-funded national cancer control programs in U.S. Pacific Island Jurisdictions (PIJs). These efforts will involve sharing evidence-based strategies to improve early detection of cervical cancer. In addition, CDC intends to disseminate an implementation guide that can assist PIJ efforts to improve their screening capacity and encourage partnerships to promote cervical cancer screening, including guidance on how to build medical and laboratory capacity to conduct primary HPV testing and follow-up tests, and improve data systems to monitor screening to enhance cancer prevention and care infrastructure.
    • The U.S. International Development Finance Corporation (DFC) will look to support eligible private sector-driven projects to prevent, diagnose, and treat cancer, including cervical cancer. In particular, DFC will look to accelerate the deployment of innovative approaches and technologies to underserved communities.
    • The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) will look to provide critical financial and technical support to expand HPV vaccination access. The U.S. government, through USAID has made an unprecedented pledge of at least $1.58 billion to Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, which will bolster global efforts to increase vaccine coverage, including HPV vaccines, in low- and middle-income countries, helping to protect millions of women and girls from cervical cancer across the Indo-Pacific and beyond.
    • The State Department, through Global Health Security and Diplomacy (GHSD)-President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), will share best practices on the rapid scale-up of cervical cancer screening and treatment efforts among people living with HIV, including commodity procurement and health system strengthening in low-and-middle-income countries. This collaboration will enhance the integration of cervical cancer screening into existing HIV treatment programs, increasing access to life-saving interventions. It will also focus on improving supply chains for essential medical supplies needed for screening and treatment.

    Australia

    • Through Australian Government and philanthropic contributions, total funding commitments to the Elimination Partnership in the Indo-Pacific for Cervical Cancer (EPICC) consortium will expand to AUD $29.6 million. EPICC is a new program that builds on decades of research and clinician leadership to advance the elimination of cervical cancer across the Indo-Pacific by improving HPV-related policies, planning and readiness in any country in the region. EPICC is piloting HPV programs for future scale-up in Timor-Leste and Solomon Islands, expanding sub-national vaccination programs to support country readiness in Malaysia, Fiji and Papua New Guinea, and supporting the establishment of national sustained HPV elimination programs in Tuvalu, Vanuatu and Nauru. EPICC works across six priority areas to eliminate cervical cancer, including strengthening primary prevention through HPV vaccination support, secondary prevention of cervical cancer through HPV screening and treatment for pre-cancer, laboratory strengthening for cervical cancer screening and diagnosis, digital health work to generate data for decision making and strengthened models of care, supporting cervical cancer management (across both treatment and palliative care), and policy and modelling support across all pillars of the cervical cancer elimination pathway.
    • With a total Australian Government commitment of AUD 16.5 million [$11 million], the expanded EPICC project will extend its reach to more women in the Indo-Pacific. It will also support partner organizations in the region working on cervical cancer elimination to participate in the next Global Forum on Cervical Cancer Elimination, which will have a strong Indo-Pacific focus.
    • Through their charity Minderoo Foundation, Dr. Andrew Forrest AO and Nicola Forrest AO are expanding a lifesaving contribution to EPICC with a further AUD13.1 million [$8.81 million]. This additional funding will see EPICC expanded to up to 11 countries in the region and brings Minderoo’s total commitment to AUD21.7 million. The expanded program will see 140,000 women in the Pacific region screened over the next 4 years, as well as the establishment of national elimination programs and the empowerment of governments to sustain the program for future generations of women and girls.

    India

    • India will share technical expertise in digital health through its National Non-Communicable Disease (NCD) portal. As part of its $10 million commitment to support the World Health Organization (WHO) led Global Initiative on Digital Health, India will provide technical assistance to the Indo-Pacific region. This includes offering technical support for the use of its National Non-Communicable Disease portal, which tracks long-term data on cancer screening and care.
    • India commits to providing HPV sampling kits, detection tools and cervical cancer vaccines worth $7.5 million to the Indo-Pacific region. This significant contribution aims to strengthen local efforts to prevent and detect cervical cancer and empower communities with affordable, accessible tools for early detection and prevention, while supporting vaccination programs to reduce the disease burden across the region.
    • India is scaling up population-based screening for oral, breast, and cervical cancers through its National Progamme for Prevention and Control of Non-Communicable Diseases. In particular, India uses the Visual Inspection with Acetic Acid (VIA) method for cervical cancer screening, which is simple, cost effective and efficient and allows healthcare workers to detect early signs of cervical cancer without the need for advanced laboratory infrastructure, making it a model for other regions in the Indo-Pacific.
    • India is expanding access to specialized cancer treatment centers under its “Strengthening of Tertiary Care Cancer Centres” program. The Government of India is supporting both states and union territories to improve treatment capacity across the county, ensuring that people from all parts of the country, including underserved areas, can receive high-quality care.
    • India is committed to affordable cancer treatment through Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (PMJAY). As part of its broader health coverage efforts, PMJAY, India is committed to providing affordable cancer treatments to its citizens, ensuring financial protection for those most in need.
    • India’s commitment to cervical cancer elimination is further supported by implementation research led by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR). The research is focused on enhancing cervical cancer screening, early diagnosis and initiation of treatment. The results and findings will be shared with the Indo-Pacific countries in the coming years, to strengthen regional collaboration.

    Japan

    • Japan is providing medical equipment, including Computed Tomography (CT) and Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) scanners, and other assistance worth approximately $27 million, to countries in the Indo-Pacific region. These countries include Cambodia, Vietnam, and Timor-Leste, as well as contributing to international organizations.
    • Through the Japan International Cooperation Agency and other organizations, Japan has committed approximately $75 million from FY2019 to FY2023 in the Indo-Pacific to combatting cancer including cervical cancer. This includes providing relevant medical equipment and facilities, medical diagnosis, health system strengthening, and technical assistance.
    • Japan is committed to improving the access to vaccines and promoting the women’s health including the prevention and control of cervical cancer through Global Health Initiatives or International Organizations such as Gavi, UNFPA, IPPF. Japan intends to continue its commitment to support this initiative.
    • Toward the achievement of universal health coverage, Japan intends to strengthen capacity for addressing cancer including cervical cancer in the Indo-Pacific region by health system strengthening.  Japan will also continue to support combatting cancer including cervical cancer in the region through National Cancer Center Japan’s partnership with each Quad country’s cancer related institution.

    NON-GOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATIONS

    Collaboration with the private and non-profit sectors of all Quad countries is indispensable to the success of this initiative, as their collective innovation, resources, and commitment will be critical in advancing progress against cancer in the Indo-Pacific region. Quad countries are pleased to announce the following actions from non-government contributors:

    Improving Access to Cancer Screening and Prevention

    • The World Bank is significantly increasing its commitment to cervical cancer prevention and treatment in the Indo-Pacific region through a comprehensive health systems approach, including $400 million in HPV-related investments globally over the next three years. In line with its broader goal to provide quality, affordable health services to 1.5 billion people by 2030, the World Bank, along with the Global Financing Facility (GFF) for Women, Children, and cervical cancer. With projects in countries such as Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, Bangladesh, Indonesia, and the Philippines, the World Bank is supporting cervical cancer screening, HPV vaccination, and treatment by integrating these services into primary healthcare systems. This includes expanding access to screening for underserved populations, strengthening service delivery, and leveraging partnerships to improve diagnostics and treatment. In addition, the World Bank is working to address supply chain challenges and ensure the sustainable production and distribution of HPV vaccines, with a focus on increasing access across the region. Through this approach, the World Bank aims to create sustainable and equitable health systems that can address the growing burden of cervical cancer and support long-term health outcomes for women and girls across the Indo-Pacific.
    • Women investors and philanthropists of the Women Health and Economic Empowerment Network (WHEN) will deploy a joint investment of more than $100 million over the next three years, with funding targeted for cervical cancer in Southeast Asia. These funds will be working to fill essential gaps for improving the prevention, screening, diagnosis, and treatment of cervical cancer. WHEN’s women investors and philanthropists will deploy grant, concessional, and investment capital into HPV screening, medical imaging, pathology, radiotherapy, training for healthcare workers, and the solarization of health facilities.
    • The Serum Institute of India, in partnership with Gavi, will support the procurement of up to 40 million doses of the HPV vaccine for distribution across the Indo-Pacific region. This commitment can be expanded based on demand, ensuring a steady supply of vaccines to address the cervical cancer burden in underserved areas. By increasing access to lifesaving vaccines, this commitment will help prevent cervical cancer and promote equitable healthcare across the region.
    • The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, alongside other donors and countries earlier this year, committed to support cervical cancer elimination. The foundation announced it intends to commit up to US$180 million over four years to help accelerate the global uptake of HPV vaccines, develop new prophylactic HPV and therapeutic vaccines and diagnostic tools and fund clinical studies.
    • Sabin Vaccine Institute, through the Global HPV Consortium (GHC), will support a new country-based coalition to promote cervical cancer elimination. The Cervical Cancer Elimination Consortium-India (CCEC-I) will collaborate with the Government of India, wherever appropriate, to pilot “100 Cervical Cancer Mukt (Cancer Free) Districts” through their integrated SAVE Strategy: Screening, Access to Treatment, Vaccination, Education. This is in continuation of GHC’s commitment to the Indo-Pacific region, having previously collaborated with Indonesia’s Ministry of Health to support development of their National Cervical Cancer Elimination Plan.
    • Jhpiego, in partnership with the Philippines Department of Health and with support from Roche, is increasing awareness, demand and access for cervical cancer screening by educating women on the importance of HPV testing and the risk of cervical cancer. The Centralized Laboratory Model of Screening project is expanding coverage of cervical cancer screening with introduction of the  WHO elimination strategy-recommended high performance HPV testing, and thermal ablation treatment for precancers, in five highly urbanized Local Government Units of the Philippines – with strengthened referral pathways to ensure a pathway to treatment. 
    • Illumina is committed to supporting the development and adoption of genomic diagnostic tests to fulfill the promise of precision medicine in the Indo-Pacific Region. The objective of this initiative is to ensure that advanced-stage (>50%) and non-HPV driven (~5%) cervical cancer patients receive correct diagnoses and possible suitable therapies such as Poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) inhibitors and immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICI). Similar initiatives are being explored with gynecological oncology organizations in Australia and Japan. 
    • Roche Diagnostics is expanding its cervical cancer screening and diagnosis initiatives in the Indo-Pacific region. Roche Diagnostics will expand efforts in the Indo-Pacific to increasing access to screening and raising awareness building on the experience gained in partnership with Japan including on  providing education to women, training healthcare workers, and developing digital solutions for efficient follow-up care; and in partnership with  Australia on promoting cervical cancer screening among under-screened and never-screened groups, including Aboriginal, Torres Strait Islander, and culturally diverse communities.
    • Becton Dickinson & Co. (BD) is making comprehensive investments in cervical cancer screening in the Indo-Pacific.  BD is working with Obstetric and Gynecological Societies to deliver education for clinicians on cervical cancer screening best practices, with an aim of reaching over 1,200 clinicians and support staff by early 2025. BD is also investing in pilots to inform the design of large-scale HPV screening rollout and programs to reach under-served communities. Through their longstanding partnership with Direct Relief, BD is working with the Self-Employed Women’s Association (SEWA) to facilitate screening for over 20,000 women. Under the program, 400 screening camps will offer screening, diagnosis and mental health support.

    Improving Cancer Care Delivery

    • Project ECHO will accelerate cervical cancer elimination in the Indo-Pacific region through 10 new learning networks that facilitate effective and accessible prevention and care. More than 180 public health organizations in 33 countries leverage the ECHO Model, an evidence-based training and mentorship framework for community-based health care professionals, to improve cancer care delivery. By 2028, Project ECHO will launch at least 10 new communities of practice, with local partners and ministries of health in Indonesia, Vietnam, Malaysia, and other Indo-Pacific countries to accelerate cervical cancer elimination, including programs for HPV vaccine implementation, treatment of precancerous lesions, and use of essential curative therapies.
    • The American Cancer Society is committed to reduce the global burden of HPV-related cancers by increasing support of civil society organizations globally, including in the Indo-Pacific Region. Support for these organizations, initially focused on cancer civil society organizations and medical societies, includes catalytic grants and technical assistance for implementing evidence-based, low-cost behavioral interventions aimed at optimizing the demand and uptake of life-saving prevention services through widespread healthcare provider trainings. 
    • The American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) will update its global guidelines on the Management and Care of Women with Invasive Cervical Cancer to incorporate new recommendation-changing scientific evidence on optimal approaches to the treatment of cervical cancer. Once completed, ASCO will work with its members, including their Asia Pacific Regional Council, and partner oncology societies in the Indo-Pacific to support the usage of these guidelines, along with companion guidelines on primary and secondary prevention of cervical cancer, by cancer clinicians for improved patient outcomes in the region.
    • The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) is expanding its Rays of Hope initiative to strengthen radiotherapy and medical imaging capacities in the Indo-Pacific region. Through this initiative, 13 countries and territories have requested support, and efforts are already underway to raise awareness and increase cervical cancer screening rates. The IAEA has designated cancer institutes in Japan, and India as Rays of Hope Anchor Centres, serving as hubs for capacity building in education, training, research, innovation, and quality assurance.
    • The Union for International Cancer Control is committed to working with its 1150 members across 172 countries to address inequities and drive global action in cervical cancer elimination, including in the Indo-Pacific region over the next three years as part of the ‘Elimination Partnership in the Indo-Pacific for Cervical Cancer’. Leveraging flagship convening platforms, established learning opportunities, alongside its rich network and proven ability to collaborate across sectors, UICC will support national partners to improve access to care, sustain progress and ultimately, reduce the burden of cancer for populations around the world.

    Increasing Capacity for Cancer Research, Infrastructure, and Training

    • Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center and Australia’s Royal North Shore Hospital in Sydney launch a $40 million public-private partnership that will advance international clinical trials of precision oncology and liquid biopsy technologies, including for the detection and elimination of cervical cancer. A generous donation of $20 million to each institution from Australian philanthropists Mr. Gregory John Poche and the late Mrs. Kay Van Norton Poche, will support this public-private partnership, accelerating the development of cutting-edge diagnostic and treatment tools for the Indo-Pacific region and beyond.
    • Amazon Web Services, Inc. (AWS) will support organizations in the Indo-Pacific region in their ability to prevent, detect, and treat cervical cancer, will provide cloud computing credits and enable access to AWS and datasets via the Registry of Open Data on AWS. Researchers are using AWS to identify patterns and variances from datasets secured from the Cancer Genome Atlas and others through AWS.
    • Pfizer will expand the INDovation initiative to build oncology capacity at the primary care level in the Indo-Pacific. INDovation was launched by Pfizer two years ago to support local startups. Under the program, Pfizer has awarded nearly $1 million in grants to startups, including those related to cervical cancer, and worked in partnership with the government and universities. Pfizer is now expanding the program to focus on oncology with the goal of strengthening primary care health centers. Under this phase, Pfizer will award grants to up to 10 startups that can deploy solutions to help enhance early diagnosis and patient services at the primary care setting with potential deployment across primary health centers in the region.
    • Elekta will expand radiotherapy capacity in the Indo-Pacific, closing an important treatment gap in the region to contribute to eliminating cervical cancer. Initiatives include establishing radiotherapy training centers in Southeast Asia, conducting treatment courses with regional medical centers and implementing cloud-based platforms to improve quality of care in radiotherapy through knowledge sharing, and peer review sessions among the member centers of the Asia-Pacific radiation oncology network.
    • MD Anderson commits to expanding their cervical cancer research, training and education programs to the Indo-Pacific region. MD Anderson currently collaborates with the Ministry of Health of Indonesia on the implementation and evaluation of cervical cancer screening, diagnosis and treatment programs and helps train medical providers in-country to perform colposcopy, ablation, loop electrosurgical excision procedure (LEEP), and surgery. MD Anderson commits to expanding these programs to ministries of health in the Indo-Pacific interested in partnerships to eliminate cervical cancer.

    Increasing Cancer Awareness and Education to Empower People

    • Hologic, a global leader in diagnostic and medical imaging solutions for cervical and breast cancer, is working with government agencies and health care providers in the Indo-Pacific region to educate and raise awareness on cervical cancer. Hologic is currently expanding access to innovative technologies such as artificial intelligence in cervical cancer screening to scale population-based programs to overcome provider shortages in the Indo-Pacific region. In addition, Hologic commits to the continued publication of the Global Women’s Health Index, a comprehensive global survey about women’s health, filling a critical gap in what the world knows about the health and well-being of the world’s women and girls.
    • The Global Initiative Against HPV and Cervical Cancer will promote HPV vaccination, cervical screening and early treatment projects with partners and collaborators in the Indo-Pacific Region. These efforts will include organizing the Asia-Pacific Workshop in Bangkok to share knowledge and best practices within the region and expanding awareness efforts to further enhance awareness initiatives throughout the Indo-Pacific.

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI China: ADB approves 500 mln USD loan to support Indonesia’s energy transition

    Source: China State Council Information Office

    The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has approved a 500 million U.S. dollars loan for Indonesia to help the Southeast Asian country accelerate its energy transition agenda, the bank’s official said on Saturday.

    ADB Country Director for Indonesia Jiro Tominaga said in a statement that the loan would support the development of Indonesia’s basic and collaborative policy that would be formulated to identify and address the complex challenges it faces in speeding up the transition into sustainable and clean energy.

    “Indonesia is at a very important junction in its energy transition journey. It has rapid growth of power generation capacity that helps it overcome most of its electricity supply constraints. However, it has also made the country heavily dependent on fossil fuel-based power sources such as coal, gas and diesel,” Tominaga said.

    Therefore, he said, the loan would be mainly used in efforts to build a strong policy and regulatory framework to facilitate the transition to clean energy, strengthen sector governance and financial sustainability, and ensure an equitable and inclusive transition.

    Indonesia, one of the world’s largest producers and exporters of coal, is currently pursuing a reduction of carbon emissions to achieve net-zero emissions by 2060.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI USA News: On-the-Record Press Gaggle APNSA Jake Sullivan at the Quad Leaders  Summit

    Source: The White House

    8:50 A.M. EDT
     
    MR. SULLIVAN:  Thank you, guys, for being here.  Today, we have the fourth Quad Leaders Summit, fourth in-person Quad Leaders Summit, and the first time that President Biden has actually hosted leaders in his hometown and, literally, at his home in Wilmington, Delaware. 
     
    You guys have heard the President say many times that all politics is personal, all diplomacy is personal.  And developing personal relationships has been core to his approach to foreign policy as President.
     
    So, opening his home to the leaders of India, Japan, and Australia is a way of him showing, not just saying, that these leaders matter to him, that the Quad matters to him as a significant foreign policy priority.  And institutionalizing and deepening and elevating the Quad has been one of the things that he’s going to be very proud of when he leaves office and passes the baton to the next President of the United States.
     
    When President Biden came in, within the early months, he held a Quad — a virtual summit, and it was the first time the leaders of the Quad had actually met in any format.  And what the President wanted to do was not just have this be something where leaders convened occasionally, but actually a vehicle for driving deepening cooperation and integration across the region. 
     
    And so, if you look at the last three and a half years, whether it’s on the response to COVID-19 or humanitarian response across the region, or issues like cyber and cyber capacity-building across the region, there’s a range of significant achievements the Quad has already had.  And today, the Quad leaders will announce a number of further steps forward. 
     
    There’ll be the announcement of the Quad Cancer Moonshot, which we’re very excited about, with all four countries coming to the table with resources and capacities to help drive towards the cures to deadly cancers.  And there’ll be more to say on that later today.
     
    There’s the expansion of the Indo-Pacific Maritime Domain Awareness Initiative, which is a mouthful, but is really about integrating new technologies and new capabilities, not just for Quad members, but for countries in Southeast Asia and the rest of the region, for them to understand their maritime domains so they can better manage and regulate them and ensure their security and also ensure that they are delivering economic benefits to the people of the relevant countries. 
     
    There will be — we’ll have an announcement of the expansion of the Quad fellows, which will now not just be fellows from the four countries, but fellows from Southeast Asia as well.
     
    We’ll announce the pre-positioning of relief supplies across the region and the ability for Quad countries to react more rapidly in the case of humanitarian crises and natural disasters.
     
    And the Quad will announce its first-ever coast guard mission together as well, which will show the joint capabilities of the four countries in terms of their ability — in terms of their coast guards. 
     
    So, there’s a number of other things that you’ll see in the fact sheet as well, but this just shows the breadth and range of ways in which the Quad is becoming a feature of the architecture of the Indo-Pacific.  And we hope and expect that that will deepen in the years ahead. 
     
    And the reason I think we can have some confidence in that is there’s genuine bipartisan support for the Quad.  It’s something that really transcends party lines.  And, in fact, over the last 24 hours, we’ve had the announcement of a bipartisan, bicameral Quad Caucus, something I never quite thought I would see, but Republicans and Democrats in both the House and the Senate actually standing up a caucus to support this, this platform, because of the importance that Congress places on it and what it can deliver. 
     
    The last thing I would say is that when you look at the Quad and AUKUS and the Camp David trilateral and our engagement with the Pacific Islands in ASEAN, one thing that has been a hallmark of the President’s foreign policy in the Indo-Pacific has been to move from the traditional hub-and-spoke model, rooted largely in bilateral alliances and bilateral partnerships, to a latticework approach with multiple institutions, overlapping partnerships, different configurations that all add up to genuinely new architecture for the Indo-Pacific, and the Quad is a critical part of that. 
     
    And I think it leaves the United States in a stronger position, with a more dense and capable and dynamic set of partnerships, and with relationships not just between us and our partners, but among our partners, that allow us to deliver greater results and achieve more stability and security and drive towards the ultimate objective, which is a free and open Indo-Pacific. 
     
    So let me stop there, and happy to take your questions. 
     
    Q    Jake, just (inaudible), you didn’t mention China directly in the joint leaders’ statement.  What sort of language should we expect directed at the PRC?
     
    MR. SULLIVAN:  The Quad isn’t really about any other country.  It’s not directed at another country.  It’s directed at problem solving and standing up for a set of common principles and a common vision for the region. 
     
    So, I don’t think you should expect to see a focus on any particular country, including the PRC, in the Quad leaders’ statement.  That’s been the pattern since the beginning, because the nature and purpose of this institution is really about the kinds of things I just described.  It’s about delivering vaccines, delivering cyber capacity, delivering coast guard capacity, delivering humanitarian assistance, delivering science and technology progress.  So that’s what we’re going to continue to focus on, and that’s what you’ll see in the fact sheet — the joint leaders’ statement. 
     
    Q    But, Jake, as you add more security features to this partnership, you know, is there a risk, a possibility that China, which has already expressed concerns about encirclement related to the Quad, begins to have objections to this cooperation?
     
    MR. SULLIVAN:  Look, I’ll let the PRC speak for itself, and obviously it does speak for itself about a number of different initiatives the United States has taken in the Indo-Pacific.  We’re just going to prove year on year everything that I just said, which is really that the thrust and purpose of the institution writ large and the security features of it are about a positive agenda to enhance security, not just for Quad countries but for other regional partners. 
     
    So, it’s hard for me to see how and why the PRC should object to the four countries, for example, doing a coast guard mission together, or doing cyber trainings for Southeast Asia together, or taking steps with respect to maritime domain awareness.  These do not, to me, indicate any form of aggression or assertive behavior.  They’re fundamentally constructive and positive, and that’s where we’re going to continue to position the Quad. 
     
    Q    Can you speak a little bit to the President’s meeting with Prime Minister Modi and what, if anything, he’ll say about what he wants to do vis-à-vis China and Russia (inaudible)?
     
    MR. SULLIVAN:  I won’t go too deep into the details of what he will say on those issues, which are obviously sensitive and will obviously be critical priorities in the bilateral meeting. 
     
    I will just say this: that the United States has been clear about our view that Russia’s brutal war of aggression against Ukraine flouted every norm and principle of international law, that countries like India should step up and support the principles of sovereignty and territorial integrity, and that every country everywhere should refrain from supplying inputs to Russia’s war machine for it to be able to continue to prosecute this brutal war.  So they will talk about that. 
     
    The President will also h
    ear from Prime Minister Modi about his trip to Ukraine, which was an important and indeed historic trip, and it will be the opportunity for the two of them to talk about their respective views of the way forward.
     
    And then, with respect to China, you know, they will talk about how they see China’s actions in the region, where China is headed.  And that’s not just true in the security domain, but the economic and technology domain as well.  And we’ll work to try to coordinate approaches to the extent that that makes sense for both countries.
     
    Q    In the past month or so, there’s been a lot of (inaudible) China (inaudible).  There’s been lots of (inaudible) still in the offing.  Can you speak to, like, how the President himself is reviewing the culmination, I guess, of the administration’s China strategy leading up to this?  And should we consider this Quad sort of part of that puzzle, (inaudible)?
     
    MR. SULLIVAN:  I think you should consider this Quad and all of our other actions part of an effort to strengthen the capacity of the United States to defend our interests, support our allies and partners, advance problem solving on critical common challenges, and generally put ourself in a more robust, competitive position writ large.
     
    But I don’t think you should see it again as being directed at China.  And I think this is American foreign policy, in a way at its historic best, which innovation partnerships designed to enhance stability, designed to deliver results, and connected to other partnerships that are going the same thing.
     
    And I think, kind of, over-cranking the emphasis on any one country is missing what I think the central thrust and purpose of these kinds of institutions, including the Quad, are all about.
     
    Q    You mentioned at the top the personal nature of this visit.  And the White House is using the terminology “personal meeting” rather than the usual “bilateral meeting.”  Can you give us a sense of how these meetings are different, what we might expect?  For example, Prime Minister Albanese yesterday, did he get a tour of the house?  See the Corvette?  Were there family members present?  Can you can you give us a flavor of that?
     
    MR. SULLIVAN:  He did get a bit of a tour of the house.  I don’t think he saw the Corvette, though.  I can’t confirm that for sure, because the two of them sort of went off by themselves for a bit, and I haven’t had a chance to speak to the President about what exactly the Prime Minister saw. 
     
    There weren’t other family members there.  It was really a sort of one-on-one opportunity for President Biden and the Prime Minister to sit and talk.  And then, a few of us joined them, obviously, for part of the meeting when it turned to substance. 
     
    It was just — honestly, the vibe of it was sort of two guys, one at the other guy’s home, talking in broad strokes about where they see the state of the world, about — you know, swapping some stories from their respective political careers, you know, talking about the history of the U.S.-Australia alliance. 
     
    It just kind of had a feeling like if you had someone come over for a cup of coffee or a meal.  You know, that kind of feeling was much more present than, like, a stiff bilateral.  And the President told everybody, “Take off your jackets.  Get comfortable,” which we all obliged. 
     
    So, yeah, I’m very bad at answering questions like that, but that’s my best shot at it. 
     
    Q    Well, if I may, on Sudan, a United Nations panel of experts has accused the United Arab Emirates of supplying arms to the RSF in breach of the weapons embargo on Darfur.  MBZ, I guess, is coming to the White House this week.  Will the President raise those allegations directly with the leader of the United Arab Emirates?
     
    MR. SULLIVAN:  I’ll let the President talk to Sheikh Mohamed privately about Sudan.  I think it would be more effective to do that. 
     
    What I will say is we are concerned about a number of countries and the steps they are taking to perpetuate rather than resolve the conflict.  And I will also say that Sudan will certainly be on the agenda, and the President will be as direct and candid with Sheikh Mohamed as he is with every leader.  And then, after the fact, we’ll share what we feel we can.
     
    And the reason why I’m not, sort of, laying it out all in public right now is: Our ultimate objective is to get the entire conflict in Sudan on a different track than the tragic and horrific track it is on right now.  And I think that requires some intense but sensitive diplomatic conversations with a number of players.  That’s what the President is intending to do writ large.  And as I said, Sudan will certainly be part of the agenda with the UAE President on Monday.
     
    Q    Jake, so (inaudible) President will Japan Prime Minister Kishida.  Do you expect him to talk about that deal between U.S. Steel and Japan Nippon Steel?  And does (inaudible) oppose that deal and try to stop it?
     
    MR. SULLIVAN:  I cannot say yet whether that particular deal will come up in the conversation today.  There are obviously huge priorities in terms of current events and geopolitical trends and economic and technology cooperation.  So, I’m not sure that it will come up.  And the President has spoken to this issue before, but the matter really is, at the moment, in a official process while the transaction is studied by the relevant authorities and the relevant agencies, the U.S. government. 
     
    And so, you know, the President will obviously allow that process to run its course because that’s what’s required under the law.  And then we will see what happens.
     
    Q    Prime Minister Kishida will step down soon.  You going to talk about his contribution, achievement, but what do you expect from the new Japanese prime minister?
     
    MR. SULLIVAN:  One thing that I do expect, whoever the new Japanese prime minister is, is continued investment in and support for the U.S.-Japan alliance as the cornerstone peace of security in the Indo-Pacific.  And I expect that because the overwhelming majority of the Japanese people support that and because this alliance is bigger than any one leader on either side, in Japan or the United States. 
     
    So I have confidence that the strong bond and partnership between our two countries will continue no matter who takes the helm, although I will say Prime Minister Kishida should be saluted, and President Biden will salute him, as a very significant contributor to the high-water mark we’ve reached in the U.S.-Japan alliance at this point and in Japan’s global leadership role. 
     
    So, it will obviously be different because Prime Minister Kishida is a unique individual, but one thing that we think will remain the same is the strong alliance between the United States and Japan.
     
    Q    Just on the Nippon deal, very quickly: Some proponents of that deal are interpreting last week’s extension as a sign that the President is having second thoughts.  What would you say to them?
     
    MR. SULLIVAN:  I can’t speak to that because I think nobody should overread what happened last week as a substantive expression of views, rather as a matter of process to ensure that the transaction gets the full review that’s appropriate in a case like this, as I said, from the relevant authorities and agencies.  And the President really does want to let that play out. 
     
    Q    You mentioned that it’s not about one country, but of course, China comes to mind over time.  As just recently, they announced sanctions against American companies.  They’re selling weapons to Taiwan.  Taiwan is getting money from the United States to be able to defend themselves.  And the incidents in the past few weeks in (inaudible) has been escalating, not only with Taiwan with China, but also Philippines.
     
    During this meeting, is that top of mind
    , or is this something that you want to address?  Because, I mean, you mentioned the coast guard event shouldn’t be questioned by the Chinese; it’s just an event that they’re going to do as a group.  But from their point of view, they’re talking about it and condemning these types of actions.  Should we worry about China moving forward or being more aggressive as the world is focused on Lebanon, the Middle East, Ukraine?
     
    MR. SULLIVAN:  Well, first of all, it’s true that the front pages of newspapers are filled with stories about the Middle East rather than the Indo-Pacific right now.  But the United States of America is focused in both places.  And there’s probably no better proof point than the fact that we’re sitting here right now, on a Quad Summit day, meeting with leaders of the Indo-Pacific, even as we continue to closely monitor events in the Middle East.
     
    So, if you look at the work that we have done over the last four years, the intense engagement with allies and partners, the work on — this latticework that I described, the efforts to strengthen our own industrial and innovation base, the measures we’ve taken to protect our sensitive technologies, we feel like we are in a very strong position to stand up for peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific.  And obviously, we are concerned about actions that China has taken, and we speak out about those actions quite directly and candidly. 
     
    But we are also putting the United States and our allies and partners in a position to effectively defend our interests and to defend the rules of the road that have kept the peace in the Indo-Pacific for a long time.  We’re going to continue to do that. 
     
    The other thing I would say is that each of the four members of the Quad has their own approach to the PRC.  There’s not going to be some “Quad approach” to the PRC.  But of course, in the course of the conversation today, the four leaders will have the opportunity to talk about all of the developments in the Indo-Pacific, and obviously the PRC is part of that. 
     
    So, it will be one of the issues or one of the topics that come up among many.
     
    Q    If I may, on Venezuela — because Venezuela is close to China right now, and it’s one of the allies, but also Russia and Iran.  So we know four Americans are detained in the past few days.  The situation is getting just harder and harder to get to an agreement.  We are expecting a meeting at the United Nations to talk about Venezuela, led by Uruguay and other countries.  Do you see any possibility of moving forward in this subject?  We understand the U.S. have supported the talks.  Is it a possibility to go back to Qatar?  Is Qatar in the table again?
     
    MR. SULLIVAN:  We continue to talk to Qatar, who wants to play a constructive role in engaging the Maduro regime, the opposition, the United States, other players.  At the moment, there’s not much traction on talks, and what we’re instead continuing to see are negative steps by the Maduro regime in the aftermath of an election where we have been very clear our judgment is that Edmundo Gonzalez received the most votes. 
     
    So, we’ll continue to work, particularly with countries in the region, to try to develop a common approach forward to support democracy and a democratic transition in Venezuela.  But I will say that at the moment there is not a substantial diplomatic opportunity to make progress, and we’re going to
    have to keep looking for one.
     
    Q    Jake, on the Middle East, the Lebanese are saying at least 31 were killed in that bombing of a building that apparently targeted at least one Hezbollah commander.  Has the U.S. figured out who exactly was targeted and killed?
     
    MR. SULLIVAN:  The Israelis have announced, and I believe Hezbollah itself has confirmed, some of the people who were killed in that strike.  And I will let Israel and Hezbollah speak to it, because obviously we don’t have an independent capacity at this point to confirm.  But I believe a fair amount of that is out in the public domain at this point.
     
    Q    If at least one of those was one of those responsible for organizing the barracks bombing back in the ‘80s, how significant would that be that he’s now dead?
     
    MR. SULLIVAN:  That individual has American blood on his hands and has a Rewards for Justice price on his head.  And he is somebody who the United States promised long ago we would do everything we could to see brought to justice. 
     
    And anytime a terrorist who has murdered Americans is brought to justice, we believe that that is a good outcome.  But again, I’m not in a position this morning, until I have the opportunity to talk again to my Israeli counterparts today, to formally confirm anything; just to say, you know, 1983 seems like a long time ago, but for a lot of families, a lot of people, it was — they’re still living with it every day.
     
    Q    One other.  Paul Whelan and Evan Gershkovich have been in Washington in recent days, mostly to visit with lawmakers.  Is there any plan for them to meet with the President?
     
    MR. SULLIVAN:  I guess not.  The President met with both of them, obviously, when they came back to the States.  So there wasn’t — we didn’t have a plan for them to sit down this past week or this coming week in Washington.  But, you know, I’m sure he would be happy to see them again at some point. 
     
    Q    There’s a report that I got (inaudible) disagree with about U.S. officials conceding that there won’t be a deal during the President’s term.  What is your assessment of that?
     
    MR. SULLIVAN:  I think that’s crazy.  I mean —
     
    Q    So, it was correct that you’d (inaudible).  (Laughter.)  (Inaudible) disagree with it, that yes —
     
    MR. SULLIVAN:  This is not me sitting here saying, “Hey, there will be a deal.”  One can’t know.  And I’ve — you’ve heard me repeatedly use this George Mitchell line of “700 days of failure, one day of success.”  But this is diplomacy.  Every day, you get up and you try to drive towards a deal that brings about a ceasefire, the return of hostages, surge of humanitarian assistance, and ultimately the end of the war.  We’re doing that today.  We’re going to do that tomorrow.  We’re going to do that every day. 
     
    And I do still believe there is a path to get there.  It has been a winding path, a frustrating path, but we are still on that path, and we hope to reach the destination.  But we’re also mindful of the fact and very clear-eyed about the fact that there’s still obstacles in the way; we’re going to do our best to clear them.  And I can’t make any predictions about what’s going to happen, but what I can certainly say is we are not conceding that, period.
     
    Q    But we’ve been waiting a while in terms of a new bridging proposal.  Is that right?  So when is — when do you expect to put that on the table?
     
    MR. SULLIVAN:  I can’t tell you that because we’re not at a point right now where I can — where we’re prepared to put something on the table.  We’re continuing to work with Qatar and Egypt.  They’re talking to Hamas.  We’re talking to Israel.  The Qataris and Egyptians are talking to Israel.  And when we feel ready to take another step, we’ll take another step. 
     
    Q    What’s the holdup?
     
    MR. SULLIVAN:  Well, at the moment, we don’t feel like we’re in a position, if we put something down today, to get both sides to say yes to it.  Could that change over the course of the coming days?  It could.  You know — yeah, I’ll leave it at that for now.
     
    Q    Jake, in terms of the events of last week in Lebanon, do you have any assessments what that has done to the operational capabilities of Hezbollah?  And what is your current level of concern that what you’ve been trying to prevent the last, you know, 11-plus months could st
    art off as (inaudible)?
     
    MR. SULLIVAN:  It stands to reason that Lebanese Hezbollah’s capabilities have taken a hit.  How significant a hit, how that translates to their ability to represent a threat to Israel, I think we still need some more assessment to reach more guidance on.
     
    The risk of escalation is real; it has been since October 7th.  There are moments where it is more acute than others.  I think we are in one of those moments where it is more acute. 
     
    But I would take a step back and make an observation that I don’t think gets sufficient attention in the reporting on this dynamic, which is that Hezbollah started this whole thing.  Hamas attacks on October 7th, this vicious massacre.  And then, as Nasrallah just said in his speech this week, the way he put it, Nasrallah opened the Northern Front. 
     
    Israel didn’t start just randomly attacking into Lebanon.  Hezbollah and its allies in — its terrorist allies in Lebanon started attacking Israel.  And tens of thousands of Israeli citizens had to leave their homes.  That led to an exchange of fire, and then Lebanese citizens had to leave their homes.  And we’ve been in that dynamic ever since. 
     
    So, that’s an important structural factor that I think, kind of, gets set aside in the commentary and the coverage of the current circumstance.
     
    That being said, the United States’ position is we would like to see calm on the northern border and a durable solution that allows the people on both sides of that border to return to their homes.  We are driving at that.  Amos Hochstein was recently back in the region to work towards that.  I’ve spoken with my Israeli counterparts just in the last couple of days to see how we find a way forward on that. 
     
    And so, while the risk of escalation is real, we actually believe there is also a distinct avenue to getting to a cessation of hostilities and a durable solution that makes people on both sides of the border feel secure, and we’re going to do everything that we can to bring that about. 
     
    Q    And can I just (inaudible) — when you say the risk of escalation is real, are you saying the IDF flattening tower blocks in Beirut is not an escalation?
     
    MR. SULLIVAN:  I think the question he was asking — the heart of his question was: could we get into a wider war that we have been trying to avoid for the last 11 months.  I think that’s what the question was.
     
    Q    Then I’ll ask the question.
     
    MR. SULLIVAN:  I was answering (inaudible).
     
    Q    I’ll ask the question then: Was the IDF strike an escalation, in your view?
     
    MR. SULLIVAN:  Look, when I talk about escalation, I mean where does this take us from the point of view of, “Are we going to end up in a wider war.”  We’re not there yet.  I hope we do not get there. 
     
    When you pose a question, “Was this strike escalation?  Was that strike escalation?” the United States is not going to score-keep like that.  There’s a number of different ways to look at this strike.  The chief way I personally look at it goes back to the discussion we were having before, which is it was a strike against a senior terrorist who has both Israeli and American lives on his hands. 
     
    So we could pick any moment, any set of rockets launched by Hezbollah, any set of strikes by Israel, and say, “Is this an escalation?  Is that an escalation?” and so forth.  I think it’s not a particularly useful exercise.  For us, the most useful exercise is to try to drive both parties to a place where we get an agreed and durable outcome that can end the cycle and keep us from ending up in the larger war that, as we were just talking about, we’ve worked so hard to (inaudible).
     
    Q    Is there any announcement that we should expect next week about Haiti?  (Inaudible) report that says that even though we have now the Kenya team there and the security forces, 80 percent of Port-au-Prince is run by gangs.  Things are not getting better for the people.  Violence keep growing.  And of course, we don’t have elections or plan of a government soon. 
     
    MR. SULLIVAN:  Look, things are not where we would like them to be in Haiti, but I think it is not correct to say that things have not gotten better from a low point when flights were shut down, the port was shut down, it looked like the entire government was going to be run out of the country.
     
    We have improved the situation from that low point, but the progress we have made has been slower and more uneven than we’d like it to be.  Our goal is to continue to enhance the Multilateral Security Support Mission and ultimately work with the United Nations to make sure that it gets institutionalized. 
     
    But I don’t know that we have any particular announcements next week.  Rather, our goal is to use the U.N. General Assembly to get more resources, more contributions, and a common vision around building step by step on what we’ve put in place so that we can improve the situation beyond where it is right now.
     
    MODERATOR:  We have time for about two more questions.
     
    Q    Just a follow-up.  And how can that happen?  I know Colombia wanted to help, but, like, it’s not an actual mission like (inaudible) it was the U.N. (inaudible) — is this a security group, and the U.S. is leading the efforts.  So how the countries will get involved, and how can they operate?  Like, Mexico cannot (inaudible) officers —
     
    MR. SULLIVAN:  Well, a number of countries have pledged contributions, including police units, former police units.  And so, the first thing that can happen is we can turn those pledges into reality, and then we can work bilaterally with countries like Mexico and Colombia on their legal requirements to try to satisfy them so that they could, in fact, (inaudible).
     
    Q    To put a pin, though, you know, the discussion about China, you know, before, in the lead-up to this, administration officials at the podium were telegraphing that there could be talk about aggressive PRC military action on fair trade practices, tensions over the Taiwan Strait.  You know, preview that there’s going to be discussion of North Korea.  I know you said that the Quad is not about one country, but to China and to many people, it looks like it’s focusing on China.  So I’m curious to what your response to me, to folks that say you’re trying to have it both ways on China. 
     
    MR. SULLIVAN:  I guess what I would say, and I think I said this before, is the leaders are going to talk about all of the significant developments and dynamics in the Indo-Pacific.  Everything you just mentioned fits into that category.  So we don’t take issues off the table to discuss or speak about. 
     
    But my point is that the purpose of the Quad is not to come together around China or any other country.  It’s to come together around how to construct a free and open Indo-Pacific.  And actions and policies that disrupt or undermine that are certainly not just of interest, but are going to be a matter of discussion for Quad members. 
     
    But the way I square the circle is to say these issues are on the agenda because they relate to a free and open Indo-Pacific, but China is not the focus of the Quad, and the Quad is not about one country.  It is about a larger vision that we’re (inaudible).
     
    MODERATOR:  All right, thanks, everyone.
     
    9:26 A.M. EDT

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: On-the-Record Press Gaggle APNSA Jake Sullivan at the Quad Leaders  Summit

    US Senate News:

    Source: The White House
    8:50 A.M. EDT MR. SULLIVAN:  Thank you, guys, for being here.  Today, we have the fourth Quad Leaders Summit, fourth in-person Quad Leaders Summit, and the first time that President Biden has actually hosted leaders in his hometown and, literally, at his home in Wilmington, Delaware.  You guys have heard the President say many times that all politics is personal, all diplomacy is personal.  And developing personal relationships has been core to his approach to foreign policy as President. So, opening his home to the leaders of India, Japan, and Australia is a way of him showing, not just saying, that these leaders matter to him, that the Quad matters to him as a significant foreign policy priority.  And institutionalizing and deepening and elevating the Quad has been one of the things that he’s going to be very proud of when he leaves office and passes the baton to the next President of the United States. When President Biden came in, within the early months, he held a Quad — a virtual summit, and it was the first time the leaders of the Quad had actually met in any format.  And what the President wanted to do was not just have this be something where leaders convened occasionally, but actually a vehicle for driving deepening cooperation and integration across the region.  And so, if you look at the last three and a half years, whether it’s on the response to COVID-19 or humanitarian response across the region, or issues like cyber and cyber capacity-building across the region, there’s a range of significant achievements the Quad has already had.  And today, the Quad leaders will announce a number of further steps forward.  There’ll be the announcement of the Quad Cancer Moonshot, which we’re very excited about, with all four countries coming to the table with resources and capacities to help drive towards the cures to deadly cancers.  And there’ll be more to say on that later today. There’s the expansion of the Indo-Pacific Maritime Domain Awareness Initiative, which is a mouthful, but is really about integrating new technologies and new capabilities, not just for Quad members, but for countries in Southeast Asia and the rest of the region, for them to understand their maritime domains so they can better manage and regulate them and ensure their security and also ensure that they are delivering economic benefits to the people of the relevant countries.  There will be — we’ll have an announcement of the expansion of the Quad fellows, which will now not just be fellows from the four countries, but fellows from Southeast Asia as well. We’ll announce the pre-positioning of relief supplies across the region and the ability for Quad countries to react more rapidly in the case of humanitarian crises and natural disasters. And the Quad will announce its first-ever coast guard mission together as well, which will show the joint capabilities of the four countries in terms of their ability — in terms of their coast guards.  So, there’s a number of other things that you’ll see in the fact sheet as well, but this just shows the breadth and range of ways in which the Quad is becoming a feature of the architecture of the Indo-Pacific.  And we hope and expect that that will deepen in the years ahead.  And the reason I think we can have some confidence in that is there’s genuine bipartisan support for the Quad.  It’s something that really transcends party lines.  And, in fact, over the last 24 hours, we’ve had the announcement of a bipartisan, bicameral Quad Caucus, something I never quite thought I would see, but Republicans and Democrats in both the House and the Senate actually standing up a caucus to support this, this platform, because of the importance that Congress places on it and what it can deliver.  The last thing I would say is that when you look at the Quad and AUKUS and the Camp David trilateral and our engagement with the Pacific Islands in ASEAN, one thing that has been a hallmark of the President’s foreign policy in the Indo-Pacific has been to move from the traditional hub-and-spoke model, rooted largely in bilateral alliances and bilateral partnerships, to a latticework approach with multiple institutions, overlapping partnerships, different configurations that all add up to genuinely new architecture for the Indo-Pacific, and the Quad is a critical part of that.  And I think it leaves the United States in a stronger position, with a more dense and capable and dynamic set of partnerships, and with relationships not just between us and our partners, but among our partners, that allow us to deliver greater results and achieve more stability and security and drive towards the ultimate objective, which is a free and open Indo-Pacific.  So let me stop there, and happy to take your questions.  Q    Jake, just (inaudible), you didn’t mention China directly in the joint leaders’ statement.  What sort of language should we expect directed at the PRC? MR. SULLIVAN:  The Quad isn’t really about any other country.  It’s not directed at another country.  It’s directed at problem solving and standing up for a set of common principles and a common vision for the region.  So, I don’t think you should expect to see a focus on any particular country, including the PRC, in the Quad leaders’ statement.  That’s been the pattern since the beginning, because the nature and purpose of this institution is really about the kinds of things I just described.  It’s about delivering vaccines, delivering cyber capacity, delivering coast guard capacity, delivering humanitarian assistance, delivering science and technology progress.  So that’s what we’re going to continue to focus on, and that’s what you’ll see in the fact sheet — the joint leaders’ statement.  Q    But, Jake, as you add more security features to this partnership, you know, is there a risk, a possibility that China, which has already expressed concerns about encirclement related to the Quad, begins to have objections to this cooperation? MR. SULLIVAN:  Look, I’ll let the PRC speak for itself, and obviously it does speak for itself about a number of different initiatives the United States has taken in the Indo-Pacific.  We’re just going to prove year on year everything that I just said, which is really that the thrust and purpose of the institution writ large and the security features of it are about a positive agenda to enhance security, not just for Quad countries but for other regional partners.  So, it’s hard for me to see how and why the PRC should object to the four countries, for example, doing a coast guard mission together, or doing cyber trainings for Southeast Asia together, or taking steps with respect to maritime domain awareness.  These do not, to me, indicate any form of aggression or assertive behavior.  They’re fundamentally constructive and positive, and that’s where we’re going to continue to position the Quad.  Q    Can you speak a little bit to the President’s meeting with Prime Minister Modi and what, if anything, he’ll say about what he wants to do vis-à-vis China and Russia (inaudible)? MR. SULLIVAN:  I won’t go too deep into the details of what he will say on those issues, which are obviously sensitive and will obviously be critical priorities in the bilateral meeting.  I will just say this: that the United States has been clear about our view that Russia’s brutal war of aggression against Ukraine flouted every norm and principle of international law, that countries like India should step up and support the principles of sovereignty and territorial integrity, and that every country everywhere should refrain from supplying inputs to Russia’s war machine for it to be able to continue to prosecute this brutal war.  So they will talk about that.  The President will also hear from Prime Minister Modi about his trip to Ukraine, which was an important and indeed historic trip, and it will be the opportunity for the two of them to talk about their respective views of the way forward. And then, with respect to China, you kn
    ow, they will talk about how they see China’s actions in the region, where China is headed.  And that’s not just true in the security domain, but the economic and technology domain as well.  And we’ll work to try to coordinate approaches to the extent that that makes sense for both countries. Q    In the past month or so, there’s been a lot of (inaudible) China (inaudible).  There’s been lots of (inaudible) still in the offing.  Can you speak to, like, how the President himself is reviewing the culmination, I guess, of the administration’s China strategy leading up to this?  And should we consider this Quad sort of part of that puzzle, (inaudible)? MR. SULLIVAN:  I think you should consider this Quad and all of our other actions part of an effort to strengthen the capacity of the United States to defend our interests, support our allies and partners, advance problem solving on critical common challenges, and generally put ourself in a more robust, competitive position writ large. But I don’t think you should see it again as being directed at China.  And I think this is American foreign policy, in a way at its historic best, which innovation partnerships designed to enhance stability, designed to deliver results, and connected to other partnerships that are going the same thing. And I think, kind of, over-cranking the emphasis on any one country is missing what I think the central thrust and purpose of these kinds of institutions, including the Quad, are all about. Q    You mentioned at the top the personal nature of this visit.  And the White House is using the terminology “personal meeting” rather than the usual “bilateral meeting.”  Can you give us a sense of how these meetings are different, what we might expect?  For example, Prime Minister Albanese yesterday, did he get a tour of the house?  See the Corvette?  Were there family members present?  Can you can you give us a flavor of that? MR. SULLIVAN:  He did get a bit of a tour of the house.  I don’t think he saw the Corvette, though.  I can’t confirm that for sure, because the two of them sort of went off by themselves for a bit, and I haven’t had a chance to speak to the President about what exactly the Prime Minister saw.  There weren’t other family members there.  It was really a sort of one-on-one opportunity for President Biden and the Prime Minister to sit and talk.  And then, a few of us joined them, obviously, for part of the meeting when it turned to substance.  It was just — honestly, the vibe of it was sort of two guys, one at the other guy’s home, talking in broad strokes about where they see the state of the world, about — you know, swapping some stories from their respective political careers, you know, talking about the history of the U.S.-Australia alliance.  It just kind of had a feeling like if you had someone come over for a cup of coffee or a meal.  You know, that kind of feeling was much more present than, like, a stiff bilateral.  And the President told everybody, “Take off your jackets.  Get comfortable,” which we all obliged.  So, yeah, I’m very bad at answering questions like that, but that’s my best shot at it.  Q    Well, if I may, on Sudan, a United Nations panel of experts has accused the United Arab Emirates of supplying arms to the RSF in breach of the weapons embargo on Darfur.  MBZ, I guess, is coming to the White House this week.  Will the President raise those allegations directly with the leader of the United Arab Emirates? MR. SULLIVAN:  I’ll let the President talk to Sheikh Mohamed privately about Sudan.  I think it would be more effective to do that.  What I will say is we are concerned about a number of countries and the steps they are taking to perpetuate rather than resolve the conflict.  And I will also say that Sudan will certainly be on the agenda, and the President will be as direct and candid with Sheikh Mohamed as he is with every leader.  And then, after the fact, we’ll share what we feel we can. And the reason why I’m not, sort of, laying it out all in public right now is: Our ultimate objective is to get the entire conflict in Sudan on a different track than the tragic and horrific track it is on right now.  And I think that requires some intense but sensitive diplomatic conversations with a number of players.  That’s what the President is intending to do writ large.  And as I said, Sudan will certainly be part of the agenda with the UAE President on Monday. Q    Jake, so (inaudible) President will Japan Prime Minister Kishida.  Do you expect him to talk about that deal between U.S. Steel and Japan Nippon Steel?  And does (inaudible) oppose that deal and try to stop it? MR. SULLIVAN:  I cannot say yet whether that particular deal will come up in the conversation today.  There are obviously huge priorities in terms of current events and geopolitical trends and economic and technology cooperation.  So, I’m not sure that it will come up.  And the President has spoken to this issue before, but the matter really is, at the moment, in a official process while the transaction is studied by the relevant authorities and the relevant agencies, the U.S. government.  And so, you know, the President will obviously allow that process to run its course because that’s what’s required under the law.  And then we will see what happens. Q    Prime Minister Kishida will step down soon.  You going to talk about his contribution, achievement, but what do you expect from the new Japanese prime minister? MR. SULLIVAN:  One thing that I do expect, whoever the new Japanese prime minister is, is continued investment in and support for the U.S.-Japan alliance as the cornerstone peace of security in the Indo-Pacific.  And I expect that because the overwhelming majority of the Japanese people support that and because this alliance is bigger than any one leader on either side, in Japan or the United States.  So I have confidence that the strong bond and partnership between our two countries will continue no matter who takes the helm, although I will say Prime Minister Kishida should be saluted, and President Biden will salute him, as a very significant contributor to the high-water mark we’ve reached in the U.S.-Japan alliance at this point and in Japan’s global leadership role.  So, it will obviously be different because Prime Minister Kishida is a unique individual, but one thing that we think will remain the same is the strong alliance between the United States and Japan. Q    Just on the Nippon deal, very quickly: Some proponents of that deal are interpreting last week’s extension as a sign that the President is having second thoughts.  What would you say to them? MR. SULLIVAN:  I can’t speak to that because I think nobody should overread what happened last week as a substantive expression of views, rather as a matter of process to ensure that the transaction gets the full review that’s appropriate in a case like this, as I said, from the relevant authorities and agencies.  And the President really does want to let that play out.  Q    You mentioned that it’s not about one country, but of course, China comes to mind over time.  As just recently, they announced sanctions against American companies.  They’re selling weapons to Taiwan.  Taiwan is getting money from the United States to be able to defend themselves.  And the incidents in the past few weeks in (inaudible) has been escalating, not only with Taiwan with China, but also Philippines. During this meeting, is that top of mind, or is this something that you want to address?  Because, I mean, you mentioned the coast guard event shouldn’t be questioned by the Chinese; it’s just an event that they’re going to do as a group.  But from their point of view, they’re talking about it and condemning these types of actions.  Should we worry about China moving forward or being more aggressive as the world is focused on Lebanon, the Middle East, Ukraine? MR. SULLIVAN:  Well, first of all, it’s true that the front pages of news
    papers are filled with stories about the Middle East rather than the Indo-Pacific right now.  But the United States of America is focused in both places.  And there’s probably no better proof point than the fact that we’re sitting here right now, on a Quad Summit day, meeting with leaders of the Indo-Pacific, even as we continue to closely monitor events in the Middle East. So, if you look at the work that we have done over the last four years, the intense engagement with allies and partners, the work on — this latticework that I described, the efforts to strengthen our own industrial and innovation base, the measures we’ve taken to protect our sensitive technologies, we feel like we are in a very strong position to stand up for peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific.  And obviously, we are concerned about actions that China has taken, and we speak out about those actions quite directly and candidly.  But we are also putting the United States and our allies and partners in a position to effectively defend our interests and to defend the rules of the road that have kept the peace in the Indo-Pacific for a long time.  We’re going to continue to do that.  The other thing I would say is that each of the four members of the Quad has their own approach to the PRC.  There’s not going to be some “Quad approach” to the PRC.  But of course, in the course of the conversation today, the four leaders will have the opportunity to talk about all of the developments in the Indo-Pacific, and obviously the PRC is part of that.  So, it will be one of the issues or one of the topics that come up among many. Q    If I may, on Venezuela — because Venezuela is close to China right now, and it’s one of the allies, but also Russia and Iran.  So we know four Americans are detained in the past few days.  The situation is getting just harder and harder to get to an agreement.  We are expecting a meeting at the United Nations to talk about Venezuela, led by Uruguay and other countries.  Do you see any possibility of moving forward in this subject?  We understand the U.S. have supported the talks.  Is it a possibility to go back to Qatar?  Is Qatar in the table again? MR. SULLIVAN:  We continue to talk to Qatar, who wants to play a constructive role in engaging the Maduro regime, the opposition, the United States, other players.  At the moment, there’s not much traction on talks, and what we’re instead continuing to see are negative steps by the Maduro regime in the aftermath of an election where we have been very clear our judgment is that Edmundo Gonzalez received the most votes.  So, we’ll continue to work, particularly with countries in the region, to try to develop a common approach forward to support democracy and a democratic transition in Venezuela.  But I will say that at the moment there is not a substantial diplomatic opportunity to make progress, and we’re going tohave to keep looking for one. Q    Jake, on the Middle East, the Lebanese are saying at least 31 were killed in that bombing of a building that apparently targeted at least one Hezbollah commander.  Has the U.S. figured out who exactly was targeted and killed? MR. SULLIVAN:  The Israelis have announced, and I believe Hezbollah itself has confirmed, some of the people who were killed in that strike.  And I will let Israel and Hezbollah speak to it, because obviously we don’t have an independent capacity at this point to confirm.  But I believe a fair amount of that is out in the public domain at this point. Q    If at least one of those was one of those responsible for organizing the barracks bombing back in the ‘80s, how significant would that be that he’s now dead? MR. SULLIVAN:  That individual has American blood on his hands and has a Rewards for Justice price on his head.  And he is somebody who the United States promised long ago we would do everything we could to see brought to justice.  And anytime a terrorist who has murdered Americans is brought to justice, we believe that that is a good outcome.  But again, I’m not in a position this morning, until I have the opportunity to talk again to my Israeli counterparts today, to formally confirm anything; just to say, you know, 1983 seems like a long time ago, but for a lot of families, a lot of people, it was — they’re still living with it every day. Q    One other.  Paul Whelan and Evan Gershkovich have been in Washington in recent days, mostly to visit with lawmakers.  Is there any plan for them to meet with the President? MR. SULLIVAN:  I guess not.  The President met with both of them, obviously, when they came back to the States.  So there wasn’t — we didn’t have a plan for them to sit down this past week or this coming week in Washington.  But, you know, I’m sure he would be happy to see them again at some point.  Q    There’s a report that I got (inaudible) disagree with about U.S. officials conceding that there won’t be a deal during the President’s term.  What is your assessment of that? MR. SULLIVAN:  I think that’s crazy.  I mean — Q    So, it was correct that you’d (inaudible).  (Laughter.)  (Inaudible) disagree with it, that yes — MR. SULLIVAN:  This is not me sitting here saying, “Hey, there will be a deal.”  One can’t know.  And I’ve — you’ve heard me repeatedly use this George Mitchell line of “700 days of failure, one day of success.”  But this is diplomacy.  Every day, you get up and you try to drive towards a deal that brings about a ceasefire, the return of hostages, surge of humanitarian assistance, and ultimately the end of the war.  We’re doing that today.  We’re going to do that tomorrow.  We’re going to do that every day.  And I do still believe there is a path to get there.  It has been a winding path, a frustrating path, but we are still on that path, and we hope to reach the destination.  But we’re also mindful of the fact and very clear-eyed about the fact that there’s still obstacles in the way; we’re going to do our best to clear them.  And I can’t make any predictions about what’s going to happen, but what I can certainly say is we are not conceding that, period. Q    But we’ve been waiting a while in terms of a new bridging proposal.  Is that right?  So when is — when do you expect to put that on the table? MR. SULLIVAN:  I can’t tell you that because we’re not at a point right now where I can — where we’re prepared to put something on the table.  We’re continuing to work with Qatar and Egypt.  They’re talking to Hamas.  We’re talking to Israel.  The Qataris and Egyptians are talking to Israel.  And when we feel ready to take another step, we’ll take another step.  Q    What’s the holdup? MR. SULLIVAN:  Well, at the moment, we don’t feel like we’re in a position, if we put something down today, to get both sides to say yes to it.  Could that change over the course of the coming days?  It could.  You know — yeah, I’ll leave it at that for now. Q    Jake, in terms of the events of last week in Lebanon, do you have any assessments what that has done to the operational capabilities of Hezbollah?  And what is your current level of concern that what you’ve been trying to prevent the last, you know, 11-plus months could start off as (inaudible)? MR. SULLIVAN:  It stands to reason that Lebanese Hezbollah’s capabilities have taken a hit.  How significant a hit, how that translates to their ability to represent a threat to Israel, I think we still need some more assessment to reach more guidance on. The risk of escalation is real; it has been since October 7th.  There are moments where it is more acute than others.  I think we are in one of those moments where it is more acute.  But I would take a step back and make an observation that I don’t think gets sufficient attention in the reporting on this dynamic, which is that Hezbollah started this whole thing.  Hamas attacks on October 7th, this vicious massacre.  And then, as Nasrallah just said in his speech this we
    ek, the way he put it, Nasrallah opened the Northern Front.  Israel didn’t start just randomly attacking into Lebanon.  Hezbollah and its allies in — its terrorist allies in Lebanon started attacking Israel.  And tens of thousands of Israeli citizens had to leave their homes.  That led to an exchange of fire, and then Lebanese citizens had to leave their homes.  And we’ve been in that dynamic ever since.  So, that’s an important structural factor that I think, kind of, gets set aside in the commentary and the coverage of the current circumstance. That being said, the United States’ position is we would like to see calm on the northern border and a durable solution that allows the people on both sides of that border to return to their homes.  We are driving at that.  Amos Hochstein was recently back in the region to work towards that.  I’ve spoken with my Israeli counterparts just in the last couple of days to see how we find a way forward on that.  And so, while the risk of escalation is real, we actually believe there is also a distinct avenue to getting to a cessation of hostilities and a durable solution that makes people on both sides of the border feel secure, and we’re going to do everything that we can to bring that about.  Q    And can I just (inaudible) — when you say the risk of escalation is real, are you saying the IDF flattening tower blocks in Beirut is not an escalation? MR. SULLIVAN:  I think the question he was asking — the heart of his question was: could we get into a wider war that we have been trying to avoid for the last 11 months.  I think that’s what the question was. Q    Then I’ll ask the question. MR. SULLIVAN:  I was answering (inaudible). Q    I’ll ask the question then: Was the IDF strike an escalation, in your view? MR. SULLIVAN:  Look, when I talk about escalation, I mean where does this take us from the point of view of, “Are we going to end up in a wider war.”  We’re not there yet.  I hope we do not get there.  When you pose a question, “Was this strike escalation?  Was that strike escalation?” the United States is not going to score-keep like that.  There’s a number of different ways to look at this strike.  The chief way I personally look at it goes back to the discussion we were having before, which is it was a strike against a senior terrorist who has both Israeli and American lives on his hands.  So we could pick any moment, any set of rockets launched by Hezbollah, any set of strikes by Israel, and say, “Is this an escalation?  Is that an escalation?” and so forth.  I think it’s not a particularly useful exercise.  For us, the most useful exercise is to try to drive both parties to a place where we get an agreed and durable outcome that can end the cycle and keep us from ending up in the larger war that, as we were just talking about, we’ve worked so hard to (inaudible). Q    Is there any announcement that we should expect next week about Haiti?  (Inaudible) report that says that even though we have now the Kenya team there and the security forces, 80 percent of Port-au-Prince is run by gangs.  Things are not getting better for the people.  Violence keep growing.  And of course, we don’t have elections or plan of a government soon.  MR. SULLIVAN:  Look, things are not where we would like them to be in Haiti, but I think it is not correct to say that things have not gotten better from a low point when flights were shut down, the port was shut down, it looked like the entire government was going to be run out of the country. We have improved the situation from that low point, but the progress we have made has been slower and more uneven than we’d like it to be.  Our goal is to continue to enhance the Multilateral Security Support Mission and ultimately work with the United Nations to make sure that it gets institutionalized.  But I don’t know that we have any particular announcements next week.  Rather, our goal is to use the U.N. General Assembly to get more resources, more contributions, and a common vision around building step by step on what we’ve put in place so that we can improve the situation beyond where it is right now. MODERATOR:  We have time for about two more questions. Q    Just a follow-up.  And how can that happen?  I know Colombia wanted to help, but, like, it’s not an actual mission like (inaudible) it was the U.N. (inaudible) — is this a security group, and the U.S. is leading the efforts.  So how the countries will get involved, and how can they operate?  Like, Mexico cannot (inaudible) officers — MR. SULLIVAN:  Well, a number of countries have pledged contributions, including police units, former police units.  And so, the first thing that can happen is we can turn those pledges into reality, and then we can work bilaterally with countries like Mexico and Colombia on their legal requirements to try to satisfy them so that they could, in fact, (inaudible). Q    To put a pin, though, you know, the discussion about China, you know, before, in the lead-up to this, administration officials at the podium were telegraphing that there could be talk about aggressive PRC military action on fair trade practices, tensions over the Taiwan Strait.  You know, preview that there’s going to be discussion of North Korea.  I know you said that the Quad is not about one country, but to China and to many people, it looks like it’s focusing on China.  So I’m curious to what your response to me, to folks that say you’re trying to have it both ways on China.  MR. SULLIVAN:  I guess what I would say, and I think I said this before, is the leaders are going to talk about all of the significant developments and dynamics in the Indo-Pacific.  Everything you just mentioned fits into that category.  So we don’t take issues off the table to discuss or speak about.  But my point is that the purpose of the Quad is not to come together around China or any other country.  It’s to come together around how to construct a free and open Indo-Pacific.  And actions and policies that disrupt or undermine that are certainly not just of interest, but are going to be a matter of discussion for Quad members.  But the way I square the circle is to say these issues are on the agenda because they relate to a free and open Indo-Pacific, but China is not the focus of the Quad, and the Quad is not about one country.  It is about a larger vision that we’re (inaudible). MODERATOR:  All right, thanks, everyone. 9:26 A.M. EDT

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI China: France’s new gov’t revealed despite left-wing winning legislatives

    Source: China State Council Information Office

    French Prime Minister Michel Barnier announced on Saturday evening the formation of his government with 39 members coming from center and right-wing parties.

    Among the 17 ministers, seven come from President Emmanuel Macron’s centrist alliance and three from Barnier’s conservative party The Republicans (Les Republicains).

    Jean-Noel Barrot was nominated to replace Stephane Sejourne as Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs.

    The 41-year-old Barrot was an economist and served as Minister Delegate for Europe in the former government.

    Bruno Retailleau was appointed to be the Minister of Interior, which the French daily Le Figaro considered as a “symbol of firmness” to restore public order in France.

    Retailleau, a member of the Barnier’s party, promised, on his social media platform X account, to “restore order to ensure harmony” and reaffirmed his support for the police.

    The position of Minister of Economy and Finance was given to Antoine Armand who is only 33 years old.

    He now has to help Barnier submit France’s 2025 budget draft bill to the National Assembly while trying to keep France’s debt under control as mandated by the European Union.

    However, the list of members of the new government lacks candidates from the left-wing and far-ring wing parties, two relative winners of the snap legislative elections.

    Barnier’s government immediately received criticism from left-wing parties. The leader of the Socialist Party Olivier Faure denounced Barnier’s decision to form a center-right government, saying that his decision “gives the finger” to democracy.

    Leader of the far-left-wing party, La France Insoumise, the main party of the left-wing parties alliance during the latest legislative elections, Jean-Luc Melanchon, said that the government was formed with “losers of the legislative elections.”

    The government “has neither legitimacy nor a future. It will be necessary to get rid of it as soon as possible,” he said on his X account.

    The left-wing parties already vowed to launch a vote of no confidence against the government in the National Assembly where they do not hold an absolute majority. They need to count on the far-right wing party, the National Rally’s support.

    As for the far-ring wing party, the National Rally (RN), its former leader Marine Le Pen expressed her disappointment over the new government.

    On her X account, she said that Barnier’s government was “transitional” and called for a “major change.”

    For her, the government announced on Saturday evening was rather a reshuffled former government than a newly formed one.

    Macron nominated on Sept. 5 Barnier, former Brexit negotiator, as the new prime minister.

    Barnier has announced that he intended to address “the challenges, the anger, the suffering, and the sense of abandonment and injustice” that the country is currently experiencing.

    After forming a government, Barnier’s urgent mission now remains to complete a draft budget for 2025 before Oct. 1 and submit it for voting in the National Assembly.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Al Jazeera TV says Israeli soldiers storm bureau in Ramallah, ordering closure for 45 days

    Source: China State Council Information Office

    Israeli forces stormed the office of Al Jazeera in West Bank’s Ramallah, with a military order to close it for 45 days, the Qatari broadcaster reported on Sunday.

    It said that heavily armed and masked Israeli soldiers entered the building and handed the closure order to the network’s West Bank bureau chief Walid al-Omari.

    “There is a court ruling for closing down Al Jazeera for 45 days,” a soldier told al-Omari. The exchange was broadcast live on Al Jazeera Arabic, Al Jazeera reported.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Chinese culture on display at tourism fair in Bangladesh

    Source: China State Council Information Office 3

    The 11th Asian Tourism Fair was held in Dhaka from Thursday to Saturday to boost the tourism industry. More than 100 tourism companies and institutions from eight countries including China, Bangladesh and Maldives participated in the exhibition.

    China set up “Hello! China” Pavilion to show its rich and colorful tourism resources and profound cultural heritage.

    The pavilion was designed in the Beijing architectural style, featuring brackets and eaves. Screens and photos in the pavilion displayed tourism books, materials, and handicrafts such as paper cutting, kites, Chinese knots and lanterns.

    In the interactive area, visitors were encouraged to find the Chinese cities they are interested in visiting on a map. China’s policies to facilitate tourism and payment were also introduced.

    Organized by the Chinese Embassy in Bangladesh jointly with the Confucius Institutes and Classrooms and Chinese enterprises in the country, performances featuring both Chinese and Bengali songs and dances were shown at the exhibition on Friday.

    “I am so curious and I want to have a solo trip, so I come here,” Bangladeshi visitor Simi Hossain told Xinhua on the occasion. “Now I know what kind of tourist spots are in China.”

    “Chinese culture spreads all over the world now. I haven’t got the chance to travel there but I like it very much,” the visitor said. “I think when we go there on a trip, we will learn more about the culture there.”

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: Secretary-General of ASEAN attends 23rd AEM-MOFCOM Consultation

    Source: ASEAN

    Secretary-General of ASEAN, Dr. Kao Kim Hourn, attended the 23rd ASEAN Economic Ministers – Ministry of Commerce (AEM-MOFCOM) Consultation, in Vientiane, Lao PDR, on 22 September 2024.

    The Meeting discussed the progress of ASEAN-China economic cooperation, including ASEAN-China FTA 3.0 Upgrade Negotiations and economic cooperation initiatives aimed at deepening trade and economic ties and fostering closer economic partnerships.

    The post Secretary-General of ASEAN attends 23rd AEM-MOFCOM Consultation appeared first on ASEAN Main Portal.

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: EOI open for North West tourism attraction

    Source: Australian Ministers 1

    Efforts to breathe new life into a north-west Tasmanian tourism attraction will go international from this weekend.

    Expressions of Interest (EOI) open on Saturday 21 September for a new operator, or group, to take on and transform the Dismal Swamp site, west of Smithton, into a visitor hub.

    Leading the EOI process is international company TSA Riley, which is looking to engage with potential operators from across Australia and even across the globe.

    The site has sat dormant since 2020 but has since secured $12.5 million from the Australian Government through a 2022 federal election commitment to help revitalise the site.

    The project is expected to attract an overall investment of $40 to $50 million when commercial investors and a developer are locked in, providing a significant economic boost to the region.

    The EOI document is available at: https://www.stategrowth.tas.gov.au/tarkine-adventure-hub-eoi

    Quotes attributable to Federal Minister for Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government Catherine King:

    “The hub at Dismal Swamp will create an exciting new visitor experience to complement the area’s amazing natural environment. It’s terrific to see this project now progress to the EOI stage.

    “This is a great example of the Australian Government’s investment in the tourism future of the far north-west coast of Tasmania.”

    Quotes attributable to Tasmanian Premier and Minister for Tourism and Hospitality Jeremy Rockliff:

    “We are building on Tasmania’s reputation as a world-leading tourism destination and highlighting Tasmania’s unique experiences.

    “This redevelopment will transform the Dismal Swamp site into a world-class visitor hub for cultural and nature-based experiences within the broader far North West region.

    “We expect the operation to feature a range of accommodation options and immersive nature-based experiences, which could attract an additional $9 million in annual visitor spend to the state.”

    Quotes attributable to Senator for Tasmania Anne Urquhart:

    “The new visitor hub will attract thousands more tourists every year to the wonderful far north-west coast region of Tasmania.

    “This project will generate income and support good jobs in our state’s far north-west, as a result of the determined work of local tourism operators and my advocacy for this much-needed investment.”

    Quotes attributable to CEO of West by North West Gabriella Conti:

    “The Dismal Swamp redevelopment is an exciting opportunity for the far North West.

    “This development will encourage visitors to experience the Tarkine in a sustainable way, stay longer, explore deeper, and fully engage with all the far North West has to offer.

    “It provides a key anchor point for visitors, particularly those arriving on the Spirits, to base themselves as they explore the region.

    “Visitors will be able to immerse themselves not only in agritourism experiences and world-class produce; but nature-based experiences in the Tarkine, Australia largest temperate rainforest.”
     

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Interview on Sky News Sunday Agenda

    Source: Australian Ministers 1

    ANDREW CLENNELL, HOST: Joining me live in the studio is Communications Minister Michelle Rowland. Thanks so much for your time. Let me start on gambling advertising. As the report at the top of the program, my understanding is your proposal would begin about 2025, involves a ban on gambling advertising one hour either side of live sporting events and outside of this period a cap of two ads an hour, at least that’s what you’ve put out for consultation. Is that what you’re looking at?
    ​
    MICHELLE ROWLAND, MINISTER FOR COMMUNICATIONS: Well, we’re consulting on a range of matters at the moment and I’ve seen speculation from different sources on that, but I should be clear, Andrew, that the key issue here is three-fold. We want to ensure that we protect children, we want to break the nexus between wagering and sport, and we want to deal with the saturation of ads, particularly as that impacts on young men aged around 18 to 35. We’re looking at a range of issues with no decisions having been made yet.
     
    I should be very clear and I know that many of your viewers will be thinking the same as they get excited about the finals season. We want people to be excited the game, not about the odds, and for some people this is a matter that should have been dealt with a decade ago and in that time we’ve seen an over-reliance on online wagering advertising develop. Whilst around three quarters of overall gambling losses in Australia actually come from land-based gaming – so that’s poker machines, lotteries and casinos, we know that that online sports wagering section is growing and we need to deal with it.
    ​
    CLENNELL: Well, it’s interesting you mention that because Peter V’landys’ the NRL and horse racing- Racing NSW Chief, was out in the papers on that yesterday, pointing out 70 per cent of people ringing a gambling helpline play the pokies, 15 per cent lotteries and not a lot involving sports betting basically. So why just target this?
    ​
    ROWLAND: We have seen that cohort increasing and the losses in that area by a proportion as well. So it is something that needs to be dealt with. We want to be comprehensive as a Government in our response and we want to be forward-facing as well because, Andrew, the last time that these rules were tinkered with it actually resulted in an increase in advertising and particularly in some regional areas it was a significant increase. We want to ensure that we don’t have those unintended consequences and that it is comprehensive.

    I should also point out for your viewers – the report put out by our late colleague Peta Murphy went to a variety issues, advertising was one of them. There are a wide variety of issues that involve the States and Territories which is necessary to have negotiations with them as you can appreciate. They have for example a number of assets that have advertising and obviously relationships with some of the stadiums as well. So in some of these areas, not to mention some of the programs that deal with harm reduction, they are areas that require consultation. That’s what we’re doing right now, but we understand that this is an area of concern for many people. If I can lastly put out a public service announcement – as we get towards the final season, betstop.gov.au has been in operation now for a year, that’s the self-exclusion register. There’s been nearly 30 thousand people who have chosen to self-exclude themselves. If anyone who is watching or knows someone that may be vulnerable, please visit that and consider registering.
     
    CLENNEL: Sports operators want the cap to be lifted to three ads an hour, they think it’s sufficient to have a ban from half an hour before a game until the end of a game rather than an hour after a game. Are you looking at that?
     
    ROWLAND: We’re consulting widely and I appreciate the fact that we’ve had stakeholders from a wide variety of sectors but also harm reduction advocates and experts in these areas. So this has been a process that we’ve been conducting in an orderly way. We’ll continue to do that and our response here will be one that is comprehensive and is forward-looking as well.
     
    CLENNEL: When?
     
    ROWLAND: We’re doing this as expeditiously as possible. As I said, I understand many would’ve wanted this done a decade ago, but the fact that we are consulting on a model here I think indicates –
     
    CLENNELL: By the end of the year?
     
    ROWLAND: I think the fact that we’re consulting on a model here indicates that we’re at a point where we are speaking to stakeholders about the model, the fact that we understand that this is an area of concern, and it’s one in which sports wagering continues to increase as a proportion of losses.
     
    CLENNELL: And as I understand it, racing is carved out of this – the sport of racing, from the cap on ads. That’s so racing telecasts can survive, essentially?
     
    ROWLAND: Well I’ve said publicly that the Government views racing as a separate category. Horses and dogs in that context exist for betting. So we understand that and we should also recognise that particularly in some regional areas this is an industry that supports thousands and thousands of jobs. It exists for a specific purpose so we are being very mindful to be proportionate in this response.
     
    CLENNELL: Can you confirm the Prime Minister’s involved in negotiations on this?
     
    ROWLAND: I can confirm that the Prime Minister is very alive to these issues, that this is something that he understands is an area of great concern and I do consult him regularly on this as well because this is an area where the Government knows that the community wants action.
     
    CLENNELL: Would the Government be doing this if Peter Dutton hadn’t pushed this?
     
    ROWLAND: The Government’s been very clear in setting up this inquiry under Peta Murphy, for a start. We actually instigated this. Peter Dutton had 10 years in government to do something about this. I haven’t seen anything on the record indicating from him his concern about these matters and I haven’t seen anything from him proposing anything to do in this area outside of a very limited gambit here, certainly not comprehensive and certainly not one in which he himself is committing.
     
    CLENNELL: Alright. Do you have concerns about the future of free-to-air television in Australia and particularly, I’m talking about the future of channels like Channel 7 and Channel 10?
     
    ROWLAND: Well as Communications Minister, part of my remit is to ensure the sustainability of broadcasting. That includes free-to-air but also subscription broadcasting where we are appearing at the moment, and I think it is incumbent on Governments to understand the impact of government decisions until someone invents a stable, free, ubiquitous platform that can either compete with or replace free-to-air broadcasting and I think we need to appreciate that this has a special place. It has a special place particularly in regional areas and especially for people who may be on lower socioeconomic circumstances. So broadcasting remains important.

    I can tell you, Andrew, I have had people say to me why is the Government concerned about a sector that in their words is dying? I refuse to accept that. Broadcasting is important. The ecosystem in which this subscription broadcaster operates is important and as a Government we need to be methodical and we need to be evidence-based when it comes to responding to this challenge that we have but we also have to effective and that is exactly the balance we are aiming to achieve.
     
    CLENNELL: Let’s talk about the social media age ban. You’ve committed to it. Can you confirm what sites you’re looking at the ban applying to? Facebook, Insta, Twitter, TikTok, anything else I’m missing? Is it Discord and other messaging apps?
     
    ROWLAND: There is a whole range that we’re looking at, at the moment and there’s different categories depending on the definitions that are used. So the Online Safety Act, for example, and how the Safety Commissioner defines certain categories can actually be very broad or it can be slightly narrow. So we’re looking at that as part of our formulation of the legislation which we said we will introduce this year but again I would make the point similar to the ones I just made, that we do want to be comprehensive here, we understand that young people partake in a range of social media activities and we want to make sure that this is relevant and appropriate to how they’re accessing it.
     
    CLENNELL: Which do you prefer as an age for the ban, 14 or 16?
     
    ROWLAND: We’re looking at a range at the moment. This is a lot of conversations that’s happening. The South Australia Premier is favouring 14, Premier Minns 16. There is a wide range of views and there certainly is, I think given Justice French’s very good work, one that needs to be tested and one has a national approach. One thing we have found so far in the age assurance trial is that there is a marked difference between age assurance as it applies to younger ages as opposed to higher ages and it can also vary depending on ethnicity and also gender. So we’re very mindful of ensuring that as part of the age assurance –
     
    CLENNELL: You mean whether the technology works in terms of accessing social media sites, is that what you mean?
     
    ROWLAND: That’s right. In terms of if you’ve got an age assurance technology, whether it’s recognition, facial recognition or some other forms of assurance, it can actually vary. Andrew, there’s no off the shelf solution for this which is why we’ve been very deliberate in making sure that we are looking at a range of ages and one- reaching one that is appropriate for the circumstances.
     
    CLENNELL: Briefly, why is the ban necessary?
     
    ROWLAND: Well, I think two-fold. Firstly, parents around Australia are looking for a normative value here and I know as a mother of a 12-year-old girl, there is something very potent about being told everyone else is doing it, there’s no clear guidance, why am I being singled out? So parents have told me directly that there is a real normative value in having that there. And the second point really goes to the overall reason for this and that is we understand that there are harms. Whilst social media has many benefits, and enables a lot of young people to connect where they otherwise might have been isolated, it comes with those harms and the evidence is in on the range of those harms. The evidence is in about the need to ensure that young people have a balance and so the Government intends to pursue this, and this is despite the fact that Meta has made this announcement. That doesn’t obviate the need for us to take action in this space.
     
    CLENNELL: Let me play you what your Shadow, David Coleman, said about your misinformation legislation last week.
     
    [Excerpt begins]
     
    DAVID COLEMAN: This Bill, Andrew, if you’re an academic, something you can’t- you say, basically can’t be misinformation, but if you’re an ordinary Australian who disagrees with and academic it can be misinformation. One of the things in the Bill are the kinds of harm that is not allowed is something that might cause imminent harm to the economy or the stock market.
     
    CLENNELL: Yeah, I saw that.
     
    COLEMAN: And I mean, that’s basically every economic policy that the Greens have ever announced. So are we- are we basically saying- are we basically saying under the Misinformation Bill that the Greens- effectively all Greens economic statements are misinformation?
     
    [End of excerpt]
     
    CLENNELL: Alright, his criticism is your definition is just far too broad.
     
    ROWLAND: Well, let’s be very clear, the Coalition can’t have it both ways. They’ve got on their public website at the moment a commitment to introduce legislation to tackle harmful mis- and disinformation, and at the same time they’re going out there, saying basically that they don’t support this. I suggest that the Member of Parliament there reads the actual Bill. I suggest that he understands precisely what the scope here is when it comes to mis- and disinformation. It needs to be something that is verifiably false and cause- and capable of causing harm.
     
    CLENNELL: Yes.
     
    ROWLAND: And this is a high threshold for the amount- a high threshold.
     
    CLENELL: That seems broad.
     
    ROWLAND: But secondly, the harms are actually- the actual categories here are defined. So these are for example harms to personal health or safety, they are harms to critical infrastructure for example. In terms of his comments about academics, again, I suggest that he read the Bill.
     
    CLENNELL: Alright.
     
    ROWLAND: Because as this has been developed, this has been done in a way that corresponds with our international obligations, recognises the fact that harmful mis- and disinformation is actually having an impact on not only Australian democracy but on the safety of Australians. It’s a position that is supported by our top spy and our defence heads
     
    CLENNELL: [Talks over] What- just very briefly- I’m out of- I’m out of time. The penalties we’ve been told could be up to five per cent of the global revenue of a big tech company. What might be the penalty for an individual?
     
    ROWLAND: Individuals aren’t being fined.
     
    CLENNELL: Okay. There you go.
     
    ROWLAND: This is- this is a matter that goes to the conduct of the platforms and their systems and processes.
     
    CLENNELL: Yeah. Just finally, the ABC and this botching of the Heston Russell story, how can this just be pinned on an editing error? Is it time the ABC did more to own its mistakes? Are you concerned they didn’t see this for two years? Do you have any confidence in the ABC’s so-called independent review?
     
    ROWLAND: Well, it is concerning and whilst I know you’ll appreciate that the ABC has opera
    tional and editorial independence, it is not beyond scrutiny and it does need to be transparent. It is concerning that this has taken some time to emerge. As you’re aware, I have asked for a briefing when this investigation is done. My understanding is the investigation is not yet complete, and while this is being done independently, which is a positive thing, the ABC still needs to answer to the Australian public. It is not beyond scrutiny and it is an area where I have expressed on the record a concern for what has happened here. The ABC, whilst it is independent and it is our public broadcaster, it does not always get it right and it needs to own it.
     
    CLENNELL: Communications Minister Michelle Rowland. Thanks so much for your time.
     
    ROWLAND: Pleasure.

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI: Nokia partners with Zain Iraq to boost network capacity with advanced microwave technology

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    Press Release
    Nokia partners with Zain Iraq to boost network capacity with advanced microwave technology

    • High-capacity microwave solution to enhance network capacity and modernize infrastructure
    • To prepare the network for data surge and increasing network demand

    22 September 2024
    Baghdad, Iraq – Nokia today announced a strategic partnership with Zain Iraq to upgrade the telecom operator’s network in the south of Iraq. The three-year deal marks Nokia’s first entry into the microwave (MW) business with Zain Iraq, enhancing network capacity and modernizing the infrastructure to support future growth and increased traffic demand.

    The deployment will begin immediately, with a focus on optimizing network performance and ensuring scalability to accommodate future growth. Nokia’s solutions will help Zain Iraq to expand the network capacity and enhance customer experience while paving the way for future innovations in the region. Zain Iraq has been experiencing increasing demand for its data services and the expansion is necessary to provide the best service to its customers. Nokia will implement its state-of-the-art microwave technology, including the latest E-band solutions, to upgrade Zain Iraq’s MW backbone. This upgrade will increase network capacity and prepare the network for the anticipated data surge driven by rising customer usage.

    This deal involves swapping out competitor equipment and introducing Nokia’s high-capacity microwave solutions. Central to this deployment is the UBT-T XP version, which offers the highest transmit power in the market. This technology reduces antenna sizes and tower load, delivering significant capital expenditure (CAPEX) and operational expenditure (OPEX) savings.

    Mikko Lavanti, Senior Vice President of Mobile Networks at Nokia MEA, said: “This deal underscores our strong local capabilities and expertise. By deploying our advanced microwave solutions, Zain Iraq will benefit from an optimized network that is ready to handle the demands of the future, including meeting the needs of its growing customer base.”

    Emre Gurkan, CEO of Zain Iraq, said: “Our partnership with Nokia enables us to overcome capacity limitations and modernize our network infrastructure. With Nokia’s advanced microwave technology and E-band solutions, we are not only resolving current challenges but also future-proofing our network for future growth.”

    Resources and additional information
    Webpage: Nokia Wavence portfolio

    About Nokia
    At Nokia, we create technology that helps the world act together.

    As a B2B technology innovation leader, we are pioneering networks that sense, think and act by leveraging our work across mobile, fixed and cloud networks. In addition, we create value with intellectual property and long-term research, led by the award-winning Nokia Bell Labs.

    With truly open architectures that seamlessly integrate into any ecosystem, our high-performance networks create new opportunities for monetization and scale. Service providers, enterprises and partners worldwide trust Nokia to deliver secure, reliable and sustainable networks today – and work with us to create the digital services and applications of the future.

    Media inquiries
    Nokia Press Office
    Email: Press.Services@nokia.com

    Follow us on social media
    LinkedIn X Instagram Facebook YouTube

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Lesotho needs constitutional reforms to help gain political stability – but the latest attempt is flawed

    Source: The Conversation – Africa – By Hoolo ‘Nyane, Head of Department, Public and Environmental Law Department, University of Limpopo

    Lesotho, a small country landlocked by South Africa, has been struggling to make constitutional reforms since the advent of coalition politics in 2012. It needs the reforms to address political instability which has been a feature of the country for more than five decades.

    The judiciary, security agencies and civil service have been
    politicised, resulting in the institutions being abused for political ends, stoking recurrent instability.

    The reform project has encountered many headwinds. High government turnover amid unstable governing coalitions, the reform processes being declared invalid numerous times by the judiciary, and a sheer lack of political will are just a few.

    The current administration, in power since 2022, is taking a new stab at it. The national assembly is debating the bills intended to amend the constitution. The Southern African Development Community (SADC) has hailed this as “a positive development”.

    But as a constitutional law researcher who has published widely on the constitutional developments in Lesotho, I argue that the current approach to constitutional amendment is only intended to ward off the current pressure to pass reforms. It may not cure the longstanding constitutional problems in the country.

    The approach has two features. Firstly, the reforms process is now almost exclusively led by the government. This will enable the government to have only its views, and those it agrees with, being enacted as national reforms.

    Secondly, it breaks the constitution into three separate amendments. This dismembers the constitution. The court of appeal has already warned against that, saying the sections of the constitution, regardless of how they are amendable, belong to a single basic structure.

    Fits and starts

    The reform attempts have been in fits and starts. The most decisive step was in 2022 when parliament, on the eve of its dissolution ahead of elections, passed a raft of reforms known as the omnibus bill. This resulted in the 10th amendment to the constitution.

    However, parliament didn’t follow the amendment procedures set by the constitution. The Court of Appeal in turn declared the reforms invalid. The process was restarted after the 2022 elections, overseen by the SADC Panel of Elders led by former Tanzanian president Jakaya Kikwete.

    New attempt at reform

    With the support of the SADC, the current coalition government, led by Prime Minister Sam Matekane, has broken the constitutional reforms into three sets:

    • Changes requiring a simple majority in parliament to pass: These are amendments that either introduce new provisions to the constitution, or alter provisions of the constitution that are not entrenched. These include sections such as changing the number of official languages. Government can pass this set alone.

    • Changes requiring a two-thirds majority: Section 85 of the constitution protects certain provisions by requiring a minimum two-thirds majority of the two houses of parliament. These provisions include the structure and workings of parliament, among others. The present government lacks this majority. It needs opposition support to pass this set.

    • Changes requiring a referendum: These are provisions that require a vote of electors before enactment, such as changes to the monarch and the bill of rights. They can only be changed by consensus across all sectors of society, not just in parliament. There is no plan at present to move ahead with this set of amendments.

    The idea of the three-part approach is to speed up reforms amid immense international and local pressure as it circumvents the many procedural hurdles in amending entrenched provisions.

    But I see problems with it.

    Stakeholders left out

    The National Reforms Authority, established by an act of parliament in 2019, was disbanded in 2022 by the government of the former prime minister, Moeketsi Majoro.

    The reforms authority was not a perfect model. It was dominated by politicians and was criticised for not following proper constitution-making processes. But at least it gave the reform project some legitimacy because it represented a variety of stakeholders. It even relied on public consultations reports produced by its predecessor, the National Dialogue Planning Committee.

    In the new approach reforms are led by the government. Previous governments were warned against a government-led approach to reforms as it alienates other stakeholders.

    The ultimate purpose of these reforms is to change governance in Lesotho, which is characterised by unchecked exercise of executive power. It’s unlikely that a government will reform itself.

    There are political elites – in government and the opposition – who are against fundamental changes. They believe in continuing the current Westminster design with only minimal changes. The problem with the Westminster system in Lesotho (a constitutional monarchy) is that the monarch’s powers have drifted to the prime minister, who exercises them for political ends. This has been at the centre of political instability.

    Piecemeal approach

    The government has evidently rejected calls to totally overhaul the constitution and replace it with a new one. Instead, it has chosen piecemeal amendments.

    The government reckons it can easily pass the simple majority amendments and easily negotiate with the opposition to secure support for passing the two-thirds amendments. Then, perhaps in future, consider the amendments requiring a referendum.

    This is a flawed attempt to deal with criticism by both the high court and the court of appeal in 2022. The courts held that parliament had disregarded the rules about how to amend the constitution.

    Parliament is now heading for another pitfall: dismembering the constitution. Breaking it into compartments to make it easier to amend it will kill its basic structure.

    The courts have already warned the parliament against interfering with the basic structure of the constitution without the involvement of the people.

    What should be done

    The donor community and society in Lesotho have grown impatient with the delay in finalising the reforms. But pandering to pressures is not enough.

    The ideal approach would be for the country to make the new constitution through a proper process that will culminate with the people approving the outcome in a referendum. This approach has already worked in recent constitutional changes in Africa. The most recent examples are Kenya and Zimbabwe. This approach will enable the country to reflect holistically on its treacherous constitutional development and clothe the new changes with the garb of legitimacy.

    Hoolo ‘Nyane 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. Lesotho needs constitutional reforms to help gain political stability – but the latest attempt is flawed – https://theconversation.com/lesotho-needs-constitutional-reforms-to-help-gain-political-stability-but-the-latest-attempt-is-flawed-237905

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI China: France’s new center-right gov’t revealed

    Source: China State Council Information Office 3

    French Prime Minister Michel Barnier announced on Saturday evening the formation of his government with 39 members coming from center and right-wing parties.

    Among the 17 ministers, seven come from President Emmanuel Macron’s centrist alliance and three from Barnier’s conservative party The Republicans (Les Republicains).

    Jean-Noel Barrot was nominated to replace Stephane Sejourne as Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs.

    The 41-year-old Barrot was an economist and served as Minister Delegate for Europe in the former government.

    Bruno Retailleau was appointed to be the Minister of Interior, which the French daily Le Figaro considered as a “symbol of firmness” to restore public order in France.

    Retailleau, a member of the Barnier’s party, promised, on his social media platform X account, to “restore order to ensure harmony” and reaffirmed his support for the police.

    The position of Minister of Economy and Finance was given to Antoine Armand who is only 33 years old.

    He now has to help Barnier submit France’s 2025 budget draft bill to the National Assembly while trying to keep France’s debt under control as mandated by the European Union.

    However, the list of members of the new government lacks candidates from the left-wing and far-ring wing parties, two relative winners of the snap legislative elections.

    Barnier’s government immediately received criticism from left-wing parties. The leader of the Socialist Party Olivier Faure denounced Barnier’s decision to form a center-right government, saying that his decision “gives the finger” to democracy.

    Leader of the far-left-wing party, La France Insoumise, the main party of the left-wing parties alliance during the latest legislative elections, Jean-Luc Melanchon, said that the government was formed with “losers of the legislative elections.”

    The government “has neither legitimacy nor a future. It will be necessary to get rid of it as soon as possible,” he said on his X account.

    The left-wing parties already vowed to launch a vote of no confidence against the government in the National Assembly where they do not hold an absolute majority. They need to count on the far-right wing party, the National Rally’s support.

    As for the far-ring wing party, the National Rally (RN), its former leader Marine Le Pen expressed her disappointment over the new government.

    On her X account, she said that Barnier’s government was “transitional” and called for a “major change.”

    For her, the government announced on Saturday evening was rather a reshuffled former government than a newly formed one.

    Macron nominated on Sept. 5 Barnier, former Brexit negotiator, as the new prime minister.

    Barnier has announced that he intended to address “the challenges, the anger, the suffering, and the sense of abandonment and injustice” that the country is currently experiencing.

    After forming a government, Barnier’s urgent mission now remains to complete a draft budget for 2025 before Oct. 1 and submit it for voting in the National Assembly.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Africa is the world’s largest market for Guinness beer – how its ad campaigns exploit men

    Source: The Conversation – Africa – By Jordanna Matlon, Associate Professor of Sociology, School of International Service, American University

    Africa is the world’s largest market for Guinness beer (and Nigeria is second only to Britain for the most consumers in one country). The Irish brand’s success on the continent is regarded as a trailblazing business model. And that has a lot to do with their advertising campaigns over the years.

    Award-winning sociologist Jordanna Matlon recently published a research paper that analyses three prominent Guinness Africa ad campaigns. She explores what market forces are behind them – and how they target male consumers and shape masculinity in a way that echoes colonial extraction. We asked her to explain.

    How did Guinness capture the African market – what’s the appeal?

    We can think about Guinness in Africa in two phases. The first was less marketing savvy than old-fashioned imperial domination, in which territories under British dominion were captive markets for British imports. Despite its proud Irish origins, Guinness has had solid connections to the UK since the 1800s. Following British imperial shipping routes, the brewery began exporting to Africa in 1827. In 1959 Guinness established an import/export arrangement with Britain’s United Africa Company.



    Read more:
    Coca-Cola in Africa: a long history full of unexpected twists and turns

    By the era of African independence from the mid-1950s to the 1970s – the second phase – Guinness was already a well-known brand. Its advertising strategies found a ready African audience. Like colonialism generally, Guinness linked the consumption of foreign goods to the “civilising mission”. To be a civilised, modern man, the argument went, was to drink what the colonisers drank. But this was part of a larger work-consume nexus in which modern men were salaried men who could afford such trappings. Women, I should add, were always excluded: colonial ideals expressed clear gender divisions, with men in the public sphere and women at home, cooking for their (supposed) husbands and raising their (supposed) children.

    Tailored to African consumers, mid-1900s Guinness ads featured sophisticated African men in suits and ties enjoying their beers – clearly after a long day at the office. But like so many foreign imports, part of the appeal involved adapting to local tastes. It played off ideas of African strength and especially virility as a masculinised strength.

    Could you talk us through your analysis of the Michael Power campaign?

    This follows directly from my last point. Guinness became well known as a drink that made you strong. From the 1960s on, among its African consumers the brewery made “Guinness gives you power” its rallying cry. This morphed into the fictional character of Michael Power who, at the turn of the century, appeared in film shorts and a feature-length award-winning film, Critical Assignment – all part of Guinness’s advertising campaign.

    Power, a globetrotting journalist, was handsome, fearless, impeccably dressed, and generically African. In Michael Power, Guinness was responding directly to the question of how Africa positions itself in a world still strongly shaped by colonial hierarchies. Here was a figure who had turned the page, embodying elegance, wit, cosmopolitanism – and, of course, power.

    And the other two campaigns – Guinness Greatness and Made of More?

    Despite Michael Power’s success in helping make Guinness Africa’s leading imported beer, the campaigns that followed pivoted sharply. Michael Power was a fictional character who reflected the aspirations more than the reality of most African men.

    To come of age in Africa in the 2000s was to have grown up reeling from the effects of structural adjustment. Jobs that offered the best prospects for a middle-class life had overwhelmingly been in the public sector. The conditions attached to debt relief scaled these jobs back significantly. Now the informal economy was on the rise. To increase its target market, Guinness needed to speak to the experiences of real consumers: men who had long abandoned the prospect of a job that would have required a tie and a briefcase.

    In the commercial I look at from the Greatness campaign, a football scout comes to Africa (it’s unclear where on the continent exactly) and discovers talent everywhere – even in his driver. Not coincidentally, this was aired around the time of the 2010 men’s football World Cup in South Africa when the dream of football stardom felt especially palpable.

    In a Made of More commercial, an actual collective of Congolese dandies known as sapeurs return home from thankless day labour and transform into new men with their stylish – we might say ostentatious! – clothing. The narrator says, “In life, you cannot always choose what you do. But you can choose who you are.” Though not salarymen, they prove their worth.

    These campaigns take a major turn from the colonial iteration of the ideal man. Rather, we find the improbable but spectacular success of the international athlete, or the shift away from work altogether and toward conspicuous consumption. Both reflect a new Africa – indeed, a new global order – that has abandoned salaried work for economies of entrepreneurs and consumers.

    What do you conclude (and what is ‘bottom billion masculinity’)?

    I borrow this idea of the “bottom billion” from the business world, where emerging markets are a final frontier for corporate profits. It is supposed to celebrate the wealth potential of the poorest people on Earth: as the argument goes, the minuscule “wealth” of a billion people is really a fortune.

    Of course if we pick this apart just a bit it is clear that the wealth belongs not to the poor but to the corporations that sell them things. There is no real “Africa Rising” in this vision, no plan for enlarging an African middle class. Reflecting a longer colonial legacy, wealth here is something to be extracted.



    Read more:
    The genius at Guinness and his statistical legacy

    Bottom billion masculinity genders this dynamic. It asks us to think about how conspicuous consumption becomes a way for men to showcase their worth, a substitute for the provider role that is out of reach for so many men working precariously in Africa’s informal economies.

    Guinness’s recent campaigns celebrate the African everyman, the men at the bottom billion. And in doing so, it sells them a beer. It is a powerful example of how men’s search for validation can actually enrich corporations.

    Jordanna Matlon 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. Africa is the world’s largest market for Guinness beer – how its ad campaigns exploit men – https://theconversation.com/africa-is-the-worlds-largest-market-for-guinness-beer-how-its-ad-campaigns-exploit-men-239120

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Government boosts Regional Development with legislation passed by Parliament

    Source: New South Wales Government 2

    Headline: Government boosts Regional Development with legislation passed by Parliament

    Published: 20 September 2024

    Released by: Minister for Agriculture, Minister for Regional NSW

    The Minns Labor Government has passed legislation today that will greatly enhance the delivery of regional economic development and to build stronger communities across rural and regional NSW.

    Significant changes to the Regional Development Act by the Government, have lifted community confidence in how taxpayer funds will be used in regional NSW following years of porkbarrelling and mismanagement by the former Nationals/Liberal Government.

    The NSW Government is committed to delivering change and ensuring government investments are targeted and will make a real positive difference to people and communities.

    The modernised Regional Development Act reflects the community feedback and 232 submissions received in response to the community engagement on the Bill.

    This engagement also included hearing from rural and remote council Mayors and general managers, regional Councils, the NSW Aboriginal Land Council, Business NSW, NSW Farmers, Regional Development Australia, regionally located Universities and the NSW Aboriginal Women’s Advisory Network.

    The new legislation provides a robust framework for how the Government’s $400 million Regional Development Trust supports community needs and economic development in the communities it is designed to serve.

    The changes introduce independent accountability, greatly improve cooperation between all levels of government and provide greater transparency in funding arrangements for regional development projects.

    The Regional Development Act has now been modernised with:

    • Updated objects of the Act to reflect the contemporary needs of rural and regional NSW and encourage cooperation and collaboration with all tiers of government including local government
    • Broader types of financial investment that can be provided from the Regional Development Trust to better respond to the challenges and opportunities in rural and regional NSW
    • Reinvestment enabled into the Regional Development Trust by government, private sector and non-for-profit organisations
    • Strengthened accountability and transparency through new governance and reporting provisions requiring the publication of an annual report, investment strategy and governance framework so the public have a clear understanding of the focus and investment of the Regional Development Trust
    • A mandate that the Minister must establish a Regional Development Advisory Council so that independent expert advice is a constant component of the administration of the Regional Development Trust.

    As part of the modernised Regional Development Act, the Regional Development Advisory Council will provide independent advice and oversight on investments from the Regional Development Trust.

    Community members interested in shaping the future prosperity of regional NSW are encouraged to apply to become part of the NSW Government’s Regional Development Advisory Council.

    Expressions of Interest for the new Advisory Council opened on 11 September 2024 and close on 11:59PM Wednesday 9 October.

    For more information about the Regional Development go to: www.nsw.gov.au/regional-nsw/regional-development-roadmap

    Minister for Agriculture and Regional NSW, Tara Moriarty said:

    “Updating the Regional Development Act is an important milestone that ensures investments into rural and regional communities from the Government’s $400 Regional Development Trust are strategic and provide real benefits for regional communities.

    “This new Act represents the full delivery of the Regional Development Roadmap to update our regional development framework. This is in addition to the establishment of the regional development advisory council and the investment of $400m into the regional development trust.

    “The Trust will invest where it is needed most and support projects that deliver meaningful benefit to regional communities.

    “With these changes, regional communities can have full confidence that investments are made in a fair and transparent way underpinned by independent expert advice.”

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI China: China’s smart tourism applications offer unique experiences to foreign travelers

    Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News

    TIANJIN, Sept. 22 — Wearing an elegant white dress, Umuhoza, a Rwandan businesswoman, took a photo in front of a smart photo device, which soon generated a photo depicting her as a valiant and chivalrous female with traditional Chinese features.

    “When people travel to China, they really want to take memories back home. The device can take a picture of you and then transform you into a Chinese kind of person. I really love it,” Umuhoza said.

    Umuhoza runs a travel website. She helps tourists from Asian countries travel to African countries, including Rwanda, Egypt and Tanzania. At the same time, her website has a “China package,” catering to travelers from Africa who want to go to China.

    At the 2024 China Culture & Tourism Industries Exposition held earlier this month in north China’s Tianjin Municipality, many foreign visitors were overwhelmed by the novel technologies adopted in China’s tourism sector.

    “That’s amazing. I am very interested in autonomous driving cars and many smart tourism scenes. Perhaps new trade cooperation can be carried out in the future,” Umuhoza said.

    TELLING PEOPLE MORE ABOUT CHINA

    Putting on a virtual reality headset, Elena Jitari-Parry, a full-time travel blogger from Moldova, was instantly drawn to various places to experience the magnificent landscapes of China’s mountains and rivers.

    “So beautiful. It felt so authentic here,” Jitari-Parry said.

    She also quickly learned about securing travel tips for exploring Tianjin via an intelligent tourism companion system, which simply requires a person to ask questions at a booth provided by Midu, a company focusing on artificial intelligence and large language models.

    “Traveling in China can be so easy for foreigners! The digitalization and intelligence services of Chinese tourist attractions have become a new trend, enabling foreigners like me to enjoy a more comfortable and convenient travel experience in China,” Jitari-Parry said.

    With the desire to further explore China, Jitari-Parry chose to be a full-time travel blogger, documenting her travels and experiences in China. “Foreigners are very interested in China’s technological development. I always advise my audience to come to China and see something different.”

    The deep integration of technology and the cultural tourism sector not only creates a variety of experiential consumption scenarios, but also meets people’s new needs for personalized travel, immersive experiences and creative consumption.

    Data showed that by the end of 2023, the scale of China’s digital cultural tourism market had exceeded 1 trillion yuan (about 140 billion U.S. dollars), accounting for more than 30 percent of the entire cultural tourism industry.

    EXPERIENCING SMART, CONVENIENT SERVICES

    In the exhibition area of Meituan, one of China’s leading online services platforms, high-end technologies such as drones and autonomous delivery vehicles became the focus of foreign bloggers’ lenses.

    Ruben Diaz Jr. from the United States was amazed by it. “Some of these things are brand new to me. Tourists can specify drones to deliver the items they need directly to the scenic areas, which is definitely more convenient.”

    A staff member at the Meituan booth said that currently Meituan drones are operating on more than 30 routes in cities such as Beijing, Shenzhen, Shanghai and Guangzhou, and have completed over 300,000 orders in total.

    Thanks to the rapid development of smart tourism in China, tourists have become accustomed to using online payments, ticket purchases and guided tours during their travels.

    Data from iResearch, an industry research and consulting institute, showed that in 2023, the total number of monthly uses and total usage time of online travel apps had grown by more than 30 percent year on year on average.

    Some Chinese online travel service companies also use digital technologies to meet the growing travel needs of foreign visitors in China.

    In May, Tongcheng Travel launched an international travel reservation platform named HopeGoo, which supports payments in 16 global currencies and via various operating languages.

    Richard Santana, a product designer and blogger from the United States, said that with these online services, foreigners will be more willing to go to China, while their travels in China will also be more convenient.

    Ma Yiliang, chief statistician of the China Tourism Academy, said that “digitalization plus cultural tourism” has become a development trend.

    As “China Travel” has surged to be a hot global social media topic, demand for inbound tourism to China has increased significantly.

    “With the smarter and more convenient experience in China, foreign tourists can find a more open, more confident and safer China during their travels,” said Ma.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Ministry achieves 100 days target on Integrated Development of Wildlife Habitats

    Source: Government of India

    Ministry achieves 100 days target on Integrated Development of Wildlife Habitats

    Cabinet Approved recently Continuation of Wildlife Habitat Development Scheme with Rs. 2602.98 Crore Outlay for 15th Finance Commission Cycle

    Scheme to Feature Key Components: Project Tiger, Project Elephant, and Wildlife Habitat Development

    Posted On: 21 SEP 2024 2:38PM by PIB Delhi

    The Cabinet in its meeting held on September 11, approved continuation of the Centrally Sponsored Scheme of Integrated Development of Wildlife Habitats for the 15th Finance Commission cycle for an overall outlay of Rs. 2602.98 crores. The said scheme includes the critical Project Tiger sub component along with Project Elephant and Development of Wildlife Habitat. This was one of the items included in the 100-day action plan of the Government.

     

    While strengthening the existing fundamental and core components of the scheme, the scheme envisages to boost technological interventions in different thematic areas over the current and next financial year in our tiger and wildlife bearing forests.

     

    The Project Tiger already has an inherent use of technology in day-to-day management practices such as the M-STrIPES (Monitoring System for Tigers, Intensive Protection and Ecological Status) mobile application. The latter is in sync with the Digital India initiative and was extensively used for collection of field level ecological data during the 5th cycle of the All-India Tiger Estimation in 2022. The All-India Tiger Estimation itself is technologically intensive with the extensive deployment of camera traps across tiger habitats of the country. This exercise also makes use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) for species level identification. Conservation genetics has also been significantly used in the field of tiger conservation wherein a SOP for translocating tigers based on their genetic composition has been issued. Further, genetics has also been used to determine tiger numbers in low density landscapes as well as for determining the food ecology of the species. These interventions are proposed to be enhanced under the said scheme.

    The Project Tiger component also supports the ambitious Project Cheetah in the country which shall be continued under the umbrella scheme of Integrated Development of Wildlife Habitats. The areas for Cheetah introduction are proposed to be expanded as per the Cheetah Action Plan under the said scheme and efforts shall be made to strengthen monitoring protocols using advanced radio telemetry protocols.

     

    The Project Dolphin under the Development of Wildlife Habitat component is proposed to be supported by provisioning equipment such as Remotely Operated Vehicles (ROVs) and passive acoustic monitoring devices for enumeration of dolphins as well as their habitat. Project Lion, also under the ambit of the Development of Wildlife Habitat shall be strengthened as per activities envisaged in the document titled “Lion @ 2047: A vision for Amrut Kaal”. Human-elephant conflict under the Project Elephant component is envisaged to leverage information and communication technology interventions. While these have been tested on an experimental basis, the same shall be deployed on a larger scale.

     

    55 tiger reserve, 33 elephant reserves and 718 protected areas and their zones of influence stand to benefit. The forests of these areas are a bulwark against the adversities of climate change besides ensuring water security of the nation. In addition, the cause of keystone species occupying these landscapes, especially the tiger, the elephant, the cheetah, the snow leopard and the lion, which act as an indicator of these ecosystems will be furthered. Not only this, lesser known species, especially those identified for the Species recovery programme under the Development of Wildlife Habitat component, stand to gain with the continuation of the scheme.

    The scheme has a livelihood generation of more than 50 lakh man days through direct engagement in addition to indirect employment through eco-tourism and ancillary activities.

    The continuation of the Centrally Sponsored Scheme of Integrated Development of Wildlife Habitats reiterates the commitment of the Government towards tiger and wildlife conservation ensuring that economy and ecology grow together.

    The overall outlay for the three components for the 15th Finance Commission cycle as well as its remaining period:

    S. No.

    Name of Scheme

    Central Share

    State Share

    Total

    1

    Project Tiger

    1575.00

    955.00

    2530.00

    2

    Project Elephant

    182.58

    54.00

    236.58

    3

    Development of Wildlife Habitat

    845.4

    273.02

    1118.42

    * All figures in Rs. Crores              Total:

    2602.98

    1282.02

    3885.00

     

    Component of EFC

    2024-25

    2025-26

    Project Tiger

    365.00

    365.00

    Project Elephant

    40.00

    40.12

    Development of Wildlife Habitat

    195.00

    183.16

    Total

    (All figures in Rs. crores)

    600

    588.28

     

    *****

    NB/GS

    (Release ID: 2057291) Visitor Counter : 63

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: GeM celebrates 100 days of governance; announces drastic reduction in its transaction charges

    Source: Government of India (2)

    GeM celebrates 100 days of governance; announces drastic reduction in its transaction charges

    Orders above ₹10 Crore to pay flat fee of ₹3 Lakh, a massive reduction from previous transaction charges capped at ₹72.5 Lakh

    Posted On: 21 SEP 2024 1:53PM by PIB Delhi

    Aligning with the Government’s ongoing commitment to foster ease of doing business and build a more inclusive economy, Government e Marketplace (GeM) has recently announced a significant reduction in the transaction charges levied on Sellers / Service Providers transacting on its platform. This bold move was part of Govt’s 100 days initiative.  Accordingly, GeM has announced a New Revenue Policy of the portal which was given effect to from 9th August 2024.

    As per this Policy:

    All orders valued up to ₹10 Lakh will now attract zero transaction charges, as opposed to the earlier order value ceiling of ₹5 Lakh.

    Orders above ₹10 Lakh up to ₹10 Crore will be levied transaction charges worth 0.30% of total order value, as compared to earlier transaction charges of 0.45%.

    Orders above ₹10 Crore will now pay a flat fee of ₹3 Lakh, a massive reduction from the transaction charges previously capped at ₹72.5 Lakh.

    Nearly 97% of the transactions on GeM will be attracting zero transaction charges, while the remaining will incur a nominal fee @0.30% of order value above ₹10 Lakh subject to a maximum of ₹3 Lakh only, irrespective of the size of the order. This step is a watershed moment in terms of Ease of Doing Business on GeM and is also in line with Government’s commitment of reduction in cost of transactions. In a single stroke, GeM has reduced its transaction fee by almost 33% to 96% which is expected to greatly benefit GeM Sellers/ service providers to become more competitive.

    The latest transaction fee structure is aimed at democratizing access to public procurement ecosystem. It aims to particularly benefit MSEs, which often face challenges navigating cumbersome financial and operational barriers. By considerably lowering transaction charges, GeM aims to level the playing field, thereby creating opportunities for small-scale businesses to deliver value and innovation in public procurement.

    FY 2024-25 is also a watershed moment for Services sector wherein services sector leapfrogged at a very rapid pace surpassing Product GMV by a good margin. Service GMV of Rs. 1.39 Lakh crore as on 31st August 2024 is accounting for approximately 65% of the total Merchandise Value of ₹2.15 Lakh Crore for the same period. Several high value service bids have been awarded on the platform.

    This surge in services procurement is supported by a large inventory of 325+ service categories on the platform. Coupled with its user-friendly interface, GeM has made it easier for government buyers to evaluate, select and engage service providers on the basis of their tailored needs. The platform’s transparent e-bidding processes ensure fair competition, while ensuring that government buyers find the right partner for their specific requirements.

     

    About GeM:

    Government e Marketplace is a unified digital platform that facilitates end-to-end procurement of goods and services by various Central Ministries, State Departments, Public Sector Enterprises, Autonomous Bodies, Panchayats, Multi & Single State Cooperatives etc. Our Prime Minister’s concerted efforts to harness the power of digital platforms to achieve ‘Minimum Government, Maximum Governance’ led to the genesis of GeM in 2016. The online portal was established with a clear objective to eliminate age-old manual public procurement processes that were riddled with inefficiencies and corruption.

    GeM provides a paperless, cashless and contactless ecosystem for government buyers to directly purchase products and services from pan-India sellers and service providers through an online platform. GeM covers the entire gamut of procurement process, right from vendor registration and item selection by buyers to receipt of goods and facilitation of timely payments. GeM was envisioned to utilise the agility and speed that come along with a digital platform created with a strategic intent to reinvigorate public procurement systems and bring about a lasting change for the underserved as well as the nation.

    ***

    AD/VN/AM

    (Release ID: 2057276) Visitor Counter : 65

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: CBDT notifies Rules and Forms for Direct Tax Vivad Se Vishwas (DTVSV) Scheme, 2024

    Source: Government of India

    CBDT notifies Rules and Forms for Direct Tax Vivad Se Vishwas (DTVSV) Scheme, 2024

    The Scheme to come into force with effect from 1st Oct. 2024

    DTVSV Scheme provides for lesser settlement amounts for a ‘new appellant’ in comparison to an ‘old appellant’

    Posted On: 21 SEP 2024 1:40PM by PIB Delhi

    In pursuance of the announcement in Union Budget 2024-25 by Union Minister for Finance and Corporate Affairs Smt. Nirmala Sitharaman, the Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) has notified the Direct Tax Vivad Se Vishwas Scheme, 2024 (referred as DTVSV, 2024) to resolve pending appeals in the case of income tax disputes. The said Scheme shall come into force with effect from 1st Oct. 2024.

    The DTVSV Scheme, 2024 was enacted vide Finance (No. 2) Act, 2024.  Further, the Rules and Forms for enabling the Scheme have also been notified vide Notification No. 104/2024 in G.S.R 584(E) dated 20.09.2024.

    The DTVSV Scheme provides for lesser settlement amounts for a ‘new appellant’ in comparison to an ‘old appellant’. The DTVSV Scheme also provides for lesser settlement amounts for taxpayers who file declaration on or before 31.12.2024 in comparison to those who file thereafter.

    Four separate Forms have been notified for the purposes of the DTVSV Scheme. These are as under:

    1. Form-1: Form for filing declaration and Undertaking by the declarant
    2. Form-2: Form for Certificate to be issued by Designated Authority
    3. Form-3: Form for Intimation of payment by the declarant
    4. Form-4: Order for Full and Final Settlement of tax arrears by Designated Authority

    The DTVSV Scheme also provides that Form-1 shall be filed separately for each dispute provided that where appellant and the income-tax authority, both have filed an appeal in respect of the same order, single Form-1 shall be filed in such a case.

    The intimation of payment is to be made in Form-3 and is to be furnished to the Designated Authority alongwith proof of withdrawal of appeal, objection, application, writ petition, special leave petition, or claim.

    Forms 1 and 3 shall be furnished electronically by the declarant. These Forms will be made available on the e-filing portal of Income Tax Department i.e. www.incometax.gov.in.

    For detailed provisions of the DTVSV Scheme, 2024, section 88 to section 99 of the Finance (No. 2) Act, 2024 may be referred to alongwith Direct Tax Vivad Se Vishwas Rules, 2024.      

    This is another initiative by the Government towards litigation management.

    CLICK HERE TO ACCESS THE NOTIFICATION

    ****

    NB/KMN

    (Release ID: 2057271) Visitor Counter : 67

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Joint Statement on meeting between Minister of Petroleum and Natural Gas of India and Minister of Mines and Energy of Brazil on Cooperation between India and Brazil in the Energy Sector

    Source: Government of India (2)

    Posted On: 21 SEP 2024 6:18AM by PIB Delhi

    The Minister of Petroleum & Natural Gas of the Republic of India, H.E. Mr. Hardeep S Puri, paid an official visit to the Federative Republic of Brazil from September 19th– 21ston the invitation of the Minister of Mines & Energy of the Federative Republic of Brazil, H.E. Mr. Alexandre Silveira. H.E. Hardeep Puri was accompanied by Indian Oil & Gas Companies representing both the upstream and downstream sector.

    During the visit, the sides reviewed the existing collaboration in the energy sector including Indian upstream investment, mutually beneficial relationship in bilateral trade and cooperation in sustainable fuels, particularly biofuels.

    In the oil & gas sector, the sides recognised the trust reposed by Indian companies in the Oil & gas sector which has resulted in Brazil being one of the largest destinations for investments by Indian Oil & Gas companies in the world.  The sides also reaffirmed their commitment to identify new possible mechanism for increasing the  presence of Indian companies in the country, including through new investment opportunities in producing assets. The sides, while recognising the complementarities in the trade sector, committed to identifying ways of enhancing the trade between the two countries, including through innovative mechanisms.

    As founding members of the Global Biofuels Alliance, both sides reiterated the crucial role the Alliance will play in positioning biofuels as a key component of the global energy transition, contributing not only to environmental sustainability but also to socioeconomic growth.

    The Indian side congratulated the Brazilian side on the hosting of the G20 and welcomed the emphasis being placed on sustainable fuels and social dimensions of energy transition.  The Indian side expressed confidence that Brazil’s leadership would further the G20’s agenda of inclusive and sustainable development, building on the momentum generated by India’s presidency in 2023.

    The sides looked forward to co-hosting an India-Brazil Clean Cooking Ministerial Meeting on the sidelines of India Energy Week 2025 in February 2025, which would provide an opportunity to explore collaborative pathways for enhancing clean cooking access globally.

    Both sides discussed collaboration in the domain of deep and ultradeep explorations in the Indian offshore Acreages.

    The two sides also initiated a discussion on cooperation in the area of critical minerals and their value chains.

    Joint Statement on Biofuels and Sustainable Aviation Fuels (SAF)

    The sides noted that India and Brazil, as two leading biofuel producers, are well-positioned to collaborate on production and use of Sustainable Aviation Fuels (SAF) , by leveraging their existing ethanol and biodiesel production infrastructure, growing aviation market and vast feedstock potential, including their agricultural resources.

    In the context of SAF, the sides noted that currently SAF remains the major mature and viable pathway to decarbonise the aviation sector. At the same time, SAF only accounts for 0.3% of the current fuel use for aviation.

    The sides reaffirmed that the goal of net zero in the aviation sector would require joint and collaborative action between the two countries to resolve some of the major hurdles to SAF production, namely, feedstock-related challenges, high cost of SAF compared to other technologies, infrastructure for large-scale production and efficient waste management systems, low maturity of production pathways, etc.

    The sides highlighted the importance of the establishment of consistent international standards, such as the sustainability criteria defined within the scope of Carbon Offsetting and Reduction Scheme for International Aviation (CORSIA/ICAO) and reinforced the principle of technological neutrality with regards to the different technological pathways and raw materials used in the sustainable production of aviation fuels.

    The sides recognised the role an India-Brazil partnership in SAF can play in the deployment and development of the Sustainable Aviation Fuel Sector through  leveraging and catalysing of regional value chains to ramp up SAF production, trading, distribution and certification, which inter-alia will support the enhancement of availability, affordability and reliability of SAF.

    The sides noted that the modes for such cooperation could include the following:

    1. Leverage Ethanol Production from all sources;
    2. Promote technology exchange, joint research, and development initiatives, in order to optimize SAF production processes;
    3. Share regulatory and policy experience, with a view to create frameworks that encourage investment in SAF production;
    4. Cooperate in RD&I with a view to enhance the Technology Readiness Level (TRL) of production pathways;
    5. Collaborate in multilateral forums, such as ICAO, in order to promote the development of SAF.

    The sides acknowledged that collaboration between the two countries represents a strategic partnership in line with the sustainable development and carbon reduction goals of both countries.  By combining resources, expertise, and technology, India and Brazil can lead the global transition towards lower emission aviation. This collaboration will not only address pressing environmental challenges but also open new avenues for economic and technological advancement in the biofuels sector.

    The sides therefore reaffirmed their desire to strengthen cooperation between the two countries to usher in various advantages, which include economic growth, by creating jobs in the rural sector and fostering innovation in renewable energy technologies and energy security, by reducing reliance on imports. Importantly, bilateral cooperation in SAF production will contribute to global efforts to reduce the carbon footprint of aviation.

    The ministers underscored that this comprehensive partnership represents a significant milestone in India-Brazil relations aligning with their shared sustainable development goals. By combining their resources, expertise, and technology, India and Brazil will not only lead the global transition towards lower emission aviation but also provide critical support to other Global Biofuels Alliance members in their decarbonization efforts, ultimately paving the way for a future with cleaner skies.

    ****

    MN

    (Release ID: 2057239) Visitor Counter : 18

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Shri Piyush Goyal inaugurates Invest India’s Singapore Office

    Source: Government of India

    Posted On: 22 SEP 2024 3:33PM by PIB Delhi

    Union Minister of Commerce & Industry, Shri Piyush Goyal today inaugurated Invest India’s new office in Singapore. Today’s office inauguration comes after India’s Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi announced setting up of an Invest India office in Singapore during his visit to the country on September 4th and 5th, 2024. The Singapore Office is Invest India’s first overseas office. This significant move reinforces India’s commitment to deepening investment partnerships and making it easier for global investors to engage with India. The Singapore office will serve as a dedicated point of contact for companies from the region looking to invest in India, fostering collaboration across sectors.

    Speaking at the event, Minister Goyal emphasised, “Singapore is a key strategic partner for India, and this office marks a new chapter in our efforts to strengthen economic cooperation with Singapore and the broader ASEAN region. We plan to open more overseas Invest India offices in the coming months with an aim to provide global investors seamless access to India’s dynamic and growing economy.”

    ***

    AD

    (Release ID: 2057548) Visitor Counter : 30

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: World Food India 2024 concludes today

    Source: Government of India

    World Food India 2024 concludes today

    Remarkable turnout of 1557 exhibitors, 20 country pavilions  ; notable participation from 809 buyers from 108 countries & 2390 foreign delegates

    13 State Ministers & 4 Central Ministers graced event

    Union Minister for Ministry of Food Processing Industries Shri Chirag Paswan participated in six G2G meetings

    Event  supported by 9 Ministries/Departments , 8 associated bodies and 26 states

    CEO Roundtable & Global Food Regulators Summit 2024 held

    4 day event comprised 40 sessions, featuring Thematic, State, Allied Ministries and Country & Organization sessions

    Startup Grand Challenge &  Chef Competition held ; Partnerships between NIFTEM- K with 11 companies, 3 Development partners and Associations & 4 Academic and Research organizations

    Event marked achievement of 100 days action plan of Government

    Posted On: 22 SEP 2024 2:34PM by PIB Delhi

    ‘World Food India 2024’, organized by the Ministry of Food Processing Industries, concluded today. The 3rd edition of this mega food event, held from 19thto 22ndSeptember 2024 at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi, was inaugurated jointly by Shri Pralhad Joshi, Union Minister of Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Distribution and New & Renewable Energy, Shri Chirag Paswan, Minister of Food Processing Industries & Shri Ravneet Singh Bittu, Minister of State, Food Processing Industries & Railways.

    On this occasion, food processing units at 67 locations under PLISFPI and PMKSY schemes with total investments of Rs 5,135 crores were inaugurated, Credit linked support was provided to 25,000 beneficiaries for micro projects worth Rs 2,351 crores under PMFME scheme and Rs 245 crores seed capital sanctioned to 70,000 SHG members under PMFME scheme. Senior government dignitaries, global investors, global food regulators, and industry leaders from around the world participated in the event. The event marked the achievement of the 100 days action plan of the Government.

    The Mega Food Event was supported by nine Ministries/Departments of the Government of India, 8 associated bodies, and 26 states. The event featured a remarkable turnout of 1557 exhibitors, 20 country pavilions, and notable participation from 809 buyers from 108 countries and 2390 foreign delegates. 13 State Ministers and 4 Central Ministers graced World Food India 2024.

    Spanning an expansive area of 70,000 square meters across nine exhibition halls, the event provided a comprehensive platform for showcasing the latest advancements in the food processing industry. The event exhibited over 100 One District One Product items. 16 international delegations, including six Ministerial delegations participated in the event. Japan participated as the Partner Country while Iran & Vietnam participated as the Focus Countries.

    A CEO Roundtable was held on the inaugural day of World Food India 2024. It was co-chaired by Union Minister for Ministry of Commerce and Industry Shri Piyush Goyal and Union Minister for Ministry of Food Processing Industries Shri Chirag Paswan. The roundtable was also graced by the presence of Minister of State for Food Processing & Railways, Shri Ravneet Singh Bittu, Shri TG Bharath, Minister of Industries and Commerce, Andhra Pradesh and Shri Raghavji Patel, Minister of Agriculture, Gujarat and senior officials from various Ministries of Government of India and State Governments. This significant gathering brought together more than 100 CXOs representing the leading Indian and global companies in the food processing and allied sectors. Key deliberations during the Roundtable encompassed facilitation of ease of doing business, misleading advertisements, GST related issues, sourcing interests, and a comprehensive examination of the existing gaps within the value chain of the Indian Food Processing Sector.

    During the event, Shri Chirag Paswan participated in six G2G meetings. The four-day event comprised 40 sessions, featuring Thematic, State, Allied Ministries, and Country & Organization sessions. Notably, 13 Thematic Sessions delved into crucial subjects such as zero waste, maximum value, sustainable packaging, irradiation, food safety etc in the food processing and allied sectors. Moreover, 8 State-focused panel discussions and 10 specialized sessions by Allied ministries, including DPIIT and APEDA, addressed pertinent industry challenges. The sessions were graced by Ministers from Gujarat, Andhra Pradesh, Odisha, amongst others.

    To capitalize innovation, a Startup Grand Challenge was held to promote innovation in waste management, efficient water uses and novel food processing technologies. The winners of the challenge were awarded during the event. The Ministry will provide financial as well as incubation support through NIFTEM-Kundli to the winners.

    A Global Food Regulators Summit 2024 by Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) was organized in conjunction with World Food India from 20th – 21st  September 2024. It brought together delegates from over 70 countries, including Food safety regulators and those from Risk Assessment Authorities, Research Institutes and Universities who discussed and strategized on key regulatory issues.

    Among the event’s highlights was the Technology and Sustainability Pavilion, which spotlighted cutting-edge innovations in the food industry, signalling a shift toward more eco-friendly and resilient food production practices.

    Additionally, the Chef Competition at World Food India 2024 recognized chefs who blend tradition with innovation, showcasing global cuisine, presentation skills, and the use of technology in culinary techniques. The competition featured individual displays, live cooking, mixology, and a mystery basket challenge.

    The event also featured partnerships between NIFTEM- K with 11 companies, 3 Development partners and Associations and 4 Academic and Research organizations. These MoUs focused on successful execution of collaborative research programmes, new product development, establishment of Centres of Excellence, placement of students as well as incubation activities. NIFTEM-K also transferred 5 technologies to food companies and start-ups besides launching a pesticide detection kit for tea leaves.

    ****

    SS/MS

    (Release ID: 2057536) Visitor Counter : 50

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Department of Consumer Affairs, Government of India, facilitates Refund of more than ₹ 1 cr. to Aspirants/ Students of various coaching institutes

    Source: Government of India (2)

    Department of Consumer Affairs, Government of India, facilitates Refund of more than ₹ 1 cr. to Aspirants/ Students of various coaching institutes

    Over 656 aspirants/students of various coaching Institutes of UPSC Civil Services, IIT, medical entrance, CA and management courses claimed refund from Coaching Centres/Private institutions by registering their grievance on the National Consumer Helpline (NCH)

    Posted On: 22 SEP 2024 2:59PM by PIB Delhi

    In its commitment towards protecting consumer rights and ensuring transparency in the education sector, the Department of Consumer Affairs, Government of India, through the National Consumer Helpline (NCH) has successfully intervened at a pre-litigation stage to ensure justice for students and aspirants who enrolled for the UPSC Civil Services, IIT and other entrance examinations.

    Following numerous complaints registered in the National Consumer Helpline regarding unfair practices by various coaching centres especially not refunding the enrolment fees of the students/ aspirants, NCH initiated a drive to resolve these grievances on a mission-mode to facilitate a total refund of 1 cr. to affected students from the total demanded refund of 2.39 Cr till date.

    This decisive action comes after the National Consumer Helpline received multiple grievances from students who had enrolled in UPSC Civil Services, IIT and other coaching programs but faced issues such as unfulfilled promises, inadequate teaching quality, and abrupt cancellations of courses. Data reveals that during a short span of 12 months i.e. 2023-2024 – 16,276 numbers of students reached out to NCH, once their requests were declined/ rejected/ not specifically redressed to their satisfaction by coaching centres. The analysis of data repository also revealed/highlighted an increasing trend in the numbers of dissatisfied students/consumers lodging complaints at NCH.

    The total numbers of grievances registered by the students in the year 2021-2022 are 4,815 followed by year 2022-2023 having 5,351 and 2023-2024 are 16,276. This increase reflects growing confidence and trust of students in NCH as an effective grievance redressal mechanism before opting to knock at the door of Consumer Commissions. In 2024, already 6980 students have reached out to NCH for speedy redressal of their grievances at a pre litigation stage.

    Table showing Consistent increase in the number of grievances registered at NCH from year 2021-2024

     

    All these refunds were processed promptly at a pre-litigation stage after the intervention of the department to the affected students from all corners of the country who raised their grievances claiming their refunds against the coaching centres offering classes for “UPSC Civil Services”, “JEE advance”, medical entrance, CA exams and other courses. 

    One such success story relates to a student from Bengaluru who had taken a study loan of Rs 3.5 lacs to take admission in a management course offered by an institution from Lucknow. He was forced to opt out of the course on account of unreasonable delays in commencement of course. Even after multiple follow ups, the refund was not granted. Distressed by loan EMIs and inability to enrol anywhere else due to paucity of funds, he approached NCH and was granted refund on department’s intervention.

    Similarly, another success story belongs to a student from Bharuch, Gujarat who was granted a refund of 8.36 lacs paid for enrolment once NCH stepped in.

    All these students and aspirants registered their grievances at the National Consumer Helpline by calling toll-free “1915” helpline number or registering their grievances at the portal namely “www.consumerhelpline.gov.in”. The Department of Consumer Affairs launched the National Consumer Helpline (NCH) to disseminate information on issues pertaining to consumers and promote consumer welfare. Department extended this service with the launch of Integrated Consumer Grievance Redressal Mechanism (INGRAM) portal : a pre-litigation platform maintained and monitored by NCH for consumers to get their complaints and grievances addressed directly by the companies.

    It may be mentioned that CCPA took up class action against malpractices of misleading advertisements and unfair trade practices and has also penalized several Coaching Centres on several occasions. These initiatives reinforced DoCA’s commitment and contribution to empower our society by supporting students as a consumer class. 

    Smt. Nidhi Khare, Secretary of DoCA, stated, “We are dedicated to safeguarding the rights of consumers, especially students who invest their precious time and resources in pursuing their dreams. This action reaffirms our commitment to ensure that coaching institutions adhere to fair practices and honour the rights of consumers.”  and emphasized that coaching institutes must present facts truthfully and honestly by clearly and prominently disclosing important information so that consumers can not only notice it easily but also take more informed choice. She underscored the significance of consumer rights and the responsibility of advertisers to ensure they provide accurate information.

    Furthermore, this initiative of DoCA is a key-step to strengthen the pre-litigation platform for prompt redressal of grievances across the sectors in alignment with the letter and spirit of the recommendations of NITI Aayog given in its report “Designing the Future of Dispute Resolution: The ODR Policy Plan for India dated October 2021” which acknowledges and reiterates the significance of pre-litigation mechanisms by stating that-

     “Mandatory pre-litigation/ ODR cases involving e-commerce claims, small cause claims and cheque-bouncing issues can be resolved before they reach the courts system. This is extremely critical for Indian judiciary, which has a burgeoning case-load”

    It is pertinent to state that the National Consumer Helpline is already undertaking resolution of consumer grievances through pre-litigation measures in an impactful and effective manner. Moreover, the department has directed coaching centres to adopt a more student centric approach and ensure transparency in course offerings and assured quality standards in the sector. This proactive stance not only supports affected students but also sets a precedent for improved practices within the education sector, ensuring that coaching institutions prioritize transparency and accountability in their operations.

    ***

    AD/NS

     

    (Release ID: 2057545) Visitor Counter : 59

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: India signs first-of-its-kind agreements focused on Clean Economy, Fair Economy, and the IPEF Overarching arrangement under Indo-Pacific Economic Framework for prosperity

    Source: Government of India

    India signs first-of-its-kind agreements focused on Clean Economy, Fair Economy, and the IPEF Overarching arrangement under Indo-Pacific Economic Framework for prosperity

    Agreements to facilitate development, access, and deployment of clean energy and climate-friendly technologies

    Agreements to catalyse investment and strengthen measures for anti-corruption, tax transparency etc. and improve business environment

    Posted On: 22 SEP 2024 11:25AM by PIB Delhi

    India signed and exchanged the first-of-its-kind agreements focused on Clean Economy, Fair Economy, and the IPEF Overarching arrangement under Indo -Pacific Economic Framework (IPEF) for prosperity, on 21st September, 2024 at Delaware USA, in the presence of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi who is on 3-day visit to the US for the Quad Summit.

    IPEF Clean Economy Agreement (Pillar-III)

    The Agreement on Clean Economy intends to promote technical cooperation, workforce development, capacity building, and research collaborations; and collaborate to facilitate development, access, and deployment of clean energy and climate-friendly technologies with the aim to collectively accelerate efforts of IPEF partners towards energy security and transition, climate resilience and adaptation and GHG emissions mitigation.

    This Agreement will facilitate investments, project financing including concessional financing, joint collaborative projects, workforce development and Technical Assistance and Capacity Building for industries, in particular for the MSMEs, and facilitate further integration of Indian companies in the global value chains, particularly in the Indo-Pacific region. These activities will be undertaken through joint collaborative actions such as Cooperative Work Programmes, the IPEF Catalytic Capital Fund, the IPEF Accelerator etc.

    IPEF Fair Economy Agreement (Pillar-IV)

    The Agreement aims to create a more transparent and predictable trade and investment environment across the Indo-Pacific. To achieve these goals, the IPEF partners will collaborate to enhance their efforts in preventing and combating corruption, including bribery, and supporting initiatives to improve tax transparency, the exchange of information, domestic resource mobilization, and tax administration.

    It focuses on enhancing information sharing among partners, facilitating asset recovery, and strengthening cross-border investigations and prosecutions. This will also support India’s efforts in fighting corruption, money laundering, and terror financing.

    Recognizing the critical role of technical assistance and capacity building (TACB) in achieving the commitments outlined in the proposed agreement and ensuring effective implementation and enforcement of anti-corruption measures, the partners are committed to identifying and implementing TACB initiatives. These initiatives will strengthen anti-corruption efforts and improve the efficiency of tax administration.

    Overarching IPEF Agreement

    The Overarching Agreement is an administrative agreement establishing an oversight Ministerial-level mechanism. This Agreement seeks to establish a high-level political oversight framework at the Ministerial level over the various individual IPEF agreements while setting general guidance and goals, and guiding Leaders’ vision and mandate for IPEF. This Agreement primarily includes administrative and institutional provisions.

    This agreement would provide identity to the group and longevity to the IPEF partnership, by creating a formal mechanism and establishing a forum for Ministerial discussions on emerging issues, etc. This agreement is expected to facilitate the effective implementation of subject agreements (Pillars II-IV), that have the potential to enhance India’s productive capacity, and integration into supply chains, and promote innovation, in line with the concept of Atmanirbhar Bharat.

    The Union Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, had accorded the approval earlier this month for signing and ratification of these three agreements focused on the Clean Economy, Fair Economy, and the overarching IPEF Agreement which were signed by other IPEF members on June 6, 2024 in IPEF Ministerial meeting in Singapore, however India did not formally sign the same then as the domestic approval process was still underway.

    IPEF to boost investment

    Investor Forum: Under Clear Economy (Pillar-III) Agreement, IPEF partners aim to catalyze investment in green technology and reduce GHG emissions through various means including annual business matching events under the Investor Forum.  The First Investor Forum was held in Singapore on 5-6 June, 2024.  One of such efforts was accelerated in the form of a MoU among companies from India, Singapore and Japan following which, Singapore-based Sembcorp will be investing ₹36,238 crore for state-of-the-art green ammonia plant in Thoothukudi.

    At the Inaugural Forum, IPEF partners identified USD 23 Billion (₹1.91 lakh crore) of priority infrastructure projects  ~USD 4 Billion (₹ 33,200 crore) from India which offered potential opportunities for investment in some Indian renewable energy companies. The United States International Development Finance Corporation (DFC) committed a total of USD 1.5 Billion (₹12,450 crore) to support energy transition, climate investment, and digital inclusion.

    Funds under IPEF: IPEF also provides platforms for technical assistance, concessional funding, and viability gap funding. The IPEF Catalytic Capital Fund, with an initial grant of USD 33 million (₹273.9 crore) from Australia, Japan, Korea, and the United States, aims to catalyze private investments totaling USD 3.3 billion (₹27,390 crore). Additionally, the PGI Investment Accelerator under IPEF has received initial funding of USD 300 million (₹2,490 crore) from the United States International Development Finance Corporation (DFC).

    Initiatives under IPEF

    IPEF Upskilling Initiative: IPEF Upskilling Initiative was launched in September 2022 to support sustainable and inclusive economic growth and development by providing primarily for women and girls in IPEF emerging and middle-income partner countries with access to digital skills training. Under the initiative, as communicated by the US, 14 participating US companies and the Asia Foundation provided 10.9 million upskilling opportunities in IPEF partners, primarily for women and girls, in the last 2 years, of which India availed 4 million of these opportunities.

    Critical Mineral Dialogue: This ongoing dialogue focuses on several key areas, including the comprehensive mapping of mineral resources across IPEF partners to develop an extensive database, promoting trade by mapping trade flows within the IPEF region and enhancing business engagements, and fostering technical collaboration for mineral recovery and recycling in the region. These initiatives are aimed at strengthening the critical mineral supply chain and ensuring sustainable mining practices in the region.

    Tech Council: The main objectives of this initiative are coordination and cooperation on key technologies by bringing together IPEF partners to share best practices and standards, enhance the resilience of digital infrastructure, promote investment, and foster innovation through workforce development. The key areas on which IPEF partners are currently collaborating include Cyber Security, Undersea Cables and Artificial Intelligence.

    Cooperative Work Program (CWP): Aim of CWP is to facilitate collaborative and cooperative efforts among the interested participating IPEF countries to advance the objectives of the Clean Economy Agreement. Till date, 8 CWP proposals, circulated by several IPEF countries, have been announced in the IPEF Ministerial meetings. These are related to hydrogen supply chains, carbon markets, clean electricity, sustainable aviation fuel, just transition, emissions intensity accounting, small modular reactors, and including India’s proposal on e-waste urban mining.

    About IPEF

    IPEF was launched on 23 May 2022 at Tokyo, Japan, comprising 14 countries – Australia, Brunei, Fiji, India, Indonesia, Japan, Republic of Korea, Malaysia, New Zealand, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam and USA. The IPEF seeks to strengthen economic engagement and cooperation among partner countries with the goal of advancing growth, economic stability and prosperity in the region.

    The framework is structured around four pillars relating to Trade (Pillar I); Supply Chain Resilience (Pillar II); Clean Economy (Pillar III); and Fair Economy (Pillar IV). India has ratified Agreement on Supply Chain Resilience (Pillar II) in February 2024 and has maintained an observer status in Pillar-I.

     ***

    AD/VN

    (Release ID: 2057489) Visitor Counter : 60

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Fact Sheet: 2024 Quad Leaders’ Summit

    Source: Government of India (2)

    Posted On: 22 SEP 2024 8:58AM by PIB Delhi

    On September 21, 2024, President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. hosted Prime Minister Anthony Albanese of Australia, Prime Minister Kishida Fumio of Japan, and Prime Minister Narendra Modi of India in Wilmington, Delaware, for the fourth Quad Leaders’ Summit.

    The Quad was established to be a global force for good. This year, the Quad is proudly executing tangible projects that benefit partner countries across the Indo-Pacific—including in the Pacific, Southeast Asia, and the Indian Ocean Region. The Quad is working together at unprecedented scope and scale to deliver on Indo-Pacific partners’ priorities. Together, the Quad is leading ambitious projects to help partners address pandemics and disease; respond to natural disasters; strengthen their maritime domain awareness and maritime security; mobilize and build high-standard physical and digital infrastructure; invest in and benefit from critical and emerging technologies; confront the threat of climate change; bolster cyber security; and cultivate the next generation of technology leaders.

    ENDURING PARTNERS FOR THE INDO-PACIFIC

    Over the past four years, Quad Leaders have met six times, including twice virtually. Quad Foreign Ministers have met eight times, most recently in Tokyo in July. Quad country representatives convene on a regular basis, at all levels, to consult one another, exchange ideas to advance shared priorities, and deliver benefits for partners across the Indo-Pacific region. All Quad governments have institutionalized the Quad at all levels and across a diverse array of departments and agencies. Today, Quad Leaders announced new initiatives to solidify these habits of cooperation and to set up the Quad to endure for the long-term.

    Each Quad government has committed to work through their respective budgetary processes to secure robust funding for Quad priorities in the Indo-Pacific region to ensure an enduring impact.

    The Quad governments also intend to work with their respective legislatures to deepen interparliamentary exchanges, and encourage other stakeholders to deepen engagement with Quad counterparts. Yesterday, Members of Congress announced the creation of a bipartisan, bicameral Congressional Quad Caucus.

    In the coming months, Quad Commerce and Industry ministers will meet for the first time.

    Quad Leaders also welcome the leaders of the Quad Development Finance Institutions and Agencies deciding to meet to explore future investments by the four countries in the Indo-Pacific, including in health security, food security, clean energy, and quality infrastructure. This builds on a previous meeting in 2022 between the heads of the Export Finance Australia, the Australian Infrastructure Financing Facility for the Pacific, India Export-Import Bank, Japan Bank for International Cooperation, and U.S. International Development Finance Corporation (DFC).

    The United States will host the 2025 Quad Foreign Ministers Meeting, and India will host the 2025 Quad Leaders Summit.

    GLOBAL HEALTH & HEALTH SECURITY

    In 2023, the Quad announced the Quad Health Security Partnership to strengthen coordination and collaboration in support of health security in the Indo-Pacific. The Quad Health Security Partnership is delivering on its commitments to strengthen the Indo-Pacific’s ability to detect and respond to outbreaks of diseases with epidemic or pandemic potential, including through a set of new initiatives announced today.

    Quad Cancer Moonshot

    The Quad is launching the historic Quad Cancer Moonshot, a collective effort to leverage public and private resources to reduce the number of lives lost to cancer in the Indo-Pacific, with an initial focus on cervical cancer. Altogether, the Quad Cancer Moonshot announced today is projected to save hundreds of thousands of lives over the coming decades. More information can be found here.

    Pandemic Preparedness

    Quad countries are committed to supporting health security and resiliency efforts across the region, including continued support for the Pandemic Fund.

    The Quad reaffirms commitment to bolstering health security across the Indo-Pacific region. In 2024, the Quad Health Security Partnership advanced regional resilience through the second pandemic preparedness table top exercise, building on the success of the Quad Vaccine Partnership to enhance prevention, early detection, and response to potential disease outbreaks, and is exploring developing Standard Operating Procedures for Pandemic Response. The Quad’s collaborative efforts included training health specialists from the Indo-Pacific to strengthen regional capabilities for health emergencies.

    India will host a workshop on pandemic preparedness and release a white paper outlining emergency public health responses.

    Australia is increasing the pool of public health specialists who are ready to deploy, in-country or in the region, in response to disease outbreaks, with the first training session to commence in Darwin, Australia, in the coming days.

    In coordination with Quad partners, the United States is pledging over $84.5 million to partner with fourteen countries in the Indo-Pacific region to strengthen capacity to prevent, detect, and respond to infectious disease threats.

    Mpox

    In response to the current clade I mpox outbreak, as well as the ongoing clade II mpox outbreak, the Quad plans to coordinate our efforts to promote equitable access to safe, effective, quality-assured mpox vaccines, including where appropriate expanding vaccine manufacturing in low and middle-income countries.

    HUMANITARIAN ASSISTANCE AND DISASTER RELIEF (HADR)

    Twenty years ago, the Quad first came together to respond to the devastating 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami, surging humanitarian assistance to affected countries. In 2022, Quad Foreign Ministers signed the Guidelines for the Quad Partnership on HADR in the Indo-Pacific. In May 2024, following a tragic landslide in Papua New Guinea, Quad countries coordinated their response in accordance with these guidelines. The Quad collectively provided over $5 million in humanitarian assistance. Quad partners continue to support Papua New Guinea in its longer-term resiliency efforts. The Quad continues to deepen HADR coordination and support partners in the region in their longer-term resiliency efforts.

    Quad governments are working to ensure readiness to rapidly respond, including through pre-positioning of essential relief supplies, in the event of a natural disaster; this effort extends from the Indian Ocean region, to Southeast Asia, to the Pacific.

    In the coming months, Quad HADR experts will conduct a tabletop exercise to prepare for potential future disasters in the region.

    Quad partners are working together to provide over $4 million in humanitarian assistance to support the people of Vietnam in light of the devastating consequences of Typhoon Yagi.

    MARITIME SECURITY

    Quad partners are working side-by-side with partners throughout the region to bolster maritime security, improve maritime domain awareness, and uphold a free and open Indo-Pacific.

    Indo-Pacific Partnership for Maritime Domain Awareness and Maritime Training

    Quad Leaders launched the Indo-Pacific Partnership for Maritime Domain Awareness (IPMDA) at the 2022 Quad Leaders’ Summit in Tokyo. This initiative provides partners with near-real-time, cost-effective, cutting-edge radio frequency data, enabling them to better monitor their waters; counter illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing; respond to climate change and natural disasters; and enforce their laws within their waters.

    Since the announcement, in consultation with partners, the Quad has successfully scaled the program across the Indo-Pacific region—through the Pacific Islands Forum Fisheries Agency, with partners in Southeast Asia, to the Information Fusion Center—Indian Ocean Region, Gurugram. In doing so, the Quad has helped well over two dozen countries access dark vessel maritime domain awareness data, so they can better monitor the activities in their exclusive economic zones—including unlawful activity.

    In the next phase of implementation, announced today, the Quad intends to layer new technology and data into IPMDA over the coming year, to continue to deliver cutting edge capability and information to the region. The Quad intends to leverage electro-optical data and advanced analytic software to sharpen the maritime domain awareness picture for partners.

    Today the Quad announced a new regional Maritime Initiative for Training in the Indo-Pacific (MAITRI) to enable our partners in the region Indo-Pacific partners to maximize tools provided through IPMDA and other Quad partner initiatives, to monitor and secure their waters, enforce their laws, and deter unlawful behavior. The Quad countries look forward to India hosting the inaugural MAITRI workshop in 2025.

    Quad countries are coordinating comprehensive and complementary training across the full suite of legal, operational, and technical maritime security and law enforcement knowledge domains. Quad partners have pledged to expand engagement with regional maritime law enforcement fora, share best practices, and improve civil maritime cooperation.

    Indo-Pacific Logistics Network

    The Quad launches today a Quad Indo-Pacific Logistics Network pilot project, to pursue shared airlift capacity among the four nations and leverage collective logistics strengths, in order to support civilian response to natural disasters more rapidly and efficiently across the Indo-Pacific region. This effort will complement existing efforts with Indo-Pacific partners.

    Coast Guard Cooperation

    The U.S. Coast Guard, Japan Coast Guard, Australian Border Force, and Indian Coast Guard plan to launch a first-ever Quad-at-Sea Ship Observer Mission in 2025 in the Indo-Pacific to improve interoperability. Through this effort, members of Japan Coast Guard, Australian Border Force, and Indian Coast Guard will spend time on board a U.S. Coast Guard vessel operating in the Indo-Pacific. The Quad intends to continue with further missions in the Indo-Pacific.

    QUALITY INFRASTRUCTURE

    The Quad is delivering quality, resilient infrastructure to the region to increase connectivity, build regional capacity, and meet critical needs.

    This year, the Quad countries’ export credit agencies (ECAs) signed and are implementing a Memorandum of Cooperation, which supports supply chain resilience, critical and emerging technologies, renewable energy, and other high-quality projects in the Indo-Pacific. Quad ECAs are strengthening communication on pipeline information and provision of relevant financing for projects in the Indo-Pacific region, and will pursue joint business promotion efforts that involve industry experts, project developers, and other major market players.

    The Quad released joint Principles for Development and Deployment of Digital Public Infrastructure, underscoring the Quad’s commitment to an inclusive, open, sustainable, fair, safe, reliable, and secure digital future to advance shared prosperity and sustainable development.

    The Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure organized a workshop in India to empower partners across the Indo-Pacific to strengthen power sector resilience.

    Quad Ports of the Future Partnership

    The Quad Ports of the Future Partnership will harness the Quad’s expertise to support sustainable and resilient port infrastructure development across the Indo-Pacific, in collaboration with regional partners.

    In 2025, Quad partners intend to hold the inaugural Regional Ports and Transportation Conference, hosted by India in Mumbai.

    Through this new partnership, Quad partners intend to coordinate, exchange information, share best practices with partners in the region, and leverage resources to mobilize government and private sector investments in quality port infrastructure across the Indo-Pacific region.

    Quad Infrastructure Fellows

    The Quad Infrastructure Fellowship was announced at the 2023 Quad Leaders’ Summit to improve capacity and deepen professional networks across the region to design, manage, and attract investment in infrastructure projects. Over the past year, it has expanded to more than 2,200 experts, and Quad partners have already provided well over 1,300 fellowships.

    Undersea Cables and Digital Connectivity

    Through the Quad Partnership for Cable Connectivity and Resilience, Quad partners continue to support and strengthen quality undersea cable networks in the Indo-Pacific, the capacity, durability, and reliability of which are inextricably linked to the security and prosperity of the region and the world.

    In support of these efforts, Australia launched the Cable Connectivity and Resilience Centre in July, which is delivering workshops and policy and regulatory assistance in response to requests from across the region.

    Japan has conducted capacity building trainings to enhance connectivity and resilience in the Indo-Pacific through cooperation with specialized agencies and international organizations. Japan intends to further extend technical cooperation to improve public information and communication technology infrastructure management capacity for an undersea cable in Nauru and Kiribati.

    The United States has conducted over 1,300 capacity building trainings for telecommunication officials and executives from 25 countries in the Indo-Pacific; today the U.S. announces its intent, working with Congress, to invest an additional $3.4 million to extend and expand this training program.

    Investments in cable projects by Quad partners will help support all Pacific island countries in achieving primary telecommunication cable connectivity by the end of 2025. Since the last Quad Leaders’ Summit, Quad partners have committed over $140 million to undersea cable builds in the Pacific, alongside contributions from other likeminded partners.

    Complementing these investments in new undersea cables, India has commissioned a feasibility study to examine expansion of undersea cable maintenance and repair capabilities in the Indo-Pacific.

    CRITICAL AND EMERGING TECHNOLOGY

    The Quad is working in lockstep to stay at the forefront of technology innovation, and remains committed to harnessing emerging technologies for the benefit of people across the Indo-Pacific, and deploying these technologies to facilitate economic prosperity, openness, and connectivity.

    Open Radio Access Network (RAN) and 5G

    In 2023, Quad partners announced the first-ever Open RAN deployment in the Pacific, in Palau, to support a secure, resilient, and interconnected telecommunications ecosystem. Since then, the Quad has committed approximately $20 million to this effort. Building on this initiative, the Quad announces an expansion of Open RAN collaboration to deliver trusted technology solutions.

    The Quad plans to expand support for ongoing Open RAN field trials and the Asia Open RAN Academy (AORA) in the Philippines, building on the initial $8 million in support that the United States and Japan pledged earlier this year.

    In addition, the United States plans to invest over $7 million to support the global expansion of AORA, including through establishing a first-of-its-kind Open RAN workforce training initiative at scale in South Asia, in partnership with Indian institutions.

    Quad partners also welcome the opportunity to explore additional Open RAN projects in Southeast Asia.

    Quad partners will also explore collaborating with the Tuvalu Telecommunications Corporation to ensure the country’s readiness for nationwide 5G deployment.

    Artificial Intelligence (AI)

    Through the Advancing Innovations for Empowering NextGen Agriculture (AI-ENGAGE) initiative announced at the 2023 Quad Leaders’ Summit, Quad governments are deepening leading-edge collaborative research to harness artificial intelligence, robotics, and sensing, to transform agricultural approaches and empower farmers across the Indo-Pacific. The Quad announces an inaugural $7.5+ million in funding opportunities for joint research, and highlights the recent signing of a Memorandum of Cooperation among the four countries’ science agencies to connect research communities and advance shared research principles.

    The Quad recognizes the importance of advancing international efforts to achieve safe, secure and trustworthy artificial intelligence systems, including through the outcomes of the Hiroshima AI Process, GPAI New Delhi Ministerial Declaration 2023, and UN General Assembly resolution 78/625 on “Seizing the opportunities of safe, secure and trustworthy artificial intelligence systems for sustainable development.” The Quad seeks to further deepen international cooperation on artificial intelligence systems and interoperability among artificial intelligence governance frameworks.

    Quad countries, through the Standards Sub-Group, launched two Track 1.5 dialogues on AI and Advanced Communications Technologies to promote international standardization cooperation, including frameworks for AI conformity assessment.

    Biotechnology

    The Quad partners look forward to launching the BioExplore Initiative – a joint effort supported by an initial $2 million in funding to use AI technology to study and analyze biological ecosystems across all four countries. This initiative will help advance our ability to discover and use the diverse capabilities found in living organisms to yield new products and innovations with the potential to diagnose and treat disease, develop resilient crops, generate clean energy, and much more. The initiative will also aim to build technological capacity across the Quad nations.

    This project will also be underpinned by the forthcoming Quad Principles for Research and Development Collaborations in Critical and Emerging Technologies, which advances sustainable, responsible, safe and secure collaborations in biotechnologies and other critical technologies among the Quad and across the region.

    Semiconductors

    Quad Leaders welcome the finalization of a Memorandum of Cooperation for the Semiconductor Supply Chains Contingency Network to facilitate collaboration in addressing semiconductor supply chain risks.

    The Quad Investors Network

    The Quad Investors Network (QUIN) is a nonprofit initiative launched at the 2023 Quad Leaders’ Summit. The QUIN aims to accelerate investments in critical and emerging technologies across the Indo-Pacific region, bringing together investors, entrepreneurs, technologists, and public institutions from the Quad countries to support innovation that aligns with the Quad’s shared values and promotes economic growth, resilience, and regional stability. This year, the QUIN supported ten major strategic investments and partnerships across the Quad in the critical minerals, renewable energy, cybersecurity, and aerospace sectors.

    The QUIN has advanced additional frameworks to foster the development of new technologies and facilitate investment partnerships for emerging startups, including through finalizing a Memorandum of Understanding for the creation of a startup campus in Tokyo, supported by the QUIN and the Chiba Institute of Technology’s Center for Radical Transformation.

    The QUIN is also working to establish a new venture accelerator in Tokyo through a collaboration between the University of Tokyo, Northeastern University, and the QUIN. These collaborations will not only fuel technological advancements but also strengthen the economic ties among the Quad nations, contributing to a more integrated and resilient Indo-Pacific region.

    Finally, the QUIN developed a Quantum Center of Excellence, which produced a report this year highlighting ways each Quad country’s Quantum ecosystems can work together to collectively leverage capital and expertise.

    CLIMATE AND CLEAN ENERGY

    The Quad recognizes the existential threat climate change poses to the world, the Indo-Pacific, and in particular island nations in the Pacific and in the Indian Ocean region, and is taking ambitious steps to mitigate and adapt to the effects of climate change, promote clean energy innovation and adoption, and support sustainable development.

    Climate Adaptation

    The Quad intends to expand its Early Warning Systems and the Climate Information Services Initiative (CIS), announced at the 2023 Leaders’ Summit. This will help improve Pacific Island countries’ access to high-quality climate data and services, and increase partners’ capacity to prepare for and respond to climate change and its impacts.

    The United States plans to provide 3D-printed automatic weather stations to the Pacific in 2025 to support local weather and climate forecasts, and also train experts in Fiji with the goal of operating a regional center to develop and deploy this technology.

    Australia is also strengthening Early Warning Systems through Weather Ready Pacific, a Pacific-led initiative supported by the Pacific Islands Forum Leaders in 2021 that drives and delivers on the EWS4ALL UN initiative in the Pacific.

    Japan is also enhancing cooperation with Pacific Island countries under its “Pacific Climate Resilience Initiative”, inter alia, by strengthening disaster risk reduction and preparedness through satellite technology and by promoting clean energy through capacity building and installation of renewable energies.

    The Quad also plans to train experts in Kiribati, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, and Vanuatu to better monitor and forecast flash floods, for timely and accurate warnings, reducing human and economic losses from flash floods.

    Clean Energy

    Our countries intend to strengthen our cooperation to align policies, incentives, standards, and investments around creating high-quality, diversified clean energy supply chains that will enhance our collective energy security, create new economic opportunities across the region, and benefit local workers and communities around the world, particularly across the Indo-Pacific. We will work together, through policy and public finance, to operationalize our commitment to catalyzing complementary and high-standard private sector investment in allied and partner clean energy supply chains. We note the uniquely complementary capabilities Quad partners share across the battery supply chain, and pledge to focus near-term efforts on strengthening mineral production, recycling, and battery manufacturing across our respective industries.

    Quad Leaders announced a Quad Clean Energy Supply Chain Diversification Program last year, which aims to support the development of secure and diversified clean energy supply chains in the Indo-Pacific region. Australia will open applications for the Quad Clean Energy Supply Chains Diversification Program in November, providing AUD 50 million to support projects that develop and diversify solar panel, hydrogen electrolyzer and battery supply chains. Secure and diversified clean energy supply chains are an integral part of achieving the Indo-Pacific’s collective energy security, emissions reduction goals and transition to a net zero future.

    India commits to invest $2 million in new solar projects in Fiji, Comoros, Madagascar, and Seychelles.

    Japan has committed to $122 million grants and loans, both public and private, in renewable energy projects in the Indo-Pacific.

    The United States, through the DFC, has extended a $250 million loan to Tata Power Solar to construct a solar cell manufacturing facility and a $500 million loan to First Solar to construct and operate a solar module manufacturing facility in India, and continues to seek opportunities to mobilize private capital to solar, as well as wind, cooling, batteries, and critical minerals to expand capacity and diversify supply chains.

    The Quad announces an initiative to boost energy efficiency, including the deployment and manufacturing of affordable, high-efficiency, cooling systems, to enable climate-vulnerable communities to adapt to rising temperatures while simultaneously reducing strain on the electricity grid. The United States intends to invest an initial $1.25 million of technical assistance financing to this effort.

    CYBER SECURITY

    The Quad is working together to build a more resilient, secure, and complementary cyber security environment for Quad countries and partners.

    The Quad has [developed/released] the Quad Action Plan to Protect Commercial Undersea Telecommunications Cables, to advance the Quad’s shared vision for future digital connectivity, global commerce, and prosperity.

    Quad countries are also partnering with software manufacturers, industry trade groups, and research centers to expand the Quad’s commitment to pursuing secure software development standards and certification, as endorsed in the Quad’s 2023 Secure Software Joint Principles.

    Quad partners will work to harmonize these standards to not only ensure that the development, procurement, and end-use of software for government networks is more secure, but that the cyber resilience of our supply chains, digital economies, and societies are collectively improved.

    Throughout this fall, each Quad country plans to host events to mark the annual Quad Cyber Challenge promoting responsible cyber ecosystems, public resources, and cybersecurity awareness. This year’s Cyber Challenge campaigns will focus on establishing career pathway programs to increase the number and diversity of global cybersecurity professionals, including increased participation by women, in this rapidly growing field. Last year’s Quad Cyber Challenge included over 85,000 participants across the Indo-Pacific region.

    Capacity building projects like the Quad Cyber Bootcamp and the international conference on cyber capacity building in the Philippines are important initiatives to enhance cybersecurity and workforce development in the Indo-Pacific region.

    The Quad is undertaking joint efforts to identify and mitigate vulnerabilities to national security and protection of critical infrastructure networks, and coordinate more closely including on policy responses to sharing of cyber threat information on significant cybersecurity incidents affecting shared priorities.

    COUNTERING DISINFORMATION

    The Quad is working together to foster a resilient information environment, including through its Countering Disinformation Working Group, by supporting media freedom and addressing foreign information manipulation and interference, including disinformation, which undermines trust and sows discord in the international community.

    PEOPLE-TO-PEOPLE TIES

    Quad countries are building enduring ties between their peoples. Stakeholders from Quad countries have participated in International Visitor Leadership Program (IVLP) and other exchanges, on topics related to cyber security, workforce development for critical and emerging technologies, women in STEM, government transparency and accountability, combating disinformation, and regional maritime governance.

    The Quad Fellowship

    Together with the Institute of International Education, which leads implementation of the Quad Fellowship, Quad governments welcome the second cohort of Quad Fellows and the expansion of the program to include students from ASEAN countries for the first time. The Government of Japan is supporting the program to enable Quad Fellows to study in Japan. The Quad welcomes the generous support of private sector partners for the next cohort of fellows, including Google, the Pratt Foundation, and Western Digital.

    The Quad looks forward to the Quad Fellowship Summit in Washington, DC, in October, organized by the Institute of International Education.

    Additional People-to-People Initiatives

    India announces a new initiative to award fifty Quad scholarships, worth $500,000, to students from the Indo-Pacific to pursue a 4-year undergraduate engineering program at a Government of India-funded technical institution.

    SPACE

    The Quad recognizes the essential contribution of space-related applications and technologies in the Indo-Pacific. The four countries plan to continue delivering Earth Observation data and other space-related applications to assist nations across the Indo-Pacific to strengthen climate early warning systems and better manage the impacts of extreme weather events.

    The Quad welcomes India’s establishment of a space-based web portal for Mauritius to support the concept of open science for space-based monitoring of extreme weather events and climate impact.

    Space Situational Awareness Initiative

    Quad partners intend to share expertise and experience in space situational awareness (SSA), contributing to long-term sustainability of the space environment. Cooperation is intended to leverage SSA and space traffic coordination capabilities in the civil domain, including to help avoid collisions in outer space and manage debris.

    COUNTERING TERRORISM

    The Quad hosted its first Counter Terrorism Working Group (CTWG) in 2023 and will meet annually to discuss CT threats, Quad CT good practices, and ways the Quad can work together to mitigate acts of terrorism through information sharing, consequence management and strategic messaging. The Quad CTWG currently focuses on countering the use of unmanned aerial systems (C-UAS), chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear devices (CBRN), and the internet for terrorist purposes. The Quad CTWG discusses new CT lines of effort on which to collaborate, hosts technical workshops for establishing CT good practices, and explores ways to engage non-Quad members with Quad-established CT expertise.

    *****

    MJPS/ST/SKS

    (Release ID: 2057460) Visitor Counter : 32

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Joint Fact Sheet: The United States and India Continue to Expand Comprehensive and Global Strategic Partnership

    Source: Government of India (2)

    Posted On: 22 SEP 2024 8:51AM by PIB Delhi

    Today, United States President Joseph R. Biden and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi affirmed that the U.S.-India Comprehensive Global and Strategic Partnership, the defining partnership of the 21st century, is decisively delivering on an ambitious agenda that serves the global good. The Leaders reflected on a historic period that has seen the United States and India reach unprecedented levels of trust and collaboration. The Leaders affirmed that the U.S.-India partnership must be anchored in upholding democracy, freedom, the rule of law, human rights, pluralism, and equal opportunities for all as our countries strive to become more perfect unions and meet our shared destiny. The Leaders commended the progress that has made the U.S.-India Major Defense Partnership a pillar of global security and peace, highlighting the benefits of increased operational coordination, information-sharing, and defense industrial innovation. President Biden and Prime Minister Modi expressed unrelenting optimism and the utmost confidence that the tireless efforts of our peoples, our civic and private sectors, and our governments to forge deeper bonds have set the U.S.-India partnership on a path toward even greater heights in the decades ahead.

    President Biden expressed his immense appreciation for India’s leadership on the world stage, particularly Prime Minister Modi’s leadership in the G-20 and in the Global South and his commitment to strengthen the Quad to ensure a free, open, and prosperous Indo-Pacific. India is at the forefront of efforts to seek solutions to the most pressing challenges, from supporting the global response to the COVID-19 pandemic to addressing the devastating consequences of conflicts around the world. President Biden commended Prime Minister Modi for his historic visits to Poland and Ukraine, the first by an Indian Prime Minister in decades, and for his message of peace and ongoing humanitarian support for Ukraine, including its energy sector, and on the importance of international law, including the UN charter. The Leaders reaffirmed their support for the freedom of navigation and the protection of commerce, including critical maritime routes in the Middle East where India will assume co-lead in 2025 of the Combined Task Force 150 to work with Combined Maritime Forces to secure sea lanes in the Arabian Sea. President Biden shared with Prime Minister Modi that the United States supports initiatives to reform global institutions to reflect India’s important voice, including permanent membership for India in a reformed U.N. Security Council. The Leaders voiced their view that a closer U.S.-India partnership is vital to the success of efforts to build a cleaner, inclusive, more secure, and more prosperous future for the planet.

    President Biden and Prime Minister Modi applauded the success of the Initiative on Critical and Emerging Technology (iCET) in deepening and expanding strategic cooperation across key technology sectors, including space, semiconductors, and advanced telecommunications. Both Leaders committed to enhance regular engagements to improve the momentum of collaboration in fields such as artificial intelligence, quantum, biotechnology, and clean energy. They highlighted ongoing efforts to strengthen collaboration with like-minded partners, including through the Quad and a U.S.-India-ROK Trilateral Technology initiative launched earlier this year to build more secure and resilient supply chains for critical industries and ensure we collectively remain at the leading edge of innovation. The Leaders directed their governments to redouble efforts to address export controls, enhance high technology commerce, and reduce barriers to technology transfer between our two countries, while addressing technology security, including through the India-U.S. Strategic Trade Dialogue. Leaders also endorsed new mechanisms for deeper cyberspace cooperation through the bilateral cybersecurity dialogue. The Leaders recommitted to expand the manufacturing and deployment of clean energy, including finding opportunities to expand U.S.-India cooperation in solar, wind and nuclear energy and the development of small modular reactor technologies.

    Charting a Technology Partnership for the Future

    President Biden and Prime Minister Modi hailed a watershed arrangement to establish a new semiconductor fabrication plant focused on advanced sensing, communication, and power electronics for national security, next generation telecommunications, and green energy applications. The fab, which will be established with the objective of manufacturing infrared, gallium nitride and silicon carbide semiconductors, will be enabled by support from the India Semiconductor Mission as well as a strategic technology partnership between Bharat Semi, 3rdiTech, and the U.S. Space Force.

    The Leaders praised combined efforts to facilitate resilient, secure, and sustainable semiconductor supply chains including through GlobalFoundries’ (GF) creation of the GF Kolkata Power Center in Kolkata, India that will enhance mutually beneficial linkages in research and development in chip manufacturing and enable game-changing advances for zero and low emission as well as connected vehicles, internet of things devices, AI, and data centers. They noted GF’s plans to explore longer term, cross-border manufacturing and technology partnerships with India which will deliver high-quality jobs in both of our countries. They also celebrated the new strategic partnership between the U.S. Department of State and the India Semiconductor Mission, Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology in connection with the International Technology Security and Innovation (ITSI) Fund.

    The Leaders welcomed steps our industry is taking to build safe, secure, and resilient supply chains for U.S., Indian, and international automotive markets, including through Ford Motor Company’s submission of a Letter of Intent to utilize its Chennai plant to manufacture for export to global markets.

    The Leaders welcomed progress toward the first joint effort by NASA and ISRO to conduct scientific research onboard the International Space Station in 2025. They appreciated the initiatives and exchange of ideas under the Civil Space Joint Working Group and expressed hope that its next meeting in early 2025 will open additional avenues of cooperation. They pledged to pursue opportunities to deepen joint innovation and strategic collaborations, including by exploring new platforms in civil and commercial space domains.

    The Leaders also welcomed efforts to enhance collaboration between our research and development ecosystems. They plan to mobilize up to $90+ million in U.S. and Indian government funding over the next five years for the U.S.-India Global Challenges Institute to support high-impact R&D partnerships between U.S. and Indian universities and research institutions, including through identifying options to implement the Statement of Intent signed at the June 2024 iCET meeting. The Leaders also welcomed the launch of a new U.S.-India Advanced Materials R&D Forum to expand collaboration between American and Indian universities, national laboratories, and private sector researchers.

    The Leaders announced the selection of 11 funding awards between the National Science Foundation and India’s Department of Science and Technology, supported by a combined $5+ million grant to enable joint U.S.-India research projects in areas such as next-generation telecommunications, connected vehicles, machine learning. The Leaders announced the award of 12 funding awards under the National Science Foundation and Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, research collaboration with a combined outlay of nearly $10 million to enable joint U.S.-India basic and applied research in the areas of semiconductors, next generation communication systems, sustainability & green technologies and intelligent transportation systems. Furthermore, NSF and MeitY are exploring new opportunities for research collaboration to enhance and synergize the basic and applied research ecosystem on both sides.

    The Leaders celebrated that India’s Department of Biotechnology (DBT) along with National Science Foundation of the United States announced the first joint call for collaborative research projects in February 2024 to address complex scientific challenges and innovate novel solutions that leverage advances in synthetic and engineering biology, systems and computational biology, and other associated fields that are foundational to developing future biomanufacturing solutions and advance the bioeconomy. Under the first call for proposals, joint research teams responded enthusiastically and results are likely to be announced by the end of 2024.

    The Leaders also highlighted additional cooperation we are building across artificial intelligence (AI), quantum, and other critical technology areas. They highlighted the second convening of the U.S.-India Quantum Coordination Mechanism in Washington in August and welcomed the announcement of seventeen new awards for binational research and development cooperation on artificial intelligence and quantum via the U.S.-India Science and Technology Endowment Fund (IUSSTF). They welcomed new private sector cooperation on emerging technologies, such as through IBM’s recent conclusion of memoranda of understanding with the Government of India, which will enable IBM’s watsonx platform on India’s Airawat supercomputer and drive new AI innovation opportunities, enhance R&D collaboration on advanced semiconductor processors, and increase support for India’s National Quantum Mission.

    The Leaders commended ongoing efforts to build more expansive cooperation around 5G deployment and next-generation telecommunications; this includes the U.S. Agency for International Development’s plans to expand the Asia Open RAN Academy with an initial $7 million investment to grow this workforce training initiative worldwide, including in South Asia with Indian institutions.

    The Leaders welcomed progress since the November 2023 signing of an MOU between the Commerce Department and the Ministry of Commerce and Industry to enhance the two countries’ innovation ecosystems under the “Innovation Handshake” agenda. Since then, the two sides have convened two industry roundtables in the U.S. and India to bring together startups, private equity and venture capital firms, corporate investment departments, and government officials to forge connections and to accelerate investment in innovation.

    Powering a Next Generation Defense Partnership

    President Biden welcomed the progress towards India concluding procurement of 31 General Atomics MQ-9B (16 Sky Guardian and 15 Sea Guardian) remotely piloted aircraft and their associated equipment, which will enhance the intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) capabilities of India’s armed forces across all domains.

    The Leaders recognized the remarkable progress under the U.S.-India Defense Industrial Cooperation Roadmap, including ongoing collaboration to advance priority co-production arrangements for jet engines, munitions, and ground mobility systems. They also welcomed efforts to expand defense industrial partnerships, including the teaming of Liquid Robotics and Sagar Defence Engineering for the co-development and co-production of unmanned surface vehicle systems that strengthen undersea and maritime domain awareness. The Leaders applauded the recent conclusion of the Security of Supply Arrangement (SOSA), enhancing the mutual supply of defense goods and services. Both Leaders committed to advance ongoing discussions on aligning their respective defense procurement systems to further enable the reciprocal supply of defense goods and services.

    President Biden welcomed India’s decision to set a uniform Goods and Services Tax (GST) of 5 percent on the maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) sector, including on all aircraft and aircraft engine parts thereby simplifying the tax structure and paving the way for building a strong ecosystem for MRO services in India. The Leaders also encouraged the industry to foster collaboration and drive innovation to support India’s efforts to become a leading aviation hub. The Leaders welcomed commitments from U.S. industry to further increase India’s MRO capabilities, including for the repair of aircraft and unmanned aerial vehicles.

    The Leaders hailed the teaming agreement on the C-130J Super Hercules aircraft recently signed between Lockheed Martin and Tata Advanced Systems Limited, the two companies that co-chair the U.S.-India CEO Forum. Building on longstanding industry cooperation, this agreement will establish a new Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul (MRO) facility in India to support the readiness of the Indian fleet and global partners who operate the C-130 Super Hercules aircraft. This marks a significant step in U.S.-India defense and aerospace cooperation and reflects the two sides’ deepening strategic and technology partnership ties.

    The Leaders lauded the growing defense innovation collaboration between our governments, businesses, and academic institutions fostered by the India-U.S. Defense Acceleration Ecosystem (INDUS-X) initiative launched in 2023, and noted progress achieved during the third INDUS-X Summit in Silicon Valley earlier this month. They welcomed the enhanced collaboration between the Indian Ministry of Defence’s Innovations for Defence Excellence (iDEX) and US Department of Defence’s Defense Innovation Unit (DIU) through the Memorandum of Understanding signed at the Silicon Valley Summit. The efforts via the INDUSWERX consortium to facilitate pathways for defense and dual-use companies in the INDUS-X network to access premier testing ranges in both countries, were appreciated.

    The Leaders also recognized the clear fulfillment of the shared goal to build a defense innovation bridge under INDUS-X through the launch of “joint challenges” designed by the U.S. DoD’S DIU and the Indian MoD’s Defence Innovation Organization (DIO). In 2024, our governments have separately awarded $1+ million to U.S. and Indian companies that developed technologies focused on undersea communications and maritime intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR). Building on this success, a new challenge was announced at the most recent INDUS-X Summit that focused on Space Situational Awareness (SSA) in the Low Earth Orbit (LEO).

    The Leaders welcomed ongoing efforts to deepen our military partnership and interoperability to maintain a free and open Indo-Pacific, noting that India hosted our most complex, largest bilateral, tri-service exercise to date during the March 2024 TIGER TRIUMPH exercise. They also welcomed the inclusion of new technologies and capabilities, including a first-ever demonstration of the Javelin and Stryker systems in India, on the margins of the ongoing bilateral Army YUDH ABHYAS exercise.

    The Leaders welcomed the conclusion of the Memorandum of Agreement regarding the Deployment of Liaison Officers, and the commencement of deployment process of the first Liaison Officer from India in US Special Operations Command (SOCOM).

    The Leaders commended work to advance cooperation in advanced domains, including space and cyber, and looked forward towards the November 2024 bilateral cyber engagement to enhance the U.S.-India cyber cooperation framework. Areas of new cooperation will include threat information sharing, cybersecurity training, and collaboration on vulnerability mitigation in energy and telecommunications networks. The Leaders also noted the second U.S.-India Advanced Domains Defense Dialogue in May 2024, which included the first-ever bilateral defense space table-top exercise.

    Catalyzing the Clean Energy Transition

    President Biden and Prime Minister Modi welcomed the U.S.-India Roadmap to Build Safe and Secure Global Clean Energy Supply Chains, which launched a new initiative to accelerate the expansion of safe and secure clean energy supply chains through U.S. and Indian manufacturing of clean energy technologies and components. In its initial phase, the U.S. and India would work together to unlock $1 billion of multilateral financing to support projects across the clean energy value chain for renewable energy, energy storage, power grid and transmission technologies, high efficiency cooling systems, zero emission vehicles, and other emerging clean technologies.

    The Leaders also highlighted the U.S. International Development Finance Corporation (DFC)’s partnership with India’s private sector to expand clean energy manufacturing and diversify supply chains. To date, DFC has extended a $250 million loan to Tata Power Solar to construct a solar cell manufacturing facility and a $500 million loan to First Solar to construct and operate a solar module manufacturing facility in India.

    The Leaders lauded the strong collaboration under the Strategic Clean Energy Partnership (SCEP), most recently convened on September 16, 2024 in Washington DC to strengthen energy security, create opportunities for clean energy innovation, address climate change and create employment generation opportunities, including through capacity building, and collaboration between industry and R&D.

    The Leaders welcomed collaboration on a new National Center for Hydrogen Safety in India and affirmed their intent to utilize the new Renewable Energy Technology Action Platform (RETAP) to enhance collaboration on clean energy manufacturing and global supply chains, including through public-private task forces on hydrogen and energy storage.

    The Leaders also announced a new Memorandum of Cooperation between the U.S. Agency for International Development and the International Solar Alliance aimed at promoting more responsive and sustainable power systems that leverage diverse renewable energy sources.

    The Leaders reaffirmed their commitment to accelerate the development of diverse and sustainable supply chains for critical minerals under the Minerals Security Partnership targeting strategic projects along the value chain. The Leaders looked forward to the signing of the Critical Minerals Memorandum of Understanding at the forthcoming U.S.-India Commercial Dialogue and pledged to hasten bilateral collaboration to secure resilient critical minerals supply chains through enhanced technical assistance and greater commercial cooperation.

    The Leaders welcomed the progress made on joint efforts since 2023 for India to work toward IEA membership in accordance with the provisions of the Agreement on an International Energy Program.

    The two Leaders reaffirmed their commitment to accelerating the manufacturing and deployment of renewable energy, battery storage and emerging clean technology in India. They welcomed the ongoing progress between India’s National Investment and Infrastructure Fund (NIIF) and the U.S. International Development Finance Corporation to provide up to $500 million each to anchor the Green Transition Fund as well as encourage private sector investors to match these efforts. Both sides look forward to the expeditious operationalization of the Green Transition Fund.

    Empowering Future Generations and Promoting Global Health and Development

    The Leaders welcomed India’s signature and ratification of the Agreements under Pillar III, Pillar IV and the overarching Agreement on the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework for Prosperity (IPEF). The Leaders underscored that IPEF seeks to advance resilience, sustainability, inclusiveness, economic growth, fairness, and competitiveness of the economies of its signatories. They noted the economic diversity of the 14 IPEF partners that represents 40 percent of global GDP and 28 percent of global goods and services trade.

    President Biden and Prime Minister Modi celebrated the new U.S.-India Drug Policy Framework for the 21st Century and its accompanying Memorandum of Understanding, which will deepen collaboration to disrupt the illicit production and international trafficking of synthetic drugs and precursor chemicals, and deepen a holistic public health partnership.

    The two Leaders signaled their commitment to the objectives of the Global Coalition to Address Synthetic Drugs Threats and work towards combatting the threat of synthetic drugs and their precursors through mutually agreed initiatives to promote public health through coordinated actions.

    The Leaders applauded the first-ever U.S.-India Cancer Dialogue held in August 2024, which brought together experts from both countries to increase research and development to accelerate the rate of progress against cancer. The Leaders applauded the recently launched Bio5 partnership between the United States, India, ROK, Japan, and the EU, driving closer cooperation on pharmaceutical supply chains. The Leaders applauded the Development Finance Corporation’s $50 million loan to Indian company Panacea Biotech to manufacture hexavalent (six-in-one) vaccines for children, reaffirming our joint commitment to advance shared global health priorities, including bolstering support for primary healthcare.

    The leaders welcomed the signing of Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises and Small Business Administration for promoting cooperation between U.S. and Indian small and medium-size enterprises by improving their participation in the global market place through capacity building workshops in areas such as trade and export finance, technology and digital trade, green economy and trade facilitation. The MoU also provides for the joint conduct of programs for women entrepreneurs to empower them and facilitate trade partnership between women-owned small businesses of the two countries. The Leaders celebrated that, since the June 2023 State visit, the Development Finance Corporation has invested $177 million across eight projects to support Indian small businesses and drive economic growth.

    The Leaders welcomed enhanced cooperation on agriculture between the U.S. Department of Agriculture and India’s Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, in areas such as climate-smart agriculture, agriculture productivity growth, agriculture innovation, and sharing best practices related to crop risk protection and agriculture credit. The two sides will also enhance cooperation with the private sector through discussions on regulatory issues and innovation to enhance bilateral trade.

    The Leaders welcomed the formal launch of the new U.S.-India Global Digital Development Partnership, which aims to bring together U.S. and Indian private sector companies, technology and resources to deploy the responsible use of emerging digital technologies in Asia and Africa.

    The Leaders welcomed strengthened trilateral cooperation with Tanzania through the Triangular Development Partnership, led by the U.S. Agency for International Development and India’s Development Partnership Administration to jointly address global development challenges and foster prosperity in the Indo-Pacific. The partnership focuses on advancing renewable energy projects, including solar energy, to enhance energy infrastructure and access in Tanzania, thereby bolstering energy cooperation in the Indo-Pacific. They also desired to explore the expansion of the triangular development partnership in areas of health cooperation, particularly for critical technical areas of mutual interest including digital health and capacity building of nurses and other frontline health workers.

    The Leaders acknowledged the July 2024 signing of a bilateral Cultural Property Agreement that will facilitate implementation of the 1970 Convention on the Means of Prohibiting and Preventing the Illicit Import, Export, and Transfer of Ownership of Cultural Property. The agreement marked the culmination of years of diligent work by experts from both countries and fulfills President Biden’s and Prime Minister Modi’s commitment to enhance cooperation to protect cultural heritage highlighted in the joint statement when they met in June 2023. In this context, the leaders welcomed the repatriation of 297 Indian antiquities from the U.S. to India in 2024.

    The Leaders look forward to building on India’s ambitious G20 presidency to deliver on shared priorities for the G20 Leaders’ Summit in Rio de Janeiro, including: bigger, better, and more effective MDBs, including by following through on Leaders’ pledges in New Delhi to boost the World Bank’s capacity to help developing countries address global challenges, while recognizing the imperative of achieving the sustainable development goals; a more predictable, orderly, timely and coordinated sovereign debt restructuring process; and a pathway to growth for high-ambition developing countries that are facing financing challenges amid mounting debt burdens by increasing access to finance and unlocking fiscal space taking into account country specific circumstances.

    *****

    MJPS/ST/SKS

    (Release ID: 2057458) Visitor Counter : 70

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Fact Sheet: Quad Countries Launch Cancer Moonshot Initiative to Reduce the Burden of Cancer in the Indo-Pacific

    Source: Government of India (2)

    Posted On: 22 SEP 2024 8:55AM by PIB Delhi

    Today, the United States, Australia, India, and Japan are launching a groundbreaking effort to help end cancer as we know it in the Indo-Pacific, starting with cervical cancer, a largely preventable disease that continues to be a major health crisis in the region, and laying the groundwork to address other forms of cancer as well. This initiative is part of a broader set of announcements made at the Quad Leaders Summit .

    The Quad Cancer Moonshot will serve to strengthen the overall cancer care ecosystem in the Indo-Pacific by improving health infrastructure, expanding research collaborations, building data systems, and providing greater support for cancer prevention, detection, treatment, and care.

    Cervical cancer, while preventable through vaccination and usually treatable if detected early, remains the third leading cause of cancer deaths among women in the Indo-Pacific region. Fewer than one in 10 women in the Indo-Pacific have completed their human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination series, and fewer than 10% have undergone recent screening. Many countries in the region face challenges related to healthcare access, limited resources, and disparities in vaccination rates. Through this initiative, Quad countries will work to address these gaps by promoting HPV vaccination, increasing access to screenings, and expanding treatment options and care in underserved areas.

    Altogether, our scientific experts assess that the Quad Cancer Moonshot will save hundreds of thousands of lives over the coming decades. These steps build on the Biden-Harris Administration’s steadfast commitment to ending cancer as we know it. More than two years ago, President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden reignited the Cancer Moonshot with the goals of reducing the cancer death rate in the United States by at least half—preventing more than 4 million cancer deaths—by 2047, and improving the experience of people who are touched by cancer.

    Cancer is a global challenge that requires collective action and cooperation beyond any single nation’s effort. By working together, the Quad aims to implement innovative strategies to prevent, detect, treat and alleviate the impact of cancer on patients and their families. Quad partners also intend to work, within respective national contexts, to collaborate in advancing research and development in the area of cancer and to increase private sector and non-governmental sector activities in support of reducing the burden of cervical cancer in the region. Today Quad countries are pleased to announce the following ambitious commitments from our governments and non-government contributors:

    QUAD COUNTRIES

    Quad countries intend to continue their strong commitments to Gavi including with HPV vaccines in the Indo-Pacific, with the United States making an early pledge of at least $1.58 billion over five years.

    In addition, Quad countries will work together with United Nations agencies on bulk purchasing of HPV diagnostics to bring down the cost of cervical cancer screening, and work with the International Atomic Energy Agency to improve access to and quality of medical imaging and radiation therapy.

    United States

    The Department of Defense, through the U.S. Navy, intends to support HPV vaccine expert exchanges with Indo-Pacific partners, starting in 2025. This partnership will enable healthcare professionals from partner nations to receive hands-on training, build capacity, and strengthen healthcare systems across the Indo-Pacific, focusing on preventive health services like HPV vaccination. The initiative aims to bolster regional cooperation on cancer and promote health security in the region.

    The Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) Oncology Center of Excellence intends to arrange a technical visit to India within the next twelve months to set up collaborations with stakeholders under FDA’s ‘Project Asha’. Working together with the FDA India Office, leading oncologists, patient advocacy groups, clinical trial sponsors, and government stakeholders, this new partnership will focus on capacity-building efforts, including education on the design, conduct, and management of clinical trials, promoting international standards, helping streamline approval processes, sharing regulatory expertise, and increasing cancer clinical trial access.

    The U.S. National Cancer Institute (NCI) intends to expand its support as a leading funder of global cancer research and global cancer research training in the Indo-Pacific region. This portfolio currently includes nearly 400 active projects involving investigators and institutions in South Asia, East Asia, and the Pacific, including major investments specifically focused on testing cervical cancer vaccination, screening, and treatment interventions and strategies that can meet the needs of women and girls worldwide. The NCI will also expand its support for global cancer control efforts more broadly through scientific support provided to countries via the International Cancer Control Partnership, International Agency for Research on Cancer, and World Health Organization (WHO) Collaborating Center.

    The NCI will expand ongoing collaborations with nations in the Indo-Pacific region to provide evidence-based cancer information for health professionals and people affected by cancer to this global audience. NCI will aim to support the public education needs of the Quad Cancer Moonshot Initiative by providing its expert-curated, comprehensive, and authoritative cancer information to health professionals and patients in the Indo-Pacific. This will include a comprehensive collection of information on cancer topics such as adult and pediatric cancer treatment, screening, prevention, genetics, supportive and palliative care, and integrative, alternative, and complementary therapies, including extensive information related to the screening, prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of cervical cancer.

    The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) will support HPV vaccination programs, improve vaccine distribution and strengthen cancer surveillance and prevention systems in the Indo-Pacific region. This will include working with the Philippines Ministry of Health on an HPV vaccination program evaluation, focusing on behavioral and social drivers to inform future vaccine distribution. CDC will also contribute to broader cancer control efforts by supporting cancer control plan development to strengthen the overall cancer care ecosystem in the region.

    CDC intends to provide technical assistance and disseminate best practices informed by pilot cervical cancer screening studies in the U.S. Pacific territories and freely associated states, as well as continuing to support CDC-funded national cancer control programs in U.S. Pacific Island Jurisdictions (PIJs). These efforts will involve sharing evidence-based strategies to improve early detection of cervical cancer. In addition, CDC intends to disseminate an implementation guide that can assist PIJ efforts to improve their screening capacity and encourage partnerships to promote cervical cancer screening, including guidance on how to build medical and laboratory capacity to conduct primary HPV testing and follow-up tests, and improve data systems to monitor screening to enhance cancer prevention and care infrastructure.

    The U.S. International Development Finance Corporation (DFC) will look to support eligible private sector-driven projects to prevent, diagnose, and treat cancer, including cervical cancer. In particular, DFC will look to accelerate the deployment of innovative approaches and technologies to underserved communities.

    The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) will look to provide critical financial and technical support to expand HPV vaccination access. The U.S. government, through USAID has made an unprecedented pledge of at least $1.58 billion to Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, which will bolster global efforts to increase vaccine coverage, including HPV vaccines, in low- and middle-income countries, helping to protect millions of women and girls from cervical cancer across the Indo-Pacific and beyond.

    The State Department, through Global Health Security and Diplomacy (GHSD)-President’s Emergency Plan for Relief (PEPFAR), will share best practices on the rapid scale-up of cervical cancer screening and treatment efforts among people living with HIV, including commodity procurement and health system strengthening in low-and-middle-income countries. This collaboration will enhance the integration of cervical cancer screening into existing HIV treatment programs, increasing access to life-saving interventions. It will also focus on improving supply chains for essential medical supplies needed for screening and treatment.

    Australia

    Through Australian Government and philanthropic contributions, total funding commitments to the Elimination Partnership in the Indo-Pacific for Cervical Cancer (EPICC) consortium will expand to AUD $29.6 million. EPICC is a new program that builds on decades of research and clinician leadership to advance the elimination of cervical cancer across the Indo-Pacific by improving HPV-related policies, planning and readiness in any country in the region. EPICC is piloting HPV programs for future scale-up in Timor-Leste and Solomon Islands, expanding sub-national vaccination programs to support country readiness in Malaysia, Fiji and Papua New Guinea, and supporting the establishment of national sustained HPV elimination programs in Tuvalu, Vanuatu and Nauru. EPICC works across six priority areas to eliminate cervical cancer, including strengthening primary prevention through HPV vaccination support, secondary prevention of cervical cancer through HPV screening and treatment for pre-cancer, laboratory strengthening for cervical cancer screening and diagnosis, digital health work to generate data for decision making and strengthened models of care, supporting cervical cancer management (across both treatment and palliative care), and policy and modelling support across all pillars of the cervical cancer elimination pathway.

    With a total Australian Government commitment of AUD 16.5 million [$11 million], the expanded EPICC project will extend its reach to more women in the Indo-Pacific. It will also support partner organizations in the region working on cervical cancer elimination to participate in the next Global Forum on Cervical Cancer Elimination, which will have a strong Indo-Pacific focus.

    Through their charity Minderoo Foundation, Dr. Andrew Forrest AO and Nicola Forrest AO are expanding a lifesaving contribution to EPICC with a further AUD13.1 million [$8.81 million]. This additional funding will see EPICC expanded to up to 11 countries in the region and brings Minderoo’s total commitment to AUD21.7 million. The expanded program will see 140,000 women in the Pacific region screened over the next 4 years, as well as the establishment of national elimination programs and the empowerment of governments to sustain the program for future generations of women and girls.

    India

    India will share technical expertise in digital health through its National Non-Communicable Disease (NCD) portal. As part of its $10 million commitment to support the World Health Organization (WHO) led Global Initiative on Digital Health, India will provide technical assistance to the Indo-Pacific region. This includes offering technical support for the use of its National Non-Communicable Disease portal, which tracks long-term data on cancer screening and care.

    India commits to providing HPV sampling kits, detection tools and cervical cancer vaccines worth $7.5 million to the Indo-Pacific region. This significant contribution aims to strengthen local efforts to prevent and detect cervical cancer and empower communities with affordable, accessible tools for early detection and prevention, while supporting vaccination programs to reduce the disease burden across the region.

    India is scaling up population-based screening for oral, breast, and cervical cancers through its National Progamme for Prevention and Control of Non-Communicable Diseases. In particular, India uses the Visual Inspection with Acetic Acid (VIA) method for cervical cancer screening, which is simple, cost effective and efficient and allows healthcare workers to detect early signs of cervical cancer without the need for advanced laboratory infrastructure, making it a model for other regions in the Indo-Pacific.

    India is expanding access to specialized cancer treatment centers under its “Strengthening of Tertiary Care Cancer Centres” program. The Government of India is supporting both states and union territories to improve treatment capacity across the county, ensuring that people from all parts of the country, including underserved areas, can receive high-quality care.

    India is committed to affordable cancer treatment through Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (PMJAY). As part of its broader health coverage efforts, PMJAY, India is committed to providing affordable cancer treatments to its citizens, ensuring financial protection for those most in need.

    India’s commitment to cervical cancer elimination is further supported by implementation research led by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR). The research is focused on enhancing cervical cancer screening, early diagnosis and initiation of treatment. The results and findings will be shared with the Indo-Pacific countries in the coming years, to strengthen regional collaboration.

    Japan

    Japan is providing medical equipment, including Computed Tomography (CT) and Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) scanners, and other assistance worth approximately $27 million, to countries in the Indo-Pacific region. These countries include Cambodia, Vietnam, and Timor-Leste, as well as contributing to international organizations.

    Through the Japan International Cooperation Agency and other organizations, Japan has committed approximately $75 million from FY2019 to FY2023 in the Indo-Pacific to combatting cancer including cervical cancer. This includes providing relevant medical equipment and facilities, medical diagnosis, health system strengthening, and technical assistance.

    Japan is committed to improving the access to vaccines and promoting the women’s health including the prevention and control of cervical cancer through Global Health Initiatives or International Organizations such as Gavi, UNFPA, IPPF. Japan intends to continue its commitment to support this initiative.

    Toward the achievement of universal health coverage, Japan intends to strengthen capacity for addressing cancer including cervical cancer in the Indo-Pacific region by health system strengthening. Japan will also continue to support combatting cancer including cervical cancer in the region through National Cancer Center Japan’s partnership with each Quad country’s cancer related institution.

    NON-GOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATIONS

    Collaboration with the private and non-profit sectors of all Quad countries is indispensable to the success of this initiative, as their collective innovation, resources, and commitment will be critical in advancing progress against cancer in the Indo-Pacific region. Quad countries are pleased to announce the following actions from non-government contributors:

    Improving Access to Cancer Screening and Prevention

    The World Bank is significantly increasing its commitment to cervical cancer prevention and treatment in the Indo-Pacific region through a comprehensive health systems approach, including $400 million in HPV-related investments globally over the next three years. In line with its broader goal to provide quality, affordable health services to 1.5 billion people by 2030, the World Bank, along with the Global Financing Facility (GFF) for Women, Children, and cervical cancer. With projects in countries such as Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, Bangladesh, Indonesia, and the Philippines, the World Bank is supporting cervical cancer screening, HPV vaccination, and treatment by integrating these services into primary healthcare systems. This includes expanding access to screening for underserved populations, strengthening service delivery, and leveraging partnerships to improve diagnostics and treatment. In addition, the World Bank is working to address supply chain challenges and ensure the sustainable production and distribution of HPV vaccines, with a focus on increasing access across the region. Through this approach, the World Bank aims to create sustainable and equitable health systems that can address the growing burden of cervical cancer and support long-term health outcomes for women and girls across the Indo-Pacific.

    Women investors and philanthropists of the Women Health and Economic Empowerment Network (WHEN) will deploy a joint investment of more than $100 million over the next three years, with funding targeted for cervical cancer in Southeast Asia. These funds will be working to fill essential gaps for improving the prevention, screening, diagnosis, and treatment of cervical cancer. WHEN’s women investors and philanthropists will deploy grant, concessional, and investment capital into HPV screening, medical imaging, pathology, radiotherapy, training for healthcare workers, and the solarization of health facilities.

    The Serum Institute of India, in partnership with Gavi, will support the procurement of up to 40 million doses of the HPV vaccine for distribution across the Indo-Pacific region. This commitment can be expanded based on demand, ensuring a steady supply of vaccines to address the cervical cancer burden in underserved areas. By increasing access to lifesaving vaccines, this commitment will help prevent cervical cancer and promote equitable healthcare across the region.

    The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, alongside other donors and countries earlier this year, committed to support cervical cancer elimination. The foundation announced it intends to commit up to US$180 million over four years to help accelerate the global uptake of HPV vaccines, develop new prophylactic HPV and therapeutic vaccines and diagnostic tools and fund clinical studies.

    Sabin Vaccine Institute, through the Global HPV Consortium (GHC), will support a new country-based coalition to promote cervical cancer elimination. The Cervical Cancer Elimination Consortium-India (CCEC-I) will collaborate with the Government of India, wherever appropriate, to pilot “100 Cervical Cancer Mukt (Cancer Free) Districts” through their integrated SAVE Strategy: Screening, Access to Treatment, Vaccination, Education. This is in continuation of GHC’s commitment to the Indo-Pacific region, having previously collaborated with Indonesia’s Ministry of Health to support development of their National Cervical Cancer Elimination Plan.

    Jhpiego, in partnership with the Philippines Department of Health and with support from Roche, is increasing awareness, demand and access for cervical cancer screening by educating women on the importance of HPV testing and the risk of cervical cancer. The Centralized Laboratory Model of Screening project is expanding coverage of cervical cancer screening with introduction of the WHO elimination strategy-recommended high performance HPV testing, and thermal ablation treatment for precancers, in five highly urbanized Local Government Units of the Philippines – with strengthened referral pathways to ensure a pathway to treatment.

    Illumina is committed to supporting the development and adoption of genomic diagnostic tests to fulfill the promise of precision medicine in the Indo-Pacific Region. The objective of this initiative is to ensure that advanced-stage (>50%) and non-HPV driven (~5%) cervical cancer patients receive correct diagnoses and possible suitable therapies such as Poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) inhibitors and immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICI). Similar initiatives are being explored with gynecological oncology organizations in Australia and Japan.

    Roche Diagnostics is expanding its cervical cancer screening and diagnosis initiatives in the Indo-Pacific region. Roche Diagnostics will expand efforts in the Indo-Pacific to increasing access to screening and raising awareness building on the experience gained in partnership with Japan including on providing education to women, training healthcare workers, and developing digital solutions for efficient follow-up care; and in partnership with Australia on promoting cervical cancer screening among under-screened and never-screened groups, including Aboriginal, Torres Strait Islander, and culturally diverse communities.

    Becton Dickinson & Co. (BD) is making comprehensive investments in cervical cancer screening in the Indo-Pacific. BD is working with Obstetric and Gynecological Societies to deliver education for clinicians on cervical cancer screening best practices, with an aim of reaching over 1,200 clinicians and support staff by early 2025. BD is also investing in pilots to inform the design of large-scale HPV screening rollout and programs to reach under-served communities. Through their longstanding partnership with Direct Relief, BD is working with the Self-Employed Women’s Association (SEWA) to facilitate screening for over 20,000 women. Under the program, 400 screening camps will offer screening, diagnosis and mental health support.

    Improving Cancer Care Delivery

    Project ECHO will accelerate cervical cancer elimination in the Indo-Pacific region through 10 new learning networks that facilitate effective and accessible prevention and care. More than 180 public health organizations in 33 countries leverage the ECHO Model, an evidence-based training and mentorship framework for community-based health care professionals, to improve cancer care delivery. By 2028, Project ECHO will launch at least 10 new communities of practice, with local partners and ministries of health in Indonesia, Vietnam, Malaysia, and other Indo-Pacific countries to accelerate cervical cancer elimination, including programs for HPV vaccine implementation, treatment of precancerous lesions, and use of essential curative therapies.

    The American Cancer Society is committed to reduce the global burden of HPV-related cancers by increasing support of civil society organizations globally, including in the Indo-Pacific Region. Support for these organizations, initially focused on cancer civil society organizations and medical societies, includes catalytic grants and technical assistance for implementing evidence-based, low-cost behavioral interventions aimed at optimizing the demand and uptake of life-saving prevention services through widespread healthcare provider trainings.

    The American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) will update its global guidelines on the Management and Care of Women with Invasive Cervical Cancer to incorporate new recommendation-changing scientific evidence on optimal approaches to the treatment of cervical cancer. Once completed, ASCO will work with its members, including their Asia Pacific Regional Council, and partner oncology societies in the Indo-Pacific to support the usage of these guidelines, along with companion guidelines on primary and secondary prevention of cervical cancer, by cancer clinicians for improved patient outcomes in the region.

    The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) is expanding its Rays of Hope initiative to strengthen radiotherapy and medical imaging capacities in the Indo-Pacific region. Through this initiative, 13 countries and territories have requested support, and efforts are already underway to raise awareness and increase cervical cancer screening rates. The IAEA has designated cancer institutes in Japan, and India as Rays of Hope Anchor Centres, serving as hubs for capacity building in education, training, research, innovation, and quality assurance.

    The Union for International Cancer Control is committed to working with its 1150 members across 172 countries to address inequities and drive global action in cervical cancer elimination, including in the Indo-Pacific region over the next three years as part of the ‘Elimination Partnership in the Indo-Pacific for Cervical Cancer’. Leveraging flagship convening platforms, established learning opportunities, alongside its rich network and proven ability to collaborate across sectors, UICC will support national partners to improve access to care, sustain progress and ultimately, reduce the burden of cancer for populations around the world.

    Increasing Capacity for Cancer Research, Infrastructure, and Training

    Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center and Australia’s Royal North Shore Hospital in Sydney launch a $40 million public-private partnership that will advance international clinical trials of precision oncology and liquid biopsy technologies, including for the detection and elimination of cervical cancer. A generous donation of $20 million to each institution from Australian philanthropists Mr. Gregory John Poche and the late Mrs. Kay Van Norton Poche, will support this public-private partnership, accelerating the development of cutting-edge diagnostic and treatment tools for the Indo-Pacific region and beyond.

    Amazon Web Services, Inc. (AWS) will support organizations in the Indo-Pacific region in their ability to prevent, detect, and treat cervical cancer, will provide cloud computing credits and enable access to AWS and datasets via the Registry of Open Data on AWS. Researchers are using AWS to identify patterns and variances from datasets secured from the Cancer Genome Atlas and others through AWS.

    Pfizer will expand the INDovation initiative to build oncology capacity at the primary care level in the Indo-Pacific. INDovation was launched by Pfizer two years ago to support local startups. Under the program, Pfizer has awarded nearly $1 million in grants to startups, including those related to cervical cancer, and worked in partnership with the government and universities. Pfizer is now expanding the program to focus on oncology with the goal of strengthening primary care health centers. Under this phase, Pfizer will award grants to up to 10 startups that can deploy solutions to help enhance early diagnosis and patient services at the primary care setting with potential deployment across primary health centers in the region.

    Elekta will expand radiotherapy capacity in the Indo-Pacific, closing an important treatment gap in the region to contribute to eliminating cervical cancer. Initiatives include establishing radiotherapy training centers in Southeast Asia, conducting treatment courses with regional medical centers and implementing cloud-based platforms to improve quality of care in radiotherapy through knowledge sharing, and peer review sessions among the member centers of the Asia-Pacific radiation oncology network.

    MD Anderson commits to expanding their cervical cancer research, training and education programs to the Indo-Pacific region. MD Anderson currently collaborates with the Ministry of Health of Indonesia on the implementation and evaluation of cervical cancer screening, diagnosis and treatment programs and helps train medical providers in-country to perform colposcopy, ablation, loop electrosurgical excision procedure (LEEP), and surgery. MD Anderson commits to expanding these programs to ministries of health in the Indo-Pacific interested in partnerships to eliminate cervical cancer.

    Increasing Cancer Awareness and Education to Empower People

    Hologic, a global leader in diagnostic and medical imaging solutions for cervical and breast cancer, is working with government agencies and health care providers in the Indo-Pacific region to educate and raise awareness on cervical cancer. Hologic is currently expanding access to innovative technologies such as artificial intelligence in cervical cancer screening to scale population-based programs to overcome provider shortages in the Indo-Pacific region. In addition, Hologic commits to the continued publication of the Global Women’s Health Index, a comprehensive global survey about women’s health, filling a critical gap in what the world knows about the health and well-being of the world’s women and girls.

    The Global Initiative Against HPV and Cervical Cancer will promote HPV vaccination, cervical screening and early treatment projects with partners and collaborators in the Indo-Pacific Region. These efforts will include organizing the Asia-Pacific Workshop in Bangkok to share knowledge and best practices within the region and expanding awareness efforts to further enhance awareness initiatives throughout the Indo-Pacific.

    ******

    MJPS/ST/SKS

    (Release ID: 2057459) Visitor Counter : 63

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Roadmap For U.S.-India Initiative to Build Safe and Secure Global Clean Energy Supply Chains

    Source: Government of India (2)

    Posted On: 22 SEP 2024 8:12AM by PIB Delhi

    The United States and India share an enduring commitment to deepen our collaboration on issues of shared national and economic security. As an important aspect of our economic growth agendas, we are committed to working together to capture the benefits of the clean energy transition, including the creation of high-quality jobs for our populations, acceleration of clean energy deployment globally, and achievement of global climate goals.

    In support of these objectives, the United States and India intend to elevate and expand bilateral technical, financial, and policy support to expand complementary U.S. and Indian manufacturing capacity for clean energy technologies and components and lay the groundwork for enhanced cooperation in third countries, with a focus on partnerships in Africa. This effort will build on existing clean energy cooperation between the United States and India, including clean energy initiatives launched during Prime Minister Modi’s visit to the United States in 2023, the Strategic Clean Energy Partnership led by the U.S. Department of Energy and Government of India ministries, technical assistance provided by U.S. laboratories, and novel financial platforms such as the Payment Security Mechanism established to support the rapid deployment of electric buses in India. A U.S. and Indian partnership to establish a shared, resilient, and cutting-edge techno-industrial base centered on innovative clean energy manufacturing techniques sets a strong example for the world and positions our countries to lead clean economic development in the 21st century. 

    To launch this partnership, the United States and India are working to unlock USD$1 billion in new multilateral finance through the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD) for projects that include catalyzing India’s domestic clean energy supply chain buildout. The funding could support supply-side manufacturing capacity expansion for key technology verticals, focusing on solar, wind, battery, energy grid systems, and high-efficiency air conditioner and ceiling fan supply chains. Over time, we seek to mobilize additional financing into priority clean energy manufacturing sectors that harness public and private financial tools and pioneer innovative financial vehicles to meet the rapid demand for flexible climate finance solutions.

    The United States and India intend to work with relevant government agencies, civil society, U.S. and Indian private sectors, philanthropies, and multilateral development banks to identify a package of pilot projects across the clean energy value chain that meet our eligibility criteria and meaningfully contribute to supply chain expansion and diversification in identified sectors. The U.S. and Indian governments also pledge to work with industry leaders on the following lines of effort to launch and eventually scale this new partnership: 

    Identifying near-term investment opportunities to expand manufacturing capacity for specific clean energy supply chain segments, with initial focuses on the following clean energy components:

    Solar wafers and wafer manufacturing equipment & next generation solar cells

    Wind turbine nacelle components

    Power transmission line components including conductors, cabling, transformers, and next generation technologies

    Energy storage components including batteries

    Battery packs for 2- and 3-wheel electric vehicles (EVs) and zero-emission e-bus and truck components

    High-efficiency air conditioners and ceiling fan components

    Collaborating with the private sector to scope eligible opportunities in the above supply chain segments and support an initial package of pilot projects, ideally including one project focused on clean energy deployment to Africa. Additional investments plans and sources of funding can be developed over time. This effort would build on private sector partnerships facilitated by U.S. Development Finance Corporation (DFC) across the solar, wind, battery, and critical minerals sectors to pursue opportunities to finance the manufacture of clean energy components. Such investments may be in scope for India’s Green Transition Fund – which will support renewable energy, storage, and e-mobility investments in India and strengthen demand for localized manufacturing – as well as for Indian private equity fund manager Eversource Capital’s new DFC-supported $900 million fund to invest in clean technologies such as renewable energy, efficient cooling, and electric transportation.

    Building trilateral relationships with African partners that have stated political commitments to clean energy deployment, focusing on solar and battery storage opportunities. India and the United States can work multilaterally with African partners to pursue high-potential solar and EV deployment opportunities, understand the conditions required for project success, detail the partnerships and financial model for project success, and implement the project. The United States intends to collaborate with Indian companies to explore investment opportunities and facilitate public-private matchmaking expand partnerships with local African manufacturers. DFC and the U.S. Agency for International Development are anchoring this effort by collaborating with India-based International Solar Alliance to deploy solar and EV charging networks near health facilities.

    Collaborating with each other and industry to consult on policies that will strengthen demand certainty for locally manufactured clean technologies. The U.S. Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and Inflation Reduction Act were historic laws designed to invest in the large-scale deployment of clean energy technologies while also reinvigorating the manufacturing capacity of the United States to appropriately onshore clean energy supply chains. Likewise, India’s Production Linked Incentive Schemes have invested over $4.5 billion to catalyze nascent clean energy manufacturing. However, additional policies are vital to expand and protect these investments in the face of global market dynamics and thin profit margins. Both countries acknowledge the importance of sharing insights on how to design policy frameworks to reduce demand uncertainties and ensure sufficient input materials, technological expertise, finance, and other manufacturing enablers are available and secure.

    This roadmap is intended to serve as a short-term mechanism for driving initial cooperation on projects, to help inform a long-term roadmap including working together to establish a cadence of meetings and milestones this partnership. This roadmap is not intended to give rise to rights or obligations under domestic or international law.

    *********

    MJPS/ST

    (Release ID: 2057453) Visitor Counter : 74

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: The Wilmington Declaration Joint Statement from the Leaders of Australia, India, Japan, and the United States

    Source: Government of India (2)

    Posted On: 22 SEP 2024 8:15AM by PIB Delhi

    Today, we—Prime Minister Anthony Albanese of Australia, Prime Minister Narendra Modi of India, Prime Minister Kishida Fumio of Japan, and President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. of the United States—met for the fourth in-person Quad Leaders Summit, hosted by President Biden in Wilmington, Delaware.

    Four years since elevating the Quad to a leader-level format, the Quad is more strategically aligned than ever before and is a force for good that delivers real, positive, and enduring impact for the Indo-Pacific. We celebrate the fact that over just four years, Quad countries have built a vital and enduring regional grouping that will buttress the Indo-Pacific for decades to come.

    Anchored by shared values, we seek to uphold the international order based on the rule of law. Together we represent nearly two billion people and over one-third of global gross domestic product. We reaffirm our steadfast commitment to a free and open Indo-Pacific that is inclusive and resilient. Through our cooperation, the Quad is harnessing all of our collective strengths and resources, from governments to the private sector to people-to-people relationships, to support the region’s sustainable development, stability, and prosperity by delivering tangible benefits to the people of the Indo-Pacific.

    As four leading maritime democracies in the Indo-Pacific, we unequivocally stand for the maintenance of peace and stability across this dynamic region, as an indispensable element of global security and prosperity. We strongly oppose any destabilizing or unilateral actions that seek to change the status quo by force or coercion. We condemn recent illicit missile launches in the region that violate UN Security Council resolutions. We express serious concern over recent dangerous and aggressive actions in the maritime domain. We seek a region where no country dominates and no country is dominated—one where all countries are free from coercion, and can exercise their agency to determine their futures. We are united in our commitment to upholding a stable and open international system, with its strong support for human rights, the principle of freedom, rule of law, democratic values, sovereignty and territorial integrity, and peaceful settlement of disputes and prohibition on the threat or use of force in accordance with international law, including the UN Charter.

    Reflecting the Vision Statement issued by Leaders at the 2023 Quad Summit, we are and will continue to be transparent in what we do. Respect for the leadership of regional institutions, including the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), the Pacific Islands Forum (PIF), and the Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA), is and will remain at the center of the Quad’s efforts.

    A Global Force for Good

    Health Security

    The COVID-19 pandemic reminded the world how important health security is to our societies, our economies, and the stability of our region. In 2021 and 2022, the Quad came together to deliver more than 400 million safe and effective COVID-19 doses to Indo-Pacific countries and almost 800 million vaccines globally, and provided $5.6 billion to the COVAX Advance Market Commitment for vaccine supply to low and middle-income countries. In 2023, we announced the Quad Health Security Partnership, through which the Quad continues to deliver for partners across the region, including through the delivery of pandemic preparedness training.

    In response to the current clade I mpox outbreak, as well as the ongoing clade II mpox outbreak, we plan to coordinate our efforts to promote equitable access to safe, effective, quality-assured mpox vaccines, including where appropriate expanding vaccine manufacturing in low and middle-income countries.

    Today we are proud to announce the Quad Cancer Moonshot, a groundbreaking partnership to save lives in the Indo-Pacific region. Building on the Quad’s successful partnership during the COVID-19 pandemic, our collective investments to address cancer in the region, our scientific and medical capabilities, and contributions from our private and non-profit sectors, we will collaborate with partner nations to reduce the burden of cancer in the region.

    The Quad Cancer Moonshot will focus initially on combatting cervical cancer—a preventable cancer that continues to claim too many lives—in the Indo-Pacific region, while laying the groundwork to address other forms of cancer as well. The United States intends to support this initiative, including through U.S. Navy medical trainings and professional exchanges around cervical cancer prevention in the region starting in 2025, and through U.S. International Development Finance Corporation (DFC) openness to finance eligible private sector-driven projects to prevent, diagnose, and treat cancer, including cervical cancer. Australia is announcing the expansion of the Elimination Partnership in the Indo-Pacific for Cervical Cancer Program (EPICC) with support of the Australian Government and the Minderoo Foundation to AUD 29.6 million, to cover up to eleven countries in the Indo-Pacific in helping advance the elimination of cervical cancer and support complementary initiatives focused on cancer prevention, diagnosis, and treatment. India commits to providing HPV sampling kits, detection kits, and cervical cancer vaccines worth $7.5 million to the Indo-Pacific region. India, through its $10 million commitment to the WHO’s Global Initiative on Digital Health, will offer technical assistance to interested countries in the Indo-Pacific region for the adoption and deployment of its Digital Public Infrastructure that helps in cancer screening and care. Japan is providing medical equipment, including CT and MRI scanners, and other assistance worth approximately $27 million, including in Cambodia, Vietnam, and Timor-Leste, and is contributing to international organizations such as the Gavi Vaccine Alliance. Quad partners also intend to work, within respective national contexts, to collaborate in advancing research and development in the area of cancer and to increase private sector and non-governmental sector activities in support of reducing the burden of cervical cancer in the region. We welcome a number of new, ambitious commitments from non-governmental institutions, including the Serum Institute of India, in partnership with Gavi, which will support orders of up to 40 million HPV vaccine doses, subject to necessary approvals, for the Indo-Pacific region, and which may be increased consistent with demand. We also welcome a new $100 million commitment from Women’s Health and Empowerment Network to address cervical cancer in Southeast Asia.

    Altogether, our scientific experts assess that the Quad Cancer Moonshot will save hundreds of thousands of lives over the coming decades.

    Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR)

    Twenty years since the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami, when the Quad first came together to surge humanitarian assistance, we continue to respond to the vulnerabilities caused by natural disasters in the Indo-Pacific. In 2022, the Quad established the “Quad Partnership on Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief in the Indo-Pacific” and signed Guidelines for the Quad Partnership on HADR in the Indo-Pacific, which enable Quad countries to rapidly coordinate in the face of natural disasters. We welcome Quad governments working to ensure readiness to rapidly respond, including through pre-positioning of essential relief supplies, in the event of a natural disaster; this effort extends from the Indian Ocean region, to Southeast Asia, to the Pacific.

    In May 2024, following a tragic landslide in Papua New Guinea, Quad partners collectively contributed over $5 million in humanitarian assistance. Quad partners are working together to provide over $4 million in humanitarian assistance to support the people of Vietnam in light of the devastating consequences of Typhoon Yagi. The Quad continues to support partners in the region in their longer-term resiliency efforts.

    Maritime Security

    In 2022, we announced the Indo-Pacific Partnership for Maritime Domain Awareness (IPMDA) to offer near-real-time, integrated, and cost-effective maritime domain awareness information to partners in the region. Since then, in consultation with partners, we have successfully scaled the program across the Indo-Pacific region—through the Pacific Islands Forum Fisheries Agency, with partners in Southeast Asia, to the Information Fusion Center—Indian Ocean Region, Gurugram. In doing so, the Quad has helped well over two dozen countries access dark vessel maritime domain awareness data, so they can better monitor the activities in their exclusive economic zones—including unlawful activity. Australia commits to boosting its cooperation with the Pacific Islands Forum Fisheries Agency to enhance regional maritime domain awareness in the Pacific through satellite data, training, and capacity building.

    Today we are announcing a new regional Maritime Initiative for Training in the Indo-Pacific (MAITRI), to enable our partners in the region to maximize tools provided through IPMDA and other Quad partner initiatives, to monitor and secure their waters, enforce their laws, and deter unlawful behavior. We look forward to India hosting the inaugural MAITRI workshop in 2025. Furthermore, we welcome the launch of a Quad maritime legal dialogue to support efforts to uphold the rules-based maritime order in the Indo-Pacific. In addition, Quad partners intend to layer new technology and data into IPMDA over the coming year, to continue to deliver cutting edge capability and information to the region.

    We are also announcing today that the U.S. Coast Guard, Japan Coast Guard, Australian Border Force, and Indian Coast Guard, plan to launch a first-ever Quad-at-Sea Ship Observer Mission in 2025, to improve interoperability and advance maritime safety, and continuing with further missions in future years across the Indo-Pacific. 

    We also announce today the launch of a Quad Indo-Pacific Logistics Network pilot project, to pursue shared airlift capacity among our nations and leverage our collective logistics strengths, in order to support civilian response to natural disasters more rapidly and efficiently across the Indo-Pacific region.

    Quality Infrastructure

    The Quad remains committed to improving the region’s connectivity through the development of quality, resilient infrastructure.

    We are pleased to announce the Quad Ports of the Future Partnership, which will harness the Quad’s expertise to support sustainable and resilient port infrastructure development across the Indo-Pacific, in collaboration with regional partners. In 2025, we intend to hold a Quad Regional Ports and Transportation Conference, hosted by India in Mumbai. Through this new partnership, Quad partners intend to coordinate, exchange information, share best practices with partners in the region, and leverage resources to mobilize government and private sector investments in quality port infrastructure across the Indo-Pacific region.

    We applaud the expansion of the Quad Infrastructure Fellowships to more than 2,200 experts, and note that Quad partners have already provided well over 1,300 fellowships since the initiative was announced at last year’s Summit. We also appreciate the workshop organized by the Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure in India, working to empower partners across the Indo-Pacific to strengthen power sector resilience.

    Through the Quad Partnership for Cable Connectivity and Resilience, we continue to support and strengthen quality undersea cable networks in the Indo-Pacific, the capacity, durability, and reliability of which are inextricably linked to the security and prosperity of the region and the world. In support of these efforts, Australia launched the Cable Connectivity and Resilience Centre in July, which is delivering workshops and policy and regulatory assistance in response to requests from across the region. Japan will extend technical cooperation to improve public ICT infrastructure management capacity for an undersea cable in Nauru and Kiribati. The United States has conducted over 1,300 capacity building trainings for telecommunication officials and executives from 25 countries in the Indo-Pacific; today the U.S. announces its intent, working with Congress, to invest an additional $3.4 million to extend and expand this training program.

    Investments in cable projects by Quad partners will help support all Pacific island countries in achieving primary telecommunication cable connectivity by the end of 2025. Since the last Quad Leaders’ Summit, Quad partners have committed over $140 million to undersea cable builds in the Pacific, alongside contributions from other likeminded partners. Complementing these investments in new undersea cables, India has commissioned a feasibility study to examine expansion of undersea cable maintenance and repair capabilities in the Indo-Pacific.

    We reaffirm our support for the Pacific Quality Infrastructure Principles, which are an expression of Pacific voices on infrastructure.

    We underscore our commitment to an inclusive, open, sustainable, fair, safe, reliable and secure digital future to advance our shared prosperity and sustainable development across the Indo-Pacific. In this context, we welcome the Quad Principles for Development and Deployment of Digital Public Infrastructure.

    Critical and Emerging Technologies

    Today, we are proud to announce an ambitious expansion of our partnership to deliver trusted technology solutions to the broader Indo-Pacific region.

    Last year, Quad partners launched a landmark initiative to deploy the first Open Radio Access Network (RAN) in the Pacific, in Palau, to support a secure, resilient, and interconnected telecommunications ecosystem. Since then, the Quad has pledged approximately $20 million to this effort.

    Quad partners also welcome the opportunity to explore additional Open RAN projects in Southeast Asia. We plan to expand support for ongoing Open RAN field trials and the Asia Open RAN Academy (AORA) in the Philippines, building on the initial $8 million in support that the United States and Japan pledged earlier this year. The United States also plans to invest over $7 million to support the global expansion of AORA, including through establishing a first-of-its-kind Open RAN workforce training initiative at scale in South Asia, in partnership with Indian institutions.

    Quad partners will also explore collaborating with the Tuvalu Telecommunications Corporation to ensure the country’s readiness for nationwide 5G deployment.

    We remain committed to advancing our cooperation on semiconductors through better leveraging of our complementary strengths to realize a diversified and competitive market and enhance resilience of Quad’s semiconductor supply chains. We welcome a Memorandum of Cooperation between Quad countries for the Semiconductor Supply Chains Contingency Network.

    Through the Advancing Innovations for Empowering NextGen Agriculture (AI-ENGAGE) initiative announced at last year’s Summit, our governments are deepening leading-edge collaborative research to harness artificial intelligence, robotics, and sensing to transform agricultural approaches and empower farmers across the Indo-Pacific. We are pleased to announce an inaugural $7.5+ million in funding opportunities for joint research, and welcome the recent signing of a Memorandum of Cooperation between our science agencies to connect our research communities and advance shared research principles.

    The United States, Australia, India, and Japan look forward to launching the Quad BioExplore Initiative—a funded mechanism that will support joint AI-driven exploration of diverse non-human biological data across all four countries.

    This project will also be underpinned by the forthcoming Quad Principles for Research and Development Collaborations in Critical and Emerging Technologies.

    Climate and Clean Energy

    As we underscore the severe economic, social, and environmental consequences posed by the climate crisis, we continue to work together with Indo-Pacific partners, including through Quad Climate Change Adaptation and Mitigation Package (Q-CHAMP), to enhance climate and clean energy cooperation as well as promote adaptation and resilience. We emphasize the significant benefits of transitioning to a clean energy economy for our people, our planet, and our shared prosperity. Our countries intend to strengthen our cooperation to align policies, incentives, standards, and investments around creating high-quality, diversified clean energy supply chains that will enhance our collective energy security, create new economic opportunities across the region, and benefit local workers and communities around the world, particularly across the Indo-Pacific.

    We will work together, through policy and public finance, to operationalize our commitment to catalyzing complementary and high-standard private sector investment in allied and partner clean energy supply chains. To this end, Australia will open applications for the Quad Clean Energy Supply Chains Diversification Program in November, providing AUD 50 million to support projects that develop and diversify solar panel, hydrogen electrolyzer and battery supply chains in the Indo-Pacific. India commits to invest $2 million in new solar projects in Fiji, Comoros, Madagascar, and Seychelles. Japan has committed to $122 million grants and loans in renewable energy projects in Indo-Pacific countries. The United States, through DFC, will continue to seek opportunities to mobilize private capital to solar, as well as wind, cooling, batteries, and critical minerals to expand and diversify supply chains.

    We are pleased to announce a focused Quad effort to boost energy efficiency, including the deployment and manufacturing of high-efficiency affordable, cooling systems to enable climate-vulnerable communities to adapt to rising temperatures while simultaneously reducing strain on the electricity grid.

    We jointly affirm our commitment to addressing the challenges posed by climate change and ensure the resilience and sustainability of port infrastructure. Quad partners will leverage our learning and expertise to forge a path towards sustainable and resilient port infrastructure, including through the Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure (CDRI).

    Cyber

    In the face of a deteriorating security environment in the cyber domain, Quad countries intend to enhance our cybersecurity partnership to address common threats posed by state-sponsored actors, cybercriminals, and other non-state malicious actors. Our countries commit to taking concrete steps to increase our collective network defense and advance technical capabilities through greater threat information sharing and capacity building. We plan to coordinate joint efforts to identify vulnerabilities, protect national security networks and critical infrastructure networks, and coordinate more closely including on policy responses to significant cybersecurity incidents affecting the Quad’s shared priorities.

    Quad countries are also partnering with software manufacturers, industry trade groups, and research centers to expand our commitmentto pursuing secure software development standards and certification, as endorsed in the Quad’s 2023 Secure Software Joint Principles. We will work to harmonize these standards to not only ensure that the development, procurement, and end-use of software for government networks is more secure, but that the cyber resilience of our supply chains, digital economies, and societies are collectively improved. Throughout this fall, Quad countries each plan to host campaigns to mark the annual Quad Cyber Challenge promoting responsible cyber ecosystems, public resources, and cybersecurity awareness. We are constructively engaging on the Quad Action Plan to Protect Commercial Undersea Telecommunications Cables, developed by the Quad Senior Cyber Group, as a complementary effort to the Quad Partnership for Cable Connectivity and Resilience. Our coordinated actions to protect global telecommunications infrastructure as guided by the Action Plan will advance our shared vision for future digital connectivity, global commerce, and prosperity. 

    Space

    We recognize the essential contribution of space-related applications and technologies in the Indo-Pacific. Our four countries intend to continue delivering Earth Observation data and other space-related applications to assist nations across the Indo-Pacific to strengthen climate early warning systems and better manage the impacts of extreme weather events. In this context, we welcome India’s establishment of a space-based web portal for Mauritius, to support the concept of open science for space-based monitoring of extreme weather events and climate impact.

    Quad Investors Network (QUIN)

    We welcome private sector initiatives—including the Quad Investors Network (QUIN), which facilitates investments in strategic technologies, including clean energy, semiconductors, critical minerals, and quantum. The QUIN is mobilizing a number of investments to promote supply chain resilience, advance joint research and development, commercialize new technologies, and invest in our future workforce.

    People-to-People Initiatives

    The Quad is committed to strengthening the deep and enduring ties between our people, and among our partners. Through the Quad Fellowship, we are building a network of the next generation of science, technology, and policy leaders. Together with the Institute of International Education, which leads implementation of the Quad Fellowship, Quad governments welcome the second cohort of Quad Fellows and the expansion of the program to include students from ASEAN countries for the first time. The Government of Japan is supporting the program to enable Quad Fellows to study in Japan. The Quad welcomes the generous support of private sector partners for the next cohort of fellows, including Google, the Pratt Foundation, and Western Digital.

    India is pleased to announce a new initiative to award fifty Quad scholarships, worth $500,000, to students from the Indo-Pacific to pursue a 4-year undergraduate engineering program at a Government of India-funded technical institution.

    Working Together to Address Regional and Global Issues

    Today we reaffirm our consistent and unwavering support for ASEAN centrality and unity. We continue to support implementation of the ASEAN Outlook on the Indo-Pacific (AOIP) and are committed to ensuring the Quad’s work is aligned with ASEAN’s principles and priorities.

    We underscore ASEAN’s regional leadership role, including in the East Asia Summit, the region’s premier leader-led forum for strategic dialogue, and the ASEAN Regional Forum. As comprehensive strategic partners of ASEAN, our four countries intend to continue to strengthen our respective relationships with ASEAN and seek opportunities for greater Quad collaboration in support of the AOIP.

    We recommit to working in partnership with Pacific island countries to achieve shared aspirations and address shared challenges. We reaffirm our support for Pacific regional institutions that have served the region well over many years, with the PIF as the region’s premier political and economic policy organization, and warmly welcome Tonga’s leadership as the current PIF Chair in 2024-2025. We continue to support the objectives of the 2050 Strategy for the Blue Pacific Continent. We and our governments will continue to listen to and be guided at every step by Pacific priorities, including climate action, ocean health, resilient infrastructure, maritime security and financial integrity. In particular, we acknowledge climate change remains the single greatest threat to the livelihoods, security and wellbeing of the peoples of the Pacific and applaud Pacific island countries’ global leadership on climate action.

    We remain committed to strengthening cooperation in the Indian Ocean region. We strongly support IORA as the Indian Ocean region’s premier forum for addressing the region’s challenges. We recognize India’s leadership in finalizing the IORA Outlook on the Indo-Pacific (IOIP) and express our support for its implementation. We thank Sri Lanka for its continued leadership as IORA Chair through this year and look forward to India’s assuming the IORA Chair in 2025. 

    As Leaders, we are steadfast in our conviction that international law, including respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity, and the maintenance of peace, safety, security and stability in the maritime domain, underpin the sustainable development, and prosperity of the Indo-Pacific. We emphasize the importance of adherence to international law, particularly as reflected in the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), to address challenges to the global maritime rules-based order, including with respect to maritime claims. We are seriously concerned about the situation in the East and South China Seas. We continue to express our serious concern about the militarization of disputed features, and coercive and intimidating maneuvers in the South China Sea. We condemn the dangerous use of coast guard and maritime militia vessels, including increasing use of dangerous maneuvers. We also oppose efforts to disrupt other countries’ offshore resource exploitation activities.We reaffirm that maritime disputes must be resolved peacefully and in accordance with international law, as reflected in UNCLOS. We re-emphasize the importance of maintaining and upholding freedom of navigation and overflight, other lawful uses of the sea, and unimpeded commerce consistent with international law. We re-emphasize the universal and unified character of UNCLOS and reaffirm that UNCLOS sets out the legal framework within which all activities in the oceans and the seas must be carried out. We underscore that the 2016 Arbitral Award on the South China Sea is a significant milestone and the basis for peacefully resolving disputes between the parties.

    Together, with our global and regional partners, we continue to support international institutions and initiatives that underpin global peace, prosperity and sustainable development. We reiterate our unwavering support for the UN Charter and the three pillars of the UN system. In consultation with our partners, we will work collectively to address attempts to unilaterally undermine the integrity of the UN, its Charter, and its agencies. We will reform the UN Security Council, recognizing the urgent need to make it more representative, inclusive, transparent, efficient, effective, democratic and accountable through expansion in permanent and non-permanent categories of membership of the UN Security Council. This expansion of permanent seats should include representation for Africa, Asia, Latin America and the Caribbean in a reformed Security Council.

    We stand for adherence to international law and respect for principles of the UN Charter, including territorial integrity, sovereignty of all states, and peaceful resolution of disputes. We express our deepest concern over the war raging in Ukraine including the terrible and tragic humanitarian consequences. Each of us has visited Ukraine since the war began, and seen this first-hand; we reiterate the need for a comprehensive, just, and lasting peace in line with international law, consistent with the purposes and principles of the UN Charter, including respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity. We also note the negative impacts of the war in Ukraine with regard to global food and energy security, especially for developing and least developed countries. In the context of this war, we share the view that the use, or threat of use, of nuclear weapons is unacceptable. We underscore the importance of upholding international law, and in line with the UN Charter, reiterate that all states must refrain from the threat of or use of force against the territorial integrity and sovereignty or political independence of any state.

    We condemn North Korea’s destabilizing ballistic missile launches and its continued pursuit of nuclear weapons in violation of multiple UN Security Council resolutions (UNSCRs). These launches pose a grave threat to international peace and stability. We urge North Korea to abide by all its obligations under the UNSCRs, refrain from further provocations and engage in substantive dialogue. We reaffirm our commitment to the complete denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula consistent with relevant UNSCRs and call on all countries to fully implement these UNSCRs. We stress the need to prevent any proliferation of nuclear and missile technologies related to North Korea in the region and beyond. We express our grave concern over North Korea’s use of proliferation networks, malicious cyber activity and workers abroad to fund its unlawful weapons of mass destruction and ballistic missile programs. In that context, we urge all UN Member States to abide by the relevant UNSCRs including the prohibition on the transfer to North Korea or procurement from North Korea of all arms and related materiel. We express deep concern about countries that are deepening military cooperation with North Korea, which directly undermines the global nonproliferation regime. As the mandate of the UN Panel of Experts tasked with monitoring violations of North Korea-related UNSCR sanctions was not renewed, we reiterate our commitment to continued implementation of the relevant UNSCRs which remain in full force. We reconfirm the necessity of immediate resolution of the abductions issue.

    We remain deeply concerned by the worsening political, security and humanitarian situation in Myanmar, including in Rakhine State, and again call for an immediate cessation of violence, the release of all those unjustly and arbitrarily detained, safe and unhindered humanitarian access, resolution of the crisis through constructive and inclusive dialogue among all stakeholders, and a return to the path of inclusive democracy. We reaffirm our strong support for ASEAN-led efforts, including the work of the ASEAN Chair and the Special Envoy of the ASEAN Chair on Myanmar. We call for full implementation of all commitments under the ASEAN Five-Point Consensus. The ongoing conflict and instability have serious implications for the region, including increases in transnational crime such as cybercrime, the illegal drug trade, and human trafficking. We restate our appeal to all States to prevent the flow of arms and dual-use material, including jet fuel. We remain resolute in our support for the people of Myanmar and commit to continuing to work with all stakeholders in a pragmatic and constructive way, to find a sustainable solution to the crisis in a process which is led by the people of Myanmar and returns Myanmar to the path of democracy.

    We call upon all States to contribute to the safe, peaceful, responsible, and sustainable use of outer space. We remain committed to fostering international cooperation and transparency, as well as confidence-building measures with the goal of improving the security of outer space for all States. We reaffirm the importance of upholding the existing international legal framework for outer space activities, including the Outer Space Treaty, and the obligation of all States Parties to the Treaty not to place in orbit around the Earth any objects carrying nuclear weapons or any other kinds of weapons of mass destruction, install such weapons on celestial bodies, or station such weapons in outer space in any other manner.

    The Quad reaffirms its commitment to fostering a resilient information environment including through its Countering Disinformation Working Group by supporting media freedom and addressing foreign information manipulation and interference, including disinformation, which undermines trust and sows discord in the international community. We recognize these tactics are intended to interfere with domestic and international interests, and we are committed, together with our regional partners, to leverage our collective expertise and capacity to respond. We reaffirm our commitment to respect international human rights law, strengthen civil society, support media freedom, address online harassment and abuse, including technology-facilitated gender-based violence, and counter unethical practices.

    We unequivocally condemn terrorism and violent extremism in all its forms and manifestations, including cross-border terrorism. We are committed to international cooperation and will work with our regional partners in a comprehensive and sustained manner to strengthen their capability to prevent, detect and respond to threats posed by terrorism and violent extremism, including threats posed by the use of new and emerging technologies for terrorist purposes, consistent with international law. We are committed to working together to promote accountability for the perpetrators of such terrorist attacks. We reiterate our condemnation of terrorist attacks including the 26/11 attacks in Mumbai and in Pathankot, and our commitment to pursuing designations, as appropriate, by the UN Security Council 1267 Sanctions Committee. We welcome the constructive discussions held at the first Quad Working Group on Counter-Terrorism and the fourth tabletop exercise in Honolulu last year, and look forward to Japan hosting the next meeting and tabletop exercise in November 2024.

    We share great interest in achieving peace and stability in the Middle East. We unequivocally condemn the terror attacks on October 7, 2023. The large-scale loss of civilian lives and the humanitarian crisis in Gaza is unacceptable. We affirm the imperative of securing the release of all hostages held by Hamas, and emphasize that the deal to release hostages would bring an immediate and prolonged ceasefire in Gaza. We underscore the urgent need to significantly increase deliveries of life-saving humanitarian assistance throughout Gaza as well as the crucial need to prevent regional escalation. We urge all parties to comply with international law, including international humanitarian law, as applicable. We welcome UNSCR S/RES/2735 (2024), and strongly urge all parties concerned to work immediately and steadily toward the release of all hostages and an immediate ceasefire. We call on all parties to take every feasible step to protect the lives of civilians including aid workers, and facilitate the rapid, safe and unimpeded humanitarian relief to civilians. We also encourage other countries, including those in the Indo-Pacific, to increase their support in order to address the dire humanitarian need on the ground. We underscore that the future recovery and reconstruction of Gaza should be supported by the international community. We remain committed to a sovereign, viable and independent Palestinian state taking into account Israel’s legitimate security concerns as part of a two-state solution that enables both Israelis and Palestinians to live in a just, lasting, and secure peace. Any unilateral actions that undermine the prospect of a two-state solution, including Israeli expansion of settlements and violent extremism on all sides, must end. We underscore the need to prevent the conflict from escalating and spilling over in the region.

    We condemn the ongoing attacks perpetrated by the Houthis and their supporters against international and commercial vessels transiting through the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden, which are destabilizing the region and impeding navigational rights and freedoms and trade flows, and jeopardize the safety of vessels and people on board including sailors.

    We reaffirm our commitment to the implementation of the 2030 Agenda and the achievement of its Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). We underscore the importance of achieving the SDGs in a comprehensive manner without selectively prioritizing a narrow set of such goals, and reaffirm that the UN has a central role in supporting countries in their implementation. With six years left, we remain steadfast in our commitment to the full implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and accelerating progress toward all the SDGs in a comprehensive manner that is balanced across three dimensions – economic, social and environmental. From global health to sustainable development and climate change, the global community benefits when all stakeholders have the opportunity to contribute to addressing these challenges. We affirm our commitment to contributing to and implementing the Women, Peace and Security (WPS) Agenda and to achieving gender equality and the empowerment of all women and girls. We underscore our commitment to strongly engaging constructively in the discussion on advancing sustainable development, including at the Summit of the Future. The Quad continues to realize a safe and secure world where human rights and human dignity are protected, based on the central premise of the SDGs: “Leave no one behind.”

    We, the Quad Leaders, remain dedicated to working in partnership with Indo-Pacific countries in deciding our future and shaping the region we all want to live in.

    Enduring Partners for the Indo-Pacific

    Over the past four years, Quad Leaders have met together six times, including twice virtually, and Quad Foreign Ministers have met eight times in the last five years. Quad country representatives meet together on a regular basis, at all levels, including among ambassadors across the four countries’ extensive diplomatic networks, to consult one another, exchange ideas to advance shared priorities, and deliver benefits with and for partners across the Indo-Pacific region. We welcome our Commerce and Industry ministers preparing to meet for the first time in the coming months. We also welcome the leaders of our Development Finance Institutions and Agencies deciding to meet to explore future investments by the four countries in the Indo-Pacific. Altogether, our four countries are cooperating at an unprecedented pace and scale.

    Each of our governments has committed to working through our respective budgetary processes to secure robust funding for Quad priorities in the Indo-Pacific region to ensure an enduring impact. We intend to work with our legislatures to deepen interparliamentary exchanges, and encourage other stakeholders to deepen engagement with Quad counterparts.

    We look forward to the next Quad Foreign Ministers’ meeting hosted by the United States in 2025, and the next Quad Leaders’ Summit hosted by India in 2025. The Quad is here to stay.

    *********

    MJPS/ST

    (Release ID: 2057454) Visitor Counter : 48

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: India participates in G7 Ministers’ meeting on Culture in Naples, Italy

    Source: Government of India (2)

    India participates in G7 Ministers’ meeting on Culture in Naples, Italy

    “Recognition of Culture as a Standalone Goal in Post-2030 Sustainable Development Agenda marks a paradigm shift in how we view development”

    Posted On: 21 SEP 2024 10:08PM by PIB Delhi

    The Indian delegation led by Shri Arunish Chawla, Secretary Ministry of Culture, Government of India along with Ms. Lily Pandeya, Joint Secretary, participated in the Special Session of G7 Ministers meeting on Culture, held on 21st September 2024 in Naples, Italy. The meeting was also attended by Culture leaders of the African Union, Brazil, Canada, the European Union, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom and the United States of America together with the Heads of United Nations Education, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO), International Centre for the Study of the Preservation and Restoration of Cultural Property (ICCROM) and the African Development Bank.

     

    Shri Arunish Chawla in his address emphasized on recognizing culture not as a static relic of our collective past, but as a dynamic catalyst for growth. He advocated that the recognition of culture as a ‘standalone goal’ within the post-2030 Sustainable Development Agenda is not merely a diplomatic triumph; it is a paradigm shift in our conceptualization of development itself. “As we stand on the cusp of the United Nations Summit of the Future, it is incumbent upon us to advocate vociferously for the inclusion of Culture as an autonomous goal within the Pact for the Future”, the Secretary said.  Shri Chawla mentioned that the Naples Conference on Cultural Heritage in the 21st Century, held last November, explored the synergies between the 1972 World Heritage Convention and the 2003 ICH Convention. It was during India’s G20 Presidency, that one of our expert-driven Global Thematic Webinars spotlighted the necessity of this synergy on a global platform for the first time.

     

    Shri Chawla apprised that India’s flourishing partnership with the African Union entails unprecedented economic, cultural, and strategic ties between the world’s largest democracy and the vibrant nations of Africa. The African Union’s recent admission as a permanent member of the G20 during India’s Presidency marks a significant milestone in this relationship. As India and Africa continue to collaborate on key areas like trade, education, healthcare, and sustainable development, our partnership is a powerful testament to mutual cooperation, solidarity, and collective progress. In the field of creative economy, the India-Africa Union partnership is poised to unleash numerous opportunities, harnessing the limitless potential of creativity – humanity’s most sustainable and inexhaustible resource, he added.

     

    The Culture Secretary also apprised that during 46th World Heritage Committee meeting, India proudly supported the nomination dossiers of several African nations. Additionally, India made a significant pledge of USD 1 million to strengthen capacity building in Small Island Developing States (SIDS), Least Developed Countries (LDCs), and the African region, reaffirming its commitment to supporting Africa’s rich heritage initiatives.

    The Naples Statement was signed on ‘Culture for the sustainable development of Africa and the world’. It is aimed at working with African Governments to leverage culture as a driver of sustainable development. The Statement seeks to foster reciprocal knowledge sharing with African governments and cultural institutions to support efforts to boost cultural and creative sectors and industries; protect cultural property from illicit trafficking; promote, safeguard and sustainably manage cultural heritage and strengthen the presence of Africa in the UNESCO Heritage Lists.

    Considering the importance of culture as a transformative driver and an enabler for the achievement of the SDGs set out in the United Nations’ 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, the full recognition and integration of culture and the creative economy into the development processes and policies has been underscored while promoting the inclusion of culture as a standalone goal in future discussions on how to advance Sustainable Development beyond 2030. It was also agreed to support culture and sustainable development in Africa by fostering partnerships and policies that align with African governments’ development priorities, and respect the cultural diversity of African countries.

    On the sidelines of the G7 outreach session, Sri Arunish Chawla, Secretary, Culture, held important bilateral meetings with Minister of Culture, Italy; DG/ ICCROM & the US delegation. Indian Ambassador to Italy, Ms. Vani Rao attended the bilateral meetings. Important issues related with cultural cooperation were discussed during the meetings.

    *****

     

    BeenaYadav

    (Release ID: 2057433) Visitor Counter : 81

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –