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Category: Child Poverty

  • MIL-OSI USA: In Support of His Amendments to Reimburse Working Parents Up to $8,000 for Child Care,

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Danny K Davis (7th District of Illinois)

    Testimony of Congressman Danny K. Davis (As Prepared) 

    In Support of His Amendments to Reimburse Working Parents Up to $8,000 for Child Care, 

    Help Cost-Burdened Renters Earning Up to $100,000, Ensure Foundations Fund Charitable Giving Rather Than Tax Cuts for the Wealthy, and Give Tax Cuts to Workers Who Are Single, Noncustodial Parents, Aged 19 and Older, Seniors, Foster Youth, or Homeless

    Committee on Rules Meeting on H.R. 1 – May 21, 2025

    The Good Book teaches us to care for the least among us.  My four amendments do just that. 

    For parents, child care is the work-related expense. My amendment would reimburse working parents up to $8,000 in child care costs. The meager, current maximum of $1,200 was set at the turn of this century.  Now, the cost of center-based care for two children is more than the average annual rent in all 50 states. Yet, the Republican bill fails to directly help struggling parents with the crushing burden of child care. Instead, the bill gifts $731 million to businesses and ignores the tens of millions of working parents whose employers will never offer child care.  And the small, temporary $500 bump in the Child Tax Credit excludes the poorest parents and is dwarfed by the $8,000 in relief offered by my amendment. If Republicans want parents to work, then you should accept my amendment. 

    My second amendment would provide life-changing help to hardworking, rent-burdened Americans earning up to $100,000.  Rent unaffordability is at an all-time high with about half of all renters being cost-burdened – especially extremely low-income households, seniors, and rural Americans.  My amendment would create a new tax credit for low- and middle-income renters that would cover a percentage of the gap between 30 percent of their adjusted gross income and their actual rent. For renters earning less than $25,000, the credit would cover the entire 30-percent-income-to-rent gap and then phase out.  The Republican bill offers nothing to help struggling renters.  Supporting my amendment would provide financial relief to tens of millions of Americans so they can thrive without fear of eviction. 

     

    My third amendment would provide a tax cut to tens of millions of low-income workers by enhancing the Earned Income Tax Credit. The EITC is a powerful tool to reduce poverty.  Although the Republican bill gives an increased EITC for some purple-heart recipients, it ignores the vast majority of individual workers.  Workers aged 65 and older represent one of the fastest-growing groups in our labor force. Millions of people younger than 24 serve in the labor force. My amendment gives permanent tax relief to seniors and younger workers by removing the EITC age cap and lowering the eligibility age to 19, while also enhancing the credit for all childless workers.  Further, my amendment includes important flexibilities for foster and homeless youth.  If the GOP bill can spend $211 billion on tax breaks for wealthy heirs, surely it can help vulnerable workers who are young, old, single, homeless, or foster youth. 

    My final amendment would strike the permanent tax hike on foundations that would rip $15.8 billion in charitable aid from our communities – aid that supports food banks, houses of faith, veterans, disaster relief, rural health care, emergency assistance during economic downturns, and other critical needs.  Policies that hurt foundations reduce grantmaking to charitable nonprofits across the country.  Forefront, the association of grantmakers for the state of Illinois, estimates that the proposed tax increase on private foundations would result in $168 million less in grants made to Illinois nonprofits each year.  Charitable giving represents the best of American generosity. At the exact time when charitable giving and philanthropy are needed the most to offset the cuts in federal investment, Congress must strike this charity-reducing provision. 

    Government should help people, not harm them.  My amendments would help lift the burdens of tens of millions of families and workers as well as promote charitable service.  I hope you will support them.

    MIL OSI USA News –

    May 22, 2025
  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Investing in community regeneration

    Source: Scottish Government

    Projects to unlock economic growth and tackle poverty.

    Projects across Scotland will benefit from Scottish Government investment to help regenerate communities and drive economic growth.

    More than £21.5 million from two Scottish Government funds will bring 24 disused or derelict sites and buildings into use, creating more than 160 jobs and support nearly 900 training opportunities.

    Deputy First Minister Kate Forbes confirmed the 2025-26 allocations from the Regeneration Capital Grant Fund (RCGF) and Vacant and Derelict Land Investment Programme (VDLIP) during a visit to Powderhall in north Edinburgh.

    City of Edinburgh Council will receive £1.4 million for remedial works at the former waste disposal site, paving the way for a housing-led regeneration project that will provide 259 homes, including affordable housing.

    Other initiatives being supported include:

    • reviving a slate quarry in Cullipool owned and operated by the Isle of Luing Community Trust
    • converting a former tram depot in Dundee into a new transport museum
    • redeveloping a former derelict school into energy efficient housing units in Borrodale on the Isle of Skye
    • creating film production suites and a training centre at a former glue factory in Glasgow
    • extending Lochvale House community centre in Dumfries to include a café and soft play area

    The announcement coincides with a call for expressions of interest in 2026-27 funding to support regeneration projects in disadvantaged communities. As set out in the 2025 Programme for Government, future Scottish Government support for regeneration projects will be channelled through one national fund – the Regeneration Capital Grant Fund – to streamline the application and delivery process.

    The Deputy First Minister said:

    “This funding will help to transform derelict sites the length and breadth of Scotland, creating homes, jobs and facilities that drive economic growth, tackle poverty and help support and growing thriving communities.

    “This funding forms part of a wider £62.15 million investment by the Scottish Government towards regeneration projects in 2025-26. This will help to revitalise green spaces, town centres and derelict sites to benefit people across Scotland.

    “The 2025 Programme for Government stets out our renewed commitment to supporting regeneration projects across the country with one streamlined fund delivering this vision from next year.”

    The RCGF is delivered in partnership with COSLA.

    COSLA’s Spokesperson for Environment and Economy, Councillor Gail Macgregor, said:

    “Today’s announcement sees the return of invaluable tools and resources for local authorities to help deliver on the regeneration aspirations of the communities which they represent.

    “The diversity of successful projects on show demonstrates how localised approaches can deliver benefits across the country and showcase the best of partnership between local authorities and our communities to deliver economic and social renewal.

    “We look forward to continuing to work with Scottish Government on regeneration in the months to come.”

    City of Edinburgh Council’s Housing, Homelessness and Fair Work Convener Lezley Marion Cameron said:

    “Our development plans at Powderhall are breathing new life into an excellently located, long unused industrial site, and are set to deliver hundreds of much-needed new homes and work and community spaces too.

    “The transformation of Powderhall is already well underway with the restoration of the former stable block, which retains unique heritage features of the site’s former use.   

    “Regenerating a historic, brownfield site like Powderhall is complex, challenging, and costly therefore I warmly welcome this Scottish Government investment.”

    Background

    Regeneration Projects supported through the RCGF and VDLIP fund in 2025/2026:

    Fund

    Organisation

    Project

    Award

    RCGF

    Angus Council

    Arbroath Courthouse Community Trust

    £2,138,985

    RCGF

    Argyll & Bute Council

    Fyne Futures Local Food Production and Training Centre

    £250,000

    RCGF

    Argyll & Bute Council

    Isle of Luing Community Owned Slate Quarry

    £1,747,936

    RCGF

    City of Edinburgh Council

    Spartans Youth Work and Education Building

    RCGF

    Clyde Gateway

    Baltic Street Play

    £850,000

    RCGF

    Dumfries and Galloway Council

    Let’s Get Sporty – Lochvale House

    £1,572,370

    RCGF

    Dundee City Council

    Dundee Museum of Transport – A Catalyst for Regeneration of Stobswell

    £1,001,430

    RCGF

    Fife Council

    Together Cowdenbeath People’s Centre

    £1,000,000

    RCGF

    Glasgow City Council

    SEC Possilpark

    £600,000

    RCGF

    Glasgow City Council

    Glue Factory

    £398,169

    RCGF

    Highland Council

    Glen Urquhart Public Hall

    £602,500

    RCGF

    Inverclyde Council

    Bank St. Community Hub

    £515,000

    RCGF

    South Lanarkshire Council

    Cathcart Road Net Zero Industrial Units

    £963,000

    VDLIP

    City of Edinburgh Council

    Powderhall Housing-Led Regeneration

    £1,400,000

    VDLIP

    Clyde Gateway

    Cuningar Loop Woodland Park Completion

    £500,000

    VDLIP

    Dumfries and Galloway Council

    Annan Harbour Regeneration – Phase 1

    £1,343,683

    VDLIP

    Dundee City Council

    Placemaking Lochee

    £695,000

    VDLIP

    East Dunbartonshire Council

    Lennoxtown Community Greenspace Project

    £472,952

    VDLIP

    Glasgow City Council

    Milton Discovery Wood

    £655,200

    VDLIP

    Glasgow City Council

    Tureen Street School Conversion

    £1,978,441

    VDLIP

    Highland Council

    Borrodale School Renovation Project

    £450,000

    VDLIP

    North Ayrshire Council

    Kyle Road Phase 2 Development

    £892,990

    VDLIP

    North Lanarkshire Council

    Cumbernauld Village Green-Blue Space

    £735,770

    VDLIP

    Renfrewshire Council

    Ferguslie Green Line – Belltrees

    £650,436

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

    May 22, 2025
  • MIL-OSI Submissions: Africa – Joint Statement of Commission of the Bishops’ Conferences of the European Union (COMECE) and Symposium of Episcopal Conferences of Africa and Madagascar (SECAM) ahead of the AU – EU Foreign Ministers’ Meeting on 21 May 2025

    SOURCE: Symposium of Episcopal Conferences of Africa and Madagascar (SECAM)

    Africa needs a transformation rooted in the Gospel values of care for creation, solidarity with the poor, and the pursuit of peace

    ACCRA, Ghana, May 21, 2025 – As shepherds of the Catholic Church in Africa and in Europe, we, the bishops of the Symposium of Episcopal Conferences of Africa and Madagascar (SECAM) (www.SECAM.org) and of the Commission of the Bishops’ Conferences of the European Union (COMECE), speak today with a voice formed by the lived realities of our people – farmers, fisherfolk, pastoralists, women and youth – whose lives are shaped by the land, and whose hope depends on justice, peace, and dignity. We welcome the convening of the joint African Union–European Union Foreign Ministers’ Meeting as an opportunity to examine not only shared ambitions but the very nature of our partnership. 
    As SECAM and COMECE have already stated five years ago, “we are firmly convinced that Africa and Europe could become the engines for a reinvigoration of multilateral cooperation by reinforcing their longstanding ties marked by our common roots and geographical proximity […] towards an equitable and responsible partnership that puts the people at its centre”.

    We are, however, deeply concerned about certain developments in this partnership over recent years. We have witnessed a profound shift in European priorities – away from solidarity with the most fragile regions and communities, and from development cooperation aimed at eradicating poverty and hunger, towards a more narrowly defined set of geopolitical and economic interests. Notwithstanding the commendable intention behind some projects promoting human development at the grassroots, certain initiatives supported under the EU’s Global Gateway – while presented as mutually beneficial – too often seem to replicate extractive patterns of the past: privileging European corporate and strategic aims over the real needs and aspirations of African people.

    Land, water, seeds, and minerals – the very foundations of life – seem to be once again treated as commodities for foreign profit rather than as common goods to be stewarded with care. Africa is being asked to sacrifice its ecosystems and communities to help Europe meet its decarbonisation goals – whether through massive land deals for so-called “green” energy projects, the expansion of carbon offset plantations, or the outsourcing of industrial agriculture’s toxic inputs and waste. This is not partnership. This is not justice.

    “The earth herself, burdened and laid waste, is among the most abandoned and maltreated of our poor” (Laudato Si’, §2)

    The Catholic Church, inspired by late Pope Francis’ encyclical Laudato Si’, shares the understanding that we must hear both the cry of the earth and the cry of the poor. These cries are loud and clear across Africa. Climate change is wreaking havoc on those who depend on the land, even as our continent has contributed least to the crisis. Soil degradation, poisoned water, and the loss of biodiversity are destroying the foundation of rural life. Hunger in Africa is growing, not because we lack food, but because we have allowed systems to dominate that put profit above people and that treat agriculture as an industrial process, not a way of life.

    We urge the ministers gathered in Brussels to place the dignity of African peoples at the heart of the AU-EU partnership. This means supporting a transformation of agriculture that breaks free from dependency on imported fertilisers, chemical inputs, and genetically modified seeds. It means protecting and promoting farmer-managed seed systems, which are the repositories of Africa’s agricultural biodiversity and the key to food sovereignty. These systems are not backward or inefficient – they are resilient, rooted in tradition, and adapted to local ecologies. Criminalising farmers for saving seeds or imposing rigid intellectual property regimes aligned with UPOV or corporate agendas violates both their rights and the planet’s needs.

    We call for an immediate ban on the export and use of Highly Hazardous Pesticides in Africa. It is a grave injustice that chemicals banned in Europe for their risks to health and ecosystems are still manufactured there and marketed to African farmers. This double standard must end. Instead, we must invest in agroecology – a science, a practice, and a social movement that nourishes the land, respects cultural traditions, and empowers women and youth. Agroecology offers a truly African path to climate adaptation and rural regeneration. It is rooted in the wisdom of our communities and validated by science. It is our future.

    Moreover, we remind our political leaders that land is sacred. For most Africans, land is not merely a factor of production or a tradable asset. It is a gift from God, entrusted to us by our ancestors and held in common for future generations. Large-scale land acquisitions by foreign investors or development finance institutions, carried out without free, prior, and informed consent, are an affront to this sacred trust. They displace communities, erode customary rights, and contribute to conflict and forced migration. Ministers must act decisively to end land grabbing and ensure legal protection for communal and customary tenure systems.

    We are particularly disturbed by growing use of African territory as a site for Europe’s resource needs and climate ambitions. Decarbonisation must not come at the cost of African ecosystems or the rights of African communities. It is ethically untenable to demand that Africa become the dumping ground for Europe’s “green transition” – whether through extractive mining for critical minerals or vast land projects that reduce our continent to a carbon sink.

    Let us be clear: Africa does not need charity, nor does it need to be a battleground for external interests. What it needs is justice. What it needs is a partnership grounded in mutual respect, environmental stewardship, and the centrality of human dignity. We believe such a partnership is possible – but only if the structures and priorities of AU-EU cooperation are fundamentally reoriented towards these objectives.

    We therefore urge ministers to listen more closely to African civil society, Indigenous peoples, and faith communities – not as token participants, but as equal co-creators of policy. Real dialogue means making space for the voices of those who live on and with the land.

    We conclude by echoing the spirit of Laudato Si’, which calls for an “integral ecology” – one that recognises the profound interconnection between people, planet, and purpose.

    We pray that this meeting may mark a turning point – not only in diplomatic relations but in the moral and spiritual compass guiding our shared future.

    Africa needs a transformation rooted in the Gospel values of care for creation, solidarity with the poor, and the pursuit of peace. As Laudato Si’ teaches us, “everything is interconnected” (§117) – and so our response must be holistic and courageous.

    We invite the AU and EU Foreign Ministers to rise to this moment. Let this be the partnership that listens to the cries of the earth and the cries of the poor. Let this be the moment when Africa’s future is shaped not by external interests, but by the aspirations of its people – especially those who till the land, feed the nation, and protect the environment.

    MIL OSI – Submitted News –

    May 22, 2025
  • MIL-OSI Economics: DG Okonjo-Iweala: MC14 must deliver outcomes on WTO reform

    Source: World Trade Organization

    Reporting to the meeting in her capacity as Chair of the Trade Negotiations Committee (TNC), the Director-General said that in recent meetings she had with leaders and ministers in Japan and the Republic of Korea, the issue of WTO reform “was front and centre” of the discussions.

    “Prime Minister Ishiba (of Japan) and his ministers of trade, foreign affairs and finance, along with virtually every APEC minister that I met in Jeju, have bought into the idea that we must not waste a crisis, and that we need deep and thorough reform of the WTO if it is to remain relevant,” DG Okonjo-Iweala said.

    “For a successful MC14, we must act here in Geneva to deliver a package of reform proposals for ministers to consider and bless at MC14,” she added. “Nothing short of this can reposition this organization in the way and form needed.”

    The Director-General met with Prime Minister Ishiba and other senior Japanese government officials in Tokyo on 13 May and then attended a meeting of trade ministers from the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum in Jeju, Republic of Korea, on 15-16 May.

    At their 12th Ministerial Conference in 2022, WTO members for the first time agreed to undertake a comprehensive review of the WTO’s functions in order to ensure the organization is capable of responding more effectively to both the challenges facing the multilateral trading system and the opportunities provided by contemporary developments in global trade.

    The Director-General said that while the ministers she met “made clear they value the system, they also admitted it cannot continue the way it is.”

    “Members keep sweeping things under the carpet and not solving problems,” she said. “I think what has brought us here is the inability to solve problems when they occur, and this has led to unilateral actions, instead of a cooperative approach to solve these problems.”

    “It has taken time for members to admit that things are not working as well as they should, and that they want solutions,” she continued.

    The Director-General said she was pleased work is continuing on possible deliverables for MC14, including further work on fisheries subsidies, agriculture, the Investment Facilitation for Development initiative, electronic commerce, and issues pertaining to least developed countries (LDCs).  Members will have a chance to assess progress on these issues at the next TNC meeting in July and decide later which packages are ready to take forward to MC14 for decision. 

    She welcomed the recent progress made on member acceptances of the Agreement on Fisheries Subsidies, noting that 99 members have now accepted the Agreement with only 12 more needed to bring it into force.

    Twenty-six delegations took the floor after the Director-General’s intervention, some of them speaking on behalf of groups of members.  Many members commented on a suggested road map for MC14 prepared by the WTO Secretariat and highlighted issues of interest, including WTO reform, new disciplines on fisheries subsidies, progress on agriculture, the e-commerce moratorium, and industrial policy, among others.

    General Council Chair to initiate MC14 consultations

    Under a separate agenda item, the General Council Chair, Ambassador Saqer Abdullah Almoqbel (Kingdom of Saudi Arabia), noted that discussions he had with delegations over the past weeks revealed various calls to proceed with work in three key areas, namely: WTO reform; dispute settlement reform; and the process towards preparing a possible MC14 outcome document.

    With MC14 taking place in 10 months, “time is not on our side,” he told members.  “Accordingly, immediately after this General Council meeting, I intend to consult interested delegations on how to take forward work in each of these areas.” 

    Investment facilitation for development

    On the Investment Facilitation for Development (IFD) initiative, members were once again unable to reach consensus on the request supported by 126 members to incorporate the IFD Agreement under Annex 4 of the Marrakesh Agreement establishing the WTO. This marked the eighth time the proposal has been submitted to members for adoption.

    Speaking on behalf of the 126 co-sponsors, the Republic of Korea underlined the urgent need for incorporating the Agreement into the WTO framework in order to help members attract investment, in particular developing and least developed country members. IFD Agreement participants are also actively engaging with non-participating members to build understanding and highlight the Agreement’s benefit, the Republic of Korea said.

    Three members reiterated their objections to incorporating the IFD Agreement into the WTO multilateral framework.

    Current trade tensions

    On behalf of 47 members, Singapore and Switzerland introduced a statement in support of the rules-based multilateral trading system. The statement cites the value and achievements of the WTO since it was established in 1995, underlining how the organization has contributed to the economic development of both developed and developing members by promoting trade liberalization and facilitating economic integration, fostering stability, predictability and consumers’ trust while preserving incentives for innovation. The WTO’s support for developing economies, including LDCs, has lifted millions out of poverty, the co-sponsors said.

    China introduced its communication regarding heightened trade turbulence and responses from the WTO.  Faced with the current situation of heightened trade turbulence, China said, members should safeguard the rules-based multilateral trading system with the WTO at its core. China proposed a “Stability, Development and Reform” (SDR) approach for the WTO and said it stands ready to work with all parties to safeguard the WTO rules system and inject more certainty and predictability into the global economy.

    The European Union introduced an item on fragmentation of global trade through tariffs and the global costs. The EU said the item was submitted in response to the economic and trade uncertainty created by recent tariff actions. The EU underlined its support for a rules-based multilateral trading system and highlighted the importance of ongoing dialogue on tariffs to assess impacts, monitor trade patterns, and consider systemic effects.

    WTO retreat on sustainable agriculture

    Brazil expressed its appreciation for the recent WTO retreat on sustainable agriculture and the broad engagement across regions and constituencies. It highlighted trends in agriculture production globally, including towards increased productivity and the search for greater resilience and sustainability.  Brazil said it saw value in further discussing this topic in a forward-looking manner as a conversational WTO exercise.

    Thirty-six delegations took the floor to comment.

    Electronic commerce

    Japan, on behalf of the co-sponsors of the Agreement on Electronic Commerce, informed members of the co-sponsors’ recent efforts to gather members’ support for incorporation of the Agreement into the WTO multilateral framework. Japan also reported that the co-sponsors are undertaking work to advance implementation of the Agreement, including a needs assessment survey to better understand priorities for implementation support.

    Several members reiterated their concerns about the Agreement and their objections to its incorporation into the WTO multilateral framework.

    Next meeting

    The next meeting of the General Council is tentatively scheduled for 22-23 July.

    Share

    MIL OSI Economics –

    May 22, 2025
  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Experts of the Committee on the Rights of the Child Commend Romania on Deinstitutionalisation Process, Raise Questions on Corporal Punishment and Segregation in Education

    Source: United Nations – Geneva

    The Committee on the Rights of the Child today concluded its review of the combined sixth and seventh periodic reports of Romania, with Committee Experts commending the State on the deinstitutionalisation process of alternative care centres, while raising questions on the prevalence of corporal punishment and measures taken to combat segregation in education. 

    A Committee Expert said she was happy to hear about the programme for the deinstitutionalisation of alternative care centres; this was something Romania should be proud of, as well as all the foster arrangements being made, especially for children with disabilities. 

    Juliana Scerri Ferrante, Committee Expert and Country Taskforce Member, said there seemed to be a lack of parental education programmes around corporal punishment. How could the views of the child be respected if violence was accepted as a disciplinary measure?  Could the Romanian Government take clear steps to train staff and promote child education?  Philip Jaffe, Committee Vice-Chair and Country Taskforce Member, also noted that corporal punishment appeared to remain quite widespread despite being banned in 2004.  What efforts were being made to lower the prevalence and change attitudes among parents and adults? 

    Mr. Jaffe asked what was being done to combat school segregation based on disability, special education needs, and family economic status?  What improvements were being made to increase the improvement of vocational training for older children who may be leaving the school system?  Were there any programmes which specifically targeted economically disadvantaged children?

    The delegation said Romanian legislation completely prohibited violence against children, regardless of the environment.  However, despite the legislation, which was fully aligned with United Nations Conventions, the State needed to fight against mentalities and traditions and to practically change the minds of parents and caregivers, who believed corporal punishment would discipline children better.  Awareness-raising campaigns were being conducted for parents, and mechanisms including hotlines had been developed to support children, including the helpline 119.  Authorities were obligated to launch investigations immediately concerning any allegations of violence against children. 

    The delegation said the Ministry of Education had taken steps to assist children with special educational needs, with the creation of frameworks offering them different kinds of support, based on the type of disability.  Adaptive measures had been taken for Roma children, including stimulating their participation in early education and in summer kindergartens, supporting education in their current language, and translating schoolbooks in their mother tongue, among others.  An increasing number of contracts between schools and the business sector had been recorded, including around 6,000 contracts in the school year 2023/2024. 

    Introducing the report, Helena Omna-Raicu, President of the National Authority for the Protection of Child Rights and Adoption of Romania and head of the delegation, said Romania’s path in recent years had been shaped by profound changes and emerging pressures, including the war in Ukraine and the arrival of thousands of children and families fleeing conflict.  As a neighbouring country, Romania had mobilised rapidly to provide emergency care, protection, psychosocial support, and schooling to children regardless of their nationality. 

    Ms. Omna-Raicu said Romania had made significant progress in certain areas, including in the deinstitutionalisation process.  Of the 167 residential placement centres operating in 2017, 149 had already been closed by the end of March 2025 and over 6,000 children were now benefiting from family-type alternative care.  The remaining 18 placement centres would be closed soon. 

    In closing remarks, Rinchen Chophel, Committee Expert and Country Taskforce Coordinator, reiterated the Committee’s appreciation for the Government of Romania’s support to Ukrainian refugees, particularly children.  Significant progress had been made from the last reporting period to the current one, with many looking forward beyond the dialogue. 

    In her closing remarks, Ms. Omna-Raicu, expressed deep gratitude for the dialogue.  The Committee’s concerns regarding urban disparities were noted.  Romania would treat the Committee’s recommendations as an opportunity for deeper transformation. 

     

    The delegation of Romania was comprised of representatives from the National Authority for the Protection of Child Rights and Adoption; the Ministry of Education and Research; the Ministry of Justice; the Ministry of Health; the Ministry of Labour, Family, Youth and Social Security; the Ministry of Foreign Affairs; the General Inspectorate of the Romanian Police; the General Inspectorate for Immigration; the National Administration of Penitentiaries; the Prosecutor’s Office; the National Health Insurance Authority; and the Permanent Mission of Romania to the United Nations Office at Geneva. 

    Summaries of the public meetings of the Committee can be found here, while webcasts of the public meetings can be found here. The programme of work of the Committee’s ninety-ninth session and other documents related to the session can be found here.

    The Committee will next meet in public at 3 p.m. on Wednesday, 21 May to begin its consideration of the combined fifth and sixth periodic reports of Qatar (CRC/C/QAT/5-6).

    Report

    The Committee has before it the combined sixth and seventh periodic reports of Romania (CRC/C/ROU/6-7).

    Presentation of Report

    HELENA OMNA-RAICU, President of the National Authority for the Protection of Child Rights and Adoption of Romania and head of the delegation, said Romania’s path in recent years had been shaped by profound changes and emerging pressures, including the war in Ukraine and the arrival of thousands of children and families fleeing conflict.  As a neighbouring country, Romania had mobilised rapidly to provide emergency care, protection, psychosocial support, and schooling to children regardless of their nationality.  The State was proud to have established the first Blue Dot in the region at the border crossing with Ukraine and launched the use of the Child Protection Information Management System Primero in only a couple of months after the onset of the refugee crisis, ensuring registration and case management for almost 40,000 refugee children.

    Several new national strategies had been developed for 2021-2027 which aimed to address child poverty and wellbeing, including the national strategy for the protection and promotion of children’s rights “protected children, safe Romania” 2023-2027, and the national strategy on social inclusion and poverty reduction 2022-2027, among others.   Romania had also adopted and begun the implementation of the child guarantee national action plan 2023-2030, which aimed to reduce the number of children at risk of poverty or social exclusion by at least 500,000 by 2030. Romania had seen a measurable decline in the proportion of children at risk of poverty and social exclusion from 41.5 per cent in 2022 to 33.8 per cent in 2024. 

    In April 2024, law 100/2024 was approved which included specific amendments to several laws relevant for social assistance.  The new emergency ordinance no. 96/2024, approved in June 2024 regarding the provision of humanitarian support and assistance by the Romanian State to foreign citizens or stateless persons in special situations coming from the area of the armed conflict in Ukraine, established the legal framework providing refugees with access to a wide range of key national statutory services. Another significant legislative change was enacted by amending law 272/2004 in December 2024, which now mandated the participation of children in public decision-making processes. 

    There had also been several significant programmes launched, including modernising the unique national number 119 for reporting cases of abuse, neglect, exploitation and any other form of violence against children; the development of community services for children and families to prevent separation and support the family reintegration of children from the special protection system; and the development of 200 integrated community centres and 150 daycare centres for children, among others.  Despite these advances, challenges remained, including disparities between rural and urban areas. 

    However, Romania had made significant progress in certain areas, including in the deinstitutionalisation process.  Of the 167 residential placement centres operating in 2017, 149 had already been closed by the end of March 2025 and over 6,000 children were now benefiting from family-type alternative care.  The remaining 18 placement centres would be closed soon.  The use of European Union structural funds had also supported the training of over 11,000 foster carers.  A new programme had also been introduced, aimed to scale-up integrated community-services in 2,000 marginalised rural communities, combining social assistance, health, education, and other types of social support.  Over 800 million euros of European Social Funds were planned for enhancing access to social services for the most vulnerable, including children and their families.

    The State had also expanded support for children at risk of early school leaving by using the early warning mechanism in education, of which around 50,000 participants from 6,950 institutions had completed the training programme.  Targeted policies had been developed that supported the reintegration of children who dropped out during the pandemic, and more resources were reaching schools in deprived communities.  In health, the role of community nurses and Roma health mediators had grown, and work continued to improve access to services for vulnerable groups. 

    Pilot projects on mental health for children had laid the groundwork for more systemic change, with mental health services for children and adolescents being expanded. However, challenges remained in ensuring equitable access to quality services in rural and marginalised areas, addressing shortages of specialised personnel, and improving early identification and intervention for children with developmental delays or disabilities.

    Romania was committed to reducing the number of children affected by poverty and social exclusion by at least 500,000.  The State would also pursue the complete closure of old-type residential centres, with every child in alternative care placed in family-based or community settings. Romania was committed to translating the pledges made during the first-ever global ministerial conference on ending violence against children held at the end of 2024 in Bogota, Columbia, into realities for children. 

    In education, the State aimed to increase the early childhood education enrolment rate by at least 22 per cent for children aged zero to three and at least 95 per cent for children aged four to six.  There would be a focus on improving mental health services for children and linking schools, families, and health providers more effectively, aiming to reduce preventable mortality by 20 per cent compared to 2021 levels for children of all ages.   Finally, Romania would ensure that children had a role in shaping systems through participatory budgeting, monitoring, and children and youth-led policy platforms. Romania remained committed to fully implementing the Convention and to contributing to the global effort to advance child rights everywhere.

    Questions by Committee Experts

    RINCHEN CHOPHEL, Committee Expert and Country Taskforce Coordinator, said Romania had achieved a lot since the last report, which the Committee was happy about. Romania’s assistance to the Ukrainian refugees and children should be noted.  There had been significant legislative achievements, particularly the amendments to law 272.  What measures were in place to ensure effective implementation of the law?  The national strategy on social inclusion and poverty reduction 2022-2027, and the child guarantee national action plan 2023-2030 were very welcome developments.  How had these impacted on measures to promote and protect children? Had an assessment been undertaken to evaluate the impact of the national strategy. 

    While welcoming increased allocations to certain sectors, the Coordinator asked what measures were in place to develop a child-friendly budgeting process?  What was the current status of the complaints mechanism in the country for reporting all forms of abuse and violence for children? What had been done to inform children of their right to file a complaint?  Had professionals working with children been trained on receiving complaints concerning children and the Convention? 

    The establishment of the child Ombudsman in 2018 was a crucial step in the right direction, and the Government should be congratulated for that.  What was the current status of the institution?  How did it connect with children?  The Committee noted the State party’s awareness raising activities on the Convention with appreciation, including the translation of the Committee’s general comments into Romanian.  How did these efforts extend to rural children? 

    JULIANA SCERRI FERRANTE, Committee Expert and Country Taskforce Member, asked if the national strategy for school de-segregation been adopted?  If not, then when would this occur?  What measures had been taken to address hate speech? Did the permanent committee set up in every education unit offer a complaints mechanism to children?  If not, how could children complain in schools? 

    What had been done to decrease discrimination against the Roma population?  What efforts had been made to promote the inclusion of Roma in mainstream schooling?  How was discrimination against children with disabilities tackled in education?  There was concern that Romanian law did not define valid reasons on which minor marriages could be authorised and this was left to the discretion of the authorities.  What training was provided to apply the best interests of the child? What approaches had been taken to reduce the preventable mortality of children under five years old?  What was the position of the Romanian Government on the proposed amendment to law 272 regarding lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex children?

    There seemed to be a lack of parental education programmes around corporal punishment. How could the views of the child be respected if violence was accepted as a disciplinary measure?  Could the Romanian Government take clear steps to train staff and promote child education?  How were child labour laws enforced?  How would the Romanian Government establish a child participation mechanism?  Were refugee and asylum-seeking children involved in decisions which affected them? Were children provided information on their rights? 

    What measures were being taken to strengthen the capacity of the social welfare services? How were children with disabilities prioritised in reform measures?  What was being done to combat the illicit transfer of children abroad?  Had bilateral agreements been conducted in this regard?  Was the Romanian Government carrying out measures to understand the impact of prison on children?  How were they supported when their parents were incarcerated?  What support was available for young people leaving institutional care? 

    SOPHIE KILADZE, Committee Chair and Country Taskforce Member, said the adoption of law 105/22 providing for automatic birth registration should be considered as positive.  Could more information be provided about how the law worked in practice?  Were there any plans to introduce a statelessness determination procedure?  Was data on statelessness which concerned children disaggregated?  What measures were in place to protect children from excessive screen use?  How did Romania deal with artificial intelligence as a European Union member? Romania had one of the lowest levels of digital skills in the European Union; what measures were being undertaken to promote digital literacy among children, as well as parents? 

    PHILIP JAFFE, Committee Vice-Chair and Country Taskforce Member, said it was wonderful that strong pledges had been made at the global ministerial conference on ending violence against children in Bogota.  How was Romania implementing its mission as a pathfinding global alliance country?  It seemed Romanian children were in need of protection against high levels of physical and sexual violence.  One of the pledges made in Bogota was to conduct a prevalence study on sexual abuse; had the State moved forward with this study?  Were there dedicated teams drawing up the comprehensive framework and strategy which had been promised?  One pledge had been to enhance children’s participation regarding issues of violence.  What efforts had the Government made to ensure that there was a clear public understanding that all forms of violence against children needed to be reported? 

    Corporal punishment appeared to remain quite widespread despite being banned in 2004. What efforts were made to lower the prevalence and change attitudes among parents and adults?  It was encouraging that Romania had been one of 40 countries to recently join a statement of the Human Rights Council, expressing children’s right to protection from corporal punishment.  How was bullying and cyber bullying being addressed at all levels of legislative policy?  Could more information about the child helplines be provided? 

    Was it true that around seven to eight per cent of girls in Romania were married before the age of 18, with that percentage rising to around 20 per cent in the Roma community? What was being done in response to this? Was it true that charges had been dropped against a 17-year-old boy who entered into a non-formal marriage with an 11-year-old girl?  What policy was in practice in the health sector regarding surgical interventions and intersex children?  What were the guidelines to protect their bodily integrity until these children were capable of providing consent? 

    Responses by the Delegation

    The delegation said the law on child protection now included clear provisions which made it compulsory for public administrative bodies to involve children in consultations regarding issues which concerned them.  The national strategy on children’s rights was recently adopted and another national action plan was elaborated; these plans were complimentary. This was a comprehensive package which would help the Government to better implement all necessary measures. An assessment of the national strategy had been undertaken.  The State was now piloting a system which would indicate how to establish a model of financing where children would be considered as a different group that would benefit from a different budget. 

    The national programme for schooling in Romania ensured children received food support at schools to increase the enrolment rate and participation.  School supplies were also provided for all school grades. Two hundred euros were provided for the purchase of technology, and remedial lessons were provided to students coming from disadvantaged communities.  Recently, the scholarship system had been extended to encompass more disadvantaged groups. 

    Funds allocated to primary medical care had registered a continuous annual increase.  Just last year, the fund allocated to primary care increased by 24 per cent.  The national observatory was a big achievement for Romania and aimed to identify the children most at risk of being separated from their families, based on indicators.  Training was being conducted on the use of the observatory to ensure the data provided was reliable.   

    The hearing of minors in justice proceedings took place in special rooms, and a psychologist was always required to be present.  The new national strategy for the development of the judicial system provided for another 10 hearing rooms across the country.  There were specially designated prosecutors to handle cases involving minors.  The child Ombudsman was fully operational and cooperated with all institutions.  It had a functioning complaints mechanism.  If an incident was notified to the Ombudsman, an investigation started, which concluded with a set of recommendations sent to the institution responsible to correct the situation.  

    Civil society representatives were part of the consultative groups established at the national level.  A methodology had been issued and piloted regarding identifying and banning segregation within the educational sector.  The measures focused on ensuring an inclusive education.  Any kind of discrimination on criteria such as ethnicity, religion or sex was completely forbidden within the educational system.  Specific places in high schools were allocated for Roma students and students with disabilities.  To ensure access to high quality education, educational services had been developed starting from early education to prevent early dropout and absenteeism.     

    A set of programmes had been introduced, including a monthly allowance for children up to the age of 18, as well as parental leave.  There was also a minimum income support which supported families with children. Emergency ordinance no.96 was developed specifically for children from Ukraine and their families. 

    There was a dedicated intergovernmental group which addressed the subject of forced marriage, with the aim of drafting legislative projects in this regard.  Concerning infant mortality and the number of deaths under one year of age, a regionalised system of care had been introduced to ensure each neonate was born in a medical unit which could provide the services necessary for their care, thereby reducing infant mortality.  An important national programme was in place which contained around 15 interventions, established in partnership with the United Nations Children’s Fund.  Another programme provided 900 neonatal incubators around the country. 

    A significant number of services had been established to help families in vulnerable situations. A special programme was launched last year on the minimum inclusion income, which focused on how to assist parents within the labour market.  The State was aware of a lack of social assistance in rural areas, which was where the most vulnerable communities lived.  Interventions were directed, including food packages, and local administrative capacities would be developed. 

    A programme had been developed which aimed to establish hearing rooms for children in courts, and 29 hearing rooms were completed in April 2024.  The rooms were used by the Prosecutors and police officers when they had victims who were minors.  The rooms were child-friendly and specially designed with toys.  The child did not see the other people participating in the hearing.  A new strategy adopted in 2025 provided for the need for an additional 10 hearing rooms in the near future. 

    All social services were functioning based on a set of minimum quality standards, which were verified by the national agency for social inspection.   With the United Nations Children’s Fund, Romania was piloting a project which would identify and train foster families to care specifically for children with disabilities.  A child entering the special protection system was prioritised to be reintegrated in a family environment.  Adoption was considered the best solution in this regard, and this could only be decided by a court.  Priority was offered to domestic adoption, but international adoption could be considered after one year. 

    Amendments had been made to allow special spaces for visits in prison with children.  Such spaces were now available in all prison facilities within the Romanian penitentiary system.  There were cooperation protocols in place with the United Nations Children’s Fund and Save the Children which supported parents to develop their parental skills and improve their relationship with their children. The State was aware of the need to develop programmes which addressed the needs of children and adults and improved the relationship within the family.

    The Ministry of Education aimed to develop digital competencies among students and parents. During the pandemic, all students were provided with laptops and digital devices to keep up with the educational process.  In a new initiative launched in partnership with Microsoft, the Ministry of Education had announced the development of a project concerning artificial intelligence for increasing the school performance of students.  A project was also being implemented aimed at improving the digital skills of civil servants. 

    Romania had a dedicated national child help line.  It was toll-free and operational 24/7.  Those operating the calls were specialised counsellors who could refer the cases to the relevant authorities.  Another helpline just referred cases to social services.  The 119 helpline was a recent development, operational from any place in Romania and accessible to children and adults.  After the first year, it had been well received and was being regularly used to inform on any situation concerning a child. 

    Rape of a minor and sexual assault against a minor had been introduced as acts within the Criminal Code.  Rape committed by an adult against a minor under the age of 18 was punished by a prison sentence of between seven to 12 years.

    Questions by Committee Experts

    PHILIP JAFFE, Committee Vice-Chair and Country Taskforce Member, said one in 20 people in Romania held a disability certificate, with around 80,000 being children. What were the difficulties faced by certain groups of children to receive this certificate, including rural children?  Were there any awareness-raising campaigns for rural minorities and poor families regarding their entitlement to services?  Could more information be provided about Romania’s strategy for persons with disabilities?  How were the number and expertise of professionals being scaled up?  To what degree had the State embraced a human-rights approach to disability, as opposed to a medical model of disability?  How many children were still left in institutions? When would such institutions all be closed? 

    There were two recent laws on pre-university education and higher education; could more information be provided about the implementation of these laws?  What was the level of gross domestic product dedicated to education in Romania?  Was there a direct pipeline to hear about the concerns of children within the education system and were these concerns taken seriously?  What was being done to combat school segregation based on disability, special education needs, and family economic status?  Figures suggested that 40 per cent of children with disabilities had limited access to education.  What steps were being made to improve education for children under the age of three? What improvements were being made to increase the improvement of vocational training for older children who may be leaving the school system?  Were there any programmes which specifically targeted economically disadvantaged children?  What was the mission of the Ministry of Youth? 

    SOPHIE KILADZE, Committee Chair and Country Taskforce Member, asked if sufficient resources were dedicated to the capacity building of medical personnel? Did all children have access to health care, including health insurance?  How were vaccinations promoted in the country?  How was breast feeding promoted?  Child obesity was an issue of concern; how was this combatted? Was there a hot meals programme? 

    Mental health was a very important issue.  Was data on mental health being disaggregated, including on suicide?  Was there a comprehensive strategy and action plan regarding the issue of mental health?  Were quality mental health services available in rural and remote areas? According to alarming information, the country had the highest number of adolescent mothers across the European Union. What steps would the State undertake to prevent adolescent pregnancies and subsequent abortions?  Would Romania make reproductive education part of the curriculum? 

    What measures were in place to address drugs or substance abuse?  Were there treatments available for children?  Romania had made substantial efforts for Ukrainian children and other groups of refugees.  How would the State integrate these children long-term?  Were there delays in the enrolment of refugee children and their families into the social services system?  Would amendments be considered in the asylum law to end the detention of families at the legislative level?  Did unaccompanied migrant children have access to services, including psychosocial support and disability services?  Were there any barriers which could hinder access to education? 

    What measures were being undertaken to end child labour, including begging?  What was being done to assist children in street situations?  How were perpetrators investigated and brought to justice?  Were there quality services for child victims of trafficking in place? Was the system of child justice established across the country?  Were adequate financial resources allocated to it?  Was free legal aid available to children in conflict with the law?  Was the detention of children used only as a last resort?  If yes, did it comply with international standards? 

    RINCHEN CHOPHEL, Committee Expert and Country Taskforce Coordinator, said one in five children were affected by severe material and social deprivation, which was concerning.  What was the reality on the ground?  The minimum social assistance package had been introduced; could more information be provided on it?  Romania was increasingly vulnerable to droughts, heatwaves, floods and landslides, and it was also grappling with water pollution.  How had the national strategies pertaining to climate change helped to address the challenges of the environment and climate change in the country? What measures were being adopted to take into account children’s needs and views in the development of specific policies, including disaster-preparedness plans?  Were child rights impact assessments carried out when dealing with the business sector? 

    A Committee Expert asked what the national coverage of vaccinations was in the country?  Romania had an epidemic of measles; how did the population react to vaccinations?  How was confidence being built in vaccines?  Were people familiar with the law on rape?  What happened once the 30-day limit for registering births had elapsed? 

    Responses by the Delegation

    Romanian legislation completely prohibited violence against children, regardless of the environment.  However, despite the legislation, which was fully aligned with United Nations Conventions, the State needed to fight against mentalities and traditions and to practically change the minds of parents and caregivers, who believed corporal punishment would discipline children better.  Awareness-raising campaigns were being conducted for parents, and mechanisms including hotlines had been developed to support children, including the helpline 119. 

    Authorities were obligated to launch investigations immediately concerning any allegations of violence against children.  Romania was committed to continuing these efforts and to changing social norms and mentalities.  The numbers of cases of violence against children was increasing, which meant people were becoming more aware of the issue and reporting it. 

    Since 2016, the methodology applied in Romania clearly distinguished between the concept of disability and special education needs.  In Romania, the deinstitutionalisation process was one of the most important commitments of the Government, and the process was now concluding. Currently, out of the 167 residential centres operating in 2017, 149 had already been closed, and more than 6,000 children were benefiting from alternative care.  The legal framework stated that no placement centre could operate without the approved closure plan.  The deinstitutionalisation process also involved finding better alternative and family-based care for children.   Only 18 placement centres remained in the process of being closed, and by 2026 no such centre would be operating in Romania.  The State was still aiming to find family-style solutions for children with disabilities, and a project was being developed with the United Nations Children’s Fund to this end.

    If a birth was declared after the 30-day deadline but less than one year after the birth, the birth certificate could be issued based on approval from the mayor.  If the birth declaration was made more than one year after the birth, the certificate needed to be approved by the mayor and other administrative bodies. 

    More than 2.8 million students were enrolled in the 2023/2024 school year in Romania.  For high school, there had been a significant decrease in dropouts from 2.5 per cent in 2017 to 0.8 per cent in 2024. Around 4.5 per cent of the budget was allocated to education.  The Ministry of Education had taken steps to assist children with special educational needs, with the creation of frameworks offering them different kinds of support, based on the type of disability.  For students with temporary special needs, the law of education presented special measures, including the implementation of schooling hospitals, or schooling at home for those who were required to be in hospital or at home for medical reasons. 

    Adaptive measures had been taken for Roma children, including stimulating their participation in early education and in summer kindergartens, supporting education in their current language, and translating schoolbooks in their mother tongue, among others.  More than 66,000 teachers had been trained in digital and multimedia use.  An increasing number of contracts between schools and the business sector had been recorded, around 6,000 contracts in the school year 2023/2024.  Most teachers had been trained to create open educational resources.  Significant funds had been allocated to modernising rest room facilities in schools. 

    Any student could submit complaints of discrimination via an established framework.  Students benefitted from representation in the school system through several platforms.  The national strategy for sustainable development issued the methodology of the “green week programme”, which contributed to preschoolers and students’ competence in understanding basic concepts of climate change, to initiate individual and protective action to protect the environment.  Teachers were obliged to obtain 90 transferrable professional credits every five years, through attending courses offered by Romanian training houses.

    In recent years, infant mortality had remained relatively stable in Romania.  From 2023 to 2024, the number of doctors treating children increased by five per cent.  Regarding children’s access to medical services, all children were insured in Romania and benefitted from basic medical services across all sectors of health care.  The national health insurance fund also reimbursed certain services.  The Ministry of Health had launched a vaccination campaign in partnership with the Red Cross, to raise awareness of parents; this had been accompanied by a “catch-up” vaccination schedule, resulting in 1,500 children being vaccinated.  A protocol had been signed with the Orthodox Church to establish an active partnership to create a framework for anyone facing a possible cancer diagnosis, offering support.   

    World Breastfeeding Week was celebrated in August each year, as breastfeeding remained one of the most effective ways to provide children with the best start in life. Breast feeding recommendations had been developed with partners, including the World Health Organization, and were relayed to medical practitioners at the local level.  Around 200 integrated community centres would be restructured, elevated and equipped.  A television broadcast had been created to promote the importance of breastfeeding in the first six months of a child’s life.   

    Information and education campaigns had been carried out for children, parents and teachers about the benefits of a healthy diet and the consequences of unhealthy eating. Around 1,000 people had benefited from the campaign.  Substance abuse could be detected by family doctors and psychological services could be recommended.  The national health insurance house implemented the national mental health programme, providing treatment for persons with substance abuses, and ensuring specific treatment for patients with depressive disorders. 

    Questions by Committee Experts 

    RINCHEN CHOPHEL, Committee Expert and Country Taskforce Coordinator, said the Government had approved a social assistance programme in 2011 which targeted all communes, but was underfinanced; could more information be provided?  The Environment Week presented was an excellent initiative; how was it being utilised? 

    JULIANA SCERRI FERRANTE, Committee Expert and Country Taskforce Member, asked if there were any supervision orders, where children remained with their family but were supervised?  Were there age assessment procedures during the asylum procedure?  What rights did children applying for asylum have?  Could they appeal any decisions? 

    PHILIP JAFFE, Committee Vice-Chair and Country Taskforce Member, said according to research by the United Nations Children’s Fund, Romanian girls felt much lonelier than Romanian boys.  Was there a reason for this gap? 

    SOPHIE KILADZE, Committee Chair and Country Taskforce Member, asked for clarification on case management coordination? 

    A Committee Expert noted the prevalence of women among the large delegation and asked if women generally had an important and high-profile position in Romania, or if this only occurred when discussing children?  Had there been any programmes to prevent violence?  Had the concept of gender been fully institutionalised? Were teachers trained in detecting signs of violence?  What was the prevalence of child marriage in the country?  What about figures for marriages which were not officially recorded? Had there been any programmes to prevent the phenomenon or sanctions? 

    Was there any mapping of the at-risk populations in the country of female genital mutilation? Was female genital mutilation prohibited in law?  What was the most updated action on sexual exploitation?  Was there any cross-border cooperation between Romania and neighbouring countries?  Did Ukrainian children born in Romania have access to Romanian citizenship?  Did rape victims have access to emergency contraception?

    Another Expert asked about vaccinations from children aged zero to 12; was there distrust in the population when it came to vaccines?  It seemed that tuberculosis was a public health issue.  What was being done in the field of treatment? Were there children whose births had not been declared, particularly among refugees, Roma and migrants?

    A Committee Expert asked about the new concept introduced by the Parliament on parental alienation.  How had this concept been consulted on, particularly with children?  How would the best interests of the child be ensured? What specific measures were being taken to reduce school dropout and improve access to quality education for Roma children?  What mechanisms were in place to monitor and support Roma children who were at risk of dropping out? 

    Another Committee Expert said she was happy to hear about the programme for the deinstitutionalisation of alternative care centres; this was something Romania should be proud of, as well as all the foster arrangements being made, especially for children with disabilities.  What was the State doing to support the families of children with disabilities, particularly those with severe disabilities? 

    Responses by the Delegation 

    The delegation said emergency contraception was available to those who had experienced sexual assault and could be obtained without a prescription.  Adolescent pregnancies were a major concern for the Romanian public health system.  Contraceptives and medical devices were provided free of charge through family centres and through gynaecological departments, where abortions were performed upon request.  Romania was one of the first European countries to offer non-discriminatory HIV/AIDS treatment. 

    Refugees were granted a monthly allowance, one-month’s accommodation, and access to education for minors.  Legislation in the field of asylum provided for beneficiaries to apply for family reunification when family members were not in Romania.  Identity documents needed to be provided to prove family links. Family reunification of unaccompanied minors was carried out with the best interest of the child in mind. Minors from immigrant backgrounds benefitted from the same rights as minors who were Romanian citizens. Romanian language courses provided teaching support, textbooks and workbooks developed on linguistic levels according to the European Union framework.  Priority for asylum applications was given to unaccompanied minors. 

    Medical forensic expertise was used when an asylum applicant could not prove their age and there were serious doubts about their ethnicity.  The declared age of the asylum applicant was accepted if their refusal to undergo the medical expertise was based on compelling reasons.  The assessment was performed with full respect for the minor’s dignity and in as least invasive way as possible. 

    Investigations in child and human trafficking were undertaken by specialists with supervision from specialised prosecutors.  Through law 229/2024, the Romanian Parliament aimed to discourage sex tourism and the pimping of minors.  More than 1,200 criminal cases had been identified regarding child trafficking. The General Inspectorate of Romanian Police organised regular sessions for border police and 

    non-governmental organizations, with the purpose of identifying victims.  More than 125 trainings had been carried out to over 4,000 workers who may encounter trafficking victims through their work. The National Agency against Trafficking in Persons and the Directorate for Investigating Organised Crime had implemented a national action plan in the fight against human trafficking to improve the awareness of at-risk groups. 

    In 2024, prosecutors from the Directorate for Investigating Organised Crime took part in 35 seminars regarding identifying child victims, compensation for victims, international cooperation, and online sexual exploitation of children, among other topics.  A public awareness campaign had been launched relating to sexual acts between adults and minors.  The message stated that a sexual act committed against a minor of 16 years or under constituted rape, if the age gap was more than five years, and punishments applied. 

    According to Romanian legislation, minors benefited from free legal aid, whether they committed a crime, or if they were victims of a crime.  The Romanian penal system limited sanctions in regard to minors, and measures for deprivation of liberty were only given as a last resort and could only be ordered by a court. 

    The integrated social services project aimed to develop the academic knowledge of professionals working in the social assistance field, and to develop concrete measures for vulnerable groups of people. 

    During “green week”, schools organised activities around several topics relating to the environment.  These were uploaded on a specialised platform dedicated to education on climate change and varied from one educational cycle to another.  The Ministry of Education had developed a programme, the mechanism of early-living alert, which focused on early education for Roma children. 

    In Romania, social services were obligated to identify children in a risk situation.  Children could remain within families and be monitored by social services until the risks were removed.  The parental alienation provision was introduced in all cases relating to violence and neglect.  It was recommended that this provision be removed, as these measures should only be applied by the courts.  There were many trainings offered to judges on methods relating to children’s rights.  Social workers were also trained to provide necessary assistance to visiting parents. Social services could only assist; they could not intervene and solve disputes between parents. 

    Closing Remarks

    RINCHEN CHOPHEL, Committee Expert and Country Taskforce Coordinator, reiterated the Committee’s appreciation for the Government of Romania’s support to Ukrainian refugees, particularly children.  The State was encouraged to continue to undertake these activities which were important for solidarity for children.  Significant progress had been made from the last reporting period to the current one, with many looking forward beyond the dialogue.  This was an indication of the Government’s commitment towards children.  As the country moved forward, it was important to put emphasis on implementation and ensure vulnerable children did not miss out. 

    HELENA OMNA-RAICU, President of the National Authority for the Protection of Child Rights and Adoption of Romania and head of the delegation, expressed deep gratitude for the dialogue.  The delegation welcomed the Committee’s emphasis on equality, accountability and sustainability, and would underpin the next stage of the State’s deinstitutionalisation journey.  The Committee’s concerns regarding urban disparities were noted.  It was recognised that rights delayed were rights denied, and the State was committed to accelerating affirmative action. Romania would treat the Committee’s recommendations as an opportunity for deeper transformation. 

    SOPHIE KILADZE, Committee Chair, thanked the delegation for the fruitful dialogue and commended its members for their clear and comprehensive answers.  Ms. Kiladze extended her best regards to the children of Romania. 

    ___________

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

     

     

    CRC25.013E

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

    May 22, 2025
  • MIL-OSI Africa: Joint Statement of Commission of the Bishops’ Conferences of the European Union (COMECE) and Symposium of Episcopal Conferences of Africa and Madagascar (SECAM) ahead of the AU – EU Foreign Ministers’ Meeting on 21 May 2025

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

    ACCRA, Ghana, May 21, 2025/APO Group/ —

    As shepherds of the Catholic Church in Africa and in Europe, we, the bishops of the Symposium of Episcopal Conferences of Africa and Madagascar (SECAM) (www.SECAM.org) and of the Commission of the Bishops’ Conferences of the European Union (COMECE), speak today with a voice formed by the lived realities of our people – farmers, fisherfolk, pastoralists, women and youth – whose lives are shaped by the land, and whose hope depends on justice, peace, and dignity. We welcome the convening of the joint African Union–European Union Foreign Ministers’ Meeting as an opportunity to examine not only shared ambitions but the very nature of our partnership. As SECAM and COMECE have already stated five years ago, “we are firmly convinced that Africa and Europe could become the engines for a reinvigoration of multilateral cooperation by reinforcing their longstanding ties marked by our common roots and geographical proximity […] towards an equitable and responsible partnership that puts the people at its centre”.

    We are, however, deeply concerned about certain developments in this partnership over recent years. We have witnessed a profound shift in European priorities – away from solidarity with the most fragile regions and communities, and from development cooperation aimed at eradicating poverty and hunger, towards a more narrowly defined set of geopolitical and economic interests. Notwithstanding the commendable intention behind some projects promoting human development at the grassroots, certain initiatives supported under the EU’s Global Gateway – while presented as mutually beneficial – too often seem to replicate extractive patterns of the past: privileging European corporate and strategic aims over the real needs and aspirations of African people.

    Land, water, seeds, and minerals – the very foundations of life – seem to be once again treated as commodities for foreign profit rather than as common goods to be stewarded with care. Africa is being asked to sacrifice its ecosystems and communities to help Europe meet its decarbonisation goals – whether through massive land deals for so-called “green” energy projects, the expansion of carbon offset plantations, or the outsourcing of industrial agriculture’s toxic inputs and waste. This is not partnership. This is not justice.

    “The earth herself, burdened and laid waste, is among the most abandoned and maltreated of our poor” (Laudato Si’, §2)

    The Catholic Church, inspired by late Pope Francis’ encyclical Laudato Si’, shares the understanding that we must hear both the cry of the earth and the cry of the poor. These cries are loud and clear across Africa. Climate change is wreaking havoc on those who depend on the land, even as our continent has contributed least to the crisis. Soil degradation, poisoned water, and the loss of biodiversity are destroying the foundation of rural life. Hunger in Africa is growing, not because we lack food, but because we have allowed systems to dominate that put profit above people and that treat agriculture as an industrial process, not a way of life.

    We urge the ministers gathered in Brussels to place the dignity of African peoples at the heart of the AU-EU partnership. This means supporting a transformation of agriculture that breaks free from dependency on imported fertilisers, chemical inputs, and genetically modified seeds. It means protecting and promoting farmer-managed seed systems, which are the repositories of Africa’s agricultural biodiversity and the key to food sovereignty. These systems are not backward or inefficient – they are resilient, rooted in tradition, and adapted to local ecologies. Criminalising farmers for saving seeds or imposing rigid intellectual property regimes aligned with UPOV or corporate agendas violates both their rights and the planet’s needs.

    We call for an immediate ban on the export and use of Highly Hazardous Pesticides in Africa. It is a grave injustice that chemicals banned in Europe for their risks to health and ecosystems are still manufactured there and marketed to African farmers. This double standard must end. Instead, we must invest in agroecology – a science, a practice, and a social movement that nourishes the land, respects cultural traditions, and empowers women and youth. Agroecology offers a truly African path to climate adaptation and rural regeneration. It is rooted in the wisdom of our communities and validated by science. It is our future.

    Moreover, we remind our political leaders that land is sacred. For most Africans, land is not merely a factor of production or a tradable asset. It is a gift from God, entrusted to us by our ancestors and held in common for future generations. Large-scale land acquisitions by foreign investors or development finance institutions, carried out without free, prior, and informed consent, are an affront to this sacred trust. They displace communities, erode customary rights, and contribute to conflict and forced migration. Ministers must act decisively to end land grabbing and ensure legal protection for communal and customary tenure systems.

    We are particularly disturbed by growing use of African territory as a site for Europe’s resource needs and climate ambitions. Decarbonisation must not come at the cost of African ecosystems or the rights of African communities. It is ethically untenable to demand that Africa become the dumping ground for Europe’s “green transition” – whether through extractive mining for critical minerals or vast land projects that reduce our continent to a carbon sink.

    Let us be clear: Africa does not need charity, nor does it need to be a battleground for external interests. What it needs is justice. What it needs is a partnership grounded in mutual respect, environmental stewardship, and the centrality of human dignity. We believe such a partnership is possible – but only if the structures and priorities of AU-EU cooperation are fundamentally reoriented towards these objectives.

    We therefore urge ministers to listen more closely to African civil society, Indigenous peoples, and faith communities – not as token participants, but as equal co-creators of policy. Real dialogue means making space for the voices of those who live on and with the land.

    We conclude by echoing the spirit of Laudato Si’, which calls for an “integral ecology” – one that recognises the profound interconnection between people, planet, and purpose.

    We pray that this meeting may mark a turning point – not only in diplomatic relations but in the moral and spiritual compass guiding our shared future.

    Africa needs a transformation rooted in the Gospel values of care for creation, solidarity with the poor, and the pursuit of peace. As Laudato Si’ teaches us, “everything is interconnected” (§117) – and so our response must be holistic and courageous.

    We invite the AU and EU Foreign Ministers to rise to this moment. Let this be the partnership that listens to the cries of the earth and the cries of the poor. Let this be the moment when Africa’s future is shaped not by external interests, but by the aspirations of its people – especially those who till the land, feed the nation, and protect the environment.

    MIL OSI Africa –

    May 22, 2025
  • MIL-OSI Global: Teachers knew what children needed to recover from the pandemic – but their insights were ignored

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Alice Bradbury, Professor of Sociology of Education, UCL

    PeopleImages.com – Yuri A/Shutterstock

    Five years have passed since schools and nurseries closed in England as a result of COVID-19 lockdowns. This unprecedented disruption to children’s normal routines created considerable concern – both at the time and in the years since.

    But based on our research into the impact of school closures on children, we believe that many of the long-term effects have been misdiagnosed or ignored. Funding has been channelled in the wrong direction, hampering real recovery.

    We researched what was happening in primary schools during the pandemic. We used surveys, interviews and school-based case studies to collect insights from school staff and parents.

    Our survey data and case studies showed that teachers recognised straight away how the pandemic was affecting the children they taught and their families.


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


    Schools knew that not receiving free school meals and being confined to inadequate housing during lockdown would affect children’s health and nutrition. They saw that some children would be exposed to greater risk from being at home, and that they needed to take action. They also recognised that children living in poverty would be affected the most.

    We also conducted two systematic literature reviews which assessed the findings of a large range of scholarly research. In one, we reviewed the evidence for how schools recover from sudden closures due to natural disasters or epidemics. In the other, we assessed studies published towards the end of the pandemic on the harm done to pupils.

    Priorities for recovery

    We wanted to know the key areas to focus on to help children recover from the disruption of lockdown. Our own research in schools arrived at similar answers to the review of research on school closures associated with natural disasters.

    First, it is important to recognise the value of local knowledge. Recovery strategies that are decided without insight into the local context may be poorly designed and unable to address the actual issues facing particular schools.

    Second, schools need to have the freedom to reset the pace at which the curriculum is taught, as both pupils and staff needed time to process what had happened during the pandemic. Rushing to catch up would prove counter-productive. And third, government responses need to make staff and pupil welfare a priority, and help repair wellbeing.

    Our review of the evidence of harm to pupils, published as the pandemic ended, found negative effects on physical health and nutrition, mixed effects on mental health and uncertainty about effects on learning.

    We saw how far the impact of COVID-19 on employment, and the prevalence of household bereavements, varied from place to place. We advised the Department for Education that insights from local communities were needed to help recovery, and that without them, centrally designed schemes might be unsuccessful.

    But instead, the government focused its immediate efforts on a time-limited national tutoring programme, intended to counter “learning loss” – to help pupils recover the knowledge they missed out on learning during school closures and to close the attainment gap.

    But the programme was poorly reviewed. Funding for tutors with no knowledge of the school or its pupils led to disappointing uptake and an early switch to a school-led funding route.

    The government’s appointed “catch-up tsar”, Kevan Collins, resigned early on. He commented that the “support announced by government so far does not come close to meeting the scale of the challenge”. This has proved true.

    Lasting consequences

    Five years on, it is not in the areas of learning loss that the long-term effects are being most felt. Evidence of learning loss is mixed, with exam results showing near recovery to pre-pandemic standards.

    Rather, it is the complex interactions between pupil absence and exclusions, the ongoing impacts on children with special educational needs and disabilities (as the strongest predictor of persistent absence) and the impacts on wellbeing that are most clearly indicative of an ongoing problem.

    Children’s wellbeing should be a key focus of continuing pandemic recovery.
    New Africa/Shutterstock

    A recent report from the charities The Institute For Public Policy Research and The Difference has found that absence and suspensions are two-thirds higher in England than before the pandemic. The findings suggest that this is the “lost learning” we should be concerned about.

    This has been compounded by a cost-of-living crisis that is deepening child poverty.

    Schools need support to help get past the consequences of the pandemic. This means a better funding formula that resources them properly for what they do – including the role they play in addressing child poverty. Teachers’ expertise needs to be recognised, and they need to feel valued.

    What’s more, the social value of primary school matters. It should not be seen only as preparation for an academic secondary school curriculum. Room for play, for physical activity, for arts and self-expression would greatly enrich this phase and set good foundations for the later years.

    While it may be many years until we really understand what the pandemic meant for children, we can at least use what we know now to inform the long process of recovery.

    Alice Bradbury receives funding from the Helen Hamlyn Trust which funds the Helen Hamlyn Centre for Pedagogy at UCL. She has also received research funding from the Economic and Social Research Council and Department of Education/SAGE for the research discussed here. She is a member of the Labour Party and the Universities and College Union.

    Gemma Moss receives funding from the Economic and Social Research Council for the research discussed here.

    Sinead Harmey receives funding from the Economic and Social Research Council for the research discussed here.

    – ref. Teachers knew what children needed to recover from the pandemic – but their insights were ignored – https://theconversation.com/teachers-knew-what-children-needed-to-recover-from-the-pandemic-but-their-insights-were-ignored-253181

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

    May 22, 2025
  • MIL-OSI USA: Governor Lamont Announces More Than 100,000 Connecticut Residents Being Notified This Week That Some or All of Their Medical Debt Has Been Erased

    Source: US State of Connecticut

    (HARTFORD, CT) – Governor Ned Lamont today announced that letters are being mailed this week to more than 100,000 Connecticut residents notifying them that some or all of their medical debt has been eliminated under the second round of an initiative his administration launched last year through a partnership with the nonprofit organization Undue Medical Debt.

    Under the partnership, Undue Medical Debt is leveraging investments from the state to negotiate with hospitals and other providers on the elimination of large, bundled portfolios of qualifying medical debt owed by Connecticut patients. Those who qualify must have income at or below four times (400%) the federal poverty level or have medical debt that is 5% or more of their income. (The current federal poverty level is an annual income at or below $32,150 for a family of four.) Since these medical debts are acquired in bulk and belong to those least able to pay, they cost a fraction of their face value, often pennies on the dollar.

    In this second round, the state invested $575,000 in American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funding, and Undue Medical Debt was able to negotiate with a secondary market partner to acquire and eliminate more than $100 million in qualifying medical debt. The first round occurred in December and saw the elimination of approximately $30 million in medical debt for 23,000 of the state’s residents.

    Those who have been identified for relief will receive a branded envelope and letter from Undue Medical Debt in the mail over the next several days. (To view a sample of what this letter looks like, click here.)

    “Medical debt causes additional anxiety and stress when individuals and families are coping with potentially life-threatening health situations,” Governor Lamont said. “Over the next few days, more than 100,000 Connecticut residents who have been struggling to pay their medical bills will feel relief when they receive letters in the mail notifying them that their debt has been erased. I am hopeful that additional medical partners will soon sign onto this program to help more Connecticut families through further rounds of this initiative.”

    “I’m very grateful for the State of Connecticut’s continued partnership in providing medical debt relief to its residents,” Allison Sesso, CEO and president of Undue Medical Debt, said. “The erasure of these debts of necessity wouldn’t be possible without community-minded leaders like Governor Lamont and his team, who believe medical debt should not be a hindrance to seeking needed care. We look forward to continuing our work in the state so families can seek healthcare with dignity.”

    “Medical debt can be a crippling burden on patients, especially those who are already struggling to make ends meet,” State Representative Cristin McCarthy Vahey, co-chair of the legislature’s Public Health Committee, said. “Erasing medical debt for an additional 100,000 residents will greatly ease the stress they are facing and will free them up to focus on their health and well-being. Thank you to Governor Lamont and Undue Medical Debt for their leadership on this innovative program.”

    Because this debt erasure occurs through the purchase of large, qualifying bundled portfolios of debt from participating partners like hospitals and collection agencies, there is no application process for this relief and it cannot be requested.

    Governor Lamont intends to continue partnering with Undue Medical Debt to enact further rounds of medical debt cancellation. The governor and the Connecticut General Assembly enacted legislation that makes $6.5 million in ARPA funding available for this initiative.

     

    MIL OSI USA News –

    May 22, 2025
  • MIL-OSI Global: Eldest daughters often carry the heaviest burdens – insights from Madagascar

    Source: The Conversation – Africa – By Claire Ricard, Research Fellow at CERDI, Université Clermont Auvergne (UCA)

    In recent years, the term “eldest daughter syndrome” has gained traction on social media, as many firstborn daughters share how they had to grow up faster. They often took on caregiving and supportive roles in their families.

    In high-income countries, research shows that these responsibilities often bring long-term benefits. Firstborn daughters – and sons – tend to have higher educational attainment and stronger cognitive skills. They also enjoy better job prospects and salaries.

    Some studies in low- and middle-income countries have found similar positive effects of being the eldest. But others have found the opposite.

    In low-income contexts, economic constraints, cultural practices – such as the involvement of extended families in child-rearing – and inheritance norms may produce very different effects.

    Our research brings new insights by examining these dynamics in Madagascar. It is one of the world’s poorest countries. Birth order there strongly shapes the transition to adulthood, especially for firstborn children.

    Progress in understanding birth order effects in low-income countries is held back by the lack of detailed, sibling-level data. Our study used a dataset that followed individuals from the ages of 10 to 22, capturing their transition from adolescence to adulthood. It collected detailed information on education, work, health, marriage, and migration. The dataset also captured key demographic and educational details for all living full siblings of each respondent.

    We found that firstborns in Madagascar transition into adulthood earlier than their younger siblings. They are more likely to leave school early. They enter the workforce sooner and marry at younger ages. For example, fourth-born children are 1.5 percentage points less likely than firstborns to have never attended school, and 1.1 percentage points more likely to complete post-secondary education.
    Or, third-borns are 23% less likely to marry at age 19 than firstborns.

    Our findings suggest that later-born children benefit from greater parental investment in education. This leads to better schooling outcomes and delayed entry into the labour market.

    Birth order and the transition to adulthood

    In Madagascar, early marriage can be a way for families to ease financial pressure. This is especially true since daughters typically join their husband’s household.

    When it comes to marriage, we find that later-born children are less likely to marry early than their firstborn siblings – especially after age 17. This trend holds for both boys and girls. The difference appears earlier for girls, which aligns with their younger average age at marriage.

    Interestingly, second-born girls are not significantly less likely to marry than their older sisters. This suggests that the eldest daughter does not always bear the full brunt of early marriage risk.
    Firstborn daughters often take on caregiving and household roles. These responsibilities may delay their marriage slightly, as families rely on them for day-to-day support.

    What explains these birth order effects?

    We did not observe significant differences in cognitive skills (like reasoning) or non-cognitive traits (like personality) between firstborns and their younger siblings. Cognitive abilities were assessed through oral and written math and French tests administered at home. These findings contrast with evidence from wealthier countries, where firstborns often outperform their siblings in both cognitive and non-cognitive domains. This may result from greater early parental investment.

    In Madagascar, child development may rely less on direct parental input and more on interactions within the extended family. This is consistent with the concept of fihavanana, a cultural principle that emphasises solidarity and mutual support within the extended family.
    Rather than benefiting mostly from parental quality time, children – especially later-borns – may develop their cognitive and non-cognitive skills through broader social networks. These include relatives and older siblings.

    We also explored whether gender preferences might help explain the differences in outcomes. For instance, if later-born children were disproportionately boys, it could suggest that parents continued having children in hopes of having a son. This could lead to more resources being allocated to that later-born boy. However, our data show an even distribution of boys and girls among later-born children. This suggests that gender-based stopping rules are unlikely to explain the patterns we observe.

    Instead, our findings point to economic constraints as the main driver for firstborns transitioning into adulthood earlier than their younger siblings.

    In poorer households, particularly in rural areas, firstborn children are often asked to help out financially. This often comes at the cost of their own education. Later-born children, by contrast, receive more investment in their schooling. This may compensate for their limited access to other resources, such as land.

    We find no birth order advantage in wealthier households or among families where parents have some education. This again highlights poverty as a key factor shaping these patterns.

    The double burden of being firstborn

    To sum up, our research shows that, in Madagascar, both male and female firstborns face an earlier transition into adulthood. They leave school and enter the labour market sooner. They marry earlier, although firstborn girls may be at slightly lower risk of early marriage than their younger sisters.

    This suggests that, in poor countries, the eldest daughter syndrome is not just about emotional and care-giving responsibilities. It may also come with fewer educational opportunities, greater economic pressure, and an earlier end to childhood. A true double burden for disadvantaged girls. Economic constraints within households largely explain this pattern.

    But the story is not only one of constraint. The absence of differences in cognitive and non-cognitive skills suggests that broader community ties, rooted in fihavanana and extended kinship networks, help cushion the impact of early responsibility. These collective structures may not erase inequality, but they offer a vital source of resilience.

    As policymakers and practitioners look for ways to promote educational equity, it’s worth remembering that some of the most overlooked trade-offs happen within households. Reducing the weight of those trade-offs – through financial support, community-based programmes, or school retention efforts – could help ensure that the future of one child doesn’t come at the expense of another.

    Claire Ricard receives funding from the program “Investissements d’avenir” (ANR-10-LABX-14-01). She’s affiliated to Université Clermont Auvergne, CNRS, IRD, CERDI, F-63000, Clermont-Ferrand and works as an Economist at IDinsight, Rabat, Morocco.

    Francesca Marchetta receives funding from the program “Investissements d’avenir” (ANR-10-LABX-14-01).
    She’s affiliated to Université Clermont Auvergne, CNRS, IRD, CERDI, F-63000, Clermont-Ferrand and with PEP (Partnership for Economic Policy).

    – ref. Eldest daughters often carry the heaviest burdens – insights from Madagascar – https://theconversation.com/eldest-daughters-often-carry-the-heaviest-burdens-insights-from-madagascar-255785

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

    May 22, 2025
  • MIL-OSI Africa: Eldest daughters often carry the heaviest burdens – insights from Madagascar

    Source: The Conversation – Africa – By Claire Ricard, Research Fellow at CERDI, Université Clermont Auvergne (UCA)

    In recent years, the term “eldest daughter syndrome” has gained traction on social media, as many firstborn daughters share how they had to grow up faster. They often took on caregiving and supportive roles in their families.

    In high-income countries, research shows that these responsibilities often bring long-term benefits. Firstborn daughters – and sons – tend to have higher educational attainment and stronger cognitive skills. They also enjoy better job prospects and salaries.

    Some studies in low- and middle-income countries have found similar positive effects of being the eldest. But others have found the opposite.

    In low-income contexts, economic constraints, cultural practices – such as the involvement of extended families in child-rearing – and inheritance norms may produce very different effects.

    Our research brings new insights by examining these dynamics in Madagascar. It is one of the world’s poorest countries. Birth order there strongly shapes the transition to adulthood, especially for firstborn children.

    Progress in understanding birth order effects in low-income countries is held back by the lack of detailed, sibling-level data. Our study used a dataset that followed individuals from the ages of 10 to 22, capturing their transition from adolescence to adulthood. It collected detailed information on education, work, health, marriage, and migration. The dataset also captured key demographic and educational details for all living full siblings of each respondent.

    We found that firstborns in Madagascar transition into adulthood earlier than their younger siblings. They are more likely to leave school early. They enter the workforce sooner and marry at younger ages. For example, fourth-born children are 1.5 percentage points less likely than firstborns to have never attended school, and 1.1 percentage points more likely to complete post-secondary education. Or, third-borns are 23% less likely to marry at age 19 than firstborns.

    Our findings suggest that later-born children benefit from greater parental investment in education. This leads to better schooling outcomes and delayed entry into the labour market.

    Birth order and the transition to adulthood

    In Madagascar, early marriage can be a way for families to ease financial pressure. This is especially true since daughters typically join their husband’s household.

    When it comes to marriage, we find that later-born children are less likely to marry early than their firstborn siblings – especially after age 17. This trend holds for both boys and girls. The difference appears earlier for girls, which aligns with their younger average age at marriage.

    Interestingly, second-born girls are not significantly less likely to marry than their older sisters. This suggests that the eldest daughter does not always bear the full brunt of early marriage risk. Firstborn daughters often take on caregiving and household roles. These responsibilities may delay their marriage slightly, as families rely on them for day-to-day support.

    What explains these birth order effects?

    We did not observe significant differences in cognitive skills (like reasoning) or non-cognitive traits (like personality) between firstborns and their younger siblings. Cognitive abilities were assessed through oral and written math and French tests administered at home. These findings contrast with evidence from wealthier countries, where firstborns often outperform their siblings in both cognitive and non-cognitive domains. This may result from greater early parental investment.

    In Madagascar, child development may rely less on direct parental input and more on interactions within the extended family. This is consistent with the concept of fihavanana, a cultural principle that emphasises solidarity and mutual support within the extended family. Rather than benefiting mostly from parental quality time, children – especially later-borns – may develop their cognitive and non-cognitive skills through broader social networks. These include relatives and older siblings.

    We also explored whether gender preferences might help explain the differences in outcomes. For instance, if later-born children were disproportionately boys, it could suggest that parents continued having children in hopes of having a son. This could lead to more resources being allocated to that later-born boy. However, our data show an even distribution of boys and girls among later-born children. This suggests that gender-based stopping rules are unlikely to explain the patterns we observe.

    Instead, our findings point to economic constraints as the main driver for firstborns transitioning into adulthood earlier than their younger siblings.

    In poorer households, particularly in rural areas, firstborn children are often asked to help out financially. This often comes at the cost of their own education. Later-born children, by contrast, receive more investment in their schooling. This may compensate for their limited access to other resources, such as land.

    We find no birth order advantage in wealthier households or among families where parents have some education. This again highlights poverty as a key factor shaping these patterns.

    The double burden of being firstborn

    To sum up, our research shows that, in Madagascar, both male and female firstborns face an earlier transition into adulthood. They leave school and enter the labour market sooner. They marry earlier, although firstborn girls may be at slightly lower risk of early marriage than their younger sisters.

    This suggests that, in poor countries, the eldest daughter syndrome is not just about emotional and care-giving responsibilities. It may also come with fewer educational opportunities, greater economic pressure, and an earlier end to childhood. A true double burden for disadvantaged girls. Economic constraints within households largely explain this pattern.

    But the story is not only one of constraint. The absence of differences in cognitive and non-cognitive skills suggests that broader community ties, rooted in fihavanana and extended kinship networks, help cushion the impact of early responsibility. These collective structures may not erase inequality, but they offer a vital source of resilience.

    As policymakers and practitioners look for ways to promote educational equity, it’s worth remembering that some of the most overlooked trade-offs happen within households. Reducing the weight of those trade-offs – through financial support, community-based programmes, or school retention efforts – could help ensure that the future of one child doesn’t come at the expense of another.

    – Eldest daughters often carry the heaviest burdens – insights from Madagascar
    – https://theconversation.com/eldest-daughters-often-carry-the-heaviest-burdens-insights-from-madagascar-255785

    MIL OSI Africa –

    May 22, 2025
  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Greens welcome apparent U-turn from government on winter fuel payments

    Source: Green Party of England and Wales

    21 May 2025/ 21 May 2025 by Green Party

    Reacting to comments in the Commons today in which Keir Starmer said he wanted to ensure more pensioners are eligible for winter fuel payments, Sian Berry MP said:

    “The Prime Minister’s statement shows just how much pressure he is now under, from the public, Greens and others in opposition, and many Labour MPs, to demonstrate he has at least some understanding that his Government’s cuts are hurting people.

    “To truly right these many wrongs, the Chancellor must try harder, and use her upcoming fiscal decisions to tax extreme wealth fairly. This could not only restore payments in full to the millions of pensioners Labour has betrayed, but also enable her to reconsider other cruel political choices, including £5 billion in cuts to welfare and her refusal to cancel the two-child benefit cap.

    “Together, these u-turns would save hundreds of thousands from being pushed into poverty, and Greens will be making the case for this alongside everyone affected until this Government does the right thing.”

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

    May 22, 2025
  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Urgent aid must be allowed to enter Palestinian territory

    Source: Scottish Greens

    21 May 2025 Economy Energy

    Patrick Harvie MSP calls on the UK Government to fix broken energy market

    More in Economy

    High energy bills are punishing households and families and baking in high rates of inflation for years to come, say the Scottish Greens.

    The Scottish Greens have called for UK Labour to listen to climate experts, take urgent action to fix the broken energy market, and end the artificial high price for clean green electricity, which is cheap to generate but expensive to consume.

    This comes following the publication of new monthly figures from the Office for National Statistics showing that inflation has jumped to 3.5% in April, the highest level since February last year.

    The ONS has revealed that big increases in utility bills – including electricity and gas bills – have impacted inflation, after changes to the Ofgem energy price cap earlier this year sent April rates soaring.

    Independent climate advisors have advised that the UK Government must act urgently to make electricity cheaper, through rebalancing prices to remove policy levies from electricity bills.

    The Scottish Greens’ climate spokesperson, Patrick Harvie, said:

    “At a time when so many are already struggling to make ends meet, households and families across our country are now facing the highest rates of inflation since February last year.

    “Labour promised to make energy bills cheaper, but they have only gone up. Keir Starmer and his colleagues must urgently step in to make sure that households get the benefit of the low price of renewable energy, to help get inflation under control.

    “This isn’t just about the price cap. Climate experts are clear – out-of-date policy levies on electricity bills are stopping costs from coming down for consumers, and that’s a barrier to people switching away from fossil fuels for heat and transport. So even though home-grown renewable energy is very cheap to generate, that’s not being reflected in the bills people are paying. 

    “We desperately need to fix the broken energy market that is plunging people into poverty all while keeping our reliance on climate-wrecking fossil fuels.”

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

    May 22, 2025
  • MIL-OSI Russia: Chinese Foreign Minister Meets Afghan Acting Foreign Minister in Beijing /detailed version-1/

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian – People’s Republic of China in Russian –

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

    BEIJING, May 21 (Xinhua) — Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi met with Acting Afghan Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi in Beijing on Wednesday.

    Wang Yi, also a member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee, welcomed A.H. Muttaqi’s visit, which coincides with the 70th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries. He stressed that China and Afghanistan, as traditional friendly neighbors, always support and understand each other.

    “China respects the independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity of Afghanistan, as well as the independent choice of the Afghan people,” Wang said, stressing that China will continue to support the Afghan government in achieving long-term peace and stability in the country at an early date.

    Wang Yi added that China is willing to work with the Afghan side to develop traditional friendship, strengthen political mutual trust and deepen practical cooperation so as to bring more benefits to the two countries and their peoples, and contribute to regional peace and stability.

    According to him, China is ready to increase cooperation with Afghanistan in the areas of economy and trade, agriculture, energy, mining, poverty reduction, disaster prevention, personnel training, healthcare, law enforcement and security.

    The Chinese side intends to increase imports of high-quality Afghan products and provide all possible support in restoring Afghanistan’s economy and improving the living conditions of its population, the minister said.

    A.H. Muttaqi, in turn, thanked China for its valuable assistance in developing Afghanistan and improving the living conditions of the Afghan people over a long period of time, as well as for its advocacy of justice for Afghanistan in the international arena.

    He stressed that the Afghan government values the traditional friendship between Afghanistan and China, attaches great importance to relations with China in its foreign policy, and will continue to firmly adhere to the one-China principle and firmly oppose interference in China’s internal affairs.

    A. H. Muttaqi noted that the Afghan side is ready to deepen mutual trust with China and contribute to achieving greater positive results in cooperation in various areas. “Afghanistan attaches great importance to China’s security issues and will under no circumstances allow Afghan territory to be used for activities that threaten China’s security,” he stressed.

    Afghanistan is ready to step up cooperation with China in the security sphere, jointly combat violent crimes and ensure security and stability in the region, added A.H. Muttaqi. -0-

    MIL OSI Russia News –

    May 22, 2025
  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Welfare reform: Speech to the IPPR by Work and Pensions Secretary

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Speech

    Welfare reform: Speech to the IPPR by Work and Pensions Secretary

    Secretary of State for Work and Pensions Rt Hon Liz Kendall MP speech to the IPPR setting out the case for welfare reform.

    I’m very grateful to my former employer IPPR for hosting us and to all of you for taking the time to come along, I’m especially grateful to Dominic for sharing his experiences, and I thought that was really important to hear today – about the benefits work brings to you, and the struggles you have faced, and your hopes for the future.

    I want to talk about the Government’s welfare reforms.

    How they will transform people’s lives, as part of our Plan for Change.

    [Political content removed]

    How these reforms will help ensure our welfare state is sustainable for the future.

    [Political content removed]

    Now Getting Britain Working is central to the Government’s Plan for Change.

    It is vital to delivering higher living standards in every part of Britain. 

    And it’s vital to achieving the number one mission of this Government, which is growing the economy.

    But Getting Britain Working is about so much more than this.

    It’s about giving people the dignity and self respect that we know good work brings.

    The purpose and belonging that Dominic spoke about so powerfully.

    It’s about improving the health of the nation, because we know good work is good for people’s mental and physical health – and can help reduce pressure on the NHS.

    And Getting Britain Working is critical to driving down child poverty and ensuring every child starts school ready to learn – perhaps the single most important step to transforming equality and opportunity in this country.

    And the scale and urgency of our task is there for all to see. 

    Nearly 1 in 10 people of working age are now on at least one sickness or disability benefit.  

    A near record 2.8 million people are out of work due to long-term sickness. 

    1 million young people are not in education, employment or training – that’s more than 1 in 8 of our young people – with all the long-term consequences this brings for their future health, job prospects and earnings potential.

    And 300,000 people with health conditions are falling out of work every single year, piling up even greater problems for the future.

    The result is millions of people who could work written off and denied the chance to build a better life …

    … with all these challenges far worse in parts of the Midlands and the North, whose economies were decimated in the 80s and 90s when whole industries closed, and who have never been given the investment, support and opportunity they need to recover.

    [Political content removed]

    … with the benefits bill for sickness and disability up £20 billion since the pandemic and set to rise by a further £18 billion by the end of this Parliament, unless we change course. 

    And the truth is … it doesn’t have to be this way.

    We are the only economy in the G7 whose employment rate still hasn’t returned to pre-pandemic levels.

    And spending on sickness and disability benefits in most other comparable countries is either stable or falling since the pandemic … yet ours continues to inexorably rise.  

    [Political content removed]

    And there is nothing inevitable about Britain’s future path, if we have the courage and conviction to act.

    We must start shifting so much spending from the costs of “failure” to investing in the jobs, skills and public services that people need to build a better life.

    This requires leadership and it requires reform. 

    Now the truth is, welfare reform is never easy. And it is rarely popular. 

    [Political content removed]

    So we will reform the welfare state.

    [Political content removed]

    Changing it to meet the social and demographic challenges of today and tomorrow and delivering the fairness, equality and opportunity people need and deserve.

    [Political content removed]

    Reforming the welfare state to offer them the same rights and chances to work as anybody else.

    When the welfare state was created, average life expectancy was 65, and the most common cause of illness and death was infectious diseases and accidents. 

    Now, average life expectancy is around 80. And 1 in 7 babies born today is likely to live to 100.

    Back then, disability was the exception. Now, 1 in 4 of us self-reports as disabled. And 1 in 3 of us will have a long-term health condition.

    But the welfare state has simply not kept pace with these changes.

    Our benefit system in particular forces too many sick and disabled people into a binary choice of can or can’t work – when we know many people’s physical and mental health conditions fluctuate, and many sick and disabled people want to and need to work.

    The system then writes people off, and traps them … without offering any help or support.

    The number of people on the health top up of Universal Credit is set to rise by 50 per cent to 3 million by the end of the decade. 

    And the number of people on Personal Independence Payments is set to more than double to 4.3 million.

    There are now 1,000 new PIP awards every single day. That’s the equivalent of adding a city the size of Leicester every single year.

    This is not sustainable or fair – for the people who need support and for taxpayers.

    So unless we reform the system to help those who can work to do so…

    Unless we get social security spending on a more sustainable footing…

    And unless we ensure public money is focused on those with the greatest need and is spent in ways that have the best chance of improving people’s lives…

    …the risk is the welfare state won’t be there for people who really need it in future.

    That is why we are grasping the nettle of welfare reform. 

    Not for the sake of it, but to ensure the welfare state lasts for generations to come.

    Now we have already made huge strides in getting Britain working and growing again. 

    We are improving the quality of work and making work pay, with our landmark Employment Rights Bill.

    We are creating more good jobs in every part of the country – from clean energy to construction and through our modern industrial strategy.

    And we are investing an additional £26 billion this year to drive down NHS waiting lists, because getting people back to health is crucial to getting them back to work.

    But we also need big changes in our system of social security and employment support to deliver greater fairness and opportunity.

    Our plans are based on three clear objectives. 

    First, overhauling the system to help those who can work, get into work and stay in work.

    Last autumn our Get Britain Working white paper kicked off the biggest reforms to employment support in a generation, backed by and additional £240 million…

    … overhauling our Jobcentres to create a new national jobs and careers service, and shift the focus away from benefit administration alone.

    … investing in 16 new trailblazing programmes across the country – led by Mayors and local areas – to join up work, health and skills support, ensure every young person is earning or learning and to tackle the scar of economic inactivity.

    This year, we announced a further £1 billion a year in our new ‘Pathways to Work’ offer.

    Along with programmes like WorkWell, Connect to Work – which is being rolled out to the whole of England and Wales by December – and freeing up 1,000 work coaches to support sick and disabled people….

    …. Pathways to Work will guarantee a comprehensive offer of health, work and skills support for anyone who needs it. 

    … rolling out from next April when our benefit changes start to come in… 

    …. the biggest ever package of support for sick and disabled people.

    To underpin these changes in employment support, we are also creating a more pro-active, pro-work system. 

    We are consulting on a new Unemployment Insurance to provide a higher rate of time-limited income protection for people who lose their job but have paid into the system.

    We are scrapping the failed Work Capability Assessment [Political content removed] to help end the binary can/can’t work divide.

    We are reforming Universal Credit to encourage people to find work, and not stay on benefits…

    … reducing the health top up for new claims from April 2026, alongside active help to find work.

    …. and bringing in a sustained above inflation increase to the standard allowance in Universal Credit for the first time ever, delivering a cash increase of £725 a year by the end of the Parliament. 

    We’re introducing a new ‘right to try work’ by legislating to guarantee that work in and of itself will never lead to someone being called in for a benefit assessment to give people the confidences to take the plunge and try work. 

    To underpin our Youth Guarantee we are consulting on delaying access to the health top up in Universal Credit until someone is aged 22, with the savings reinvested into work support and training opportunities. 

    And we will support employers to recruit and retain more disabled people and people with health conditions through our Keep Britain Working review, led by the former boss of John Lewis, Sir Charlie Mayfield.  

    The second objective of our plans is to protect those who cannot work. 

    Those with the most severe, life-long conditions that will never improve and who can never work will have their Universal Credit protected – including young people aged under 22. 

    And we will guarantee they will never be reassessed in future, removing totally unnecessary stress, anxiety and uncertainty.

    To improve trust, we will also fundamentally overhaul our safeguarding approach to ensure all our processes and training are of the highest possible quality and to protect and support vulnerable people.

    Our third objective is to focus Personal Independence Payments on those with higher needs and to review the PIP assessment to ensure it is fair and fit for purpose.

    I know the concerns that have been raised about our proposals. I am listening carefully to all the points people raise.

    But 9 out of 10 people claiming PIP at the point when the changes come into force in November 2026 will not be affected by the end of the Parliament.

    And even with the changes we are making…

    … there will still be 750,000 more people receiving PIP by the end of this Parliament than there were at the start.

    … and spending will be £8 billion higher than it is now: rising faster than GDP, and faster than spending on public services.

    In making our changes, we are preserving PIP as a vital cash benefit that makes a contribution towards the extra cost of living with a disability. [Political content removed]

    We are consulting on how best to support those who will no longer be eligible, including so their health and care needs are met. 

    We will improve the experience of those going through the PIP assessment, switching back to more face-to-face assessments and recording them as standard.

    And we have begun the first review of the PIP assessment, in more than a decade – including the descriptors, and in consultation with disabled people and the organisations that represent them – to ensure it is fair and fit for purpose. 

    Taken together, our measures will reform the system to support those who can work to do so, to protect those who cannot, and to help ensure our welfare state lasts for generations to come.

    I want to finish by saying this.

    When I travel around the country, I know the places with the highest levels of economic inactivity and the largest number of people on sickness and disability benefits…

    … are the same places with the worst health, lowest life expectancy and fewest opportunities.

    The villages, towns and cities, especially in parts of the Midlands and North whose economies have still not recovered from the 80s and 90s, where economic demand remains weakest.

    Places that are full of talent and ambition but which need the investment – in jobs, infrastructure, skills, and public services – to build a better life for themselves and their communities.

    People in this country rightly demand change.

    [Political content removed]

    They need real hope built on real solutions.

    [Political content removed]

    Change of this scale isn’t easy.

    But it is possible.

    [Political content removed]

    That we will create the jobs, opportunities and public services people want and deserve. 

    Because a future dependent on benefits alone is not good enough for people in Blackpool, Birkenhead or Blaenau Gwent. 

    I am confident we will deliver. 

    Because all the evidence shows hundreds of thousands of sick and disabled people want to work.

    When they have a government that is on their side and provides the right support, they get work. 

    And that this can transform their lives. 

    Our task is urgent. 

    [Political content removed]

    So now let’s get on with the job.

    ENDS

    Updates to this page

    Published 21 May 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

    May 22, 2025
  • MIL-OSI China: Chinese FM meets Afghan acting foreign minister in Beijing

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

    Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi met with Afghan Acting Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi in Beijing on Wednesday.

    Wang, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, welcomed Muttaqi’s visit to China on the occasion of the 70th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Afghanistan. He called the two countries traditional friendly neighbors that understand and support each other.

    China respects Afghanistan’s independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity, as well as the independent choices made by the Afghan people, Wang said, noting that China will, as always, support the government of Afghanistan in achieving long-term peace and stability in the country at an early date.

    China stands ready to carry forward traditional friendship, enhance political mutual trust and deepen practical cooperation with the Afghan side, to bring more benefits to the two countries and the two peoples, and contribute to regional peace and stability, Wang added.

    Wang said that China is willing to expand cooperation with Afghanistan in areas such as economy and trade, agriculture, energy and minerals, poverty reduction, disaster prevention and mitigation, talent cultivation, healthcare, law enforcement and security.

    He said China will import more quality products from Afghanistan, and provide support and assistance within its capacity for Afghanistan’s reconstruction and development as well as the improvement of people’s lives.

    Echoing Wang’s remarks, Muttaqi expressed his gratitude to China for providing long-term valuable assistance to Afghanistan’s national development and improvement of people’s lives, and for upholding justice for Afghanistan in the international arena.

    He said that the Afghan government values the traditional friendship between Afghanistan and China, places friendship with China in an important position in its foreign policy, and will continue to firmly abide by the one-China principle and oppose interference in China’s internal affairs.

    Muttaqi noted that the Afghan side is willing to deepen mutual trust with China and push for more positive achievements in their cooperation across various fields. The Afghan side attaches great importance to China’s security concerns and will never allow any force to use Afghan territory to engage in activities that harm China.

    Afghanistan is willing to strengthen cooperation with China in the security field, combat violent crimes, safeguard China’s interests in Afghanistan, and jointly maintain regional security and stability, Muttaqi added. 

    MIL OSI China News –

    May 22, 2025
  • MIL-OSI Europe: ASIA/INDONESIA – The Director of the PMS: “Social justice as part of the mission, inspired by Pope Leo”

    Source: Agenzia Fides – MIL OSI

    Wednesday, 21 May 2025

    Archdiocese of Jakarta

    Rome (Agenzia Fides) – “Social justice is one of the central themes today for a great nation like Indonesia, an emerging nation on the international scene. It is also a crucial issue for the Church’s mission in Indonesia. And we see that Pope Leo XIV, inspired by his predecessor Leo XIII, the Pope of Rerum Novarum, has placed the theme of social justice among the central points of his vision and action.This can also be of help to us,” says Father Alfonsus Widhiwiryawan, a Xaverian missionary originally from Java and National Director of the Pontifical Mission Societies (PMS) in Indonesia, in an interview with Fides.Fr. Alfonsus recalls Pope Leo XIV’s recent speech to the Diplomatic Corps, in which he stated that “the pursuit of peace requires the practice of justice.” And, evoking Leo XIII, he added that “in the era of change we are experiencing, the Holy See cannot fail to make its voice heard in the face of the numerous imbalances and injustices that cause, among other things, undignified working conditions and increasingly fragmented and conflict-ridden societies. It is also necessary to correct global inequalities, where opulence and poverty leave deep gaps between continents, countries, and even within individual societies.” “This need is felt in Indonesia, a nation characterized by a great diversity of regions, cultures, religious contexts, and socio-economic situations. The risk is fragmentation, even within the Church itself,” the missionary emphasized. “That is why our national motto is unity in diversity, and we are called to practice it every day also within the Church,” added the national director of the PMS. Social justice, he recalls, “is also one of the fundamental principles of Pancasila, the five-principle charter that is the basis of the Indonesian nation, and is a particularly relevant issue for many Muslim organizations.”The Indonesian bishops have clearly expressed their commitment in this area. For example, the prelates of the Flores region, in their message for Lent 2025, issued a joint appeal for “justice for the poor and a renewed commitment to Gospel values.” In particular, they expressed concern about the development of geothermal projects, which, they noted, “harm the environment, food security, social balance, and cultural sustainability.” They also denounced the persistence of chronic malnutrition, which continues to affect many young children, stressing that “this is not simply a question of health, but of justice.” “All children deserve food, love, and dignity,” they wrote, encouraging targeted support for vulnerable families and the implementation of solid nutrition education programs. It is in this context that the debate surrounding the economic policy of the new President, Prabowo Subianto, is taking place. In keeping with his campaign promises, he has launched an ambitious program to support school canteens and a budget efficiency plan. However, the latter has sparked protests over job cuts and the suspension of scholarships until 2025. Fr. Alfonsus comments on this: “Instead of allocating public resources to welfare measures that bring easy consensus, the government should consider and implement policies capable of stimulating economic growth, combating unemployment, and promoting authentic and sustainable development.” Social justice was also the central theme of Pope Francis’ first speech during his trip to Indonesia, on September 4, 2024, at the Presidential Palace in Jakarta, before both the outgoing President Joko Widodo and President-elect Prabowo Subianto. On that occasion, the Pontiff called for a “true and far-sighted commitment” to achieving social justice, so that a substantial part of humanity is not left “on the margins, without a dignified existence and without any defense against the serious social imbalances that trigger acute conflicts.” “In a rapidly changing society,” concludes the National Director of the PMS, “the Indonesian Catholic Church is called to understand and expand its mission, reflecting and actively engaging in the field of social justice.” (PA) (Agenzia Fides, 21/5/2025)
    Share:

    MIL OSI Europe News –

    May 22, 2025
  • MIL-OSI China: Chinese state councilor stresses efforts to stabilize employment

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

    HANGZHOU, May 20 — Chinese State Councilor Shen Yiqin has called for efforts to accelerate the implementation of pro-employment measures to guarantee stable employment.

    Shen made the remarks during a research trip centering on employment and vocational skills training in the cities of Hangzhou and Ningbo, east China’s Zhejiang Province, from May 17 to 20.

    During her trip, Shen learned about the latest employment situation by visiting various locations, urging greater support for sectors and businesses with strong job creation capabilities. She also emphasized the need to help businesses mitigate burdens and stabilize employment to effectively overcome external shocks.

    It is vital to safeguard employment for key demographics, such as college graduates and migrant workers, especially those who have shaken off poverty, she said. She also called for the launch of large-scale vocational training programs to improve labor skills and cultivate more high-caliber professionals.

    MIL OSI China News –

    May 21, 2025
  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Surveys – Poll shows overwhelming majority support increase in spending on public services

    Source: Better Taxes for a Better Future

    As the Government prepares to release a Budget that will deliver further cuts to public services an overwhelming majority of New Zealanders support increased spending on those services, according to a new poll commissioned by the Better Taxes for a Better Future campaign.

    The Talbot Mills Research poll asked whether government spending on key public services such as hospitals, schools, and the police should increase (a lot or a bit), stay the same or decrease (a bit or a lot). 83% of respondents supported increases in public spending, and this support remained high across the political spectrum with even 62% of ACT supporters endorsing an increase.

    “This poll shows that there is widespread support for greater investment in our public services to meet the needs of New Zealanders, such as in healthcare, and education,” says Glenn Barclay spokesperson for the Better Taxes campaign.

    “It’s clear that, even in these tough economic times, people across the political spectrum realise investment in public services now is important to help build a better future.”

    The poll also asked if wealthier New Zealanders (e.g.people who earn over $180,000 per year and/or have assets worth more than $5m) should pay more, the same, or less tax than they do at present. A majority (57%) supported the wealthy paying more tax.

    “This may not be a surprising result for Labour, Green and Te Pāti Māori supporters, yet even a majority of National Party supporters favour the wealthy paying more tax,” says Glenn Barclay.

    “The IR report into High Net Worth Individuals in 2023 demonstrated that the wealthiest 310 families in New Zealand had an effective tax rate of 9.4% compared to over 20% for the average New Zealander and it is clear that there is support for rectifying this imbalance,” says Glenn Barclay.

    “The responses to these two questions send a clear message that New Zealanders don’t want to see cuts to essential public services, and the government needs to be looking at other ways to generate the revenue we need to provide services that will enable all New Zealanders to succeed,” says Glenn Barclay.

    “We encourage the Government and opposition parties to be looking at tax changes that would ensure those that have more to contribute, make that contribution. Gathering more revenue from wealth and gains from wealth would put us in a better position to address the challenges we face in delivering public services, addressing poverty and climate change, and funding major infrastructure.”

    The Better Taxes for a Better Future Campaign is a coalition of over 20 organisations led by Tax Justice Aotearoa.

    We believe that tax reform is the only solution to the current challenges facing Aotearoa NZ.  We need the tax system to:

    • be transparent
    • raise more revenue to enable us address the challenges we face
    • make sure people who have more to contribute make that contribution: that we gather more revenue from wealth, gains from wealth, all forms of income, and corporates
    • make greater use of fair taxes to promote good health and environmental health
    • address the tax impact on the least well off in our society.

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

    May 21, 2025
  • MIL-OSI Africa: Secretary-General’s remarks to the 2025 ECOSOC Operational Activities for Development Segment [bilingual as delivered, scroll down for all-English and all-French]

    Source: United Nations – English

    xcellencies, ladies and gentlemen,

    Thank you for taking part in this important forum in an important year.

    We’re celebrating the 80th anniversary of the United Nations.   

    But this milestone is tempered by a stark, undeniable reality that resonates on every page of the report I am presenting today.

    With less than five years to go to the 2030 deadline, we are facing nothing short of a development emergency.

    The Sustainable Development Goals are alarmingly off-track.

    And some of the hard-won gains made in recent years are getting derailed.

    Progress is too slow in the fight against poverty, hunger, inequality, the climate crisis, decaying infrastructure, and under-resourced education, health and social protection systems.

    We must never forget that a development emergency is, at its root, a human emergency.

    The lives and futures of millions of people hang in the balance.

    This development emergency is also a funding emergency.

    Resources are shrinking across the board — and have been for some time.

    For example, as detailed in my report, total financial contributions to the UN development system dropped by $9 billion — or 16 per cent — in 2023 from the year before.

    We can imagine the number of 2024 taking into account what we have witnessed in the recent decisions.   

    Our organization is increasingly asked to do more with less — a trend that will continue for the foreseeable future.

    This year, donors are pulling the plug on aid commitments and delivery at historic speed and scale.

    But the report we’re discussing today also carries an important message of hope.

    Hope found in the progress we’ve achieved together to reform and reposition the UN development system, making it more efficient and cost-effective.

    Hope in the UN80 initiative to build on these reforms, and drive more of the change we need across the system for a more impactful, cohesive and efficient organization.

    Hope in your continued strong support of, and engagement with, our Resident Coordinators and Country Teams.

    And hope that lies in the potential of the Pact for the Future to accelerate progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals — a Pact that secured consensus at the Summit of the Future.  

    Let me be clear.

    While the context has shifted since the Pact’s adoption, its commitments are more important than ever.

    This includes its bold calls for action on all the elements required to boost progress on sustainable development — including financing for development, the provision of debt relief, and strengthening the international financial architecture.

    We cannot allow headwinds to blow these commitments off course.

    We will continue working closely with all Member States and partners to keep our agenda on track, deepen our ongoing transformation, and to do so in the context of the UN80 initiative to drive progress across the system.

    And we will ensure we can fully deliver and maximize the benefits of every single mandate of the landmark General Assembly resolution 72/279 that ushered in the reforms of the UN development system.

    Excellencies,

    In this spirit, and guided by the report under discussion today, I’d like to highlight four areas where we are making progress, where more is needed, and how Member States can support this work.  

    First — we must hold fast to our commitment to the Sustainable Development Goals.

    This is a critical year for development.

    But across the board, we face a crisis in the means of implementation — from financing to trade, governance and institutional capacity to accelerate progress. 

    Acceleration means Member States keeping alive the bold commitments they made in adopting the Goals in 2015, as well as through the Pact for the Future.

    These include easing the debt burden on developing countries, scaling innovative sources of finance, and pushing forward on reforms to the international financial architecture.

    The upcoming Fourth International Conference on Financing for Development in Sevilla will be a key moment in driving the change we need.

    Acceleration requires bold transformations.

    We must continue traveling the clear pathways to progress outlined in the report — key areas where we can spur progress across all the Goals, such as food systems, energy access, digital connectivity, and supporting economic growth through trade. 

    Now is the time to build more political will and institutional capacity to support these essential shifts and drive progress.

    Second — we will continue tailoring our operations to the needs and priorities of host countries.

    We know we’re on the right track.

    In the last year alone, Resident Coordinators supported over 160 countries.

    Our work across the system and with governments is becoming more integrated and coordinated every year.

    87 per cent of host governments — and 83 per cent of donor country governments — agreed that UN entities are working more collaboratively than before the reform.

    And 98 per cent of host governments agreed that the UN activities, as articulated in our Cooperation Frameworks, are closely or very closely aligned to national priorities.

    The evidence is clear.

    The reinvigorated Resident Coordinator system we have built together is fast-becoming a launchpad for providing deeper development impact for people and planet alike:

    By gathering partners together to shape policy and financing solutions to accelerate development…

    By supporting countries’ efforts on financing, data-collection, trade and sustainable economic growth…

    And by constantly striving to find efficiencies and innovations, and drive accountability and results across our work together.

    We are rightly proud of our work, and we will protect and build on this as we move forward.

    We know we can do better. And we will.

    Despite high levels of support, the report shows worrying gaps between the priorities of our Cooperation Frameworks and the operational, governance and financial tools to bring them to life.

    Moreover, the Management Accountability Framework established to ensure greater accountability in collective UN efforts is not being applied evenly across the system.

    Our newly established evaluation office for the development system is now preparing its first independent report to this body this year to continue driving accountability and results, and ensure greater alignment of UN configuration and programming with country needs.

    I ask all Member States to support this important work.

    Third — funding.

    I am deeply concerned about the system’s funding situation.  

    Core contributions to development agencies are insufficient, plunging to 16.5 per cent of total funding, with these contributions declining to 12 per cent for some agencies. 

    This is a far cry from the 30 per cent target countries committed to in the Funding Compact.

    In December, the General Assembly agreed to my proposal to secure $53 million from the regular budget for the Resident Coordinator system — a much-needed boost at a critical time.

    To be entirely frank, I have to say that the proposal was much higher but at least this compromise was found. 

    But this minimum level of support is insufficient to reach the maximum ambition we need.

    Our ability to drive development and deliver support in a sustained way is at risk — at a moment when countries need us most.

    For our part, we will continue working closely with you to close funding gaps, and ensure joint programming is well-funded and directed to the most vulnerable people and communities.

    But more than ever, we need flexible, sustainable, predictable and innovative sources of funding. 

    I urge Member States to implement the new Funding Compact, without delay.

    In the current context of shrinking resources, the Funding Compact becomes even more fundamental — in particular, its emphasis on pooled funds that allow for more strategic resource allocation depending on actual needs and priorities on the ground.  

    Enfin quatrièmement, nous continuerons de chercher à optimiser l’utilisation des ressources consacrées au développement.

    Le rapport démontre que nos réformes portent leurs fruits : nous avons réalisé plus de 592 millions de dollars d’économies en 2024, soit bien plus que notre objectif initial de 310 millions de dollars.

    Ces économies ont été rendues possibles grâce aux efforts déployés par chaque entité pour rationaliser les services et les chaînes d’approvisionnement, ainsi qu’à un recours accru aux services partagés, notamment s’agissant des voyages, des services de conférence et des fonctions administratives, et à d’autres gains d’efficacité importants.

    Mais nous pouvons et devons en faire plus.

    Dès le début de mon mandat, nous avons lancé un programme de réforme ambitieux destiné non seulement à améliorer nos méthodes de travail et nos résultats, mais aussi à explorer toutes les pistes possibles pour réaliser des économies et des gains d’efficacité.

    L’Initiative ONU80 offre une excellente occasion de poursuivre sur cette lancée.

    En dégageant rapidement des moyens de gagner en efficacité et d’améliorer nos méthodes de travail.

    En consacrant une plus grande partie de nos ressources aux programmes de développement plutôt qu’aux coûts administratifs.

    En procédant à un examen rigoureux de l’exécution des mandats qui nous sont confiés par les États Membres – et dont le nombre a considérablement augmenté ces dernières années.

    Et en menant un examen stratégique des changements plus profonds et plus structurels ainsi qu’un réalignement des programmes au sein du système des Nations Unies.

    L’Initiative ONU80 n’est pas une réponse aux coupes budgétaires mondiales…

    Mais une réponse aux besoins mondiaux.

    Aux besoins des populations du monde entier.

    À la nécessité de faire en sorte que ces personnes soient soutenues comme il se doit, à travers des programmes adaptés au contexte national.

    Et à l’impératif de travailler de façon aussi efficace, rationnelle et utile que possible.

    Là encore, nous aurons besoin de l’appui de tous les États Membres pour rendre nos activités plus efficientes.

    Excellences, Mesdames et Messieurs,

    Alors que nous poursuivons ce chemin de réforme et de renouveau, nous devons garder à l’esprit le plus important : 

    Celles et ceux qui, dans le monde entier, comptent sur nous.

    Le rapport que nous examinons aujourd’hui ne se limite pas aux chiffres.

    Le rapport concerne les services et l’aide que nous apportons à certaines des personnes et des communautés les plus vulnérables et défavorisées de la planète.

    Il concerne les contribuables du monde entier, dont le dur labeur finance notre important travail.

    Il concerne notre capacité à mieux répondre aux attentes des États Membres et agir conformément aux priorités de chaque pays.

    Et il concerne notre quête constante d’efficacité, d’efficience et de responsabilité – tout en restant fidèles aux valeurs fondamentales qui nous animent depuis le tout début.

    Continuons d’œuvrer dans l’unité et la solidarité pour construire une ONU encore plus forte et encore plus efficace – prête à relever les défis d’aujourd’hui et de demain.

    Une ONU adaptée à sa mission et prête à agir.

    Nous comptons sur le plein soutien des États Membres pour continuer à aller de l’avant.

    Je vous remercie.

    *****
    [all-English]

    Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen,

    Thank you for taking part in this important forum in an important year.

    We’re celebrating the 80th anniversary of the United Nations.   

    But this milestone is tempered by a stark, undeniable reality that resonates on every page of the report I am presenting today.

    With less than five years to go to the 2030 deadline, we are facing nothing short of a development emergency.

    The Sustainable Development Goals are alarmingly off-track.

    And some of the hard-won gains made in recent years are getting derailed.

    Progress is too slow in the fight against poverty, hunger, inequality, the climate crisis, decaying infrastructure, and under-resourced education, health and social protection systems.

    We must never forget that a development emergency is, at its root, a human emergency.

    The lives and futures of millions of people hang in the balance.

    This development emergency is also a funding emergency.

    Resources are shrinking across the board — and have been for some time.

    For example, as detailed in my report, total financial contributions to the UN development system dropped by $9 billion — or 16 per cent — in 2023 from the year before.

    We can imagine the number of 2024 taking into account what we have witnessed in the recent decisions. 

    Our organization is increasingly asked to do more with less — a trend that will continue for the foreseeable future.

    This year, donors are pulling the plug on aid commitments and delivery at historic speed and scale.

    But the report we’re discussing today also carries an important message of hope.
    Hope found in the progress we’ve achieved together to reform and reposition the UN development system, making it more efficient and cost-effective.

    Hope in the UN80 initiative to build on these reforms, and drive more of the change we need across the system for a more impactful, cohesive and efficient organization.

    Hope in your continued strong support of, and engagement with, our Resident Coordinators and Country Teams.

    And hope that lies in the potential of the Pact for the Future to accelerate progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals — a Pact that secured consensus at the Summit of the Future.  

    Let me be clear.

    While the context has shifted since the Pact’s adoption, its commitments are more important than ever.

    This includes its bold calls for action on all the elements required to boost progress on sustainable development — including financing for development, the provision of debt relief, and strengthening the international financial architecture.

    We cannot allow headwinds to blow these commitments off course.

    We will continue working closely with all Member States and partners to keep our agenda on track, deepen our ongoing transformation, and to do so in the context of the UN80 initiative to drive progress across the system.

    And we will ensure we can fully deliver and maximize the benefits of every single mandate of the landmark General Assembly resolution 72/279 that ushered in the reforms of the UN development system.

    Excellencies,

    In this spirit, and guided by the report under discussion today, I’d like to highlight four areas where we are making progress, where more is needed, and how Member States can support this work.  

    First — we must hold fast to our commitment to the Sustainable Development Goals.

    This is a critical year for development.

    But across the board, we face a crisis in the means of implementation — from financing to trade, governance and institutional capacity to accelerate progress. 

    Acceleration means Member States keeping alive the bold commitments they made in adopting the Goals in 2015, as well as through the Pact for the Future.

    These include easing the debt burden on developing countries, scaling innovative sources of finance, and pushing forward on reforms to the international financial architecture.

    The upcoming Fourth International Conference on Financing for Development in Sevilla will be a key moment in driving the change we need.

    Acceleration requires bold transformations.

    We must continue traveling the clear pathways to progress outlined in the report — key areas where we can spur progress across all the Goals, such as food systems, energy access, digital connectivity, and supporting economic growth through trade. 

    Now is the time to build more political will and institutional capacity to support these essential shifts and drive progress.

    Second — we will continue tailoring our operations to the needs and priorities of host countries.

    We know we’re on the right track.

    In the last year alone, Resident Coordinators supported over 160 countries.

    Our work across the system and with governments is becoming more integrated and coordinated every year.

    87 per cent of host governments — and 83 per cent of donor country governments — agreed that UN entities are working more collaboratively than before the reform.

    And 98 per cent of host governments agreed that UN activities, as articulated in our Cooperation Frameworks, are closely or very closely aligned to national priorities.

    The evidence is clear.

    The reinvigorated Resident Coordinator system we have built together is fast-becoming a launchpad for providing deeper development impact for people and planet alike:

    By gathering partners together to shape policy and financing solutions to accelerate development…

    By supporting countries’ efforts on financing, data-collection, trade and sustainable economic growth…

    And by constantly striving to find efficiencies and innovations, and drive accountability and results across our work together.

    We are rightly proud of our work, and we will protect and build on this as we move forward.

    We know we can do better. And we will.

    Despite high levels of support, the report shows worrying gaps between the priorities of our Cooperation Frameworks and the operational, governance and financial tools to bring them to life.

    Moreover, the Management Accountability Framework established to ensure greater accountability in collective UN efforts is not being applied evenly across the system.

    Our newly established evaluation office for the development system is now preparing its first independent report to this body this year to continue driving accountability and results, and ensure greater alignment of UN configuration and programming with country needs.

    I ask all Member States to support this important work.

    Third — funding.

    I am deeply concerned about the system’s funding situation.  

    Core contributions to development agencies are insufficient, plunging to 16.5 per cent of total funding, with these contributions declining to 12 per cent for some agencies. 

    This is a far cry from the 30 per cent target countries committed to in the Funding Compact.

    In December, the General Assembly agreed to my proposal to secure $53 million from the regular budget for the Resident Coordinator system — a much-needed boost at a critical time.

    To be entirely frank, I have to say that the proposal was much higher but at least this compromise was found. 

    But this minimum level of support is insufficient to reach the maximum ambition we need.

    Our ability to drive development and deliver support in a sustained way is at risk — at a moment when countries need us most.

    For our part, we will continue working closely with you to close funding gaps, and ensure joint programming is well-funded and directed to the most vulnerable people and communities.

    But more than ever, we need flexible, sustainable, predictable and innovative sources of funding. 

    I urge Member States to implement the new Funding Compact, without delay.
    In the current context of shrinking resources, the Funding Compact becomes even more fundamental — in particular, its emphasis on pooled funds that allow for more strategic resource allocation depending on actual needs and priorities on the ground.  

    And fourth — we will continue pushing for efficiencies that maximize the use of development resources.

    The report demonstrates that our reforms are achieving results — with over $592 million in efficiencies in 2024, well above our initial target of $310 million.

    These savings were achieved through individual agency efforts to streamline services and supply chains, as well as through the increased use of shared services across entities — including travel, conference and administrative functions, and other key efficiencies.

    But we can and must do more.

    From the very beginning of my mandate, we embarked on an ambitious reform agenda to strengthen not only how we work and deliver — but how we leave no stone unturned in finding cost-savings and efficiencies.

    The UN80 initiative is an important opportunity to carry this work forward.

    By rapidly identifying efficiencies and improvements in the way we work.

    By ensuring that a greater share of our resources are allocated for development programmes rather than administrative costs. 

    By thoroughly reviewing the implementation of all mandates given to us by Member States, which have significantly increased in recent years.   

    And through a strategic review of deeper, more structural changes and programme realignment in the UN System.

    UN80 is not about responding to global cuts.

    It’s about responding to global needs.

    The needs of people around the world.
    The need to ensure that we support them in the right way, with the right programmes and country configurations.

    And the need to be as efficient, streamlined and impactful as we can be.

    Again, the support of all Member States will be critical as we strive to become more cost-effective in our operations.

    Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen,

    As we continue travelling this road to reform and renewal, we must keep our focus where it belongs:  

    On the people around the world who are counting on us to get this right.

    The report we are discussing today is not just about numbers.

    It’s about the services and support we provide to some of the most vulnerable and underserved people and communities on earth.

    It’s about hardworking taxpayers around the world who underwrite our important work.

    It’s about responding more effectively to the expectations of Member States and aligning with national priorities.

    And it’s about our constant pursuit of efficiency, effectiveness and accountability, while staying true to values that have driven our mission from the very start.

    Let’s continue working as one, in solidarity, to build an even stronger and more effective United Nations — one that is ready to meet the challenges of today and tomorrow. 

    One that is fit for purpose and ready to serve.

    We count on the full support of Member States as we move forward.

    Thank you.

    ******

    [all-French]

    Excellences, Mesdames, Messieurs,

    Je vous remercie de prendre part à cette manifestation de premier plan en cette année importante.

    L’Organisation des Nations Unies fête cette année ses 80 ans.

    Mais cet anniversaire est tempéré par une réalité dure et indéniable, qui transparaît à chaque page du rapport que je présente aujourd’hui.

    À moins de cinq ans de l’échéance de 2030, nous sommes face à une véritable crise du développement.

    La réalisation des objectifs de développement durable accuse un retard alarmant.

    Et certains des gains durement acquis ces dernières années risquent d’être réduits à néant.

    Face à la pauvreté, à la faim, aux inégalités, à la crise climatique, aux infrastructures en déclin et au manque de ressources dans l’éducation et la protection sociale, les progrès demeurent trop lents.

    Il ne faut pas perdre de vue qu’une crise du développement est, avant tout, une crise humaine.

    La vie et l’avenir de millions de personnes sont en jeu.

    Cette crise du développement est aussi une crise du financement.
    Dans tous les secteurs, les ressources se réduisent comme peau de chagrin, et ce depuis un certain temps.

    Ainsi, comme indiqué dans mon rapport, les contributions financières versées en 2023 au système des Nations Unies pour le développement ont chuté de 9 milliards de dollars US – soit 16 % – par rapport à l’année précédente.

    On peut imaginer les chiffres de 2024 en tenant compte de ce que nous avons constaté dans les décisions récentes.

    Notre Organisation est de plus en plus appelée à faire plus avec moins, et cela ne devrait pas changer de sitôt.

    Cette année, plusieurs bailleurs de fonds mettent un coup de frein sans précédent à leurs engagements en matière d’aide sur le terrain.

    Cela étant, le rapport que nous examinons aujourd’hui est également porteur d’un vrai message d’espoir.

    Cet espoir repose sur plusieurs éléments : sur les progrès que nous avons accomplis ensemble dans la réforme et le repositionnement du système des Nations Unies pour le développement, le rendant plus efficace et plus économique ;

    Sur l’Initiative ONU80, qui, dans le prolongement de ces réformes, induira les changements dont nous avons besoin à travers l’ensemble du système pour une organisation plus efficace, plus cohésive et plus efficiente ;

    Sur l’appui résolu que vous continuez de manifester à nos coordonnatrices et coordonnateurs résidents et à nos équipes de pays, et sur votre détermination à travailler à leurs côtés dans un esprit de collaboration ;

    Et sur le potentiel qui réside dans le potentiel du Pacte pour l’avenir d’accélérer les progrès vers les Objectifs de développement durable – un Pacte qui a fait l’objet d’un consensus lors du Sommet de l’avenir.

    Soyons clairs.

    Le Pacte a beau avoir été adopté dans un contexte différent, les engagements qui y sont énoncés demeurent plus importants que jamais.

    Ils exigent notamment de l’audace dans tous les aspects propices au développement durable – y compris le financement du développement, l’allègement de la dette et le renforcement de l’architecture financière internationale.

    Nous ne pouvons laisser les difficultés du moment nous faire dévier de ces engagements.

    Nous continuerons de collaborer étroitement avec tous les États Membres et tous les partenaires pour poursuivre la bonne mise en œuvre de nos priorités, parfaire la transformation de l’Organisation et, dans le cadre de l’Initiative ONU80, encourager des progrès concrets dans l’ensemble du système.

    Nous veillerons également à exécuter pleinement et de manière optimale tous les mandats prévus dans la résolution 72/279 de l’Assemblée générale, texte majeur qui a ouvert la voie à la réforme du système des Nations Unies pour le développement.

    Excellences,

    Dans ce contexte, et dans le droit fil du rapport qui est à l’examen aujourd’hui, je voudrais souligner quatre points pour récapituler les progrès que nous accomplissons, les domaines où nous devons redoubler d’efforts et l’aide que les États Membres peuvent apporter en ce sens.

    Premièrement, nous devons garder le cap sur les objectifs de développement durable.

    Cette année est cruciale pour le développement.

    Pourtant, nous assistons à une crise généralisée des moyens de mise en œuvre, qui touche aussi bien le financement que le commerce, la gouvernance ou la capacité institutionnelle à accélérer les progrès.

    Si l’on veut accélérer la cadence, il faut que les États Membres honorent les engagements ambitieux qu’ils ont pris en 2015 en adoptant les ODD et dans le cadre du Pacte pour l’avenir.

    Cela inclut notamment l’allègement du fardeau de la dette des pays en développement, la mobilisation de sources de financement innovantes et de faire avancer la réforme de l’architecture financière internationale.

    La quatrième Conférence internationale sur le financement du développement, qui se tiendra à Séville, constituera un moment clé moment clé dans la conduite des changements nécessaires.  

    Pour passer à la vitesse supérieure, il faut engager une transformation audacieuse.

    Nous devons poursuivre la stratégie que nous avons clairement définie en vue de la réalisation de tous les Objectifs, notamment dans les domaines des systèmes alimentaires, de l’accès à l’énergie, de la desserte numérique ainsi que du commerce au service de la croissance économique.

    Le moment est venu de mobiliser une plus grande volonté politique et de renforcer les capacités institutionnelles pour accompagner ces transformations essentielles et insuffler une dynamique de progrès.

    Deuxièmement, nous continuerons d’adapter nos opérations aux besoins et aux priorités des pays hôtes.

    Nous savons que nous sommes sur la bonne voie.

    L’année dernière, les coordonnatrices et coordonnateurs résidents ont apporté un appui concret dans plus de 160 pays.

    Le travail mené dans les entités du système et avec les gouvernements gagne chaque année en intégration et en coordination.

    87 % des pays hôtes – et 83 % des pays donateurs – considèrent que les entités des Nations Unies collaborent plus qu’avant la réforme.
    Et 98 % des pays hôtes estiment que les activités de l’ONU prévues dans nos plans-cadres de coopération concordent bien ou très bien avec les priorités nationales.

    Les faits sont là.

    Le système redynamisé des coordonnatrices et coordonnateurs résidents que nous avons mis en place ensemble est en passe de devenir un outil encore plus efficace au service du développement, tant pour les populations que pour la planète.

    À cet égard, il réunit les partenaires pour définir l’action à mener et trouver des solutions financières visant à accélérer le développement…

    Il accompagne les pays dans les domaines du financement, de la collecte de données, de la réglementation, du commerce et de la croissance économique durable…

    Et il cherche continuellement à faire des économies, à innover, à faire respecter le principe de responsabilité et à encourager les progrès dans tous les aspects de notre action commune.

    Nous sommes profondément fiers de ce que nous faisons, et nous continuerons sur notre lancée tout en préservant les acquis.

    Nous pouvons faire mieux, nous le savons. Et nous le ferons.

    Malgré l’adhésion que suscite notre action, le rapport fait apparaître un contraste inquiétant entre les priorités fixées dans nos plans-cadres de coopération et les moyens opérationnels et financiers et les outils de gouvernance qui permettent de les concrétiser.

    En outre, le cadre de gestion et de responsabilité, établi pour renforcer la responsabilité dans l’action collective des Nations Unies, n’est pas appliqué de manière uniforme dans toutes les entités du système.

    Notre bureau chargé des évaluations dans le système pour le développement, récemment établi, rédige actuellement son premier rapport indépendant, qu’il présentera au Conseil économique et social cette année, et poursuivra son action pour favoriser la définition des responsabilités, concourir à l’amélioration des résultats et faire en sorte que la présence et les programmes des Nations Unies soient mieux adaptés aux besoins de chaque pays.

    Je demande à tous les États Membres d’appuyer ce travail essentiel.

    Troisièmement, le financement.

    Je suis très préoccupé par la situation financière du système.

    Les contributions aux ressources de base des organismes de développement sont insuffisantes : elles ne représentent plus que 16,5 % du financement total, voire 12 % pour certaines entités.

    On est bien loin de l’objectif de 30 % que les pays se sont engagés à atteindre dans le cadre du pacte de financement.

    En décembre, l’Assemblée générale a accepté la proposition que j’ai faite de prélever sur le budget ordinaire un montant de 53 millions de dollars pour le système des coordonnatrices et coordonnateurs résidents. C’est un coup de pouce indispensable à un moment critique.

    Pour être tout à fait franc, je dois dire que la proposition était beaucoup plus élevée, mais au moins ce compromis a été trouvé.

    Mais ce modeste niveau de soutien n’est pas à la hauteur de l’ambition nécessaire.

    Notre capacité à stimuler le développement et à apporter une aide durable est compromise, or c’est maintenant que les pays ont le plus besoin de nous.

    Nous continuerons à collaborer étroitement à vos côtés pour que les déficits de financement se résorbent et pour que la programmation conjointe soit dotée de moyens financiers suffisants et profite aux personnes et aux populations les plus vulnérables.

    Néanmoins, nous avons plus que jamais besoin de sources de financement souples, durables, prévisibles et novatrices.

    J’invite instamment les États Membres à mettre en œuvre sans délai le nouveau pacte de financement.

    À l’heure où les ressources s’amenuisent, le pacte de financement s’impose comme un dispositif incontournable, notamment par l’importance accordée aux fonds de financement commun, qui permettent d’allouer les ressources plus stratégiquement, en fonction des priorités et des besoins réels sur le terrain.

    Enfin quatrièmement, nous continuerons de chercher à optimiser l’utilisation des ressources consacrées au développement.

    Le rapport démontre que nos réformes portent leurs fruits : nous avons réalisé plus de 592 millions de dollars d’économies en 2024, soit bien plus que notre objectif initial de 310 millions de dollars.

    Ces économies ont été rendues possibles grâce aux efforts déployés par chaque entité pour rationaliser les services et les chaînes d’approvisionnement, ainsi qu’à un recours accru aux services partagés, notamment s’agissant des voyages, des services de conférence et des fonctions administratives, et à d’autres gains d’efficacité importants.

    Mais nous pouvons et devons en faire plus.

    Dès le début de mon mandat, nous avons lancé un programme de réforme ambitieux destiné non seulement à améliorer nos méthodes de travail et nos résultats, mais aussi à explorer toutes les pistes possibles pour réaliser des économies et des gains d’efficacité.

    L’Initiative ONU80 offre une excellente occasion de poursuivre sur cette lancée.

    En dégageant rapidement des moyens de gagner en efficacité et d’améliorer nos méthodes de travail.

    En consacrant une plus grande partie de nos ressources aux programmes de développement plutôt qu’aux coûts administratifs.

    En procédant à un examen rigoureux de l’exécution des mandats qui nous sont confiés par les États Membres – et dont le nombre a considérablement augmenté ces dernières années.

    Et en menant un examen stratégique des changements plus profonds et plus structurels ainsi qu’un réalignement des programmes au sein du système des Nations Unies.

    L’Initiative ONU80 n’est pas une réponse aux coupes budgétaires mondiales…

    Mais une réponse aux besoins mondiaux.

    Aux besoins des populations du monde entier.

    À la nécessité de faire en sorte que ces personnes soient soutenues comme il se doit, à travers des programmes adaptés au contexte national.

    Et à l’impératif de travailler de façon aussi efficace, rationnelle et utile que possible.

    Là encore, nous aurons besoin de l’appui de tous les États Membres pour rendre nos activités plus efficientes.

    Excellences, Mesdames et Messieurs,

    Alors que nous poursuivons ce chemin de réforme et de renouveau, nous devons garder à l’esprit le plus important : 

    Celles et ceux qui, dans le monde entier, comptent sur nous.

    Le rapport que nous examinons aujourd’hui ne se limite pas aux chiffres.

    Le rapport concerne les services et l’aide que nous apportons à certaines des personnes et des communautés les plus vulnérables et défavorisées de la planète.

    Il concerne les contribuables du monde entier, dont le dur labeur finance notre important travail.

    Il concerne notre capacité à mieux répondre aux attentes des États Membres et agir conformément aux priorités de chaque pays.

    Et il concerne notre quête constante d’efficacité, d’efficience et de responsabilité – tout en restant fidèles aux valeurs fondamentales qui nous animent depuis le tout début.

    Continuons d’œuvrer dans l’unité et la solidarité pour construire une ONU encore plus forte et encore plus efficace – prête à relever les défis d’aujourd’hui et de demain.

    Une ONU adaptée à sa mission et prête à agir.

    Nous comptons sur le plein soutien des États Membres pour continuer à aller de l’avant.

    Je vous remercie.
     

    MIL OSI Africa –

    May 21, 2025
  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Secretary-General’s remarks to the 2025 ECOSOC Operational Activities for Development Segment [bilingual as delivered, scroll down for all-English and all-French]

    Source: United Nations secretary general

    Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen,

    Thank you for taking part in this important forum in an important year.

    We’re celebrating the 80th anniversary of the United Nations.   

    But this milestone is tempered by a stark, undeniable reality that resonates on every page of the report I am presenting today.

    With less than five years to go to the 2030 deadline, we are facing nothing short of a development emergency.

    The Sustainable Development Goals are alarmingly off-track.

    And some of the hard-won gains made in recent years are getting derailed.

    Progress is too slow in the fight against poverty, hunger, inequality, the climate crisis, decaying infrastructure, and under-resourced education, health and social protection systems.

    We must never forget that a development emergency is, at its root, a human emergency.

    The lives and futures of millions of people hang in the balance.

    This development emergency is also a funding emergency.

    Resources are shrinking across the board — and have been for some time.

    For example, as detailed in my report, total financial contributions to the UN development system dropped by $9 billion — or 16 per cent — in 2023 from the year before.

    We can imagine the number of 2024 taking into account what we have witnessed in the recent decisions.   

    Our organization is increasingly asked to do more with less — a trend that will continue for the foreseeable future.

    This year, donors are pulling the plug on aid commitments and delivery at historic speed and scale.

    But the report we’re discussing today also carries an important message of hope.

    Hope found in the progress we’ve achieved together to reform and reposition the UN development system, making it more efficient and cost-effective.

    Hope in the UN80 initiative to build on these reforms, and drive more of the change we need across the system for a more impactful, cohesive and efficient organization.

    Hope in your continued strong support of, and engagement with, our Resident Coordinators and Country Teams.

    And hope that lies in the potential of the Pact for the Future to accelerate progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals — a Pact that secured consensus at the Summit of the Future.  

    Let me be clear.

    While the context has shifted since the Pact’s adoption, its commitments are more important than ever.

    This includes its bold calls for action on all the elements required to boost progress on sustainable development — including financing for development, the provision of debt relief, and strengthening the international financial architecture.

    We cannot allow headwinds to blow these commitments off course.

    We will continue working closely with all Member States and partners to keep our agenda on track, deepen our ongoing transformation, and to do so in the context of the UN80 initiative to drive progress across the system.

    And we will ensure we can fully deliver and maximize the benefits of every single mandate of the landmark General Assembly resolution 72/279 that ushered in the reforms of the UN development system.

    Excellencies,

    In this spirit, and guided by the report under discussion today, I’d like to highlight four areas where we are making progress, where more is needed, and how Member States can support this work.  

    First — we must hold fast to our commitment to the Sustainable Development Goals.

    This is a critical year for development.

    But across the board, we face a crisis in the means of implementation — from financing to trade, governance and institutional capacity to accelerate progress. 

    Acceleration means Member States keeping alive the bold commitments they made in adopting the Goals in 2015, as well as through the Pact for the Future.

    These include easing the debt burden on developing countries, scaling innovative sources of finance, and pushing forward on reforms to the international financial architecture.

    The upcoming Fourth International Conference on Financing for Development in Sevilla will be a key moment in driving the change we need.

    Acceleration requires bold transformations.

    We must continue traveling the clear pathways to progress outlined in the report — key areas where we can spur progress across all the Goals, such as food systems, energy access, digital connectivity, and supporting economic growth through trade. 

    Now is the time to build more political will and institutional capacity to support these essential shifts and drive progress.

    Second — we will continue tailoring our operations to the needs and priorities of host countries.

    We know we’re on the right track.

    In the last year alone, Resident Coordinators supported over 160 countries.

    Our work across the system and with governments is becoming more integrated and coordinated every year.

    87 per cent of host governments — and 83 per cent of donor country governments — agreed that UN entities are working more collaboratively than before the reform.

    And 98 per cent of host governments agreed that the UN activities, as articulated in our Cooperation Frameworks, are closely or very closely aligned to national priorities.

    The evidence is clear.

    The reinvigorated Resident Coordinator system we have built together is fast-becoming a launchpad for providing deeper development impact for people and planet alike:

    By gathering partners together to shape policy and financing solutions to accelerate development…

    By supporting countries’ efforts on financing, data-collection, trade and sustainable economic growth…

    And by constantly striving to find efficiencies and innovations, and drive accountability and results across our work together.

    We are rightly proud of our work, and we will protect and build on this as we move forward.

    We know we can do better. And we will.

    Despite high levels of support, the report shows worrying gaps between the priorities of our Cooperation Frameworks and the operational, governance and financial tools to bring them to life.

    Moreover, the Management Accountability Framework established to ensure greater accountability in collective UN efforts is not being applied evenly across the system.

    Our newly established evaluation office for the development system is now preparing its first independent report to this body this year to continue driving accountability and results, and ensure greater alignment of UN configuration and programming with country needs.

    I ask all Member States to support this important work.

    Third — funding.

    I am deeply concerned about the system’s funding situation.  

    Core contributions to development agencies are insufficient, plunging to 16.5 per cent of total funding, with these contributions declining to 12 per cent for some agencies. 

    This is a far cry from the 30 per cent target countries committed to in the Funding Compact.

    In December, the General Assembly agreed to my proposal to secure $53 million from the regular budget for the Resident Coordinator system — a much-needed boost at a critical time.

    To be entirely frank, I have to say that the proposal was much higher but at least this compromise was found. 

    But this minimum level of support is insufficient to reach the maximum ambition we need.

    Our ability to drive development and deliver support in a sustained way is at risk — at a moment when countries need us most.

    For our part, we will continue working closely with you to close funding gaps, and ensure joint programming is well-funded and directed to the most vulnerable people and communities.

    But more than ever, we need flexible, sustainable, predictable and innovative sources of funding. 

    I urge Member States to implement the new Funding Compact, without delay.

    In the current context of shrinking resources, the Funding Compact becomes even more fundamental — in particular, its emphasis on pooled funds that allow for more strategic resource allocation depending on actual needs and priorities on the ground.  

    Enfin quatrièmement, nous continuerons de chercher à optimiser l’utilisation des ressources consacrées au développement.

    Le rapport démontre que nos réformes portent leurs fruits : nous avons réalisé plus de 592 millions de dollars d’économies en 2024, soit bien plus que notre objectif initial de 310 millions de dollars.

    Ces économies ont été rendues possibles grâce aux efforts déployés par chaque entité pour rationaliser les services et les chaînes d’approvisionnement, ainsi qu’à un recours accru aux services partagés, notamment s’agissant des voyages, des services de conférence et des fonctions administratives, et à d’autres gains d’efficacité importants.

    Mais nous pouvons et devons en faire plus.

    Dès le début de mon mandat, nous avons lancé un programme de réforme ambitieux destiné non seulement à améliorer nos méthodes de travail et nos résultats, mais aussi à explorer toutes les pistes possibles pour réaliser des économies et des gains d’efficacité.

    L’Initiative ONU80 offre une excellente occasion de poursuivre sur cette lancée.

    En dégageant rapidement des moyens de gagner en efficacité et d’améliorer nos méthodes de travail.

    En consacrant une plus grande partie de nos ressources aux programmes de développement plutôt qu’aux coûts administratifs.

    En procédant à un examen rigoureux de l’exécution des mandats qui nous sont confiés par les États Membres – et dont le nombre a considérablement augmenté ces dernières années.

    Et en menant un examen stratégique des changements plus profonds et plus structurels ainsi qu’un réalignement des programmes au sein du système des Nations Unies.

    L’Initiative ONU80 n’est pas une réponse aux coupes budgétaires mondiales…

    Mais une réponse aux besoins mondiaux.

    Aux besoins des populations du monde entier.

    À la nécessité de faire en sorte que ces personnes soient soutenues comme il se doit, à travers des programmes adaptés au contexte national.

    Et à l’impératif de travailler de façon aussi efficace, rationnelle et utile que possible.

    Là encore, nous aurons besoin de l’appui de tous les États Membres pour rendre nos activités plus efficientes.

    Excellences, Mesdames et Messieurs,

    Alors que nous poursuivons ce chemin de réforme et de renouveau, nous devons garder à l’esprit le plus important : 

    Celles et ceux qui, dans le monde entier, comptent sur nous.

    Le rapport que nous examinons aujourd’hui ne se limite pas aux chiffres.

    Le rapport concerne les services et l’aide que nous apportons à certaines des personnes et des communautés les plus vulnérables et défavorisées de la planète.

    Il concerne les contribuables du monde entier, dont le dur labeur finance notre important travail.

    Il concerne notre capacité à mieux répondre aux attentes des États Membres et agir conformément aux priorités de chaque pays.

    Et il concerne notre quête constante d’efficacité, d’efficience et de responsabilité – tout en restant fidèles aux valeurs fondamentales qui nous animent depuis le tout début.

    Continuons d’œuvrer dans l’unité et la solidarité pour construire une ONU encore plus forte et encore plus efficace – prête à relever les défis d’aujourd’hui et de demain.

    Une ONU adaptée à sa mission et prête à agir.

    Nous comptons sur le plein soutien des États Membres pour continuer à aller de l’avant.

    Je vous remercie.

    *****
    [all-English]

    Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen,

    Thank you for taking part in this important forum in an important year.

    We’re celebrating the 80th anniversary of the United Nations.   

    But this milestone is tempered by a stark, undeniable reality that resonates on every page of the report I am presenting today.

    With less than five years to go to the 2030 deadline, we are facing nothing short of a development emergency.

    The Sustainable Development Goals are alarmingly off-track.

    And some of the hard-won gains made in recent years are getting derailed.

    Progress is too slow in the fight against poverty, hunger, inequality, the climate crisis, decaying infrastructure, and under-resourced education, health and social protection systems.

    We must never forget that a development emergency is, at its root, a human emergency.

    The lives and futures of millions of people hang in the balance.

    This development emergency is also a funding emergency.

    Resources are shrinking across the board — and have been for some time.

    For example, as detailed in my report, total financial contributions to the UN development system dropped by $9 billion — or 16 per cent — in 2023 from the year before.

    We can imagine the number of 2024 taking into account what we have witnessed in the recent decisions. 

    Our organization is increasingly asked to do more with less — a trend that will continue for the foreseeable future.

    This year, donors are pulling the plug on aid commitments and delivery at historic speed and scale.

    But the report we’re discussing today also carries an important message of hope.
    Hope found in the progress we’ve achieved together to reform and reposition the UN development system, making it more efficient and cost-effective.

    Hope in the UN80 initiative to build on these reforms, and drive more of the change we need across the system for a more impactful, cohesive and efficient organization.

    Hope in your continued strong support of, and engagement with, our Resident Coordinators and Country Teams.

    And hope that lies in the potential of the Pact for the Future to accelerate progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals — a Pact that secured consensus at the Summit of the Future.  

    Let me be clear.

    While the context has shifted since the Pact’s adoption, its commitments are more important than ever.

    This includes its bold calls for action on all the elements required to boost progress on sustainable development — including financing for development, the provision of debt relief, and strengthening the international financial architecture.

    We cannot allow headwinds to blow these commitments off course.

    We will continue working closely with all Member States and partners to keep our agenda on track, deepen our ongoing transformation, and to do so in the context of the UN80 initiative to drive progress across the system.

    And we will ensure we can fully deliver and maximize the benefits of every single mandate of the landmark General Assembly resolution 72/279 that ushered in the reforms of the UN development system.

    Excellencies,

    In this spirit, and guided by the report under discussion today, I’d like to highlight four areas where we are making progress, where more is needed, and how Member States can support this work.  

    First — we must hold fast to our commitment to the Sustainable Development Goals.

    This is a critical year for development.

    But across the board, we face a crisis in the means of implementation — from financing to trade, governance and institutional capacity to accelerate progress. 

    Acceleration means Member States keeping alive the bold commitments they made in adopting the Goals in 2015, as well as through the Pact for the Future.

    These include easing the debt burden on developing countries, scaling innovative sources of finance, and pushing forward on reforms to the international financial architecture.

    The upcoming Fourth International Conference on Financing for Development in Sevilla will be a key moment in driving the change we need.

    Acceleration requires bold transformations.

    We must continue traveling the clear pathways to progress outlined in the report — key areas where we can spur progress across all the Goals, such as food systems, energy access, digital connectivity, and supporting economic growth through trade. 

    Now is the time to build more political will and institutional capacity to support these essential shifts and drive progress.

    Second — we will continue tailoring our operations to the needs and priorities of host countries.

    We know we’re on the right track.

    In the last year alone, Resident Coordinators supported over 160 countries.

    Our work across the system and with governments is becoming more integrated and coordinated every year.

    87 per cent of host governments — and 83 per cent of donor country governments — agreed that UN entities are working more collaboratively than before the reform.

    And 98 per cent of host governments agreed that UN activities, as articulated in our Cooperation Frameworks, are closely or very closely aligned to national priorities.

    The evidence is clear.

    The reinvigorated Resident Coordinator system we have built together is fast-becoming a launchpad for providing deeper development impact for people and planet alike:

    By gathering partners together to shape policy and financing solutions to accelerate development…

    By supporting countries’ efforts on financing, data-collection, trade and sustainable economic growth…

    And by constantly striving to find efficiencies and innovations, and drive accountability and results across our work together.

    We are rightly proud of our work, and we will protect and build on this as we move forward.

    We know we can do better. And we will.

    Despite high levels of support, the report shows worrying gaps between the priorities of our Cooperation Frameworks and the operational, governance and financial tools to bring them to life.

    Moreover, the Management Accountability Framework established to ensure greater accountability in collective UN efforts is not being applied evenly across the system.

    Our newly established evaluation office for the development system is now preparing its first independent report to this body this year to continue driving accountability and results, and ensure greater alignment of UN configuration and programming with country needs.

    I ask all Member States to support this important work.

    Third — funding.

    I am deeply concerned about the system’s funding situation.  

    Core contributions to development agencies are insufficient, plunging to 16.5 per cent of total funding, with these contributions declining to 12 per cent for some agencies. 

    This is a far cry from the 30 per cent target countries committed to in the Funding Compact.

    In December, the General Assembly agreed to my proposal to secure $53 million from the regular budget for the Resident Coordinator system — a much-needed boost at a critical time.

    To be entirely frank, I have to say that the proposal was much higher but at least this compromise was found. 

    But this minimum level of support is insufficient to reach the maximum ambition we need.

    Our ability to drive development and deliver support in a sustained way is at risk — at a moment when countries need us most.

    For our part, we will continue working closely with you to close funding gaps, and ensure joint programming is well-funded and directed to the most vulnerable people and communities.

    But more than ever, we need flexible, sustainable, predictable and innovative sources of funding. 

    I urge Member States to implement the new Funding Compact, without delay.
    In the current context of shrinking resources, the Funding Compact becomes even more fundamental — in particular, its emphasis on pooled funds that allow for more strategic resource allocation depending on actual needs and priorities on the ground.  

    And fourth — we will continue pushing for efficiencies that maximize the use of development resources.

    The report demonstrates that our reforms are achieving results — with over $592 million in efficiencies in 2024, well above our initial target of $310 million.

    These savings were achieved through individual agency efforts to streamline services and supply chains, as well as through the increased use of shared services across entities — including travel, conference and administrative functions, and other key efficiencies.

    But we can and must do more.

    From the very beginning of my mandate, we embarked on an ambitious reform agenda to strengthen not only how we work and deliver — but how we leave no stone unturned in finding cost-savings and efficiencies.

    The UN80 initiative is an important opportunity to carry this work forward.

    By rapidly identifying efficiencies and improvements in the way we work.

    By ensuring that a greater share of our resources are allocated for development programmes rather than administrative costs. 

    By thoroughly reviewing the implementation of all mandates given to us by Member States, which have significantly increased in recent years.   

    And through a strategic review of deeper, more structural changes and programme realignment in the UN System.

    UN80 is not about responding to global cuts.

    It’s about responding to global needs.

    The needs of people around the world.
    The need to ensure that we support them in the right way, with the right programmes and country configurations.

    And the need to be as efficient, streamlined and impactful as we can be.

    Again, the support of all Member States will be critical as we strive to become more cost-effective in our operations.

    Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen,

    As we continue travelling this road to reform and renewal, we must keep our focus where it belongs:  

    On the people around the world who are counting on us to get this right.

    The report we are discussing today is not just about numbers.

    It’s about the services and support we provide to some of the most vulnerable and underserved people and communities on earth.

    It’s about hardworking taxpayers around the world who underwrite our important work.

    It’s about responding more effectively to the expectations of Member States and aligning with national priorities.

    And it’s about our constant pursuit of efficiency, effectiveness and accountability, while staying true to values that have driven our mission from the very start.

    Let’s continue working as one, in solidarity, to build an even stronger and more effective United Nations — one that is ready to meet the challenges of today and tomorrow. 

    One that is fit for purpose and ready to serve.

    We count on the full support of Member States as we move forward.

    Thank you.

    ******

    [all-French]

    Excellences, Mesdames, Messieurs,

    Je vous remercie de prendre part à cette manifestation de premier plan en cette année importante.

    L’Organisation des Nations Unies fête cette année ses 80 ans.

    Mais cet anniversaire est tempéré par une réalité dure et indéniable, qui transparaît à chaque page du rapport que je présente aujourd’hui.

    À moins de cinq ans de l’échéance de 2030, nous sommes face à une véritable crise du développement.

    La réalisation des objectifs de développement durable accuse un retard alarmant.

    Et certains des gains durement acquis ces dernières années risquent d’être réduits à néant.

    Face à la pauvreté, à la faim, aux inégalités, à la crise climatique, aux infrastructures en déclin et au manque de ressources dans l’éducation et la protection sociale, les progrès demeurent trop lents.

    Il ne faut pas perdre de vue qu’une crise du développement est, avant tout, une crise humaine.

    La vie et l’avenir de millions de personnes sont en jeu.

    Cette crise du développement est aussi une crise du financement.
    Dans tous les secteurs, les ressources se réduisent comme peau de chagrin, et ce depuis un certain temps.

    Ainsi, comme indiqué dans mon rapport, les contributions financières versées en 2023 au système des Nations Unies pour le développement ont chuté de 9 milliards de dollars US – soit 16 % – par rapport à l’année précédente.

    On peut imaginer les chiffres de 2024 en tenant compte de ce que nous avons constaté dans les décisions récentes.

    Notre Organisation est de plus en plus appelée à faire plus avec moins, et cela ne devrait pas changer de sitôt.

    Cette année, plusieurs bailleurs de fonds mettent un coup de frein sans précédent à leurs engagements en matière d’aide sur le terrain.

    Cela étant, le rapport que nous examinons aujourd’hui est également porteur d’un vrai message d’espoir.

    Cet espoir repose sur plusieurs éléments : sur les progrès que nous avons accomplis ensemble dans la réforme et le repositionnement du système des Nations Unies pour le développement, le rendant plus efficace et plus économique ;

    Sur l’Initiative ONU80, qui, dans le prolongement de ces réformes, induira les changements dont nous avons besoin à travers l’ensemble du système pour une organisation plus efficace, plus cohésive et plus efficiente ;

    Sur l’appui résolu que vous continuez de manifester à nos coordonnatrices et coordonnateurs résidents et à nos équipes de pays, et sur votre détermination à travailler à leurs côtés dans un esprit de collaboration ;

    Et sur le potentiel qui réside dans le potentiel du Pacte pour l’avenir d’accélérer les progrès vers les Objectifs de développement durable – un Pacte qui a fait l’objet d’un consensus lors du Sommet de l’avenir.

    Soyons clairs.

    Le Pacte a beau avoir été adopté dans un contexte différent, les engagements qui y sont énoncés demeurent plus importants que jamais.

    Ils exigent notamment de l’audace dans tous les aspects propices au développement durable – y compris le financement du développement, l’allègement de la dette et le renforcement de l’architecture financière internationale.

    Nous ne pouvons laisser les difficultés du moment nous faire dévier de ces engagements.

    Nous continuerons de collaborer étroitement avec tous les États Membres et tous les partenaires pour poursuivre la bonne mise en œuvre de nos priorités, parfaire la transformation de l’Organisation et, dans le cadre de l’Initiative ONU80, encourager des progrès concrets dans l’ensemble du système.

    Nous veillerons également à exécuter pleinement et de manière optimale tous les mandats prévus dans la résolution 72/279 de l’Assemblée générale, texte majeur qui a ouvert la voie à la réforme du système des Nations Unies pour le développement.

    Excellences,

    Dans ce contexte, et dans le droit fil du rapport qui est à l’examen aujourd’hui, je voudrais souligner quatre points pour récapituler les progrès que nous accomplissons, les domaines où nous devons redoubler d’efforts et l’aide que les États Membres peuvent apporter en ce sens.

    Premièrement, nous devons garder le cap sur les objectifs de développement durable.

    Cette année est cruciale pour le développement.

    Pourtant, nous assistons à une crise généralisée des moyens de mise en œuvre, qui touche aussi bien le financement que le commerce, la gouvernance ou la capacité institutionnelle à accélérer les progrès.

    Si l’on veut accélérer la cadence, il faut que les États Membres honorent les engagements ambitieux qu’ils ont pris en 2015 en adoptant les ODD et dans le cadre du Pacte pour l’avenir.

    Cela inclut notamment l’allègement du fardeau de la dette des pays en développement, la mobilisation de sources de financement innovantes et de faire avancer la réforme de l’architecture financière internationale.

    La quatrième Conférence internationale sur le financement du développement, qui se tiendra à Séville, constituera un moment clé moment clé dans la conduite des changements nécessaires.  

    Pour passer à la vitesse supérieure, il faut engager une transformation audacieuse.

    Nous devons poursuivre la stratégie que nous avons clairement définie en vue de la réalisation de tous les Objectifs, notamment dans les domaines des systèmes alimentaires, de l’accès à l’énergie, de la desserte numérique ainsi que du commerce au service de la croissance économique.

    Le moment est venu de mobiliser une plus grande volonté politique et de renforcer les capacités institutionnelles pour accompagner ces transformations essentielles et insuffler une dynamique de progrès.

    Deuxièmement, nous continuerons d’adapter nos opérations aux besoins et aux priorités des pays hôtes.

    Nous savons que nous sommes sur la bonne voie.

    L’année dernière, les coordonnatrices et coordonnateurs résidents ont apporté un appui concret dans plus de 160 pays.

    Le travail mené dans les entités du système et avec les gouvernements gagne chaque année en intégration et en coordination.

    87 % des pays hôtes – et 83 % des pays donateurs – considèrent que les entités des Nations Unies collaborent plus qu’avant la réforme.
    Et 98 % des pays hôtes estiment que les activités de l’ONU prévues dans nos plans-cadres de coopération concordent bien ou très bien avec les priorités nationales.

    Les faits sont là.

    Le système redynamisé des coordonnatrices et coordonnateurs résidents que nous avons mis en place ensemble est en passe de devenir un outil encore plus efficace au service du développement, tant pour les populations que pour la planète.

    À cet égard, il réunit les partenaires pour définir l’action à mener et trouver des solutions financières visant à accélérer le développement…

    Il accompagne les pays dans les domaines du financement, de la collecte de données, de la réglementation, du commerce et de la croissance économique durable…

    Et il cherche continuellement à faire des économies, à innover, à faire respecter le principe de responsabilité et à encourager les progrès dans tous les aspects de notre action commune.

    Nous sommes profondément fiers de ce que nous faisons, et nous continuerons sur notre lancée tout en préservant les acquis.

    Nous pouvons faire mieux, nous le savons. Et nous le ferons.

    Malgré l’adhésion que suscite notre action, le rapport fait apparaître un contraste inquiétant entre les priorités fixées dans nos plans-cadres de coopération et les moyens opérationnels et financiers et les outils de gouvernance qui permettent de les concrétiser.

    En outre, le cadre de gestion et de responsabilité, établi pour renforcer la responsabilité dans l’action collective des Nations Unies, n’est pas appliqué de manière uniforme dans toutes les entités du système.

    Notre bureau chargé des évaluations dans le système pour le développement, récemment établi, rédige actuellement son premier rapport indépendant, qu’il présentera au Conseil économique et social cette année, et poursuivra son action pour favoriser la définition des responsabilités, concourir à l’amélioration des résultats et faire en sorte que la présence et les programmes des Nations Unies soient mieux adaptés aux besoins de chaque pays.

    Je demande à tous les États Membres d’appuyer ce travail essentiel.

    Troisièmement, le financement.

    Je suis très préoccupé par la situation financière du système.

    Les contributions aux ressources de base des organismes de développement sont insuffisantes : elles ne représentent plus que 16,5 % du financement total, voire 12 % pour certaines entités.

    On est bien loin de l’objectif de 30 % que les pays se sont engagés à atteindre dans le cadre du pacte de financement.

    En décembre, l’Assemblée générale a accepté la proposition que j’ai faite de prélever sur le budget ordinaire un montant de 53 millions de dollars pour le système des coordonnatrices et coordonnateurs résidents. C’est un coup de pouce indispensable à un moment critique.

    Pour être tout à fait franc, je dois dire que la proposition était beaucoup plus élevée, mais au moins ce compromis a été trouvé.

    Mais ce modeste niveau de soutien n’est pas à la hauteur de l’ambition nécessaire.

    Notre capacité à stimuler le développement et à apporter une aide durable est compromise, or c’est maintenant que les pays ont le plus besoin de nous.

    Nous continuerons à collaborer étroitement à vos côtés pour que les déficits de financement se résorbent et pour que la programmation conjointe soit dotée de moyens financiers suffisants et profite aux personnes et aux populations les plus vulnérables.

    Néanmoins, nous avons plus que jamais besoin de sources de financement souples, durables, prévisibles et novatrices.

    J’invite instamment les États Membres à mettre en œuvre sans délai le nouveau pacte de financement.

    À l’heure où les ressources s’amenuisent, le pacte de financement s’impose comme un dispositif incontournable, notamment par l’importance accordée aux fonds de financement commun, qui permettent d’allouer les ressources plus stratégiquement, en fonction des priorités et des besoins réels sur le terrain.

    Enfin quatrièmement, nous continuerons de chercher à optimiser l’utilisation des ressources consacrées au développement.

    Le rapport démontre que nos réformes portent leurs fruits : nous avons réalisé plus de 592 millions de dollars d’économies en 2024, soit bien plus que notre objectif initial de 310 millions de dollars.

    Ces économies ont été rendues possibles grâce aux efforts déployés par chaque entité pour rationaliser les services et les chaînes d’approvisionnement, ainsi qu’à un recours accru aux services partagés, notamment s’agissant des voyages, des services de conférence et des fonctions administratives, et à d’autres gains d’efficacité importants.

    Mais nous pouvons et devons en faire plus.

    Dès le début de mon mandat, nous avons lancé un programme de réforme ambitieux destiné non seulement à améliorer nos méthodes de travail et nos résultats, mais aussi à explorer toutes les pistes possibles pour réaliser des économies et des gains d’efficacité.

    L’Initiative ONU80 offre une excellente occasion de poursuivre sur cette lancée.

    En dégageant rapidement des moyens de gagner en efficacité et d’améliorer nos méthodes de travail.

    En consacrant une plus grande partie de nos ressources aux programmes de développement plutôt qu’aux coûts administratifs.

    En procédant à un examen rigoureux de l’exécution des mandats qui nous sont confiés par les États Membres – et dont le nombre a considérablement augmenté ces dernières années.

    Et en menant un examen stratégique des changements plus profonds et plus structurels ainsi qu’un réalignement des programmes au sein du système des Nations Unies.

    L’Initiative ONU80 n’est pas une réponse aux coupes budgétaires mondiales…

    Mais une réponse aux besoins mondiaux.

    Aux besoins des populations du monde entier.

    À la nécessité de faire en sorte que ces personnes soient soutenues comme il se doit, à travers des programmes adaptés au contexte national.

    Et à l’impératif de travailler de façon aussi efficace, rationnelle et utile que possible.

    Là encore, nous aurons besoin de l’appui de tous les États Membres pour rendre nos activités plus efficientes.

    Excellences, Mesdames et Messieurs,

    Alors que nous poursuivons ce chemin de réforme et de renouveau, nous devons garder à l’esprit le plus important : 

    Celles et ceux qui, dans le monde entier, comptent sur nous.

    Le rapport que nous examinons aujourd’hui ne se limite pas aux chiffres.

    Le rapport concerne les services et l’aide que nous apportons à certaines des personnes et des communautés les plus vulnérables et défavorisées de la planète.

    Il concerne les contribuables du monde entier, dont le dur labeur finance notre important travail.

    Il concerne notre capacité à mieux répondre aux attentes des États Membres et agir conformément aux priorités de chaque pays.

    Et il concerne notre quête constante d’efficacité, d’efficience et de responsabilité – tout en restant fidèles aux valeurs fondamentales qui nous animent depuis le tout début.

    Continuons d’œuvrer dans l’unité et la solidarité pour construire une ONU encore plus forte et encore plus efficace – prête à relever les défis d’aujourd’hui et de demain.

    Une ONU adaptée à sa mission et prête à agir.

    Nous comptons sur le plein soutien des États Membres pour continuer à aller de l’avant.

    Je vous remercie.
     

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

    May 21, 2025
  • MIL-OSI USA: WATCH: Pressley Calls for True Baby Bonds, Calls Out “MAGA Accounts”

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley (MA-07)

    “Republicans are stealing a good idea and twisting it.”

    Baby Bonds Championed by Pressley & Booker Would Address Wealth Gap, End Cycles of Poverty, Help 18 Year-Olds Pay for College, Home, or Starting a Business

    Video (YouTube)

    WASHINGTON – Today, Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley (MA-07) delivered a floor speech in which she slammed the so-called “MAGA Accounts” proposal in Republicans’ reconciliation bill. Rather than support this regressive proposal, Congresswoman Pressley urged her colleagues to support Baby Bonds, her bicameral legislation with Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ) to close the racial wealth gap, disrupt cycles of intergenerational poverty, and make economic opportunity a birthright for every child.

    A transcript of the Congresswoman’s remarks, as delivered, is available below, and the full video is available here.

    Transcript: Pressley Calls for True Baby Bonds, Calls Out “MAGA Accounts”

    House of Representatives

    May 19, 2025

    Mr. Speaker,

    I rise in support of investing in every child’s future.

    Six years ago, I joined Senator Booker to introduce Baby Bonds legislation to disrupt the cycle of intergenerational poverty, close the racial wealth gap, and ensure every 18-year-old has the financial opportunity to go to college, to buy a home, or to start a business.

    Now, Republicans are stealing a good idea and twisting it.

    The so-called ‘MAGA Accounts’ in their reconciliation bill are intentionally designed to help the rich get richer, while poor children are left further and further behind.

    Their proposal would weaponize the tax code to exacerbate wealth inequality, ignore the expertise of economists, and penalize states and non-profits that try to help low-income families.

    In America, a child born into poverty is likely to stay there through their adult lives.

    That is a policy choice – and a violent one.

    Our babies deserve better. Our babies deserve opportunity.

    I urge my colleagues to reject this regressive proposal and support true Baby Bonds.

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

    May 21, 2025
  • MIL-OSI Global: Falling back into the shadows? How to keep internal displacement on the humanitarian agenda

    Source: The Conversation – Canada – By Megan Bradley, Full Professor, Political Science and International Development Studies, McGill University

    The international humanitarian system is in freefall. Following the dramatic funding cuts initiated by Donald Trump’s administration in the United States, deliveries of essential food, medicines and clean water to those in need have halted and stockpiles are dwindling. Aid agencies are scrambling to figure out how to do less with less, even as global needs are mounting.




    Read more:
    The growing threat to U.S. democracy will literally cost lives


    Those displaced inside their own countries, as a result of conflict or natural disaster, have been particularly hard hit by this upheaval.

    Internally displaced persons already fall through the cracks of the humanitarian system, despite dramatically outnumbering those who cross borders as refugees.

    Worldwide, there are an estimated 43.7 million refugees, compared to 83.4 million internally displaced people. Yet media coverage still focuses on those fleeing their country as refugees, while internally displaced people remain less visible and beholden to national governments that have the primary responsibility to assist them.

    Some governments, such as Ukraine’s, work hard to meet this challenge but need outside support. In countries like Myanmar and Afghanistan, governments are complicit in displacing their own citizens, necessitating stronger international leadership.

    The UN’s central role

    The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) was established to protect and assist refugees. But from as early as the 1970s — as a result of calls from the UN General Assembly to address displacement crises — it has also become a leading entity in the international response to internally displaced persons.

    Advocacy from the UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights of Internally Displaced Persons (established in the early 1990s), and more recently from the UN Secretary-General’s High Level Panel on Internally Displaced Persons and the work of the Office of the UN Special Advisor on Solutions to Internal Displacement, has also promoted increased attention to the issue and advocated workable solutions.

    This progress is now at risk in the face of U.S. humanitarian aid cuts.

    The danger today is not that the UNHCR and other humanitarian leaders will treat internally displaced people as unimportant or undeserving of help. Instead, ground could be lost through a return to the UNHCR’s traditional, narrow refugee mandate. Responsibility for internally displaced persons could be shirked as many UN agencies are also under stress.

    This will further increase the marginalization of internally displaced people and expose them to heightened levels of insecurity, poverty and disease.

    The UNHCR is far from the only international organization involved with internally displaced persons. The International Organization for Migration is another important player, particularly in natural disasters, and other agencies, including the UN Development Programme, support longer-term development solutions.

    Yet the UNHCR is the core protection agency for those who are forcibly displaced and its leadership is critical to ensuring a comprehensive response to both refugees and those displaced within their own country’s borders.

    Difficult choices

    In the face of a 30 per cent reduction in operating expenses in its headquarters and regional bureaus, the UNHCR faces some agonizing choices. But these cuts must not produce a competition between internally displaced persons and refugees in humanitarian assistance.

    Experience has shown that effective responses must consider displacement dynamics not only across but also within borders — especially since many refugees are internally displaced before they seek safety abroad and many face internal displacement if they return to their countries of origin.

    The good news is that the UNHCR remains committed to supporting inter-agency co-operation on solutions for internally displaced people, following up on the work of the Office of the UN Special Advisor.

    However, the head of the UNHCR has not yet publicly and clearly reaffirmed his agency’s commitment to standing up for internally displaced people alongside refugees in this moment of flux in the humanitarian sector.

    The need for strong leadership

    As the UNHCR reduces its commitments and shrinks its operations, there could be a void of senior leadership on internal displacement at headquarters and in the field. This means the agency’s response may be determined by regional and country directors with different levels of comfort with and commitment to internally displaced persons.

    The irony is that the UNHCR routinely calls for governments dealing with internal displacement crises to clearly allocate responsibility for effective responses. Today’s budget crisis is no excuse for the UNHCR not to walk its own talk.

    In the face of declining resources but mounting humanitarian needs, the UNHCR and its donors should prioritize preserving their investment in strengthened, reliable and rights-based responses to internally displaced persons — not only for the sake of these citizens, but also as an integral element of a comprehensive response to refugee situations.




    Read more:
    Ethiopia’s war may have ended, but the Tigray crisis hasn’t


    The UNHCR should recognize and insist that refugee response requires an effective response to those displaced internally and vice versa. As a core part of this approach, the agency should also enhance its support for local efforts led by internally displaced people themselves, recognizing they can be, and have been, at the forefront of more effective solutions to their displacement.

    The UNHCR’s funding cuts are putting the agency in a pared-down holding pattern until the next high commissioner of the organization is chosen later this year. A key criterion for selecting the next leader should be their vision for sustaining engagement with internally displaced persons alongside refugees in this moment of global turmoil.

    Megan Bradley receives funding from SSHRC.

    Jennifer Welsh receives funding from the Social Science and Research Council of Canada and the European Research Council.

    – ref. Falling back into the shadows? How to keep internal displacement on the humanitarian agenda – https://theconversation.com/falling-back-into-the-shadows-how-to-keep-internal-displacement-on-the-humanitarian-agenda-255856

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

    May 21, 2025
  • MIL-OSI Russia: Chinese State Councilor calls for all-out efforts to stabilize employment

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian – People’s Republic of China in Russian –

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

    HANGZHOU, May 20 (Xinhua) — Chinese State Councilor Shen Yiqin has called for speeding up the implementation of employment incentives to ensure stable employment.

    Shen Yiqin made the remarks during an inspection tour of Hangzhou and Ningbo, both in east China’s Zhejiang Province, from May 17 to 20, focusing on employment and vocational training.

    During the trip, Shen Yiqin learned about the employment situation by visiting various enterprises and schools, and called for stronger support for sectors and enterprises with strong job creation potential. She also stressed the need to help enterprises ease the burden and stabilize employment to effectively cope with external shocks.

    She said it was critical to ensure employment for key groups, including college graduates and migrant workers, especially those who had escaped poverty. Shen Yiqin also called for large-scale vocational training programs to improve workers’ skills and produce more highly skilled professionals. –0–

    MIL OSI Russia News –

    May 21, 2025
  • MIL-OSI USA: Durbin Exposes The Costs Of Republicans; “One, Big, Beautiful Bill,” Slams Republicans For Slashing Medicaid, Snap To Pay For Tax Breaks For Billionaires

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Illinois Dick Durbin
    May 19, 2025
    In a speech on the Senate floor, Durbin spoke about the real costs of passing the Republicans’ “one, big, beautiful bill,” including 13.7 million Americans potentially losing health care coverage
    WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) delivered a speech on the Senate floor exposing congressional Republicans’ reconciliation bill for what it truly is – legislation that will pay for tax breaks for billionaires at the expense of 13.7 million Americans’ health care coverage.  In his remarks, Durbin reiterated that Republicans’ “one, big, beautiful bill” will further push the American Dream out of reach for working families.
    “Let me tell you a story.  It’s one of the oldest in our country.  It’s the story of the American Dream.  It’s one of perseverance, where anyone, regardless of their background or circumstances, can achieve success and upward mobility through hard work and determination.  It means a job that pays a fair wage, a school that prepares our kids for a better life, a doctor who sees you when you are sick, and a roof over your head at night,” Durbin began.
    “[Republicans’ reconciliation bill] dismantles the American Dream and strips our institutions of essential services that help the most vulnerable people in our country.  All so the ultimate goal can be served… to give major tax breaks to wealthy people,” Durbin said.  “If you don’t have time to read the more than 1,000 pages of these cuts in this reconciliation bill, let me give you a shortened version.  It isn’t pretty.  Billionaires will win.  And American families will lose.”
    In order to finance massive tax cuts, Republicans are proposing $880 billion in cuts to Medicaid.  Earlier this month, the non-partisan Congressional Budget Office (CBO) released a report showing that Republicans’ plan would result in 13.7 million Americans losing their health insurance, marking the largest Medicaid cut in history.  These cuts will damage Americans’ ability to access health care as Medicaid covers nearly half of all births, two-thirds of nursing homes residents, and the majority of patients with mental health counseling.  Further, children’s hospitals and rural hospitals depend on Medicaid funding to remain operational.  If Medicaid funding is slashed, these hospitals are in danger of closing.
    “President Trump asked Republicans in Congress to provide a massive giveaway to the richest Americans, and they want to use programs like Medicaid, food and nutrition programs, and medical research funding as a piggy bank for these tax cuts for wealthy people… Medicaid insures one in four people in my home state of Illinois… 3.4 million people on Medicaid, including 1.5 million children,” Durbin continued.
    “Knowing how unpopular it is to deprive Americans of health care, for months, Republicans have said, ‘Democrats have it all wrong.  We’re not cutting Medicaid benefits.  We’re simply focusing on ‘waste, fraud, and abuse.’  Now, if there is a program that’s wasteful or fraudulent, put me in line to do something about it… But that’s not what’s happening here, and I’m afraid my colleagues on the other side of the aisle know it,” Durbin said.  “With their plan, Republicans are taking a chainsaw to our health care system and ripping health insurance away.”
    “The reconciliation plan of the Republicans buries eligible patients in complex paperwork requirements that will wrap them in so much red tape they will never get the care they need.  Just think if you have a serious illness and you have to go through a high stakes government red tape gauntlet, another government form, another telephone recording when you need a helping hand,”Durbin said.
    In addition to eviscerating Medicaid funding, Republicans’ will also gut SNAP, cutting up to $290 billion from the program, the largest cut to anti-hunger funding in the country’s history.
    “Republicans are also targeting food and nutrition programs like SNAP, [which] 40 million Americans rely on to put on the table, including nearly two million in Illinois,” Durbin said.  “That’s right.  Republicans are looking to take food off the tables of seniors and children so they can pay for their beautiful billionaire tax cuts.  It is shameful.”
    While Republicans are also expanding tax exemptions for the richest Americans, they refuse to expand the child tax credit to lift millions of children out of poverty.  However, Democrats have long supported an extension of the child tax credit and successfully passed a provision to extend it in the American Rescue Plan, leading to a historic 5.2 percent reduction in child poverty, the lowest level on record.
    “In their bill, Republicans give huge tax breaks to multibillion-dollar corporations.  They exempt up to $28 million in taxes from estates where the wealthiest Americans pass on to their children.  In the same breath, they fail to expand the child tax credit, which is one of the most effective tools to reduce poverty and put money back in the pockets of working families,” Durbin said.
    “Republicans are also planning to eliminate the clean energy tax credits enacted in Democrats’ Inflation Reduction Act, which would derail efforts to strengthen U.S. energy security and lower costs.  This would hurt American families and small businesses by hitting them with higher energy bills and the loss of nearly 800,000 jobs over the next five years,” Durbin said.  “Some states could see double-digit percentage increases in electricity bills, which means hundreds of dollars out of Americans’ pockets each year.”
    Claiming to be fiscally responsible, Republicans have tried to downplay the harm of their “one, big, beautiful bill,” yet the legislation will add more than $3 trillion to the national deficit.
    “Just a few hours ago, the White House claimed that their reckless plan ‘does not add to the deficit’… but in reality, it explodes the deficit under the guise of fiscal responsibility.  The White House and Republican reconciliation plan would add $3.3 trillion to the nation’s deficit over the next 10 years,” Durbin said.  “America’s small businesses, workers, farmers, and families are hurting because of this Administration’s tariffs while the President continues to weaken America’s credibility and alienate us from our biggest trading partners.”
    However, some conservative Republicans are not satisfied with draining Medicaid and SNAP funding, excluding the child tax credit, eliminating clean energy tax credits, and adding more than $3 trillion to the deficit.  To garner more support in his caucus, Speaker Johnson has suggested moving up the implementation of red tape requirements for Medicaid coverage from the originally proposed 2029 to 2027. 
    “It is reported that they [Speaker Johnson and the House Freedom Caucus] discussed accelerating the plan to condition Medicaid health coverage on red tape requirements.  These were originally set for 2029, they now want to end people’s insurance as soon as possible… as well as a quicker phase-out of clean energy tax credits that were put into law as part of the Inflation Reduction Act,”Durbin said.  “That’s right.  The package isn’t bad enough for conservative Republicans to support, so they are considering making it even worse for American families.”
    Durbin concluded his remarks by calling on his Republican colleagues to recognize the harm this bill will do to health care access and the well-being of children and working families. 
    “I’ve heard my colleagues give speeches about tough choices.  Well, let me tell you, choosing to line the pockets of people like Elon Musk while cutting life-saving medical research isn’t tough, it’s shameful,” Durbin said. 
    “American families aren’t asking for special treatment.  They’re asking for a fair shot at the American Dream.  They’re asking us to remember this country works best when we invest in its people.  We need four Republicans with the good sense to join Democrats and say ‘no’ to this disaster,” Durbin concluded.
    Video of Durbin’s remarks on the Senate floor is available here.
    Audio of Durbin’s remarks on the Senate floor is available here.
    Footage of Durbin’s remarks on the Senate floor is available here for TV Stations.
    -30-

    MIL OSI USA News –

    May 21, 2025
  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Secretary-General’s remarks to the Security Council – on Maritime Security [bilingual, as delivered. Scroll down for all-English and all-French]

    Source: United Nations secretary general

    I thank the presidency of Greece for convening today’s open debate on the importance of strengthening maritime security through international cooperation.

    This debate underscores first of all that the basic condition to preserve maritime security is the respect by all countries of the UN Charter and international law as reflected in the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea. 

    Mr. President,
     
    From time immemorial, maritime routes have bound the world together.

    They have long been the primary means for the trade and transport of not only people, goods and commodities, but also cultures and ideas.
     
    All of humanity depends on the world’s oceans and seas — from the oxygen we breathe, to the biodiversity that sustains all life, to the economies, trade and jobs supported by maritime industries.

    Today’s debate shines a light on a fundamental fact:

    Without maritime security, there can be no global security.

    But maritime spaces are increasingly under strain from both traditional threats and emerging dangers.

    From challenges around contested boundaries…

    To the depletion of natural resources at sea…
    To escalating geopolitical tensions fanning the flames of competition, conflict and crime.

    Over the years, this Council has sought to address a range of threats that undermine maritime security and global peace.  

    From piracy, armed robbery, trafficking and organized crime…

    To destructive acts against shipping, offshore installations and critical infrastructure…

    To terrorism in the maritime domain, which poses a significant threat to international security, global trade and economic stability.

    No region is spared.  

    And the problem is getting worse.

    After a modest global decrease in reported piracy and armed robbery incidents in 2024, the first quarter of 2025 saw a sharp upward reversal.

    According to the International Maritime Organization, reported incidents rose by nearly half — 47.5 per cent compared to the same period in 2024.

    Incidents in Asia nearly doubled — especially in the Straits of Malacca and Singapore.

    In the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden, attacks by the Houthis on commercial vessels have disrupted global trade and increased tensions in an already volatile region. 

    The Gulf of Aden and the Mediterranean Sea remain treacherously active routes for migrant smuggling and the trafficking of weapons and human beings.

    The Gulf of Guinea continues to grapple with piracy, kidnappings, armed robbery at sea, oil theft, illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing, and the illicit trafficking of drugs, weapons, and people.

    Heroin from Afghanistan continues to reach East Africa through the Indian Ocean.

    Cocaine moves through the coasts of the Western Hemisphere and across the Atlantic Ocean to West Africa and European ports.

    And cyber-attacks are a fast-emerging security threat for ports and shipping companies.

    Facing these and other threats, the world’s maritime routes and the people depending on them are sending a clear SOS.

    Mr. President,

    Across the UN system, our agencies are supporting many regional initiatives that are gathering partners around maritime security across the globe.  

    This includes initiatives to address insecurity from the Gulf of Aden and the Red Sea, to the Gulf of Guinea and the Persian Gulf.

    It includes efforts to ensure safe navigation in the Black Sea.

    It includes our work to help countries build strong maritime forces and legal systems.

    It includes efforts to tackle armed robbery against ships in Asia, and fight piracy off the coast of Somalia. 

    It includes our support of the Yaoundé Architecture for Maritime Security — an interregional, multi-level coordination mechanism to counter piracy in West and Central Africa — which has seen a decline in piracy from 81 incidents in 2020 to just 18 last year.

    And the International Maritime Organization continues to play a fundamental role in de-escalating tensions at sea and bringing together Member States and the shipping industry to find solutions.

    Looking ahead, action is needed in three key areas.

    First — respect for international law.   
     
    Respect for international law is the anchor of maritime security.

    The international legal regime for maritime security — with the UN Charter and the Convention on the Law of the Sea at its core — strikes a careful balance between States’ sovereign rights, jurisdictions and freedoms, and their duties and obligations.  

    And it provides a strong cooperative framework for addressing crimes at sea and ensuring accountability.

    However, this framework is only as strong as States’ commitment to full and effective implementation. 
     
    All States must live up to their obligations.

    And they must resolve any differences in relation to maritime security in accordance with the UN Charter.  

    Second — we need to intensify efforts to address the root causes of maritime insecurity.  
     
    Threats to maritime security cannot be addressed without also addressing issues like poverty, a lack of alternative livelihoods, insecurity, and weak governance structures. 

    Across the United Nations family, we’re working with impoverished coastal communities to develop new opportunities for decent and sustainable work.

    Collectively, we must do more to reduce the likelihood that desperate people will turn to crime and other activities that threaten maritime security and degrade our ocean environment.

    We must help developing countries build their capacity to deal with these threats through technology, training, capacity-building, judicial reforms, and modernized naval forces, marine police units, maritime surveillance and port security. 
    And we need to ensure that our oceans and seas can continue thriving, and support humanity’s economic, social, cultural and environmental development for generations to come.

    The upcoming Oceans Conference in Nice will provide an important moment for the countries of the world to take action.

    Et troisièmement, nous avons besoin de partenariats à tous les niveaux.

    Nous devons associer toutes les parties concernées par les espaces maritimes à l’action menée dans ce domaine.

    Des populations côtières, aux gouvernements, en passant par les groupes régionaux, les compagnies maritimes, les registres d’immatriculation du pavillon, les industries de la pêche et de l’extraction, les compagnies d’assurance et les exploitants portuaires.

    Sans oublier ce Conseil, qui a appelé l’attention sur la sûreté maritime et la nécessité d’agir de manière collective, d’assurer la désescalade et de promouvoir la coopération.

    Ainsi que les groupes de la société civile qui œuvrent en faveur des femmes et des filles, touchées de manière disproportionnée par des fléaux tels que la piraterie et la traite des personnes.

    Alors que les menaces qui pèsent sur la sûreté maritime deviennent de plus en plus complexes et interconnectées, il est essentiel d’améliorer la coordination et de renforcer la gouvernance maritime.

    Monsieur le Président,

    Le système des Nations Unies est prêt à continuer d’aider ce Conseil et tous les États Membres à garantir des espaces maritimes pacifiques, sûrs et prospères pour les générations à venir.
     
    Agissons pour préserver et sécuriser les espaces maritimes, ainsi que les communautés et les personnes qui en dépendent.

    Je vous remercie.

    ******

    [All-English]

    I thank the presidency of Greece for convening today’s open debate on the importance of strengthening maritime security through international cooperation.

    This debate underscores first of all that the basic condition to preserve maritime security is the respect by all countries of the UN Charter and international law as reflected in the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea. 

    Mr. President,
     
    From time immemorial, maritime routes have bound the world together.

    They have long been the primary means for the trade and transport of not only people, goods and commodities, but also cultures and ideas.
     
    All of humanity depends on the world’s oceans and seas — from the oxygen we breathe, to the biodiversity that sustains all life, to the economies, trade and jobs supported by maritime industries.

    Today’s debate shines a light on a fundamental fact:

    Without maritime security, there can be no global security.

    But maritime spaces are increasingly under strain from both traditional threats and emerging dangers.

    From challenges around contested boundaries…

    To the depletion of natural resources at sea…
    To escalating geopolitical tensions fanning the flames of competition, conflict and crime.

    Over the years, this Council has sought to address a range of threats that undermine maritime security and global peace.  

    From piracy, armed robbery, trafficking and organized crime…

    To destructive acts against shipping, offshore installations and critical infrastructure…

    To terrorism in the maritime domain, which poses a significant threat to international security, global trade and economic stability.

    No region is spared.  

    And the problem is getting worse.

    After a modest global decrease in reported piracy and armed robbery incidents in 2024, the first quarter of 2025 saw a sharp upward reversal.

    According to the International Maritime Organization, reported incidents rose by nearly half — 47.5 per cent compared to the same period in 2024.

    Incidents in Asia nearly doubled — especially in the Straits of Malacca and Singapore.

    In the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden, attacks by the Houthis on commercial vessels have disrupted global trade and increased tensions in an already volatile region. 

    The Gulf of Aden and the Mediterranean Sea remain treacherously active routes for migrant smuggling and the trafficking of weapons and human beings.

    The Gulf of Guinea continues to grapple with piracy, kidnappings, armed robbery at sea, oil theft, illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing, and the illicit trafficking of drugs, weapons, and people.

    Heroin from Afghanistan continues to reach East Africa through the Indian Ocean.

    Cocaine moves through the coasts of the Western Hemisphere and across the Atlantic Ocean to West Africa and European ports.

    And cyber-attacks are a fast-emerging security threat for ports and shipping companies.

    Facing these and other threats, the world’s maritime routes and the people depending on them are sending a clear SOS.

    Mr. President,

    Across the UN system, our agencies are supporting many regional initiatives that are gathering partners around maritime security across the globe.  

    This includes initiatives to address insecurity from the Gulf of Aden and the Red Sea, to the Gulf of Guinea and the Persian Gulf.

    It includes efforts to ensure safe navigation in the Black Sea.

    It includes our work to help countries build strong maritime forces and legal systems.

    It includes efforts to tackle armed robbery against ships in Asia, and fight piracy off the coast of Somalia. 

    It includes our support of the Yaoundé Architecture for Maritime Security — an interregional, multi-level coordination mechanism to counter piracy in West and Central Africa — which has seen a decline in piracy from 81 incidents in 2020 to just 18 last year.

    And the International Maritime Organization continues to play a fundamental role in de-escalating tensions at sea and bringing together Member States and the shipping industry to find solutions.

    Looking ahead, action is needed in three key areas.

    First — respect for international law.   
     
    Respect for international law is the anchor of maritime security.

    The international legal regime for maritime security — with the UN Charter and the Convention on the Law of the Sea at its core — strikes a careful balance between States’ sovereign rights, jurisdictions and freedoms, and their duties and obligations.  

    And it provides a strong cooperative framework for addressing crimes at sea and ensuring accountability.

    However, this framework is only as strong as States’ commitment to full and effective implementation. 
     
    All States must live up to their obligations.

    And they must resolve any differences in relation to maritime security in accordance with the UN Charter.  

    Second — we need to intensify efforts to address the root causes of maritime insecurity.  
     
    Threats to maritime security cannot be addressed without also addressing issues like poverty, a lack of alternative livelihoods, insecurity, and weak governance structures. 

    Across the United Nations family, we’re working with impoverished coastal communities to develop new opportunities for decent and sustainable work.

    Collectively, we must do more to reduce the likelihood that desperate people will turn to crime and other activities that threaten maritime security and degrade our ocean environment.

    We must help developing countries build their capacity to deal with these threats through technology, training, capacity-building, judicial reforms, and modernized naval forces, marine police units, maritime surveillance and port security. 
    And we need to ensure that our oceans and seas can continue thriving, and support humanity’s economic, social, cultural and environmental development for generations to come.

    The upcoming Oceans Conference in Nice will provide an important moment for the countries of the world to take action.

    And third — throughout, we need partnerships.

    We must involve everyone with a stake in maritime spaces. 

    From coastal communities to governments and regional groups.

    To shipping companies, flag registries, the fishing and extraction industries, insurers and port operators.

    To this very Council, which has drawn attention to maritime security and the need for collective action, de-escalation, and cooperation. 

    And to civil society groups focused on women and girls, who are disproportionately affected by challenges like piracy and human trafficking.

    As threats to maritime security are becoming more complex and interconnected, enhanced coordination and stronger maritime governance are essential.

    Mr. President, 
     
    The UN system stands ready to continue to support this Council and all Member States in ensuring peaceful, secure and prosperous maritime spaces for generations to come. 
     
    Let’s take action to support and secure maritime spaces, and the communities and people counting on them.

    Thank you.

    *****
    [All-French]

    Je remercie la présidence grecque d’avoir organisé le débat public d’aujourd’hui sur l’importance du renforcement de la sûreté maritime par la coopération internationale aux fins de la stabilité mondiale.

    Ce débat souligne tout d’abord que la condition fondamentale pour préserver la sécurité maritime est le respect par tous les pays de la Charte des Nations unies et du droit international tel qu’il est reflété dans la Convention des Nations Unies sur le droit de la mer. 

    Monsieur le Président,

    Depuis des temps immémoriaux, les routes maritimes unissent le monde.

    Elles sont depuis toujours le principal vecteur d’échanges commerciaux et de transport des personnes, des biens et des marchandises, mais aussi de diffusion des cultures et des idées.

    L’humanité tout entière dépend des océans et des mers de la planète, non seulement pour l’oxygène que nous respirons et la biodiversité qui permet à la vie d’exister, mais aussi parce qu’ils sont vitaux pour les économies, le commerce et les emplois liés aux industries maritimes.

    Le débat d’aujourd’hui met en lumière un fait fondamental :

    Sans sûreté maritime, il ne saurait y avoir de sécurité mondiale.

    Mais les espaces maritimes sont de plus en plus menacés par des périls anciens et nouveaux.

    Des difficultés liées à des frontières contestées…

    À l’épuisement des ressources naturelles de l’océan…

    En passant par l’escalade des tensions géopolitiques qui attisent les flammes de la concurrence, des conflits et de la criminalité.

    Au fil des ans, ce Conseil s’est efforcé de répondre à une série de menaces qui compromettent la sûreté maritime et la paix mondiale.

    La piraterie, le vol à main armée, le trafic et le crime organisé…

    Les actes de destruction visant le transport maritime, les installations situées au large des côtes et les infrastructures critiques…

    Mais aussi le terrorisme maritime, qui fait peser une terrible menace sur la sécurité internationale, le commerce mondial et la stabilité économique.

    Aucune région n’est épargnée.

    Et le problème ne cesse de s’aggraver.

    Après une modeste diminution des actes de piraterie et des vols à main armée signalés à l’échelle mondiale en 2024, un fort regain a été enregistré au premier trimestre de 2025.

    Selon l’Organisation maritime internationale, le nombre d’attaques a augmenté de près de moitié (47,5 %) par rapport à la même période en 2024.

    En Asie, il a presque doublé, en particulier dans les détroits de Malacca et de Singapour.

    En mer Rouge et dans le golfe d’Aden, les attaques menées par les houthistes contre des navires commerciaux ont perturbé les échanges mondiaux et accru les tensions dans une région déjà instable.

    Le golfe d’Aden et la mer Méditerranée restent des itinéraires périlleux utilisés pour le trafic de migrants et d’armes et pour la traite des personnes.

    Le golfe de Guinée demeure aux prises avec la piraterie, les enlèvements, les vols à main armée en mer, le vol de pétrole, la pêche illicite, non déclarée et non réglementée, et le trafic de drogues, d’armes et d’êtres humains.

    L’héroïne en provenance d’Afghanistan continue d’arriver en Afrique de l’Est par l’océan Indien.

    La cocaïne passe par les côtes des Amériques et traverse l’océan Atlantique pour atteindre l’Afrique de l’Ouest et les ports européens.

    Les cyberattaques, qui sont en pleine expansion, constituent une menace pour la sécurité des ports et des compagnies maritimes.

    Alors que se multiplient les périls, des routes maritimes du monde et des populations qui en dépendent nous parvient un message de détresse.

    Monsieur le Président,

    Les organismes des Nations Unies soutiennent de nombreuses initiatives régionales qui rassemblent des partenaires du monde entier autour de la sûreté maritime.

    Il s’agit notamment de projets de lutte contre l’insécurité maritime, du golfe d’Aden à la mer Rouge, et du golfe de Guinée au golfe Persique…

    Des efforts visant à garantir la sécurité de la navigation en mer Noire…

    De l’action que nous menons pour aider les pays à bâtir leurs forces maritimes et à se doter de systèmes juridiques solides…

    Des efforts déployés pour lutter contre les vols à main armée dont sont victimes des navires en Asie et contre la piraterie qui sévit au large des côtes somaliennes…

    Et du soutien que nous apportons à l’Architecture de Yaoundé pour la sécurité maritime, mécanisme de coordination interrégional à plusieurs niveaux destiné à combattre la piraterie en Afrique de l’Ouest et en Afrique centrale, qui a permis de porter le nombre d’actes de piraterie de 81 en 2020 à seulement 18 l’année dernière.

    L’Organisation maritime internationale continue en outre de jouer un rôle fondamental pour ce qui est de désamorcer les tensions en mer et d’aider les États Membres et le secteur du transport maritime à trouver des solutions concertées.

    Pour l’avenir, des mesures devront être prises dans trois domaines clés.

    Premièrement, le respect du droit international.

    Le respect du droit international est la condition première de la sûreté maritime.

    Le régime juridique international en la matière, fondé sur la Charte des Nations Unies et la Convention sur le droit de la mer, établit un équilibre délicat entre les droits souverains, la juridiction et les libertés des États, d’une part, et leurs devoirs et obligations, d’autre part.

    Il constitue également un cadre de coopération solide permettant de lutter contre les crimes commis en mer et de veiller à ce que les responsabilités soient établies.

    Toutefois, son efficacité dépend de la volonté des États d’en assurer la mise en œuvre pleine et effective.

    Tous les États doivent respecter leurs obligations.

    Et ils doivent résoudre tout différend relatif à la sûreté maritime conformément à la Charte des Nations Unies.

    Deuxièmement, nous devons redoubler d’efforts pour nous attaquer aux causes profondes de l’insécurité maritime.

    On ne saurait conjurer les menaces qui pèsent sur la sûreté maritime sans affronter également des problèmes tels que la pauvreté, l’absence de moyens de subsistance, l’insécurité et la faiblesse des structures de gouvernance.

    L’ensemble du système des Nations Unies s’emploie, aux côtés des communautés côtières pauvres, à créer de nouvelles possibilités de travail décent et durable.

    Collectivement, nous devons faire davantage pour réduire la probabilité que des personnes désespérées se tournent vers la criminalité et d’autres activités qui menacent la sûreté maritime et dégradent notre environnement océanique.

    Nous devons aider les pays en développement à renforcer leur capacité de faire face à ces menaces par la technologie, la formation, le renforcement des institutions et la mise en œuvre de réformes judiciaires, ainsi que par la modernisation des forces navales, des unités de police maritime, de la surveillance maritime et de la sécurité portuaire.

    Et nous devons veiller à ce que nos océans et nos mers puissent continuer de prospérer et de soutenir le développement économique, social, culturel et environnemental de l’humanité pour les générations à venir.

    La prochaine Conférence sur l’océan, qui se tiendra à Nice, sera pour les pays du monde entier une occasion décisive de passer à l’action.

    Et troisièmement, nous avons besoin de partenariats à tous les niveaux.

    Nous devons associer toutes les parties concernées par les espaces maritimes à l’action menée dans ce domaine.

    Des populations côtières, aux gouvernements, en passant par les groupes régionaux, les compagnies maritimes, les registres d’immatriculation du pavillon, les industries de la pêche et de l’extraction, les compagnies d’assurance et les exploitants portuaires.

    Sans oublier ce Conseil, qui a appelé l’attention sur la sûreté maritime et la nécessité d’agir de manière collective, d’assurer la désescalade et de promouvoir la coopération.

    Ainsi que les groupes de la société civile qui œuvrent en faveur des femmes et des filles, touchées de manière disproportionnée par des fléaux tels que la piraterie et la traite des personnes.

    Alors que les menaces qui pèsent sur la sûreté maritime deviennent de plus en plus complexes et interconnectées, il est essentiel d’améliorer la coordination et de renforcer la gouvernance maritime.

    Monsieur le Président,

    Le système des Nations Unies est prêt à continuer d’aider ce Conseil et tous les États Membres à garantir des espaces maritimes pacifiques, sûrs et prospères pour les générations à venir.
     
    Agissons pour préserver et sécuriser les espaces maritimes, ainsi que les communautés et les personnes qui en dépendent.

    Je vous remercie.

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

    May 21, 2025
  • MIL-OSI Africa: Secretary-General’s remarks to the Security Council – on Maritime Security [bilingual, as delivered. Scroll down for all-English and all-French]

    Source: United Nations – English

    thank the presidency of Greece for convening today’s open debate on the importance of strengthening maritime security through international cooperation.

    This debate underscores first of all that the basic condition to preserve maritime security is the respect by all countries of the UN Charter and international law as reflected in the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea. 

    Mr. President,
     
    From time immemorial, maritime routes have bound the world together.

    They have long been the primary means for the trade and transport of not only people, goods and commodities, but also cultures and ideas.
     
    All of humanity depends on the world’s oceans and seas — from the oxygen we breathe, to the biodiversity that sustains all life, to the economies, trade and jobs supported by maritime industries.

    Today’s debate shines a light on a fundamental fact:

    Without maritime security, there can be no global security.

    But maritime spaces are increasingly under strain from both traditional threats and emerging dangers.

    From challenges around contested boundaries…

    To the depletion of natural resources at sea…
    To escalating geopolitical tensions fanning the flames of competition, conflict and crime.

    Over the years, this Council has sought to address a range of threats that undermine maritime security and global peace.  

    From piracy, armed robbery, trafficking and organized crime…

    To destructive acts against shipping, offshore installations and critical infrastructure…

    To terrorism in the maritime domain, which poses a significant threat to international security, global trade and economic stability.

    No region is spared.  

    And the problem is getting worse.

    After a modest global decrease in reported piracy and armed robbery incidents in 2024, the first quarter of 2025 saw a sharp upward reversal.

    According to the International Maritime Organization, reported incidents rose by nearly half — 47.5 per cent compared to the same period in 2024.

    Incidents in Asia nearly doubled — especially in the Straits of Malacca and Singapore.

    In the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden, attacks by the Houthis on commercial vessels have disrupted global trade and increased tensions in an already volatile region. 

    The Gulf of Aden and the Mediterranean Sea remain treacherously active routes for migrant smuggling and the trafficking of weapons and human beings.

    The Gulf of Guinea continues to grapple with piracy, kidnappings, armed robbery at sea, oil theft, illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing, and the illicit trafficking of drugs, weapons, and people.

    Heroin from Afghanistan continues to reach East Africa through the Indian Ocean.

    Cocaine moves through the coasts of the Western Hemisphere and across the Atlantic Ocean to West Africa and European ports.

    And cyber-attacks are a fast-emerging security threat for ports and shipping companies.

    Facing these and other threats, the world’s maritime routes and the people depending on them are sending a clear SOS.

    Mr. President,

    Across the UN system, our agencies are supporting many regional initiatives that are gathering partners around maritime security across the globe.  

    This includes initiatives to address insecurity from the Gulf of Aden and the Red Sea, to the Gulf of Guinea and the Persian Gulf.

    It includes efforts to ensure safe navigation in the Black Sea.

    It includes our work to help countries build strong maritime forces and legal systems.

    It includes efforts to tackle armed robbery against ships in Asia, and fight piracy off the coast of Somalia. 

    It includes our support of the Yaoundé Architecture for Maritime Security — an interregional, multi-level coordination mechanism to counter piracy in West and Central Africa — which has seen a decline in piracy from 81 incidents in 2020 to just 18 last year.

    And the International Maritime Organization continues to play a fundamental role in de-escalating tensions at sea and bringing together Member States and the shipping industry to find solutions.

    Looking ahead, action is needed in three key areas.

    First — respect for international law.   
     
    Respect for international law is the anchor of maritime security.

    The international legal regime for maritime security — with the UN Charter and the Convention on the Law of the Sea at its core — strikes a careful balance between States’ sovereign rights, jurisdictions and freedoms, and their duties and obligations.  

    And it provides a strong cooperative framework for addressing crimes at sea and ensuring accountability.

    However, this framework is only as strong as States’ commitment to full and effective implementation. 
     
    All States must live up to their obligations.

    And they must resolve any differences in relation to maritime security in accordance with the UN Charter.  

    Second — we need to intensify efforts to address the root causes of maritime insecurity.  
     
    Threats to maritime security cannot be addressed without also addressing issues like poverty, a lack of alternative livelihoods, insecurity, and weak governance structures. 

    Across the United Nations family, we’re working with impoverished coastal communities to develop new opportunities for decent and sustainable work.

    Collectively, we must do more to reduce the likelihood that desperate people will turn to crime and other activities that threaten maritime security and degrade our ocean environment.

    We must help developing countries build their capacity to deal with these threats through technology, training, capacity-building, judicial reforms, and modernized naval forces, marine police units, maritime surveillance and port security. 
    And we need to ensure that our oceans and seas can continue thriving, and support humanity’s economic, social, cultural and environmental development for generations to come.

    The upcoming Oceans Conference in Nice will provide an important moment for the countries of the world to take action.

    Et troisièmement, nous avons besoin de partenariats à tous les niveaux.

    Nous devons associer toutes les parties concernées par les espaces maritimes à l’action menée dans ce domaine.

    Des populations côtières, aux gouvernements, en passant par les groupes régionaux, les compagnies maritimes, les registres d’immatriculation du pavillon, les industries de la pêche et de l’extraction, les compagnies d’assurance et les exploitants portuaires.

    Sans oublier ce Conseil, qui a appelé l’attention sur la sûreté maritime et la nécessité d’agir de manière collective, d’assurer la désescalade et de promouvoir la coopération.

    Ainsi que les groupes de la société civile qui œuvrent en faveur des femmes et des filles, touchées de manière disproportionnée par des fléaux tels que la piraterie et la traite des personnes.

    Alors que les menaces qui pèsent sur la sûreté maritime deviennent de plus en plus complexes et interconnectées, il est essentiel d’améliorer la coordination et de renforcer la gouvernance maritime.

    Monsieur le Président,

    Le système des Nations Unies est prêt à continuer d’aider ce Conseil et tous les États Membres à garantir des espaces maritimes pacifiques, sûrs et prospères pour les générations à venir.
     
    Agissons pour préserver et sécuriser les espaces maritimes, ainsi que les communautés et les personnes qui en dépendent.

    Je vous remercie.

    ******

    [All-English]

    I thank the presidency of Greece for convening today’s open debate on the importance of strengthening maritime security through international cooperation.

    This debate underscores first of all that the basic condition to preserve maritime security is the respect by all countries of the UN Charter and international law as reflected in the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea. 

    Mr. President,
     
    From time immemorial, maritime routes have bound the world together.

    They have long been the primary means for the trade and transport of not only people, goods and commodities, but also cultures and ideas.
     
    All of humanity depends on the world’s oceans and seas — from the oxygen we breathe, to the biodiversity that sustains all life, to the economies, trade and jobs supported by maritime industries.

    Today’s debate shines a light on a fundamental fact:

    Without maritime security, there can be no global security.

    But maritime spaces are increasingly under strain from both traditional threats and emerging dangers.

    From challenges around contested boundaries…

    To the depletion of natural resources at sea…
    To escalating geopolitical tensions fanning the flames of competition, conflict and crime.

    Over the years, this Council has sought to address a range of threats that undermine maritime security and global peace.  

    From piracy, armed robbery, trafficking and organized crime…

    To destructive acts against shipping, offshore installations and critical infrastructure…

    To terrorism in the maritime domain, which poses a significant threat to international security, global trade and economic stability.

    No region is spared.  

    And the problem is getting worse.

    After a modest global decrease in reported piracy and armed robbery incidents in 2024, the first quarter of 2025 saw a sharp upward reversal.

    According to the International Maritime Organization, reported incidents rose by nearly half — 47.5 per cent compared to the same period in 2024.

    Incidents in Asia nearly doubled — especially in the Straits of Malacca and Singapore.

    In the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden, attacks by the Houthis on commercial vessels have disrupted global trade and increased tensions in an already volatile region. 

    The Gulf of Aden and the Mediterranean Sea remain treacherously active routes for migrant smuggling and the trafficking of weapons and human beings.

    The Gulf of Guinea continues to grapple with piracy, kidnappings, armed robbery at sea, oil theft, illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing, and the illicit trafficking of drugs, weapons, and people.

    Heroin from Afghanistan continues to reach East Africa through the Indian Ocean.

    Cocaine moves through the coasts of the Western Hemisphere and across the Atlantic Ocean to West Africa and European ports.

    And cyber-attacks are a fast-emerging security threat for ports and shipping companies.

    Facing these and other threats, the world’s maritime routes and the people depending on them are sending a clear SOS.

    Mr. President,

    Across the UN system, our agencies are supporting many regional initiatives that are gathering partners around maritime security across the globe.  

    This includes initiatives to address insecurity from the Gulf of Aden and the Red Sea, to the Gulf of Guinea and the Persian Gulf.

    It includes efforts to ensure safe navigation in the Black Sea.

    It includes our work to help countries build strong maritime forces and legal systems.

    It includes efforts to tackle armed robbery against ships in Asia, and fight piracy off the coast of Somalia. 

    It includes our support of the Yaoundé Architecture for Maritime Security — an interregional, multi-level coordination mechanism to counter piracy in West and Central Africa — which has seen a decline in piracy from 81 incidents in 2020 to just 18 last year.

    And the International Maritime Organization continues to play a fundamental role in de-escalating tensions at sea and bringing together Member States and the shipping industry to find solutions.

    Looking ahead, action is needed in three key areas.

    First — respect for international law.   
     
    Respect for international law is the anchor of maritime security.

    The international legal regime for maritime security — with the UN Charter and the Convention on the Law of the Sea at its core — strikes a careful balance between States’ sovereign rights, jurisdictions and freedoms, and their duties and obligations.  

    And it provides a strong cooperative framework for addressing crimes at sea and ensuring accountability.

    However, this framework is only as strong as States’ commitment to full and effective implementation. 
     
    All States must live up to their obligations.

    And they must resolve any differences in relation to maritime security in accordance with the UN Charter.  

    Second — we need to intensify efforts to address the root causes of maritime insecurity.  
     
    Threats to maritime security cannot be addressed without also addressing issues like poverty, a lack of alternative livelihoods, insecurity, and weak governance structures. 

    Across the United Nations family, we’re working with impoverished coastal communities to develop new opportunities for decent and sustainable work.

    Collectively, we must do more to reduce the likelihood that desperate people will turn to crime and other activities that threaten maritime security and degrade our ocean environment.

    We must help developing countries build their capacity to deal with these threats through technology, training, capacity-building, judicial reforms, and modernized naval forces, marine police units, maritime surveillance and port security. 
    And we need to ensure that our oceans and seas can continue thriving, and support humanity’s economic, social, cultural and environmental development for generations to come.

    The upcoming Oceans Conference in Nice will provide an important moment for the countries of the world to take action.

    And third — throughout, we need partnerships.

    We must involve everyone with a stake in maritime spaces. 

    From coastal communities to governments and regional groups.

    To shipping companies, flag registries, the fishing and extraction industries, insurers and port operators.

    To this very Council, which has drawn attention to maritime security and the need for collective action, de-escalation, and cooperation. 

    And to civil society groups focused on women and girls, who are disproportionately affected by challenges like piracy and human trafficking.

    As threats to maritime security are becoming more complex and interconnected, enhanced coordination and stronger maritime governance are essential.

    Mr. President, 
     
    The UN system stands ready to continue to support this Council and all Member States in ensuring peaceful, secure and prosperous maritime spaces for generations to come. 
     
    Let’s take action to support and secure maritime spaces, and the communities and people counting on them.

    Thank you.

    *****
    [All-French]

    Je remercie la présidence grecque d’avoir organisé le débat public d’aujourd’hui sur l’importance du renforcement de la sûreté maritime par la coopération internationale aux fins de la stabilité mondiale.

    Ce débat souligne tout d’abord que la condition fondamentale pour préserver la sécurité maritime est le respect par tous les pays de la Charte des Nations unies et du droit international tel qu’il est reflété dans la Convention des Nations Unies sur le droit de la mer. 

    Monsieur le Président,

    Depuis des temps immémoriaux, les routes maritimes unissent le monde.

    Elles sont depuis toujours le principal vecteur d’échanges commerciaux et de transport des personnes, des biens et des marchandises, mais aussi de diffusion des cultures et des idées.

    L’humanité tout entière dépend des océans et des mers de la planète, non seulement pour l’oxygène que nous respirons et la biodiversité qui permet à la vie d’exister, mais aussi parce qu’ils sont vitaux pour les économies, le commerce et les emplois liés aux industries maritimes.

    Le débat d’aujourd’hui met en lumière un fait fondamental :

    Sans sûreté maritime, il ne saurait y avoir de sécurité mondiale.

    Mais les espaces maritimes sont de plus en plus menacés par des périls anciens et nouveaux.

    Des difficultés liées à des frontières contestées…

    À l’épuisement des ressources naturelles de l’océan…

    En passant par l’escalade des tensions géopolitiques qui attisent les flammes de la concurrence, des conflits et de la criminalité.

    Au fil des ans, ce Conseil s’est efforcé de répondre à une série de menaces qui compromettent la sûreté maritime et la paix mondiale.

    La piraterie, le vol à main armée, le trafic et le crime organisé…

    Les actes de destruction visant le transport maritime, les installations situées au large des côtes et les infrastructures critiques…

    Mais aussi le terrorisme maritime, qui fait peser une terrible menace sur la sécurité internationale, le commerce mondial et la stabilité économique.

    Aucune région n’est épargnée.

    Et le problème ne cesse de s’aggraver.

    Après une modeste diminution des actes de piraterie et des vols à main armée signalés à l’échelle mondiale en 2024, un fort regain a été enregistré au premier trimestre de 2025.

    Selon l’Organisation maritime internationale, le nombre d’attaques a augmenté de près de moitié (47,5 %) par rapport à la même période en 2024.

    En Asie, il a presque doublé, en particulier dans les détroits de Malacca et de Singapour.

    En mer Rouge et dans le golfe d’Aden, les attaques menées par les houthistes contre des navires commerciaux ont perturbé les échanges mondiaux et accru les tensions dans une région déjà instable.

    Le golfe d’Aden et la mer Méditerranée restent des itinéraires périlleux utilisés pour le trafic de migrants et d’armes et pour la traite des personnes.

    Le golfe de Guinée demeure aux prises avec la piraterie, les enlèvements, les vols à main armée en mer, le vol de pétrole, la pêche illicite, non déclarée et non réglementée, et le trafic de drogues, d’armes et d’êtres humains.

    L’héroïne en provenance d’Afghanistan continue d’arriver en Afrique de l’Est par l’océan Indien.

    La cocaïne passe par les côtes des Amériques et traverse l’océan Atlantique pour atteindre l’Afrique de l’Ouest et les ports européens.

    Les cyberattaques, qui sont en pleine expansion, constituent une menace pour la sécurité des ports et des compagnies maritimes.

    Alors que se multiplient les périls, des routes maritimes du monde et des populations qui en dépendent nous parvient un message de détresse.

    Monsieur le Président,

    Les organismes des Nations Unies soutiennent de nombreuses initiatives régionales qui rassemblent des partenaires du monde entier autour de la sûreté maritime.

    Il s’agit notamment de projets de lutte contre l’insécurité maritime, du golfe d’Aden à la mer Rouge, et du golfe de Guinée au golfe Persique…

    Des efforts visant à garantir la sécurité de la navigation en mer Noire…

    De l’action que nous menons pour aider les pays à bâtir leurs forces maritimes et à se doter de systèmes juridiques solides…

    Des efforts déployés pour lutter contre les vols à main armée dont sont victimes des navires en Asie et contre la piraterie qui sévit au large des côtes somaliennes…

    Et du soutien que nous apportons à l’Architecture de Yaoundé pour la sécurité maritime, mécanisme de coordination interrégional à plusieurs niveaux destiné à combattre la piraterie en Afrique de l’Ouest et en Afrique centrale, qui a permis de porter le nombre d’actes de piraterie de 81 en 2020 à seulement 18 l’année dernière.

    L’Organisation maritime internationale continue en outre de jouer un rôle fondamental pour ce qui est de désamorcer les tensions en mer et d’aider les États Membres et le secteur du transport maritime à trouver des solutions concertées.

    Pour l’avenir, des mesures devront être prises dans trois domaines clés.

    Premièrement, le respect du droit international.

    Le respect du droit international est la condition première de la sûreté maritime.

    Le régime juridique international en la matière, fondé sur la Charte des Nations Unies et la Convention sur le droit de la mer, établit un équilibre délicat entre les droits souverains, la juridiction et les libertés des États, d’une part, et leurs devoirs et obligations, d’autre part.

    Il constitue également un cadre de coopération solide permettant de lutter contre les crimes commis en mer et de veiller à ce que les responsabilités soient établies.

    Toutefois, son efficacité dépend de la volonté des États d’en assurer la mise en œuvre pleine et effective.

    Tous les États doivent respecter leurs obligations.

    Et ils doivent résoudre tout différend relatif à la sûreté maritime conformément à la Charte des Nations Unies.

    Deuxièmement, nous devons redoubler d’efforts pour nous attaquer aux causes profondes de l’insécurité maritime.

    On ne saurait conjurer les menaces qui pèsent sur la sûreté maritime sans affronter également des problèmes tels que la pauvreté, l’absence de moyens de subsistance, l’insécurité et la faiblesse des structures de gouvernance.

    L’ensemble du système des Nations Unies s’emploie, aux côtés des communautés côtières pauvres, à créer de nouvelles possibilités de travail décent et durable.

    Collectivement, nous devons faire davantage pour réduire la probabilité que des personnes désespérées se tournent vers la criminalité et d’autres activités qui menacent la sûreté maritime et dégradent notre environnement océanique.

    Nous devons aider les pays en développement à renforcer leur capacité de faire face à ces menaces par la technologie, la formation, le renforcement des institutions et la mise en œuvre de réformes judiciaires, ainsi que par la modernisation des forces navales, des unités de police maritime, de la surveillance maritime et de la sécurité portuaire.

    Et nous devons veiller à ce que nos océans et nos mers puissent continuer de prospérer et de soutenir le développement économique, social, culturel et environnemental de l’humanité pour les générations à venir.

    La prochaine Conférence sur l’océan, qui se tiendra à Nice, sera pour les pays du monde entier une occasion décisive de passer à l’action.

    Et troisièmement, nous avons besoin de partenariats à tous les niveaux.

    Nous devons associer toutes les parties concernées par les espaces maritimes à l’action menée dans ce domaine.

    Des populations côtières, aux gouvernements, en passant par les groupes régionaux, les compagnies maritimes, les registres d’immatriculation du pavillon, les industries de la pêche et de l’extraction, les compagnies d’assurance et les exploitants portuaires.

    Sans oublier ce Conseil, qui a appelé l’attention sur la sûreté maritime et la nécessité d’agir de manière collective, d’assurer la désescalade et de promouvoir la coopération.

    Ainsi que les groupes de la société civile qui œuvrent en faveur des femmes et des filles, touchées de manière disproportionnée par des fléaux tels que la piraterie et la traite des personnes.

    Alors que les menaces qui pèsent sur la sûreté maritime deviennent de plus en plus complexes et interconnectées, il est essentiel d’améliorer la coordination et de renforcer la gouvernance maritime.

    Monsieur le Président,

    Le système des Nations Unies est prêt à continuer d’aider ce Conseil et tous les États Membres à garantir des espaces maritimes pacifiques, sûrs et prospères pour les générations à venir.
     
    Agissons pour préserver et sécuriser les espaces maritimes, ainsi que les communautés et les personnes qui en dépendent.

    Je vous remercie.

    MIL OSI Africa –

    May 21, 2025
  • MIL-OSI Africa: Minister launches review of White Paper on Local Government

    Source: South Africa News Agency

    Cooperative governance and Traditional Affairs Minister Velenkosini Hlabisa has characterised the review of the White Paper on Local Government as one that is timely and urgent.

    Speaking at the launch of the review of the white paper at the Premier Hotel OR Tambo, Kempton Park on Monday,  the Minister said the launch represents a pivotal step in reimagining South Africa’s local government framework.

    “Since the adoption of the original White Paper in 1998, South Africa has made significant strides, including improved access to basic services, the establishment of autonomous municipalities, and the strengthening of democratic participation. 

    “However, numerous municipalities continue to grapple with systemic challenges such as service delivery failures, fiscal mismanagement, and governance breakdowns,” he said at the launch in Gauteng.

    He further emphasised the importance of confronting these challenges directly.

    “The harsh reality is that several municipalities are unable to repair potholes, ensure access to clean water, or provide reliable waste management. Others fail to utilise grants effectively. This is unacceptable, and the Review of the White Paper provides a blueprint for transformative change.”

    He said that of South Africa’s 257 municipalities, some are “financially unsustainable, lacking any revenue base – an outcome of legacy design flaws in our system.”

    “As we reshape local government to be fit-for-purpose, we must seriously consider whether maintaining non-viable municipalities is justifiable.”

    Government has identified local government as a key driver of its strategic priorities, which include inclusive economic growth, poverty eradication, job creation, and the promotion of ethical and capable governance. 

    READ | Hlabisa to officially launch the Review of the 1998 White Paper on Local Government

    The Review of the White Paper is aligned with these objectives and focuses on the following strategic pillars:
    •    Structural reforms to enhance operational efficiency and accountability
    •    Deepened community participation and inclusive governance
    •    Ethical leadership and anti-corruption initiatives
    •    Strengthened intergovernmental coordination
    •    Recognition and integration of traditional governance structures
    •    Climate-resilient and spatially equitable development

    A Discussion Document, released on 10 April 2025, outlines nine policy priority areas for transformation, including financial reform, the depoliticisation of municipal administration, and the reduction of spatial inequality. 

    The public have until 30 June 2025 to make their inputs into the document.

    It can be accessed on : https://www.cogta.gov.za/index.php/docs/white-paper-on-local-government-1998-review-of-the-white-paper-on-local-government/  

    Minister Hlabisa emphasised that this review is not merely a technical or policy-driven exercise, but a national imperative requiring active citizen engagement. 

    “The journey toward a more capable and responsive local government system is a collective responsibility. We call on all stakeholders—residents, councillors, municipal employees, business leaders, and traditional leaders—to partner with us in redesigning this vital sphere of governance.”

    A key theme of the review is the meaningful inclusion of the Khoi, San, and traditional leadership systems. 

    Minister Hlabisa reiterated that recognising these voices is not only a constitutional obligation but a critical step in developing culturally grounded and socially cohesive models of governance.

    The review process commenced in October 2024 through extensive consultations with stakeholders across all sectors of society. These engagements informed the current Discussion Document. 

    Further rounds of public submissions, dialogues, and workshops will shape the revised White Paper, which is expected to be finalised and published by March 2026.

    The Minister stressed that the success of the review relies on a whole-of-government and whole-of-society approach, with contributions required across all three spheres of government and from every segment of society.

    Submissions can be directed via email to:
    •    WPLG26@cogta.gov.za
    •    RichardP@cogta.gov.za
    •    MaphutiL@cogta.gov.za

    Alternatively, submissions can be sent via post or hand-delivered to the following addresses:

    Postal Address:
    Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs
    Attention: Mr. Thabiso Richard Plank (WPLG26 Policy Review)
    Private Bag X802
    Pretoria, 0001

    Physical Address:
    87 Hamilton Street
    Arcadia, Pretoria

    –    SAnews.gov.za

    MIL OSI Africa –

    May 21, 2025
  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Green council homes could save residents in energy bills

    Source: City of Portsmouth

    Three four-bedroom houses are being built to a new, ecofriendly standard for the first time by Portsmouth City Council.

    These family homes are designed to offer cheaper energy costs for residents, are being built in Bunting Gardens, Wecock Farm using Passivhaus design principles.

    The development will mark the first new build Passivhaus Development delivered by Portsmouth Homes, the landlord function of Portsmouth City Council.

    Passivhaus is a building standard that aims to reduce energy use and carbon emissions. The buildings have been designed and delivered by the Council’s in-house architects, landscape architects, surveyors, energy officers and construction inspectors in the capital projects team.

    In the Cabinet Member for Housing and Tackling Homelessness’s meeting in September last year, officers discussed the development and confirmed that delivery of new homes to these standards only costs slightly more, but means that tenants could save an estimated £841 a year in energy bills with a Passivhaus design.

    Tenants will benefit from improved comfort levels, reduced energy bills, and a significant decrease in the risk of energy poverty. Houses will be kept at a consistent and comfortable temperature using a mechanical ventilation that recovers heat from extracted air and uses this to warm incoming air. The air will be warm, but still fresh.

    In addition, each home will have triple glazed windows helping to make them more airtight, reducing heat loss, and keep the warmth inside the homes. Ten new communal parking spaces will also be provided, and new trees and shrubs will be planted around the area to enhance biodiversity.

    Cllr Darren Sanders, Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Housing and Tackling Homelessness said:

    “Green homes like these make the planet more liveable for our children and save energy bills for council tenants here and now. Portsmouth Council remains committed to tackling climate change and the cost of living and I am delighted that Portsmouth Homes is playing its part in delivering both of those.”

    Councillor Amy Redsull, Cabinet lead for Housing at Havant Borough Council, said:

    “I applaud the work being completed to reduce our carbon footprint. In this case, not only does it help the residents in reducing their bill, it also has a positive impact on our environment and allows local people to remain within their communities. This project is inspiring, and I hope that its ingenuity sparks further developments similar in nature.”

    The council has experienced and qualified Passivhaus architects, if you’d like to explore whether Passivhaus is right for you, contact Patrick.leggett@portsmouthcc.gov.uk.

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

    May 21, 2025
  • MIL-OSI Africa: “The land is life”: A regional project supported by the African Development Bank boosts rural women’s climate resilience in Djibouti

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

    ABIDJAN, Ivory Coast, May 20, 2025/APO Group/ —

    “Before,  farming  was  an  unattainable  dream.  Today,  I  feed  my  children  from  the  land.” These words from Assia Obakar Hassan, a mother from the village of Kalaf, epitomize the profound transformation benefiting part of rural northern Djibouti thanks to a regional project implemented by the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) with funding from the African Development Bank (www.AfDB.org) through the Africa Climate Change Fund (ACCF).

    In this region vulnerable to drought, food insecurity and rural poverty, secure access to land represents much more than a right to property: it is a tool for adapting to climate change and a lever for economic emancipation for hundreds of women.

    Regaining dignity through the land

    Living conditions in Kalaf and Dafenaytou have been transformed by the introduction of family vegetable gardens, forage plots, adapted farming tools and practical training. The aim is to make local agriculture a pillar of resilience, starting with those who support it on a daily basis.

    “We had no right to land, no equipment and no training. Today, everything has changed,” explains Fatouma Ali Aden, a mother of three from Dafenaytou. “Our children eat fresh vegetables, and we are no longer dependent on foreign markets.”

    Each household now has its own production area. “Thanks to these gardens, we have regained our autonomy,” adds Djilani Ali Ahmed, a community leader in Kalaf. “The women manage their own production and income and contribute to the village economy.”

    Agricultural governance driven by women

    The project was not confined to production: it also transformed local governance. The agricultural cooperative in Dafenaytou has over 70 members, the majority of whom are women, and 50% of its board members are female.

    “Women are no longer just workers, they are decision-makers,” says Ali Kamil Mohamed, head of the cooperative. “Their practical vision and commitment have improved the effectiveness of all our actions.”

    This change in approach has helped ensure a better match between the needs on the ground and the solutions proposed, consolidating the sustainability of the project.

    Health, security and education: cascading effects

    The social benefits of the project are considerable, from hygiene to nutrition and economic stability. The introduction of resistant seeds, simple irrigation systems and wheelbarrows has reduced the drudgery of the work and secured household food supplies.

    “We now have a supply of grass for our animals, vegetables for our meals and even a small surplus to sell,” says Mohamed Soumbourouh Ibiro. “It’s a source of pride and security.”

    The local school in Dafenaytou has also noted an improvement in attendance and concentration among children, especially girls, who have been freed from the chores of fetching water or food.

    This project is an illustration of the African Development Bank’s strategic priorities, in particular one of the “High 5” pillars: “Improve the quality of life for the people of Africa” by promoting gender equality, ensuring food security and building climate resilience.

    “This project has proved to us that it is possible,” concludes Assia Obakar Hassan. “With a little help, we can transform our villages, feed our families and pass on fertile land to our children.”

    As climate challenges intensify in the Horn of Africa, Kalaf and Dafenaytou are leading the way. The IGAD/AfDB project has not only provided water, seeds and training: it has given dignity, confidence and a voice back to rural women.

    In these villages, where every drop of water counts, the land has become a symbol of life, hope and resilience.

    MIL OSI Africa –

    May 21, 2025
  • MIL-OSI China: Xi sends congratulatory letter to 2025 SCO forum on poverty reduction, sustainable development

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

    Xi sends congratulatory letter to 2025 SCO forum on poverty reduction, sustainable development

    BEIJING, May 20 — Chinese President Xi Jinping on Tuesday sent a congratulatory letter to the 2025 SCO (the Shanghai Cooperation Organization) Forum on Poverty Reduction and Sustainable Development, held in Xi’an, northwest China’s Shaanxi Province.

    Xi pointed out that poverty eradication, a global issue, is a common goal of all countries in the world.

    Through arduous efforts, China has successfully won the battle against poverty, achieved the poverty reduction target of the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development ten years ahead of schedule, blazed a poverty reduction path with Chinese characteristics, and written a new chapter in the history of mankind’s fight against poverty, Xi said.

    Stressing that the root cause of poverty is inadequate development, Xi said the SCO has actively carried out cooperation on poverty reduction and sustainable development in recent years, achieving remarkable results.

    As the rotating chair of the SCO, China is willing to continuously enhance policy communication with all parties, share poverty reduction experience, deepen practical cooperation, help more countries explore poverty reduction and sustainable development paths that suit their national conditions, and join hands to build a beautiful world free from poverty and with common prosperity, Xi noted.

    The forum opened in Xi’an on Tuesday under the theme of “Sustained Poverty Reduction and Cooperative Development: Advancing Poverty Alleviation and Sustainable Development among SCO Countries.” The forum was co-hosted by the SCO Committee on Good-Neighborliness, Friendship and Cooperation and the People’s Government of Shaanxi Province.

    MIL OSI China News –

    May 20, 2025
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