Category: Child Poverty

MIL-OSI Global: Ecuador election heads to runoff – Indigenous movement now holds key to the outcome

Source: The Conversation – UK – By Malvika Gupta, DPhil Candidate in the Department of International Development, University of Oxford

Ecuador’s presidential election will go to a second round after the current president, Daniel Noboa, and the candidate for the left-wing Revolución Ciudadana (RC) party, Luisa González, received nearly identical shares of the vote.

After more than three-quarters of the ballots had been counted, Noboa led the 16 candidates with 44.6% of the vote – short of the 50% needed to win outright. González trailed with 44.02%. A run-off to decide the winner is scheduled to take place in April.

The election, which saw voters head to the polls for the third time in four years, took place against the backdrop of violence. Under Noboa’s two predecessors, who like him entered office with a neoliberal agenda, Ecuador became a narco-trafficking hub.

It now has one of the highest homicide rates in the world. This fact was laid bare by the 2023 assassination of Fernando Villavicencio, one of the candidates in the snap presidential election called that year when the former president, Guillermo Lasso, dissolved congress in an attempt to escape impeachment.

Noboa defeated González in an October 2023 runoff vote to see out Lasso’s term and then declared an “internal armed conflict” against criminal groups. He believed the only way to stop his country becoming a “narco-state” was with a hardline crackdown on organised crime groups.

But the militarisation of Ecuador’s streets and prisons has led to serious human rights violations by security forces. In late 2024, for example, four Afro-Ecuadorian boys died in the coastal town of Guayaquil after being detained by the military. Human rights groups say this case has prompted a shift in public attitudes to Noboa’s war on the gangs.

The rampant violence has been compounded by an energy crisis. Rolling blackouts instigated by a severe drought have raised questions about under-investment in Ecuador’s energy sector.

A raid on the Mexican embassy in capital city Quito in April 2024 led to the detention of Ecuador’s fugitive former vice-president Jorge Glas. This has prompted concern about Noboa’s lackadaisical attitude towards international law.

The result of the latest election was narrower than many polls had predicted. This suggests that the second round will be hard to call. But there are signs that the Ecuadorian left-wing, which has been divided for more than a decade, could be set to rally around González’s candidacy.

A key reason for the spate of neoliberal presidents in Ecuador is the division between those supportive of the country’s former leftist leader, Rafael Correa, who led the country from 2007 to 2017, and those who oppose him.

Indigenous voters, who make up roughly one-quarter of Ecuador’s electorate, helped Correa first come to power. And his government was successful in reducing extreme poverty and economic inequality.

But conflict soon arose over his policies to fund social services through the extraction of natural resources. In 2012, Correa accused the country’s main Indigenous organisation, Conaie, of trying to destabilise Ecuador by protesting against mining plans.

Correa also alienated Ecuador’s Indigenous movement by dismantling their hard-won intercultural bilingual education system in favour of mining revenue-funded education, as well as attempting to take control of water resources away from individual communities and give it to a new state agency.

In response to protests, Correa’s government prosecuted Indigenous leaders, saying they were saboteurs and terrorists. So, since 2017, many Indigenous voters have combined with the right-wing to keep RC from power. The RC candidate has lost the last two elections despite entering the second round because they did not have the Indigenous vote.

To break this impasse, RC participated in a dialogue with various left-wing parties, including the Indigenous-aligned Pachakutik political movement, to forge a unified electoral alliance for the 2025 election. These efforts did not result in a joint presidential bid. But they did lead to two favourable outcomes for the Ecuadorian left-wing.

RC and Pachakutik agreed a pact not to attack each other or the smaller left-wing candidates during the election campaign. And they also pledged to consider supporting the candidate of the other party should they reach the second round.

But this will, among other things, depend on how they manage their divergent positions on extractivism. RC sees the extraction of natural resources as one of the main economic pathways for Ecuador, while Pachakutik remains staunchly opposed.

González has said she wants to accelerate the transition to clean energy, but has also recognised the importance of oil and gas to Ecuador. She supported the “no” vote during the 2023 referendum where Ecuadorians voted to halt oil drilling in the Yasuní national park, arguing that exploration should continue in the area.

Pachakutik, on the other hand, seeks a post-extractive economic transition. The campaign of Pachakutik’s presidential candidate, Leonidas Iza, proposed boosting national agricultural and industrial production as an alternative to extractive capitalism. Iza envisions an economy based on harmony between humans and nature.

A plurinational tide?

Another area where RC and Pachakutik diverge is in their vision of plurinationality. Ecuador became the first country in the world to define itself as “plurinational” in 2008, adopting a new constitution that acknowledged the rights of nature as well as strengthening rights for Ecuador’s Indigenous peoples and other marginalised groups.

But, since then, the application of plurinationalism has faced major obstacles – not least because of the commitment of successive governments to resource extraction.

Pachakutik’s plurinational ethos was reflected in Iza’s election campaign. It featured images of a poncho-sporting Amazonian capybara threatened by extractivism, as well as rap songs of support by Afro-Ecuadorians living in coastal city slums. Plurinationalism was absent from – or certainly not central to – the electoral campaigns of most other candidates.

Ecuador’s Indigenous movement will probably determine who becomes Ecuador’s next president. Whether or not RC will now take plurinationalism seriously and forge an alliance with Pachakutik remains to be seen.

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

– ref. Ecuador election heads to runoff – Indigenous movement now holds key to the outcome – https://theconversation.com/ecuador-election-heads-to-runoff-indigenous-movement-now-holds-key-to-the-outcome-248974

MIL OSI – Global Reports –

February 11, 2025
MIL-OSI Global: Central African Republic: listening to people’s stories about foreign forces could help bring peace

Source: The Conversation – Africa – By Tim Glawion, Senior research fellow at the Arnold Bergstraesser Institut, Freiburg, Germany, University of Freiburg

Since it became independent in 1960, the Central African Republic has grappled with poverty, instability and governance challenges.

A decade into former president François Bozizé’s corrupt rule, a rebellion broke out and toppled the president in 2013. What followed was a devastatingly violent civil war with thousands of people killed and a fifth of the populace displaced.

To halt violence against civilians, numerous international actors intervened, including the African Union, the United Nations, the European Union and France. From 2014 onward they put thousands of boots on the ground and pushed rebels from most towns, while protecting and supporting the interim administration.

But by 2016 all actors had retreated, save the United Nations (UN). The mission – Minusca – was not able to contain a resurgence in rebellion, and the newly elected president Faustin-Archange Touadéra turned to Russian paramilitaries to stabilise his rule in 2017.

These paramilitaries started out only as “trainers” but took on more prominent and direct combat roles as the years passed, making the country a geopolitical playing field. The Russian paramilitaries and national army again pushed the rebels out of most towns and into the countryside.

I have studied the Central African Republic’s politics for over a decade, conducting research in towns across the country. I wanted to find out why some areas were more affected by violence than others and how people locally lived together. I believed that in such local stories we might find missing links as to why all the actors involved failed to provide the protection from violence and provision of services that people desired.

To study people’s expectations of peacekeepers, I used a method I call the “qualitative” survey. This type of survey asks open questions, for example “what do you expect of international actors?”. This leaves space for people to say things that researchers might not have expected. It also included more typical closed questions like “how safe do you feel, on a scale from 1 to 5?”.

With a team of Central African researchers, I conducted these surveys in four places in 2019 and in two places in 2023 and 2024. At this stage respondents had experienced foreign peacekeeping missions and Russian paramilitary presence.

We found that peacekeeping missions were losing popular support because they were not fulfilling the expectations of people in the Central African Republic.

People wanted peacekeepers to confront armed actors. When peacekeepers failed to do so, they criticised them, even requested them to leave.

Russian paramilitaries offered the forceful response that autocratic regimes and many locals wanted. However, they provided a too simplistic answer to people’s demands, based only on the present. People also had future expectations: they wanted armed actors to be kicked out so that people might be treated fairly and witness the return of a caring state in the near future.

Thus, while peacekeepers frustrated initial expectations and Russian paramilitaries might fulfil them, the Central African state and their Russian paramilitary allies were not building the future people expected.

Expectations

The overall results of the survey showed that people had the most confidence in local institutions, while harbouring high expectations for the state (when it returns), and being broadly disappointed by international peacekeepers.

The results varied strongly according to local experiences with the state and international actors. Most intriguingly, respondents did not necessarily feel safest in those localities that had the fewest violent incidents. I call this the “security paradox” and it has much to do with unmet expectations for which we need to dig into individual responses.

Take the example of a middle-aged woman in the Central African Republic’s north-eastern and long rebel-held town of Ndélé, who made two points in early 2019. First, the United Nations peacekeeping mission, Minusca, was inactive in the face of aggression. Second, non-governmental organisations (NGOs) were doing a good job:

Partner organisations such as Minusca who reside among our population do not seem to be there to ensure our protection, as we hear on the radio. A person may well be raped, and they do not even react to rescue the person in danger, even if they know about it. On the other hand, the NGOs are doing a very good job, and it is thanks to them that Ndélé is doing well today.

However, my own analysis showed that, objectively speaking, both peacekeepers and aid organisations were doing a mediocre job. Under the peacekeepers’ watch few violent incidents occurred and the aid organisations were only covering a fraction of local needs, much less than in other studied localities.

The difference in perception, I argue, stems from the fact that local people have certain expectations for security and different expectations for service provision in the Central African Republic.

Security in the Central African Republic is marked by an abundance of armed groups threatening people’s livelihoods. Dozens are currently active, of which a handful have been roaming for more than a decade, controlling trade routes and resources, as well as wielding local political power.

Services like schooling, health and electricity are almost entirely absent in many areas outside the capital; not even the state provides them.

Thus, in the security sector, people expect confrontation of armed actors by either the UN peacekeeping mission or the Russian paramilitary, whereas in services they want NGOs to substitute for government failings. Or in the words of an Ndélé trader:

The international actors can help us during these absences of state authority.

However, Minusca was not ready to forcefully oppose armed actors as they pursued an approach based on negotiating peace agreements and pursuing voluntary integration or disarmament. What my study shows is that doing too little in the eyes of the population can quickly turn the rumour mill, as this woman in Ndélé suggested:

As for Minusca, we do not see its work in favour of our well-being, and we even want it to leave since we have seen that it is the cause of our current division and suffering.

But would confrontation have brought more popular support to Minusca? Well, it did to another actor that stepped in, as a national staffer of an aid organisation stated in early 2022 in Bambari:

Minusca patrols do not have the confidence of the population. Because in front of Minusca forces, the rebels kill the population. For seven years, Minusca was unable to secure the town. Within minutes, the Central African Armed Forces and their Russian allies managed to dislodge them from the town of Bambari, which is now secure.

Reality

I did not judge whether people’s expectations of interventions were realistic.

Given the state’s history in the Central African Republic, it was surprising how many people wanted a state and army to return.

However, people were hoping for a “benevolent” state return. This has not happened.

And as for the Russian “allies”, as they are called in the Central African Republic: their confrontational approach has caused heavy collateral damage and has failed to stabilise former rebel areas. Rebellion is again on the rise.

My study shows how important it is to analyse expectations in-depth, and to take them as a starting point of intervention policy. Not understanding people’s expectations is what caught peacekeepers by surprise when people started demonstrating in front of their bases and even calling for their withdrawal.

While there might be good reasons not to pursue a forceful approach against rebels, interveners must be aware that they thereby deceive public expectations and should thus proactively listen to and engage the population about their demands.

The dilemma is that fulfilling people’s initial expectations does not automatically lead to the future they desire. So there must be difficult and open discussions about what is and what is not feasible in peacekeeping.

Tim Glawion receives funding from the public German Science Foundation (DFG, project number: 437386574).

– ref. Central African Republic: listening to people’s stories about foreign forces could help bring peace – https://theconversation.com/central-african-republic-listening-to-peoples-stories-about-foreign-forces-could-help-bring-peace-247834

MIL OSI – Global Reports –

February 11, 2025
MIL-OSI Africa: Central African Republic: listening to people’s stories about foreign forces could help bring peace

Source: The Conversation – Africa – By Tim Glawion, Senior research fellow at the Arnold Bergstraesser Institut, Freiburg, Germany, University of Freiburg

Since it became independent in 1960, the Central African Republic has grappled with poverty, instability and governance challenges.

A decade into former president François Bozizé’s corrupt rule, a rebellion broke out and toppled the president in 2013. What followed was a devastatingly violent civil war with thousands of people killed and a fifth of the populace displaced.

To halt violence against civilians, numerous international actors intervened, including the African Union, the United Nations, the European Union and France. From 2014 onward they put thousands of boots on the ground and pushed rebels from most towns, while protecting and supporting the interim administration.

But by 2016 all actors had retreated, save the United Nations (UN). The mission – Minusca – was not able to contain a resurgence in rebellion, and the newly elected president Faustin-Archange Touadéra turned to Russian paramilitaries to stabilise his rule in 2017.

These paramilitaries started out only as “trainers” but took on more prominent and direct combat roles as the years passed, making the country a geopolitical playing field. The Russian paramilitaries and national army again pushed the rebels out of most towns and into the countryside.

I have studied the Central African Republic’s politics for over a decade, conducting research in towns across the country. I wanted to find out why some areas were more affected by violence than others and how people locally lived together. I believed that in such local stories we might find missing links as to why all the actors involved failed to provide the protection from violence and provision of services that people desired.

To study people’s expectations of peacekeepers, I used a method I call the “qualitative” survey. This type of survey asks open questions, for example “what do you expect of international actors?”. This leaves space for people to say things that researchers might not have expected. It also included more typical closed questions like “how safe do you feel, on a scale from 1 to 5?”.

With a team of Central African researchers, I conducted these surveys in four places in 2019 and in two places in 2023 and 2024. At this stage respondents had experienced foreign peacekeeping missions and Russian paramilitary presence.

We found that peacekeeping missions were losing popular support because they were not fulfilling the expectations of people in the Central African Republic.

People wanted peacekeepers to confront armed actors. When peacekeepers failed to do so, they criticised them, even requested them to leave.

Russian paramilitaries offered the forceful response that autocratic regimes and many locals wanted. However, they provided a too simplistic answer to people’s demands, based only on the present. People also had future expectations: they wanted armed actors to be kicked out so that people might be treated fairly and witness the return of a caring state in the near future.

Thus, while peacekeepers frustrated initial expectations and Russian paramilitaries might fulfil them, the Central African state and their Russian paramilitary allies were not building the future people expected.

Expectations

The overall results of the survey showed that people had the most confidence in local institutions, while harbouring high expectations for the state (when it returns), and being broadly disappointed by international peacekeepers.

The results varied strongly according to local experiences with the state and international actors. Most intriguingly, respondents did not necessarily feel safest in those localities that had the fewest violent incidents. I call this the “security paradox” and it has much to do with unmet expectations for which we need to dig into individual responses.

Take the example of a middle-aged woman in the Central African Republic’s north-eastern and long rebel-held town of Ndélé, who made two points in early 2019. First, the United Nations peacekeeping mission, Minusca, was inactive in the face of aggression. Second, non-governmental organisations (NGOs) were doing a good job:

Partner organisations such as Minusca who reside among our population do not seem to be there to ensure our protection, as we hear on the radio. A person may well be raped, and they do not even react to rescue the person in danger, even if they know about it. On the other hand, the NGOs are doing a very good job, and it is thanks to them that Ndélé is doing well today.

However, my own analysis showed that, objectively speaking, both peacekeepers and aid organisations were doing a mediocre job. Under the peacekeepers’ watch few violent incidents occurred and the aid organisations were only covering a fraction of local needs, much less than in other studied localities.

The difference in perception, I argue, stems from the fact that local people have certain expectations for security and different expectations for service provision in the Central African Republic.

Security in the Central African Republic is marked by an abundance of armed groups threatening people’s livelihoods. Dozens are currently active, of which a handful have been roaming for more than a decade, controlling trade routes and resources, as well as wielding local political power.

Services like schooling, health and electricity are almost entirely absent in many areas outside the capital; not even the state provides them.

Thus, in the security sector, people expect confrontation of armed actors by either the UN peacekeeping mission or the Russian paramilitary, whereas in services they want NGOs to substitute for government failings. Or in the words of an Ndélé trader:

The international actors can help us during these absences of state authority.

However, Minusca was not ready to forcefully oppose armed actors as they pursued an approach based on negotiating peace agreements and pursuing voluntary integration or disarmament. What my study shows is that doing too little in the eyes of the population can quickly turn the rumour mill, as this woman in Ndélé suggested:

As for Minusca, we do not see its work in favour of our well-being, and we even want it to leave since we have seen that it is the cause of our current division and suffering.

But would confrontation have brought more popular support to Minusca? Well, it did to another actor that stepped in, as a national staffer of an aid organisation stated in early 2022 in Bambari:

Minusca patrols do not have the confidence of the population. Because in front of Minusca forces, the rebels kill the population. For seven years, Minusca was unable to secure the town. Within minutes, the Central African Armed Forces and their Russian allies managed to dislodge them from the town of Bambari, which is now secure.

Reality

I did not judge whether people’s expectations of interventions were realistic.

Given the state’s history in the Central African Republic, it was surprising how many people wanted a state and army to return.

However, people were hoping for a “benevolent” state return. This has not happened.

And as for the Russian “allies”, as they are called in the Central African Republic: their confrontational approach has caused heavy collateral damage and has failed to stabilise former rebel areas. Rebellion is again on the rise.

My study shows how important it is to analyse expectations in-depth, and to take them as a starting point of intervention policy. Not understanding people’s expectations is what caught peacekeepers by surprise when people started demonstrating in front of their bases and even calling for their withdrawal.

While there might be good reasons not to pursue a forceful approach against rebels, interveners must be aware that they thereby deceive public expectations and should thus proactively listen to and engage the population about their demands.

The dilemma is that fulfilling people’s initial expectations does not automatically lead to the future they desire. So there must be difficult and open discussions about what is and what is not feasible in peacekeeping.

– Central African Republic: listening to people’s stories about foreign forces could help bring peace
– https://theconversation.com/central-african-republic-listening-to-peoples-stories-about-foreign-forces-could-help-bring-peace-247834

MIL OSI Africa –

February 11, 2025
MIL-OSI United Nations: Spain and WFP partner to strengthen resilience of indigenous women in the Philippines’ Bangsamoro region

Source: World Food Programme

MANILA – The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) welcomed a contribution of PHP 45 million (US$780,000) from the Spanish Agency for International Development Cooperation (AECID) to enhance agriculture-related livelihoods and boost the climate resilience of indigenous women in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim` Mindanao (BARMM).

The project will reach 28,000 people from indigenous and rural communities. It also aims to promote leadership opportunities for women and strengthen their skills for adapting to climate change that threatens food and nutrition security.

“Despite significant progress at the global level, no country in the world has achieved gender equality. That is the reason why Spanish Cooperation aims to not only boost but also accelerate the progress of women’s participation and leadership at all decision-making levels. If we are talking about climate resilience in a country most at risk of extreme climate, we must put indigenous women and their communities at the centre of the action,” said Violeta Dominguez Acosta, Head of Spanish Cooperation in the Philippines.

Climate change is impacting food security, nutrition and gender equality in conflict-affected BARMM. In 2024, WFP conducted a ‘Leaving No One Behind’ study that showed barriers such as climate-related risks hinder rural and indigenous women from accessing resources and decision making processes, resulting in the loss of livelihood opportunities and poverty.

Under the AECID-funded project, rural and indigenous women will undergo training in climate-resilient agriculture and leadership skills. The project will aim at strengthening women’s cooperatives by linking their agricultural production to reliable markets. The activities will also incorporate social behavior change to improve local food and nutrition practices.

“WFP thanks AECID for their important contribution to enhancing resilience in BARMM. With the increasing frequency and intensity of climate emergencies in the Philippines, women are especially vulnerable. It is urgent that we strengthen their capacities and so that they can withstand shocks better,” said WFP Philippines Representative and Country Director Regis Chapman.

In partnership with the BARMM Government, WFP will work closely with other UN agencies, community-based organizations and indigenous communities to ensure greater participation and grassroot implementation.

Since 2006, WFP has been supporting the Philippine Government in augmenting emergency response operations, enhancing disaster management capacities, conducting resilience-building activities and strengthening food and social protection systems to improve development.

# # #

The United Nations World Food Programme is the world’s largest humanitarian organization saving lives in emergencies and using food assistance to build a pathway to peace, stability and prosperity for people recovering from conflict, disasters and the impact of climate change.

Follow us on Twitter @wfp_media @wfp_philippines

MIL OSI United Nations News –

February 11, 2025
MIL-OSI Global: Why the price of your favorite chocolate will continue to rise

Source: The Conversation – USA – By Narcisa Pricope, Professor of Geography and Land Systems Science and Associate Vice President for Research, Mississippi State University

Chocolate prices spiked amid very dry conditions in Africa. Chuck Fishman/Getty Images

Valentine’s Day often conjures images of chocolates and romance. But the crop behind this indulgence faces an existential threat.

Regions like northeastern Brazil, one of the world’s notable cocoa-producing areas, are grappling with increasing aridity – a slow, yet unrelenting drying of the land. Cocoa is made from the beans of the cacao tree, which thrives in humid climates. The crop is struggling in these drying regions, and so are the farmers who grow it.

This is not just Brazil’s story. Across West Africa, where 70% of the world’s cacao is grown, and in the Americas and Southeast Asia, shifting moisture levels threaten the delicate balance required for production. These regions, home to vibrant ecosystems and global breadbaskets that feed the world, are on the frontlines of aridity’s slow but relentless advance.

A farmer in Colombia holds a cacao pod, which holds the key ingredients for chocolate.
©2017CIAT/NeilPalmer, CC BY-NC-SA

Over the past 30 years, more than three-quarters of the Earth’s landmass has become drier. A recent report I helped coordinate for the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification found that drylands now cover 41% of global land, an area that expanded by nearly 1.7 million square miles (4.3 million square kilometers) over those three decades — about half the size of Australia.

This creeping dryness is not just a climate phenomenon. It’s a long-term transformation that may be irreversible and that carries devastating consequences for ecosystems, agriculture and livelihoods worldwide.

What causes aridity?

Aridity, while often thought of as purely a climate phenomenon, is the result of a complex interplay among human-driven factors. These include greenhouse gas emissions, land use practices and the degradation of critical natural resources, such as soil and biodiversity.

These interconnected forces have been accelerating the transformation of once-productive landscapes into increasingly arid regions, with consequences that ripple across ecosystems and economies.

Greenhouse gas emissions: A global catalyst

Human-induced climate change is the primary driver of rising aridity.

Greenhouse gas emissions, particularly from fossil fuel combustion and deforestation, increase global temperatures. Rising temperatures, in turn, cause moisture to evaporate at a faster rate. This heightened evaporation reduces soil and plant moisture, exacerbating water scarcity – even in regions with moderate rainfall.

Aridity began accelerating globally in the 1950s, and the world has seen a pronounced shift over the past three decades.

This process is particularly stark in regions already prone to dryness, such as Africa’s Sahel region and the Mediterranean. In these areas, reduced precipitation – combined with increased evaporation – creates a feedback loop: Drier soils absorb less heat, leaving the atmosphere warmer and intensifying arid conditions.

The number of people living in dryland regions has been rising in each region in recent years. Years 1971-2020. Scales vary.
UNCCD

Unsustainable land use practices: A hidden accelerator

Aridity is also affected by how people use and manage land.

Unsustainable agricultural practices, overgrazing and deforestation strip soils of their protective vegetation cover, leaving them vulnerable to erosion. Industrial farming techniques often prioritize short-term yields over long-term sustainability, depleting nutrients and organic matter essential for healthy soils.

For example, in cocoa-producing regions like northeastern Brazil, deforestation to make room for agriculture disrupts local water cycles and exposes soils to degradation. Without vegetation to anchor it, topsoil – critical for plant growth – washes away during rainfall or is blown away by winds, taking with it vital nutrients.

These changes create a vicious cycle: Degraded soils also hold less water and lead to more runoff, reducing the land’s ability to recover.

Aridity can affect the ability to grow many crops. Large parts of the country of Chad, shown here, have drying lands.
United Nations Chad, CC BY-NC-SA

The soil-biodiversity connection

Soil, often overlooked in discussions of climate resilience, plays a critical role in mitigating aridity.

Healthy soils act as reservoirs, storing water and nutrients that plants depend on. They also support biodiversity below and above ground. A single teaspoon of soil contains billions of microorganisms that help cycle nutrients and maintain ecological balance.

However, as soils degrade under aridity and mismanagement, this biodiversity diminishes. Microbial communities, essential for nutrient cycling and plant health, decline. When soils become compacted and lose organic matter, the land’s ability to retain water diminishes, making it even more susceptible to drying out.

In short, the loss of soil health creates cascading effects that undermine ecosystems, agricultural productivity and food security.

Global hot spots: Looming food security crises

Cocoa is just one crop affected by the encroachment of rising aridity.

Other key agricultural zones, including the breadbaskets of the world, are also at risk. In the Mediterranean, Africa’s Sahel and parts of the U.S. West, aridity already undermines farming and biodiversity.

By 2100, up to 5 billion people could live in drylands – nearly double the current population in these areas, due to both population growth and expansion of drylands as the planet warms. This puts immense pressure on food systems. It can also accelerate migration as declining agricultural productivity, water scarcity and worsening living conditions force rural populations to move in search of opportunities.

A map shows average aridity for 1981-2010. Computer simulations estimate that greenhouse gas emissions from human activities caused a 1.2% larger increase in the four types of dry regions combined for the periods between 1850 and 1981–2010 than simulations with only solar and volcanic effects considered.
UNCCD

Aridity’s ripple effects also extend far beyond agriculture. Ecosystems, already strained by deforestation and pollution, are stressed as water resources dwindle. Wildlife migrates or dies, and plant species adapted to moister conditions can’t survive. The Sahel’s delicate grasslands, for instance, are rapidly giving way to desert shrubs.

On a global scale, economic losses linked to aridification are staggering. In Africa, rising aridity contributed to a 12% drop in gross domestic product from 1990 to 2015. Sandstorms and dust storms, wildfires and water scarcity further burden governments, exacerbating poverty and health crises in the most affected regions.

The path forward

Aridity is not inevitable, nor are its effects completely irreversible. But coordinated global efforts are essential to curb its progression.

Countries can work together to restore degraded lands by protecting and restoring ecosystems, improving soil health and encouraging sustainable farming methods.

Communities can manage water more efficiently through rainwater harvesting and advanced irrigation systems that optimize water use. Governments can reduce the drivers of climate change by investing in renewable energy.

Continued international collaboration, including working with businesses, can help share technologies to make these actions more effective and available worldwide.

So, as you savor chocolate this Valentine’s Day, remember the fragile ecosystems behind it. The price of cocoa in early 2025 was near its all-time high, due in part to dry conditions in Africa. Without urgent action to address aridity, this scenario may become more common, and cocoa – and the sweet concoctions derived from it – may well become a rare luxury.

Collective action against aridity isn’t just about saving chocolate – it’s about preserving the planet’s capacity to sustain life.

Narcisa Pricope is a member of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) Science-Policy Interface, which works to translate scientific findings and assessments into policy-relevant recommendations, including collaboration with different scientific panels and bodies.

– ref. Why the price of your favorite chocolate will continue to rise – https://theconversation.com/why-the-price-of-your-favorite-chocolate-will-continue-to-rise-246227

MIL OSI – Global Reports –

February 11, 2025
MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Parliament Question: Schemes to Address Climate Change

Source: Government of India (2)

Posted On: 10 FEB 2025 3:11PM by PIB Delhi

The Government stands committed to address the problems pertaining to the environment and climate change. The Government has notified a set of legislative and regulatory and administrative measures, aimed at the preservation, conservation and protection of the environment and prevention, control and abatement of pollution.

The Ministry of Environment Forest & Climate Change (MoEFCC) has been designated as the nodal ministry in the Union Government to oversee the implementation of India’s environmental and forest policies and programmes including climate change. The Ministry has launched various schemes, aimed at the preservation, conservation and protection of the environment, forests and prevention, control and abatement of pollution.

These schemes are at various stages of their implementation and include umbrella schemes on environmental knowledge and capacity building; national coastal management programme; environment education, awareness, research and skill development; control of pollution; national mission for a green India, integrated development of wildlife habitat; conservation of natural resources and ecosystem, the impact of some of which is given below:

The National Clean Air Programme (NCAP) launched in 2019 covers 130 cities in 24 States and UTs with an objective to achieve substantial improvement in air quality, up to 40% reduction in particulate matter by 2025-26 from 2017-18. A ‘PRANA’ portal has been launched to update the air quality data in real time.

A regulatory framework for Circular Economy in various waste streams has been notified. The producers have been mandated to get the end-of-life wastes recycled under extended producer responsibility regime. Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) rules have been notified for plastic waste, tyre waste, battery waste, used oil waste and e-waste with the objective to enhance the circularity in economy and also help manage the wastes in environmentally sound manner.

The ‘Mangrove Initiative for Shoreline Habitats & Tangible Incomes (MISHTI)’ has been launched on 5^th June, 2024 to restore and promote mangroves as a unique, natural eco-system and for preserving and enhancing the sustainability of the coastal habitats. The objective of the MISHTI is to ‘restore mangrove forests’ by undertaking mangrove reforestation/afforestation measures along the coast of India. Approximately 22,561 Hectares of Degraded Mangroves have been restored in 13 States/UTs and ₹17.96 Crore released for the restoration of 3,836 Hectares in 6 States/UTs

The National Afforestation and Eco-development Board (NAEB) is implementing Nagar Van Yojana which envisages developing 600 Nagar Vans and 400 Nagar Vatikas in the country during the period from 2020-21 to 2026-27 with an objective to significantly enhance the trees outside forests and green cover, enhancement of biodiversity and ecological benefits to the urban and peri-urban areas apart from improving quality of life of city dwellers.

The Mission LiFE (Lifestyle for Environment) is a global initiative launched by India in October, 2022 aimed at fostering sustainable lifestyles through mindful and deliberate consumption to protect the environment. The initiative focuses on seven core themes: saving water, conserving energy, reducing waste, managing e-waste, eliminating single-use plastics, promoting sustainable food systems, and adopting healthy lifestyles.

In alignment with the ‘LiFE’, MoEFCC has notified the Eco-mark Rules on 26^th September, 2024. The scheme will encourage the demand for environment-friendly products aligning with the principles of ‘LiFE’, promote lower energy consumption, resource efficiency and circular economy. The scheme seeks to ensure accurate labelling and prevent misleading information about products.

On ‘World Environment Day’ celebrated on 5^th June, 2024, the Hon’ble Prime Minister launched the campaign ‘Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam (# Plant4Mother)’, exhorting people to plant trees as a mark of love and respect for one’s own Mother and for protecting and preserving the Mother Earth. MoEFCC has reached out to Central Government Ministries/Departments, State Governments, Institutions and Organizations to ensure the plantation of 140 crore trees by March, 2025. 109 crore saplings have been planted by January 2025.

The number of Protected Areas in the country, which stood at 745 in the year 2014 have risen to 1022. This accounts for 5.43% of the country’s total geographic area. There has been a substantial increase in establishment of Community Reserves. The numbers of Community Reserves in the country has increased from 43 in the year 2014 to 220 as on date.

Apart from the protected areas, the country also has 57 Tiger Reserves notified under the Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972 with the prime focus of conservation of tigers and its habitat. States have also declared 33 elephant reserves for providing safer habitats to the elephants.

Since 2014, 59 wetlands have been added to the list of ‘Ramsar’ sites, taking the tally to 89 in the country covering an area of 1.35 million ha. India boasts the largest ‘Ramsar’ site network in Asia and the 3rd largest in the world in terms of number of sites. Besides, Udaipur and Indore have been recently included in the list of Wetland Accredited Cities under the Wetland City Accreditation Scheme implemented under the Ramsar Convention.

As per All India Tiger Estimation 2022 report, the estimated tiger population in India is 3,682, which accounts for 70% of wild tiger population of the World. The area under the tiger reserve network is now 82,836.45 sq km, which is roughly 2.5% of the total geographical area of the country.

India’s climate action is guided by its updated Nationally Determined Contributions (NDC) and the long-term strategy to reach net-zero by 2070 and it cuts across various sectors of the economy. The National Action Plan on Climate Change (NAPCC) provides the overarching framework for all climate actions and comprises missions in specific areas of solar energy, enhanced energy efficiency, sustainable habitat, water, sustaining Himalayan ecosystems, Green India, sustainable agriculture, human health and strategic knowledge for climate change. All these Missions are institutionalized and implemented by their respective Nodal Ministries/Departments. The MoEFCC has implemented the Central Sector Schemes namely, Climate Change Action Programme (CCAP) and the National Adaptation Fund for Climate Change (NAFCC) assisting in efforts of the Government to combat climate change.

As a result of these interventions, India has progressively continued decoupling economic growth from GHG emissions. Between 2005 and 2020, India’s emission intensity of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) reduced by 36%. By October 2024, the share of non-fossil sources in the installed electricity generation capacity was 46.52%. The total installed capacity of renewable power, including large hydropower, is 203.22 GW, and cumulative renewable power installed capacity (excluding large hydro projects) has increased 4.5 times from 35 GW in March 2014 to 156.25 GW. India’s forest and tree cover has consistently increased and currently stands at 25.17% of the total geographical area of the country. From 2005 to 2021, an additional carbon sink of 2.29 billion tonnes of CO₂ equivalent has been created.

Despite India’s very low contribution to historical emissions and to the current levels of global emissions, India has taken several climate actions to reflect equity and the principle of common but differentiated responsibilities and respective capabilities in the light of different national circumstances and in the context of sustainable development and efforts to eradicate poverty, as enshrined in the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and its Paris Agreement.

This information was provided by UNION MINISTER OF STATE FOR ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE, SHRI KIRTI VARDHAN SINGH, in a written reply to a question in Lok Sabha today.

*****

VM

(Lok Sabha US Q1021)

(Release ID: 2101289) Visitor Counter : 62

MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

February 11, 2025
MIL-Evening Report: Cook Islands crisis: Haka with the taniwha or dance with the dragon?

The Cook Islands finds itself in a precarious dance — one between the promises of foreign investments and the integrity of our own sovereignty. As the country sways between partners China and Aotearoa New Zealand, the Cook Islands News asks: “Do we continue to haka with the Taniwha, our constitutional partner, or do we dance with the dragon?”

EDITORIAL: By Thomas Tarurongo Wynne, Cook Islands News

Our relationship with China, forged through over two decades of diplomatic agreements, infrastructure projects and economic cooperation, demands further scrutiny. Do we continue to embrace the dragon with open arms, or do we stand wary?

And what of the Taniwha, a relationship now bruised by the ego of the few but standing the test of time?

If our relationship with China were a building, it would be crumbling like the very structures they have built for us. The Cook Islands Police Headquarters (2005) was meant to stand as a testament to our growing diplomatic and financial ties, but its foundations — both literal and metaphorical — have been called into question as its structure deteriorated.

COOK ISLANDS NEWS

Then, in 2009, the Cook Islands Courthouse followed, plagued by maintenance issues almost immediately after its completion. Our National Stadium, also built in 2009 for the Pacific Mini Games, was heralded as a great achievement, yet signs of premature wear and tear began surfacing far earlier than expected.

Still, we continue this dance, entranced by the allure of foreign investment and large-scale projects, even as history and our fellow Pacific partners across the moana warn us of the risks.

These structures, now symbols of our fragile dependence, stand as a metaphor for our relationship with the dragon: built with promises of strength, only to falter under closer scrutiny. And yet, we keep returning to the dance floor. These projects, rather than standing as enduring monuments to our relationship with China, serve as cautionary tales.

And then came Te Mato Vai.

What began as a bold and necessary vision to modernise Rarotonga’s water infrastructure became a slow and painful lesson in accountability. The involvement of China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation (CCECC) saw the project mired in substandard work, legal disputes and cost overruns.

By the time McConnell Dowell, a New Zealand firm, was brought in to fix the defects, the damage — financial and reputational — was done.

Prime Minister Mark Brown, both as Finance Minister and now as leader, has walked an interesting line between criticism and praise.

In 2017, he voiced concerns about the poor workmanship and assured the nation that the government would seek accountability, stating, “We are deeply concerned about the quality of work delivered by CCECC. Our people deserve better, and we will pursue all avenues to ensure accountability.”

In 2022, he acknowledged the cost overruns but framed them as necessary lessons in securing a reliable water supply. And yet, most recently, during the December 2024 visit of China’s Executive Vice Foreign Minister Ma Zhaoxu, he declared Te Mato Vai a “commitment to a stronger, healthier, and more resilient nation. Together, we’ve delivered a project that not only meets the needs of today but safeguards the future of Rarotonga’s water supply.”

The Cook Islands’ relationship with New Zealand has long been one of deep familial, historical and political ties — a dance with the taniwha, if you will. As a nation with free association status, we have relied on New Zealand for economic support, governance frameworks and our shared citizenship ties.

And they have relied on our labour and expertise, which adds over a billion dollars to their economy each year. We have well-earned our discussion around citizenship and statehood, but that must come from the ground up, not from the top down.

China has signed similar agreements across the Pacific, most notably with the Solomon Islands, weaving itself into the region’s economic and political fabric. Yet, while these partnerships promise opportunity, they also raise concerns about sovereignty, dependency and the price of such alignments, as well as the geopolitical and strategic footprint of the dragon.

But as we reflect on the shortcomings of these partnerships, the question remains: Do we continue to place our trust in foreign powers, or do we reinvest in our own community and governance systems?

At the end of the day, we must ask ourselves: How do we sign bold agreements on the world stage without consultation, while struggling to resolve fundamental issues at home?

Healthcare, education, the rise in crime, mental health, disability, poverty — the list goes on and on, while our leaders are wined and dined on state visits around the globe.

Dance with the dragon, if you so choose, but save the last dance for the voting public in 2026. In 2026, the voters will decide who leads this dance and who gets left behind.

Republished from the Cook Islands News with permission.

MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

February 10, 2025
MIL-Evening Report: Most retirees who rent live in poverty. Here’s how boosting rent assistance could help lift them out of it

Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Brendan Coates, Program Director, Housing and Economic Security, Grattan Institute

Marlinde/Shutterstock

Most Australians can look forward to a comfortable retirement. More than three in four retirees own their own home, most report feeling comfortable financially, and few suffer financial stress.

But our new Grattan Institute report paints a sobering picture for one group: retirees who rent in the private market. Two-thirds of this group live in poverty, including more than three in four single women who live alone.

Retirees who rent often have little in the way of retirement savings: more than half have less than A$25,000 stashed away. And a growing number of older Australians are at risk of becoming homeless.

But our research also shows just how much we’d need to boost Commonwealth Rent Assistance to make housing more affordable and ensure all renters are able to retire with dignity.

Today’s renters, tomorrow’s renting retirees

Home ownership is falling among poorer Australians who are approaching retirement.

Between 1981 and 2021, home ownership rates among the poorest 40% of 45–54-year-olds fell from 68% to just 54%. Today’s low-income renters are tomorrow’s renting retirees.

Age pensioners need at least $40,000 in savings to afford to spend $350 a week in rent, together with the Age Pension and Rent Assistance. That’s enough to afford the cheapest 25% of one-bedroom homes in capital cities.

But Australians who are renting as they approach retirement tend to have little in the way of retirement savings. 40% of renting households aged 55-64 have net financial wealth less than $40,000.

Rent assistance is too low

Our research shows that Commonwealth Rent Assistance, which supplements the Age Pension for poorer retirees who rent, is inadequate.

The federal government has lifted the maximum rate of Rent Assistance by 27% – over and above inflation – in the past two budgets. But the payment remains too low.

A single retiree needs at least $379 per week to afford non-housing essentials.
marikun/Shutterstock

A typical single retiree needs at least $379 per week to afford essential non-housing costs such as food, transport and energy.

But we found a single pensioner who relies solely on income support can afford to rent just 4% of one-bedroom homes in Sydney, 13% in Brisbane, and 14% in Melbourne, after covering these basic living expenses.

With Rent Assistance indexed to inflation, rather than low-income earners’ housing costs, the maximum rate of the payment has increased by 136% since 2001, while the rents paid by recipients have increased by 193%.

A boost is needed

Our analysis suggests that to solve this problem, the federal government should increase the maximum rate of Rent Assistance by 50% for singles and 40% for couples.

The payment should also be indexed to changes in rents for the cheapest 25% of homes in our capital cities.

These increases would boost the maximum rate of Rent Assistance by $53 a week ($2,750 a year) for singles, and $40 a week ($2,080 a year) for couples.

This would ensure single retirees could afford to spend $350 a week on rent, enough to rent the cheapest 25% of one-bedroom homes across Australian capital cities, while still affording other essentials.

Similarly, retired couples would be able to afford to spend $390 a week on rent, enough to rent the cheapest 25% of all one- and two-bedroom homes.

Unlikely to push up rents

One common concern is that increasing Rent Assistance will just lead landlords to hike rents. But we find little evidence that this is the case.

International studies suggest that more than five in six dollars of any extra Rent Assistance paid would benefit renters, rather than landlords.

In Australia, there’s little evidence that recent increases in Rent Assistance have pushed up rents.

Our analysis of NSW rental bond lodgement data suggests areas with higher concentrations of Rent Assistance recipients did not see larger rent increases in the year after the payment was boosted.

That’s not surprising. Rent Assistance is paid to tenants, not landlords, which means tenants are likely to spend only a small portion of any extra income on housing.

Since rates of financial stress are even higher among younger renters, we propose that any increase to Rent Assistance should also apply to working-age households.

Boosting Rent Assistance for all recipients would cost about $2 billion a year, with about $500 million of this going to retirees.

These increases could be paid for by further tightening superannuation tax breaks, curbing negative gearing and halving the capital gains tax discount, or counting more of the value of the family home in the Age Pension assets test.

Read more:
Superannuation is complicated. A guaranteed government income in retirement would be simpler

Grattan Institute began with contributions to its endowment of $15 million from each of the federal and Victorian governments, $4 million from BHP Billiton, and $1 million from NAB. In order to safeguard its independence, Grattan Institute’s board controls this endowment. The funds are invested and contribute to funding Grattan Institute’s activities. Grattan Institute also receives funding from corporates, foundations, and individuals to support its general activities, as disclosed on its website.

– ref. Most retirees who rent live in poverty. Here’s how boosting rent assistance could help lift them out of it – https://theconversation.com/most-retirees-who-rent-live-in-poverty-heres-how-boosting-rent-assistance-could-help-lift-them-out-of-it-249134

MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

February 10, 2025
MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Presidential Office thanks US and Japan for joint leaders’ statement

Source: Republic of China Taiwan

Details
2025-01-31
President Lai’s response to Pope Francis’s 2025 World Day of Peace message
President Lai Ching-te recently sent a letter to Pope Francis of the Catholic Church in response to his message marking the 58th World Day of Peace. The following is the full text of the president’s letter to the pope: Your Holiness, In your message for the 2025 World Day of Peace entitled Forgive us our trespasses: grant us your peace, you called for a cultural change that would bring an end to the governance of interpersonal and international relations by a logic of exploitation and oppression and herald true and lasting peace. I wholeheartedly admire and identify with your point of view. Since transitioning from a medical career to politics, I have remained true to my original intentions in the sense that, while a doctor can help only one person at a time, a public servant can simultaneously assist many people in resolving the difficulties affecting their lives. In my inaugural address in May 2024, I pledged that every day of my term, I would strive to act justly, show mercy, and be humble, which accord with the teachings of the Bible. I promised to treat the Taiwanese people as family and prove myself worthy of their trust and expectations. With an unwavering heart, I have accepted the people’s trust and taken on the solemn responsibility of leading the nation forward and building a democratic, peaceful, and prosperous new Taiwan. In this new year, the changing international landscape continues to present many grave challenges to democratic nations around the world. As the Russia-Ukraine war persists, the steady convergence of authoritarian regimes, including China, Russia, North Korea, and Iran, threatens the rules-based international order and severely impacts peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific and the world at large. Your Holiness has stated that war is a defeat for everyone. I, too, firmly believe that peace is priceless and that war has no winners. A high level of consensus has formed in the international community on upholding peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait. The Taiwanese people also maintain an unyielding commitment to safeguarding a way of life that encompasses freedom, equality, democracy, and human rights. Taiwan will continue to spare no effort in preserving regional peace and stability and serving as a pilot for global peace. In your World Day of Peace message, you urged prosperous countries to assist poorer ones. This compassion is truly touching. Taiwan is proactively implementing values-based diplomacy and, under the Diplomatic Allies Prosperity Project, enhancing allies’ development through a range of initiatives. Over many years, Taiwan has accumulated abundant and unique experience of providing foreign assistance. Seeking to foster self-reliance among disadvantaged countries, we have extended genuine support to help alleviate poverty through such avenues as strengthening basic infrastructure, transferring technology, and cultivating talent. In your message, you reminded countries worldwide that assistance should not be merely an isolated act of charity and pointed to the need to devise a new global financial framework so that food crises, climate change, and other challenges could be jointly addressed. I hold this view in high regard. I therefore earnestly hope that international organizations will stop excluding Taiwan for political reasons. Taiwan is willing to shoulder its international responsibilities so that it can contribute and share its valuable experience through many global platforms. On behalf of the government and people of the Republic of China (Taiwan), I again express our interest in collaborating with the Holy See to advance world peace through concrete action. We also aspire to demonstrate Taiwanese values and the Taiwanese spirit and work together with the Holy See to uphold the core values of justice, democracy, freedom, and peace. Please accept, Your Holiness, the renewed assurances of my highest consideration, as well as my best wishes for your good health and the continued growth of the Catholic Church.

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2025-01-31
President Lai meets former US Vice President Mike Pence
On the afternoon of January 17, President Lai Ching-te met with former Vice President of the United States Mike Pence. In remarks, President Lai thanked former Vice President Pence for his contributions to the deepening of Taiwan-US relations, noting that he actively helped to strengthen Taiwan-US cooperation and facilitate the normalization of military sales to Taiwan, and did his utmost to deepen the Taiwan-US economic partnership. The president indicated that former Vice President Pence also spoke up for Taiwan on numerous occasions at international venues, backing Taiwan’s international participation. President Lai expressed hope for a stronger Taiwan-US partnership to maintain peace and stability throughout the world, and that the two sides can advance bilateral exchanges in such areas as the economy, trade, and industry. A translation of President Lai’s remarks follows: I am delighted to welcome former Vice President Pence and Mrs. Karen Pence to the Presidential Office. Former Vice President Pence is not only an outstanding political leader in the US, but also a staunch supporter of Taiwan on the international stage. On behalf of the people of Taiwan, I would like to take this opportunity to extend our deepest gratitude to former Vice President Pence for his contributions to the deepening of Taiwan-US relations. Thanks to former Vice President Pence’s strong backing, ties between Taiwan and the US rose to unprecedented heights during President Donald Trump’s first administration. Former Vice President Pence actively helped to strengthen Taiwan-US security cooperation and facilitate the normalization of military sales to Taiwan, helping Taiwan reinforce its self-defense capabilities. He also did his utmost to deepen the Taiwan-US economic partnership. Former Vice President Pence also paid close attention to the military threats and diplomatic isolation faced by Taiwan. He spoke up for Taiwan on numerous occasions at international venues, taking concrete action to back Taiwan’s international participation. We were truly grateful for this. As we speak, China’s political and military intimidation against Taiwan persist. China and other authoritarian regimes, such as Russia, North Korea, and Iran, are continuing to converge and present serious challenges to democracies around the globe. At this moment, free and democratic nations must come together to bolster cooperation. I believe that a stronger Taiwan-US partnership can be an even more powerful force in maintaining peace and stability throughout the world. Former Vice President Pence has previously supported the signing of a trade agreement between Taiwan and the US. Taiwan looks forward to continuing to work with the new US administration and Congress to advance bilateral exchanges in such areas as the economy, trade, and industry. This is the first time that former Vice President Pence and Mrs. Pence are visiting Taiwan, and their visit is significantly meaningful for Taiwan-US exchanges. On behalf of the people of Taiwan, I want to extend a warm welcome. Moving forward, I hope we will jointly realize even more fruitful achievements through Taiwan-US cooperation. Former Vice President Pence then delivered remarks, thanking President Lai for his hospitality on his and his wife’s first visit to Taiwan, saying that it is an honor to be here to reaffirm the bonds of friendship between the people of America and the people of Taiwan, which are strong and longstanding. The former vice president indicated that the American people admire the people of Taiwan and all that has been accomplished in a few short decades for Taiwan to rise to one of the world’s preeminent economic powers and free societies. He said that he is grateful for President Lai’s courageous and bold leadership of Taiwan, and grateful to be able to express the support of the overwhelming majority of the American people for this alliance. Former Vice President Pence indicated that the values shared by Taiwan and the US, including freedom, the rule of law, and respect for human rights, bind us together in a partnership that transcends geographic boundaries and cultures. He then assured President Lai that China’s increasingly aggressive posture in the Taiwan Strait and across the Indo-Pacific, for the values and interests that both sides share, is deeply concerning to the American people. Former Vice President Pence stated that America is a Pacific nation, and is committed to the status quo, adding that they recognize it is China that wants to change the status quo that America, Taiwan, and other allies in the region want to preserve, which has created an environment of extraordinary growth and prosperity. The former vice president concluded by once again thanking President Lai and his team for their gracious hospitality and conveying best wishes to him and the people of Taiwan. Former Vice President Pence then assured President Lai that just as Taiwan will never surrender its freedom, he will continue to be a voice for a strong US-Taiwan relationship in the defense and the benefit of Taiwan, the US, and the free world. Later that day, Vice President Bi-khim Hsiao hosted a banquet for former Vice President Pence and his delegation at Taipei Guest House to thank him for his longstanding friendship and staunch support for Taiwan-US ties.

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2025-01-31
President Lai meets delegation to 60th Inaugural Ceremonies of US president and vice president
On the morning of January 16, President Lai Ching-te met with Taiwan’s delegation to the 60th Inaugural Ceremonies of the President and Vice President of the United States. In remarks, President Lai stated that democratic Taiwan stands united, working hard to deepen Taiwan-US ties together. He then entrusted the delegation with three missions: to convey best wishes from the people of Taiwan, convey our firm commitment to democracy, and help Taiwan-US relations reach a new milestone. A translation of President Lai’s remarks follows: The 60th Inaugural Ceremonies of the President and Vice President of the US will be held on January 20. I want to thank Speaker Han Kuo-yu (韓國瑜), president of the Legislative Yuan, for accepting my invitation to lead our nation’s representative delegation to the event. I also thank Legislative Yuan Members Ko Chih-en (柯志恩), Wang Ting-yu (王定宇), Ko Ju-chun (葛如鈞), Lee Yen-hsiu (李彥秀), Chen Kuan-ting (陳冠廷), Kuo Yu-ching (郭昱晴), and Chen Gau-tzu (陳昭姿) for joining this visit to the US to attend the inauguration of President Donald Trump and Vice President J.D. Vance. We have gathered together today despite differences in party affiliation because in democratic Taiwan, while parties may compete domestically, when it comes to engagement externally, they stand united and share responsibility, working hard to deepen Taiwan-US ties and strive for the best interests of the nation. We share the value of defending freedom and democracy, and we share the goal of advancing peace and prosperity. Today, we engage with the world together as those from the same country – the Republic of China (Taiwan). In this complex and volatile new international landscape, and as the nation faces difficulties and challenges, I want to stress that in Formosa, there is no hostility that cannot be let go, and no hardship that cannot be overcome. Unity is the most important, and I hope that Taiwan can stand united, because there is true strength in unity. Democratic Taiwan must stand united in engaging with the world and initiate exchanges with confidence. On that ground, I am entrusting this delegation with three key missions. First, convey best wishes from the people of Taiwan. Just last year, Taiwan and the US celebrated the 45th anniversary of the passage of the Taiwan Relations Act. And on May 20, the US sent a senior bipartisan delegation to congratulate me and Vice President Bi-khim Hsiao on our inauguration. As the leader of this cross-party delegation, Speaker Han must clearly convey the well-wishes of the people of Taiwan, congratulate President Trump and Vice President Vance on their inauguration, and wish success to the new administration and prosperity to the US. Second, clearly convey the firm commitment of the people of Taiwan to democracy. The theme of these inaugural ceremonies is “Our Enduring Democracy: A Constitutional Promise.” Taiwan and the US share the universal value of democracy and are staunch allies. I hope that the delegation can faithfully convey the firm commitment to democracy that the people of Taiwan have, which will not change even in the face of authoritarian threats. Taiwan is willing to stand side by side with the US and other members of the democratic community to defend the sustainable development of global democracy and prevent the expansion of authoritarianism. Third, help Taiwan-US relations reach a new milestone. In recent years, Taiwan-US relations have continued to grow, with the first agreement under the Taiwan-US Initiative on 21st Century Trade having formally taken effect last month. This morning, the House of Representatives also passed the US-Taiwan Expedited Double-Tax Relief Act. I hope that the delegation can help Taiwan-US relations reach a new milestone through these exchanges so that our relations continue to grow, our cooperation expands even more, and so that we can achieve even greater success after the new administration takes office. Four years ago, Taiwan’s representative to the US inaugural ceremonies was Vice President Hsiao, who was then our representative to the US. Everyone has a lot to learn from her. I have specially invited everyone here to converse so that you can draw from Vice President Hsiao’s experience and ensure an even smoother visit. Washington, DC was also hit by a rare blizzard recently, and the weather has been very cold, so make sure to stay warm. I am sending everyone off with hand warmers and thermoses so that you can bring some warmth from Taiwan with you on your journey. And I ask that Speaker Han exercise his wisdom to help generate some warmth between the ruling and opposition parties through cooperation, which they can then bring back to Taiwan. Let us unite to give our all for diplomacy so that we can unite to give our all for Taiwan. I wish the delegation a smooth and safe trip, and hope your missions can be carried out successfully. Speaker Han then delivered remarks, stating that it was an honor to be invited by President Lai to organize a delegation to represent our nation at the 60th Inaugural Ceremonies of the President and Vice President of the US in Washington, DC, and express the Republic of China’s sincere and cordial best wishes. The Legislative Yuan’s president has assumed this important task numerous times in the past, he said, not only to represent the government of the Republic of China, but also to take on the mission of conveying the voices of 23 million people. He went on to say that he is honored to take up the baton, lead eight legislators to the US to attend this celebration that will attract global attention, and express sincere best wishes to newly elected President Trump, Vice President Vance, and the new administration’s team. As enjoined by President Lai, he hopes the delegation’s trip will help open a new chapter in Taiwan-US exchanges. Speaker Han stated that the US is the most free and democratic country in the world. He noted that in 1776 in the US Declaration of Independence, founding father Thomas Jefferson propounded the concept of “unalienable rights,” and emphasized that the people have a right to freedom and the pursuit of happiness, democratic ideas that have long been rooted in the people’s hearts. Today, he said, democracy is also embedded in the DNA of Taiwan’s 23 million people, and this hard-won democratic achievement is a result of the concerted efforts of our pioneering predecessors, thinkers, and activists over the past 100 years. Speaker Han stated that during this visit, the Legislative Yuan delegation hopes to convey the voice of Taiwan as a democratic country. Taiwan’s security, he said, is like the four legs of a table: The first leg is defending the Republic of China, the second is defending freedom and democracy, the third is maintaining Taiwan-US relations, and the fourth is maintaining cross-strait peace. The delegation will travel to the US amidst severe cold weather to show that we value our relationship with the US, and our citizens have great hopes and expectations. Speaker Han stated that this will be a cross-party delegation of eight legislators, all of whom have a strong sense of mission. He hopes that all democratic nations will acknowledge Taiwan’s importance, and pay attention to Taiwan’s 23 million people. The delegation, he said, will do its utmost to convey the goodwill and warmth that the people of Taiwan give to each and every one of our good friends.

Details
2025-01-31
President Lai confers decoration on former Lithuanian Foreign Minister Gabrielius Landsbergis
On the morning of January 14, President Lai Ching-te conferred the Order of Brilliant Star with Special Grand Cordon upon former Minister of Foreign Affairs Gabrielius Landsbergis of the Republic of Lithuania in recognition of his remarkable contributions to deepening Taiwan-Lithuania relations. In remarks, President Lai thanked former Minister Landsbergis for standing firmly with Taiwan and remaining a staunch defender of democratic values, yielding fruitful cooperative results. The president expressed hope that the two countries will engage in even more cooperation and exchanges in such areas as the economy, trade, technology, and culture, and continue to advocate for the values of freedom and democracy so that together we can contribute even more to our nations’ development and to peace and prosperity throughout the world. A translation of President Lai’s remarks follows: Today, by conferring the Order of Brilliant Star with Special Grand Cordon upon former Minister Landsbergis, we recognize his outstanding contributions during his time as foreign minister of Lithuania. On behalf of the people of Taiwan, I thank him for the key role he has played in deepening Taiwan-Lithuania relations. During the COVID-19 pandemic, thanks to the efforts of former Minister Landsbergis, Lithuania was the first European nation to donate vaccines to Taiwan. On that occasion, he stated that “freedom-loving people should look out for each other.” His statement was very moving and left a deep impression on many Taiwanese people. We will never forget it. Former Minister Landsbergis has continued to express the spirit of those words through his concrete actions. With his staunch support, Taiwan and Lithuania have mutually established representative offices. Moreover, our representative office in Lithuania was the first in Europe to incorporate “Taiwan” in its name. As for bilateral cooperation, Taiwan and Lithuania have seen fruitful results in such fields as semiconductors, laser technology, finance, and medicine. Be it overcoming the challenges posed by the pandemic or resisting expanding authoritarianism, former Minister Landsbergis has stood firmly with Taiwan and remained a staunch defender of democratic values. We greatly admire and appreciate his spirit. Today, authoritarian regimes continue to converge, posing threats and challenges to democracies around the world. Taiwan, Lithuania, and other democratic countries must come closer together, drawing on the strength of unity, so as to jointly safeguard freedom and democracy and uphold the rules-based international order. Looking ahead, we hope that Taiwan and Lithuania will engage in even more cooperation and exchanges in such areas as the economy, trade, technology, and culture. Let us continue to advocate for the values of freedom and democracy. Together, we can contribute even more to our nations’ development and to peace and prosperity throughout the world. In closing, I once again thank you, former Minister Landsbergis, for your support and for all that you have done for Taiwan. We welcome you and your wife to visit often. I wish you both a smooth and successful visit in Taiwan, and hope you leave with lasting memories. Former Minister Landsbergis then delivered remarks, saying that it is a great honor to receive the decoration today. He noted that only partially can he accept the honor, as there have been many people who worked together with him in the ministry and in the whole country who support the people of Taiwan and see the benefit of supporting democracy in Taiwan. He often says that in Lithuania they remember well the fight for their freedom, and just today, he mentioned, he was shown the permanent exhibition in the Presidential Office, where he saw similar pictures of Taiwanese people fighting for democracy. He emphasized that not even one generation has passed since these events took place here in Taipei or similar events took place in Vilnius. Former Minister Landsbergis said that decision-makers in the Lithuanian government are either people who were themselves fighting for freedom, or, as in his case, those who were sitting on the shoulders of parents who were fighting for freedom. So for them, he underlined, freedom, democracy, liberty, and sovereignty are very real concepts that they cherish, not just things read about in a history book. He said that this is the main connector between Lithuania and Taiwan, a feeling of freedom and support for each other. Former Minister Landsbergis stated that in the face of authoritarians who do not wish us prosperity, who do not wish us freedom and future achievements, what he expects from the future is that the friendship, collaboration, and mutual support between Lithuania and Taiwan will inspire others to join in. This, he said, will make other countries not be afraid to support freedom and democracy, and will allow our group of friends to continue to grow. Lithuanian history, the former minister said, is difficult, and a big part of it was fighting for their freedom. He explained that during the 19th century when Lithuania was part of Russia’s empire, they had several revolutions and uprisings with the aim of becoming free, and that they were fighting for that freedom alongside Poland and Belarus. He then applied a phrase that they used in the revolution of 1864 – “for your freedom and ours,” meaning that they will continue to fight for their freedom while helping Taiwan fight for ours. Also in attendance at the ceremony were former Minister Landsbergis’ wife Dr. Austėja Landsbergienė and Lithuanian Representative to Taiwan Paulius Lukauskas.

Details
2025-01-31
Presidential Office thanks White House for its statement on enduring US commitment to Indo-Pacific region
On January 10 (US EST), the US White House released a statement on the United States’ Enduring Commitment to the Indo-Pacific Region, in which it reaffirms its position of using a range of methods to help Taiwan maintain a sufficient self-defense capability so as to maintain peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region and across the Taiwan Strait. Presidential Office Spokesperson Karen Kuo (郭雅慧) on January 11 expressed sincere gratitude to the US government for taking concrete actions to fulfill its security commitments to Taiwan, advancing the close Taiwan-US security partnership, and supporting Taiwan in its efforts to enhance its self-defense capabilities and resilience. Spokesperson Kuo stated that the deepening Taiwan-US security partnership is a critical cornerstone for peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region. She noted that Taiwan, as a force for good and regional stability, will continue to work alongside like-minded countries to strengthen defense resilience as we jointly defend the values of freedom and democracy and ensure the peace, stability, and prosperity of the Indo-Pacific region.

Details
2025-01-01
President Lai delivers 2025 New Year’s Address
On the morning of January 1, President Lai Ching-te delivered his 2025 New Year’s Address, titled “Bolstering National Strength through Democracy to Enter a New Global Landscape,” in the Reception Hall of the Presidential Office. President Lai stated that today’s Taiwan is receiving international recognition for its performance in many areas, among them democracy, technology, and economy. In this new year, he said, Taiwan must be united, and we must continue on the right course. The president expressed hope that everyone in the central and local governments, regardless of party, can work hard together, allowing Taiwan sure footing as it strides forward toward ever greater achievements. President Lai emphasized that in 2025, we must keep firm on the path of democracy, continue to bolster our national strength, make Taiwan more economically resilient, enhance the resilience of supply chains for global democracies, and continue working toward a Balanced Taiwan and generational justice, ensuring that the fruits of our economic growth can be enjoyed by all our people. The president said that Taiwan will keep going strong, and we will keep walking tall as we enter the new global landscape. A translation of President Lai’s address follows: Today is the first day of 2025. With a new year comes new beginnings. I wish that Taiwan enjoys peace, prosperity, and success, and that our people lead happy lives. Taiwan truly finished 2024 strong. Though there were many challenges, there were also many triumphs. We withstood earthquakes and typhoons, and stood firm in the face of constant challenges posed by authoritarianism. We also shared glory as Taiwan won the Premier12 baseball championship, and now Taiwanese people around the world are all familiar with the gesture for Team Taiwan. At the Paris Olympics, Wang Chi-lin (王齊麟) and Lee Yang (李洋) clinched another gold in men’s doubles badminton. Lin Yu-ting (林郁婷) took home Taiwan’s first Olympic gold in boxing. At the International Junior Science Olympiad, every student in our delegation of six won a gold medal. And Yang Shuang-zi’s (楊双子) novel Taiwan Travelogue, translated into English by King Lin (金翎), became a United States National Book Award winner and a tour de force of Taiwan literature on the international level. Our heroes of Taiwan are defined by neither age nor discipline. They have taken home top prizes at international competitions and set new records. They tell Taiwan’s story through their outstanding performances, letting the world see the spirit and culture of Taiwan, and filling all our citizens with pride. My fellow citizens, we have stood together through thick and thin; we have shared our ups and downs. We have wept together, and we have laughed together. We are all one family, all members of Team Taiwan. I want to thank each of our citizens for their dedication, fueling Taiwan’s progress and bringing our nation glory. You have given Taiwan even greater strength to stand out on the global stage. In this new year, we must continue bringing Taiwan’s stories to the world, and make Taiwan’s successes a force for global progress. In 2025, the world will be entering a new landscape. Last year, over 70 countries held elections, and the will of the people has changed with the times. As many countries turn new pages politically, and in the midst of rapid international developments, Taiwan must continue marching forward with steady strides. First, we must keep firm on the path of democracy. Taiwan made it through a dark age of authoritarianism and has since become a glorious beacon of democracy in Asia. This was achieved through the sacrifices of our democratic forebears and the joint efforts of all our citizens. Democracy’s value to Taiwan lies not just in our free way of life, or in the force driving the diverse and vigorous growth of our society. Democracy is the brand that has earned us international trust in terms of diplomacy. No matter the threat or challenge Taiwan may face, democracy is Taiwan’s only path forward. We will not turn back. Domestic competition among political parties is a part of democracy. But domestic political disputes must be resolved democratically, within the constitutional system. This is the only way democracy can continue to grow. The Executive Yuan has the right to request a reconsideration of the controversial bills passed in the Legislative Yuan, giving it room for reexamination. Constitutional institutions can also lodge a petition for a constitutional interpretation, and through Constitutional Court adjudication, ensure a separation of powers, safeguard constitutional order, and gradually consolidate the constitutional system. The people also have the right of election, recall, initiative, and referendum, and can bring together even greater democratic power to show the true meaning of sovereignty in the hands of the people. In this new year, the changing international landscape will present democratic nations around the world with many grave challenges. Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and conflict between Israel and Hamas rage on, and we are seeing the continued convergence of authoritarian regimes including China, Russia, North Korea, and Iran, threatening the rules-based international order and severely affecting peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region and the world at large. Peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait are essential components for global security and prosperity. Taiwan needs to prepare for danger in times of peace. We must continue increasing our national defense budget, bolster our national defense capabilities, and show our determination to protect our country. Everyone has a responsibility to safeguard Taiwan’s democracy and security. We must gather together every bit of strength we have to enhance whole-of-society defense resilience, and build capabilities to respond to major disasters and deter threats or encroachment. We must also strengthen communication with society to combat information and cognitive warfare, so that the populace rejects threats and enticements and jointly guards against malicious infiltration by external forces. Here at home, we must consolidate democracy with democracy. Internationally, we must make friends worldwide through democracy. This is how we will ensure security and peace. The more secure Taiwan, the more secure the world. The more resilient Taiwan, the sounder the defense of global democracy. The global democratic community should work even closer together to support the democratic umbrella as we seek ways to resolve the war in Ukraine and conflict between Israel and Hamas. Together, we must uphold stability in the Taiwan Strait and security in the Indo-Pacific, and achieve our goal of global peace. Second, we must continue to bolster our national strength, make Taiwan more economically resilient, and enhance the resilience of supply chains for global democracies. In the first half of 2024, growth in the Taiwan Stock Index was the highest in the world. Our economic growth rate for the year as a whole is expected to reach 4.2 percent, leading among the Four Asian Tigers. Domestic investment is soaring, having exceeded NT$5 trillion, and inflation is gradually stabilizing. Export orders from January to November totaled US$536.6 billion, up 3.7 percent from the same period in 2023. And compared over the same period, exports saw a 9.9 percent increase, reaching US$431.5 billion. Recent surveys also show that in 2024, the average increase in salaries at companies was higher than that in 2023. Additionally, over 90 percent of companies plan to raise salaries this year, which is an eight-year high. All signs indicate that Taiwan’s economic climate continues to recover, and that our economy is growing steadily. Our overall economic performance is impressive; still, we must continue to pay attention to the impact on Taiwan’s industries from the changing geopolitical landscape, uncertainties in the global economic environment, and dumping by the “red supply chain.” For a nation, all sectors and professions are equally important; only when all our industries are strong can Taiwan be strong as a nation. Our micro-, small-, and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) are the lifeblood of Taiwan, and the development of our various industrial parks has given Taiwan the impetus for our prosperity. We must carry the spirit of “Made in Taiwan” forward, bringing it to ever greater heights. Thus, beyond just developing our high-tech industry, our Executive Yuan has already proposed a solution that will help traditional industries and MSMEs comprehensively adopt technology applications, engage in the digital and net-zero twin transition, and develop channels, all for better operational structures and higher productivity. Taiwan must continue enhancing its economic resilience. In recent years, Taiwan has significantly increased its investments in the US, Japan, Europe, and the New Southbound countries, and such investment has already surpassed investment in China. This indicates that our efforts in diversifying markets and reducing reliance on any single market are working. Moving forward, we must keep providing assistance so that Taiwan industries can expand their global presence and market internationally from a solid base here in Taiwan. At the same time, Taiwan must use democracy to promote economic growth with the rest of the world. We must leverage our strengths in the semiconductor and AI industries. We must link with democratic countries so that we can together enhance the resilience of supply chains for global democracies. And through international cooperation across many sectors, such as UAVs, low-orbit communications satellites, robots, military, security and surveillance, or biopharmaceuticals, renewable energy technology, new agriculture, and the circular economy, we must keep abreast of the latest cutting-edge technology and promote diverse development. This approach will help Taiwan remain a leader in advancing global democratic supply chains, ensuring their security and stability. Third, we must continue working toward a Balanced Taiwan and generational justice, ensuring that the fruits of our economic growth can be enjoyed by all our people. Democracy means the people have the final say. Our nation belongs to all 23 million of us, without regard for ethnic group, generation, political party, or whether we live in urban or rural areas. In this new year, we must continue to pursue policies that promote the well-being of the nation and the people. But to that end, the central government needs adequate financial resources to ensure that it can enact each of these measures. Therefore, I hope that the ruling and opposition parties can each soberly reconsider the amendments to the Act Governing the Allocation of Government Revenues and Expenditures and find a path forward that ensures the lasting peace and stability of our country. For nine consecutive years, the minimum wage has continued to rise. Effective today, the minimum monthly salary is being raised from NT$27,470 to NT$28,590, and the hourly salary from NT$183 to NT$190. We hope by raising the pay for military personnel, civil servants, and educators for two consecutive years, coupled with benefits through wage increases and tax reductions, that private businesses will also raise wages, allowing all our people to enjoy the fruits of our economic growth. I know that everyone wants to pay lower taxes and rent. This year, we will continue to promote tax reductions. For example, unmarried individuals with an annual income of NT$446,000 or less can be exempt from paying income tax. Dual-income families with an annual income of NT$892,000 or less and dual-income families with two children aged six or younger with an annual income of NT$1,461,000 or less are also exempt from paying income tax. Additionally, the number of rent-subsidized housing units will also be increased, from 500,000 to 750,000 units, helping lighten the load for everyone. This year, the age eligibility for claiming Culture Points has been lowered from 16 to 13 years, so that now young people aged between 13 and 22 can receive government support for experiencing more in the arts. Also, our Taiwan Global Pathfinders Initiative is about to take effect, which will help more young people in Taiwan realize their dreams by taking part in education and exchange activities in many places around the world. We are also in the process of establishing a sports ministry to help young athletes achieve their dreams on the field, court, and beyond. The ministry will also be active in developing various sports industries and bringing sports and athletics more into the lives of the people, making our people healthier as a result. This year, as Taiwan becomes a “super-aged society,” we will launch our Long-term Care 3.0 Plan to provide better all-around care for our seniors. And we will expand the scope of cancer screening eligibility and services, all aimed at creating a Healthy Taiwan. In addition, Taiwan will officially begin collecting fees for its carbon fee system today. This brings us closer in line with global practices and helps us along the path to our goal of net-zero emissions by 2050. We will also continue on the path to achieving a Balanced Taiwan. Last month, the Executive Yuan launched the Trillion NT Dollar Investment National Development Plan and its six major regional flagship projects. Both of these initiatives will continue to expand the investment in our public infrastructure and the development of local specialty industries, narrowing urban-rural and wealth gaps so that all our people can live and work in peace and happiness. My fellow citizens, today’s Taiwan is receiving international recognition for its performance in many areas, among them democracy, technology, and economy. This tells us that national development is moving in the right direction. In this new year, Taiwan must be united, and we must continue on the right course. We hope that everyone in the central and local governments, regardless of party, can work hard together to ensure that national policies are successfully implemented, with the people’s well-being as our top priority. This will allow Taiwan sure footing as it strides forward toward ever greater achievements. In this new year, we have many more brilliant stories of Taiwan to share with the world, inspiring all Taiwanese, both here and around the world, to cheer time and again for the glory of Taiwan. Taiwan will keep going strong. And we will keep walking tall as we enter the new global landscape. Thank you.

MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

February 8, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Warner, Kaine Lead Colleagues in Raising Concerns about Virginia Community Health Centers’ Delays in Accessing Funding
US Senate News:
Source: United States Senator for Commonwealth of Virginia Mark R Warner

WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Sens. Mark R Warner and Tim Kaine (both D-VA) led 20 of their colleagues in writing a letter to U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Acting Secretary Dorothy A. Fink, M.D. regarding reports that Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) grantees, including community health centers, are experiencing significant delays in accessing funding. The senators also expressed concerns about restrictions on regular communications between HRSA and grantees. These issues come after an Office of Management and Budget (OMB) memo that suspended all federal grant and loan funding. The memo has since been rescinded following pressure from the senators, other Democrats in Congress, and the public, but many grantees that rely on federal funding are still experiencing confusion and uncertainty, and have received little to no guidance from the Trump Administration about their funding.

There are 31 Federally Qualified Health Centers with over 200 locations—a majority of which serve rural areas with limited access to medical care—in Virginia. Due to the funding freeze, several centers within the Capital Area Health Network closed earlier this week. Kaine and Warner met with Virginia community health centers earlier this week.

“We are writing to express serious concerns regarding reports that Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) grantees, such as Community Health Centers (health centers), continue to experience significant delays in accessing funding to support services, as well as restrictions on regular communications with agency staff as a result of the Trump Administration’s January 20, 2025 executive orders to pause external communication from federal agencies, and subsequent memorandum directing all federal departments and agencies to freeze all financial assistance.” wrote the members.

The members continued, “While nearly 70 percent of health center revenue comes from payments from Medicaid, Medicare, commercial insurance, and self-pay patients, health centers rely on their regular federal grant funding to meet payroll obligations and keep their doors open. Beginning in late January, health centers started reporting issues accessing the Payment Management System (PMS) – getting “locked out”, being denied funding they had been awarded, and experiencing long delays in funding being released. As a result, health centers across the country are experiencing panic, unsure how to pay their staff and keep their doors open.”

“Despite a judge’s order blocking the funding freeze, we are troubled by reports that health centers are unable to access funding duly appropriated by Congress through the PMS. To compound this issue, our offices have heard troubling reports that since the Trump Administration’s executive orders and funding freeze, funding that has already been appropriated and directed by Congress is still being restricted, and standing webinars, briefings, and meetings are being cancelled at the last minute,” they wrote. “Health centers are receiving little communication regarding these cancellations and changes, and the communication they have received from HRSA has been unclear, directing actions that may conflict with current court orders.”

“Two-thirds of Virginia’s community health centers are located in the rural areas of our Commonwealth,” said Tracy Douglas, CEO of the Virginia Community Healthcare Association. “For countless hardworking individuals and families in these regions, these health centers are not just a place for medical care—they are a lifeline. People rely on them to stay healthy so they can work, care for their families, and live full, productive lives. It is absolutely imperative that we ensure the continued operation of these vital health centers to protect the well-being of our communities and our nation.”

In addition to Kaine and Warner, the letter is signed by U.S. Senators Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-DE), Chris Coons (D-CT), John Hickenlooper (D-CO), Angus King (I-ME), Ben Ray Luján (D-NM), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Jack Reed (D-RI), Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Rev. Raphael Warnock (D-GA), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Peter Welch (D-VT), and Ron Wyden (D-OR). The letter is also signed by U.S. Representatives Bobby Scott (D-VA-02), Gerry Connolly (D-VA-11), Don Beyer (D-VA-08), Jennifer McClellan (D-VA-04), Eugene Vindman (D-VA-07), Suhas Subramanyam (D-VA-10), and Sarah McBride (D-DE-At-Large).

The full text of the letter is available here and below.

Dear Acting Secretary Fink,

We are writing to express serious concerns regarding reports that Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) grantees, such as Community Health Centers (health centers), continue to experience significant delays in accessing funding to support services, as well as restrictions on regular communications with agency staff as a result of the Trump Administration’s January 20, 2025 executive orders to pause external communication from federal agencies, and subsequent memorandum directing all federal departments and agencies to freeze all financial assistance.

Community Health Centers provide high-quality primary and preventive care, dental care, behavioral health and substance use disorder services, and low-cost prescription drugs to more than 32 million Americans annually, serving one in five rural Americans and one in three people living in poverty. Nationally, more than 1,400 health centers operate over 15,000 service sites across every state and Territory, employing more than 500,000 individuals and generating nearly $85 billion in economic output.

Despite the critical role health centers play in addressing health inequities, many centers struggle to keep up with the growing demand for services and rising costs to deliver high-quality care in their communities. While nearly 70 percent of health center revenue comes from payments from Medicaid, Medicare, commercial insurance, and self-pay patients, health centers rely on their regular federal grant funding to meet payroll obligations and keep their doors open. Beginning in late January, health centers started reporting issues accessing the Payment Management System (PMS) – getting “locked out”, being denied funding they had been awarded, and experiencing long delays in funding being released. As a result, health centers across the country are experiencing panic, unsure how to pay their staff and keep their doors open. Due to delays in funding, health centers have reported:
- “We have put off signing a contract to replace our mammography machine, which has reached end of life, because of this freeze and the uncertainty.”
- “I’m also now getting providers asking if they should be looking for a new job. Without any understanding and guidance, I’m pretty limited with how much I can actually assure them to do other than tighten our belts…”
- “Any services that are directly funded by federal funds will be placed on hold…”
- “We had to use all reserves in 2024. We will not make payroll or any other payments next week without access to this federal funding. Staff will be dismissed without access to federal funds.”
- “If everything stays the same…the best guess is that we could be fully operational for six months.”
- “We have the ability to sustain current or full operations for 60 days…Outreach and case management staff…would be in the first wave of layoffs. Unfortunately, those positions rely on federal support as they are typically not reimbursable through third-party payors. In a short period of time, this has had a profound impact on our staff. [Staff are] concerned that we will lose valuable staff members as they are concerned about the stability of the organization.”
- “We will step back on hiring and likely implement hiring pause unless this is resolved quickly.”
- “We have enough in reserve to cover two payroll periods.”
- “The pause in grant funding would create a deficit for us…We would likely need to start reducing staff and healthcare services to the…patients we serve…within the next couple of weeks if the freeze persists.”
As safety net providers operating on razor-thin margins, health centers need certainty to provide care in underserved communities. In Virginia alone, ongoing delays in accessing funding have caused health centers to close their doors and cancel patient appointments. When health centers close, people with chronic conditions miss appointments, pregnant women miss prenatal visits, and behavioral health services are interrupted, worsening outcomes and increasing costs to the entire health care system.

Despite a judge’s order blocking the funding freeze, we are troubled by reports that health centers are unable to access funding duly appropriated by Congress through the PMS. To compound this issue, our offices have heard troubling reports that since the Trump Administration’s executive orders and funding freeze, funding that has already been appropriated and directed by Congress is still being restricted, and standing webinars, briefings, and meetings are being cancelled at the last minute. Health centers are receiving little communication regarding these cancellations and changes, and the communication they have received from HRSA has been unclear, directing actions that may conflict with current court orders.

We request that you provide answers to the following questions in writing no later than Wednesday, February 12, 2025.
1. How many health centers have draw-down requests pending in the PMS?
2. How many health center draw-down requests have been denied since January 27, 2025?
3. What is the exact timeline for ensuring the PMS is fully operational and disbursing all pending health center draw-down requests?
4. What specific authority and under which executive action did HRSA or the Department of Health and Human Services use to restrict health center access to the PMS and funding that they had been previously awarded?
5. Please provide a list of regular standing calls or meetings between HRSA staff and HRSA grantees that have been cancelled since January 20, 2025. Please include the following:
6. Please provide a list of webinars, briefings, information sessions, and trainings that have been cancelled since January 20, 2025. Please include the following:
Sincerely,
MIL OSI USA News –
February 8, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Luján, Colleagues Raise Concerns About Risks in Delays to Accessing Funding for New Mexico Community Health Centers
US Senate News:
Source: United States Senator Ben Ray Luján (D-New Mexico)

Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M) joined U.S. Senators Tim Kaine (D-VA) and Mark R. Warner (D-VA) and 19 of their colleagues in writing a letter to U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Acting Secretary Dorothy A. Fink, M.D. regarding reports that Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) grantees, including community health centers, are experiencing significant delays in accessing funding. The senators also expressed concerns about restrictions on regular communications between HRSA and grantees. These issues come after an Office of Management and Budget (OMB) memo that suspended all federal grant and loan funding. The memo has since been rescinded following pressure from the senators, other Democrats in Congress, and the public, but many grantees that rely on federal funding are still experiencing confusion and uncertainty, and have received little to no guidance from the Trump Administration about their funding.

There are 19 Federally Qualified Health Centers with over 200 locations—a majority of which serve rural areas with limited access to medical care—in New Mexico. Disruption to funding could lead to closures of New Mexico’s community health centers, disrupting access to critical services thousands of New Mexicans rely on. This week, Senator Luján met with leaders from the New Mexico Primary Care Association to discuss ongoing challenges and support for the vital medical care they provide.

“We are writing to express serious concerns regarding reports that Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) grantees, such as Community Health Centers (health centers), continue to experience significant delays in accessing funding to support services, as well as restrictions on regular communications with agency staff as a result of the Trump Administration’s January 20, 2025 executive orders to pause external communication from federal agencies, and subsequent memorandum directing all federal departments and agencies to freeze all financial assistance.” wrote the members.

The members continued, “While nearly 70 percent of health center revenue comes from payments from Medicaid, Medicare, commercial insurance, and self-pay patients, health centers rely on their regular federal grant funding to meet payroll obligations and keep their doors open. Beginning in late January, health centers started reporting issues accessing the Payment Management System (PMS) – getting “locked out”, being denied funding they had been awarded, and experiencing long delays in funding being released. As a result, health centers across the country are experiencing panic, unsure how to pay their staff and keep their doors open.”

“Despite a judge’s order blocking the funding freeze, we are troubled by reports that health centers are unable to access funding duly appropriated by Congress through the PMS. To compound this issue, our offices have heard troubling reports that since the Trump Administration’s executive orders and funding freeze, funding that has already been appropriated and directed by Congress is still being restricted, and standing webinars, briefings, and meetings are being cancelled at the last minute,” they wrote. “Health centers are receiving little communication regarding these cancellations and changes, and the communication they have received from HRSA has been unclear, directing actions that may conflict with current court orders.”

In addition to Senators Luján, Kaine, and Warner, the letter is signed by U.S. Senators Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-DE), Chris Coons (D-CT), John Hickenlooper (D-CO), Angus King (I-ME), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Jack Reed (D-RI), Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Rev. Raphael Warnock (D-GA), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Peter Welch (D-VT), and Ron Wyden (D-OR). The letter is also signed by U.S. Representatives Bobby Scott (D-VA-02), Gerry Connolly (D-VA-11), Don Beyer (D-VA-08), Jennifer McClellan (D-VA-04), Eugene Vindman (D-VA-07), Suhas Subramanyam (D-VA-10), and Sarah McBride (D-DE-At-Large).

The full text of the letter is available here and below.

Dear Acting Secretary Fink,

We are writing to express serious concerns regarding reports that Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) grantees, such as Community Health Centers (health centers), continue to experience significant delays in accessing funding to support services, as well as restrictions on regular communications with agency staff as a result of the Trump Administration’s January 20, 2025 executive orders to pause external communication from federal agencies, and subsequent memorandum directing all federal departments and agencies to freeze all financial assistance.

Community Health Centers provide high-quality primary and preventive care, dental care, behavioral health and substance use disorder services, and low-cost prescription drugs to more than 32 million Americans annually, serving one in five rural Americans and one in three people living in poverty. Nationally, more than 1,400 health centers operate over 15,000 service sites across every state and Territory, employing more than 500,000 individuals and generating nearly $85 billion in economic output.

Despite the critical role health centers play in addressing health inequities, many centers struggle to keep up with the growing demand for services and rising costs to deliver high-quality care in their communities. While nearly 70 percent of health center revenue comes from payments from Medicaid, Medicare, commercial insurance, and self-pay patients, health centers rely on their regular federal grant funding to meet payroll obligations and keep their doors open. Beginning in late January, health centers started reporting issues accessing the Payment Management System (PMS) – getting “locked out”, being denied funding they had been awarded, and experiencing long delays in funding being released. As a result, health centers across the country are experiencing panic, unsure how to pay their staff and keep their doors open. Due to delays in funding, health centers have reported:
1. “We have put off signing a contract to replace our mammography machine, which has reached end of life, because of this freeze and the uncertainty.”
2. “I’m also now getting providers asking if they should be looking for a new job. Without any understanding and guidance, I’m pretty limited with how much I can actually assure them to do other than tighten our belts…”
3. “Any services that are directly funded by federal funds will be placed on hold…”
4. “We had to use all reserves in 2024. We will not make payroll or any other payments next week without access to this federal funding. Staff will be dismissed without access to federal funds.”
5. “If everything stays the same…the best guess is that we could be fully operational for six months.”
6. “We have the ability to sustain current or full operations for 60 days…Outreach and case management staff…would be in the first wave of layoffs. Unfortunately, those positions rely on federal support as they are typically not reimbursable through third-party payors. In a short period of time, this has had a profound impact on our staff. [Staff are] concerned that we will lose valuable staff members as they are concerned about the stability of the organization.”
7. “We will step back on hiring and likely implement hiring pause unless this is resolved quickly.”
8. “We have enough in reserve to cover two payroll periods.”
9. “The pause in grant funding would create a deficit for us…We would likely need to start reducing staff and healthcare services to the…patients we serve…within the next couple of weeks if the freeze persists.”
As safety net providers operating on razor-thin margins, health centers need certainty to provide care in underserved communities. In Virginia alone, ongoing delays in accessing funding have caused health centers to close their doors and cancel patient appointments. When health centers close, people with chronic conditions miss appointments, pregnant women miss prenatal visits, and behavioral health services are interrupted, worsening outcomes and increasing costs to the entire health care system.

Despite a judge’s order blocking the funding freeze, we are troubled by reports that health centers are unable to access funding duly appropriated by Congress through the PMS. To compound this issue, our offices have heard troubling reports that since the Trump Administration’s executive orders and funding freeze, funding that has already been appropriated and directed by Congress is still being restricted, and standing webinars, briefings, and meetings are being cancelled at the last minute. Health centers are receiving little communication regarding these cancellations and changes, and the communication they have received from HRSA has been unclear, directing actions that may conflict with current court orders.

We request that you provide answers to the following questions in writing no later than Wednesday, February 12, 2025.
1. How many health centers have draw-down requests pending in the PMS?
  
  How has that number changed, daily, since January 27, 2025?
  
  What is the average wait time from submission of a draw-down request to disbursement of funds prior to January 27, 2025 and after January 27, 2025?
2. How many health center draw-down requests have been denied since January 27, 2025?
  
  What is the rationale for these denials?
3. What is the exact timeline for ensuring the PMS is fully operational and disbursing all pending health center draw-down requests?
4. What specific authority and under which executive action did HRSA or the Department of Health and Human Services use to restrict health center access to the PMS and funding that they had been previously awarded?
5. Please provide a list of regular standing calls or meetings between HRSA staff and HRSA grantees that have been cancelled since January 20, 2025. Please include the following:
  
  A description of the grantees impacted, including the type of grantees and number of grantees.
  
  Whether funds appropriated by Congress for the purpose of the grant are being withheld from being awarded to the grantees.
6. Please provide a list of webinars, briefings, information sessions, and trainings that have been cancelled since January 20, 2025. Please include the following:
  
  A description of the purpose of each webinar, briefing, information session, or training.
  
  Whether or not the webinar, briefing, information session, or training is required by statute and if so, provide the corresponding citation.
Sincerely,
MIL OSI USA News –
February 8, 2025
MIL-OSI United Nations: Responsible Global Governance of Artificial Intelligence Critical, Speakers Say, as Economic and Social Council Concludes Its Coordination Segment

Source: United Nations General Assembly and Security Council

Amid the fourth industrial revolution, responsible global governance of artificial intelligence (AI) is paramount, the Economic and Social Council heard today as speakers at its 2025 coordination segment explored the transformative potential of data, science, technology and innovation to advance sustainable development.

The first of the four panel discussions held today — moderated by Mahlet Zeleke Redi, Focal Point of Global Youth Caucus on Decent Work and Sustainable Economies Major Group for Children and Youth — focused on “Creating employment and decent work opportunities for all”.

It began with a fireside chat featuring José Manuel Salazar-Xirinachs, Executive Secretary of the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC), and Cynthia Samuel-Olonjuwon, Director of the International Labour Organization (ILO) Office for the United Nations.

Mr. Salazar-Xirinachs, spotlighting the challenge of job creation, said that in the era of technological and AI revolutions, one of the key drivers of investment flows to countries is not just cheap but skilled labour. Therefore, he stressed, the quality of education and vocational training systems and the digital skills of the labour force are essential for people to get good jobs and for countries to thrive.

Ms. Samuel-Olonjuwon underscored that prioritizing decent work for young people pays back “sustained and multifaceted dividends” for their families and nations. Technological transformation is rapidly driving change in the world of work and beyond, she observed, adding that “skills have become a priority”. Noting the importance of education, training and entrepreneurship for young businesses, she said that policy actions should be guided by the actual needs of young people and “put them in the driver seat”.

The panel began with Gerd Müller, Director General of the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), who underscored — via video message — that “creating decent jobs is the core of our mission” to fight poverty and hunger worldwide. While spotlighting AI’s massive opportunities — including to improve productivity and competitiveness — he underlined the need to “close the existing digital divides”. More specifically, it is crucial to address the potential downsides of digitalization and automation, including the risk of job losses and shifting production away from developing countries, he stressed, pointing to UNIDO’s projects which equip young people and women in developing countries with technical skills for decent jobs.

Abdulaziz M. Alwasil (Saudi Arabia), Chair of the Commission on the Status of Women on its sixty-ninth session, stressed that an inclusive society cannot be built without gender equality. The empowerment of women and girls is paramount, he said, adding that in many countries, women and girls are deprived of equal access to economic opportunities and leadership roles. “This undermines the resilience of societies,” he stated, underscoring the need to push for policy outcomes that are “not just ambitious in rhetoric but transformative in practice”.

“We gather here at a moment of profound reckoning” — from the devastating impacts of conflict and rise of authoritarianism to the assaults on fundamental human rights, said Veronica Brown, Women’s Major Group Coordinator for the Women’s Environment and Development Organization. Warning against forces that aim to roll back hard-won gains in gender equality, she observed: “Gender equality is too often treated as an add-on rather than a prerequisite for sustainable development.”

Echoing her concerns, Jemimah Njuki, Chief of the Economic Empowerment section at the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women (UN-Women), said the empowerment of women and girls is not just a moral imperative but a necessity for achieving all of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and ensuring a resilient economy. Nevertheless, women face a 20 per cent gender pay gap and, in many countries, informal employment — where mostly women are to be found — is as high as 90 per cent. Accordingly, she called for sustainable financing, ensuring that “gender equality remains at the heart of financial systems”.

Georges-Simon Ulrich, Director General of the Federal Statistical Office of Switzerland and Chair of the Statistical Commission on its fifty-fifth session, speaking via videoconference, called for comprehensive data and statistical systems which permit evidence-based decision-making and detailed the Commission’s work towards supporting inclusive growth strategies and building resilient economies.

The second panel, moderated by Quintin Chou-Lambert, Senior Adviser to the Under-Secretary-General and Special Envoy for Digital and Emerging Technologies, focused on “Harnessing data, science, technology and innovation to advance digital progress”.

The fireside chat included Geraldine Fraser-Moleketi, Chancellor of Nelson Mandela University, and Tomas Lamanauskas, Deputy Secretary-General of the International Telecommunication Union (ITU).

Ms. Fraser-Moleketi said public administration is responsible for ensuring that AI is used to improve lives. Governance frameworks must leverage scientific expertise to do this, she said, calling for targeted interventions to address the digital divide and technological exclusion.

Mr. Lamanauskas said: “Done right, [AI] can mitigate 5-10 per cent of global greenhouse gas emissions by 2030”, and highlighted the “AI for Good summit” which showcases responsible innovation and spotlights AI solutions for each SDG. He also drew attention to the UN System White Paper on AI Governance, which identifies pre-existing instruments that could also cover AI, from broad ethics to sector-specific technical guidelines.

The panel began with Muhammadou M.O. Kah (Gambia), Chair of the Commission on Science and Technology for Development on its twenty-eighth session, who stressed that “when we establish transparent and consistent data governance frameworks, we create an environment of legal certainty that empowers innovators, businesses and consumers alike”. It is also crucial to establish clear avenues for redress, he said, underscoring the importance of interoperability — “by aligning our legal and technical standards, we could create pathways for seamless data flows that enhance cooperation and facilitate the global exchange of ideas and best practices”.

Next, Tatiana Molcean, Executive Secretary of the Economic Commission for Europe (ECE), highlighted its efforts to facilitate trade by streamlining trade-related processes and digitalizing the exchange of information. ECE hosts the United Nations Centre for Trade Facilitation and Electronic Business, which develops interoperable data exchange standards and policy recommendations, enabling seamless data exchange across systems, borders and value chains. “Today, many products have AI embedded. Ensuring their conformity and safety presents new challenges,” she said, adding that ECE has released guidance for regulatory compliance of products and services using embedded AI or other digital technologies.

Julia Glidden, Group President of Ipsos Public Affairs, said that “it is easy to talk about sexy data-driven topics like GenAI, Edge Computing [and] geospatial intelligence”, but it is also essential to combine established technologies with sophisticated data analytics. As an example, she said, her organization worked with Mondelez, a multinational food producer, to use data to understand cocoa farmers’ working conditions and economic growth. Collecting reliable data meant reaching communities in remote areas, often traveling by foot, donkey and canoe to capture and transmit data from areas that often lack electricity, let alone Wi-Fi. They did so “by using tablet devices enabled by Ipsos’s iField” technology, she added.

Fernand Bale, Director of the Geographic and Digital Information Center of Côte d’Ivoire, said that because geospatial information integrates diverse data and scientific approaches, it “enables policymakers to process large amounts of data, thereby strengthening the interface between policy and science”. Communities and Governments can use geospatial information and maps to visualize locations where critical infrastructure is needed, or areas affected by disasters, pollution or biodiversity loss. By enhancing policies and capacities related to geospatial information, “we democratize access to data and knowledge”, he said.

Moderated by Lok Bahadur Thapa (Nepal), Vice-President of the Economic and Social Council and co-facilitator of the Fourth International Conference on Financing for Development, the sixth panel focused on “Financing and investment solutions for sustainable development in countries in special situations”.

The speakers for the fireside chat were Jose Antonio Ocampo, Professor at the School of International and Public Affairs, Columbia University, and Robert Powell, Special Representative of the International Monetary Fund (IMF).

Mr. Ocampo noted that levelling the playing field is not enough for countries in special situations. Debt and tax cooperation are “pressing problems”, he said, calling for interaction between regional and global institutions and urging the fulfilment of historical commitments for developing countries. He observed that interaction with Governments and monitoring of graduating countries will uncover systemic inequalities on the ground.

Mr. Powell, stating that coordination and trust are critical for efficiency across the UN system, said that Member States in New York are responsible for ensuring that “messaging remains consistent”. Noting that major financial reforms are already taking place, he spotlighted the Fund’s “historic” special drawing rights (SDRs) allocation of $650 billion and the creation of the Resilience and Sustainability Trust.

The panel began with Rabab Fatima, High Representative for Least Developed Countries, Landlocked Developing Countries and Small Island Developing States, stressing that the Fourth International Conference on Financing for Development must deliver a renewed global financing framework.

For her part, Rebeca Grynspan, Secretary-General of the UN Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), pointing to the term “countries in special situations”, observed that States’ perseverance and transformation potential make them “truly special”. However, there is nothing “special” about small island developing States defaulting on their development to not default on their debt, she said, calling for maximizing the impact of development on technological progress.

Mathew Gbonjubola, Co-Chair of the Committee of Experts on International Cooperation in Tax Matters, said that developing countries widely adopt the UN Model Double Taxation Convention. The Committee also supports capacity-development activities and reviews standards — designed from the point of view of developed economies — through the prism of developing countries. He added that giving the developing countries the ability to sit at the table in designing the world tax system is key.

“Although Africa has integrated into the global financial system, its economies remain constrained by limited access to stable financing,” observed Claver Gatete, Executive Secretary of the Economic Commission for Africa (ECA). The continent’s debt exceeds $1 trillion, and its countries annually spend millions in debt servicing — “resources that could have been invested in other development priorities”, he noted. Through the African High-Level Working Group, the Commission works to scale up bank financing and ensure better returns.

“Over the past two days, we have witnessed the [Economic and Social Council] ecosystem in action, providing ideas and solutions on how to turbocharge implementation as we approach the 2030 deadline of the SDGs,” said Navid Hanif, Assistant Secretary-General for Economic and Social Affairs, Department of Economic and Social Affairs, in his closing remarks. Noting that this year’s coordination segment was the first since the adoption of the Pact for the Future, he said it has delivered “a clear call to strengthen coordination within the UN system, reduce duplication and address misalignment of partnerships”.

Anatolio Ndong Mba (Equatorial Guinea), Vice-President of the Economic and Social Council and Chair of the Coordination Segment, said that this year’s meeting has demonstrated that political will can elevate international cooperation to new heights and deliver concrete solutions. “The coordination segment is not just about reflection; it is about action and charting the way forward”, he stated, urging those present to carry forward the momentum and translate discussions into action. He added: “We have a responsibility to the people we represent. The time for bold and coordinated leadership cannot be postponed anymore.”

MIL OSI United Nations News –

February 8, 2025
MIL-OSI United Nations: Experts of the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women Commend Luxembourg for Eliminating the Gender Pay Gap, Ask about Pension Payments for Women and Penalties for Traffickers

Source: United Nations – Geneva

The Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women today concluded its consideration of the eighth periodic report of Luxembourg, with Committee Experts congratulating the State on eliminating the gender pay gap, and raising questions about pension payments for women and penalties for human traffickers.

Ana Peláez Narváez, Committee Expert and Rapporteur for Luxembourg, congratulated Luxembourg on becoming the first country in the European Union to have eliminated the pay gap between men and women. One Expert said Luxembourg’s wage gap was the lowest in the world.

One Expert called for further efforts to achieve wage equality for women in part-time work and in the informal sector. Almost one-third of women worked part time; this affected the pension gap. How was the State party working to address this gap?

A Committee Expert said the State party’s sentences for trafficking were often lenient and judges rarely took away traffickers’ profits. How would the State party ensure that penalties for trafficking reflected the gravity of the crime? The Expert said the State party had not identified child trafficking victims for three years. Would the State party include civil society in efforts to identify child victims?

Introducing the report, Yuriko Backes, Minister for Gender Equality and Diversity, Defence, Mobility and Public Transport of Luxembourg, said the Luxembourg Government remained determined to stand up for women’s and girls’ rights, safety, freedom and access to equal opportunities. The Committee could count on Luxembourg’s determination and support.

On wage equality, Marc Bichler, Permanent Representative of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg to the United Nations Office at Geneva and head of the delegation, said Luxembourg was the only country in the European Union to have eliminated wage inequality, but there was still a pay gap in favour of men for annual wages. More efforts were needed to address this economic inequality, particularly regarding the high proportion of part-time work among women. The role of equality officers in private companies with more than 15 employees was particularly important.

The delegation added that the gender pension gap was large; to address this, a major reform of the pension system was underway.

On trafficking, the delegation said that training had been provided to State officials and non-governmental organizations to improve the identification of and support for trafficking victims. Victims were officially identified by a specialised unit of the police, but non-governmental organizations could help identify victims.

In concluding remarks, Mr. Bichler said the dialogue had been a valuable exercise that helped the State party to make progress in implementing the Convention and upholding the rights of women and girls. There were pushbacks against women and girls’ rights globally, but Luxembourg was resolute in defending these rights.

In her concluding remarks, Corinne Dettmeijer-Vermeulen, Committee Vice-Chair and acting Chair of the meeting, said that the dialogue with Luxembourg had provided further insight into the situation of women in the State party. The Committee commended the State party for its efforts and called on it to implement the Committee’s recommendations for the benefit of all women and girls of Luxembourg.

The delegation of Luxembourg consisted of representatives from the Ministry of Gender Equality and Diversity; Chamber of Deputies; Ministry of Justice; Ministry of Family Affairs, Solidarity, Living Together and Reception of Refugees; Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs, Defence, Development Cooperation and Foreign Trade; Ministry of Education, Children and Youth; Ministry of Internal Affairs; and the Permanent Mission of Luxembourg to the United Nations Office at Geneva.

The Committee will issue the concluding observations on the report of Luxembourg at the end of its ninetieth session on 21 February. All documents relating to the Committee’s work, including reports submitted by States parties, can be found on the session’s webpage. Meeting summary releases can be found here. The webcast of the Committee’s public meetings can be accessed via the UN Web TV webpage.

The Committee will next meet in public at 3 p.m. on Monday, 10 February to hold an informal meeting with representatives from non-governmental organizations and national human rights institutions from Belize, Congo, Sri Lanka and Liechtenstein, whose reports will be considered by the Committee next week.

Report

The Committee has before it the eighth periodic report of Luxembourg (CEDAW/C/LUX/8).

Presentation of Report

YURIKO BACKES, Minister for Gender Equality and Diversity, Defence, Mobility and Public Transport of Luxembourg, said women’s rights, gender equality and diversity were essential to the wellbeing and healthy functioning of society. Ms. Backes said she tried very hard to make sure that both gender and diversity aspects were considered throughout her Government portfolios. She was the first woman to hold the positions of Minister of Defence and Minister of Finance in Luxembourg. This demonstrated that there was work ahead when it came to shaping a world where equality was a reality on all levels.

Women and girls were differently and disproportionally affected by climate disasters, armed conflicts and pandemics. The only way to sustainably change this was to opt for gender-responsive policymaking across all fields. The empowerment of women and girls and Sustainable Development Goal five needed to be front and centre across all areas of action. The Luxembourg Government remained determined to stand up for women’s and girls’ rights, safety, freedom and access to equal opportunities. The Committee could count on Luxembourg’s determination and support.

MARC BICHLER, Permanent Representative of Luxembourg to the United Nations Office at Geneva and head of the delegation, said Luxembourg had had a Ministry in charge of equality issues for 30 years. It had adapted over time, expanding its mandate to address lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex persons and diversity. The 2023-2028 coalition agreement maintained the promotion of equality between women and men as a cross-cutting priority of the Government’s political action. This work would be guided in the coming years by the national action plan for equality between women and men.

Luxembourg was currently placed seventh in the European Union in the Gender Equality Index. The proportion of women on the management boards of public institutions was 38.64 per cent, an increase of more than 10 points since 2015. The rate of women representing the State on these boards stood at 43.61 per cent in 2024, exceeding the initial target of 40 per cent. The private sector had only 23 per cent women on the boards of large companies, but the trend was upward and indicated improvements to come. The Government remained firmly committed to continuing its efforts to promote balanced representation. It was also working with civil society to include men as actors and beneficiaries of equality policies.

Luxembourg was the only country in the European Union to have eliminated wage inequality, but there was still a pay gap in favour of men for annual wages. More efforts were needed to address this economic inequality, particularly regarding the high proportion of part-time work among women. The role of equality officers in private companies with more than 15 employees was particularly important.

The fight against domestic violence and gender-based violence remained priorities of the Luxembourg Government. Despite political and legislative progress, this was a daily reality in Luxembourg, affecting women and girls, as well as men and boys in all their diversity. The total number of victims had increased significantly over the years, from 2,882 in 2015 to 4,793 in 2023. Women accounted for an average of 71 per cent of victims each year. In 2023, their number reached 3,218, which represented an increase of more than six per cent compared to 2022. Luxembourg adopted a strategy in November 2021 to improve the protection against domestic violence and to strengthen the national machinery. It had created an integrated national centre for victims of all forms of violence, which would facilitate their holistic care, bringing together legal aid, medical aid and psychological assistance. The centre would open in April and would provide assistance to victims 24/7.

Luxembourg was in the process of developing a national action plan on gender-based violence, which would support more comprehensive care to victims of different forms of gender-based violence. It was, in collaboration with civil society, convening several awareness raising campaigns on this topic, including the annual “Orange Week” event, which brought together many actors to stand in solidarity with women and girls who were victims of violence. A specific system had also been set up to provide consultations and therapeutic care to perpetrators to break the cycle of violence. Since ratifying the Istanbul Convention, Luxembourg had been firmly committed to monitoring its implementation in a cross-cutting manner.

A new Grand-Ducal regulation of 2023 strengthened the role of the “Prostitution Commission” to monitor prostitution and to combat pimping and trafficking in human beings. The inclusion of State experts as well as civil society would allow the commission to carry out timely and comprehensive follow-up. Luxembourg had approved a bill on the prohibition of virginity examinations and certificates, the ban on hymenoplasty, and the abolition of the reflection period for the voluntary termination of pregnancy. In addition, in 2023, an adaptation to the Penal Code introduced a new definition of rape based on the notion of consent. The State was currently finalising its second action plan on women, peace and security.

Luxembourg aimed to uphold a modern and egalitarian society in which every citizen could find their place, regardless of their gender.

MANDY MINELLA, Deputy Head of the Committee Department, Chamber of Deputies of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg, said the Chamber of Deputies of Luxembourg was a crucial actor in combatting discrimination against women. The Chamber supported Orange Week, lighting its buildings in orange during the week. Meetings on gender equality were held regularly. A working group on gender equality had been set up to develop a strategy for promoting gender equality within the Chamber. The status of members of parliament had been reformed to recognise the status of pregnant members. The Chamber needed to represent and respect the rights and opinions of all and meet the expectations of its people.

LAURA CAROCHA, Human and Social Sciences Expert, Consultative Commission of the Grand-Duchy of Luxembourg on Human Rights, welcomed the efforts made by the Luxembourg State to combat discrimination against women since the last report, while noting persistent shortcomings, including a social system that kept women in a subordinate position to men. Luxembourg’s policy favoured a “neutral” approach that was not gender sensitive. Ms. Carocha urged politicians to openly acknowledge this systemic patriarchal domination and to make the deconstruction of this mechanism a priority.

It was imperative that the Government implemented the principle of gender mainstreaming in a cross-cutting manner in all its policies. Luxembourg’s equality efforts lacked an intersectional approach and the Government rarely addressed multiple and intersecting forms of discrimination. To implement such an intersectional approach, it was essential to have detailed data, disaggregated by gender, age, ethnicity, disability and education level. This would allow the State to identify shortcomings in policies and better understand and target the needs of women.

Questions by a Committee Expert

ANA PELÁEZ NARVÁEZ, Committee Expert and Rapporteur for Luxembourg, said that Luxembourg ranked twentieth in the Human Development Index and was the first country in the European Union to have eliminated the pay gap between men and women. The State party had ratified the Istanbul Convention and the International Labour Organization Convention on forced labour, and introduced legislation to combat multiple forms of discrimination over the reporting period. However, the revised Constitution of 2021 drew a distinction between Luxembourg nationals and non-nationals and lacked protections against forced labour and trafficking. How did the State party justify the amendments to the Constitution? Would the State party eliminate the distinction between Luxembourg nationals and non-nationals?

Luxembourg had adopted a law creating the position of a family judge, an act on the provision of legal aid, and an act amending the Criminal Code to strengthen the response to sexual abuse of minors. The Committee was concerned about the barriers inhibiting access to justice for women. What measures were in place to overcome these barriers? Why had the Centre for Legal Treatment not been given the power to initiate legal proceedings on behalf of victims?

The Committee commended the State party’s national action plan on business and human rights. However, funds deposited in certain banks in Luxembourg may have come from the exploitation of human beings overseas, particularly women. What rules were imposed on companies domiciled in the State party? How did the State party address extraterritorial violations?

Responses by the Delegation

The delegation said Luxembourg adopted a neutral approach in its legislation on discrimination. The State believed that women’s rights were human rights. The neutral approach was grounded on the principle of gender equality.

Each person in Luxembourg who was subject to criminal proceedings benefited from procedural guarantees, regardless of their residence status or nationality. These guarantees covered access to a lawyer, the presumption of innocence and, to an extent, legal aid.

Civil suits could be filed in Luxembourg by victims of discrimination by private enterprises. Luxembourg was transposing European Union guidelines on its supply chains, promoting due diligence for companies and organising public events related to business and human rights. Since 2017, Luxembourg had been working to implement and align with the United Nations Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights, conducting consultations with private entities and civil society. Companies in the banking and insurance sector had provided positive feedback regarding the implementation of the Guiding Principles. The financial sector was aware of its obligations. The State was working to address its extraterritorial obligations to provide remedies to the victims of human rights violations occurring overseas.

The revised Constitution stated that people in Luxembourg were equal before the law. Non-Luxembourg nationals could not vote in legislative elections but could vote in municipal elections.

Questions by Committee Experts

A Committee Expert commended Luxembourg’s commitment to gender equality, human rights, and to dismantling stereotypes. The State party had demonstrated its commitment to the women, peace and security agenda through its women, peace and security national action plan. What was the status of the second iteration of the plan? Was feminism still a part of foreign policy?

Various sources had criticised the Ministry of Gender and Equality’s neutral approach. The Committee hoped that its policies would address structural gender inequalities. There were concerns regarding the depth of the analysis of the Observatory for Gender Equality. What measures were in place to increase the depth of its analysis?

ANA PELÁEZ NARVÁEZ, Committee Expert and Rapporteur for Luxembourg, said that the State party had established voluntary quotas in some areas, including minimum quotas of 40 per cent representation of one sex on political bodies and 30 per cent representation on the boards of State agencies. There were concerns that these measures were gender-neutral and not mandatory, and that they did not encourage the representation of vulnerable groups of women. What efforts were being taken by the State party to improve its temporary special measures and to make its quotas mandatory?

Responses by the Delegation

The delegation said the State party was striving to eliminate gender equality with ad-hoc programmes targeted at underrepresented genders. There were programmes targeting violence against women and preparing women to defend themselves. The legal framework was neutral but the actions taken by the Government were not.

Luxembourg would work proactively on gender mainstreaming in the field of defence. The second iteration of the women, peace and security national action plan would be adopted this year in March. It would promote the role of women in peace and security initiatives.

If political parties did not meet the 40 per cent representation quota for each sex, their funding was reduced. The State party was raising the awareness of political parties and candidates on the importance of equality. A database with profiles of women who wished to become board members of associations would soon be launched to promote women’s representation.

Questions by Committee Experts

A Committee Expert congratulated the State party on its plan to launch the second iteration of the women, peace and security initiative this March. No non-governmental organizations from Luxembourg had interacted with the Committee during this review process. How would the State party encourage civil society to provide alternative reports in future sessions?

Another Committee Expert said that gender stereotypes in the media had not been sufficiently addressed, and women accounted for only around one fourth of all media workers. How was the Government addressing these issues? How was the State party conducting gender impact assessments, as recommended by the Committee in 2018? How did legislation and policies address sterilisation and irreversible medical procedures against intersex children? Had the State party considered broadening the statute of limitations for rape, which was limited to 10 years? Did the State party plan to establish psychological violence as a stand-alone crime? Training on gender-based violence was not provided to judges. How would the State party improve data collection on court cases involving gender-based violence? Why had retrospective analysis of femicides not been conducted?

One Committee Expert said that the State party’s definition of trafficking in persons did not align with international standards. Would it amend this legislation? Sentences were often lenient and judges rarely took away traffickers’ profits or granted remedies to victims. How would the State party ensure that penalties for trafficking reflected the gravity of the crime and ensure that victims received adequate compensation? What was the timeline for implementation of the national action plan on trafficking in persons? How would the plan integrate gender-specific aspects of trafficking? The State party had not identified child trafficking victims for three years. Would the State party include civil society into efforts to identify child victims, and prevent the inappropriate penalisation of trafficking victims? The Committee welcomed the State party’s policies addressing prostitution. Were there plans to decriminalise prostitution?

Responses by the Delegation

The delegation said that the State party valued permanent collaboration with civil society. The Ministry of Equality paid 80 per cent of its budget to civil society to promote the rights of vulnerable groups, particularly women. Luxembourg hosted around 100 non-governmental organizations, despite its small population of 600,000, and these groups had contributed to various Government policies. Non-governmental organizations did not always have the resources needed to travel overseas to participate in dialogues with the Committee.

An internal assessment of the first women, peace and security national action plan had been conducted and lessons learned would be included in the second plan. The second plan would place greater emphasis on cooperation with civil society.

The Government was engaging in dialogue with the media sector to improve the representation of women. The Advertising Ethics Commission received complaints related to discrimination and sexism. Awareness raising campaigns were being carried out on sexism, discrimination and violence in the media. A working group on hate speech had been set up that cooperated with the police force and associations working with perpetrators. The digital service act strived to combat illicit content and encouraged platforms to delete such content swiftly.

The law on femicide was revised in 2023. There had yet to be any rulings handed down based on this legislation. There were plans to collect statistics on femicide. The national action plan on gender-based violence was based on the Istanbul Convention and had been developed to strengthen protections and services for victims, as well as training on gender-based violence. The State party would address psychological violence in the national action plan on all forms of gender-based violence and would consider establishing a law on this form of violence.

The Government was working to protect the gender identity of intersex persons and was following Council of Europe regulations on the prevention of irreversible medical procedures against intersex persons.

In Luxembourg, it was enough to prove that a person had the potential of exploiting an individual to hold them criminally liable for trafficking. Training had been provided to State officials and non-governmental organizations to improve the identification of and support for trafficking victims. Victims were officially identified by a specialised unit of the police, but non-governmental organizations and the labour inspectorate could help identify victims. Street walks were carried out to identify victims of trafficking and provide support to women in prostitution. Sex workers were not criminalised; clients were criminalised if they knew that the sex worker was a minor or a victim of trafficking.

Questions by Committee Experts

Another Committee Expert commended the efforts Luxembourg had made to promote gender equality, including its quota of 40 per cent representation in political bodies. Despite high representation at the national level, women’s representation in municipal governments was around 20 per cent. What measures were in place to bridge the gender gap in municipalities? The 2022 law aiming to enhance the participation of foreign nationals in elections was note-worthy. How did the State party ensure that foreigners were meaningfully included in public life? Were there targeted initiatives encouraging women to pursue careers in Luxembourg’s foreign service? Women only made up around 12 per cent of Luxembourg’s military. What measures were in place to increase their representation in security and military sectors? Women also accounted for just 23 per cent of board members of private companies. Were there plans to extend quotas to private sector boards?

One Committee Expert commended the State’s progress in advancing the rights of women and girls in education. Primary and secondary education was free for all children in Luxembourg, and compulsory education had recently been extended to 18 years. Could the State party provide disaggregated data on women working in science, technology, engineering and maths fields? How was the State party encouraging study in these subjects? The Committee welcomed that the State party had endorsed the Safe Schools Declaration. How was the State party supporting the international community in the effective implementation of the Declaration? What measures were in place to support vulnerable women in education? How was the State preventing online violence, ensuring the responsible use of digital technology, and working to close the digital gender gap?

Responses by the Delegation

The delegation said underrepresentation of women in decision making fora was a key challenge for the Government. Funding was reduced for political parties that did not uphold quotas. Individuals could nominate themselves to political positions in smaller municipalities; this led to greater gender imbalances. The State party aimed to achieve gender parity in Government, and better representation of women and wage equality in the private sector, and recruitment campaigns for the armed forces targeted at women. The diplomatic corps was made up of around 150 agents, 76 per cent of whom were men. In recent years, the number of female diplomats had increased and this trend was likely to continue.

The State had a service providing training for children on cyberbullying. When it identified sexual harassment material online, it referred the material to legal services. Raising awareness about online risks was a priority for the Government.

Questions by a Committee Expert

A Committee Expert commended the State party for eliminating the pay gap between men and women. Luxembourg’s wage gap was the lowest in the world. The Committee called for further efforts to achieve wage equality for women in part-time work and in the informal sector. Almost one-third of women worked part time; this affected the pension gap. How was the State party working to address this gap? The Committee was concerned that the act on persons with disabilities excluded persons with disabilities who did not meet requirements for support to access the labour market. Had Luxembourg criminalised workplace sexual harassment and adopted measures to implement appropriate sanctions? Would it ratify International Labour Organization Convention 190?

Responses by the Delegation

The delegation said Luxembourg considered sexual harassment to be a serious form of violence. It would be addressed in the national action plan against gender-based violence. Victims of gender-based violence and discrimination in the workplace could seek support from a specialised service within the labour inspectorate. Measures were in place to support single parents, who were prioritised in the provision of affordable housing. The gender pension gap was large; to address this, a major reform of the pension system was underway.

Questions by Committee Experts

A Committee Expert said Luxembourg had an admirable universal healthcare system. To access free services, individuals needed to prove their identity and that they had lived in Luxembourg for at least three months. How many applications were objected to and on what grounds? The Expert welcomed the national programme for the promotion of sexual and reproductive health. What progress had been made in strengthening this programme? The Committee welcomed the national action plan on the rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex persons, but was concerned that involuntary surgeries continued to be imposed on intersex persons. When would the State party abolish this practice?

The high rate of tobacco use among women was a major issue in the State party, leading to various health complications. What public health measures had been taken to discourage smoking, especially for women?

One Committee Expert commended the State party’s financial support for women and support for women investors. What measures were in place to educate self-employed women on the pension regime? Were there digital tools that facilitated women’s integration in pension programmes? More than one in seven workers in Luxembourg was at risk of poverty. How was the State party addressing this? Were there measures to help unemployed women to access benefits and training? Did the State party have regulations on safeguarding women’s rights in investments? How did the State party ensure adequate reparation for human rights violations by companies? What steps had been taken to promote women-owned businesses? What strategies were planned to boost women’s access to financial services, bonds and loans? What percentage of businesses were owned by women? How was the State party helping women and girls to strengthen their digital competencies, collecting disaggregated data on access to loans and credit, and providing financial support services that reached women who lacked digital skills?

The State party was commended for promoting women’s participation in sports entrepreneurship. What measures were in place to prevent gender stereotypes in sport?

Responses by the Delegation

The delegation said all individuals in Luxembourg had access to the universal health coverage system. The Government worked to streamline gender in all healthcare policies. It was raising awareness amongst healthcare practitioners regarding differences in treatment between men and women.

The national action plan on lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex persons would address the issue of involuntary sterilisations. The State party would assess legal provisions that addressed this issue in other countries. A national action plan to prevent smoking that considered the specific needs of women was being drafted.

Sport was an area in which there was inequality between men and women in terms of renumeration and presence in the media. The Government was drafting a national strategy on equality in sport. Violence against women in sport was being addressed by the National Centre for Victims of Violence.

A gender finance taskforce had been set up to support women to access the finance sector and loans. Schools were educating girls on the financial sector. The Ministry of the Family funded a project that supported women’s incorporation into business networks and entrepreneurship support programmes.

Luxembourg had around 20 observatories collecting disaggregated data on various topics. The Government was stressing the importance of collecting data disaggregated by sex. A digital gateway had been setup that promoted women’s and girls’ digital skills. An annual day of digital inclusion was also held to promote the inclusion of women and girls in the digital sphere.

Questions by Committee Experts

A Committee Expert thanked the State party for its legal advocacy on behalf of Afghan women. Luxembourg was Europe’s first financial centre. Several businesses in Luxembourg continued to make investments in the fossil fuel industry. Would the State party adopt stricter environmental regulations for businesses? The State party had thus far contributed eight million euros to the Loss and Damage Fund. Investments needed to be made with a human rights approach, including investments in green bonds. The State party needed to contribute more to the Loss and Damage Fund in a way that addressed the needs of women.

Women in solitary confinement had meagre access to education and work, despite legislation enshrining the rights of such women to State services. How would the State party address this?

Responses by the Delegation

The delegation said the financial sector was one of the biggest contributors to Luxembourg’s gross national income. It was one of the first sectors to implement the United Nations Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights. The Government had called on the Union of Luxembourg Businesses, which included businesses from the financial sector, to implement the Guiding Principles. The European Union had adopted a directive on business and human rights that Luxembourg was transposing into law. Employers in the financial sector were aware of regulations related to women’s rights and sanctions that were implemented when those regulations were not respected.

The Government was committed to supporting climate action in developing countries; it had pledged 120 million euros toward this at a recent Conference of the Parties. Funds dedicated to climate action included a gender perspective. In 2016, the Luxembourg Stock Exchange decided to open a “green exchange”, which applied stringent criteria for green investment. This exchange today had over one trillion United States dollars’ worth of sustainable climate assets. Many sustainable assets addressed the protection of women’s rights. The Stock Exchange had signed a Memorandum of Understanding with United Nations Women in 2022 to advance projects and investments that promoted women’s empowerment.

Questions by Committee Experts

A Committee Expert asked how many women had requested the grant provided to women divorcees. Had the State party conducted studies into the effectiveness of shared custody agreements? Same-sex couples experienced barriers to accessing adoption services. How was the State party addressing this? The practice of surrogacy was not sufficiently regulated. How did the State party protect surrogate mothers and children? How did the State party support such children to investigate their origins?

The legal distinction between “legitimate” and “natural” children created discrimination. Were there plans to remove this distinction?

ANA PELÁEZ NARVÁEZ, Committee Expert and Rapporteur for Luxembourg, asked how many children of Luxembourg lived in institutions and foster families in the State and abroad.

Responses by the Delegation

The delegation said a draft bill on adoption was currently being assessed. It addressed adoptions by cohabiting couples and investigations into the lineage of children who were abandoned by their parents. There were around 1,000 children and adolescents of Luxembourg in institutions and foster families, including 76 children and adolescents who had been placed in institutions abroad. The distinction between legitimate and natural children still existed in legislation but in reality, there was little difference between these. The draft bill on the right to lineage removed the distinction. Assessments of this bill were still underway.

Concluding Remarks

MARC BICHLER, Permanent Representative of Luxembourg to the United Nations Office at Geneva and head of the delegation, thanked the Committee for the interactive dialogue. This had been a valuable exercise that helped the State party to make progress in implementing the Convention and upholding the rights of women and girls. There were pushbacks against women and girls’ rights globally, but Luxembourg was resolute in defending these rights. The State party would continue to work to implement the Convention.

MARYSE FISCH, First Government Counsellor, Ministry of Gender Equality and Diversity of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg, thanked the Committee for its advice, which helped the State party to improve. Luxembourg highly valued the Convention, which was mentioned in the coalition agreement and the national action plan on equality.

MANDY MINELLA, Deputy Head of the Committee Department, Chamber of Deputies of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg, said the Chamber of Deputies was committed to equality and would conduct a gender audit and develop a strategy to promote gender equality, inclusive language, and gender mainstreaming. The Chamber was discussing issues, including childcare and provisions for breastfeeding women. There were plans to overhaul the Chamber’s regulations with a gender perspective. The Committee’s recommendations would be carefully reviewed in the Chamber.

CORINNE DETTMEIJER-VERMEULEN, Committee Vice-Chair and acting Chair of the meeting, said that the dialogue with Luxembourg had provided further insight into the situation of women in the State party. The Committee commended the State party for its efforts and called on it to implement the Committee’s recommendations for the benefit of all women and girls of Luxembourg.

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.

CEDAW25.005E

MIL OSI United Nations News –

February 8, 2025
MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: BIMSTEC Youth Summit 2025 to kick off in Gandhinagar, Gujarat from 7th to 11th February 2025

Source: Government of India

BIMSTEC Youth Summit 2025 to kick off in Gandhinagar, Gujarat from 7th to 11th February 2025

Union Minister Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya to Inaugurate BIMSTEC Youth Summit 2025

Mera Yuva Bharat Initiative to Be Highlighted at BIMSTEC Youth Summit

Youth Leaders to Share Insights on Global Challenges and Youth-Led Initiatives at BIMSTEC Summit

Posted On: 07 FEB 2025 6:38PM by PIB Delhi

The Department of Youth Affairs, Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports, Government of India, is organizing the BIMSTEC Youth Summit from 7th to 11th February 2025 in Gandhinagar, Gujarat. Union Minister Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya will formally inaugurate the event, marking the beginning of the BIMSTEC Youth Summit.

During the 4th BIMSTEC Summit in Kathmandu on 30^th -31^st August 2018, the Hon’ble Prime Minister of India announced the hosting of a three-day BIMSTEC Youth Summit, aimed at bringing together the youth of BIMSTEC nations on a unified platform to exchange experiences and insights on youth-led initiatives undertaken by member states.

The primary objective of the BIMSTEC Youth Summit is to facilitate the exchange of experiences and youth-led initiatives among member countries. Centered around the theme “Youth as a Bridge for Intra-BIMSTEC Exchange,” the summit seeks to harness the collective energy of young leaders to advance the region’s shared goals. The Government of India aims to channel this youthful energy towards achieving the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030.

The summit will provide an invaluable platform for dialogue on the progress and advancement of SDGs, bringing together 70 delegates from BIMSTEC nations. Each member country will be represented by 10 youth delegates, selected for their expertise in key areas, fostering targeted discussions that will contribute to meaningful outcomes from the summit.

The key objectives of the inaugural BIMSTEC Youth Summit are as follows:

a. To inspire young leaders from member countries to actively engage in addressing pressing global challenges, economic and social issues, and youth-related development agendas.

b. To foster a constructive exchange of perspectives on strategic issues that empower youth

c. To generate innovative ideas and solutions that contribute to creating a brighter and more sustainable future for the region and beyond.

A session on “Viksit Bharat Young Leaders Dialogue X BIMSTEC” will also be held, offering a platform for young leaders to showcase key youth development initiatives from their respective countries. Additionally, the summit will feature a session on Mera Yuva Bharat (MY Bharat), an initiative announced by the Hon’ble Prime Minister of India. This initiative represents a comprehensive institutional mechanism powered by technology for youth development and youth-led progress. Mera Yuva Bharat aims to provide equitable access to opportunities for youth, helping them realize their aspirations and contribute to building an Amrit Bharat by 2047. The session will also demonstrate how the Government of India is utilizing technology to support youth welfare, offering valuable insights to delegates from other BIMSTEC nations.

The delegates will also have the opportunity to explore key cultural and modern landmarks. They will visit Dandi Kutir, India’s largest and only museum dedicated to the life and teachings of Mahatma Gandhi, as well as Sabarmati Ashram, the former residence of Mahatma Gandhi and a center for promoting his principles of non-violence and self-reliance. They will also visit the Sabarmati Riverfront, and GIFT City (Gujarat International Finance Tec-City), India’s first operational smart city and International Financial Services Centre (IFSC). GIFT City is designed to drive global financial services, technology, and innovation. The visit to GIFT City will offer youth delegates a firsthand experience of India’s aspirations to become a global financial and technology hub, showcasing cutting-edge smart city innovations and the dynamic landscape of global commerce. This experience will inspire delegates to shape the future of their own economies and communities.

The Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) is a regional organization comprising seven member states: India, Bangladesh, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Nepal, and Bhutan. BIMSTEC focuses on tackling shared challenges like climate change, poverty, and sustainable development, while strengthening political, security, and economic cooperation among the countries bordering the Bay of Bengal.

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Himanshu Pathak

(Release ID: 2100771) Visitor Counter : 26

MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

February 8, 2025
MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Surajkund International Crafts Mela realizing the vision of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s ‘Ek Bharat-Shreshtha Bharat’ – Gajendra Singh Shekhawat

Source: Government of India

Surajkund International Crafts Mela realizing the vision of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s ‘Ek Bharat-Shreshtha Bharat’ – Gajendra Singh Shekhawat

India is presently hosting two major events that are drawing global attention Maha Kumbh Mela and the Surajkund International Crafts Mela, which showcases India’s unity, culture and artistic heritage – Gajendra Singh Shekhawat

Union Minister for Culture and Tourism Inaugurates the 38th Surajkund International Crafts Mela

Posted On: 07 FEB 2025 6:33PM by PIB Delhi

The 38^th Surajkund International Crafts Mela was inaugurated today with great grandeur in Surajkund, district Faridabad. Union Minister for Culture and Tourism, Shri Gajendra Singh Shekhawat graced the occasion as the chief guest and formally inaugurated the event.

Haryana Chief Minister, Shri Nayab Singh Saini, Heritage and Tourism Minister Dr. Arvind Sharma, Revenue and Disaster Management Minister, Shri Vipul Goel, Social Justice, Empowerment, Scheduled Castes & Backward Classes Welfare and Antyodaya (SEWA) Minister, Shri Krishan Kumar Bedi, Minister of State for Food, Civil Supplies & Consumer Affairs, Shri Rajesh Nagar and Minister of State for Sports attended the opening ceremony.

The Surajkund International Crafts Mela will be organized from February 7^th to February 23^rd showcasing extraordinary art, craftsmanship, and talent from artisans and artists across India and the world.

Speaking on this occasion, Union Culture and Tourism Minister Shri Gajendra Singh Shekhawat said that India is presently hosting two major events that are drawing global attention that is the Maha Kumbh Mela and the Surajkund International Crafts Mela, which showcases India’s unity, culture and artistic heritage. He emphasized that Surajkund Mela is not just a marketplace for crafts but a significant platform for craftsmen and artisans to showcase their ancient skills. He said that under the leadership of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, the vision of Ek Bharat-Shreshtha Bharat that we envision is being realized through this fair.

Shri Shekhawat said that under the leadership of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, India has transformed in the past decade, transforming its old image of poverty and underdevelopment. With the successful implementation of various welfare schemes at the grassroot level, Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi has brought 25 crore people out of below poverty line. Today, India is the world’s fastest-growing economy, he added.

He further said that the cultural and creative economy are now formally recognized worldwide as the “Orange Economy.” He believes that the Surajkund Mela will help Indian craftsmen find new opportunities in both domestic and international markets. The minister said that India’s tourism industry is reaching new heights, with a boost in both domestic and international travel.

Immense Potential of MICE tourism in Haryana

The Union Minister said that Haryana has advantage due to its proximity to Delhi and has its potential to become a hub for MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, and Exhibitions) tourism. He said that the state should explore this opportunity to the fullest. He also suggested further expanding Surajkund Mela’s reach via digital marketing. Inviting YouTubers, photographers, and social media influencers to cover the Mela could significantly enhance its global appeal and provide artisans with new business opportunities.

The minister said that India will emerge as a developed nation in the next 25 years and urged the younger generation to take pride in contributing to the country’s progress. Surajkund Mela is a reflection of India’s Cultural Identity and Global Brotherhood

Speaking on the occasion, Haryana Chief Minister Shri Nayab Singh Saini said that Surajkund and the ongoing International Crafts Mela have become a unique symbol of not just Haryana but the entire nation. The mela exemplifies the ethos of ‘Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam’ and provides a platform to showcase Indian crafts and culture to the world.

He extended best wishes to the Haryana Tourism Department, the Union Ministry of Culture and Tourism, the Ministries of Textiles, Culture, and External Affairs, and the Surajkund Mela Authority for successfully organizing this grand event.

Live : उद्घाटन समारोह 38वां सूरजकुण्ड अन्तर्राष्ट्रीय हस्तशिल्प मेला https://t.co/8GqahAkTSB

— Gajendra Singh Shekhawat (@gssjodhpur) February 7, 2025

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Sunil Kumar Tiwari

tourism4pib[at]gmail[dot]com

(Release ID: 2100768) Visitor Counter : 43

MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

February 8, 2025
MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: The National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority fixes ceiling prices in respect of the drugs specified in Schedule-I to Drugs (Prices Control) Order, 2013
Source: Government of India

The National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority fixes ceiling prices in respect of the drugs specified in Schedule-I to Drugs (Prices Control) Order, 2013

NPPA has fixed ceiling prices of 131 scheduled anticancer formulations under National List of Essential Medicines to make cancer drugs affordable and accessible to the masses

NPPA has also fixed retail prices of 28 anti-cancer formulations of applicant manufacturing and marketing companies, under the DPCO, 2013 provisions relating to fixing of retail prices of new drugs

Posted On: 07 FEB 2025 5:40PM by PIB Delhi

The National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA) under the Department of Pharmaceuticals fixes ceiling prices under the provisions of Drugs (Prices Control) Order, 2013 (DPCO, 2013) in respect of the drugs specified in Schedule-I to DPCO, 2013. Manufacturers of scheduled medicines (both branded and generic) are required to sell their products within the ceiling price (plus applicable Goods and Service Tax) fixed by NPPA. In addition, NPPA fixes the retail price of new drugs as defined in DPCO, 2013. The retail price of a new drug is applicable to the applicant manufacturer and marketer, who are required to sell the new drug within the price notified by NPPA. In case of non-scheduled formulations, a manufacturer is at liberty to fix the maximum retail price (MRP) of drugs launched by it. However, as per DPCO, 2013, a manufacturer is required to not increase MRP of a non-scheduled drug by more than 10% of MRP during the preceding 12 months. In addition to the above, the ceiling price of a drug may also be fixed under certain circumstances, in public interest.

The aforesaid Schedule to DPCO, 2013 consists of the National List of Essential Medicines (NLEM), 2022 notified by the Department of Health and Family Welfare. NLEM, 2022 includes 63 anti-cancer drugs, including immunosuppressives and medicines used in palliative care.

Various measures have been taken to make cancer drugs affordable and accessible to the masses, including, among others, the following:
1. NPPA has fixed ceiling prices of 131 scheduled anti-cancer formulations under NLEM. These include 111 formulations whose prices were fixed under the NLEM, 2015. Refixation of the same under NLEM, 2022 has resulted in reduction of around 21% from the ceiling prices fixed under NLEM, 2015, leading to annual savings of around ₹294.34 crore to patients.
2. NPPA has fixed retail prices of 28 anti-cancer formulations of applicant manufacturing and marketing companies, under the DPCO, 2013 provisions relating to fixing of retail prices of new drugs.
3. In addition, NPPA has put a cap of 30% trade margin on 42 non-scheduled anti-cancer medicines, in public interest, which has resulted in reduction of MRP of 526 brands of these medicines by an average of around 50% and annual savings of around ₹984 crore to patients.
4. Government reduced customs duty to nil and GST rates from 12% to 5% for three anti-cancer drugs in the financial year (FY) 2024-25 and NPPA has issued directions to companies to reduce MRP to pass on the tax benefit to consumers.
5. Exemption/concessions in customs duty on identified anti-cancer medicines has also been announced in the budget for FY 2025-26.
With the objective of promoting domestic manufacturing of drugs, the Department of Pharmaceuticals is implementing the Production Linked Incentive (PLI) Scheme for Pharmaceuticals with total financial outlay of ₹15,000 crore with scheme tenure till the financial year 2027-28. 54 anti-cancer drugs are being manufactured under this scheme.

Under Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY), health assurance/insurance cover of ₹5 lakh per family per year for secondary or tertiary care hospitalisation to about 60 crore beneficiaries is being provided. The treatment packages under AB-PMJAY are comprehensive and cover various treatment related aspects, including drugs and diagnostic services. Further, under Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya Janaushadhi Pariyojana, quality medicine are offered through Jan Aushadhi Kendras at rates that are typically 50% to 80% lower than the prices of branded medicines available in the market. In addition, under the Affordable Medicines and Reliable Implants for Treatment (AMRIT) initiative of the Department of Health and Family Welfare, medicines for treatment of cancer, cardiovascular and other diseases, implants, surgical disposables and other consumables etc. are provided at significant discounts of up to 50% of market rates through AMRIT Pharmacy stores set up in some hospitals/institutions. Moreover, financial assistance is provided to poor patients belonging to families living below poverty line, who suffer from major life-threatening diseases including cancer, under the umbrella scheme of Rashtriya Arogya Nidhi and the Health Minister’s Discretionary Grant (HMDG). Financial assistance of up to ₹15 lakh is provided under the Health Minister’s Cancer Patient Fund under the umbrella scheme of RAN, and assistance of up to ₹1.25 lakh is provided under HMDG to defray part of the treatment cost.

This information was given by the Union Minister of State for Chemicals and Fertilizers Smt Anupriya Patel in Lok Sabha in written reply to a question today.

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MV/AKS

(Release ID: 2100720) Visitor Counter : 59

MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –
February 8, 2025
MIL-OSI Europe: Written question – The extension of the EU school scheme to eastern European countries with candidate status – E-000374/2025
Source: European Parliament
Question for written answer E-000374/2025
to the Commission
Rule 144
Gheorghe Falcă (PPE)

The EU school scheme, which provides schoolchildren with fresh fruit, vegetables, milk and other dairy products, has proven an invaluable tool in promoting healthy eating habits and improving public health outcomes across EU Member States. The programme has successfully tackled issues such as childhood obesity, and has helped to promote sustainable agriculture and reinforce the importance of balanced diets.

According to the most recent statistics, approximately 30.2 % of children in the Republic of Moldova live in absolute poverty. Rural areas are particularly affected, with the poverty rate reaching as high as 44.6 %. This alarming situation highlights the need for targeted initiatives to improve the well-being of children in these regions.

Given the success of the EU school scheme, I would like to know if there are plans to extend it to countries such as Moldova and Ukraine, which have made significant progress in aligning with EU standards.

1.How could the Commission support the implementation of the EU school scheme in countries with candidate status, especially Moldova and Ukraine, where the situation is particularly challenging due to the ongoing war and Russian aggression?

2.Is the Commission considering extending this specific programme to these countries as part of their European integration process?

Submitted: 28.1.2025
Last updated: 7 February 2025
MIL OSI Europe News –
February 8, 2025
MIL-OSI Europe: At a Glance – EU action against poverty – 07-02-2025

Source: European Parliament

Poverty has many dimensions. Following recent crises, not least the COVID-19 pandemic and the cost-of-living crisis, some of poverty’s known dimensions have evolved while new forms have emerged. Addressing poverty remains mainly the responsibility of EU countries’ governments acting in complex national social settings. The EU meanwhile seeks to coordinate Member States’ efforts and offers support in the form of funding and data. The new European Commission is stepping up efforts to meet the EU’s poverty reduction targets.

MIL OSI Europe News –

February 8, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Sen. Jason Esteves and Rep. Phil Olaleye to Host Press Conference Urging State Lawmakers to Invest in Georgia Public Schools
Source: US State of Georgia

ATLANTA (February 7, 2025)—On Monday, February 10, at 12:30 p.m., Sen. Jason Esteves (D–Atlanta) and Rep. Phil Olaleye (D–Atlanta) will hold a press conference alongside Georgia students and parents to announce their legislation to increase public education funding for K-12 students who live in poverty.

EVENT DETAILS:
- Date: Monday, February 10, 2025
- Time: 12:30 p.m.
- Where: Georgia State Capitol, South Steps, 206 Washington St SW, Atlanta, GA, 30334
- This Event is Open to the Public.
MEDIA OPPORTUNITIES:

We kindly request that members of the media confirm their attendance in advance by contacting Jantz Womack at SenatePressInquiries@senate.ga.gov.

MIL OSI USA News –
February 8, 2025
MIL-OSI Video: Women’s rights are human rights, with Nyaradzayi Gumbonzvanda | UN ‘Awake at Night’ podcast teaser

Source: United Nations (Video News)

Having grown up in war-torn rural Zimbabwe, Nyaradzayi Gumbonzvanda overcame extreme hardship to pursue a career at the highest levels of the United Nations. Now UN Assistant Secretary-General, and one of two deputy executive directors of UN Women, she wants little girls everywhere to aspire to the same heights.

“Peace is a prerequisite. It’s so critical for development… for unleashing the potential of the little girls. Peace is so important for enabling mothers, widows to give the best they can.”

UN Women works to uphold women’s human rights and ensure that every woman and girl lives up to her full potential. In this episode, Nyaradzayi Gumbonzvanda reflects on a childhood touched by war, poverty and disease, on a lifelong love of learning, and on how a recent accident gave her a new perspective on inequality.

Full podcast: https://youtu.be/u3cDm1iYBVQ

Listen to more Awake at Night episodes: https://music.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLwoDFQJEq_0b6hu1e8oxsch9W0D7vkNqt
#podcast #unitednations #awakeatnight #UNWomen #womensrights

About Awake at Night
Hosted by Melissa Fleming, UN Under-Secretary-General for Global Communications, the podcast ‘Awake at Night’ is an in-depth interview series focusing on remarkable United Nations staff members who dedicate their career to helping people in parts of the world where they have the hardest lives – from war zones and displacement camps to areas hit by disasters and the devastation of climate change.

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

MIL OSI Video –

February 8, 2025
MIL-OSI United Kingdom: expert reaction to Public Accounts Committee report on Carbon Capture, Usage, and Storage (CCUS) Technologies

Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

February 7, 2025

Scientists comment on the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) report on Carbon Capture, Usage and Storage (CCUS) technologies.

Prof Hannah Chalmers, Personal Chair of Sustainable Energy Systems, Institute for Energy Systems, School of Engineering, University of Edinburgh, said:

“CCUS technologies can play a unique role in tackling carbon dioxide emissions. They can be used at large industrial sites to ensure that most of the carbon dioxide produced by activities like iron and steel production is not emitted to the atmosphere. Instead, the carbon dioxide is permanently stored in geological formations (rocks). In the UK, CCUS projects are developing plans to store carbon dioxide in layers of rock that are deep underneath the sea.

“There is also ongoing work to develop and deploy cost-effective approaches to remove carbon dioxide directly from the air. This provides an important option to respond to the widely reported increases in carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere that are causing significant concern.

“There is significant evidence that including CCUS in a mix of technologies to reduce carbon dioxide emissions will be the most cost-effective way to address climate change. Several large-scale projects have been operating in other countries for many years. Experience from these projects is being used to ensure that the CCUS projects that are being developed in the UK are designed to be reliable and cost-effective.”

Dr Stuart Gilfillan, Reader in Geochemistry, University of Edinburgh, said:

What is CCUS technology, how does it work, does it have limitations?

“CCUS stands for Carbon Capture, Utilisation, and Storage, which is a developing technology which reduces the amount of carbon dioxide (CO2) released into the atmosphere. It works by capturing CO2 at the point source, transporting it and then burying it for safe storage in rocks over a kilometre below the ground surface. Like any technology, it has pros and cons, and costs more than simply releasing the CO2 directly to the atmosphere, which is currently free. CCUS is the only currently available technology that can directly reduce CO2 emissions from sources like power plants and industrial processes. Given that global temperature records are now being broken on an almost daily basis and yesterday’s announcement of the hottest January on record, it is essential tool in the urgent fight against runaway climate change.

What is the existing evidence around the efficacy of CCUS?

“CO2 capture technology has proven successful in capturing up to 90-95% of CO2 emissions from point of sources from power stations and industrial facilities. Successful examples include the Boundary Dam power station in Saskatchewan, Canada, where a large-scale CCUS unit has been operational since 2014, capturing about 1 million tonnes of CO2 per year.

“The long-term storage of CO2 is proven by natural CO2 reservoirs around the world and engineered projects like Sleipner in the North Sea, which have been injecting CO2 beneath the seabed since 1996 without significant issues. Research over the past two decades has developed monitoring technologies that can detect and mitigate potential leakage and to ensure that CO2 remains securely buried in rocks deep underground.

What more evidence may be needed to be confident in its applications?

“No more evidence is required, as exemplified by the UK’s Climate Change Committee (CCC), which is an independent body established under the Climate Change Act who advise the government on emissions targets and report to Parliament on progress made in reducing greenhouse gas emissions. The CCC is clear that CCUS is a critical technology for the decarbonisation of the UK economy, particularly in sectors that are hard to decarbonize directly, such as heavy industry (steel, cement, chemicals) and power generation.

“CCUS is not only as a standalone technology but is an essential part of a broader strategy to reach net-zero emissions by 2050. It compliments energy efficiency, renewable energy deployment, and electrification. CCUS is a clear driver for regional economic development, particularly in regions with suitable geological storage sites and industrial bases, such as the East Coast of Scotland, the Humber region, and North East England, areas that have been ‘left behind’ in recent times.”

Dr Tim Dixon, IEA Greenhouse Gas, Director and General Manager, said:

“Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) is a necessary technology for the UK and other countries to achieve net-zero, and we need all low-carbon energy technologies. The science case for the role of CCS is provided by the UK’s Climate Change Committee, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) and the International Energy Agency (IEA) and cannot be disputed if climate change is to be taken seriously. The key aspect of CCS is the secure long-term retention of CO2 in deep geological formations, and we have decades of experience in this from around the world. With over 40 large scale projects in operation injecting millions of tonnes every year and many pilot-scale projects, this has allowed us to test the science, the monitoring and the practicalities of geological storage of CO2. Hence CO2 geological storage is a proven technology and the regulations to enable and to ensure that it is safe and secure are based upon this sound science and experience. ”

Professor Paul Fennell FIchemE, Professor of Clean Energy, Imperial College London, said:

“The idea that Carbon Capture and Storage is an unproven technology is simply untrue. There are projects ongoing around the world, and millions of tonnes of CO2 have been safely stored over the last couple of decades. This has not happened in the U.K. because of our sclerotic inability to develop public infrastructure, not because the technology is unproven.”

Dr Greg Mutch, Researcher in Carbon Capture and Storage, Newcastle University, said:

“Carbon capture and storage is a technology that prevents carbon dioxide from entering the atmosphere, by capturing it and storing it underground in ‘empty’ oil & gas reservoirs or saline aquifers. According to the world’s foremost experts on the subject, gathered to contribute the International Panel on Climate Change, carbon capture and storage processes are necessary to achieve climate change mitigation goals at lowest cost. Without scalable CCS technologies by the end of the century, climate change mitigation will cost between 29 and 297% (mean value 138%) more.[1] Moreover, CCS is predicted to provide tens of thousands of jobs in the UK, add several billion pounds in terms of gross value added per year by 2050,[2] and enable other important technologies (hydrogen production etc) that will come with further jobs and economic value.”

[1] IPCC, 2018: Global Warming of 1.5 °C. An IPCC Special Report on the impacts of global warming of 1.5 °C above pre-industrial levels and related global greenhouse gas emission pathways, in the context of strengthening the global response to the threat of climate change, sustainable development, and efforts to eradicate poverty, ed. V. Masson-Delmotte, P. Zhai, H.-O. Portner, D. Roberts, J. Skea, P. R. Shukla, A. Pirani, W. Moufouma-Okia, C. Pean, R. Pidcock, S. Connors, J. B. R. Matthews, Y. Chen, X. Zhou, M. I. Gomis, E. Lonnoy, T. Maycock, M. Tignor and T. Waterfield, Cambridge University Press, 2018.

[2] Energy Innovation Needs Assessment Sub-theme report: Carbon capture, utilisation, and storage, Vivid Economics, Carbon Trust, E4tech, Imperial College London, Frazer-Nash Consultancy, Energy Systems Catapult. Commissioned by the Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy, 2019.

Professor Peter Styring, Director of the UK Centre for Carbon Dioxide Utilization, Professor of Chemical Engineering & Chemistry, University of Sheffield, said:

What is CCUS technology, how does it work, does it have limitations?

“CCUS is carbon capture and storage. This has been primarily focused on CCS as the main driver. It aims to capture carbon dioxide from emitters such as power stations and industries. The current technology temperature swing absorption (TSA) using a chemical reaction with an aqueous amine solvent to capture the CO2 from the mixed waste gas and then to release it in a purified form by increased temperature chemical desorption and then further drying and purification to get a gas that can be in theory transported to a site where the gas can be stored underground. It works but at a high energy cost and the production of amine decomposition products that need to be removed and more amine added. It costs a lot!

“Limitations are the energy and financial costs, permitting regulations on solvent disclosure and the large physical footprint. Full system lifecycle analysis is required but this is not always reported.”

What is the existing evidence around the efficacy of CCUS?

“This is not proven using current technologies. The problem is that the current government funded projects use old technologies to achieve CCS and what is actually needed is a step change to new, lower cost more efficient processes such as solid based pressure swing adsorption (PSA). The whole system tends to be simpler and the energy costs and land use is significantly reduced.”

What more evidence may be needed to be confident in its applications?

“Full evaluation of new technologies and rapid acceleration from proof of concept to capture at scale. The Innovate UK funded Flue2Chem project is a good example of how this is being addressed using mid-TRL technologies. The UK also needs to move away from a single minded storage approach to adding value through the use of CO2 in the production of chemicals that would otherwise be sourced from virgin fossil carbon. SUSTAIN project is making synthetic fuels from captured CO2 and Flue2Chem is making FMCG components, including surfactants and precursors from the CO2.”

Dr Stuart Jenkins, Net Zero Fossil Fuel Fellow, University of Oxford, said:

“The Public Accounts Committee are wrong to have labelled CCUS as ‘unproven’, there are many commercial scale projects around the world, but they are right to question the current model for funding it. We need to make sure the CCUS industry becomes self-sustaining, without the need for major taxpayer funding. One option — asking fossil fuel suppliers to contribute to these costs via a carbon storage mandate — is a fair and responsible approach going forward.

In a recent report we published working with researchers at the University of Oxford and Carbon Balance Initiative [1] we looked at the use of Carbon Storage Mandates, which place an obligation on fossil fuel producers to capture and store a rising fraction of the CO2 they produce, to support the UK’s CCUS industry.

Carbon storage mandates, in tandem with carbon pricing and other mechanisms, could deliver subsidy-free CCUS to the UK and provide investment certainty for companies.”

[1]- https://www.carbon-balance.earth/briefs-reports/report-markets-and-mandates

https://committees.parliament.uk/committee/127/public-accounts-committee/news/205139/carbon-capture-high-degree-of-uncertainty-whether-risky-investment-by-govt-will-pay-off/#:~:text=In%20a%20report%20published%20today,and%20the%20cost%20of%20living

Declared interests

Dr Stuart Jenkins Our report was funded by the Carbon Capture and Storage Association, and consulted regulators, fossil fuel companies, capture and storage entities, UK Government, and academics on models for CCUS sector support packages.

Professor Paul Fennell: No conflicts other than being involved in CCs research.

Dr Tim Dixon: “Tim is a Director of IEA Environmental Projects Ltd (UK), a Non-Executive Director on the Board for The International CCS Knowledge Centre (Canada). He is also proud to be an Honorary Senior Research Fellow at the Bureau of Economic Geology, University of Texas in Austin, and an Honorary Lecturer at the School of Geosciences at University of Edinburgh. He was an original Board Member of the UK CCS Research Centre. Previously he worked in CCS, emissions trading, clean energy technologies and related areas for AEA Technology (ETSU), for the UK Government‘s Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) and for the Global CCS Institute. He was the EU’s Lead Negotiator for getting CCS in the CDM in UNFCCC in 2011, and a UK negotiator for getting CCS in the London Convention 2004-7, in OSPAR 2006-7, in the EU Emission Trading Scheme 2004-8, and inputting to the EU CCS Directive 2007-8. He gives talks on climate and CCS to schools and public organisations and supported the start of Oxford Climate Society at the University of Oxford. He is a Fellow of the UK Energy Institute, and member of the UK Institute of Physics and the UK Environmental Law Association.”

Dr Stuart Gilfillan “I have received funding from TotalEnergies in the past, for research related to CO2 origins in the subsurface and reservoir connectivity and Equinor on CO2 dissolution in natural CO2 reservoirs. I currently receive funding from the Natural Environment Research Council and Carbfix on CO2 mineralisation.”

Prof Hannah Chalmers “I work collaboratively with industrial partners who are developing CCUS projects in the UK (e.g. as a member of the Advisory Board for the Industrial Decarbonisation Research and Innovation Centre). I currently receive no funding from industry, but have received funding from industrial partners who are actively developing CCUS projects in the UK in the past (e.g. SSE plc).”

Professor Peter Styring: Peter is Professor of Chemical Engineering and Chemistry at the University of Sheffield (an investigator on Flue2Chem and SUSTAIN) and a Co-founder and Director of CCU International.

For all other experts, no response to our request for DOIs was received.

MIL OSI United Kingdom –

February 8, 2025
MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Kirsty McNeill: The Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations

Source: United Kingdom – Government Statements

UK Government Scotland Office Minister Kirsty McNeill in conversation at the The Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations (SCVO), the Gathering event.

I can’t tell you how happy I am to be here, back among friends devoting their lives to a social purpose.

As some of you might know, I spent much of my life in the voluntary and community sector, both on staff and as a volunteer.

And I’m still a proud member and supporter of a lot of organisations I was involved with before I became an MP.

As a minister too I’ve had the chance to visit organisations like Greener Kirkcaldy, Bairn’s Hoose in Dundee, Macaulay College in the Western Isles, Barnardos Nurture Service Inverclyde and Bravehound to name but a few.

And I want to reassure people who do the mail outs to MPs that yes, there really is someone who reads every single bit of bumpf they are sent or handed and that’s me! That’s how I know stuff like the people in the War Memorial Trust diligently cleaning and protecting these sacred places, or about the 850 people involved in Scottish Mountain Rescue who go out in all weathers to save the lives of perfect strangers.

So I will always want to hear from and spend time with you.

Because we are pals. But because we are pals I want us to have a really honest conversation today. You are busy people – nobody here has time to beat around the bush.

So I wanted to come here today to say I think we are both punching below our weight right now – both civil society and government – because we haven’t yet found the right way to work together.

When we do, we are going to be unstoppable. But right now, we are still finding our way.

Let me give you some examples. The UK Government’s budget delivered nearly £5 billion extra for Scotland’s public services – money which, if well spent, could take pressure off of everyone here who works in health, education, transport, poverty or community development. We should be talking to each other and the Scottish Government about how to make that money have the maximum impact for Scots.

Instead almost all of our conversation has been about the changes to employer national insurance contributions. I get that this decision is unpopular in this room and we need to get into it in the Q and A. I’m not trying to shy away from the fact that we had to make tough choices and that has in turn created tough choices in your board rooms and senior management meetings. Let’s talk about it.

But I hope you can also see that we are missing out on a major chance to transform Scotland together if we aren’t collaborating on how this truly game-changing amount of money should be spent.

Or here is another example – the New Deal for Working People. Now I am a proud trade unionist and the UK Ggovernment is indebted to the trade union movement for all of their support on the development of this package. But why are the only people lobbying for it in the trade union movement itself? Because if people are better paid and better protected at work then the missions of every organisation in this room becomes easier to achieve.

The Child Poverty Taskforce on which I am proud to sit has received a lot of input and evidence on welfare questions and rightly so, but we are at risk of having lots of narrow, disjointed conversations about individual policy areas when nobody lives their lives in policy silos. No policy tweak is a substitute for creating an economy that works for working people and that’s the biggest prize on offer. Let’s all keep our eyes on it.

So I do think there are some areas where we could have worked together better in these first few months of a new government. There are national conversations you should be not just a part of but leading.

And I know what some of you will be thinking. That you don’t want to be co-opted or politicised and I understand that risk.

So I want to be really clear about this: the UK Government will never compromise your independence.

Not just because it would be improper, but because it would make you less effective, because one of your most important roles is to challenge us.

And I want to stress how much I really mean this. Not in a mealy-mouthed way to say of course there is a ‘right’ to protest and to speak out in this country.

No, I’m saying something bigger than that – that you have not just the right but the duty to challenge us when you think we’re getting it wrong.

It’s not an accident that the members of charity boards are called ‘trustees’, because they are indeed entrusted with something very important. It is their job to steward an institution on behalf of all society at large but in particular on behalf of the beneficiaries the organisation exists to support. Those beneficiaries need you to bring their perspective right to the heart of the national debate – even if, especially if, they are marginalised or traditionally shut out of power.

In my old life I often used to say to the teams I worked with that ‘campaigners make things possible, politicians make things happen’.

Civil society’s job is to inform conversations, challenge assumptions, pioneer new practice and give support that the state is unable, unwilling or not best placed to give.

Government’s job is to pass laws, devise budgets, enact policies and, above all, to reconcile competing interests for the common good. In the end, we make decisions about how best to get things done and it’s our jobs on the line if we get things wrong.

These roles in our democracy are distinct, but mutually reinforcing. Both sides need each other.

But if we are to each play our parts well then we need to have a proper dialogue. Yes you should tell us when you think we’re getting it wrong. But you should also let us know when you think we’re getting it right and, crucially, when we are not focusing on something that really matters.

Because there are some things that civil society is simply best placed to know.

One of the great privileges of my job as a minister is getting to spend so much time with civil society. From a farm supporting children with disabilities to an arts project helping people to walk the long hard road to recovery after addiction, from an organisation helping women get smart clothes for job interviews after seeking asylum or fleeing domestic abuse to community allotments that give people in mental health crisis a safe place to go, I have seen Scottish civil society at its very best when the times people face are at their very worst.

And because of this special role you have, deep in the heart of communities, you see things we in government just can’t see from where we are sitting. As you know, 36% of Scottish voluntary organisations are based in remote or rural locations. You know every nook and cranny of Scotland and wrestle with questions about how to change lives every day.

What is the best way to provide food for hungry folk, without compromising their dignity? How can we best fight loneliness so everyone feels that they matter and that they belong? Just what kind of Christmas support might make the biggest difference for the care experienced kid, not sure whether they’ll be in the same placement this time next year?

This is your expertise and we need to hear it.

Now I said earlier that we’ve both been punching below our weight. On your side I think that’s because you’ve shied away from the biggest debates about how to rewire our economy, on our side I think it’s because we’ve not yet been able to rewire government to become more open to outside expertise like yours.

You’ll have heard the Prime Minister talk about mission based government.

I am such a nerd for this, because it’s a completely different way of thinking about how this change can happen – one where the job of government is to coordinate and collaborate, not direct and dictate – and one where you have the power to make the difference for the people and places you love.

That’s why the UK Government is creating a new Civil Society Covenant, based on four principles: recognition for your contribution, partnership rooted in respect, participation so you can be heard and transparency, so that both civil society and government have the information we need to come to shared diagnosis and prescriptions.

We are doing that to unleash your extraordinary potential. There are more than 46 thousand organisations in the Scottish sector, employing 5% of Scotland’s workers and mobilising 300 million hours of volunteering every year.

Those are enormous figures.

Just imagine if those efforts could be aligned with investment from the private sector, policy ambition from UK Government and proper support from the Scottish Government.

Implementing the Covenant is where we will start, but it won’t be where we will end.

I want to see a new deal for the third sector in Scotland. That should start with multi-year funding for the sector.

Too many of you face the annual anguish of issuing redundancy notices to your own staff because there are question marks over whether your funding will be renewed and the money delivered on time.

I know many of you face significant bureaucracy and feel like you are jumping through hoops and getting tangled in red tape to access funding.

That places unfair stress on you and your staff when you want to be laser focused on helping others.

I know you’ll have a lot of questions about how the UK Government can make your lives easier and I know we will get into them in the discussion. So just let me underline that today is just the next stage in our discussions – with SCVO and its members.

As long as I am there, you will always have an open door to the Scotland Office. And when you walk through it we will sit around the table as equals and have a proper debate about how we all can play a part in creating the better Scotland we both – civil society and politicians alike – come to work every day to build.

Updates to this page

Published 7 February 2025

MIL OSI United Kingdom –

February 8, 2025
MIL-OSI Global: 3 ways the Trump administration could reinvest in rural America’s future
Source: The Conversation – USA – By Randolph Hubach, Professor of Public Health, Purdue University

Rural America can be idyllic, but many communities still need support. Mint Images via Getty Images

Rural America faces many challenges that Congress and the federal government could help alleviate under the new Trump administration.

Rural hospitals and their obstetrics wards have been closing at a rapid pace, leaving rural residents traveling farther for health care. Affordable housing is increasingly hard to find in rural communities, where pay is often lower and poverty higher than average. Land ownership is changing, leaving more communities with outsiders wielding influence over their local resources.

As experts in rural health and policy at the Center for Rural and Migrant Health at Purdue University, we work with people across the United States to build resilient rural communities.

Here are some ways we believe the Trump administration could work with Congress to boost these communities’ health and economies.

1. Rural health care access

One of the greatest challenges to rural health care is its vulnerability to shifts in policy and funding cuts because of rural areas’ high rates of Medicare and Medicaid beneficiaries.

About 25% of rural residents rely on Medicaid, a federal program that provides health insurance for low-income residents. A disproportionate share of Medicare beneficiaries – people over 65 who receive federal health coverage – also live in rural areas. At the same time, the average health of rural residents lags the nation as a whole.

Rural clinics and hospitals

Funding from those federal programs affects rural hospitals, and rural hospitals are struggling.

Nearly half of rural hospitals operate in the red today, and over 170 rural hospitals have closed since 2010. The low population density of rural areas can make it difficult for hospitals to cover operating costs when their patient volume is low. These hospital closures have left rural residents traveling an extra 20 miles (32 km) on average to receive inpatient health care services and an extra 40 miles (64 km) for specialty care services.

The government has created programs to try to help keep hospitals operating, but they all require funding that is at risk. For example:
- The Low-volume Hospital Adjustment Act, first implemented in 2005, has helped numerous rural hospitals by boosting their Medicare payments per patient, but it faces regular threats of funding cuts. It and several other programs to support Medicare-dependent hospitals are set to expire on March 31, 2025, when the next federal budget is due.
- The rural emergency hospital model, created in 2020, helps qualifying rural facilities to maintain access to essential emergency and outpatient hospital services, also by providing higher Medicare payments. Thus far, only 30 rural hospitals have transitioned to this model, in part because they would have to eliminate inpatient care services, which also limits outpatient surgery and other medical services that could require overnight care in the event of an emergency.
Rural emergency hospitals can get extra funding, but there’s a catch: They have no inpatient beds, so people in need of longer care must go farther.
AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis

Services for pregnant women have also gotten harder to find in rural areas.

Between 2011 and 2021, 267 rural hospitals discontinued obstetric services, representing 25% of the United States’ rural obstetrics units. In response, the federal government has implemented various initiatives to enhance access to care, such as the Rural Hospital Stabilization Pilot Program and the Rural Maternal and Obstetric Management Strategies Program. However, these programs also require funding.

Expanding telehealth

Before the COVID-19 pandemic, telehealth – the ability to meet with your doctor over video – wasn’t widely used. It could be difficult for doctors to ensure reimbursement, and the logistics of meeting federal requirements and privacy rules could be challenging.

The pandemic changed that. Improving technology allowed telehealth to quickly expand, reducing people’s contact with sick patients, and the government issued waivers for Medicare and Medicaid to pay for telehealth treatment. That opened up new opportunities for rural patients to get health care and opportunities for providers to reach more patients.

However, the Medicare and Medicaid waivers for most telehealth services were only temporary. Only payments for mental and behavioral health teleheath services continued, and those are set to expire with the federal budget in March 2025, unless they are renewed.

One way to expand rural health care would be to make those waivers permanent.

Increasing access to telehealth could also support people struggling with opioid addiction and other substance use disorders, which have been on the rise in rural areas.

2. Affordable housing is a rural problem too

Like their urban peers, rural communities face a shortage of affordable housing.

Unemployment in rural areas today exceeds levels before the COVID-19 pandemic. Job growth and median incomes lag behind urban areas, and rural poverty rates are higher.

Rural housing prices have been exacerbated by continued population growth over the past four years, lower incomes compared with their urban peers, limited employment opportunities and few high-quality homes available for rent or sale. Rural communities often have aging homes built upon outdated or inadequate infrastructure, such as deteriorating sewer and water lines.

Rental homes in older towns can become run down. Community maintenance of pipes and other services also requires funding.
LawrenceSawyer/E+ via Getty Images

One proposal to help people looking for affordable rural housing is the bipartisan Neighborhood Homes Investment Act, which calls for creating a new federal tax credit to spur the development and renovation of family housing in distressed urban, suburban and rural neighborhoods.

Similarly, the Section 502 Direct Loan Program through the U.S. Department of Agriculture, which subsidizes mortgages for low-income applicants to obtain safe housing, could be expanded with additional funding to enable more people to receive subsidized mortgages.

3. Locally owned land benefits communities

Seniors age 65 and older own 40% of the agricultural land in the U.S., according to the American Farmland Trust. That means that more than 360 million acres of farmland could be transferred to new owners in the next few decades. If their heirs aren’t interested in farming, that land could be sold to large operations or real estate developers.

That affects rural communities because locally owned rural businesses tend to invest in their communities, and they are more likely to make decisions that benefit the community’s well-being.

A farmer carries organic squash during harvest. Young farmers often struggle to find land to expand their operations.
Thomas Barwick/Stone via Getty Images

Congress can take some steps to help communities keep more farmland locally owned.

The proposed Farm Transitions Act, for example, would establish a commission on farm transitions to study issues that affect locally owned farms and provide recommendations to help transition agricultural operations to the next generation of farmers and ranchers.

About 30% of farmers have been in business for less than 10 years, and many of them rent the land they farm. Programs such as USDA’s farm loan programs and the Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program help support local land purchases and could be improved to identify and eliminate barriers that communities face.

We believe that by addressing these issues, Congress and the new administration can help some of the country’s most vulnerable citizens. Efforts to build resilient and strong rural communities will benefit everyone.

Randolph Hubach receives funding from the National Institutes of Health and the Health Resources and Services Administration.

Cody Mullen receives funding from the Health Resources and Services Administration. He is affiliated with the National Rural Health Association.

– ref. 3 ways the Trump administration could reinvest in rural America’s future – https://theconversation.com/3-ways-the-trump-administration-could-reinvest-in-rural-americas-future-245451
MIL OSI – Global Reports –
February 8, 2025
MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Craigavon firm donates 360 meals to ABC Community Food Hub

Source: Northern Ireland City of Armagh

Shera McAloran, who is the founder of Karri Kitchens pictured with Chris Leach from ABC Community Food Hub.

A Craigavon-based food business has been praised for their generous donation to the ABC Community Food Hub.

Karri Kitchen have kindly given 360 prepared meals to be redistributed through the social supermarkets which are part of the ABC Community Food Hub set up to help those people experiencing food insecurity.

With support from Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon (ABC) Borough Council, the Community Food Hub was co-designed to provide a centralised location for food donations to be distributed to food banks and social supermarkets within the ABC Borough.

Shera McAloran who is the founder of Karri Kitchen, said: “It is our pleasure to be able to donate some of our healthy and nutritious meals to the ABC Food Hub. As a business based in the ABC Council area, we are keen to support local organisations who are providing much-needed help to people in crisis.

“Food is a passion for our business, and we are happy to share that experience with people at a time of need. Knowing that our donations are being distributed through the hub to social supermarkets who journey alongside clients gives us confidence that what we give, makes a difference to those who need it the most.”

Chris Leech from the ABC Community Food Hub said the donation by Karri Kitchen would make an important impact. “Our primary goal is to coordinate food donations from our amazing local food sector and channel these donations to organisations who are supporting people in crisis. We are impressed by the generosity of companies like Karri Kitchen, who want to share their award-winning meals with our social supermarket and food bank network,” said Chris.

“Our strategy in 2025 is to develop this partnership between business and the community sector, ensuring that the generosity of local businesses is met with the best practice support of our local poverty relief charities.

“Appropriate food support at a time of crisis, coupled with wrap-around support, can both meet an immediate poverty need and deliver ongoing empowering support. This wrap-around support helps to tackle some of the more complex issues that many people in our community face. Businesses are happy to meet their corporate social responsibility status and know that their community benefits.”

Businesses can support the ABC Community Food Hub by visiting – www.armaghbanbridgecraigavon.gov.uk/resident/business-engagement/

For those seeking help from the ABC Community Food Hub, social supermarkets and wraparound services are available in seven locations, ABC Community Food Hub, Craigavon; Stepping Stones Pantry, Armagh; The Pantry, Banbridge; Freedom Foods Pantry, Lurgan; Freedom Foods Pantry, Portadown; Via Wings Larder, Dromore and the Salvation Army, Lurgan.

For further information and contact details please visit – www.armaghbanbridgecraigavon.gov.uk/resident/socialsupermarket/

MIL OSI United Kingdom –

February 8, 2025
MIL-OSI Europe: ASIA/PHILIPPINES – “State of food emergency” while the country is in electoral campaign

Source: Agenzia Fides – MIL OSI

Foto di Eduardo Prim su Unsplash

Manila (Agenzia Fides) – The state of “food emergency” declared by the Philippine government to counter the “rice crisis” – due to an “extraordinary” increase in the price of the country’s staple food – “is an economic problem, but it also has political implications: we are in the electoral campaign, with a view to the elections in May, and the rice issue will influence this period. It will be used by politicians to capitalize on the consensus for or against President Marcos”, underlines Antonio Ledesma, Archbishop Emeritus of Cagayan de Oro on the island of Mindanao, in an interview with Fides.“In Mindanao”, says the Jesuit, “there is discontent at the moment, but people can still buy rice at the market. Of course, this is an important issue and we are in a precarious balance”. “There are farmers who have a low income from growing rice for sale,” the Archbishop continued. “Their situation overlaps with the problem of imports, since domestic demand in the Philippines cannot be met by local production. Making the country self-sufficient in rice needs and finding measures to achieve this is an open and protracted problem.These are all issues that affect the common good, but they are now entering the electoral campaign and are in danger of being instrumentalized,” he explains.The declaration of rice food emergency was signed on February 4 and allows for the release of rice stocks from the National Food Authority (NFA) to stabilize prices “and ensure that rice, a staple food for millions of Filipinos, remains accessible to consumers,” said Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. A release of 300,000 tons of rice, about 30,000 per month, is planned for a period of 10 months to stabilize the market through lower prices. The NFA will start selling its rice stocks in selected markets to government-controlled companies at a price of 36 pesos per kilo, while rice currently sells between 50 and 60 pesos per kilo. This will benefit both consumers and local farmers as rice will be available at a lower price. The food safety emergency will remain in effect until it is lifted by the department. In this regard, Laurel stressed that food prices have remained high despite the decline in global rice prices and the reduction of tariffs on imported rice in July 2024. According to the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA), rice inflation reached 4.2 percent at the end of 2024, with a steady increase. In this situation, welfare programs for the sale of cheaper rice in centers and outlets under the “Rice for all” program were launched to help the country’s citizens, especially from the poorer sections of the population. In the Catholic communities, to support the food security of the poorest, the “Pondo ng Pinoy” program is active, an anti-poverty initiative that was first launched in the Diocese of Manila in 2004 and has now spread to 30 dioceses. The basis of the program is the formula “a little for many”, in which as many people as possible are invited to donate 25 cents every day as a gesture of charity towards those in need. (PA) (Agenzia Fides, 7/2/2025)
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MIL OSI Europe News –

February 8, 2025
MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: RURAL DISTRESS SHOWCASED BY RISE IN HOUSEHOLDS UNDER MGNREGS
Source: Government of India

Posted On: 07 FEB 2025 4:26PM by PIB Delhi

Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (Mahatma Gandhi NREGS) is a demand driven wage employment Scheme which provides for the enhancement of livelihood security of the households in rural areas of the country by providing at least one hundred days of guaranteed wage employment in every financial year to every household whose adult members volunteer to do unskilled manual work.

In order to upgrade the skill base of Mahatma Gandhi NREGS’s workers, Government of India launched “Project UNNATI” in December 2019. By upgrading skill base of Mahatma Gandhi NREGS workers, the project intends to improve their livelihoods, so that they can move from the current partial employment to full employment through either self-employment or wage employment. The Project aims to enhance the skill base of 2 lakh Mahatma Gandhi NREGS workers. So far total of 82,799 Mahatma Gandhi NREGS workers have been trained (as on 31.12.2024).

In addition, this Ministry also implements the following two welfare schemes in the field of skill development for rural poor youth for their gainful employment with a view to eradicate poverty in the country under the umbrella scheme of Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana – National Rural Livelihoods Mission (DAY-NRLM):
1. Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Grameen Kaushalya Yojana (DDU-GKY): DDU-GKY is a placement linked skill development program for rural poor youth in the age group of 15-35 years. DDU-GKY guidelines provide for earmarking 50% of the funds for SCs and STs and 15% for minorities. Further, one third beneficiaries of the respective categories including general category, covered under the scheme, should be women.
2. Rural Self Employment Training Institutes (RSETIs): RSETI is a Bank lead- MoRD funded training institutions established by the Sponsor Banks in their Districts, to provide training for Skill and Entrepreneurship Development. MoRD extends financial support for the construction of RSETI buildings and also bears the cost of training the Rural Poor candidates. Any unemployed youth in the age group of 18-45 years having an aptitude to take up self-employment or wage employment and having some basic knowledge in the related field can undergo training at RSETI. Some of the trained candidates may also seek regular salaried jobs / wage employment.
This information was given by Minister of State Rural Development, Shri Kamlesh Paswan in a written reply in Rajya Sabha today.

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MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –
February 8, 2025

MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: PRADHAN MANTRI AWAS YOJANA-GRAMIN (PMAY-G)

Source: Government of India

Posted On: 07 FEB 2025 4:25PM by PIB Delhi

In order to achieve the objective of “Housing for All” in rural areas, the Ministry of Rural Development is implementing Pradhan Mantri Awaas Yojana- Gramin (PMAY-G) with effect from 1st April 2016 to provide assistance to 4.95 crore eligible rural households with basic amenities by March 2029. As on 02.02.2025, a cumulative target of 3.79 crore houses have been allotted to States/UTs out of which 3.34 crore houses have been sanctioned and 2.69 crore houses have been completed.

The Union Cabinet has approved the proposal for “Implementation of the Pradhan Mantri Awaas Yojana- Gramin (PMAY-G) during FY 2024-25 to 2028-29” for construction of additional 2 crore houses. Ministry has allocated targets of 84,37,139 houses during 2024-25 to the 18 States viz. Assam, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Gujarat, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Jharkhand, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Manipur, Odisha, Punjab, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, and Karnataka. Out of 84,37,139 houses, target of 46,56,765 houses has been allocated in the months of December,2024 and January 2025 to the 9 States viz Assam, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, and Karnataka. Out of targets 84,37,139 houses,39,82,764 houses has been sanctioned as on 02.02.2025.

The PMAY-G scheme has had a significant positive impact on rural India by improving access to affordable housing and had played a key role in transforming the rural housing landscape, reducing poverty, improving living standards, and fostering social and economic development in rural India. The scheme of PMAY-G has also been evaluated through various Independent institutes such as National Institute of Public Finance and Policy, NITI Aayog, National Institute of Rural Development & Panchayati Raj, etc..

PMAY-G is monitored very closely at all levels. There is a special emphasis on quality and timely completion of construction. The details of the monitoring mechanism adopted under the scheme are as follows:-

All data regarding beneficiaries, the progress of construction, and the release of funds, including photographs and inspection reports are placed on AwaasSoft and this forms the basis for follow-up of both the financial and physical progress of the scheme.
The physical progress of construction of a PMAY-G house is monitored through the geo-tagged, time and date-stamped photographs to be uploaded at every stage of construction and upon completion.
National-level Monitors and Officers of the Ministry also visit PMAY-G houses during the field visits to assess the progress, the procedure followed for the selection of beneficiaries, etc.
The Project Management Unit (PMU) at the State level is to undertake the tasks of implementation, monitoring, and quality supervision. Officers at the Block level are to inspect, as far as possible, 10% of the houses at each stage of construction; district-level officers are to inspect 2% of the houses at each stage of construction. Every house sanctioned under PMAY-G is to be tagged a village-level functionary whose task is to follow-up with the beneficiary and facilitate construction.
Social Audit is to be conducted in every Gram Panchayat at least once a year.
Payment of assistance to the beneficiaries, who have been sanctioned houses, is to be made directly into their bank/ post office accounts through the AwaasSoft- PFMS platform electronically. This ensure increased transparency by enabling real-time monitoring of funds disbursed to beneficiaries.
To prevent misuse of funds under PMAY-G, the assistance is provided to the beneficiaries directly into their bank account/ post office account through Aadhaar Payment bridge System/Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) in construction stage linked installments. At every fixed stage of construction of the house, the geo-referenced and time-stamped photograph of the house along with beneficiary is also captured.
The progress of different parameters for implementing the scheme is monitored through the Performance Index Dashboard which is helping in planning appropriate intervention in required areas.
There is also a procedure of lodging of complaints on the Centralized Public Grievance Redress and Monitoring System (CPGRAMS) portal (pgportal.gov.in) by the public. The complaints received in the Ministry of Rural Development through CPGRAMS or otherwise are forwarded to the respective State Governments/ Union Territory (Union Territory) Administrations for redressal of the grievance. Apart from this, there are mechanisms like IGRS and CM helpline at the State Level for grievance redressal. The State-wise details of complaints related to misuse of funds are given at Annexure.

Annexure

State-wise details of complaints related to irregularities and misappropriation of fund under PMAY-G from 01.04.2016 to 30.01.2025

State Name	Brought Forward	Received During	Pending During	Disposed During
Andaman And Nicobar Islands	0	0	0	0
Andhra Pradesh	0	2	0	2
Arunachal Pradesh	0	2	0	2
Assam	0	274	0	274
Bihar	0	451	2	449
Chandigarh	0	0	0	0
Chhattisgarh	0	28	1	27
Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu	0	0	0	0
Daman and Diu	0	0	0	0
Delhi	0	8	0	8
Goa	0	0	0	0
Gujarat	0	8	0	8
Haryana	0	7	1	6
Himachal Pradesh	0	5	2	3
Jammu And Kashmir	0	10	0	10
Jharkhand	0	68	2	66
Karnataka	0	2	0	2
Kerala	0	2	0	2
Ladakh	0	0	0	0
Lakshadweep	0	0	0	0
Madhya Pradesh	0	327	2	325
Maharashtra	0	74	1	73
Manipur	0	1	0	1
Meghalaya	0	1	0	1
Mizoram	0	0	0	0
Nagaland	0	0	0	0
Odisha	0	79	0	79
Puducherry	0	0	0	0
Punjab	0	10	0	10
Rajasthan	0	55	0	55
Sikkim	0	0	0	0
Tamil nadu	0	84	0	84
Telangana	0	3	0	3
Tripura	0	1	0	1
Uttar Pradesh	0	824	3	821
Uttarakhand	0	16	0	16
West Bengal	0	59	0	59
Total	0	2401	14	2387

This information was given by Minister of State Rural Development, Dr. Chandra Sekhar Pemmasani in a written reply in Rajya Sabha today.

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MG/KSR

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MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

February 8, 2025

MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Warmer Homes London launches to help vulnerable Londoners heat their homes and save money
Source: Mayor of London
- Warmer Homes London (WHL) will see the Mayor of London and London Councils work in partnership with London boroughs and housing associations to unlock millions of pounds from a national pot of £1.79bn to spend on energy saving measures for the most vulnerable residents in the capital.
- WHL will make London’s homes greener and turbocharge the installation of insulation, solar panels and heat pumps across the capital.
- The Mayor of London and London Councils are funding Warmer Homes London together, with the Mayor investing £10m to establish a new hub to ensure that the programme is delivered at pace. London boroughs are also investing £400,000 in start-up costs.
- London boroughs and housing associations have committed to match national funding, to make tens of thousands of homes across London more energy efficient and save Londoners money on their bills.  
- The new ‘one-London approach’ will for the first time offer councils a certain, long-term funding stream to retrofit homes in their boroughs.
Today the Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, and London Councils launched a new programme to transform the approach to making the capital’s homes warmer and more energy efficient and reducing Londoners’ energy bills. Warmer Homes London (WHL) will forge bolder ways to upgrade London’s homes as part of the retrofit revolution.  

WHL is being rolled out in partnership with London boroughs and housing associations to make homes across London warmer, cheaper to run and more energy efficient.  

The Mayor will invest almost £10 million over four years through WHL, which will for the first time provide a central hub for green housing funding and information. Until now, boroughs have had to apply for funding individually, led by the Government’s funding rounds. This created costs and long-term uncertainty. WHL will create a ‘one-London approach’, forming a close link with Government and providing reliable, long-term funds to boroughs, meaning they will have the certainty they need to progress retrofit works in their area. The new ‘hub’ will enable a more co-ordinated approach with Government, increasing bargaining power with Ministers and enabling homes to be improved at a larger scale and faster pace.

The initiative will help thousands of Londoners save money on their energy bills by funding energy efficient measures such as better insulation, replacing of fossil fuel heating and the introduction of heat pumps. Social landlords (organisations such as local authorities and housing associations who provide affordable housing for rent without a profit), low income owner occupiers and low income private tenants can access the opportunity to take part in the initiative. This will ensure that Londoners who are most vulnerable to fuel poverty will be able to benefit from the funding, whether they rent or own their home.

WHL will help secure funding from the Government’s Warm Homes Social Fund and Warm Homes Local Grant funding streams, which is a total national amount of £1.79bn during 2025–2028. WHL will focus on installing energy saving measures in low income private housing.

London’s homes are responsible for one third of the capital’s carbon emissions and many are not energy efficient, meaning they cost more to warm up in the winter and lose heat quickly. They can also be uncomfortably hot during summer heatwaves. High living costs and rising fuel prices have meant that even more Londoners now face fuel poverty, with many people having to choose between heating their home or spending money on food. In social rented homes with poor energy efficiency, 56 per cent of households are living in fuel poverty*. Making these homes more energy efficient is a key part of London’s efforts to tackle the climate emergency. 

The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, said:  “Londoners have been struggling for years with sky-high energy bills. Warmer Homes London will help Londoners save money on their bills by making their homes more energy efficient and cheaper to heat.

“By working in close collaboration with local councils and housing associations, Warmer Homes London will enable us to upgrade more homes, and do it more quickly avoiding unnecessarily long wait times for home improvement works.

“Making our homes more energy efficient is a priority for me, but also the new government. Through this new initiative we will be able to unlock more national funding from the Government for homes in London. Together, we can build a better, safer and greener London for everyone.”

Cllr Claire Holland, Chair of London Councils said:

“With 379,000 households in London living in fuel poverty, taking action to make homes in our city warmer and more energy efficient is vital for our residents’ health, wellbeing and finances.

“Warmer Homes London will bring together London boroughs, the Mayor of London, housing associations and government to drive this work forward. It aims to unlock millions of pounds of investment to deliver improvements to tens of thousands of homes across London, making them more energy efficient, reducing their environmental impact and saving Londoners money on their bills.

“Warmer Homes London is a perfect example of how tackling the climate emergency and improving the lives of our residents go hand-in-hand, with joint working across all levels of government vital to achieving this.”

Minister for Energy Consumers Miatta Fahnbulleh said:

“Everyone deserves to live in a warm, comfortable home.

“Warmer Homes London marks an important step towards making thousands of homes cheaper to run for Londoners with clean energy, while cutting fuel poverty across the capital.

“It will also support delivery of our Warm Homes Plan, which is set to benefit up to 300,000 homes with energy saving upgrades this financial year.”
MIL OSI United Kingdom –
February 7, 2025
MIL-OSI Economics: Asian Development Blog: Preparing the Nation for Integration: Timor-Leste’s Path to ASEAN

Source: Asia Development Bank

Timor-Leste has taken major steps toward joining the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, but challenges remain. Strengthening governance, promoting investments, expanding trade, and enhancing human capital are still needed

Timor-Leste is a young democracy facing significant development challenges. The poverty rate remains high at 41.8% and economic growth has been volatile, affected by both external and domestic shocks.

The economy relies heavily on public spending and petroleum revenues. Long-standing structural challenges such as a weak private sector, inadequate infrastructure, a lack of skilled labor, and a challenging business environment, present daunting obstacles to economic diversification and long-term growth.

Recognizing the role that regional cooperation and integration can play in addressing these challenges, Timor-Leste has long pursued membership in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). This has been a strategic priority and a cornerstone of its economic development and foreign policy.

ASEAN membership is expected to drive domestic policy and institutional reforms while expanding markets and reduce costs. It should also diversify the economy, attract trade and investments, and improve access to technology and skills.

Since applying for ASEAN membership in 2011, Timor-Leste has undertaken significant reforms, investments, and policy alignments—establishing a Directorate-General for ASEAN Affairs, modernizing customs, and engaging the private sector—to meet the requirements for full membership.

Supported by partners like the Asian Development Bank, the country has accelerated capacity-building initiatives and advanced infrastructure, trade, renewable energy, and agriculture to foster broader economic opportunities.

But more needs to be done for Timor-Leste to reap the full benefits of ASEAN.

Timor-Leste requires comprehensive capacity-building initiatives to enhance the technical knowledge and skills of government officials and stakeholders. Developing and implementing targeted training workshops and seminars in key areas, especially those focused on specialized areas and sectoral drivers of growth, such as tourism or agriculture, will be crucial. Establishing mentorship programs that pair ASEAN expertise with Timor-Leste sectoral counterparts will provide knowledge transfer.

Timor-Leste has made significant progress toward ASEAN accession, but continued collaboration, investment in human capital, and infrastructure improvements remain crucial for fully integrating into the region and maximizing economic opportunities.

To ensure harmonization with ASEAN standards, expert guidance will be needed to assist in the review and improvement of government legislation, rules, and procedures. Facilitating peer-to-peer learning opportunities and best practices exchanges with other ASEAN member states that have successfully implemented core provisions will be beneficial. Providing resources and tools to assist in drafting and updating legislation to ensure compliance with core provisions is essential.

Upgrading transport infrastructure is also crucial, requiring a strategic approach involving the development of comprehensive transport plans, substantial financial investments, and the engagement of specialized transport engineering expertise.

Key areas of support include sustainable financing for road maintenance, capacity building, and technical assistance to strengthen planning, monitoring, and project supervision. Enhancing border protection and monitoring, improving equipment and resource allocation, and incorporating environmentally sustainable practices are also key elements.

By aligning with international standards and focusing on regional integration, Timor-Leste can foster connectivity, streamline trade processes, and contribute significantly to overall economic growth and regional integration. Furthermore, developing ICT infrastructure is vital. Assisting in the design and implementation of automation and digitization projects for public services and trade facilitation measures will enhance efficiency.

Timor-Leste requires comprehensive support to address its human capital challenges and improve labor force participation and food security. Key initiatives from ASEAN member states and other partners include promoting higher education through international education fairs, prioritizing Timorese students for university admissions, and establishing student and labor exchange programs.

For basic education, creating teacher training centers and improving English language proficiency is a key priority. Online learning platforms will ensure continuous skill development and retention. The government has renewed focus on early childhood development, supported by the 2024 general state budget.

Additional initiatives like the Inter-Ministerial Taskforce and the National Health Sector Nutrition Strategic Plan (2022-2026) target stunting and malnutrition, with the goal to reduce stunting from 47% to 25% by 2030. Promoting sustainable agricultural practices and strengthening healthcare infrastructure are also crucial.

Timor-Leste is committed to modernizing its financial systems, developing e-payment solutions, and enhancing financial literacy and inclusion. Strengthening the business sector will create more opportunities for trade and investment.

Supporting local businesses through capacity-building training focused on ASEAN trade, marketing, financial access policies, connectivity, and digital skills will ease integration barriers. Improving infrastructure and internet access through financial assistance will help businesses overcome critical barriers. Connecting with the ASEAN Business Advisory Council and other ASEAN members will boost trade and investment linkages.

Timor-Leste aims to establish strong connections with ASEAN officials, stakeholders, and bodies, such as central banks and national statistics institutes. Government agencies represent Timor-Leste’s interests at ASEAN meetings and working groups. On the private sector side, Timor Leste’s Chamber of Commerce and Industry has participated in meetings with the ASEAN Business Advisory Council as an observer.

Timor-Leste has made significant progress toward ASEAN accession, implementing key reforms and strengthening its economic and institutional frameworks. However, continued collaboration with ASEAN member states and development partners is crucial to overcoming remaining challenges.

By sustaining momentum in governance, trade, and infrastructure improvements, Timor-Leste can fully integrate into the region and unlock new opportunities for growth. Stakeholders must remain engaged in supporting this journey, ensuring that the country maximizes the benefits of ASEAN membership for its people and economy.

Bold Sandagdorj, country economist at ADB’s Timor-Leste Resident Mission, contributed to this blog post.

MIL OSI Economics –

February 7, 2025
MIL-OSI China: Xi Jinping’s vision drives China’s winter sports boom

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

BEIJING, Feb. 6 — As winter settles across China, excitement for winter sports is in full swing, with skiers carving down slopes and ice skaters gliding across rinks from north to south. Enthusiasm is especially high as the 9th Asian Winter Games opens Friday in Harbin, marking another milestone for China’s winter sports development.

At the heart of this movement is Chinese President Xi Jinping, whose lifelong passion for sports has fueled the rapid expansion of winter activities nationwide.

The foundation for this boom was laid more than a decade ago when Xi, attending the Sochi Winter Olympics, met with International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Thomas Bach. During their meeting, Xi set an ambitious goal: to engage 300 million people in winter sports. That vision has since become a reality.

By April 2024, following the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics, around 313 million people – over 22% of China’s population – had actively participated in ice and snow activities.

FROM CHILDHOOD PASSION TO NATIONAL LEGACY

Xi’s love for winter sports dates back to his childhood. In the 1950s and 1960s, skating on Beijing’s Shichahai Lake was a popular winter pastime. Young Xi often rushed home from school to skate on the frozen lake.

That early connection to winter sports evolved into a national mission. Historically, winter sports in China were largely confined to the colder northern regions and were practiced in harsh conditions. Xi sought to change that.

From the successful bid for the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics to the Games’ execution, Xi played a leading role. Between 2015 and 2022, he visited Olympic venues in Beijing and Zhangjiakou five times, overseeing venue construction, management, and volunteer operations. During a 2021 inspection visit, he emphasized using the Winter Olympics as a catalyst to elevate the nation’s ice and snow sports culture.

Beijing’s hosting of the Winter Games proved transformative. Today, seniors and children alike are skating and skiing in places where snow was once rare. Increased investment in facilities has made winter sports more accessible and affordable.

By the end of 2023, the number of winter sports venues in China had reached 2,847, a 16.1% year-over-year increase, with new facilities even emerging in southern regions.

Xi’s vision for China’s winter sports development has reshaped the landscape. From his childhood struggles to afford skates to today’s youth training in state-of-the-art facilities, the progress is evident.

“You now have excellent training facilities and a wonderful environment to strengthen your bodies and foster teamwork and bravery,” Xi told young ice hockey players in 2017. “The future of China’s ice and snow sports depends on your generation.”

RISE OF ICE AND SNOW ECONOMY

The 9th Asian Winter Games, running from February 7 to 14 in Harbin, highlights China’s growing influence in global winter sports.

Xi has described the ice and snow industry as a “mountain of gold and silver,” emphasizing the need to leverage natural winter resources. His vision includes a comprehensive winter sports economy encompassing equipment manufacturing, tourism, and cultural industries.

China’s ice and snow economy is projected to exceed 1 trillion yuan (about 138 billion U.S. dollars) in 2025, with estimates reaching 1.2 trillion yuan by 2027 and 1.5 trillion yuan by 2030.

Last winter, China recorded more than 385 million winter leisure visits, a 38% year-over-year increase, with related revenue rising 50%.

Harbin, one of China’s top winter tourism destinations, welcomed 87 million visitors – up 300% year-over-year – generating 124.8 billion yuan in tourism revenue, a 500% increase.

China’s winter sports equipment industry is also expanding, bolstered by advancements in 5G, artificial intelligence, and virtual reality. The country now produces a full range of 15 ice and snow equipment categories, with innovations such as smart ski insoles, heated snow boots, and VR skiing simulators.

In 2023, Xi visited a village in Mohe, China’s northernmost city, and emphasized the importance of utilizing snow and ice resources for economic growth. Today, the village has become a top destination for southern tourists, reflecting a broader trend across the country.

Chongli, Hebei province, is a prime example of this transformation. Once a poverty-stricken area, it has become a world-renowned ski resort, with one in four locals now employed in winter sports-related jobs.

“The ultimate goal of building a sporting powerhouse and a healthy China is to strengthen people’s fitness,” Xi said. “This is also an essential part of China’s effort to build a modern socialist country in all respects.”

STRONGER GLOBAL TIES THROUGH WINTER SPORTS

Xi’s leadership in winter sports has not only transformed China’s ice and snow culture but has also fostered international cooperation. Through strategic policies and personal commitment, he has positioned sports as a bridge for global friendship and mutual understanding.

In August 2023, Xi wrote to the U.S.-China Youth and Student Exchange Association and friendly personages in the U.S. state of Washington, stating, “Sport is a bond that promotes friendship among peoples.” This principle has guided China’s efforts to use winter sports as a tool for diplomacy.

During a 2017 visit to Finland, Xi and then-Finnish President Sauli Niinisto met with Chinese and Finnish winter athletes, highlighting the role of sports in strengthening bilateral relations. Similarly, in 2018, Xi and Russian President Vladimir Putin watched a youth ice hockey match in Tianjin, reinforcing China-Russia ties.

Beyond individual partnerships, China has collaborated with multiple Asian nations to promote winter sports by sharing expertise, resources, and experiences. The upcoming Asian Winter Games exemplifies this spirit of unity and cooperation, with Cambodia and Saudi Arabia making their debut at the Games.

At the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics, Xi underscored how the Games fostered global unity during challenging times. “It has also brought confidence and hope to a world overshadowed by instability,” he said, reinforcing the Games’ motto: “Together for a Shared Future.”

Xi’s contributions have long been recognized by the international sports community. IOC Vice President Juan Antonio Samaranch Jr. praised his leadership, saying, “It’s great to have such an important partner for sports and international Olympic matters.”

Bach also commended Xi as a “true champion” with a clear vision for the role of sports in society.

MIL OSI China News –

February 7, 2025

Category: Child Poverty

A plurinational tide?

Expectations

Reality

Expectations

Reality

What causes aridity?

Global hot spots: Looming food security crises

The path forward

Today’s renters, tomorrow’s renting retirees

Rent assistance is too low

A boost is needed

Unlikely to push up rents

BIMSTEC Youth Summit 2025 to kick off in Gandhinagar, Gujarat from 7th to 11th February 2025Union Minister Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya to Inaugurate BIMSTEC Youth Summit 2025

February 7, 2025

Updates to this page

1. Rural health care access

2. Affordable housing is a rural problem too

3. Locally owned land benefits communities

BIMSTEC Youth Summit 2025 to kick off in Gandhinagar, Gujarat from 7th to 11th February 2025

Union Minister Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya to Inaugurate BIMSTEC Youth Summit 2025