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

    Source: The White House

    Today, United States President Joseph R. Biden and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi affirmed that the U.S.-India Comprehensive Global and Strategic Partnership, the defining partnership of the 21st century, is decisively delivering on an ambitious agenda that serves the global good.  The Leaders reflected on a historic period that has seen the United States and India reach unprecedented levels of trust and collaboration.  The Leaders affirmed that the U.S.-India partnership must be anchored in upholding democracy, freedom, the rule of law, human rights, pluralism, and equal opportunities for all as our countries strive to become more perfect unions and meet our shared destiny.  The Leaders commended the progress that has made the U.S.-India Major Defense Partnership a pillar of global security and peace, highlighting the benefits of increased operational coordination, information-sharing, and defense industrial innovation.  President Biden and Prime Minister Modi expressed unrelenting optimism and the utmost confidence that the tireless efforts of our peoples, our civic and private sectors, and our governments to forge deeper bonds have set the U.S.-India partnership on a path toward even greater heights in the decades ahead.
     
    President Biden expressed his immense appreciation for India’s leadership on the world stage, particularly Prime Minister Modi’s leadership in the G-20 and in the Global South and his commitment to strengthen the Quad to ensure a free, open, and prosperous Indo-Pacific. India is at the forefront of efforts to seek solutions to the most pressing challenges, from supporting the global response to the COVID-19 pandemic to addressing the devastating consequences of conflicts around the world. President Biden commended Prime Minister Modi for his historic visits to Poland and Ukraine, the first by an Indian Prime Minister in decades, and for his message of peace and ongoing humanitarian support for Ukraine, including its energy sector, and on the importance of international law, including the UN charter.  The Leaders reaffirmed their support for the freedom of navigation and the protection of commerce, including critical maritime routes in the Middle East where India will assume co-lead in 2025 of the Combined Task Force 150 to work with Combined Maritime Forces to secure sea lanes in the Arabian Sea.  President Biden shared with Prime Minister Modi that the United States supports initiatives to reform global institutions to reflect India’s important voice, including permanent membership for India in a reformed U.N. Security Council.  The Leaders voiced their view that a closer U.S.-India partnership is vital to the success of efforts to build a cleaner, inclusive, more secure, and more prosperous future for the planet.   
     
    President Biden and Prime Minister Modi applauded the success of the Initiative on Critical and Emerging Technology (iCET) in deepening and expanding strategic cooperation across key technology sectors, including space, semiconductors, and advanced telecommunications. Both Leaders committed to enhance regular engagements to improve the momentum of collaboration in fields such as artificial intelligence, quantum, biotechnology, and clean energy. They highlighted ongoing efforts to strengthen collaboration with like-minded partners, including through the Quad and a U.S.-India-ROK Trilateral Technology initiative launched earlier this year to build more secure and resilient supply chains for critical industries and ensure we collectively remain at the leading edge of innovation.  The Leaders directed their governments to redouble efforts to address export controls, enhance high technology commerce, and reduce barriers to technology transfer between our two countries, while addressing technology security, including through the India-U.S. Strategic Trade Dialogue.  Leaders also endorsed new mechanisms for deeper cyberspace cooperation through the bilateral cybersecurity dialogue. The Leaders recommitted to expand the manufacturing and deployment of clean energy, including finding opportunities to expand U.S.-India cooperation in solar, wind and nuclear energy and the development of small modular reactor technologies.
     
    Charting a Technology Partnership for the Future
     

    • President Biden and Prime Minister Modi hailed a watershed arrangement to establish a new semiconductor fabrication plant focused on advanced sensing, communication, and power electronics for national security, next generation telecommunications, and green energy applications. The fab, which will be established with the objective of manufacturing infrared, gallium nitride and silicon carbide semiconductors, will be enabled by support from the India Semiconductor Mission as well as a strategic technology partnership between Bharat Semi, 3rdiTech, and the U.S. Space Force.
    • The Leaders praised combined efforts to facilitate resilient, secure, and sustainable semiconductor supply chains including through GlobalFoundries’ (GF) creation of the GF Kolkata Power Center in Kolkata, India that will enhance mutually beneficial linkages in research and development in chip manufacturing and enable game-changing advances for zero and low emission as well as connected vehicles, internet of things devices, AI, and data centers. They noted GF’s plans to explore longer term, cross-border manufacturing and technology partnerships with India which will deliver high-quality jobs in both of our countries.  They also celebrated the new strategic partnership between the U.S. Department of State and the India Semiconductor Mission, Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology in connection with the International Technology Security and Innovation (ITSI) Fund. 
    • The Leaders welcomed steps our industry is taking to build safe, secure, and resilient supply chains for U.S., Indian, and international automotive markets, including through Ford Motor Company’s submission of a Letter of Intent to utilize its Chennai plant to manufacture for export to global markets.  
    • The Leaders welcomed progress toward the first joint effort by NASA and ISRO to conduct scientific research onboard the International Space Station in 2025. They appreciated the initiatives and exchange of ideas under the Civil Space Joint Working Group and expressed hope that its next meeting in early 2025 will open additional avenues of cooperation.  They pledged to pursue opportunities to deepen joint innovation and strategic collaborations, including by exploring new platforms in civil and commercial space domains.  
    • The Leaders also welcomed efforts to enhance collaboration between our research and development ecosystems. The Leaders also welcomed efforts to enhance collaboration between our research and development ecosystems. The Leaders also welcomed efforts to enhance collaboration between our research and development ecosystems.  They plan to mobilize up to $90+ million in U.S. and Indian government funding over the next five years for the U.S.-India Global Challenges Institute to support high-impact R&D partnerships between U.S. and Indian universities and research institutions, including through identifying options to implement the Statement of Intent signed at the June 2024 iCET meeting.  The Leaders also welcomed the launch of a new U.S.-India Advanced Materials R&D Forum to expand collaboration between American and Indian universities, national laboratories, and private sector researchers. The Leaders also welcomed the launch of a new U.S.-India Advanced Materials R&D Forum to expand collaboration between American and Indian universities, national laboratories, and private sector researchers. 
    • The Leaders announced the selection of 11 funding awards between the National Science Foundation and India’s Department of Science and Technology, supported by a combined $5+ million grant to enable joint U.S.-India research projects in areas such as next-generation telecommunications, connected vehicles, machine learning.  The Leaders announced the award of 12 funding awards under the National Science Foundation and Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, research collaboration with a combined outlay of nearly $10 million to enable joint U.S.-India basic and applied research in the areas of semiconductors, next generation communication systems, sustainability & green technologies and intelligent transportation systems.  Furthermore, NSF and MeitY are exploring new opportunities for research collaboration to enhance and synergize the basic and applied research ecosystem on both sides.
    • The Leaders celebrated that India’s Department of Biotechnology (DBT) along with National Science Foundation of the United States announced the first joint call for collaborative research projects in February 2024 to address complex scientific challenges and innovate novel solutions that leverage advances in synthetic and engineering biology, systems and computational biology, and other associated fields that are foundational to developing future biomanufacturing solutions and advance the bioeconomy. Under the first call for proposals, joint research teams responded enthusiastically and results are likely to be announced by the end of 2024.
    • The Leaders also highlighted additional cooperation we are building across artificial intelligence (AI), quantum, and other critical technology areas. They highlighted the second convening of the U.S.-India Quantum Coordination Mechanism in Washington in August and welcomed the announcement of seventeen new awards for binational research and development cooperation on artificial intelligence and quantum via the U.S.-India Science and Technology Endowment Fund (IUSSTF).  They welcomed new private sector cooperation on emerging technologies, such as through IBM’s recent conclusion of memoranda of understanding with the Government of India, which will enable IBM’s watsonx platform on India’s Airawat supercomputer and drive new AI innovation opportunities, enhance R&D collaboration on advanced semiconductor processors, and increase support for India’s National Quantum Mission. 
    • The Leaders commended ongoing efforts to build more expansive cooperation around 5G deployment and next-generation telecommunications; this includes the U.S. Agency for International Development’s plans to expand the Asia Open RAN Academy with an initial $7 million investment to grow this workforce training initiative worldwide, including in South Asia with Indian institutions.
    • The Leaders welcomed progress since the November 2023 signing of an MOU between the Commerce Department and the Ministry of Commerce and Industry to enhance the two countries’ innovation ecosystems under the “Innovation Handshake” agenda.  Since then, the two sides have convened two industry roundtables in the U.S. and India to bring together startups, private equity and venture capital firms, corporate investment departments, and government officials to forge connections and to accelerate investment in innovation.

    Powering a Next Generation Defense Partnership

    • President Biden welcomed the progress towards India concluding procurement of 31 General Atomics MQ-9B (16 Sky Guardian and 15 Sea Guardian) remotely piloted aircraft and their associated equipment, which will enhance the intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) capabilities of India’s armed forces across all domains. 
    • The Leaders recognized the remarkable progress under the U.S.-India Defense Industrial Cooperation Roadmap, including ongoing collaboration to advance priority co-production arrangements for jet engines, munitions, and ground mobility systems.  They also welcomed efforts to expand defense industrial partnerships, including the teaming of Liquid Robotics and Sagar Defence Engineering for the co-development and co-production of unmanned surface vehicle systems that strengthen undersea and maritime domain awareness. The Leaders applauded the recent conclusion of the Security of Supply Arrangement (SOSA), enhancing the mutual supply of defense goods and services. Both Leaders committed to advance ongoing discussions on aligning their respective defense procurement systems to further enable the reciprocal supply of defense goods and services.
    • President Biden welcomed India’s decision to set a uniform Goods and Services Tax (GST) of 5 percent on the maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) sector, including on all aircraft and aircraft engine parts thereby simplifying the tax structure and paving the way for building a strong ecosystem for MRO services in India. The Leaders also encouraged the industry to foster collaboration and drive innovation to support India’s efforts to become a leading aviation hub.  The Leaders welcomed commitments from U.S. industry to further increase India’s MRO capabilities, including for the repair of aircraft and unmanned aerial vehicles.
    • The Leaders hailed the teaming agreement on the C-130J Super Hercules aircraft recently signed between Lockheed Martin and Tata Advanced Systems Limited, the two companies that co-chair the U.S.-India CEO Forum.  Building on longstanding industry cooperation, this agreement will establish a new Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul (MRO) facility in India to support the readiness of the Indian fleet and global partners who operate the C-130 Super Hercules aircraft.  This marks a significant step in U.S.-India defense and aerospace cooperation and reflects the two sides’ deepening strategic and technology partnership ties.
    • The Leaders lauded the growing defense innovation collaboration between our governments, businesses, and academic institutions fostered by the India-U.S. Defense Acceleration Ecosystem (INDUS-X) initiative launched in 2023, and noted progress achieved during the third INDUS-X Summit in Silicon Valley earlier this month. They welcomed the enhanced collaboration between the Indian Ministry of Defence’s Innovations for Defence Excellence (iDEX) and US Department of Defence’s Defense Innovation Unit (DIU) through the Memorandum of Understanding signed at the Silicon Valley Summit. The efforts via the INDUSWERX consortium to facilitate pathways for defense and dual-use companies in the INDUS-X network to access premier testing ranges in both countries, were appreciated.
    • The Leaders also recognized the clear fulfillment of the shared goal to build a defense innovation bridge under INDUS-X through the launch of “joint challenges” designed by the U.S. DoD’S DIU and the Indian MoD’s Defence Innovation Organization (DIO).  In 2024, our governments have separately awarded $1+ million to U.S. and Indian companies that developed technologies focused on undersea communications and maritime intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR).  Building on this success, a new challenge was announced at the most recent INDUS-X Summit that focused on Space Situational Awareness (SSA) in the Low Earth Orbit (LEO).  
    • The Leaders welcomed ongoing efforts to deepen our military partnership and interoperability to maintain a free and open Indo-Pacific, noting that India hosted our most complex, largest bilateral, tri-service exercise to date during the March 2024 TIGER TRIUMPH exercise.  They also welcomed the inclusion of new technologies and capabilities, including a first-ever demonstration of the Javelin and Stryker systems in India, on the margins of the ongoing bilateral Army YUDH ABHYAS exercise. 
    • The Leaders welcomed the conclusion of the Memorandum of Agreement regarding the Deployment of Liaison Officers, and the commencement of deployment process of the first Liaison Officer from India in US Special Operations Command (SOCOM).
    • The Leaders commended work to advance cooperation in advanced domains, including space and cyber, and looked forward towards the November 2024 bilateral cyber engagement to enhance the U.S.-India cyber cooperation framework. Areas of new cooperation will include threat information sharing, cybersecurity training, and collaboration on vulnerability mitigation in energy and telecommunications networks. The Leaders also noted the second U.S.-India Advanced Domains Defense Dialogue in May 2024, which included the first-ever bilateral defense space table-top exercise. 

    Catalyzing the Clean Energy Transition

    • President Biden and Prime Minister Modi welcomed the U.S.-India Roadmap to Build Safe and Secure Global Clean Energy Supply Chains, which launched a new initiative to accelerate the expansion of safe and secure clean energy supply chains through U.S. and Indian manufacturing of clean energy technologies and components.  In its initial phase, the U.S. and India would work together to unlock $1 billion of multilateral financing to support projects across the clean energy value chain for renewable energy, energy storage, power grid and transmission technologies, high efficiency cooling systems, zero emission vehicles, and other emerging clean technologies.
    • The Leaders also highlighted the U.S. International Development Finance Corporation (DFC)’s partnership with India’s private sector to expand clean energy manufacturing and diversify supply chains.  To date, DFC has extended a $250 million loan to Tata Power Solar to construct a solar cell manufacturing facility and a $500 million loan to First Solar to construct and operate a solar module manufacturing facility in India.
    • The Leaders lauded the strong collaboration under the Strategic Clean Energy Partnership (SCEP), most recently convened on September 16, 2024 in Washington DC to strengthen energy security, create opportunities for clean energy innovation, address climate change and create employment generation opportunities, including through capacity building, and collaboration between industry and R&D.
    • The Leaders welcomed collaboration on a new National Center for Hydrogen Safety in India and affirmed their intent to utilize the new Renewable Energy Technology Action Platform (RETAP) to enhance collaboration on clean energy manufacturing and global supply chains, including through public-private task forces on hydrogen and energy storage.
    • The Leaders also announced a new Memorandum of Cooperation between the U.S. Agency for International Development and the International Solar Alliance aimed at promoting more responsive and sustainable power systems that leverage diverse renewable energy sources. 
    • The Leaders reaffirmed their commitment to accelerate the development of diverse and sustainable supply chains for critical minerals under the Minerals Security Partnership targeting strategic projects along the value chain.  The Leaders looked forward to the signing of the Critical Minerals Memorandum of Understanding at the forthcoming U.S.-India Commercial Dialogue and pledged to hasten bilateral collaboration to secure resilient critical minerals supply chains through enhanced technical assistance and greater commercial cooperation.
    • The Leaders welcomed the progress made on joint efforts since 2023 for India to work toward IEA membership in accordance with the provisions of the Agreement on an International Energy Program.
    • The two Leaders reaffirmed their commitment to accelerating the manufacturing and deployment of renewable energy, battery storage and emerging clean technology in India. They welcomed the ongoing progress between India’s National Investment and Infrastructure Fund (NIIF) and the U.S. International Development Finance Corporation to provide up to $500 million each to anchor the Green Transition Fund as well as encourage private sector investors to match these efforts. Both sides look forward to the expeditious operationalization of the Green Transition Fund.

    Empowering Future Generations and Promoting Global Health and Development

    • The Leaders welcomed India’s signature and ratification of the Agreements under Pillar III, Pillar IV and the overarching Agreement on the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework for Prosperity (IPEF). The Leaders underscored that IPEF seeks to advance resilience, sustainability, inclusiveness, economic growth, fairness, and competitiveness of the economies of its signatories. They noted the economic diversity of the 14 IPEF partners that represents 40 percent of global GDP and 28 percent of global goods and services trade.
    • President Biden and Prime Minister Modi celebrated the new U.S.-India Drug Policy Framework for the 21st Century and its accompanying Memorandum of Understanding, which will deepen collaboration to disrupt the illicit production and international trafficking of synthetic drugs and precursor chemicals, and deepen a holistic public health partnership. 
    • The two Leaders signaled their commitment to the objectives of the Global Coalition to Address Synthetic Drugs Threats and work towards combatting the threat of synthetic drugs and their precursors through mutually agreed initiatives to promote public health through coordinated actions.
    • The Leaders applauded the first-ever U.S.-India Cancer Dialogue held in August 2024, which brought together experts from both countries to increase research and development to accelerate the rate of progress against cancer.  The Leaders applauded the recently launched Bio5 partnership between the United States, India, ROK, Japan, and the EU, driving closer cooperation on pharmaceutical supply chains.  The Leaders applauded the Development Finance Corporation’s $50 million loan to Indian company Panacea Biotech to manufacture hexavalent (six-in-one) vaccines for children, reaffirming our joint commitment to advance shared global health priorities, including bolstering support for primary healthcare.
    • The leaders welcomed the signing of Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises and Small Business Administration for promoting cooperation between U.S. and Indian small and medium-size enterprises by improving their participation in the global market place through capacity building workshops in areas such as trade and export finance, technology and digital trade, green economy and trade facilitation. The MoU also provides for the joint conduct of programs for women entrepreneurs to empower them and facilitate trade partnership between women-owned small businesses of the two countries.  The Leaders celebrated that, since the June 2023 State visit, the Development Finance Corporation has invested $177 million across eight projects to support Indian small businesses and drive economic growth.
    • The Leaders welcomed enhanced cooperation on agriculture between the U.S. Department of Agriculture and India’s Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, in areas such as climate-smart agriculture, agriculture productivity growth, agriculture innovation, and sharing best practices related to crop risk protection and agriculture credit. The two sides will also enhance cooperation with the private sector through discussions on regulatory issues and innovation to enhance bilateral trade.
    • The Leaders welcomed the formal launch of the new U.S.-India Global Digital Development Partnership, which aims to bring together U.S. and Indian private sector companies, technology and resources to deploy the responsible use of emerging digital technologies in Asia and Africa.
    • The Leaders welcomed strengthened trilateral cooperation with Tanzania through the Triangular Development Partnership, led by the U.S. Agency for International Development and India’s Development Partnership Administration to jointly address global development challenges and foster prosperity in the Indo-Pacific. The partnership focuses on advancing renewable energy projects, including solar energy, to enhance energy infrastructure and access in Tanzania, thereby bolstering energy cooperation in the Indo-Pacific.  They also desired to explore the expansion of the triangular development partnership in areas of health cooperation, particularly for critical technical areas of mutual interest including digital health and capacity building of nurses and other frontline health workers.
    • The Leaders acknowledged the July 2024 signing of a bilateral Cultural Property Agreement that will facilitate implementation of the 1970 Convention on the Means of Prohibiting and Preventing the Illicit Import, Export, and Transfer of Ownership of Cultural Property.  The agreement marked the culmination of years of diligent work by experts from both countries and fulfills President Biden’s and Prime Minister Modi’s commitment to enhance cooperation to protect cultural heritage highlighted in the joint statement when they met in June 2023. In this context, the leaders welcomed the repatriation of 297 Indian antiquities from the U.S. to India in 2024.
    • The Leaders look forward to building on India’s ambitious G20 presidency to deliver on shared priorities for the G20 Leaders’ Summit in Rio de Janeiro, including: bigger, better, and more effective MDBs, including by following through on Leaders’ pledges in New Delhi to boost the World Bank’s capacity to help developing countries address global challenges, while recognizing the imperative of achieving the sustainable development goals; a more predictable, orderly, timely and coordinated sovereign debt restructuring process; and a pathway to growth for high-ambition developing countries that are facing financing challenges amid mounting debt burdens by increasing access to finance and unlocking fiscal space taking into account country specific circumstances.

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    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: AMERICA/PUERTO RICO – Appointment of special envoy for the celebration of the Sixth American Missionary Congress (CAM6)

    Source: Agenzia Fides – MIL OSI

    Saturday, 21 September 2024

    Vatican City (Agenzia Fides) – The Holy Father has appointed His Eminence Cardinal Baltazar Enrique Porras Cardozo, archbishop emeritus of Caracas, as his special envoy to the celebration of the Sixth American Missionary Congress (CAM6), taking place in Ponce, Puerto Rico, from 19 to 24 November 2024. (Agenzia Fides, 21/9/2024)
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  • MIL-OSI Europe: ASIA/VIETNAM – “WYO4children”: a musical project that heals wounds and opens people up

    Source: Agenzia Fides – MIL OSI

    Ho Chi Minh City (Agenzia Fides) – The orphans of the home run by the Missionary sisters of Charity in the diocese of Phu Cuong, in southern Vietnam, have learned that “music heals the wounds of the heart”, said Fr. Dominic Nguyen Van Lam, a 40-year-old Vietnamese priest, to Fides, referring to a special musical initiative with orphans on the outskirts of Ho Chi Minh City. “They are children marked by suffering and the hardships of life. Music has given them back their self-confidence and joy in life, which is reflected in the relationships between them and in the not always easy relationship with the teachers and the sisters. Music is and remains a tool for human and spiritual growth that can restore the virtuous circle of love,” explains the Catholic priest who coordinates the WYO4children project as part of the Sounds of Brotherhood initiative promoted by the World Youth Orchestra (WYO) Foundation, which is being carried out this year in Vietnam thanks to the support of the Italian Cassa Depositi e Prestiti Foundation and other sponsors.As part of a cultural cooperation initiative, the project offered concrete support to orphaned and abandoned children in Vietnam, “to emphasize three fundamental values of life: friendship, brotherhood, peace,” explained Adolfo Vannucci, President of the World Youth Orchestra Foundation.At the “Home of Mother’s Love” in Binh Duong, where around 20 nuns look after a total of 80 orphaned and abandoned children and young people aged 5 to 17 from difficult family backgrounds, the young people took part in music workshops throughout the year and at the end presented the musical skills they had acquired in the last few days.Father Dominic emphasizes “the power of music, which has brought about positive changes in the children’s lives. Since they have come into contact with music and play an instrument, they are happier and the results can also be seen at school. The atmosphere in the house has become more cheerful.” “Music,” the priest continues, “builds mutual love: this path has not only helped the children to become more sensitive, both internally and in their relationships with their neighbors; it has also helped me, the teachers and the sisters to rediscover the joy of love and care when we share our time with them.” “The Missionaries of Charity confirm how much the children’s lives have improved, especially because everyone is now smiling. Music was a means of bringing back smiles and openness to love God and neighbour,” the priest concluded.In the diocese of Phu Cuong, which has around 165,000 Catholics in a population of more than 4 million people, the Catholic community is very keen on charitable and social activities. It works to help disadvantaged or poor people and provides scholarships to poor students, an initiative that the local bishop Joseph Nguyen Tan Tuoc wanted to extend to the “Home of Mother’s Love”. This enables the children to attend school for free. The local church provides accommodation and care for children of ethnic minorities from remote areas and works to improve their material and spiritual life. The “Wyo4children” project is part of this framework.The World Youth Orchestra, which has 23 years of musical and social activity, is present in 75 countries, has 300 international partners, including universities and music academies, and has involved more than 3,500 talented young musicians worldwide. (PA) (Agenzia Fides, 21/9/2024)

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  • MIL-OSI Economics: UN Summit of the Future: AI opportunity for everyone

    Source: Google

    Editor’s note: This week in New York City, leaders from around the world are gathering for the 79th United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) — including the first ever “Summit of the Future” — where Google CEO Sundar Pichai delivered a keynote address today.

    What follows is a transcript of the remarks, as prepared for delivery.

    Introduction

    Mr. Secretary-General, President of the General Assembly, excellencies, ladies and gentlemen — it’s a privilege to join you today.

    I’m energized by the summit’s focus on the future. We have a once-in-a- generation opportunity to unlock human potential, for everyone, everywhere.

    I believe that technology is a foundational enabler of progress. Just as the internet and mobile devices expanded opportunities for people around the world, now AI is poised to accelerate progress at unprecedented scale.

    I’m here today to make the case for three things:

    • Why I believe AI is so transformative
    • How it can be applied to benefit humanity and make progress on the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals
    • And where we can drive deeper partnerships to ensure that the technology benefits everyone

    Expanding opportunity through technology

    But first let me share why this is so important — to me personally, and to Google as a company.

    Growing up in Chennai, India, with my family, the arrival of each new technology improved our lives in meaningful ways. Our first rotary phone saved us hours of travel to the hospital to get test results. Our first refrigerator gave us more time to spend as a family, rather than rushing to cook ingredients before they spoiled.

    The technology that changed my life the most was the computer. I didn’t have much access to one growing up. When I came to graduate school in the US, there were labs full of machines I could use anytime I wanted — it was mind blowing. Access to computing inspired me to pursue a career where I could bring technology to more people.

    And that path led me to Google 20 years ago. I was excited by its mission: to organize the world’s information and make it universally accessible and useful.

    That mission has had incredible impact:

    Google Search democratized information access, and opened up opportunities in education and entrepreneurship. Platforms like Chrome and Android helped bring one billion people online.

    Today, 15 of our products serve more than half a billion people and businesses each. And six of them – such as Search, Maps and Drive – each serve more than 2 billion. There’s no cost to use them, and most of our users are in the developing world.

    The AI opportunity

    Today we’re working on the most transformative technology yet: AI.

    We’ve been investing in AI research, tools, and infrastructure for two decades because it’s the most profound way we can deliver on our mission — and improve people’s lives.

    I want to talk today about four of the biggest opportunities we see, many of which align with the SDGs.

    One is helping people access the world’s information and knowledge in their own language.

    Using AI, in just the last year, we have added 110 new languages to Google Translate, spoken by half a billion people around the world. That brings our total to 246 languages, and we’re working toward 1,000 of the world’s most spoken languages.

    A second area is accelerating scientific discovery to benefit humanity.

    Our AlphaFold breakthrough is solving big challenges in predicting some of the building blocks of life, including proteins and DNA. We opened up AlphaFold to the scientific community free of charge, and it’s been accessed by more than two million researchers from over one hundred and ninety countries. Thirty percent are in the developing world – for example over 25,000 researchers just in Brazil. Globally, AlphaFold is being used in research that could help make crops more resistant to disease, discover new drugs in areas like malaria vaccines and cancer treatments, and much more.

    A third opportunity is helping people in the path of climate-related disaster, building on the UN’s initiative for “Early Warnings for All.” Our Flood Hub system provides early warnings up to seven days in advance, helping protect over 460 million people in over 80 countries.

    And for millions in the paths of wildfires, our boundary tracking systems are already in 22 countries on Google Maps. We also just announced FireSat technology, which will use satellites to detect and track early-stage wildfires, with imagery updated every 20 minutes globally, so firefighters can respond. AI gives a boost in accuracy, speed and scale.

    Fourth, we see the opportunity for AI to meaningfully contribute to economic progress. It’s already enabling entrepreneurs and small businesses …empowering governments to provide public services… and boosting productivity across sectors. Some studies show that AI could boost global labor productivity by 1.4 percentage points, and increase global GDP by 7%, within the next decade.

    For example, AI is helping improve operations and logistics in emerging markets, where connectivity, infrastructure and traffic congestion are big challenges. Freight startup Gary Logistics in Ethiopia is using AI to help move goods to market faster and bring more work opportunities to freelance drivers.

    These are just early examples. And there are so many others across education, health and sustainability. As technology improves, so will the benefits.

    The risks of AI

    As with any emerging technology, AI will have limitations … be it issues with accuracy, factuality, and bias … as well as the risks of misapplication and misuse, like the creation of deep fakes.

    It also presents new complexities, for example the impact on the future of work.

    For all these reasons, we believe that AI must be developed, deployed, and used responsibly, from the start.

    We’re guided by our AI Principles, which we published back in 2018. And we work with others across the industry, academia, the UN, and governments in efforts like the Frontier Model Forum, the O.E.C.D., and the G7 Hiroshima Process.

    Preventing an AI divide

    But I want to talk about another risk that I worry about.

    I think about where I grew up, and how fortunate I was to have access to technology, even if it came slowly.

    Not everyone had that experience. And while good progress has been made by UN institutions like the I.T.U., gaps persist today in the form of a well known digital divide.

    With AI, we have the chance to be inclusive from the start, and to ensure that the digital divide doesn’t become an AI divide. This is a challenge that needs to be met by the private sector and public sector working together. We can focus in three key areas:

    First is digital infrastructure.

    Google has made big investments globally in subsea and terrestrial fiber optic cables.

    One connects Africa with Europe, and two others will be the first intercontinental fiber optic routes that connect Asia Pacific and South America, and Australia and Africa.

    These fiber optic routes stitch together our network of 40 cloud regions around the world that provide digital services to governments, entrepreneurs, SMBs and companies across all sectors.

    In addition to compute access, we also open up our technology to others. We did this with Android; and now our Gemma AI models are open to developers and researchers, and we will continue to invest here.

    A second area is about investing in people.

    That starts with making sure people have the skills they need to seize new opportunities.

    Our Grow with Google program has already trained one hundred million people around the world in digital skills.

    And today I’m proud to announce our Global AI Opportunity Fund. This will invest one hundred and twenty million dollars to make AI education and training available in communities around the world. We’re providing this in local languages, in partnership with nonprofits and NGOs.

    We’re also helping to support entrepreneurs for the AI revolution. In Brazil, we worked with thousands of women entrepreneurs to use Google AI to grow their businesses. In Asia, where fewer than six percent of start-ups are founded by women, we’re providing many with mentorship, capital, and training.

    An enabling policy environment

    The third area is one where we especially need the help of the member countries and leaders in this room: creating an enabling policy environment. One that addresses both the risks and worries around new technologies, and also encourages the kinds of applications that improve lives at scale.

    This requires a few things:

    • Government policymaking that supports investments in infrastructure, people, and innovation that benefits humanity,
    • Country development strategies and frameworks like the Global Digital Compact that prioritize the adoption of AI solutions,
    • And smart product regulation that mitigates harms and resists national protectionist impulses — that could widen an AI divide and limit AI’s benefits.

    We are excited to be your partner, and to work with you to make sure bold innovations are deployed responsibly so that AI is truly helpful for everyone.

    The opportunities are too great … the challenges too urgent … and this technology too transformational, to do anything less.

    Thank you.

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Readout of the Secretary-General’s meeting with H.E. Mr. Terrance Michael Drew, Prime Minister of Saint Kitts and Nevis

    Source: United Nations secretary general

    The Secretary-General met with H.E. Mr. Terrance Michael Drew, Prime Minister of Saint Kitts and Nevis. The Secretary-General and the Prime Minister discussed efforts to advance sustainable development and climate action, as well as the importance of the implementation of the Multidimensional Vulnerability Index.
     

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Readout of the Secretary-General’s meeting with H.H. Sheikh Sabah Khaled Hamad Al-Sabah, Crown Prince of Kuwait

    Source: United Nations secretary general

    The Secretary-General met with H.H. Sheikh Sabah Khaled Hamad Al-Sabah, the Crown Prince of Kuwait. The Secretary-General and the Crown Prince discussed the strong partnership between Kuwait and the United Nations. They exchanged views on the situation in the Middle East, Sudan, as well as issues of cooperation, peace and security in the Gulf region. 
     

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Readout of the Secretary-General’s meeting with H.E. Mr. Jasem Mohamed Albudaiwi, Secretary General of the Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the Gulf (GCC)

    Source: United Nations secretary general

    The Secretary-General met with H.E. Mr. Jasem Mohamed Albudaiwi, Secretary General of the Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the Gulf. The Secretaries-General discussed issues of mutual concern in the region, including the war in Gaza and the situation in Lebanon and in Yemen. 
     
    The Secretaries-General also exchanged views on enhancing cooperation between the two Organizations, including on peace and security in the Gulf region. 
     

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Priority One effective in getting kids into homes

    Source: New Zealand Government

    Ki te kahore he whakakitenga, ka ngaro te Iwi – without a vision, the people will perish.

    The latest data on whānau moved from emergency housing motels into social homes shows that Priority One is making a huge difference, Associate Minister of Housing Tama Potaka says.

    “At the end of August this year, the total number of households in emergency housing motels had reduced by 57 per cent under our Government, from 3141 in December last year to 1365 at the end of August. The daily cost to the taxpayer has fallen from about $1 million a day to around half that.

    “In April, we brought in our Priority One policy, a key election promise from National, which prioritises whānau with tamariki who have been in emergency housing for 12 weeks or more to move into social homes. So far, thanks to Priority One, we’ve seen around 645 households move from emergency housing into social housing. That includes over 1311 children who no longer have to live in unsuitable dank motels.

    “I recently met a dad who had been moving between homeless shelters, a caravan, and his car. He told me that moving into his home earlier this year has been life-changing for him and his daughter. His teenage daughter is now settled, achieving excellence at school and he told me that his daughter now has goals in life.

    “I also met a mum whose four young tamariki are living in a stable home for the first time in their lives after cycling in and out of emergency housing for years. She said: ‘It was just me and my babies sleeping in one bed in emergency housing before I got this home’.

    “Unlike the previous government which didn’t know where half the people leaving these motels had gone, we are continually improving our insights on those entering and exiting emergency housing. 

    “We now know that about 80 per cent of those leaving emergency housing go into some form of social or private housing because of support they receive. The remaining people are not accessing any government housing supports administered by the Ministry of Social Development.

    “People don’t have to tell us where they are moving to, and they may no longer need to access government support – people living in emergency housing should not be judged as being incapable of navigating their own lives. We need to balance the requirement to monitor the effectiveness of our interventions with the need to respect people’s reasonable right to privacy.

    “Officials are monitoring the risk of increased homelessness through regular engagement with housing and social service providers. Officials are also working to better understand homelessness. It’s important to remember too that emergency housing remains available as a temporary last resort for people in greatest need.

    “With the targeted supports we’re offering, and more social housing and private rentals becoming available, people have more options for finding houses they can make into homes.

    “Over the two years to 30 June 2026, Kāinga Ora will be adding 2,650 homes to the state housing stock, and our Government has committed to delivering 1,500 new social housing homes by June 2027 to keep the pipeline of social houses coming. These new social homes will be delivered by Community Housing Providers.

    “We are committed to achieving our target of reducing the number of households in emergency housing by 75 per cent by 2030 and I am encouraged by the progress we are making towards this target.”

    Whakaarotau Tuatahi: kia whaikāinga ō tātou tamariki

    Ki te kahore he whakakitenga, ka ngaro te Iwi.

    E tohu ana ngā raraunga hou mō ngā whānau kua hūnuku i ngā nōhanga tata ki ngā kāinga pāpori i te hurihanga nui kua puta i te Whakaarotau Tuatahi, hei tā te Minita Tuarua mō ngā take whare a Tama Potaka.

    “I te hiku o te marama o Here-turi-kōka i tēnei tau, i heke te rahinga o ngā whānau e noho ana i ngā mōtera nōhanga tata i te 57 ōrau i raro i tō mātou Kāwanatanga, mai 3141 i te marama o Hakihea i tērā tau ki 1365 i te mutunga o Here-turi-kōka i tēnei tau. Kua heke te utu o te ia rā mō te kaiutu tāke i te takiwā o te kotahi miriona tāra ia rā, ā kātata ki te hāwhe o tērā.

    “I te marama o Paengawhāwhā, i whakarewa mātou i te kaupapa here o Whakaarotau Tuatahi, he kī taurangi nō te pōtitanga a-motu a Nahinara, e aronui ana ki ngā whānau whai tamariki kua noho i ngā nōhanga tata mō te 12 wiki, neke atu rānei kia hūnuku ki ngā kāinga pāpori.  Hoi anō, kua kite mātou ngā hua o te Whakaarotau Tuatahi, ā tata ki te 645 whānau kua hūnuku i ngā nōhanga tata ki ngā kāinga pāpori. Tae ana ki ngā tamariki neke atu i te 1311, kua kore e hoki ki ngā mōtera karukaru, hūnounou anō hoki.

    “Nō naia tata ake nei i tūtaki ki tētahi pāpā i nuku haere i waenga i ngā whare tāwharau, tētahi whare tāwhai me tōna waka. I kī mai ia kua huri te ao mōna me tana tamāhine, i tōna taunga ki tōna ake kāinga i tēnei tau. Kua mahuru tana tamāhine, kua angitū ia i te kura, waihoki i kī mai ia he whāinga nui tō tana tamāhine ināianei.

    “I tūtaki hoki au ki tētahi māmā katahi anō rātou ko ōna tamariki tokowha ka noho ki tētahi kāinga haumaru, ā kua roa nei e uru, e puta anō hoki i ngā nōhanga tata i roto i ngā tau. I kī mai ia ‘Ko au me aku pēpē anake, e moe tahi ana i te moenga kotahi i roto i ngā nōhanga tata i mua i taku whai i tēnei kāinga’. 

    “E kore e whai i te kāwanatanga o mua e kūare ana i ngā nekehanga o te haurua o ngā tāngata e puta ana i ngā mōtera, ka whanake haere mātou i ngā mōhiotanga o ngā tāngata e uru, e puta anō hoki i ngā nōhanga tata.

    “E mōhio ana mātou ināianei e haere ana te 80 ōrau o ngā tāngata e puta ana i ngā nōhanga tata ki tētahi momo kāinga pāpori, kāinga motuhake rānei nā te momo penihana i whakawhiwhia e rātou. Ko te toenga o ngā tāngata kāore e whai i tētahi penihana whare o te kāwanatanga, nā te Manatū Whakahīato Ora i tuku. 

    “Ehara i te mea me whakamōhio mai ngā tāngata i ō rātou nekehanga, ā tērā pea kāore e whaitake te kimi penihana o te kāwanatanga – kia kaua e whakawā i te hunga e noho ana i ngā nōhanga tata me te pōhēhē  e kore e tāea e rātou te whaioranga. Me whakataurite mātou i ngā mahi haepapa ki te aroturuki i ngā hua ka puta i ngā kaupapa me te  whakaaro hoki ki ngā tikanga mana tangata kia noho motuhake.

    “Ko te pikinga o te kāingakoretanga tētahi tūraru e aroturuki ana e ngā kaimahi i roto i ngā hononga ki ngā ratonga whare, ratonga hauora anō hoki. Ka whanake hoki ngā kaimahi i te mōhiotanga e pā ki te kāingakoretanga. Me maumahara tonu kei reira tonu ngā nōhanga tata hei kōwhiringa whakamutunga mō te hunga e tino hiahia nei.

    “Mā ngā kaupapa hāpai e whakaritea nei e mātou, me te whanake haere o ngā kāīnga pāpori me ngā kāinga rēti anō hoki e whai wāhi ana, ka nui ake ngā ara whai whare, hei kāinga mō te tangata.

    “I roto i ngā tau e rua, tae ana ki te 30 o Pipiri 2026, ka hangaia e Kāinga Ora kia 2650 ngā whare tūmatanui, ka ū hoki tō mātou Kāwanatanga kia 1500 ngā kāinga pāpori hou ka whakatūria i mua i te Pipiri hei te tau 2027 kia pakari ai te pūnaha kāinga pāpori. Mā ngā Ratonga Whare Hapori ēnei kāinga pāpori e whakatū.

    “E ū ana ki tā mātou whāinga kia angitū, kia heke te rahinga o ngā whānau e noho ana i ngā nōhanga tata i te 75 ōrau hei te tau 2030, waihoki e hiamo ana ahau i ngā hua kua puta kia tutuki tēnei whāinga.”

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Readout of the Secretary-General’s meeting with H.E. Mr. K.P. Sharma Oli, Prime Minister of Nepal

    Source: United Nations secretary general

    The Secretary-General met with H.E. Mr. K.P. Sharma Oli, Prime Minister of Nepal. The Secretary-General thanked Nepal for its significant contributions to UN peacekeeping and acknowledged the country’s efforts as Chair of the Global Coordination Bureau for the group of Least Developed Countries. They also discussed climate change and in particular the mountain agenda. The Secretary-General and the Prime Minister also discussed the importance of progressing Nepal’s transitional justice process.
     

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Prime Minister Justin Trudeau participates in a meeting of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals Advocates group

    Source: Government of Canada – Prime Minister

    Today, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau participated virtually in a meeting of the United Nations (UN) Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) Advocates group, convened by the Secretary-General of the UN, António Guterres.

    Prime Minister Trudeau and the Prime Minister of Barbados, Mia Mottley, co-chaired the meeting and welcomed four new SDG Advocates to the group, including the award-winning Canadian entertainer and founder of Unicorn Island Fund, Lilly Singh. 

    During the meeting, Secretary-General Guterres underscored the importance of taking collective action toward achieving the SDGs. The Advocates noted the challenges many countries around the globe are facing and exchanged ideas to increase momentum toward a more peaceful, equal, and healthy future. 

    The Prime Minister highlighted Canada’s commitment toward achieving the SDGs around the world, including as Co-Chair of the SDG Stimulus Leaders Group, which promotes increased access to financing for emerging economies and developing countries. 

    In line with the UN SDG Stimulus, the Prime Minister spoke about Canada’s inclusion of climate-resilient debt clauses to respond to the borrowing needs of emerging economies, Canada’s recent purchase of $274 million in hybrid capital from the World Bank to enable $1.8 billion in additional lending to developing countries, and Canada’s $720 million investment in FinDev Canada’s new concessional finance facility to help mobilize additional capital for development, including from the private sector. He also underscored the role that investments in gender equality and climate action have in accelerating progress toward all SDGs.

    The Prime Minister and fellow SDG Advocates agreed on the importance of raising awareness of the SDGs and taking ambitious action to achieve them. They agreed to continue this work in the week ahead at the Summit of the Future and the UN General Assembly.

    Associated Links

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI USA News: Remarks as Prepared for Delivery by First Lady Jill  Biden at the First-Ever Back-to-School Night at the White  House

    Source: The White House

    The South Lawn

    Welcome to the White House!

    “Back to School” means different things, depending on who you ask.

    For students, it’s about reuniting with friends after a summer apart, learning new subjects, and trying out for sports teams.

    For teachers like me, it means re-imagining our classrooms, and showing students all that they can do.

    For parents, it’s a huge sigh of relief—right?

    I’ve also been thinking about what “Back to School” meant four years ago.

    The pandemic was still raging. And our schools were silent. Teachers had to reach out to students through Zoom squares. Bus drivers dropped off Wifi hot-spots to neighborhoods with no connection. Counselors took call after call from parents in tears, just trying to juggle it all.

    Our educators came to the rescue.

    Thank you for being the heroes we needed.

    As President, Joe has had your back and been your champion.

    His Administration helped reopen our schools safely, made historic investments in public schools, fixed student loan relief for public servants. And Joe is fighting to make sure educators are paid what you’re worth.

    Since he took office, 30 states and Washington, D.C. have increased teacher pay.

    For my last “Back to School” season here at the White House, I wanted to celebrate all of that progress.

    Thank you to the President’s Own Marine Band for providing the soundtrack for today’s festivities. I’m so grateful to you and your families for your service to our nation—and so is your Commander-in-Chief.

    We also have several Teachers of the Year with us. I got to meet so many of you at the first-ever State Dinner for Teachers of the Year a few months ago. I am amazed by the love and care you pour into your students and classrooms.

    And it’s great to have Secretary Cardona here, along with his wife, Marissa, who is also an educator. Secretary Cardona—Miguel—you spend every day thinking about how to best support students, and lifting up teachers and schools. Joe and I are grateful for your commitment to our nation’s learners.

    With each new school year, we stand on the precipice of possibility.

    Teachers will broaden horizons from their classrooms, parents will see how much their kids can grow and learn, students will let their imaginations soar. And Joe and I will be cheering you on. 

    But tonight, everybody remember: it’s not a school night.

    So please have fun on the best lawn in America.

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Translation: Prime Minister Justin Trudeau participates in a meeting of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals Advocates Group

    MIL OSI Translation. Canadian French to English –

    Source: Prime Minister of Canada – in French

    Today, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau participated virtually in a meeting of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) Advocates Group convened by United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres.

    Prime Minister Trudeau and Prime Minister of Barbados Mia Mottley co-chaired the meeting and welcomed four new SDG champions to the Group, including Lilly Singh, award-winning Canadian artist and founder of the Unicorn Island Fund.

    During the meeting, Secretary-General Guterres stressed the importance of taking collective action to achieve the SDGs. Advocates discussed the challenges facing many countries around the world and shared ideas to accelerate efforts to build a more peaceful, equal and healthy future.

    The Prime Minister highlighted Canada’s commitment to achieving the SDGs around the world, including as co-chair of the SDG Stimulus Leaders Group, which promotes access to financing for emerging economies and developing countries.

    In line with the United Nations SDG Stimulus, the Prime Minister noted that Canada has adopted debt and climate resilience provisions to address the borrowing needs of emerging economies, recently purchased $274 million in hybrid equity from the World Bank to enable $1.8 billion in additional lending to developing countries, and invested $720 million in a new concessional financing facility managed by FinDev Canada to help mobilize new capital for development, including from the private sector. He also highlighted the role of investments in gender equality and climate action in accelerating progress toward all SDGs.

    The Prime Minister and other SDG champions all recognized the importance of promoting the SDGs and taking ambitious action to achieve them. They agreed to continue this work over the coming week, at the Future Summit and the UN General Assembly.

    Related links

    EDITOR’S NOTE: This article is a translation. Apologies should the grammar and/or sentence structure not be perfect.

    MIL Translation OSI

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Awards inspire innovative teaching

    Source: Hong Kong Information Services

    Studying history can sometimes be difficult for students as it involves assessing large amounts of information.

    Antonio Kwan has been working in the field of education for about 20 years, mainly teaching history, and now works for The Methodist Church Hong Kong Wesley College. He believes that understanding history is more than just about reading and memorising facts.

    Enriched learning

    Mr Kwan uses a variety of creative teaching methods to engage students. He also organises extended activities beyond the classroom to enrich their learning experiences.

    Together with his colleagues, Mr Kwan designed a board game that introduces players to the ancient Silk Road and Maritime Silk Road, as well as Arab civilisation. Playing the game helps students to grasp timelines and deepens their understanding of historical materials.

    Mr Kwan’s dedication to enhancing students’ interest and learning capacities resulted in him becoming a recipient of the Chief Executive’s Award for Teaching Excellence, in recognition of his outstanding performance in the Personal, Social and Humanities Education Key Learning Area.

    He said the award has motivated him to continue innovating and exploring new methods in his teaching career. He believes that studying history is not only about absorbing information, but also about cultivating students’ historical awareness, global vision and cultural respect.

    “I hope that students can learn from historical events and put these lessons into practice,” he said.

    Character development

    Alongside imparting knowledge, character development is equally important in teaching.

    Wanki Suen, a teacher at the TWGHs Tin Wan (1996-1997 Directors) Kindergarten, believes early childhood is a critical period for character formation and that educators have a vital role to play in influencing its development in students.

    “I think teaching by example is always more important,” she said. “Teachers should always set a good example for the children and create a positive learning atmosphere.”

    In order to instil a clear idea of good conduct, her kindergarten makes use of picture books, activities and games that encourage children to behave appropriately. Parents are also invited to make picture books with their children at home to reinforce their learning.

    To cater to children’s interests and learning needs, Ms Suen and her colleagues have also designed their own picture books, highlighting different aspects of Chinese culture, with a subsidy provided by the Quality Education Fund.

    Innovative education

    Over 950 teachers from different fields have been honoured since the launch of the Chief Executive’s Awards for Teaching Excellence in 2003. The Education Bureau said the awards recognise teaching excellence and help to elevate the professional image and social status of teachers.

    The bureau’s Chief Professional Development Officer (Teacher Awards & Language Teacher Qualifications) Nongyao Vitayatprapaiphan said that the initiative brings together outstanding teachers, promoting a culture of collaboration and the pursuit of excellence.

    The award presentation ceremony is held in July every year. A new round of nominations is currently open. In addition to the existing award categories, two new awards – namely the Award for Budding Teachers and the Award for Education Innovation – have been added.

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Readout of the Secretary-General’s meeting with H.E. Mr. Terrance Micheal Drew, Prime Minister of Saint Kitts and Nevis

    Source: United Nations secretary general

    The Secretary-General met with H.E. Mr. Terrance Micheal Drew, Prime Minister of Saint Kitts and Nevis. The Secretary-General and the Prime Minister discussed efforts to advance sustainable development and climate action, as well as the importance of the implementation of the Multidimensional Vulnerability Index.
     

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: expert reaction to 6-month follow up of phase 2 trial of psilocybin versus escitalopram for depression

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    A follow up of a phase 2 trial published in eClinicalMedicine looks at the effect of psilocybin versus escitalopram for depression. 

    Dr James Rucker, Consultant Psychiatrist & Senior Clinical Lecturer in Psychopharmacology, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience (IoPPN), King’s College London (KCL), said:

    “The authors have tended to attribute differences observed in this study to comparative differences between the drugs themselves, however it is also possible that the results reflect biased reporting between groups. This is more likely here because A) studies involving psilocybin tend to attract those with positive preconceptions about psilocybin and negative preconceptions about conventional antidepressants, and B) study participants were unblinded during the long term follow up phase that is reported in the paper, so knew which condition they were allocated to.

    “This said, the nature of depression varies hugely between individuals, and this calls for the development of a similarly varied suite of treatment paradigms. Psilocybin therapy is certainly a different paradigm of treatment to escitalopram. The observation of similar levels of effectiveness to antidepressants here is encouraging to see alongside the much larger trials of psilocybin currently underway here in the UK, Europe and the US.”

    ‘Effect of psilocybin versus escitalopram on depression symptom severity in patients with moderate-to-severe major depressive disorder: observational 6-month follow-up of a phase 2, double-blind, randomised, controlled trial’ by David Erritzoe et al. was published in eClinicalMedicine at 00:30 UK time on Sunday 22 September. This work is being discussed at the European College of Neuropsychopharmacology (ECNP) Congress 2024.

    DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.eclinm.2024. 102799    

    Declared interests

    Dr James Rucker: I’m PI on various commercial trials with psilocybin but have no financial links or shareholdings with the sponsors of those trials.

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI USA: IAM Local 774 Members at Textron Aviation Vote to Reject Contract, Strike for Fairness

    Source: US GOIAM Union

    Nearly 5,000 members of the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM) Local 774 (District 70) at Textron Aviation in Wichita, Kan., have overwhelmingly rejected the company’s offer. The current agreement expires just after midnight on Monday, Sept. 23.

    As a united front, IAM Local 774 members are pursuing improved pay rates, healthcare, and job security after having voiced their concerns regarding compensation and benefits, highlighting the pressing need for enhancements to ensure the well-being and livelihoods of all workers.

    The IAM looks forward to returning to the table with Textron Aviation leadership to work on an equitable agreement for both parties.

    Share and Follow:

    MIL OSI USA News –

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

    US Senate News:

    Source: The White House
    Today, we—Prime Minister Anthony Albanese of Australia, Prime Minister Narendra Modi of India, Prime Minister Kishida Fumio of Japan, and President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. of the United States—met for the fourth in-person Quad Leaders Summit, hosted by President Biden in Wilmington, Delaware.
    Four years since elevating the Quad to a leader-level format, the Quad is more strategically aligned than ever before and is a force for good that delivers real, positive, and enduring impact for the Indo-Pacific. We celebrate the fact that over just four years, Quad countries have built a vital and enduring regional grouping that will buttress the Indo-Pacific for decades to come.
    Anchored by shared values, we seek to uphold the international order based on the rule of law. Together we represent nearly two billion people and over one-third of global gross domestic product. We reaffirm our steadfast commitment to a free and open Indo-Pacific that is inclusive and resilient. Through our cooperation, the Quad is harnessing all of our collective strengths and resources, from governments to the private sector to people-to-people relationships, to support the region’s sustainable development, stability, and prosperity by delivering tangible benefits to the people of the Indo-Pacific.
    As four leading maritime democracies in the Indo-Pacific, we unequivocally stand for the maintenance of peace and stability across this dynamic region, as an indispensable element of global security and prosperity. We strongly oppose any destabilizing or unilateral actions that seek to change the status quo by force or coercion. We condemn recent illicit missile launches in the region that violate UN Security Council resolutions. We express serious concern over recent dangerous and aggressive actions in the maritime domain. We seek a region where no country dominates and no country is dominated—one where all countries are free from coercion, and can exercise their agency to determine their futures. We are united in our commitment to upholding a stable and open international system, with its strong support for human rights, the principle of freedom, rule of law, democratic values, sovereignty and territorial integrity, and peaceful settlement of disputes and prohibition on the threat or use of force in accordance with international law, including the UN Charter.
    Reflecting the Vision Statement issued by Leaders at the 2023 Quad Summit, we are and will continue to be transparent in what we do. Respect for the leadership of regional institutions, including the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), the Pacific Islands Forum (PIF), and the Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA), is and will remain at the center of the Quad’s efforts.
    A Global Force for Good
    Health Security
    The COVID-19 pandemic reminded the world how important health security is to our societies, our economies, and the stability of our region. In 2021 and 2022, the Quad came together to deliver more than 400 million safe and effective COVID-19 doses to Indo-Pacific countries and almost 800 million vaccines globally, and provided $5.6 billion to the COVAX Advance Market Commitment for vaccine supply to low and middle-income countries. In 2023, we announced the Quad Health Security Partnership, through which the Quad continues to deliver for partners across the region, including through the delivery of pandemic preparedness training.
    In response to the current clade I mpox outbreak, as well as the ongoing clade II mpox outbreak, we plan to coordinate our efforts to promote equitable access to safe, effective, quality-assured mpox vaccines, including where appropriate expanding vaccine manufacturing in low and middle-income countries.
    Today we are proud to announce the Quad Cancer Moonshot, a groundbreaking partnership to save lives in the Indo-Pacific region. Building on the Quad’s successful partnership during the COVID-19 pandemic, our collective investments to address cancer in the region, our scientific and medical capabilities, and contributions from our private and non-profit sectors, we will collaborate with partner nations to reduce the burden of cancer in the region.
    The Quad Cancer Moonshot will focus initially on combatting cervical cancer—a preventable cancer that continues to claim too many lives—in the Indo-Pacific region, while laying the groundwork to address other forms of cancer as well. The United States intends to support this initiative, including through U.S. Navy medical trainings and professional exchanges around cervical cancer prevention in the region starting in 2025, and through U.S. International Development Finance Corporation (DFC) openness to finance eligible private sector-driven projects to prevent, diagnose, and treat cancer, including cervical cancer. Australia is announcing the expansion of the Elimination Partnership in the Indo-Pacific for Cervical Cancer Program (EPICC) with support of the Australian Government and the Minderoo Foundation to AUD 29.6 million, to cover up to eleven countries in the Indo-Pacific in helping advance the elimination of cervical cancer and support complementary initiatives focused on cancer prevention, diagnosis, and treatment. India commits to providing HPV sampling kits, detection kits, and cervical cancer vaccines worth $7.5 million to the Indo-Pacific region.  India, through its $10 million commitment to the WHO’s Global Initiative on Digital Health, will offer technical assistance to interested countries in the Indo-Pacific region for the adoption and deployment of its Digital Public Infrastructure that helps in cancer screening and care. Japan is providing medical equipment, including CT and MRI scanners, and other assistance worth approximately $27 million, including in Cambodia, Vietnam, and Timor-Leste, and is contributing to international organizations such as the Gavi Vaccine Alliance. Quad partners also intend to work, within respective national contexts, to collaborate in advancing research and development in the area of cancer and to increase private sector and non-governmental sector activities in support of reducing the burden of cervical cancer in the region. We welcome a number of new, ambitious commitments from non-governmental institutions, including the Serum Institute of India, in partnership with Gavi, which will support orders of up to 40 million HPV vaccine doses, subject to necessary approvals, for the Indo-Pacific region, and which may be increased consistent with demand. We also welcome a new $100 million commitment from Women’s Health and Empowerment Network to address cervical cancer in Southeast Asia.
    Altogether, our scientific experts assess that the Quad Cancer Moonshot will save hundreds of thousands of lives over the coming decades.
    Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR)
    Twenty years since the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami, when the Quad first came together to surge humanitarian assistance, we continue to respond to the vulnerabilities caused by natural disasters in the Indo-Pacific. In 2022, the Quad established the “Quad Partnership on Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief in the Indo-Pacific” and signed Guidelines for the Quad Partnership on HADR in the Indo-Pacific, which enable Quad countries to rapidly coordinate in the face of natural disasters. We welcome Quad governments working to ensure readiness to rapidly respond, including through pre-positioning of essential relief supplies, in the event of a natural disaster; this effort extends from the Indian Ocean region, to Southeast Asia, to the Pacific.
    In May 2024, following a tragic landslide in Papua New Guinea, Quad partners collectively contributed over $5 million in humanitarian assistance. Quad partners are working together to provide over $4 million in humanitarian assistance to support the people of Vietnam in light of the devastating consequences of Typhoon Yagi. The Quad continues to support partners in the region in their longer-term resiliency efforts.
    Maritime Security
    In 2022, we announced the Indo-Pacific Partnership for Maritime Domain Awareness (IPMDA) to offer near-real-time, integrated, and cost-effective maritime domain awareness information to partners in the region. Since then, in consultation with partners, we have successfully scaled the program across the Indo-Pacific region—through the Pacific Islands Forum Fisheries Agency, with partners in Southeast Asia, to the Information Fusion Center—Indian Ocean Region, Gurugram. In doing so, the Quad has helped well over two dozen countries access dark vessel maritime domain awareness data, so they can better monitor the activities in their exclusive economic zones—including unlawful activity. Australia commits to boosting its cooperation with the Pacific Islands Forum Fisheries Agency to enhance regional maritime domain awareness in the Pacific through satellite data, training, and capacity building.
    Today we are announcing a new regional Maritime Initiative for Training in the Indo-Pacific (MAITRI), to enable our partners in the region to maximize tools provided through IPMDA and other Quad partner initiatives, to monitor and secure their waters, enforce their laws, and deter unlawful behavior. We look forward to India hosting the inaugural MAITRI workshop in 2025. Furthermore, we welcome the launch of a Quad maritime legal dialogue to support efforts to uphold the rules-based maritime order in the Indo-Pacific. In addition, Quad partners intend to layer new technology and data into IPMDA over the coming year, to continue to deliver cutting edge capability and information to the region.
    We are also announcing today that the U.S. Coast Guard, Japan Coast Guard, Australian Border Force, and Indian Coast Guard, plan to launch a first-ever Quad-at-Sea Ship Observer Mission in 2025, to improve interoperability and advance maritime safety, and continuing with further missions in future years across the Indo-Pacific.  
    We also announce today the launch of a Quad Indo-Pacific Logistics Network pilot project, to pursue shared airlift capacity among our nations and leverage our collective logistics strengths, in order to support civilian response to natural disasters more rapidly and efficiently across the Indo-Pacific region.
    Quality Infrastructure
    The Quad remains committed to improving the region’s connectivity through the development of quality, resilient infrastructure.
    We are pleased to announce the Quad Ports of the Future Partnership, which will harness the Quad’s expertise to support sustainable and resilient port infrastructure development across the Indo-Pacific, in collaboration with regional partners. In 2025, we intend to hold a Quad Regional Ports and Transportation Conference, hosted by India in Mumbai. Through this new partnership, Quad partners intend to coordinate, exchange information, share best practices with partners in the region, and leverage resources to mobilize government and private sector investments in quality port infrastructure across the Indo-Pacific region.
    We applaud the expansion of the Quad Infrastructure Fellowships to more than 2,200 experts, and note that Quad partners have already provided well over 1,300 fellowships since the initiative was announced at last year’s Summit. We also appreciate the workshop organized by the Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure in India, working to empower partners across the Indo-Pacific to strengthen power sector resilience.
    Through the Quad Partnership for Cable Connectivity and Resilience, we continue to support and strengthen quality undersea cable networks in the Indo-Pacific, the capacity, durability, and reliability of which are inextricably linked to the security and prosperity of the region and the world. In support of these efforts, Australia launched the Cable Connectivity and Resilience Centre in July, which is delivering workshops and policy and regulatory assistance in response to requests from across the region. Japan will extend technical cooperation to improve public ICT infrastructure management capacity for an undersea cable in Nauru and Kiribati. The United States has conducted over 1,300 capacity building trainings for telecommunication officials and executives from 25 countries in the Indo-Pacific; today the U.S. announces its intent, working with Congress, to invest an additional $3.4 million to extend and expand this training program.
    Investments in cable projects by Quad partners will help support all Pacific island countries in achieving primary telecommunication cable connectivity by the end of 2025. Since the last Quad Leaders’ Summit, Quad partners have committed over $140 million to undersea cable builds in the Pacific, alongside contributions from other likeminded partners. Complementing these investments in new undersea cables, India has commissioned a feasibility study to examine expansion of undersea cable maintenance and repair capabilities in the Indo-Pacific.
    We reaffirm our support for the Pacific Quality Infrastructure Principles, which are an expression of Pacific voices on infrastructure.
    We underscore our commitment to an inclusive, open, sustainable, fair, safe, reliable and secure digital future to advance our shared prosperity and sustainable development across the Indo-Pacific. In this context, we welcome the Quad Principles for Development and Deployment of Digital Public Infrastructure.
    Critical and Emerging Technologies
    Today, we are proud to announce an ambitious expansion of our partnership to deliver trusted technology solutions to the broader Indo-Pacific region.
    Last year, Quad partners launched a landmark initiative to deploy the first Open Radio Access Network (RAN) in the Pacific, in Palau, to support a secure, resilient, and interconnected telecommunications ecosystem. Since then, the Quad has pledged approximately $20 million to this effort.
    Quad partners also welcome the opportunity to explore additional Open RAN projects in Southeast Asia. We plan to expand support for ongoing Open RAN field trials and the Asia Open RAN Academy (AORA) in the Philippines, building on the initial $8 million in support that the United States and Japan pledged earlier this year. The United States also plans to invest over $7 million to support the global expansion of AORA, including through establishing a first-of-its-kind Open RAN workforce training initiative at scale in South Asia, in partnership with Indian institutions.
    Quad partners will also explore collaborating with the Tuvalu Telecommunications Corporation to ensure the country’s readiness for nationwide 5G deployment.
    We remain committed to advancing our cooperation on semiconductors through better leveraging of our complementary strengths to realize a diversified and competitive market and enhance resilience of Quad’s semiconductor supply chains. We welcome a Memorandum of Cooperation between Quad countries for the Semiconductor Supply Chains Contingency Network.
    Through the Advancing Innovations for Empowering NextGen Agriculture (AI-ENGAGE) initiative announced at last year’s Summit, our governments are deepening leading-edge collaborative research to harness artificial intelligence, robotics, and sensing to transform agricultural approaches and empower farmers across the Indo-Pacific. We are pleased to announce an inaugural $7.5+ million in funding opportunities for joint research, and welcome the recent signing of a Memorandum of Cooperation between our science agencies to connect our research communities and advance shared research principles.
    The United States, Australia, India, and Japan look forward to launching the Quad BioExplore Initiative—a funded mechanism that will support joint AI-driven exploration of diverse non-human biological data across all four countries.
    This project will also be underpinned by the forthcoming Quad Principles for Research and Development Collaborations in Critical and Emerging Technologies.
    Climate and Clean Energy
    As we underscore the severe economic, social, and environmental consequences posed by the climate crisis, we continue to work together with Indo-Pacific partners, including through Quad Climate Change Adaptation and Mitigation Package (Q-CHAMP), to enhance climate and clean energy cooperation as well as promote adaptation and resilience. We emphasize the significant benefits of transitioning to a clean energy economy for our people, our planet, and our shared prosperity. Our countries intend to strengthen our cooperation to align policies, incentives, standards, and investments around creating high-quality, diversified clean energy supply chains that will enhance our collective energy security, create new economic opportunities across the region, and benefit local workers and communities around the world, particularly across the Indo-Pacific.
    We will work together, through policy and public finance, to operationalize our commitment to catalyzing complementary and high-standard private sector investment in allied and partner clean energy supply chains. To this end, Australia will open applications for the Quad Clean Energy Supply Chains Diversification Program in November, providing AUD 50 million to support projects that develop and diversify solar panel, hydrogen electrolyzer and battery supply chains in the Indo-Pacific. India commits to invest $2 million in new solar projects in Fiji, Comoros, Madagascar, and Seychelles. Japan has committed to $122 million grants and loans in renewable energy projects in Indo-Pacific countries. The United States, through DFC, will continue to seek opportunities to mobilize private capital to solar, as well as wind, cooling, batteries, and critical minerals to expand and diversify supply chains.
    We are pleased to announce a focused Quad effort to boost energy efficiency, including the deployment and manufacturing of high-efficiency affordable, cooling systems to enable climate-vulnerable communities to adapt to rising temperatures while simultaneously reducing strain on the electricity grid.
    We jointly affirm our commitment to addressing the challenges posed by climate change and ensure the resilience and sustainability of port infrastructure. Quad partners will leverage our learning and expertise to forge a path towards sustainable and resilient port infrastructure, including through the Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure (CDRI).
    Cyber
    In the face of a deteriorating security environment in the cyber domain, Quad countries intend to enhance our cybersecurity partnership to address common threats posed by state-sponsored actors, cybercriminals, and other non-state malicious actors. Our countries commit to taking concrete steps to increase our collective network defense and advance technical capabilities through greater threat information sharing and capacity building. We plan to coordinate joint efforts to identify vulnerabilities, protect national security networks and critical infrastructure networks, and coordinate more closely including on policy responses to significant cybersecurity incidents affecting the Quad’s shared priorities.
    Quad countries are also partnering with software manufacturers, industry trade groups, and research centers to expand our commitmentto pursuing secure software development standards and certification, as endorsed in the Quad’s 2023 Secure Software Joint Principles. We will work to harmonize these standards to not only ensure that the development, procurement, and end-use of software for government networks is more secure, but that the cyber resilience of our supply chains, digital economies, and societies are collectively improved. Throughout this fall, Quad countries each plan to host campaigns to mark the annual Quad Cyber Challenge promoting responsible cyber ecosystems, public resources, and cybersecurity awareness. We are constructively engaging on the Quad Action Plan to Protect Commercial Undersea Telecommunications Cables, developed by the Quad Senior Cyber Group, as a complementary effort to the Quad Partnership for Cable Connectivity and Resilience. Our coordinated actions to protect global telecommunications infrastructure as guided by the Action Plan will advance our shared vision for future digital connectivity, global commerce, and prosperity. 
    Space
    We recognize the essential contribution of space-related applications and technologies in the Indo-Pacific. Our four countries intend to continue delivering Earth Observation data and other space-related applications to assist nations across the Indo-Pacific to strengthen climate early warning systems and better manage the impacts of extreme weather events. In this context, we welcome India’s establishment of a space-based web portal for Mauritius, to support the concept of open science for space-based monitoring of extreme weather events and climate impact.
    Quad Investors Network (QUIN)
    We welcome private sector initiatives—including the Quad Investors Network (QUIN), which facilitates investments in strategic technologies, including clean energy, semiconductors, critical minerals, and quantum. The QUIN is mobilizing a number of investments to promote supply chain resilience, advance joint research and development, commercialize new technologies, and invest in our future workforce.
    People-to-People Initiatives
    The Quad is committed to strengthening the deep and enduring ties between our people, and among our partners. Through the Quad Fellowship, we are building a network of the next generation of science, technology, and policy leaders. Together with the Institute of International Education, which leads implementation of the Quad Fellowship, Quad governments welcome the second cohort of Quad Fellows and the expansion of the program to include students from ASEAN countries for the first time. The Government of Japan is supporting the program to enable Quad Fellows to study in Japan. The Quad welcomes the generous support of private sector partners for the next cohort of fellows, including Google, the Pratt Foundation, and Western Digital.
    India is pleased to announce a new initiative to award fifty Quad scholarships, worth $500,000, to students from the Indo-Pacific to pursue a 4-year undergraduate engineering program at a Government of India-funded technical institution.
    Working Together to Address Regional and Global Issues
    Today we reaffirm our consistent and unwavering support for ASEAN centrality and unity. We continue to support implementation of the ASEAN Outlook on the Indo-Pacific (AOIP) and are committed to ensuring the Quad’s work is aligned with ASEAN’s principles and priorities.
    We underscore ASEAN’s regional leadership role, including in the East Asia Summit, the region’s premier leader-led forum for strategic dialogue, and the ASEAN Regional Forum. As comprehensive strategic partners of ASEAN, our four countries intend to continue to strengthen our respective relationships with ASEAN and seek opportunities for greater Quad collaboration in support of the AOIP.
    We recommit to working in partnership with Pacific island countries to achieve shared aspirations and address shared challenges. We reaffirm our support for Pacific regional institutions that have served the region well over many years, with the PIF as the region’s premier political and economic policy organization, and warmly welcome Tonga’s leadership as the current PIF Chair in 2024-2025. We continue to support the objectives of the 2050 Strategy for the Blue Pacific Continent. We and our governments will continue to listen to and be guided at every step by Pacific priorities, including climate action, ocean health, resilient infrastructure, maritime security and financial integrity. In particular, we acknowledge climate change remains the single greatest threat to the livelihoods, security and wellbeing of the peoples of the Pacific and applaud Pacific island countries’ global leadership on climate action.
    We remain committed to strengthening cooperation in the Indian Ocean region. We strongly support IORA as the Indian Ocean region’s premier forum for addressing the region’s challenges. We recognize India’s leadership in finalizing the IORA Outlook on the Indo-Pacific (IOIP) and express our support for its implementation. We thank Sri Lanka for its continued leadership as IORA Chair through this year and look forward to India’s assuming the IORA Chair in 2025.  
    As Leaders, we are steadfast in our conviction that international law, including respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity, and the maintenance of peace, safety, security and stability in the maritime domain, underpin the sustainable development, and prosperity of the Indo-Pacific. We emphasize the importance of adherence to international law, particularly as reflected in the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), to address challenges to the global maritime rules-based order, including with respect to maritime claims. We are seriously concerned about the situation in the East and South China Seas. We continue to express our serious concern about the militarization of disputed features, and coercive and intimidating maneuvers in the South China Sea. We condemn the dangerous use of coast guard and maritime militia vessels, including increasing use of dangerous maneuvers. We also oppose efforts to disrupt other countries’ offshore resource exploitation activities.We reaffirm that maritime disputes must be resolved peacefully and in accordance with international law, as reflected in UNCLOS. We re-emphasize the importance of maintaining and upholding freedom of navigation and overflight, other lawful uses of the sea, and unimpeded commerce consistent with international law. We re-emphasize the universal and unified character of UNCLOS and reaffirm that UNCLOS sets out the legal framework within which all activities in the oceans and the seas must be carried out. We underscore that the 2016 Arbitral Award on the South China Sea is a significant milestone and the basis for peacefully resolving disputes between the parties.
    Together, with our global and regional partners, we continue to support international institutions and initiatives that underpin global peace, prosperity and sustainable development. We reiterate our unwavering support for the UN Charter and the three pillars of the UN system. In consultation with our partners, we will work collectively to address attempts to unilaterally undermine the integrity of the UN, its Charter, and its agencies. We will reform the UN Security Council, recognizing the urgent need to make it more representative, inclusive, transparent, efficient, effective, democratic and accountable through expansion in permanent and non-permanent categories of membership of the UN Security Council. This expansion of permanent seats should include representation for Africa, Asia, Latin America and the Caribbean in a reformed Security Council.
    We stand for adherence to international law and respect for principles of the UN Charter, including territorial integrity, sovereignty of all states, and peaceful resolution of disputes. We express our deepest concern over the war raging in Ukraine including the terrible and tragic humanitarian consequences. Each of us has visited Ukraine since the war began, and seen this first-hand; we reiterate the need for a comprehensive, just, and lasting peace in line with international law, consistent with the purposes and principles of the UN Charter, including respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity. We also note the negative impacts of the war in Ukraine with regard to global food and energy security, especially for developing and least developed countries. In the context of this war, we share the view that the use, or threat of use, of nuclear weapons is unacceptable. We underscore the importance of upholding international law, and in line with the UN Charter, reiterate that all states must refrain from the threat of or use of force against the territorial integrity and sovereignty or political independence of any state.
    We condemn North Korea’s destabilizing ballistic missile launches and its continued pursuit of nuclear weapons in violation of multiple UN Security Council resolutions (UNSCRs). These launches pose a grave threat to international peace and stability. We urge North Korea to abide by all its obligations under the UNSCRs, refrain from further provocations and engage in substantive dialogue. We reaffirm our commitment to the complete denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula consistent with relevant UNSCRs and call on all countries to fully implement these UNSCRs. We stress the need to prevent any proliferation of nuclear and missile technologies related to North Korea in the region and beyond. We express our grave concern over North Korea’s use of proliferation networks, malicious cyber activity and workers abroad to fund its unlawful weapons of mass destruction and ballistic missile programs. In that context, we urge all UN Member States to abide by the relevant UNSCRs including the prohibition on the transfer to North Korea or procurement from North Korea of all arms and related materiel. We express deep concern about countries that are deepening military cooperation with North Korea, which directly undermines the global nonproliferation regime. As the mandate of the UN Panel of Experts tasked with monitoring violations of North Korea-related UNSCR sanctions was not renewed, we reiterate our commitment to continued implementation of the relevant UNSCRs which remain in full force. We reconfirm the necessity of immediate resolution of the abductions issue.
    We remain deeply concerned by the worsening political, security and humanitarian situation in Myanmar, including in Rakhine State, and again call for an immediate cessation of violence, the release of all those unjustly and arbitrarily detained, safe and unhindered humanitarian access, resolution of the crisis through constructive and inclusive dialogue among all stakeholders, and a return to the path of inclusive democracy. We reaffirm our strong support for ASEAN-led efforts, including the work of the ASEAN Chair and the Special Envoy of the ASEAN Chair on Myanmar. We call for full implementation of all commitments under the ASEAN Five-Point Consensus. The ongoing conflict and instability have serious implications for the region, including increases in transnational crime such as cybercrime, the illegal drug trade, and human trafficking. We restate our appeal to all States to prevent the flow of arms and dual-use material, including jet fuel. We remain resolute in our support for the people of Myanmar and commit to continuing to work with all stakeholders in a pragmatic and constructive way, to find a sustainable solution to the crisis in a process which is led by the people of Myanmar and returns Myanmar to the path of democracy.
    We call upon all States to contribute to the safe, peaceful, responsible, and sustainable use of outer space. We remain committed to fostering international cooperation and transparency, as well as confidence-building measures with the goal of improving the security of outer space for all States. We reaffirm the importance of upholding the existing international legal framework for outer space activities, including the Outer Space Treaty, and the obligation of all States Parties to the Treaty not to place in orbit around the Earth any objects carrying nuclear weapons or any other kinds of weapons of mass destruction, install such weapons on celestial bodies, or station such weapons in outer space in any other manner.
    The Quad reaffirms its commitment to fostering a resilient information environment including through its Countering Disinformation Working Group by supporting media freedom and addressing foreign information manipulation and interference, including disinformation, which undermines trust and sows discord in the international community. We recognize these tactics are intended to interfere with domestic and international interests, and we are committed, together with our regional partners, to leverage our collective expertise and capacity to respond. We reaffirm our commitment to respect international human rights law, strengthen civil society, support media freedom, address online harassment and abuse, including technology-facilitated gender-based violence, and counter unethical practices.
    We unequivocally condemn terrorism and violent extremism in all its forms and manifestations, including cross-border terrorism. We are committed to international cooperation and will work with our regional partners in a comprehensive and sustained manner to strengthen their capability to prevent, detect and respond to threats posed by terrorism and violent extremism, including threats posed by the use of new and emerging technologies for terrorist purposes, consistent with international law. We are committed to working together to promote accountability for the perpetrators of such terrorist attacks. We reiterate our condemnation of terrorist attacks including the 26/11 attacks in Mumbai and in Pathankot, and our commitment to pursuing designations, as appropriate, by the UN Security Council 1267 Sanctions Committee.  We welcome the constructive discussions held at the first Quad Working Group on Counter-Terrorism and the fourth tabletop exercise in Honolulu last year, and look forward to Japan hosting the next meeting and tabletop exercise in November 2024.
    We share great interest in achieving peace and stability in the Middle East. We unequivocally condemn the terror attacks on October 7, 2023. The large-scale loss of civilian lives and the humanitarian crisis in Gaza is unacceptable. We affirm the imperative of securing the release of all hostages held by Hamas, and emphasize that the deal to release hostages would bring an immediate and prolonged ceasefire in Gaza. We underscore the urgent need to significantly increase deliveries of life-saving humanitarian assistance throughout Gaza as well as the crucial need to prevent regional escalation. We urge all parties to comply with international law, including international humanitarian law, as applicable. We welcome UNSCR S/RES/2735 (2024), and strongly urge all parties concerned to work immediately and steadily toward the release of all hostages and an immediate ceasefire. We call on all parties to take every feasible step to protect the lives of civilians including aid workers, and facilitate the rapid, safe and unimpeded humanitarian relief to civilians. We also encourage other countries, including those in the Indo-Pacific, to increase their support in order to address the dire humanitarian need on the ground. We underscore that the future recovery and reconstruction of Gaza should be supported by the international community. We remain committed to a sovereign, viable and independent Palestinian state taking into account Israel’s legitimate security concerns as part of a two-state solution that enables both Israelis and Palestinians to live in a just, lasting, and secure peace. Any unilateral actions that undermine the prospect of a two-state solution, including Israeli expansion of settlements and violent extremism on all sides, must end. We underscore the need to prevent the conflict from escalating and spilling over in the region.
    We condemn the ongoing attacks perpetrated by the Houthis and their supporters against international and commercial vessels transiting through the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden, which are destabilizing the region and impeding navigational rights and freedoms and trade flows, and jeopardize the safety of vessels and people on board including sailors.
    We reaffirm our commitment to the implementation of the 2030 Agenda and the achievement of its Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). We underscore the importance of achieving the SDGs in a comprehensive manner without selectively prioritizing a narrow set of such goals, and reaffirm that the UN has a central role in supporting countries in their implementation. With six years left, we remain steadfast in our commitment to the full implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and accelerating progress toward all the SDGs in a comprehensive manner that is balanced across three dimensions – economic, social and environmental. From global health to sustainable development and climate change, the global community benefits when all stakeholders have the opportunity to contribute to addressing these challenges. We affirm our commitment to contributing to and implementing the Women, Peace and Security (WPS) Agenda and to achieving gender equality and the empowerment of all women and girls. We underscore our commitment to strongly engaging constructively in the discussion on advancing sustainable development, including at the Summit of the Future. The Quad continues to realize a safe and secure world where human rights and human dignity are protected, based on the central premise of the SDGs: “Leave no one behind.”
    We, the Quad Leaders, remain dedicated to working in partnership with Indo-Pacific countries in deciding our future and shaping the region we all want to live in.
    Enduring Partners for the Indo-Pacific
    Over the past four years, Quad Leaders have met together six times, including twice virtually, and Quad Foreign Ministers have met eight times in the last five years. Quad country representatives meet together on a regular basis, at all levels, including among ambassadors across the four countries’ extensive diplomatic networks, to consult one another, exchange ideas to advance shared priorities, and deliver benefits with and for partners across the Indo-Pacific region. We welcome our Commerce and Industry ministers preparing to meet for the first time in the coming months. We also welcome the leaders of our Development Finance Institutions and Agencies deciding to meet to explore future investments by the four countries in the Indo-Pacific. Altogether, our four countries are cooperating at an unprecedented pace and scale.
    Each of our governments has committed to working through our respective budgetary processes to secure robust funding for Quad priorities in the Indo-Pacific region to ensure an enduring impact. We intend to work with our legislatures to deepen interparliamentary exchanges, and encourage other stakeholders to deepen engagement with Quad counterparts.
    We look forward to the next Quad Foreign Ministers’ meeting hosted by the United States in 2025, and the next Quad Leaders’ Summit hosted by India in 2025. The Quad is here to stay.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Xi stresses imperative to give full play to CPPCC’s political strengths

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

    BEIJING, Sept. 21 — The Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC) and the National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) convened a grand gathering to celebrate the 75th anniversary of the founding of the CPPCC. The event took place in the auditorium of the National Committee of the CPPCC on the morning of September 20. Xi Jinping, general secretary of the CPC Central Committee, Chinese president, and chairman of the Central Military Commission, attended the conference and delivered an important address. Xi underscored the imperative of having greater confidence in the path, theory, system, and culture, giving full play to the salient political strengths of the CPPCC in advancing the whole-process people’s democracy, and continuously consolidating and fostering a vibrant, stable and united political landscape.

    Li Qiang, Zhao Leji, Cai Qi, Ding Xuexiang and Li Xi, who are members of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee, and Vice President Han Zheng, attended the conference. Wang Huning, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and chairman of the National Committee of the CPPCC, chaired the conference.

    The conference commenced with the majestic national anthem. Xi delivered an important speech. He pointed out that the practice in the past 75 years has fully demonstrated that the CPPCC stands as a remarkable achievement the CPC has made in adapting the united front theory, political party theory, and democratic politics theory of Marxism-Leninism to China’s realities and to the best of its traditional culture. The CPPCC is a great invention by the CPC leading other political parties, personages without party affiliation, people’s organizations and people from all walks of life and all ethnic groups in the development of China’s political system. It has a profound cultural, theoretical and practical foundation, distinct Chinese characteristics and significant political strengths. It is a scientific and effective institutional arrangement, and has distinctive political value unique in the development of the political systems of mankind.

    Xi stressed that since the 18th CPC National Congress in 2012, we have adapted to the situation and tasks of socialism with Chinese characteristics in the new era, promoted innovation in theories on the development of the CPPCC based on practice, and constantly deepened the understanding of how the CPPCC should function and develop. The fundamental principles are as follows: the Party’s overall leadership over the CPPCC must be upheld, the nature of the CPPCC must remain unchanged, the role of the CPPCC as a specialized consultative body must be given full play, China’s new socialist political party system must be adhered to and improved, great unity and alliance must be maintained, strengthening ideological and political guidance and building a broad consensus must be taken as the central link, the central tasks of the Party and the country must be the focus when the CPPCC performs its duties, serving the people must be what the CPPCC pursues, the responsibilities of its members must be strengthened, and the CPPCC’s capacity for performing its duties must be built in the spirit of reform and innovation. These 10 principles constitute our Party’s important thinking on strengthening and improving the work of the CPPCC, Xi said. They epitomize the experience the CPPCC has accumulated in its development in the past 75 years, especially since the beginning of the new era, and are fundamental guidelines for the CPPCC’s work on the new journey in the new era. They must be implemented in a complete, accurate and comprehensive manner, and continue to be enriched and developed in practice.

    Xi pointed out that consultative democracy is an important component of the whole-process people’s democracy, a unique form and distinctive advantage of China’s socialist democratic politics, and an important embodiment of the Party’s mass line in the political sphere. On the new journey in the new era, we must adhere to the correct political direction, improve the system of consultative democracy in an integrated manner, make efforts to improve the mechanism of consultative democracy, continuously expand the methods and platforms of consultation, and actively create a good atmosphere and favorable conditions so as to promote extensive, multilevel, and institutionalized development of consultative democracy.

    Xi noted that, on the new journey in the new era, the CPPCC should carry forward its fine traditions, shoulder its political responsibilities, ensure the integration of Party leadership, the united front, and consultative democracy, and give full play to the role of a specialized consultative body, so as to rally the people’s support, build consensus, draw on collective wisdom, and pool strengths for advancing Chinese modernization.

    Xi pointed out that upholding and developing socialism with Chinese characteristics is the linchpin of consolidating the common ideological and political foundation, and the Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era is the general guideline for the work of the CPPCC. The CPPCC must have a thorough understanding of the distinct political attributes of its system and its organizations, thoroughly study and implement the Party’s innovative theories, constantly consolidate the common ideological and political foundation for unity and hard work, and do its work well for promoting political unity and cooperation, common ideological progress, and concerted action among all political parties, organizations, and people of all ethnic groups and from all walks of life.

    Xi stressed that the CPPCC should leverage well its strengths in gathering talent and pooling wisdom, and further advance consultation and deliberation on state affairs with focus on major, challenging and hotspot issues concerning advancing Chinese modernization, further comprehensively deepening reform, promoting high-quality development and safeguarding social harmony and stability. He said that the CPPCC should also give full play to its strengths in consultative oversight, and help ensure that the Party and the state’s major decisions and plans deliver substantially.

    Xi noted that the CPPCC should improve its working mechanism that propels the role of the united front in rallying the people’s support and pooling strengths. He said the CPPCC should strengthen the political guidance on intellectuals who are not Party members, those working in the non-public sector, people from emerging social groups and those from the religious sector, extensively unite and stay engaged with overseas Chinese, and expand the convergence of interests in building a strong country and the rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.

    Xi stressed that it is imperative to improve the working institutions and mechanisms of the CPPCC, and strengthen the coordination and cooperation between its consultation and other forms of consultation. It is essential to refine the mechanisms under which in-depth consultations and interactions are conducted, opinions are fully expressed, and broad consensus is built. It is equally important to strengthen the building of mechanisms under which the CPPCC can know better about social realities and public opinions, and stay engaged with and serve the people. The CPPCC should do more work to know more about people’s actual conditions, address their concerns and make them feel that we do care about them.

    Xi pointed out that building a team of CPPCC members who have profound understanding of the CPPCC, are adept at political consultation and discussion of state affairs, and abide by discipline, value norms and moral integrity, is an important guarantee for the CPPCC to perform its duties in high quality. All CPPCC members should cherish their political identity, temper their political morals, improve their capability to do political work, and have a stronger sense of mission and responsibility so that they can devote themselves to the practical work of pooling collective wisdom and strength, consulting on decision-making, consultative democracy and national governance.

    Xi emphasized that CPC committees at all levels should strengthen the leadership over the work of the CPPCC and support the CPPCC in performing its duties. The leading Party members group of the CPPCC National Committee should play a leading role in commanding the direction, managing the overall situation, and ensuring implementation of related policies, and improve and implement the organizational system and institutional mechanism for the CPC’s leadership over the work of the CPPCC. With the progress of the CPC’s political work as guide, it is imperative to promote the CPPCC’s Party building in a comprehensive way so that a clean political ecology will be created for the CPPCC to perform its duties well.

    Presiding over the meeting, Wang Huning pointed out that in his important speech, General Secretary Xi Jinping spoke highly of the historical contribution of the CPPCC, profoundly expounded on the CPPCC’s distinct Chinese characteristics and significant political strengths, put forward clear requirements for continuously promoting extensive, multilevel, and institutionalized development of consultative democracy, and made comprehensive arrangements for the work of the CPPCC at present and in the future. The speech has pointed out the direction forward and provided fundamental guidelines for the high-quality development of the CPPCC work on the new journey in the new era. The speech is insightful and in depth, has rich connotations and is of political, ideological, and guiding significance. It is essential for us to earnestly study and implement the essence of the speech, Wang said. It is imperative to thoroughly study, comprehend and implement General Secretary Xi Jinping’s important thinking on strengthening and improving the work of the CPPCC, understand the decisive significance of the “Two Establishments,” consciously act on the “Two Upholds,” and guarantee the integration of the Party’s leadership, the united front, and consultative democracy, striving to make new contributions to the development of the Party and the country.

    Those present at the meeting included members of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee in Beijing, members of the CPC Central Committee Secretariat, some vice chairpersons of the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress, state councilors, the president of the Supreme People’s Court, the procurator-general of the Supreme People’s Procuratorate, vice chairpersons of the National Committee of the CPPCC, and former leading officials of the CPPCC National Committee who have retired.

    Approximately 800 attendees were present at the meeting, including the leading officials from relevant central Party and state departments, and relevant people’s organizations and units, leaders of the other political parties’ central committees and the All-China Federation of Industry and Commerce, and personages without party affiliation, members of the Standing Committee of the CPPCC National Committee in Beijing as well as representatives of relevant sectors.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: China’s accessible high-level manufacturing a new magnet for global investors

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

    HEFEI, Sept. 21 — Eyeing opportunities emerging from the opening-up and upgrading of China’s manufacturing sector, multinational companies gathered at a conference on Friday that was held as part of the ongoing 2024 World Manufacturing Convention in Hefei, the capital of east China’s Anhui Province.

    Their discussions focused on how the country’s advancements in manufacturing are opening doors for enhanced global cooperation and investment, signaling the industry’s growing appeal to international investors.

    The conference was a key event at the convention, attracting 178 political and business leaders from 19 countries and regions, including representatives of 92 Fortune 500 and multinational companies.

    “The coordinated digital and green transformation of traditional manufacturing is an inherent requirement for the development of new quality productive forces, and it has created new advantages for China’s high-quality economic growth. This new model aligns closely with Honeywell’s strategic objectives,” William Yu, president of Honeywell China, said at the conference.

    With over 50 years of expertise in industrial automation, the U.S. multinational has steadily increased its investment in China in recent years. Its focus spans key sectors such as automation, energy transformation and aviation.

    In July, Honeywell China signed a strategic cooperation agreement with BBCA Group to develop sustainable aviation fuel and other initiatives in the city of Bengbu in Anhui, aiming to support green and low-carbon development.

    Honeywell is among a growing number of foreign companies expanding their investment in the world’s second-largest economy, driven by rising optimism about China’s economic outlook and recognition of the high-level opening-up of its manufacturing sector.

    According to China’s Ministry of Commerce, a total of 36,968 new foreign-invested firms were established across China in the first eight months of 2024 — an increase of 11.5 percent year on year.

    During the period, foreign direct investment (FDI) in the Chinese mainland, in actual use, totaled 580.2 billion yuan (about 82.1 billion U.S. dollars). The high-tech manufacturing sector attracted 12.4 percent, or 72.1 billion yuan, of the total FDI inflow, which was up 1.9 percentage points from the same period last year.

    Additionally, China’s top economic planner announced earlier this month that restrictions on foreign investment in the manufacturing sector would be lifted.

    “This policy not only demonstrates China’s positive willingness to expand international cooperation but also boosts the confidence of foreign-funded enterprises in continuously deepening their presence in the Chinese market,” said Tamai Takeshi, deputy general manager of Mitsubishi Electric (China) Co., Ltd.

    As China accelerates its development of new quality productive forces and sustainable manufacturing, foreign enterprises are increasingly viewing these advancements as tangible opportunities. And integrating into China’s manufacturing upgrade has become a trend among international investors.

    “The Chinese market is developing at its own drumbeat. With a strong focus on the needs of the Chinese customers, Volkswagen is going for 100 percent ‘in China for China’ through a fully fledged local R&D center and strong local partnerships,” said Thomas Ulbrich, chief technology officer of Volkswagen Group China.

    By streamlining its R&D processes and granting more local decision-making authority, Volkswagen aims to reduce its time-to-market by 30 percent, Ulbrich said, speaking about the company’s development plans for the Chinese market over the next few years at the conference.

    According to the German Chamber’s Innovation Report 2024, which was released this month, German companies in China are doubling down on their localization of innovation to increase competitiveness and utilize China as an innovation hub for global markets to a greater extent.

    “German companies are investing in local innovation and strategic partnerships with customers and suppliers to stay competitive in an intense and dynamic market environment,” said Martin Klose, executive director and board member of the German Chamber of Commerce in South & Southwest China.

    “Foreign investment in China’s emerging industries will promote the cross-border flow of capital, talent and technology, as well as international exchange in science and technology. This will help foster deeper open and innovative ecosystems in China, unlocking the country’s economic development potential further,” said Liu Qiao, dean of the Guanghua School of Management at Peking University.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: China’s space medicine progress to contribute to future space exploration

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

    HANGZHOU, Sept. 21 — China’s space station has gained initial results in the field of space medicine that will contribute to future manned lunar landings and other deep space exploration missions, according to the Second Frontier Forum of Space Medicine that opened on Saturday in Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province in east China.

    During the two-day forum, experts and scholars will exchange cutting-edge theories and share development trends in space medicine, and discuss major topics such as extraterrestrial survival insurance for astronauts on deep space exploration missions.

    “The technical support of space medicine is an indispensable part of the application and development stage of China’s space station, and of the implementation of a manned lunar landing mission, both of which have ushered in new opportunities for the development of space medicine,” Yang Liwei, deputy chief designer of China’s manned space program and China’s first taikonaut, said at the opening ceremony.

    Space medicine plays an important role in promoting public health. It provides theoretical support and a technical platform for research on cardiovascular and musculoskeletal systems, human aging, and drug protection and screening.

    “We will continue to improve our in-orbit protection capabilities and build technical reserves for manned deep space exploration missions,” said Li Yinghui, a researcher at the China Astronaut Research and Training Center.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: UPDATE 2: Unified Command Continues to Coordinate the Recovery of Diesel Fuel in Marina del Rey, California

    Source: United States Coast Guard

    U.S. Coast Guard sent this bulletin at 09/21/2024 08:15 PM EDT

     

    09/21/2024 07:51 PM EDT

    SAN PEDRO, Calif. — The Unified Command continues to coordinate the recovery of diesel fuel and reports no active sheening after a 105-foot yacht caught fire in Marina del Rey.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Serious crash at Bass Highway, Exton

    Source: Tasmania Police

    Serious crash at Bass Highway, Exton

    Sunday, 22 September 2024 – 10:00 am.

    Police and emergency services responded to reports of a serious three-vehicle traffic crash on the Bass Highway at Exton about 9.30pm last night.
    Preliminary investigations indicate that a Black MG was travelling west on the Bass Highway when it veered into the east bound lane before colliding with a silver Mazda Tribute and causing a black Toyota 86 to collide with the rear of the Mazda.
    The passenger of the MG was treated by paramedics at the scene for serious leg injuries before being taken to the Launceston General Hospital. They were later transferred to the Royal Hobart Hospital for further treatment.
    The driver of the MG, the driver and passenger of the Toyota and the driver of the Mazda were all taken to the Launceston General Hospital with minor injuries.
    The Bass Highway was closed for about two and a half hours to allow emergency services to examine the scene and conduct inquiries.
    Police would like to thank motorists for their patience and understanding.
    Anyone who witnessed the crash or has dashcam footage is asked to contact Deloraine Police on 131 444 or Crime Stoppers Tasmania on 1800 333 000 or at crimestopperstas.com.au. Information can be provided anonymously. Please quote ESCAD:388-21092024.

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Silk Road int’l cultural expo participants call for cooperation, dialogue

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

    LANZHOU, Sept. 21 — More than 800 representatives from 50 countries, regions and international organizations have gathered at the 7th Silk Road (Dunhuang) International Cultural Expo, which kicked off on Saturday in Dunhuang, a key hub on the ancient Silk Road in northwest China.

    The expo will run for two days, featuring varied activities such as forums, cultural exhibitions and artistic performances to showcase China’s culture and promote dialogue on global cultural cooperation.

    This is the third time that Shahbaz Khan, director of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) regional office for East Asia, has represented his organization at the event. He noted that Dunhuang has become a major stage for cultural exchange to revitalize the Silk Road.

    Dialogue between civilizations has become increasingly important as the world faces diverse challenges to peace and sustainable development, he said.

    Participants said that exchange and mutual learning between civilizations help boost mutual trust and inclusiveness among people of all countries, and promote world peace and development.

    Fernando Lugris, Uruguayan ambassador to China, said that Uruguay was the first country in the Southern Common Market (Mercosur) to sign a memorandum of understanding on the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) with China.

    All parties should adhere to multilateralism to safeguard global peace, development, prosperity and modernization, he said, calling for strengthened cooperation within the framework of the BRI.

    The expo was first held in 2016.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: China, Türkiye explore deeper ties at forum in Istanbul

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

    ISTANBUL, Sept. 21 — China and Türkiye explored avenues for deeper cooperation at a forum in Istanbul, as both nations seek to strengthen their strategic partnership.

    The fifth China-Türkiye Communications Forum, held on Friday and attended by nearly 100 participants from various sectors, focused on reform and opening up to create new opportunities.

    Liu Dawei, deputy director of China International Communications Group (CICG), highlighted the shared cultural heritage and development goals of the two “Global South” nations.

    “We’re committed to enhancing China-Türkiye relations through cultural exchange,” Liu said.

    Liu Shaobin, Chinese ambassador to Türkiye, pointed out that China has shown a strong and consistent willingness to expand its high-level openness. “This will create new opportunities for Türkiye,” Liu said, stressing China’s willingness to strengthen political trust and deepen cooperation.

    Türkiye’s Deputy Minister of Transportation and Infrastructure Osman Boyraz emphasized his country’s strategic position linking Asia and Europe. “Türkiye and China will collaborate to deepen cooperation in trade, culture, and technology,” Boyraz said.

    Sinan Koksal, head of brand and marketing at Turkuvaz Media Group, noted the forum’s role in fostering mutual understanding. He highlighted potential synergies between Türkiye’s Middle Corridor Project and China’s Belt and Road Initiative.

    Experts at the forum agreed on the importance of sharing experiences in modernization and promoting dialogue across various fields.

    The forum featured a Chinese book exhibition on governance and cooperation.

    The forum was co-hosted by the CICG, the Chinese Embassy in Türkiye, the Chinese Consulate General in Istanbul, and Türkiye’s Turkuvaz Media Group.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Deputy Secretary-General’s remarks at the Closing Session of the 2nd Summit of the Future Action Day [as prepared for delivery]

    Source: United Nations secretary general

    H.E Ms. Mia Motley, Prime Minister of Barbados
    H.E Mr. Nangolo Mbumba  President of Namibia
    President of the General Assembly,
    Excellencies,
    Dear friends,

    Thank you all for your work and contributions.

    These Action Days have showcased the power of inclusive and networked multilateralism.

    They have demonstrated the potential and power of partnership. 

    They have reminded us of the immense potential of collaboration – of what we can achieve when we come together, united in purpose, across sectors, generations, and continents.

    And your diverse contributions reflect the richness of what can be achieved when everyone is brought to the table in an inclusive dialogue.

    Yesterday, youth-led conversations forced us to face our collective responsibilities to deal with present challenges and in doing so, take action also to secure a brighter future.

    They showed what meaningful youth engagement looks like in action; and underscored the indispensable role young people play in improving our world, and bringing and informing concrete solutions.

    Today, we focused on the core issues to be resolved to allow financing to flow for sustainable development – climate finance, taxes, debt.  We also addressed the need to take profit of the potential of technology while managing its risks, and to bring peace to a more complex and interconnected world.

    The discussions throughout the day have explored innovative tax cooperation schemes, solutions to global debt challenges, options for the expansion of climate financing and for increased representation of developing countries in the global financial architecture.

    The relevance of intergenerational approaches, dismantling patriarchal power structures and putting young people at the forefront of discussions about the future featured strongly in the conversations under the Peace and Security Pillar.

    You have also spoken about putting an end to terrorism, protecting civilians in armed conflict, and addressing new and emerging threats, including in the digital sphere.  And you have insisted that a secure future depends on our ability to build trust, solidarity, and collective action.

    Finally, we heard how cutting-edge technology solutions like satellite internet, blockchain, and artificial intelligence are advancing the SDGs, yet much work needs to be done to bridge the digital divide. Personal stories from women and girls across Africa, the Caribbean, and Latin America demonstrate what is possible by scaling-up access and capacities around digital technologies. 

    All this while bearing in mind our responsibility toward future generations – the 10 billion people who will inhabit our planet by the end of this century.

    What I can promise you is that we will carry your insights and ideas forward to the Summit of the Future – starting tomorrow.

    Because your input is central to building a better world.

    Friends,

    Four years ago, we began the process that brings us here today.

    The Secretary-General called for a more inclusive and networked multilateral system to increase our collective effectiveness.

    This call was rooted in a recognition of how the world was changing:

    In the fact that the power and the ideas to solve global problems lies in many different hands.

    And in the fact that our world is in desperate need of transformation.

    Changes that will allow us to accelerate action to deliver the promised of the Sustainable Development Goals.

    To achieve the SDGs, countries will need to invest.

    So we must wrestle with our financial architecture that is no longer fit for purpose.

    We need to take this opportunity to pivot.

    Since this process began, the United Nations has provided a platform for the broadest possible engagement, inclusion and collaboration.

    And you have responded – putting forward ideas, announcements, initiatives and coalitions.

    Countless civil society networks and groups, including the Major Groups and Other Stakeholders and the Impact Coalitions from the UN Civil Society Conference, have all been mobilized, heard, and have shaped outcome of the Summit of the Future.

    All of you – and the constituencies you represent – have participated in every step of the process in different formats.

    You have pushed for ambition in the three new texts we are hopeful Member States will soon adopt – the Pact for the Future, the Global Digital Compact, and the Declaration on Future Generations.

    Over these past two days alone, over 8,000 individuals came to the UN Headquarters.

    More than 60 events took place inside the UN with an additional 100 more across New York and a further 30 around the world.

    In short: the UN made the call for inclusive multilateralism and you have delivered.

    For that, I thank you sincerely.

    And I ask you to keep it up.
     
    We need your continued drive, engagement, commitment and pressure, to implement the new texts and hold us to account. 

    You have proven time and again that you are willing to work together with governments, the United Nations and all other actors to build a better world.

    And it is essential that we continue: that we keep strengthening the dialogue between political decision-makers and the whole of civil society within the multilateral system.

    This is vital to rebuilding trust and hope, and restoring legitimacy to international institutions, ensuring that global decisions reflect the concerns, values, and experiences of people worldwide.

    And, above all, to demonstrating that multilateralism can deliver for everyone – everywhere – and it can leave no one behind, and to shape a better future.

    Let’s keep working together to make that a reality.

    Thank you.

    ***
     

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Action taken on sale of nitrous oxide for recreation

    Source: New Zealand Government

    Health Minister Dr Shane Reti says urgent action is being taken to restrict the sale of nitrous oxide and welcomes new advice from Medsafe highlighting tougher penalties if sold for recreational purposes.

     “Nitrous oxide has several legitimate uses, but we also know it is increasingly being used as a recreational drug,” says Dr Reti. 

     “Smokefree enforcement officers have even reported seeing nitrous oxide products – nangs – for sale in vape stores. This is extremely concerning.

     “Given the significant risks and the potential for long-term damage, and a number of overlapping portfolios in this area, last month I requested officials look at options on the Government’s behalf to address it.

     “Last week, I received advice from the Ministry of Health about a change in approach that would clarify the law for suppliers and users of nitrous oxide. This will enable Police to prosecute the sale and use of nitrous oxide for recreational use.” 

     Whereas nitrous oxide had been considered under the Medicines Act 1981, Medsafe now advises that when it’s sold primarily for the purpose of inducing a psychoactive effect, the Psychoactive Substances Act 2013 applies.

     No products containing nitrous oxide have been approved for use under the Psychoactive Substances Act, making it illegal to sell nitrous oxide or products containing nitrous oxide for recreational use. A breach of this regulation is punishable by either prison time or a fine. 

     “The proliferation of nangs – particularly targeted at our young people – is a significant public health issue with potentially serious consequences. 

     “Police and health professionals have reported recreational use of nitrous oxide is on the rise, a trend seen in other countries like Australia and the UK. 

     “This reinforces the gravity of the situation and the need for swift action. This cannot continue. 

     “I have directed the Ministry of Health to monitor the effectiveness of this change and provide ongoing advice about whether further restrictions are necessary to keep New Zealanders safe,” Dr Reti says.

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Statement by President Joe  Biden on the Passing of Thomas  Bell

    US Senate News:

    Source: The White House
    Scranton, Pennsylvania is a place that climbs into your heart and never leaves. It’s home. It’s that special place etched in your heart.
    I was born there. Even after my family moved to Claymont, Delaware as my dad found work, we’d return to our old Green Ridge neighborhood in Scranton and spend time with our friends, Charlie Roth, Larry Orr, and Tommy Bell.
    Tommy and I lived three blocks apart. We sat next to each other during grade school at St. Paul’s. From swinging on branches to running by the river, Tommy was the friend with the special heart, who would always lighten your heart. Over the next 70 years, he was the best friend at weddings, funerals, campaign rallies, and so many memories. You could always count on Tommy, and I hope he knew he could always count of me.
    Tommy became an insurance agent. He served in the National Guard. He and his of wife of 51 years, Ellen, raised their four children in Scranton. They became my family.
    In building their great American life, Tommy took genuine pride in the success of his family, community, and our nation. He returned love with boundless loyalty. He was a man of honor, decency, and grace. A man of utmost character.
    Tommy embodied a simple truth about our nation. There is nothing ordinary about being an American. We are extraordinary. Tommy was extraordinary.
    It’s as if William Butler Yeats had Tommy in mind when he wrote, “Think where man’s glory most begins and ends and say my glory was I had such friends.”
    Tommy Bell was such a friend. I will miss him dearly. Jill and I and our entire family send our prayers to Ellen, their children and grandchildren, and the entire Bell family.
    May God bless Tommy Bell, a great American, and a good man.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Readout of the Secretary-General’s meeting with H.E. Mr. Frederick Makamure Shava, Minister for Foreign Affairs and International Trade of the Republic of Zimbabwe

    Source: United Nations secretary general

    The Secretary-General met with H.E. Mr. Frederick Makamure Shava, Minister for Foreign Affairs and International Trade of the Republic of Zimbabwe. The Secretary-General and the Foreign Minister discussed the pressing need for addressing the climate crisis, including the adverse impact of El Niño in Zimbabwe and Southern Afric

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Deputy Secretary-General’s remarks at the accelerating spotlight initiative’s high-impact effort to end violence against women and girls [as prepared for delivery]

    Source: United Nations secretary general

    Excellencies, Colleagues and friends,

    It is a pleasure to join you today. And I thank the governments of Belgium, Ecuador and Sierra Leone, as well as the European Union, and the World Bank for co-sponsoring this important event. And for your invaluable partnership with Spotlight Initiative.

    I am also immensely grateful to the Spotlight Initiative Global Civil Society Reference Group: for their co-sponsorship, for shaping the Initiative, and for holding us to account.  

    Excellencies, friends

    A determination to put an end to violence against women and girls brings us together here today.

    A brief look at the global news agenda shows the urgency of our task.

    In recent weeks we have heard harrowing reports: of an Olympic athlete violently murdered in Kenya; a young doctor raped and killed at work in India; and a mother and her two daughters, assassinated in the UK, in their own home by a man wielding a crossbow.  

    These horrors have shocked the world.

    But in reality they are just a tiny fraction of the violence women and girls face every day.

    Every 11 minutes a woman is killed by a partner or family member. And a staggering one in three women and girls are deprived of their most basic human right: the right to live free from fear and violence.   Our communities are robbed of their enormous potential and contributions as a result.

    Today, I ask you to imagine what we could achieve in a world that was free of gender-based violence. A world where women and girls thrive as equal partners in every aspect of society. And then let’s ask ourselves: how can we get there?

    We know we need stronger political leadership and greater investments to meet the scale and severity of the problem globally. And we know we need a whole-of-society approach that encompasses the social, cultural and environmental dimensions to effect sustainable change.

    As a High-Impact Initiative of the United Nations, Spotlight Initiative is doing just that. The final evaluation of its first phase found that the Initiative achieved “notable results” and expanded national ownership, including by elevating civil society as decision-makers.

    Its ambitious, comprehensive model drives progress across every SDG: The initiative has provided critical health services to nearly 100,000 women and girls in hard-to-reach communities in Mozambique; and supported 4,000 young people to return to school in Malawi. In Vanuatu, 5,000 women are now part of a collective that mitigates the impact of natural disasters and the climate crisis.  

    That is all while the Initiative has prevented 21 million women and girls from experiencing violence globally.

    By convening the United Nations system, governments, civil society and the private sector the Initiative has been up to 90 per cent more effective at reducing violence than siloed interventions.

    In its first phase, the overall conviction rate for gender-based violence doubled across 13 Spotlight Initiative countries. Close to 3 million women and girls accessed gender-based violence services, including medical care, legal services, counselling and long-term recovery services. And nearly 6 million men and boys were educated on positive masculinity, respectful family relationships and non-violent conflict resolution.

    But Spotlight Initiative and other partners need more funding to do their work. They need flexible contributions that allow teams to respond and adapt, even as they deal with the increasing threats of instability, conflict, climate change and humanitarian crises.

    When we launched the Spotlight Initiative in 2017, it was with the bold leadership and support of the European Union, which provided more than $500 million in seed funding.    And partners including Belgium, the Netherlands and the United States have recently made welcome contributions. Now, we need to build on these investments to deliver on the Sustainable Development Agenda, including ending violence against women and girls.

    So, today I ask for your support in funding our $1 billion investment goal. This will support the expansion of Spotlight Initiative’s comprehensive model to reach 60 countries by 2030, preventing violence for more than 70 million women and girls.

    I urge all partners in the room and watching online around the world, to do everything in your power to end the scourge of gender-based violence.

    Together, we can – and we must – create a world where every woman and girl lives in safety and dignity.

    Thank you.

    ***

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Chinese desert fruit export delivers new taste to Southeast Asia

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

    HOHHOT, Sept. 21 — While durians from Thailand and Malaysia, bananas from the Philippines and passion fruit from Vietnam are well-received by Chinese consumers, a Chinese desert fruit is also making its way to Southeast Asian countries.

    Cold-chain trucks shuttle in orchards in Horqin Sandy Land, a vast swathe of desertified area in north China’s Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, to load and transport fresh crabapples, newly picked in local orchards, to coastal ports for export to southeast Asian countries.

    Teng Dayong, a fruit farmer in Horqin Left Wing Middle Banner (county) in the city of Tongliao, Inner Mongolia, manages a 190-mu (about 12.67 hectares) crabapple orchard in this area.

    He said his fruit trees are going to produce 2,000 kilograms of crabapples per mu this year, earning him a net income of 10,000 yuan (1,418 U.S. dollars) per mu.

    “Nearly half of the fruit from my orchard has been ordered for export to Southeast Asia,” said Teng.

    The little chubby red fruit grown in the inland area is transported by trucks to Chinese ports such as Dalian for marine shipping. It is expected to appear on the shelves of supermarkets in Malaysia, the Philippines and Thailand after ten days of cold-chain transport.

    Horqin Sandy Land is one of China’s largest sandy areas, stretching over 77.6 million mu and straddling three Chinese provincial-level regions, namely Inner Mongolia, Jilin and Liaoning.

    Aoserji, director of the forestry and grassland administration in the county, said that decades ago, locals had planted poplar trees to serve as shields against sand. However, these trees consumed a lot of water and offered poor economic benefits.

    The forestry and grassland academy in Tongliao later developed a crabapple variety that serves both ecological and economic purposes, said Aoserji.

    Nowadays, farmers are keen to grow the variety, which is sweet and nutritious, and cold-resistant and drought-tolerant, he explained.

    Located in the hinterland of Horqin Sandy Land, the city of Tongliao now boasts 350,000 mu of crabapple trees, achieving an annual output of more than 100,000 tonnes, while the output value is close to 500 million yuan.

    This year, fruit farmer Teng has partnered with a Malaysian Chinese to set up a fruit packing and export company. The partner, Zeny Yong, has ordered crabapples from Teng for several years.

    Kailu County in Tongliao has recorded an export volume of more than 100 tonnes of crabapples a year, and exports this fruit to a number of countries including Thailand, Malaysia and the United Arab Emirates.

    The county has built a cold storage facility capable of storing 1,000 tonnes of this fruit, thereby keeping it fresh until April and May the following year for export.

    MIL OSI China News –