Category: Economy

  • MIL-OSI: Fijoya Selects the Tendo Marketplace to Offer Modular, Cost-Effective Employee Health Benefits

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    PHILADELPHIA, Sept. 23, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Tendo announced today a new partnership with Fijoya, a leading employee benefits platform. This collaboration combines Tendo’s Marketplace with Fijoya’s end-to-end modular solution, streamlining healthcare for providers and employees seeking care. The integration simplifies administration and delivers a value-focused solution for employers by combining quality, convenience, and affordability.

    Fijoya’s platform consolidates thousands of health and wellness benefits into a single, user-friendly solution. By incorporating Tendo’s Care Connect Marketplace, Fijoya will enhance employee experiences with transparent, predictable pricing for healthcare services. Employees can now purchase and schedule care with all-in pricing, reducing the complexity of navigating healthcare.

    “Joining forces with Tendo allows us to further streamline healthcare for employers,” said Sagi Polani, co-founder and Chief Product Officer at Fijoya. “Together, we’re delivering transparent, cost-effective solutions that benefit employers and their workforces.”

    The Tendo Care Connect Marketplace offers guaranteed, fully bundled rates, streamlining direct contracting for episodes of care. These pre-negotiated contracts provide employers with 20-40% savings on healthcare services, helping them reduce overall healthcare expenses while offering robust benefits options. Care Connect offers a broad range of services across hospitals, surgery centers, imaging, PT, and labs spanning 30+ specialties as a one stop shop.

    “This partnership helps employers enhance their benefits by providing easy access to high-quality, convenient, and affordable healthcare in a simplified shoppable experience,” said Ben Maisano, SVP, Head of Strategy at Tendo.

    About Tendo

    Tendo, a software company recognized as one of Forbes America’s Best Startup Employers for 2024, is reimagining what is possible in healthcare.

    Founded by siblings Dan Goldsmith and Jennifer Goldsmith, the company works with leading health systems to deliver exceptional patient experiences, better clinical outcomes, and greater efficiency for patients, clinicians, and caregivers. Tendo’s solutions bring continuity to healthcare’s complex and disconnected landscape and insights to improve quality, health, and financial outcomes. With the recent acquisition of MDsave, Tendo is now able to offer patients a comprehensive platform to easily search, schedule, pay for, and manage healthcare services with transparent pricing. Learn more at www.tendo.com and www.mdsave.com.

    About Fijoya

    Fijoya is an employee health benefits platform designed to free employers from vendor fatigue with a modular, end-to-end solution for cost-effective and attractive benefits. The platform consolidates thousands of health and wellness benefits into a single, easily-customizable platform, reducing the need for multiple vendor contracts. Fijoya provides flexibility and zero administration, offering both existing and new benefits through a plug-and-play solution. Employees can use their funds as they see fit, guided by an AI-based recommendation engine to browse and pay for personalized health and wellness benefits.

    Media Inquiries
    Carly Ray
    Senior Director, Marketing
    Tendo
    Email: carly@tendo.com

    The MIL Network

  • MIL-OSI: Community Financial System Announces Third Quarter 2024 Earnings Conference Call

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    SYRACUSE, N.Y., Sept. 23, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Community Financial System, Inc. (NYSE: CBU) invites you to participate in a conference call to discuss the Company’s financial and operating performance during its third quarter ended September 30, 2024.

    Event: Earnings Conference Call – Third Quarter 2024  
         
    When: Tuesday, October 22, 2024 at 11:00 a.m. Eastern Time  
         
    How: By conference call or from a simultaneous web cast  
         
    Access: Conference Call Dial-In:  1-833-630-0464 
    1-412-317-1809 – Outside the U.S. & Canada  
         
      Webcast: https://app.webinar.net/GagdbNwDZ0m  
         

    Dimitar Karaivanov, President and Chief Executive Officer, and Joseph E. Sutaris, Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, will provide an overview of third quarter 2024 results. The management presentation is typically approximately 15 minutes, followed by investor questions and discussion.  

    The company’s results for the quarter will be released before the market opens on October 22, 2024, and will also be available in the ‘News & Presentations’ section of the company’s website at https://communityfinancialsystem.com.

    The call will also be archived on the company’s website for one year and can be accessed at any time and at no cost during this period.

    About Community Financial System, Inc.

    Community Financial System, Inc. is a diversified financial services company that is focused on four main business lines – banking, employee benefit services, insurance services and wealth management services. Its banking subsidiary, Community Bank, N.A., is among the country’s 100 largest banking institutions with over $15 billion in assets and operates approximately 200 customer facilities across Upstate New York, Northeastern Pennsylvania, Vermont, and Western Massachusetts. The Company’s Benefit Plans Administrative Services, Inc. subsidiary is a leading provider of employee benefits administration, trust services, collective investment fund administration, and actuarial consulting services to customers on a national scale. The Company’s OneGroup NY, Inc. subsidiary is a top 66 U.S. insurance agency. The Company also offers comprehensive financial planning, trust administration and wealth management services through its Wealth Management operating unit. The Company is listed on the New York Stock Exchange and the Company’s stock trades under the symbol CBU. For more information about the Company visit www.cbna.com or www.communityfinancialsystem.com.

    For further information contact:
    Joseph Sutaris,
    E.V.P. and Chief Financial Officer
    (315) 445-7396

    The MIL Network

  • MIL-OSI: Thnks Announces Winners of the 2024 Thnks Gratitude in Business Awards

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    NASHVILLE, Tenn., Sept. 23, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Thnks, the first on-demand gratitude expression platform for enterprises, SMBs, and individual contributors, today announced Troy Stevenson, Account Manager at Pegasus Logistics Group as the individual winner and Pegasus Logistics Group as the company winner for the 2024 Thnks Gratitude in Business Awards sponsored by First Horizon.

    As the gratitude in business pioneer, Thnks has transformed small gestures of appreciation into enduring business connections, fostering loyalty, and driving revenue growth. Through the Thnks Gratitude in Business Awards, Thnks celebrates individuals and organizations who are growing their businesses with gratitude.

    “Troy and the entire team at Pegasus Logistics Group inspire a ripple effect of gratitude that transforms how we do business and strengthens our communities,” said Brendan Kamm, Thnks Co-Founder and CEO. “The response to this year’s Thnks Gratitude in Business Award has been truly remarkable. We’ve seen an inspiring array of stories demonstrating how gratitude is being leveraged as a powerful tool for business growth and relationship building.”

    Pegasus Logistics Group, the first company honored by the Gratitude in Business Awards, is being recognized for their exceptional dedication to fostering a culture of appreciation and recognition to drive growth. The company’s innovative initiatives, including their Culture Team’s CREW program and “People on Point” rewards system, demonstrate a strong commitment to fostering a culture of gratitude and empowerment. As the individual winner, Stevenson’s commitment to building trust-based relationships and consistently showing appreciation embodies the transformative power of gratitude in the workplace.

    “We are truly honored to receive this recognition from Thnks and First Horizon,” said Ken Beam, Founder and CEO of Pegasus Logistics Group. “Gratitude is at the heart of our culture, and this win is a testament to the dedication and commitment of individuals like Troy Stevenson and all our team members. We believe that gratitude is the foundation for building strong relationships with our team members, clients, partners, and the community. It’s wonderful to see both Troy’s efforts and the collective spirit of Pegasus Logistics recognized. We’re excited to continue fostering an environment where appreciation drives success and strengthens our connections.”

    Stevenson will be awarded $10,000 in Thnks credits to enhance further the gratitude program at Pegasus Logistics, a $500 credit from a selection of Thnks retailers, and a $2,500 donation will be made in his name to The Grace Foundation, which assists individuals and families in crisis and guidance toward self-sufficiency. The team at Pegasus Logistics will receive $10,000 in Thnks credits for their gratitude program.

    “At First Horizon we’re proud to support the Thnks Gratitude in Business Awards,” said Lucas Doppler, SVP at First Horizon. “We share Thnks’ vision of celebrating those who elevate their workplace, enhance customer experiences, and enrich their communities – by leading with gratitude. “

    To learn more about the Thnks Gratitude in Business Awards sponsored by First Horizon, visit thnks.com.

    ABOUT THNKS
    Established in 2016, Thnks believes making people feel appreciated – not just part of a transaction – is a business-building strategy. Utilized by over 10,000 teams and 120 Fortune 500 companies, Thnks is an on-demand gratitude expression platform for enterprises, SMBs, and individual contributors that converts small acts of gratitude into lasting business relationships that drive loyalty and revenue. The Thnks platform incorporates technology, program analytics and compliance/budget adherence to empower customers with a more economical, intentional, and authentic way to make people feel appreciated. To date, millions of Thnks have been sent – proving small acts of gratitude generate outsized business impact.

    ABOUT FIRST HORIZON
    First Horizon Corp. (NYSE: FHN), with $82.2 billion in assets as of June 30, 2024, is a leading regional financial services company, dedicated to helping our clients, communities, and associates unlock their full potential with capital and counsel. Headquartered in Memphis, TN, the banking subsidiary First Horizon Bank operates in 12 states across the southern U.S. The Company and its subsidiaries offer commercial, private banking, consumer, small business, wealth and trust management, retail brokerage, capital markets, fixed income, and mortgage banking services. First Horizon has been recognized as one of the nation’s best employers by Fortune and Forbes magazines and a Top 10 Most Reputable U.S. Bank. More information is available at www.FirstHorizon.com.

    ABOUT PEGASUS LOGISTICS GROUP
    Pegasus Logistics Group is a global leader in transportation and logistics, specializing in both international and domestic shipments of consequence. With a client-centric approach and a flexible global network of partners, we deliver a highly managed transportation model that adapts to the unique challenges of each business. Our stakeholder-focused approach ensures that our solutions benefit not just our clients but also our team members, partners, and communities. At Pegasus Logistics Group, we believe that true partnership is defined by flexibility, collaboration, and a commitment to improving business processes as we grow together.

    FOR MORE INFORMATION, PRESS ONLY:
    Kaileigh Higgins
    thnks@inkhouse.com

    A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/2d0bcf29-0a44-40ba-92d5-2b6dadd89c15

    The MIL Network

  • MIL-OSI Economics: ZinsGlück: BaFin warns against offers on website zinsglueck.com

    Source: Bundesanstalt für Finanzdienstleistungsaufsicht – In English

    Anyone conducting banking business or providing financial or investment services in Germany may do so only with authorisation from BaFin. However, some companies offer these services without the required authorisation. Information on whether companies have been authorised by BaFin can be found in BaFin’s database of companies.

    The information provided by BaFin is based on section 37 (4) of the German Banking Act (KreditwesengesetzKWG).

    Please be aware:

    BaFin, the German Federal Criminal Police Office (BundeskriminalamtBKA) and the German state criminal police offices (Landeskriminalämter) recommend that consumers seeking to invest money online should exercise the utmost caution and do the necessary research beforehand in order to identify fraud attempts at an early stage.

    MIL OSI Economics

  • MIL-OSI USA: Clark, Massachusetts Leaders Secure $472 Million in Federal Funding to Replace Draw One Bridge, Renovate North Station T Stop

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Katherine Clark (5th District of Massachusetts)

    Largest federal award MBTA has won to date

    Funding will increase ridership, streamline operations, and improve resiliency along Amtrak’s Downeaster route and regional rail lines

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Democratic Whip Katherine Clark (MA-5), Senators Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) and Ed Markey (D-Mass.), along with Representatives Stephen Lynch (MA-8), Ayanna Pressley (MA-7), Lori Trahan (MA-3), Massachusetts Governor Maura Healey, Boston Mayor Michelle Wu, and MBTA General Manager and CEO Phillip Eng announced a grant of $472 million from the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) to the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) to fully replace the North Station Draw One Bridge and renovate Platform F at North Station. The grant is the largest federal award the MBTA has won to date.

    The nearly half a billion dollar grant will provide critical support for one of MBTA’s top priority projects and a vital transportation asset to MBTA’s north-side operations. It will also support more than 14,500 jobs, make the bridge more climate resilient by bringing it above projected sea-level rise, and lower emissions. In April 2024, Senator Warren led a letter of support for the MBTA’s funding request to the Department of Transportation.

    Specifically, the new funding for MBTA’s North Station Renovation and the Draw One Bridge Replacement Project will support the full replacement of the existing drawbridge, the extension and activation of a platform with two tracks at North Station, and the replacement of track, signals, and switches to modernize and improve station infrastructure.

    “This bridge is a critical connection point for the communities north of Boston. This federal investment will improve the quality of life for commuters, reduce traffic for everyone, and bring opportunity to the Commonwealth. We will have a faster, more modern, and more user-friendly public transportation system, and that’s exactly the direction we need to move in,” said Democratic Whip Clark.

    “This $472 million investment is a game-changer for the thousands of passengers who pass through North Station every day — and will build a safer, more reliable public transit system for the Commonwealth. Massachusetts leaders worked together to secure the largest ever federal award for the T, and I won’t stop fighting to bring home even more investment to improve transit across the Commonwealth,” said Senator Warren.

    “With $472 million to replace the North Station drawbridge, we’re drawing up a new future for rail transit north of Boston. I’m grateful to the Biden-Harris administration, Governor Healey, General Manager Eng, Senator Warren, and our whole federal delegation for securing this funding. Together, we are delivering critical federal dollars to the T and building a modern, safe, and reliable public transit system for all,” said Senator Markey.

    “We know that improving our transportation infrastructure is critical for improving quality of life and making sure Massachusetts remains the best place to live, work, raise a family and build a future,” said Governor Healey. “That’s why our administration is competing so aggressively to win federal funding that can be put toward our roads, bridges and public transportation. Congratulations to General Manager Eng and the MBTA team for this award that will improve train service for millions of riders. We’re grateful to the Biden-Harris Administration and U.S. Department of Transportation for their continued investment in Massachusetts’ transportation infrastructure.” 

    The Draw One railbridge carries the MBTA Commuter Rail and Amtrak trains, serving approximately 11,250,000 passengers per year. It is particularly critical for Amtrak’s Downeaster, an intercity passenger rail service that travels from Maine and New Hampshire into Boston, which is projected to have some of the highest ridership in New England. Draw One is also a vital connection for all of MBTA’s north-side regional rail lines, including Fitchburg, Lowell, Haverhill, and Newburyport/Rockport. The new federal investment will improve service reliability and operations, reduce congestion along a known bottleneck, and increase capacity across the bridge. Additionally, the funding will allow for upgraded signaling and expanded track capabilities, further improving traffic flow.

    “I am pleased to join my colleagues in government to announce the State of Massachusetts was awarded over $472 million in federal funding that will help improve MBTA and Amtrak services,” said Congressman Lynch. “This funding is the result of our hard work and partnership with the Biden-Harris administration to ensure we invest into our nation’s transportation and infrastructure. People all over the Commonwealth rely on public transportation every day, and this DOT grant is critical to make the necessary repairs and replacements that will make train service more safe and reliable.”

    “Transit justice is a racial and economic justice issue, and a matter of public safety – and this massive federal investment helps make the Commonwealth more connected and our transportation system safer and more reliable for commuters,” said Congresswoman Pressley. “I’m glad that families in the Massachusetts 7th who depend on the commuter rail will be better able to access jobs, healthcare, education, and essential services in other parts of the state, and we won’t stop fighting to build the more just, equitable, and accessible transit system our communities deserve. I thank my delegation colleagues and the Healey-Driscoll Administration for their partnership, and the Biden-Harris Administration for continuing to invest in Massachusetts.”

    “The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law continues to deliver unprecedented federal investments to make our transit systems safer and more efficient,” said Congresswoman Trahan. “This massive award is proof that, thanks to the strong partnership between our federal delegation and the Healey-Driscoll administration, Massachusetts continues to punch above our weight when competing for federal funding.”

    “North Station Draw One is a connection point between Boston and Cambridge, and the many cities and towns north who rely on this train bridge to visit and work in our city. Thanks to the leadership of the MA federal delegation and the Healey-Driscoll administration in securing this funding, the Greater Boston area will see benefits from updated infrastructure and more reliable transportation. This funding for a bridge replacement represents our region’s commitment to our local economy and green transit,” said Mayor Wu.

    “I’m proud of the MBTA team that worked diligently to put this project in a strong position to win this highly competitive federal award. I thank the USDOT Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg, Deputy Secretary of Transportation Polly Trottenberg, and our partners at the Federal Transit Administration (FTA), Acting Administrator Veronica Vanterpool, FTA Region 1 Administrator Pete Butler, and their entire team, for this incredible award allowing us to deliver the North Station Draw 1 project, freeing up state capital dollars for other essential needs,” said MBTA General Manager and CEO Eng. “This award continues to demonstrate our aggressive approach to pursuing all funding opportunities under the lead of the Healey-Driscoll Administration as we pursue every available federal grant. Our Grants and North Station Drawbridge teams deserve all the credit for their exceptional work to secure this funding which allows us to ensure the efficient and reliable movement of all North Station train lines while greatly improving our ability to provide more frequent, regional rail-style service across the entire northside corridor to serve future generations to come.”

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Liverpool maps out masterplan to remix “Music City” status

    Source: City of Liverpool

    Liverpool City Region Mayor Steve Rotheram has announced radical plans to “remix the music sector” by embracing AI and VR to future-proof music tourism, recording and education.

    Liverpool City Council has mapped out an ambitious programme of four ground-breaking, interlinked projects which would revolutionise the industry and have a multi-million-pound economic impact for decades to come.

    The proposals are expected to be funded by private sector sources with Government support, with media giant Universal expressing their commitment to the concept.

    The four projects are:

    • The Music Futures Lab – this bespoke facility will bring together music businesses and musicians from across the creative and digital sectors to reimagine the way we all create, consume and experience music in the future. This new R&D lab would be the first of its kind in the UK, taking advantage of the opportunities AI and VR brings, and would build on – and future-proof – the incredible creative and digital sector which the city already boasts.
    • MusicFutures Cluster – a mix of academic and private sector bodies creating the talent and training pipeline to make the most of the facilities which the music lab will offer. A Creative Cluster has already been established to kickstart this R&D in bringing together the music and creative industries.
    • Immersive Liverpool – this fully immersive audio and visual visitor attraction will reimagine the way that audiences experience the music they love. A world first, this attraction will offer a rotating set of experience ‘residencies’ with the biggest music artists. Liverpool City Council is undergoing a site selection process and is in partnership with industry leaders to help develop the scheme.
    • Recording and Rehearsal space – this space would become a new rehearsal home for the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra and a leading national facility for emerging and established artists. This would be the only UK studio of its kind and capacity outside London – “the Abbey Road of the North” – and as well as boosting the city’s ability to offer recording facilities for musicians, TV, film and gaming, it would also provide first-class training, performance and rehearsal spaces all year-round for young people across the region.

    Mayor Rotheram revealed the ambitious plans at a Creative UK event as part of the Labour Party conference in the city.

    The draft business cases, funded by monies received from the DCMS, are to be presented to Government in the coming weeks with detailed plans expected to be announced in 2025 – 10 years after Liverpool was appointed a UNESCO City of Music.

    Councillor Liam Robinson, Leader of Liverpool City Council, said: “Music is the heartbeat of Liverpool and for generations it has defined the city’s global appeal. The time has come to translate that heritage into an offer that shapes our future.

    “We have ambitious plans to remix what it means to be a music city. These projects will help define and shape the next generation of talent and businesses and will increase the impact music can have on our communities and individuals from all walks of life.

    “Our ‘Music 2030’ vision harnesses ambitious thinking and focused investment to turn music into a driver of social, economic and environmental advancement, with the sector becoming the backbone for new high-paying jobs, re-energising the music tourism sector and becoming a vanguard sector for positive environmental change.

    “We have entered into a development relationship with Mercury Studios and Universal Music Group to help create the future of immersive music entertainment right here in Liverpool. The expertise and innovation of Mercury Studios will empower our own homegrown talent. This city is known for our incredible music heritage. Together, we will lean on that heritage to become the birthplace for a new form of music entertainment and create a digital future.

    “I’m delighted with the progress made to date and super excited for what is to come. I look forward to further conversations with our partners and the Government on how we can develop and deliver these projects.”

    Liverpool City Region Mayor, Steve Rotheram, said: “The Liverpool City Region has always had music running through its veins—it’s part of who we are.

    “We’re launching bold, groundbreaking projects that will remix the way music is made and experienced—right here in the heart of the UK.

    “With cutting-edge technology like AI and VR, we’re creating opportunities for the next generation, making sure that Liverpool isn’t just a city with a rich musical history, but a global leader in the music of the future.

    “This isn’t just business—it’s about giving young people the chance to thrive and putting our region back on the world stage.

    “We’re setting the standard for what a music city should be in the 21st century.”

    Culture Liverpool Director Claire McColgan said: “Liverpool is reimagining the role music plays in the regeneration of a city. By bringing musicians and the creative and digital industries closer together and building the facilities to make the most of our enviable talent pool, we believe this approach can be a driving force in positioning Liverpool as a music city remixed.

    “These projects are at a really exciting stage, and we are now starting to get a sense of their scope and potential impact which could redefine what music means to Liverpool and to the rest of the country. We’re looking at a 10 year-plan to supercharge not just our visitor economy but the way that young people get access to the best music education in the world.

    “It will give talented creative graduates a further reason to set up their business here. It’s taking music seriously as a catalyst for regeneration, both in terms of buildings and people.”

    Michael Eakin, Chief Executive of Royal Liverpool Philharmonic, said: “This centre, as part of Liverpool’s overall investment in – and development of – the music sector will be transformative for the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic and for young talent in the city. It will be a major regeneration driver in its location. It will provide economic growth for the city as part of the growing film, television and creative industries sector.

    “It will help secure the long-term sustainability of one of the country’s most important and forward-looking orchestras and music organisations. And it will make Liverpool uniquely strong in delivering true creative education opportunities in music for children and young people across our communities.”

    MIL OSI United Kingdom

  • MIL-OSI Russia: “For the third time, we will gather the best scientists and AI researchers in Russia at the HSE site”

    MIL OSI Translation. Region: Russian Federation –

    Source: State University Higher School of Economics – State University Higher School of Economics –

    Institute of Artificial Intelligence and Digital Sciences, Faculty of Computer Science, National Research University Higher School of Economics And AI Center A conference will be held in Moscow on October 25–26 Fall into ML 2024. The main topic of the annual event will be the prospects for the development of fundamental artificial intelligence. Sber will be the title partner of the conference.

    Leading scientists in the field of artificial intelligence will meet at the Higher School of Economics to present their best works published at A* conferences in 2024, the flagship events in this field.

    The conference will feature experts discussing current issues in machine learning, including deep neural networks, reinforcement learning, and their application in industry, natural and social sciences, healthcare, climate science, and other areas. Topics related to language models, computer vision, optimization, robotics, and many others will also be covered.

    Over the course of two days, conference participants will be able to take a mini-course, listen to selected reports, participate in panel discussions, thematic workshops dedicated to AI in bioinformatics, finance and other topics.

    At the panel discussion “Personnel Matters: Nurturing Talented Artificial Intelligence Researchers,” representatives of Russian science and universities will discuss modern achievements in the field of AI, based on the work of scientists conducting research in this field in academia and industry around the world. As part of the discussion, participants will touch on issues of training scientific personnel, retaining and attracting talent.

    For the first time, Fall into ML will host a panel discussion dedicated to women in science. Female scientists will discuss the development of AI technologies and the inclusiveness of the scientific world.

    One of the key events of the conference will be the poster session – a platform where the best works of Russian scientists in the field of artificial intelligence, implemented in 2024, will be presented.

    Gleb Gusev, Senior Managing Director – Director of the Artificial Intelligence Laboratory, Sber

    “The AI Lab participated in the event last year. Due to the positive feedback from last year’s successful participation, a decision was made to expand the format of interaction with Fall into ML in 2024 and sponsor the event.

    The Fall into ML conference is a targeted event to promote Sber’s scientific brand, within which the AI Lab integrates its scientific section Financial AI, holds lectures and workshops where you can share your experience and talk about publications and research that are in demand at Sber, while simultaneously receiving feedback from experts and colleagues in the industry.”

    In 2023, Fall into ML brought together over 50 authors of publications at A*-level conferences. Over three days, over 300 participants attended thematic workshops, panel discussions, sections and a poster session. See how it was in 2023 on link.

    Undergraduate and graduate students, and researchers in the field of artificial intelligence can register and participate in Fall into ML 2024.

    Please note: This information is raw content directly from the source of the information. It is exactly what the source states and does not reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

    Please note; This information is raw content directly from the information source. It is accurate to what the source is stating and does not reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

    http://vvv.hse.ru/nevs/expertise/965602534.html

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

    MIL OSI Russia News

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

    Cost of carbon and cost of poor reliability

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

    Nigeria

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

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

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

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

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


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


    Mozambique

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

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

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


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


    Targeted policy can boost access and reliability in Africa

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

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

    MIL OSI Africa

  • MIL-OSI Security: Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri Delivers Remarks at the Society of Corporate Compliance and Ethics 23rd Annual Compliance & Ethics Institute

    Source: United States Attorneys General 4

    Remarks as Prepared for Delivery

    Thank you for inviting me to speak at the Society of Corporate Compliance and Ethics (SCCE). The work you do at SCCE supports compliance and ethics professionals across industries. I’m so pleased to be here with the practitioners virtually who work every day to establish and maintain effective corporate compliance programs that help prevent misconduct before it begins.

    The Criminal Division is on the front lines of the Justice Department’s efforts to hold culpable individuals and companies accountable for corporate crime. We also develop innovative policies both to encourage companies to be good corporate citizens and to enhance the department’s corporate enforcement work. Today, I plan to talk about how these efforts support a key aspect of our mission — to prevent and deter corporate crime by incentivizing corporations to invest in robust compliance programs and report misconduct when it occurs. Companies are the first line of defense against corporate crime. And compliance professionals are charged with holding the line on compliance and good corporate culture. We know how important it is for compliance programs to be robust and well-resourced and for compliance officers and their staff to be empowered.

    That is why we are transparent about how we evaluate compliance programs and what we believe makes a compliance program successful. It’s why our corporate enforcement policies are available on our website. It’s why — in every corporate resolution — we describe the company’s cooperation and remediation and how we evaluated it. And it’s why each of our resolutions requires companies to commit to forward-looking compliance obligations designed to address the misconduct and improve the compliance program.

    I’d like to begin with our Evaluation of Corporate Compliance Programs, or ECCP. I’m sure many of you are familiar with it — it is an invaluable resource for companies. And it is the roadmap Criminal Division prosecutors use to evaluate a company’s compliance program, including the questions prosecutors will ask as they assess a compliance program in determining how to resolve a criminal investigation.

    Because when we prosecute corporate crime, we ask not just what happened but why it happened and what the company has done to prevent misconduct from recurring. A critical component of our corporate resolutions involves an assessment of the corporation’s compliance program, at both the time of the misconduct and the time of resolution.

    Just as we expect corporations to continuously review and update their compliance programs to account for emerging risk factors, we regularly evaluate our policies and enforcement tools, including the ECCP, to account for changing circumstances and new risks.

    I’m pleased to announce today that we have updated our ECCP to address some of these emerging risks. Our updated ECCP, which is available on our website, includes critical additions in three main areas.

    First, in March, Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco announced that prosecutors will consider how companies mitigate the risk of misusing artificial intelligence and directed the Criminal Division to include an assessment of disruptive technology risks — including AI — in the ECCP. Today, I’m unveiling the results. Our updated ECCP includes an evaluation of how companies are assessing and managing risk related to the use of new technology such as artificial intelligence both in their business and in their compliance programs.

    Under the ECCP, prosecutors will consider the technology that a company and its employees use to conduct business, whether the company has conducted a risk assessment of the use of that technology, and whether the company has taken appropriate steps to mitigate any risk associated with the use of that technology. For example, prosecutors will consider whether the company is vulnerable to criminal schemes enabled by new technology, such as false approvals and documentation generated by AI. If so, we will consider whether compliance controls and tools are in place to identify and mitigate those risks, such as tools to confirm the accuracy or reliability of data used by the business. We also want to know whether the company is monitoring and testing its technology to evaluate if it is functioning as intended and consistent with the company’s code of conduct.

    Second, following the recent announcement of our whistleblower awards program, the ECCP now includes questions designed to evaluate whether companies are encouraging employees to speak up and report misconduct or whether companies employ practices that chill reporting. Our prosecutors will closely consider the company’s commitment to whistleblower protection and anti-retaliation by assessing policies and training, as well as treatment of employees who report misconduct. We will evaluate whether companies ensure that individuals who suspect misconduct know how to report it and feel comfortable doing so including by showing that there is no tolerance for retaliation.

    Third, under the updated ECCP, our prosecutors will assess whether a compliance program has appropriate access to data, including to assess its own effectiveness. We have added questions about whether compliance personnel have adequate access to relevant data sources and the assets, resources, and technology that are available to compliance and risk management personnel. As part of this assessment, we will also consider whether companies are putting the same resources and technology into gathering and leveraging data for compliance purposes that they are using in their business.

    We have also updated the ECCP to expand upon an important concept — that companies should be learning lessons from both the company’s own prior misconduct and from issues at other companies to update their compliance programs and train employees.

    Next, I want to give you an update on two Criminal Division pilot programs: our Compensation Incentives and Clawbacks Pilot Program and our Corporate Whistleblower Awards Pilot Program.

    In March 2023, we announced a three-year compensation clawback pilot program. We are now halfway through the pilot period and can report some observations.

    The program has two parts. First, each of our corporate resolutions now requires that the company include criteria related to compliance in its compensation and bonus system. In short, we are asking companies to provide clear metrics both to reward compliance-promoting behavior and to deter misconduct. We included similar language in some corporate resolutions before we launched the pilot program, but it is now required in every Criminal Division resolution. Since the program’s launch, we have included this requirement in nine corporate resolutions.

    Let me pause on that for a second. As a result of corporate cases brought by the Criminal Division, nine companies across five industries are upping their game in using their compensation systems to promote compliance. These companies — whether their core business is tech, finance, crypto, manufacturing, or energy — are considering how to align compensation not just with the company’s financial performance, but with conducting business in an ethical manner. And they are setting the tone for others in the marketplace.

    Early indications are that these innovations are changing corporate behavior. For example, one company under agreement with the Criminal Division required consideration of adherence to compliance standards and reporting of misconduct in its annual reviews. As a result of these efforts, and a company-wide messaging campaign, the company is seeing more reports of potential compliance issues.

    We have also seen many companies incorporating into their compensation systems performance reviews that include an assessment of how employees demonstrate the company’s core values. For example, one company incorporated a performance review metric that measured employees across categories including individual and team performance, goal accomplishment, and demonstration of core values. Ratings on these metrics factored into both compensation and promotion decisions. We are asking companies to continuously evaluate the real-world effectiveness of such incentives, share that feedback with us, and adjust their compensation metrics.

    Companies that make compliance a critical factor in determining compensation are sending the message to employees and management that engaging in ethical behavior is critical to success in business. These companies are fostering strong cultures of compliance and promoting leaders who demonstrate ethical values.

    Turning to the second part of the pilot program, we provide a fine reduction to companies that recoup or withhold compensation from culpable employees and others who had supervisory authority over the employees engaged in the misconduct and knew of, or were willfully blind to, the misconduct. Companies that take advantage of this aspect of the pilot program will receive a fine reduction equal to the amount of the withheld compensation. This is also something we look at when we consider a company’s remediation. Because taking steps to hold individuals financially accountable is a critical way a company can send a strong message to employees that it is committed to compliance.

    To date, two companies have received fine reductions under the pilot program, both in Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA) cases. Albemarle proactively implemented procedures to freeze future bonuses for those suspected of misconduct, who directly oversaw employees engaged in the misconduct, or who were aware of red flags but failed to prevent the misconduct. They were rewarded with a reduction in their criminal monetary penalty equal to the amount of the bonuses that were withheld. Albemarle was also awarded a 45% reduction from the low end of the applicable penalty range — the highest percentage reduction to date — in light of its substantial cooperation and significant remediation.

    SAP also withheld compensation from culpable employees and defended the decision through litigation. These actions sent a clear message to other SAP employees — and employees of companies everywhere — that misconduct will have individual financial consequences. As a result, SAP not only received a fine reduction equal to the amount of withheld compensation. This was also an important aspect of the company’s remediation that supported our decision to award a 40% fine reduction.

    By holding culpable individuals financially accountable — along with those who were in a position to report or stop the misconduct — companies send a clear message that there will be consequences for those who do not stand against misconduct.

    We also have another critical new tool to harness financial incentives in connection with our corporate enforcement work: our Corporate Whistleblower Awards Pilot Program, or CWA. The program has been up and running for only a few weeks, but we are already receiving good tips.

    Whistleblower programs are effective. Programs at other agencies have received thousands of tips, paid out hundreds of millions of dollars in awards, and resulted in holding culpable actors accountable for misconduct. But as successful as those programs are, they do not cover the full range of white collar and corporate crime that the department prosecutes. The CWA seeks to fill those gaps. Our program covers four priority areas of white collar enforcement that are not covered by an existing whistleblower program: abuses of the financial system by financial institutions and insiders; foreign corruption and bribery schemes; domestic corruption; and health care schemes targeting private insurers. And if a whistleblower has information about misconduct that is not covered by an existing whistleblower program but does not fall within one of these four categories, we want to hear from them.

    We designed our whistleblower program to encourage internal reporting and to incentivize companies to invest in strong internal reporting structures. A whistleblower who makes an internal report at their company will be eligible for an award if they report to the department within 120 days of their internal report. And critically, making an internal report before coming forward to the department is a factor that will increase the amount of a potential whistleblower award.

    And companies that receive internal reports also have a powerful incentive to come forward to the department. We understand that in considering whether to make a voluntary self-disclosure, companies assess not only the benefits of self-reporting, but also the risk that the department will learn about the misconduct from other sources, like whistleblowers. We expect that the CWA will alter that calculus. That’s why, alongside our whistleblower program, we announced an amendment to our Corporate Enforcement and Voluntary Self-Disclosure Policy, or CEP. Under that amendment, where a company receives an internal whistleblower report and then reports the misconduct to the department within 120 days, and before the department reaches out to the company, it will be eligible for the greatest benefit under the CEP — a presumption of a declination — so long as it fully cooperates and remediates. This is a significant benefit to companies and a departure from our usual approach, because a company can qualify for a presumption of a declination even if the whistleblower comes to the department first.

    Our whistleblower program also reflects how seriously the department takes the risks that whistleblowers face — and the ways that compliance departments can mitigate those risks. First, we will protect whistleblowers’ identities to the fullest extent allowable under law. Second, we will closely monitor any actions a company takes against whistleblowers who try to do the right thing by raising an alarm within the company. As described in our updated ECCP, compliance departments have an important role here — to implement robust policies that protect employees who report misconduct and to train employees on those policies. Under our updated ECCP, we will closely evaluate a company’s commitment to whistleblower protection and anti-retaliation, as well as whether a company has fostered a “speak up” culture. But if a company retaliates against a whistleblower, we will take all appropriate steps: the company will lose credit for cooperation and remediation and could face sentencing enhancements — and even prosecution — for obstruction of justice.

    We have received tips from over 100 individuals to date, with more coming in every day. If those employees are also reporting internally, which we have incentivized them to do, we hope companies are taking their reports seriously and plan to come forward to the department.

    Let me now turn to some of our corporate resolutions and the lessons compliance officers can take from them. In our corporate resolutions, we recognize and reward different levels of cooperation and remediation.

    Let me start with the greatest benefit we provide: a declination under our CEP. To qualify for a CEP declination, a company must not only voluntarily self-disclose the conduct. It must also fully cooperate and timely and appropriately remediate.

    Last month, we announced a declination under the CEP in an investigation involving the Boston Consulting Group (BCG). In addition to timely and voluntarily disclosing evidence of a potential FCPA violation to the department, BCG’s full and proactive cooperation and timely and appropriate remediation resulted in the department’s decision to decline prosecution.

    BCG’s remediation included termination of the personnel involved in the misconduct and compensation-based penalties that included requiring certain BCG partners to give up their equity in the company, denying financial benefits normally accorded to BCG employees who leave the firm, and withholding bonuses.

    A company that does not voluntarily self-disclose misconduct can receive up to a 50% reduction of its fine depending on the extent of its cooperation and remediation. Every company starts at zero and must earn any benefit. From our resolutions, you can identify factors that set strong cooperation and remediation apart from less impressive efforts. Let me touch on a couple of examples.

    SAP, which I mentioned earlier, earned a 40% reduction in the criminal penalty — near the maximum reduction available for companies that do not voluntarily self-disclose. The company immediately began to cooperate after news reports publicized some of the allegations and took steps to proactively cooperate that made a real difference in our ability to advance our independent investigation. The company also moved quickly to remediate the misconduct, including by promptly disciplining responsible employees, reducing its risk profile, and expanding the data analytics capabilities of its compliance program.

    On the other end of the spectrum, Trafigura received a reduction of only 10% for cooperation and remediation. Trafigura’s cooperation credit was limited because the company failed to preserve and produce certain evidence in a timely manner during early phases of the investigation. And the company’s early posture in resolution negotiations caused significant delays and required our prosecutors to expend substantial efforts and resources to develop additional evidence. The company’s remediation was also mixed. While Trafigura improved its compliance program, it was slow to discipline certain employees.

    Through our resolutions, we seek to highlight what a company did, or failed to do, to get more or less credit for cooperation and remediation. We do that to provide transparency and to guide other companies, and to make clear that we provide the greatest benefits to companies that act with urgency and truly go above and beyond.

    Rest assured, we take notice of companies that make the right choices and invest in and support effective compliance programs. When compliance officers have the necessary resources to do their jobs — and a seat at the table in the boardroom to have their voices heard — companies are better situated to prevent, detect, and stay ahead of misconduct when it occurs. And companies that do those things — and move quickly to cooperate and remediate when misconduct occurs — will put themselves in the best position to achieve the most favorable outcomes when dealing with the Criminal Division’s investigations and prosecutions.

    From our whistleblower and clawback pilot programs to our updated ECCP, we are using more tools than ever before to identify corporate misconduct and to encourage companies to be good corporate citizens. Companies that step up and own up to misconduct send a powerful message about the importance of a robust compliance program and an ethical corporate culture.

    I hope today you’ll take this message back to your companies: now is the time to make the necessary compliance investments to help prevent, detect, and remediate misconduct. And when you uncover misconduct: call us before we call you.

    MIL Security OSI

  • MIL-OSI Canada: It’s Rail Safety Week in Saskatchewan

    Source: Government of Canada regional news

    Released on September 23, 2024

    The Government of Saskatchewan is joining in to proclaim September 23 to 30, 2024 as Rail Safety Week in Canada and reminding everyone to choose safety when around trains. Saskatchewan’s rail system is vital for our province’s export-based economy, and so is rail safety. 

    “Saskatchewan Rail Safety Week serves as a great reminder of how much we rely on our rail system and the significant benefits it brings to our export-based economy,” Highways Minister Lori Carr said. “This week is also a good opportunity to remind motorists about rail safety tips, such as looking and listening for trains, understanding railway signage and markings and being vigilant near all rail crossings.” 

    Everyone is responsible for rail safety. Rail safety requires constant alertness and reminding loved ones, children and communities about the importance of being safe around rail lines. 

    Rail incidents can happen fast and often have tragic consequences.  

    In 2023, 914 accidents, including 67 fatalities, were reported to the Transportation Safety Board of Canada.

    The Ministry of Highways is proud to continue educating children through our partnership with Canadian Safety Train Express Inc. by providing funding to print and distribute railway safety activity books to grade four students in communities served by our short lines.  

    “It is important for everyone, especially our youth, to recognize the importance of railway safety,” Canadian Safety Train Express CEO Perry Pellerin said. “Railway safety is everyone’s responsibility. We ask that everyone serve as a rail safety ambassador to ensure everyone can go home safely each and every day.”

    The Ministry of Highways offers financial support to short lines through the Short Line Railway Improvement Program to help upgrade and maintain their tracks.

    There are 13 short line railways in Saskatchewan that are used to move goods such as grain, oil and lumber, and link to the larger national rail lines. There are more than 2,000 km of railways under provincial jurisdiction.

    Motorists with any questions or concerns regarding railway safety, signage, work zones and more are welcome to reach out to the Highway Customer Service Centre at 1-844-SK-HIWAY, Monday – Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., or online anytime.

    -30-

    For more information, contact:

    MIL OSI Canada News

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Deputy Secretary-General’s remarks at the open dialogue on “Strengthening Financing for the SDGs: High-level Dialogue between MDB Heads and UN Member States” [as prepared for delivery]

    Source: United Nations MIL-OSI 2

    xcellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen,

    I am thrilled to be with you all at this high-level dialogue.

    We meet at a pivotal time.

    The SDGs are off-track. Hunger is rising. Fossil fuel use and global temperatures have reached unprecedented new highs. Conflicts are spreading. And the fight for gender equality has stalled.

    Meanwhile, financing gaps are large and growing.

    Multilateral Development Banks are a critical part of the solution to salvage the SDGs and spur progress towards the future we want and need.

    MDBs are an essential source of affordable, long-term finance to developing countries.

    They provide vital countercyclical support in times of crisis.

    And they are uniquely capable of mobilizing other sources of finance with the SDGs, including private investments.

    But to fulfill this role effectively, MDBs must become bigger, better and bolder.

    This message is being clearly articulated by Member States at the Summit of the Future.

    In the Summit’s Pact, Member States welcome the reforms taking place across the MDB system, while declaring that further reforms are urgently needed.

    What we will hear today is that MDBs are rising to this challenge.

    This meeting provides a unique opportunity for MDB Principals to share their vision for reform, explain how it can accelerate SDG action, and take stock of progress.

    They will also explain where they need your support to push their reforms – and impact – further.

    I’m delighted that the MDB Principals are delivering these messages here – in New York, the home of the SDGs – and now, against the backdrop of the Summit of the Future.

    This sends a powerful message of the bridges we are building between the UN and MDBs, between New York and Washington DC, and between Ministries of Finance and Ministries of Foreign Affairs.

    Over the coming months, the UN will be working with our MDB partners to agree on further steps to increase development finance and to reform the international financial architecture, as we prepare for the

    Fourth International Conference on Financing for Development in Spain in 2025.

    This is our once-in-a-decade opportunity to transform financing to serve sustainable development everywhere.

    The United Nations is proud to be travelling this path with you.

    Thank you.

    MIL OSI United Nations News

  • MIL-OSI: On the Eve of Open Banking Regulations, Collaborative Industry Group is Stepping Up

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    RESTON, Va., Sept. 23, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — As the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) readies to issue new “Open Banking” regulations next month, the financial services industry has been busy getting ready. The Financial Data Exchange (FDX)—an industry standards body focused on Open Banking—announced today significant changes as it prepares to play a bigger role in the industry.

    The FDX Board has approved plans to grow its staff and today is announcing Kevin Feltes as its new Chief Executive Officer, effective November 2024. FDX also finalized an application to the CFPB for formal recognition as a standards setting body, a role that will lend additional weight to the standards FDX issues. These changes add to organizational reforms FDX has been implementing this year to help it become even more balanced and inclusive of diverse stakeholders. Today, FDX’s members include consumer advocacy groups, banks, fintechs, data aggregators, and other stakeholders.

    FDX Board Co-Chairs Steve Smith from Mastercard and Franklin Garrigues from TD Bank said jointly, “Today’s announcement includes some of the most meaningful changes at FDX since the organization was founded. These moves are the culmination of more than a year of work to ready FDX for the significant role it seeks to play alongside regulations in the U.S. and Canada.”

    New “Open Banking” regulations are expected from the CFPB next month and from the Department of Finance in Canada next year. These rules will impact over 100 million consumers and will require thousands of businesses to change how they share or collect consumer-permissioned data. Unlike in other countries, though, the CFPB is taking a novel approach to technical standards. Where other governments have given a larger role to regulatory bodies to define the technical details of how data sharing works, the CFPB has invited industry-led bodies to step up and take a bigger role. The financial industry is coming together at FDX to meet the call.

    Kevin Feltes Appointed FDX CEO

    FDX has appointed Kevin Feltes as its new Chief Executive Officer effective November 2024. Feltes, an industry veteran with extensive experience in Open Finance, will lead FDX in its mission to unify the financial industry around a common standard for secure and convenient access to permissioned consumer and business financial data. Feltes joins FDX from JPMorganChase where he recently served as the Head of Partnerships and Strategy for the Connected Banking group and as an FDX Board member.

    “I am thrilled to lead this organization in its next phase of growth,” said Feltes. “FDX has achieved great success already in building consensus standards and a strong community of diverse organizations. I look forward to working with members to expand FDX’s impact and create win-win solutions that make it easier for firms to reduce costs, comply with regulations, and delight and protect their customers.”

    Feltes has worked closely with data aggregators, fintechs, banks, regulators, and consumer groups to promote safer consumer data sharing and has been deeply involved in planning for the upcoming data sharing regulations.

    “Kevin’s work on the FDX Board has been critical to advancing open banking in the U.S. and Canada,” said FDX Board Member and Head of Policy for Plaid, John Pitts. “As FDX’s first CEO, Kevin will help drive the organization’s growth and progress toward ensuring that the financial services industry gives consumers the full benefit of control over their financial data.”

    Don Cardinal, FDX’s Managing Director, will continue with the organization and work with Feltes to serve FDX’s membership of over 200 firms. 

    FDX Finalizes Application for Formal Recognition by the CFPB

    FDX also finalized an application to the CFPB for official recognition as a standard-setting body (in accordance with the CFPB’s Required Rulemaking on Personal Financial Data Rights; Industry Standard-Setting). FDX’s application will describe how FDX’s governance, structure and ecosystem representation reflect the attributes the CFPB will require of a standard-setting body, including openness, balance, due process, appeals, consensus, and transparency.

    “As the leading technical standards body for sharing permissioned financial data in North America, FDX shares the CFPB’s goal for a fair, open, and inclusive technical standards body and we are excited to submit this application,” added Smith and Garrigues.

    FDX’s application as a standard-setting body will be to define an industry standard “data format.” Today, FDX’s full API specification covers numerous technical components, account types, and data elements, some of which extend beyond what has been proposed for the CFPB’s 1033 rulemaking. FDX and its diverse membership have made significant progress transitioning from credential-based “screen scraping” to the FDX API, with over 94 million consumer accounts now using the FDX API in North America.

    About FDX
    Financial Data Exchange (FDX) is a non-profit organization operating in the US and Canada that is dedicated to unifying the financial industry around a common, interoperable, royalty-free standard for secure and convenient consumer and business access to their financial data. FDX empowers users through its commitment to the development, growth, and industry-wide adoption of the FDX API, according to the principles of control, access, transparency, traceability, and security. Membership is open to all interested parties in the financial data sharing ecosystem. For more information and to join, visit financialdataexchange.org

    Contact:
    Porche Matthews
    Marketing Manager
    pmatthews@financialdataexchange.org

    The MIL Network

  • MIL-OSI: Allied Energy Corporation (OTC: AGYP) Announces Operational Launch of Sloan Petroleum and Enerhash USA Project, Paving the Way for Future Growth

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    CARROLLTON, Texas, Sept. 23, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Allied Energy Corporation (OTC: AGYP) announces that the Sloan Petroleum and Enerhash USA project is now fully operational, working at 1MW off the flare gas from the Frost location. This project, which features the placement of advanced Bitcoin mining containers by Enerhash on the Sloan property, promises to drive revenue growth for Allied over the coming months.

    The company is excited to report that Allied has received its first revenue check from the Sloan Petroleum/Enerhash USA Frost operation, a testament to the project’s success and our commitment to innovative energy solutions. The project is set to generate revenues for Allied over the next six months, positioning us for financial growth.

    In addition, we are pleased to share that our Bitcoin project in collaboration with Enegix Global, River Energy Group LLC at the Thiel #1 well site is undergoing a transformation into a commercialized venture. The company anticipates providing its shareholders with further updates in Q4, showcasing the potential of this strategic partnership. As a key partner with Enegix Global, Allied will initially supply gas for the project and gain the opportunity to participate in Bitcoin mining operations, enhancing our revenue streams in this burgeoning market.

    George Monteith, CEO of Allied Energy, expressed his enthusiasm: “The successful launch of the Sloan Petroleum and Enerhash USA operation is a significant event for Allied Energy. We are optimistic about the upcoming developments at the Thiel well with Enegix Global and River Energy Group LLC, these projects have provided Allied Energy and its team a valuable insight into the Data Mining industry, which will be of great value as we move deeper into this space. Our collective efforts will not only maximize the potential revenues from these projects but also strengthen our position in the energy and cryptocurrency sectors with our collective understanding of the inner workings of these types of projects.”

    As we continue to innovate and expand our operations, Allied Energy remains committed to delivering value to our shareholders and stakeholders. The company looks forward to leveraging these projects to secure our future growth and enhance our impact in the energy landscape.

    The Company invites interested parties to check back regularly at https://alliedengycorp.com/ and the corporate Twitter Account https://twitter.com/AlliedEnergyCo1.

    About AGYP:

    Allied Energy Corp. is an energy development and production company acquiring oil & gas reserves in some of the most prolific hydrocarbon bearing regions of the United States. The Company specializes in the business of reworking & re-completing ‘existing’ oil & gas wells located in the thousands of mature oil & gas producing fields across the United States. The Company applies its knowledge, experience, and effective well-remediation technologies to achieve higher production volumes, longer well life, and more efficient recovery of the proven and available oil and gas reserves in the fields/projects in which it has acquired an ownership interest. The Company will utilize updated technologies such as hydraulic fracturing (“fracking”), drilling of lateral (“horizontal”) legs in productive zones, and utilizing new cased hole electric logging to locate bypassed pays, all to enhance daily rates and oil & gas recoveries. By acquiring interests in a growing number of selected projects in various regions, Allied Energy Corp. is diversifying its exposure and effectively minimizing risk as it pursues corporate growth, top line & bottom-line revenues to the benefit of all stakeholders. There are proven, recoverable reserves contained in the many aging oil & gas fields that have been bypassed by companies moving away from these fields in search of deeper, more plentiful, but more costly reserves. The Company plans to concentrate on bypassed oil and gas as there is less competition and, as mentioned above, the costs are considerably less. Additionally, the company will acquire interests in marginal wells that can be acquired at minimal cost, of which there are 420,000 wells in the U.S. Quoting Barry Russell, President of the Independent Petroleum Association of America (“IPAA”) – “With approximately 20 percent of American oil production and 10 percent of American natural gas production coming from marginal wells, they are America’s true strategic petroleum reserve.”

    Safe Harbor Statement:

    This Press Release may contain certain forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. The Company has tried, whenever possible, to identify these forward-looking statements using words such as “anticipates,” “believes,” “estimates,” “expects,” “plans,” “intends,” “potential” and similar expressions. These statements reflect the Company’s current beliefs and are based upon information currently available to it. Accordingly, such forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which could cause the Company’s actual results, performance or achievements to differ materially from those expressed in or implied by such statements. The Company undertakes no obligation to update or advise in the event of any change, addition or alteration to the information catered in this Press Release, including such forward-looking statements.

    Contact:
    Allied Energy Corporation
    Phone: 972-632-2393
    Email: info@alliedengycorp.com
    Twitter: https://twitter.com/AlliedEnergyCo1

    The MIL Network

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Record numbers join the NDA group graduate programme

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Over 100 graduates join the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority group today as applications open for 2025.

    NDA group graduate programme

    As applications open for 2025, the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority (NDA) group also welcomed its largest ever cohort of graduates today, with more than 100 new recruits ready to support delivery of one of the world’s most important environmental programmes.

    This week over 100 recently graduated professionals start their new roles supporting the NDA group’s mission to decommission nuclear sites, manage the UK’s radioactive waste and transport materials globally.

    It’s the largest intake to join the programme since its launch two years ago, providing experience throughout the NDA group as part of a two-year scheme. It sees recruits moving between functions and operating companies to complete a series of secondments, building knowledge and experience, as well as growing networks.

    Jacq Longrigg, NDA Group People Development Director, said:

    Our mission is so long-term that it stretches into the next century and our work is growing, as we take on responsibility for decommissioning more of the UK’s nuclear sites.

    Around 6,000 people applied to join us this year and we increased the number of opportunities, up from 60 in 2023, to reflect the scale of our work.

    We’re so proud to welcome over 100 graduates and look forward to seeing their careers develop as they contribute to our nationally important mission.

    Last year the cohort was the most diverse yet and the NDA group continue to build on this progress with an even higher proportion of graduates this year identifying as an ethnic minority and reporting being a person with a disability. This year 20% of graduates are also from disadvantaged backgrounds.

    NDA group graduate programme 2024 cohort

    This year’s intake has started as recruitment opens for the 2025 graduate programme with a target of recruiting 120 graduates across a range of technical and business functions, based at locations across the UK.

    From engineering and procurement, to IT and digital, environmental protection, or finance and risk, the programme provides one of the most diverse range of opportunities available. You can apply here: Our graduate roles – The NDA group.

    Izzy Thomas-Horton recently completed the graduate programme after securing a job with the NDA as a Junior Sustainability Advisor. She said:

    I was attracted to the NDA group because of the scale of the mission and the opportunity to contribute to such an important mission.

    During my two years on the programme, I’ve worked across multiple disciplines and got the chance to work in central government at the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero.

    I’m grateful for the focus there has been on my development, from having a mentor to completing training courses – I would highly recommend this experience. Whatever your degree subject or career aspirations, it’s likely there is a role for you.

    Candidates gain experience in the NDA and its subsidiary companies including Sellafield, Nuclear Restoration Services, Nuclear Waste Services or Nuclear Transport Solutions. NDA graduates benefit from:

    • A starting salary of £30,000 and 25-days annual leave, plus bank holidays, as well as six discretionary days leave for study and relocation.
    • A comprehensive package of benefits including pension, professional institute membership and additional support with travel, relocation, training and development
    • A commitment to personal and professional development, including a dedicated mentor and access to a team of experts.

    In addition to the NDA group graduate programme, applications are also being welcomed for the highly-acclaimed Nuclear Graduates programme which sees the NDA partner with other leading employers in the nuclear sector.

    Both schemes are open for applications until the end of November 2024. Shortlisted candidates will be invited to attend a recruitment and assessment event at Manchester Central in February 2025.

    Both the NDA group graduate programme and Nuclear Graduates schemes are powered by NDA subsidiary Energus.

    To find out more, visit Graduates – The NDA group or  Nuclear Graduates.

    Updates to this page

    Published 23 September 2024

    MIL OSI United Kingdom

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: SLC’s biggest payment date of 24/25

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    SLC pays £0.9 billion in first term Maintenance Loan payments to students today.

    The Student Loans Company (SLC) has paid £0.9 billion in first term Maintenance Loan payments into students’ bank accounts across the UK today (Monday 23rd September).

    SLC enables more than 1.5 million students each year to invest in their futures by providing financial support to access further and higher education. And today marks the biggest payment date at the start of the 24/25 academic year, as students start or return to university. Similarly timed payments of £927 million were made in September 2022 and £798 million in September 2023, and tuition Fee Loan payments are paid directly to higher education providers later in the autumn.

    Payments are released to students when their university or college confirms that they have registered/enrolled. Once SLC has this information, it will send a text message to students a few days before the expected payment date to let them know that their Maintenance Loan is on the way. SLC is encouraging students to log-in to their online account to track their application and payment progress.

    Updates to this page

    Published 23 September 2024

    MIL OSI United Kingdom

  • MIL-OSI Security: Defendants Sentenced for Global Darknet Conspiracy

    Source: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) State Crime Alerts (b)

    Defendants Sold Stolen Financial Information from Tens of Thousands of Victims Worldwide

    KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A citizen of Nigeria, who was extradited from the United Kingdom, was sentenced in federal court yesterday for his involvement in a conspiracy to sell stolen financial information on the darknet from tens of thousands of victims from around the world.

    Simon Kaura was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Greg Kays to five years in federal prison without parole. At sentencing, the court found that Kaura’s crimes resulted in an intended loss of $6,338,500.

    On May 22, 2024, Kaura pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit access device fraud and one count of access device fraud.  According to court documents, Kaura admitted to being part of a sophisticated, global conspiracy to obtain and sell stolen financial information on darknet markets — including a market he helped create and administer with his co-conspirators.  Kaura operated under the online monikers  “apples,” “applepiecards,” “cartman,” and “dpharoah.”

    Kaura and his co-conspirators operated as prominent “carding” (stolen financial information) vendors, sometimes under the moniker brand “ggmccloud” and “ggmccloud1,” on multiple darknet markets. Each market allowed users to buy and sell stolen and fraudulent financial information. The markets operated much like conventional e-commerce websites, except that the goods sold on the markets were primarily criminal in nature. Each market required users to transact in digital currencies, such as Bitcoin. These sites enabled users to distribute illegal contraband to buyers throughout the world to perpetrate fraud.

    Kaura and his co-conspirators obtained large quantities of stolen financial information and passed it along to other co-conspirators to check, organize, and sell on numerous darknet markets. Kaura and his co-conspirators possessed card information belonging to victims from all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Australia, Canada, and the United Kingdom. Kaura and his co-conspirators were responsible for conducting tens of thousands of illegal transactions on darknet markets from Feb. 22, 2016, to Oct. 1, 2019.

    During the conspiracy, Kaura and his co-conspirators also created, launched, and administered their own darknet market, Skynet. From April 2016 to October 2019, the co-conspirators’ market offered stolen financial information and other contraband for sale. The market also hosted a messaging forum and private messaging service, allowing cybercriminals from around the world to meet and communicate freely about their crimes. 

    Co-defendant Taylor Ross Staats, 41, of Texas was sentenced on Jan. 25, 2024, to 18 months in federal prison without parole after pleading guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit access device fraud. Staats’s main role in the conspiracy was to determine, prior to being advertised for sale, whether the stolen payment cards were still active and capable of use. If so, he organized the card information, and it was posted for sale on the darknet.  Staats operated under the online moniker “f9ac4”.

    The U.S. Attorney’s Office and the Department of Justice continue to seek forfeiture of more than $4.5 million in criminal proceeds resulting from the co-conspirators crimes.

    The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs worked with the Government of the United Kingdom to secure the arrest and extradition of Kaura.

    This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Nicholas Heberle, Matthew Blackwood, and John Constance of the Western District of Missouri and Trial Attorneys Michael Christin and Louisa Becker from the Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section of the Criminal Division of the Department of Justice. It was investigated by the FBI.

    MIL Security OSI

  • MIL-OSI Africa: The African Development Bank Group grants over $67 million to Madagascar to relaunch its economy and improve governance in its energy sector

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

    ABIDJAN, Ivory Coast, September 23, 2024/APO Group/ —

    The Board of Directors of the African Development Bank Group (www.AfDB.org) approved a loan of $67.3 million to Madagascar on 20 September 2024 to implement the first phase of its economic growth-inducing Financial Management and Resilience Support Programme for 2024-2025.

    The loan from the African Development Fund, the Bank Group’s concessional financing window, includes funding from the Transition Support Facility.

    “The programme aims to contribute to the creation of favourable conditions for strong and inclusive economic growth by strengthening economic and financial governance, and improving economic resilience,” said Adam Amoumoun, manager of the African Development Bank’s Country Office in Madagascar.

    “It is supporting the Malagasy authorities in implementing the priority reforms of Madagascar’s General State Policy (PGE) 2024-2028 and New Energy Policy for 2015-2030. It will help remedy the investment deficit by increasing the budget, through releasing additional resources for economic recovery, while improving governance in the energy sector,” he explained.

    The programme plans to support the roll-out of the Integrated Tax Administration System (SAFI) to modernize tax management, computerize tax operations, facilitate local revenue collection and taxpayer management, and combat tax fraud. It will also support the creation of a national register of beneficial owners of legal entities and legal structures, to identify people controlling businesses and facilitate investigations in case of corruption.

    In terms of improving governance in the energy sector, the programme plans to support the action plan established by the JIRAMA (Madagascar’s public corporation for electricity and water services) and improve its short-term technical and financial performance to reduce the need for state support.

    As a priority, the programme will support the people of Madagascar, by creating a better regulatory framework for promoting investments and the development of public-private partnership (PPP) projects and better sectoral governance, specifically in energy. This will help improve the business environment and attract investments to sectors that create jobs.

    MIL OSI Africa

  • MIL-OSI: Yeeha! Games Partners with SOMSOC GALLERY to Bridge Web2 and Web3 through Designer Toy Art

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    SINGAPORE, Sept. 21, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Yeeha! Games, an industry-leading gaming platform, announced an exciting strategic partnership with Tokyo-based SOMSOC GALLERY during the Token2049 conference in Singapore. The collaboration aims to merge the worlds of Web2 and Web3, with both parties launching an exclusive co-branded “HOUSEBOY” designer toy collection, marking their official entry into the designer toy industry. On the 19th, Yeeha! Games presented HOUSEBOY at the National Gallery Singapore.

    As part of this collaboration, Yeeha! Games and SOMSOC GALLERY have created a mascot ——「HOUSEBOY」, which will debut as a limited-edition SOFUBI ONEOFF designer toy. Sofubi, derived from an English term and simplified in Japanese, refers to soft vinyl toys made from flexible PVC material. Sofubi toys have a rich and long history, with the first Sofubi debuting in 1966. Over time, these toys have evolved from being merely a cultural symbol into a significant branch of art toys, including designer and collectible toys. Known for their unique designs and limited releases, Sofubi toys have grabbed the attention of collectors worldwide, making them highly sought-after and valuable. The co-branded HOUSEBOY Sofubi designer toy not only merges traditional craftsmanship with modern pop culture but also represents a new paradigm of cross-collaboration between Web3 and Web2, symbolizing the future creative convergence.

    This limited-edition designer toy features a custom paint job inspired by Yeeha! Games signature brand color scheme, making it even more desirable for collectors and fans of both designer toys and Web3 enthusiasts.

    As an industry-leading Web3 gaming platform that integrates cross-chain technology, Web3 middleware, Content Strategies and Game Distribution, Yeeha! Games connects mass users, including Web2 players, through high-quality gaming content and IPs. One of Yeeha! Games’ key strategies is to seamlessly merge Web3 and Web2 ecosystems, a theme that resonates strongly with its participation in Token 2049. The collaboration with SOMSOC Gallery is an important attempt by Yeeha! Games in advancing this strategy. As a comprehensive art space located at the entrance to Harajuku in Tokyo, SOMSOC Gallery has been dedicated to connecting the inner universe of artists with their expressions in the real world since its establishment in 2022. Through the partnership with Yeeha! Games, SOMSOC has embarked on a journey to explore more possibilities in the Web3 world.

    At the recently concluded WebX Tokyo event, SOMSOC and HOUSEBOY made their debut at Tokyo Tower alongside Yeeha!, receiving widespread recognition and admiration from the audience. Responding to requests from the community and creators, SOMSOC launched a Yeeha! exclusive Lottery Sale during this trip to Singapore. By filling out an order form, creators and users worldwide have the chance to win a one-of-a-kind physical HOUSEBOY figure.

    One of Yeeha! Games’ key goals is to collaborate with leading builders and creators in the Asia-Pacific region, creating a carefully curated content hub and a rapidly growing community. Through this partnership, Yeeha! Games not only demonstrates its strategic expansion into the Web2 designer toy market but also paves the way for new possibilities in cross-industry collaboration between Web3 and Web2.

    In the future, Yeeha! Games and SOMSOC GALLERY will continue to work closely, driving the integration of art and gaming by launching more designer toy NFTs, additional artworks, and even mini-games, jointly exploring the limitless potential of the Web3 ecosystem.

    Contact:
    Yeeha! Games
    Connie
    connie.w@yeehagames.com

    SOMSOC GALLERY
    info@somsoc.jp

    Disclaimer: This content is provided by Yeeha! Games. The statements, views and opinions expressed in this column are solely those of the content provider. The information provided in this press release is not a solicitation for investment, nor is it intended as investment advice, financial advice, or trading advice. It is strongly recommended you practice due diligence, including consultation with a professional financial advisor, before investing in or trading cryptocurrency and securities. Please conduct your own research and invest at your own risk.

    Photos accompanying this announcement are available at
    https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/1c0c3eb4-fafc-4565-9cfe-1c5f6ceb7e12
    https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/80da998c-7f5f-4e6a-b96e-5f1125ffc1da
    https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/38162732-7fd5-42f9-83e4-2a75d41328d7

    The MIL Network

  • MIL-OSI Translation: Investments in active transportation infrastructure in Lower Sackville

    MIL OSI Translation. Canadian French to English –

    Source: Government of Canada – in French 1

    Press release

    Lower Sackville, Nova Scotia, September 21, 2024 — The Lower Sackville area has access to a new trail thanks to an investment of more than $680,000 from the federal, provincial and municipal governments and not-for-profit organizations.

    This was announced today by Parliamentary Secretary Darrell Samson, MPP Steve Craig, Mayor Mike Savage, Brenden Blotnicky of the Trans Canada Trail and Matthew Spicer of the Sackville Lakes Park and Trails Association.

    The investment added 1.5 km to the Beech Hill Trail, which is now a 2.9 km gravel trail located in Sackville Lakes Provincial Park. This trail will provide important connections to other regional and provincial trail networks, increasing connectivity in the area. The trail, designed for pedestrians and cyclists, extends from First Lake Drive to Cobequid Road.

    Quotes

    “This trail is a great complement to Sackville Lakes Provincial Park, which offers hiking and cycling trails in a forested setting for those living in nearby urban areas. The federal government is investing in active transportation networks across Canada to make it easier, safer and more convenient for Canadians to navigate their communities without their cars, reducing greenhouse gases and increasing opportunities for movement in our daily lives.”

    Darrell Samson, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Rural Economic Development and Minister responsible for the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency, and Member of Parliament for Sackville–Preston–Chezzetcook, on behalf of the Honourable Sean Fraser, Minister of Housing, Infrastructure and Communities

    “By providing greener, cleaner ways to get around, Nova Scotia continues to play a leading role in the fight against climate change. With the funding announced today, people of all ages and abilities will have safer, more accessible and greener ways to get around the community.”

    The Honourable Steve Craig, MLA for Sackville–Cobequid on behalf of the Honourable Allan MacMaster, Nova Scotia Minister of Communities, Culture, Tourism and Heritage

    “This investment in the Beech Hill Trail Extension will allow more people to connect with nature and stay active, providing better access to valuable trail networks.”

    Mike Savage, Mayor of the Halifax Regional Municipality

    “What a great asset to the community! The Beech Hill Trail has just been completed in Sackville Lakes Provincial Park. The final 1.5 km of this 2.9 km crushed rock trail has just been completed. Hundreds of users have already used this trail that connects the Windsor Junction area to the community of Sackville. We were thrilled to celebrate the official opening of the trail on September 21. The Sackville Lakes Park and Trails Association has managed Sackville Lakes Provincial Park in partnership with the Nova Scotia Department of Natural Resources and Renewable Energy since the park was designated in 2013. Our trail development work in this natural area began in 2001 and we received a great deal of support in building the Beech Hill Trail. Funding includes funding from Housing, Infrastructure and Communities Canada, ACOA, the Nova Scotia Department of Communities, Culture, Tourism and Heritage, the Halifax Regional Municipality Active Transportation Program, the Trans Canada Trail and private sponsors. We also benefited from infrastructure advice and support from the Nova Scotia Department of Natural Resources and Renewable Energy. And of course, none of this would have been possible without the hundreds of volunteer hours of our association members. Thank you to everyone who came out to celebrate the opening of our brand new active transportation trail.”

    Matthew Spicer, Sackville Lakes Park and Trails Association

    Quick Facts

    The federal government is investing up to $237,642 in this phase of the project through the Active Transportation Fund (ATF). The provincial government provided $94,000, while the Halifax Regional Municipality contributed $205,000. The Sackville Lakes Park and Trails Association provided $136,701 and the Trans Canada Trail provided $15,000.

    Active transportation refers to the movement of people or goods through human activity. This includes walking, cycling, and the use of human-powered or hybrid mobility aids, such as wheelchairs, electric scooters, e-bikes, inline skates, snowshoeing, cross-country skis, and more.

    To support Canada’s first National Active Transportation Strategy, the Active Transportation Fund is providing $400 million over five years, starting in 2021, to make active transportation travel easier, safer, more convenient and more enjoyable.

    Canada’s National Active Transportation Strategy is the first pan-Canadian strategic approach to promoting active transportation and its benefits. The strategy aims to make data- and evidence-based investments to expand and build new active transportation networks, and to support healthier, more active, more equitable and more sustainable travel.

    Investing in active transportation infrastructure provides many tangible benefits, creating good middle-class jobs, strengthening the economy, promoting healthier lifestyles, ensuring everyone has access to the same services and opportunities, reducing air and noise pollution, and reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

    The new Canada Public Transit Fund (CCTF) will provide an average of $3 billion per year in permanent funding to address local transit needs by strengthening integrated planning, improving access to transit and active transportation, and supporting the development of more affordable, sustainable and inclusive communities.

    The FTCC serves the needs of communities of all sizes, from large metropolitan areas to mid-sized and smaller communities, including rural, remote, northern and Indigenous communities.

    We are currently accepting expressions of interest for Metropolitan Area Agreements and Core Funding. Visit the website Housing, Infrastructure and Communities Canada website to find out more.

    The funding announced today builds on work the federal government is doing under the Atlantic Growth Strategy to create well-paying jobs and strengthen local economies.

    Related links

    Contact persons

    For further information (media only), please contact:

    Micaal AhmedCommunications ManagerOffice of the Minister of Housing, Infrastructure and Communities343-598-3920micaal.ahmed@infc.gc.ca

    Media RelationsHousing, Infrastructure and Communities Canada613-960-9251Toll free: 1-877-250-7154Email:media-medias@infc.gc.caFollow us onTwitter,Facebook,InstagramAndLinkedInWebsite:Housing, Infrastructure and Communities Canada

    Susan Mader-Zinck Communications Advisor Nova Scotia Department of Communities, Culture, Tourism and Heritage 902-499-1343Susan.mader-zinck@novascotia.ca

    John WedderburnHalifax Regional Municipalityjohn.wedderburn@halifax.ca

    Melissa BolandSackville Lakes Park and Trails Association902-717-0640melissasperry9@gmail.com

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

    MIL Translation OSI

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Investing in active transportation infrastructure in Lower Sackville

    Source: Government of Canada News

    News release

    Lower Sackville, Nova Scotia, September 21, 2024 — The Lower Sackville area has access to a new section of trail after an investment of over $680,000 from the federal, provincial, and municipal governments and non-profit organizations.

    This was announced by Parliamentary Secretary Darrell Samson, MLA Steve Craig, Mayor Mike Savage, Brenden Blotnicky of the Trans Canada Trail, and Matthew Spicer of the Sackville Lakes Park and Trails Association.

    The investment helped build an additional 1.5 km of the Beech Hill Trail, now a 2.9 km gravel trail located within the Sackville Lakes Provincial Park. The trail will support important linkages to other regional and provincial trail networks. The trail, designed for pedestrians and cyclists, stretches from First Lake Drive to Cobequid Road, creating a link from within the park to Cobequid Road.

    Quotes

    “This trail is a great addition to the Sackville Lakes Provincial Park, which provides walking and cycling trails in a forest setting for those living in close-by urban areas. The federal government is investing in active transportation networks across Canada to make it easier, safer, and more convenient for Canadians to navigate their communities without their cars, reducing greenhouse gases and increasing opportunities for movement in our everyday lives.”

    Darrell Samson, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Rural Economic Development and Minister responsible for the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency and Member of Parliament for Sackville–Preston–Chezzetcook, on behalf of the Honourable Sean Fraser, Minister of Housing, Infrastructure and Communities

    “Providing greener and cleaner ways to get from place to place helps Nova Scotia continue to be a leader when it comes to responding to climate change. With the funding announced today, people of all ages and abilities — will have more safe, accessible and environmentally friendly ways to move around the community.”

    The Honourable Steve Craig, MLA for Sackville–Cobequid on behalf of the Honourable Allan MacMaster, Minister of Communities, Culture, Tourism and Heritage

    “This investment in the extension of the Beech Hill Trail will help more people connect to nature and stay active, providing greater access to valued trail systems.”

    His Worship Mike Savage, Mayor of the Halifax Regional Municipality

    “What a great asset to the community! The Beech Hill Trail has just been completed in Sackville Lakes Provincial Park. It is 2.9 km of crusher-dust surfaced trail with the final 1.5 km piece just finished. Trail users by the hundreds have already taken advantage of this route which joins the Windsor Junction area to the Sackville community. We were excited to celebrate the official opening of the trail September 21. The Sackville Lakes Park and Trails Association has been co-managing Sackville Lakes Provincial Park with the Nova Scotia Department of Natural Resources and Renewables since the park was designated in 2013. Our trail development work in this natural area started in 2001. We have had lots of help building the Beech Hill Trail including funds from Housing, Infrastructure and Communities Canada; ACOA; Nova Scotia Department of Community, Culture, Tourism and Heritage; Halifax Regional Municipality Active Transportation; Trans Canada Trail; and private sponsors. We have had guidance and infrastructure help from the NS Department of Natural Resources and Renewables. And of course it could not have happened without the hundreds of volunteer hours from members of our association. Thank you to all who came to celebrate the opening or our newest Active Transportation trail.”

    Matthew Spicer, Sackville Lakes Park and Trails Association

    Quick facts

    • The federal government is investing up to $237,642 in this phase of the project through the Active Transportation Fund (ATF). The provincial government contributed $94,000, while the Halifax Regional Municipality contributed $205,000. The Sackville Lakes Park and Trails Association contributed $136,701 and the Trans Canada Trail contributed $15,000. 

    • Active transportation refers to the movement of people or goods powered by human activity. It includes walking, cycling and the use of human-powered or hybrid mobility aids such as wheelchairs, scooters, e-bikes, rollerblades, snowshoes, cross-country skis, and more.

    • In support of Canada’s National Active Transportation Strategy, the Active Transportation Fund is providing $400 million over five years, starting in 2021, to make travel by active transportation easier, safer, more convenient, and more enjoyable.

    • The National Active Transportation Strategy is the country’s first coast-to-coast-to-coast strategic approach for promoting active transportation and its benefits. The strategy’s aim is to make data-driven and evidence-based investments to build new and expanded active transportation networks, while supporting equitable, healthy, active, and sustainable travel options.

    • Investing in active transportation infrastructure provides many tangible benefits, such as creating good, middle-class jobs, strengthening the economy, promoting healthier lifestyles, ensuring everyone has access to the same services and opportunities, cutting air and noise pollution, and reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

    • The new Canada Public Transit Fund (CPTF) will provide an average of $3 billion a year of permanent funding to respond to local transit needs by enhancing integrated planning, improving access to public transit and active transportation, and supporting the development of more affordable, sustainable, and inclusive communities.

    • The CPTF supports transit and active transportation investments in three streams: Metro Region Agreements, Baseline Funding, and Targeted Funding.

    • We are currently accepting Expression of Interest submissions for Metro-Region Agreements and Baseline Funding. Visit the Housing, Infrastructure and Communities Canada website for more information.

    • The funding announced today builds on the federal government’s work through the Atlantic Growth Strategy to create well-paying jobs and strengthen local economies.

    Associated links

    Contacts

    For more information (media only), please contact:

    Micaal Ahmed
    Communications Manager
    Office of the Minister of Housing, Infrastructure and Communities
    343-598-3920
    micaal.ahmed@infc.gc.ca

    Media Relations
    Housing, Infrastructure and Communities Canada
    613-960-9251
    Toll free: 1-877-250-7154
    Email: media-medias@infc.gc.ca
    Follow us on TwitterFacebookInstagram and LinkedIn
    Web: Housing, Infrastructure and Communities Canada

    Susan Mader-Zinck 
    Communications Advisor 
    Nova Scotia Department of Communities, Culture, Tourism and Heritage 
    902-499-1343 
    Susan.mader-zinck@novascotia.ca

    John Wedderburn
    Halifax Regional Municipality
    john.wedderburn@halifax.ca

    Melissa Boland
    Sackville Lakes Park and Trails Association
    902-717-0640
    melissasperry9@gmail.com

    MIL OSI Canada News

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Secretary-General’s remarks at the opening of the Summit of the Future’s Action Days [bilingual as delivered, scroll down for all-English and all-French]

    Source: United Nations

    Excellencies, Dear Friends, all protocol observed,

    Welcome to the Summit of the Future Action Days – which kicked-off yesterday with the youth-led afternoon. A day full of ideas, energy, hope and expectation – and a perfect reminder of why we are here.

    Today promises to be just as dynamic.

    Looking out, I see world leaders. I see mayors and legislators. I see civil society, the private sector, academics, artists, activists and young people. 

    You come from every corner of the world, every generation and every walk of life. 

    Friends, this is what effective, inclusive, networked multilateralism must look like.
     
    Four years ago, we began the process that brings us here today.

    Because we saw a world in trouble:

    Torn apart by conflict and inequalities;

    Threatened by climate chaos and unregulated technologies;

    With the Sustainable Development Goals in peril – with many countries now mired in disastrous debt and a cost-of-living crisis.

    We saw our multilateral institutions ailing – unable to respond to contemporary challenges, let alone those of tomorrow.

    We saw faith in multilateral solutions eroding.

    And we saw trust in each other dissipating just when we needed it most.

    So, we began a journey to reform.

    To renew the international system: so that it meets the moment, and is fit for the future.

    We need multilateralism that is more inclusive, more effective, and more networked – with stronger links between international institutions and with the people.
     
    That means greater representation of developing countries. And it means a stronger voice for all of you and what you represent.

    This ambition was rooted in some clear truths.

    The world belongs to us all. People want a say in the decisions that affect them.

    And while governments have primary responsibility that we do not deny, we will not solve today’s global problems without contributions from all of society:

    From civil society and young people, delivering change, promoting accountability, demanding better, standing up for truth and justice – and using new technologies to organize for a better world.

    From business and finance – critical to combatting the climate crisis and shaping our digital future for the benefit of all.
     
    And from scientists, innovators and academics, pushing the boundaries of our knowledge and developing solutions to the great challenges that we face – from hunger and disease, to online hate. 

    Dear friends,

    Over the past four years, the people in this room — and your colleagues around the world — participated in the most consultative process ever undertaken by the United Nations.

    We’ve seen:
    A total of 1.5 million people from every one of our Member States involved in discussions and consultations everywhere … 

    Hundreds of civil society groups inputting into the Pact for the Future, the Global Digital Compact, and the Declaration on Future Generations…

    And thousands of written contributions.

    Together you have pushed for vision and ambition. And I thank you for that.

    We have now three milestone texts that are on the table. 

    Which must open the door to changes our world in a way that it desperately needs.

    The Pact for the Future must lay the ground for reform:

    Reform of the outdated United Nations Security Council – to make it more effective but also more representative of what the world is today;

    Reform of our international financial institutions – so that they supercharge resources for sustainable development and for climate action;

    Reform of the rules governing outer space – currently a chaotic free-for-all; 

    And reform how we respond to complex global shocks and work together on peace and security.

    On the other hand, the Global Digital Compact must be a blueprint for closing digital divides, and the first universal agreement on Artificial Intelligence – laying the foundations for a global platform centered at the UN that can bring all actors together.

    The Declaration on Future Generations must commit leaders to take tomorrow into account as they make decisions today.

    And gender equality and human rights must weave through every aspect of those texts. Reflecting the fact that they are fundamental to every area of life.

    Excellences, chers amis,

    Les enjeux qui sont au cœur de ces textes – la justice, les droits, la paix et l’égalité – animent mon travail depuis des décennies et me poussent toujours à aller de l’avant.

    Je sais qu’il en va de même pour beaucoup d’entre vous.

    Je n’abandonnerai pas –– et je sais que vous non plus.

    L’adoption de ces textes ne marquera pas la fin du parcours – mais plutôt un nouveau départ.

    Il nous incombera ensuite de donner vie à ces textes.  De passer des mots à l’action. Et de les utiliser pour mettre l’humanité sur une meilleure voie.

    Votre engagement, votre détermination et votre pression continus seront essentiels.

    Ce travail commence avec ces Journées d’Action.

    Nous sommes impatients de connaître vos idées et vos solutions – sur ce que ces nouveaux cadres signifient pour vous et sur la manière dont, ensemble, vous pouvez contribuer à les mettre en œuvre. 

    On ne bâtira pas un multilatéralisme renouvelé du jour au lendemain – ni par les seuls gouvernements. 

    Il sera alimenté et porté par vous tous – et par les groupes que vous représentez.

    Nous nous sommes battus pour plus d’ambition.

    À présent, luttons pour plus d’action – ensemble.

    Au nom de l’Organisation des Nations Unies, merci de vous joindre à nous dans cette mission vitale.

    *****
    [all-English]

    Excellencies, Dear Friends, all protocol observed,

    Welcome to the Summit of the Future Action Days – which kicked-off yesterday with the youth-led afternoon. A day full of ideas, energy, hope and expectation – and a perfect reminder of why we are here.

    Today promises to be just as dynamic.

    Looking out, I see world leaders. I see mayors and legislators. I see civil society, the private sector, academics, artists, activists and young people. 

    You come from every corner of the world, every generation and every walk of life. 

    Friends, this is what effective, inclusive, networked multilateralism must look like.
     
    Four years ago, we began the process that brings us here today.

    Because we saw a world in trouble:

    Torn apart by conflict and inequalities;

    Threatened by climate chaos and unregulated technologies;

    With the Sustainable Development Goals in peril – with many countries now mired in disastrous debt and a cost-of-living crisis.

    We saw our multilateral institutions ailing – unable to respond to contemporary challenges, let alone those of tomorrow.

    We saw faith in multilateral solutions eroding.

    And we saw trust in each other dissipating just when we needed it most.

    So, we began a journey to reform.

    To renew the international system: so that it meets the moment, and is fit for the future.

    We need multilateralism that is more inclusive, more effective, and more networked – with stronger links between international institutions and with the people.
     
    That means greater representation of developing countries. And it means a stronger voice for all of you and what you represent.

    This ambition was rooted in some clear truths.

    The world belongs to us all. People want a say in the decisions that affect them.

    And while governments have primary responsibility that we do not deny, we will not solve today’s global problems without contributions from all of society:

    From civil society and young people, delivering change, promoting accountability, demanding better, standing up for truth and justice – and using new technologies to organize for a better world.

    From business and finance – critical to combatting the climate crisis and shaping our digital future for the benefit of all.
     
    And from scientists, innovators and academics, pushing the boundaries of our knowledge and developing solutions to the great challenges that we face – from hunger and disease, to online hate. 

    Dear friends,

    Over the past four years, the people in this room — and your colleagues around the world — participated in the most consultative process ever undertaken by the United Nations.

    We’ve seen:

    A total of 1.5 million people from every one of our Member States involved in discussions and consultations everywhere… 

    Hundreds of civil society groups inputting into the Pact for the Future, the Global Digital Compact, and the Declaration on Future Generations…

    And thousands of written contributions.

    Together you have pushed for vision and ambition. And I thank you for that.

    We have now three milestone texts that are on the table. 

    Which must open the door to changes our world in a way that it desperately needs.

    The Pact for the Future must lay the ground for reform:

    Reform of the outdated United Nations Security Council – to make it more effective but also more representative of what the world is today;

    Reform of our international financial institutions – so that they supercharge resources for sustainable development and for climate action;

    Reform of the rules governing outer space – currently a chaotic free-for-all; 

    And reform how we respond to complex global shocks and work together on peace and security.

    On the other hand, the Global Digital Compact must be a blueprint for closing digital divides, and the first universal agreement on Artificial Intelligence – laying the foundations for a global platform centered at the UN that can bring all actors together.

    The Declaration on Future Generations must commit leaders to take tomorrow into account as they make decisions today.

    And gender equality and human rights must weave through every aspect of those texts. Reflecting the fact that they are fundamental to every area of life.

    Excellencies, friends,

    The issues at the heart of these texts – justice, rights, peace and equality – have animated my work for decades – driving me forward.

    The same is true for many of you.

    I will not give up, and I know you won’t either.

    The adoption of these texts will not be the end of the journey.

    It will simply be the end of the beginning.

    Our next task is to breathe life into them. To put words into action.  And use them to set the world on a better course.

    Your continued engagement, commitment and pressure, will be vital.

    That work starts with these Action Days.

    We look forward to hearing your ideas and solutions – on what these new frameworks mean for you, and how, together, you can help to make them a reality. 

    A renewed multilateralism will not be built in a day – or by governments alone. 

    It will be fueled and carried forward by all of you and the groups you represent.

    We have fought for ambition.

    Now let’s fight for action – together.

    On behalf of the United Nations, thank you for joining us in this vital task.

    *****
    [all-French]

    Excellences, chers amis,

    Bienvenue aux Journées d’action du Sommet de l’avenir, qui ont démarré hier par l’après-midi placée sous le signe de la jeunesse. Hier fut une journée pleine d’idées, d’énergie, d’espoirs et d’attentes – qui nous a rappelé, on ne peut mieux, pourquoi nous sommes ici.

    La journée d’aujourd’hui promet d’être tout aussi dynamique.

    En vous observant, je vois des dirigeants du monde. Je vois des maires et des législateurs. Je vois représentés la société civile, le secteur privé, les milieux universitaires, le monde des arts, les militants et les jeunes.

    Vous venez de tous les coins du monde – toutes générations confondues – et de tous horizons.

    Chers amis, voilà à quoi ressemble un multilatéralisme en réseau, efficace et inclusif.

    Il y a quatre ans, nous avons lancé le processus qui nous rassemble aujourd’hui.

    Parce que nous avons vu un monde en difficulté :

    Déchiré par les conflits et les inégalités ;

    Menacé par le chaos climatique et la présence de technologies échappant à toute réglementation ;

    Les Objectifs de développement durable sont en péril – de nombreux pays se trouvant aujourd’hui embourbés dans une dette catastrophique et une crise du coût de la vie.

    Nous avons vu nos institutions multilatérales fragilisées, incapables de répondre aux défis d’aujourd’hui, et encore moins à ceux de demain.

    Nous avons vu s’éroder la confiance dans les solutions multilatérales.

    Et nous avons vu la foi en l’autre se dissiper, au moment où nous en avions le plus besoin.

    Voilà pourquoi nous avons entrepris de procéder à une réforme :

    De rénover le système international, pour qu’il soit en phase avec notre époque et soit paré pour l’avenir.

    Il nous faut un multilatéralisme plus inclusif, plus efficace et plus interconnecté, marqué par des liens plus étroits entre institutions internationales et avec les populations.

    Qui passe par une plus grande représentation des pays en développement. Et par une voix qui résonne davantage, pour chacun d’entre vous et qui vous représente.

    L’ambition qui nous animait s’appuyait sur quelques vérités évidentes :

    Que la planète appartient à toutes et tous. Et que les individus veulent avoir leur mot à dire dans les décisions qui les concernent.

    Bien que les gouvernements aient un rôle de premier plan à jouer que nous ne pouvons nier, nous ne résoudrons pas les problèmes du monde d’aujourd’hui sans la contribution de la société dans son ensemble :

    De la société civile et des jeunes : pour motiver le changement, encourager les comportements responsables, être plus exigeants, défendre la vérité et la justice – et utiliser les nouvelles technologies afin de préparer un monde meilleur.

    Des entreprises et du monde de la finance : qui sont essentiels pour lutter contre la crise climatique et façonner notre avenir numérique au profit de toutes et tous.
    Et des scientifiques, des innovateurs et des universitaires : pour repousser les limites de nos connaissances et élaborer des solutions aux grands défis face auxquels nous nous trouvons – qu’il s’agisse de la faim et des maladies ou des discours de haine en ligne.

    Chers amis,

    Au cours des quatre dernières années, vous ici présents – et vos collègues à travers le monde – avez participé aux consultations les plus exhaustives jamais entreprises par l’Organisation des Nations Unies.

    À cette occasion :

    Pas moins de 1,5 million de personnes représentant l’ensemble de nos États Membres ont pris part aux débats et aux consultations…

    Des centaines de groupes de la société civile ont contribué au Pacte pour l’avenir, au Pacte numérique mondial et à la Déclaration sur les générations futures…

    Et des milliers de contributions écrites ont été produites.

    Ensemble, vous avez repoussé les limites de la vision et de l’ambition. Et pour cela, je vous dis : merci !

    Nous avons maintenant trois textes importants sur la table.

    Voilà qui doit ouvrir la voie aux changements dont notre monde a désespérément besoin.

    Le Pacte pour l’avenir doit jeter les bases d’une réforme :

    Réforme du Conseil de sécurité de l’ONU, désormais dépassé, pour qu’il soit plus efficace, mais aussi plus représentatif du monde d’aujourd’hui ;

    Réforme de nos institutions financières internationales, pour qu’elles puissent renforcer les ressources destinées au développement durable et à l’action climatique ;

    Réforme des règles régissant l’espace extra-atmosphérique, qui est actuellement une foire d’empoigne générale ;

    Réforme des méthodes que nous employons pour parer aux chocs mondiaux complexes et pour œuvrer, ensemble, à la paix et à la sécurité.

    Par ailleurs, le Pacte numérique mondial doit constituer un cadre d’action pour la réduction des fractures numériques et le premier accord universel sur l’intelligence artificielle, qui jette les bases d’une plateforme mondiale centrée sur l’ONU et rassemblant tous les acteurs.

    La Déclaration sur les générations futures doit engager les dirigeants à considérer l’avenir lorsqu’ils prennent leurs décisions aujourd’hui.

    Enfin, l’égalité des genres et les droits humains doivent sous-tendre tous les aspects de ces textes, démontrant ainsi qu’ils sont fondamentaux dans tous les domaines de la vie.

    Excellences, chers amis,

    Les enjeux qui sont au cœur de ces textes – la justice, les droits, la paix et l’égalité – animent mon travail depuis des décennies et me poussent toujours à aller de l’avant.

    Je sais qu’il en va de même pour beaucoup d’entre vous.

    Je n’abandonnerai pas –– et je sais que vous non plus.

    L’adoption de ces textes ne marquera pas la fin du parcours – mais plutôt un nouveau départ.

    Il nous incombera ensuite de donner vie à ces textes. De passer des mots à l’action. Et de les utiliser pour mettre l’humanité sur une meilleure voie.

    Votre engagement, votre détermination et votre pression continus seront essentiels.

    Ce travail commence avec ces Journées d’Action.

    Nous sommes impatients de connaître vos idées et vos solutions – sur ce que ces nouveaux cadres signifient pour vous et sur la manière dont, ensemble, vous pouvez contribuer à les mettre en œuvre. 

    On ne bâtira pas un multilatéralisme renouvelé du jour au lendemain – ni par les seuls gouvernements. 

    Il sera alimenté et porté par vous tous – et par les groupes que vous représentez.

    Nous nous sommes battus pour plus d’ambition.

    À présent, luttons pour plus d’action – ensemble.

    Au nom de l’Organisation des Nations Unies, merci de vous joindre à nous dans cette mission vitale.

    MIL OSI United Nations News

  • MIL-OSI Africa: Secretary-General’s remarks at the opening of the Summit of the Future’s Action Days [bilingual as delivered, scroll down for all-English and all-French]

    Source: United Nations – English

    xcellencies, Dear Friends, all protocol observed,

    Welcome to the Summit of the Future Action Days – which kicked-off yesterday with the youth-led afternoon. A day full of ideas, energy, hope and expectation – and a perfect reminder of why we are here.

    Today promises to be just as dynamic.

    Looking out, I see world leaders. I see mayors and legislators. I see civil society, the private sector, academics, artists, activists and young people. 

    You come from every corner of the world, every generation and every walk of life. 

    Friends, this is what effective, inclusive, networked multilateralism must look like.
     
    Four years ago, we began the process that brings us here today.

    Because we saw a world in trouble:

    Torn apart by conflict and inequalities;

    Threatened by climate chaos and unregulated technologies;

    With the Sustainable Development Goals in peril – with many countries now mired in disastrous debt and a cost-of-living crisis.

    We saw our multilateral institutions ailing – unable to respond to contemporary challenges, let alone those of tomorrow.

    We saw faith in multilateral solutions eroding.

    And we saw trust in each other dissipating just when we needed it most.

    So, we began a journey to reform.

    To renew the international system: so that it meets the moment, and is fit for the future.

    We need multilateralism that is more inclusive, more effective, and more networked – with stronger links between international institutions and with the people.
     
    That means greater representation of developing countries. And it means a stronger voice for all of you and what you represent.

    This ambition was rooted in some clear truths.

    The world belongs to us all. People want a say in the decisions that affect them.

    And while governments have primary responsibility that we do not deny, we will not solve today’s global problems without contributions from all of society:

    From civil society and young people, delivering change, promoting accountability, demanding better, standing up for truth and justice – and using new technologies to organize for a better world.

    From business and finance – critical to combatting the climate crisis and shaping our digital future for the benefit of all.
     
    And from scientists, innovators and academics, pushing the boundaries of our knowledge and developing solutions to the great challenges that we face – from hunger and disease, to online hate. 

    Dear friends,

    Over the past four years, the people in this room — and your colleagues around the world — participated in the most consultative process ever undertaken by the United Nations.

    We’ve seen:
    A total of 1.5 million people from every one of our Member States involved in discussions and consultations everywhere … 

    Hundreds of civil society groups inputting into the Pact for the Future, the Global Digital Compact, and the Declaration on Future Generations…

    And thousands of written contributions.

    Together you have pushed for vision and ambition. And I thank you for that.

    We have now three milestone texts that are on the table. 

    Which must open the door to changes our world in a way that it desperately needs.

    The Pact for the Future must lay the ground for reform:

    Reform of the outdated United Nations Security Council – to make it more effective but also more representative of what the world is today;

    Reform of our international financial institutions – so that they supercharge resources for sustainable development and for climate action;

    Reform of the rules governing outer space – currently a chaotic free-for-all; 

    And reform how we respond to complex global shocks and work together on peace and security.

    On the other hand, the Global Digital Compact must be a blueprint for closing digital divides, and the first universal agreement on Artificial Intelligence – laying the foundations for a global platform centered at the UN that can bring all actors together.

    The Declaration on Future Generations must commit leaders to take tomorrow into account as they make decisions today.

    And gender equality and human rights must weave through every aspect of those texts. Reflecting the fact that they are fundamental to every area of life.

    Excellences, chers amis,

    Les enjeux qui sont au cœur de ces textes – la justice, les droits, la paix et l’égalité – animent mon travail depuis des décennies et me poussent toujours à aller de l’avant.

    Je sais qu’il en va de même pour beaucoup d’entre vous.

    Je n’abandonnerai pas –– et je sais que vous non plus.

    L’adoption de ces textes ne marquera pas la fin du parcours – mais plutôt un nouveau départ.

    Il nous incombera ensuite de donner vie à ces textes.  De passer des mots à l’action. Et de les utiliser pour mettre l’humanité sur une meilleure voie.

    Votre engagement, votre détermination et votre pression continus seront essentiels.

    Ce travail commence avec ces Journées d’Action.

    Nous sommes impatients de connaître vos idées et vos solutions – sur ce que ces nouveaux cadres signifient pour vous et sur la manière dont, ensemble, vous pouvez contribuer à les mettre en œuvre. 

    On ne bâtira pas un multilatéralisme renouvelé du jour au lendemain – ni par les seuls gouvernements. 

    Il sera alimenté et porté par vous tous – et par les groupes que vous représentez.

    Nous nous sommes battus pour plus d’ambition.

    À présent, luttons pour plus d’action – ensemble.

    Au nom de l’Organisation des Nations Unies, merci de vous joindre à nous dans cette mission vitale.

    *****
    [all-English]

    Excellencies, Dear Friends, all protocol observed,

    Welcome to the Summit of the Future Action Days – which kicked-off yesterday with the youth-led afternoon. A day full of ideas, energy, hope and expectation – and a perfect reminder of why we are here.

    Today promises to be just as dynamic.

    Looking out, I see world leaders. I see mayors and legislators. I see civil society, the private sector, academics, artists, activists and young people. 

    You come from every corner of the world, every generation and every walk of life. 

    Friends, this is what effective, inclusive, networked multilateralism must look like.
     
    Four years ago, we began the process that brings us here today.

    Because we saw a world in trouble:

    Torn apart by conflict and inequalities;

    Threatened by climate chaos and unregulated technologies;

    With the Sustainable Development Goals in peril – with many countries now mired in disastrous debt and a cost-of-living crisis.

    We saw our multilateral institutions ailing – unable to respond to contemporary challenges, let alone those of tomorrow.

    We saw faith in multilateral solutions eroding.

    And we saw trust in each other dissipating just when we needed it most.

    So, we began a journey to reform.

    To renew the international system: so that it meets the moment, and is fit for the future.

    We need multilateralism that is more inclusive, more effective, and more networked – with stronger links between international institutions and with the people.
     
    That means greater representation of developing countries. And it means a stronger voice for all of you and what you represent.

    This ambition was rooted in some clear truths.

    The world belongs to us all. People want a say in the decisions that affect them.

    And while governments have primary responsibility that we do not deny, we will not solve today’s global problems without contributions from all of society:

    From civil society and young people, delivering change, promoting accountability, demanding better, standing up for truth and justice – and using new technologies to organize for a better world.

    From business and finance – critical to combatting the climate crisis and shaping our digital future for the benefit of all.
     
    And from scientists, innovators and academics, pushing the boundaries of our knowledge and developing solutions to the great challenges that we face – from hunger and disease, to online hate. 

    Dear friends,

    Over the past four years, the people in this room — and your colleagues around the world — participated in the most consultative process ever undertaken by the United Nations.

    We’ve seen:

    A total of 1.5 million people from every one of our Member States involved in discussions and consultations everywhere… 

    Hundreds of civil society groups inputting into the Pact for the Future, the Global Digital Compact, and the Declaration on Future Generations…

    And thousands of written contributions.

    Together you have pushed for vision and ambition. And I thank you for that.

    We have now three milestone texts that are on the table. 

    Which must open the door to changes our world in a way that it desperately needs.

    The Pact for the Future must lay the ground for reform:

    Reform of the outdated United Nations Security Council – to make it more effective but also more representative of what the world is today;

    Reform of our international financial institutions – so that they supercharge resources for sustainable development and for climate action;

    Reform of the rules governing outer space – currently a chaotic free-for-all; 

    And reform how we respond to complex global shocks and work together on peace and security.

    On the other hand, the Global Digital Compact must be a blueprint for closing digital divides, and the first universal agreement on Artificial Intelligence – laying the foundations for a global platform centered at the UN that can bring all actors together.

    The Declaration on Future Generations must commit leaders to take tomorrow into account as they make decisions today.

    And gender equality and human rights must weave through every aspect of those texts. Reflecting the fact that they are fundamental to every area of life.

    Excellencies, friends,

    The issues at the heart of these texts – justice, rights, peace and equality – have animated my work for decades – driving me forward.

    The same is true for many of you.

    I will not give up, and I know you won’t either.

    The adoption of these texts will not be the end of the journey.

    It will simply be the end of the beginning.

    Our next task is to breathe life into them. To put words into action.  And use them to set the world on a better course.

    Your continued engagement, commitment and pressure, will be vital.

    That work starts with these Action Days.

    We look forward to hearing your ideas and solutions – on what these new frameworks mean for you, and how, together, you can help to make them a reality. 

    A renewed multilateralism will not be built in a day – or by governments alone. 

    It will be fueled and carried forward by all of you and the groups you represent.

    We have fought for ambition.

    Now let’s fight for action – together.

    On behalf of the United Nations, thank you for joining us in this vital task.

    *****
    [all-French]

    Excellences, chers amis,

    Bienvenue aux Journées d’action du Sommet de l’avenir, qui ont démarré hier par l’après-midi placée sous le signe de la jeunesse. Hier fut une journée pleine d’idées, d’énergie, d’espoirs et d’attentes – qui nous a rappelé, on ne peut mieux, pourquoi nous sommes ici.

    La journée d’aujourd’hui promet d’être tout aussi dynamique.

    En vous observant, je vois des dirigeants du monde. Je vois des maires et des législateurs. Je vois représentés la société civile, le secteur privé, les milieux universitaires, le monde des arts, les militants et les jeunes.

    Vous venez de tous les coins du monde – toutes générations confondues – et de tous horizons.

    Chers amis, voilà à quoi ressemble un multilatéralisme en réseau, efficace et inclusif.

    Il y a quatre ans, nous avons lancé le processus qui nous rassemble aujourd’hui.

    Parce que nous avons vu un monde en difficulté :

    Déchiré par les conflits et les inégalités ;

    Menacé par le chaos climatique et la présence de technologies échappant à toute réglementation ;

    Les Objectifs de développement durable sont en péril – de nombreux pays se trouvant aujourd’hui embourbés dans une dette catastrophique et une crise du coût de la vie.

    Nous avons vu nos institutions multilatérales fragilisées, incapables de répondre aux défis d’aujourd’hui, et encore moins à ceux de demain.

    Nous avons vu s’éroder la confiance dans les solutions multilatérales.

    Et nous avons vu la foi en l’autre se dissiper, au moment où nous en avions le plus besoin.

    Voilà pourquoi nous avons entrepris de procéder à une réforme :

    De rénover le système international, pour qu’il soit en phase avec notre époque et soit paré pour l’avenir.

    Il nous faut un multilatéralisme plus inclusif, plus efficace et plus interconnecté, marqué par des liens plus étroits entre institutions internationales et avec les populations.

    Qui passe par une plus grande représentation des pays en développement. Et par une voix qui résonne davantage, pour chacun d’entre vous et qui vous représente.

    L’ambition qui nous animait s’appuyait sur quelques vérités évidentes :

    Que la planète appartient à toutes et tous. Et que les individus veulent avoir leur mot à dire dans les décisions qui les concernent.

    Bien que les gouvernements aient un rôle de premier plan à jouer que nous ne pouvons nier, nous ne résoudrons pas les problèmes du monde d’aujourd’hui sans la contribution de la société dans son ensemble :

    De la société civile et des jeunes : pour motiver le changement, encourager les comportements responsables, être plus exigeants, défendre la vérité et la justice – et utiliser les nouvelles technologies afin de préparer un monde meilleur.

    Des entreprises et du monde de la finance : qui sont essentiels pour lutter contre la crise climatique et façonner notre avenir numérique au profit de toutes et tous.
    Et des scientifiques, des innovateurs et des universitaires : pour repousser les limites de nos connaissances et élaborer des solutions aux grands défis face auxquels nous nous trouvons – qu’il s’agisse de la faim et des maladies ou des discours de haine en ligne.

    Chers amis,

    Au cours des quatre dernières années, vous ici présents – et vos collègues à travers le monde – avez participé aux consultations les plus exhaustives jamais entreprises par l’Organisation des Nations Unies.

    À cette occasion :

    Pas moins de 1,5 million de personnes représentant l’ensemble de nos États Membres ont pris part aux débats et aux consultations…

    Des centaines de groupes de la société civile ont contribué au Pacte pour l’avenir, au Pacte numérique mondial et à la Déclaration sur les générations futures…

    Et des milliers de contributions écrites ont été produites.

    Ensemble, vous avez repoussé les limites de la vision et de l’ambition. Et pour cela, je vous dis : merci !

    Nous avons maintenant trois textes importants sur la table.

    Voilà qui doit ouvrir la voie aux changements dont notre monde a désespérément besoin.

    Le Pacte pour l’avenir doit jeter les bases d’une réforme :

    Réforme du Conseil de sécurité de l’ONU, désormais dépassé, pour qu’il soit plus efficace, mais aussi plus représentatif du monde d’aujourd’hui ;

    Réforme de nos institutions financières internationales, pour qu’elles puissent renforcer les ressources destinées au développement durable et à l’action climatique ;

    Réforme des règles régissant l’espace extra-atmosphérique, qui est actuellement une foire d’empoigne générale ;

    Réforme des méthodes que nous employons pour parer aux chocs mondiaux complexes et pour œuvrer, ensemble, à la paix et à la sécurité.

    Par ailleurs, le Pacte numérique mondial doit constituer un cadre d’action pour la réduction des fractures numériques et le premier accord universel sur l’intelligence artificielle, qui jette les bases d’une plateforme mondiale centrée sur l’ONU et rassemblant tous les acteurs.

    La Déclaration sur les générations futures doit engager les dirigeants à considérer l’avenir lorsqu’ils prennent leurs décisions aujourd’hui.

    Enfin, l’égalité des genres et les droits humains doivent sous-tendre tous les aspects de ces textes, démontrant ainsi qu’ils sont fondamentaux dans tous les domaines de la vie.

    Excellences, chers amis,

    Les enjeux qui sont au cœur de ces textes – la justice, les droits, la paix et l’égalité – animent mon travail depuis des décennies et me poussent toujours à aller de l’avant.

    Je sais qu’il en va de même pour beaucoup d’entre vous.

    Je n’abandonnerai pas –– et je sais que vous non plus.

    L’adoption de ces textes ne marquera pas la fin du parcours – mais plutôt un nouveau départ.

    Il nous incombera ensuite de donner vie à ces textes. De passer des mots à l’action. Et de les utiliser pour mettre l’humanité sur une meilleure voie.

    Votre engagement, votre détermination et votre pression continus seront essentiels.

    Ce travail commence avec ces Journées d’Action.

    Nous sommes impatients de connaître vos idées et vos solutions – sur ce que ces nouveaux cadres signifient pour vous et sur la manière dont, ensemble, vous pouvez contribuer à les mettre en œuvre. 

    On ne bâtira pas un multilatéralisme renouvelé du jour au lendemain – ni par les seuls gouvernements. 

    Il sera alimenté et porté par vous tous – et par les groupes que vous représentez.

    Nous nous sommes battus pour plus d’ambition.

    À présent, luttons pour plus d’action – ensemble.

    Au nom de l’Organisation des Nations Unies, merci de vous joindre à nous dans cette mission vitale.

    MIL OSI Africa

  • MIL-OSI USA: Special Advisor on International Disability Rights (SAIDR) Sara Minkara Traveled to Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan to Promote Disability Rights in the C5+1 Framework

    Source: United States Department of State (4)

    Office of the Spokesperson

    From September 10-15, Special Advisor on International Disability Rights (SAIDR) Sara Minkara traveled to Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan to meet with government officials, civil society, and the media to explore opportunities for further developing disability-inclusive policies and programming nationally and in the C5+1 framework.

    In Turkmenistan, SAIDR Minkara met with government officials and members of civil society on current initiatives to increase economic and social opportunities for persons with disabilities. In Uzbekistan, she met with government officials and civil society on expanding disability inclusion as it relates to inclusive education and the digital economy. She also met with First Daughter Shakhnoza Mirziyoyeva on the importance of changing the narrative on how society views persons with disabilities.

    For further information, please follow the Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor on X and Facebook at @StateDRL, or email DRL-Press@state.gov.

    MIL OSI USA News

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Canada Highlights Significant Funding to Unlock More Critical Minerals Development in the Yukon

    Source: Government of Canada News (2)

    Dr. Brendan Hanley, Member of Parliament for the Yukon, on behalf of the Honourable Jonathan Wilkinson, Minister of Energy and Natural Resources, highlighted an important announcement of up to $40 million in funding, pending final due diligence from Natural Resources Canada, for critical minerals infrastructure developments in the Yukon. This funding would be provided through the Critical Minerals Infrastructure Fund (CMIF)

    September 20, 2024          Whitehorse, Yukon            Natural Resources Canada

    Investments in critical minerals infrastructure are essential to enable Canada to seize the generational opportunity of a low-carbon economy and capitalize on our rich mineral resources.  Canada is well positioned to be a global leader and first-class producer of a wide variety of critical minerals that are essential to power the clean economy, and, in turn, create good jobs and support economic opportunities across critical mineral value chains — from upstream exploration and extraction to downstream processing, manufacturing and recycling.

    Today, Dr. Brendan Hanley, Member of Parliament for the Yukon, on behalf of the Honourable Jonathan Wilkinson, Minister of Energy and Natural Resources, highlighted an important announcement of up to $40 million in funding, pending final due diligence from Natural Resources Canada, for critical minerals infrastructure developments in the Yukon. This funding would be provided through the Critical Minerals Infrastructure Fund (CMIF)

    The Government of Yukon is seeking to undertake pre-feasibility activities to advance a 765-kilometre, high-voltage transmission line network that would connect the Yukon electrical grid to the North American grid in B.C. This regional project has proposed energy infrastructure located in two priority regions for critical minerals development — Yukon’s Cassiar and Tanana regions, and B.C.’s Golden Triangle. The transmission line could support projects producing critical minerals such as cobalt, copper, molybdenum, nickel, platinum group metals, tungsten and zinc in the Yukon and northern B.C.

    The Critical Minerals Infrastructure Fund is a key program under the Canadian Critical Minerals Strategy to address infrastructure gaps and enable sustainable critical minerals production and connect resources to markets through various clean energy, electrification and transportation infrastructure projects. Future funding decisions for projects under the CMIF to further critical minerals infrastructure development are also expected in the coming months.

    This project is the result of close collaboration under the Yukon Regional Energy and Resource Tables and is key to facilitating critical minerals development in the Yukon.

    Critical minerals are essential components in products used for clean energy technologies such as electric vehicles, electrical transmission lines and batteries. The Yukon’s mining sectors provide many of the building blocks of clean technologies needed to fight climate change and build a clean economy. Across the country, clean energy solutions are providing enormous economic opportunity for Canada.

    • Canada has developed its own critical minerals strategy with the aim of advancing the development of these resources and related value chains to drive the transition to a low-carbon economy and support advanced technology and manufacturing.

    • The Canadian Critical Minerals Strategy addresses five core objectives:

      o   supporting economic growth, competitiveness and job creation;

      o   promoting climate action and strong environmental management;

      o   enhancing global security and partnerships with allies;

      o   advancing reconciliation with Indigenous peoples; and

      o   fostering diverse and inclusive workforces and communities.

    • Canada’s whole-of-government approach to critical mineral development is collaborative, forward-looking, iterative, adaptive and long-term. The initiatives presented in the Strategy will be implemented and refined in collaboration with provincial, territorial, Indigenous, industry and other Canadian and international partners.

    • The CMIF is a key program under the Strategy to support enabling clean energy and transportation infrastructure projects necessary to increase Canada’s supply of responsibly sourced critical minerals.

    • The CMIF supports strategic priorities such as decarbonizing industrial mining operations, strengthening supply chains through transportation infrastructure and advancing economic reconciliation by supporting the participation of Indigenous Peoples in infrastructure and critical minerals projects.

    • In addition, the federal government is helping to develop Canada’s abundant critical minerals through NRCan’s Regional Energy and Resource Tables. These regional tables are joint partnerships with individual provinces and territories — in collaboration with Indigenous partners and with the input of key stakeholders — to identify and accelerate shared economic priorities for a low-carbon future in the energy and resource sectors.

    Cindy Caturao
    Press Secretary
    Office of the Minister of Energy and Natural Resources
    613-795-5638
    cindy.caturao@nrcan-rncan.gc.ca

    MIL OSI Canada News

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Readout of the Secretary-General’s meeting with H.E. Mr. Chandrikapersad Santokhi, President of the Republic of Suriname

    Source: United Nations secretary general

    The Secretary-General met with H.E. Mr. Chandrikapersad Santokhi, President of the Republic of Suriname.  They discussed climate action, reform of the international financial architecture and other issues of importance to Small Island Developing States and low-lying States. The President informed the Secretary-General about macro-economic developments in Suriname.
     
     

    MIL OSI United Nations News

  • MIL-OSI Translation: Canada highlights significant funding to boost critical mineral development in Yukon

    MIL OSI Translation. Canadian French to English –

    Source: Government of Canada – in French

    On behalf of the Honourable Jonathan Wilkinson, Minister of Energy and Natural Resources, Dr. Brendan Hanley, Member of Parliament for Yukon, highlighted the important announcement, subject to final due diligence by Natural Resources Canada, of up to $40 million in funding for critical minerals infrastructure projects in Yukon. The funding would come from the Critical Minerals Infrastructure Fund (CMIF).

    September 20, 2024 Whitehorse, Yukon Natural Resources Canada

    Investments in critical minerals infrastructure are needed to ensure Canada can seize the unique opportunity presented by the shift to a low-carbon economy and capitalize on its rich mineral resources. The country is well positioned to be a global leader and leading producer of a wide range of critical minerals that are essential to fueling the clean economy, and in doing so, create good jobs and economic opportunities across the critical minerals value chain – from upstream exploration and extraction to downstream processing, manufacturing and recycling.

    Today, on behalf of the Honourable Jonathan Wilkinson, Minister of Energy and Natural Resources, Dr. Brendan Hanley, Member of Parliament for Yukon, highlighted the important announcement, subject to final due diligence by Natural Resources Canada, of up to $40 million in funding for critical minerals infrastructure projects in Yukon. The funding would come from the Critical Minerals Infrastructure Fund (CMIF).

    The Yukon Government is seeking to undertake pre-feasibility studies to support a 765-kilometre high-voltage transmission line that would connect the Yukon electrical grid to the North American grid in British Columbia. It includes the development of energy infrastructure in two priority areas for critical mineral development: the Cassiar-Tanana region in Yukon and the Golden Triangle region in British Columbia. The transmission line would facilitate critical mineral production projects such as cobalt, copper, molybdenum, nickel, platinum group metals, tungsten and zinc in Yukon and northern British Columbia.

    The Critical Minerals Infrastructure Fund is a key program under Canada’s Critical Minerals Strategy that aims to address infrastructure gaps and ensure the sustainable production of critical minerals and the flow of resources to market through transportation, electrification and clean energy infrastructure projects. Further funding decisions on critical minerals infrastructure development projects under the CMIF are expected in the coming months.

    The result of close collaboration within the regional table on energy and resources Yukon, this project is essential to facilitate the development of critical minerals in the Yukon.

    Critical minerals are fundamental components of products used in clean energy technologies such as electric vehicles, power transmission lines and batteries. Yukon’s mining sectors provide many of the building blocks for the clean technologies needed to combat climate change and build a clean economy. Across the country, clean energy solutions represent enormous economic opportunities.

    Canada has developed its own critical minerals strategy with the aim of promoting the development of these resources and related value chains to contribute to the transition to a low-carbon economy and support advanced manufacturing and technologies.

    The Canadian Critical Minerals Strategy has five main objectives:

    o support economic growth, competitiveness and job creation;

    o promote climate action and rigorous environmental management;

    o strengthen global security and partnerships with allies;

    o advance reconciliation with Indigenous peoples;

    o encourage a diverse and inclusive workforce and communities.

    Canada’s whole-of-government approach to critical minerals development is collaborative, forward-looking, iterative, adaptive and long-term. The initiatives outlined in the Strategy will be implemented and refined in collaboration with provinces, territories, Indigenous peoples, industry and other partners in Canada and internationally.

    The FIMC is a flagship program of the Strategy that supports transportation and clean energy infrastructure projects needed to increase Canada’s supply of critical minerals from responsible sources.

    The FIMC supports a variety of strategic priorities, including: decarbonizing mining industry operations, strengthening supply chains through the deployment of transportation infrastructure, and advancing economic reconciliation by supporting the participation of Indigenous peoples in critical infrastructure and mineral projects.

    The federal government also supports the development of Canada’s abundant critical mineral resources through Natural Resources Canada’s Regional Energy and Resource Tables. These regional tables are joint partnerships with each provincial and territorial government that, in collaboration with Indigenous partners and with input from key stakeholders, seek to identify and accelerate shared economic priorities for a low-carbon future in the energy and resource sectors.

    Cindy CaturaoPress SecretaryOffice of the Minister of Energy and Natural Resources613-795-5638cindy.caturao@nrcan-rncan.gc.ca

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

    MIL Translation OSI

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Deputy Secretary-General’s remarks at the Summit of the Future Action Day – “A Sustainable Future for All” [as prepared for delivery]

    Source: United Nations secretary general

    Excellencies, Distinguished guests, Dear Colleagues,

    Welcome to the Summit of the Future Action Days and thank you for joining us for this session devoted to sustainable development, intergenerational solidarity and the future we can build together.

    We meet at a pivotal time. With only six years to go, the rallying cry of Agenda 2030 – leaving no one behind – has fallen abysmally short. Only 17 percent of our SDG targets are on track.

    Hunger is rising. Fossil fuel use and global temperatures are soaring. Conflicts are spreading. And the fight for gender equality is floundering. Worst of all, our commitment to leave no-one behind – the rallying cry of Agenda 2030 – has fallen short.

    In 2015, the world’s poorest countries were converging on incomes in the richest countries, albeit slowly.

    Today, economic fortunes around the world are diverging.

    Of the world’s poorest 75 countries, a third are poorer today than they were five years ago.     

    This simply cannot go on.

    Over the last 9 months, Member States have been negotiating the Pact for the Future and the state of development today has been at the heart of the discussions;

    Indeed, a Summit that asked Member States to think about emerging and future challenges, from artificial intelligence, to modern weapons, and humans’ forays into space, has prompted reflections on the state of development today:

    How new technologies might supercharge development progress, or create new and lasting inequalities;

    How delivering on our sustainable development goals can renew a sense of trust and build a foundation of global solidarity. that can help us confront new threats together;

    How the need for strong multilateral cooperation to deliver sustainable development in a world increasingly shaped by global shocks and risks.

    Delivering the SDGs is vital, but will require deeper cooperation, especially when it comes to finance.

    Finance is the engine for the SDGs. Yet the SDG financing gap has ballooned over the last several years – and is now estimated at between 3 and 5 trillion dollars a year.

    We need bold investments in all areas including food security, green energy and digital connectivity.

    But the challenge goes beyond a simple problem of dollars and cents.

    The international financial system cannot provide the safety net that many countries – particularly developing countries – need today to pursue the SDGs.  

    On this issue, the Pact of the Future sends an unequivocal message: it’s time for an urgent reform of the international finance architecture.

    To strengthen the voice and representation of developing countries;

    To mobilize far greater levels of financing for the SDGs, and direct that financing to countries most in need;

    To enable countries to borrow sustainably, and with confidence, to invest in their long-term development;

    To provide effective and equal support to countries during systemic shocks;

    And to meet the urgent challenge of climate change.

    Over the next few hours, we will hear about some of the exciting developments already underway, such as reforms to make our multilateral development banks bigger, better and bolder.

    Or proposals for global solidarity levies to help finance underfunded global investments in a way that is fair and transparent. And new ways to boost private investment in the SDGs.

    With bold goals we need bold new ideas. Today’s event is a platform for the brilliant minds on this topic, from stakeholders to experts, to share their ideas.

    We will hear from academics developing new proposals; civil society members working directly with communities; and policymakers navigating policy and regulatory hurdles.

    The ambition and the momentum doesn’t stop today. At next year’s Fourth International Conference on Financing for Development, we must take forward this momentum to deliver a new financing framework that can deliver the goals and carry us into the next decade.

    So today, I hope you will join me in a commitment to invest in hope, invest in sustainable development, and invest in a better future for all.

    Thank you.

    MIL OSI United Nations News

  • MIL-OSI Translation: Statement on the occasion of the International Day of Peace

    MIL OSI Translation. Canadian French to English –

    Source: Government of Canada – in French 1

    The Honourable Mélanie Joly, Minister of Foreign Affairs, and the Honourable Ahmed Hussen, Minister of International Development, today issued the following statement: “This year, the International Day of Peace focuses on building a culture of peace, where dialogue, mutual understanding and cooperation are cultivated and practiced. The spirit of inclusion and respect for diversity are essential, as is respect for the fundamental rights of all, without distinction of any kind, including race, gender, religion, political or other opinion, national identity or social origin. These are the prerequisites for peace, on which the survival of our global community depends.

    September 21, 2024 – Ottawa, Ontario – Global Affairs Canada

    The Minister of Foreign Affairs, the Honourable Mélanie Joly, and the Minister of International Development, the Honourable Ahmed Hussen, today issued the following statement:

    “This year, the International Day of Peace focuses on building a culture of peace, where dialogue, mutual understanding and cooperation are cultivated and practiced. The spirit of inclusion and respect for diversity are essential, as is respect for the human rights of all, without distinction of any kind, including race, gender, religion, political or other opinion, national identity or social origin. These are the prerequisites for peace, on which the survival of our global community depends.

    “Canada is committed to practicing and promoting inclusion and respect for diversity as a proven path to peace. In an inclusive society, all people feel welcome and safe and can participate fully and meaningfully in social, economic, cultural and civic life. Diversity, seen as a strength and a source of creativity, is respected and valued.

    “Gender equality is a particular area in which Canada is cultivating a culture of peace. Canada’s third national action plan on women, peace and security, Foundations of Peace, recognizes that the active participation of diverse women in peace and security processes and institutions is essential to building more inclusive, equal and peaceful societies. This action plan is the cornerstone of Canada’s feminist foreign policy and reflects our commitment to being a global leader on women, peace and security issues.

    “Around the world, peacekeepers – including Canadian personnel – are creating environments conducive to peace. They are working with others in the international community to implement the Vancouver Principles on Peacekeeping and the Prevention of the Recruitment and Use of Child Soldiers. Another example is the community outreach activities conducted by Canadian and other police forces within the United Nations Police.

    “Through their actions and engagement abroad, peacekeepers contribute to building cultures of peace. Canada also works to promote a culture of peace through its membership on the United Nations Peacebuilding Commission and its financial support for the United Nations Secretary-General’s Peacebuilding Fund, which helps countries sustainably recover from conflict.

    “In the face of increasingly complex challenges, renewed efforts are needed to build a global culture of peace. On this 25th anniversary of the adoption by the United Nations of the Declaration and Programme of Action on a Culture of Peace, let us all recognize the humanity of each and every one of us and commit to speaking and acting in ways that foster peace.”

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

    MIL Translation OSI

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Statement on International Day of Peace

    Source: Government of Canada News

    The Honourable Mélanie Joly, Minister of Foreign Affairs, and the Honourable Ahmed Hussen, Minister of International Development, today issued the following statement: “This year’s International Day of Peace puts the focus on building a culture of peace, one where dialogue, shared understanding and cooperation are cultivated and practised. A spirit of inclusiveness and respect for diversity are essential, as is respect for the human rights of everyone, without distinction of any kind, including race, gender, religion, political or other opinion, national identity or social origin. These are the preconditions for peace, upon which the survival of our global community depends.

    September 21, 2024 – Ottawa, Ontario – Global Affairs Canada

    The Honourable Mélanie Joly, Minister of Foreign Affairs, and the Honourable Ahmed Hussen, Minister of International Development, today issued the following statement:

    “This year’s International Day of Peace puts the focus on building a culture of peace, one where dialogue, shared understanding and cooperation are cultivated and practised. A spirit of inclusiveness and respect for diversity are essential, as is respect for the human rights of everyone, without distinction of any kind, including race, gender, religion, political or other opinion, national identity or social origin. These are the preconditions for peace, upon which the survival of our global community depends.

    “Canada is committed to practising and promoting inclusion and respect for diversity as a proven path to peace. In an inclusive society, all people feel welcome and secure and can fully and meaningfully participate in social, economic, cultural and civic life. Diversity, seen as a strength and source of creativity, is respected and valued.

    “Gender equality is a particular area in which Canada is cultivating a culture of peace. Foundations for Peace, Canada’s third national action plan on women, peace and security, recognizes that the active participation of diverse women in peace and security processes and institutions is critical to building more inclusive, equal and peaceful societies. The action plan is a cornerstone of Canada’s feminist foreign policy, and it reflects our resolve to be a global leader on women, peace and security matters.

    “Globally, peacekeepers—including Canadian personnel—are creating environments conducive to peace. Peacekeepers are working with other members of the international community to implement the Vancouver Principles on Peacekeeping and the Prevention of the Recruitment and Use of Child Soldiers. Another example is the community outreach being done by Canadian and other international police officers serving with United Nations Police.

    “Through their actions and engagement abroad, peacekeepers are helping to build cultures of peace. Canada is also working to promote a culture of peace through its membership in the UN Peacebuilding Commission and through financial support to the UN Secretary-General’s Peacebuilding Fund, which helps countries undertaking sustainable recovery from conflict.

    “A renewed effort to build a global culture of peace is needed in the face of increasingly complex challenges. On this 25th anniversary of the UN’s adoption of the Declaration and Programme of Action on a Culture of Peace, let us all recognize each other’s humanity and commit to speaking and acting in ways that foster peace.”

    MIL OSI Canada News

  • MIL-OSI Translation: Government of Canada invests in erosion protection in Eskasoni and Potlotek First Nations

    MIL OSI Translation. Canadian French to English –

    Source: Regional Government of Canada – in French 2

    Press release

    St. Peter’s, Nova Scotia, October 10, 2023 — Today, Mike Kelloway, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard and Member of Parliament for Cape Breton-Canso, Jaime Battiste, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Crown-Indigenous Relations and Member of Parliament for Sydney-Victoria, and Chief Wilbert Marshall of Potlotek First Nation announced a federal investment of $1 million to implement erosion controls in Eskasoni and Potlotek First Nations.

    Through the Natural Infrastructure Fund, the Government of Canada is supporting the Union of Mi’kmaq of Nova Scotia to plan, design and implement erosion control measures along the Bras d’Or Lake. Improved erosion protection will include the installation of living dikes and salt marshes, as well as the implementation of sediment control measures. The project will increase community resilience to extreme weather events.

    By investing in infrastructure, the Government of Canada is growing our country’s economy, increasing the resilience of our communities, and improving the lives of Canadians.

    Quotes

    “We are working together to protect Miꞌkmaw communities from the impacts of erosion and extreme weather. Residents of Eskasoni and Potlotek are at the forefront of building a more climate-resilient future. Today’s investment helps these Bras d’Or Lake communities manage and adapt to climate change risks for years to come.”

    Mike Kelloway, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard and Member of Parliament for Cape Breton-Canso, on behalf of the Honourable Sean Fraser, Minister of Housing, Infrastructure and Communities

    “When faced with the impacts of climate change, natural infrastructure can often provide the best solutions. The Government of Canada is working with Eskasoni and Potlotek to put these solutions into practice and protect the community and future generations from the impacts of coastal erosion.”

    Jaime Battiste, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Crown-Indigenous Relations and Member of Parliament for Sydney-Victoria, on behalf of the Honourable Sean Fraser, Minister of Housing, Infrastructure and Communities

    “This funding is a significant milestone not only for the community of Potlotek, but for all of Mi’kma’ki. The sacred island of Chapel Island, its governance practices, sacred ceremonies and social gatherings are older than Canada. The Mi’kmaq and their way of life have been present on their ancestral lands since time immemorial. This erosion protection project finally builds on the work that has been done previously through environmental studies and moves into the implementation phase. This is an important project for Potlotek, and we look forward to restoring our sacred shoreline with the funding we have received.”

    Chief Wilbert Marshall, Potlotek First Nation

    “Eskasoni is one of the two coastal communities hardest hit by severe storms, high winds and erosion. This erosion protection project will help preserve our lands and, more importantly, extend the life of our community’s shorelines. The concept of natural infrastructure is consistent with the Mi’kmaq way of life, as it is sustainable and gives back to the land so that our ancestral lands continue to provide for us for generations to come. This is a very exciting project for us and we look forward to seeing the final result.”

    Chief Leroy Denny, Eskasoni First Nation

    Quick Facts

    The Government of Canada is investing $1 million in this project through the Natural Infrastructure Fund (NIF).

    The Natural Infrastructure Fund supports projects that use natural or hybrid approaches to increase resilience to climate change, reduce carbon emissions, protect and preserve biodiversity and wildlife habitat, and promote Canadians’ access to nature.

    Examples of natural infrastructure include urban forests, street trees, wetlands, living seawalls, biological seawalls, and naturalized coastal restoration.

    Hybrid infrastructure incorporates elements of artificial grey infrastructure to enhance or support natural infrastructure and/or the use of ecosystem processes. Examples of hybrid infrastructure include green roofs and walls, and naturalized storm basins.

    A minimum of 10% of the overall program envelope will be allocated to projects led by Indigenous people.

    The funding announced today is part of the work the Government of Canada is doing under the Atlantic Growth Strategy to create good-paying middle-class jobs, strengthen local economies and build inclusive communities.

    Federal funding is conditional on meeting its obligations regarding consultation with Indigenous peoples and environmental assessment.

    Related links

    Contact persons

    For further information (media only), please contact:

    Kevin Collins Office of the Minister of Housing, Infrastructure and CommunitiesKevin.Collins@infc.gc.ca

    Media Relations Infrastructure Canada613-960-9251Toll free: 1-877-250-7154Email: media-medias@infc.gc.caFollow us on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram And LinkedInWebsite: Infrastructure Canada

    Wasuek Googoo Infrastructure Co-Manager, Capacity DevelopmentMi’kmaq Union of Nova Scotia902-919-1141agoogoo@unsm.org

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

    MIL Translation OSI