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Category: Europe

  • MIL-OSI Global: How Trump the ‘master deal-maker’ failed when it came to negotiating with the Taliban in Afghanistan

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Philip A. Berry, Visiting Research Fellow, Department of War Studies, King’s College London

    News that Ukraine may be ready to sign a deal granting the US joint development rights to its minerals in the hope of a future security guarantee may be seen as a win by Donald Trump’s supporters who criticised Joe Biden’s unconditional support for Ukraine. After all, whether and how this agreement will actually protect Ukraine from continuing Russian aggression remains unclear.

    But Kyiv will be well aware that Trump’s track record as an international deal broker is less than stellar, despite the US president’s regular boast that he is a master deal-maker.

    Trump’s self-belief was encapsulated in his ghostwritten memoir, The Art of the Deal, which laid out his tactics to negotiate business transactions. One important tip was: “The best thing you can do is deal from strength, and leverage is the biggest strength you can have.”

    Last week, Trump left Zelensky, and European nations reeling when he cut them out of talks with Russia over the war in Ukraine. In doing so, the president had arguably forgotten his own advice: to deal from strength and to use leverage in negotiations.

    Trump may have extracted a concession from Ukraine in the form of the mineral deal – although far less than the US$500 billion (£394 billion) of revenue he initially demanded – but in doing so he significantly weakened the US position towards Russia.

    Trump not only shattered the western position on Ukraine, but he also unilaterally ended Russia’s three-year isolation without securing any concessions from the Kremlin before inviting them to the negotiating table.

    Instead, it was the US that gave leverage away by sidelining Ukraine from the talks, rejecting the country’s desire for Nato membership and conceding that Ukraine was unlikely to restore its pre-2014 borders.

    Trump further undermined Zelensky by promoting the false claim that Ukraine started the war and calling him a “dictator”. This week, the US even voted with Russia and China at the United Nations security council over the conflict.

    Trump’s criticism of an ally and conciliatory overtures to a country that illegally invaded its neighbour marks a dramatic swing in US policy. The previous US administration provided Ukraine with military and diplomatic support, while imposing economic sanctions on Russia.

    A key question being asked in Kyiv and western capitals is what else Trump will concede to secure a deal with the Kremlin. While the contexts between the US’s involvement in Afghanistan and support for Ukraine are very different, Trump’s early strategy for the latter has some hallmarks of the US’s disastrous deal with the Taliban.

    Trump’s deal with the Taliban

    In response to the 9/11 terrorist attacks, a US-led coalition invaded Afghanistan in October 2001. The allies quickly deposed the repressive Taliban regime and installed a western-backed government.

    But by the time that Trump came to office in 2017, the war was at a stalemate. To make matters worse for the president, the US was spending US$27 billion (£21.3 billion) annually on military expenditure. Given this, Trump’s reflex was to withdraw from Afghanistan as quickly as possible.

    However, the president’s national security team – largely comprised of former and current military generals who did not owe personal loyalty to Trump – persuaded him to increase the US’s commitment to Afghanistan. The new strategy also set the conditions for a negotiated settlement with the Taliban.

    The following year, angered by the lack of progress, Trump argued that the US should “get out” of Afghanistan as the strategy had been a “total failure”.

    By this time, the US had talked directly to the Taliban, without the Afghan government in the room – a key Taliban demand. While the talks were designed to lead to intra-Afghan negotiations, it resulted in the Afghan republic being sidelined from the process.

    Throughout these talks, Trump frequently threatened to withdraw from Afghanistan. US officials referred to this constant threat as the “Tweet of Damocles” – meaning at any point, the president would announce on Twitter that the US was departing Afghanistan.

    The secretary of state at the time, Mike Pompeo – a diehard Trump loyalist – knew the president could pull the plug on the talks at any time. He therefore instructed lead US negotiator, Zalmay Khalilzad, to secure a deal at all costs.

    As a former senior Pentagon official who was present at the talks told me, it became clear Pompeo and Khalilzad had “no red lines” as both believed that “any deal was better than no deal”.

    Khalilzad abandoned the original Afghan-led process and worked to secure an agreement with the Taliban, which inevitably caused dismay within the sidelined Afghan government. Trump also largely refused to consult the Afghan president, Ashraf Ghani, about his plans.

    Compounding matters, the US president made several public statements about his desire to withdraw US forces from Afghanistan. This weakened Khalilzad’s position and encouraged the Taliban to remain resolute in negotiations.

    The US-Taliban agreement, which was signed in Doha in February 2020, favoured the insurgents and damaged the Afghan government. Khalilzad had conceded to the Taliban’s key demand: the withdrawal of all US and coalition troops from the country, which was scheduled over 14 months.

    In return, the Taliban promised to prevent terrorist groups from basing themselves in Afghanistan and agreed to hold talks with the Afghan government. If the Taliban did not adhere to these conditions, the US would – in theory – halt reducing its troop numbers.

    “This was a terrible deal. It was deeply injurious to US interests, let alone ruinous to Afghan interests,” the former Pentagon official told me.

    In the end, the Taliban failed to honour its counterterrorism commitments, and only half-heartedly pursued intra-Afghan talks.

    The deal set the conditions for the insurgents to retake Kabul by force, although the disastrous withdrawal overseen by the administration of Trump’s successor, Joe Biden, in 2021 proved fatal for the Afghan government.

    Trump’s Taliban deal excluded the US’s ally, conceded too much to an adversary, and was partly motivated by the perception of wasting American dollars in a far-off land. Unfortunately, these hallmarks are all too evident in the president’s stance on Ukraine.

    The early signs of Trump’s approach to talks with Russia do not augur well for Ukraine or the western alliance. If Trump does secure a peace deal with Russia that mirrors the accord struck with the Taliban, not only will Ukraine lose out, but Russia may be emboldened to again pursue its expansionist agenda.

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

    – ref. How Trump the ‘master deal-maker’ failed when it came to negotiating with the Taliban in Afghanistan – https://theconversation.com/how-trump-the-master-deal-maker-failed-when-it-came-to-negotiating-with-the-taliban-in-afghanistan-250835

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Will the UK’s proposed long-term emissions strategy get us to net zero? An expert review

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By John Barrett, Professor of Energy and Climate Policy, Deputy Director of the Priestly Centre for Climate Futures, Theme Lead for the UKRI Energy Demand Research Centre, University of Leeds

    In the seventh carbon budget, electric vehicles are key to reducing carbon emissions. nrqemi / shutterstock

    The UK government’s official advisory Climate Change Committee (CCC) has now published its recommendations for the country’s “seventh carbon budget”, covering the period from 2038 to 2042.

    This advice provides robust evidence for the government to set legally binding limits on greenhouse gas emissions over this five year period, while striving to meet its international commitments on climate change.

    The late 2030s may seem far off, but long-term planning is essential. Achieving these targets requires the rollout of low-carbon technologies and the building of consensus for social change. It takes a long time to plan, design and build a power plant or factory.

    It could take even longer to change social norms and values around flying, driving or the foods we eat. Setting targets more than a decade in advance gives much needed clarity to investors, businesses and citizens on the direction of travel.

    Colleagues and I at the University of Leeds’s Climate Evidence Unit have produced a detailed analysis of the nearly 400 page CCC report. One key takeaway is that the transition to net zero is not only possible but highly beneficial.

    Academic analyses (including our own) consistently support this conclusion, showing that it will strengthen the economy and position the UK as a leader in global climate action. And it will deliver warmer homes, cheaper household bills, reduced air pollution, greater energy security with less reliance on imported gas, and many other benefits.

    While the report acknowledges the upfront costs, it confirms that acting now will reduce expenses in the long run, with cost savings emerging by the late 2030s and beyond. However, the report significantly underestimates the full economic impacts of the transition, as the CCC’s analysis does not factor in the financial losses associated with extreme weather and other effects of climate change.

    These losses could be substantial. A recent report by the Institute and Faculty of Actuaries suggests the effects of climate change could shrink global GDP by 50% between 2070 and 2090. When combined with the additional benefits of climate action, it’s clear that a “do nothing” approach is simply not an option.

    The CCC’s proposed plan to achieve this goal, known as the “balanced pathway”, leans heavily on key technologies while placing less emphasis on broader societal changes that help to fully realise these benefits. Compared to the sixth carbon budget report from 2020, this latest analysis gives greater consideration to reducing demand for energy, but the technological bias remains.

    It’s politically easier to boost electric vehicles than it is to get people to drive less.
    brian.martin.photographer / shutterstock

    There is a sense that the report pre-empts what the government would prefer as opposed to challenging current thinking. The problem with this approach is that failing to fully address demand makes the technological transition harder and more expensive than necessary, and increases the risk of failure. More energy must be generated, more car miles need to be driven, and more materials and products must be supplied.

    The technological transition

    So, what technologies are expected to drive emissions reductions? The first key point is the increasing reliance on technologies that, although they are already available, still need to be deployed at scale. These include electric vehicles, heat pumps for both households and industry, and the rapid expansion of solar and wind power.

    In contrast, the report places less emphasis than previous recommendations on currently expensive and emerging technologies, such as hydrogen power or “direct air capture” – essentially huge machines that filter carbon from the air. This is very welcome as it keeps the focus on decarbonisation, rather than emitting now and cleaning up later.

    This shift is particularly evident when examining individual sectors, where the focus is on scaling up existing solutions rather than banking on future technological breakthroughs.

    Surface transport, for instance, accounts for about a quarter of the UK’s emissions. The report places heavy reliance on electric vehicles (EVs), projecting that they will be responsible for 72% of all surface transport emissions reduced between 2025 and 2050.

    To put this into perspective, from this point forward, the UK would need to substantially outpace Norway, the current global leader in EV adoption. In contrast, only 11% of total emissions reductions are attributed to people shifting from driving to public transport or walking and cycling.

    Switching from gas boilers to heat pumps like these will deliver most household emissions savings.
    Wozzie/Shutterstock

    Electrification is also expected to be the primary driver of emissions reductions in both homes and the industrial sector, mostly through replacing gas heating with heat pumps. This will be a particular challenge in industries which require high temperature heat pumps, a technology that hasn’t been installed yet.

    Efficiency measures and unsustainably high consumption patterns receive less attention in the industry section. In homes, improved insulation will reduce demand though there is little space for new and additional energy saving actions.

    In the food and farming sector, the report identifies three roughly equal sources of emissions reductions: low-carbon farming, reductions in livestock numbers, and land management improvements. The reduction in livestock numbers primarily reflects lower meat and dairy consumption, while the other measures rely predominantly on technological solutions.

    Overall, this is a very welcome report from the Climate Change Committee with a robust analysis that lets the government, industry and citizens know that the pathway to net zero is possible and very much needed. However, it does place enormous responsibility on some key technologies and their rapid roll out to achieve these goals.

    As the UK government digests the findings, my colleagues and I would suggest greater consideration of the “social” transformation that examines how we travel and what we buy, to fully unlock the benefits of net zero.

    Don’t have time to read about climate change as much as you’d like?

    Get a weekly roundup in your inbox instead. Every Wednesday, The Conversation’s environment editor writes Imagine, a short email that goes a little deeper into just one climate issue. Join the 40,000+ readers who’ve subscribed so far.

    John Barrett receives funding by the Priestly Centre for Climate Futures where he holds the position of Deputy Director of Policy. He is also funded by a UKRI centre, called the Energy Demand Research Centre where he is the Futures theme lead.

    – ref. Will the UK’s proposed long-term emissions strategy get us to net zero? An expert review – https://theconversation.com/will-the-uks-proposed-long-term-emissions-strategy-get-us-to-net-zero-an-expert-review-250845

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: The world needs a circular economy. But workers in developing countries shouldn’t pay the price

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Sukyung Park, Assistant Professor in International Business, Strategy, and Innovation, Loughborough University

    hanohiki/Shutterstock

    The circular economy offers a fresh approach to how we produce and consume, focusing on reducing, reusing, recycling and recovering. It moves us away from the traditional “make, use, discard” model, creating a more sustainable system to balance the needs of the economy, society and nature. Living within the planet’s limits is vital if we are to fight climate change, biodiversity loss and the twin crises of waste and pollution.

    But that’s not all the circular economy is important for. In promoting resource efficiency and reducing dependency on finite materials, it can also encourage innovation and job creation.

    Advances in biomaterials, for instance, are providing durable and recyclable alternatives to plastic packaging. And innovative approaches to textiles are enabling manufacturers to make fibres from agricultural waste.

    But all this comes at a cost – and raises the question of who should pay. While the circular economy offers promising solutions to environmental and economic challenges, the transition raises critical questions about equity. It’s vital to include the workers and communities from developing countries at every stage of the transition.

    Despite the potential of a circular economy to bring long-term benefits to both society and the environment, access to resources is uneven. There are also economic disparities. A lack of funding, insufficient investment and skills gaps make the shift towards a circular economy challenging for some developing countries.

    And power dynamics are shifting across industries and regions. The circular transition can hit utility companies (electricity, gas and water) as demand from other firms falls. At the same time, in some countries it can bring significant gains to sectors such as construction – possibly driven by manufacturing firms investing in new buildings after saving money on material and energy costs.

    In a recent review of 167 studies of the circular economy, we found that there was limited focus on democratic planning. Communities were not involved enough in decision-making about the transition to a circular economy – especially in low-income countries. Local workers and communities being shut out of decision-making and excluded from opportunities, such as green jobs in renewable energy or sustainable design, could worsen inequalities. This is particularly the case in low-income areas with limited resources and economic resilience.

    In developing countries, persistent problems including low wages and poor working conditions can continue even as circular practices gain momentum, unless these concerns are integrated into the model. In the fashion industry, for example, workers face the same precarious working conditions regardless of whether they are working with virgin or recycled materials.

    And new tensions are emerging over who benefits and loses in the transition to a circular economy. For example, a textile factory owner in the Tamil Nadu region of India voiced concerns that slower fashion cycles – promoted by circular initiatives in wealthier countries – could threaten jobs and livelihoods, making the case (in the words of one interviewee) for “much faster fashion”.

    Without careful planning, textile workers in developing countries could lose their livelihoods in the transition to a circular economy.
    Ruma Dey Acharya/Shutterstock

    Among textile manufacturers, secondhand clothing was seen in a negative light as it might decrease the need for new products. The recycling industry on the other hand was booming in the same area and was seen as a positive thing. This was reflected in the words of a textile factory manager: “It’s my message (to not) reuse, we can recycle so that we get some work in the future.”

    Nevertheless, even recycling was not considered to be a purely positive thing. Many cotton farmers dependent on traditional production face disruption to their livelihoods as recycled textiles gain popularity.

    This is in stark contrast to the narrative in the developed economies, where circular strategies advocating “buy nothing” or slow fashion cycles are championed for their environmental benefits.

    A path forward

    To ensure the circular economy benefits everyone, it is crucial to address its social dimensions. Policies and strategies often overlook marginalised voices, particularly in developing countries. Inclusive circular economy models must be rooted in local contexts, reflecting the unique socio-economic realities of these regions.

    Grassroots entrepreneurs in places where resources are scarce are well positioned to create innovative, locally tailored solutions. Supporting their efforts can lead to practices that address the challenges of their communities while contributing to broader circular goals. Recognising and nurturing this local capacity is essential for a sustainable and fair transition.

    International organisations, national governments, and businesses play a pivotal role in driving inclusivity. Initiatives should be judged not only on environmental and economic outcomes but also for their impact on jobs, livelihoods, education, equity and justice. Businesses must engage with local communities to share knowledge, resources, costs and profits equitably between developing and developed nations.

    This could be funding local innovators, supporting small enterprises or promoting cross-border collaboration on circular practices. For example, circular economy finance and international partnerships can help develop affordable energy solutions for low-income communities and engage developing countries in circular value chains to collect and process e-waste components. International frameworks, such as the EU’s Just Transition Mechanism, must ensure that no one is left behind. And businesses should guarantee living wages in global circular supply chains.

    There’s a risk the circular economy could perpetuate inequalities. That’s why it is vital to reach people at even the far end of supply chains to ensure they are included in decisions and transitions. An equitable circular economy is not just an environmental or economic necessity – it’s also a moral imperative.

    Anna Kristiina Härri receives funding from the Strategic Research Council of Finland. She is affiliated with the Greens in Finland.

    Jarkko Levänen has received funding from the Research Council of Finland and Business Finland.

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

    – ref. The world needs a circular economy. But workers in developing countries shouldn’t pay the price – https://theconversation.com/the-world-needs-a-circular-economy-but-workers-in-developing-countries-shouldnt-pay-the-price-246453

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI: Haffner Energy successfully commissioned its hydrogen-from-biomass production unit in Marolles, France – a breakthrough for the hydrogen industry

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    Vitry-le-François, France – February 26, 2025, 6:00 PM (CEST)

    • Commissioning of the world’s first plant producing hydrogen from solid biomass at the Marolles site (Champagne region, France).
    • Unique thermochemical process that significantly reduces green hydrogen costs.
    • “Super green”1 hydrogen available for commercial use beginning the second half of 2025.

    Haffner Energy (ISIN: FR0014007ND6 – Ticker: ALHAF) announces the commencement of hydrogen2 production utilizing its proprietary solid biomass thermolysis technology at its Marolles hydrogen production, testing, and training center, as was announced in the 12/17/2024 press release. This unique technology enables the production of renewable hydrogen at a substantially lower cost compared to conventional methods, while offering an unparalleled carbon footprint.

    “Achieving the continuous production of competitive green hydrogen is a decisive step. Currently, the industry faces significant delays due to the excessive cost of decarbonized hydrogen. We are confident that our solution will accelerate the adoption of renewable hydrogen and enhance the sector’s competitiveness. I want to congratulate the Haffner Energy team and our partners for this remarkable achievement, ushering the company into a new era,” stated Philippe Haffner, Co-founder and CEO of Haffner Energy.

    A Flexible and Economically Advantageous Production Model

    The site’s production capacity will be 15 kg of hydrogen per hour (kg/h), with an initial phase temporarily limited to 11 kg/h due to the existing PSA (Pressure Swing Adsorption) purification equipment. This equipment will be replaced in the coming months by a PSA designed to reach a 15 kg/h capacity. The unit already produces hydrogen at 8 bar pressure, ready for commercial distribution starting in the second half of 2025 to serve transportation and industrial markets.

    Anticipated since late 2024, this commissioning required the site to be connected to the medium-voltage electrical grid, which was completed earlier this year, followed by the on-site presence of commissioning engineers focused on the main equipment suppliers for hydrogen purification.

    The biomass thermolysis unit, operational since June 2024, exceeds the capacity required to produce 15 kg/h of hydrogen. The new PSA, already received by Haffner Energy, will be complemented by a compressor reaching 35 bar pressure, supplying an H14 distribution station provided by HRS.

    Marolles is designed to operate 8,000 hours per year. As part of this site’s operations, 120 metric tons of mobility-grade hydrogen per year (15 kg/hour) will be produced, contributing to the decarbonization of mobility and industry. This is equivalent to 12 million kilometers traveled with hydrogen vehicles. Approximately 2,400 metric tons of CO₂ per year will be avoided or captured through hydrogen and biocarbon (char or biochar) combined.

    A memorandum of understanding for the offtake has been signed for the supply of 90 tonnes of hydrogen per year, mainly for mobility applications, which is designed to ensure a commercial outlet within the next few months.

    Hydrogen Production from Residual Solid Biomass: A Game Changer

    The scaling up of Haffner Energy’s proprietary biomass thermolysis technology is poised to disrupt the global and French renewable hydrogen markets, facilitating accelerated commercial and industrial development. This technology offers several key advantages:

    • Economically Competitive Solution: Already capable of competing with gray hydrogen for installations of 20 MW and above – a feat far from achievable by alternative technologies.
    • Economic Model Based on Low-Cost Biomass Energy: Hydrogen from biomass thermolysis is significantly cheaper to produce than hydrogen from the electrolysis of water thanks to low primary energy costs (<30€/MWh and often even <20€/MWh, compared with >70€/MWh for decarbonized electricity) and optimal energy efficiency (generally >70%).
    • Independence from the Electrical Grid: Unlike electrolysis, thermolysis is minimally dependent on electricity availability and cost, ensuring stable and predictable production.
    • Negative Carbon Footprint: This technology sequesters biogenic carbon through biochar co-production, achieving a negative carbon footprint when considering the full LCA.3
    • Flexible Sourcing: This biomass-agnostic technology is able to utilize various residual biomasses, in particular from agriculture, ensuring greater autonomy and resilience against feedstock market fluctuations while significantly expanding available resources.

    Towards Commercial and Industrial Expansion

    The commissioning of the Marolles unit marks a strategic milestone for Haffner Energy. This success accelerates commercial discussions with several partners interested in this disruptive technology and, as announced in previous communications, will enable the Company’s project pipeline to be converted into firm orders, thereby generating revenue. In particular, the effective commissioning of the site is a catalyst for finalizing the signing of two major contracts.

    The continuous operation of hydrogen and renewable gas production equipment on site will also enable Haffner Energy’s team to conduct tests using specific biomasses for each potential client, including non-conventional biomasses such as organic sludge, manure, and algae, thereby confirming the compatibility of Haffner Energy’s technology.

    Furthermore, Haffner Energy is now positioned to leverage a previously untapped technological solution that converts hydrogen into electricity at an extremely competitive cost, highly valuable during peak consumption periods.

    Despite a global context that remains unfavorable to the development of the hydrogen market, particularly in Europe and in France—where the national hydrogen strategy has yet to be announced—Haffner Energy’s position in this high-potential market is now strengthened.

    Additional resources

    Next events 

    • Annual results 2024-2025                         June 18, 2025
    • Annual Shareholders Meeting                  September 10, 2025

    About Haffner Energy

    Haffner Energy is a French company providing solutions for competitive clean fuels production. With a 32- year experience converting biomass into renewable energies, it has developed innovative proprietary biomass thermolysis and gasification technologies to produce renewable gas, hydrogen and methanol, as well as Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF). The company also contributes to regenerating the planet through the co-production of biogenic CO2 and biocarbon (or char/biochar). Haffner Energy is listed on Euronext Growth (ISIN code : FR0014007ND6 – Ticker : ALHAF).

    Investor Relations

    investisseurs@haffner-energy.com

    Media Relations

    Laure BOURDON
    laure.bourdon@haffner-energy.com
    +33 (0) 7 87 96 35 15

    Glossary:

    * Biocarbon is a carbon-rich solid material. Biocarbon contains biogenic carbon absorbed from the atmosphere by plants via photosynthesis. This characteristic makes it a major carbon sink when used as a soil amendment, either applied directly or incorporated into fertilizers (known as biochar), or incorporated into building materials (known as char). Biocarbon is also a very dense source of renewable energy (31 MJ/kg) that can be gasified on site to increase the production of biofuels such as bio-SAF or the production of renewable hydrogen, but can also be shipped and gasified at another site, notably for the production of e-fuels.

    1 In accordance with the order of July 1, 2024 specifying the greenhouse gas emission threshold and the methodology for qualifying hydrogen as renewable or low-carbon.

    2 Samples were taken today by an independent laboratory to validate the mobility quality of this hydrogen.

    3 In accordance with the life cycle assessment study carried out by the LCA consultancy EVEA at the end of 2021.

    Attachment

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: UK sets out biodiversity commitments to protect nature

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Press release

    UK sets out biodiversity commitments to protect nature

    Commitments set out during conference as COP16 negotiations resume in Rome on delivering global nature goals

    The UK has today (Wednesday 26 February) outlined its commitment to the implementation of UN COP15 biodiversity framework by publishing its National Biodiversity Strategy & Action Plan (NBSAP) – showing how we intend to meet all the global targets and goals . 

    The resumed session of the 16th meeting of the Conference of the Parties (COP16) in Rome, Italy, will focus on unresolved items from Calì, Colombia in October 2024, including an international strategy to mobilise finance for nature and the mechanism to review global progress against the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF).

    A partnership between Defra, the Scottish Government, the Welsh Government and Northern Ireland’s Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs, the NBSAP commits the UK to achieving all 23 of the Global Biodiversity Framework targets at home and outlines how its four countries will work together to fully implement each of these, including commitments to:

    • Expand protected areas to at least 30% of the land and seas
    • Reduce pollution from all sources to levels that are not harmful to biodiversity
    • Enhance biodiversity and sustainability in agriculture, aquaculture, fisheries, and forestry
    • Ensure sustainable, safe and legal harvesting and trade of wild species 

    The NBSAP draws on commitments made by the UK, its Overseas Territories and Crown Dependencies – which make a significant contribution to global biodiversity – to summarise our collective ambition to work together to address biodiversity loss.

    Achieving these goals to halt and reverse biodiversity loss by 2030 will be part of the global pathway towards a world living in harmony with nature by 2050.

    Nature Minister Mary Creagh said:

    “The UK continues to drive progress on nature protection and restoration both at home and across the world.  

    “It’s never been more important to tackle the nature and climate crises, and that’s why we will continue to press for concerted action to ensure full implementation of the Global Biodiversity Framework.

    “There is more work to do with our international partners, and the UK will be at the forefront of negotiations in Rome.”

    Ruth Davis, the UK’s Special Representative for Nature, said:

    “We need urgent action to address the nature crisis and that means working to halt biodiversity loss both internationally and at home.

    “The launch of the NBSAP is a signal of the UK’s commitment to match international co-operation on nature with domestic activity to protect and enhance our natural world.

    “We will continue to play our part in achieving our international nature targets, while working with other nations to make a difference across the globe.”

    Natural England Chair Tony Juniper said:

    “Nature underpins our economy, health and security. We rely on ecosystems for food, water and air, for resilience in the face of climate change and in sustaining our physical and psychological wellbeing.

    ”Just five years remain for us to meet the ambitious but critical Global Biodiversity targets agreed by world leaders at COP15. It is crucial that we ramp up action and work together to protect and restore our natural environment, including for the benefit of future generations. 

    “The Plan published today sets out how international commitments will translate into action on the ground across the UK and we look forward to working with government and our many partners to deliver what’s needed to recover nature.”

    The Plan published today sets out how international commitments will translate into action on the ground, so that we can deliver the changes needed to recover nature.”

    The UK is also supporting other countries to ensure that this global agreement is implemented, including by sharing technical and scientific expertise with partners all around the world, and supporting work to halt and reverse nature loss across the globe.

    The Government is committed to protecting and restoring nature, and has launched a rapid review of the Environmental Improvement plan so that we can now meet our domestic and international targets and re-establish the UK as an international leader on the environment, as part of the Plan for Change.

    We will honour the UK’s international commitments to deliver 30by30 – protecting 30% of the UK’s land and sea by 2030 – to ensure that at least 30% of the Earth’s land and ocean is being effectively conserved and managed by 2030, and to playing our part in achieving the global 30by30 target adopted at the UN Biodiversity Summit COP15 in December 2022. 

    Additional information:

    • Blueprint for halting and reversing biodiversity loss: the UK’s National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan for 2030, jointly published by Defra, the Scottish Government, the Welsh Government and Northern Ireland’s Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs, summarises the UK’s response to the GBF to drive action at UK level to change the global picture.

    • In December 2022, 196 Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity came together to agree the GBF, which consists of four goals and 23 targets, with the overall mission of halting and reversing biodiversity loss globally by 2030 to put nature on a path to recovery for the benefit of people and planet,

    • The UK will also support other countries to deliver the National Biodiversity Strategy, from sharing technical and scientific expertise with partners all around the world, to supporting work to halt and reverse nature loss across the globe.

    Updates to this page

    Published 26 February 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: New crossing for Cot Hill

    Source: City of Plymouth

    Plans for a new crossing over Cot Hill in Plympton have been given the go-ahead following public consultation.

    The crossing, near the Marshall Road junction, will help people (including those with disabilities) to walk and cycle across this busy road.

    It will create a safer pedestrian and cycle route between Saltram Park and Underwood Recreation Ground, further enhancing the National Cycle Network.

    In addition to the crossing, the scheme will include a dropped kerb crossing on Marshall Road, a raised table crossing on Dudley Road and a wider, shared-use path on Cot Hill.

    Double yellow lines will also be introduced on the eastern (uphill) side of Cot Hill between Marshall Road and Dudley Road to help prevent obstructive parking.

    The improvements will be entirely grant-funded by National Highways through Sustrans.

    Councillor Mark Coker, Cabinet Member for Strategic Planning and Transport, said: “These improvements will make a big difference for people walking and cycling along this busy route. They will make it easier and safer for them to travel between Saltram and other parts of Plympton, including Underwood Recreation Ground, as well as alleviate problem parking in the area. Helping people to walk and cycle more improves their health and wellbeing, while also reducing traffic congestion and the carbon emissions it creates.”

    The decision was approved today and can be viewed on our decisions page.

    Construction is planned to take place in the summer.

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Next steps in the Expressions of Interest for Havre des Pas Lido26 February 2025 ​​Vision for The Lido The Government of Jersey wants to see the Havre des Pas Lido evolve into a vibrant, inclusive, and year-round public asset. This historic and iconic coastal destination will serve… Read more

    Source: Channel Islands – Jersey

    26 February 2025

    ​​

    Vision for The Lido 

    The Government of Jersey wants to see the Havre des Pas Lido evolve into a vibrant, inclusive, and year-round public asset. This historic and iconic coastal destination will serve the diverse needs of the island community, including families, recreational swimmers, fitness enthusiasts, and social groups, while enhancing Jersey’s appeal to residents and visitors alike. 

    The Government of Jersey invited expressions of interest, EOIs, for the operation of the Swimming Pool and Associated Facilities at Havre des Pas, St Helier. EOIs were submitted in December 2024 and each submission was handled with strict confidentiality. 

    Interested parties were required to detail their vision for the site, including: 

    • initiatives for community engagement, particularly sporting and youth activities 
    • operational hours and maintenance regime 
    • anticipated investments and employment generation 
    • catering proposals and event plans. 

    Next Steps 

    All parties who submitted EOIs were notified of the receipt of their submission in January 2025. They will be invited to present their proposal to a selection panel in April. The panel will score and rank each EOI and will make a recommendation to the Assistant Minister for Infrastructure, Connétable Simon Crowcroft of St Helier, for the award of a 9-year lease to the successful bidder. ​

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Overnight road closures ahead for repairs to flyover

    Source: City of Leicester

    MOTORISTS are being warned that overnight road closures will be in place on part of Leicester’s busy inner ring road next week.

    Leicester City Council will be closing Burleys Way Flyover for up to five nights while essential maintenance work is carried out, and damaged bridge parapets – the safety barriers on the edge of the flyover – are replaced.

    The full closure is due to be in place overnight from 8pm for five consecutive nights from Monday 3 March. The flyover will reopen to traffic from 6am on each day to help minimise disruption.

    A short, well-signposted diversion will be in place via Burleys Way and St Matthews Way during the works.

    The works – which will also include clearing drainage channels, minor carriageway repairs and refreshing road markings – will cost £24,000 and are being funded from the city council’s annual highways maintenance budget.

    A Leicester City Council spokesperson said: “These overnight closures are required while essential maintenance and repair work is carried out to Burleys Way Flyover. The work will be carried over five nights to help minimise disruption to traffic on this busy route.”

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Denis Manturov headed the supervisory board of Bauman Moscow State Technical University

    Translartion. Region: Russians Fedetion –

    Source: Government of the Russian Federation – An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.

    First Deputy Prime Minister Denis Manturov has been elected Chairman of the Supervisory Board of Bauman Moscow State Technical University. The creation of the Supervisory Board of Bauman Moscow State Technical University is connected with the new status of the university as an autonomous educational institution.

    “Thank you for supporting my candidacy. It is a great responsibility for me to coordinate the development of our legendary engineering university, whose history goes back almost 200 years. Needless to say, how many outstanding visionaries have emerged from the university over these years. And today, Bauman Moscow State Technical University remains a support university for leading enterprises of Russian industry. It ensures an annual influx of about 5 thousand qualified specialists into the real sector. It conducts research and development in the interests of large industrial partners, as well as through state defense procurement,” Denis Manturov noted.

    The First Deputy Prime Minister emphasized the need for maximum involvement of the university in the implementation of national projects of technological leadership and strengthening its ties with industrial enterprises and executive authorities.

    “Such a representative composition of the council reflects the close relationship of the university with specialized departments, business, industry, our customers and future employers of our students. Interaction in this format, in support of the autonomous status, will allow us to better understand our strategic partners, become more adaptive and develop the most effective approaches in response to the major challenges that engineering education and science face today, to ensure sustainable technological leadership of our country,” said Mikhail Gordin, Rector of Bauman Moscow State Technical University.

    Denis Manturov also visited the building of the university’s advanced engineering school. The centers and laboratories of the building train systems engineers in the field of rocket and space technology. Students, postgraduates and employees of industry enterprises solve current applied problems of space exploration here. The First Deputy Prime Minister visited the M.P. Arzhakov Engineering Center – the Competence Center of the Tactical Missile Weapons Corporation and the ProKIT design bureau, where students design and assemble small spacecraft of the CubeSat format. Currently, seven Bauman CubeSats, launched as part of the UniverSat program, are operating in space. Every day, they collect and transmit data to Earth for space weather forecasting, as well as monitoring the movement of sea and river vessels.

    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.

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: UK urges Russia to respect the Geneva Conventions and ensure the humane treatment of Prisoners of War: UK statement to the OSCE

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Speech

    UK urges Russia to respect the Geneva Conventions and ensure the humane treatment of Prisoners of War: UK statement to the OSCE

    UK Counsellor, Ankur Narayan, cites multiple independently-verified sources documenting Russia’s widespread use of torture against Ukrainian prisoners of war, a clear violation of its obligations under the Geneva Conventions.

    Thank you, Mr Chair.  This month marked eleven years since Russia began its illegal annexation of Crimea.  Earlier this week marked three years since its full-scale invasion of Ukraine, enabled by Belarus.  Each week, this Forum has executed its mandate by recording the related breaches of OSCE commitments and violations of international law.

    At last month’s FSC Opening Session, the Russian Delegation called on us to “create favourable conditions for the fulfilment of the [FSC’s] mandate … including the Code of Conduct”.  We agree.

    As Russia knows, paragraphs 30, 31 and 34 of the Code of Conduct compel States to ensure that their armed and security forces abide by international law.  As Russia knows, Paragraph 34 explicitly references the Hague Conventions and the Geneva Conventions.  As Russia knows, I will only cite independently-verified, internationally-respected sources.

    Mandate after mandate, the UN has consistently reported that the torture of Ukrainian prisoners of war by the Russian authorities is widespread and systematic.  In recent months, assessments have only worsened.  The Commission of Inquiry on Ukraine has concluded that Russia’s use of torture against POWs and civilian detainees amounts to “crimes against humanity”.

    The OHCHR continued to document the “widespread use of torture and ill-treatment”, including sexual violence, against civilians and Ukrainian prisoners of war held by the Russian Federation. The OHCHR also documented the continued efforts of family members to obtain information about the fate and whereabouts of civilian detainees and POWs in captivity.

    Mr Chair, Russia must abide by its Geneva Convention obligations.  This means it must treat all civilian detainees and prisoners of war humanely.  It must also allow immediate unimpeded access by the ICRC.

    The UK condemns Russia’s exploitation of Prisoners of War for political and propaganda purposes. We are deeply concerned that Russia has detained two British nationals Mr James Anderson and Mr Hayden Davies on false charges of so-called mercenaryism. They are not mercenaries. They are Prisoners of War. Ukraine has confirmed that both are members of Ukrainian Armed Forces. They must be provided all the rights and protections afforded to Prisoners of War under the Geneva Conventions. We demand Russia respects its obligations under International Law.

    The Code of Conduct commits us to act in solidarity if OSCE norms and commitments are violated.  As catalogued by the OSCE Moscow Mechanisms, ODIHR and UN, there is irrefutable independent evidence of Russia violating international law, including international humanitarian law.  As per paragraph 1 of the Code, such breaches are a “direct and legitimate” concern for us all.

    That is why we call on Russia to respect the Geneva Conventions and ensure the humane treatment of Prisoners of War.  That is why Russia must also release all civilians who have been arbitrarily detained – including the three Special Monitoring Mission staff.  Thank you.

    Updates to this page

    Published 26 February 2025

    Invasion of Ukraine

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: WFP and Spain launch first-time partnership to enhance access to education and food security in upper Egypt

    Source: World Food Programme

    Assiut, EGYPT – The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) in Egypt and the Spanish Agency for International Development Cooperation (AECID) have launched a first-time partnership to support Egypt’s national school feeding programme. With a focus on school-based support and cash assistance, the collaboration aims to improve food security and nutrition for students, teachers, and families among Egypt’s most vulnerable communities in Assiut governorate in Upper Egypt.

    With a contribution of EUR 650,000 from the Spanish Cooperation, WFP will support about 4,100 community school[1] students and their family members through school feeding, conditional cash assistance, and awareness-raising sessions. 

    Over the course of the two-year programme, students will receive daily fortified in-school snacks in the form of date bars, securing 25% of their daily caloric needs. As part of the national safety net “Takaful and Karama”, students’ families will also receive monthly cash transfers, conditional on their child achieving an 80% school attendance rate. This initiative helps incentivize education and improve families’ ability to secure their basic needs, while helping reduce school dropout rates, child labour and early marriage among girls.

    Additionally, the supported community schools will serve as hubs for awareness-raising activities focused on social and behavioural change, promoting healthy nutrition, gender equality, and inclusion among students, parents, and the wider community.

    To mark the launch of the programme, WFP Egypt Representative and Country Director, Jean-Pierre de Margerie, Spanish Ambassador to Egypt, Álvaro Iranzo, and Head of the Spanish Cooperation in Egypt, Eva  Suárez, visited one of the participating community schools in Assiut. They engaged with students, families, and teachers to discuss the programme’s activities and met with women and youth who have benefitted from the proven success of WFP’s already ongoing vocational training programme. 

    “We are thrilled to launch this first-time partnership with the Spanish Cooperation complementing Egypt’s national school feeding programme. As the world continues to face socio-economic challenges, this collaboration not only invests in children’s education and nutrition, but it provides an essential safety net for vulnerable families. By alleviating financial pressures and promoting consistent school attendance, we are helping communities build resilience and improve their food security,” said Jean-Pierre de Margerie, WFP Egypt Representative and Country Director.

    “In partnership with Spain and the Egyptian government, we are addressing immediate needs while also laying long-term stability and opportunities for children and their families,” added de Margerie.

    “Spain is committed to leaving no one behind in a situation of vulnerability, through all instruments and the collaboration of all cooperation actors, including international development and humanitarian agencies, with WFP being one of the actors that receives regular and established contributions from our government,” said Álvaro Iranzo, Spanish Ambassador to Egypt. 

    “We hope that this project, which is inaugurated today, will lay the foundations for a fruitful cooperation between Spanish Cooperation and WFP in Egypt to jointly contribute to the achievement of SDG 4: Equitable, inclusive and quality education and lifelong learning, and SDG 2: Food security and the fight against hunger, in order to achieve sustainable human development worldwide,” added Iranzo.

    “This project, which is being inaugurated today, is the first one funded by the  Spanish Agency for International Development Cooperation (AECID) for the World Food Programme in Egypt, with a budget of €650,000 to achieve “Improvement in access to education and nutrition through sustainable interventions in schools and cash transfers to help students, teachers, and households in vulnerable situations,” said Eva  Suárez, Head of the Spanish Cooperation in Egypt. 

    “It is highly appreciated that the project is being carried out in the province of Assiut, given its geographical dimensions, as well as its difficulties in achieving good access to education and full food security. Therefore, we consider that the selection of this location is very favourable to ensure that no one is left behind and to increase human development in all provinces of Egypt,” added Suarez.

    This new partnership builds on WFP’s ongoing programmes—ranging from nutrition and support for refugees and migrants to the empowerment of women and youth, as well as rural development—benefiting over 830,000 people in 2024 alone.

    #                       #                       #

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

     

    Follow us on Twitter @WFP_Egypt 

    And on Instagram @WFP_Egypt 

    [1] Community schools are one-classroom, multi-grade schools established in remote areas to help students who have missed out on education reintegrate into the school system.

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Sciences Po Hosts a Climate Change Negotiations Seminar for European Students

    Source: Universities – Science Po in English

    Students in front of the entrance at 1 St-Thomas (credits: Pierre Morel)

    Virtual Undergraduate Open House day 2025

    Come meet our teams and students at our campuses.

    Sign-up

    Virtual Graduate Open House day 2025

    Meet faculty members, students and representatives and learn more about our 30 Master’s programmes.

    Sign-up

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: expert reaction to a modelling study suggesting that AMOC may be resilient to future warming

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    A modelling study published in Nature suggests that Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC) may withstand climate extremes. 

    Dr Alessandro Silvano, Oceanographer, University of Southampton said:

    “AMOC will control extreme weather events, sea level rise and temperature over many areas, including Europe, and communities will need to adapt to changes, especially in case of collapse. This new study shows that what will happen is still not completely clear and a more “global approach” is needed, an approach that looks at the ocean as one large scale system where changes on one side of the planet can control what happens on the other side.

    “Whether an AMOC collapse could occur is one of the most pressing questions for the scientific community. Especially if this can happen over the next century. Some studies suggest the AMOC might be approaching a tipping point, others instead suggest AMOC to be more resilient to change in CO2 concentrations, melting of the Greenland Ice Sheet and changes in the precipitation. Therefore, at present, there is a debate about a potential collapse, while an AMOC weakening seems likely.”

    Dr René van Westen, Postdoctoral Researcher, Royal Netherlands Meteorological Institute, (KNMI), said:

    “The press release for this paper slightly oversells the point that the AMOC is ‘able to withstand future global warming’. In fact, the study still supports the conclusion that the AMOC is expected to severely weaken under extreme climate change, which is in line with the results from the latest IPCC report. 

    “The study’s results should certainly not be interpreted as showing that AMOC is a resilient system, given it finds that the AMOC still reduces to (very) weak strengths under human-caused global warming. 

    “In principle it is possible that all the AMOCs reached their collapsed state by the end of the 150-year long simulation. This can only be tested by continuing the simulation much longer to reach an equilibrium state, the simulations are too short to verify this. Nevertheless, the authors clearly demonstrate that the AMOC does not fully collapse (i.e. to 0 Sv strength) under 4xCO2 and show a prominent role for the Southern Ocean and Indo-Pacific Ocean. 

    “The study is still an exciting contribution to the literature. One of its key strengths is the inter-model comparison analysis under both 4xCO2 and hosing set-up. The authors show a clear relation in 34 different CMIP6 and demonstrate why the AMOC remains in a (very) weak state. 

    “It also demonstrates an important role for Southern Ocean dynamics, also suggested by previous research. However, Southern Ocean dynamics can only be adequately captured with high-resolution climate models in which large swirls (i.e., ocean eddies) are resolved. None of the 34 climate models used in this study have such a high resolution. It would be very interesting to see whether the proposed mechanism remains robust when resolving these swirls.

    “The key message of this paper is that the AMOC may be partly stabilised by ‘remote’ (i.e. outside the Atlantic Ocean) feedback processes. It is therefore good to consider these remote feedback processes when analysing the AMOC in future work. This will help to understand the future AMOC trajectory under climate change.”

     

    Prof Stefan Rahmstorf, Head of Research Department, Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research, said:

    “This new paper does not (and does not claim to) contradict other modeling studies about future AMOC changes and their climatic impact. 

    It has been well-established since the 1990s that the AMOC has a smaller, shallower part which is driven by the winds, meaning that a part remains once the density-driven (thermohaline) overturning has stopped. However, that wind-driven part is not nearly as important for climate as the part driven by differences in sea-water density. It is the latter which has a tipping point. 

    In previous studies about the risk of future AMOC collapse, the wind-driven part also persists since the winds won’t stop blowing, so this is not new information. The new study investigates the remaining wind-driven overturning in more detail, which is a valuable contribution to the scientific literature. It does not, however, change the assessment of the risk and impact of future AMOC changes in response to human-caused global warming.

    A false impression of contradicting our and other results may however easily arise from their different usage of the word ‘AMOC collapse’. To the new paper, this word implies zero or negative overturning in the North Atlantic north of the equator below 500 m, while in previous studies this term has been used for states with greatly weakened AMOC. The new study has used the same models as previous studies and its findings change nothing about the climate risk of a major AMOC weakening, which remains significant and would have global ramifications.”

    Dr Joel Hirischi, Associate Head of Marine Systems Modelling, UK’s National Oceanography Centre (NOC), said:

    Does the press release accurately reflect the science?

    “Yes, it does. As it stands, the only bit that could be confusing is the statement saying that “…AMOC can only collapse if a Pacific meridional overturning circulation (PMOC) develops”.  

    “It would be clearer to say that for the AMOC to stop, the Southern Ocean upwelling must be entirely compensated in the Pacific Ocean. 

    “The authors clarify this later in the press release but it would be better to say this upfront.

     

    Is this good quality research?  Are the conclusions backed up by solid data?

    “I enjoyed reading this article and I find the research to be of excellent quality. The work and methodology are closely related to an earlier study by the same authors in Geophysical Research Letters but the key message about AMOC stability is new. 

    “The authors used a large number of numerical models and the key results are robust across a range of model solutions. This enhances my confidence that the key findings of the study are robust.

    How does this work fit with the existing evidence?

    “This latest work fits nicely in the ongoing debate as to whether the AMOC is likely to shut down or not as climate warms.  During the last two years, several studies have re-ignited the debate about whether the AMOC is likely to shut down, suggesting that the AMOC is more likely to shut down than we previously expected. This study provides a counterbalance and provides evidence for stabilising AMOC mechanisms linked to winds in the Southern Ocean. 

    “Direct observations of the AMOC do not suggest that the AMOC is shutting down and the results from this study are consistent with a view that the AMOC is not in immediate danger of shutting down.

    Have the authors accounted for confounders?  Are there important limitations to be aware of?

    “The numerical models used in this study test the impact of a very strong greenhouse gas forcing (4xCO2) or a freshwater hosing north of 50N in the Atlantic. Neither the CO2 forcing nor the hosing on their own can cause the AMOC to shut down. 

    “In our warming world, both global CO2 concentrations and freshwater discharge into the North Atlantic, are increasing in parallel. It is not obvious how both effects put together would combine. The possibility of non-linear, amplifying  AMOC interactions possible. To test that would require a new set of numerical experiments where CO2 and freshwater forcing are applied at the same time.    

    “The models used in the study typically have a low spatial resolution (in the order of 100km). Important features, such as ocean mesoscale eddies are missing and sharp temperature and salinity fronts are not realistically simulated. How strongly this affects the findings reported in this study, we do not yet know. 

    What are the implications in the real world?  Is there any overspeculation?  

    “The study highlights the importance of the wind-driven Southern Ocean upwelling to understand the AMOC and its stability. Observations in the North and South Atlantic, where the AMOC is currently being observed may not be enough to decide where the AMOC is heading and knowing the amplitude and variability of the wind-driven Southern Ocean upwelling could be key. 

    “The authors are careful and their results should be considered when discussing the probability of a future AMOC shut down. The applied perturbations are large:  4xCO2 is higher an anomaly than what we will get – even in a pessimistic outlook. The freshwater discharge (0.3 Sv = 300000 m^3/s) applied during 100 years is roughly equivalent to melting about 1/3 of the Greenland ice sheet. Both perturbations are large compared with what we will likely experience in the real World.”

     

    Sofia Palazzo Corner, PhD Researcher at the Centre for Environmental Policy, Imperial College London, said: 

    “This paper investigates the AMOC response to extreme climate change and finds that as waters continue to be pulled to the surface by wind in the Southern Ocean, so must waters sink elsewhere.  

    “This leads to two important results: an AMOC that weakens but doesn’t shut down completely, and the formation of a new overturning circulation in the Pacific: a PMOC.  

    “Though AMOC here shows resilience to complete collapse, ocean circulation definitely does not show a general resilience to climate change. Even a weakened AMOC will result in major impacts to global and regional climate, and the formation of a new overturning circulation in the Pacific is an extraordinary and dramatic change to global ocean dynamics. 

    “What’s unambiguous is that increasing carbon emissions are increasing the risk of major changes in global ocean circulation, including the AMOC. This study takes an extreme case to investigate the interactions between the Atlantic, the Southern Ocean and the Pacific, and finds that although the AMOC does not collapse completely, there is significant weakening, and a major transformation in the Pacific Ocean to accommodate the new balance between rising and sinking waters. 

    “These results are a signal to pay increased attention to other parts of the global ocean which may hold clues to the trajectory of AMOC in the 21st century.” 

    Prof Jonathan Bamber, Director of the Bristol Glaciology Centre, University of Bristol, said:

    “This paper presents a careful and thorough analysis of how the AMOC responds to both extreme greenhouse gas and freshwater forcing that could result from accelerated fossil fuel consumption and increased melting of the Greenland Ice Sheet. Their analysis is based on examining 34 state of the art climate models and strongly suggests that the AMOC is not close to a tipping point for present-day and near-future climate. That is good news. While they find no evidence for a switch off or collapse of the AMOC they do find a weakening in all cases and this, alone, should be cause for concern. Because the AMOC is responsible for so much of the oceanic poleward heat transport, changes in its strength have a huge impact on the climate of northwest Europe and globally.

    “A collapse of the AMOC would be devasting for civilisation so it is understandable that there has been a lot of focus on whether this might happen in the near future but a weakening of the AMOC should also be of concern. While it might not grab the headlines in the same way and its impact is a little more complicated to explain, it is still extremely important to model, understand, monitor and predict.”

     

    Dr Lee de Mora, Marine Ecosystem Modeller, Plymouth Marine Laboratory, said:

    “The Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation is hugely important to the global climate, influencing heat transport, carbon drawdown and deep water formation. Despite its importance, the future of the AMOC is not yet fully understood.”

    “On one hand, the climate models from Coupled Model Intercomparison Project Phase 6 (CMIP6) universally projected a weakening in the AMOC as temperatures increase, but they did not project a full collapse to zero at any warming level. On the other hand, some experiments have suggested that the AMOC is too stable in those CMIP-style models, and the real AMOC may be more prone to collapse.”

    “This paper from Baker et al. identifies AMOC-stabilizing mechanisms in the Southern Ocean and Pacific Ocean that may explain why the CMIP6 models have a stable AMOC”.

    ‘Continued Atlantic overturning circulation even under climate extremes’ by Baker et al. was published in Nature at 16:00 UK time on Wednesday 26 February.

    DOI: 10.1038/s41586-024-08544-0 

    Declared interests

    Dr Alessandro Silano “None”

    Dr. René van Westen “None”

    Prof Stefan Rahmstorf “None”

    Dr Joel Hirischi “None”

    Sofia Palazzo Corner “No interests to declare. I’m a PhD student funded by the Grantham Institute, and research assistant funded by ESM2025.”

    Prof Johnathan Bamber “I am a member of the Advisory Committee for Earth Observation of the European Space Agency and a member of the European Space Science Committee, which receives funding from a number of national space agencies. I also receive funding from the European Commission.”

    Dr Lee de Mora “LdM was supported by the UK Natural Environment Research Council through The UK Earth System Modelling Project (UKESM, grant no. NE/N017951/1) and by the UK Natural Environment Research Council through the TerraFIRMA: Future Impacts, Risks and Mitigation Actions in a changing Earth System project, Grant reference NE/W004895/1.”

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Ambitious budget set to empower communities and support the most vulnerable

    Source: Scotland – City of Perth

    Despite the costs of providing essential services continuing to rise, flexibility from a three-year Council Tax strategy and additional funding from the Scottish Government meant that Councillors were able to agree a budget for each of the next three years which prioritises services for the most vulnerable, avoids further public sector job cuts, and invests in community empowerment and business growth. All with a lower Council Tax increase than originally proposed.

    The agreed Council Tax increase for 2025/26 is 9.5%. This follows a freeze in the current year. For people living in a Band D property, this represents a £2.56 weekly increase, or £11.11 more a month. Provisional increases have also been agreed of 9.5% for 2026/27 and 6% for 2027/28.

    Key investments agreed:

    • Protecting vital services for residents in the greatest need – the budget prioritises vulnerable residents, with almost £7 million to maintain health and social care services, plus £1 million over two years to support innovation and provide new models of delivering care in our communities. 
    • Protecting frontline jobs – no further job cuts are required as part of the budget decisions made today, with over £2 million being put back into Education and Learning to reverse proposed reductions in teacher numbers and £400,000 to prevent further cuts to teams supporting vulnerable children and families. Council officers are continuing to deliver on phase 2 of the leadership savings agreed last year.
    • Empowering communities – the budget includes £1 million to support community resilience, £1 million for Culture Perth and Kinross services, and almost £150,000 in community sports.

    Council Leader, Councillor Grant Laing, said: “Community groups are an essential part of delivering on local ambitions, and I’m proud that this budget creates more opportunities than ever before to put them at the heart of local decision-making. From additional funding for Bloom groups and Community Councils, to investing in community resilience and community sports, there’s lots we have been able to do.

    “We’ve also listened to the community members who have campaigned in support of their rural libraries, and allocated money over two years to allow Culture Perth and Kinross to maintain current premises and opening hours. But, this funding is contingent upon the energy and commitment shown by those supporters now being directed towards working with CPK to plan and implement sustainable futures for those libraries.”

    Additional key investments include:

    • Economic growth – £9 million over four years in the Commercial Property Investment Programme to make more units available for new and growing businesses, particularly in rural Perth and Kinross.
    • Environmental initiatives – £200,000 to provide practical support to Bloom and biodiversity groups to accelerate the delivery of the biodiversity aims of our Grow Wild approach to greenspaces. And, another £200,000 to deliver a new round of the Green Living Fund for community projects.
    • Public transport – almost £170,000 to extend the offer for free bus travel on the first Saturday of every month for another year, adding extra free travel for Clean Air Day in June and for an additional free Saturday in December in the peak Christmas shopping season. Plus, almost £70,000 for rural bus services and community transport initiatives.
    • Tackling poverty – adding £2 million to target anti-poverty initiatives, including continuing school holiday food and fun activities, and investing in efforts to tackle poverty in rural areas.

    Councillor Laing added: “One of our key priorities is to tackle poverty head-on. We are investing in job creation and growth schemes, such as apprenticeships and rural employability programs, to provide more opportunities for our residents. Additionally, we are adding £2 million to our anti-poverty funding and allocating £600,000 to the Financial Insecurity Fund and Scottish Welfare Fund. This will ensure that we can support those facing financial challenges and help them access the discounts and benefits they are entitled to.

    “Our Welfare Rights Team does a fantastic job in helping maximise income for households in financial need. By investing further in this team, we can support even more households and ensure that everyone in our community has the resources they need to thrive.
    “With this ambitious budget, we are not only addressing immediate needs but also laying the foundations for a resilient and thriving community. Together, we are building a brighter future for Perth and Kinross.”

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Global: African Union’s new chair has a long list of tough tasks – what it will take to get them done

    Source: The Conversation – Africa – By Ulf Engel, Professor, Institute of African Studies, University of Leipzig

    Following seven rounds of balloting, 60-year-old diplomat Mahmoud Ali Youssouf was elected the sixth chair of the African Union Commission in February 2025. Politics professor Ulf Engel, who is the editor of the Yearbook on the African Union, explains the role and its challenges.

    What’s the new AU Commission chair’s background?

    Youssouf is a seasoned diplomat from Djibouti. He is the longest serving minister of foreign affairs and international cooperation of his country (2005-2025), and has also served as chair of the Council of Ministers of the Arab League (2007, 2017) and the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (2012).

    What’s the job?

    It involves navigating the different levels of commitments of AU member states, promoting the pan-African agenda on the global stage and developing the professionalisation of the commission.

    The chair is the chief executive officer and legal representative of the African Union as well as the accounting officer of the AU Commission.

    They are directly responsible to the AU executive council. The chair is elected by the assembly for a four-year term, renewable once.

    Their functions include:

    • chairing all meetings and deliberations of the AU Commission

    • keeping records of the deliberations of the AU Assembly, the executive council and the permanent representatives council

    • preparing the AU budget

    • acting as a depository of all AU treaties and other legal instruments

    • consulting and coordinating with the governments of member states and the regional economic communities on the activities of the AU.

    In the transition phase from the Organisation of African Unity (OAU) to the AU (1999–2002), the office of the chair was still conceived as the “head of a secretariat”. But with the expansion of the African Union Commission’s staff from roughly 600 in the early 1990s to now well over 1,700 and the growing number of substantive tasks, this concept has evolved.

    The AU Commission has developed into the engine room of the pan-African project.

    Building on the three terms of the Tanzanian OAU secretary-general Salim Ahmed Salim (1989–2001), the commission has developed strong agency.

    On many political issues it has become the source for drafting legal and political documents.

    Through the chair, the commission coordinates relations with the regional economic communities. An example is in the field of early warning and conflict prevention.

    An example of the political guidance and leadership the chair can exercise is the 1999 report on “The Fundamental Changes Taking Place in the World and their Implications for Africa: Proposals for an African Response”.

    This had strong implications for the development of the continental body’s economic and security policies.

    It also had an impact on the 2011 report on “Current Challenges to Peace and Security on the Continent”. The report discussed the consequences of the public uprisings in northern Africa (the so-called Arab Spring).

    The 2022 report on “Unconstitutional Changes of Government in Africa” was drafted in response to the recent wave of coups d’état, especially in west Africa.

    A prominent example of proactive chairpersonship is the development of the AU’s Agenda 2063 under the leadership of Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma (South Africa, 2012–2017). This was an ambitious programme to steer the AU for the next 50 years after its 50th anniversary in 2013.

    What are the biggest challenges?

    The AU Commission chair’s main challenges include renewing member states’ commitment to the institution’s shared values amid a democratic recession.

    The new chair will have to deal with the decline in the quality of democracy across the continent.

    He will also have to deal with many member states that constantly violate AU decisions and communiqués on unconstitutional changes of government, as highlighted by the outgoing chair, Moussa Faki Mahamat (Chad), in a speech celebrating the 20th anniversary of the AU Peace and Security Council on 25 May 2024.

    The chair needs to finalise AU policy on the division of labour with the regional economic communities. In many policy fields this division is still unsystematic.

    Youssouf will have to increase the number of common African positions on key global challenges, increase ownership of positions by member states and lead the debate on defining clear obligations for member states.

    The most prominent common African position is the 2005 Ezulweni Consensus on the reform of the UN security council. It called for two permanent seats and five non-permanent seats for Africa.

    But more could be done to increase the African voice in the various international negotiation forums.

    The chair also needs to adopt a more systematic approach to the AU’s strategic partnerships with multilateral and bilateral players. For example, the AU became a member of the G20 in September 2024. Monitoring of strategic partnerships must be developed, and there should be clear guidelines which define African interests beyond funding issues.

    But the biggest task is to complete the financial and institutional reform of the AU that began in 2016/2017. This should include reducing its heavy financial dependence on international partners. Currently an estimated 58% of the budget comes from these partners, slightly down from last year’s 61%.

    The new chair needs to make the AU Commission more efficient and relevant for the African people. The lack of domestication of AU decisions by member states remains a huge challenge for Agenda 2063: The Africa We Want.

    Are any breakthroughs possible?

    G20 meetings in South Africa offer an opportunity to show how AU membership of this body can help address Africa’s concerns and rally AU member states behind a common agenda. There were meetings of G20 ministers of foreign affairs and finance in February, and heads of state and government will meet in November 2025.

    In his electoral campaign, Youssouf pledged to “defend Africa’s fair representation in international institutions and to strengthen its role in global forums”.

    He said Africa “must assert itself as an influential player in global policy discussion, advancing its economic and developmental interests”.

    With the new government in the US this certainly will become an uphill struggle. This is especially so giveng the pace with which the US president Donald Trump’s administration is dismantling established multilateral alliances, withdrawing from parts of the United Nations, and appears to be siding with Russia.

    Ulf Engel has been consulting for the African Union since 2006, mainly in early warning, conflict prevention, preventive diplomacy, and knowledge management.

    – ref. African Union’s new chair has a long list of tough tasks – what it will take to get them done – https://theconversation.com/african-unions-new-chair-has-a-long-list-of-tough-tasks-what-it-will-take-to-get-them-done-250421

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  • MIL-OSI Europe: AFRICA/SUDAN – War in Sudan continues: use of the air force, including drones, is becoming increasingly important

    Source: Agenzia Fides – MIL OSI

    Khartoum (Agenzia Fides) – According to the latest information from the authorities, 46 people were killed in the crash of a military transport plane in Omdurman, the “sister city” of the Sudanese capital Khartoum. Among the victims is a senior army officer, General Bahr Ahmed Bahr.The plane crashed yesterday evening, February 25, for reasons that are still unknown. Fighting is raging in and around Khartoum between soldiers of the Sudanese army (Sudan Armed Forces, SAF) and militiamen of the Rapid Support Forces (RSF). It cannot therefore be ruled out that the plane was hit by anti-aircraft defenses. Two days ago, the RSF claimed to have shot down another army transport plane near Nyala in South Darfur, but this was not confirmed by the military.In recent weeks, the army and its affiliated Sudan Shield Forces militias have regained control of Khartoum Bahri and important parts of the East Nile region.Meanwhile, the army announced that it gained control of the strategically important Soba Bridge three days ago, which should enable the regular army and the Sudan Shield Forces to advance into the center of Khartoum, which is still in the hands of the RSF.The army is also on the offensive in other parts of the country. With the help of drones acquired from Turkey, the military managed to break the siege of El-Obeid in North Kordofan and deal a heavy blow to the RSF. With the help of precision attacks by Turkish drones, the Sudanese army managed to regain control of important areas occupied by the RSF. However, the latter also uses combat drones. The army said it shot down several enemy drones that were attacking the military airport in Merowe, in northern Sudan, in the early hours of today, February 26. Over the past two months, RSF drones have attacked power plants in the north of the country, including the cities of Ad-Daba and Dongola, which are still not functioning properly due to a lack of spare parts.On a political level, the signing of a founding charter on February 22 in Nairobi by several armed, political and civil organizations calling for the formation of a “parallel government” in the areas controlled by the RSF has provoked reactions from various Sudanese political parties, who fear a further fragmentation of the country. The repeatedly postponed signing of this agreement in Nairobi (see Fides, 19/2/2025) has led to a serious diplomatic crisis between Kenya and the Sudanese government in Port Sudan, linked to the SAF. (L.M.) (Agenzia Fides, 26/2/2025)
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  • MIL-OSI Europe: ASIA/SRI LANKA – Cost of living and fight against crime: the population’s expectations from the new government

    Source: Agenzia Fides – MIL OSI

    Foto di Eddy Billard su Unsplash

    Colombo (Agenzia Fides) – “The people of Sri Lanka are waiting for a change in the new government, especially on the economic level, with measures that reduce the cost of living and lower taxes on essential goods such as food and medicines,” said Fr. Cyril Gamini Fernando, priest in Colombo and director of the Catholic weekly newspaper in the Sinhalese-language “Gnartha Pradeepaya” (“The Light of Knowledge”), in an interview with Fides, while a public debate is underway in the nation on the issue of tax reform. “Patience is required because the government has only been in power for a few months. People have confidence in the current President, Anura Kumara Dissanayake, elected last September, and believe that he will work to improve the socio-economic conditions of the population,” reports Father Fernando, while a nationwide signature campaign is underway in the country, calling on the government to significantly reduce taxes on basic food, medicine and school supplies.Believers of all religions, including Catholics, have participated in the signature collection. Father Jeewantha Peiris, a Catholic priest of the Diocese of Badulla who works for social justice, is among those in favor of the necessary reduction, noting that “the tax cut was announced by Dissanayake during the election campaign and is therefore one of his commitments.”Fr. Fernando adds other elements in his interview with Fides: “As I recently wrote in my editorial in our Catholic weekly, it is the government’s duty to side with the poorest and meet their needs: this is one of the expectations of today’s people.” In addition,” he continues, “a second problem that must be addressed is that of organized crime, with the proliferation of groups active in drug trafficking, which puts our young people at risk”. On the other hand, he concludes, “the government is struggling with the phenomenon of corruption: this too is a key issue in the management of public affairs. Of course, these are issues that take time and must be considered in the long term. The president, who has only been in office for a few months, still enjoys the trust of the population. Our position is: we must wait to see how he will move, what political choices he will make, how and if they will really benefit people’s lives”. (PA) (Agenzia Fides, 26/2/2025)
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  • MIL-OSI Europe: AFRICA/TANZANIA – Appointment of auxiliary bishop of Tabora

    Source: Agenzia Fides – MIL OSI

    Wednesday, 26 February 2025

    Vatican City (Agenzia Fides) – The Holy Father has appointed the Reverend Josaphat Jackson Bududu, of the metropolitan archdiocese of Tabora, Tanzania, until now vicar for consecrated life and parish priest of Saint Joseph in Kipalapala, as auxiliary bishop of the same archdiocese, assigning him the titular see of Vegesela di Numidia.Msgr. Josaphat Jackson Bududu was born on 6 March 1977 in Kaliua, Tabora.He studied philosophy at the major seminary of Kibosho, Moshi, and theology at the major seminary of Kipalapala, Tabora. He was awarded a doctorate in spirituality at the Tamil Nadu Institute of Spirituality and Saint Peter’s Pontifical Institute in Bangalore, India.He has held the following offices: deputy parish priest (2009-2011) and parish priest (2015-2018) of Saint Therese in Tabora.Since 2019, he has served as formator at Archbishop Mario Mgulunde Propaedeutic Seminary in Kipalapala, professor at Saint Paul’s Senior Seminary in Kipalapala, parish priest of Saint Joseph in Kipalapala, spiritual director of the Religious Congregation of the Daughters of Mary Sisters in Tabora and vicar for consecrated life of the metropolitan archdiocese of Tabora. (Agenzia Fides, 26/2/2025)
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  • MIL-OSI Europe: AFRICA/DR CONGO – M23 rebels loot 10 tons of strategic minerals from a plant in South Kivu

    Source: Agenzia Fides – MIL OSI

    https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:4447M-cassiterite.jpg

    Kinshasa (Agenzia Fides) – More than 10 tons of strategic minerals were taken by M23 militiamen from a plant in the Congolese province of South Kivu. This is what was reported by the “Thematic Working Group on Mining and Hydrocarbons of the Civil Society of South Kivu” sent to Fides. The province in the east of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), together with the province of North Kivu, is gradually being conquered by M23 militias, supported by Rwanda (see Fides, 18/2/2025).”During the night of February 19 and 20, 2025, the mineral processing plant of the company ‘CJX Minterals’ was looted by armed fighters of the M23,” the statement reads. The militiamen are said to have turned off the surveillance cameras and abducted security officers from the facility.According to information from the Congolese civil society organization, the militiamen took a shipment of about 10 tons of the so-called 3T minerals, which were already labeled and prepared for export. The so-called 3T minerals are tin, tungsten (tungsteno) and coltan (tantalum), three strategic minerals for the global electronics, aerospace and military industries that are at the heart of the war in eastern DRC (see Fides, 1/2/2023).“CJX Minerals” is a private company under Congolese law, founded in 2014, and is the largest exporter of 3T minerals in the Democratic Republic of Congo.”These targeted lootings demonstrate the clear will of the M23 to destroy the local economy for the benefit of Rwanda, whose economy depends on the plundering of the DRC’s natural resources,” the note says. (L.M.) (Agenzia Fides, 26/2/2025)
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  • MIL-OSI Europe: VATICAN – Pope Francis: Let us learn to “detect” the presence of God in smallness

    Source: Agenzia Fides – MIL OSI

    Wednesday, 26 February 2025

    Vatican Media

    Vatican City (Agenzia Fides) – Learn to “detect” the presence of God in smallness, as did the two elders of the Temple, Simeon and Anna, who thanks to their “clear eyes” were “capable of seeing beyond appearances” and recognize in the child Jesus the salvation of the world.While waiting to know the results of the CT scan carried out in recent hours, from the tenth floor of the Gemelli Hospital in Rome, where he has been hospitalized for over ten days for bilateral pneumonia, Pope Francis released late this morning the text of the catechesis prepared for the General Audience that he was supposed to preside over this morning in the Paul VI Hall.Continuing the cycle of catecheses dedicated to the life of Jesus in the perspective of the Jubilee, the Pope, in the text of the catechesis released today, dwells again on the infancy of Jesus, in particular on the episode of the presentation at the Temple. In Israel, the Bishop of Rome explains in the text, ” there was no obligation to present the child at the Temple, but those who lived listening to the Word of the Lord and wished to conform to it, considered it a valuable practice”.In this way, ” Mary and Joseph do not simply embed Jesus in a history of the family, the people, of the covenant with the Lord God. They take care of His growth, and introduce Him into the atmosphere of faith and worship. And they too gradually grow in their comprehension of a vocation that far surpasses them “.And in the Temple they meet two elderly people. The first, Simeon, is a man to whom “the Holy Spirit speaks”, and he “perceives in the Temple the presence of the Lord’s Anointed One”. In embracing the child he finds “consolation and the fullness of his existence”. His joy is transformed in “a canticle full of heartfelt gratitude, which in the Church has become the prayer at the end of the day”, that is, the Nunc Dimittis (“Now, Master, you may let your servant go in peace, according to your word, for my eyes have seen your salvation, which you prepared in sight of all the peoples, a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and glory for your people Israel”).In this canticle “Simeon sings the joy of those who have seen Him, who have recognized Him and are able to transmit to others the encounter with the Saviour of Israel and of the peoples. He is a witness of faith received as a gift and communicated to others”. Now, this elderly, “sees death not as the end, but as fulfilment, fullness; he awaits it like a “sister” that does not annihilate but introduces to the true life that he has already foretasted and in which he believes”. And the same also happens to Anna. Both become “pilgrims of hope” “who know how to welcome God’s visit with joy and rekindle hope in the heart of brothers and sisters”. (F.B.) (Agenzia Fides, 26/2/2025)
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  • MIL-OSI Security: Defense News: JMIC’s Role Expands to Entire CMF Operating Area

    Source: United States Navy

    To support the newly expanded JMIC mission, Royal Australian Navy Capt. Jorge McKee, Combined Task Force (CTF) 153 commander, transferred three Naval Cooperation and Guidance of Shipping (NCAGS) specialist officers to JMIC.

    McKee with JMIC Director, U.S. Navy Capt. Lee Stuart, and JMIC Deputy Director, Republic of Singapore Navy Cmdr. Andrew Sim, to transfer the officers, who are from the Royal Netherlands and Royal Norwegian navies.

    Since forming on Feb. 20, 2024, as part of Operation Prosperity Guardian (OPG), the international response to attacks on merchant mariners by Yemen-based Houthis terrorists, JMIC has enhanced understanding, information sharing and cooperation between naval and commercial shipping in the region.

    Once responsibility for OPG transferred from CTF 153 to the U.S. Navy’s Destroyer Squadron (DESRON) 50 on Feb. 1, JMIC expanded their operating area so they can provide the same level of service to the entire operating area.

    JMIC’s regular information products now include incident monitoring, reporting and security assessments for the Arabian Gulf, Gulf of Oman and Northwestern Indian Ocean in addition to the Red Sea, Gulf of Aden and Bab al-Mandab.

    “These officers have been an integral part of this task force, bringing valuable specialist commercial shipping industry expertise to inform daily operational decisions that I, and the rest of the team, have greatly appreciated,” McKee said. “We look forward to seeing their expertise benefit all CMF task forces and shipping operators across the region.”

    Stuart likened the officers to the first crew of a newly commissioned ship.

    “These officers are JMIC ‘plank owners.’” Stuart said. “They comprise the first crew of a combined unit supporting the free flow of commerce and commercial mariner safety for years to come.”

    JMIC welcomes engagement from shipping industry stakeholders via its new LinkedIn page at: https://www.linkedin.com/company/jmic

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  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Respect for Sudan’s sovereignty and territorial integrity is vital for a sustainable end to this war: UK statement at the UN Security Council

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Speech

    Respect for Sudan’s sovereignty and territorial integrity is vital for a sustainable end to this war: UK statement at the UN Security Council

    Statement by Ambassador Barbara Woodward, UK Permanent Representative to the UN, at the UN Security Council meeting on Sudan.

    President, nearly two years since the start of this war, and once again I cannot fail to be struck by the reports of death and destruction. 

    More violence. More families ripped apart. More children starving. 

    Last month, my Foreign Secretary visited Adré and heard first-hand about the suffering faced by women. The suffering of sexual violence, of rape, of hunger, who had fled the conflict.

    It does not need to be this way. 

    The parties to the conflict can take actions now to end the suffering. 

    And I’d like to highlight three priorities. 

    First, we urge the parties to end their military ambitions and focus on creating the conditions for peace, including through full co-operation with UN and African Union mediation efforts. 

    We share the Secretary-General’s deep concern at the announcement by the Rapid Support Forces and affiliated civilian actors and armed groups of a political charter that expresses an intention to establish a governing authority in areas of their control.

    Deepened divisions risk even further destabilisation in Sudan and the region. 

    Respect for Sudan’s charter rights, its unity, sovereignty and territorial integrity is vital and will be necessary for a sustainable end to this war.

    In April, my Foreign Secretary will invite Foreign Ministers from some 20 states and international organisations to London, for discussions focused on supporting a peaceful way forward for the Sudanese people.

    Second, both parties must facilitate the rapid and unimpeded passage of humanitarian relief to people in need. 

    The decision by the Sudanese Armed Forces to keep the Adré border crossing open is welcome. 

    But with over 30 million people in humanitarian need, it is simply not enough. 

    We urge the SAF to open Adré permanently, and authorise the use of further regional border crossings. 

    We call on both sides to lift unnecessary bureaucratic impediments which are delaying aid deliveries by weeks, and to provide humanitarian actors with security guarantees to operate safely.

    Third, we reiterate the Council’s calls for the Rapid Support Forces to end their siege on El Fasher and cease all attacks on civilians and civilian infrastructure. 

    We call on both parties to protect civilians, in line with their obligations under the Jeddah Declaration.

    Mr President, the parties to the conflict should act now to end this suffering.

    Updates to this page

    Published 26 February 2025

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  • MIL-OSI United Nations: ‘Last Chance’ to Achieve Two-State Solution, UN Mediator Tells Security Council, as Speakers Highlight Need to Sustain Gaza Ceasefire

    Source: United Nations General Assembly and Security Council

    This may be “the last chance” to achieve a two-State solution — the creation of independent Israel and Palestine coexisting peacefully side by side — a United Nations mediator told the Security Council today, as it considered the fragile ceasefire in the Gaza Strip, the first phase of which is set to expire on 1 March.

    While welcoming the implementation of this initial phase, including the release of 34 hostages, Sigrid Kaag, UN Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process ad interim, added:  “None of us will forget the harrowing pictures of the coffins of the Bibas children taken hostage with their mother and killed while in captivity.” Condemning Hamas’ public parading of hostages, she also noted the release of 1,135 Palestinian prisoners and detainees, and reports of the ill treatment and humiliation they experienced.

    In Gaza, far more remains to be done to address over 15 months of deprivation of basic human necessities and “above all, a loss of human dignity”, she said, while noting some improvements in humanitarian aid access.  “Palestinians must be able to resume their lives, to rebuild and to construct their future in Gaza,” she stressed, adding that there can be no question of forced displacement.  Gaza must remain an integral part of a future Palestinian State, and the Strip must be unified with the West Bank including East Jerusalem, “politically, economically and administratively”, she said, calling on the Council to ensure continued support for the full realization of the ceasefire deal, urgent de-escalation in West Bank and support for Gaza’s recovery and reconstruction — which would cost $53 billion.

    Also briefing the Council today was Daniel Levy, President of the US/Middle East Project, who stressed that Israelis and Palestinians both deserve security, while acknowledging the “power asymmetry” between a colonizing State and a colonized people.  Recalling the Israeli ambassador’s “gimmick” of shredding the UN Charter at the General Assembly podium, he said:  “When a State like Israel conducts itself in ways that render the Charter meaningless and which assault [international] conventions, including on genocide […] then that is a challenge that cannot be allowed to pass.”

    Calling for a full ceasefire, the release of all Israeli hostages and a surge in humanitarian assistance, he cautioned:  “There is good reason to fear that this could collapse.”  In that vein, he warned against the attempt to permanently depopulate the north of Gaza, adding:  “Hamas non-governance in Gaza is achievable, the movement itself has said so.”  But, there will be resistance if the structural violence of occupation and apartheid continue.  He also cautioned against zero-sum thinking, also stressing that the unlawful forced displacement of Palestinians must not be endorsed or encouraged by any State, let alone, one of the permanent five.

    Testimony from Ex-Hostage

    “I was kidnapped by Hamas terrorists on 7 October 2023 from the Nova music festival with my partner,” recalled Noa Argamani, who also addressed the Council today.  She added that she was taken by force into Gaza and “held in total fear, living in a nightmare”.  Noting that she was rescued by Israeli soldiers after eight months in captivity, she said:  “Being here today is a miracle, but I’m here today to tell you we have no time.” There are still 63 hostages in captivity — 24 believed to still be alive — “the [ceasefire] deal must go on, in full”, she urged.

    Recalling that her captors murdered her friend, she underscored:  “Every second in captivity is dangerous.”  The Council must “not let the darkness take over”, she warned, stating that she came to the Council so that the international community understands that “the hostages are in hell” and deserve to return home immediately.

    Determined to Eradicate Hamas

    “This is the story of every hostage and every family shattered by Hamas’ terror,” said Israel’s delegate, urging the Council to adopt a resolution condemning the group — a move he argued the 15-member organ could have taken 16 months ago.  Stressing that the tragedy will not end “until each one of them is back home”, he continued: “The question now is whether this Council will help write that ending, or continue to look away.”

    “No matter what happens, our commitment to freeing all the hostages and completely eradicating Hamas is unshakeable,” he underscored. Turning to the humanitarian situation, he pointed to thousands of trucks entering Gaza every week to deliver aid and stressed:  “The only starved people in Gaza are the hostages.”  He added that “it is time to think beyond the frameworks of the past and build a new reality — one where terrorists do not hold entire communities hostage and where life is sacred once more”.

    Recordings of Gunfire at Family 

    Riyad H. Mansour, Permanent Observer for the State of Palestine, said while “nothing justifies” what happened to the Bibas family, Palestinian children are “not any less deserving of your outrage for their killing”.  He went on to play recordings of the calls made to emergency services by 15-year-old Layan Hamadeh and her 6-year-old cousin Hind Rajab — both found dead later — after their family members were shot dead while evacuating Gaza City by car. He also remembered the Palestinian parents who had to collect “what remained of their children’s bodies in plastic bags”.

    “Did you see the images of our released prisoners, often starved, with marks and scars on their bodies?”, he asked, noting that Israel subjects them to beatings and humiliating treatments.  “How many hostages were released by military actions and how many hundreds of Palestinians have perished in these military attacks that were supposed to rescue the hostages but led to the death of many of them?”, he asked, adding:  “Ceasefire works.”  The next few days is a test of Israel’s true priorities, he said.

    Support for Ceasefire’s Second Phase

    Council members stressed the need to uphold the ceasefire and reach an agreement on the second phase, which aims to establish a permanent truce.  Under this phase, Israel would fully withdraw from Gaza, while Hamas would release all remaining hostages in exchange for additional detainees.

    The representative of Sierra Leone, voiced a “renewed sense of relief and optimism” despite “the uncertainty that still looms”.  The representative of the Republic of Korea noted that the agreement shows “what firm political will can bring to the region” as Israeli hostages and Palestinian prisoners reunite with their families.  The ceasefire is also saving lives, Denmark’s delegate said, adding that it is vital that it moves to its second phase.  Georgios Gerapetritis, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Greece, added that the ceasefire will “allow planning for a more prosperous and secure ‘day after’ for the whole region”.

    The representative of France said that his country has deployed specialized personnel within the framework of the European Union Border Assistance Mission at the Rafah Crossing Point to support the ceasefire.  He also noted that his country and Saudi Arabia will co-chair an international conference for the implementation of a two-State solution in June.

    The Russian Federation’s delegate expressed concern about the “opaque monitoring mechanism”, highlighting accusations from both sides about the other side’s bad faith in the implementation of individual steps.  Somalia’s delegate said that the continued attacks, illegal arrests, settlement-expansion and excessive use of force “undermine the spirit of the ceasefire deal” and that “mediation efforts will not succeed if the aggression continues unchecked”.  If the ceasefire fails, Panama’s delegate warned, “then the human toll will be incalculable and prospects for regional peace and stability will fade further”.

    The representative of the United Kingdom welcomed improved aid supplies since the ceasefire agreement as having “demonstrated the central role of the UN and humanitarian actors, including UNRWA [United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East]”.  She also expressed concern over tightening humanitarian space, as well as the expansion of Israel’s operations killing and displacing civilians in the West Bank.

    Gaza’s Future without Hamas

    The representative of the United States expressed support for Israel’s “sovereign decision” to close UNRWA offices in Jerusalem, adding:  “UNRWA is not and never has been the only option for providing humanitarian assistance in Gaza”.  Her country stands with all hostages, she said, adding that the desecration of the remains of Shiri Bibas shows “the depth of Hamas’s cruelty”.  President Donald J. Trump has made clear that the future of Gaza must look different, she said, adding that Hamas must be fully removed from power and held accountable for its 7 October 2023 terrorist massacre.

    Save West Bank from Becoming Next Gaza

    Other speakers, however, highlighted the impact of Israel’s occupation of Palestinian territories, and the escalation of settlements and violence in the West Bank.  “Israel is not trying to return to calm,” said Kuwait’s delegate, speaking for the Arab Group.  Asking the Council if it is waiting for a repeat of the Gaza tragedy, he called on the international community to help end the occupying Power’s aggression in the West Bank and its attacks on Christian and Muslim holy sites in the Aqsa Mosque compound.

    Algeria’s delegate drew attention to the Israeli Finance Minister’s declaration that the “goal for 2025 is to demolish more than what Palestinian are building in the West Bank”.  Stressing the need to support UNRWA and empower the Palestinian Authority, he added that weakening the Authority is a deliberate strategy by the Israeli occupying Power which dreams “of a land free of Palestinians”, from the river to the sea.  Five newborn babies froze to death yesterday in a hospital in Gaza City, he noted, adding “we have no more time to waste”.  The ceasefire agreement should serve as a foundation for a durable peace plan.

    Slovenia’s delegate stressed:  “Gaza belongs to Gazans and it is an integral part of the Palestinian State.”  Pointing to the “many more steps” needed for lasting peace to persist in the Middle East, he observed:  “While peace seems to be a big word, it essentially boils down to everyday decisions to work for it.”

    “The cumulative effect of Israel’s violent occupation of Palestinian territories has entrapped the Palestinian people in a cycle of violence and poverty,” Guyana’s delegate noted.  Pakistan’s representative pointed to the forcible displacement, military raids, settler violence and illegal land annexations Israel is conducting, describing these as “ethnic cleansing in real time”.

    The representative of China, Council President for February, speaking in his national capacity, urged the international community to support the parties in moving ahead with negotiations on the second phase of the ceasefire and called on Israel to cease its military and settler activity in the West Bank, underscoring:  “The West Bank must not become the next Gaza.”

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: At Least Five Peacekeeping, Associated Personnel Killed in Malicious Attacks During 2024, United Nations Staff Union Committee Says

    Source: United Nations General Assembly and Security Council

    At Least 116 Staff Members of United Nations Palestine Refugee Agency Killed in 2024, Bringing Total to 263 Staff Fatalities Since War in Gaza

    At least five United Nations personnel — four military peacekeeping personnel and one civilian UN security coordination officer — were killed in deliberate attacks in 2024, the United Nations Staff Union Standing Committee on the Security and Independence of the International Civil Service said today.  By nationality, the UN personnel who died in 2024 were from Cameroon (1), Ghana (1), India (1) Pakistan (1) and Uganda (1).

    This does not include the personnel of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) who died in the war in Gaza, since they were not deliberately targeted.  However, at least 116 UNRWA personnel had been confirmed killed in 2024 in the conflict between Israel and Hamas in response to the terror attack by Hamas on 7 October 2023, the largest loss during a conflict in the 79-year history of the United Nations.  As of 29 December 2024, the total number of UNRWA team members killed since 7 October 2023 is 263 (UNRWA Situation Report #153).

    Peacekeepers serving with the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) were also affected by conflicts in the region.

    On 11 October, two peacekeepers from Indonesia serving with UNIFIL were injured after two explosions occurred close to an observation tower near the mission’s base in Naquora.

    On 29 October, eight peacekeepers from Austria serving with UNIFIL were wounded after a rocket, likely fired by Hizbullah or an affiliated group, hit UNIFIL headquarters in southern Lebanon.

    On 7 November, a UNIFIL convoy bringing newly arrived peacekeepers from Malaysia to south Lebanon was passing Saida when a drone strike occurred nearby.  Five peacekeepers were lightly injured.

    On 19 November, four peacekeepers from Ghana serving with UNIFIL were wounded when a rocket most likely fired by Hizbullah hit their base in southern Lebanon.  Peacekeepers and facilities were targeted in three separate incidents.

    On 22 November, four peacekeepers from Italy serving with UNIFIL were wounded when two rockets, likely launched by Hizbullah or affiliated groups, struck the Sector West Headquarters in Shama.

    In addition, three members of the World Food Programme (WFP) Sudan country team — the Head of field office, a programme associate and a security guard — lost their lives on 19 December after an aerial bombardment hit the WFP Field Office Compound in Yabus, Blue Nile State.

    The United Nations Interim Security Force for Abyei (UNISFA) was the deadliest for peacekeepers with two fatalities, followed by the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in the Central African Republic (MINUSCA) with one.

    In 2023 at least 11 United Nations personnel (seven military and four civilians) were killed in malicious attacks, and in 2022 at least 32 (28 peacekeepers and four civilians).  The drop in fatalities can partly be attributed to the conclusion in 2023 of the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali (MINUSMA), the deadliest peacekeeping mission with 175 fatalities due to malicious acts.

    Deliberate Attacks

    Following is a non-exhaustive list of deliberate attacks in 2024 that resulted in the death or injury of United Nations and associated personnel, compiled by the United Nations Staff Union Standing Committee on the Security and Independence of the International Civil Service.

    On 10 January, Al-Shabaab militants seized a helicopter with United Nations personnel travelling onboard in Galmdug, Somalia.  The helicopter was captured after it had to make an emergency landing in an area controlled by the armed group.  According to media reports, the helicopter took off from the city of Beledweyne and landed close to Gadoon village (near Hindhere village) in central Somalia’s Galgaduud region due to a technical glitch.  The UN-contracted helicopter was conducting an air medical evacuation.  According to media reports, nine people were on board:  four Ukrainian crew members, two Kenyan nurses, an Egyptian working for a contractor who provides emergency medical evaluations, a Somali military doctor and a Ugandan protection officer.  At least one passenger was reportedly killed and six were seized by al-Shabaab.

    On 11 January, Maimudu Edema, a peacekeeper from Uganda, serving with the United Nations Assistance Mission in Somalia, was killed when mortar rounds landed inside the Aden Adde International Airport area, in which the UN Compound was located.  Al-Shabaab has reportedly claimed responsibility for the attack.

    On 15 January, Emmanuel Steve Atebele, a peacekeeper from Cameroon serving with MINUSCA, was killed when his vehicle hit an improvised explosive device in Mbindali, in Ouham-Pendé Prefecture, north-west of Paoua, Central African Republic.  Five other blue helmets were injured in the attack.

    On 27 January, Kyere Evans, a peacekeeper from Ghana serving with UNISFA, was killed when the mission’s base in Agok came under attack by an armed group.

    On 28 January, Muhammad Tariq, a peacekeeper from Pakistan serving with UNISFA, died in Abyei when a UNISFA convoy transporting civilians came under attack.

    On 2 February, two peacekeepers from South Africa serving with the United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO), were injured in an attack on a UN helicopter in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo.  The helicopter was carrying out a medical evacuation when it came under fire from presumed members of the M23 armed group in the Karuba region, North Kivu Province.  The helicopter was able to land safely in the provincial capital, Goma.

    On 16 March, eight peacekeepers serving with MONUSCO were wounded during clashes between the M23 armed group and Government troops.  The incident occurred in the vicinity of Sake, 20 kilometres from Goma.  The wounded peacekeepers, who were part of Operation Springbok initiated in November 2023 to safeguard civilians in the region, sustained their injuries amidst the ongoing fighting, where MONUSCO troops had been assisting Government forces to protect vulnerable civilians.

    On 13 May, Waibhav Anil Kale, a former military officer from India working as a security coordination officer for the United Nations Department for Safety and Security (UNDSS), was killed in Rafah, southern Gaza, when a weapon impacted the back of his clearly marked United Nations vehicle.  The vehicle was driving to the European Hospital in Rafah.  Another UNDSS staff member, a Jordanian woman travelling in the same vehicle, was injured.  The shots were thought to come from an Israel Defense Forces tank in the area.

    On 10 October, two peacekeepers from Sri Lanka serving with UNIFIL were injured after an Israel Defense Forces tank fired its weapon toward an observation tower at UNIFIL headquarters in Naqoura, directly hitting the tower and causing its fall.

    Violations of the Independence of the International Civil Service

    On 24 January, the Houthi authorities in Yemen ordered United Nations and other humanitarian staff holding United States and United Kingdom passports to leave the country within a month.  The de facto authorities, who controlled the capital, Sana’a, along with many other areas of the country, thus violated the independence of the international civil service.

    On 11 June, the Secretary-General called for the immediate release of all United Nations staff held in Yemen by the de facto Houthi authorities, following the arbitrary detention of 13 of the Organization’s personnel, including six staff members of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR).  Four additional United Nations staff members had been detained and held incommunicado by the de facto authorities since 2021 and 2023, without access to their families or their respective organizations and agencies.

    On 12 October, the heads of the United Nations Development Programme, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, the United Nations Children’s Fund, the World Food Programme, the World Health Organization and OHCHR, as well as the Special Envoy of the Secretary-General for Yemen, renewed urgent calls for the immediate release of their staff arbitrarily detained by the Houthi de facto authorities in Yemen, amid reports that some of them might face “criminal prosecution”.

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: African Union’s new chair has a long list of tough tasks – what it will take to get them done

    Source: The Conversation – Africa – By Ulf Engel, Professor, Institute of African Studies, University of Leipzig

    Following seven rounds of balloting, 60-year-old diplomat Mahmoud Ali Youssouf was elected the sixth chair of the African Union Commission in February 2025. Politics professor Ulf Engel, who is the editor of the Yearbook on the African Union, explains the role and its challenges.

    What’s the new AU Commission chair’s background?

    Youssouf is a seasoned diplomat from Djibouti. He is the longest serving minister of foreign affairs and international cooperation of his country (2005-2025), and has also served as chair of the Council of Ministers of the Arab League (2007, 2017) and the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (2012).

    What’s the job?

    It involves navigating the different levels of commitments of AU member states, promoting the pan-African agenda on the global stage and developing the professionalisation of the commission.

    The chair is the chief executive officer and legal representative of the African Union as well as the accounting officer of the AU Commission.

    They are directly responsible to the AU executive council. The chair is elected by the assembly for a four-year term, renewable once.

    Their functions include:

    • chairing all meetings and deliberations of the AU Commission

    • keeping records of the deliberations of the AU Assembly, the executive council and the permanent representatives council

    • preparing the AU budget

    • acting as a depository of all AU treaties and other legal instruments

    • consulting and coordinating with the governments of member states and the regional economic communities on the activities of the AU.

    In the transition phase from the Organisation of African Unity (OAU) to the AU (1999–2002), the office of the chair was still conceived as the “head of a secretariat”. But with the expansion of the African Union Commission’s staff from roughly 600 in the early 1990s to now well over 1,700 and the growing number of substantive tasks, this concept has evolved.

    The AU Commission has developed into the engine room of the pan-African project.

    Building on the three terms of the Tanzanian OAU secretary-general Salim Ahmed Salim (1989–2001), the commission has developed strong agency.

    On many political issues it has become the source for drafting legal and political documents.

    Through the chair, the commission coordinates relations with the regional economic communities. An example is in the field of early warning and conflict prevention.

    An example of the political guidance and leadership the chair can exercise is the 1999 report on “The Fundamental Changes Taking Place in the World and their Implications for Africa: Proposals for an African Response”.

    This had strong implications for the development of the continental body’s economic and security policies.

    It also had an impact on the 2011 report on “Current Challenges to Peace and Security on the Continent”. The report discussed the consequences of the public uprisings in northern Africa (the so-called Arab Spring).

    The 2022 report on “Unconstitutional Changes of Government in Africa” was drafted in response to the recent wave of coups d’état, especially in west Africa.

    A prominent example of proactive chairpersonship is the development of the AU’s Agenda 2063 under the leadership of Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma (South Africa, 2012–2017). This was an ambitious programme to steer the AU for the next 50 years after its 50th anniversary in 2013.

    What are the biggest challenges?

    The AU Commission chair’s main challenges include renewing member states’ commitment to the institution’s shared values amid a democratic recession.

    The new chair will have to deal with the decline in the quality of democracy across the continent.

    He will also have to deal with many member states that constantly violate AU decisions and communiqués on unconstitutional changes of government, as highlighted by the outgoing chair, Moussa Faki Mahamat (Chad), in a speech celebrating the 20th anniversary of the AU Peace and Security Council on 25 May 2024.

    The chair needs to finalise AU policy on the division of labour with the regional economic communities. In many policy fields this division is still unsystematic.

    Youssouf will have to increase the number of common African positions on key global challenges, increase ownership of positions by member states and lead the debate on defining clear obligations for member states.

    The most prominent common African position is the 2005 Ezulweni Consensus on the reform of the UN security council. It called for two permanent seats and five non-permanent seats for Africa.

    But more could be done to increase the African voice in the various international negotiation forums.

    The chair also needs to adopt a more systematic approach to the AU’s strategic partnerships with multilateral and bilateral players. For example, the AU became a member of the G20 in September 2024. Monitoring of strategic partnerships must be developed, and there should be clear guidelines which define African interests beyond funding issues.

    But the biggest task is to complete the financial and institutional reform of the AU that began in 2016/2017. This should include reducing its heavy financial dependence on international partners. Currently an estimated 58% of the budget comes from these partners, slightly down from last year’s 61%.

    The new chair needs to make the AU Commission more efficient and relevant for the African people. The lack of domestication of AU decisions by member states remains a huge challenge for Agenda 2063: The Africa We Want.

    Are any breakthroughs possible?

    G20 meetings in South Africa offer an opportunity to show how AU membership of this body can help address Africa’s concerns and rally AU member states behind a common agenda. There were meetings of G20 ministers of foreign affairs and finance in February, and heads of state and government will meet in November 2025.

    In his electoral campaign, Youssouf pledged to “defend Africa’s fair representation in international institutions and to strengthen its role in global forums”.

    He said Africa “must assert itself as an influential player in global policy discussion, advancing its economic and developmental interests”.

    With the new government in the US this certainly will become an uphill struggle. This is especially so giveng the pace with which the US president Donald Trump’s administration is dismantling established multilateral alliances, withdrawing from parts of the United Nations, and appears to be siding with Russia.

    – African Union’s new chair has a long list of tough tasks – what it will take to get them done
    – https://theconversation.com/african-unions-new-chair-has-a-long-list-of-tough-tasks-what-it-will-take-to-get-them-done-250421

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Two men convicted of murdering a man in Croydon.

    Source: United Kingdom London Metropolitan Police

    Two men have been convicted of murder as detectives appeal to the public for help to locate an outstanding suspect.

    David Walcott, 35 (18.08.89) of Turle Road, Norbury and Rammon Mali, 33 (08.12.91) of Valley Road, Croydon, were found guilty of the murder of Rijkaard Siafa on Wednesday, 26 February at the Old Bailey, following a five-week trial.

    Walcott was also found guilty of possession of an offensive weapon.

    A murder investigation was launched after police were called to reports of a man stabbed in Fellmongers Yard, Croydon on Friday, 12 April 2024.

    A number of members of the public attempted to provide first aid, before police, London Ambulance Service and London’s Air Ambulance arrived at the scene. Sadly, despite their efforts, Rijkaard died at the scene only 30 minutes later.

    In court, Walcott and Mali claimed that they were present, but were not the ones who stabbed Rijkaard. However they were unanimously found guilty of murder by the jury.

    Detective Chief Inspector Samantha Townsend, from the Met’s Specialist Crime Command, said: “Our thoughts very much remain with Rijkaard’s family and friends, who had to re-live the last traumatic moments of his young life during the trial after the defendants failed to take responsibility for their actions.

    “The defendants acted together, as a team. They had been looking for Rijkaard during the afternoon of Friday, 12 April and when they found him, they viscously attacked him. He didn’t stand a chance.”

    The court heard that on the day of the murder Rijkaard had been at a friend’s flat near Fellmongers Yard, before leaving to meet his partner. Only a few minutes after leaving the flat, he had been stabbed 13 times.

    After the attack, Walcott and Mali immediately fled the scene. They then went to a pub on nearby Katharine Street, where they ordered three pints of beer.

    As part of the investigation, officers viewed more than 100 hours of CCTV and were subsequently able to identify both Walcott and Mali.

    A fast-paced manhunt was launched and a few days later officers were able to track Walcott to an address on Lewin Road, SW16. He was arrested on Friday, 19 April 2024 and charged the following day.

    Mali fled the country on Tuesday, 16 April 2024. He was arrested at Gatwick Airport upon his return on Sunday, 5 May 2024 and charged the following day.

    They are due to be sentenced at the Old Bailey at a later date.

    Detectives are continuing to offer a reward of up to £10,000 for information that leads to the arrest and charge of Jordan Vincent, who remains wanted for Rijkaard’s murder.

    DCI Townsend, said: “Even though Walcott and Mali have been convicted for the murder of Rijkaard, our investigation continues.

    “Rijkaard was only 22 and had his full life ahead of him – our team remains resolute in helping them secure justice and need the public’s help to do so.

    “I am grateful to all those who have come forward so far but we are appealing to people to dig deep into their consciences to help us locate Jordon Vincent. If you have any information – no matter how insignificant you think it might be – I would urge you to get in contact as this could prove to be crucial.”

    Information, images or footage can be provided at Public Portal – https://mipp.police.uk/operation/01MPS24W40-PO1

    Alternatively, anyone who has information or footage can call 0208 721 4961 referencing Op Biscot. To remain 100 per cent anonymous call the independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 or visit Crimestoppers-uk.org.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI: Bank of Åland Plc: Notice to convene the Annual General Meeting

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    Bank of Åland Plc
    Notice to convene general meeting
    February 26, 2025, 17.15 EET.

    Notice to convene the Annual General Meeting

    Notice is hereby given to the shareholders of the Bank of Åland Plc (Ålandsbanken Abp) of the Annual General Meeting (AGM) to be held at 3.00 p.m. Finnish time (15.00 EET) on Tuesday, March 25, 2025 at the Alandica Kultur & Kongress auditorium, Strandgatan 33, Mariehamn, Åland, Finland.

    The reception of persons who have registered to participate in the Meeting and the distribution of voting tickets will commence at 2.00 p.m. on the above date.

    A. Matters on the agenda of the Annual General Meeting

    The following matters will be dealt with at the Meeting:

    1. Opening of the Meeting

    2. Calling the Meeting to order
    3. Election of persons to check the minutes and to supervise the counting of votes

    4. Verification of the legality of the Meeting

    5. Verification of attendance at the Meeting and adoption of the voting list

    6. Presentation of the financial statements, the Report of the Directors and the Auditors’ Report for 2024

    Managing Director’s review.

    7. Adoption of the financial statements

    8. Decision on allocation of the profit shown in the balance sheet and dividend distribution

    The Board of Directors proposes that a dividend of EUR 2.40 per share plus an extra dividend of EUR 0.35 per share shall be paid for the financial year January 1 – December 31, 2024, that the record date for dividend payment shall be Thursday, March 27, 2025 and that the payment date shall be Thursday, April 3, 2025.

    9. Decision on granting discharge from liability to the members of the Board of Directors and the Managing Director for the financial year January 1 – December 31, 2024

    10. Presentation and adoption of the compensation report

    11. Decision on the number of members on the Board of Directors

    It is proposed that the number of Board members shall be set at seven.

    12. Decision on fees for the members of the Board

    The Board of Directors proposes an unchanged annual fee for its Chairman (EUR 37,000), the Deputy Chairman (EUR 31,500) and each other Board member (EUR 29,000). The Board also proposes an unchanged fee per meeting attended for the Chairman (EUR 1,000) and for each other Board member (EUR 750).

    It shall be noted that the fee per meeting for Board members’ attendance at meetings of the committees appointed by the Board is EUR 750 per Board member and EUR 1,000 for the committee Chairman. In addition, it shall be noted that compensation for travel and accommodation expenses as well as daily subsistence allowances are paid in compliance with the instructions of tax authorities and the Bank’s travel guidelines.

    13. Election of Board members

    The Nomination Committee proposes the re-election of Board members Anders Å Karlsson, Nils Lampi, Mirel Leino-Haltia, Malin Lombardi, Christoffer Taxell, Ulrika Valassi and Anders Wiklöf for a term of office that will run until the closing of the next AGM.

    14. Decision on the auditors’ fees

    In accordance with the recommendation of the Audit Committee, the Board of Directors proposes that the auditors’ fees be paid as invoiced.

    15. Decision on the number of auditors

    The Board of Directors proposes that the number of auditors shall be unchanged, that is, one auditor.

    16. Election of auditors

    In accordance with the recommendation of the Audit Committee, the Board of Directors proposes the re-election of the authorised accounting firm of KPMG Oy Ab, with Henry Maarala (KHT) as auditor in charge, for a term of office that will run until the closing of the next AGM.

    17. Decision on the sustainability auditors’ fees

    In accordance with the recommendation of the Audit Committee, the Board of Directors proposes that the sustainability auditors’ fees be paid as invoiced.

    18. Election of sustainability auditors

    In accordance with the recommendation of the Audit Committee, the Board of Directors proposes the election of the authorised accounting firm of KPMG Oy Ab, with Henry Maarala (KHT) as auditor in charge, for a term of office that will run until the closing of the next AGM. KPMG Oy Ab has informed the Bank that certified sustainability auditor Henry Maarala will be the sustainability auditor in charge.

    19. Closing of the Meeting

    B. General Meeting documents

    The above-mentioned proposals by the Board of Directors, this notice convening the Annual General Meeting (AGM) and other documents that shall be available as provided by the Finnish Companies Act are found on the website of the Bank of Åland Plc, www.alandsbanken.fi in Swedish.

    The Board’s proposals and the accounting documents will also be available at the Company’s Head Office and at the AGM. Copies of these documents and of this notice convening the AGM will be sent to shareholders upon request.

    C. Instruction for participants in the Annual General Meeting

    1. Shareholders listed in the Company’s shareholder register

    Shareholders who were listed on March 13, 2025 (the record date for the AGM) in the Company’s shareholder register, which is maintained by Euroclear Finland Ab, are entitled to participate in the Meeting. A shareholder whose shares are registered in his or her Finnish personal book-entry securities account is listed in the Company’s shareholder register.

    Shareholders wishing to participate in the AGM must register no later than 12 noon on Thursday, March 20, 2025.

    They may register for the AGM:

    a) via the internet at the address www.alandsbanken.fi/bolagsstamma

    b) by telephone at +358 18 29 011;

    c) by letter addressed to Bank of Åland Plc, PB 3, AX-22101 Mariehamn, Åland, Finland.

    When registering, please state the shareholder’s name, personal identity code or business ID number and the name of any assistant or authorised representative and the representative’s personal identity code. These personal data will be used only for purposes attributable to the AGM and for processing of registrations related to this.

    If needed, the shareholder and his/her authorised representative must be able to prove their identity and/or authorisation at the Meeting venue.

    2. Holders of nominee-registered shares

    A holder of nominee-registered shares is entitled to participate in the AGM on the basis of the shares he or she would be entitled to be listed on March 13, 2025 (the record date for the AGM) in the Shareholder Register maintained by Euroclear Finland Ab. Participation also requires that on the basis of these shares, no later than 10.00 a.m. on March 20, 2025 the shareholder has been listed in the temporary shareholder register maintained by Euroclear Finland Ab. In the case of nominee-registered shares, this shall be counted as registration for the AGM. Changes in the shareholding after the record date for the AGM shall not affect the right to participate in the AGM or the shareholder’s number of votes.

    Registration shall be carried out by the asset manager’s account administrator no later than the above-mentioned deadline. A holder of nominee-registered shares is urged to request instructions well in advance from his or her asset manager regarding entry into the temporary shareholder register, issuance of powers of attorney and registration for the AGM. The asset manager’s account managing institution shall register the holder of nominee-registered shares who wishes to participate in the AGM in the Company’s temporary shareholder register no later than the above-mentioned deadline.

    3. Authorised representatives and powers of attorney

    Shareholders may participate in the AGM and exercise their rights at the Meeting through authorised representatives. A shareholder’s authorised representative must show a dated power of attorney or otherwise prove in a reliable manner that he or she is authorised to represent the shareholder.

    If a shareholder is represented at the Meeting by more than one authorised representatives, who represent a shareholder with shares in different book-entry securities accounts, at the time of registration the shareholder must state on the basis of which shares each authorised representative is representing the shareholder.

    Any original powers of attorney should be sent to the Bank of Åland Plc, PB 3, AX-22101 Mariehamn, Åland, Finland and be in the possession of the Company before the expiration of the registration period. Please label the envelope “Annual General Meeting” or “AGM”. Alternatively, a copy of the power of attorney may be sent by e-mail to bolagsstamma@alandsbanken.fi, in which case the original power of attorney shall be shown at the AGM.

    4. Other instructions and information

    Shareholders who attend the Meeting are entitled to ask questions concerning matters being dealt with at the Meeting, pursuant to Chapter 5, Section 25 of the Finnish Companies Act.

    On the date of this Notice convening the Annual General Meeting, the number of shares in the Bank of Åland Plc totals 6,476,138 Series A shares, which represent 129,522,760 votes, and 8,890,781 Series B shares, which represent 8,890,781 votes, or 15,366,919 shares and 138,413,541 votes in all. Each Series A share has 20 votes at the Meeting and each Series B share has one vote, but subject to the limitation on voting rights stipulated in the Articles of Association, Section 7.

    Mariehamn, February 25, 2025

    Board of Directors

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: BlueCat appoints Peter Brennan as Chief Revenue Officer

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    TORONTO, Feb. 26, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — BlueCat Networks, a leading provider of Intelligent Network Operations solutions that help organizations modernize, optimize, and secure their network infrastructure, announced Peter Brennan as its new Chief Revenue Officer (CRO).

    Brennan, who joined the company in January, is responsible for driving revenue growth and providing leadership for field teams, including sales, technical, channel, and alliances. Previously, he was the CEO for Scality, Inc., a leader in software-defined storage and data management, and the worldwide CRO for Scality, Grp.

    “BlueCat delivers important network infrastructure solutions to some of the biggest companies in the world,” said Brennan. “Our recent acquisition of LiveAction enhanced BlueCat’s industry-recognized offerings with industry leading network intelligence capabilities and I’m excited to show our prospects and customers how our technology can help them achieve their biggest goals.”

    Earlier in his career, Brennan achieved record growth over two decades in executive roles at Hewlett Packard Enterprise and VMware. “His decades of experience with infrastructure software companies, sales execution, and ability to transform go to market organizations is aligned with our mission to greatly accelerate growth and expand our reach,” said BlueCat CEO Stephen Devito. “We deliver products and services that help our customers spend less time managing the network and more time helping their businesses grow, and Peter is key to amplifying that story.”

    In October, BlueCat announced it was acquiring LiveAction, Inc., a global provider of network observability and intelligence solutions. Adding LiveAction’s industry-leading network performance monitoring, packet capture, and forensics offerings has strengthened BlueCat’s mission-critical DNS, DHCP, and IP address management (together known as DDI) and network infrastructure management solutions. Audax Private Equity is a strategic growth investor in BlueCat Networks.

    About BlueCat

    BlueCat’s Intelligent Network Operations (NetOps) provide the analytics and intelligence needed to enable, optimize, and secure the network to achieve business goals. With an Intelligent NetOps suite, organizations can more easily change and modernize the network as business requirements demand. BlueCat’s growing portfolio includes unified core network services, security and compliance, network observability and intelligence. These solutions can be deployed in hybrid or multicloud environments, in the data center, at remote or branch locations, and via SD-WAN. BlueCat’s DDI management platform was recognized as a market leader and outperformer in GigaOm’s 2024 Radar report. The company is headquartered in Toronto and New York and has additional offices in the United States, France, Germany, Iceland, Japan, Singapore, Serbia, and the United Kingdom. Learn more at bluecat.com.

    About Audax Private Equity

    Based in Boston and San Francisco, Audax Private Equity is a leading capital partner for middle and lower middle market companies that seeks to facilitate transformational growth. With approximately $19 billion of assets under management, over 250 employees, and 100-plus investment professionals, the firm has invested in more than 170 platforms and 1,250 add-on acquisitions since its founding in 1999. Through our disciplined Buy & Build approach, across six core industry verticals, Audax helps portfolio companies execute organic and inorganic growth initiatives that fuel revenue expansion, optimize operations, and significantly increase equity value. For more information, visit audaxprivateequity.com or follow us on LinkedIn.

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: First Minister to convene gathering on democracy and respect

    Source: Scottish Government

    A new initiative to unite Scotland together against extremism.

    First Minister John Swinney will convene a pivotal gathering of Scottish society to work together and unite Scotland against the “increasingly extreme far right”. 

    Representatives from key organisations across Scotland including churches, trades unions and charities will be invited to attend a gathering in April, alongside the leaders of Scotland’s parliamentary parties.

    Speaking at a press conference at Bute House, following the passage of the 2025-26 Budget, the First Minister said the new gathering will be an opportunity renew public trust in politics and unite Scotland in a common cause – “for democracy and respect.” 

    The First Minister said:

    “At the start of the year, I warned that failure to pass the budget would send a signal that Parliament and politics could not deliver. That failure would only serve the interests of an increasingly extreme far right and leave devolution dangerously exposed.

    “But the budget has passed, and a different story can be told. Yesterday’s vote demonstrated that partnership and collaboration are possible. And that is something precious, something vitally important itself.

    “But we must do more. It is time to come together to draw a line in the sand. To set out who we are and what we believe in. 

    “The threat from the far right is real. But that leaves me all the more convinced that working together is not only the right choice, but the only choice. 

    “That is why I want to share a new initiative to bring Scotland together in common cause. I want us to work together to agree a common approach to asserting the values of our country, to bringing people together and creating a cohesive society where everyone feels at home.

    “It was a mobilisation of mainstream Scotland that delivered our parliament a quarter of a century ago. And I have no doubt, it is only by mobilising mainstream Scotland that we can protect those things we care most about, those things that are most important to us today.”

    Background

    The First Minister will write to all party leaders and the leaders of civic organisations with the details of the upcoming gathering in due course. 

    A new initiative to bring Scotland together: First Minister’s speech – 26 February 2025 – gov.scot

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: RSE award success for University of Aberdeen Groundbreaking research from the University of Aberdeen has been recognised in the autumn 2024 RSE Research Awards open call.

    Source: University of Aberdeen

    Groundbreaking research from the University of Aberdeen has been recognised in the autumn 2024 RSE Research Awards open call.

    Ten researchers from the University will share the £686,000 total funding alongside a number of other Scottish higher education institutions. Recipients will use the funding to further their research across a diverse range of topics including international child protection laws, real estate advertising and biological diversity. 

    The Aberdeen researchers who received the funding are: 

    Dr Jesse Barker, whose research project Out of frame: Ecomedia in Spain examines how Spanish media has engaged with environmental themes amid a history of civil war and dictatorship. 

    Dr Vasilis Louca, who will use hydrophones to record the diversity of underwater sounds emitted by aquatic plants and invertebrates in Scottish wetlands, with the aim of understanding how sound diversity reflects actual levels of biological diversity in these ecosystems. 

    Dr Miracle Israel Nazarious with collaborators Professor Javier Martin-Torres and Dr Bartosz Kurjanski. Their project will advance a novel liquid sampling and ion analysis technology specifically designed for long-term deployments. The technology could have benefits from monitoring the quality of our local water supplies, to investigating the role of liquid environments such as rivers, lakes and oceans on Earth’s climate. 

    Professor Katarina Trimmings, whose project Cross-border protection of children: The 1996 Hague Child Protection Convention will investigate the legal challenges surrounding the protection of children in cross-border situations involving transnational families. 

    Dr Rainer Schulz, who will examine strategies of real estate agents when they advertise residential properties on local listings platforms. 

    Dr Arianna Zampollo and Professor Beth Scott, whose collaborative project with the CNR Institute of Marine Sciences in Italy will study the impacts of blue renewable energy (wind farms and floating solar panels) on hydrodynamics and nutrient dispersion in Scottish and northern Adriatic coastal waters. 

    And Professor Marian Wiercigroch’s project, Advanced modelling techniques for energy transition technologies, will explore the cutting edge nonlinear structural dynamics experimental methods for offshore wind turbine monitoring, which support the GB Energy agenda. 

    The RSE’s Research Awards Programme runs twice a year in spring and autumn. It aims to support Scotland’s research sector by nurturing promising talent, stimulating research in Scotland, and promoting international collaboration. Aberdeen is one of 10 of the 19 Scottish higher education institutions successful in this round of funding.  

    Professor Nick Forsyth, Vice-Principal (Research) said: “The University of Aberdeen has been at the forefront of groundbreaking interdisciplinary research for more than 500 years and these projects are testament to the commitment and ambition of our researchers. Recognition in this latest round of RSE funding demonstrates the global impact of work undertaken at the University and my congratulations go to our researchers for this exceptional achievement.” 

    RSE Vice President, Research, Professor Anne Anderson OBE FRSE said: “The RSE’s Research Awards Programme is crucial in supporting Scotland’s vibrant research community. These awardees will drive forward knowledge, address global challenges, and make valuable contributions to Scottish society. On behalf of the RSE, I congratulate these outstanding researchers and their international collaborators, and I look forward to following the outcomes of their work.” 

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –