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Category: France

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Saskatchewan Exports to France, UK and Netherlands Nearly $1.2 Billion in 2023

    Source: Government of Canada regional news

    Released on September 24, 2024

    Exports to the Three Countries Increased by 34.4 Per Cent Compared to 2022 

    Saskatchewan’s trade relationship with the United Kingdom (UK), France and the Netherlands continued to strengthen in 2023. Data from Statistics Canada shows that the combined total value of exports for these three major nations totaled nearly $1.2 billion.

    The main driver of these exports was uranium, which accounted for 87.3 per cent of exports to the Netherlands, 70.8 per cent of exports to the UK, and 47.3 per cent of exports to France. Another 25.6 per cent of exports to France came from uranium ore and concentrates.

    From January to July 2024, Saskatchewan’s total exports to the Netherlands were $567.6 million, a 119.6 per cent increase compared to the same period in 2023. This increase is primarily due to a 143.5 per cent increase in the value of Saskatchewan uranium exports to the Netherlands.

    “Saskatchewan’s trade and investment offices in London and Germany have made tremendous progress forging new trade relationships in Europe, and we are seeing that work paying off with increased bi-lateral collaboration and record export numbers,” Trade and Export Development Minister Jeremy Harrison said. “Our government will continue working alongside our producers to promote Saskatchewan products to the world, while growing our economy and creating new jobs for our strong and vibrant communities.” 

    All three of these countries saw significant export gains in 2023 compared to 2022. Last year, Saskatchewan exported about $220.5 million of goods to France, which is a 68.7 per cent increase compared to 2022. Exports to the UK totaled $557.2 million in 2023, which is a 43.5 per cent increase from 2022, and exports to the Netherlands totaled $414.1 million, a 12.6 per cent increase from 2022.

    Agri-food also saw strong growth in these countries. In 2023, Saskatchewan was France’s largest supplier of lentils, with the total value of lentil exports reaching $24.2 million, a 44.3 per cent increase from 2022. Saskatchewan was also one of the Netherland’s top suppliers of mustard seeds, exporting about $7.9 million which is a 66.5 per cent increase from 2022. In the UK, Saskatchewan exported around $96.5 million worth of non-durum wheat, an increase of 5.3 per cent from 2022. Other top exports to these countries included chickpeas, canola seed, flaxseed and potash.

    In April of this year, Minister Harrison and French Minister Delegate for Foreign Trade, Economic Attractiveness, Francophonie, and French Nationals Abroad Franck Riester signed a new Letter of Intent (LOI) to explore, develop and cooperate on new projects related to strategic mineral resources. The LOI will focus on the regions’ shared goals of improving supply chain security and sustainability, and research and development for critical minerals. 

    The Government of Saskatchewan recently unveiled its new Securing the Next Decade of Growth – Saskatchewan’s Investment Attraction Strategy. This strategy combined with Saskatchewan’s trade and investment website, InvestSK.ca, contains helpful information for potential markets and solidifies the province as the best place to do business in Canada. 

    For more information visit investSK.ca.

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    For more information, contact:

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI: Solutions30 and Connected Kerb Partner to Accelerate Electric Vehicle Charging Network Deployment in the UK

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    Solutions30, a leading provider of solutions for new digital technologies, and Connected Kerb, one of the largest UK’s public charging operators, announce a strategic partnership to deploy electric vehicle charging (EVC) network in the South East of United Kingdom.

    Through this multiyear, multimillion pound framework contract, Solutions30 is responsible for installing thousands of fast charging points (up to 22kW) across the region. The contract covers the survey and design works, the electrical installation of charging points and their connection to the grid, for both AC and DC charging points. It will make it possible to meet a wide range of charging needs for all vehicle types, and give access to charging at a competitive price for electric car drivers.

    By leveraging Solutions30’s expertise, the partnership aims to accelerate new charging point building, optimize investments, and speed up connection times. This will help local authorities meet their network roll-out targets, particularly in underserved areas. The collaboration addresses a critical need for an extensive public infrastructure in the UK, where almost half of all homes do not have a car park to install private chargers.

    David Tong, CEO at Solutions30 UK, commented on the partnership: “We are thrilled to join forces with Connected Kerb in this pivotal project. Our expertise in designing and delivering EVC infrastructure, combined with our power networks and grid connection capabilities, will be a decisive factor in enabling Connected Kerb to achieve its ambitious goals. On our side, this partnership aligns perfectly with our strategy to be at the forefront of delivering key technologies and services in the UK.”

    Chris Matthews Chief Delivery Officer at Connected Kerb UK adds: “Our partnership with Solutions30 marks a significant step in accelerating the rollout of a network of charging stations across the UK. Their comprehensive expertise aligns perfectly with our mission to make EVC available to all. Together, we’re helping to build a cleaner, more sustainable future of transportation, while addressing the specific requirements of the UK market.”

    About Solutions30 SE
    The Solutions30 group is the European leader in solutions for new technologies. Its mission is to make the technological developments that are transforming our daily lives accessible to everyone, individuals and businesses alike. Yesterday, it was computers and the Internet. Today, it’s digital technology. Tomorrow, it will be technologies that make the world even more interconnected in real time. With more than 50 million call-outs carried out since it was founded and a network of more than 15,000 local technicians, Solutions30 currently covers all of France, Italy, Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg, the Iberian Peninsula, the United Kingdom, and Poland. The share capital of Solutions 30 SE consists of 107,127,984 shares, equal to the number of theoretical votes that can be exercised.

    Solutions30 SE is listed on the Euronext Paris exchange (ISIN FR0013379484- code S30). Indexes: CAC Mid & Small | CAC Small | CAC Technology | Euro Stoxx Total Market Technology | Euronext Tech Croissance.
    Visit our website for more information: https://solutions30.com/

    About Connected Kerb
    Connected Kerb is one of the UK’s leading electric vehicle charging companies, on a mission to change the world for good – one charger at a time.
    Its aim is to make EVC inclusive, convenient, and reliable for everyone. The company delivers on-street community EVC and works with local authorities to support residents that are unable to charge at home. Connected Kerb also installs future-proof EV charging infrastructure at workplaces, retail destinations, car parks, commercial real-estate, and for residential developers.

    As smart cities of the future develop, Connected Kerb’s charge points support Internet of Things (IoT) and other future technologies designed to have a positive impact on people and the planet. The company is committed to the future of sustainable mobility and aims to ensure that no one in the UK lives further than a five-minute walk from a charger.

    Contact

    Individual Shareholders:
    Tel: +33 1 86 86 00 63 – shareholders@solutions30.com

    Investor relations : investor.relations@solutions30.com

    Press – Image 7:
    Charlotte Le Barbier – Tel: +33 6 78 37 27 60 – clebarbier@image7.fr

    Attachment

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: 3 imagery updates to Google Earth and Maps

    Source: Google

    Our world is in constant motion. Cities expand, landscapes evolve and the climate continues to reshape our globe. To help people visualize these changes and learn more about the world around them, we’re announcing new updates to Google Earth and Street View.

    Travel back in time with Earth — and plan projects more efficiently

    Maybe you want to travel back in time and see what your neighborhood looked like decades ago. Or you want to understand how forests have been affected by human activity and the changing climate. All of this will soon be possible thanks to our new historical imagery in Google Earth on web and mobile, which makes it easy to explore our library of satellite and aerial imagery — some of which goes as far back as 80 years.

    When exploring, you’ll see a sharp contrast in how geography has evolved in many places. Take this 2018 image of Lake Oroville, a reservoir in northern California that saw significant water reduction after multi-year droughts. Compare that with its 2023 image, which shows how a series of rains gradually filled the reservoir back to maximum capacity — providing water storage, electricity from power generation and a space for water activities, like swimming and kayaking. Historical imagery allows you to follow the lake’s evolution in striking detail.

    Lake Oroville experienced dire levels of water reduction (2018). By 2023, a series of rains gradually filled the reservoir back to maximum capacity.

    Historical imagery can also show dramatic changes over longer periods of time. In places like London, Berlin, Warsaw and Paris, you can even explore imagery from as far back as the 1930s. For example, below is a black-and-white photo of San Francisco in 1938, taken by Oakland Airport pilots. During this period, you can see that ports were mainly used for shipping and industry — compared to the 2022 image, where you see the piers dotted with restaurants and cruise ships docked in the harbor. Want to browse even more of the world’s changes? Check out Timelapse in Google Earth, an interactive experience built from millions of satellite images showing a stunning visualization of how our planet is changing over time.

    San Francisco in 1938, compared to San Francisco in 2022. Available in Google Earth historical imagery.

    In addition to helping you browse Earth’s changes, we’re also making it easier for researchers and organizations to use Google Earth for projects, like creating custom maps. Soon we’ll start showing projects right from a newly designed home screen in Google Earth, making it even easier to collaborate with your teams. You can learn more about these updates on our developer blog.

    Expanding Street View imagery in nearly 80 countries

    While Google Earth has a vast repository of satellite and aerial imagery, Street View displays over 280 billion images collected from our Street View cars and trekkers. With Street View, you can virtually explore every continent right from your living room — and even places like the Great Barrier Reef and the International Space Station. Now, we’re launching one of the biggest updates to Street View yet, with new imagery in almost 80 countries — some of which will have Street View imagery for the very first time.

    You’ll be able to explore the picturesque countryside of Bosnia and its medieval villages, the sandy mountains surrounding the capital of Namibia, the alps and castles of Liechtenstein and the beautiful rivers of Paraguay. You can even virtually wander the streets of foreign cities to see shops and buildings up close.

    Street View imagery taken from the bridge overlooking Diamond Beach in southeast Iceland, where icebergs float in the water.

    Keep an eye out for updated Street View images from around the world, in countries like Australia, Argentina, Brazil, Costa Rica, Denmark, France, Iceland, Japan, Mexico, New Zealand, Philippines, Rwanda, Serbia, Spain, South Africa, Switzerland, Uruguay and many more. And our newest camera — just 15 pounds and mountable on any car — will make it easier for us to bring Street View to even more places in the future. As our planet changes, this updated imagery helps keep the map fresh for people everywhere.

    Here are just a few Street View images we captured this year:

    • Street View image of Disappointment Bay, Tasmania

    • Street View image of Fukue Island, Japan

    • Street View image of Logstor, Denmark

    • Street View image of Skane county, Denmark

    • Street View image of Quai d’Honneur, France

    • Street View image of Mokau, New Zealand

    • Street View image of Tasman, New Zealand

    • Street View image of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

    • Street View image of Oaxaca, Mexico

    Sharpening imagery with new AI models

    In addition to making imagery available in more places, we’re sharpening satellite imagery across Google Earth and Maps. Starting this week, you’ll see a brighter, more vibrant globe made possible thanks to our cloud-removal technology. We’ve used our Cloud Score+ AI model, trained on millions of images, to recognize and remove things like clouds, cloud shadows, haze and mist. At the same time, this model keeps real-world weather patterns — like ice, snow and mountain shadows — visible on the map. The result is a refreshed global mosaic that gives you a clearer, more accurate look at Earth.

    Egypt’s Toshka Lakes, recently formed in the Sahara Desert from Lake Nasser overflow. Composite image enhanced with Cloud Score+ .

    These updates help us understand our planet’s past and present, while also offering an expanded, more beautiful view of our world.

    POSTED IN:

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Manitoba Government Helping More Women Get Screened for Breast Cancer

    Source: Government of Canada regional news

    September 24, 2024

    Manitoba Government Helping More Women Get Screened for Breast Cancer

    The Manitoba government is helping more people get screened for breast cancer with a plan to progressively lower the age for self-referrals to 40 from 50, beginning with a commitment to get to age 45 by the end of next year, Health, Seniors and Long-Term Care Minister Uzoma Asagwara announced today.

    “Breast cancer has touched the lives of so many people in this province,” said Asagwara. “As we lower the screening age in Manitoba, it’s critical that the system has what it needs to meet a higher demand. This will ensure that vulnerable people – especially marginalized and low-income women – are able to access the care they need. The previous government’s disregard for women’s health and cuts to health care caused limited capacity for breast cancer screening. As we rebuild this capacity, we’re taking a comprehensive and thoughtful approach so both patients and health-care staff are supported.”

    CancerCare Manitoba has been working with health system partners to hire more mammography technologists and increase screening appointments for individuals aged 50 to 74. Additional breast screening clinics will be added as targets and staffing requirements are met, noted the minister. When fully expanded, the breast screening program will nearly double its capacity to over 80,000 screening mammograms per year.

    “With this change, CancerCare Manitoba’s breast screening program will be providing more mammograms closer to home and with care to providing culturally sensitive and appropriate services,” said Sri Navaratnam, president and CEO, CancerCare Manitoba. “Our priority will be increasing access for people who are typically underserved by the health-care system and we are grateful for the province’s support and commitment to equitable care for Manitobans.”

    “Screening for breast cancer is an important service that can be crucial to ensuring timely diagnosis and treatment for patients,” said Dr. Duncan Inglis, surgeon and medical director, Breast Health Centre. “Expanding breast screening to more Manitobans will save lives and we look forward to working with our partners at CancerCare Manitoba to deliver this service to the people who need them in a timely manner.”

    “I am glad to see that increasing access to breast cancer screening is a focus,” said Mayor Frances McIvor, Wabowden, a member of Peguis First Nation. “As a breast cancer survivor I feel it is important to be able to provide increased access to mammograms to people in their communities and I am looking forward to encouraging many of the women I know to attend.”

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    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: NASA Helps Build New Federal Sea Level Rise Website

    Source: NASA

    Designed to be user-friendly, the resource contains the latest sea level data, explainers, and other information from several U.S. agencies.
    The U.S. Interagency Task Force on Sea Level Change launched the U.S. Sea Level Change website on Monday, Sept. 23. Designed to help communities prepare for rising seas, the site features the latest science on changing sea levels, details about the impact on the environment and coastal communities, and strategies to mitigate the consequences. NASA led the development of the website for the task force.
    “NASA, together with our partner agencies, has studied climate change and Earth’s rising seas for decades,” said Karen St. Germain, director of the Earth Science Division at NASA Headquarters in Washington. “The data collected by our satellites and ground-based instruments is crucial to helping policymakers and communities prepare for the consequences of sea level rise. By combining NASA data with information from other federal agencies, the U.S. Sea Level Change website is the latest example of government working for the benefit of humanity.”
    Demonstrating a whole-of-government approach, the sea level task force sits within the U.S. Global Change Research Program and includes leading researchers from NASA, the Department of Defense, the Environmental Protection Agency, the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the U.S. Agency for International Development, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, and the U.S. Geological Survey.
    They’ve designed a user-friendly hub that brings together information on sea level change from the various federal agencies. While being detailed and accurate for resource managers, researchers, and others seeking more technical information, the website is intended to be accessible to anyone interested in the latest science and strategies to cope with rising seas.
    “Everyone will have access to accurate sea level and flooding information in their favorite U.S. coastal city and see the timing of the projected increase in water levels and flooding frequency,” added Nadya Vinogradova Shiffer, who directs NASA’s sea level change team as well as the ocean physics program at the agency’s headquarters in Washington.
    The contributing federal agencies focus on different aspects of sea level rise, including basic scientific research and the effects of rising seas on the environment, as well as infrastructure. With the new site, users can explore the topic from different angles.
    “Having this information in one place, delivered in a consistent and authoritative way through a true interagency effort, represents a big step forward for how the federal government helps coastal communities prepare for future sea level rise,” said Ben Hamlington, a sea level researcher at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California.
    Site visitors can find explainers on sea level science, summaries of what rising seas will look like for various parts of U.S. coastlines, and updates to the 2022 interagency report on sea level rise. The report concluded that U.S. coastlines will experience an average of 10 to 12 inches (25 to 30 centimeters) of rise above current sea levels by 2050 and that the amount of rise in the next 30 years could equal the total rise seen over the past 100 years.
    The report also outlined near-term sea level rise under various levels of greenhouse gas emissions, from best-case to business-as-usual to worst-case scenarios. The scenarios are based on improved scientific understanding of how melting glaciers and ice sheets — as well as upward and downward vertical land motion — will affect ocean heights at our coasts. The data and scenarios have been updated for the task force website.
    NASA contributions to the 2022 interagency report, as well as to the newly launched sea level website, are part of ongoing agency work to understand Earth’s rising seas. NASA’s efforts to monitor the ocean span more than 30 years and include satellites such as Sentinel-6 Michael Freilich and the Surface Water and Ocean Topography (SWOT) mission. Both were jointly developed by the agency and international and domestic partners. Agency partners on Sentinel-6 Michael Freilich include ESA (European Space Agency), the European Organisation for the Exploitation of Meteorological Satellites, and NOAA. For SWOT, NASA partners include the French space agency CNES (Centre National d’Études Spatiales), CSA (the Canadian Space Agency), and the UK Space Agency.
    For more on how NASA studies our home planet, see:
    http://www.nasa.gov/earth
    News Media Contacts
    Elizabeth Vlock / Aries KeckNASA Headquarters, Washington202-358-1600 / 202-604-2356elizabeth.a.vlock@nasa.gov / aries.keck@nasa.gov
    Jane J. Lee / Andrew WangJet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif.818-354-0307 / 626-379-6874jane.j.lee@jpl.nasa.gov / andrew.wang@jpl.nasa.gov
    2024-127

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Investing in rural health facilities across Alberta

    Source: Government of Canada regional news

    Alberta’s government is committed to providing the highest quality of health care services for all Albertans, no matter where they live in the province.

    To ensure Albertans can get the care they need close to home, the government is investing almost $15.5 million to improve access to health care services in rural and remote communities. This investment will support the construction of a new dialysis unit in Lloydminster, the construction of the Brian Rosche Ambulance Station in Slake Lake, and will enhance kidney care services for residents of Grande Prairie and its surrounding area.

    “We are committed to supporting capital projects in every corner of the province. Rural Albertans deserve access to high-quality health care services, and this program has been designed to ensure facilities can service the needs of their communities.”

    Adriana LaGrange, Minister of Health

    The projects in Slave Lake and Lloydminster are funded through the Rural Health Facilities Revitalization Program, which funds strategic capital projects at rural health facilities to help ensure Albertans can access the health care services they need as close to home as possible.

    The program is supporting 44 projects in 39 communities, including construction of the new dialysis unit in Lloydminster. Alberta’s government is investing $6.2 million in the project, which is expected to be complete in late fall 2025. The new location will operate six stations initially, with the ability to add more as the demand increases. The unit will operate Monday through Saturday to accommodate the needs of hemodialysis patients, who typically receive three four-hour treatments each week.

    “Our investment in rural health facilities demonstrates our strong commitment to delivering equitable health care for all Albertans. This funding will strengthen local communities by improving access to essential services, bringing quality care closer to home.”

    Martin Long, parliamentary secretary for rural health

    Alberta’s government has also provided $6.8 million through the Rural Health Facilities Revitalization Program for the recently completed Brian Rosche Ambulance Station in Slake Lake – a 990-square-metre facility designed to better accommodate local staff and ambulances. The facility, named in honour of the late Brian Rosche, a dedicated community leader and former Municipal District of Lesser Slave River No. 124 councillor, includes accommodation for nine crew members, a training and multi-purpose room, kitchen, living spaces, and space for nine ambulances in the garage. These enhancements will help ensure staff are supported to deliver prompt, effective and high-quality emergency medical care.

    “Mr. Rosche’s unwavering commitment to advancing health care in the region, including his advocacy for a new EMS facility, has been deeply valued by the community. We are grateful for his legacy and excited for the positive impact this facility will have on our community.”

    Francesca Ward, mayor, Town of Slave Lake

    “This facility is a crucial addition to our health care infrastructure and will enhance our ability to respond to emergencies in the Slave Lake area. It’s also a fitting tribute to Brian Rosche’s dedication to advancing health care in our region.”

    Rob Barone, associate executive director, EMS, North Zone

    Enhancing kidney care services in Grande Prairie

    In addition to the Rural Health Facilities Revitalization Program, Alberta’s government is investing in major capital projects to meet the health care needs of Albertans living in rural communities.

    Alberta’s government is providing $2.42 million to enhance and consolidate kidney care services for Grande Prairie and area residents. The funding will help the Queen Elizabeth II Ambulatory Care Centre expand its hemodialysis unit to provide care for up to 24 patients a day in the future.

    The Grande Prairie Regional Hospital Foundation is providing $1.5 million to support the project. The space will be named the Sargent Family Kidney Care Centre, honouring the Sargent family’s significant donation to the foundation for this project.

    “Improving access to kidney care services will significantly impact our community in a positive way. We are proud to support this initiative and grateful to the Sargent Family Foundation for their dedication to extended kidney care in Grande Prairie and the Peace Region.”

    Keith Curtis, executive director, Grande Prairie Regional Hospital Foundation

    Quick facts

    • Budget 2024 includes $65 million over two years for the Rural Health Facilities Revitalization Program.
    • The Rural Health Facilities Revitalization Program is intended to support the renovation of rural health facilities and to help purchase and install new equipment.
      • Since its inception in 2021, the program has invested $115 million across the province.

    Related information

    • Capital Plan
    • Alberta Health Services Capital Projects

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI: HP Workforce Solutions Advances Strategy to Deliver Exceptional Employee Experiences

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    News Highlights

    • Supercharges HP Workforce Experience Platform with expanded access and capabilities
    • Introduces managed services that reduce downtime and keep employees productive
    • Announces the industry’s most advanced remote remediation technology
    • Launches HOPE Recycling Futures to give PCs a second life while accelerating digital equity

    PALO ALTO, Calif., Sept. 24, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Today at HP Imagine, HP Inc.’s (NYSE: HPQ) Workforce Solutions division (HPWS) today announced a series of significant advancements designed to enable companies to achieve growth by delivering more personalized, fulfilling experiences.

    As part of this, HP is expanding access to HP Workforce Experience Platform, giving CIOs access to enhanced tools, data and insights to ensure their employees are connected and productive. For customers wanting HP to manage their IT environment, HP is announcing advanced monitoring solutions and global availability of HP Managed Collaboration Services that proactively remediate incidents before employees are impacted. And when technology does fail, HP is launching a new service that helps get employees back up and running quickly. HP is also introducing a new service to help companies harness the power of AI to drive further productivity in the workforce and expanded refurbishment programs to drive a more circular economy.

    “We are at the intersection of two major trends – AI and Flexible Work – and both are having a profound impact on our lives,” said Dave Shull, President of HP Workforce Solutions. “At the same time, employees want greater fulfillment and companies want improved productivity. Our Future-Ready portfolio of software and solutions helps guide companies through this shift.”

    Keeping Employees Engaged and Productive

    HP Workforce Experience Platform Expands Beta Access and Introduces New Features
    HP Workforce Experience Platform – a platform that intelligently anticipates and resolves digital friction across every employee endpoint from a single dashboard – has been in private beta for three months with more than 270K devices enrolled.[1]

    HP is now expanding access by making the Workforce Experience Platform Beta available to new or renewing HP Proactive Insights customers in the United States at no extra cost.

    As part of the new release, HP is rolling out new features that enable customers to monitor, secure, and manage printer performance at scale, in addition to PCs. New capabilities in AI-powered fleet management and employee sentiment analysis will help reduce IT support tickets and employee downtime through proactive anomaly detection and smart recommendations.

    Additionally, HP Workforce Experience Platform supports integrations with Microsoft Power BI, Power Automate and Tableau (available now) and plans to support Microsoft Intune and ServiceNow in a future release, enabling IT to leverage Workforce Experience Platform data easily and securely within their existing workflows. This means IT has a more holistic view of their device fleet, better data accuracy, and more tailored IT operations that help drive down expenses and improve return on investment.[2]

    New Global Command Centers for Advanced Monitoring Capabilities
    As companies look to shift their IT support from a reactive to a proactive approach, HP is announcing advanced Monitoring and Management capabilities – enabled by new global command centers – to help customers monitor and manage both HP and non-HP devices across the world, including detecting and remediating incidents.

    Leveraging telemetry,[3] HP monitors thousands of data points in conference room equipment, printers, and PCs. This enables HP Service Experts to detect and identify issues and take remote actions to proactively remediate incidents before employees are impacted. These HP Managed Services are available globally for HP’s managed solutions customers and sold through direct channels.

    Industry’s First Out-of-band Diagnostics and Remediation Capability
    Data shows that 90% of employees prefer flexible or hybrid work.[4] Employees have also come to expect the same level of support remotely that they would receive in an office. But existing remote support tools can’t always address the problem, like when a PC crashes and won’t reboot.

    To help reduce the time and frustration involved in restoring productivity for both hybrid employees and IT, HP is introducing a new HP out-of-band remediation service,[5] the industry’s most advanced remote remediation technology,[6] that enables more PC issues to be fixed remotely than ever before – even if the PC won’t boot. HP is the first PC manufacturer to use out-of-band technology to securely connect to remote PCs below the OS, using an encrypted cloud connection. This allows HP support agents full keyboard, video and mouse (KVM) control to diagnose and fix more complex issues like boot failures, imaging and BIOS issues — with virtually no assistance from the end user.

    This industry-first remediation service is expected to be available later this year in North America and the EU as an add-on to an HP Essential, Premium or Premium+ Support package with the purchase of any new Intel vPro enabled PC direct from HP or an authorized reseller. HP plans to expand the service feature availability across other commercial PCs in the coming months.

    New AI Advisory Services Help Customers Tap into the Potential of Microsoft Copilot
    HP is also announcing a new AI advisory service to help customers tap into the full potential of Microsoft 365 Copilot. This new AI advisory service will evaluate a company’s current setup and readiness for AI, conduct interactive workshops to help companies maximize the benefits of AI, and help companies plan for rolling out new AI tools. This new AI Advisory Service is expected to be available in November 2024 in the US, UK, France, Spain, Ireland, and Germany.

    Creating Collaborative Team Experiences

    Managed Collaboration Services Now Available to Customers Worldwide
    In today’s flexible working world, video collaboration connects more employees than ever before. To help customers modernize and maintain their conference rooms, HP is announcing the global availability of HP Managed Collaboration Services. HP Managed Collaboration Services uses Poly and HP gear to deliver exceptional meeting experiences with flexible, reliable, managed room solutions that ensure every space is video-enabled, and ready to be used. Learn more here.

    Driving Societal Impact

    HP is committed to accelerating equitable access to education, healthcare, and economic opportunity for those who are systemically excluded so they can participate and thrive in a digital economy. HP’s new services and programs help give technology a second life while delivering hope around the world.

    Expanded Portfolio of HP Certified Refurbished Hardware
    With growing customer demand for high-quality, reliable second-life devices, HP is announcing expansion of its HP Certified Refurbished hardware portfolio to now include LaserJet Multi-Function Printers, available for Managed Print Solutions customers in the United States.

    Each HP Certified Refurbished device undergoes rigorous refurbishment and inspection processes, utilizes approved HP parts, and comes backed by HP Support for added peace of mind. The LaserJet offerings are the latest addition to the HP Certified Refurbished hardware portfolio, which also includes availability of HP EliteBook 800 G6 and G7 series notebooks in the United States and France.

    Delivering HOPE Around the World
    HP is expanding HOPE Recycling Futures – HP’s signature program that helps companies connect and uplift children. HOPE Recycling Futures receives devices from organizations who would otherwise dispose of them, works with its partners to erase existing data and refurbish the devices. HP then coordinates with vetted non-governmental organizations to deliver the devices to schools serving vulnerable and marginalized youth — all at no cost to the company or receiving organization.

    HOPE Recycling Futures is already partnering with companies across the EU, UK, Switzerland, India, Singapore, and Brazil, and will now extend this partnership to include Mexico. More than 16,000 children in 22 countries have benefited from the program through 72 donation projects to date.

    By giving their PCs a second life for kids in need through HOPE Recycling Futures, businesses can play a crucial role in reducing e-waste and empowering the next generation with the tools they need to thrive in a digital world.

    For more information on today’s news at HP Imagine, visit https://www.hp.com/us-en/newsroom/press-kits/2024/hp-imagine.html.

    About HP Workforce Solutions
    Workforce Solutions is a global business unit of HP Inc. Given HP’s innovative and comprehensive portfolio of PCs, printers, and collaboration gear, HP Workforce Solutions (HPWS) is used by millions worldwide to solve customer problems, often proactively, through AI-enabled software and services. HP can help partners and customers from start to finish of their technology journey.

    About HP
    HP Inc. (NYSE: HPQ) is a global technology leader and creator of solutions that enable people to bring their ideas to life and connect to the things that matter most. Operating in more than 170 countries, HP delivers a wide range of innovative and sustainable devices, services and subscriptions for personal computing, printing, 3D printing, hybrid work, gaming, and more. For more information, please visit: http://www.hp.com. 

    [1] The Workforce Experience platform is for commercial customers and requires registration. At launch, some features will require a subscription. To register for access, visit https://admin.hp.com/. Some features and capabilities may require additional purchase of HP services and/or commercial hardware capable of supporting the HP Insights agent for Windows, Mac, & Android. Activation and restrictions may apply.
    Select HP Workforce Solutions require an HP Insights agent for Windows, Mac, & Android, available for download at https://admin.hp.com/software. For full system requirements and services that require the agent, please visit https://admin.hp.com/requirements. The agent collects telemetry and analytics around devices and applications that integrate into the Workforce Experience platform and is not sold as a standalone service. Internet access with connection to the Workforce Experience platform is required. HP follows stringent GDPR privacy regulations, and the platform is ISO27001, ISO27701, ISO27017 and SOC2 Type2 certified for Information Security.
    [2] Third party licenses required.
    [3] HP Services Scan is preinstalled and/or provided thru Windows Update and checks for service entitlement on each hardware device and downloads the applicable software agent automatically. To disable this feature, please follow the instructions at http://www.hpdaas.com/requirements. The HP Insights agent is a telemetry and analytics platform that provides critical data around devices and applications and is not sold as a standalone service. HP follows stringent GDPR privacy regulations and is ISO27001, ISO27701, ISO27017 and SOC2 Type2 certified for Information Security. Internet access with connection to the HP Insights agent is required. For full system requirements, please visit http://www.hpdaas.com/requirements. Not available in China.
    [4]Remote Work Statistics & Trends In (2024) – Forbes Advisor, Pew Research
    [5] Out-of-band diagnostics and remediation is available in North America (which includes the US and Canada), and the EU as an HP Care Pack for select HP commercial platforms that are Intel® vPro® and Intel® AMT enabled and are entitled to HP Premium Support or HP Premium+ Support. Service levels and response times for HP Care Packs may vary depending on your geographic location. Service starts on date of hardware purchase. Restrictions and limitations apply. For details, visit www.hp.com/go/cpc. HP Services are governed by the applicable HP terms and conditions of service provided or indicated to Customer at the time of purchase. Customer may have additional statutory rights according to applicable local laws, and such rights are not in any way affected by the HP terms and conditions of service or the HP Limited Warranty provided with your HP Product. Check with your HP authorized sales rep for availability.
    [6] Based on HP’s internal analysis of PC manufacturers with power cycle control, non-OS control, BIOS control and reimaging control as of 9/24/2024.

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Global: ‘Russians at War’ documentary: From the Crimean to the Iraq War, soldier images pose questions about propaganda

    Source: The Conversation – Canada – By Martin Danahay, Professor, English Language and Literature, Brock University

    A British publisher commissioned photographs of the army in the Crimean War to be used as the basis for oil paintings. Cornet Wilkin, 11th Hussars, by Roger Fenton. (Roger Fenton/Library of Congress)

    Questions surrounding the film Russians at War linger following controversy surrounding it at the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF).

    TIFF faced protesters at a Sept. 17 screening of the “first person” documentary by Russian Canadian filmmaker Anastasia Trofimova. The festival had “paused” public screenings following an earlier media and industry screening, as festival staff reported receiving “significant threats” to festival operations and safety. Protesters said the film was pro-Russian propaganda.

    Trofimova told CBC her film was an attempt to humanize Russian soldiers as a way to combat further anger and violence.

    I have not seen the film, but as a researcher who has long examined the ambiguous meanings of soldier images, I’m not surprised the film has been criticized as propaganda. In my book War without Bodies: Framing Death from the Crimean to the Iraq War, I examined how images that omit their political context can be viewed as implicitly supporting the war effort.

    First photographs: Crimean War

    This ambiguity can be found in the first photographs of the British army at war. These were taken by photographer Roger Fenton during the 1853-56 Crimean War, in which British, French and Ottoman military attacked Russia and besieged Russian forces on the Crimean Peninsula.

    Fenton was commissioned by a Manchester, U.K. publisher, Thomas Agnew and Sons, to photograph the British army in Crimea, focusing on officers and any other participants he found interesting.

    His photographs were to be used as the basis for oil paintings by the artist Thomas Barker. The publisher didn’t reproduce photographs, but made them into woodcuts or as source material for paintings.

    Fenton also photographed the landscape and foreign fighters like French Zouaves — French military units originally formed from the Zouaoua Berber tribe from the coastal mountain Djurdjura region of North Africa after the French invaded and conquered Algeria — but the majority of his subjects were British officers.

    Shared social class

    Fenton wasn’t commissioned by the government, but he had a letter of introduction from Prince Albert, husband of Queen Victoria. He was of the same social class as the officers he photographed, and dined with high-ranking officers such as Lord Raglan.

    Fenton’s photographs gave the appearance of a competent and functioning military led by skilled officers. Photographs such as one taken of Cornet Wilkin looking smart and capable on his horse suggest the traditional posed style of military portraiture seen in commissioned tribute paintings.

    The photograph His Days’ Work Over: Lieut.-Colonel Hallewell and Servant shows a reclining officer being waited on by his manservant. The image indicates the class status of the officer and depicts leisure rather than war.

    ‘His Days’ Work Over: Lieut.-Colonel Hallewell and Servant,’ photograph by Roger Fenton.
    (Library of Congress)

    The Cookhouse of the 8th Hussars similarly shows a group of cavalry with one reclining and others grouped around a man serving food.

    ‘The Cookhouse of the 8th Hussars,’ photograph by Roger Fenton.
    (Library of Congress)

    The photograph omits any visual evidence that would acknowledge that these are the survivors of an infamous British military blunder, the Charge of the Light Brigade, where cavalry were mistakenly ordered to charge directly at Russian artillery and suffered disastrous casualties.

    Long exposure, composed photographs

    Fenton could not photograph combat given the amount of time needed to capture an image using the wet collodion process, which required a long exposure.

    He could, however, have documented other aspects of the situation in Crimea which were covered by reporter William Howard Russell, who Fenton also photographed in 1855.

    Russell’s dispatches on the terrible conditions suffered by British troops and the ravages diseases like cholera combined with letters published by the soldiers caused a scandal in Britain. These reports led to the downfall of a government and to Florence Nightingale organizing a cohort of nurses to tend to the sick and wounded.

    Russell’s reporting revealed what was omitted from Fenton’s photographs of the war. The photographs served as the first demonstration of how such images could present positive images of war that belied the reality of death and suffering.

    Fenton’s photographs indirectly supported the war effort by showing only positive images of individual soldiers.

    Vietnam, Iraq War

    Media coverage of the American war in Vietnam, often referred to as the “first television war,” is often credited with turning public opinion against the conflict.

    Images of dead soldiers and civilians were transmitted to the viewing public. The “Saigon execution” photograph of a man being shot in the head was particularly shocking.

    To avoid mages such as this, according to Jessica M. Fishman, a behavioural scientist who has examined how media censors and displays the dead, major networks like CNN, Fox News and NBC largely followed an informal agreement to avoid showing graphic images of dead American soldiers during the Iraq War. In addition, reporters were embedded in military units and formed close relationships with the troops who were the subject of their reports.



    Read more:
    Three images that show wartime photographs can have greater impact than the written word

    The result was sanitized coverage of the war which, at least initially, helped maintain public support for the conflict. Images of drone strikes in particular suggested that the military was using precision weapons and “surgical” strikes that did not include civilian casualties.

    Just as reporting by Russell contradicted Fenton’s images of a competent military, photographs of the torture of prisoners in Abu Ghraib prison by American solders in 2004 helped change public perception of it as a “just war.”

    Trust with soldiers, personal ties

    Trofimova, in an interview with CBC, said she does not support the war and wanted to break stereotypes of Russian soldiers as motivated by hate.

    She pointed out that Russia has conscription and that many soldiers may have been drafted and are not supportive of the war. She also stated that she had no support from the Russian government and gained access to soldiers because she built up trust with them.

    The parallels with Fenton are instructive because he did not have support from the British government, and relied on personal connections to obtain his portraits.

    Excluding crucial information

    As with Fenton, the image of the Russian army conveyed by the interviews with soldiers may be as significant for what it leaves out about the war as much as what it tells us about them as individuals.

    When the CBC interviewer asked Trofimova about a statement made by a Russian soldier that they were incapable of committing war crimes, which Tromifova did not correct,
    she replied that “once you start trying to make this an analytical documentary that is going to provide you with stories that you have not documented yourself, then this becomes something else.” In March 2024, the Independent International Commission of Inquiry on Ukraine announced it had new evidence Russian authorities have committed violations of international human rights and international humanitarian law, and corresponding war crimes.



    Read more:
    Putin’s war on history is another form of domestic repression

    Both Fenton’s photographs and a documentary that focuses on Russian soldiers’ perspectives exclude crucial information that would help lead the viewer to question the conduct of the war or how it is being justified.

    Martin Danahay receives funding from Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council

    – ref. ‘Russians at War’ documentary: From the Crimean to the Iraq War, soldier images pose questions about propaganda – https://theconversation.com/russians-at-war-documentary-from-the-crimean-to-the-iraq-war-soldier-images-pose-questions-about-propaganda-239340

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Global Partnership for Action on Gender-Based Online Harassment and Abuse calls for urgent action on countering gendered disinformation

    Source: Government of Iceland

    The undersigned country members of the Global Partnership for Action on Gender-Based Online Harassment and Abuse (Global Partnership) call attention to the urgent need to counter the spread of gendered disinformation and address all forms of technology-facilitated gender-based violence (TFGBV) against women in political and public life.  

    Gendered disinformation is a threat to societies defending peaceful, democratic values. False or misleading gender and sex-based narratives are being used in campaigns by malign actors to deter and discredit the participation of women, girls and LGBTQI+ persons in political and public life. This not only causes deep harm to the individuals targeted, but also threatens electoral integrity, access to information and the exercise of freedom of expression. At the same time, new and emerging technologies are being used to enable harmful, violent rhetoric and attacks against women, girls and LGBTQI+ public figures across borders at a scale and speed previously unseen.

    In our 2023 Road Map, the Global Partnership committed to promoting the meaningful participation in public life for women and girls, in all their diversity, by countering TFGBV and gendered disinformation.  

    We welcome the work being done to shine a light on how and why gendered disinformation is conceived, who it targets and how it is spread. Last year, in a groundbreaking study, Canada, the European External Action Service, Germany, Slovakia, the United Kingdom, and the United States jointly assessed the tactics used by foreign state and non-state actors to sow gendered and other identity-based disinformation across the world. 

    In March 2024 the Global Partnership and members of its Advisory Group co-hosted a multi-stakeholder conference convened by the National Democratic Institute on possible responses to countering the spread of gendered disinformation in the context of electoral processes. Stakeholders affirmed the need for a comprehensive response to disrupt the spread of gendered disinformation and to support victims and survivors. 

    The world is at a critical moment for upholding democracy. More than 100 countries have held, or are soon to be holding elections, many of them taking place under democratically challenging circumstances. The active participation of all people, including women, girls and LGBTQI+ persons, is essential for secure, healthy and prosperous democracies.    

    We call upon states to join us in recognising and taking action to counter the threat of gendered disinformation to democracies globally. We urge technology and other private companies to take appropriate action to respond to this threat, including a commitment to a Safety-by-Design approach to the development and deployment of platforms and technologies. We ask states and all stakeholders to defend and protect the ability of women, girls and LGBTQI+ persons to participate in public life freely, safely and without fear.

     

    The governments of Australia, Chile, Denmark, France, Iceland, the Republic of Korea, Spain, Sweden, New Zealand, the UK and the USA gave this joint statement.

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Translation: CBSA investigation in Pacific Region leads to seizure of firearms and prohibited devices in Vancouver

    MIL OSI Translation. Canadian French to English –

    Source: Government of Canada – in French 1

    Press release

    September 24, 2024 Vancouver, BC Canada Border Services Agency

    The Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) is committed to protecting Canadians by intercepting and investigating smuggling attempts at our borders.

    Between August 2023 and January 2024, border services officers from the Air Cargo Operations Centre and the Customs Mail Centre at Vancouver International Airport intercepted two firearm silencers and two replica firearms in two related incidents. As these are prohibited devices, the Pacific Region Criminal Investigation Section launched an investigation into the importer of these devices. On August 28, 2024, CBSA criminal investigators, with assistance from the Vancouver Police Department, executed search warrants at the suspect’s residence in Vancouver. A number of items were seized, including:

    two firearms; two 3D printed firearms; two 3D printed lower receivers; eighteen replica firearms; various other firearm parts and accessories; suspected drugs.

    The suspect has been arrested and the investigation is continuing.

    Quotes

    “The safety and security of Canadians is our top priority. By stopping the smuggling of firearms and illegal drugs, we are keeping communities safe. This seizure is a great example of the continued cooperation between the CBSA and local law enforcement agencies.”

    – The Honourable Dominic LeBlanc, Minister of Public Safety

    “The Canada Border Services Agency works hard to intercept undeclared firearms and firearm parts at our borders and to investigate those who break Canada’s laws. The efforts of our officers and investigators, with the support of the Vancouver Police Department, have resulted in the removal of dangerous firearms and prohibited devices from this community.”

    – Nina Patel, Regional Director General, Canada Border Services Agency, Pacific Region

    “Violent offenders, criminal organizations and criminal groups do not respect local or international borders. Law enforcement and national security agencies must work together to prevent the proliferation of weapons and drugs that threaten public safety in our communities. We are grateful for the assistance of the Canada Border Services Agency during this important investigation.”

    – Don Chapman, Superintendent, Enforcement Services, Vancouver Police Department

    Quick Facts

    Smuggling and other offences under the Customs Act and the Criminal Code may result in arrest, criminal charges and prosecution in court.

    The CBSA screens goods, including international mail and courier items, entering Canada and takes a closer look at those that may pose a threat to the safety and security of Canadians.

    For the latest enforcement statistics, visit Canada Border Services Agency Seizures.

    If you have any information about suspicious cross-border activities, please contact the border surveillance line CBSA toll-free at 1-888-502-9060.

    Contact persons

    Media Relations

    Canada Border Services Agency

    media@cbsa-asfc.gc.ca

    1-877-761-5945

    @CanPACBorder

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

    MIL Translation OSI

  • MIL-OSI Translation: Backgrounder: Canada’s Action Plan to Combat Hate

    MIL OSI Translation. Canadian French to English –

    Source: Government of Canada – in French 1

    Hate and its devastating consequences impact the lives of too many people. Canada’s Action Plan to Combat Hate draws on the experiences of individuals and communities who have experienced hate.

    OTTAWA, September 24, 2024

    Hate and its devastating consequences impact the lives of too many people. Canada’s Action Plan to Combat Hate draws on the experiences of individuals and communities who have experienced hate. It builds on consultation activities organized by the Federal Anti-Racism Secretariat, including the following.

    Fifteen open discussion sessions Two national summits on anti-Semitism and Islamophobia A national youth forum on anti-Black racism Twenty-one roundtable discussions An online questionnaire open to anyone in Canada

    In addition, the Action Plan builds on community engagement led by the 2SLGBTQI Secretariat for the Federal 2SLGBTQI Action Plan; three roundtables led by Public Safety Canada on the Communities at Risk Infrastructure Funding Program (now the Community Safety Program of Canada); and research and recommendations from the Canadian Race Relations Foundation.

    The Action Plan lays the foundation for a robust Government of Canada response to the growing threat of hate, while ensuring that every person has the right to be safe and treated with dignity. To this end, the priorities for action are organized around three pillars.

    Empowering communities to detect and prevent hate. Supporting victims, survivors and protecting communities. Building community trust, partnerships and institutional capacity.

    To drive real change across the country, the Action Plan brings together new and existing programs to foster greater coordination and collaboration among federal agencies, working in partnership with their provincial, territorial, international, Indigenous and municipal counterparts. The Action Plan includes federal programs from the following departments and agencies.

    Canadian Heritage Canadian Race Relations Foundation Justice Canada Public Safety Canada Royal Canadian Mounted Police Statistics Canada Women and Gender Equality Canada

    Each person has multiple intersecting identity factors that impact how they understand and experience hate and the government’s response to hate crimes or incidents. This action plan was designed using Gender-Based Analysis Plus to develop tailored responses that take into account diverse needs and realities.

    For further information, please visit the Action Plan webpage by clicking on this link: https://www.canada.ca/en/canadian-heritage/services/fight-against-hate.html.

    Related product

    For further information (media only), please contact:

    Waleed Saleem Press SecretaryOffice of the Minister of Diversity, Inclusion and Persons with Disabilitieswaleed.saleem@hrsdc-rhdcc.gc.ca

    Media RelationsCanadian Heritage819-994-91011-866-569-6155media@pch.gc.ca

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

    MIL Translation OSI

  • MIL-OSI Translation: Government of Canada launches Canada’s Action Plan to Combat Hate

    MIL OSI Translation. Canadian French to English –

    Source: Government of Canada – in French 1

    Press release

    OTTAWA, September 24, 2024

    In recent years, Canada, like other countries, has seen an alarming rise in hate both in neighbourhoods and online. The federal government is committed to doing everything it can to protect all people living in Canada, as well as resilient and diverse communities across the country, and to ensuring that everyone can thrive while being themselves.

    The increase in hate incidents has disproportionately impacted Indigenous peoples; Black, racialized, religious minority and 2SLGBTQI communities; women; and persons with disabilities. Hateful behaviour not only harms those targeted, but also impacts Canadian society as a whole, undermining social cohesion and posing a threat to national security.

    That’s why today, the Honourable Kamal Khera, Minister of Diversity, Inclusion and Persons with Disabilities, unveiled Canada’s Action Plan to Combat Hate. This action plan represents Canada’s first-ever whole-of-government effort to combat hate. It brings together 20 key federal programs under three pillars.

    Providing the means communities to detect and prevent hate. Support victims, survivors and protect communities. Build community trust, partnerships and institutional capacity.

    Through the Action Plan, the Government of Canada is investing $273.6 million over six years, and $29.3 million per year ongoing, to address hate from a variety of perspectives. The funding will increase support for victims and survivors; help communities prevent and respond to hate, and protect their members from it; improve research and data collection; provide more resources to law enforcement; and increase public awareness.

    Every person has the right to be safe and treated with dignity. We will work with provincial, territorial and international governments; First Nations, Inuit and Métis partners; and cities and communities across Canada to make this happen. Canada’s Action Plan to Combat Hate will help us continue to build a safer, more inclusive Canada where people can succeed, no matter who they are, who they love or what they believe.

    Quotes

    “Everyone has the right to feel safe, no matter who they are, what they look like or what they believe. We are all alarmed by the tragic consequences of hate, both in Canada and abroad. Hate has no place in Canada, whether in person or online, in schools or places of worship. Our government is committed to keeping every community safe across the country, because when one person is subjected to hateful behaviour, everyone suffers the consequences. Canada’s first-ever Action Plan to Combat Hate represents an unprecedented whole-of-government effort to combat hate while providing increased support to victims of hate and communities at risk. As we navigate these challenging and difficult times, we must stand up for who we are as a country – a country that is strong in its diversity and where people can be themselves and pursue their dreams without fear.”

    – The Honourable Kamal Khera, Minister of Diversity, Inclusion and Persons with Disabilities

    “Hate, in all its forms, has no place in Canada. Every person has the right to feel and be safe in their homes and communities. We all have a role to play in combating discrimination and promoting a fairer, safer and more inclusive Canada. The Diversity of Voices Fund is part of Canada’s Action Plan to Combat Hate. It will help break down systemic barriers and elevate diverse voices in the arts, culture and media sectors. The Fund will also ensure that their experiences and perspectives are better represented and advance the fight against racism, equity, diversity and inclusion in the culture and media sectors.”

    – The Honourable Pascale St-Onge, Minister of Canadian Heritage

    “In response to the increase in hate crimes, our government is taking action to ensure that at-risk communities receive financial support to protect their institutions. Canada’s new Community Safety Program is designed to be simpler, more flexible and more generous, in response to requests from community organizations across the country.”

    – The Honourable Dominic LeBlanc, Minister of Public Safety, Democratic Institutions and Intergovernmental Affairs

    “Everyone should be able to bring their true selves to life without fear of reprisal, but we know that discrimination based on sexual orientation, gender identity and expression remains a reality in Canada. This is unacceptable and must end. Canada’s Action Plan to Combat Hate complements the measures we have taken to protect and support Canadians since 2015, including the Federal 2SLGBTQI Action Plan . These measures have all been implemented with the stories and experiences of individuals and communities across Canada in mind. As always, we stand in solidarity with all communities who have experienced hate and will not hesitate to use all means at our disposal to protect and support them.”

    – The Honourable Marci Ien, Minister of Women and Gender Equality and Youth

    “We expect to feel safe in our homes, neighbourhoods and communities. That is why we introduced Bill C-63, an important part of Canada’s Action Plan to Combat Hate. We know that online harm can have tragic and even fatal consequences in the real world. This bill aims to ensure the safety of all Canadians in an online world that seems increasingly dangerous and toxic by the day. This means that women, racialized people, transgender people and people of diverse faiths and backgrounds will be able to go to their places of worship, community centres, schools and offices without fearing that threats in the online world will translate into real-world danger.”

    – The Honourable Arif Virani, Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada

    “Canada is as innovative as it is diverse, and it does best when everyone has a fair chance to reach their full potential, free from hate and discrimination. Through Canada’s Action Plan to Combat Hate, we are standing up to hate and protecting Canadians. And Statistics Canada will play a key role in researching and collecting the data needed to build a safer, more resilient society.”

    – The Honourable François-Philippe Champagne, Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry

    “Canada is a country rich in diversity, where every person deserves to feel safe and respected. That is why today we are launching Canada’s first Action Plan to Combat Hate, a $273 million commitment to building a safer Canada for everyone.”

    – Sameer Zuberi, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Diversity, Inclusion and Persons with Disabilities

    Quick Facts

    In Budget 2022, the Government of Canada committed $85 million over 4 years, starting in 2022–23, to Canadian Heritage to launch and implement the new Anti-Racism Strategy and a National Action Plan to Combat Hate. Budget 2024 provides an additional $273.6 million over 6 years, starting in 2024–25, and $29.3 million per year ongoing to support Canada’s Action Plan to Combat Hate. The Action Plan brings together major programs delivered by federal departments and agencies, including Canadian Heritage, Public Safety Canada, Justice Canada, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, Women and Gender Equality Canada, Statistics Canada and the Canadian Race Relations Foundation.

    According to the Statistics Canada July 2024 data release, the number of police-reported hate crimes increased from 3,612 in 2022 to 4,777 in 2023 (a 32% increase), and some victims may not have reported a hate crime. This follows an 8% increase in 2022 and a 72% increase between 2019 and 2021. Overall, the number of police-reported hate crimes has more than doubled since 2019 (a 145% increase).

    Canada’s Action Plan to Combat Hate includes the work of the Special Envoy on Preserving Holocaust Remembrance and Combating Anti-Semitism and Canada’s first Special Representative on Combating Islamophobia

    Public Safety Canada’s new Community Safety Program (CSPP) (formerly the Communities at Risk Security Infrastructure Program) is also part of Canada’s Action Plan to Combat Hate. The CSPP makes it easier and more effective for communities and organizations at risk of hate crime to access security support when they need it.

    The Action Plan is part of efforts to further reduce the risk of exposure to harmful content online through Bill C-63, which proposes to create a new Online Harms Act to strengthen protections for the most vulnerable groups. To this end, the Government of Canada tabled in the House of Commons the Bill C-63, An Act to enact the Online Harms Act, to amend the Criminal Code, the Canadian Human Rights Act and the Act respecting the mandatory reporting of Internet child pornography by persons who provide an Internet service and to make consequential and related amendments to other Acts.

    Canada is a signatory to theChristchurch Call to Eliminate Violent Extremism and Terrorism on the Internet (Christchurch Call to Action). This is an agreement signed by 56 governments, as well as online service providers and civil society organizations, to coordinate efforts to eliminate terrorist and violent extremist content online. The Government of Canada reiterates its commitment to advance the Christchurch Call to Action as part of Canada’s Action Plan to Combat Hate.

    Canada’s Anti-Hate Action Plan complements Canada’s Anti-Racism Strategy 2024–28: Changing Systems to Transform Lives. Through these two initiatives, the government is implementing a comprehensive and intersectional approach to combating hate, racism and discrimination.

    Related products

    Related links

    Contact persons

    For further information (media only), please contact:

    Waleed Saleem Press SecretaryOffice of the Minister of Diversity, Inclusion and Persons with Disabilitieswaleed.saleem@hrsdc-rhdcc.gc.ca

    Media RelationsCanadian Heritage819-994-91011-866-569-6155media@pch.gc.ca

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

    MIL Translation OSI

  • MIL-OSI Translation: Yukon MP Brendan Hanley to make announcement on critical minerals

    MIL OSI Translation. Canadian French to English –

    Source: Government of Canada – in French 1

    Media Advisory

    WHITEHORSE — Yukon Member of Parliament, Dr. Brendan Hanley, on behalf of the Minister of Energy and Natural Resources, the Honourable Jonathan Wilkinson, will make a funding announcement to support critical minerals infrastructure projects. He will be joined by the Yukon Minister of Energy, Mines and Resources, the Honourable John Streicker. A media availability will follow.

    Date: September 20, 2024

    Time: 2:00 p.m. (PT)

    Accredited journalists wishing to attend the event are requested to register in advance by sending an email to the following address: media@nrcan-rncan.gc.ca.

    Contact persons

    Media RelationsNatural Resources CanadaOttawa343-292-6100media@nrcan-rncan.gc.ca

    Cindy CaturaoPress SecretaryOffice of the Minister of Energy and Natural ResourcesCindy.Caturao@nrcan-rncan.gc.ca

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

    MIL Translation OSI

  • MIL-OSI Global: UK oil and gas workers risk becoming the ‘coal miners of our generation’

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Freddie Daley, Research Associate, Centre for Global Political Economy, University of Sussex

    Grangemouth oil refinery is set to close in 2025 with the loss of 400 jobs. orxy / shutterstock

    At the end of September, the UK’s last remaining coal power plant, Ratcliffe-on-Soar in Nottinghamshire, will be retired. The closure of the plant should – and will – be celebrated by environmentalists, as the move away from coal has made Britain’s electricity much cleaner over the past decade. It is on this basis that the UK claims climate leadership.

    In the 1950s, coal provided the overwhelming majority of British energy, and as recently as 2012 it still generated 40%. By 2022, it was less than 2%. In a month’s time, it will be zero.

    Phasing out coal was a brutal and profound process. Organised labour was decimated, entire regions were forced into decline, and communities were left with sustained economic, social and health problems. The towering ghosts of power stations like Ratcliffe-on-Soar will haunt Britain’s ongoing effort to phase out North Sea oil and gas and replace it with clean energy.

    Towering ghosts: Ratcliffe-on-Soar power station.
    The Exposure / shutterstock

    And we are witnessing this haunting in real-time. After the Labour government announced its plans to end new licenses for oil and gas in British waters – necessary to meet the Paris Agreement – workers and trade unions feared history would repeat itself in terms of job losses and blighted communities.

    The general secretary of Unite, Sharon Graham, noted that without a more thorough plan, the policy risked creating “the coal miners of our generation”. A recent motion at the Trades Union Congress (TUC) gathering in Brighton called for no ban on oil and gas licensing before a fully funded jobs guarantee is agreed. The motion narrowly passed.

    Workers and unions are demanding a “just transition” from polluting industries into the clean industries of the future. But to achieve this, the UK government must learn from what happened with coal.

    Many places still rely on oil and gas jobs

    Although oil and gas are not as embedded throughout British life as coal once was, there are many settlements and larger areas still dependent on energy jobs. Grangemouth in central Scotland is a good example. In November 2023, the owner, Petroineos, announced plans to close the town’s oil refinery in 2025, bringing a century of production to an end at the cost of 400 jobs.

    Even if the UK government did issue new oil and gas licences, the North Sea faces structural decline. Production peaked around the turn of the century. Since 2014, as many as 200,000 jobs have been lost either offshore or along the supply chain onshore.

    From gas to wind?

    Planning for the end of fossil fuels is therefore an urgent endeavour. The dominant strategy for protecting skilled jobs is to transition workers into the industries set to replace North Sea production: wind energy and other low-carbon technologies.

    However, though Britain has developed a large wind power sector, it remains a major importer of turbines. Domestic manufacturing makes only a small contribution, and developers are not required to use British-made turbines or other parts, despite the jobs this would create.

    This has left Grangemouth workers discontented. When one of us (Ewan Gibbs) and Riyoko Shibe interviewed young refinery workers at Grangemouth earlier this year, many commented that there were relatively few jobs in renewables. When jobs were visible on LinkedIn and comparable job sites, one told us that “you’ll see there’s a big difference in terms and conditions”.

    Wind farms are relatively easy to run once installed, so most jobs are in building them.
    Kevin Shipp / shutterstock

    In its current form, the UK wind industry will find it hard to provide the types of secure ongoing employment that oil and gas historically has. Most jobs are in the construction and maintenance of wind farms, with the latter threatened by automation. Without public investment and a targeted industrial policy, Britain will remain a net importer of wind technology, and the phasing out of North Sea oil and gas will prove costly in job terms.



    Read more:
    Grangemouth job losses are a stark reminder of the cost of a greener industrial future

    More investment needed

    Britain’s lack of state intervention is not the norm. After all, more than half of British wind farms are state-owned, though less than 1% are owned by the UK government. Swedish, Norwegian, French, Irish and German state-owned entities are major players, but the biggest is Denmark’s Ørsted, a former oil company turned renewables giant which is mostly state-owned. In the UK’s most recent offshore wind auction, 70% of the projects were awarded to Ørsted.

    The newly launched Great British Energy could give the state a foothold in the North Sea once more. This publicly owned company plans to focus on domestic manufacturing and will invest in ports and other infrastructures to “unlock strategic bottlenecks”.

    But if such projects are to be meaningfully incorporated into a just transition, they will need to offer continuity and security to oil and gas workers. As one Grangemouth worker put it, referring to his colleagues facing the choice of either remaining unemployed locally or relocating to use their skills:

    They’re moving to the Middle East, they’re moving to the north-east of Scotland. They’re moving offshore, they’re moving to the Shetlands, and therefore it’s not a just transition, in my view, if we’re moving to these jobs.

    Another worker highlighted the risks that Grangemouth could join the coalfields in becoming “stranded” communities:

    We’ve got a community that’s been built round the site, we’ve got skills and we’ve got people that work there, we’ve got the infrastructure there – why should we not have these jobs when the time comes to move to these industries? Why can we not have it at Grangemouth?

    Britain’s push to phase out oil and gas is urgent and necessary, but it cannot follow the same trajectory as Britain’s exit from coal – lessons must be learned. The opportunities presented by the transition away from fossil fuels will only be fully realised if workers are at its centre.

    Freddie Daley receives funding from UKRI for the SUS-POL project at the University of Sussex, which explores fossil fuel phase-outs around the world. Freddie also campaigns on demand reduction with Badvertising.

    Ewan Gibbs received funding from a British Academy Wolfson Fellowship that supported this research (grant number: WF21210099).

    – ref. UK oil and gas workers risk becoming the ‘coal miners of our generation’ – https://theconversation.com/uk-oil-and-gas-workers-risk-becoming-the-coal-miners-of-our-generation-239262

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Hockey in Canada: Can it still bridge divides in an era of political polarization?

    Source: The Conversation – Canada – By Joseph Dick, PhD Student in Sport Management, University of Guelph

    Contemporary ice hockey was pioneered in Canada, and the sport has historically been watched and played by Canadians. (Shutterstock)

    Hockey has played a significant role in shaping Canada’s culture and identity over the years. As sport scholar Tony Patoine once put it, “hockey has become more than a simple pasttime: it is a true Canadian tradition, a quasi-religion.”

    This deep attachment to the game is reflected in Bill C-212, which acknowledges hockey as Canada’s official winter sport. Modern ice hockey was, after all, pioneered in Canada, where it has historically been watched, played and been perceived as a unifying force that transcends linguistic and ethnic divides.

    Despite these perceptions, however, we question the strength of such unification potential amidst recent changes to hockey culture. Can hockey continue to unify all of Canada?

    ‘Communitas’

    Hockey’s purported sense of unity closely relates to the concept of “communitas,” coined by anthropologist Victor Turner, which describes the strong bonds of comradery that form between members of a group — and sometimes between members of disparate groups — where rank and status disappear.

    However, not everyone experiences this sense of unity equally. Since social groups establish behaviours required for group membership, those who don’t align with these norms may feel excluded.

    Former Hockey Night in Canada commentator, Don Cherry, was once praised for upholding values characteristic of hockey, including the promotion of violence, hyper masculinity and an overall adherence to “ideas of loyalty, fraternity, and mutual respect.” These values, once normalized within the hockey community, shaped how both players and fans were expected to act.

    But as the game continues to evolve and these values are increasingly considered archaic and out of sync with the broader political culture fostered within Canada, we as Canadian sport and political science researchers, respectively, question if hockey still provides that sense of communitas for all of Canada.

    Hockey in French Canada

    Although Canadians often view hockey as a monolithic, universally adopted sport across Canada, a closer look reveals patterns of non-uniformity. Nowhere are such differences more apparent than in the historical development of the sport in Québec versus the rest of Canada.

    As historian Emmanuel Lapierre wrote, “French Canadians appropriated hockey in their own manner and used it to tell a story about themselves,” a story that is, like the province of Québec itself, unique within the Canadian federation.

    For much of Canadian history, Anglophone hockey players represented the in-group, while Francophone hockey players were often seen as outsiders. In the 1950s, for example, Francophone players in the NHL believed they were treated more harshly when it came to suspensions and fines.

    Québec society, during this time, faced an endemic struggle of oppression against an Anglophone-dominated society controlled by the Catholic Church. Francophone resistance to this was linked to the Richard Riot that occurred during the 1954-55 NHL season.

    Maurice Richard scoring his 500th goal on Oct. 19, 1957. At the time, he was the first and only professional NHL player to achieve such a feat.
    (Wikimedia Commons)

    After Montreal Canadiens’ player Maurice “Rocket” Richard was suspended from the playoffs in March 1955 for punching an official, a massive riot broke out among fans. They raged through downtown Montréal, targeting Anglophone-owned buildings. This riot became a symbol of Francophone resistance to Anglophone dominance, serving as a stepping stone towards the Quiet Revolution and renewed French Canadian nationalism.

    This, in turn, strengthened the sense of unity around hockey in Canada. Francophone hockey players began to be viewed as more equal to, and at the very least not controlled by, Anglophone players. Hockey was used to forge a sense of communitas amongst French Canadians, serving as a transcendent unifier in Canada.

    But that was then, and it occurred within the context of a province historically rich with connections to French Canadian culture, where hockey’s unification potential was, therefore, heightened. Does this similar sense of communitas still exist in the rest of Canada with respect to hockey? Or has the sport’s ability to unite the nation become weakened in an era of unprecedented political polarization?

    Hockey today

    Hockey fandom remains strong in Canada, with about 31 per cent of Canadians still following the sport — the highest of any sport in the country. This is re-enforced by the recent success of the Professional Women’s Hockey League and the near-record Canadian viewership of the most recent Stanley Cup finals.

    However, hockey participation has seen a notable decline, dropping 33 per cent since its peak in 2010 amidst high participation costs. Additionally, Hockey Canada has been accused of fostering a culture of misogyny and sexual assault.



    Read more:
    Hockey Canada scandal highlights toxic masculinity in sports

    In 2023, Hockey Canada’s former CEO acknowledged the need to address racism, sexism, and other forms of discrimination in hockey culture. “Each topic, or part of culture that we’re trying to get at, that will determine who the audience is as we move forward,” he said.

    As hockey navigates these changes, it must adapt to the growing emphasis on equity, diversity and inclusion, alongside the impacts of an increasing immigrant population and the globalization of the game.

    This evolution could mean the demise of “traditional” hockey values, and perhaps that is a good thing: misogynistic, “rock ‘em and sock ’em” mentalities don’t align with the values of a modern liberal democracy like Canada.

    Still, for communitas to transcend division, hockey must also find a way to bring traditional fans along, who may have enjoyed the undertones of violence and masculinized definitions of loyalty, fraternity and respect, without alienating them.

    Where should hockey go now?

    Hockey’s role as a unifying force in Canada is well established. Not only is it still Canada’s official winter sport, but as outlined above, it has also served as a unifier for French and English Canada. Hockey has, moreover, unified Canadians during other key moments, such as Canada’s victory over the USSR in the 1972 Summit Series, which symbolized democracy’s triumph over communism.

    However, hockey’s role as a unifying force has diminished over the years. For many Canadians, hockey is no longer “the best game you can name,” as Stompin’ Tom Connors once sang.

    If hockey is to maintain its historic place as a contributor to Canadian nationalism and communitas, the sport must evolve. While some traditional values — such as teamwork, loyalty and respect — should be preserved, outdated notions like hyper masculinity and aggression no longer align with today’s values.

    As Canada changes, so too must hockey. Canadian hockey culture and policies must better adapt to meet contemporary Canadian values like diversity and inclusivity.

    The question for Canadians isn’t just the future of hockey, but what can unite us in today’s world. Communitas need not be confined to hockey, let alone a sport. Hockey has traditionally filled this unification role, but if it fails to keep up, what will take its place?

    The authors do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

    – ref. Hockey in Canada: Can it still bridge divides in an era of political polarization? – https://theconversation.com/hockey-in-canada-can-it-still-bridge-divides-in-an-era-of-political-polarization-238277

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Translation: Canadian Space Agency Astronaut Jeremy Hansen Visits Winnipeg and Montreal

    MIL OSI Translation. Canadian French to English –

    Source: Government of Canada – in French 1

    Media Advisory

    Longueuil (Quebec), September 24, 2024 – From September 27 to 29, Canadian Space Agency (CSA) astronaut Jeremy Hansen will be in Winnipeg to speak about the Artemis II mission during which he will be the first Canadian to fly over the Moon. He will then pass through the Montreal region on October 1.

    He will speak to students, give presentations to the general public and give interviews to the media.

    Journalists wishing to attend one of the presentations or request an interview with CSA astronaut Jeremy Hansen should contact the Media Relations Office.

    Winnipeg

    Friday, September 27, 2024

    Hour What Or
    12:30 p.m. (CT) Presentation to 350 Chamber of Commerce members and Winnipeg students RBC Convention Centre375 York AvenueWinnipeg, ManitobaR3C 3J3
    7:00 p.m. (CT) Presentation to the general public (approximately 200 people) at the Manitoba Museum Manitoba Museum190 Rupert AvenueWinnipeg, ManitobaR3B 0N2

    Sunday, September 29, 2024

    Hour What Or
    2:00 p.m. (CT) Presentation to the general public (150 to 175 people) at the Royal Western Canadian Air Force Museum Royal Western Canadian Air Force Museum2088 Wellington AvenueWinnipeg, ManitobaR3H 1C5

    Montreal

    Tuesday, October 1, 2024

    Hour What Or
    10:20 a.m. (CT) Presentation to a hundred students from Cedar Street School Cedar Street School250 Cedar StreetBeloeil (Quebec)J3G 3M1

    Additional information

    – 30 –

    Information

    Canadian Space AgencyMedia Relations OfficeTelephone: 450-926-4370Email: asc.medias-media.csa@asc-csa.gc.caWebsite: www.asc-csa.gc.caFollow us in the social media!

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

    MIL Translation OSI

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Secretary-General’s remarks at the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) Moment Event [bilingual, as delivered; scroll down for all-English and all-French]

    Source: United Nations secretary general

    Excellencies, dear friends,  

    The Sustainable Development Goals represent a bold vision: a commitment to a better, healthier, safer and more prosperous and sustainable future.   

    But the Goals are facing massive headwinds.

    More than 4 out of 5 SDG targets are off track.

    On top of the impacts from a global pandemic, many countries are being crushed by massive debt burdens, limited liquidity and sky-high borrowing costs.

    Conflicts, hunger, inequalities and the climate crisis are all intensifying.

    And the global financial architecture is not providing developing countries with sufficient financing and liquidity or to act as an effective safety net for all.

    The world has the wealth, the technology, and the know-how to achieve the SDGs.

    Last September’s SDG Summit included consensus around an SDG Stimulus of at least $500 billion per year in financing for developing countries — and the need for global financial architecture reform.

    It highlighted key transitions to generate maximum progress — ending hunger, expanding renewable energy, digitalization, education, social protection and decent work, and ending the triple planetary crisis of climate change, pollution and biodiversity loss.

    It also underscored the vital importance of ensuring that women, girls and young people are at the decision-making table.   

    Today, you will hear from leaders about their countries’ progress across all these areas — leaders determined to make changes, even in the face of great odds.

    And we will celebrate some milestones at the global level.

    From reducing child mortality rates…to preventing new HIV infections…to increasing access to renewable energy and broadband …to greater gender parity across education systems.

    As we reflect on next steps, I urge focus on the three development drivers that can accelerate progress.

    The first is finance. 

    Crushing debt and inefficient tax systems are starving investments in health, education and food in many developing countries.

    The Pact for the Future includes support for the SDG Stimulus and global financial architecture reform to help ease the debt crisis of so many developing countries.

    This includes multiplying the lending capacity of Multilateral Development Banks to provide more resources for climate action and sustainable development, and changing their business model to leverage massive amounts of private finance.  

    As we look towards next year’s Summits on Social Development and Financing, I urge all countries to double down on these reform efforts.

    The second development driver is climate action.

    I urge countries to put forward ambitious national climate action plans that align with the 1.5 degree limit, and cover the whole economy and all sectors.

    This requires aligning national energy strategies with a 1.5-degree world, ending fossil fuel subsidies and putting a price on carbon.

    It is time for a rapid and just phase-out of fossil fuels, and a rapid and smart scale-up of renewables to drive sustainable development, energy security and economic prosperity.

    We must fairly and sustainably meet the global demand for critical minerals that can power the renewables revolution. And the Panel on Critical Energy Transition Minerals has provided recommendations to do this.

    Protecting development gains from climate upheaval is also critical.

    We need new and generous contributions to the Loss and Damage Fund.

    We need developed countries honouring their commitment to double adaptation funding by 2025.

    And we need governments to agree on a significant new climate finance goal at COP29, including new and innovative sources of finance.

    Le troisième facteur de développement, c’est la paix.

    Tous nos plans de développement sont rapidement anéantis par des conflits sans fin causant la mort, la destruction, la faim, les déplacements de populations et les violences basées sur le genre.

    Et les ressources dont nous avons tant besoin pour nourrir et éduquer nos enfants et construire une planète durable pour notre jeunesse sont gaspillées en dépenses militaires.

    Nous avons besoin de paix – à Gaza, en Ukraine, au Soudan, et partout ailleurs.

    J’appelle les dirigeants du monde entier à surmonter les divisions, à mettre fin aux conflits, et à investir dans l’avenir de leurs populations et dans la paix.

    Chers amis,

    Dans un monde de richesses exceptionnelles, de connaissances et de technologies sans précédent, nous n’avons aucune excuse.

    Il est temps de tenir les promesses du Programme 2030 – de mettre fin à la pauvreté, de protéger la planète, et de ne laisser personne de côté.  

    Gardons les Objectifs de développement durable en vie.

    Je vous remercie.

    ***
    [all-English]

    Excellencies, dear friends,

    The Sustainable Development Goals represent a bold vision: a commitment to a better, healthier, safer and more prosperous and sustainable future.   

    But the Goals are facing massive headwinds.

    More than 4 out of 5 SDG targets are off track.

    On top of the impacts from a global pandemic, many countries are being crushed by massive debt burdens, limited liquidity and sky-high borrowing costs.

    Conflicts, hunger, inequalities and the climate crisis are all intensifying.

    And the global financial architecture is not providing developing countries with sufficient financing and liquidity or to act as an effective safety net for all.

    The world has the wealth, the technology, and the know-how to achieve the SDGs.

    Last September’s SDG Summit included consensus around an SDG Stimulus of at least $500 billion per year in financing for developing countries — and the need for global financial architecture reform.

    It highlighted key transitions to generate maximum progress — ending hunger, expanding renewable energy, digitalization, education, social protection and decent work, and ending the triple planetary crisis of climate change, pollution and biodiversity loss.

    It also underscored the vital importance of ensuring that women, girls and young people are at the decision-making table.   

    Today, you will hear from leaders about their countries’ progress across all these areas — leaders determined to make changes, even in the face of great odds.

    And we will celebrate some milestones at the global level.

    From reducing child mortality rates…to preventing new HIV infections…to increasing access to renewable energy and broadband …to greater gender parity across education systems.

    As we reflect on next steps, I urge focus on the three development drivers that can accelerate progress.

    The first is finance. 

    Crushing debt and inefficient tax systems are starving investments in health, education and food in many developing countries.
       
    The Pact for the Future includes support for the SDG Stimulus and global financial architecture reform to help ease the debt crisis of so many developing countries.

    This includes multiplying the lending capacity of Multilateral Development Banks to provide more resources for climate action and sustainable development, and changing their business model to leverage massive amounts of private finance.  

    As we look towards next year’s Summits on Social Development and Financing, I urge all countries to double down on these reform efforts.

    The second development driver is climate action.

    I urge countries to put forward ambitious national climate action plans that align with the 1.5 degree limit, and cover the whole economy and all sectors.

    This requires aligning national energy strategies with a 1.5-degree world, ending fossil fuel subsidies and putting a price on carbon.

    It is time for a rapid and just phase-out of fossil fuels, and a rapid and smart scale-up of renewables to drive sustainable development, energy security and economic prosperity.

    We must fairly and sustainably meet the global demand for critical minerals that can power the renewables revolution. And the Panel on Critical Energy Transition Minerals has provided recommendations to do this.

    Protecting development gains from climate upheaval is also critical.

    We need new and generous contributions to the Loss and Damage Fund.

    We need developed countries honouring their commitment to double adaptation funding by 2025.

    And we need governments to agree on a significant new climate finance goal at COP29, including new and innovative sources of finance.

    And the third development driver is peace.

    All our development plans are quickly erased by relentless conflicts that cause death, destruction, hunger, displacement and gender-based violence.

    And the resources we desperately need to feed and educate our children and build a sustainable planet for our young people are wasted on military expenditures.

    We need peace — from Gaza to Ukraine to Sudan and beyond.

    I call on global leaders to heal divisions, end conflicts, and invest in people and peace.

    Dear friends,

    In our world of unprecedented wealth, knowledge and technologies, there is no excuse.

    It’s time to keep the promises of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development to end poverty, protect the planet, and leave no one behind.  

    Let’s keep the SDG commitment alive.

    Thank you.

    ***
    [all-French]

    Excellences, Chers amis,

    Les objectifs de développement durable incarnent une vision audacieuse. Ils constituent un engagement en faveur d’un avenir meilleur, plus sain, plus sûr, plus prospère et plus durable.

    Mais les vents contraires sont nombreux.

    Nous sommes mal partis pour atteindre plus de quatre sur cinq de toutes les cibles associées aux objectifs de développement durable.

    Outre les conséquences d’une pandémie mondiale auxquelles ils doivent faire face, de nombreux pays sont écrasés par un endettement massif, des liquidités limitées et des coûts d’emprunt très élevés.

    Les conflits, la faim, les inégalités et la crise climatique s’intensifient.

    En outre, l’architecture financière mondiale ne permet pas aux pays en développement de pouvoir compter sur suffisamment de financements et de liquidités et ne leur offre pas un filet de sécurité efficace pour tous.

    Le monde a pourtant les richesses, les technologies et le savoir-faire qu’il faut pour atteindre les objectifs de développement durable.

    Au mois de septembre dernier, le Sommet sur les objectifs de développement durable a permis de dégager un consensus autour d’un plan de relance des objectifs de développement durable, prévoyant des financements d’au moins 500 milliards de dollars par an pour les pays en développement – et de s’accorder sur le fait qu’il est nécessaire de réformer l’architecture financière mondiale.

    L’accent a été mis sur les transitions clés qui permettront d’accomplir un maximum de progrès dans toute une série de domaines : élimination de la faim, développement des énergies renouvelables, numérisation, éducation, protection sociale et travail décent, ainsi que de mettre fin à la triple crise planétaire, à savoir les changements climatiques, la pollution et l’appauvrissement de la biodiversité.

    Il a également été souligné qu’il était crucial de veiller à ce que les femmes, les filles et les jeunes aient leur place à la table des décisions.

    Aujourd’hui, vous entendrez des dirigeants et dirigeantes parler des progrès réalisés par leur pays dans tous ces domaines. Ils sont déterminés à faire bouger les lignes, en dépit des difficultés énormes auxquelles ils heurtent.

    Et nous célébrerons des réussites phares à l’échelle planétaire : depuis la réduction des taux de mortalité infantile jusqu’à l’amélioration de la prévention des nouvelles infections par le VIH, en passant par l’élargissement de l’accès aux énergies renouvelables et de l’accès au haut débit et par l’amélioration de la parité entre les femmes et les hommes dans les systèmes éducatifs.

    Alors que nous réfléchissons aux prochaines étapes, je vous invite à vous concentrer sur les trois moteurs du développement qui pourraient permettre d’accélérer le rythme des progrès.

    Tout d’abord, les financements.

    Dans de nombreux pays en développement, les investissements dans les domaines de la santé, de l’éducation et de l’alimentation sont exsangues à cause du niveau écrasant de la dette et de l’inefficacité des systèmes fiscaux.

    Dans le Pacte pour l’avenir, il est prévu d’appuyer le plan de relance des objectifs de développement durable et la réforme de l’architecture financière mondiale afin d’atténuer la crise de la dette que traversent de trop nombreux pays en développement.

    Il s’agit notamment de multiplier la capacité de prêt des banques multilatérales de développement afin de dégager davantage de ressources pour l’action climatique et le développement durable, et de modifier leur modèle de fonctionnement afin de mobiliser en masse des financements privés.

    Les Sommets sur le développement social et le financement auront lieu l’an prochain, et j’invite tous les pays à redoubler d’efforts pour faire avancer la réforme dans cette perspective.

    Le deuxième moteur du développement, c’est l’action climatique.

    J’invite les pays à adopter des plans d’action nationaux pour le climat qui soient ambitieux, en ne dépassant pas la limite des 1,5 degré, et en couvrant l’ensemble de l’économie et tous les secteurs.

    Il faudra pour cela aligner les stratégies énergétiques nationales sur l’objectif d’une élévation de la température mondiale ne dépassant pas les 1,5 degré, mettre fin aux subventions aux combustibles fossiles et fixer un prix pour le carbone.

    L’heure est venue d’éliminer progressivement mais rapidement les combustibles fossiles, au terme d’une transition équitable, et d’augmenter rapidement, avec discernement, les énergies renouvelables pour favoriser le développement durable, la sécurité énergétique et la prospérité économique.

    Nous devons répondre d’une manière juste et durable à la demande mondiale en minéraux essentiels, qui ont le potentiel de porter la révolution des énergies renouvelables. Et le Groupe chargé de la question des minéraux essentiels à la transition énergétique a formulé des recommandations à cette fin.

    Il est également essentiel de protéger les acquis du développement face aux bouleversements climatiques.

    Il faut par ailleurs que de nouvelles et généreuses contributions soient versées au Fonds pour les pertes et les préjudices.

    Les pays développés doivent honorer l’engagement qu’ils ont pris de doubler le financement de l’adaptation d’ici à 2025.

    Et il faut que les gouvernements se mettent d’accord sur un nouvel objectif ambitieux en ce qui concerne le financement de l’action climatique lors de la vingt-neuvième session de la Conférence des Parties à la Convention-cadre des Nations Unies sur les changements climatiques, y compris au sujet des sources de financement nouvelles ou novatrices.

    Le troisième facteur de développement, c’est la paix.

    Tous nos plans de développement sont rapidement anéantis par des conflits sans fin causant la mort, la destruction, la faim, les déplacements de populations et les violences basées sur le genre.

    Et les ressources dont nous avons tant besoin pour nourrir et éduquer nos enfants et construire une planète durable pour notre jeunesse sont gaspillées en dépenses militaires.

    Nous avons besoin de paix – à Gaza, en Ukraine, au Soudan, et partout ailleurs.

    J’appelle les dirigeants du monde entier à surmonter les divisions, à mettre fin aux conflits, et à investir dans l’avenir de leurs populations et dans la paix.

    Chers amis,

    Dans un monde de richesses exceptionnelles, de connaissances et de technologies sans précédent, nous n’avons aucune excuse.

    Il est temps de tenir les promesses du Programme 2030 – de mettre fin à la pauvreté, de protéger la planète, et de ne laisser personne de côté.

    Gardons les objectifs de développement durable en vie.

    Je vous remercie.
    ***

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI Translation: Canada imposes additional sanctions in response to Hamas terrorist attacks against Israel

    MIL OSI Translation. Canadian French to English –

    Source: Government of Canada – in French 1

    The Honourable Mélanie Joly, Minister of Foreign Affairs, today announced that Canada is imposing additional sanctions under the Special Economic Measures (Hamas Terrorist Attacks) Regulations. These sanctions build on Canada’s efforts to combat Hamas and its acts of terrorism, as well as its affiliates and financial networks.

    September 18, 2024 – Ottawa, Ontario – Global Affairs Canada

    The Honourable Mélanie Joly, Minister of Foreign Affairs, today announced that Canada is imposing additional sanctions under the Special Economic Measures (Hamas Terrorist Attacks) Regulations. These sanctions build on Canada’s efforts to combat Hamas and its acts of terrorism, as well as its affiliates and financial networks.

    These sanctions apply to eleven individuals and two entities involved in Hamas’ financial network. These individuals and entities directly or indirectly facilitated, supported, or contributed financially to the planning and execution of the attacks against Israel that began on October 7, 2023.

    The eleven people are as follows:

    Musa Muhammad Salim Dudin Amer Kamal Sharif Alshawa Ahmed Sadu Jahleb Walid Mohammed Mustafa Jadallah Zuhair Shamlakh Alaa Shamlakh Ahmed Shamlakh Imad Shamlakh Nabil Khaled Halil Chouman Khaled Chouman Reda Ali Khamis

    The two entities are as follows:

    Al-Markaziya Li-Siarafa (Al-Markaziya) Nabil Chouman

    Canada unequivocally condemns the brutal terrorist attacks carried out by Hamas and its affiliates on October 7, 2023. These horrific attacks included the killing, maiming and abduction of innocent civilians, including children.

    Today’s sanctions represent a further step in Canada’s response to the ongoing violence in the region. Canada remains deeply concerned about the impact of the conflict on Israeli and Palestinian civilian populations and is committed to promoting peace and security in the Middle East.

    “Canada unequivocally condemns the brutal terrorist attack carried out by Hamas on October 7. The hostages who were abducted that day and who have been held captive by Hamas for over 300 days must be immediately released. By taking these steps today, Canada is taking another step to combat Hamas’ terrorist activities and disrupt its financial networks.”

    – Mélanie Joly, Minister of Foreign Affairs

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

    MIL Translation OSI

  • MIL-OSI Translation: Seizure of contraband and unauthorized items at Saskatchewan Penitentiary

    MIL OSI Translation. Canadian French to English –

    Source: Government of Canada – in French 1

    On September 17, 2024, due to the vigilance of staff, contraband and unauthorized items were seized at Saskatchewan Penitentiary.

    September 18, 2024 – Prince Albert, Saskatchewan – Correctional Service Canada

    On September 17, 2024, due to the vigilance of staff, contraband and unauthorized items were seized at Saskatchewan Penitentiary.

    The items seized included methamphetamine, fentanyl, a cannabis vape pen and cartridge, cannabis concentrate, tobacco, and cell phones and a charger. The total institutional value of the seized items is estimated at $148,431.

    The police have been informed and the establishment is conducting an investigation.

    The Correctional Service of Canada (CSC) has a number of tools to prevent the introduction of drugs into its institutions. These tools include ion scanners and drug-detector dogs to search buildings, personal property, inmates and visitors.

    CSC is strengthening measures to prevent contraband from entering its institutions to ensure a safe and secure environment for all. CSC is also working in partnership with police forces to take action against individuals who attempt to bring contraband into correctional institutions.

    CSC has also established a telephone information line for all federal institutions to provide additional information on activities related to the security of CSC institutions. This may include activities related to drug use or trafficking that could threaten the safety of visitors, inmates or people working in CSC institutions.

    Using the toll-free line, 1-866-780-3784, helps ensure that the information transmitted is protected and that anonymity remains maintained.

    -30-

    Roxane BraunAdvisor, Media Relations and Community LiaisonRegional Administration – Prairies(306) 514-2203

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

    MIL Translation OSI

  • MIL-OSI Translation: The weekly update on the government’s economic plan

    MIL OSI Translation. Canadian French to English –

    Source: Government of Canada – in French 1

    The Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance will provide an update on the government’s economic plan. She will be joined by the Minister of Public Services and Procurement, Jean-Yves Duclos, and the Minister of Housing, Infrastructure and Communities, Sean Fraser.

    Ottawa, Ontario – The Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance will provide an update on the government’s economic plan. She will be joined by Minister of Public Services and Procurement Jean-Yves Duclos and Minister of Housing, Infrastructure and Communities Sean Fraser.

    Notes to media representatives:

    Free coverage. Media representatives wishing to cover the event must be accredited with the Parliamentary Press Gallery. Media representatives wishing to cover the event should send an email to mediare@fin.gc.ca.

    Date

    September 24, 2024

    Hour

    9:00 a.m.

    Contact persons

    Katherine CuplinskasDeputy Director of CommunicationsOffice of the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Financekatherine.cuplinskas@fin.gc.ca

    Media RelationsDepartment of Finance Canadamediare@fin.gc.ca613-369-4000

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

    MIL Translation OSI

  • MIL-OSI Security: IAEA Profile: Fuelling Success – Gloria Kwong’s Path to Decommissioning and Environmental Remediation

    Source: International Atomic Energy Agency – IAEA

    Gloria Kwong during a panel at the ATOMEXPO International Forum held from 19-21 June 2017 in Moscow, Russia. (Photo: Rosatom)

    The IAEA profiles employees to provide insight into the variety of career paths that support the Agency’s mission of Atoms for Peace and Development and to inspire and encourage readers, particularly women, to pursue careers in STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) or STEM-adjacent fields. Read more profiles of women at the IAEA.   

    Growing up in a conservative, Chinese household in Canada, Gloria Kwong was raised to avoid taking risks and to prioritize her education to help ensure her success.  

    Throughout her professional journey, which has led her from Canada to Austria via France, Kwong has always remained committed to her work in the areas of nuclear waste, decommissioning and environmental remediation. During her career, she has navigated challenges in a male-dominated industry and advises young women to follow their passions and embrace new opportunities, even when they come with challenges or risks. 

    As a young girl, Kwong aspired to become a professional chef, but her parents encouraged her and her four siblings to focus on their academic studies. After high school, Kwong earned a bachelor’s and master’s degree in chemical engineering at the University of Toronto, Canada, and within a few years, she advanced to a managerial role at a leading telecommunications company. However, she realized that her passion was in more technically demanding work, eventually leading her to her current role as Head of the Decommissioning and Environmental Remediation Section at the IAEA.   

    “It may surprise people that my experience working in a managerial position for a telecommunications company impacts my work at the IAEA. Although technical competency is essential, good decision-making, communication, and interpersonal skills are no less important, and this is something that comes in hand every day when I work with my team and colleagues at the Agency. An unconventional professional background does not limit you, but instead provides you with more tools to succeed,” said Kwong. 

    Seeking to broaden her horizons, Kwong transitioned to the nuclear field as a design engineer at the Ontario Power Generation Darlington Power Station (OPG) in Toronto. While working as a Senior Engineer at OPG, Kwong pursued her PhD in materials engineering from Imperial College London. It would be years later before Kwong took another career leap – this time across the Atlantic. After over a decade at OPG, which later became the Nuclear Waste Management Organization, she was offered the position of Radioactive Waste Management Specialist at the OECD Nuclear Energy Agency (NEA) in Paris, France. 

    Kwong’s career at the NEA was marked by her willingness to take on new challenges and leadership roles. For over 11 years, she held various managerial positions, including Acting Head of the Radioactive Waste Management Division and the Nuclear Technology Development & Economics Division. Her leadership skills and technical insight were recognized, leading to other roles as Deputy Head of the Office of Policy and Coordination, Head of the International Framework for Nuclear Energy Cooperation, and eventually, Senior Advisor to the Director-General. 

    Like other women working in a male-dominated industry, Kwong made a concerted effort to establish her credibility and earn the respect of her peers. Her career has been filled with professional milestones and unique international experiences, but it has not been without challenges. 

    “A big hurdle for women has always been work-life balance and prioritizing career development , but I see more employers, like the IAEA, addressing these matters through educational scholarships that relieve financial burdens, flexible professional development programmes and new, accommodating HR policies, thereby attracting more women to the nuclear sector,” said Kwong. 

    After over a decade at the NEA, Kwong left Paris and moved to Vienna to join the IAEA as the Head of the Decommissioning and Environmental Remediation Section. She and her colleagues strive to promote nuclear decommissioning and environmental remediation by supporting sustainable nuclear energy development. They encourage countries to integrate circular economy principles into national decommissioning and radioactive waste management policies, and they facilitate knowledge sharing to promote the efficient use of resources and the safe reuse of materials. 

    “I want to contribute to narrowing the energy equity gap to ensure more people can access affordable, sustainable and clean energy. I believe that nuclear power can elevate its contribution to complement other clean energy sources, which is why I believe in the mission and work of the IAEA,” Kwong said.  

    Her piece of advice to young women considering a career in the nuclear field: 

    “Follow your heart in decision making. Explore other opportunities, and don’t be afraid to take some risks.” 

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Translation: Welcome to La Maison Elysée!

    MIL OSI Translation. Government of the Republic of France statements from French to English –

    It’s already been two months since La Maison Élysée opened its doors to the public!

    Located opposite the Élysée Palace, at 88 rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré, this new space is one of a kind.

    Visitors will be able to go behind the scenes of the Presidency of the Republic through a free permanent exhibition and complete the experience by discovering the café and the boutique.

    Discover the Maison Élysée in pictures:

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

    MIL Translation OSI

  • MIL-OSI Translation: Minutes of the Council of Ministers of September 23, 2024.

    MIL OSI Translation. Government of the Republic of France statements from French to English –

    The Council of Ministers adopted the following individual measures:

    On the proposal of the Prime Minister:

    – the functions of Director of International, Strategic and Technological Affairs at the General Secretariat for Defense and National Security exercised by Ms. Caroline FERRARI, State Administrator, are terminated as of September 16, 2024.

    On the proposal of the Minister of the Interior:

    – the functions of Prefect of Eure exercised by Mr. Simon BABRE, State Administrator, are terminated as of September 16, 2024;

    – the functions of delegated prefect for equal opportunities with the prefect of the Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur region, prefect of the South defense and security zone, prefect of Bouches-du-Rhône, exercised by Mr. Baptiste ROLLAND, State administrator, are terminated as of September 9, 2024.

    On the proposal of the Minister of National Education and the Minister of Higher Education and Research:

    – the functions of rector of the Grand Est academic region, rector of the Nancy-Metz academy, exercised by Mr. Richard LAGANIER, chancellor of universities, are terminated as of September 16, 2024.

    On the proposal of the Minister of Labor and Employment:

    – the functions of general delegate for employment and vocational training exercised by Mr. Jérôme MARCHAND-ARVIER, State Councilor, are terminated as of September 17, 2024.

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

    MIL Translation OSI

  • MIL-OSI Africa: Secretary-General’s remarks at the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) Moment Event [bilingual, as delivered; scroll down for all-English and all-French]

    Source: United Nations – English

    xcellencies, dear friends,  

    The Sustainable Development Goals represent a bold vision: a commitment to a better, healthier, safer and more prosperous and sustainable future.   

    But the Goals are facing massive headwinds.

    More than 4 out of 5 SDG targets are off track.

    On top of the impacts from a global pandemic, many countries are being crushed by massive debt burdens, limited liquidity and sky-high borrowing costs.

    Conflicts, hunger, inequalities and the climate crisis are all intensifying.

    And the global financial architecture is not providing developing countries with sufficient financing and liquidity or to act as an effective safety net for all.

    The world has the wealth, the technology, and the know-how to achieve the SDGs.

    Last September’s SDG Summit included consensus around an SDG Stimulus of at least $500 billion per year in financing for developing countries — and the need for global financial architecture reform.

    It highlighted key transitions to generate maximum progress — ending hunger, expanding renewable energy, digitalization, education, social protection and decent work, and ending the triple planetary crisis of climate change, pollution and biodiversity loss.

    It also underscored the vital importance of ensuring that women, girls and young people are at the decision-making table.   

    Today, you will hear from leaders about their countries’ progress across all these areas — leaders determined to make changes, even in the face of great odds.

    And we will celebrate some milestones at the global level.

    From reducing child mortality rates…to preventing new HIV infections…to increasing access to renewable energy and broadband …to greater gender parity across education systems.

    As we reflect on next steps, I urge focus on the three development drivers that can accelerate progress.

    The first is finance. 

    Crushing debt and inefficient tax systems are starving investments in health, education and food in many developing countries.

    The Pact for the Future includes support for the SDG Stimulus and global financial architecture reform to help ease the debt crisis of so many developing countries.

    This includes multiplying the lending capacity of Multilateral Development Banks to provide more resources for climate action and sustainable development, and changing their business model to leverage massive amounts of private finance.  

    As we look towards next year’s Summits on Social Development and Financing, I urge all countries to double down on these reform efforts.

    The second development driver is climate action.

    I urge countries to put forward ambitious national climate action plans that align with the 1.5 degree limit, and cover the whole economy and all sectors.

    This requires aligning national energy strategies with a 1.5-degree world, ending fossil fuel subsidies and putting a price on carbon.

    It is time for a rapid and just phase-out of fossil fuels, and a rapid and smart scale-up of renewables to drive sustainable development, energy security and economic prosperity.

    We must fairly and sustainably meet the global demand for critical minerals that can power the renewables revolution. And the Panel on Critical Energy Transition Minerals has provided recommendations to do this.

    Protecting development gains from climate upheaval is also critical.

    We need new and generous contributions to the Loss and Damage Fund.

    We need developed countries honouring their commitment to double adaptation funding by 2025.

    And we need governments to agree on a significant new climate finance goal at COP29, including new and innovative sources of finance.

    Le troisième facteur de développement, c’est la paix.

    Tous nos plans de développement sont rapidement anéantis par des conflits sans fin causant la mort, la destruction, la faim, les déplacements de populations et les violences basées sur le genre.

    Et les ressources dont nous avons tant besoin pour nourrir et éduquer nos enfants et construire une planète durable pour notre jeunesse sont gaspillées en dépenses militaires.

    Nous avons besoin de paix – à Gaza, en Ukraine, au Soudan, et partout ailleurs.

    J’appelle les dirigeants du monde entier à surmonter les divisions, à mettre fin aux conflits, et à investir dans l’avenir de leurs populations et dans la paix.

    Chers amis,

    Dans un monde de richesses exceptionnelles, de connaissances et de technologies sans précédent, nous n’avons aucune excuse.

    Il est temps de tenir les promesses du Programme 2030 – de mettre fin à la pauvreté, de protéger la planète, et de ne laisser personne de côté.  

    Gardons les Objectifs de développement durable en vie.

    Je vous remercie.

    ***
    [all-English]

    Excellencies, dear friends,

    The Sustainable Development Goals represent a bold vision: a commitment to a better, healthier, safer and more prosperous and sustainable future.   

    But the Goals are facing massive headwinds.

    More than 4 out of 5 SDG targets are off track.

    On top of the impacts from a global pandemic, many countries are being crushed by massive debt burdens, limited liquidity and sky-high borrowing costs.

    Conflicts, hunger, inequalities and the climate crisis are all intensifying.

    And the global financial architecture is not providing developing countries with sufficient financing and liquidity or to act as an effective safety net for all.

    The world has the wealth, the technology, and the know-how to achieve the SDGs.

    Last September’s SDG Summit included consensus around an SDG Stimulus of at least $500 billion per year in financing for developing countries — and the need for global financial architecture reform.

    It highlighted key transitions to generate maximum progress — ending hunger, expanding renewable energy, digitalization, education, social protection and decent work, and ending the triple planetary crisis of climate change, pollution and biodiversity loss.

    It also underscored the vital importance of ensuring that women, girls and young people are at the decision-making table.   

    Today, you will hear from leaders about their countries’ progress across all these areas — leaders determined to make changes, even in the face of great odds.

    And we will celebrate some milestones at the global level.

    From reducing child mortality rates…to preventing new HIV infections…to increasing access to renewable energy and broadband …to greater gender parity across education systems.

    As we reflect on next steps, I urge focus on the three development drivers that can accelerate progress.

    The first is finance. 

    Crushing debt and inefficient tax systems are starving investments in health, education and food in many developing countries.
       
    The Pact for the Future includes support for the SDG Stimulus and global financial architecture reform to help ease the debt crisis of so many developing countries.

    This includes multiplying the lending capacity of Multilateral Development Banks to provide more resources for climate action and sustainable development, and changing their business model to leverage massive amounts of private finance.  

    As we look towards next year’s Summits on Social Development and Financing, I urge all countries to double down on these reform efforts.

    The second development driver is climate action.

    I urge countries to put forward ambitious national climate action plans that align with the 1.5 degree limit, and cover the whole economy and all sectors.

    This requires aligning national energy strategies with a 1.5-degree world, ending fossil fuel subsidies and putting a price on carbon.

    It is time for a rapid and just phase-out of fossil fuels, and a rapid and smart scale-up of renewables to drive sustainable development, energy security and economic prosperity.

    We must fairly and sustainably meet the global demand for critical minerals that can power the renewables revolution. And the Panel on Critical Energy Transition Minerals has provided recommendations to do this.

    Protecting development gains from climate upheaval is also critical.

    We need new and generous contributions to the Loss and Damage Fund.

    We need developed countries honouring their commitment to double adaptation funding by 2025.

    And we need governments to agree on a significant new climate finance goal at COP29, including new and innovative sources of finance.

    And the third development driver is peace.

    All our development plans are quickly erased by relentless conflicts that cause death, destruction, hunger, displacement and gender-based violence.

    And the resources we desperately need to feed and educate our children and build a sustainable planet for our young people are wasted on military expenditures.

    We need peace — from Gaza to Ukraine to Sudan and beyond.

    I call on global leaders to heal divisions, end conflicts, and invest in people and peace.

    Dear friends,

    In our world of unprecedented wealth, knowledge and technologies, there is no excuse.

    It’s time to keep the promises of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development to end poverty, protect the planet, and leave no one behind.  

    Let’s keep the SDG commitment alive.

    Thank you.

    ***
    [all-French]

    Excellences, Chers amis,

    Les objectifs de développement durable incarnent une vision audacieuse. Ils constituent un engagement en faveur d’un avenir meilleur, plus sain, plus sûr, plus prospère et plus durable.

    Mais les vents contraires sont nombreux.

    Nous sommes mal partis pour atteindre plus de quatre sur cinq de toutes les cibles associées aux objectifs de développement durable.

    Outre les conséquences d’une pandémie mondiale auxquelles ils doivent faire face, de nombreux pays sont écrasés par un endettement massif, des liquidités limitées et des coûts d’emprunt très élevés.

    Les conflits, la faim, les inégalités et la crise climatique s’intensifient.

    En outre, l’architecture financière mondiale ne permet pas aux pays en développement de pouvoir compter sur suffisamment de financements et de liquidités et ne leur offre pas un filet de sécurité efficace pour tous.

    Le monde a pourtant les richesses, les technologies et le savoir-faire qu’il faut pour atteindre les objectifs de développement durable.

    Au mois de septembre dernier, le Sommet sur les objectifs de développement durable a permis de dégager un consensus autour d’un plan de relance des objectifs de développement durable, prévoyant des financements d’au moins 500 milliards de dollars par an pour les pays en développement – et de s’accorder sur le fait qu’il est nécessaire de réformer l’architecture financière mondiale.

    L’accent a été mis sur les transitions clés qui permettront d’accomplir un maximum de progrès dans toute une série de domaines : élimination de la faim, développement des énergies renouvelables, numérisation, éducation, protection sociale et travail décent, ainsi que de mettre fin à la triple crise planétaire, à savoir les changements climatiques, la pollution et l’appauvrissement de la biodiversité.

    Il a également été souligné qu’il était crucial de veiller à ce que les femmes, les filles et les jeunes aient leur place à la table des décisions.

    Aujourd’hui, vous entendrez des dirigeants et dirigeantes parler des progrès réalisés par leur pays dans tous ces domaines. Ils sont déterminés à faire bouger les lignes, en dépit des difficultés énormes auxquelles ils heurtent.

    Et nous célébrerons des réussites phares à l’échelle planétaire : depuis la réduction des taux de mortalité infantile jusqu’à l’amélioration de la prévention des nouvelles infections par le VIH, en passant par l’élargissement de l’accès aux énergies renouvelables et de l’accès au haut débit et par l’amélioration de la parité entre les femmes et les hommes dans les systèmes éducatifs.

    Alors que nous réfléchissons aux prochaines étapes, je vous invite à vous concentrer sur les trois moteurs du développement qui pourraient permettre d’accélérer le rythme des progrès.

    Tout d’abord, les financements.

    Dans de nombreux pays en développement, les investissements dans les domaines de la santé, de l’éducation et de l’alimentation sont exsangues à cause du niveau écrasant de la dette et de l’inefficacité des systèmes fiscaux.

    Dans le Pacte pour l’avenir, il est prévu d’appuyer le plan de relance des objectifs de développement durable et la réforme de l’architecture financière mondiale afin d’atténuer la crise de la dette que traversent de trop nombreux pays en développement.

    Il s’agit notamment de multiplier la capacité de prêt des banques multilatérales de développement afin de dégager davantage de ressources pour l’action climatique et le développement durable, et de modifier leur modèle de fonctionnement afin de mobiliser en masse des financements privés.

    Les Sommets sur le développement social et le financement auront lieu l’an prochain, et j’invite tous les pays à redoubler d’efforts pour faire avancer la réforme dans cette perspective.

    Le deuxième moteur du développement, c’est l’action climatique.

    J’invite les pays à adopter des plans d’action nationaux pour le climat qui soient ambitieux, en ne dépassant pas la limite des 1,5 degré, et en couvrant l’ensemble de l’économie et tous les secteurs.

    Il faudra pour cela aligner les stratégies énergétiques nationales sur l’objectif d’une élévation de la température mondiale ne dépassant pas les 1,5 degré, mettre fin aux subventions aux combustibles fossiles et fixer un prix pour le carbone.

    L’heure est venue d’éliminer progressivement mais rapidement les combustibles fossiles, au terme d’une transition équitable, et d’augmenter rapidement, avec discernement, les énergies renouvelables pour favoriser le développement durable, la sécurité énergétique et la prospérité économique.

    Nous devons répondre d’une manière juste et durable à la demande mondiale en minéraux essentiels, qui ont le potentiel de porter la révolution des énergies renouvelables. Et le Groupe chargé de la question des minéraux essentiels à la transition énergétique a formulé des recommandations à cette fin.

    Il est également essentiel de protéger les acquis du développement face aux bouleversements climatiques.

    Il faut par ailleurs que de nouvelles et généreuses contributions soient versées au Fonds pour les pertes et les préjudices.

    Les pays développés doivent honorer l’engagement qu’ils ont pris de doubler le financement de l’adaptation d’ici à 2025.

    Et il faut que les gouvernements se mettent d’accord sur un nouvel objectif ambitieux en ce qui concerne le financement de l’action climatique lors de la vingt-neuvième session de la Conférence des Parties à la Convention-cadre des Nations Unies sur les changements climatiques, y compris au sujet des sources de financement nouvelles ou novatrices.

    Le troisième facteur de développement, c’est la paix.

    Tous nos plans de développement sont rapidement anéantis par des conflits sans fin causant la mort, la destruction, la faim, les déplacements de populations et les violences basées sur le genre.

    Et les ressources dont nous avons tant besoin pour nourrir et éduquer nos enfants et construire une planète durable pour notre jeunesse sont gaspillées en dépenses militaires.

    Nous avons besoin de paix – à Gaza, en Ukraine, au Soudan, et partout ailleurs.

    J’appelle les dirigeants du monde entier à surmonter les divisions, à mettre fin aux conflits, et à investir dans l’avenir de leurs populations et dans la paix.

    Chers amis,

    Dans un monde de richesses exceptionnelles, de connaissances et de technologies sans précédent, nous n’avons aucune excuse.

    Il est temps de tenir les promesses du Programme 2030 – de mettre fin à la pauvreté, de protéger la planète, et de ne laisser personne de côté.

    Gardons les objectifs de développement durable en vie.

    Je vous remercie.
    ***

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Written question – Compatibility of internal border controls with the Schengen Borders Code – E-001719/2024

    Source: European Parliament

    Question for written answer  E-001719/2024
    to the Commission
    Rule 144
    Pascal Arimont (PPE)

    Temporary internal border controls have been allowed at all German borders since 16 September 2024. Following temporary border controls already in place at Germany’s borders with Austria, Switzerland, Czechia and Poland, the German Ministry of the Interior has ordered further temporary internal border controls to last six months at the country’s borders with Belgium, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, France and Denmark. It informed the Commission of the new border controls on 9 September 2024.

    • 1.Are these internal border controls in line with Article 25(2) of the Schengen Borders Code (Regulation (EU) 2016/399), according to which such controls may be introduced only as a last resort?
    • 2.Are these internal border controls consistent with the principles of necessity and proportionality set out in Article 26 of the Schengen Borders Code?
    • 3.How does the Commission intend to avoid a domino effect if other Member States decide to follow Germany, France, Austria, Sweden, Denmark, Italy and Slovenia and reintroduce their own border controls?

    Submitted: 16.9.2024

    Last updated: 24 September 2024

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: G7 DFIs, MedAccess, EIB, and IFC Announce MoU for Surge Financing Initiative for Medical Countermeasures

    Source: European Investment Bank

    Today, participating G7 development finance institutions (DFIs), MedAccess, the European Investment Bank (EIB), and the International Finance Corporation (IFC) announced the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MoU) for the Surge Financing Initiative for Medical Countermeasures (MCMs). These DFIs are working closely with global and regional health organizations to establish the collaboration frameworks and innovative financing mechanisms needed to support a rapid and equitable pandemic response. Building on lessons from the COVID-19 pandemic, the initiative will focus on the procurement, production, and distribution of vaccines, therapeutics, diagnostics, and other MCMs for low- and lower-middle-income countries. The MoU builds on the Joint Statement of Collaboration announced at UNGA last year as well as the Chair Summary and Report that outlined collaboration and innovating financing options. This effort is a joint collaboration between participating G7 DFIs, MedAccess, EIB, and IFC, in accord with G7 Hiroshima Vision for Equitable Access to Medical Countermeasures launched at the 2023 Hiroshima Summit and reaffirmed at the 2024 Apulia Summit.

    The MoU was signed by the U.S. International Development Finance Corporation (DFC, USA), Cassa Depositi e Prestiti (CDP, Italy), British International Investment & MedAccess (UK), KfW & Germany’s Development Finance Institution DEG (Germany), AFD & Proparco (France), JICA (Japan), EIB (European Union), and IFC (World Bank Group). The MoU also has support from the Government of Canada and leading global and regional health organizations.  

    This work builds on ongoing collaboration across many DFIs on regional manufacturing in Africa. The ongoing Mpox public health emergency underscores the importance of this collaboration and need for surge financing. Leveraging this initiative, DFIs met with leading global health organizations including the World Health Organization, Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC), Gavi, and the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI) on August 22, soon after Mpox was declared a public health emergency of international concern, to discuss response efforts and financing needs.

    “DFC is proud to support this first-of-its kind framework to ensure DFIs can act swiftly and cohesively to provide surge financing for life-saving products at the start of a health emergency. We expect to leverage this initiative for the Mpox response, working closely with our U.S. Government, development finance, and health partners More broadly, DFC’s investments in health services, supply chains, and technology all help bolster pandemic preparedness and health system resilience.” said DFC DCEO Nisha Biswal.

    “JICA believes this surge financing initiative will enhance coordination among development finance institutions and health organizations to achieve our commitment to work towards equitable access to safe, effective, quality-assured and affordable MCMs for health emergencies, which Japan announced as Chair of the 2023 G7 Summit in Hiroshima.   Leveraging this initiative and JICA’s own lessons learned from the COVID-19 pandemic, we will continue to support countries that have suffered from inequitable access to MCMs in the past,” said Chief Representative of JICA USA Office Satoko Tanaka.

    “IFC is proud to participate in this innovative framework to support medical countermeasure financing mechanisms, an important step for responding more effectively to future health crises. Collaboration between development finance institutions and global health partners is key to ensure coordinated efforts that strengthen healthcare systems and supply chains, enhancing pandemic preparedness.” said Vice President of Industries Mohamed Gouled.

    “DEG and KfW are committed to the UN Sustainable Development Goals, one of which is improving healthcare”, said Member of the DEG Management Board Monika Beck. “Therefore, we are delighted to support this initiative to provide financing for healthcare products during health emergencies, together with our trusted development finance partner institutions. We are convinced that it is essential to join forces to support improved access to critical health products when they are in short supply.”

    “Sustainable development is linked to equitable and rightful access to health and well-being. As CDP, we strongly support this initiative, which has been mentioned in the G7 Leaders’ final declaration last June at the Apulia Summit, that will foster the development of health systems across emerging economies, ensuring the foundation is laid for research, production, and distribution of essential medicines, diagnostic equipment, and vaccines. The COVID-19 pandemic underscored the critical need for every nation to be equipped with the tools to safeguard public health in times of crisis. Achieving the 2030 UN SDGs will require robust global collaboration, and we are proud to partner with G7 DFIs, the European Investment Bank, and the International Finance Corporation to help make this vision a reality.” said CDP Director of International Development Cooperation Paolo Lombardo.

    “The COVID-19 pandemic showed us the value of working together but also the need to coordinate our actions more closely,” said EIB Vice President Thomas Östros. “With joint efforts, we can multiply our impact and effectiveness, especially in meeting current challenges such as Mpox and in tackling future health emergencies. At the EIB, global health is a key priority, and we highly value this partnership.”

    “The MoU is an important step towards strengthening global health security and reducing the impact of future pandemics on vulnerable populations. This furthers our commitment, as the UK’s DFI, to invest in businesses that provide essential health services and products, including vaccines. It will ensure that future health crises can be mitigated to allow continued economic growth and social progress in low- and middle-income countries, said BII Chair Diana Layfield.

    “When critical health products are in short supply, fast and flexible capital can make the difference between life and death,“ said CEO of MedAccess Michael Anderson. “The COVID-19 pandemic showed how quickly global supply chains can grind to a halt when overwhelming demand meets scarce supply. This led to inequitable distribution of medical products, leaving millions of people at risk from the disease. Today’s announcement underlines our shared commitment to being prepared for future pandemics with the capital and financial tools to enable companies to meet large-scale, urgent demand for lifesaving products.”

    “A lesson learned from the COVID-19 crisis is that it is possible to mobilize significant public and private financial resources in turbulent times. Let’s use this experience of successful mobilization to anticipate effective pandemic preparedness. I believe this Memorandum of Understanding is one of the necessary steps towards better coordination among Public Development Banks to mobilize the private sector and demonstrates the catalytic power of joining forces for innovative financial instruments, as explored by Finance in Common and its Social Investment Coalition. Health is a common good, no one should be left behind in the face of a pandemic,” said Rémy Rioux, CEO of AFD Group (AFD, Proparco, and Expertise France) and Chairman of Finance in Common Summit in Paris.

    Background information

    The European Investment Bank (EIB) is the long-term lending institution of the European Union owned by its Member States. It finances sound investment contributing to EU policy goals. The EIB’s activities focus on the following priority areas: climate and environment, development, innovation and skills, small and medium-sized businesses, infrastructure, and cohesion. The EIB works closely with other institutions and has provided total financing of more than € 42 billion for healthcare-related projects around the world since it started investing in the sector in 1997.  

    The U.S. International Development Finance Corporation (DFC) partners with the private sector to finance solutions to the most critical challenges facing the developing world today. We invest across sectors including energy, healthcare, infrastructure, agriculture, and small business and financial services. DFC investments adhere to high standards and respect the environment, human rights, and worker rights. 

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: European Union and Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation partner to expand contraceptive and health access for women in low- and middle-income countries.

    Source: European Investment Bank

    Today, on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York, the European Union (EU) and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation announced they are developing new financing mechanisms to accelerate access to health products, including safe, effective and affordable contraceptive and maternal health medicines. These will allow more women living in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) to better meet their needs.

    The announcement followed a meeting between Nadia Calvino, President of the European Investment Bank (EIB), Jutta Urpilainen, European Commissioner for International Partnerships and Bill Gates, co-chair of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.

    One new mechanism under discussion is with the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), the UN’s sexual and reproductive health agency. This mechanism is expected to help reduce costs and address barriers so that more women can benefit from contraception and maternal health medicines. This will enable women to plan their families, leading to healthier women and children, as well as empowering local communities and economies. Access to safe, voluntary, family planning is a human right, which helps to lower maternal ill-health and the number of pregnancy-related deaths.

    Currently, UNFPA works with national governments to support low- and middle-income countries to access contraceptives and maternal health medicines but can only place orders to support national plans once they have contributions in the bank. This is despite more than 60% of donation commitments being multi-year. The new mechanism will be designed to frontload multi-year donor commitments, and enable advanced planning, visibility and commitments to low- and middle-income countries. It will enable broader and more sustainable access to family planning products for women.

    This financing mechanism is envisioned to be led by the EIB, backed by the European Commission. It will be supported by funding from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to the UNFPA Supplies Partnership, to be delivered over five years.

    In addition, the EIB and the European Commission are developing new financial guarantees of up to €170m for gender and human development which will stipulate a certain volume of new products to be taken to market, incentivising investment to manufacture life-saving products at scale. This forms part of a broader partnership between the European Commission, European Investment Bank and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to accelerate investments to improve health and nutrition in low- and middle-income countries, including through the Human Development Accelerator (HDX), a Global Gateway initiative.

    Globally, more than 257 million women and girls who want to avoid pregnancy are not using a modern contraceptive method[1]. Without additional resources, there could be a $1.5B funding gap by 2030 for contraceptive products in low- and middle-income countries. Currently, over 40% of low- and middle-income countries report that more than 4 in 10 service delivery points had stockouts, and countries face long waiting times for deliveries.

    “Every woman, everywhere, should have the right to plan a family, pursue an education, and follow her dreams,” said EIB President Nadia Calviño. “Safe and affordable contraception makes this possible.  We are proud to partner with the United Nations Population Fund, the European Commission and the Gates Foundation to reduce costs and barriers for women and make sure they are in the driving seat of their own lives.”

    Jutta Urpilainen, European Commissioner for International Partnerships, said: “Promoting gender equality is at the core of the EU’s external action. We are proud to invest in sexual and reproductive health products and services that empower women to reach their full potential, and contribute to building inclusive, prosperous communities.”

    Bill Gates, co-chair of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, said, “Far too often, women in low- and middle-income countries don’t have the contraceptive choices they want, and there’s not enough being done to close that gap. The European Institutions’ leadership will make a huge difference in the lives of women and in the health of entire communities and countries—because when women can control their health and financial futures, everyone benefits.”

    Background information

    The European Investment Bank (EIB) is the long-term lending institution of the European Union owned by its Member States. It is active in more than 160 countries and makes long-term finance available for sound investment in order to contribute towards EU policy goals.

    EIB Global is the EIB Group’s specialised arm dedicated to increasing the impact of international partnerships and development finance.  EIB Global is designed to foster strong, focused partnership within Team Europe, alongside fellow development finance institutions, and civil society. EIB Global brings the Group closer to local people, companies and institutions through our offices across the world. 

    Global Gateway

    Global Gateway is the European Union‘s initiative to unlock investments and boost global connectivity through sustainable infrastructure projects. Launched in 2021, it seeks to mobilise up to €300 billion by 2027 to finance programmes in strategic sectors such as digital technology, climate and energy, transport, health, education, and research. The initiative emphasises a values-driven approach, promoting environmental sustainability, social inclusion, and democratic governance while strengthening trade and development ties with partner countries.

    Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation

    Guided by the belief that every life has equal value, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation works to help all people lead healthy, productive lives. In developing countries, it focuses on improving people’s health and giving them the chance to lift themselves out of hunger and extreme poverty. In the United States, it seeks to ensure that all people—especially those with the fewest resources—have access to the opportunities they need to succeed in school and life. Based in Seattle, Washington, the foundation is led by CEO Mark Suzman, under the direction of co-chairs Bill Gates and Melinda French Gates and the board of trustees.

    [1] https://www.unfpa.org/swp2022/challenges

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: European Union and Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation partner to expand contraceptive and health access for women in low- and middle-income countries.

    Source: European Investment Bank

    Today, on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York, the European Union (EU) and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation announced they are developing new financing mechanisms to accelerate access to health products, including safe, effective and affordable contraceptive and maternal health medicines. These will allow more women living in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) to better meet their needs.

    The announcement followed a meeting between Nadia Calvino, President of the European Investment Bank (EIB), Jutta Urpilainen, European Commissioner for International Partnerships and Bill Gates, co-chair of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.

    One new mechanism under discussion is with the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), the UN’s sexual and reproductive health agency. This mechanism is expected to help reduce costs and address barriers so that more women can benefit from contraception and maternal health medicines. This will enable women to plan their families, leading to healthier women and children, as well as empowering local communities and economies. Access to safe, voluntary, family planning is a human right, which helps to lower maternal ill-health and the number of pregnancy-related deaths.

    Currently, UNFPA works with national governments to support low- and middle-income countries to access contraceptives and maternal health medicines but can only place orders to support national plans once they have contributions in the bank. This is despite more than 60% of donation commitments being multi-year. The new mechanism will be designed to frontload multi-year donor commitments, and enable advanced planning, visibility and commitments to low- and middle-income countries. It will enable broader and more sustainable access to family planning products for women.

    This financing mechanism is envisioned to be led by the EIB, backed by the European Commission. It will be supported by funding from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to the UNFPA Supplies Partnership, to be delivered over five years.

    In addition, the EIB and the European Commission are developing new financial guarantees of up to €170m for gender and human development which will stipulate a certain volume of new products to be taken to market, incentivising investment to manufacture life-saving products at scale. This forms part of a broader partnership between the European Commission, European Investment Bank and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to accelerate investments to improve health and nutrition in low- and middle-income countries, including through the Human Development Accelerator (HDX), a Global Gateway initiative.

    Globally, more than 257 million women and girls who want to avoid pregnancy are not using a modern contraceptive method[1]. Without additional resources, there could be a $1.5B funding gap by 2030 for contraceptive products in low- and middle-income countries. Currently, over 40% of low- and middle-income countries report that more than 4 in 10 service delivery points had stockouts, and countries face long waiting times for deliveries.

    “Every woman, everywhere, should have the right to plan a family, pursue an education, and follow her dreams,” said EIB President Nadia Calviño. “Safe and affordable contraception makes this possible.  We are proud to partner with the United Nations Population Fund, the European Commission and the Gates Foundation to reduce costs and barriers for women and make sure they are in the driving seat of their own lives.”

    Jutta Urpilainen, European Commissioner for International Partnerships, said: “Promoting gender equality is at the core of the EU’s external action. We are proud to invest in sexual and reproductive health products and services that empower women to reach their full potential, and contribute to building inclusive, prosperous communities.”

    Bill Gates, co-chair of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, said, “Far too often, women in low- and middle-income countries don’t have the contraceptive choices they want, and there’s not enough being done to close that gap. The European Institutions’ leadership will make a huge difference in the lives of women and in the health of entire communities and countries—because when women can control their health and financial futures, everyone benefits.”

    Background information

    The European Investment Bank (EIB) is the long-term lending institution of the European Union owned by its Member States. It is active in more than 160 countries and makes long-term finance available for sound investment in order to contribute towards EU policy goals.

    EIB Global is the EIB Group’s specialised arm dedicated to increasing the impact of international partnerships and development finance.  EIB Global is designed to foster strong, focused partnership within Team Europe, alongside fellow development finance institutions, and civil society. EIB Global brings the Group closer to local people, companies and institutions through our offices across the world. 

    Global Gateway

    Global Gateway is the European Union‘s initiative to unlock investments and boost global connectivity through sustainable infrastructure projects. Launched in 2021, it seeks to mobilise up to €300 billion by 2027 to finance programmes in strategic sectors such as digital technology, climate and energy, transport, health, education, and research. The initiative emphasises a values-driven approach, promoting environmental sustainability, social inclusion, and democratic governance while strengthening trade and development ties with partner countries.

    Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation

    Guided by the belief that every life has equal value, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation works to help all people lead healthy, productive lives. In developing countries, it focuses on improving people’s health and giving them the chance to lift themselves out of hunger and extreme poverty. In the United States, it seeks to ensure that all people—especially those with the fewest resources—have access to the opportunities they need to succeed in school and life. Based in Seattle, Washington, the foundation is led by CEO Mark Suzman, under the direction of co-chairs Bill Gates and Melinda French Gates and the board of trustees.

    [1] https://www.unfpa.org/swp2022/challenges

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Translation: Technical Media Briefing to Provide Update on the 2024 Wildfire and Hurricane Season

    MIL OSI Translation. Canadian French to English –

    Source: Government of Canada – in French 1

    Government of Canada officials will hold a virtual technical briefing for media to provide an update on the 2024 wildfire and hurricane season.

    Ottawa, Ontario – Government of Canada officials will hold a virtual technical briefing for media to provide an update on the 2024 wildfire and hurricane season.

    The technical briefing will be for attribution purposes. Journalists will be able to ask questions of officials present and responses may be attributed to the author.

    Event: Technical Briefing for Media (on Zoom)

    Date: Wednesday, September 25, 2024

    Time: 10:30 a.m. (EDT)

    Note to the media

    Simultaneous audio interpretation will be available. Only members of the Press Gallery will be able to participate in the question and answer period of the technical briefing, which will take place via Zoom. Members of the media who are not members of the Press Gallery may contact pressres2@parl.gc.ca to obtain temporary access. Members of the media who wish to listen to the conference by telephone may dial in using the numbers below. Members of the media are encouraged to dial in 15 minutes prior to the start of the press conference. No questions will be asked via teleconference.

    Participant Call-In Numbers: 1-866-206-0153/613-954-9003

    Access code: 6002899

    Media RelationsPublic Safety Canada613-991-0657media@ps-sp.gc.ca

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

    MIL Translation OSI

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Secretary-General’s remarks to the Security Council – on Ukraine [bilingual, as delivered; scroll down for all-English and all-French]

    Source: United Nations secretary general

    Mr. President, Excellencies,

    Two days ago, in the newly agreed Pact for the Future, world leaders reaffirmed their commitment to international law and to the Charter of the United Nations.

    Our Organization is based on the principle of sovereignty of all Member States – within their internationally recognized borders.

    The Charter unequivocally stipulates that all States must refrain from the threat or use of force against the territorial integrity or political independence of any other State – and that international disputes must be settled by peaceful means.

    Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 – following the illegal annexation of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea and City of Sevastopol a decade ago – is a clear violation of these principles.

    And civilian populations continue to pay the price.

    The death toll keeps rising.

    Nearly 10 million people have fled their homes.

    Systematic attacks against hospitals, schools, supermarkets… are only adding pain and misery.

    Power cuts and infrastructure damage have left millions in the dark.

    I strongly condemn all attacks on civilians and civilian facilities – wherever they occur and whoever is responsible. They all must stop immediately.

    And I remain deeply concerned about the safety, humanitarian needs and basic human rights of people residing in occupied areas.

    Mr. President,

    Despite immense challenges, the United Nations remains fully engaged as the largest international presence in Ukraine.

    This year alone, and together with our partners, we have provided lifesaving aid to more than 6.2 million people.

    But we need the support of the international community.

    15 million people in Ukraine require humanitarian assistance – more than half of them women and girls.

    But – as winter is approaching – less than half of our 2024 Humanitarian Response Plan is funded.

    I urge donors to help us pursue our vital work on the ground.

    We are also assisting the government of Ukraine in its recovery and reconstruction efforts.

    This includes access to basic services and the restoration of Ukraine’s energy production capacities.

    In recent weeks, we have seen a resurgence of inflammatory rhetoric and incidents around nuclear sites – particularly at the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant, and alarmingly, at the Kursk Nuclear Power Plant in the Russian Federation.

    I commend the International Atomic Energy Agency, including its critical presence in Ukraine’s nuclear sites, to help ensure nuclear safety and security.

    I urge all parties to act responsibly and avoid any declaration or action that could further destabilize an already incendiary situation.

    Monsieur le Président,

    Deux ans et demi après l’invasion à grande échelle de l’Ukraine, plus de 11 000 civils ont été tués.

    Plus cette guerre tragique se prolonge, plus le risque d’escalade et de débordement est grand.

    Cela n’affecterait pas seulement la région, mais aggraverait les tensions et les divisions mondiales – à un moment où notre monde a désespérément besoin de plus de coopération et d’action collective.

    Nous devons mettre fin aux souffrances et briser le cycle de la violence, dans l’intérêt du peuple ukrainien, du peuple russe – et du monde entier.

    L’initiative de la mer Noire et les échanges de prisonniers de guerre nous le rappellent : lorsqu’il y a une volonté politique, la diplomatie peut réussir, même dans les heures les plus sombres.

    Bien que la paix puisse aujourd’hui paraître hors de portée, les nombreux appels au dialogue représentent une lueur d’espoir.  

    Intensifions donc nos efforts pour aboutir à la paix en Ukraine – une paix juste, totale et durable ;

    Une paix conforme à la Charte des Nations unies, au droit international et aux résolutions de l’Assemblée générale.

    L’Organisation des Nations Unies soutiendra tout effort en ce sens.

    Je vous remercie.

    ******

    [all-English]

    Mr. President, Excellencies,

    Two days ago, in the newly agreed Pact for the Future, world leaders reaffirmed their commitment to international law and to the Charter of the United Nations.

    Our Organization is based on the principle of sovereignty of all Member States – within their internationally recognized borders.

    The Charter unequivocally stipulates that all States must refrain from the threat or use of force against the territorial integrity or political independence of any other State – and that international disputes must be settled by peaceful means.

    Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 – following the illegal annexation of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea and City of Sevastopol a decade ago – is a clear violation of these principles.

    And civilian populations continue to pay the price.

    The death toll keeps rising.

    Nearly 10 million people have fled their homes.

    Systematic attacks against hospitals, schools, supermarkets… are only adding pain and misery.

    Power cuts and infrastructure damage have left millions in the dark.

    I strongly condemn all attacks on civilians and civilian facilities – wherever they occur and whoever is responsible. They all must stop immediately.

    And I remain deeply concerned about the safety, humanitarian needs and basic human rights of people residing in occupied areas.

    Mr. President,

    Despite immense challenges, the United Nations remains fully engaged as the largest international presence in Ukraine.

    This year alone, and together with our partners, we have provided lifesaving aid to more than 6.2 million people.

    But we need the support of the international community.

    15 million people in Ukraine require humanitarian assistance – more than half of them women and girls.

    But – as winter is approaching – less than half of our 2024 Humanitarian Response Plan is funded.

    I urge donors to help us pursue our vital work on the ground.

    We are also assisting the government of Ukraine in its recovery and reconstruction efforts.

    This includes access to basic services and the restoration of Ukraine’s energy production capacities.

    In recent weeks, we have seen a resurgence of inflammatory rhetoric and incidents around nuclear sites – particularly at the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant, and alarmingly, at the Kursk Nuclear Power Plant in the Russian Federation.

    I commend the International Atomic Energy Agency, including its critical presence in Ukraine’s nuclear sites, to help ensure nuclear safety and security.

    I urge all parties to act responsibly and avoid any declaration or action that could further destabilize an already incendiary situation.

    Mr. President,

    Two and half years since the full-blown invasion of Ukraine, more than 11,000 civilians have been killed.

    The longer this tragic war continues, the greater the risk of escalation and spillover.

    This would not only impact the region, but further deepen global tensions and divisions – at a time when our world desperately needs more cooperation and collective action.

    We must stop the suffering and break the cycle of violence – for the sake of the people of Ukraine, the people of Russia, and the world.

    The Black Sea Initiative and the continued exchanges of prisoners of war serve as reminders that, when there is political will, diplomacy can succeed – even in the darkest hour.

    Today, though the prospects for peace may seem distant, I am inspired by the growing calls for dialogue.

    So let us intensify our efforts to seek peace in Ukraine – a just, comprehensive and sustainable peace, in line with the UN Charter, international law and resolutions of the General Assembly.

    United Nations stands ready to support all efforts towards achieving this goal.

    Thank you.

    ******

    [all-French]

    Monsieur le Président, Excellences,

    Il y a deux jours, à travers le nouveau Pacte pour l’avenir, les dirigeants du monde ont réaffirmé leur attachement au droit international et à la Charte des Nations unies.

    Notre Organisation est fondée sur le principe de la souveraineté de tous les États membres – à l’intérieur de leurs frontières internationalement reconnues.

    La Charte est sans équivoque : tous les États doivent s’abstenir de recourir à la menace ou à l’emploi de la force contre l’intégrité territoriale ou l’indépendance politique de tout autre État, et que les différends internationaux doivent être réglés par des moyens pacifiques.

    L’invasion massive de l’Ukraine par la Russie en février 2022 – après l’annexion illégale de la République autonome de Crimée et de la ville de Sébastopol il y a dix ans – constitue une violation manifeste de ces principes.

    Et les populations civiles continuent d’en payer le prix.

    Le nombre de morts ne cesse d’augmenter.

    Près de 10 millions de personnes ont fui leurs foyers.

    Les attaques systématiques contre les hôpitaux, les écoles, les supermarchés… ne font qu’amplifier la douleur et la détresse.

    Les coupures de courant et les dommages causés aux infrastructures ont plongé des millions de personnes dans l’obscurité.

    Je condamne fermement toutes les attaques contre les civils et les installations civiles, peu importe où elles se produisent et qui est responsable. Elles doivent toutes cesser immédiatement.

    Et je reste profondément préoccupé par la sécurité, les besoins humanitaires et les droits humains des personnes résidant dans les régions occupées.

    Monsieur le Président,

    Malgré d’immenses défis, l’Organisation des Nations Unies reste pleinement engagée, représentant la plus grande présence internationale en Ukraine.

    Rien que cette année, en coopération avec nos partenaires, nous avons apporté une aide vitale à plus de 6,2 millions de personnes.

    Mais nous avons besoin du soutien de la communauté internationale.

    15 millions de personnes en Ukraine ont besoin d’aide humanitaire – et plus de la moitié d’entre elles sont des femmes et des jeunes filles.

    Cependant, à l’approche de l’hiver, moins de la moitié de notre Plan d’intervention humanitaire pour 2024 est financée.

    J’exhorte les donateurs à nous aider à poursuivre notre travail vital sur le terrain.

    Nous assistons également le gouvernement ukrainien dans ses efforts de redressement économique et de reconstruction.

    Cela comprend l’accès aux services de base et la restauration des capacités de production d’énergie de l’Ukraine.

    Ces dernières semaines, nous avons vu une recrudescence de rhétorique incendiaire et d’incidents autour des sites nucléaires – en particulier à la centrale nucléaire de Zaporizhzhia et, de façon inquiétante, à la centrale nucléaire de Koursk, dans la Fédération de Russie.

    Je félicite l’Agence internationale de l’énergie atomique, notamment pour sa présence essentielle sur les sites nucléaires ukrainiens, afin de contribuer à garantir la sûreté et la sécurité nucléaires.

    J’appelle toutes les parties à agir de manière responsable et à éviter toute déclaration ou action susceptible de déstabiliser davantage une situation déjà incendiaire.

    Monsieur le Président,

    Deux ans et demi après l’invasion à grande échelle de l’Ukraine, plus de 11 000 civils ont été tués.

    Plus cette guerre tragique se prolonge, plus le risque d’escalade et de débordement est grand.

    Cela n’affecterait pas seulement la région, mais aggraverait les tensions et les divisions mondiales – à un moment où notre monde a désespérément besoin de plus de coopération et d’action collective.

    Nous devons mettre fin aux souffrances et briser le cycle de la violence, dans l’intérêt du peuple ukrainien, du peuple russe – et du monde entier.

    L’initiative de la mer Noire et les échanges de prisonniers de guerre nous le rappellent : lorsqu’il y a une volonté politique, la diplomatie peut réussir, même dans les heures les plus sombres.

    Bien que la paix puisse aujourd’hui paraître hors de portée, les nombreux appels au dialogue représentent une lueur d’espoir.  

    Intensifions donc nos efforts pour aboutir à la paix en Ukraine – une paix juste, totale et durable ;

    Une paix conforme à la Charte des Nations unies, au droit international et aux résolutions de l’Assemblée générale.

    L’Organisation des Nations Unies soutiendra tout effort en ce sens.

    Je vous remercie.

    MIL OSI United Nations News –