NewzIntel.com

Category: France

  • Paris cheers its ‘sublime’ champions PSG

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    Paris St Germain held victory celebrations on the Champs Elysees and at their Parc des Princes stadium for thousands of cheering supporters on Sunday after crushing Inter Milan 5-0 to win their first Champions League title.

    Dressed in the club’s blue-and-red colours, fans gathered in the French capital’s most famous avenue to welcome their Parisian heroes, just landed from Munich.

    The players showed off the coveted trophy from their open top bus and joined in the crowd’s singing.

    “We are the champions!”, “Ici c’est Paris!” (Paris is here) and other chants reverberated throughout the avenue.

    The squad then headed for the nearby Elysee palace where they were greeted by President Emmanuel Macron.

    “You won this Champions League, and you did it in a sublime, phenomenal way. You are the champions, and you put Paris at the top of Europe. And it was magnificent,” Macron said.

    “We all felt the excitement. There were 11 of you on the pitch, but there was clearly a 12th man – the French public … regardless of traditional allegiances.”

    PSG’s young team achieved what the likes of Lionel Messi, Neymar and Kylian Mbappe could not do in their colours, becoming only the second French side to win the trophy after Olympique de Marseille in 1993.

    “It’s unbelievable,” said one fan Leo Rogue, 22, standing in the middle of the packed crowd in a vintage PSG top. “I don’t have the words … We’ve been waiting for this for a long time.”

    SECURITY LIMIT

    Police capped numbers at 100,000 for security reasons.

    Some youngsters climbed on scaffolding or news stands to better take in the moment.

    Jamel, 55, was disappointed to be stopped near an entrance to the parade as numbers had reached a maximum, but was not letting that spoil his celebration.

    “Yesterday I partied and today I’m partying,” he said.

    Wild celebrations erupted across the French capital and beyond on Saturday night, although skirmishes with police later threatened to spoil the atmosphere.

    The club condemned violence on X. “Paris St Germain calls on everyone to show responsibility and respect, for that historic win to remain a moment of pride shared by all,” it said.

    At the Parc des Princes stadium on Sunday evening, police deployed tear gas when dozens of ticketless fans sought to enter the security perimeter.

    Inside the arena, after a show that featured DJ Snake, the players came to greet the crowd with man-of-the-final Desire Doue, Ousmane Dembele and coach Luis Enrique the most cheered, before club president Nasser al Khelaifi and captain Mqrauinhos showed the trophy to the fans.

    After the stadium emptied out, supporters threw fireworks at police, who responded with tear gas.

    (Reuters)

  • Swiatek digs herself out of deep hole, Alcaraz powers on at French Open

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    Four-time champion Iga Swiatek clawed her way back from the brink to reach the French Open quarter-finals by defeating her claycourt nemesis Elena Rybakina while men’s title holder Carlos Alcaraz also went through after a tough workout on Sunday.

    Fifth seed Swiatek looked out of sorts as she trailed 6-1 2-0 on Court Philippe Chatrier, leaving the crowd stunned. But Swiatek found her groove and some grit to prevail 1-6 6-3 7-5.

    Her final opponent from last year, Jasmine Paolini, was on the wrong end of another last-16 clash against 13th seed Elina Svitolina of Ukraine, the Italian wasting three match points in a 4-6 7-6(6) 6-1 defeat.

    Svitolina will provide the next test for Swiatek, who continues her quest to become the first female player since tennis turned professional to claim the singles’ title four times in a row at Roland Garros.

    The only women to win the singles at Roland Garros in four straight years were Jeanne Matthey from 1909-12 and Suzanne Lenglen from 1920-23 when only French players competed.

    Since tennis turned professional in 1968, Swiatek is one of three women with Monica Seles and Justine Henin to enjoy three consecutive triumphs in Paris and on Sunday it looked like her quest for a fourth straight was going to crash to a halt.

    The 12th-seeded Rybakina made a bullet start, putting Swiatek on the back foot with some powerful baseline play and racing to a 5-0 lead, threatening to inflict on the former world number one her first bagel at a Grand Slam.

    “It was as if I was playing (men’s world number one and heavy hitter) Jannik Sinner,” Swiatek joked.

    DOUBLE FAULTS

    If there was any sign that Swiatek was rattled, it was her three double faults at 2-2 in the second set.

    The fifth seed still held though and it proved to be a turning point as she went on to break to love and move 4-2 up, bagging 10 consecutive points in the process to send the clash into a decider.

    At 4-4, with Rybakina serving at 15-40, the Kazakh appeared to have double-faulted on break point.

    Both players were walking towards their benches when chair umpire Kader Nouni’s deep voice overruled the line judge’s call.

    The reversal offered Rybakina an unexpected lifeline as the air filled with electricity.

    Swiatek later saved a game point with a blistering forehand winner, but it was Rybakina who ultimately secured the crucial hold, shifting the weight of expectation squarely onto her opponent’s shoulders.

    Swiatek cooled down and held, then broke and finished it off on the second match point before unleashing a huge scream and bumping her chest in a mix of released anger and relief.

    “In the first set, with her playing like that I felt I did not have a single chance,” said Swiatek, who had lost to Rybakina in their two previous encounters on clay.

    “Using the top spin was the plan from the beginning but I did not feel she gave me the space to do that. But I’m happy that I was patient enough to stay in the game and use any opportunity that came to me.”

    Elsewhere in the top half of the draw, Olympic champion Zheng Qinwen battled on, the Chinese eighth seed overcoming Russia’s Liudmila Samsonova 7-6(5) 1-6 6-3, with a potential clash against world number one Aryna Sabalenka looming.

    In the men’s draw, Carlos Alcaraz etched his name deeper in clay by overcoming American Ben Shelton 7-6(8) 6-3 4-6 6-4 for his 100th tour-level win on the surface to reach the quarter-finals for a fourth successive year.

    Victory was far from simple and Alcaraz said he fought against himself in the mind.

    “I just tried to calm myself. In some moments I was mad, I was angry with myself. Talking not really good things but I am happy to not let those thoughts play against me,” he added.

    “I tried to calm myself down and I tried to keep going.”

    Up next for him is world number 12 Tommy Paul, who blitzed Alexei Popyrin 6-3 6-3 6-3 to become the first American male player to reach the French Open quarter-finals in 22 years.

    Paul matched Andre Agassi’s run from 2003 after Americans on Saturday equalled a 40-year-old record with five women and three men reaching round four of the clay court Grand Slam.

    Another American in the last eight is Frances Tiafoe, who beat Germany’s Daniel Altmaier but will find himself with a mountain to climb in the next round as he takes on Italian craftsman Lorenzo Musetti.

    World number seven Musetti beat Denmark’s Holger Rune 7-5 3-6 6-3 6-2, showing his impressive palette of claycourt game. He has reached at least the semi-finals of all three Masters events on the slow surface this season.

    Sabalenka battled past 16th-seed Amanda Anisimova 7-5 6-3 to become the first player to reach the quarter-finals in 10 straight Grand Slams since American Serena Williams between 2014-17.

    The Belarusian squandered a total of seven matchpoints before seeing off Anisimova to set up a clash with Zheng.

    (Reuters)

  • MIL-OSI USA: Congressman Meuser Celebrates President Trump’s Landmark Action to Keep U.S. Steel in America, Delivering 70,000 Jobs and a $14 Billion Boost to the Economy

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Dan Meuser (PA-9)

    Washington, D.C. – Congressman Dan Meuser (PA-09) today applauded President Donald J. Trump for successfully negotiating a record investment and record job creation for Pennsylvania and America’s steel industry through a landmark partnership between the United States of America, U.S. Steel, and Nippon Steel.

    The agreement will keep U.S. Steel’s headquarters in Pittsburgh, generate at least 70,000 family-sustaining American jobs, and inject $14 billion into the U.S. economy—the largest steel-sector commitment in Pennsylvania’s history.

    Congressman Meuser’s tireless efforts included meeting repeatedly with Local 2227 Steelworkers to gather shop‑floor priorities; conducting rigorous oversight and vocal opposition when the Biden Administration attempted to block this historic investment; engaging colleagues across Capitol Hill to build bipartisan momentum; conferring directly with Nippon Steel executives to guarantee America‑First terms; coordinating personally with U.S. Steel President & CEO Dave Burritt to arrange high‑level discussions in Washington; and directly with the White House and President Trump—an America‑First blueprint the Dealmaker‑in‑Chief embraced to secure record investment and record jobs for Pennsylvania and the nation.

    “President Trump has reinvigorated American manufacturing. Today he has truly proven himself to be the Man of Steel,” said Congressman Meuser. “Keeping U.S. Steel here at home protects Pennsylvania jobs, fuels a modern manufacturing revival from Pittsburgh to the Mon Valley, and sends an unmistakable message that Made in the USA is back for good. I knew that once President Trump brought his great business acumen to the table, and saw the opportunity for our country, he would secure the best deal possible. With 70,000 new jobs on the way and billions of dollars flowing into our communities, Pennsylvania is ready to lead the steel industry once again. It’s enough to make me become a Steelers fan!”

    Congressman French Hill (AR-02) said, “The merger of Nippon Steel and U.S. Steel will greatly benefit many of our steel-producing states like Pennsylvania, Indiana, Michigan, and my home state of Arkansas. Foreign direct investment is a vote of confidence in our country, and in my view, this deal is an important win for President Trump. I thank my colleague and friend Rep. Dan Meuser for his leadership and commend his longstanding support for this important merger.”

    David B. Burritt, President and CEO, U.S. Steel said, “Congressman Meuser’s support and advocacy over the past year has been invaluable. His leadership on behalf of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is deeply appreciated by the U.S. Steel team.”

    Key Highlights of the President’s Announcement

    • U.S. Steel Headquarters to Stay in Pittsburgh – safeguarding legacy jobs and local supply chains.
    • Strategic Partnership with Nippon Steel – combining advanced technology with American innovation.
    • 70,000 New, Family-Sustaining Jobs – the largest single-investment jobs surge in Pennsylvania history.
    • $14 Billion Economic Impact – majority of spending and hiring to occur over the next 14 months.
    • Nationwide Manufacturing Revival – benefits extending from Pennsylvania to Arkansas, Minnesota, and Indiana.
    • Strengthened National Security – President Trump’s tariff policies ensure American steel remains the backbone of critical infrastructure and defense production.

    Congressman Meuser hails and will be joining the President’s plan to celebrate the milestone at a rally on Friday, May 30, at the U.S. Steel facility in Pittsburgh, calling it “a fitting tribute to the men and women whose skill and determination will forge the next chapter of American leadership.”

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Banking: [Interview] Lines That Find Than Define: Kun-Yong Lee x Samsung Art Store

    Source: Samsung

    “Bodyscape was inspired by a line my child left on the wall as she fell.”
    — Kun-Yong Lee, contemporary artist
     
    Should art make you think or feel? Is beauty created or discovered? These questions do not have easy answers. But for decades, artist Kun-Yong Lee has explored them head-on — quite literally with his body — in pursuit of an art that anyone can experience.
     
    Starting today, June 2, a curated selection of 15 pieces from Lee’s works will be available on Samsung Art Store.1 Samsung Art Store is an art subscription service available on Samsung Art TVs including The Frame and QLEDs. Currently available in 117 countries around the world, Samsung Art Store offers over 3,500 pieces of art in 4K resolution from over 70 partners. To mark the occasion, Samsung Newsroom spoke with Lee about his artistic philosophy and what inspired this collaboration with Samsung.
     

    Widely regarded as a major figure in contemporary Korean art, Lee has been at the forefront of the Korean avant-garde movement. He began gaining international recognition in the 1970s with notable appearances at the 8th Paris Biennale in 1973 and the 15th São Paulo Biennale in 1979. Over the years, he has been honored with numerous accolades such as the Grand Prize at the Lisbon International Show in 1979, the 8th Lee In-Sung Art Award in 2007 and the Order of Cultural Merit (Silver Crown) in 2022. Spanning drawing, painting, photography, installation and performance, Lee’s expansive practice explores the dynamic relationships between the body, the medium and the audience.

     
    ▲ “Bodyscape 76-3” (2022, Kun-Yong Lee)
     
     
    The Sensory Nature of Art
    Q: You are well known for your “Bodyscape” series. What roles do the body and movement play in your art?
     
    The “Bodyscape” series was inspired by a moment when my young daughter, just learning to walk, stumbled while holding a crayon and ended up drawing a line on the wall as she fell. That moment sparked the idea that a work of art could be created without any intention to express a specific concept — simply by allowing the body to move naturally, without even looking at the canvas.
     
    French philosopher Maurice Merleau-Ponty argued that knowledge comes from sensory experience, not abstract reasoning. Similarly, Austrian linguistic philosopher Ludwig Wittgenstein once said, “Whereof one cannot speak, thereof one must be silent”— critiquing the limits of philosophy grounded in conceptual language. I resonate with the idea that meaning arises not from language or rational thought but from the movement and sensation of the body. Artistic expression, then, is not merely a product of conscious intent — it is a way for the body to directly construct and respond to the world.
     
    ▲ Lee often positions himself behind the canvas or turns his back to it during his creative process.
     
    That’s where my work diverges from traditional painting techniques. I dip my body or brush into paint and stretch my arms as far as they reach, adding line over line. Sometimes, I intentionally turn my back to the canvas. While traditional painting reflects what the artist consciously envisions, my work is shaped by the natural lines that emerge through repeated motion — lines defined by the structure and limited range of movement of my body.
     
     
    Q: Your work often involves interacting with the audience. How does this interaction influence your art?
     
    I’ve been involved in performance art since I was young. Audience interaction is essential, as performance is a medium that cannot exist without a live audience. When viewers watch the artist’s actions, they begin to wonder what the artist is doing or what will happen next. Every word spoken by the artist and every reaction from the audience become integral parts of the work itself.
     
    “Art encourages us to see the world with greater curiosity — ultimately helping us lead more fulfilling lives.”
     
    Q: What are your favorite pieces?
     
    Among the “Bodyscape” series, I’m most partial to “Bodyscape 76-1,” “Bodyscape 76-2” and “Bodyscape 76-3.”
     
    ▲ (From left) “Bodyscape 76-1” (2022) and “Bodyscape 76-2” (2022)
     
    “Bodyscape 76-1” and “Bodyscape 76-2” were created using methods entirely different from traditional painting. For “Bodyscape 76-1,” I stood behind a canvas roughly the height of my body and painted from behind and above — extending only my hands to draw lines. For “Bodyscape 76-2,” I painted with my back turned to the canvas. A new world emerged from a context where I couldn’t see what I was painting.
     
    “Artistic expression is not merely a product of conscious intent — it is a way for the body to directly construct and respond to the world.”
     
    “Bodyscape 76-3” represents an artistic world created solely through the movement of my left and right arms. Like “Bodyscape 76-2,” I stood in front of the canvas but did not face it directly. I positioned myself sideways and extended my right arm as far as it could reach to paint a line, then repeated the motion with my left. There was no fixed reference point — I simply painted within the limits of my reach. The curves drawn by each hand met at the bottom and crossed at the top, forming a heart-like shape. But I wasn’t intentionally drawing a heart — rather, I let the lines created by my body’s movement emerge naturally and accepted them as a central part of the artwork.
     
    ▲ Lee poses in front of “Bodyscape 76-2+3-2022” shown on a 114-inch Samsung MICRO LED at Art Basel Hong Kong 2025.
     
    Corporeality is the most essential aspect of my work. This aligns with Merleau-Ponty’s idea that the body is a living subject of perception. Because this sense of corporeality is more apparent in the process than in the final result, I encourage first-time viewers to observe how the work is created.
     
     
    Engaging the Public Through the Language of Art
    Q: How do you define art?
     
    Art shouldn’t belong exclusively to artists — anyone can enjoy, imitate and experience it.
     
    “Audience interaction is essential, as performance cannot exist without an audience.”
     
    In 2022, I experimented with digital interaction through a project titled “Digital Bodyscape 76-3.” Visitors could choose their preferred colors and styles, and an avatar of myself would create a digital version of “Bodyscape 76-3.”
     
    At the 14th Gwangju Biennale in 2023, I invited visitors to experience “Bodyscape 76-3” by drawing lines with their own two arms in the exhibition hall. From young children to grandparents, anyone with a crayon could create a piece of art. There’s a deep sense of fulfillment when people see work they’ve made themselves. I would love to have more opportunities like this in the future —where technology not only deepens communication between artists and audiences, but also invites art lovers to take part in the process.
     
    Q: What is the role of art in society?
     
    In today’s fast-paced and demanding world, art offers us a chance to appreciate what we often take for granted, to find meaning in the process rather than just the outcome and to slow down and reflect. Art encourages us to see the world with greater curiosity — ultimately helping us lead more fulfilling lives.
     
    ▲ Unfazed by passing trends, Lee shared that “had to wait until his 80s to be acquire worldwide recognition” and is “grateful to his fan number one — his spouse — for bearing the times with him.”.
     
     
    Samsung Art Store: Pushing the Boundaries of Art Experience
    Q: Do you think experiential works can be effectively conveyed through a digital platform like Samsung Art Store?
     
    Being able to conveniently view artworks through a Samsung Art TV is a wonderful opportunity for connection. Sitting comfortably in your living room with a cup of coffee, quietly engaging with an artist’s work — that is a deeply meaningful form of art appreciation. When I saw my work displayed on The Frame at Art Basel Hong Kong, I was truly amazed. In some ways, the emotion and energy of the pieces came through even more vividly than when viewing them in person. That’s the innovation of cutting-edge technology.
     
    “Quietly engaging with an artist’s work over a cup of coffee, at the comfort of your living room sofa — that is a deeply meaningful form of art appreciation.”
     
    What’s more, I believe Samsung Art TVs can overcome the limitations of purely visual artwork. Performance pieces can be experienced with sound and video, while conceptual works can be paired with artist commentary to support deeper understanding. It’s an incredible opportunity for artists. I hope more people will be able to access and enjoy art through Samsung Art Store — an invitation to see the world through an artist’s perspective.
     
    ▲ Lee believes that art is for everyone, not just the artists.
     
     
    Beyond Art: Next Steps
    Q: Do you have any advice you’d like to share with younger artists?
     
    Since I was young, I’ve steadily followed my own path — without hesitation or compromise — and time has brought me to where I am today. Although I often felt skeptical about following trends, which are ever-changing. In the end, what matters most is the passion to pursue your own art.
     
    As artists, I believe it is enough to respond sincerely to the spirit of our time, remain true to the present and not be swayed by passing fads.
     

    Samsung Art Store is an art subscription service available on Samsung Art TVs including The Frame and QLEDs. Currently available in 117 countries around the world, Samsung Art Store offers over 70 partners and 3,500 artworks in 4K quality. Through Samsung Art Store, subscribers can enjoy artworks from world-class galleries and masters at home and use it to create new interiors every day.

     
     
    1 Art Store subscription and Samsung Account required to access full selection of artwork.

    MIL OSI Global Banks –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Joint Statement from U.S. Senators Graham and Blumenthal on Visit to France

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for South Carolina Lindsey Graham
    WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Lindsey Graham (R-South Carolina) and Richard Blumenthal (D-Connecticut) today made this joint statement on their visit to Paris, France. 
    “Congratulations to Paris Saint-Germain for winning the Champions league and making history. We learned firsthand that the French are good at soccer and have amazing endurance when it comes to celebrating. Also during our time in Paris, we had worthwhile meetings with France’s Ministers of Foreign Affairs and Finance and President Macron’s national security advisor, and a lengthy and productive phone call with President Macron. 
    “As authors of the bone-crushing Russia sanctions bill that now has 82 Senate cosponsors, we assured President Macron and his team that we believe Putin is playing games regarding peace and is actually preparing for a military offensive in the late summer or early fall. 
    “President Macron shares the view that Putin’s behavior demonstrates that he is not interested in peace. Macron is also very determined to unite Europe, working in coordination with the U.S., to change the calculation for Putin. Importantly, we all agreed that if China and India stopped buying cheap Russian oil, Putin’s war machine would grind to a halt. 
    “President Macron supports lowering the price cap for Russian oil, which will hit Putin in the wallet, and working with his team, he committed to try to deliver a forceful message to China and India regarding their financial backing of Putin’s war. It is our hope that Europe will move forward together on lowering the price caps, and join together to send a clear message to China and India that they must change their behavior. 
    “Europe and the United States are holding all the cards and can make meaningful efforts to change China and India’s behavior. 
    “We are also hopeful Europe will up their game regarding the seizure of frozen assets of those who are benefiting off of Putin’s illegal invasion. President Macron was very open to that idea. 
    “We also discussed Russia’s kidnapping of approximately 20,000 Ukrainian children over the course of the war.  President Macron has been a clear, moral voice against this barbaric kidnapping and other Russian atrocities. 
    “France has been terrific in supporting Ukraine. In many ways, this has been President Macron’s finest hour. 
    “We will be pushing the Senate to take action by using the expedited Rule 14 process to bring the sanctions bill to the floor. By the G7 summit, we hope to have sanctions put in place —  in coordination with Europe —  to deliver an unequivocal message to China. 
    “The theme of this engagement was that we appreciate President Trump’s earnest efforts to bring about peace and entice Putin to come to the table. It is our view Putin is not responding in kind, he is not interested in peace and that he plans to continue to dismember Ukraine. We appreciate that President Zelensky will send a delegation to Istanbul, which is a clear sign that he is earnestly seeking peace. Unfortunately, we believe Monday’s meeting will result in another demand by Russia that will be unrealistic. 
    “An end of the war that rewards Putin’s aggression will create a ripple effect around the world, which will be catastrophic in every corner. Bad actors will be emboldened, and those who want to align with the West will be deterred.
    “If we can have a just and honorable peace, it will reset the world in all the right ways. History is watching.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • Piyush Goyal commences official visit to France, Italy to boost economic ties

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    Union Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal began his three-day official visit to France on Sunday as part of a five-day tour of France and Italy from June 1 to 5. The visit is aimed at further strengthening India’s strategic and economic partnerships with key European nations.

    During his stay in France, the Minister will hold bilateral meetings with senior French officials, including Minister of Economy Eric Lombard and Trade Minister Laurent Saint-Martin. The discussions will focus on enhancing Indo-French economic ties, trade collaboration, and exploring investment opportunities in priority sectors.

    As part of his engagements, Goyal will participate in the India-France Business Round Table and the India-France CEO Forum. He is expected to meet senior leadership from leading French companies such as Vicat, TotalEnergies, L’Oréal, Renault, Valeo, EDF and ATR. The forums aim to deepen industry-level cooperation and foster greater dialogue between businesses from both countries.

    Speaking ahead of the visit, Goyal said, “France is a longstanding partner in India’s growth journey. This visit is an opportunity to reinforce our economic collaboration, encourage two-way investments, and support innovation-led partnerships.”

    The Minister will also represent India at the informal gathering of World Trade Organization (WTO) Ministers, held on the sidelines of the OECD Ministerial Council Meeting in Paris. He will articulate India’s views on key global trade issues, including reform of the multilateral trading system and inclusive growth.

    Goyal will hold a series of bilateral meetings with international counterparts during the visit. These include the UK Secretary of State for Business and Trade Jonathan Reynolds, Singapore’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Trade and Industry Gan Kim Yong, and Saudi Arabia’s Minister of Commerce Dr. Majid bin Abdullah Al-Kasabi.

    The Minister will also meet Israel’s Minister for Trade and Investment Nir Barkat, Nigeria’s Minister for Trade, Industry and Investment Dr. Jumoke Oduwole OON, and Brazil’s Foreign Minister Mr. Mauro Luis Iecker Vieira. These interactions are expected to advance India’s global trade outreach and provide momentum to the ongoing India-EU Free Trade Agreement negotiations.

    In addition, Goyal will engage with senior EU officials, including European Commissioner for Trade and Economic Security Maroš Šefčovič and Agriculture Commissioner Christophe Hansen. The talks will focus on boosting India-EU cooperation in trade, technology, and agriculture.

    Goyal will continue the second leg of his visit in Italy from June 3, where further engagements with industry leaders and government officials are scheduled.

  • Doue dazzles as PSG humble Inter 5-0 to win first European Cup

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    Teenager Desire Doue scored twice to inspire Paris St Germain to their first European Cup triumph with a crushing 5-0 victory over Inter Milan on Saturday, the biggest winning margin in the final of the continent’s premier club competition.

    After losing the 2020 final to Bayern Munich, Luis Enrique’s PSG side, who teetered on the brink of elimination in the league phase, finally claimed the trophy their Qatari owners have craved since taking over the French capital club in 2011.

    PSG’s young team achieved what the likes of Lionel Messi, Neymar and Kylian Mbappe could not do in their colours as they became only the second French side to win the trophy after Olympique de Marseille in 1993.

    “Making history was a goal from the start of last season,” Luis Enrique said.

    “I really felt a connection with the players and the fans, a very strong connection that we saw throughout the season. We were able to handle the tension and excitement in the best possible way.”

    PSG put on a masterclass which the more experienced Inter team had no answer to, scoring twice in the opening 20 minutes through former Inter defender Achraf Hakimi and Doue.

    The 19-year-old Doue was on target again in the 63rd minute, Khvicha Kvaratskhelia scored 10 minutes later and substitute Senny Mayulu netted three minutes from time to complete the rout in Munich.

    Before kickoff the Italian fans sang “There’s Only Inter”, the club’s anthem, but on the pitch their side went missing and PSG ran riot to secure a richly deserved win.

    PSG bossed the game from the start, maintaining possession with their slick passing, every player constantly searching for an opening, which they found in the 12th minute when Vitinha played a pass into Doue in the box.

    Inter defenders appealed for offside but Federico Dimarco played the PSG man onside and the youngster kept his cool to roll the ball across goal and hand Hakimi the simplest of tap-ins.

    “We have made history, we have written our names in the history of this club,” Hakimi said.

    “For a long time this club deserved it, we are very happy. We have created a great family.”

    The second came eight minutes later from a quick PSG counter which found Ousmane Dembele on the left wing.

    Dembele drove forward before floating the ball to the far side and Doue had time to control the ball on his chest and his shot took a deflection off Dimarco to beat the wrong-footed Yann Sommer.

    GAME OVER

    Inter had to try to attack in the second half but PSG killed off the game with a third goal when Vitinha slid the ball through to Doue in the area and the 19-year-old coolly slipped the ball past Sommer.

    Inter were shell-shocked but things only got worse.

    Dembele’s defence-splitting pass from his own half sent Kvaratskhelia haring away before beating Sommer at his near post, a goal which brought the PSG bench, including Luis Enrqiue, onto the pitch.

    Luis Enrique became the second manager, after his former Barcelona teammate Pep Guardiola, to win the continental treble of League, Cup and Champions League in one season twice, both winning their first with Barca and their second by beating Inter.

    “He is the man who has changed everything at PSG. Since he came here, he has changed the way football is seen. He is a loyal man, he deserves it more than anyone else,” Hakimi said.

    PSG still had time for a fifth as Mayulu fired past Sommer from close range after a pass from substitute Bradley Barcola and the final whistle was greeted with huge roars from the French fans who had been singing loudly all game.

    Inter had high hopes of making up for their defeat two years ago by Manchester City in Istanbul but finished the season trophyless.

    “It absolutely didn’t feel like my Inter out there, and the players are the first to know it, but I’m proud of the journey we’ve taken,” Inter manager Simone Inzaghi said.

    Luis Enrique, visibly emotional after the final whistle and wearing a T-shirt with a tribute to his daughter Xana who died in 2019, has turned PSG from a side of superstars into a group of humble players finally playing as a team.

    (Reuters)

  • MIL-OSI USA: Safeguarding Long Island’s Public Hospital

    Source: US State of New York

    overnor Kathy Hochul today announced four appointments to the newly restructured Board of Directors for the Nassau Health Care Corporation (NHCC), which oversees the Nassau University Medical Center (NUMC), Nassau County’s only public hospital. The appointments coincide with the implementation of a new state law, taking effect June 1, 2025, that significantly reforms NHCC governance, enhances state oversight and sets a path forward for strengthening NUMC’s financial and operational stability. Governor Hochul also designated Stuart Rabinowitz, Esq., former President of Hofstra University and a longtime leader in higher education and public policy, as Chair of the Board.

    “NUMC is a vital lifeline for so many on Long Island, and today we are taking long-overdue steps to ensure it has the leadership and oversight it needs to thrive,” Governor Hochul said. “These new appointments, and the new authority granted to the state and NIFA, will help ensure accountability, responsible fiscal management and high-quality care for the communities NUMC serves. Stuart Rabinowitz is a respected and visionary leader, and I can’t think of a better person to help lead this next chapter for NUMC.”

    Nassau University Medical Center Board Chair Stuart Rabinowitz said, “NUMC is a critical safety-net institution that has suffered from years of dysfunction and mismanagement. I’m grateful to Governor Hochul for the trust she’s placed in me, and I’m eager to get to work with my fellow board members to restore public confidence, implement long-overdue reforms and put this hospital back on a path to stability and excellence.”

    About the Governance Reforms Taking Effect June 1:

    • The NHCC Board of 11 members will include six appointed by the Governor (one each upon recommendation of the Assembly Speaker and Senate Temporary President), two by the Nassau County Executive, two by the majority of the Nassau County Legislature, and one by the minority.
    • The Governor will designate the Board Chair.
    • The Nassau County Executive will no longer have approval authority over the NHCC CEO.
    • The Nassau Interim Finance Authority (NIFA) will have enhanced oversight, including the power to approve NHCC contracts exceeding $1 million and, under specific conditions, the authority to declare a control period over NHCC.
    • NHCC is required to conduct and submit a study by December 1, 2026, exploring options to strengthen NUMC.

    Governor Hochul’s two remaining appointments, one each recommended by the Speaker of the Assembly and the Temporary President of the Senate, will be announced in coordination with legislative leaders. Once the appointments take effect on June 1, the new board is expected to call a special meeting to set NHCC on a path toward stability.

    Governor Hochul’s Appointees to the NHCC Board:

    Stuart Rabinowitz, Esq. (Chair)

    Stuart Rabinowitz is Senior Counsel at Meltzer, Lippe, Goldstein & Breitstone, LLP, where he focuses on state and federal litigation, constitutional law, civil rights, and education law. He served for over 20 years as President of Hofstra University, where he significantly expanded the institution’s academic footprint, including the creation of a medical school, and raised its national profile by hosting three U.S. presidential debates. A former constitutional law professor and nationally recognized policy leader, he holds a J.D., magna cum laude, from Columbia Law School and is a member of Phi Beta Kappa. His decades of experience leading large public-serving institutions make him uniquely qualified to help guide NUMC’s revitalization.

    Amy Flores

    Amy Flores is an experienced executive with more than 15 years in financial services, public administration, and economic development. She currently serves as Community Manager at JPMorgan Chase, where she leads initiatives focused entirely on collaborating with local leaders across sectors to understand and address community challenges. She previously served as Executive Director of the Nassau County Office of Hispanic Affairs and has held senior roles in banking. Amy serves on the boards of CARECEN and Círculo de la Hispanidad and has been recognized by City & State and Long Island Business News as one of Long Island’s most influential civic leaders. Amy holds a Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) degree from Hofstra University and Certificate of Completion with Honors from Hofstra University’s ABA Accredited Paralegal Studies Program.

    Dean Mihaltses, RPh, BPS, MPA

    Dean Mihaltses is a veteran health care executive and licensed pharmacist with over 40 years of experience in hospital operations, public health policy, and clinical pharmacy services. He most recently served as Interim CEO and COO at NYC Health + Hospitals/Queens, where he managed hospital operations, emergency preparedness and strategic initiatives in one of the city’s busiest public hospitals. Earlier roles included Director of Pharmacy Services at Jacobi & Elmhurst hospitals and health care consultant for skilled nursing and developmental disability facilities. He is a Fellow of several national professional associations and continues to mentor future health professionals.

    Lisa Warren

    Lisa Warren is President of Placid, LLC, a Long Island-based real estate investment and management firm, and a civic leader with a dedicated record of leadership and engagement, including as a Commissioner on the Nassau County Planning Commission. With over 30 years of experience in business and philanthropy, she supports youth development, education and the arts across Nassau County. She is especially active in expanding access to youth sports and serves on the boards of the Long Island Children’s Museum and Ice Hockey in Harlem. She holds degrees from Hofstra and Duke Universities and a diploma from the French Culinary Institute.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Message of the Holy Father Leo XIV to the Bishops’ Conference of France on the occasion of the 100th anniversary of the canonization of Saint John Eudes, Saint John Mary Vianney, and Saint Thérèse of the Child Jesus

    Source: The Holy See

    Message of the Holy Father Leo XIV to the Bishops’ Conference of France on the occasion of the 100th anniversary of the canonization of Saint John Eudes, Saint John Mary Vianney, and Saint Thérèse of the Child Jesus, 31.05.2025
    The following is the Message sent by the Holy Father Leo XIV to the Bishops’ Conference of France on the occasion of the one hundredth anniversary of the canonization of Saint John Eudes, Saint John Mary Vianney, and Saint Thérèse of the Child Jesus:

    Message of the Holy Father
    I am happy to be able to address you for the first time, pastors of the Church of France, and through you, all your faithful, as this month of May 2025 marks the one hundredth anniversary of the canonization of three Saints whom, by the grace of God, your country has given to the universal Church: Saint John Eudes (1601-1680), Saint John Mary Vianney (1786-1859) and Saint Thérèse of the Child Jesus and the Holy Face (1873-1897). In raising them to the glory of the altars, my predecessor Pius XI wanted to present them to the People of God as teachers to listen to, models to imitate, and powerful supporters to pray to and invoke. The scale of the challenges facing the Church in France a century later, and the continuing relevance of these three holy figures in meeting them, lead me to invite you to give special prominence to this anniversary.
    In this brief Message, I will mention just one spiritual trait that John Eudes, John Mary Vianney and Thérèse have in common and present in a very meaningful and attractive way to the men and women of today: they loved Jesus unreservedly in a simple, strong and authentic way; they experienced his goodness and tenderness in a special daily closeness, and they bore witness to it in an admirable missionary drive.
    The late Pope Francis left us, rather like a testament, a beautiful Encyclical on the Sacred Heart in which he states: “That stream which is never exhausted, never passes away … offers itself time and time again to all those who wish to love as he did. For his love alone can bring about a new humanity” (Dilexit nos, 219). There could be no more beautiful and simple programme of evangelization and mission for your country: to help everyone discover the tender and devoted love that Jesus has for them, to the point of transforming their lives.
    And in this respect, our three Saints are undoubtedly masters whose life and doctrine I invite you to constantly make known and appreciated by the People of God. Was Saint John Eudes not the first to celebrate the liturgical worship of the Hearts of Jesus and Mary? Was Saint John Mary Vianney not the priest who gave himself passionately to his ministry and who said: “The priesthood is the love of the heart of Jesus”? and finally, was Saint Thérèse of the Child Jesus and of the Holy Face not the great Doctor of scientia amoris that our world needs, she who “breathed” the Name of Jesus at every moment of her life, with spontaneity and freshness, and who taught the little ones an “easy” way to access it?
    Celebrating the centenary of the canonization of these three saints is first and foremost an invitation to give thanks to the Lord for the marvels he has accomplished in this land of France over long centuries of evangelization and Christian life. Saints do not appear spontaneously but, by grace, emerge from living Christian communities that have been able to transmit the faith to them, to kindle in their hearts the love of Jesus and the desire to follow him. This Christian heritage still belongs to you, it still deeply permeates your culture and remains alive in many hearts.
    This is why I express the hope that these celebrations will not merely evoke nostalgia for a past that might seem bygone, but that they will awaken hope and give rise to a new missionary impetus. With the help of the saints he has given you and whom you celebrate, God can renew the marvels he has accomplished in the past. Will Saint Thérèse not be the Patroness of the missions in the very lands where she was born? Will Saint John Mary Vianney and Saint John Eudes not be able to speak to the conscience of many young people about the beauty, greatness and fruitfulness of the priesthood, to inspire their enthusiastic desire for it, and to give them the courage to respond generously to the call, at a time when the lack of vocations is harshly felt in your dioceses and priests are under increasing strain? I would like to take this opportunity to thank all the priests of France from the bottom of my heart for their courageous and persevering commitment, and to express my paternal affection for them.
    Dear brother Bishops, I invoke the intercession of Saint John Eudes, Saint John Mary Vianney and Saint Thérèse of the Child Jesus and the Holy Face, for your country and the People of God who are courageous pilgrims there, despite the contrary and sometimes hostile winds of indifference, materialism and individualism. May they give courage to these People, in the certainty that Christ, the Saviour of the world, is truly risen.
    Imploring upon France the maternal protection of her powerful Patroness, Our Lady of the Assumption, I impart to each of you, and to all those entrusted to your pastoral care, the Apostolic Blessing.
    From the Vatican, 28 May 2025
    Leo XIV

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: Secretary-General of ASEAN to participate in the 2025 Meeting of the OECD Council at Ministerial Level (MCM) and Related Meetings in Paris, France

    Source: ASEAN

    At the joint invitation of the Secretary-General of the OECD, Mathias Cormann, and the President of the Republic of Costa Rica, Rodrigo Chaves Robles, Secretary-General of ASEAN Dr. Kao Kim Hourn will participate in the 2025 Meeting of the OECD Council at Ministerial Level (MCM), which will take place at the OECD Headquarters in Paris, France, on 3-4 June 2025. Dr. Kao will be delivering remarks at the Opening Ceremony of the OECD MCM, during the handover ceremony from Australia and Viet Nam to Canada and the Philippines, as the incoming Chairs of OECD Southeast Asia Regional Programme (SEARP).
     
    Dr. Kao will also participate in several breakout sessions, highlighting ASEAN-OECD potential collaboration in advancing rules-based multilateral trading system, promoting inclusive and sustainable growth, and harnessing the opportunities of digital transformation. Taking the opportunity of his time in Paris, Dr. Kao will also engage with ministers and high-level officials from ASEAN and ASEAN’s external partners, business communities, as well as media representatives in Paris, on 5-6 June 2025.
    The post Secretary-General of ASEAN to participate in the 2025 Meeting of the OECD Council at Ministerial Level (MCM) and Related Meetings in Paris, France appeared first on ASEAN Main Portal.

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-OSI China: Shangri-La Dialogue 2025 kicks off in Singapore amid geopolitical tensions

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

    People in uniforms perform security duties outside the Shangri-La Hotel, the venue for the 22nd Shangri-La Dialogue, in Singapore, May 30, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]

    The 22nd edition of the Shangri-La Dialogue, Asia’s premier defense and security summit, opened in Singapore on Friday amid geopolitical tensions.

    This year’s dialogue drew representatives from 47 countries, including 40 ministerial-level delegates, 20 chief of defense forces-level delegates, over 20 senior defense officials, and prominent academics, according to the Singapore Ministry of Defense.

    A Chinese delegation from the National Defense University of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army is attending the event.

    French President Emmanuel Macron is set to deliver a keynote speech late Friday, where he’s expected to position France — and Europe — as champions of international cooperation and rules-based trade.

    U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth is set to speak on Saturday about America’s “new ambitions for Indo-Pacific security.” Observers say he faces a tough task in convincing Asian allies, many of whom remain uneasy about President Donald Trump’s disruptive policies, not least those related to trade.

    Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim will also give a speech on Saturday and make clear how, amid global geopolitical uncertainties and sharpened geo-economic fault lines, Malaysia as ASEAN’s current chair, provides strategic leadership for the region and beyond, according to the International Institute for Strategic Studies, the organizer.

    EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Kaja Kallas is also scheduled to speak on Saturday.

    Analysts say key topics will likely include regional cooperation, the U.S. security policies and the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict. The implications of sweeping U.S. tariffs are also likely to attract attention, as officials will use the platform to reassure partners and navigate an increasingly multipolar security landscape.

    The Dialogue runs from Friday through Sunday.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: A county in China exports matcha around the world

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian – People’s Republic of China in Russian –

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

    BEIJING, May 30 (Xinhuanet) — The tradition of drinking matcha originated in ancient China and was later spread to Japan. Jiangkou County in Tongren City, southwest China’s Guizhou Province, has become the world’s production center for this type of tea. In 2024 alone, the county sold more than 1,200 tons of matcha, worth over 300 million yuan (about 41.7 million U.S. dollars). The county’s products enter overseas markets including Japan, the United States and France.

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    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI USA News: MADE IN THE USA: President Trump’s Vision is Revitalizing American Industry

    Source: US Whitehouse

    President Donald J. Trump heads to Pennsylvania today, where he’ll champion the partnership he brokered between U.S. Steel and Nippon Steel — a $14 billion investment that will create at least 70,000 jobs and ensure steel is made in America for decades to come.

    AMERICAN JOBS, AMERICAN STEEL.

    The landmark agreement comes alongside a host of companies from across industries that are onshoring their production and investing in American manufacturing as President Trump relentlessly pursues his America First trade policies.

    Look no further than the automotive industry:

    • Stellantis announced a $5 billion investment in its U.S. manufacturing network, including re-opening its Belvidere, Illinois, plant and a $388 “megahub” in Detroit, Michigan.
    • General Motors announced an $888 million investment at its propulsion plant in Tonawanda, New York.
    • Volkswagen is planning to make a “massive” investment in its U.S. production.
    • Toyota announced it will boost hybrid vehicle production at its West Virginia plant.
    • Mercedes-Benz announced it will add a new vehicle to its Tuscaloosa, Alabama, manufacturing plant.
    • Honda plans to shift production of the Civic from Japan to the U.S.
    • Hyundai announced a $20 billion investment to support its U.S. vehicle production.
    • Kia plans to produce hybrid vehicles at its affiliate Hyundai’s Georgia factory.

    It’s not just the auto industry; scores of others are lining up to invest in America:

    • Project Stargate, led by Japan-based Softbank and U.S.-based OpenAI and Oracle, announced a $500 billion private investment in U.S.-based artificial intelligence infrastructure.
    • Apple announced a $500 billion investment in U.S. manufacturing and training.
    • NVIDIA, a global chipmaking giant, announced it will invest $500 billion in U.S.-based AI infrastructure over the next four years amid its pledge to manufacture AI supercomputers entirely in the U.S. for the first time.
    • IBM announced a $150 billion investment over the next five years in its U.S.-based growth and manufacturing operations.
    • Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC) announced a $100 billion investment in U.S.-based chips manufacturing.
    • Johnson & Johnson announced a $55 billion investment over the next four years in manufacturing, research and development, and technology.
    • Roche, a Swiss drug and diagnostics company, announced a $50 billion investment in U.S.-based manufacturing and research and development, which is expected to create more than 12,000 jobs.
    • Bristol Myers Squibb announced a $40 billion investment over the next five years in its research, development, technology, and U.S.-based manufacturing operations.
    • Eli Lilly and Company announced a $27 billion investment to more than double its domestic manufacturing capacity.
    • United Arab Emirates-based ADQ and U.S.-based Energy Capital Partners announced a $25 billion investment in U.S. data centers and energy infrastructure.
    • Novartis, a Swiss drugmaker, announced a $23 billion investment to build or expand ten manufacturing facilities across the U.S., which will create 4,000 new jobs.
    • John Deere announced plans to invest $20 billion over the next decade in American expansion, production, and manufacturing.
    • United Arab Emirates-based DAMAC Properties announced a $20 billion investment in new U.S.-based data centers.
    • France-based CMA CGM, a global shipping giant, announced a $20 billion investment in U.S. shipping and logistics, creating 10,000 new jobs.
    • Sanofi announced it will invest at least $20 billion over the next five years in manufacturing and research and development.
    • Venture Global LNG announced an $18 billion investment at its liquefied natural gas facility in Louisiana.
    • Gilead Sciences announced an $11 billion boost to its planned U.S.-based manufacturing investment.
    • AbbVie announced a $10 billion investment over the next ten years to support volume growth and add four new manufacturing plants to its network.
    • Pratt Industries announced a $5 billion investment to create 5,000 new manufacturing jobs in Ohio, Michigan, Pennsylvania, and Arizona.
    • GlobalWafers, a Taiwanese silicon wafer manufacturer, announced a $4 billion investment in its U.S.-based production.
    • Thermo Fisher Scientific announced it will invest an additional $2 billion over the next four years to enhance and expand its U.S. manufacturing operations and strengthen its innovation efforts.
    • Merck & Co. announced it will invest a total of $9 billion in the U.S. over the next several years after opening a new $1 billion North Carolina manufacturing facility — including in a new state-of-the-art biologics manufacturing plant in Delaware, which will create at least 500 new jobs.
    • Clarios announced a $6 billion plan to expand its domestic manufacturing operations.
    • In addition to its overall investments, Amazon announced it is investing $4 billion in small towns across America, creating more than 100,000 new jobs and driving opportunities across the country.
    • Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, a leader in biotechnology, announced a $3 billion agreement with Fujifilm Diosynth Biotechnologies to produce drugs at its North Carolina manufacturing facility.
    • Kraft Heinz announced a $3 billion investment to upgrade its U.S. factories — its largest investment in its plants in decades.
    • NorthMark Strategies, a multi-strategy investment firm, announced a $2.8 billion investment to build a supercomputing facility in South Carolina.
    • Kimberly-Clark announced a $2 billion investment to expand its U.S. manufacturing operations, including a new advanced manufacturing facility in Warren, Ohio, an expansion of its Beech Island, South Carolina, facility, and other upgrades to its supply chain network.
    • Chobani, a Greek yogurt giant, announced $1.7 billion to expand its U.S. operations.
      • $1.2 billion to build its third U.S. dairy processing plant in New York, which is expected to create more than 1,000 new full-time jobs.
    • Corning announced it is expanding its Michigan manufacturing facility investment to $1.5 billion, adding 400 new high-paying advanced manufacturing jobs for a total of 1,500 new jobs.
    • Carrier announced an additional $1 billion investment in its U.S. manufacturing, innovation, and workforce expansion, which is expected to create 4,000 new jobs.
    • GE Aerospace announced a $1 billion investment in manufacturing across 16 states — creating 5,000 new jobs.
    • Anduril Industries announced a $1 billion investment for a new autonomous weapon system facility in Ohio.
    • Williams International announced a $1 billion investment for a new high-volume aviation gas turbine engine manufacturing facility in Okaloosa County, Florida.
    • Amgen announced a $900 million investment in its Ohio-based manufacturing operation.
    • Merck Animal Health announced an $895 million investment to expand their manufacturing operations in Kansas.
    • Schneider Electric announced it will invest $700 million over the next four years in U.S. energy infrastructure.
    • GE Vernova announced it will invest nearly $600 million in U.S. manufacturing over the next two years, which will create more than 1,500 new jobs.
    • Abbott Laboratories announced a $500 million investment in its Illinois and Texas facilities.
    • AIP Management, a European infrastructure investor, announced a $500 million investment to solar developer Silicon Ranch.
    • London-based Diageo announced a $415 million investment in a new Alabama manufacturing facility.
    • Lego announced a $366 million investment to build a new distribution center in Prince George County, Virginia.
    • The Bel Group announced a $350 million investment to expand its U.S.-based production, including at its South Dakota, Idaho and Wisconsin facilities — which will create 250 new jobs.
    • Dublin-based Eaton Corporation announced a $340 million investment in a new South Carolina-based manufacturing facility for its three-phase transformers.
    • Anheuser-Busch announced a $300 million investment in its manufacturing facilities across the country.
    • Germany-based Siemens announced a $285 million investment in U.S. manufacturing and AI data centers, which will create more than 900 new skilled manufacturing jobs.
    • Clasen Quality Chocolate announced a $230 million investment to build a new production facility in Virginia, which will create 250 new jobs.
    • Fiserv, Inc., a financial technology provider, announced a $175 million investment to open a new strategic fintech hub in Kansas, which is expected to create 2,000 new high-paying jobs.
    • Paris Baguette announced a $160 million investment to construct a manufacturing plant in Texas.
    • Siemens Healthineers announced a $150 million investment to expand production, including relocating manufacturing operations for its Varian company from Mexico to California. 
    • JBS USA announced a $135 million investment for a new sausage production facility in Perry, Iowa.
    • TS Conductor announced a $134 million investment to build an advanced conductor manufacturing facility in South Carolina, which will create nearly 500 new jobs.
    • Switzerland-based ABB announced a $120 million investment to expand production of its low-voltage electrification products in Tennessee and Mississippi.
    • Saica Group, a Spain-based corrugated packaging maker, announced plans to build a $110 million new manufacturing facility in Anderson, Indiana.
    • Hotpack, a Dubai-based maker of food packaging materials and related products, announced a $100 million investment to establish its first U.S. manufacturing facility in Edison, New Jersey.
    • Charms, LLC, a subsidiary of candymaker Tootsie Roll Industries, announced a $97.7 million investment to expand its production plant and distribution center in Tennessee.
    • Toyota Motor Corporation announced an $88 million investment to boost hybrid vehicle production at its West Virginia factory, securing employment for the 2,000 workers at the factory.
    • AeroVironment, a defense contractor, announced a $42.3 million investment to build a new manufacturing facility in Utah.
    • Paris-based Saint-Gobain announced a new $40 million NorPro manufacturing facility in Wheatfield, New York.
    • India-based Sygene International announced a $36.5 million acquisition of a Baltimore biologics manufacturing facility.
    • Asahi Group Holdings, one of the largest Japanese beverage makers, announced a $35 million investment to boost production at its Wisconsin plant.
    • Valbruna Slater Stainless announced a $28 million investment in its stainless steel and nickel alloys bars manufacturing plant in Fort Wayne, Indiana.
    • Cyclic Materials, a Canadian advanced recycling company for rare earth elements, announced a $20 million investment in its first U.S.-based commercial facility, located in Mesa, Arizona.
    • Guardian Bikes announced a $19 million investment to build the first U.S.-based large-scale bicycle frame manufacturing operation in Indiana.
    • Amsterdam-based AMG Critical Minerals announced a $15 million investment to build a chrome manufacturing facility in Pennsylvania.
    • NOVONIX Limited, an Australia-based battery technology company, announced a $4.6 million investment to build a synthetic graphite manufacturing facility in Tennessee.
    • LGM Pharma announced a $6 million investment to expand its manufacturing facility in Rosenberg, Texas.
    • ViDARR, a defense optical equipment manufacturer, announced a $2.69 million investment to open a new facility in Virginia.

    That doesn’t even include the U.S. investments planned by foreign countries:

    • United Arab Emirates committed to investing $1.4 trillion in the U.S. over the next decade.
    • Qatar committed to generating $1.2 trillion in an economic exchange between the two countries.
    • Japan announced a $1 trillion investment in the U.S.
    • Saudi Arabia committed investing $600 billion in the U.S. over the next four years.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: Secretary-General’s remarks to the Africa Dialogue Series High-Level Policy Dialogue [bilingual as delivered; scroll down for all-English and all-French]

    Source: United Nations – English

    his year’s dialogue focuses on “Justice for Africans and People of African Descent Through Reparations”.

    This is also the African Union’s theme for 2025, as it was already said.

    And it is a call gathering momentum around the world – from Freetown to Bridgetown. 

    Understandably so.

    Africa is a continent of boundless energy and possibility.

    But for too long, the colossal injustices inflicted by enslavement, the transatlantic slave trade, and colonialism have been left unacknowledged and unaddressed.

    I deeply regret that these wrongs were perpetrated by many countries, including my own.

    And they continue to distort our world today.

    Decolonization did not free African countries, or people of African Descent, from the structures and prejudices that made those projects possible.

    When African countries gained their independence, they inherited a system built to serve others — not them. 

    The inherited economic model and years of neglect in social and institutional investments during the colonial era created lasting challenges, shaping post-independence reality.

    Structures based on exploitation persisted.

    So did racism. 

    And the long shadow of colonialism can be felt in many of the continent’s current conflicts and governance challenges.

    Many African countries were under colonial domination when today’s multilateral institutions were created.

    And that injustice is reflected to this day.

    Excellencies,

    We point to the poisoned legacies of enslavement and colonialism, not to sow divisions but to heal them.

    Reparatory justice frameworks are critical – to redress historic wrongs, address today’s challenges, and ensure the rights and dignity of all.

    Such frameworks encompass a broad range of measures.

    We need a comprehensive approach, developed with the participation of affected communities, to achieve accountability and redress.

    And we must be clear-eyed about the fact that attempts to repair the past ring hollow unless they also seek to dismantle its manifestations in the present:

    From racism, to extraction of African resources, to the injustices embedded in structures, institutions, and global governance.

    Animated by honesty and justice, we can transform the legacies of slavery and colonialism into equal and respectful partnerships:

    Partnerships that ensure African countries take their rightful place in shaping global decision-making…

    That help to deliver on the priorities of African and Caribbean countries, and people of African descent…

    And that help to ensure that all Africans – and the African diaspora – have the opportunity to thrive.

    We must push for the Second International Decade for People of African Descent to deliver on reparatory justice, equal rights, and the Durban Declaration – the world’s blueprint to tackle racism and racial discrimination.

    Yes, these are turbulent times:

    Times of trade barriers…

    Deep cuts to lifesaving assistance…

    And international cooperation itself called into question.

    But that does not alter the truth that justice for Africa, for the Caribbean, and for all people of African descent requires global action and global partnerships.

    We need partnerships to reform global governance.

    The Pact for the Future agreed last year drove progress. I thank African countries sincerely for their support in getting an ambitious text over the line.

    And we must keep pushing for fair representation within international institutions – including permanent African representation on the United Nations Security Council.

    We need partnerships for peace founded on the principles of justice and international law, as set out in the United Nations Charter.

    The international community must play its part – in preventing and ending conflicts, relieving their appalling effects, and ensuring justice for victims.

    And the United Nations will never relent in pursuing peace for the great continent of Africa.

    We need partnerships to advance sustainable development. 

    The Pact for the Future includes important commitments: 

    To advance an SDG stimulus…

    To reform the international financial architecture…

    And to take action on debt – which is suffocating economies and sapping investment in many countries in Africa and the Caribbean.

    The upcoming Financing for Development Conference in Sevilla is an important opportunity to push this agenda forward.  

    We need concrete commitments on debt: to lower the cost of borrowing, improve debt restructuring, and prevent crises from taking hold.
                       
    We will keep pushing to boost the lending capacity of Multilateral Development Banks, making them bigger and bolder, able to mobilise far more private finance at reasonable cost to the African continent and the Caribbean. 

    And we need action to unleash a surge in finance across the board.  

    Developed countries must keep their promises on development spending…

    Governments must strengthen domestic resource mobilization…

    And we must keep working towards an inclusive, effective global tax regime able to meaningfully reduce tax evasion and to fight elicit financial flows and money laundering that is so dramatically impacting the African continent. 

    Enfin, nous avons besoin de partenariats pour la justice climatique.

    Les pays africains ne sont pas à l’origine de la crise climatique.

    Pourtant, les effets du réchauffement planétaire font des ravages sur tout le continent :

    Ils aggravent la faim, poussent les populations à l’exil, fragilisent les économies, détruisent les moyens de subsistance et fauchent des vies.

    Les Caraïbes sont elles aussi touchées de manière disproportionnée.

    Il est grand temps de mettre fin à cette injustice :

    Il faut que, parallèlement à des sources de financement innovantes, des contributions conséquentes soient versées au nouveau Fonds visant à faire face aux pertes et dommages.

    Il faut que le financement de l’adaptation connaisse un véritable bond et, notamment, que les pays développés honorent l’engagement qu’ils ont pris de verser au moins 40 milliards de dollars par an – dès cette année.

    Il faut également des investissements massifs dans les énergies propres.

    L’Afrique concentre 60 % des meilleures ressources solaires du monde et près d’un tiers des minéraux essentiels à la révolution des énergies renouvelables.

    Pourtant, les installations présentes sur le continent ne représentent que 1,5 % des capacités solaires mondiales.

    Près de 600 millions de personnes sont toujours privées d’électricité.

    Et les pays et les populations d’Afrique sont relégués au bas de la chaîne de valeur des minéraux critiques, tandis que d’autres tirent largement profit de ces ressources.

    L’exploitation séculaire des ressources naturelles du continent, source de conflits et de misère, doit cesser.

    Nous devons agir pour permettre à l’Afrique d’occuper la place qui lui revient, celle d’un leader mondial des énergies propres…

    Pour stimuler les investissements et réduire les risques pour les investisseurs…

    Et pour que les pays et les populations d’Afrique tirent le meilleur parti de leurs minéraux critiques.

    Les nouveaux plans nationaux d’action pour le climat, ou contributions déterminées au niveau national, qui seront présentés cette année, doivent être conformes à l’objectif de limiter le réchauffement planétaire à 1,5 degré Celsius, surtout dans les pays qui sont les grand pollueurs.

    Ces plans représentent une formidable occasion d’agir.

    J’exhorte les dirigeants africains à ne pas la laisser passer. Et à intégrer dans ces nouveaux plans des objectifs en matière de climat, d’énergie et de développement durable afin d’attirer les investissements.

    Et j’exhorte les pays, les entreprises et toutes les parties intéressées à collaborer avec nous pour appliquer les recommandations formulées par le Groupe chargé de la question des minéraux critiques pour la transition énergétique – et ainsi faire en sorte que les droits humains, la justice et l’équité soient garantis tout au long de la chaîne de valeur, et que les pays d’Afrique soient les premiers à tirer parti de ces ressources.

    Excellences,

    Dans tous ces grands domaines, mobilisons-nous pour qu’aucune personne, aucun pays et aucun continent ne soit laissé de côté.

    Et ensemble, faisons en sorte que justice soit rendue à l’Afrique et aux personnes d’ascendance africaine.

    Je vous remercie.

    *****
    [all-English]

    This year’s dialogue focuses on “Justice for Africans and People of African Descent Through Reparations”.

    This is also the African Union’s theme for 2025, as it was already said.

    And it is a call gathering momentum around the world – from Freetown to Bridgetown. 

    Understandably so.

    Africa is a continent of boundless energy and possibility.

    But for too long, the colossal injustices inflicted by enslavement, the transatlantic slave trade, and colonialism have been left unacknowledged and unaddressed.

    I deeply regret that these wrongs were perpetrated by many countries, including my own.

    And they continue to distort our world today.

    Decolonization did not free African countries, or people of African Descent, from the structures and prejudices that made those projects possible.

    When African countries gained their independence, they inherited a system built to serve others — not them. 

    The inherited economic model and years of neglect in social and institutional investments during the colonial era created lasting challenges, shaping post-independence reality.

    Structures based on exploitation persisted.

    So did racism. 

    And the long shadow of colonialism can be felt in many of the continent’s current conflicts and governance challenges.

    Many African countries were under colonial domination when today’s multilateral institutions were created.

    And that injustice is reflected to this day.

    Excellencies,

    We point to the poisoned legacies of enslavement and colonialism, not to sow divisions but to heal them.

    Reparatory justice frameworks are critical – to redress historic wrongs, address today’s challenges, and ensure the rights and dignity of all.

    Such frameworks encompass a broad range of measures.

    We need a comprehensive approach, developed with the participation of affected communities, to achieve accountability and redress.

    And we must be clear-eyed about the fact that attempts to repair the past ring hollow unless they also seek to dismantle its manifestations in the present:

    From racism, to extraction of African resources, to the injustices embedded in structures, institutions, and global governance.

    Animated by honesty and justice, we can transform the legacies of slavery and colonialism into equal and respectful partnerships:

    Partnerships that ensure African countries take their rightful place in shaping global decision-making…

    That help to deliver on the priorities of African and Caribbean countries, and people of African descent…

    And that help to ensure that all Africans – and the African diaspora – have the opportunity to thrive.

    We must push for the Second International Decade for People of African Descent to deliver on reparatory justice, equal rights, and the Durban Declaration – the world’s blueprint to tackle racism and racial discrimination.

    Yes, these are turbulent times:

    Times of trade barriers…

    Deep cuts to lifesaving assistance…

    And international cooperation itself called into question.

    But that does not alter the truth that justice for Africa, for the Caribbean, and for all people of African descent requires global action and global partnerships.

    We need partnerships to reform global governance.

    The Pact for the Future agreed last year drove progress. I thank African countries sincerely for their support in getting an ambitious text over the line.

    And we must keep pushing for fair representation within international institutions – including permanent African representation on the United Nations Security Council.

    We need partnerships for peace founded on the principles of justice and international law, as set out in the United Nations Charter.

    The international community must play its part – in preventing and ending conflicts, relieving their appalling effects, and ensuring justice for victims.

    And the United Nations will never relent in pursuing peace for the great continent of Africa.

    We need partnerships to advance sustainable development. 

    The Pact for the Future includes important commitments: 

    To advance an SDG stimulus…

    To reform the international financial architecture…

    And to take action on debt – which is suffocating economies and sapping investment in many countries in Africa and the Caribbean.

    The upcoming Financing for Development Conference in Sevilla is an important opportunity to push this agenda forward.  

    We need concrete commitments on debt: to lower the cost of borrowing, improve
    debt restructuring, and prevent crises from taking hold.

    We will keep pushing to boost the lending capacity of Multilateral Development Banks, making them bigger and bolder, able to mobilise far more private finance at reasonable cost to the African continent and the Caribbean. 

    And we need action to unleash a surge in finance across the board.  

    Developed countries must keep their promises on development spending…

    Governments must strengthen domestic resource mobilization…

    And we must keep working towards an inclusive, effective global tax regime able to meaningfully reduce tax evasion and to fight elicit financial flows and money laundering that is so dramatically impacting the African continent. 

    Finally, we need partnerships for climate justice.

    African countries did not cause the climate crisis. 

    Yet the effects of our heating planet are wreaking havoc across the continent:

    Fuelling hunger and displacement, hobbling economies, destroying livelihoods, and taking lives.

    The Caribbean is also suffering disproportionately.

    Justice is long overdue:

    We need significant contributions – together with innovative sources of financing – to the new fund for responding to loss and damage.

    We need a boom in adaptation finance – starting with developed countries honouring their commitment to at least $40 billion a year by this year.

    And we need massive investments in clean energy.

    Africa is home to 60 percent of the world’s best solar resources and around a third of the minerals critical to the renewable energy revolution.

    Yet the continent has just 1.5 percent of global installed solar capacity.

    Around 600 million people remain without power.

    And African countries and communities are pushed to the bottom of the critical minerals value chain, while others feast on their resources.

    The centuries-old exploitation of the continent’s natural resources – which fuels conflict and misery – must end.

    We need action for Africa to take its rightful place as the clean powerhouse of the world…

    To derisk and boost investment…

    And to ensure African countries and communities receive maximum benefit from their critical minerals. 

    New national climate action plans, or NDCs – must be submitted this year and align with limiting global temperature rise to 1.5 degrees Celsius, especially in countries that are the major polluters.

    These represent an immense opportunity.

    I urge African leaders to take it. And to use these new plans to bring together climate, energy, and sustainable development goals to attract investment.

    And I urge countries, companies and more, to work with us to deliver on the recommendations of our Panel on Critical Energy Transition Minerals – to ensure human rights, justice and equity through the value chain, and to retain maximum benefit in African countries.

    Excellencies,

    Across all these critical fronts, let’s work to leave no person, no country and no continent behind. 

    And together, let’s deliver justice for Africa and people of African Descent.

    Thank you.

    ******
    [all-French]

    Le dialogue de cette année a pour thème « Justice pour les Africains et les personnes d’ascendance africaine grâce aux réparations ».

    C’est également le thème retenu par l’Union africaine pour 2025, comme il a déjà été dit.

    Cet appel prend de l’ampleur dans le monde entier, de Freetown à Bridgetown.

    Cela n’a rien d’étonnant.

    L’énergie et le potentiel du continent africain sont sans limites.

    Mais pendant trop longtemps, les immenses injustices engendrées par l’esclavage, la traite transatlantique des esclaves et le colonialisme n’ont pas été reconnues ni prises en compte.

    Je regrette profondément que ces injustices aient été commises par de nombreux pays, dont le mien.

    Elles continuent de nos jours à peser sur le monde.

    La décolonisation n’a pas libéré les pays africains, ni les personnes d’ascendance africaine, des structures et des préjugés qui ont rendu ces projets possibles.

    Lorsque les pays africains ont accédé à l’indépendance, ils ont hérité d’un système conçu pour servir d’autres qu’eux.

    Le modèle économique hérité et des années de négligence en matière d’investissements sociaux et institutionnels pendant l’ère coloniale ont créé des problèmes durables qui ont façonné la réalité de l’après-indépendance.

    Les structures fondées sur l’exploitation ont persisté.

    Le racisme aussi.

    L’ombre du colonialisme plane sur nombre des conflits et difficultés de gouvernance que connaît le continent de nos jours.

    De nombreux pays d’Afrique étaient sous domination coloniale lorsque les institutions multilatérales actuelles ont été créées.

    Cette injustice est toujours visible aujourd’hui.

    Excellences,

    Si nous pointons du doigt l’héritage empoisonné de l’esclavage et du colonialisme, ce n’est pas pour semer la division, mais pour soigner les blessures du passé.

    Les cadres de justice réparatrice sont essentiels – pour réparer les torts historiques, relever les défis d’aujourd’hui et garantir les droits et la dignité de toutes et tous.

    Ces cadres englobent un large éventail de mesures.

    Nous avons besoin d’une stratégie globale, développée avec la pleine participation des populations affectées, pour faire appliquer le principe de responsabilité et assurer l’octroi de réparations.

    Nous devons nous montrer lucides : il est vain de vouloir réparer les erreurs du passé sans s’attaquer aussi à leurs répercussions actuelles :

    Du racisme à l’extraction des ressources africaines, en passant par les injustices ancrées dans les structures, les institutions et la gouvernance mondiale.

    C’est dans un esprit d’honnêteté et de justice que nous pourrons transformer les séquelles de l’esclavage et du colonialisme en partenariats fondés sur l’égalité et le respect.

    Des partenariats qui garantissent que les pays africains occupent la place qui leur revient dans le processus décisionnel mondial…

    Qui permettent de répondre aux priorités des pays d’Afrique et des Caraïbes, et des personnes d’ascendance africaine…

    Et qui contribuent à faire en sorte que tous les Africains – et la diaspora africaine – aient la possibilité de prospérer.

    Nous devons tout faire pour que la deuxième Décennie internationale des personnes d’ascendance africaine aboutisse à une justice réparatrice, à l’égalité des droits et à la réalisation de la Déclaration de Durban – le plan mondial de lutte contre le racisme et la discrimination raciale.

    Nous vivons, certes, des temps agités :

    Des temps où se dressent des barrières commerciales…

    Où l’aide vitale fait l’objet de coupes sombres…

    Et où la coopération internationale elle-même est remise en question.

    Il n’en demeure pas moins que la justice pour l’Afrique, pour les Caraïbes et pour toutes les personnes d’ascendance africaine nécessite une action et des partenariats mondiaux.

    Nous avons besoin de partenariats pour réformer la gouvernance mondiale.

    Le Pacte pour l’avenir, adopté l’année dernière, a permis certaines avancées. Je remercie sincèrement les pays africains du soutien qu’ils ont apporté à l’adoption de ce texte ambitieux.

    Nous devons continuer d’œuvrer en faveur d’une représentation équitable au sein des institutions internationales, et notamment d’une représentation permanente de l’Afrique au Conseil de sécurité de l’ONU.

    Nous avons besoin de partenariats pour la paix fondés sur les principes de la justice et du droit international, tels qu’ils sont énoncés dans la Charte des Nations Unies.

    La communauté internationale doit jouer son rôle – en prévenant les conflits et en y mettant fin, en atténuant leurs effets épouvantables et en garantissant la justice pour les victimes.

    Les Nations Unies ne relâcheront jamais leurs efforts en faveur de la paix sur le grand continent africain.

    Nous avons besoin de partenariats pour faire progresser le développement durable.

    Le Pacte pour l’avenir comprend des engagements importants :

    Promouvoir un plan de relance des objectifs de développement durable…

    Repenser l’architecture financière internationale…

    Et prendre des mesures concernant la dette, qui étouffe les économies et sape l’investissement dans de nombreux pays d’Afrique et des Caraïbes.

    La prochaine Conférence sur le financement du développement, qui se tiendra à Séville, est une occasion importante de faire avancer ce dossier.

    Nous avons besoin d’engagements concrets à cet égard, en vue d’abaisser le coût de l’emprunt, de faciliter la restructuration de la dette et d’empêcher les crises de s’installer.

    Nous poursuivrons l’action menée pour renforcer la capacité de prêt des banques multilatérales de développement, les rendre plus imposantes et plus audacieuses et leur donner les moyens de mobiliser bien plus de financements privés à un coût raisonnable au continent africain et aux Caraïbes.

    Nous devons prendre des mesures pour stimuler le financement dans tous les domaines.

    Les pays développés doivent tenir leurs promesses en matière de dépenses de développement…

    Les Gouvernements doivent accroître la mobilisation de ressources nationales…

    Et nous devons continuer d’œuvrer en faveur d’un régime fiscal mondial inclusif et efficace, qui permette de réduire l’évasion fiscale de manière significative et de lutter contre les flux financiers illicites et le blanchiment d’argent cela a un impact si dramatique sur le continent africain.

    Enfin, nous avons besoin de partenariats pour la justice climatique.

    Les pays africains ne sont pas à l’origine de la crise climatique.

    Pourtant, les effets du réchauffement planétaire font des ravages sur tout le continent :

    Ils aggravent la faim, poussent les populations à l’exil, fragilisent les économies, détruisent les moyens de subsistance et fauchent des vies.

    Les Caraïbes sont elles aussi touchées de manière disproportionnée.

    Il est grand temps de mettre fin à cette injustice :

    Il faut que, parallèlement à des sources de financement innovantes, des contributions conséquentes soient versées au nouveau Fonds visant à faire face aux pertes et dommages.

    Il faut que le financement de l’adaptation connaisse un véritable bond et, notamment, que les pays développés honorent l’engagement qu’ils ont pris de verser au moins 40 milliards de dollars par an – dès cette année.

    Il faut également des investissements massifs dans les énergies propres.

    L’Afrique concentre 60 % des meilleures ressources solaires du monde et près d’un tiers des minéraux essentiels à la révolution des énergies renouvelables.

    Pourtant, les installations présentes sur le continent ne représentent que 1,5 % des capacités solaires mondiales.

    Près de 600 millions de personnes sont toujours privées d’électricité.

    Et les pays et les populations d’Afrique sont relégués au bas de la chaîne de valeur des minéraux critiques, tandis que d’autres tirent largement profit de ces ressources.

    L’exploitation séculaire des ressources naturelles du continent, source de conflits et de misère, doit cesser.

    Nous devons agir pour permettre à l’Afrique d’occuper la place qui lui revient, celle d’un leader mondial des énergies propres…

    Pour stimuler les investissements et réduire les risques pour les investisseurs…

    Et pour que les pays et les populations d’Afrique tirent le meilleur parti de leurs minéraux critiques.

    Les nouveaux plans nationaux d’action pour le climat, ou contributions déterminées au niveau national, qui seront présentés cette année, doivent être conformes à l’objectif de limiter le réchauffement planétaire à 1,5 degré Celsius, surtout dans les pays qui sont les grand pollueurs.

    Ces plans représentent une formidable occasion d’agir.

    J’exhorte les dirigeants africains à ne pas la laisser passer. Et à intégrer dans ces nouveaux plans des objectifs en matière de climat, d’énergie et de développement durable afin d’attirer les investissements.

    Et j’exhorte les pays, les entreprises et toutes les parties intéressées à collaborer avec nous pour appliquer les recommandations formulées par le Groupe chargé de la question des minéraux critiques pour la transition énergétique – et ainsi faire en sorte que les droits humains, la justice et l’équité soient garantis tout au long de la chaîne de valeur, et que les pays d’Afrique soient les premiers à tirer parti de ces ressources.

    Excellences,

    Dans tous ces grands domaines, mobilisons-nous pour qu’aucune personne, aucun pays et aucun continent ne soit laissé de côté.

    Et ensemble, faisons en sorte que justice soit rendue à l’Afrique et aux personnes d’ascendance africaine.

    Je vous remercie.

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Secretary-General’s remarks to the Africa Dialogue Series High-Level Policy Dialogue [bilingual as delivered; scroll down for all-English and all-French]

    Source: United Nations secretary general

    This year’s dialogue focuses on “Justice for Africans and People of African Descent Through Reparations”.

    This is also the African Union’s theme for 2025, as it was already said.

    And it is a call gathering momentum around the world – from Freetown to Bridgetown. 

    Understandably so.

    Africa is a continent of boundless energy and possibility.

    But for too long, the colossal injustices inflicted by enslavement, the transatlantic slave trade, and colonialism have been left unacknowledged and unaddressed.

    I deeply regret that these wrongs were perpetrated by many countries, including my own.

    And they continue to distort our world today.

    Decolonization did not free African countries, or people of African Descent, from the structures and prejudices that made those projects possible.

    When African countries gained their independence, they inherited a system built to serve others — not them. 

    The inherited economic model and years of neglect in social and institutional investments during the colonial era created lasting challenges, shaping post-independence reality.

    Structures based on exploitation persisted.

    So did racism. 

    And the long shadow of colonialism can be felt in many of the continent’s current conflicts and governance challenges.

    Many African countries were under colonial domination when today’s multilateral institutions were created.

    And that injustice is reflected to this day.

    Excellencies,

    We point to the poisoned legacies of enslavement and colonialism, not to sow divisions but to heal them.

    Reparatory justice frameworks are critical – to redress historic wrongs, address today’s challenges, and ensure the rights and dignity of all.

    Such frameworks encompass a broad range of measures.

    We need a comprehensive approach, developed with the participation of affected communities, to achieve accountability and redress.

    And we must be clear-eyed about the fact that attempts to repair the past ring hollow unless they also seek to dismantle its manifestations in the present:

    From racism, to extraction of African resources, to the injustices embedded in structures, institutions, and global governance.

    Animated by honesty and justice, we can transform the legacies of slavery and colonialism into equal and respectful partnerships:

    Partnerships that ensure African countries take their rightful place in shaping global decision-making…

    That help to deliver on the priorities of African and Caribbean countries, and people of African descent…

    And that help to ensure that all Africans – and the African diaspora – have the opportunity to thrive.

    We must push for the Second International Decade for People of African Descent to deliver on reparatory justice, equal rights, and the Durban Declaration – the world’s blueprint to tackle racism and racial discrimination.

    Yes, these are turbulent times:

    Times of trade barriers…

    Deep cuts to lifesaving assistance…

    And international cooperation itself called into question.

    But that does not alter the truth that justice for Africa, for the Caribbean, and for all people of African descent requires global action and global partnerships.

    We need partnerships to reform global governance.

    The Pact for the Future agreed last year drove progress. I thank African countries sincerely for their support in getting an ambitious text over the line.

    And we must keep pushing for fair representation within international institutions – including permanent African representation on the United Nations Security Council.

    We need partnerships for peace founded on the principles of justice and international law, as set out in the United Nations Charter.

    The international community must play its part – in preventing and ending conflicts, relieving their appalling effects, and ensuring justice for victims.

    And the United Nations will never relent in pursuing peace for the great continent of Africa.

    We need partnerships to advance sustainable development. 

    The Pact for the Future includes important commitments: 

    To advance an SDG stimulus…

    To reform the international financial architecture…

    And to take action on debt – which is suffocating economies and sapping investment in many countries in Africa and the Caribbean.

    The upcoming Financing for Development Conference in Sevilla is an important opportunity to push this agenda forward.  

    We need concrete commitments on debt: to lower the cost of borrowing, improve debt restructuring, and prevent crises from taking hold.
                       
    We will keep pushing to boost the lending capacity of Multilateral Development Banks, making them bigger and bolder, able to mobilise far more private finance at reasonable cost to the African continent and the Caribbean. 

    And we need action to unleash a surge in finance across the board.  

    Developed countries must keep their promises on development spending…

    Governments must strengthen domestic resource mobilization…

    And we must keep working towards an inclusive, effective global tax regime able to meaningfully reduce tax evasion and to fight elicit financial flows and money laundering that is so dramatically impacting the African continent. 

    Enfin, nous avons besoin de partenariats pour la justice climatique.

    Les pays africains ne sont pas à l’origine de la crise climatique.

    Pourtant, les effets du réchauffement planétaire font des ravages sur tout le continent :

    Ils aggravent la faim, poussent les populations à l’exil, fragilisent les économies, détruisent les moyens de subsistance et fauchent des vies.

    Les Caraïbes sont elles aussi touchées de manière disproportionnée.

    Il est grand temps de mettre fin à cette injustice :

    Il faut que, parallèlement à des sources de financement innovantes, des contributions conséquentes soient versées au nouveau Fonds visant à faire face aux pertes et dommages.

    Il faut que le financement de l’adaptation connaisse un véritable bond et, notamment, que les pays développés honorent l’engagement qu’ils ont pris de verser au moins 40 milliards de dollars par an – dès cette année.

    Il faut également des investissements massifs dans les énergies propres.

    L’Afrique concentre 60 % des meilleures ressources solaires du monde et près d’un tiers des minéraux essentiels à la révolution des énergies renouvelables.

    Pourtant, les installations présentes sur le continent ne représentent que 1,5 % des capacités solaires mondiales.

    Près de 600 millions de personnes sont toujours privées d’électricité.

    Et les pays et les populations d’Afrique sont relégués au bas de la chaîne de valeur des minéraux critiques, tandis que d’autres tirent largement profit de ces ressources.

    L’exploitation séculaire des ressources naturelles du continent, source de conflits et de misère, doit cesser.

    Nous devons agir pour permettre à l’Afrique d’occuper la place qui lui revient, celle d’un leader mondial des énergies propres…

    Pour stimuler les investissements et réduire les risques pour les investisseurs…

    Et pour que les pays et les populations d’Afrique tirent le meilleur parti de leurs minéraux critiques.

    Les nouveaux plans nationaux d’action pour le climat, ou contributions déterminées au niveau national, qui seront présentés cette année, doivent être conformes à l’objectif de limiter le réchauffement planétaire à 1,5 degré Celsius, surtout dans les pays qui sont les grand pollueurs.

    Ces plans représentent une formidable occasion d’agir.

    J’exhorte les dirigeants africains à ne pas la laisser passer. Et à intégrer dans ces nouveaux plans des objectifs en matière de climat, d’énergie et de développement durable afin d’attirer les investissements.

    Et j’exhorte les pays, les entreprises et toutes les parties intéressées à collaborer avec nous pour appliquer les recommandations formulées par le Groupe chargé de la question des minéraux critiques pour la transition énergétique – et ainsi faire en sorte que les droits humains, la justice et l’équité soient garantis tout au long de la chaîne de valeur, et que les pays d’Afrique soient les premiers à tirer parti de ces ressources.

    Excellences,

    Dans tous ces grands domaines, mobilisons-nous pour qu’aucune personne, aucun pays et aucun continent ne soit laissé de côté.

    Et ensemble, faisons en sorte que justice soit rendue à l’Afrique et aux personnes d’ascendance africaine.

    Je vous remercie.

    *****
    [all-English]

    This year’s dialogue focuses on “Justice for Africans and People of African Descent Through Reparations”.

    This is also the African Union’s theme for 2025, as it was already said.

    And it is a call gathering momentum around the world – from Freetown to Bridgetown. 

    Understandably so.

    Africa is a continent of boundless energy and possibility.

    But for too long, the colossal injustices inflicted by enslavement, the transatlantic slave trade, and colonialism have been left unacknowledged and unaddressed.

    I deeply regret that these wrongs were perpetrated by many countries, including my own.

    And they continue to distort our world today.

    Decolonization did not free African countries, or people of African Descent, from the structures and prejudices that made those projects possible.

    When African countries gained their independence, they inherited a system built to serve others — not them. 

    The inherited economic model and years of neglect in social and institutional investments during the colonial era created lasting challenges, shaping post-independence reality.

    Structures based on exploitation persisted.

    So did racism. 

    And the long shadow of colonialism can be felt in many of the continent’s current conflicts and governance challenges.

    Many African countries were under colonial domination when today’s multilateral institutions were created.

    And that injustice is reflected to this day.

    Excellencies,

    We point to the poisoned legacies of enslavement and colonialism, not to sow divisions but to heal them.

    Reparatory justice frameworks are critical – to redress historic wrongs, address today’s challenges, and ensure the rights and dignity of all.

    Such frameworks encompass a broad range of measures.

    We need a comprehensive approach, developed with the participation of affected communities, to achieve accountability and redress.

    And we must be clear-eyed about the fact that attempts to repair the past ring hollow unless they also seek to dismantle its manifestations in the present:

    From racism, to extraction of African resources, to the injustices embedded in structures, institutions, and global governance.

    Animated by honesty and justice, we can transform the legacies of slavery and colonialism into equal and respectful partnerships:

    Partnerships that ensure African countries take their rightful place in shaping global decision-making…

    That help to deliver on the priorities of African and Caribbean countries, and people of African descent…

    And that help to ensure that all Africans – and the African diaspora – have the opportunity to thrive.

    We must push for the Second International Decade for People of African Descent to deliver on reparatory justice, equal rights, and the Durban Declaration – the world’s blueprint to tackle racism and racial discrimination.

    Yes, these are turbulent times:

    Times of trade barriers…

    Deep cuts to lifesaving assistance…

    And international cooperation itself called into question.

    But that does not alter the truth that justice for Africa, for the Caribbean, and for all people of African descent requires global action and global partnerships.

    We need partnerships to reform global governance.

    The Pact for the Future agreed last year drove progress. I thank African countries sincerely for their support in getting an ambitious text over the line.

    And we must keep pushing for fair representation within international institutions – including permanent African representation on the United Nations Security Council.

    We need partnerships for peace founded on the principles of justice and international law, as set out in the United Nations Charter.

    The international community must play its part – in preventing and ending conflicts, relieving their appalling effects, and ensuring justice for victims.

    And the United Nations will never relent in pursuing peace for the great continent of Africa.

    We need partnerships to advance sustainable development. 

    The Pact for the Future includes important commitments: 

    To advance an SDG stimulus…

    To reform the international financial architecture…

    And to take action on debt – which is suffocating economies and sapping investment in many countries in Africa and the Caribbean.

    The upcoming Financing for Development Conference in Sevilla is an important opportunity to push this agenda forward.  

    We need concrete commitments on debt: to lower the cost of borrowing, improve
    debt restructuring, and prevent crises from taking hold.

    We will keep pushing to boost the lending capacity of Multilateral Development Banks, making them bigger and bolder, able to mobilise far more private finance at reasonable cost to the African continent and the Caribbean. 

    And we need action to unleash a surge in finance across the board.  

    Developed countries must keep their promises on development spending…

    Governments must strengthen domestic resource mobilization…

    And we must keep working towards an inclusive, effective global tax regime able to meaningfully reduce tax evasion and to fight elicit financial flows and money laundering that is so dramatically impacting the African continent. 

    Finally, we need partnerships for climate justice.

    African countries did not cause the climate crisis. 

    Yet the effects of our heating planet are wreaking havoc across the continent:

    Fuelling hunger and displacement, hobbling economies, destroying livelihoods, and taking lives.

    The Caribbean is also suffering disproportionately.

    Justice is long overdue:

    We need significant contributions – together with innovative sources of financing – to the new fund for responding to loss and damage.

    We need a boom in adaptation finance – starting with developed countries honouring their commitment to at least $40 billion a year by this year.

    And we need massive investments in clean energy.

    Africa is home to 60 percent of the world’s best solar resources and around a third of the minerals critical to the renewable energy revolution.

    Yet the continent has just 1.5 percent of global installed solar capacity.

    Around 600 million people remain without power.

    And African countries and communities are pushed to the bottom of the critical minerals value chain, while others feast on their resources.

    The centuries-old exploitation of the continent’s natural resources – which fuels conflict and misery – must end.

    We need action for Africa to take its rightful place as the clean powerhouse of the world…

    To derisk and boost investment…

    And to ensure African countries and communities receive maximum benefit from their critical minerals. 

    New national climate action plans, or NDCs – must be submitted this year and align with limiting global temperature rise to 1.5 degrees Celsius, especially in countries that are the major polluters.

    These represent an immense opportunity.

    I urge African leaders to take it. And to use these new plans to bring together climate, energy, and sustainable development goals to attract investment.

    And I urge countries, companies and more, to work with us to deliver on the recommendations of our Panel on Critical Energy Transition Minerals – to ensure human rights, justice and equity through the value chain, and to retain maximum benefit in African countries.

    Excellencies,

    Across all these critical fronts, let’s work to leave no person, no country and no continent behind. 

    And together, let’s deliver justice for Africa and people of African Descent.

    Thank you.

    ******
    [all-French]

    Le dialogue de cette année a pour thème « Justice pour les Africains et les personnes d’ascendance africaine grâce aux réparations ».

    C’est également le thème retenu par l’Union africaine pour 2025, comme il a déjà été dit.

    Cet appel prend de l’ampleur dans le monde entier, de Freetown à Bridgetown.

    Cela n’a rien d’étonnant.

    L’énergie et le potentiel du continent africain sont sans limites.

    Mais pendant trop longtemps, les immenses injustices engendrées par l’esclavage, la traite transatlantique des esclaves et le colonialisme n’ont pas été reconnues ni prises en compte.

    Je regrette profondément que ces injustices aient été commises par de nombreux pays, dont le mien.

    Elles continuent de nos jours à peser sur le monde.

    La décolonisation n’a pas libéré les pays africains, ni les personnes d’ascendance africaine, des structures et des préjugés qui ont rendu ces projets possibles.

    Lorsque les pays africains ont accédé à l’indépendance, ils ont hérité d’un système conçu pour servir d’autres qu’eux.

    Le modèle économique hérité et des années de négligence en matière d’investissements sociaux et institutionnels pendant l’ère coloniale ont créé des problèmes durables qui ont façonné la réalité de l’après-indépendance.

    Les structures fondées sur l’exploitation ont persisté.

    Le racisme aussi.

    L’ombre du colonialisme plane sur nombre des conflits et difficultés de gouvernance que connaît le continent de nos jours.

    De nombreux pays d’Afrique étaient sous domination coloniale lorsque les institutions multilatérales actuelles ont été créées.

    Cette injustice est toujours visible aujourd’hui.

    Excellences,

    Si nous pointons du doigt l’héritage empoisonné de l’esclavage et du colonialisme, ce n’est pas pour semer la division, mais pour soigner les blessures du passé.

    Les cadres de justice réparatrice sont essentiels – pour réparer les torts historiques, relever les défis d’aujourd’hui et garantir les droits et la dignité de toutes et tous.

    Ces cadres englobent un large éventail de mesures.

    Nous avons besoin d’une stratégie globale, développée avec la pleine participation des populations affectées, pour faire appliquer le principe de responsabilité et assurer l’octroi de réparations.

    Nous devons nous montrer lucides : il est vain de vouloir réparer les erreurs du passé sans s’attaquer aussi à leurs répercussions actuelles :

    Du racisme à l’extraction des ressources africaines, en passant par les injustices ancrées dans les structures, les institutions et la gouvernance mondiale.

    C’est dans un esprit d’honnêteté et de justice que nous pourrons transformer les séquelles de l’esclavage et du colonialisme en partenariats fondés sur l’égalité et le respect.

    Des partenariats qui garantissent que les pays africains occupent la place qui leur revient dans le processus décisionnel mondial…

    Qui permettent de répondre aux priorités des pays d’Afrique et des Caraïbes, et des personnes d’ascendance africaine…

    Et qui contribuent à faire en sorte que tous les Africains – et la diaspora africaine – aient la possibilité de prospérer.

    Nous devons tout faire pour que la deuxième Décennie internationale des personnes d’ascendance africaine aboutisse à une justice réparatrice, à l’égalité des droits et à la réalisation de la Déclaration de Durban – le plan mondial de lutte contre le racisme et la discrimination raciale.

    Nous vivons, certes, des temps agités :

    Des temps où se dressent des barrières commerciales…

    Où l’aide vitale fait l’objet de coupes sombres…

    Et où la coopération internationale elle-même est remise en question.

    Il n’en demeure pas moins que la justice pour l’Afrique, pour les Caraïbes et pour toutes les personnes d’ascendance africaine nécessite une action et des partenariats mondiaux.

    Nous avons besoin de partenariats pour réformer la gouvernance mondiale.

    Le Pacte pour l’avenir, adopté l’année dernière, a permis certaines avancées. Je remercie sincèrement les pays africains du soutien qu’ils ont apporté à l’adoption de ce texte ambitieux.

    Nous devons continuer d’œuvrer en faveur d’une représentation équitable au sein des institutions internationales, et notamment d’une représentation permanente de l’Afrique au Conseil de sécurité de l’ONU.

    Nous avons besoin de partenariats pour la paix fondés sur les principes de la justice et du droit international, tels qu’ils sont énoncés dans la Charte des Nations Unies.

    La communauté internationale doit jouer son rôle – en prévenant les conflits et en y mettant fin, en atténuant leurs effets épouvantables et en garantissant la justice pour les victimes.

    Les Nations Unies ne relâcheront jamais leurs efforts en faveur de la paix sur le grand continent africain.

    Nous avons besoin de partenariats pour faire progresser le développement durable.

    Le Pacte pour l’avenir comprend des engagements importants :

    Promouvoir un plan de relance des objectifs de développement durable…

    Repenser l’architecture financière internationale…

    Et prendre des mesures concernant la dette, qui étouffe les économies et sape l’investissement dans de nombreux pays d’Afrique et des Caraïbes.

    La prochaine Conférence sur le financement du développement, qui se tiendra à Séville, est une occasion importante de faire avancer ce dossier.

    Nous avons besoin d’engagements concrets à cet égard, en vue d’abaisser le coût de l’emprunt, de faciliter la restructuration de la dette et d’empêcher les crises de s’installer.

    Nous poursuivrons l’action menée pour renforcer la capacité de prêt des banques multilatérales de développement, les rendre plus imposantes et plus audacieuses et leur donner les moyens de mobiliser bien plus de financements privés à un coût raisonnable au continent africain et aux Caraïbes.

    Nous devons prendre des mesures pour stimuler le financement dans tous les domaines.

    Les pays développés doivent tenir leurs promesses en matière de dépenses de développement…

    Les Gouvernements doivent accroître la mobilisation de ressources nationales…

    Et nous devons continuer d’œuvrer en faveur d’un régime fiscal mondial inclusif et efficace, qui permette de réduire l’évasion fiscale de manière significative et de lutter contre les flux financiers illicites et le blanchiment d’argent cela a un impact si dramatique sur le continent africain.

    Enfin, nous avons besoin de partenariats pour la justice climatique.

    Les pays africains ne sont pas à l’origine de la crise climatique.

    Pourtant, les effets du réchauffement planétaire font des ravages sur tout le continent :

    Ils aggravent la faim, poussent les populations à l’exil, fragilisent les économies, détruisent les moyens de subsistance et fauchent des vies.

    Les Caraïbes sont elles aussi touchées de manière disproportionnée.

    Il est grand temps de mettre fin à cette injustice :

    Il faut que, parallèlement à des sources de financement innovantes, des contributions conséquentes soient versées au nouveau Fonds visant à faire face aux pertes et dommages.

    Il faut que le financement de l’adaptation connaisse un véritable bond et, notamment, que les pays développés honorent l’engagement qu’ils ont pris de verser au moins 40 milliards de dollars par an – dès cette année.

    Il faut également des investissements massifs dans les énergies propres.

    L’Afrique concentre 60 % des meilleures ressources solaires du monde et près d’un tiers des minéraux essentiels à la révolution des énergies renouvelables.

    Pourtant, les installations présentes sur le continent ne représentent que 1,5 % des capacités solaires mondiales.

    Près de 600 millions de personnes sont toujours privées d’électricité.

    Et les pays et les populations d’Afrique sont relégués au bas de la chaîne de valeur des minéraux critiques, tandis que d’autres tirent largement profit de ces ressources.

    L’exploitation séculaire des ressources naturelles du continent, source de conflits et de misère, doit cesser.

    Nous devons agir pour permettre à l’Afrique d’occuper la place qui lui revient, celle d’un leader mondial des énergies propres…

    Pour stimuler les investissements et réduire les risques pour les investisseurs…

    Et pour que les pays et les populations d’Afrique tirent le meilleur parti de leurs minéraux critiques.

    Les nouveaux plans nationaux d’action pour le climat, ou contributions déterminées au niveau national, qui seront présentés cette année, doivent être conformes à l’objectif de limiter le réchauffement planétaire à 1,5 degré Celsius, surtout dans les pays qui sont les grand pollueurs.

    Ces plans représentent une formidable occasion d’agir.

    J’exhorte les dirigeants africains à ne pas la laisser passer. Et à intégrer dans ces nouveaux plans des objectifs en matière de climat, d’énergie et de développement durable afin d’attirer les investissements.

    Et j’exhorte les pays, les entreprises et toutes les parties intéressées à collaborer avec nous pour appliquer les recommandations formulées par le Groupe chargé de la question des minéraux critiques pour la transition énergétique – et ainsi faire en sorte que les droits humains, la justice et l’équité soient garantis tout au long de la chaîne de valeur, et que les pays d’Afrique soient les premiers à tirer parti de ces ressources.

    Excellences,

    Dans tous ces grands domaines, mobilisons-nous pour qu’aucune personne, aucun pays et aucun continent ne soit laissé de côté.

    Et ensemble, faisons en sorte que justice soit rendue à l’Afrique et aux personnes d’ascendance africaine.

    Je vous remercie.

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Committee on the Rights of the Child Closes Ninety-Ninth Session after Adopting Concluding Observations on Reports of Brazil, Indonesia, Iraq, Norway, Qatar and Romania

    Source: United Nations – Geneva

    The Committee on the Rights of the Child this afternoon closed its ninety-ninth session after adopting its concluding observations on the reports of Brazil, Indonesia, Iraq, Norway, Qatar and Romania under the Convention on the Rights of the Child, as well as the report on Brazil’s efforts to implement the Optional Protocol to the Convention on the sale of children, child prostitution and child pornography.

    The concluding observations will be available on the webpage of the session on the website of the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights on Thursday, 5 June 2025. 

    Presenting the report of the session, Sophie Kiladze, Committee Chairperson, said there had been a lot of improvements regarding the realisation of child rights in certain countries.  However, after more than 35 years of entry into force of the Convention, the child rights situation was still very alarming in many States parties. Millions of children were victims of armed conflicts in many different parts of the world.  The armed conflicts were taking their lives or lives of their parents and family members, leaving them in unimaginable sorrow for the whole of their lives.  Many who survived were living in camps under deteriorating conditions.  Millions of children were living in poverty, without access to education, health and digital environment, among others.  The list was very long and many hours would not be enough to express the suffering of these children.

    Ms. Kiladze said the United Nations was undergoing a huge liquidity crisis, which was affecting the Committee on the Rights of the Child, which had to work without knowing whether next sessions would be held.  She asked the Secretary-General 

    and all relevant States parties to ensure that the Committee on the Rights of the Child, as well as other treaty bodies, continued their work.  She said the Committee regretted the cancellation of the pre-sessional working group, expected to be held during the week following the end of the session, because of the liquidity situation. 

    Under the Optional Protocol on a communication procedure, the Committee adopted decisions on eight individual communications on the following issues: children in the context of migration, access to school during the COVID pandemic, and parental contact with children.

    The Committee found no violation of the Convention in one case against Switzerland. It found three communications inadmissible in a case against Italy and two cases against Switzerland.  It also discontinued the consideration of four cases against Finland and Switzerland after they had become moot.  The Committee was satisfied that these discontinuances followed the positive resolution of these four cases.  The Committee also discussed inquiries under article 13 of the Optional Protocol.  It was currently dealing with four inquiries.

    Also during the session, the Committee discussed amendments to its rules of procedure and working methods.  It continued its discussion on follow-up to the treaty body strengthening process in the context of the United Nations liquidity crisis.  It also continued its work on the next general comment no. 27 on children’s rights to access to justice and to an effective remedy.

    The Committee continued its work on trends of the modern world regarding child rights, including artificial intelligence, and discussed a draft joint statement on artificial intelligence and child rights.  Nine international organizations were co-signatories of the statement, co-led by the International Telecommunication Union and the United Nations Children’s Fund.

    The Committee then adopted the report of the session.

    On the first day of the session, which was held from 12 to 30 May, Ms. Kiladze (Georgia) was elected as Chair and Cephas Lumina (Zambia), Thuwayba Al Barwani (Oman), Philip D. Jaffe (Switzerland), and Mary Beloff (Argentina) were elected as Vice-Chairs.

    The Committee also welcomed four new members – Timothy. P.T. Ekesa (Kenya), Mariana Ianachevici (Republic of Moldova), Juliana Scerri Ferrante (Malta), and Zeinebou Taleb Moussa (Mauritania) – and welcomed back Mr. Lumina, who previously served as a member from 2017 to 2021.   They made their solemn declaration. 

    Summaries of the public meetings of the Committee can be found here, and webcasts of the public meetings can be found here.  The programme of work of the Committee’s ninety-ninth session and other documents related to the session can be found here.

    The Committee is expected to hold its one hundredth session in September 2025.  However, this session is currently pending confirmation because of the liquidity situation. 

    ___________

    Produced by the United Nations Information Service in Geneva for use of the media; 
    not an official record. English and French versions of our releases are different as they are the product of two separate coverage teams that work independently.

     

    CRC25.016E

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Tunisia: Inclusive, multi-hazard and multi-sectoral disaster risk reduction strategies triggering funding for resilience

    Source: UNISDR Disaster Risk Reduction

    In 2019, Tunisia formally endorsed its National Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) Strategy, developed through an inclusive, participatory process. With support from the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR) and the UNDP Country Office, the strategy integrates biological hazards and prioritizes post-COVID-19 recovery through a ‘build back better’ approach. This forward-looking framework aligns with national strategies on climate change, biodiversity and sustainable development, and now forms a cornerstone of Tunisia’s Comprehensive Strategy for Ecological Transformation, endorsed by the Council of Ministers in February 2023.

    One of the strategy’s most significant outcomes has been the launch of a six-year (2021-2027) Comprehensive Programme for Disaster Risk Management and Resilience, which has attracted US$ 125 million in investment from the World Bank and the French Development Agency . This programme aims to enhance Tunisia’s preparedness and response capacities for disasters and climate shocks.

    The programme was shaped through extensive national consultations, particularly with the Ministry of Environment, which serves as the National Sendai Framework Focal Point. It resulted in the “Blended Programme for Resilience to Natural Disasters”, built around four interlinked pillars aimed at strengthening institutional, legislative and financial systems, fostering a robust culture of preparedness and recovery.:

    1. Flood risk management in urban areas: A US$ 42 million initiative led by the Ministry of Equipment and Housing focuses on strategic flood mitigation to protect urban populations and infrastructure.
    2. Enhanced early warning systems: With a US$ 24 million investment, the National Meteorological Institute is upgrading its meteorological and hydrological capabilities to deliver timely and reliable disaster alerts.
    3. Innovative disaster risk financing: Under the Ministry of Finance, a US$ 30 million project is developing disaster insurance mechanisms to provide financial protection to families and businesses impacted by natural hazards.
    4. Institutional and legislative strengthening: A US$ 2.5 million initiative is advancing legal and institutional frameworks to enhance coordination and capacity-building for DRR.

    Key impacts

    • Mainstreaming DRR into development planning: Tunisia embedded DRR into its national ecological transformation strategy, elevating resilience as a cross-cutting development priority and aligning it with climate action goals.
    • Mobilizing high-level political and financial support: The integration of DRR into national development planning helped mobilize US$ 125 million in external funding for the implementation of the Comprehensive Programme for Disaster Risk Management and Resilience (2021-2027) .
    • Fostering whole-of-government collaboration: The inclusive development process ensured inter-ministerial cooperation, securing buy-in from all sectors and levels of government.
    • Strengthening financial governance for DRR: A newly established Resilience Unit within the Ministry of Finance has improved the mobilization and management of financial resources for resilience. Legislative updates have empowered local authorities with greater roles in disaster risk management.
    • Leveraging a joint UN approach and international partnerships: Collaboration between UNDRR, UNDP and international partners has enabled the use of global expertise and cost-sharing to support local resilience-building efforts.

    Lessons learned for replication or adaptation

    1. Structured DRR strategies attract investment: Tunisia’s US$ 125 million funding success illustrates how well-crafted DRR strategies can unlock substantial international support when integrated into broader development frameworks.
    2. Participatory approaches ensure relevance and sustainability: Inclusive, multi-stakeholder consultation processes enhance the effectiveness of national strategies, ensure local ownership and address the needs of vulnerable groups.
    3. Policy coherence enhances impact: Linking DRR strategies with climate change, biodiversity, and post-COVID recovery policies creates a more resilient and adaptable framework for managing current and emerging risks.
    4. Financial protection reduces economic vulnerability: Tunisia’s disaster risk insurance initiative underscores the value of pre-arranged financial mechanisms to buffer families and businesses against disaster-related economic shocks.

    Institutional innovation supports resilience financing: Creating dedicated resilience units within ministries-such as Tunisia’s Resilience Unit in the Ministry of Finance-helps integrate DRR into national budgeting and development planning. Tailoring governance mechanisms to local needs also empowers municipalities to play a proactive role in DRR.

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI Global: One lawsuit just helped melt the fossil fuel industry’s defence against being held accountable for climate change

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Benjamin Franta, Associate Professor of Climate Litigation, University of Oxford

    There was a time when oil and gas companies happily linked themselves to the idea of planet-wide environmental changes. “Each day Humble supplies enough energy to melt 7 million tons of glacier!” boasts the headline from a 1962 double-page spread in Life magazine for Humble Oil, now part of ExxonMobil.

    Fast forward 60 years and that advert takes on a prophetic quality. Millions of people have experienced first-hand the tragic consequences of how burning fossil fuels is overheating our planet beyond recognition. Not just by melting glaciers but fuelling storms, fires and floods.

    The fossil fuel industry today would never dream of linking its activities to melting glaciers. Instead, it actively denies responsibility for the consequences of extracting and selling some of the most harmful products ever known to humanity.

    For the decades we have known about climate science, this narrative has been core to how the fossil fuel industry maintains its social legitimacy: that the industry is not responsible for climate change, but everyone else is through their individual actions.

    Yet a ten-year climate lawsuit brought by a Peruvian farmer and mountain guide has challenged this narrative. In March this year, Saúl Luciano Lliuya’s case against the European coal-giant RWE was heard in a regional court in Germany.

    And while the court has now dismissed Lliuya’s specific claim – finding the flood risk to Lliuya’s particular property is not yet sufficiently great – it did confirm that private companies can in principle be held liable for their share in causing climate damages. This finding has major ramifications for the wider legal battle to make fossil fuel companies accountable.

    Farmer vs coal giant

    Lliuya lives in Huaraz, a city in the foothills of the Peruvian Andes. He and the 120,000 residents of this city live in constant danger. The melting glaciers caused by climate change are causing the water levels in Lake Palcacocha above their home to rise. Peru’s disaster management agency warns that a flood could occur at any moment.

    Huaraz is one of many cities in the Andes at risk of flooding as temperatures rise and glaciers melt.
    Christian Vinces / shutterstock

    For Lliuya, it is not a matter of if but when – and how bad the flood will be.

    He therefore embarked on his lawsuit against RWE with this simple premise: as one of the world’s top greenhouse gas emitters, it should help pay for flood defences to protect Hauraz. The total cost of a new dam would have been US$4 million (£3 million), and Lliuya was demanding that RWE pay 0.47% of that total, which is US$20,000.

    This proportional amount was based on a calculation of RWE’s contribution to historical global greenhouse gas emissions – most of which have occurred since the 1990s, long after fossil fuel companies were aware their products would cause dangerous climate change.

    RWE’s revenues are measured in the tens of billions. It could have accepted Lliuya’s request and paid for not just its share of the cost, but the full cost of flood defences for Huaraz. Yet the company fought tooth and nail to prevent the case getting as far as it did.

    When asked by the court much earlier in the process if it would be willing to settle, the company’s lawyers declined, revealing exactly what was at stake: “This is a matter of precedent.”

    On May 28 2025, the court ruled that the flood risk to Lliuya’s home was not sufficiently high to uphold his specific claim. However, its confirmation of the principle that private companies can be held liable for climate damage shows that RWE was, in fact, correct to fear the precedent that Lliuya’s case has now helped set.

    Liability – across national borders

    Despite RWE’s attempts to argue otherwise, the case’s outcome has far-reaching implications that could shape similar cases in countries such as Switzerland and Belgium, and which may be relevant for other jurisdictions including the UK, Netherlands, US and Japan.

    Crucially, the case confirms that proportional liability for climate harm is legally possible, even across national borders. And this will still remain a possibility, even if a higher court overrules the German district court in favour of the fossil fuel companies.

    Why does this matter so much to RWE and other fossil fuel companies, who argue time and again in court that they should not be held responsible?

    For years, fossil fuel companies have operated as if they would not be held responsible for the emissions from their products. But as the world continues to warm, the harmful impacts of climate change and extreme weather will only intensify, resulting in mounting costs – both those we can calculate, such as damage to infrastructure, and those we cannot, like the loss of our loved ones.

    With the growing number and accuracy of climate science attribution studies, legal pressure on companies to contribute to climate costs is likely to keep growing.

    And when you consider that the legal basis for this “polluter pays” principle exists in a similar form in at least 50 nations around the world, then the scale of liability facing the industry becomes clear.

    More examples are already emerging. In 2024, a Belgian farmer filed a lawsuit against French fossil fuel major TotalEnergies, seeking compensation for damage to his farm as a result of extreme weather.

    In 2022, four residents of Pari island, Indonesia, started legal proceedings in Switzerland against the Swiss cement firm Holcim. The residents are seeking a 43% reduction in Holcim’s carbon emissions by 2030, and around US$4,000 in compensation each for damages caused by flooding.

    Since 2017, dozens of cities, counties and states across the US have sued fossil fuel producers for climate change-related damages and adaptation costs, potentially totalling trillions of dollars – pointing to the industry’s increasingly well-documented historical and ongoing deceptions about climate change.

    And policymakers across countries including the US, the Philippines and Pakistan are working to enact laws that would directly hold polluting companies financially responsible for climate damages.

    The new ruling in Germany provides a shot in the arm to all these cases, and the future suits yet to be filed. Perhaps most consequentially of all, public opinion is hardening: growing numbers of people understand that the fossil fuel industry is responsible for climate change, and lawsuits to compel big carbon to pay for climate damages enjoy widespread public support.

    When Lliuya launched his case nearly a decade ago, the idea of linking an individual corporation to the impacts of its emissions seemed implausible to some. Yet scientific research now makes it possible to link the emissions of individual companies to particular, quantifiable damages caused by climate change.

    This, coupled with the German court’s ruling, makes it increasingly clear that the fossil fuel industry’s longstanding deflection of responsibility for planetary warming is doomed to melt away.



    Read more:
    A Peruvian farmer is trying to hold energy giant RWE responsible for climate change – the inside story of his groundbreaking court case

    Benjamin Franta has served as a consulting expert for various climate-related lawsuits. His research has received funding from foundations in the environment and climate space.

    – ref. One lawsuit just helped melt the fossil fuel industry’s defence against being held accountable for climate change – https://theconversation.com/one-lawsuit-just-helped-melt-the-fossil-fuel-industrys-defence-against-being-held-accountable-for-climate-change-257840

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Minister Sidhu to advance Canada’s trade priorities in Paris, France

    Source: Government of Canada News (2)

    May 30, 2025 – Ottawa, Canada – Global Affairs Canada

    The Honourable Maninder Sidhu, Minister of International Trade, will be in Paris, France, from June 2 to 4, 2025, to attend the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) Ministerial Council Meeting (MCM), participate in meetings with WTO ministers and host a G7 trade ministers’ meeting.

    At the OECD MCM—chaired by Costa Rica with Canada, Australia and Lithuania as vice-chairs—Minister Sidhu will advance Canada’s trade priorities, including reinforcing open and stable markets, diversifying our trading relationships and leveraging the digital economy. These priorities will help Canada foster sustainable and inclusive economic growth, benefiting Canadian businesses, workers and communities right across the country.

    As Canada holds the G7 presidency this year, the Minister will host a trade ministers’ meeting, where he will emphasize the G7’s critical role in promoting economic prosperity for citizens and businesses and strengthening economic security and resilience amid evolving global trade challenges.

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Joanne Levy to the annual conference of the Western Association of Broadcasters

    Source: Government of Canada News

    Banff, Alberta

    May 29, 2025

    Joanne Levy, Commissioner for Manitoba and Saskatchewan
    Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC)

    Check against delivery

    Thank you for that kind introduction. Before I begin, I would like to acknowledge that we are gathered on the traditional territory of the Treaty 7 First Nations, including the Stoney and Siksika First Nations. I thank them and pay respect to their Elders.

    It is a pleasure to be here with you all today to bring you the annual CRTC update. My colleague, Nirmala Naidoo, Commissioner for Alberta and the Northwest Territories has delivered this address for the past few years. She is away doing some of the work I will be speaking about. So, while I may be a different face and voice, I hope you will find what I have to say just as informative and timely.

    But before I get to our ongoing activities – and trust me, there is plenty – I wanted to begin today by recognizing the instability in the world today. There is a great deal of it, and we know that the broadcasting industry is not immune to the currents of change that are transforming the world around us.

    At the CRTC, as you have likely heard Commissioner Naidoo say before, we are in the process of modernizing Canada’s broadcasting framework.

    Our job is two-fold: we want to do what we can to address the current challenges facing your industry, while also creating frameworks that will sustain a successful broadcasting system years into the future.

    Hearing from you, via our formal proceedings or chatting with you at events like this, are how we learn more and understand what it will take to reach our goals together. So, across our ongoing work, I want to assure you that we are taking into account the lived experiences of everyone connected to Canadian broadcasting.

    And with that, I would now like to turn to some of that work.

    Online Streaming Act and modernizing Canada’s broadcasting industry

    When this conference took place last year, we had just made a landmark decision in our implementation of the modernized Broadcasting Act. We decided that certain online streaming services would have to pay a base contribution of 5% of their applicable revenues, generating roughly $200 million in new funding each year for Canada’s broadcasting system.

    As we stated last summer, this decision is just the beginning. Online streaming services are a part of the broadcasting ecosystem operating in Canada. They have a role to play in supporting Canadian and Indigenous content and creators just as other broadcasters do. We have just finished a major public hearing on the definition of Canadian content for TV and online streaming services, and more public hearings are planned to further define the role of all players in the broadcasting system in the next few months.

    The full scope of our broadcasting modernization plan is broad. We want to create a diverse, competitive, and resilient broadcasting system that can adapt effectively to change and reflects Canadian and Indigenous stories.

    And that means ensuring we modernize the system for all Canadians – including official language minority communities, Indigenous peoples, and members of equity-deserving groups. We want these groups to see themselves in the content our system creates, and similarly we want their creators to have access to tell their stories.

    To meet that goal we have launched 15 consultations to determine the best way forward.

    There are a few radio and audio-specific processes that are ongoing that I would like to mention today but, before I do, I want talk about how our modernization process will support local news – something all the more important given our current climate.

    As you may know, we held a consultaton last fall as part of our review of the Independent Local News Fund, or ILNF. Local news production is an area of immediate need in our broadcasting system, so we want to make sure the fund is effective in supporting independent television stations across Canada as they produce news. We also need to address how the additional funds generated by the contributions decision I mentioned before should be allocated, including who should be eligible to receive that funding. We expect to release a decision on this review in the coming weeks.

    In addition to this decision, we are also currently looking at how to help support local news produced by commercial radio stations.

    Late last year we held a consultation about a potential fund to support local news production by commercial radio stations. The Canadian Association of Broadcasters submitted a plan that would support local stations outside of Canada’s six largest markets. I know many of you submitted interventions sharing your thoughts on the plan, and we are fully considering every one before we issue a decision.

    Additionally, I know several of the stations in attendance today are receiving funding separately through the Canadian Journalism Collective as a result of the Online News Act. For our part, we are putting in place measures to ensure online platforms and news organizations are bargaining in good faith.

    Modernizing audio policy

    Now to turn more directly to the audio side: we have two ongoing processes that are critically important to the future of radio and audio broadcasting in Canada.

    The first consultation focuses on processes that radio stations should follow. Earlier this year we held a consultation to review our processes and reduce the regulatory burden on radio stations operating in Canada. By streamlining our requirements, our goal is to help radio stations remain dynamic and competitive while still ensuring their programming serves the public interest.

    I know many of you intervened and participated in this proceeding, and we thank you for your submissions. We appreciate the level of engagement and are working to arrive at a decision as quickly as possible. 

    Secondly, there is a review of the definition of Canadian content for audio services. In line with our efforts on the audio-visual side, we need to modernize our approach to radio and audio regulatory policy. So earlier this year, we sought comments from a wide range of groups, communities, and industry members to help us update the definition of Canadian content for audio services.

    This included French-speaking and other official language-minority communities. If we are going to ensure our broadcasting system supports and produces Canadian stories, we need to ensure the definition captures the full breadth of our country.

    The final definition will be used to support the creation, distribution, and discoverability of Canadian and Indigenous audio content across radio and online audio streaming platforms.

    Ultimately, we want to ensure our system gives Canadians access to the audio and music content they want, and we intend to update the definition of Canadian content for audio to help ensure that content can be easily discovered and enjoyed.

    The reply period on this consultation closes next week, and we are looking forward to a public hearing in September.

    Conclusion

    There are other ongoing proceedings – such as our consultation on public interest participation – which I will have to leave for another time.

    There are still further proceedings to come and, as with those on audio policy, we hope you will participate and have your voices heard.

    In fact, I would like to emphasize what a tremendous opportunity this is – the last time we made changes this expansive to our broadcasting regulatory frameworks was in 1993. We appreciate the high level of engagement we have seen across our proceedings so far. And for those joining us for hearings later this year – we look forward to having those conversations.

    The regulatory policy decisions we make are based entirely on the public record. When you make your voice heard and participate in our processes – by filing an intervention or presenting during a public hearing, for example – you are playing a vital role in shaping public policy.

    And it’s by working together that we ensure our policies reflect the full scope of views and perspectives.

    That’s how we build a modernized broadcasting framework that is resilient, reflective of the country, and sustainable for years to come.

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Supporting young leaders across Alberta

    Source: Government of Canada regional news (2)

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI: PROACTIS SA – Press Release 30.05.2025 (AFR report publication)

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    Press Release

    Postponement of publication of results and Annual Financial Report for the year ending January 31, 2025

    Paris, France – (30 May 2025) – PROACTIS SA (ISIN code: FR0004052561) announces the postponement of the publication, originally scheduled for May 30, 2025, of its results and Annual Financial Report for the year ended January 31, 2025.

    This postponement follows the delay in finalizing the audit by the statutory auditors of PROACTIS HOLDING LIMITED (parent company of PROACTIS SA) and the delay in agreeing certain matters with the auditors of PROACTIS SA, notably with regards to the impairment of goodwill and forming a conclusion on going concern. As such, PROACTIS SA has no choice but to postpone the publication of its results and Annual Financial Report for the year ending January 31, 2025.

    PROACTIS SA and PROACTIS HOLDING LIMITED have already taken the necessary steps to complete the audits as quickly as possible.

    PROACTIS SA will announce the next publication dates in a press release in the near future.

    * * * *

    About Proactis SA (https://www.proactis.com/proactis-sa), a Proactis Company

    Proactis SA connects companies by providing business spend management and collaborative business process automation solutions for both goods and services, through The Business Network. Our solutions integrate with any ERP or procurement system, providing our customers with an easy-to-use solution which drives adoption, compliance and savings.

    Proactis SA has operations in France, Germany, USA and Manila.

    Listed in Compartment C on the Euronext Paris Eurolist.

    ISIN: FR0004052561, Euronext: PROAC, Reuters: HBWO.LN, Bloomberg: HBW.FP

    Contacts
    Tel: +33 (0)1 53 25 55 00
    E-mail: investorContact@proactis.com

    * * * *

    Attachment

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: There is no talk of Turkish or anyone else’s mediation in the second round of Russia-Ukraine talks in Istanbul — Russian Foreign Ministry

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian – People’s Republic of China in Russian –

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

    Moscow, May 30 /Xinhua/ — A Russian delegation led by Russian presidential aide Vladimir Medinsky will arrive in Istanbul on June 2 for the second round of direct talks with Ukraine. There is no talk of Turkish or anyone else mediating in the second round of talks between Russia and Ukraine in Istanbul. This was stated on Friday by Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova.

    “We confirm that the Russian delegation, headed by the Russian presidential aide Vladimir Medinsky, will be in Istanbul on June 2 to hold the second round of the aforementioned negotiations. It will arrive with a draft memorandum and other proposals for a ceasefire,” said M. Zakharova.

    Russia does not see a connection between direct negotiations with Ukraine and the presence of representatives of the United States, Great Britain, Germany and France in Istanbul, noted the official representative of the Russian Foreign Ministry.

    “Of course, we are deeply grateful to our Turkish friends for their hospitality and for creating the necessary comfortable conditions for work as hosts of the negotiating platform. However, there is no talk of Turkish or anyone else’s mediation,” M. Zakharova emphasized. –0–

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • Global universities seek to lure US-bound students amid Trump crackdown

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    Universities around the world are seeking to offer refuge for students impacted by U.S. President Donald Trump’s crackdown on academic institutions, targeting top talent and a slice of the billions of dollars in academic revenue in the United States.

    Osaka University, one of the top ranked in Japan, is offering tuition fee waivers, research grants and help with travel arrangements for students and researchers at U.S. institutions who want to transfer.

    Japan’s Kyoto University and Tokyo University are also considering similar schemes, while Hong Kong has instructed its universities to attract top talent from the United States. China’s Xi’an Jiaotong University has appealed for students at Harvard, singled out in Trump’s crackdown, promising “streamlined” admissions and “comprehensive” support.

    Trump’s administration has enacted massive funding cuts for academic research, curbed visas for foreign students – especially those from China – and plans to hike taxes on elite schools.

    Trump alleges top U.S. universities are cradles of anti-American movements. In a dramatic escalation, his administration last week revoked Harvard’s ability to enrol foreign students, a move later blocked by a federal judge.

    Masaru Ishii, dean of the graduate school of medicine at Osaka University, described the impact on U.S. universities as “a loss for all of humanity”.

    Japan aims to ramp up its number of foreign students to 400,000 over the next decade, from around 337,000 currently.

    Jessica Turner, CEO of Quacquarelli Symonds, a London-based analytics firm that ranks universities globally, said other leading universities around the world were trying to attract students unsure of going to the United States.

    Germany, France and Ireland are emerging as particularly attractive alternatives in Europe, she said, while in the Asia-Pacific, New Zealand, Singapore, Hong Kong, South Korea, Japan, and mainland China are rising in profile.

    SWITCHING SCHOOLS

    Chinese students have been particularly targeted in Trump’s crackdown, with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Wednesday pledging to “aggressively” crack down on their visas.

    More than 275,000 Chinese students are enrolled in hundreds of U.S. colleges, providing a major source of revenue for the schools and a crucial pipeline of talent for U.S. technology companies.

    International students – 54% of them from India and China – contributed more than $50 billion to the U.S. economy in 2023, according to the U.S. Department of Commerce.

    Trump’s crackdown comes at a critical period in the international student application process, as many young people prepare to travel to the U.S. in August to find accommodation and settle in before term starts.

    Dai, 25, a Chinese student based in Chengdu, had planned to head to the U.S. to complete her master’s but is now seriously considering taking up an offer in Britain instead.

    “The various policies (by the U.S. government) were a slap in my face,” she said, requesting to be identified only by her surname for privacy reasons. “I’m thinking about my mental health and it’s possible that I indeed change schools.”

    Students from Britain and the European Union are also now more hesitant to apply to U.S. universities, said Tom Moon, deputy head of consultancy at Oxbridge Applications, which helps students in their university applications.

    He said many international students currently enrolled at U.S. universities were now contacting the consultancy to discuss transfer options to Canada, the UK and Europe.

    According to a survey the consultancy ran earlier this week, 54% of its clients said they were now “less likely” to enrol at an American university than they were at the start of the year.

    There has been an uptick in applications to British universities from prospective students in the U.S., said Universities UK, an organisation that promotes British institutions. It cautioned, however, that it was too early to say whether that translates into more students enrolling.

    REPUTATIONAL EFFECTS

    Ella Ricketts, an 18-year-old first year student at Harvard from Canada, said she receives a generous aid package paid for by the school’s donors and is concerned that she won’t be able to afford other options if forced to transfer.

    “Around the time I was applying to schools, the only university across the Atlantic I considered was Oxford… However, I realised that I would not be able to afford the international tuition and there was no sufficient scholarship or financial aid available,” she said.

    If Harvard’s ability to enrol foreign students is revoked, she would most likely apply to the University of Toronto, she said.

    Analytics firm QS said overall visits to its ‘Study in America’ online guide have declined by 17.6% in the last year — with interest from India alone down over 50%.

    “Measurable impacts on enrolment typically emerge within six to 18 months. Reputational effects, however, often linger far longer, particularly where visa uncertainty and shifting work rights play into perceptions of risk versus return,” said QS’ Turner.

    That reputational risk, and the ensuing brain drain, could be even more damaging for U.S. institutions than the immediate economic hit from students leaving.

    “If America turns these brilliant and talented students away, they will find other places to work and study,” said Caleb Thompson, a 20-year-old U.S. student at Harvard, who lives with eight international scholars.

    -Reuters

  • MIL-OSI Africa: “A Mission, Not a Job!” – African Development Bank President reflects on a decade of leadership

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

    ABIDJAN, Ivory Coast, May 30, 2025/APO Group/ —

    Speaking Monday at a breakfast meeting with journalists, the President of the African Development Bank Group (www.AfDB.org), Dr. Akinwumi Adesina, described his ten-year presidency as a consuming yet profoundly fulfilling mission.

    The press briefing is the first official event of the Bank’s 2025 Annual Meetings, taking place in Abidjan, Cote d’Ivoire from 26 to 30 May 2025 – during which a new president of the Bank will be elected.

    “This is not a job. If anyone is looking for a job, please don’t take it. This is not a job. This is a mission,” he said. “As my wife Grace and staff would tell you, for ten years I have had no life. Completely zero. I worked every single day. Every single step.”

    Adesina expressed gratitude for the opportunity to lead the institution. “Serving as President of the African Development Bank Group has been the greatest honor of my life,” he said. “It has been a decade of relentless purpose, of enduring passion, and of tireless service.”

    The event was attended by journalists covering the Annual Meetings, which are expected to draw a record 6,000 delegates from 91 countries, including policymakers, private sector leaders, academics, civil society, development partners, and media.

    “[This] is one of my favorite moments of every Annual Meeting. It gives me the opportunity to speak frankly, reflect deeply, and thank you sincerely,” Adesina told the journalists , adding that the 2025 Meetings are “the final chapter of a remarkable decade of transformation.”

    Delivering his remarks in English and French, Adesina reeled out the Bank’s biggest achievements, including the largest capital increase in its history, from $93 billion in 2015 to $318 billion; the record replenishment of the African Development Fund, raising $8.9 billion; and the half a billion Africans who have benefited from the Bank’s investments under his leadership.

    Adesina’s presidency began in 2015 with the launch of the “High 5s” development priorities: Light Up and Power Africa, Feed Africa, Industrialize Africa, Integrate Africa, and Improve the Quality of Life for the People of Africa.

    Ten years on, those priorities have made a profound impact. “The High 5s have impacted on the lives of over 565 million people across Africa,” Adesina said. “These are not just figures. They are futures. They are hopes realized.”

    He expressed his gratitude to the media for their support over the past decade, and for their presence at the last annual meetings under his headship. “Your role is more important than ever,” he said. “You are not just observers. You are amplifiers of Africa’s voice. You shape the narrative. You challenge us. You inform the world.”

    Echoing his keynote remarks from the All-Africa Media Leaders’ Summit in May 2024 in Nairobi, Kenya, Adesina called for the emergence of African media platforms that will credibly amplify positive continental narratives on a global scale.

    Looking ahead, Adesina expressed pride in the transformation of the Bank during his tenure, and its enhanced global stature. “The African Development Bank you have today is not the African Development Bank you used to have. This is a global institution now.” he said.

    Asked what advice he would offer his successor, Adesina responded, “The responsibility of that leader is to build on the past, to look far into the future, and to find within themselves what courage it takes to stand up for Africa’s interests. To make sure that Africa’s voice is never silenced on issues that matter globally and where it matters globally.”

    Reflecting on the forthcoming transition, and the institution he will hand over on September 1, 2025, Adesina declared, “Leadership may change, but the mission remains. The Bank’s direction is clear, its resolve strong, and its commitment to Africa’s development unshakable.”

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Prime numbers, the building blocks of mathematics, have fascinated for centuries − now technology is revolutionizing the search for them

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By Jeremiah Bartz, Associate Professor of Mathematics, University of North Dakota

    Prime numbers are numbers that are not products of smaller whole numbers. Jeremiah Bartz

    A shard of smooth bone etched with irregular marks dating back 20,000 years puzzled archaeologists until they noticed something unique – the etchings, lines like tally marks, may have represented prime numbers. Similarly, a clay tablet from 1800 B.C.E. inscribed with Babylonian numbers describes a number system built on prime numbers.

    As the Ishango bone, the Plimpton 322 tablet and other artifacts throughout history display, prime numbers have fascinated and captivated people throughout history. Today, prime numbers and their properties are studied in number theory, a branch of mathematics and active area of research today.

    A history of prime numbers

    Some scientists guess that the markings on the Ishango bone represent prime numbers.
    Joeykentin/Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA

    Informally, a positive counting number larger than one is prime if that number of dots can be arranged only into a rectangular array with one column or one row. For example, 11 is a prime number since 11 dots form only rectangular arrays of sizes 1 by 11 and 11 by 1. Conversely, 12 is not prime since you can use 12 dots to make an array of 3 by 4 dots, with multiple rows and multiple columns. Math textbooks define a prime number as a whole number greater than one whose only positive divisors are only 1 and itself.

    Math historian Peter S. Rudman suggests that Greek mathematicians were likely the first to understand the concept of prime numbers, around 500 B.C.E.

    Around 300 B.C.E., the Greek mathematician and logician Euler proved that there are infinitely many prime numbers. Euler began by assuming that there is a finite number of primes. Then he came up with a prime that was not on the original list to create a contradiction. Since a fundamental principle of mathematics is being logically consistent with no contradictions, Euler then concluded that his original assumption must be false. So, there are infinitely many primes.

    The argument established the existence of infinitely many primes, however it was not particularly constructive. Euler had no efficient method to list all the primes in an ascending list.

    Prime numbers, when expressed as that number of dots, can be arranged only in a single row or column, rather than a square or rectangle.
    David Eppstein/Wikimedia Commons

    In the middle ages, Arab mathematicians advanced the Greeks’ theory of prime numbers, referred to as hasam numbers during this time. The Persian mathematician Kamal al-Din al-Farisi formulated the fundamental theorem of arithmetic, which states that any positive integer larger than one can be expressed uniquely as a product of primes.

    From this view, prime numbers are the basic building blocks for constructing any positive whole number using multiplication – akin to atoms combining to make molecules in chemistry.

    Prime numbers can be sorted into different types. In 1202, Leonardo Fibonacci introduced in his book “Liber Abaci: Book of Calculation” prime numbers of the form (2p – 1) where p is also prime.

    Today, primes in this form are called Mersenne primes after the French monk Marin Mersenne. Many of the largest known primes follow this format.

    Several early mathematicians believed that a number of the form (2p – 1) is prime whenever p is prime. But in 1536, mathematician Hudalricus Regius noticed that 11 is prime but not (211 – 1), which equals 2047. The number 2047 can be expressed as 11 times 89, disproving the conjecture.

    While not always true, number theorists realized that the (2p – 1) shortcut often produces primes and gives a systematic way to search for large primes.

    The search for large primes

    The number (2p – 1) is much larger relative to the value of p and provides opportunities to identify large primes.

    When the number (2p – 1) becomes sufficiently large, it is much harder to check whether (2p – 1) is prime – that is, if (2p – 1) dots can be arranged only into a rectangular array with one column or one row.

    Fortunately, Édouard Lucas developed a prime number test in 1878, later proved by Derrick Henry Lehmer in 1930. Their work resulted in an efficient algorithm for evaluating potential Mersenne primes. Using this algorithm with hand computations on paper, Lucas showed in 1876 that the 39-digit number (2127 – 1) equals 170,141,183,460,469,231,731,687,303,715,884,105,727, and that value is prime.

    Also known as M127, this number remains the largest prime verified by hand computations. It held the record for largest known prime for 75 years.

    Researchers began using computers in the 1950s, and the pace of discovering new large primes increased. In 1952, Raphael M. Robinson identified five new Mersenne primes using a Standard Western Automatic Computer to carry out the Lucas-Lehmer prime number tests.

    As computers improved, the list of Mersenne primes grew, especially with the Cray supercomputer’s arrival in 1964. Although there are infinitely many primes, researchers are unsure how many fit the type (2p – 1) and are Mersenne primes.

    By the early 1980s, researchers had accumulated enough data to confidently believe that infinitely many Mersenne primes exist. They could even guess how often these prime numbers appear, on average. Mathematicians have not found proof so far, but new data continues to support these guesses.

    George Woltman, a computer scientist, founded the Great Internet Mersenne Prime Search, or GIMPS, in 1996. Through this collaborative program, anyone can download freely available software from the GIMPS website to search for Mersenne prime numbers on their personal computers. The website contains specific instructions on how to participate.

    GIMPS has now identified 18 Mersenne primes, primarily on personal computers using Intel chips. The program averages a new discovery about every one to two years.

    The largest known prime

    Luke Durant, a retired programmer, discovered the current record for the largest known prime, (2136,279,841 – 1), in October 2024.

    Referred to as M136279841, this 41,024,320-digit number was the 52nd Mersenne prime identified and was found by running GIMPS on a publicly available cloud-based computing network.

    This network used Nvidia chips and ran across 17 countries and 24 data centers. These advanced chips provide faster computing by handling thousands of calculations simultaneously. The result is shorter run times for algorithms such as prime number testing.

    New and increasingly powerful computer chips have allowed prime-number hunters to find increasingly larger primes.
    Fritzchens Fritz/Flickr

    The Electronic Frontier Foundation is a civil liberty group that offers cash prizes for identifying large primes. It awarded prizes in 2000 and 2009 for the first verified 1 million-digit and 10 million-digit prime numbers.

    Large prime number enthusiasts’ next two challenges are to identify the first 100 million-digit and 1 billion-digit primes. EFF prizes of US$150,000 and $250,000, respectively, await the first successful individual or group.

    Eight of the 10 largest known prime numbers are Mersenne primes, so GIMPS and cloud computing are poised to play a prominent role in the search for record-breaking large prime numbers.

    Large prime numbers have a vital role in many encryption methods in cybersecurity, so every internet user stands to benefit from the search for large prime numbers. These searches help keep digital communications and sensitive information safe.

    Jeremiah Bartz owns shares in Nvidia.

    – ref. Prime numbers, the building blocks of mathematics, have fascinated for centuries − now technology is revolutionizing the search for them – https://theconversation.com/prime-numbers-the-building-blocks-of-mathematics-have-fascinated-for-centuries-now-technology-is-revolutionizing-the-search-for-them-249223

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Ranking Member Don Davis Jointly Leads Digital Asset Market Clarity (CLARITY) Act of 2025

    Source: US Congressman Don Davis (NC-01)

    WASHINGTON, DC — Today, Commodity Markets, Digital Assets, and Rural Development Subcommittee Ranking Member Don Davis (D-NC-01) and House Agriculture Committee Ranking Member Angie Craig (D-MN-02) introduced the bipartisan Digital Asset Market Clarity (CLARITY) Act of 2025 as original cosponsors, alongside House Financial Services Committee Chair French Hill (R-AR-02), House Agriculture Committee Chair Glenn “GT” Thompson (R-PA-15), Commodity Markets, Digital Assets, and Rural Development Subcommittee Chair Dusty Johnson (R-SD-AL), Representatives Tom Emmer (R-MN-06), Bryan Steil (R-WI-01), Ritchie Torres (D-NY-15), and Warren Davidson (R-OH-08).

    “Families, entrepreneurs, and small businesses across our country, including rural areas in eastern North Carolina, seek ways to engage in the modern economy. Digital assets present a chance for a more inclusive financial future, but we need clear rules and fair oversight for innovation to thrive. Congress must ensure that America shapes digital finance, creates opportunities, protects consumers, and supports overlooked communities,” said Congressman Davis, the ranking member of the Commodity Markets, Digital Assets, and Rural Development Subcommittee.

    The CLARITY Act establishes a new regulatory framework for the issuance and trading of digital assets by outlining specific criteria for when a digital asset is regulated by the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) or the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). Under the legislation’s regulatory framework, the CFTC would be given regulatory authority over the “digital commodities” market. This market would include digital assets related to blockchain systems deemed “mature,” or largely decentralized. While the bill provides clarity regarding what types of digital assets would fall under the “digital commodity” definition, it directs the CFTC and SEC to define several key terms through agency rulemakings. Notably, the bill would give the CFTC authority over most secondary market crypto transactions where investors buy and sell previously issued crypto assets. 

    As with Financial Innovation and Technology for the 21st Century Act from the previous Congress, the bill would grant CFTC new authorities, generally providing it exclusive jurisdiction over “cash” or “spot” market digital commodity transactions (with some exceptions) and requiring CFTC registration for entities (including exchanges, brokers and dealers) offering trade in digital commodities. The bill would impose certain requirements on intermediaries, including ensuring trading is not susceptible to manipulation, requiring disclosures, customer fund segregation and addressing market integrity and recordkeeping requirements.

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: 22nd Shangri-La Dialogue Kicks Off in Singapore Amid Geopolitical Tensions

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian – People’s Republic of China in Russian –

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

    SINGAPORE, May 30 (Xinhua) — The 22nd Shangri-La Dialogue, Asia’s premier defense and security summit, opened here on Friday amid geopolitical tensions.

    This year, representatives from 47 countries are participating in the dialogue, including 40 minister-level delegates, 20 chiefs-of-defence delegates, more than 20 senior military officials, as well as eminent academics, Singapore’s Ministry of Defence said.

    French President Emmanuel Macron will deliver a keynote speech on Friday evening in which he is expected to portray France and Europe as supporters of international cooperation and rules-based trade.

    Analysts expect regional cooperation, U.S. security policy, and the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict to be key topics at the conference. The fallout from the U.S. tariff hike is also likely to draw attention. Officials will use the platform to reassure partners and find guidance in an increasingly multipolar security landscape.

    The dialogue will last from May 30 to June 1. –0– Oleg

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Zheng halts Mboko’s run to book place in Roland Garros last 16

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

    Paris Olympic champion Zheng Qinwen of China continued her strong run at the French Open on Friday, advancing to the women’s singles Round of 16 with a straight-sets win over 18-year-old Canadian qualifier Victoria Mboko.

    The eighth seed needed just under 90 minutes to beat Mboko 6-3, 6-4 in their first career meeting, marking her second appearance in the last 16 at Roland Garros after her breakthrough run in 2022.

    Zheng Qinwen returns a shot during the women’s singles 3rd round match between Zheng Qinwen of China and Victoria Mboko of Canada at the French Open tennis tournament at Roland Garros, Paris, France, May 30, 2025. (Xinhua/Li Jing)

    “I was born in China in a really hot place, which is called Wuhan. So I handled the hot weather quite well,” Zheng said in her post-match interview. “Last year when I played the Olympic Games, it was hotter than this. So actually I like this condition, but I want to say thanks to all the crowd who suffered here under the sun today with me.”

    Zheng also praised her young opponent. “I want to say congrats to the opponent because I feel she played really well, and I think we pushed each other to play our best tennis. And sometimes we had really good points. It was not an easy match.”

    Zheng will next face the winner of the match between Dayana Yastremska of Ukraine and Liudmila Samsonova of Russia as she looks to reach her first French Open quarterfinal.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • Division between US and China is the biggest risk confronting world now, France’s Macron says

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    French President Emmanuel Macron said on Friday that division between the two superpowers, the United States and China, is the main risk currently confronting the world as he emphasized the need for building new coalitions between Paris and partners in the Indo-Pacific.

    Macron is visiting the region as France and the European Union aim to strengthen their commercial ties in Asia to offset uncertainty over U.S. President Donald Trump’s tariff measures.

    “I will be clear, France is a friend and an ally of the United States, and is a friend, and we do cooperate – even if sometimes we disagree and compete – with China,” said Macron, who was speaking at the Shangri-La Dialogue, Asia’s premier defence forum, alongside a two-day state visit to Singapore.

    The French president said Asia and Europe have a common interest in preventing the disintegration of the global order.

    “The time for non-alignment has undoubtedly passed, but the time for coalitions of action has come, and requires that countries capable of acting together give themselves every means to do so,” Macron said.

    Macron is following leaders of China, Japan and other European countries in visiting the region in recent weeks, in a sign of south east Asia’s strategic importance amid uncertainties on global supply chains and trade.

    -Reuters