Source: Deutsche Bundesbank in English
A digital euro would be a digital form of central bank money, specifically the euro. It could be used by the general public in much the same way as cash, only in virtual form. Alongside cash, the Eurosystem would thus supply households with an additional form of central bank money that can be used quickly, easily and securely.
Source: Deutsche Bundesbank in English
A digital euro would be a digital form of central bank money, specifically the euro. It could be used by the general public in much the same way as cash, only in virtual form. Alongside cash, the Eurosystem would thus supply households with an additional form of central bank money that can be used quickly, easily and securely.
Source: Deutsche Bundesbank in English
A digital euro would be a digital form of central bank money, specifically the euro. It could be used by the general public in much the same way as cash, only in virtual form. Alongside cash, the Eurosystem would thus supply households with an additional form of central bank money that can be used quickly, easily and securely.
Source: Deutsche Bundesbank in English
A digital euro would be a digital form of central bank money, specifically the euro. It could be used by the general public in much the same way as cash, only in virtual form. Alongside cash, the Eurosystem would thus supply households with an additional form of central bank money that can be used quickly, easily and securely.
Source: Bundesanstalt für Finanzdienstleistungsaufsicht – In English
The Federal Financial Supervisory Authority BaFin warns consumers against offers on website esx-gruppe.com. According to information available to BaFin, financial and investment services are being provided on this website without the required authorisation.
Anyone conducting banking business or providing financial or investment services in Germany may do so only with authorisation from BaFin. However, some companies offer these services without the required authorisation. Information on whether companies have been authorised by BaFin can be found in BaFin’s database of companies.
The information provided by BaFin is based on section 37 (4) of the German Banking Act (Kreditwesengesetz – KWG).
BaFin, the German Federal Criminal Police Office (Bundeskriminalamt – BKA) and the German state criminal police offices (Landeskriminalämter) recommend that consumers seeking to invest money online should exercise the utmost caution and do the necessary research beforehand in order to identify fraud attempts at an early stage.
Source: Deutsche Bundesbank in English
A digital euro would be a digital form of central bank money, specifically the euro. It could be used by the general public in much the same way as cash, only in virtual form. Alongside cash, the Eurosystem would thus supply households with an additional form of central bank money that can be used quickly, easily and securely.
Source: Deutsche Bundesbank in English
Helmut Schlesinger turns 100 on 4 September, an anniversary that adds a wholly new numerical dimension to the honorary title of former Bundesbank President. Helmut Schlesinger is certainly no stranger to accolades celebrating his milestone birthdays. The “Börsen-Zeitung”, for one, marked his 80th birthday by writing that his name is synonymous with the pursuit of monetary stability, in a reference to the Bundesbank’s particular culture of stability, in which Mr Schlesinger’s thinking and attitudes resonate to this day.
Mr Schlesinger’s presidency marked the pinnacle of over 41 years at the Bundesbank and in pursuit of a stable currency. He is rightly regarded as one of the most influential Bundesbankers of all time. The “Börsen-Zeitung” once dubbed him a home-grown product of the Bundesbank, a description that I like a lot. It wrote that Helmut Schlesinger embodied an exceptional period of monetary history, which came to an end as it were with the transition to the euro, characterised, on balance, by the continuity of success.
During the 1950s and 1960s, in the early days of the Deutsche Mark, Mr Schlesinger followed an unusually steep career as a Bundesbank civil servant, culminating in him heading the Economics and Statistics Department. It was a time in which West Germany was experiencing the economic miracle. Under the fixed exchange rate regime, the Bundesbank led the money and credit sector out of planning and currency reform until it was finally opened and liberalised in 1958. Over the entire period, the Bundesbank succeeded in keeping the Deutsche Mark stable.
In 1972, Mr Schlesinger was appointed to the Bundesbank’s Directorate and became its chief economist. The circumstances of the time required a complete realignment of monetary policy: the Bretton Woods exchange rate system teetered and finally collapsed in 1973. Western Europe’s exchange rates entered a new equilibrium – first in the European exchange rate arrangement, then in the European Monetary System (EMS). In economic terms, the 1970s were dominated by oil crises and rising unemployment. The combination of high inflation and a stagnant economy led to a new term being coined: stagflation. At that time, the Bundesbank was the first central bank to introduce monetary targeting. Mr Schlesinger played a key role in translating monetarist theory into a monetary policy strategy.
He always saw the importance of explaining monetary policy, in personal contributions and in the Bundesbank’s Monthly Report, which he edited meticulously and with a sure sense of style. Many at the Bundesbank will remember the notes he made in pencil – he preferred an HB, or medium, hardness grade. As a monetary policymaker, however, some considered him a hard pencil lead, his argumentation consistent, but never simplistic. Time and again, he demonstrated the interaction between economic analysis, theoretical monetary concepts, political decision-making and historical change.
During the 1970s and 1980s, the Deutsche Mark proved one of the world’s most stable currencies. Mr Schlesinger, who was made Vice-President in 1980, was regarded as the “conscience of stability policy”. US Treasury Secretary James A. Baker III is once said to have accused Schlesinger of seeing inflation under every pebble. This period saw the Deutsche Mark evolve into the anchor currency of the EMS. In 1991, Schlesinger was promoted from Vice-President to President – for a tumultuous 26 months. The Bundesbank used interest rate hikes in a bid to bring down the inflation caused by German reunification. Its stubborn high-interest-rate policy met with criticism within Germany and elsewhere. Many of the EMS partner countries likewise blamed the Bundesbank for the currency crises and rounds of depreciation of 1992‑93. When the United Kingdom was forced to withdraw from the EMS in 1992, UK politicians and the British media levelled serious accusations at Mr Schlesinger. Yet he was never a narrow-minded monetary policy nationalist; he followed a clear monetary compass. When Mr Schlesinger, a passionate hillwalker, was asked on a Himalayan tour about the importance of the oldest Buddhist mantra om mani padme hum, he is said to have answered: keep the money supply tight.
Nowadays, the monetary targeting he introduced and that proved so successful back then has a different role to play. The structure of the economy has changed fundamentally. Mr Schlesinger himself always underscored that monetary policy strategy had to be adapted to structural change if it was to maintain monetary stability. Another of Mr Schlesinger’s insights also remains as true now as it was then: Stable money not only needs stability-oriented policies from both the government and the central bank. Business, employers and trade unions, and consumers also need to behave appropriately – what you might call a culture of stability. He established this culture of stability not just within the Bundesbank, but throughout west German society and later German society as a whole. It is a culture that is an obligation to all of his successors in the office of Bundesbank President. As the fifth in this line, I am honoured to offer my felicitations: heartfelt congratulations on your 100th birthday, Helmut Schlesinger!
Source: Deutsche Bundesbank in English
A digital euro would be a digital form of central bank money, specifically the euro. It could be used by the general public in much the same way as cash, only in virtual form. Alongside cash, the Eurosystem would thus supply households with an additional form of central bank money that can be used quickly, easily and securely.
Source: Deutsche Bundesbank in English
The interview was conducted by Christian Siedenbiedel.Translation: Deutsche Bundesbank
Mr Nagel, is this terrible wave of inflation finally over?
Yes, I believe this wave of inflation is coming to an end. In its initial phase, it was very challenging, or, as you put it, “terrible”. However, we in the euro area are now well on the way to sustainably achieving our inflation target of 2 %. Based on the Eurosystem projection from June, we should hit this target at the end of 2025. In Germany, the inflation rate of 2 % in August, as measured by the Harmonised Index of Consumer Prices, was a little deceptive, if only for purely technical reasons: the year-on-year rate, that is, compared with August 2023, was more favourable than in other months. We’ll be seeing somewhat higher rates again soon. But I think that we’re past the worst of it: we’ve ridden out the big wave.
Is it still possible that inflation could get out of hand?
I wouldn’t say so. Provided that we don’t see any more unexpected major shocks, like Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, for example, then inflation should continue to trend towards 2 %. Nevertheless, we shouldn’t celebrate prematurely and start patting ourselves on the back. We haven’t quite hit our target yet. We must remain vigilant and be wary of the risks on the way back to stable prices – that is our job as a central bank.
How seriously should we be taking the repeated upside surprises to services inflation?
We are taking the higher inflation for services seriously. After all, services make up nearly half of the basket of consumer goods – that’s a lot. In Germany, the prices for services are still rising by around 4 % each year. Strong growth in wages is especially contributing to this. And we are expecting wage settlements in Germany to remain relatively high over the remaining course of 2024 as well. In annual terms, negotiated wages are likely to rise by around 6 %. While there is some fluctuation in the monthly figures, wage pressures in Germany will remain high overall for the time being.
Given this state of affairs, do you think the ECB should risk lowering interest rates for a second time in September?
On the ECB Governing Council, we have stressed that we will not pre-commit to any particular path of interest rates and that we will follow a data-dependent approach to our decisions. Following the interest rate reduction in June, it was a wise move to then wait and see in July and not cut rates any further. For this reason, I will really only be making up my mind at next week’s ECB Governing Council meeting, when I will have a full overview of all the data. As before, we are not flying on autopilot. But I’ll say one thing: I think inflation is making good progress.
When interest rates were first cut in June, only the Governor of the Oesterreichische Nationalbank, Robert Holzmann, voted against the reduction. After all, the ECB had just been forced to adjust its inflation projections upward. Did you not have any concerns in cutting interest rates?
No, I had no concerns in June. From my perspective, the interest rate step was justified by the data. They did not cast any doubt on the general direction of travel, that is, the decline in the inflation rate over a longer period of time. And our monetary policy is still tight, even after the cut in interest rates. However, I do, of course, respect the decision of my colleague Robert Holzmann.
During his time as President, your predecessor Jens Weidmann was often the one who took on the role of the most hawkish member of the ECB Governing Council, the most strident advocate of tight monetary policy. How do you view your role on the Governing Council?
Comparing two completely different situations is always difficult, and it should be up to others to evaluate my work. Our decisions on the Governing Council are reached as a team – one that strives to make responsible monetary policy for the euro area. I wish to seek out solutions together with my colleagues on the ECB Governing Council, which is why I focus more on the team as a whole than on individuals. I think we have done well on this score over the past two years: we have succeeded in bringing inflation down in a challenging environment.
There are economists who fear that inflation could settle at a level noticeably above the ECB’s target of 2 % in the medium term. Do you think that the risk of there being structurally higher inflation in future can be completely ruled out?
In this context, we must clearly distinguish between two things. First, there is the question of whether we are going to see stronger price pressures in the future. That’s something I can’t rule out. We are keeping close tabs on how certain developments are impacting on inflation – these include geopolitical developments, the green transformation and demographic developments. Some academics expect these developments to lead to pressure towards higher inflation rates. A different question altogether is whether inflation will be higher over the long term because of this. And I will be quite clear on this matter: that’s something monetary policymakers hold sway over. Our mandate is price stability.
Would you then say that the ECB is partly to blame for inflation getting out of hand in recent years?
I wouldn’t use the word blame in this context – I consider that to be the wrong category. Hindsight is always 20/20. What is certainly true is that at the end of 2021 – before I joined the ECB Governing Council – it was already foreseeable that the inflation rate would rise, and the ECB continued its asset purchases. In January 2022, prior to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, we already had an inflation rate of 5 %, which was probably due in part to the coronavirus pandemic. As part of the ECB strategy review that has just begun, we will have to examine the role monetary policy measures, such as asset purchases, played during the low inflation period.
Was it a sticking point that the ECB had committed to tapering asset purchases first before starting to raise interest rates? The economist Markus Brunnermeier mentioned this recently in a discussion with you. As a result, the central bank was unable to respond quickly enough with the interest rate hikes that inflation would have required …
Back then, it was important to gradually ready financial markets for this reversal. This happened through a series of announcements starting from December 2021. If you look at developments in financial markets, then I’d say that the markets understood this communication and were prepared. The ECB thus succeeded in keeping the negative side effects often associated with changes in monetary policy relatively manageable.
In your role as Bundesbank President, how do you view the economic situation in Germany at present. Is it being talked down?
We are navigating an economic situation characterised by strong headwinds. Recent business communications make it clear that certain sectors are under pressure and need to take countermeasures. But I am very much against talking the situation down, because that stimulates exactly those developments that are being lamented.
What do you mean by headwinds?
As a large export economy, Germany is particularly hard hit by the geoeconomic changes happening at the moment. Let me give an example: we export especially large amounts to China, meaning that any slowdown in the economy there impacts us particularly hard. The uncertainty that we are seeing among consumers and firms is a factor as well. As a result, investment in machinery, equipment and vehicles fell by 4.1 % between the first and second quarter. Overall, economic output contracted by 0.1 % in the second quarter. That should serve as a wake-up call. We need to put growth front and centre, and that means investment needs to become a more attractive option again.
So where might impetus to boost growth come from?
I think the Federal Government’s growth initiative is on the right
track: getting rid of bracket creep for taxpayers, cutting bureaucratic red tape, making improvements to depreciation on investments, but also bringing in measures to strengthen incentives to work. These are all sound steps. But, with the summer break over now, they actually need to be put into practice. Words have to be followed up with deeds. It is particularly important that politicians give a clear indication of where things are headed. If there is a dependable setting, firms will start investing more again. The debt brake could also stand to undergo moderate reform, in my view. The Bundesbank has put forward some proposals that would create a little more leeway, provided that Germany keeps to the EU’s rules on debt. But now it’s up to politicians to take action.
How concerned are you by what has happened in Thuringia and Saxony?
I find it very unsettling. Democracy, freedom, openness, including to people from other countries – these are core values. When these are being called into question, we at the Bundesbank cannot just look on dispassionately, either; we need to take a clear stand. A central bank also has a responsibility to society in this regard. And, as you know, we at the Bundesbank have just had renowned historians probe the history of central banking in Germany between 1924 and 1970. I worry when I read about calls for Germany to exit the European Union or leave the monetary union. That sort of thing jeopardises Germany’s position as a business location; it undermines European cohesion. And it’s harmful to our prosperity.
The Bundesbank itself is in the midst of profound change. The plan for the new Central Office in Frankfurt was pared back, there are to be no new high-rises, and eight out of 31 branches are set to be closed. Where do things stand – is more on the way?
Well, that’s already a fair amount that we have planned. This is about making the Bundesbank fit for the future. But it’s also about the Bundesbank’s duty to uphold cost-efficiency. Together with our staff representation committees, we have agreed to let staff work up to 60 % of their hours from home. That has allowed us to significantly downsize our construction plans for Frankfurt. In terms of office space, we can even do without new builds entirely. And we will be designing our future open-plan workspaces in a manner befitting a modern institution. We need to reduce the number of branches because of the trend decline in the use of cash. But the closures will be planned with a long lead time and carried out in a socially responsible way. And we will make sure that the cash supply throughout Germany remains fully intact at all times in future.
So what do the Bundesbank’s staff have to say when they find out they will no longer have their own office in future under these plans?
When the employees first set eyes on their new office environment, there’s bound to be plenty who say it is really great. Despite the success of working from home, it has also taught us how important it is to engage with others. This is tremendously helpful in fulfilling the Bundesbank’s tasks, and that often works better in open-plan workspaces than behind closed doors. It will of course still be possible to go into a quiet space for a while when concentrated individual work is required.
You have also announced your intention to use AI to a greater extent, for example in inflation forecasts. Have there been any successes yet in this regard?
Yes, we are already trialling quite a few things on this front, for example in the area of short-term inflation forecasting. For very complex problems, in particular – which we at the Bundesbank are often confronted with – AI delivers an initial assessment very quickly. We are also already using it to prepare for our meetings. However, for us it is important that AI remains just a tool. People continue to bear responsibility. We remain in the driving seat.
The ECB is currently reviewing its monetary policy strategy again. What would you consider to be important here?
One thing we need to do is to reflect on the past: what was good about the non-standard monetary policy measures, and what was bad? A critical look in the rear-view mirror is important in order to check our use of instruments going forward. Are we well equipped in this context? What topics will be relevant in future?
Would you also want to talk about the inflation target of 2 %?
A review of the inflation target is not on our agenda. We have fared very well with our inflation target of 2 %, also of late. I see no reason to change the target in the current situation.
There was much debate at the time – especially in Germany – about the ECB’s multi-trillion euro asset purchases. Some central bank staff even resigned over the matter. What is your view of this now, after a few years of experience and the realisation of high operating losses at the Bundesbank?
Obviously I would also rather announce profits, and indeed we did have profits over many years. Now, however, we will have to deal with a few years of losses – and we will manage. This is, incidentally, a topic that we communicated at a very early stage. After all, when monetary policymakers purchase assets on a large scale, it is clear that rising interest rates will impact the central bank balance sheet. And this is indeed what has happened. We had to raise interest rates sharply. As the largest central bank in the Eurosystem, the Bundesbank has to shoulder the greatest burden. In the current year, we could potentially see a magnitude similar to that of 2023. Since we have virtually exhausted our risk provisions, we will have to make use of loss carryforwards in the coming years. Nevertheless, an important aspect for me is that the Bundesbank will return to profitability in future. The Bundesbank’s balance sheet is sound as we have large revaluation reserves. For this reason, there is no need for anyone to worry – the Bundesbank does not need any additional capital.
And what’s your takeaway for the asset purchases? Should this instrument be abolished?
One should certainly exercise caution with regard to substantial asset purchases at the zero lower bound. When it comes to safeguarding price stability, it should remain an exceptional instrument for exceptional circumstances. I hope that such exceptional circumstances do not occur again in the foreseeable future. I at least don’t see any signs of this happening. The substantial monetary policy asset purchases were associated with numerous side effects in financial markets. In the strategy review I am calling for a clear delineation of asset purchases at the zero lower bound – we mustn’t overuse this instrument.
© FAZ. All rights reserved.
Source: Deutsche Bundesbank in English
A digital euro would be a digital form of central bank money, specifically the euro. It could be used by the general public in much the same way as cash, only in virtual form. Alongside cash, the Eurosystem would thus supply households with an additional form of central bank money that can be used quickly, easily and securely.
Source: Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe – OSCE
Headline: The OSCE Mission to BiH Donates Specialized Equipment to Police K9 Units across the country
The OSCE Mission to Bosnia and Herzegovina has donated specialized equipment to K9 police units. (OSCE) Photo details
The OSCE Mission to Bosnia and Herzegovina (Mission) has donated today specialized equipment to K9 police units across the country. The donation includes essential work gear and is part of the Mission’s project on Addressing Security and Safety Risks of Illegal Possession, Misuse, and Trafficking of Small Arms and Light Weapons (SALW) and their Ammunition in Bosnia and Herzegovina. K9 units will receive muzzles, Kevlar suits, training sleeves, scent detection boxes, specialized SALW suitcases, alpinist equipment for dogs as well as a scent detection carousel, altogether worth approximately EUR 70,000
The equipment will increase the weapons and explosives detection capacities of various agencies across BiH, including the BiH Border Police, the State Investigation and Protection Agency (SIPA), the Police of Brčko District BiH, the Republika Srpska Ministry of Interior, the Federal Police Administration, as well as the Ministries of Interior of the Tuzla Canton, Una-Sana Canton, and Zenica-Doboj Canton.
“We are proud to be able to provide this gear to our partners across the country. It will significantly enhance the ability of police K9 units to detect concealed weapons, ammunition, and explosives,” said Ambassador Brian Aggeler, Head of the OSCE Mission to BiH. “This donation would not have been possible if it were not for our international partners and the support that they have provided to the Project. Through our joint efforts we can help BiH address serious security threats and increases safety for all citizens,” he added.
Mlađen Božović, Chief of Cabinet of the Minister of Security, expressed his satisfaction with the ongoing efforts to equip police agencies, enhancing their operational capabilities in the fight against illegal arms trade. He stated that: “These criminal activities present an increasing security challenge for all countries. Police agencies must adapt by continually strengthening their capacity to detect illegal weapons and disrupt smuggling routes. Preventing the illegal arms trade remains a top priority for the Ministry of Security of Bosnia and Herzegovina. Our goal is to enhance security and prevent criminal activities related to weapons by curbing smuggling, both in the region and across the European Union member states.”
The OSCE Mission to BiH remains committed to support authorities at all levels in mitigating security risks posed by the illegal possession, misuse, and trafficking of SALW and their ammunition. By this commitment, the Mission contributes to creating a safer and more secure environment for all citizens of Bosnia and Herzegovina.
The multi-year project: Addressing Security and Safety Risks of Illegal Possession, Misuse, and Trafficking of Small Arms and Light Weapons (SALW) and their Ammunition in Bosnia and Herzegovina is implemented by the Mission thanks to the generous support provided by Austria, the Czech Republic, the European Union, Germany, France, Liechtenstein, Norway, Slovakia, Türkiye, and the United States.
Source: Deutsche Bundesbank in English
With effect from Monday, 2 September 2024, Dr Sabine Mauderer was appointed Vice-President of the Deutsche Bundesbank. Furthermore, Lutz Lienenkämper and Michael Theurer joined the Bundesbank’s Executive Board. The responsibilities within the Executive Board have therefore been reallocated. The following reallocation of responsibilities comes into effect immediately.
President Dr Joachim Nagel
Economics
Directorate for Board and International Affairs
Communications
Strategy and Innovation
Legal Services
Deputy President Dr Sabine Mauderer
Markets
Controlling, Accounting and Organisation
Sustainability
Burkhard Balz
Cash management
Digital Euro
Payments and Settlement Systems
Centre for International Central Bank Dialogue
Lutz Lienenkämper
Human Resources
Internal audit
Compliance
Michael Theurer
Banking and Financial Supervision
Financial Stability
N.N.
Information Technology
Data and Statistics
Risk Control
Research
Responsibilities within the unallocated area have been temporarily assigned to Dr Joachim Nagel (Risk Control and Research Centre), Dr Sabine Mauderer (Data and Statistics) and Burkhard Balz (Information Technology).
Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)
Acquisition of German HESA Solutions GmbH – MySchleppApp
Nextalia SGR and Alkemia Capital SGR lead the Series B round of the Italian scale-up in the digital motor assistance sector
MILAN, Sept. 24, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — hlpy, the leading Italian scale-up in full digital services for mobility and vehicle assistance, has successfully completed a capital raise of 18 million euros aimed at strengthening its growth process in major European markets and acquiring a leading operator in Germany in digital roadside assistance: HESA Solutions GmbH – MySchleppApp.
The operation was co-led by Nextalia SGR through the Nextalia Venture fund and the current partner Sinergia Venture Fund of Alkemia Capital SGR, with the participation of all major shareholders of hlpy, including The Techshop SGR, CDP Venture Capital – fondo Corporate Partners I, ServiceTech, and Simest. The Series B consists of 80% capital increase and 20% long-term financing provided by credit institutions.
Thanks to this financial injection, hlpy accelerates its international expansion plan and announces its first M&A operation in Europe with the acquisition of 100% of the capital of HESA Solutions GmbH, commercially known as MySchleppApp, one of the leading digital roadside assistance companies in Germany and Austria, with annual growth rates exceeding 130%.
The acquisition of MySchleppApp allows hlpy to consolidate its position as the primary European operator of full-digital roadside assistance, offering its services not only in Italy, France, and Spain but also in Germany and Austria. These services include assistance, repair, and vehicle maintenance through the use of a software platform based on machine learning and artificial intelligence.
MySchleppApp delivers its services through a network of over 1,500 partners on the ground, with operations and a technology platform that integrate well with hlpy’s.
Since its market entry in February 2021, hlpy has handled over 550,000 assistance requests and, following the acquisition, expects to triple the volumes of fiscal year 2023, projecting a positive EBITDA.
“This operation,” explained Valerio Chiaronzi, CEO of hlpy, “supported by leading investors, strengthens hlpy’s leadership in the European market for digital car assistance. The capital increase reflects our shareholders’ confidence in hlpy’s growth path, which recorded a revenue increase of 157% in 2023 compared to 2022, and this year will also grow by triple digits. Despite exponential organic growth, we saw the opportunity presented by MySchleppApp as the right one to seize to enter an important market like Germany and clearly mark our growth trajectory and future: to become a leader in mobility services, redefining the rules and standards in roadside assistance, as well as in vehicle repair and maintenance, without any geographical limits. We are excited to welcome the MySchleppApp team, with whom we have formed a unique synergy from day one, thanks to shared corporate values, an operational model, and a technological approach aligned with our vision.
“We also believe that the integration of our realities can bring concrete benefits to our business partners – many of whom are common and cross-country – who, post- integration, will have a holistic view of their vehicles and drivers in multiple countries.”
“We are proud and excited to join the hlpy group,” added Santosh Satschdeva, CEO of HESA Solutions GmbH. “The integration between hlpy and MySchleppApp represents the union of two of the most technologically advanced entities in the vehicle assistance sector in Europe, with the common goal of providing our commercial partners and drivers with a superior customer experience, while also reducing operational costs and vehicle downtime. Together, we can expand a unique service model without any geographical barriers, accelerating the growth of the network and customer base.”
hlpy was born in Milan in May 2020 with the aim of reinventing vehicle assistance. Thanks to its innovative digital platform, hlpy aims to create value for insurance companies, car manufacturers, rental companies, rescue operators, and, above all, to make the service more reliable and secure for end users.
HESA Solutions GmbH, with its brand MySchleppApp, was founded in Germany in 2016. The business focus is on roadside assistance and support in the event of vehicle breakdowns. MySchleppApp’s approximately 75 clients include automobile manufacturers, fleet managers, and leasing companies. Its strength lies in the fully digital management of rescue requests, with a highly efficient rescuer engagement process and short waiting times for customers.
Photos accompanying this announcement are available at:
https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/d353f255-eab3-4f97-a5a1-42b5c4afa297
https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/981a26b8-8423-4573-990b-2366331b2c2a
Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)
AUSTIN, Texas, Sept. 24, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — QuestionPro, a global leader in online survey and research services today announced the agenda and speaker lineup for its annual customer event, XDay 2024 North America. The event takes place Thursday, October 3, 2024 from 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. (U.S. Central Time) at the Thompson Austin in Austin, Texas. The event features keynotes, in-depth panels, and one-to-one chats with industry leaders on a range of topics related to the future of insights, experience, and delight.
The day begins with opening remarks from Vivek Bhaskaran, QuestionPro’s founder and CEO, whose irreverent personality is combined with deep industry knowledge and vision. He will unveil exciting new products and feature updates across QuestionPro product lines and set the stage for a day of innovation and inspiration.
Bhaskaran is followed immediately by the morning keynote from Dr. Dipul Patadia, a visionary healthcare executive with over 20 years of experience of leadership, innovation and insights. As the Head of Health System Strategy and Innovation at Salesforce, he has been pivotal in aligning technology with the unique needs of health systems. His extensive background, including roles as Chief Medical Officer at hospitals within Ascension and Advocate Health, uniquely equips him with insights into the melding of data, and new trends.
Attendees will benefit from his leadership in national healthcare organizations and advisory roles with multiple healthcare startups. Expect to gain actionable insights into transforming your data, AI-driven empowerment, and leading with human centric data.
Following the morning keynotes will be a series of practitioner-led breakouts featurimg experts who have held senior roles at some of the most recognized brands in the world, including: Microsoft, Twitch, HubSpot, Cost Plus World Market and others. Panels, workshops and keynotes will cover workplace experience; AI in research and experience; deep dives on CX and many others. A full agenda is available via the web at: https://www.questionpro.com/xday/2024/
The afternoon keynote address will be delivered by Tim Sanders, currently the Vice President of Research Insights at G2. He brings a deep understanding of AI, digital transformation, and customer-centric strategies after serving as Vice President of Client Strategy at Upwork and many other prestigious institutions. As an Executive Fellow at Harvard’s Digital Data Design Institute, he drives AI adoption and data-driven business decisions. With a rich history at Yahoo and a bestselling author, Tim’s insights on leadership, digital transformation, and change management are not to be missed.
The event concludes with a rooftop dinner reception at Arriba Abajo, on top of the Thompson Hotel. Arriba Abajo beckons guests with its unique blend of cantina concept and elevated hospitality while captivating guests with its awe-inspiring rooftop patio and pool.
The event is open to the public. Information and registration are available online at:
https://www.questionpro.com/xday/2024/.
About QuestionPro:
Founded in 2006, QuestionPro is a global provider of online survey and research services that help companies make better decisions through data. Our fully integrated online platform includes surveys, research & insights, customer experience (CX) and workforce/employee experience software. We additionally offer polling, journey mapping, employee 360s, and data visualization. Our clientele ranges from small businesses to Fortune 100 companies, who rely on us for insights about customers, employees, and the marketplace. With offices in the US, Canada, Mexico, U.K., Germany, Japan, Australia, the United Arab Emirates and India, we offer customers 24-7 access to highly trained support specialists and engineers. More information is available at www.questionpro.com.
Source: The Conversation – UK – By Johanna L.A. Paijmans, Postdoctoral research fellow in Zoology, University of Cambridge
Many large mammals have lost genetic diversity, often thanks to the actions of people shrinking their populations. The implications can be severe because without genetic diversity, a population does not have a “genetic database” to fall back on to adapt to environmental change.
The Iberian lynx (Lynx pardinus) is no stranger to this reduction in diversity. Human activity has driven populations to dangerously low numbers, leaving them with a shrinking genetic pool. This loss threatens the lynx’s ability to adapt to changing environments, putting their survival at risk.
Our team’s research reveals how the Iberian lynx interbred with its cousin, the Eurasian lynx (Lynx lynx) over the past few thousand years. This mingling may have boosted the Iberian lynx’s genetic diversity. This is a crucial factor for its survival, especially as the species faces such an uncertain future.
Low genetic diversity can lead to “inbreeding depression”, where closely related animals breed and produce offspring that are less fit for survival. In extreme cases, this can push entire populations, or even species, to the brink of extinction.
To boost the genetic diversity of populations on the brink, conservationists sometimes turn to “genetic rescue”. This involves introducing individuals from different populations in the hope that they will breed with the local animals, reducing inbreeding and enhancing genetic diversity.
While this strategy can be effective, it’s not without risks. Introducing animals that are too genetically different can disrupt or dilute beneficial traits, potentially harming the population’s ability to survive and reproduce. It’s a phenomenon known as “outbreeding depression”. Despite these risks, genetic rescue remains a valuable tool in conservation, though it’s often approached with caution.
One of the most severe cases of reduced genetic diversity is the Iberian lynx, once the world’s most threatened cat species. It’s mostly found in parts of Spain and Portugal.
Today, the Iberian lynx is recovering from near extinction. More than 400 reproductive females were reported in the 2023 census. This is a massive increase from just 25 in 2002. This turnaround is largely thanks to an ambitious conservation programme over the past two decades, involving coordinated breeding programmes and reintroductions.
Part of this success is due to the “genetic rescue” effect, where mixing the two remaining genetically distinct populations helped boost the species’ genetic diversity. Despite this progress, the Iberian lynx still faces significant challenges. The population is far from reaching the minimum of 1,100 reproductive females needed to be considered genetically viable. So, its genetic diversity remains one of the lowest ever recorded.
Further genetic rescue could be a solution to enhance diversity. But there’s a catch – no other Iberian lynx populations exist in the world that could serve as a source of new genetic material.
Ancient DNA can be extracted from historical remains or subfossil (animals that are not ancient enough to be considered true fossils but are not considered modern either) samples. By studying these, scientists can gain valuable insights into the genetic past of species, offering a stark comparison with their present day counterparts.
In 2015, our colleague Maria Lucena-Perez first visited the lab of another of our colleagues, Michael Hofreiter, in Germany to generate the very first whole genome data from ancient Iberian lynx bones. Extracting ancient DNA from bones is a highly specialised process that requires dedicated cleanroom facilities to prevent contamination from modern DNA.
Working together, our team successfully extracted nuclear DNA from three ancient Iberian lynx specimens. Two of these were approximately 2,500 years old. The third dated back more than 4,000 years. This marked the first time nuclear DNA had ever been retrieved from ancient Iberian lynx. Maria’s achievement has significantly advanced our understanding of how the genetic makeup of the Iberian lynx has evolved over thousands of years.
Our team analysed and compared the DNA with that of modern Iberian lynx. To our surprise, the ancient lynx showed even lower genetic diversity than their modern descendants. Given the sharp decline in their populations over the past few centuries, this finding was both unexpected and puzzling.
The missing piece of the puzzle came with the discovery that modern Iberian lynx populations share more genetic variants with the closely related Eurasian lynx than their ancient counterparts did. This suggests that the two species successfully interbred within the past 2,500 years, boosting the genetic diversity of today’s Iberian lynx.
These findings align with extensive genomic evidence of ancient gene flow from Eurasian lynx into the Iberian lynx genome. While the two species don’t share the same habitats today, they once coexisted in the Iberian Peninsula, and possibly in southern France and northern Italy. This situation would have provided plenty of opportunities for interbreeding.
The potential for these two species to naturally meet and breed is growing once more as their ranges continue to expand. This could open up new possibilities for genetic diversity in the future.
The advent of whole nuclear genome analysis over the past 30 years has revealed numerous cases of cross-species interbreeding, such as between polar bears and brown bears. This suggests that the case of the lynx is not so unusual. But the Iberian lynx stands out as the first documented example where interspecies breeding significantly increased species-wide genetic diversity.
We still don’t fully understand the exact effect of this genetic boost, particularly whether it improved the population’s fitness and survival. One intriguing possibility is that the Iberian lynx has managed to persist despite its extremely low genetic diversity, thanks to recurrent genetic rescues by the Eurasian lynx.
While there’s more to learn, our research offers an unexpected but important case study for the broader discussion on genetic rescue. If we can better predict the chances of inbreeding and outbreeding depression when interbreeding happens, we could use genetic rescue more effectively as a conservation tool in the ongoing biodiversity crisis.
Johanna L.A. Paijmans receives funding from Marie Skłodowska-Curie individual fellowship “RESOURCEFUL”.
Axel Barlow receives funding from NERC, ERC.
José A. Godoy receives funding from the Spanish Dirección General de
Investigación Científica y Técnica through competitive research grants (projects CGL2013-47755-P, CGL2017-84641-P, PID2021-123358OB-I00) and from EU funded LIFE+ program (LIFE19 NAT/ES/001055 – LIFE LYNXCONNECT)
– ref. Ancient DNA helped us uncover the Iberian lynx’s potential secret weapon against extinction – https://theconversation.com/ancient-dna-helped-us-uncover-the-iberian-lynxs-potential-secret-weapon-against-extinction-237076
Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments
Following the G7 Foreign Ministers’ Meeting at the High-Level Week of the UN General Assembly, the following statement was made by Chair Antonio Tajani.
In today’s meeting in New York, in the wake of the Summit of the Future, the G7 Foreign Ministers of Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom, the United States and the High Representative of the European Union reiterated their commitment to upholding the rule of law, humanitarian principles and international law, including the Charter of the United Nations, and to protecting human rights and dignity for all individuals.
They re-emphasized their determination to foster collective action in order to preserve peace and stability to address global challenges, such as the climate crisis and to advance the achievement of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
In doing so, the G7 members renewed their commitment to the promotion of free societies and democratic principles, where all persons can freely exercise their rights and freedoms.
In the spirit of the renewed determination to strengthen the multilateral system based on the UN Charter’s principles, as reflected in the Pact for the Future adopted at the Summit of the Future by world Leaders, the G7 members committed to continue working with countries and all relevant stakeholders within the UN system through dialogue, mutual understanding and respect in the pursuit of common solutions, with the aim of upholding and reforming the multilateral system so that it better reflects today’s world and is fit to respond to the complex global challenges of the future. They reaffirmed their commitment to work with all UN member states to strengthen the roles of the UNSG as well as the UNGA. They also recommitted to the reform of the UNSC.
The G7 members reaffirmed their unwavering support to Ukraine as it defends its freedom, sovereignty, independence, and territorial integrity, against Russia’s brutal and unjustifiable war of aggression. The G7 members strongly condemned Russia’s blatant breach of international law, including the UN Charter, and of the basic principles that underpin the international order. They strongly condemned the serious violations of international humanitarian law perpetrated by Russia’s forces in Ukraine, which have caused a devastating impact on the civilian population. Violence against civilians, including women, children, and prisoners of war is unacceptable.
They expressed their outrage at Russia’s repeated attacks against critical infrastructure and they condemned in the strongest possible terms any targeting of civilian buildings and even hospitals. Ensuring the protection and resilience of Ukraine’s energy grid and its power generation capacity remains a fundamental and urgent priority as winter approaches. They welcomed the international conference on energy security held on August 22. .as well as the ongoing coordination of the G7 energy group. They reiterated their commitment to help Ukraine meet its urgent short-term financing needs, as well as support its long-term recovery and reconstruction priorities.
Russia must end its war of aggression and pay for the damage it has caused to Ukraine. The G7 members reiterated their commitment to explore and use all possible lawful avenues by which Russia is made to meet those obligations.
The launch of the Extraordinary Revenue Acceleration (ERA) Loans for Ukraine, as mandated by G7 leaders, will make available approximately USD 50 billion in additional funding to Ukraine that will be serviced and repaid by future flows of extraordinary revenues stemming from the immobilization of Russian sovereign assets held in the European Union and other relevant jurisdictions.
The G7 Foreign Ministers and the High Representative are working, together with Finance Ministers, to operationalize the G7 Leaders’ commitment by the end of the year. They will maintain solidarity in this commitment to providing this support to Ukraine. The G7 members confirmed that, consistent with all applicable laws and their respective legal systems, Russia’s sovereign assets in their jurisdictions will remain immobilized until Russia ends its aggression and pays for the damage it has caused to Ukraine.
They also committed to strengthening the Ukraine Donor Platform to help coordinate the disbursal of funds and ensure they align with Ukraine’s highest priority needs at a pace it can effectively absorb. This will play a key role in advancing Ukraine’s reforms in line with its European path and in contributing to a successful Ukraine Recovery Conference to be held in Italy in 2025.
Any use of nuclear weapons by Russia in the context of its war of aggression against Ukraine would be inadmissible. They therefore condemned in the strongest possible terms Russia’s irresponsible and threatening nuclear rhetoric, as well as its posture of strategic intimidation. They also expressed their deepest concern about the reported use of chemical weapons as well as riot control agents as a method of warfare by Russia in Ukraine.
The G7 members remained committed to holding those responsible accountable for atrocities in Ukraine, in line with international law. They also condemned the seizures of foreign companies and called on Russia to reverse these measures and seek acceptable solutions with the companies targeted by them.
They condemned Russia’s seizure and continued control and militarization of Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, which poses severe risks for nuclear safety and security, potentially affecting the entire international community. They reiterated their support to the International Atomic Energy Agency’s efforts directed at mitigating such risks.
They underlined once again their support for Ukraine’s right of self-defense and reiterated their commitment to Ukraine’s long-term security, recalling the launch of the Ukraine Compact in Washington on 11 July 2024. They re-affirmed the intention to increasing industrial production and delivery capabilities to assist Ukraine’s self-defense. They highlighted their support to Ukraine in its efforts to modernize its armed forces and strengthen its own defense industry. They expressed their resolve to bolster Ukraine’s air defense capabilities to save lives and protect critical infrastructure.
They remained committed to raising the costs of Russia’s war of aggression by building on the comprehensive package of sanctions and economic measures already in place. Though existing measures have had a significant impact on Russia’s war machine and ability to fund its invasion, its military is still posing a threat not just to Ukraine but also to international security.
The G7 members expressed the intention to continue taking appropriate measures, consistent with their legal systems, against actors in China and in third countries that materially support Russia’s war machine, including financial institutions, and other entities that facilitate Russia’s acquisition of items for its defense industrial base.
They expressed their intention to continue to apply significant pressure on Russian revenues from energy and other commodities. This will include improving the efficacy of the oil price cap policy by taking further steps to tighten compliance and enforcement, including against Russia’s shadow fleet, while working to maintain market stability.
They especially emphasized the urgency to support Ukraine’s energy security, including by coordinating international assistance through the G7+Ukraine Energy Coordination Group. They underscored the importance to continue working with the Ukrainian authorities and International Financial Institutions through the Ukraine Donor Platform, and by mobilizing private investments and fostering participation of civil society.
They highlighted the reality of millions of internally displaced Ukrainians and the importance of an inclusive rights-based, gender-responsive recovery, including the reintegration of veterans and civilians with disabilities, and to address the needs of women, children as well as other population groups who have been disproportionately affected by Russia’s war of aggression. They reiterated their condemnation of Russia’s unlawful deportation of Ukrainian children and welcomed coordinated efforts to secure their safe return. They called on Russia to release all persons it has unjustly detained and safely return all civilians it has illegally transferred or deported, starting with children. They welcomed the Ministerial Conference on the Human Dimension of Ukraine’s 10 point peace formula that will be hosted by Canada on October 30-31.
They reiterated the need to support Ukraine’s agriculture sector, which is critical for global food supply, particularly for the most vulnerable nations, and called for unimpeded exports of grain, foodstuffs, fertilizers and inputs from Ukraine.
They acknowledged the importance to involve the private sector in the sustainable economic recovery of Ukraine. They welcomed and underscored the significance of Ukraine itself continuing to implement domestic reform efforts, especially in the fields of anti-corruption, justice system reform, decentralization, and promotion of the rule of law. These endeavors are in line with the Euro-Atlantic path Ukraine has embraced. The G7 members were unanimous on the need to continue to support efforts of the Ukrainian government and people in these endeavors.
They resolutely condemned Russia’s holding of illegitimate ‘elections’ in the occupied Ukrainian Autonomous Republic of Crimea and the city of Sevastopol. Russia’s actions once again demonstrate its blatant disregard for Ukraine’s territorial integrity, sovereignty and independence, and the UN Charter. They called on all members of the international community to refrain from recognizing Russia’s illegitimate actions.
They welcomed the Summit on Peace in Ukraine that took place in Switzerland on June 15-16 and its focus on the key priorities needed to achieve a framework for peace based on international law, including the UN Charter and its principles, and respect for Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. They remained committed to follow up on the Conference through constructive engagement with all international partners to reach a comprehensive, just and lasting peace.
The G7 members acknowledged that Russia continues to expand its campaigns of foreign information manipulation and interference (FIMI). They condemned Russia’s use of FIMI to support its war of aggression against Ukraine. They reiterated their determination to bolster the G7 Rapid Response Mechanism by developing a collective response framework to counter foreign threats to democracies.
The G7 members reiterated their condemnation of Hamas’ horrendous attacks on October 7, 2023. 101 hostages are still in the hands of Hamas. They noted with deep concern the trend of escalatory violence in the Middle East and its repercussions on regional stability and on the lives of civilians shattered by this conflict, from the Gaza Strip to the Israeli-Lebanese Blue Line. Actions and counter-reactions risk magnifying this dangerous spiral of violence and dragging the entire Middle East into a broader regional conflict with unimaginable consequences. They called for a stop to the current destructive cycle, while emphasizing that no country stands to gain from a further escalation in the Middle East.
They expressed their deep concern about the situation along the Blue Line. They recognized the essential stabilizing role played by the Lebanese Armed Forces and the UN Interim Force in Lebanon in mitigating that risk. They demanded the full implementation of UNSCR 1701 (2006) and urged that all relevant actors implement immediate measures towards de-escalation.
The G7 members reaffirmed their strong support for the ongoing mediation efforts undertaken by the United States, Egypt and Qatar to reach a resolution between the parties to the conflict in Gaza. They reiterated their full commitment for the implementation of the UNSC Resolution 2735 (2024) and the comprehensive deal outlined by President Biden in May that would lead to an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, the release of all hostages, a significant and sustained increase in the flow of humanitarian assistance throughout Gaza, and an enduring end to the crisis, to secure a pathway to a two-state solution with a safe Israel alongside a sovereign Palestinian state. They urged the parties to the conflict to unequivocally accept the ceasefire proposal, stressing the need for countries in a position to directly influence the parties to cooperate in strengthening mediation efforts. They called for the full implementation of the terms of the ceasefire proposal without delay and without conditions.
They called on all parties to fully comply with international law, including international humanitarian law. They expressed their deep alarm for the heavy toll this conflict has taken on civilians, deploring all losses of civilian lives equally and noting with great concern that, after nearly a year of hostilities and regional instability, it is mostly civilians, including women and children, who are paying the highest price. Protection of civilians must be an absolute priority for all parties at all times.
The G7 members expressed concern at the unprecedented level of food insecurity affecting most of the population in the Gaza Strip. Securing full, rapid, safe, and unhindered humanitarian access in all its forms and through all relevant crossing points remains an absolute priority. They urged all parties to allow the unimpeded delivery of aid and ensure protection of humanitarian workers by properly implementing de-confliction measures. They recognized the crucial role played by UN agencies and other humanitarian actors in delivering assistance especially health care for the most vulnerable persons, including the polio vaccination campaign. They expressed their support for UNRWA to effectively uphold its mandate, emphasizing the vital role that the UN Agency plays.
The G7 members reaffirmed their unwavering commitment, through reinvigorated efforts in the Middle East Peace Process, to the vision of a two-state solution where two democratic states, Israel and Palestine, live side by side in peace within secure and recognized borders, consistent with international law and relevant UN resolutions, and in this regard stress the importance of unifying the Gaza strip with the West Bank under Palestinian Authority. We note that mutual recognition, to include the recognition of a Palestinian state, at the appropriate time, would be a crucial component of that political process. They expressed their concern about the risk of weakening the Palestinian Authority and underlined the importance of maintaining economic stability in the West Bank. They welcomed the EU’s 400 million Euro emergency package for the Palestinian Authority. All parties must refrain from unilateral actions and from divisive statements that may undermine the prospect of a two-state solution, including the Israeli expansion of settlements and the “legalization” of settlement outposts. They condemned the rise in extremist settler violence committed against Palestinians, which undermines security and stability in the West Bank and threatens prospects for a lasting peace. They expressed their deep concern regarding the deteriorating security situation in the West Bank.
They reiterated their commitment to working together – and with other international partners – to closely coordinate and institutionalize their support for civil society peacebuilding efforts, ensuring that they are part of a larger strategy to build the foundation necessary for a negotiated and lasting Israeli-Palestinian peace. The G7 members called on Iran to contribute to de-escalation of tensions in the region. They demanded that Iran cease its destabilizing actions in the Middle East. They underlined that they stand ready to adopt further sanctions or take other measures in response to further destabilizing initiatives.
They reiterated their determination that Iran must never develop or acquire a nuclear weapon and that the G7 will continue working together, and with other international partners, to address Iran’s nuclear escalation. A diplomatic solution remains the best way to resolve this issue. As the IAEA remains unable to verify that Iran’s nuclear program is exclusively peaceful, they urged Iran’s leadership to cease and reverse nuclear activities that have no credible civilian justification and to cooperate with the IAEA without further delay to fully implement their legally binding safeguards agreement and their commitments under UNSCR 2231(2015).
They condemned in the strongest possible terms Iran’s export and Russia’s procurement of Iranian ballistic missiles. Evidence that Iran has continued to transfer weaponry to Russia despite repeated international calls to stop represents a further escalation of Iran’s military support to Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine. Russia has used Iranian weaponry such as UAVs to kill Ukrainian civilians and strike their critical infrastructure.
They reiterated that Iran must immediately cease all support to Russia’s illegal and unjustifiable war against Ukraine and halt such transfers of ballistic missiles, UAVs and related technology, which constitute a direct threat to the Ukrainian people as well as European and international security more broadly.
They reaffirmed their steadfast commitment to hold Iran to account for its unacceptable support for Russia’s illegal war in Ukraine that further undermines global security. In line with their previous statements on the matter, they underscored that they are already responding with new and significant measures.
They also reiterated their deep concern about Iran’s human rights violations, especially against women and minority groups. They reiterated their call on Iran to allow access to the country to relevant UN Human Rights Council Special Procedures mandate holders.
De-escalation efforts in the region must also include the immediate and unconditional termination of any attack by the Houthis against international and commercial vessels transiting the Gulf of Aden, the Bab al-Mandeb Strait and the Red Sea. The G7 members reiterated their strong condemnation of these attacks and the right of countries to defend their vessels from attacks. They called for the immediate release by the Houthis of the Galaxy Leader and its crew. They expressed their strong concern about the August 21 attack on the merchant vessel Sounion and the ongoing risk of an environmental catastrophe as salvage operations continue. They welcomed the efforts by the EU maritime operation Aspides and by the US-led Operation Prosperity Guardian to protect vital sea lanes. They appreciated the efforts of those countries that are committed to protect freedom of navigation and trade, as well as maritime security, in line with UNSCR 2722 (2024) and in accordance with international law.
The G7 members reaffirmed their commitment to support African nations in the pursuit of sustainable development as well as the creation of jobs and growth. The focus remains on fostering fair partnerships, built on shared principles, democratic values, local leadership, and practical initiatives.
They reiterated their intention to align actions with the African Union’s Agenda 2063 and the specific needs of African countries, including plans to improve local and regional food security, infrastructure, trade, and agricultural productivity. They expressed their support for the implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area, a crucial factor for Africa’s growth in the next decade.
The G7 members emphasized the need to strengthen mutually beneficial cooperation with African countries and regional organizations. In addition to maintaining financial support for African nations, they expressed their determination to improve the coordination and effectiveness of G7 resources, mobilizing domestic resources and encouraging increased private investments.
They welcomed the African Union’s permanent membership in the G20, and the creation of an additional Chair for Sub-Saharan Africa on the IMF Executive Board in November.
They reaffirmed their commitment to the G20 Compact with Africa, a tool aimed at enhancing private investment, driving structural reforms, supporting local entrepreneurship, and fostering cooperation, particularly in the energy sector. The G7 Partnership for Global Infrastructure and Investment (PGII), and initiatives like the EU’s Global Gateway can contribute to promote sustainable, resilient, and economically viable infrastructure in Africa, ensuring transparency in project selection, procurement, and financing. In this framework, they welcomed Italy’s Mattei Plan for Africa.
They recognized that sustainable development, peace and security and democracy go hand in hand, reaffirming their commitment to help African governments in strengthening democratic governance and respect for human rights, while addressing conditions conducive to terrorism, violent extremism, and instability.
They expressed their deep concern about the destabilizing activities of the Kremlin-backed Wagner Group and other Russia-supported entities. They called for accountability for all those responsible for human rights violations and abuses.
The G7 members reiterated their commitment to a free and open Indo-Pacific, based on the rule of law, which is inclusive, prosperous and secure, grounded on sovereignty, territorial integrity, peaceful resolution of disputes, fundamental freedoms and human rights. They reaffirmed the importance of working together with regional partners and organizations, notably the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). They reaffirmed their thorough support for ASEAN centrality and unity. They reaffirmed their intention to work to support Pacific Island Countries’ priorities, as articulated through the 2050 Strategy for the Blue Pacific Continent.
As they seek constructive and stable relations with China, they recognized the importance of direct and candid engagement to express concerns and manage differences. They reaffirmed their readiness to cooperate with China to address global challenges. They expressed their deep concern at the China’s support to Russia. They called on China to step up efforts to promote international peace and security, and to press Russia to stop its military aggression and immediately, completely and unconditionally withdraw its troops from Ukraine. They encouraged China to support a comprehensive, just and lasting peace based on territorial integrity and the principles and purposes of the UN Charter, including through its direct dialogue with Ukraine. They also expressed their deep concern at China’s ongoing support for Russia’s defense industrial base, which is enabling Russia to maintain its illegal war in Ukraine and has significant and broad-based security implications. They called on China to cease the transfer of dual-use materials, including weapons components and equipment, that are inputs for Russia’s defense sector.
They recognized the importance of China in global trade. However, they expressed their concerns about China’s persistent industrial targeting and comprehensive non-market policies and practices that are leading to global spillovers, market distortions and harmful overcapacity in a growing range of sectors, undermining our workers, industries and economic resilience and security, as well as impacting on currencies. The G7 members are not decoupling or turning inwards. They are de-risking and diversifying supply chains where necessary and appropriate and fostering resilience to economic coercion. They called on China to refrain from adopting export control measures, particularly on critical minerals, that could lead to significant supply chain disruptions. Together with partners, the G7 members will invest in building their respective industrial capacities, promote diversified and resilient supply chains, and reduce critical dependencies and vulnerabilities.
They remained seriously concerned about the situation in the East and South China Seas and reiterated their strong opposition to any unilateral attempt to change the status quo by force or coercion. They reaffirmed that there is no legal basis for China’s expansive maritime claims in the South China Sea, and they reiterated their opposition to China’s militarization and coercive and intimidation activities in the South China Sea. They re-emphasized the universal and unified character of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) and reaffirmed UNCLOS’s important role in setting out the legal framework that governs all activities in the oceans and the seas. They reiterated that the award rendered by the Arbitral Tribunal on 12 July 2016 is a significant milestone, which is legally binding upon the parties to those proceedings and a useful basis for peacefully resolving disputes between the parties. They reiterated their strong opposition to China’s dangerous use of coast guard and maritime militia in the South China Sea and its repeated obstruction of countries’ high seas freedom of navigation. They expressed deep concern about the dangerous and obstructive maneuvers, including water cannons and ramming, by the China Coast Guard and maritime militia against Philippines vessels.
The G7 members reaffirmed that maintaining peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait is indispensable to international security and prosperity, and called for the peaceful resolution of cross-Strait issues. There is no change in the basic position of the G7 members on Taiwan, including stated One-China policies. They supported Taiwan’s meaningful participation in international organizations as a member where statehood is not a prerequisite and as an observer or guest where it is.
They remained concerned by the human rights situation in China, including in Xinjiang and Tibet. They are also worried about the crackdown on Hong Kong’s autonomy and independent institutions, and ongoing erosion of rights and freedoms. They urged China and the Hong Kong authorities to act in accordance with their international commitments and applicable legal obligations.
The G7 members strongly condemned North Korea’s continuing expansion of its unlawful nuclear and ballistic missile programs in violation of multiple UNSC resolutions and its continuous destabilizing activities. They reiterated their call for the complete denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula and demanded that North Korea abandons all its nuclear weapons, existing nuclear programs, and any other WMD and ballistic missile programs in a complete, verifiable and irreversible manner, in accordance with all relevant UNSC resolutions. They called on North Korea to return to dialogue to promote peace and stability in the Korean peninsula. They urged all UN Member States to fully implement all relevant UN Security Council resolutions. They reiterated their deep disappointment with Russia’s veto last March on the mandate renewal of the UNSC 1718 Committee Panel of Experts.
They condemned in the strongest possible terms the increasing military cooperation between North Korea and Russia, including North Korea’s export and Russia’s procurement of North Korean ballistic missiles and munitions in direct violation of relevant UNSCRs, as well as Russia’s use of these missiles and munitions against Ukraine. They are also deeply concerned about the potential for any transfer of nuclear or ballistic missiles-related technology to North Korea, in violation of the relevant UNSCRs. They urged Russia and North Korea to immediately cease all such activities and abide by relevant UNSCRs. They urged North Korea to respect human rights, facilitate access for international humanitarian organizations, and resolve the abductions issue immediately.
They called on China not to conduct or condone activities aimed at undermining the security and safety of our communities and the integrity of our democratic institutions, and to act in strict accordance with its obligations under the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations and the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations.
The G7 members reiterated their deep concern about the situation in Venezuela, following the vote on July 28.
They emphasized that the announced victory of Maduro lacks credibility and democratic legitimacy, as indicated by reports of the UN Panel of Experts and independent international observers as well as data published by the opposition. They underscored that it is essential for electoral results to be complete and independently verified to ensure respect for the will of the Venezuelan people.
They expressed their outrage for the arrest warrant and constant threats to the security of Edmundo Gonzalez Urrutia, who decided to seek refuge in Spain. According to the above-mentioned independent reports, Edmundo Gonzalez Urrutia appears to have won the most votes.
They urged Venezuelan representatives to cease all human rights violations and abuses, arbitrary detentions and widespread restrictions on fundamental freedoms, particularly affecting the political opposition, human rights defenders, and representatives of independent media and civil society. They called for the release of all political prisoners and for a path to freedom and democracy for the people of Venezuela.
They urged the international community to keep Venezuela high on the diplomatic agenda and they expressed their support for efforts by regional partners to facilitate the Venezuelan-led democratic and peaceful transition that the people of Venezuela have clearly chosen in the polls.
The G7 members expressed their determination to continue supporting Haitian institutions – including the Transitional Presidential Council (CPT) and the Government of Prime Minister Conille – in their commitment to create the necessary conditions of general security and stability for the convening, by February 2026, of free and fair elections. The expression of popular will would set the foundation for the full restoration of democracy and the rule of law in Haiti.
They also expressed full support to the Multinational Security Support (MSS) mission, which is providing critical support to the Haitian National Police as they counter criminal gangs engaged in illicit trafficking and inflicting brutal violence upon the population.
The G7 members emphasized the importance of continued support to the MSS mission through financial contributions to the UN Trust Fund as well as contributions in kind. They expressed their strong appreciation for the commitment of the Government of Kenya – which has already deployed 380 personnel on the ground – to support the Haitian National Police in restoring peace and security.
They called on all countries that have committed to deploy their contingents to the MSS mission to do so as soon as possible, to consolidate the mission and its fundamental role in the Country. They called on Haiti’s partners to continue their humanitarian assistance to the Haitian people and to expedite their financial and in-kind contributions to the MSS mission to help ensure that the mission is resourced for success.
They called also on the United Nations Security Council to consider a UN Peace Operation to maintain the security gains of the Haiti National Police and the MSS mission for holding free and fair elections and called on the Secretary-General accordingly to provide support.
The G7 members welcomed the work of the G7 Working Group on Haiti in monitoring institutional, political, social and security developments in Haiti, with a view to supporting the stabilization of the country and the restoration of full democratic governance.
The G7 members reiterated their unwavering commitment to Libyan stability, sovereignty, independence and unity. They expressed deep concern about recent developments in the country, in particular those involving the leadership of the Central Bank of Libya and the High Council of State, which show the fragility and unsustainability of the present status quo. They urged relevant Libyan parties to rapidly reach the necessary compromises to begin to restore the institutional integrity of the Central Bank of Libya and its standing with the international financial community. They called on Libyan political actors to refrain from taking harmful unilateral actions that create further political tension and fragmentation and make the country vulnerable to harmful foreign interference.
They noted advances made in the organization of local elections and they called for a free, fair and inclusive participation of all Libyans. It is now imperative to relaunch a Libyan-led and Libyan-owned political process facilitated by the UN towards free and fair presidential and parliamentary elections.
They expressed their support and commended the efforts made by UNSMIL officer in charge Stephanie Koury in support of the stabilization of Libya. They called on the Secretary General to appoint a new Special Representative without delay.
The G7 members reiterated their grave concern over the ongoing fighting, mass-displacement and famine in Sudan.
They condemned the serious human rights violations and abuses against the civilian population, including widespread sexual and gender-based violence, as well as international humanitarian law violations by both sides to the conflict. They called for an immediate end to the escalating violence, which is creating further displacement, and urged the warring parties to ensure the protection of civilians. They reiterated their commitment to holding accountable all those responsible for violations of international law in Sudan.
They condemned the emergence of famine in Sudan as a direct consequence of efforts to restrict access of humanitarian actors. They noted recent progress in relation to the re-opening of the Chad-Sudan Adre border crossing, in the wake of the Paris Conference and of the Geneva talks. They called for full, rapid, safe, and unhindered humanitarian access both into Sudan and across lines of conflict so aid can reach all those in need.
They urged all parties to cease hostilities immediately and to engage in serious negotiations aimed at achieving a lasting ceasefire, humanitarian access and protection of civilians without pre-conditions.
They called on external actors to refrain from fueling the conflict, to respect the UN arms embargo on Darfur, and to play a responsible role in resolving the crisis.
They welcomed mediation efforts by regional and international actors and organizations to facilitate a durable peace for the country.
Inclusive, national dialogue, aimed at restoring democracy, re-establishing and strengthening the civilian and representative institutions after the end of the conflict, is a prerequisite for lasting peace. The G7 Members emphasized that it is necessary for representatives of Sudanese civil society, including women, to be fully engaged in the reflection on the political future of the country.
Source: Deutsche Bundesbank in English
A digital euro would be a digital form of central bank money, specifically the euro. It could be used by the general public in much the same way as cash, only in virtual form. Alongside cash, the Eurosystem would thus supply households with an additional form of central bank money that can be used quickly, easily and securely.
Source: Deutsche Bundesbank in English
A digital euro would be a digital form of central bank money, specifically the euro. It could be used by the general public in much the same way as cash, only in virtual form. Alongside cash, the Eurosystem would thus supply households with an additional form of central bank money that can be used quickly, easily and securely.
Source: Deutsche Bundesbank in English
A digital euro would be a digital form of central bank money, specifically the euro. It could be used by the general public in much the same way as cash, only in virtual form. Alongside cash, the Eurosystem would thus supply households with an additional form of central bank money that can be used quickly, easily and securely.
Source: Deutsche Bundesbank in English
The Bundesbank has now launched the digital exhibition “From Brutus to Brandt – Coins as eyewitness and testament to our past”, which provides insight into the role that coins play as communicators of historical events. Coins are more than just a means of payment. They convey messages that have persisted for centuries, said Bundesbank Executive Board member Burkhard Balz at the exhibition’s launch. Coins make a piece of history tangible, Mr Balz continued.
The exhibition guides visitors through historical eras from antiquity to the present day using eight coins from the Bundesbank’s numismatic collection. These include the Brutus aureus coin, which recalls the assassination of the Roman ruler Julius Caesar in 44 BC, and a € 2 commemorative coin marking the Warsaw genuflection by former German Chancellor Willy Brandt in 1970. The exhibition also includes a € 200 gold coin minted to celebrate the introduction of euro cash in 2002. These coins are associated with significant moments in German and European history, said Mr Balz.
When designing the digital exhibition, the Bundesbank placed particular emphasis on accessibility and user-friendliness. It is available in German and English and can be accessed on any device with internet access. Visitors to the German version of the exhibition can embark on a journey that provides not only a visual but also an auditory experience. The individual sections of the exhibition take the form of short stories.
The digital exhibition “From Brutus to Brandt – Coins as eyewitness and testament to our past” will be available on the Bundesbank’s website for four years. The Bundesbank’s first digital exhibition “BLACK-RED-GOLD” on the history of Germany’s gold reserves will remain available on its website until 2026.
Source: Deutsche Bundesbank in English
A digital euro would be a digital form of central bank money, specifically the euro. It could be used by the general public in much the same way as cash, only in virtual form. Alongside cash, the Eurosystem would thus supply households with an additional form of central bank money that can be used quickly, easily and securely.
Source: Deutsche Bundesbank in English
A digital euro would be a digital form of central bank money, specifically the euro. It could be used by the general public in much the same way as cash, only in virtual form. Alongside cash, the Eurosystem would thus supply households with an additional form of central bank money that can be used quickly, easily and securely.
Source: Bundesanstalt für Finanzdienstleistungsaufsicht – In English
The Federal Financial Supervisory Authority (BaFin) warns consumers about the company Investment-Group and the services it is offering. BaFin suspects the operators of the website trade-mgrp.pro of offering consumers financial and investment services without the required authorisation. The operators claim to be supervised by the European Financial Supervisory Authority. There is no such authority; BaFin has already issued a warning to this effect. On 1 July 2024, BaFin also published a warning regarding an identical offer on the website investmgrp.com.
Anyone wishing to conduct banking business or provide financial or investment services in Germany may do so only with authorisation from BaFin. However, some companies offer these services without the necessary authorisation. Information on whether a particular company has been granted authorisation by BaFin can be found in BaFin’s database of companies.
The information provided by BaFin is based on section 37 (4) of the German Banking Act (Kreditwesengesetz – KWG).
BaFin, the German Federal Criminal Police Office (Bundeskriminalamt – BKA) and the German state criminal police offices (Landeskriminalämter) recommend that consumers seeking to invest money online should exercise the utmost caution and do the necessary research beforehand in order to identify fraud attempts at an early stage.
Source: Deutsche Bundesbank in English
A digital euro would be a digital form of central bank money, specifically the euro. It could be used by the general public in much the same way as cash, only in virtual form. Alongside cash, the Eurosystem would thus supply households with an additional form of central bank money that can be used quickly, easily and securely.
Source: Government of Sweden
The text of the following joint statement was released by the Governments of Australia, Chile, Denmark, France, Iceland, the Republic of Korea, Spain, Sweden, New Zealand, the United Kingdom and the United States of America
The undersigned country members of the Global Partnership for Action on Gender-Based Online Harassment and Abuse (Global Partnership) call attention to the urgent need to counter the spread of gendered disinformation and address all forms of technology-facilitated gender-based violence (TFGBV) against women in political and public life.
Gendered disinformation is a threat to societies defending peaceful, democratic values. False or misleading gender and sex-based narratives are being used in campaigns by malign actors to deter and discredit the participation of women, girls and LGBTQI+ persons in political and public life. This not only causes deep harm to the individuals targeted, but also threatens electoral integrity, access to information and the exercise of freedom of expression. At the same time, new and emerging technologies are being used to enable harmful, violent rhetoric and attacks against women, girls and LGBTQI+ public figures across borders at a scale and speed previously unseen.
In our 2023 Road Map, the Global Partnership committed to promoting the meaningful participation in public life for women and girls, in all their diversity, by countering TFGBV and gendered disinformation.
We welcome the work being done to shine a light on how and why gendered disinformation is conceived, who it targets and how it is spread. Last year, in a groundbreaking study, Canada, the European External Action Service, Germany, Slovakia, the United Kingdom, and the United States jointly assessed the tactics used by foreign state and non-state actors to sow gendered and other identity-based disinformation across the world.
In March 2024 the Global Partnership and members of its Advisory Group co-hosted a multi-stakeholder conference convened by the National Democratic Institute on possible responses to countering the spread of gendered disinformation in the context of electoral processes. Stakeholders affirmed the need for a comprehensive response to disrupt the spread of gendered disinformation and to support victims and survivors.
The world is at a critical moment for upholding democracy. More than 100 countries have held, or are soon to be holding elections, many of them taking place under democratically challenging circumstances. The active participation of all people, including women, girls and LGBTQI+ persons, is essential for secure, healthy and prosperous democracies.
We call upon states to join us in recognising and taking action to counter the threat of gendered disinformation to democracies globally. We urge technology and other private companies to take appropriate action to respond to this threat, including a commitment to a Safety-by-Design approach to the development and deployment of platforms and technologies. We ask states and all stakeholders to defend and protect the ability of women, girls and LGBTQI+ persons to participate in public life freely, safely and without fear.
Source: NASA
A slow-moving storm triggered days of intense rainfall across central and eastern Europe in September 2024. The deluge submerged entire neighborhoods and forced tens of thousands to evacuate flooded towns and cities.
Between September 11 and 18, a low-pressure storm system battered parts of Austria, Poland, Slovakia, and the Czech Republic (Czechia) with torrential rainfall. The storm formed when a wave of cold Arctic air plunged into southern Europe and met with warm, moist air from the Mediterranean. The low-pressure system became cut off from the prevailing jet stream (known as a cut-off low), allowing it to linger in the region for several days.
Named Storm Boris by the UK Met Office, the system hit hardest in the Czech Republic and Austria, which in one week saw up to three times the amount of rainfall typical for the entire month of September, according to the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts. In eastern Austria, near Vienna, 215 millimeters (8.5 inches) of rain fell during that week. All of this rainfall, however, had consequences beyond the hardest-hit areas.
On September 18, water levels along the Oder River in southeastern Poland surpassed the highest alert category set by the country’s institute of meteorology. The river originates in the Oder Mountains in the Czech Republic and runs north through Poland to Germany. Water overtopped the banks of the river near Wrocław and flooded the surrounding farmland, visible in the image above (right), acquired on September 20, 2024. The image on the left shows the same region on September 4, before the storm. Both images were acquired by the OLI (Operational Land Imager) on Landsat 8 and are false color to emphasize the presence of water (dark blue).
The Danube River overtopped its banks in Slovakia, sending floodwaters into the capital, Bratislava. The false-color image below, acquired by the OLI-2 on Landsat 9, shows inundated areas along the Danube on September 21. According to news reports, the relentless rain forced dozens of people from their homes.
In Poland’s mountain town of Stronie Slaskie, near the border with the Czech Republic, a dam burst and caused deadly flooding. As of September 20, flooding across central and eastern Europe and into Italy has contributed to the displacement of over 25,000 people, according to the European Union.
NASA Earth Observatory images by Michala Garrison, using Landsat data from the U.S. Geological Survey. Story by Emily Cassidy.
Source: Government of Canada News
The G7+ Group on Ukraine Energy Sector Support today issued the following statement on the occasion of their fifth Ministerial Meeting on the margins of the 79th United Nations General Assembly
September 23, 2024 – New York City, New York – Global Affairs Canada
The G7+ Group on Ukraine Energy Sector Support today issued the following statement on the occasion of their fifth Ministerial Meeting on the margins of the 79th United Nations General Assembly:
“We, the G7+ Ministerial Group, met on the margins of the 79th Session of the United Nations General Assembly [UNGA] to reaffirm our unwavering support for Ukraine in the face of Russia’s brutal and unjust attacks on Ukraine and its energy infrastructure.
“We reaffirm our strong commitment to the territorial integrity, independence and sovereignty of Ukraine within its internationally recognized borders and to focus on the key priorities needed to achieve a comprehensive, just and lasting peace based on international law, including the UN Charter and its principles.
“We strongly condemn Russia’s continuous missile and drone strikes against Ukraine’s energy infrastructure and cities across Ukraine, which have escalated since March 2024 and severely threaten Ukraine’s energy security and the Ukrainian people’s access to critical services, including electricity, heat and water, during the cold winter months, which could be the harshest for Ukraine since at least its independence. We highlight the regional implications of such attacks, notably on the Republic of Moldova’s energy security. Russia must end its war of aggression and pay for the damage it has caused.
“We recommit to supporting Ukraine’s immediate and medium- and long-term recovery and reconstruction in line with its path toward the EU and to working to involve our private sectors and local governments in the sustainable economic and social recovery of Ukraine. We welcome, and underscore the significance of, Ukraine’s commitment to business-enabling reforms that will establish a level playing field for investment in the energy sector. We stress the importance of the implementation of the National Energy and Climate Plan and the monitoring of this process. We will continue to support efforts of the Ukrainian government and people in these endeavours.
“We stress the importance of the implementation of energy sector reforms in line with the EU accession path and fulfilling obligations under the Energy Community Treaty, including OECD-compliant corporate governance standards. This is especially crucial ahead of the winter, given the scale of repairs and new energy infrastructure needs.
“We acknowledge the need for international assistance to protect energy infrastructure from attacks, including through the strengthening of Ukraine’s air defence capabilities by the committed countries, and reaffirm our readiness to continue providing such assistance.
“We condemn Russia’s seizure and continued control and militarization of Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant, which threatens energy security. We emphasize that any use of nuclear energy and nuclear installations must be safe, secured, safeguarded and environmentally sound. With reference to the UNGA resolution of July 11 entitled Safety and Security of Nuclear Facilities of Ukraine, Including the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant, we stress that the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant must return to the full sovereign control of Ukraine in line with IAEA principles and under its independent supervision.
“We are convinced that rebuilding Ukraine’s energy system in the short- and long-term is in the interest of enhancing global energy security and sustainability.
“We welcome further commitments to providing funding and in-kind support to address the Ukrainian energy sector’s most urgent needs, including repairs of damaged power plants and district heating systems; deployment of new, distributed power generation; emergency backup power for critical services; and passive protection for energy infrastructure. We call on the global community to urgently strengthen efforts in that regard and provide Ukraine with all the assistance needed.
“We underline the important work of international partners, banks and the Energy Community’s Ukraine Energy Support Fund in this regard. We call on international partners to elevate their financial contributions, in particular to this latter fund, to improve Ukraine’s resilience next winter.
“Based on the work of the Working Group on Energy Security and the outcomes of the first Global Peace Summit, held on June 15 and 16, 2024, in Bürgenstock, Switzerland, as well as the results of a productive and constructive dialogue at the Energy Security Conference, held on August 22, 2024, we reaffirm our unwavering commitment to achieving a comprehensive, just and lasting peace for Ukraine.
“Based on the Japan-Ukraine Conference for the Promotion of Economic Growth and Reconstruction, held in Tokyo, Japan, in February 2024; the 2024 Ukraine Recovery Conference [URC], held in Berlin, Germany, in June 2024; and looking ahead to the November 2024 UN Climate Change Conference and the 2025 URC, in Italy, we are committed to continuing to support immediate needs and Ukraine’s vision of a more decentralized, diversified, resilient and renewable and sustainable energy system that is fully integrated with Europe.”
MIL OSI Translation. Canadian French to English –
Source: Government of Canada – in French 1
The G7 Group on Support for Ukraine’s Energy Sector today issued the following statement at its fifth ministerial meeting on the margins of the 79th United Nations General Assembly:
September 23, 2024 – New York, New York – Global Affairs Canada
The G7 Group on Support for Ukraine’s Energy Sector today issued the following statement on the occasion of its fifth ministerial meeting on the margins of the 79th United Nations General Assembly:
“We, the members of the G7 Group of Ministers, have gathered on the margins of the 79th session of the United Nations General Assembly to reaffirm our unwavering support for Ukraine in the face of Russia’s brutal and unjust attacks on Ukraine and its energy infrastructure.
“We reaffirm our strong commitment to the territorial integrity, independence and sovereignty of Ukraine within its internationally recognized borders. We also reiterate our determination to focus on the essential priorities necessary for the establishment of a comprehensive, just and lasting peace based on international law, including the Charter of the United Nations and its principles.
“We strongly condemn the continued Russian missile and drone strikes against Ukraine’s energy infrastructure and cities. These strikes have intensified since March 2024 and pose a serious threat to Ukraine’s energy security and the Ukrainian people’s access to essential services, including electricity, heat, and water, during the cold winter months, which could be the most difficult for Ukraine since at least its independence. We underscore the regional implications of such attacks, including on the energy security of the Republic of Moldova. Russia must end its war of aggression and pay for the damage it has caused.
“We reaffirm our commitment to support Ukraine’s recovery and reconstruction in the immediate, medium and long term, in line with the country’s path towards EU membership, and to work to engage the private sector and our local governments in Ukraine’s sustainable economic and social recovery. We welcome Ukraine’s commitment to implementing business-friendly reforms that will level the playing field for investments in the energy sector, and underline the importance of this initiative. We also highlight the importance of implementing the Integrated National Energy and Climate Plan and monitoring this process. We will continue to support the efforts of the Government and people of Ukraine in these initiatives.
“We stress the importance of implementing energy sector reforms in line with the EU accession path, and of respecting obligations under the Energy Community Treaty, including corporate governance standards in line with those of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. This is particularly important as winter approaches, given the scale of repairs and new energy infrastructure needs.
“We recognize the need for international assistance to protect energy infrastructure from attack, including through the strengthening of Ukraine’s air defense capabilities by participating countries, and we reaffirm our readiness to continue providing such assistance.
“We condemn the seizure and continued control and militarization of the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant of Ukraine, which threatens energy security. We stress that any use of nuclear energy and nuclear facilities must be safe, secure, protected and environmentally friendly. With regard to the UN General Assembly resolution of 11 July entitled Safety and security of Ukraine’s nuclear facilities, including the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, we stress that the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant must return to the full sovereign control of Ukraine, in accordance with the principles of the International Atomic Energy Agency and under its independent supervision.
“We are convinced that the reconstruction of the Ukrainian energy system in the short and long term is in the interests of improving global energy security and sustainability.
“We welcome the new commitments to provide financial and non-financial support to address the most urgent needs of Ukraine’s energy sector, including the repair of damaged power plants and district heating facilities, the deployment of new distributed power generation networks, emergency backup power for essential services, and passive protection of energy infrastructure. We call on the international community to urgently step up its efforts in this regard and provide Ukraine with all the assistance it needs.
“We highlight the important work of international partners, banks and the Energy Community’s Energy Support Fund of Ukraine in this regard. We call on international partners to increase their financial contributions, including to this fund, in order to improve Ukraine’s resilience next winter.
“Taking into account the work of the Energy Security Working Group, the outcomes of the first World Peace Summit, held on June 15-16, 2024 in Bürgenstock, Switzerland, as well as the results of a productive and constructive dialogue at the Energy Security Conference, held on August 22, 2024, we reaffirm our unwavering commitment to achieving a comprehensive, just and lasting peace for Ukraine.
“Considering the Japan-Ukraine Conference for Promoting Economic Growth and Reconstruction, held in Tokyo, Japan, in February 2024, the 2024 Conference on the Reconstruction of Ukraine [CRU] held in Berlin, Germany, in June 2024, and looking ahead to the United Nations Climate Change Conference in November 2024 and the 2025 CRU in Italy, we are determined to continue supporting Ukraine’s immediate needs and vision of a more decentralized, diversified, resilient, renewable and sustainable energy system, fully integrated with Europe.”
EDITOR’S NOTE: This article is a translation. Apologies should the grammar and/or sentence structure not be perfect.
Source: Government of Canada – Prime Minister
Today, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau met with the Chancellor of Germany, Olaf Scholz, on the margins of the 79th Session of the United Nations (UN) General Assembly.
Prime Minister Trudeau and Chancellor Scholz underscored the close relationship between Canada and Germany. They discussed shared priorities, such as addressing climate change, advancing clean energy including green hydrogen, expanding economic co-operation, promoting trade and investment, and achieving progress toward the UN Sustainable Development Goals through the actions committed to at the Summit of the Future.
The two leaders discussed shared concerns over recent escalations in the Middle East and agreed on the importance of promoting lasting peace and security in the region. They also reiterated their commitment to stand with Ukraine as Russia continues its unjustifiable war of aggression.
Prime Minister Trudeau and Chancellor Scholz agreed to remain in close and regular contact and looked forward to continue working together to advance shared priorities, including in the context of Canada’s G7 Presidency next year.
MIL OSI Translation. Canadian French to English –
Source: Prime Minister of Canada – in French
Today, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau met with Chancellor of Germany Olaf Scholz on the margins of the 79th session of the United Nations General Assembly.
Prime Minister Trudeau and Chancellor Scholz highlighted the close relationship between Canada and Germany. They discussed shared priorities, including combating climate change, advancing clean energy such as green hydrogen, expanding economic cooperation, promoting trade and investment, and making progress toward the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals through actions announced at the Future Summit.
The two leaders discussed their shared concerns over the recent escalation of tensions in the Middle East and agreed on the need to promote lasting peace and security in the region. They also reiterated their readiness to support Ukraine in the face of Russia’s continuation of its unjustifiable war of aggression.
Prime Minister Trudeau and Chancellor Scholz agreed to remain in close and regular contact and looked forward to continuing to work together to advance their shared priorities, including in the context of Canada’s G7 presidency next year.
EDITOR’S NOTE: This article is a translation. Apologies should the grammar and/or sentence structure not be perfect.